Gao Yiye stood in front of the little eatery called "Water-Fresh Hehe", tilting her head to study the wooden signboard.
"Hmm… I don't recognize these two characters."
Beside her, Qiu Ju whispered, "The first two mean Water-Fresh."
"I meant the last two."
Dong Xue quickly added, "Those read Hehe."
Gao Yiye blinked. "And what, pray tell, is Water-Fresh Hehe?"
The two maids shook their heads in perfect synchronization. "No idea."
Even Dao Xuan Tianzun, drifting invisibly above them, looked equally baffled.
What on earth is that? Why haven't I ever heard of it—or eaten it?
He quickly pulled out his phone and searched Water-Fresh Hehe on food delivery apps. Nothing.
Not on MouTuan, not on BaoLeMe, not even Douyin Eats.
Nothing.
Unacceptable. A mystery dish he'd never tasted? Impossible.
"Yiye," Tianzun decreed from the clouds, "go in and eat!"
Yiye touched her stomach, wincing.
"But I just had a bowl of San Chi Knife-Cut Noodles, half a bowl of Heyang Swirled Noodles, and half a mutton glue bun. I'm so full… Seriously, this Heyang county street is terrifying—you just keep eating without noticing."
Tianzun floated, incredulous. "You ate that much?"
"Didn't you see me, Great One? You've been hovering over my head this whole time!"
"..."
Right. He'd been too distracted watching her grin and chatter to notice the culinary rampage below. Tragic oversight.
He was about to say "Forget it then," when Yiye patted her little round belly and chuckled.
"Maybe I can still nibble some! Qiu Ju, you can help me finish half?"
Qiu Ju protested, "I already ate half your mutton bun."
Yiye turned to Dong Xue, who grimaced. "And I finished half your noodles."
Yiye sighed. "Honestly, you two have the appetites of poetry. Half a bowl each? Pathetic."
Both maids murmured guiltily, "We were trained since childhood… never eat till full. Never get fat…"
Tianzun understood, and for a rare second, his tone softened.
"Go inside. From now on, eat until you're full. Even if you get plumper, no one under my sky will scorn you for it."
Yiye blinked, then smiled. "You heard him, girls. His Excellency commands—eat and be merry. No fear of chubbiness!"
Qiu Ju and Dong Xue's eyes brightened. "Thank you, Tianzun!"
They pushed through the bead curtain.
"Shopkeeper, what exactly is this Water-Fresh Hehe?"
The owner, seeing three finely dressed women—one clearly the lady, two her attendants—hurried forward with a grin.
"This humble dish, my ladies, is a specialty of Heyang. We press buckwheat dough with wild mugwort seeds or mix it with stone-water from the green quarry. It becomes springy, resilient. Boil, then rinse in cool water—that's the Water-Fresh part. Hence the name, Water-Fresh Hehe!"
At once, Yiye's mouth watered.
So did Tianzun's.
"One bowl!" they both blurted at the same time.
Then they stared at each other through the veil of heaven.
"Ah—" Yiye hesitated. "Was that you ordering me a bowl, or you ordering yourself one?"
Tianzun coughed. "Of course I meant you. I've roamed the five lakes and eight seas—what delicacy haven't I eaten? Hmph. Hardly impressed."
Meanwhile, his fingers were frantically typing on his phone:
MouTuan? No.
BaoLeMe? No.
Douyin? Still no.
He was about to lose divine composure.
Finally, salvation came from MouBao: frozen Hehe noodles from Chunhua County. Not Heyang's Water-Fresh version, but close enough. Six boxes for twenty-something coins.
He ordered them instantly—express shipping, of course.
Before long, Yiye's dish arrived steaming hot.
She tasted a bite—and her eyes lit up. "Delicious! Absolutely divine!"
Qiu Ju and Dong Xue each tried a bite, instantly smiling too.
Even Tianzun, seeing their expressions, knew it was a winner.
"Yiye," he said, amused, "ask the owner about his business. See how things are going."
Yiye nodded. "Shopkeeper, this tastes amazing! But your shop's half empty. Not many customers?"
The man sighed. "Business has been hard. Drought years, you know. Buckwheat's rare. Only after the Gao Family Village started distributing flour could I even get ingredients. But people here just want to eat enough, not eat well. I barely make ends meet."
Tianzun understood. Heyang County was only just recovering from famine.
When people still feared tomorrow, they didn't buy luxuries.
Even good food waited for the fear to fade.
He smiled faintly. "Invite him to open shop in Gaojia Village."
Yiye grinned. "Shopkeeper, this is too good to waste here. Why not open a branch in Gaojia Village? The market there still has empty stalls, and rent's free for three months! I guarantee you'll make a fortune."
The shopkeeper blinked. "Would it really sell there?"
"Of course! Folks in Gaojia Village are living well now. It's no longer 'eat to fill the belly,' but 'eat with taste.' If you don't believe me, come and see."
The man rubbed his chin, thinking. Gaojia Village wasn't far—just a few dozen li—and the new road was under construction.
"Close enough to risk," he finally said with a smile. "All right, I'll visit soon. If business looks good, I'll move there."
"Do that," Yiye beamed. "You'll see."
Just then, the thundering hooves of a horse echoed down the street.
A yamen rider galloped past shouting,
"Good news! The rebel band of Wang Jiayin has been crushed! Our Gaojia Militia joined forces with the county corps at Qiachuan Pier—the bandits fled north!"
The shop erupted in cheers.
Trivia — Hehe Noodles (餄餎)
A traditional noodle from the Guanzhong region, made with buckwheat and mugwort seed water. "Hehe" (pronounced he-luo) refers to the twisted, flattened shape—somewhere between noodles and dumpling skins. The name's oddly hard to write but easy to love—locals say, "You can't spell it, but you'll never forget it.