A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

In the kitchen, Zhou Yayun's movements were swift yet filled with a reverent sense of ritual.

She took out the family's precious white flour, mixed it with warm water, kneaded it into a smooth dough, and set it aside to rest. Then, she took out a small oil paper package from the deepest part of the cupboard.

Inside the paper package was a small piece of Jinhua ham that Lu Zhenguo had brought back from his hometown during the Chinese New Year. Normally, she wouldn't even cut a slice of it, and she would only take it out to make soup when the most distinguished guest came to the house, or when her husband returned from a victorious battle.

Today, she cut off a thick, large piece.

Slice the ham thinly and sauté it in a pot with a few slices of ginger over low heat until the fat is rendered and the ham turns golden brown. Then pour in boiling water. Instantly, with a sizzling sound, an extremely rich and intensely flavorful aroma, a blend of meaty and smoky notes, explodes through the kitchen and then playfully sneaks into the living room through the crack in the door.

While Su Nianci was staring at Lu Zhenguo, the domineering aroma made her stomach growl even louder.

What delicacies hadn't she eaten in her past life? Michelin-starred chefs would all line up to invite her to dinner.

But at this moment, the most simple and original aroma of food easily aroused all her appetite.

A hint of longing involuntarily appeared on her small face.

Seeing her greedy expression, Lu Zhenguo's smile softened even more.

He stood up, took out a brand new washbasin and two clean towels from the cabinet in the living room, and then went to the bathroom to fetch a basin of warm water, which he then brought to the two children.

"Come on, wash your face and hands first." His movements were still a little clumsy, but full of patience. "Your Aunt Zhou's noodles will be ready in a bit."

Su Nianci looked at the basin of clear, warm water, and then at her and her brother's little hands, which were red, swollen, and covered in mud from the cold. A warmth filled her heart.

This seemingly dignified man has such a delicate mind.

Without any hesitation, she took Little Stone's hand and carefully washed his face and hands thoroughly.

When the grime was washed away, revealing her originally fair and delicate face, Lu Zhenguo was stunned.

After washing her face, Su Nianci had delicate features, a high nose bridge, and large, bright eyes like two obsidian stones. Although she was still young, it was already clear that she would grow up to be a stunning beauty. Her appearance was largely inherited from her equally beautiful mother.

After washing his face, Little Stone's facial features became even more defined.

Especially those eyes, which hold a stubborn and unyielding spirit.

"...So familiar..." Lu Zhenguo murmured to himself as he looked at the two children, his eyes welling up with tears again.

The kitchen door opened.

Zhou Yayun walked out carrying a large tray.

On the tray were two bowls of steaming, fragrant...ham and egg noodles.

The snow-white noodles, each strand distinct, are soaked in a rich, milky-white ham broth. On top of the broth lies a golden-brown, crispy fried egg, a few slices of bright red ham, and a handful of emerald green scallions.

The color and aroma were simply irresistible, making one's mouth water!

"Quick! Children, eat while it's hot!" Zhou Yayun carefully placed the two bowls of noodles on the coffee table in front of the two children.

Looking at the "luxurious" bowl of hot soup noodles in front of her, Su Nianci felt a lump in her throat.

She knew what a bowl of noodles with ham and eggs meant in the 1970s.

This is more than just a bowl of noodles; it is a profound and unreserved acceptance and love.

"Thank you... Aunt Zhou," Su Nianci said softly.

"Silly child, why are you being so polite with your auntie!" Zhou Yayun patted her head affectionately. "Eat up, there's more in the pot after you finish."

Su Nianci picked up her chopsticks, took a strand of noodles, blew on it, and then carefully put it into her mouth.

The noodles are hand-pulled, with a chewy texture and a rich wheat flavor.

The broth is delicious, rich, and perfectly seasoned, with a distinctive, intense smoky aroma of ham.

The poached egg is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a runny yolk. When you bite into it, the golden egg liquid slowly flows out and mixes with the delicious soup, making it an absolute delicacy!

good to eat!

too delicious!

Su Nianci felt her numb taste buds being completely awakened at this moment!

She no longer cared about manners or restraint; like a wolf cub that hadn't eaten for three days, she buried her head and began to eat voraciously.

Little Stone, who was standing nearby, was also attracted by the aroma. He imitated his older sister and clumsily scooped up noodles and soup with a small spoon, eating until his mouth was covered in oil. A satisfied smile, which he had never shown before, appeared on his little face.

Lu Zhenguo and Zhou Yayun sat quietly to the side, doing nothing but watching the two children wolf down their food.

Their faces were filled with a complex smile of relief, satisfaction, and heartache.

It was as if watching these two children eat made them happier than if they themselves had eaten the finest delicacies.

Su Nianci ate very quickly.

She finished a bowl of noodles, soup and all, in less than five minutes, leaving not a drop of soup behind.

When she put down the bowl and looked up, she realized that her face was covered with tears.

Those tears weren't salty, they were scalding.

One drop after another, uncontrollably, rolled down from her eye sockets, splashing into the empty bowl and creating tiny water droplets.

She was stunned.

She didn't understand why she was crying.

In her past life, she was betrayed by her closest fellow students, ostracized by jealous colleagues, and verbally abused by unreasonable patients' families, yet she never cried.

In this life, she was abused by her aunt, chased by human traffickers, and extorted by thugs. She struggled to survive in the freezing cold, but she never cried.

She thought that she had already cried all her tears in the suffering of two lifetimes.

But now, she had only eaten a bowl of hot soup noodles, yet she was sobbing uncontrollably like a fool.

For whom do these tears flow?

Was it for the warmth of this bowl of noodles? Or for the kindness of these two people in front of me?

No.

neither.

These tears were shed for herself.

It was for Su Nianci, the genius doctor from my past life who stood calmly and decisively in front of the operating table, yet was as lonely as a statue.

It was also for this life, for Su Nianci, an orphan girl who was only five years old but was forced to shoulder everything and use her frail shoulders to support herself and her younger brother.

In both her lives, she was like a taut, never-ending spinning top, whipped by fate, spinning wildly without a moment's rest.

She was so tired, so very tired.

Until this moment, until she finished this bowl of hot soup noodles, until she felt this unreserved warmth and kindness from a stranger, the string that had been taut for two lifetimes finally snapped with a "snap".

All the strength, all the pretense, all the composure, collapsed at this moment.

She could finally stop pretending to be an all-powerful adult.

She was finally able to cry out loud like a real five-year-old child.

"Waaah... Waaah—!"

Su Nianci could no longer hold back. She buried her face in her arms and let out a heart-wrenching cry that she had suppressed for two lifetimes!

The cries were filled with grievance, sorrow, endless exhaustion, and bitterness.

The sound of crying pierced the hearts of Lu Zhenguo and Zhou Yayun.

"Oh dear, my child..." Zhou Yayun's heart was breaking.

She immediately stepped forward, grabbed the sobbing Su Nianci, and hugged her tightly, gently patting her back.

"Don't cry, don't cry... Nianci, don't cry... Aunt Zhou is here, your Uncle Lu is here... From now on, no one will bully you anymore... This is your home..." She comforted her gently, over and over again.

Lu Zhenguo stood aside, watching the small figure trembling with sobs in his wife's arms. This tough man, who never sheds a tear, had tears welling up in his eyes again.

He reached out to touch her head, but then felt his hands were too rough.

In the end, he just clenched his fists tightly.

Just then, a series of urgent and forceful knocks suddenly rang out!

The knocking was full of provocation, completely out of place with the sad yet warm atmosphere inside the house.