After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

"I know Master Lin's skills well. I still vividly remember that jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall last time!"

Qin Donghai tightened his coat and sighed, "But I really didn't expect that Boss Lin's other ingredients could also captivate you all like this. In this freezing weather, you're all rushing to come and freeze."

Chairman Chen adjusted his glasses and smiled, "Chairman Qin, you'll understand once you eat it. This isn't about freezing; it's about saving your life."

Qin Donghai didn't ask any more questions and obediently stood at the end of the line with Qin Lang.

In the wind and snow, the queue grew longer and longer.

It was exactly six o'clock in the morning.

The Lin family shop has opened.

Su Xiaoxiao came out with a small blackboard in her hand and hung it on the shelf by the door.

"Dear customers, Lin's Shop is now open for business! Please line up in order to dine in!" Su Xiaoxiao stepped aside.

Warm air wafted in through the main entrance. The crowd, who had been freezing for hours, instantly perked up and quickly surged into the hall in an orderly fashion.

Qin Lang led Qin Donghai to a spacious empty table to sit down.

"Boss Lin's shop is as clean as ever." Qin Donghai unbuttoned his coat and looked around.

Having worked in the catering industry his entire life, he could tell as soon as he entered the store that there was no unpleasant odor, only a faint aroma of tea and the pure fragrance of food.

Qin Lang took out his phone, opened the QR code scanning interface, and casually asked, "Dad, what do you want to eat? How about a charcoal-grilled mutton hot pot?"

Qin Donghai had just placed his leather gloves on the corner of the table when he heard this, and his brows immediately furrowed.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and said irritably, "Are you out of your mind? It's only six in the morning! My stomach hasn't even fully woken up yet, and you want me to eat mutton hotpot with you? Don't you care about your digestive system?"

In Qin Donghai's mind, hot pot was something that was eaten for a main meal or a late-night snack.

Eating heavily oily, spicy, or rich, nourishing soups first thing in the morning is simply making your body uncomfortable.

Qin Lang couldn't help but laugh when he saw his father's serious expression.

"Dad, don't worry. The hot pot at Brother Lin's place is completely different from the ones you eat outside."

Qin Lang waved his phone, "This is a pure clear broth hot pot, not a drop of oil, it's the best for your stomach. You've been standing in this snow for so long, this is perfect for you."

Qin Donghai looked at him with disbelief: "Clear broth hot pot? Not even a broth, just boiled mutton in plain water first thing in the morning, how can anyone eat that?"

"Just trust me this once, you'll understand after you take a bite." Qin Lang didn't explain further, and quickly started operating his phone.

"I've ordered. A charcoal-grilled mutton hot pot, two plates of lamb, and two cups of freshly ground soy milk. Just enough to warm me up."

"Do whatever you want, but if it makes your stomach churn, I'll hold you responsible." Qin Donghai leaned back in his chair and said no more.

In less than five minutes, Lin Yi came over carrying a cloisonné copper hot pot and placed it steadily in the center of the table.

The smokeless fruitwood charcoal at the bottom was burning bright red, and the pot contained only ordinary water.

The water was boiling, bubbling away, but there wasn't a single piece of ginger or scallion in sight.

Then, Lin Yi brought over two plates of lamb stew arranged on crushed ice, and two steaming white porcelain cups of soy milk.

Qin Donghai picked up his chopsticks, and his eyes immediately fell on the plate of mutton.

Upon seeing this, his previously casual gaze immediately turned serious.

The slices of meat were cut as thin as cicada wings, and the red and white marbled texture was clearly visible.

Most importantly, when the lamb is placed on an ice plate, not a single bit of excess moisture seeps out from the edges, and the meat is dry and firm.

"Good meat, and the knife skills are top-notch."

Qin Donghai nodded inwardly. Having worked in the catering industry for so many years, he could tell at a glance that the quality of the mutton and the aging process were top-notch.

He picked up two slices of mutton and pressed them directly into the boiling water.

The meat slices change color quickly when heated, the edges curl up slightly, and a layer of fine oil is released.

The water remained crystal clear, without even a speck of grayish-brown blood foam rising to the surface.

Seeing this, Qin Donghai understood. Most of the top supply chains in China couldn't produce meat of such purity.

Seven seconds.

Qin Donghai scooped the mutton out of the water. He didn't dip it in the sauce on the side, but put it directly into his mouth.

Teeth cut through the meat fibers.

The abundant juice bursts in your mouth instantly.

There's absolutely no fishy or gamey smell, only a pure grassy aroma, and a milky fragrance that emerges at the end of each bite. The meat is firm and chewy, melting in a rich, oily texture.

Qin Donghai swallowed the mutton, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Even though he had high expectations for Lin Fan's skills, this simple, plain boiled meat still hit the soft spot of this veteran restaurateur.

All other seasonings seem superfluous in the face of this pure, original freshness.

Qin Donghai didn't say anything, but picked up a few more slices of meat and put them into the pot, even faster than Qin Lang.

After eating half a plate of meat, he felt full and picked up the white porcelain cup next to him.

He drank a large gulp of hot soy milk, using the slightly yellow oily skin on the surface as a guide.

Silky smooth, rich.

The natural sweetness of the grains slid down my esophagus, and a warm, fiery sensation spread through my stomach.

The fatigue from working hard on the group's affairs for days was completely washed away by this sip of pure soy milk.

"No wonder Old Li and the others lined up in the middle of the night." Qin Donghai put down his cup, exhaled a long breath of white air, and glanced at Lin Fan in the transparent kitchen.

"With the quality of these ingredients, even the entire kitchen of the Grand Hyatt Hotel combined couldn't compare."

As Qin Lang put meat into the pot, he said smugly, "How about it, Dad? I didn't lie to you, did I? Eating this so early in the morning, does it feel good in your stomach?"

"It's truly clear." Qin Donghai picked up a tissue and wiped his mouth, sincerely marveling.

On the other side of the hall.

Zhou Zhengming, holding a glass of soy milk, sat around a table with his daughter Zhou Xiaoya and several of her roommates.

Although he said he was "maintaining discipline and protecting safety," he still silently stood in the coldest part of the line outside.

At this moment, after drinking half a cup of hot soy milk, Zhou Zhengming felt that the stiffness at the back of his neck had dissipated by more than half, and his mind was clearer than ever before.

Zhou Xiaoya and her roommates were chatting excitedly.

"That was close! Luckily we arrived at 3 o'clock, or we would have missed it." Li Na rubbed her hands together, her tone full of relief.

Zhou Xiaoya took a big gulp of soy milk, her little face flushed.

She leaned closer to Zhou Zhengming, grinning, and asked, "Dad, how's it going? Getting up at three in the morning to brave the cold, just to get this drink, wasn't it worth it?"

Zhou Zhengming's old face stiffened slightly, and his hand holding the white porcelain cup paused for a moment.

He cleared his throat and put on a stern face: "I'm mainly here to conduct on-site research on the plant protein activity of these soybeans. I'm also keeping an eye on you guys. Make sure you finish your drinks and get back to school quickly, so you don't wander around the streets in the dead of winter."

Zhou Xiaoya and her roommates saw through it but didn't say anything, all suppressing their laughter and nodding repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, Professor Zhou is the most rigorous in his scholarship."