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

The clock on the wall had already struck 10:40 a.m.

I spent the morning commotion at the alley entrance, and breakfast was turned into brunch.

Lin Fan tied on an apron and went into the kitchen.

The black clay pot on the small stove was still warm. The thick and sturdy clay pot had a good heat retention effect. The moment the lid was lifted, the thick, white and clear bone broth was still bubbling and rolling with tiny hot bubbles. The pure and mellow aroma of pork bones mixed with the sweetness of white radish wafted out of the window through the range hood.

Lin Fan picked up another large iron pot, filled it with more than half a pot of water, and turned on the high-powered stove.

The flames roared, and the water in the pot quickly boiled and churned.

Lin Fan grabbed two handfuls of thin, hand-rolled noodles and tossed them into the pot. He then used long bamboo chopsticks to gently stir the noodles in the boiling water, and they quickly stretched out in the water.

At the same time, he casually picked up the thermos that was placed next to the stove.

Lin Fan used a large ladle to scoop out a large half-full bucket of tender, boneless pork ribs and juicy white radish chunks from the bottom of the casserole. He poured boiling, clear pork rib broth over them, sprinkled some fresh chopped green onions on top, and then put the lid on.

Once the water boiled, Lin Fan tossed a handful of washed and dried tender green vegetable shoots into the pot, blanched them twice, and then used long chopsticks to transfer the noodles and vegetable shoots into two heavy white porcelain bowls.

A large bowl is filled with piping hot broth, and three large ribs are placed in each bowl, topped with a golden-brown, soft-boiled egg.

Just as the noodles were placed on the table, the frosted glass door to the bathroom was pushed open.

Large plumes of hot steam billowed out from the crack in the door, accompanied by a pleasant, fresh scent of soap.

Su Xiaoxiao came out wearing a loose and comfortable light gray cotton pajama set, with a large dry towel wrapped around her head and a pair of brand new slippers on her feet.

The hot bath washed away all the fatigue. Her face was flushed from the steam, and although there was still a hint of tiredness in her eyes, she felt much more relaxed.

She was holding the dark blue overcoat Lin Fan had lent her to shield her from the wind. She walked over quickly, glanced down at the collar and hem of the coat, and said somewhat embarrassedly in a low voice:

"Brother Lin, this shirt looks like it's made of really nice fabric. It feels thick and soft, so it must be quite expensive, right? It was a bit messy on the street earlier, and the collar and cuffs seem to have gotten a little dirty. After we finish eating, I'll take it to the dry cleaners at the end of the alley to get it cleaned properly for you?"

Lin Fan was using long bamboo chopsticks to drain the noodle soup from the pot when he heard this. He didn't even look up, and spoke in a flat tone:

"No need for that, just throw it away."

Su Xiaoxiao froze for a moment, still holding the thick trench coat in both hands, blinking her eyes in a daze:

"Lost...lost? Brother Lin, this coat is perfectly intact inside and out, it looks brand new. Taking it to the dry cleaners for twenty or thirty yuan to wash it will definitely make it look brand new. It's such a waste to just throw it away..."

Lin Fan placed the two heavy white porcelain bowls on the small square table, and took a tissue to wipe the oil stains off the edge of the table.

"It's just an old piece of clothing, no need to bother with it. Just throw it in the trash. Sit down and eat first, the noodles will clump together if left out too long."

Su Xiaoxiao stood there, looking at Lin Fan's nonchalant and indifferent expression. She moved her lips but didn't try to persuade him any further.

Su Xiaoxiao pulled out a chair and sat down at the small square table. Holding the hot porcelain bowl, she took a deep breath of the delicious pork rib soup, and her stomach rumbled loudly.

She picked up a bamboo chopstick, scooped up a large strand of noodles, blew on it, and slurped it into her mouth.

The hand-pulled noodles are chewy and smooth, coated with the rich aroma of pork rib broth, and filled with the fragrance of wheat.

Taking a big bite of tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, the juices melt on the tip of the tongue, and the warm soup flows into the stomach. The fear that had been hanging over me in the police station just now instantly vanished.

"It smells so good..." Su Xiaoxiao chewed the meat with a big bite and breathed a satisfied sigh of relief. "After a whole morning of work, I feel like I've come back to life after eating this hot noodle dish."

Lin Fan picked up the thermos full of meat broth from the side and gave an instruction:

"Your hair isn't dry yet, so stay inside and eat your noodles quietly. Don't let the cold wind blow on you. I'll go to the neighbor's yard and take this pot of soup to Aunt Wang. I'll be back in two minutes."

"Okay, Brother Lin, please walk slowly, the ground outside is slippery." Su Xiaoxiao replied indistinctly while chewing noodles.

Lin Fan put on his jacket, picked up the thermos, went down the back stairs, and passed through the small back door.

The alleyways deep within Jin Street are dry, cold, and quiet.

The streamers and viewers who had blocked the door and caused trouble in the morning had long since dispersed, and the snow that had been cleared from the ground was slowly melting in the sunlight.

Pushing open the old wooden door of the neighboring courtyard house, you'll find the courtyard spotlessly clean.

Aunt Wang changed into a dry, dark blue old cotton-padded jacket and was sitting on a small stool in the main room picking dried green beans.

Old Liu, the repairman, was also sitting on the doorstep rolling a pipe, chatting casually about things at the police station.

Seeing Lin Fan walk in carrying a stainless steel insulated bucket, Aunt Wang quickly patted her trouser legs and stood up:

"Oh, Xiao Fan, why did you come all the way here yourself! It's freezing cold, come inside and warm up!"

"Auntie, come and try the pork rib soup, it's fresh out of the pot."

Lin Fan stepped forward, placed the thermos on the square table in the main room, and unscrewed the lid.

The rich aroma of hot bone broth filled the cramped little room, where large, tenderly stewed ribs and translucent radish chunks were piled high, topped with a layer of fine, tender scallions.

Old Liu sniffed hard, tapped his pipe against the sole of his shoe, and couldn't help but swallow.

"Good heavens! Boss Lin's soup-making skills are truly amazing! The aroma is even more authentic and pure than the soups simmered in earthenware pots at those time-honored restaurants!"

Looking at the large bucket full of lean meat and bones, Aunt Wang felt a pang of heartache and kept muttering:

"Xiao Fan, you've gone to too much trouble! This old lady just came out to get some water this morning, it's not worth you bringing over so much tough meat!"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Auntie, you've suffered a lot today. Old people can't take this kind of hardship. This soup has ginger and white radish in it. Drink a couple of bowls while it's hot to ward off the cold. Take your time eating, there's no rush to return the bucket."

Aunt Wang's eyes were red-rimmed. She held onto Lin Fan's arm tightly, then turned around and took out a clean red plastic basin from the small cabinet. It was filled to the brim with dried, handmade sweet potato noodles, and next to it were two jars of homemade pickled mustard greens.

"Xiao Fan, you brought such good meat! I don't have anything special on me. This is some handmade sweet potato noodles that my brother from my hometown just sent a few days ago. They're really chewy and taste best in meat broth! And this jar of pickled cabbage is perfect with minced meat. You have to take it all! If you don't, I'll get really upset!"

Old Liu chimed in, "Please accept it, Boss Lin, it's a kind gesture from the old lady!"

Lin Fan couldn't refuse, so he accepted the glass noodles and pickled cabbage: "Okay, then I won't stand on ceremony with you, thank you, auntie."