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

"My old arms and legs can't be of much help. The jar of pickled vegetables I brought were just cheap, unremarkable stuff from the countryside, but you turned them into a delicacy. How could I possibly ask for your favor in return?"

Old Liu nodded in agreement, picked up his teacup, took a big gulp of hot water, calmed himself, and said in a gruff voice:

"The old lady is right! Mr. Lin, feelings are feelings, but rules are rules."

"You're already having a hard time running your business and having these scoundrels blocking your door."

"If our old neighbors are still using this as an excuse to eat and drink for free, what's the difference between them and those bastards outside who take advantage of others?!"

Old Liu thumped his chest loudly: "If you absolutely refuse to take this money, then the repair shop is under my control. All future maintenance, waxing, and oil changes for your Wuling Hongguang will be on me, Old Liu! Anyone who dares to mention money to me, I'll fight them to the death!"

Su Xiaoxiao had just wiped the water stains from Tuantuan's mouth when she heard Old Liu's serious expression, and couldn't help but smile.

"Uncle Liu, please don't argue with Brother Lin. Don't you know Brother Lin's temper?"

"If he wanted to charge you, he should have told you before putting the food in the pot. If you really want to help, when our shop reopens in a couple of days, and there's a long line, could you help by pointing the way at the alley entrance and keeping order? That would be more helpful than any car repair or oil change!"

"No problem!" Old Liu's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this, and he slapped his thigh.

"Leave this to me! Tomorrow I'll bring out that big metal megaphone from the repair shop. Anyone who dares to cut in line or take pictures with their phone will be thrown out with a wrench!"

Aunt Wang was amused by Old Liu's loud and boisterous manner, and the restraint on her face finally dissipated.

The old lady slowly sipped her tea, glancing out the second-floor window at the street outside. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she sighed with concern.

Aunt Wang lowered her voice, her tone full of heartache:

"When I went upstairs just now, I saw a sign on the doorpost that said 'Closed indefinitely.' With the door closed every day, the rent and utilities are still burning through money. How much money are we losing every day? Those young people who got sick just left, and we honest cooks are the ones who suffer. How can the world be so frustrating?"

Old Liu's smile faded, he put down his water glass, and gave a satisfied snort:

"Auntie, you didn't see it just now. Before I followed Boss Lin inside, I glanced towards the transformer. Those little rascals who were making a ruckus with that goatee this morning were still lurking behind the electrical box!"

Old Liu wore a gloating smile, spitting as he spoke:

"Those two poor souls, with snot hanging from their noses and lips, were huddled in the drafty air, shivering. Just now, when we turned on the range hood, that pungent smell of pickled fish wafted out—good heavens!"

"That kid's eyeballs are practically popping out of their sockets!"

Old Liu smacked his lips, quite pleased with himself: "Serves them right! Those filthy bastards will freeze to death!"

"They're eating ice cubes on the street in sub-zero temperatures, while we're enjoying piping hot pickled fish in a warm house. That's how we teach them a lesson! Let them know what it means to 'see but not be able to'!"

Lin Fan placed the stacked empty bowls and plates onto the tray, listening to Old Liu's words with an expression that remained calm and composed:

"It's cold outside, so let them squat if they want. A person's stomach can't withstand the cold, and it can't withstand the temptation of delicious food. Once they've used up all their strength, they'll have to slink away."

Lin Fan turned around and looked at Aunt Wang, gently comforting her:

"Auntie, you don't need to worry about the shop. These past few days, with the shop closed, we've had a good opportunity to get all the new winter dishes sorted out. We have the stove and the skills, and as long as we make the food well, we'll have plenty of customers when we reopen."

Seeing Lin Fan's calm and composed demeanor, Aunt Wang finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart and nodded repeatedly.

"Xiao Fan is a child with great potential, so I won't say any more. Just keep that in mind."

Old Liu leaned back in his chair, stretched comfortably, rubbed his round belly a couple of times, and looked utterly exhausted from a good meal.

"Oh my... I've never felt so comfortable in my life."

"Boss Lin, in my opinion, today's pickled cabbage fish with vermicelli is unbeatable in Jiangcheng."

"The pickled cabbage is crisp, the glass noodles are smooth, and the fish is tender. If this were sold outside, wouldn't a single serving cost several hundred yuan?"

Lin Fan picked up the tray and walked towards the kitchen. Hearing this, he paused, turned back, and smiled.

"The first dish is fish stewed in a large clay pot, mainly to test the flavor of the pickled cabbage infused into the rich broth and the chewiness of the glass noodles."

As Lin Fan walked downstairs, he casually tossed out a remark:

"The pickled mustard greens that the old lady brought over, I used the leaves to make soup, and I still kept the crispest part of the stem."

"I just chopped half a bowl of minced meat in the kitchen, and paired it with minced lean pork from the front leg of the black mountain pig. I'll cook it over high heat in a bit, and then you can try the Golden Jade Snow Pickled Mustard Greens Minced Pork Rice."

"boom--"

Upon hearing this, Old Liu, who had been slumped in his chair rubbing his stomach, suddenly stiffened and his eyes widened instantly.

"Wait... what the heck?!"

Old Liu suddenly sat up straight in his chair, craning his neck and staring intently at Lin Fan's back:

"Minced meat...minced meat stir-fried with pickled mustard greens and rice?!"

Aunt Wang was also stunned for a moment, and subconsciously swallowed.

Old Liu looked down at his round belly, then raised his hand to touch the corner of his mouth:

"Good heavens... my stomach is practically bursting at the seams, but as soon as I hear the words 'fried minced pork with lard and rice,' a whole palm-sized space suddenly appears in my stomach?!"

Old Liu was so anxious he scratched his head and cheeks, then turned to look at Aunt Wang and asked expectantly:

"Auntie... just imagine... what would it taste like if you chopped up pickled mustard greens and stir-fried them with chunks of fatty and lean pork in a big iron wok, then poured over rice, all oily, crispy, and crunchy?!"

Aunt Wang glared at Old Liu's pathetic, greedy look, but deep in her own throat, she couldn't help but swallow softly.

Lin Fan had already placed the tray down in front of the stove on the first floor of the kitchen.

"Snapped!"

The electronic ignition of the high-powered stove rang out crisply and cleanly.

Blue and white flames suddenly leaped up from the stove core, instantly licking the bottom of the wrought iron wok until it was scalding hot.

On the cutting board, the heavy mulberry knife slid smoothly forward, turning the three-tenths fat and seven-tenths lean front leg meat of the black mountain pig into distinct, plump, and fine crystal cubes, which were neatly piled on the cutting board.