Chapter 132 A simple bowl of plain noodles, a divine offering in this drafty, dilapidated temple.
Jiang Ruoyun, who was being held down on the small stool, was stunned for half a second.
The young lady's temper flared up instantly.
At home, Jiang Jianguo never dared to say a harsh word to her.
This man, on the other hand, braved the cold autumn wind to climb over the wall and come to find him. Not only was he rude, but he also threatened him with food.
"Fine, I won't eat it!" Jiang Ruoyun retorted stubbornly and stood up abruptly.
"Who cares about your tattered noodles? I'm leaving now!" She turned around and made as if to walk towards the drafty, broken wooden door.
He took very small steps, dawdling along, and didn't even walk two meters in a long time.
Lin Mo watched her stubborn yet clumsy back and sighed almost imperceptibly.
He put down the dough in his hand, took two long strides, and reached out to grab her wrist.
My fingertips touched her slightly cool skin, and I could feel her obvious shivering.
"Alright, alright."
Lin Mo's voice softened, carrying a familiar and comforting tone.
"The autumn wind is so strong outside, who will be responsible if you catch a cold? Go back inside and wait for your food."
Two simple sentences were enough to subdue the cat that had been furious.
Jiang Ruoyun secretly raised a smug smile, but when she turned her face away, she looked reluctant.
"You begged me to eat this, so I'll reluctantly accept it."
She sat back down on the stool, cupped her face in her hands, and stared intently at the stove with bright eyes.
Lin Mo didn't reply, but turned back to the wooden board that served as a cutting board.
The water in the iron pot had boiled completely, bubbling and splashing white foam.
He picked up the long, thin noodles he had just stretched with one hand and gave them a gentle shake.
The noodles, like a crystal-clear net, fall evenly into the boiling water.
While the noodles were cooking, Lin Mo picked up the clean, coarse porcelain bowl.
He picked out a small spoonful of solidified lard from the small jar he carried with him.
I added a little more salt, and finally sprinkled on some wild scallions that I found in the yard.
The movements were fluid and without any unnecessary frills. The water in the pot boiled again, and the noodles tumbled up and down inside.
Lin Mo picked up a wooden spoon and scooped up a spoonful of boiling hot noodle soup.
With a slight tilt of the wrist, the boiling water is poured directly to the bottom of the bowl.
"Sizzle—"
The scalding hot soup was poured over the lard and chopped scallions.
The originally solidified white paste melted instantly.
An intensely rich, almost overwhelming aroma of meat, mixed with a savory and salty fragrance, suddenly exploded in the air.
This flavor is incredibly strong.
It directly dispelled most of the chill brought by the late autumn night wind.
Jiang Ruoyun sat by the stove and couldn't help but swallow hard.
Lin Mo used a slotted spoon to scoop out the perfectly cooked thin noodles and deftly shook off the excess water.
Then they were neatly arranged in the large bowl, each noodle distinct, soaked in the broth, and glistening with an enticing amber luster.
The simplest plain noodles don't even have a single extra vegetable.
Yet it exudes an irresistible, down-to-earth charm.
Lin Mo, holding the bowl, turned around and walked to Jiang Ruoyun. There was no chopstick rest or exquisite plate.
He simply handed over the chipped bowl.
Jiang Ruoyun quickly reached out and took it.
The bowl was very hot, and the warmth traveled from my palm all the way into my limbs and bones.
She looked down at the amber-colored broth in the bowl.
A few specks of chopped scallions float on top, and the aroma of lard wafts straight into your nose.
She no longer cared about the demeanor of a wealthy heiress.
She picked up the bamboo chopsticks Lin Mo handed her, scooped up a mouthful of noodles, and gently blew on it twice.
It was put directly into my mouth.
The moment the noodles entered her mouth, Jiang Ruoyun's eyes widened suddenly.
The noodles, made from high-gluten flour and hand-kneaded, are chewy and springy.
The rich, savory flavor of lard coats every strand of noodle, without any complicated spices, just the purest salty and wheat aroma.
It creates a thrilling and exhilarating storm in your mouth.
On this cold and hungry autumn night, a bite of noodles is simply a life-saving elixir.
Jiang Ruoyun lowered her head and began to eat heartily with slurping sounds.
Completely unconcerned that soup had splashed onto his cheek.
They didn't care whether the chipped edge of the big bowl would cut their lips.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
Lin Mo stood aside, looking at her like a starving ghost reincarnated, and said helplessly.
Jiang Ruoyun mumbled indistinctly as she chewed her noodles.
"It's so delicious..."
She slurped up a mouthful of soup and squinted her eyes contentedly.
"This is a million times better than the truffle and Wagyu beef made by our Michelin-starred chef at home!"
This wasn't her deliberately flattering him.
The long dining table in the Jiang family home is always laden with expensive and exquisite dishes.
Each dish is like a work of art, yet the taste exudes a cold, rigid formality.
Unlike now, in this drafty, dilapidated house, listening to the howling autumn wind outside.
Holding a steaming bowl of plain noodles.
Every bite you swallow brings a solid, comforting warmth.
Lin Mo chuckled softly, not refuting her somewhat exaggerated comparison.
He turned around and went back to the stove, serving himself a bowl as well.
However, compared to Jiang Ruoyun's overflowing bowl, the noodles in his bowl were pitifully little.
There weren't many noodles to begin with, and he gave her most of them.
Lin Mo, holding his bowl, pulled over a relatively clean brick to place under himself.
He sat down next to Jiang Ruoyun.
He didn't rush to pick up his chopsticks. Instead, he rested his chin on his hand and quietly watched the girl beside him by the glow of the orange fire.
The flickering firelight made her cheeks glow red.
She ate with great concentration, and even a fine layer of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose.
The once aloof and noble young lady now resembles a foodie eating at a roadside stall.
The contrast is so striking that it's both funny and captivating.
Jiang Ruoyun was halfway through her meal when she suddenly noticed his gaze.
She put down her chopsticks, turned her head and glanced at the empty bowl of noodle soup in Lin Mo's hand.
"How come you only have this much?"
She frowned and looked at the heavy bowl in her hand.
I immediately understood what was going on.
This man used all of his meager food rations to feed her.
"I'm not hungry."
Lin Mo spoke in a calm tone, as if it were a trivial matter.
But Jiang Ruoyun refused to accept it.
She moved closer to him with her bowl in hand and picked up a large clump of noodles with her chopsticks.
"No way, you came to this run-down place in the middle of the night, how can you not even get a hot meal?"
As she spoke, she was about to scoop the noodles into Lin Mo's bowl.
Lin Mo reached out and blocked it.
"Eat your own food; it's covered in your saliva."
His tone carried a hint of disdain.
Jiang Ruoyun's eyes widened as she retorted confidently.
"I didn't complain about the chipped bowl, and you're complaining about me?"
"Hurry up, half for each of us."
Ignoring Lin Mo's objections, she insisted on putting half a bowl of noodles into his bowl.
Seeing that there was finally some food in his bowl, he withdrew his hand with satisfaction.
Lin Mo looked at the extra noodles in his bowl, shook his head helplessly, but didn't refuse anymore. He picked up his chopsticks and slowly began to eat.
The two sat side by side like that.
In front of him was a makeshift stove with sparks flying everywhere.
A few rays of cool autumn moonlight occasionally pierced through the cracks in the dilapidated window.
It blended together with the warm light inside the room.
In this desolate courtyard where even half of the roof has collapsed.
Each of them held a rough porcelain bowl and ate noodles cooked in the same pot of clear broth.
There was no red wine, no flowers, and no sweet words.
But it is precisely this kind of environment that is extremely minimalist.
Yet at this moment, an indescribable, supremely sophisticated sense of romance arises.
That resonance only occurs when the soul is completely relaxed.
A bowl of hot soup noodles was eaten.
Jiang Ruoyun drank even the last drop of soup clean.
She put down the chipped, rough porcelain bowl and let out a small, satisfied burp.
My stomach felt warm and cozy, and all the previous coldness and fatigue were driven away.
Along with this feeling of comfort comes waves of irresistible drowsiness.
As the late autumn night deepened, the sound of the wind outside seemed much gentler.
Jiang Ruoyun sat on a small stool, her head slowly drooping down.
It looks like a Persian cat that's eaten and drunk its fill and is now taking a nap.
Lin Mo had just gathered the two bowls together, preparing to take them aside to wash them.
Suddenly, I felt a slight weight on my shoulder.
Turning his head, he saw Jiang Ruoyun leaning her head against his shoulder.
Her breathing was even, and her warm breath gently touched the crook of Lin Mo's neck.
It caused a slight itch.
Lin Mo's body stiffened slightly, and he did not move.
He turned his head to look at her sleeping face so close to his, his usual arrogance gone, as was his domineering manner when he first entered the room.
All that remained was an unguarded silence.
He had a faint scent of wood chips mixed with the clean smell of soap.
This taste made Jiang Ruoyun feel incredibly at ease.
"Lin Mo..."
She mumbled something in a daze, her voice so soft it sounded like she was talking in her sleep.
A hand emerged from the sleeve and blindly pointed to a sheltered corner nearby.
There, a few broken bricks were used to prop up an old wooden board.
"I don't want to leave tonight..."
She closed her eyes and mumbled something.
"I'm so tired... I'll just sleep on that wooden plank... okay...?"
The young lady had already lowered her standards to the bare minimum in order to stay overnight.
They were even willing to make do with those hard, gray wooden planks.
Anyone who hears of such a willingness to give money away would be moved.
But Lin Mo was a man who always knew his limits. He looked at the old wooden board that looked thin and ridiculous in the cold wind.
Then look at the delicate young lady in my arms, who has just gone through a lot of trouble.
Reason instantly prevailed, and without the slightest hesitation, he stood up, nearly causing Jiang Ruoyun to fall over due to loss of support.
Before she could even come to her senses and complain, a large hand had already grabbed the back of her collar.
Lin Mo yanked her up from the ground.
The movements were crisp and clean, without the slightest hesitation.
"Dream on. It's so cold in this crappy place at night, I don't want to take you to the ER tomorrow. Come on, I'll take you home."