Chapter 69: He Will Remember This

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: He Will Remember This

But Nan Zhi, the one on Fu Chao’s mind, was not in Yanjing.

A day earlier, she had taken Nan Yi on a flight south to Province A.

Their first stop was the provincial capital.

Back when Nan Zhi got into Yanjing University, her grandfather had been so happy that he bought her a small apartment in the provincial capital.

Later, when Nan Zhi left Yanjing, she was already pregnant with Nan Yi.

Although keeping the baby had been an impulsive decision, her plans were clear-headed and long-term.

Considering factors like medical care, educational resources, and the overall environment for raising a child, Nan Zhi gave up on returning to her small hometown and chose to settle in the provincial capital instead.

Throughout her pregnancy, after Nan Yi was born, and until he was six months old, the mother and son had lived here.

Back then, it was inconvenient for Nan Zhi to work while taking care of Nan Yi. She made a living by submitting articles to magazines and translating academic papers. Life was simple and modest, but peaceful and warm.

’...What a shame the Tactician sold that apartment and spent the money on a room full of designer bags and clothes.’

Nan Zhi thought that if she had the chance, she would buy the apartment back someday, just to have it as a memento.

And while the apartment was gone for now, Nan Zhi could tell Nan Yi stories about his life before he was born—

like how, when she was pregnant with him, she went to the supermarket to pick out baby formula, trying to compare ingredients like other people, only to make a fool of herself;

or how she took him for a walk downstairs right after he was born, and the neighbor lady told her newborns shouldn’t be out in the wind, so she scurried back home in embarrassment;

or the time she took him to the park when he was six months old, and as he was crawling curiously through the grass, he accidentally grabbed a grasshopper and wailed in terror;

...

Nan Yi listened intently.

He had always thought his childhood was nothing but darkness, cold, and hunger.

It turned out that, in the time he couldn’t remember, there had been so many moments filled with warmth.

Nan Yi was regretful.

"Why don’t I remember any of it?"

Nan Zhi couldn’t help but laugh.

"You were only six months old. You couldn’t even walk yet. How would you remember any of this?"

Nan Yi wanted to argue that no, he did remember.

’Maybe I had forgotten before.’

’But since Mom came back, I’m gradually starting to remember—’

’In countless dreams of hunger and cold, I always heard a gentle voice calling me "Yiyi".’

’So, even if my brain doesn’t remember, my soul and my body do!’

...But Nan Yi thought that sounded a little cheesy, so after a moment’s thought, he swallowed his words.

"I’ll remember everything from now on!"

Nan Yi announced loudly, showing his determination.

Nan Zhi smiled.

"Yes, I knew Yiyi was the smartest. But let’s be a little quieter so we don’t disturb anyone, okay?"

They were currently on a bus, traveling from the provincial capital to the small town.

The bus was almost full, and quite a few passengers were sleeping.

Nan Zhi was afraid Nan Yi would be too loud and bother the other people.

Little did she know, many people had been quietly watching them ever since the mother and son had boarded.

It wasn’t out of any ill intent, nor had they been recognized.

It was simply that the pair was so pleasant to look at—the mother gentle and beautiful, the child adorable and well-behaved.

The woman in the seat across the aisle from Nan Zhi had been itching to say something for a while and finally spoke up.

"You two don’t sound like you’re from around here. Are you visiting the town for a trip?"

Nan Zhi raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"My accent... is it that obvious?"

The woman nodded.

"Of course! I could tell right away!"

Then, the woman enthusiastically recommended places to eat, drink, and have fun in the town, and she didn’t forget to praise Nan Yi lavishly for how well-behaved and cute he was.

’...Somehow, it felt like that last part was the woman’s real objective.’

After they finished talking, Nan Zhi seemed tired. She leaned back against her seat and gazed out the window.

Nan Yi stared at Nan Zhi for a moment.

"Mom, you’re in a bad mood."

It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

Nan Yi just had that intuition.

Nan Zhi had wanted to make up an excuse and brush it off, but she faltered under Nan Yi’s intense gaze.

She sighed. "Alright, Mom is a little unhappy."

Nan Yi didn’t understand. "Why?"

Before they got on the bus, his mom had been so excited and full of anticipation.

Nan Zhi didn’t know how to describe her melancholy to Nan Yi.

So she could only say:

"I’m just feeling homesick."

Nan Yi seemed to half-understand.

Half an hour later, the bus arrived at the town’s bus station.

Holding Nan Yi’s hand, Nan Zhi waved goodbye to the enthusiastic woman. Seeing that it was already getting late, she found a hotel to stay in for the night.

She had already planned it all out: after breakfast the next morning, they would immediately take a car to the countryside.

At this thought, her faint, lingering melancholy completely vanished, replaced by a liveliness she hadn’t felt since she was a girl.

She said enthusiastically:

"Yiyi, let’s get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow we’ll get up at five to go get noodles! It’s from a shop Mom used to love. Their first-broth noodles are amazing!"

"Okay, Mom."

Nan Yi’s reply was clear and firm, but in reality, his eyelids were already drooping with sleep.

Seeing this, Nan Zhi quickly turned off the lights so they could sleep.

At five the next morning, the mother and son got up on time to go eat the first-broth noodles from Nan Zhi’s memory.

All told, Nan Zhi had left this small town when she started university at eighteen, almost ten years ago.

In all that time, she had only returned once, for her grandfather’s funeral.

Fortunately, the noodle shop from her memory was still there, and the owner was the same man.

He just looked much older. The middle-aged man with dark hair and a booming voice she remembered had become a kind and gentle old man.

The owner was surprised to see Nan Zhi.

It wasn’t that he recognized her, but he was curious why a stranger would come so early in the morning for his first-broth noodles.

Usually, his early customers were all locals and regulars.

The owner assumed the fame of his noodles had grown, attracting tourists from out of town, and he felt a swell of pride.

He puffed out his chest and promised:

"Don’t you worry, my noodles are absolutely delicious! If there’s anything you don’t like, just say the word, and I’ll remake them for you on the spot!"

Then Nan Yi noticed that his mom’s mood seemed to have soured again.

’Why?’

Just as he was trying to figure it out, the noodles arrived.

First-broth noodles, as the name implies, are the first batch of noodles cooked in fresh water when the shop opens.

This is because the more noodles are cooked, the cloudier the water becomes, which worsens the texture of subsequent batches.

Therefore, only the first-broth noodles taste the best.

It is said that a master chef with perfect control of the heat will cook the noodles until they are ninety percent done. By the time they are served to the customer, the residual heat will have cooked them to a perfect one hundred percent.

The owner of this noodle shop was just such a master.

Holding the noodle bowl, Nan Zhi first took a sip of the broth.

The soup base was made from pork bones, eel bones, and chicken skeletons, resulting in a rich, savory, and beautifully clear broth.

Then she ate the noodles. They were smooth yet firm, and their aroma filled her senses as she chewed.

It was the taste she remembered.

Nan Yi took a big bite too, hissing as the heat burned his tongue, but he didn’t forget to praise it.

"Mom, the noodles are delicious!"

"Mm-hm."

A smile spread across Nan Zhi’s face.

But she didn’t notice someone in the corner sizing her up with a look of uncertain suspicion.

After Nan Zhi and Nan Yi finished their noodles and left, this person hurriedly pulled out their phone.

"Hello? Old Zhao? You’ll never guess who I just saw! It was your Nan Zhi!"