Lin Xiao's response was simple.
Within seconds, he had cleanly, and without a trace, finished the bowl of noodles in front of him.
At such speed, anyone who didn't know better might assume he'd thrown the bowl into a trash can.
The shop owner paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Lin Xiao's stomach, then on the empty bowl on the table.
Only after confirming that Lin Xiao hadn't wasted a single bite did the owner give him a thumbs-up.
"Another bowl!"
Lin Xiao grinned and said to the owner.
"Coming right up!"
...
Zhuge Lan and his party of three.
Yes, a party of three now.
The three of them walked into a small noodle shop.
"Hello, three people," Wang Qiran said to the waiter.
As soon as he sat down and looked at the prices on the wall, he felt an urge to get up and leave.
A single bowl of noodles started at over fifty yuan, and those priced at fifty-eight were considered cheap.
Who ever heard of noodles that expensive?
Even if it was some kind of crab roe noodles, it shouldn't be this much!
Meanwhile, Zhuge Lan and Dongfang Jingjing seemed oblivious to the prices as they began to order.
"Don't you two think the prices here are a bit inflated?" Wang Qiran lowered his voice, trying his best to ensure the waiter wouldn't overhear him.
"Inflated? I think it's quite reasonable," Dongfang Jingjing said after looking at the prices, "Isn't it pretty cheap?"
Zhuge Lan, who was even less sensitive to prices, countered, "Is it very expensive?"
"..."
Wang Qiran maintained his silence.
He knew that if he were to discuss prices with these two, it would only lead to his own frustration.
Besides, he had gotten one hundred thousand yuan from them earlier, so he could afford to eat a fifty-eight yuan bowl of noodles!
"I heard that to truly understand a city, you must explore its bustling streets and hidden alleys. Everyone understands the glamorous facade, but true life resides in the alleys," Zhuge Lan began to recall something he had once heard.
He had never had the time to personally experience these so-called alleys and streets; he only knew the place he lived. This time, he was determined to explore the alleys of this city thoroughly.
"Isn't this here already?"
Dongfang Jingjing blinked and asked.
Zhuge Lan also realized, "Oh right, this should count, shouldn't it?"
Count?
Wang Qiran, who had just picked up a cup of tea, put it back down without drinking: "No, the alleys and streets we live in are not as high-class as this place."
"This is considered high-class?"
Dongfang Jingjing was even more confused. She then murmured to herself, "It seems this city really falls short compared to Shanghai."
"Jingjing, he means that compared to genuine alleys and streets, this place is a bit upscale. He's not saying this place is truly considered upscale," Zhuge Lan understood Wang Qiran's meaning and helped explain.
"Oh..."
"Indeed, understanding a city requires a look at its streets and alleys, especially those with a strong sense of everyday life and bustling activity," Wang Qiran picked up his phone, sending messages as he spoke without looking up, "It's just that I don't think you two would adapt well to the atmosphere of those places. The cooking fumes in those areas, you two might have never experienced them before."
"Just like here... In my eyes, a bowl of noodles for fifty-eight yuan is very expensive, but in your eyes, a bowl of noodles for fifty-eight yuan is perfectly normal."