Noodle

  He started as a garden snake. That's what everyone called him. He was small, weak and bullied by his brothers. So one day he ran away from his house, from a garden into a human road. Those big bad humans.

  One of them almost stepped on him. A kid kicked him away. It hurt for hours, and he missed his mother. She brought him food.

  Food. He sensed food. Good food.

  Then he found a master.

  That's when he had the first thought of his life. It was always fuzzy before. But now he could think.

  Everyone called master, Cool Fan or Cool Lin. But master called him Noodle.

  What was a noodle? It must be something powerful. Something mighty. Cool master wouldn't name him Noodle otherwise.

  "Master, I need food," Noodle said, but master ignored him today. There was no food in Noodle's special treasure bowl.

  Master always ignored Noodle when the woman in dark green robe with a stick in her hand came to meet master.

  Will master marry with her?

  Noodle won't let that happen. Noodle will bite her.

  ***

  The morning sunlight bathed the stall in a warm glow, making everything seem strangely beautiful. Lin Fan knew part of this brightness came from Guard Min's unexpected gift, a stack of Hot Burning Wood placed carefully at his counter. Beneath her professional demeanor, he caught glimpses of genuine warmth in her eyes.

  Steam rose from the teakettle, releasing a melodic whistle. The rich aroma of jasmine mingled with spicy ginger filled the small space between them.

  Lin Fan lifted the kettle. "Guard Min, here is your special tea. I added extra paste of ginger and brewed it for ten minutes more." He placed the steaming cup on the worn wooden counter separating them. "This will give you extra stamina to carry out your work today."

  She reached for the cup, her fingers curling around the warm ceramic. Her spear rested against the stall's main pillar, a small but significant change. Days ago, the weapon never left her grip, but now she allowed this small vulnerability in his presence.

  "Cook Fan's tea is the best." She sipped slowly, her eyes closing briefly in appreciation. Her lips parted like the opening of a treasure realm, and he almost froze watching that.

  "Thank you for your praise, Guard Min." Lin Fan carefully stacked the Hot Burning Wood in the corner before sitting across from her. He poured himself a cup, savoring this rare quiet moment before the day's rush. The early hour meant they had this peaceful interlude to themselves.

  The morning light caught the polished buttons of her uniform as she shifted slightly.

  "It's your cooking that's truly impressive, Cook Fan. But why is your snake glaring at me?" She nodded toward the corner where Noodle lay coiled, his unblinking eyes fixed intently on her.

  Lin Fan glanced at his pet. "He must be hungry. I didn't give him food yet." He dismissed the snake's behavior with a small wave. Noodle could wait. Guard Min had patrol duties to fulfill, and delaying her would be inconsiderate, though he had occasionally considered brewing her tea more slowly just to extend their time together.

  Well, he rarely had opportunities to speak with someone like her. Shen Yue visited too, but as a teacher, she maintained careful professional boundaries that felt impossible to cross.

  "Cook Fan, I got a tip yesterday." Guard Min leaned closer, her voice lowering. "Some stall vendors are not happy with your growth in these last few days, so beware of any suspicious person visiting you. If you feel threatened, you know where to reach me. I will make sure no harm comes to your stall."

  The morning sunlight caught the concern in her eyes. Lin Fan's fingers twitched on the wooden counter, nearly reaching for her hand before he caught himself.

  "And I am thankful for your help, Guard Min." He straightened his shoulders. "Don't worry. I will keep watch for such people."

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  "Good that you understand." She placed three copper coins on the counter with a soft clink.

  Lin Fan gently pushed the metal coins back toward her. "Please, don't embarrass me, Guard Min. You offered me such precious Hot Burning Wood, so I can't take money from you." The coins retained warmth from her touch against his fingertips.

  Guard Min held his gaze, her brown eyes searching his face. After a moment, she reclaimed the coins with deliberate slowness. "We shall do our calculations over a dinner sometime."

  "I will be waiting when you get time for a quiet dinner, Guard Min." Lin Fan matched her steady gaze.

  A tangible energy passed between them, like the subtle recognition of compatible qi. The air itself seemed to still for that brief moment.

  She turned and walked away, her jade-green uniform catching the morning light as she moved with practiced grace, the spear balanced perfectly in her grip. Lin Fan watched her go, realizing she carried not just her weapon but a portion of his thoughts with her.

  ***

  The morning air carried the scent of wet stone and lingering rain as Lin Fan arranged his stall for the day. His fingers moved with practiced precision, each tool finding its place on the worn wooden counter. The knife's edge gleamed in the early sunlight, a small chip at the edge attracted his attention.

  "Another knife broke." Lin Fan carefully set the broken knife aside, its edge jagged and unusable. He reached under the counter and pulled out a spare one, testing its balance in his hand.

  Since becoming a cultivator, he sometimes struggled to control his newfound strength, leading to moments like this. Each trip to the blacksmith for repairs or new tools took precious time away from his stall.

  "I will ask Teacher Shen about this," he murmured, setting a pot of water to boil. Last night, Shen Yue had visited, and they had a long discussion over a fateful dinner about cultivation. She recognized his efforts, and after discussing with her, he understood that he had reached 40% success with Spring Essence.

  It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.

  His thoughts drifted to Guard Min's visit last morning. Her gift of Hot Burning Wood sat stacked neatly in the corner, premium logs that normally cost twice his daily earnings. Their grain patterns held traces of stored fire qi, perfect for his summer dishes.

  "She didn't need to do that," he murmured, striking flint to kindle the morning fire. "And why didn't she come back today?" He leaned over the counter, but didn't see her anywhere. "I hope she is not sick or something. I don't even know where she lives."

  Flames licked upward, carrying whispers of heat that his enhanced senses could now perceive. Since reaching Qi Refinement, even ordinary tasks revealed new dimensions. The water in his pot didn't just bubble; it danced with tiny currents of energy.

  Noodle watched from his corner perch, head tilted slightly as if studying Lin Fan's movements. The snake's scales caught the light with a subtle iridescence that hadn't been there weeks ago.

  "You hungry too?" Lin Fan asked, tossing a scrap of ginger toward the small reptile.

  Noodle's tongue flicked out, tasting the offering before consuming it with unusual delicacy. Was it Lin Fan's imagination, or did the snake seem more deliberate in its movements lately?

  The morning calm shattered as his first customers arrived. Old Xu appeared first, leaning heavily on his walking stick, his thin beard fluttering in the breeze.

  "Uncle Xu, you look tired today."

  "I am. I was working late night in the office. Give me usual please," he said, settling onto his favorite stool. "My joints ache worse than usual today."

  Lin Fan nodded, already reaching for the herbs that would ease the old scribe's pain. "Rain's coming again. The wind carries moisture, you should wear some warm clothes, uncle."

  "I will. Thanks for caring this old man, lad." Uncle Xu smiled as Lin Fan offered him a warm tea first.

  Within an hour, a small crowd had gathered. The three dock workers who'd discovered his Strength Dumplings last week waited patiently, their massive forearms crossed over barrel chests. Behind them, a cluster of young scribes from the administrative office whispered among themselves, ink-stained fingers tapping nervously on scroll cases.

  The morning crowd swelled before Lin Fan's eyes. Every person who visited his stall brought at least one new patron, and things seemed to be spiraling beyond his control with each passing hour.

  Lin Fan's hands flew between tasks, his qi circulation steady as he channeled energy into each dish. The worn wooden handle of his knife felt warm against his palm. The blade hummed with transmitted qi as he reduced ginger roots to paper-thin slices that caught the morning light.

  Each precise cut released aromatic oils that filled the air with sharp sweetness and enhanced the simmering broth's potency.

  Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked, the heat from the fire and the press of bodies creating a small pocket of warmth around his stall. The murmur of conversation and clink of coins against wood created a rhythm that matched his quickening pace.

  "More cinnamon in mine," called one of the scribes. "Last batch helped me remember three months of tax records!"

  Lin Fan smiled and picked up the Essence Capture Ladle. The artifact gleamed softly in the sunlight, its surface etched with delicate runes. It helped him channel qi efficiently into soup dishes, a skill he needed to master. Shen Yue had assured him it would aid his future progress.

  "Cook Fan, are you working magic over there?" someone asked, grinning at him from the crowd.

  Lin Fan nodded back, his eyes twinkling. "Magic of heart, friends. Always a magic."

  None of them understood the true nature of his food, but they recognized the results. Their trust warmed him more than any fire.

  By midday, the queue stretched down the street. Lin Fan's cultivation helped sustain his energy, but even with enhanced stamina, the pace proved challenging. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he maintained the energy flow from his dantian to each dish.

  Would his father have handled this demand so easily? The thought crossed his mind as he sealed another dumpling with practiced fingers. His father had never seemed overwhelmed, no matter how busy the stall became.

  "Lad, what crap are you cooking there? Some of us don't have all day!" A voice cut through the crowd and cut Lin Fan like a knife.