[Can I have a bowl of your noodles?]
"Of course! I'll make you a special deluxe bowl of braised beef noodles," Chu Ling replied with a grin.
Since this was Gu Xiyan's first time eating instant noodles, Chu Ling wasn't about to just give her a regular bowl. From her stash, she pulled out a pot and a knife.
She placed the pot on a custom-made stove crafted from red mineral ore. The ore quickly began to radiate heat, and soon the water inside the pot was boiling. Gu Xiyan watched with wide eyes, fascinated by the process and the colorful stones Chu Ling used. Everything about Chu Ling was full of surprises.
While she appeared to be rummaging behind her stall for ingredients, Chu Ling was actually retrieving items from her system inventory. She'd discovered that any food she acquired could be stored in the inventory, where it would never spoil.
There was one particular instance that stood out in her mind—during a previous job, the client had tried to skip out on paying her. But Chu Ling wasn't one to let herself get cheated. She'd beaten the guy up and taken everything valuable he had to settle the debt, leaving him to run naked through the streets. Among the spoils of that encounter were two cuts of beef. Though they weren't premium quality, they were a rare commodity in this world.
Chu Ling had braised the beef and stored it in her inventory, saving it for a special occasion. Even she hadn't been willing to eat it herself until now. For Gu Xiyan, however, she was willing to go all out.
The braised beef went into the boiling water along with a packet of seasoning. She quickly sliced some sausage and added it to the pot, followed by the noodles. With skillful hands, she prepared the dish, and in just a few minutes, a steaming bowl of deluxe braised beef noodles was ready.
Carefully, Chu Ling handed the bowl to Gu Xiyan. "Be careful—it's hot," she said, her expression betraying a hint of nervous anticipation as she awaited Gu Xiyan's reaction.
Gu Xiyan took a small bite and then pressed her lips together, as if pondering the taste. Chu Ling's heart tightened with worry, but then Gu Xiyan smiled softly. She picked up the notebook and wrote two simple words:
[Delicious]
Only then did Chu Ling's tension ease, a wave of relief washing over her.
Gu Xiyan's childhood had been defined by hunger. At ten years old, she was a frail, emaciated child living in an orphanage. Despite her cuteness and intelligence, her inability to speak often deterred prospective adoptive parents.
At first, Gu Xiyan had been hopeful, her gaze filled with longing as she watched kind-looking adults come and go. All she had wanted was a home—nothing extravagant, just a place where she could belong.
But with each rejection, hope turned to despair. Words meant to sound sympathetic only cut deeper.
"What a wonderful child… such a pity she's mute"
When she turned ten, she underwent her second genetic test, as mandated by the empire. The empire had an intense focus on genetics. Every child was tested at birth, and again at ten to check for potential genetic mutations or the emergence of superpowers. A final test at twenty would determine whether any late-stage mutations had occurred.
For lower-city residents, the genetic tests represented a faint hope of escaping their harsh lives. Genes were categorized into five classes:
S, A, B, C, and Inferior. Lower-city residents were almost always C-class or Inferior.
C-class citizens were the average labor force, while Inferior genes were often associated with high crime rates. Despite their occasional brilliance, those with Inferior genes were stripped of reproductive rights, deemed unfit to pass on their lineage.
B-class citizens, though technically upper-city residents, were stuck in a middle ground. They could enjoy a decent life but were excluded from political and scientific elite circles.
A-class genes, on the other hand, were found among the empire's leaders in politics, military, and science. They controlled the empire's core functions.
And then there was the rare S-class, a genetic grade so rare it was almost mythical. Only the royal family consistently produced S-class individuals, with other families rarely seeing one emerge.
The three genetic tests were designed to identify a person's potential. While most people remained in their birth class, there was a chance of mutation before age twenty. Successful mutations often came with the emergence of superpowers and were considered the ticket to a better life.
When Gu Xiyan was left at the orphanage as an infant, no one had known her genetic grade. But her second test at ten revealed something astonishing: she was S-class.
News of her results quickly reached the Gu family, one of the empire's most prominent scientific organizations. They had connections with the testing departments and were always the first to claim children with exceptional genes.
The Gu family was renowned for their advancements in technology and weaponry. However, the head of the family, Gu Lao, had suffered personal tragedy. His only son, a rare S-class individual, had died young. Gu Lao's son had been a shining star in his generation, but he had refused to marry for political gain, bringing home only a child born out of wedlock—Gu Jingbo.
Gu Lao had been furious at the time, but his anger turned to heartbreak when his son died in an accident, leaving only Gu Jingbo as the family's heir. Unfortunately, Gu Jingbo was a disappointment. A mediocre B-class, he was an embarrassment to the family. Yet Gu Lao had no choice but to dote on him as the family's sole male heir.
When Gu Xiyan's S-class genes were discovered, Gu Lao acted swiftly, adopting her before anyone else could. Though initially disappointed to learn she was mute, he soon saw her disability as a blessing—after all, a mute child was easier to control.
"She shall be named Xiyan," he declared, her name reflecting the hope that she would be a treasure of the family.
Gu Lao devoted himself to grooming her, ensuring she excelled in every field. Her brilliance quickly made her a rising star among the empire's elite, and Gu Lao grew more and more fond of her. To secure her loyalty to the family, he arranged for her to marry Gu Jingbo.
Gu Xiyan had never gone hungry again after joining the Gu family. They provided for her every need, and she worked tirelessly to repay their kindness. She poured herself into research, her achievements always credited to Gu Jingbo. Fame and recognition didn't matter to her; she only wanted to help others. Even when Gu Lao ordered her to marry Gu Jingbo, she didn't object. She had no right to refuse.
Gu Xiyan had never thought of herself as an individual. She was a tool of the Gu family, and she accepted that as her reality.
But now, for the first time, someone had given her a choice.
Chu Ling's casual, free-spirited attitude was something Gu Xiyan had never encountered before. Her actions, though unconventional and sometimes absurd, were enviable. Chu Ling was free in a way Gu Xiyan could only dream of.
As she looked at the bowl of noodles before her, Gu Xiyan marveled at the care Chu Ling had put into preparing it. Though the meat wasn't as refined as the delicacies she was accustomed to, it was the best Chu Ling could offer. And for the lower-city residents, this was a rare treasure.
She ate slowly and methodically, her refined manners evident even as she consumed a simple bowl of noodles. Chu Ling watched her with amusement, noting how Gu Xiyan somehow managed to make eating instant noodles look elegant.
Feeling a pang of hunger herself, Chu Ling prepared a bowl for herself. She ate quickly, slurping noisily, which caught Gu Xiyan's attention.
Pausing mid-bite, Gu Xiyan stared, slightly shocked by Chu Ling's unabashed enjoyment.
"Instant noodles are meant to be eaten this way," Chu Ling said, a little embarrassed. "You should try it—it tastes better."
After a moment of hesitation, Gu Xiyan mimicked her, taking a large bite and slurping loudly. It was the first time she'd eaten without worrying about etiquette.
The sound startled her, and she instinctively covered her mouth, glancing at Chu Ling nervously. But Chu Ling only smiled warmly, her expression as bright and comforting as sunlight.
"See? I told you it tastes better this way," Chu Ling said before diving back into her meal with gusto.
Gu Xiyan nodded and picked up her notebook, writing:
[You're right. It does taste better this way.]