Shen Teng touched his bulging belly. Although his stomach had already told him it couldn't take any more, his brain was telling him that missing any of Wang Ge's delicious food would be deeply regrettable.

In his mind, a fierce battle was raging, and before a winner could be determined, the decision of whether to eat or not was suddenly taken out of his hands.

The final ownership of the bowl of noodles wasn't his; it was in Shen Dad's hands.

When Shen Dad saw the exquisite small bowl that Wang Fan brought out, he felt he could completely use the bowl of noodles to "stitch up his stomach" a little.

The exquisite small bowl was just a little bigger than a fist, containing a thin twisted noodle, with some reddish sauce wrapping each noodle, making them look crystal clear and incredibly tempting.

Next to it was a plate with shrimp as small as pearls curled up on it, with some pink granules sticking to the shrimp, though it was unclear exactly what they were.

The noodles looked very exquisite, yet also somewhat simple. It was, after all, just noodles and shrimp, but this mere combination had already elevated its appeal to the highest level.

It couldn't be helped, it just smelled too good!

Having eaten so much already, such a rich aroma would normally induce nausea, but Shen Dad not only didn't feel nauseated, he found his appetite fully opened.

The noodles emitted a strong wheaty aroma that was hard to dislike, and within that aroma was a penetrating fragrance that couldn't be identified immediately.

And the plate of small river shrimp had a lighter aroma than sea shrimp. It wasn't as intense as sea shrimp but had a gentle and fresh aroma that made one want to keep smelling it.

Shen Dad sat up straight and stood to extend his hand to Wang Fan, saying, "A big thanks to Boss Wang for today's lunch. It's the best food I've ever had, bar none."

After eating Wang Fan's dishes, he mentally rated Wang Fan's skills among the top of the culinary pyramid, so even the way he addressed him changed to reflect mutual respect.

Wang Fan smiled and extended his hand as well, "Uncle, you're too kind. I promised Shen Teng this meal, so no need to take it to heart. Shen Teng and I are very good friends."

At this time, Shen Teng was quite pleased, his face full of happiness.

As a rich second generation, he wasn't lacking in sycophants, but genuine friends weren't many, especially ones as skilled as Wang Fan.

In such situations, staying longer wouldn't be appropriate. Being an outsider among a happily united family felt somewhat awkward.

"This is a birthday noodle made based on the Suzhou specialty snack 'Three Shrimp Noodles.' Enjoy it while it's hot."

With that said, he hinted at his intention to leave.

Shen Dad and Shen Mom were naturally keen on having him stay, but with Wang Fan determined to leave, Shen Dad could only have Shen Teng see him off. They themselves saw Wang Fan off to the villa's entrance, not returning indoors until his car had driven away.

Somberly, Shen Dad said to Shen Teng, "You need to make more friends like this in the future. Only those truly capable and expecting nothing in return can live so freely."

Shen Teng nodded. Boss Wang's carefree attitude wasn't new, but to be able to leave before finishing a meal at his home was unique to Boss Wang. Others were afraid they wouldn't get to stay long enough.

"Alright then, I'm going to go taste my longevity noodles."

If not for maintaining his composure, Shen Dad would've taken the bowl with him while escorting Wang Fan. The savory aroma was just that soul-stirring.

Under the watchful expectant eyes of the others, Shen Dad picked a shrimp and tossed it into his mouth.

As soon as the shrimp entered his mouth, the unique fresh aroma of shrimp burst forth.

Xiamen was a coastal city, and although he had plenty of seafood, he hadn't had much river shrimp. To his surprise, this taste was even more tender than sea shrimp.

The cooked river shrimps on the plate were tiny, with the largest no bigger than a fingernail. But their unique flavor, combined with the tender, crispy, bouncy texture, and distinctive fresh sweetness, felt refreshingly new to him.

But the most magical part was the small red dots on the shrimp!

Originally thought to be some spice, it turned out even more flavorful than the shrimp itself when eaten, with an unrivaled savory taste that prompted him to pour the whole plate of river shrimp into the noodle bowl.

The one-third portion wasn't much; even with all the river shrimp in the bowl with the noodles, Shen Dad thought it was just one bite's worth for himself.

No matter, better dig in first!

A noodle with densely packed shrimp looking like pink pearls, with this appearance and taste, who could resist?

"Slurp... Pop..."

"Hmm?"

After just a few shuffles with the chopsticks, Shen Dad felt the chopsticks suddenly lighten, and there was no longer anything on his lips. Opening his eyes, he saw the delicate small bowl was now empty.

Subconsciously chewing twice, the crispy shrimp crackled beneath his teeth, so crisp Shen Dad felt he couldn't stop.

Breaking through the shrimp, his tongue then encountered the long noodle. The noodle was thin yet resilient, not the undercooked kind of al dente, but with a distinctly chewy texture.

As the noodle joined in the chewing, the rich, unknown fragrance mixed with the wheat aroma and fresh river shrimp flavor practically overwhelmed his senses.

Shen Dad felt downright dizzied, the fresh shrimp taste lingering on his tongue, the rich aroma making him reluctant to open his mouth, eyes tightly shut, afraid the aroma might escape through the corners.

The extraordinarily flavorful scent filled his nose, throat, and mouth giving him an endlessly delightful aftertaste.

Intoxicated.

Shen Dad now slumped languidly in the chair, his face radiating a look of pure happiness.

As his eyes closed, he felt his head spinning slightly, today's every tasted flavor flashed alternately through his mind.

How did the young ones phrase it again?

Your food contains no wine, yet I feel as drunk as a Qilin?

Close enough, the meaning was clear anyway.

"Gulp..."

After a satisfied burp, Shen Dad said, "No wonder that cheeky boy insisted we not book a restaurant. Compared to today's meal, no restaurant stands a chance."

Shen Mom and Aunt Wu nodded vigorously like pecking chicks, while internally calculating eagerly—when can they have another meal like this?