Flavors of Youth (肆式青春)

Attention Guangzhou Flight 215 passengers.

The flight to Guangzhou departing at 11:45 is now boarding...

Hunger is eating at my soul.

A rare downpour in Beijing.

As if slurping a cold soup,

the subway systematically gulps the people down.

The harsh city makes the faces expressionless.

I'm probably one of them.

Going through the tedious cycle of life and trying to regain what I had cherished,

I feel like I misplaced something.

Numbed, we lose the taste of home.

That taste which I had forgotten now comes back to me.

The memories, where did they all go?

As the season turns, I recall the taste of rice noodles from my hometown.

What gave me strength was the one with seasonal ingredients,

the San Xian noodles.

"THE RICE NOODLES"

For many people in Hunan, the day begins

with a bowl of hot, steaming noodles,

sweat on their face and taking in the moment.

Two bowls.

Thank you.

My memories from childhood begin at this noodle shop with no sign.

Good morning.

Xiao Ming, my dear.

Grandma!

Rice noodles here are handmade.

They are transparent and beautiful.

The flavor has a playful bounce,

giving the day's start a leisurely feel.

It was my time with Grandma.

My parents were both working,

so it was with her I spent my mornings.

We ate San Xian noodles.

I was hooked on them.

The mushrooms were firm and fresh,

lustrous kikurage with a proper texture.

Blended into a thick soup, the flavors overlap,

indulging my palate and melting my heart.

Oh, my.

Warm steam touching my skin, the soup's aroma,

the sound of us munching.

No words could describe how much I loved this moment.

There were more secrets to its tastiness.

The meat and mushrooms were minced together,

the eggs were soft and fluffy,

mingling with the noodles down the throat.

And the flavors were enhanced by the amber-colored soup.

Other shops sometimes use MSG.

But here, they spent time and effort,

just a husband and wife making the rice noodles with care.

Eat all you want.

-Do you want another bowl? -Yes!

I later found out

the owner was a renowned chef in Beijing,

one of the top masters in Hunan.

One day he set out on his own

and settled here before I was born

to open a noodle shop.

This shop made only San Xian noodles

and kept it up for 20 years.

The handmade noodles always tasted the same,

as well as the soup.

They didn't talk much, but their rice noodles were loved by all.

Many people traveled from far away to eat it,

but there was no guarantee they could.

I lived right by the shop,

so I was lucky to eat the noodles every day.

Grandma once told me,

"If you like eating, you'll be blessed with delicious food."

All of a sudden, the owners closed the shop and disappeared.

It was said they were pushed out because of jealousy,

or an old client of theirs wanted them back in Beijing.

FOR RENT

Wherever they go,

there will be many people who like to eat.

They are going to make those people happy with their noodles,

that's for sure.

The noodles at the shop close to school

weren't handmade and the texture was nothing special.

But the piping hot toppings were delicious.

Fried vegetables exuded flavor and flowed onto the soft noodles,

blanketing the soup.

It was different from the shop I went to with Grandma,

but I liked it nevertheless.

Aren't you a student at Fourth Academy's middle school?

-Yes. -My son goes there, too.

He's in his third year at the high school.

See you later, hon.

Maybe I can retire from this when my son finishes school and gets a job.

You are a growing boy. Eat to your heart's content.

Then study hard, okay?

Oh... thank you.

That girl was one year my senior,

and she passed here every day on her way to school.

Her hair glistened hazel in the sun.

I wanted to gaze at it forever.

One of the reasons why I came here was so that I could see her.

It was the joy of my life.

I don't know why... I just felt this would last forever.

That fall...

What's the layout here?

The noodle shop changed its appearance.

The husband wanted to switch jobs

and convinced his wife to open a fishing shop.

The happy mornings disappeared abruptly,

and with them, the rice noodles and the glimpse of her hair.

And so, the fishing shop opened,

but it seemed to not do very well.

What's going on?

You piss me off!

Let's get outta here!

Somebody call the teacher!

What is it? What happened?

Are you okay?

It's all your fault! You never say anything!

The injured student

was the son of the woman at the noodle shop.

I don't know what caused the fight, but the fishing shop closed its doors.

In my third year of middle school,

the noodle shop came back.

But something was different.

The husband was helping at the shop.

And there was another.

Thank you so much!

They looked happier than before.

But...

I heard she recently graduated and went to another school far away.

It marked the end of my first love.

A very sad morning.

When I was little, I woke up to the smell of noodles.

The times I spent with Grandma,

and in middle school, during those sweet moments looking at her.

Now I'm by myself.

San Xian noodles, please.

Coming right up.

Number 12, San Xian noodle.

The machine-made noodles were almost too perfect.

The flavor of the Chinese-style soup was not bad.

But there were fewer toppings

and the price was higher.

I used to love San Xian noodles, but it just doesn't taste the same.

Hey, Dad.

What is it?

A 2.5-hour flight from Beijing.

I figured I could go home at any time,

but the distance was further than I thought.

The bright lights below me make my heart churn even more.

Is that you, Xiao Ming?

I'm sorry,

I don't think I can eat San Xian noodles with you anymore.

Don't say that. We are going to eat them together.

Grandma...

My shadow, dragged out by the night, melts away in the morning sun.

The torment I feel in my chest

will someday

heal with time.

Some things never change, and some things will change...

What can I get you?

-A bowl of San Xian noodles. -Got it.

The warmth still lingers today from the comfort that left me yesterday.

Days that fled will never come back.

But I feel certain

something is pushing my timid self.

It stays in the back of my mind as the seasons pass.

It was like a lonely, pale morning,

but also a morning blushed with hope.

Here you go.

"THE RICE NOODLES"

Ever since I was a child, I've loved cute clothes.

If I was wearing my favorite clothes, I'd be happy all day.

I felt invincible.

I liked choosing clothes for my little sister.

We played princess with my hand-me-downs.

But I started growing taller,

to the point where we couldn't exchange clothes anymore.

I've never liked being tall.

It attracts unnecessary attention, and I bump my head a lot.

But now, I'm grateful to my parents.

Lacking any other talents, I got my career

thanks to the height my parents gave me.

Before I had a chance to thank them, they passed away.

I always realize the value of things after I lose them.

Everything that's precious.

The world's changing rapidly.

Clothing trends, people...

and us models.

This career is not going to last forever.

But I still want to shine.

For my only family: my little sister.

"A LITTLE FASHION SHOW"

-That's a wrap, Yi Lin. -Thank you, everyone.

-Thank you so much. -You are welcome.

Don't do such a thing. What if you get hurt?

-Those clothes are valuable, right? -But still...

I was so happy when my picture appeared on a magazine for the first time.

My sister could see me even though we lived far apart.

But now, it's an everyday thing.

What do you see?

Cameras, lights, girls.