The plan has been drawn up.

At noon the next day, while eating, Xu Bin opened the voting link for King of Noodles. "Qin's Noodles has risen to 13th place."

"Really?" Tang Yiyi also opened the website to check. Sure enough, it was ranked 13th, only a little over 400 votes behind 12th place. The comments below the voting were lively:

Too Intense: Damn! I really want to eat the noodles in Chubby Girl's bowl.

A Sneeze to Kill You: That shop under the magnolia tree, I've been there. The pork trotter noodles are so delicious.

Bringing Melons Home: Is that the ghostly eatery? Only opens late at night?

Milk with Ice Ice Ice: I've eaten there, it's really good!

Call Me Princess: I love their uniforms, very Korean style.

Kaiserin: Am I the only one who noticed the owner is cool and handsome?

Puff Auntie: Upstairs, I noticed too. So shy.

Is that girl eating noodles really their waitress? She's adorably chubby.

Li Bai Is My Alias: Yicheng's Noodle King, unique. Recommend Chubby Girl to eat it. She eats with such relish; this is the real Noodle King.

Lovely Butt: Strongly request the owner to show up.

Passerby: Where is it? Voting now, going to eat there tomorrow.

Handmade Noodle: Their spicy noodles are obviously better than the pork trotter noodles. First, the noodles are chosen well, cooked just right, drained evenly and quickly. Especially the chili oil surpasses many noodle shops. Just my opinion, don't hate.

Rong Mo Mo: I don't like it, not tasty, don't ask why.

...

"Er Tong's video is really starting to make a difference," said Xu Bin.

"What video?" his wife asked.

Xu Bin played the video, and his wife couldn't help but laugh. "This Xiao Xie is quite cute, so chubby, and eats so heartily."

Xu Mingtang craned his neck for a few glances, puzzled. "What's the point of these videos? Why film eating?"

"Dad, you don't understand. There are tons of these eating shows online now. Some 'big stomach kings' can eat over ten pounds of food at once—and they're skinny as monkeys."

"Over ten pounds? They won't make it to forty, their stomachs will surely have problems," Xu Mingtang shook his head.

"People who eat like that don't live long. There's a fixed amount one eats in a lifetime—finish early, die early; finish late, die late," his wife said.

"Who says? If you don't eat, do you never die?" Xu Bin couldn't accept his mother's superstitions.

"All the elders say so," his wife replied confidently.

"You guys don't understand, I'm not talking to you," Xu Bin put away his phone.

After their nap, Tang Yiyi ran to the railing. Sure enough, Qin Baike and the others were working below. Er Tong sat nearby, fiddling with his camera.

"Hey!" Tang Yiyi called out, "The video you shot yesterday is working!" She waved her phone toward Er Tong, who was looking up at her.

"When your brother gets involved, that's how it is!" Er Tong pointed his thumb at his own head, tapping it proudly.

"What rank are we now?" Xiao Xie asked.

"Let me check," Tang Yiyi opened her phone. "Still 13th, but only a little over 100 votes behind 12th."

"Brother Zhan is really amazing—just half a day and we've jumped up two places."

"Lots of people like you too. They're all saying that chubby girl eats so deliciously," Tang Yiyi said to Xiao Xie.

Xiao Xie was overjoyed. "Really? Really?"

Er Tong glanced at her dancing about, full of disdain. "Never seen the world. This is just the beginning."

Liu Xin asked, "Brother Zhan, what are you going to do next?"

"Of course, shoot a second video."

"When will you film?" Xiao Xie asked.

"Tomorrow. Eat less at lunch, save your appetite for dinner."

Qin Baike, seeing everyone's enthusiasm, commented, "Isn't eating the same everywhere? Why film so much?"

"The noodles are different, the bowls are different, the backgrounds are different, the music is different," Er Tong said knowledgeably. "I won't take up business hours, Baike, just relax and let me handle it. Besides eating videos, I want to push another video, ha ha."

"What did you film?" Qin Baike squinted at the camera in Er Tong's hand.

"Heh heh, Baike, I won't post it unless you agree. I promise!" Er Tong raised his hand in oath.

Qin Baike glanced at him and said nothing more. Tang Yiyi gazed at Qin Baike in infatuation. So many people liked him—how could she not be moved?

Running downstairs, she had just sat beside Xu Mingtang when, before a patient was even finished, a commotion erupted on the street outside.

A man's screams rose louder and louder. Xu Bin and Zuo Chengjiang dashed outside to see what was happening, Tang Yiyi followed.

Under the magnolia tree, a girl in sportswear executed a handsome over-the-shoulder throw, flipping a robust man onto his back, then pinned him with her knee and pummeled him with both fists.

While beating him, she cursed, "You little bastard, didn't you check who you were messing with? You dare steal my wallet? You must have a death wish." The man was totally defenseless, his cries hoarse.

"Okay, stop hitting him," someone urged, "The police have been called. Careful you don't get accused of excessive force." The girl kept on beating.

Qin Baike stepped forward and grabbed her left wrist, pulling her up. She turned, shouting, "Don't meddle with me!" Her right fist swung straight at Qin Baike's face. He dodged, raising his hand to block her punch.

She lifted her knee to strike Qin Baike, then finally saw his face clearly. Suddenly she froze, as if under a spell. "Baike!"

Qin Baike stared at her for a couple of seconds, uncertain. "Xueqian?"

The girl immediately became a child seeking comfort, throwing herself onto Qin Baike, clinging to his neck, crying, "Baike, that thief bullied me!"

The onlookers couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Pfft! Ha ha ha! Hee hee hee!" Er Tong said, "Yeah, he bullied you until he only had half a life left."

Qin Baike grabbed her arm and pulled her off. The girl was quite tall, not much shorter than Qin Baike, her figure upright, two long legs making her appear healthy and agile, her long ponytail swinging lively behind her.

Qin Baike put his hands on his hips and scolded, "You're a black belt in taekwondo, can't you use a little restraint?"

She lowered her head obediently. "Oh, I'll be gentler next time."

"Where did he steal your wallet?"

"Outside the alley, I chased him all the way here."

"Did you get your wallet back?"

"Yes."

"Next time, just subdue people like that. Don't beat them to death."

"Okay."

Xu Bin came over and patted her shoulder. "Wu Xueqian? Haven't seen you in years—how did you get so tall so quickly?"

"Brother Bin."

"Graduated from the sports school?"

"Yes."

"Tsk tsk, even without taekwondo moves, just using the techniques your uncle taught you, you could handle three thieves at once."

Wu Xueqian tossed her head proudly, then took Qin Baike's arm. "Baike, I was coming to see you after finishing my errands, but I ran into him and chased him until I'm sweating."

Qin Baike looked fondly at the girl acting spoiled, pointing ahead. "The police are here; go give your statement."

"Okay. I'll come find you later." Wu Xueqian wrapped her arms around Qin Baike's waist, resting her head on his shoulder and said coquettishly, "Baike, I haven't seen you in so long, I really missed you."

"Go on," Qin Baike patted her back.

Only then did she let go and follow the police.

The crowd dispersed. Tang Yiyi watched Wu Xueqian's departing figure and asked Xu Bin, "Who is she?"

"My uncle's daughter. Tsk tsk, truly a tiger father breeds no dog daughter!"

"Graduated from the sports school?"

"Yes, fourth dan black belt in taekwondo. Another martial arts master."

"The girl Baike rescued from the fire back then—was that her?"

"Ha, you know quite a bit."

"I just heard Master mention it last night." In her heart, Tang Yiyi envied Wu Xueqian's natural affection toward Qin Baike. It really does take time—whether love or friendship. No matter how many years pass, if the feelings are there, everything remains.

She hadn't realized it herself, but after two months at Shengshitang, she'd come to know most of the neighbors. Unconsciously, she'd begun to treat this place as home.

The more she learned about the alley, the more she liked it. She loved her work and the people at Shengshitang, loved the environment of Magnolia Lane, loved the regular patients coming and going.

Just as the crowd scattered, a few at the clinic entrance suddenly broke out with news: Magnolia Lane had been newly planned by the government. This was Yicheng's oldest and last remaining district—soon, it would be demolished.

This news brought mixed feelings. Most of the next generation of Magnolia Lane's original residents had bought homes in the new district. Many who lived here were elderly, reluctant to leave—their old neighbors, the ease of chatting by the street, the convenience of the old clinic, and the flavor of Qin's noodles.

"Is this news true?" someone asked.

"It's true. My second daughter-in-law works at the planning bureau. She says all the old city areas have been gradually renovated. The main streets, the beautification of the buildings and landscaping, all done. Now they're moving to the more marginal places. This is by the river—if turned into residential buildings, it'd be Yicheng's best development."

"Will the compensation be considerable?"

"The state has regulations, but I don't know the details. They'll pay, anyway."

"If the demolition really happens, Dr. Xu, wherever you open Shengshitang, I'll move nearby to be your neighbor."

"Dr. Xu could open it in the city center—could you afford a house next door?"

Everyone joked and bantered; the clinic buzzed with warmth. Ordinary people are mostly content wherever they are, living day to day. But old friends, used to each other's company, always hope to stay together.

As closing time approached, Wen Tao suddenly appeared at the clinic door. Seeing Tang Yiyi, his eyes lit up and he rushed over. "Yiyi, you have to treat me. My shoulder hurts so much I can't lift my arm."

Tang Yiyi had him sit, pressing and kneading his shoulder and neck a few times. Wen Tao howled in pain. The whole room stopped chatting to watch him. Tears welled in his eyes. "It really hurts, can't you be gentler?"

Xu Bin came over. "Let me." He felt Wen Tao's shoulder and neck. "It's nothing—just cold evil trapped inside. Two doses of medicine and you'll be fine. Did you sleep with the fan on after a shower last night?"

"I didn't have it blowing directly," Wen Tao said, frowning.

Tang Yiyi took his pulse, wrote a prescription, and had Xu Mingtang check it before handing it to Zuo Chengjiang.

Xu Bin had Wen Tao sit aside and placed a moxibustion box on his Da Zhui point. "Don't move. After this I'll massage you and you'll feel better."

The warmth from the moxibustion made Wen Tao sigh in relief. "I've been in pain all day. Could only lift my hand enough to reach the keyboard. Couldn't stand it, had to come. Hey, I'll shout in the group—later I'll treat everyone to hot pot, something mild."

He looked for Tang Yiyi in the shop, gesturing for her to come over. "Join us later, you hear?"