Xinhua All-Media+ | The Warmth of a Bowl of Noodles

Release time:2022-10-27

Xinhua All-Media + | The Warmth of a Bowl of Noodles Xinhua News Agency, Taiyuan, Oct. 26 (Reporters Wang Feifei, Chai Ting, Ma Xiaojie) — On Caoyuan Street in Yingze District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, there’s a noodle shop called Lao Junying Dala Noodle. For the past six years, this noodle shop has not only provided free, unlimited warm meals to sanitation workers but has also been the setting for one heartwarming story after another. At 4 a.m., as the chilly autumn wind blows leaves down from the trees, sanitation worker Wang Shuwei has already begun his cleaning shift. “It’s even colder today; the ground is frozen hard,” he murmurs softly before resuming his sweeping with his broom. By the time he finishes his morning cleaning at 7 a.m., the temperature is still low, and Wang Shuwei’s sweat-soaked clothes feel cold as the chilly wind blows over him. Just then, Lao Junying Dala Noodle opens its doors, and owner Yao Xiaorui invites Wang Shuwei inside for a hot meal. After finishing a steaming bowl of dala noodles, Wang Shuwei feels warmth spreading through his body. According to Yao Xiaorui’s recollection, Wang Shuwei was very shy at first and hesitated to enter the shop. So Yao Xiaorui would bring the noodles out to him. But eventually, he had to practically drag Wang Shuwei into the restaurant. “The weather outside is cold, and the noodles would get cold before he finished eating them,” Yao Xiaorui said. Yao Xiaorui, 57, and his wife Wang Linzhen were once laid-off workers. In 2006, after much deliberation, the couple decided to open a restaurant. “We only knew how to make dala noodles, and our relatives and friends all said we made them well, so we started this business,” Yao Xiaorui said. The hardships of running a restaurant made the couple more aware of life’s difficulties and inspired them to help others. Seeing sanitation workers outside, exhausted from their work and forced to sit on the steps by the door to rest in the cold wind, Yao Xiaorui proactively invited them in to warm up. At first, he’d just pour them a cup of hot water; later, he began offering free dala noodles to nearby sanitation workers. On October 21, sanitation worker Zhu Qiangen helped dispose of garbage after finishing his dala noodles. Photo by Xinhua reporter Chai Ting. “At first, they were very reserved and felt embarrassed about eating for free. So I’d deliberately leave some chores for them to do, making them feel more comfortable,” Yao Xiaorui said. Gradually, the six or seven sanitation workers who often came here to eat would always step in to help whenever they saw something that needed doing—picking vegetables, wiping tables, taking out the trash... Over the years, everyone has become like a family, helping each other out. “Does your pot seem a bit worn again? It’s probably the same old problem—I’ll fix it for you, and it’ll last a few more months,” said sanitation worker Ma Xiwan, who has a knack for fixing pots. Seeing that the noodle shop’s rice cooker often broke down, he’d always step in to help repair it. Over the past six years, Ma Xiwan has fixed four or five rice cookers for the noodle shop. “It’s saved us a lot of money,” Wang Linzhen said with a smile. Yao Xiaorui and his wife are especially dedicated to the noodle shop’s business. Although the shop isn’t big, they keep it neat and tidy every day. To ensure customers can eat with peace of mind, they wash the vegetables again and again. Sanitation worker Zhao Haiqiao noticed this and would come by during her free time to help pick and wash vegetables. “Before, I’d wash my hands several times—it was even more careful than washing vegetables at home,” Zhao Haiqiao said. Yao Xiaorui and his wife are particularly kind-hearted; eating here makes her feel comfortable, and when she sees them busy, she’s happy to help out willingly. During interviews, reporters found that almost every sanitation worker carried one or two bags of garbage when they left after eating. “The noodle shop produces a lot of kitchen waste, and it’s thanks to their help that we can dispose of it in time,” Wang Linzhen said. “When I’m busy, I don’t have time to help—I just grab a bite and leave,” said sanitation worker Chang Hongmei. Every time, the owner’s wife, Wang Linzhen, would prepare a cup of hot water for her and tell her to go back to work without worrying. This family-like interaction makes Chang Hongmei, who works far from home, feel warmly cared for. On October 21, sanitation worker Chang Hongmei smiled and waved goodbye as she took the cup of hot water Wang Linzhen handed her. Photo by Xinhua reporter Chai Ting. Once, Yao Xiaorui’s father was hospitalized, and he had to take care of his sick father while running the noodle shop. When Ma Xiwan’s wife heard about it, she volunteered to help Yao Xiaorui look after the elderly man. “I’m really grateful to Old Ma’s family—I never expected that a bowl of noodles could bring so many friends together, everyone understanding and caring for each other,” Yao Xiaorui said. As the saying goes, “Give me a peach, and I’ll repay you with jade.” Over the past six years, the noodle shop has served more than 20,000 bowls of noodles to sanitation workers, and the sanitation workers have quietly done what they can to help the shop. “As long as I’m able to keep working, I’ll keep running this noodle shop. Even if I retire someday, I’ll make sure my son carries on this work,” Yao Xiaorui said, because this place has become like a big family.

On October 26, the New Hua Society reported (reported by Wang Fufu, Shi Jia, and Ma Zhenli) that a man named Lao Bing had been found dead on Dicui Road in the Qianmen District of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. Over the past six years, this man’s body has not only provided free, unlimited quantities of warm meals to environmental workers, but has also been involved in another incident involving a hot pot meal.

At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, he began his work of clearing the forest, felling trees and cutting branches. The surrounding workers had already started their cleanup operations. “It’s getting colder today, and the ground feels especially hard,” he said softly after a brief pause, then resumed his sweeping with renewed vigor.

The early morning clear skies have already reached 7 a.m., and the temperature is surprisingly low. The sea breeze carries a faint chill, making the body feel slightly uneasy and causing some discomfort in the chest.

At that moment, the old man’s face lit up, and the door to the banquet hall also opened. The elderly gentleman, with a radiant smile, stepped forward and entered the hall, his body bathed in the warm glow of the lanterns. Under the flickering light of the hot lamps, the young lord felt a strange sensation spreading through his body, as if something had just begun to stir within him.

“Dada was feeling dizzy and disoriented, and Wang Shu seemed unusually pale. At first, he didn’t feel well at all—his thoughts were muddled—but soon he managed to pull himself together and headed toward the door. Later, he even helped harden his resolve and pushed himself into the shop.” “The weather outside is cold, and it seems the air inside hasn’t been fully ventilated yet,” Dada said.

The 57-year-old actor and director was born in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In 2006, he decided to open a restaurant after three years of reflection. “I’ll just do something straightforward—my friends all said it would turn out well, so I went ahead and started this venture,” said the actor.

The shop’s delightful atmosphere made them feel even more at home, and it also inspired them to create.

Xinhua All-Media+ | The Warmth of a Bowl of Noodles

　　Xinhua News Agency, Taiyuan, October 26 (Reporters Wang Feifei, Chai Ting, and Ma Xiaojie) On Caoyuan Street in Yingze District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, there is a noodle restaurant called Lao Junying Dalu Noodles. Over the past six years, this noodle restaurant has not only provided free, unlimited warm meals to sanitation workers but has also been the setting for one heartwarming story after another.

　　At 4 a.m., as the chilly autumn breeze blew leaves down from the trees, sanitation worker Wang Shuwei had already begun his cleaning work. “It’s even colder today—the ground is frozen solid,” he murmured softly before once again swinging his broom and continuing his cleanup.

　　Having finished the morning cleaning, it was already 7 a.m., but the temperature remained bitterly cold. Wang Shuwei’s sweat-soaked clothes felt chilly as a sudden gust of cold wind swept over him, sending a shiver through his body.

　　Just then, the old military camp’s braised-beef noodle shop also opened its doors. The owner, Yao Xiaorui, beckoned Wang Shuwei to come in and have a hot meal. After downing a steaming bowl of braised-beef noodles, Wang Shuwei felt his body grow warm and cozy.

　　According to Yao Xiaorui’s recollection, Wang Shuwei was extremely shy and at first felt too embarrassed to enter the shop, so he could only bring the noodles out to him. Later, though, Yao Xiaorui still managed to pull him into the shop by force. “It was cold outside, and the noodles had already gone cold before we’d even finished eating them,” Yao Xiaorui said.

　　The 57-year-old Yao Xiaorui and his wife, Wang Linzhen, were once laid-off workers. In 2006, after much deliberation, the couple decided to open a restaurant. “All we knew how to make was braised noodle soup, and our relatives and friends all said it tasted great—so that’s how we got into this business,” Yao Xiaorui said.

　　The hardships of running a business have made the couple more deeply aware of how difficult life can be, and have also inspired them to want to help others. One day, seeing sanitation workers outside their door, exhausted from their long shift and forced to sit on the doorstep in the cold wind for a brief rest, Yao Xiaorui proactively invited them inside to warm up. At first, he simply poured them a cup of hot water; later, he began offering free braised noodle soup to sanitation workers in the neighborhood.

　　On October 21, sanitation worker Zhu Qiangen helped dispose of garbage after finishing his bowl of braised noodle soup. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chai Ting.

　　“At first, they were very reserved and felt embarrassed about eating free meals. So I made a point of leaving them some chores to do—this way, they’d feel a bit more at ease,” said Yao Xiaorui. Gradually, the six or seven sanitation workers who often came here to eat started helping out whenever they saw something that needed doing—chopping vegetables, wiping tables, taking out the trash... After several years of working together, everyone had become like one big, supportive family, always ready to lend a hand to each other.

　　“I’m guessing your pot isn’t in great shape again, huh? It’s probably the same old problem. Let me fix it for you—it’ll last you another few months.” Ma Xiwan, a sanitation worker, has a knack for fixing pots and pans. Seeing that the rice cooker at the noodle shop kept running into trouble, he always stepped in voluntarily to help repair it.

　　Over the past six years, Ma Xiwan has already repaired four or five rice cookers for the noodle shop. “It’s saved us a lot of money,” Wang Linzhen said with a smile.

　　Yao Xiaorui and his wife are especially dedicated to their noodle shop business. Although the shop isn't large, they keep it impeccably tidy every single day. To ensure that customers can eat with peace of mind, they wash the vegetables again and again.

　　Sanitation worker Zhao Haiqiao noticed this and, during her free time, would come over to help pick and wash vegetables. “Before starting, she’d wash her hands several times—she’s even more careful than when washing vegetables at home,” Zhao Haiqiao said. The couple, Yao Xiaorui and his wife, are exceptionally warm-hearted; dining here makes them feel truly comfortable. Seeing that the couple was often too busy to handle everything on their own, Zhao Haiqiao willingly stepped in to lend a hand.

　　During the interview, the reporter found that almost every sanitation worker carried one or two bags of garbage in their hands as they left after finishing their meal. “The noodle shop generates a lot of food waste, and thankfully, they’re here to help us ensure that the garbage is disposed of promptly,” said Wang Linzhen.

　　“When I’m busy, I don’t have time to help out—I just grab a bite and head back to work,” says sanitation worker Chang Hongmei. Every time this happens, the boss, Wang Linzhen, always prepares a pot of hot water for her and says, “Go ahead and get back to work—don’t worry about me.” This family-like interaction makes Chang Hongmei, who’s working far from home, feel warmly cared for.

　　On October 21, sanitation worker Chang Hongmei smiled and waved goodbye as she took the hot water cup handed to her by Wang Linzhen. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chai Ting.

　　Once, Yao Xiaorui’s father was hospitalized, and he had no choice but to take care of his ailing father while running the noodle shop at the same time. After hearing about this, Ma Xiwan’s wife volunteered to help Yao Xiaorui look after the elderly man. “I’m really grateful to Old Ma and his family,” Yao Xiaorui said. “I never expected that a bowl of noodles could bring me so many friends—everyone is understanding and caring for one another.”

　　“You give me wood peaches, and I’ll repay you with jade pears.” Over the past six years, the noodle shop has served more than 20,000 bowls of noodles to sanitation workers, and in return, these hardworking sanitation workers have quietly done what they can to help the noodle shop. “As long as I’m still able to work, I’ll keep running this noodle shop. Even if someday I retire and stop working, I’ll make sure my son carries on this mission,” said Yao Xiaorui. After all, this place has become like one big family.

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