The noodle shop boss is a man in his forties who runs a small, clean restaurant in an alley near the hospital. He responds cheerfully when Jiang Zao orders “a bowl of beef noodles without cilantro” and goes to the kitchen to prepare it. The shop is well‑known among locals and has a warm atmosphere. His son is in his third year of high school, and he and his wife are proud of his achievements. He represents the kind, hardworking people from Jiang Zao’s past, separate from her elite family life.
