Chen Fan owns an ancestral soup recipe and partners with his uncle to run a noodle shop. After three years of business, they earn substantial profits. However, when it comes time to distribute the earnings, his uncle takes almost all the money for himself, leaving Chen Fan with only a small share. Seeing that his uncle cares only about profit, Chen Fan becomes deeply disappointed. He sells off the shop's supplies, terminates the lease, cuts ties with his relatives, and heads to Jiangnan to clear his mind. His uncle takes over the shop and continues using its old signboard, attempting to recreate the soup base from memory. By exaggerating his claims, he attracts investors, but the difference in taste drives customers away, leaving him burdened with enormous debts. Meanwhile, Chen Fan opens a small shop in an ancient Jiangnan water town, devotes himself to perfecting his noodles, and serves a limited quantity each day.