Noodle Princess
First published on the Nani WeChat Official Account on February 23, 2021.
I experienced Shenzhen in two very different stages: first as the “World’s Factory,” and later as “China’s Silicon Valley”.
So what do factory workers eat? What do programmers eat? Guilin rice noodles, Shaxian snacks, Lanzhou noodles, pork trotters, roast goose, fast-food chains everywhere. Shenzhen never lacks cheap fast food. The food comes fast, and people eat fast. I was always the slowest person there.
2017 was probably the lowest point of my life, or maybe just the beginning of it. A failed relationship, the uncertainty of a startup project, and my growing discomfort with Shenzhen all started blending together.
One afternoon, while walking through the Gangxia subway food street as usual, a woman working at a Lanzhou noodle shop caught my eye. She had a strong northwestern Chinese look and completely stood out from the crowd. I later gave her the nickname “Aiyitula.”
At first, I was simply attracted to the way she looked alone inside the noisy city.
She looked beautiful even while daydreaming between customer orders.
My friend Jie often came with me to eat noodles there.
Rare moment seeing her wearing makeup.
I usually came during quieter hours, often saw her simply spacing out.
I pretended to look at my phone while secretly photographing her.
When I had extra money, I added beef to my noodles.
She somehow looked different from every angle.
She always seemed slightly clumsy while working.
I asked where in Gansu she came from. She answered: Qinghai
Ayitula’s cousin sometimes taking over the front counter.
Sometimes she moved into the kitchen to help prepare food.
Her cousin is probably married, and she almost always wears the same style of headscarf.
For a while, I actually thought the cousin was more attractive.
My final meal there before leaving Shenzhen.
My last meal in Shenzhen — the first time I got to see her hair.
Most people here, maybe 86%, are always grinding away; the average age is 33. Back in 2018, I wasn’t in the mood to grind, and at 34, leaving felt like the right call.
At Aiyitula’s Lanzhou noodle shop, it was a breath of fresh air. Simple, honest, calm — a little escape from the chaos outside. She was beautiful, sure, but her sincerity and friendliness mattered just as much. The staff all knew me, and every visit made me happy.
Leaving Shenzhen was good for my health. The city pulls in people who believe in miracles. Working with them is exciting; living among them can be exhausting. I just wanted to quietly capture the moments they don’t even notice.
I wonder if Aiyitula even remembers me. People change jobs, move on, adapt. If anyone reads this, say hi for me.
All photographs and original Chinese text by Cai Zhenxing. English adaptation prepared for portfolio and website presentation.