Chapter 87 The Amazing Restaurant: Spencer Danvers. ...
The two walked through another entrance to Fanchun Park, which was a path lined with flowers. The path was lined with bright and colorful roses of various colors, and the colors were arranged in a very layered way, so it seemed to have been deliberately planned.
East thought back to when he longed for a rose in Port Manhattan, but when he actually saw the sea of roses, he realized that what he wanted wasn't the rose, but rather the people around him.
Stepping out of Fanchun Park, the isolated hustle and bustle returned, causing Ister to frown slightly in discomfort.
“The restaurant is not far away, baby, are you hungry?” Arip gently stroked East’s eyebrows and eyes, smoothing away the bumps on them.
Easter looked up and laughed. "A little, let's go over there." His lips were full and red, with a small cut at the corner of his mouth, making it obvious what had happened.
As Aribo looked at him, his expression changed. "Honey, how about we go to Fanchun Park again tonight?"
East, "..." It can't be what he thinks, right? No way? It really isn't, is it?
But Arip's tone and eyes were telling him, "Yes, that's exactly what you think."
Blood rushed to his head, making his face flush red. Easter awkwardly touched his ear, his hand landing on the earring. The earring was so subtle that he would always overlook it, only realizing it when it was needed.
Suddenly, he became calm and said, "If you want, I'm fine with it."
"Why is she so obedient?" Aribo's heart almost melted. Sometimes, he really felt that his baby was born to be his nemesis, otherwise how could she have made him almost unlike himself?
“These kinds of things are something that should be discussed and decided by the two people,” Easter said. “I’m not as opposed to it as you think, I just feel that it’s not respectful enough.”
“Honey, what can I say about you?” Arip pulled East into the restaurant as they walked in, the lily-of-the-valley-shaped wind chimes jingling.
Most likely due to its proximity to Fanchun Park, this restaurant is filled with floral elements: potted plants, fresh flower arrangements, paintings on the walls, various reliefs in the restaurant, and lamps overhead... all of them are made up of various kinds of flowers, some of which Easton recognizes, and some he doesn't. There are no dining tables on the first floor, only a bar, and judging from the wine cabinet on display, it's where people drink.
"Arip, what brings you here?" A clear, surprised voice rang out. The speaker was a man behind the bar, with a standard Western face, brown hair, blue eyes, and deep-set features; he was undeniably handsome.
Only when they got closer did they realize why they hadn't noticed him when they entered. Before the two of them came in, he was sitting on a chair behind the bar, the slightly high bar obscuring his figure.
"And who is this...?" Spencer asked again.
“Spencer, this is my partner, Easter. I came here especially because of your cooking skills. Don’t disrespect me just because I didn’t give you prior notice. After all…” Aribo moved his eyes meaningfully.
East was stunned. He wanted to ask if it was alright.
"Huh?" Spencer's surprise was even greater than before. He looked at the two people who were acting intimately. Both of them were outstanding in appearance and temperament. The two people, who had different styles, had a harmonious aura around them. It was clear that their closeness was not just for show. "Welcome, of course you are welcome. But why does this name sound a little familiar?" He acted very enthusiastically and came out from behind the bar, intending to hug the two of them.
Arip raised his hand to stop him, "Get out of here," and pulled Easter closer to him, "What are you doing? My partner, you want to get physical with me."
Spencer pointed at Areper and said, "How come I never realized you were this kind of person before?"
“What’s wrong with me? Am I wrong?” Arip said matter-of-factly.
East found it amusing; he had never seen this side of Aripor before—unrestrained, arrogant, and utterly unreasonable, so real, no longer like someone floating in the air, lost and adrift.
“Tsk, I’ll let it slide since you brought your partner today,” Spencer said. “What would you like to eat? Well, we’re not usually hosting guests today, so we didn’t prepare much food. I’ll just have to cook whatever you want.”
“No need,” Arribel smiled. “Where’s the kitchen?”
“You…” Spencer was speechless. “You were prepared all along, weren’t you? What were you planning to do if I hadn’t come today?” He said this without stopping him from leading the way for Arip.
“I’ve prepared your share,” Arip said.
“At least you still have some conscience,” Spencer said, opening the kitchen door and pointing to the counter. “Put it there.” His eyes fell on Easter, who was following closely behind Arip, and he was momentarily stunned by the face. It wasn’t that he was particularly striking at first glance, but rather that he was unique, with a wonderfully mixed appearance and temperament that was too pure and clean, like a gentle breeze, like flowing clouds, like a wonder that only nature could create.
“Spencer,” Areper called out, with a hint of warning.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I didn't mean it, I didn't mean anything by it, it's just... it's just..." Spencer didn't dare to move his head towards Areper, and kept saying, trying to explain, but he was so nervous that he couldn't organize his words properly.
He wanted to slap himself. He had seen how fiercely Arribel was protecting him from the start, hadn't he? How could he still make such a mistake? He was doomed, doomed, doomed... In the end, that was all he could think about.
“If you really had any ideas, things wouldn’t be like this now,” Arribel said.
“Sir,” Ister tugged at Ariber’s arm, his tone unhurried and gentle with a smile, “it’s not a big deal. I’m actually quite happy to get a few extra glances because I’m good-looking. After all, you’re so good-looking, you’re probably used to it by now. I finally get to enjoy this moment, and you’ve interrupted me.” The last sentence was both a complaint and a joke.
He was quite pleased to see Arribel spending time with his friends, and he also liked it when Arribel introduced himself as his partner. Every time he heard it, a firework would ignite in his heart, almost like a fireworks display in his mind, making him dizzy with excitement. However, he didn't expect Arribel to have this kind of petty side. He was happy, of course he was happy, his mind was already filled with more than just a fireworks display. But in front of Arribel's friends, he couldn't just stand there without any sense of propriety. He still had to show some respect, otherwise people would think that Arribel had found a wooden lover.
Spencer looked at Easter with a grateful gaze, his eyes seeming to say, "Thank you, kind man, for saving my life. May you live a long and peaceful life."
East almost lost his composure.
Ariber helplessly put his arm around Easter's shoulder and said to Spencer, "Alright, stop pretending. We're going upstairs now. You need to focus on cooking. It's time to bring out those seasonings you've been hiding."
“Of course,” Spencer readily agreed. “I just don’t know what East’s tastes are like? Does he have any dietary restrictions?”
“It’s alright, just do it your way. I don’t have any dietary restrictions, thank you,” Easter said.
...
“Honey, aren’t you afraid I’ll get jealous?” Arip said.
The two were walking up the stairs to the second floor when they saw a striking mural on the wall. The mural was bold and vibrant, with reds, purples, blues, and other colors mixed together in a colorful and abstract way. It was so abstract that one could only guess at its nature based on a superficial understanding of the restaurant. The mural was probably also a flower.
“No, it’s because he’s your friend,” East replied. “Besides, it’s not a big deal, and it doesn’t seem like it was intentional. There’s no need to make a fuss about it.”
He looked away from the mural. He didn't know much about art, especially since it was probably abstract art. But from the perspective of an appreciator, it was quite beautiful. It didn't have any kind of mental attack, and he wouldn't feel dizzy after looking at it for a while. He just thought it was pretty.
"Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?" Arriber said after thinking for a moment. "The problem is..." He frowned and said frankly, "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
Easter laughed. "Isn't that great?"
“Baby, I’ve noticed that you…” He really knows how to pretend. Arip rubbed Easter’s head, not finishing the sentence, “Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was bullying you.”
"You're too good to be true to me, how could you possibly bully me?" Easter smiled, nuzzling Aribo's hand with her head, her eyes filled with affection. "It's because I've taken your favor for granted."
Arip was on fire, his baby's skills had improved so much that it was almost impossible to keep up.
I want to kiss you.
Easter was surprised. "This... isn't good."
Before he could finish speaking, he was dragged into a room by Arip. Before he could even take in the room, a storm of kisses swept over him, and his mind was quickly overwhelmed. He had no mind to care about anything else and just wanted to be lost in the moment.
This kiss was unlike any other before; it was more forceful and irresistible, filled with a heart-pounding desire, yet also more unsettling and unsettling.
Arip couldn't control his movements, wanting only to go deeper and deeper, wishing he could devour Easter whole. His dazed eyes, the reddened corners of his eyes, his soft breathing... every little detail was stimulating the senses.
He rubbed and licked, hoping to hear more moving sounds, unwilling to let go. Arip held him tighter, his passion intense and frenzied, an unprecedented fervor burning his blood.
East felt like he could hardly breathe. He wanted to resist, but he couldn't bear to. This feeling was wonderful, better than ever before. He was even more cooperative and accommodating. He never thought he could go crazy for someone like this, abandoning everything and indulging in it all.
The kiss lasted for an unknown amount of time before abruptly ending when Aripoulos tried to undress Easter.
"Guoguo, what are you doing?!" East almost jumped up in surprise. He was unrestrained and unconventional, but there were limits to how he acted. In his friend's restaurant, his friend was preparing lunch for the two of them. How could he be so carefree as to continue like this?
Arip held Easter tighter, resting his head on his shoulder. "Baby, are you making things difficult for me or for yourself?" His voice was hoarse, every word brimming with tender ambiguity, enough to make anyone blush.
Both of them reacted very clearly; it would have been strange if they hadn't reacted in that situation.
Easter seemed to have made up his mind. "Tonight, how about tonight?" He was also in pain, but he could still bear it. He was with Arribel, and he wanted to be with him for the rest of his life. Their social circles would inevitably intersect. He didn't care about anything else, but he didn't want Arribel to be affected by him. A decent person still had to save face.
Arip chuckled softly, "Baby, how can you be so cute?" What kind of image did he have in his darling's heart? How could she think he really wanted something to happen here? A couple of kisses would be fine, but even if his darling didn't mind, he wouldn't go any further.
East, "..."
He was stunned. The shock just now was too great. He was only thinking about that matter and didn't consider the actual situation at all.
"Just for a little while." Arip tried to suppress a laugh; so cute, so incredibly cute.
East was a little depressed, but also a little happy that he couldn't quite explain. His feelings were quite complicated. His emotions were too easily influenced by Areper and were beyond his control. He had never experienced anything new before, but he didn't feel any fear. He was confused but at ease.
“Honey, are you angry?” East remained silent for a long time, sending the wrong message to Arip.
“No, it’s being flattened right now,” East sighed.
"How about we skip dinner?"
“No, no, no, it’s not worth it,” Easter interrupted. “It’s not because of this… well, that doesn’t quite fit either. Anyway… I think you should understand.” It was strange; he couldn’t explain it clearly. Had his intelligence run away from home?
“Hmm, baby, I understand, don’t panic,” Arip said soothingly, patting the back of Easter’s neck. “Have some water first.” He led him to a chair.
After a few words, both of them had calmed down.
After East drank half a glass of water, with only a lingering aftertaste, his runaway intelligence slowly but surely returned.
Thinking about the stupid thing he had just done, he covered his face with his hands. "I thought I was pretty indifferent, but I didn't expect..." He didn't know what to say next.
“Baby,” Arip said, gently touching the teardrop under Easter’s eye, his eyes smiling, “because you were thinking of me.” He saw it clearly, he understood it perfectly, and the clearer he understood it, the more he wanted to tease his baby. He was just too naughty.
East couldn't find a way to refute it, so he could only lower his head and drink water.
"Baby, why didn't you call me Guoguo just now? It sounded too formal." Arip thought to himself, he wasn't that bad, he was still willing to find new topics for his baby.
The silence of the word "Ist" is part of the culture on Earth. Due to the profoundness of that culture, there are various interpretations. However, its use here is obviously a term of endearment for a lover. His silence indicates that he is thinking about something else. One meaning, simply put, is an implication of marriage. Another meaning is that when the word is uttered, it signifies a desire to spend the rest of one's life with that person.
Arip noticed that the blush that had faded from East's face was returning. He straightened his posture. Could there be another layer of meaning he didn't know about?
"Baby~"
East raised his hands in surrender. "Sir is a term of endearment for a lover. It's a little-known custom, and its history is so long ago that few people know about it."
"Oh, I see~" Aribo drawled, clearly not believing it. If it were really that simple, why was his darling blushing?
“I can’t exactly call you Guoguo in public, can I?” East sighed. He wasn’t even used to calling you that in front of Arribel, let alone in front of outsiders.
“Honey, I’m not in a hurry. We can talk about it slowly tonight.”
Without looking at Arribel, Easter gave a soft "hmm" and, to keep his mind from being led astray by Arribel, looked around at the room's decor.
“I’m just curious,” he said, leaning towards Areper after observing the flowers. “Does Spencer have some kind of obsession with them?”
The room has a door at the front, and facing the door is a huge floor-to-ceiling window, where a sofa and a small table are arranged. On the left and right sides are walls, one of which is a flower wall, full of fresh flowers of different kinds and colors, arranged to resemble a colorful ocean scene with undulating waves, very artistic. The other wall is a mural, mainly gold and red, like a sky full of roses cascading down, spreading into a waterfall and flowing into a river. In the middle is a dining table, shaped like a five-petaled flower, with a flower basket in the center, full of brightly colored flowers, as rich and colorful as an oil painting.
If you say it's beautiful, it is indeed beautiful, very artistic and pretty, with great aesthetic value. But what's that saying again? Too much of a good thing is bad. There's a kind of inexplicable sense of oppression.
“Yes, a little,” Arip said. “Mainly because he’s bored. He built the whole shop by himself, from the foundation. He even wanted to fire the bricks himself.” He said helplessly. “Geniuses all have a few quirks. Honey, you may not have seen it closely enough. This shop is probably more sturdy than some magicians’ magic towers. Nobody knows how much magic he’s embedded in it. Otherwise, do you think he changes these flowers every day? Can he keep up? They’re all part of a magic circle.”
East had a vague feeling, and it was only then that he suddenly realized that places with many flowers, such as the Fanchun Park they had just left, would have a fragrance. However, the fragrance here was not nonexistent, but it was very faint, almost imperceptible, and did not match the number of flowers.
"Very impressive." He was genuinely praising him; if he were asked to do it, he definitely couldn't.
“What’s so impressive about it? It’s just an act,” Aripel pulled East to sit on the sofa by the French windows, where the soft, non-glaring sunlight felt comfortable on their skin. “When we were traveling, we encountered an elf. She was disguised, so we didn’t know her identity. Then, there was a hint of something between the elf and the human. The elf asked Spencer if he liked flowers. Guess what Spencer said?”
Easter shook his head honestly. At first glance, Spencer seemed like a well-mannered gentleman with a literary background and a scholarly air. But watching him interact with his friends, he seemed quite lively. This superficial understanding was not enough for him to guess the answer to the question.
“I didn’t tell you, did I? The old Spencer was a rigid old scholar. He replied to the elf, ‘It’s not a matter of liking or disliking. In my opinion, there is no need to pay attention to things that wither so easily.’”
"And then?" East pressed, for sure, gossip is human nature, and no one can resist it.
"Later..." Ariber smiled subtly, "Until the elf left, Spencer still didn't understand what the problem was and thought the elf was inexplicable. Later we learned that Spencer hadn't even realized that he had feelings for the elf. The things he did to show his goodwill to the elf were his body's spontaneous actions. By the time he truly understood, the elf had already let go."
“It sounds like a tragedy,” Easter said. “It must be quite a pity that they were destined to be together but not to stay together.”
"He wouldn't say he has a deep obsession with elves. Rather than saying he likes elves, it's more accurate to say he has a deep love for flowers. He even got involved in the maintenance of Fanchun Park a few years ago. Ever since he started to understand flowers, he's been acting strangely," Ariber said with a laugh, seeing East's puzzled expression. "We thought he was traumatized at the time, and we were thinking of asking Xavier to come up with a solution. But we later found out that he was genuinely and simply obsessed with flowers, which extended to various branches of art. This isn't a proper restaurant; most of the time, it only serves friends or people he finds appealing."
“It’s good,” Easter said. He’s able to take things in stride and live a carefree life, unlike him. If it were him, this hypothetical situation wouldn’t be good, because he wouldn’t let himself end up in that situation. Oh well, other people’s stories are none of my business.
Arip's expression froze slightly. Perhaps it was because he didn't know him well before and hadn't spent much time together, most of which was spent in bed together. As a result, he had never seen such an expression on Easter's face before. How to describe it? It was probably the most appropriate description of Easter's current appearance: indifferent and detached, without joy or sorrow, uninterested in anything and everything, very elusive and ethereal.
His heart skipped a beat. Arip grabbed Easter's wrist, eager to confirm his presence. Perhaps the warmth wasn't enough, so he pulled Easter into his arms. Only when his arms were full could he be sure of the man's real existence.
Easter struggled, but instead of breaking free, he was held even tighter.
"Hey! What are you doing? You're not allowed to mess around in my shop." Spencer's voice was stern, as if he were seeing the Spencer who was once known as the old scholar.
Arip turned around abruptly, clearly surprised. "Why didn't you knock?" he asked, his voice louder than usual.
"Did I not knock?" Spencer pushed the small food cart in. He realized that the situation was just a misunderstanding. His clothes were still on, there was no mess, and there was nothing else messy. "I wonder what he's doing? How can he be so engrossed?" He still had to tease him. After all, it was a rare opportunity. Arip was always the more composed one among them. Probably no one would have thought that he would have this side to him.
Arip released his grip and leaned back on the sofa. "Can I still do it?" he asked lazily, completely unfazed by being caught in the act by his friend, showing no embarrassment or discomfort whatsoever.
"Hey~ Arip, it hasn't been that long since we last met, how come you've changed like this?" Shameless, Spencer tilted his head towards Easter, "Easter, how can you stand him? Were you fooled by his appearance?"
A smile played on Arip's lips as he relaxed his posture, awaiting his darling's reply.
“Arip is very good.” East’s answer was concise, yet his tone conveyed a profound sincerity.
Of the three people present, two of them paused in their movements.
“Aripole, do you really think this place is a restaurant? Come and lend a hand, it'll kill you?” Spencer lowered his eyes and broke the silence.
“Here he comes,” Arip said, pressing down on East, who was trying to stand up. “He just wants to mess with me. You can rest. It’ll be quick.”
Spencer didn't argue much and continued to serve dishes from the small food cart.
Easter felt a little embarrassed to actually sit down, so he took off his cloak and draped it over the sofa before walking over, thinking he could just lend a hand. He was surprised to find that by the time he arrived, all the dishes were already on the table, a very diverse and abundant selection—a veritable feast for the eyes and ears.
Flying creatures, swimming creatures, running creatures, flowers and plants... some with discernible origins, some without, were laid out on the table, and surprisingly, they all looked quite appetizing. The cooking methods didn't reflect local characteristics, perhaps because his status prevented him from eating food of this caliber.
"Okay, go wash your hands and eat," Spencer said, his mood neither high nor low, but rather quite calm.
East asked, "Where is the restroom?"
“Honey, come with me,” Arip said, patting Spencer’s arm before walking out.
"Was that just now..." East hesitated for a long time, unable to finish his sentence.
"It's okay, he's just envious."
East could sense that Areper was also in a somewhat somber mood, and it wasn't entirely because of Spencer.
Arribel snapped his fingers in East's ear. "What are you thinking about? You're distracted."
East jumped in surprise.
"Are you alright?" Arribel probably hadn't expected Easter to react so strongly. "Honey, is it really that serious?"
East sighed, leaning against the sink. "I don't know what's wrong with me. My mood is so up and down. Maybe it's because I haven't had a normal conversation with people for so long, and I'm suddenly not used to it."
Aripel touched East's chin. "It's okay. It's just that I'm not used to it. It's just the two of us."
Easter laughed and stepped forward to kiss Arebo. "Guoguo, why are you so good to me?"
"You're my precious baby, if I don't treat you well, who else should I treat well?"
“Let’s go back, or people will think we’re doing something inappropriate,” Easter thought. It’s so good to have Arip; he’s like a bridge connecting him to the world. With him around, he’s no longer alone.
Ariber's eyes still held doubt and worry, but he didn't dwell on it. "Honey, let's reschedule the musical for tomorrow. There's no need to make the schedule so tight."
"It's up to you." Easter didn't care; as long as he could be with Arip, he was fine with anything.
“We’ll spend those two or three hours alone at noon,” Arribel said.
East struggled to describe his feelings, a mixture of bitterness and unease.
"Are you going to eat or not? Don't waste my skills and such good ingredients." Spencer leaned against the door and mocked the two who were walking in unhurriedly.
"You're a mage, keeping a table full of food warm? Is that too much trouble for you?" Areber said irritably.
"Well, haven't we resolved everything from back then? Why are you always so nice to me?"
"Who started it?" Ariber put his arm around Easter and pointed at Spencer. "Look, look, he's strict with others but lenient with himself, only allowing himself to be a smart aleck."
Easter wondered if people who spend time with friends age faster? The players were like that, and so was Areber. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were two elementary school kids arguing.
"Let's eat." After this encounter with the two of them, his wildly energetic mood returned to a stable level.
Arip and his companion exchanged glances, then walked into the room together and took their seats.
"It's just the three of us, so please make yourselves at home." Spencer poured wine for all three of them. The wine was a vibrant red, and its aroma was a blend of floral and herbal notes. Just by smelling it, you could tell it was a fine wine.
Arribel nudged Easter's arm and asked him if he could drink.
Easter responded with a reassuring pinch, indicating that he was fine.
He raised his glass and clinked it with the two men. The wine went down his throat, and it was pretty much as expected: mellow and fragrant, smooth in texture, without a trace of bitterness or astringency, and with a sweet floral aftertaste that was rich in layers.
The food was truly delicious, unlike the food I had when I first arrived on this continent, which was just a pretty picture and looked like it was just steamed, boiled, or fried. But the heat and seasonings were just right, and each dish had its own unique flavor. Paired with fine wine, it was simply the ultimate enjoyment.
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