Chapter 89 Ramen Shop 1 Treating Guests
You're curled up in your tiny dorm room, leaning against the beanbag chair by your bed. An old Japanese mystery drama is playing on your computer, the blurry film-like picture making you drowsy.
However, this is also a great way to quickly learn and master a new language—fill your living environment with the sounds of that language at all times. This will make you more sensitive to the language and make it easier for you to improve.
In short, you weren't really watching TV; you were just killing time while trying to fall asleep.
You're leaving this instance in a week. You've made up your mind not to go anywhere, and your final task is to be a good student, going to class and going home.
As for the rest of the time, just enjoy the boring and safe life.
Even after finishing the last potato chip, the salty and savory flavor still lingered in my mouth. To be honest, Japanese cheese potato chips are really delicious; you could easily finish several bags by yourself.
Puffed snacks fill you up quickly. After finishing them, you lick your fingertips, and the feeling of fullness pushes your drowsiness to its peak. You crumple the empty packaging into a ball, toss it into the corner trash can, and then roll over and climb into bed to sleep!
Buzz—the phone vibrated.
Who is it?
You're feeling a bit irritable, with a general feeling that something's not going well. You tap on the screen, and there it is—a new social networking site.
A message from Xiaodong popped up in the notification bar: "Are you free tonight? Let's go out for dinner together, Xiaomei and I will treat."
You stared at the message for a second, then your mind, which had been foggy from eating, gradually cleared.
You and these two girls exchanged contact information after the cherry blossom viewing party ended yesterday. Although you went through thick and thin together, you're far from being close enough to go out for meals together privately—especially considering the boundaries you usually show.
Why would these two girls suddenly invite me?
It's just a meal, nothing serious, but why didn't you say anything during class during the day?
You thought about it for a while and didn't reply immediately. As if they knew what you were thinking, they immediately sent a message: "We're leaving this place tomorrow. We just wanted to express our gratitude before we left and have a meal with you to say goodbye."
"Hey, wanna grab dinner tonight? We're leaving tomorrow." Xiaomei's message popped up at that moment.
Their invitation seemed sincere.
You look at the snacks you just finished eating and your bloated belly, and hesitate a little.
My original plan for tonight was simple: do my homework after lunch break, then have a casual dinner and do some light exercise with dumbbells.
However, Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei's invitation is like a small hook, making you feel a little itchy inside.
After entering the Japanese instance, everyone's relationships were distant, and the few overly enthusiastic people you occasionally encountered were all strange lunatics.
Actually, you're quite willing to make friends. It's nice to chat with friends when you have free time. Otherwise, you always feel like something terrible is going to happen if you stay cooped up in your dorm room—the kind of situation where sunbathing and vitamin D supplements don't help.
Most importantly, it is probably because of your very positive and profound interactions with Xiaoming and the others that you have a lot of expectations for the people you will meet in the dungeon.
You've never been one to keep people at arm's length. Although you know that some people, once separated, will never cross paths again, life is made up of countless chance encounters. Besides, this short month in the instance world is more thrilling than several years in reality.
Every encounter may become a shimmering fragment in some future memory, so why resist it?
You sighed, swiped down the SNS interface, looked at Xiaodong and Xiaomei's profile pictures, paused for a moment, and finally typed a reply.
"Okay, but you don't need to treat us. Let's just go to a ramen shop."
"Okay, I'll take you there then. I've been there before, and the staff knows me well, so we can eat to our hearts' content." After sending the message, you thought for a moment and added, "It's best to strictly follow the dining rules, though they're pretty much the same as other restaurants."
"Okay, thank you."
After a few polite exchanges, the other party finally gave in to your idea.
"See you tomorrow."
After sending the message, you tossed your phone aside, lay back down on the bed, and focused on the computer screen, but your attention was no longer on the story. Your mind was preoccupied with the rules of the ramen shop—the one you went to for your eating challenge:
You must make noise while eating noodles, otherwise you will be considered to be nitpicking the texture of the noodles; you cannot use your phone while eating, which is basic etiquette in most Japanese restaurants; you cannot whisper while queuing, you must wait quietly; you cannot bring your own seasonings, because the restaurant has its own special seasonings, and using your own seasonings is considered disrespectful to the chef's skills, etc.
Judging from your ramen competition alone, this shop strictly adheres to these rules, to the point of being almost rigid.
However, these rules are not troublesome for you at all; in fact, they can be considered an advantage: you know how to follow them and how to avoid potential pitfalls.
You subconsciously licked the potato chip crumbs from the corner of your mouth, but then paused, stunned.
…etc.
Why do you want to "avoid pitfalls"?
You've always been cautious, which is fine. You're not particularly close to Xiaodong and Xiaomei, but you're not this uncomfortable either. So why has your brain been so defensive in dealing with all the messages ever since you received them?
You open social media and scroll through their messages again.
Are they both alright?
The tone was normal, and the motive was reasonable…
During class the next day, you secretly observed the two of them but didn't notice anything amiss.
"Let's go eat then. Just follow me, it's really close to school." After packing her schoolbag, you said, warmly linking your arms with theirs.
The three of you walked toward the ramen shop in a friendly manner.
The moment you push open the shop door, the familiar aroma of ramen wafts out, a blend of rich broth and savory soy sauce.
Honestly, her ramen was indeed delicious, but you had stuffed yourself with a lot of it to maintain your image, so the smell of it made your stomach clench slightly.
Before you could even look around, you heard a familiar voice coming from behind the bar.
"Oh my! Miss Big Eater!!"
You pause in surprise, then look in the direction of the sound. You see the shop owner wearing a classic white yukata with a headscarf tied around his forehead, waving at you with a big smile.
The man, speaking in a mix of Japanese and heavily accented English, excitedly shouted:
"There's no match today. Are you here for noodles? Bringing a friend?" he said, using exaggerated body language. "Flanders? (Friend)"
Several customers who were slurping noodles with their heads down were attracted by the owner's exaggerated tone and turned their curious eyes to him.
Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei looked at you curiously, then at the shop manager. You awkwardly touched your nose, quickly stepped forward, shook hands with the shop owner symbolically, and explained in a low voice:
"Yes, we brought some friends over for dinner today and they'd like to sit in a corner...we don't really want to bother anyone."
A sly smile flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes as he waved enthusiastically, signaling you to follow him.
He walked straight to a corner of the restaurant, ushered you into a booth, patted the table, and said in a tone that said, "I understand, I understand":
"Of course, of course, it's quiet in the corner!"
…You have no idea what he knows. Oh well, restaurant owners like this always seem so shrewd and shrewd in every way, even if they aren't.
Relieved, they quickly sat down, while Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei looked around at the shop's decor.
"Wow, is that really you?!" Xiaomei's voice exploded in your ear.
She couldn't control her volume, and your gaze followed her finger. Now, you couldn't control your expression either.
—In a photo on the wall, you are wearing a headband for a competitive eating contest, with a big mouthful of ramen in your mouth, holding the bowl with one hand and picking up a large amount of noodles with your chopsticks with the other. Your expression is fierce, but you look very satisfied.
Oh, this.
They want to eat fast and eat a lot, so they don't care about their table manners, but you still can't help but dig your toes into the ground when others are watching. And seriously, why did the shop owner even post this photo?!
You scratched your head, nodded shyly, and explained briefly:
"I participated in a competitive eating contest at this ramen shop before, which is why I said I would be more familiar with the place."
"There's only your photo in this row, you definitely won, right?"
"Just lucky, just lucky..." You waved your hand modestly, mainly because you didn't want to go into too much detail.
Xiao Dong's eyes widened, clearly not believing your "luck" explanation. Her face flushed, she pressed on, "Luck? No way! You're really amazing! But how did you come up with the idea of participating in a competitive eating contest?"
“Yes, yes. We’ve been starving every day since we arrived here. If we eat more, something terrible will happen. Didn’t you—” Xiaomei asked as well, then suddenly clapped her hands as if she had just realized something. “Knowing that you’re very good, you wouldn’t do something meaningless, so you participated in the eating contest on purpose.”
"What is your purpose?" Xiaomei's bright eyes fell into yours, and you were about to speak when she interrupted you.
"Hey, let me guess..." Xiaomei pondered, muttering to herself, "I want to try thinking like you, so maybe if I encounter a dungeon where I'm at a disadvantage from the start, I won't always have to swallow my pride..."
Her words made you chuckle, but you shook your head and told her how you used the prevailing social atmosphere and your special status as a "stay-at-home mom" to escape the rule that "girls shouldn't eat too much," and how you were able to at least eat your fill every day.
As soon as you finished speaking, Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei's admiring gazes almost made you a light bulb.
You chuckled sheepishly, just as the waiter came by. You quickly used the excuse of taking orders to divert their attention.
Are you really shy?
After they finish ordering, you say, "Same as them, but just give me one serving each."
The waiter looked at you with a bit of surprise, while Xiao Dong teased you, "Miss Big Eater, why don't you eat more?"
You clasp your hands together and bow back and forth, pleading, "Please forgive me!"
If it weren't for maintaining the persona of a big eater, you probably would only order a small bowl of noodles.
If you're not full, so be it. The most important thing is to avoid any unpleasant surprises and get back to your dorm as soon as you finish eating.
Your brows furrowed. You still couldn't relax, even though this was the restaurant you'd brought them to after keeping it a secret all the way here.
After a few casual words, the enthusiastic and helpful shop owner came to confirm your order.
"Is this really enough? -- Hey, what's wrong? How?"
Seeing his animated gestures, you feign shyness and pull him aside. The shop owner, as if understanding, gives you an "OK" sign and winks wildly as he follows you out.
"I understand that young girls don't want their friends to find out they eat too much," the shop owner said, patting his chest and waving his hand confidently.
You smiled helplessly and patiently explained, "I brought a friend here for dinner today, so this particularly delicious ramen shop immediately came to mind. And since I brought someone along, even though I got a year of free meals after winning the competition before, I won't need to do that this time. I'll pay the bill normally."
You know some great restaurants will insist on giving away free meals to the winners of competitive eating contests, but you don't want to be too high-profile.
Furthermore, the rules of a dungeon are often closely tied to the key characters within it, so building a good relationship with the shopkeeper is always a good thing.
Your Neon language is much more fluent than last time you came, and you express yourself very appropriately.
After hearing your words, the shop manager's smile deepened. He patted you on the shoulder and didn't pretend to refuse: "You're too kind! But since you insist—I'll give you some side dishes for free!"
You quickly waved your hand, but the shop owner had already strode towards the kitchen, giving you no chance to refuse.
Soon, the ramen was served, accompanied by plate after plate of extra side dishes—pickled neon-style yellow radish, okra marinated in soy sauce, and a small dish of oden stewed beef tendon.
You sighed helplessly, but seeing the delighted looks on Xiaodong and Xiaomei's faces, you decided not to refuse anymore.
"Since that's the case, then—"
The three of you exchanged glances, and almost simultaneously lowered your heads to enjoy the steaming hot ramen in front of you.
The sounds of slurping noodles echoed across the table. Following Japanese dining etiquette, you made loud slurping noises, completely immersing yourselves in the atmosphere of the ramen shop.
The owner stood behind the bar, watching you with satisfaction, pleased with your "knowledgeable" way of eating and your supportive behavior.
At this point, everything seemed normal.
As if afraid you wouldn't have enough to eat, the waiters would keep bringing you new side dishes with smiles on their faces.
"No, really no..." You can't stop them no matter how many times you say no.
Xiao Dong and Xiao Mei smiled at you, and you could only stuff these snacks into your mouth with a mixture of helplessness and warmth.
Even in this instance, the kindness shown is genuine. If you don't want to waste it, you have to accept it all. Keep going, you can do it!
Just as you were about to pick up the last slice of char siu from your bowl, a plate of side dishes landed heavily on your table, almost splashing you with sesame oil—
"Thump—!"
The noise was unusually loud; this level of service is rare even in the worst hole-in-the-wall restaurants you've ever been to.
The waiter's expression remained gentle and smiling, but this time he shortened "Please enjoy" to "Please," and as he put down the plate and turned away, it was as if the restaurant was too crowded to turn around.
"Are they a little unhappy because we ate too much and too fast?" Xiaomei carefully observed your expression and then glanced at the other employees.
Your eyebrows twitched as you looked at the newly delivered side dish, which was completely different from all the previous side dishes.
This is a strangely colored pickled vegetable, soaking in a dark sauce, emitting an indescribable smell.
The side dishes served with the meal are not on the menu, but are served randomly depending on the daily schedule.
You can't really say whether there's anything wrong with this dish.
You frowned, your gaze slowly moving upwards as you went to find the shop owner.
It's funny, the owner, who had been standing there like an elder watching over a younger person who was happy to eat, just happened to go into the kitchen at that moment. He disappeared.
So, are you going to eat it or not?
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Author's Note: Tiger plans to update 3 chapters today. A couple of days ago, I developed a low-grade fever while climbing Cangshan Mountain in Dali. Not realizing it was altitude sickness, I went to Erhai Lake to get some fresh air. The next day, I went to Lijiang and climbed a snow-capped mountain, which completely overwhelmed me… Anyway, I'll make up for it today! Love (o^^o)
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