The "Four Seasons Spring" signboard looked somewhat faded in the sunlight, but the long queue in front of the door was enough to prove the store's popularity. Han Feng had just parked his car when he saw the bespectacled man waving vigorously at the store entrance.
"Over here!" The bespectacled man adjusted his black-rimmed glasses. "I booked a private room in advance!"
The restaurant was small, with tables and chairs arranged close together, and the walls covered with faded old photos and celebrity autographs. After passing through the noisy lobby, the group was led into a small private room at the back, where several cold dishes were already laid out on the round table.
"I didn't know what you guys liked to eat, so I ordered a few of their signature dishes first," the bespectacled man said solicitously, pulling out chairs. "I come to this restaurant often; I guarantee you won't be disappointed!"
Su Wanwan plopped down between Han Feng and Wang Hao, her short red hair still standing out in the dimly lit private room. She picked up her chopsticks, unceremoniously grabbed a piece of Sichuan-style chicken, and put it in her mouth, her eyes immediately lighting up.
"Mmm...this taste..." Su Wanwan, disregarding her image, mumbled between chews, "Absolutely amazing! The chicken is tender yet not dry, the balance of spiciness and umami is perfect, and the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns dances on my tongue!"
Han Feng looked at her exaggerated expression and smiled slightly: "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
The other boys also started eating, and soon the private room was filled with exclamations of praise. Just as everyone was enjoying their meal, a middle-aged man with graying temples and an apron walked in carrying a steaming plate of boiled fish.
"Here it is! Our signature boiled fish!" The owner's voice boomed as he carefully placed the plate in the center of the table. "Please enjoy, everyone, but be careful, it's hot!"
Su Wanwan eagerly scooped up a spoonful of fish slices, blew on them twice, and stuffed them into her mouth, even though they were scalding hot and she was panting for breath, but she didn't want to spit them out: "Boss! Your cooking is amazing! I've been in Kyoto for so many years, how come I only discovered this hidden gem now?"
The owner smiled so broadly his eyes crinkled into wrinkles: "Young lady, you have good taste! Our 'Four Seasons Spring' has been open for thirty-eight years. It started as a street stall set up by my dad." He pointed to a faded old photograph on the wall, "Back then, we only had three tables, and we relied entirely on the support of the neighbors."
Wang Hao's roommates nodded in agreement: "The fish at the restaurant are all freshly killed and cooked; they're absolutely fresh!"
"The chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns were all air-shipped from Sichuan; the flavor is absolutely authentic!"
"Our computer science department always loves to have meals here; the prices are reasonable and the portions are generous!"
The owner waved his hand modestly: "There's no secret, just using high-quality ingredients and cooking with heart." He pointed outside, "See? Many of those queuing up are regular customers, some have been eating here since they were kids, and now they bring their children to eat. In the restaurant business, the most important thing is integrity."
Su Wanwan, her mouth full of food, still gave a thumbs-up. Han Feng, looking thoughtfully at the old photos on the wall, suddenly asked, "Boss, your shop has weathered so many storms, have you ever thought about expanding?"
The owner smiled and shook his head: "Young man, in the restaurant business, bigger isn't always better. My son is a chef at a five-star hotel and keeps urging me to open a branch." He patted his apron, "But I think that as long as you can do one restaurant well and make it excellent, and treat every customer fairly, that's enough."
After finishing his sentence, the owner went to prepare other dishes. For a moment, only the sounds of chewing and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks filled the private room. After a few beers, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.
"Haozi, I never knew you knew a big shot like Han Feng!" the bespectacled man said enviously. "He's so young and already drives a Bugatti; it almost blinded me at the school gate today!"
Wang Hao puffed out his chest smugly: "Of course! Han Feng and I have known each other since high school, back then..." He suddenly realized something, glanced at Han Feng, and quickly corrected himself, "Ahem, anyway, we're really close!"
Su Wanwan scoffed and picked up another piece of twice-cooked pork: "Come on, with your cowardly attitude, it's a miracle Han Feng has tolerated you for so many years."
Everyone burst into laughter. The topic quickly shifted to computer science, and Su Wanwan perked up immediately, putting down her chopsticks and launching into a long, enthusiastic explanation:
"The basic programming you've learned is too simplistic! Real hackers exploit kernel-level vulnerabilities, such as bypassing dEp and ASLR protections through JIT spraying, and then using Rop chains to achieve arbitrary code execution..."
Wang Hao's roommates were stunned, and the bespectacled man even dropped his chopsticks on the table.
"Sister Wan..." Wang Hao weakly raised his hand, "Can you speak like a human being?"
Su Wanwan rolled her eyes: "Simply put, I can hack into any unpatched system, including your school's buggy academic affairs system."
"Really?" A tall, thin roommate exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Our computer club just had a cybersecurity drill last week, and we couldn't even get past the firewall!"
Su Wanwan wagged her finger smugly: "That's because you're still using traditional SQL injection and xSS attacks, which are too low-level. Advanced hackers now use zero-day vulnerabilities and spear-phishing, combined with social engineering..."
Han Feng coughed lightly, interrupting her boasting about her skills: "Let's eat."
Su Wanwan pouted, but obediently kept her mouth shut. However, her words had clearly intimidated Wang Hao's roommates.
"Um, Sister Su... Sister Su," the bespectacled man asked respectfully, "where do you work? Could you... perhaps have the opportunity to teach us?"
"What? You really want to learn hacking techniques?" Su Wanwan raised an eyebrow. "Sure, come to my studio sometime, and I'll show you what real penetration testing is all about."
Several boys were so excited they almost jumped for joy, but Wang Hao looked worried: "Sister Wan, take it easy... Look next to you."
Han Feng was staring straight at her.
Su Wanwan gave an embarrassed smile: "I won't say anymore, this dish is really delicious!"
The group started chatting about everyday things again. It was clear that in the boys' circle, the most talked-about topic was always girls, especially pretty girls.
The bespectacled man asked, "Sister Su, you're so beautiful, you must be one of the top students at Kyoto University, right?"
Wang Hao said smugly, "Just kidding, with my sister Wan's looks and temperament, she's definitely a campus beauty."
"Pfft." Han Feng almost spat out his tea.
"Han Feng! What do you mean?! Do you think I'm not good enough for you?" Su Wanwan instantly exploded.
"No, no, I just thought of something interesting." Han Feng turned his head away, trying his best to control himself.
Just as they were having a lively chattering session, suddenly the sound of dishes hitting the door came from outside, accompanied by arguing.
"Let's go out and take a look." Han Feng frowned and stood up.
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