I Really Can't Eat Another Bite

Everyone took their seats. The leather chairs were slightly cool, and the spacious restaurant buzzed with voices, clattering plates, laughter, and conversation.

"Does anyone have any dietary restrictions? I need to know before I order."

Calcharo plopped down in his seat and spoke up first, as casual as ever.

"You know about Lingyang and me. I'll eat anything—the more meat, the better. Sour, spicy, whatever, I'm fine with it all. As for him, get some extra vegetables and make him eat them. He needs to stop being so picky."

Aimisi leaned over the edge of the table, craning her head forward to peer at the menu with sparkling golden eyes.

"I don't eat cilantro. And we absolutely have to order guobaorou. That's the ultimate goal of this trip."

She clenched a fist, looking so serious that everyone chuckled.

Chisaki's silky hair fell softly over her shoulders as she spoke in a gentle voice.

"I can't really handle spicy food. A little should be fine, though."

As soon as she finished, everyone's gaze turned to Jinhsi.

Silver-white twin tails hung over the girl's shoulders, their green bows swaying gently. She rested her fingertips on the table and thought for a moment.

"No seafood. Anything else is fine." Having given her preference, she looked up at Wuling, who held the menu, and smiled.

Wuling ran a fingertip down the densely packed list of dishes on the paper menu, noting everyone's requests.

"Got it. One order of the signature guobaorou, a stew, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, lettuce with oyster sauce, red-braised pork, seasoned eggplant, and sweet-and-sour pork tenderloin."

He read the dishes aloud as he checked them off, adding a pot of clear fresh mushroom soup for Chisaki, who didn't like heavily spiced food.

Inside his sea of consciousness, Abu floated in the air, pawing through a virtual menu and chattering away.

[Order some fried chicken, deep-fried and extra greasy. I want to see that golden, crispy stuff in the picture.]

In his heart, Wuling ignored the frantic flood of messages.

[You're the one who wants to eat it. I haven't forgotten what happened in class. Misbehave and you don't get a damn thing.]

[Yamete!]

After blocking out Abu's voice, Wuling waved over a server and handed over the completed menu, mentioning a few things to keep in mind.

The server confirmed the order, then turned and hurried away.

While waiting for the food at the table, the group didn't sit idle.

Calcharo leaned back in his chair and struck up a casual conversation.

"We've got a whole Friday afternoon free. What's everyone planning to do afterward, besides visiting the market?"

"I'm going back to the dorm to catch up on sleep," Lingyang answered calmly.

"Maybe it's because I haven't adjusted to the new environment, but I've been especially sleepy these past few days. I'm going to get some proper rest."

"Sleeping through a holiday is such a waste." Calcharo waved a hand, then looked at the others across the table.

Aimisi rested her cheek on her hand, her eyes shifting.

"After the market, I want to check out an accessories shop. I heard they've got lots of pretty new hair ties. I'll pick up some tasty snacks while I'm at it."

Chisaki and Jinhsi both said they would go with Aimisi. Chisaki, however, had to leave by four thirty at the latest, since she, like Wuling, had a part-time job that evening.

The restaurant's service was quite fast. The first dish arrived in less than ten minutes.

All the dishes were served in under half an hour.

The steaming guobaorou was the first to reach the table. Amber-colored sweet-and-sour sauce coated the golden, crispy pieces of meat, and the aroma spread instantly, whetting everyone's appetite.

Aimisi's eyes lit up at once. She leaned forward slightly, staring eagerly at the plate.

"It's here, it's here! The guobaorou I've been dreaming of!"

Next came the stew, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, lettuce with oyster sauce, red-braised pork, and seasoned eggplant, placed on the table one after another.

Finally, the pot of clear fresh mushroom soup arrived, sending wisps of white steam into the air. Its mellow aroma softened the rich, savory smells filling the table, which was now packed with enticingly colorful dishes.

Calcharo picked up his chopsticks and, without ceremony, helped himself to a piece of red-braised pork. He took a big bite and sighed in satisfaction.

"This place is good. You can tell just by looking that the pork's soaked up the flavor. It's fatty but not greasy—absolutely fantastic."

Seeing that, the others picked up their chopsticks and began eating as well.

Aimisi went straight for a piece of guobaorou and ate it with relish. Chisaki and Jinhsi, on the other hand, took small bites of their food, still looking a little reserved.

Lingyang kept picking out the meat and barely touched the vegetables. Calcharo noticed and promptly put a chopstickful of lettuce in his bowl.

Though Lingyang looked thoroughly resistant, he ultimately yielded to Calcharo's tyranny and ate it all.

It was hard to say whether Lingyang looked so feminine because he often skipped vegetables, but his short stature was definitely related to it.

None of them were the talkative type at mealtimes, so there were no polite platitudes, only the most primal tearing and biting.

Before long, the six of them had polished off the dishes, leaving only traces of sauce to prove the plates hadn't been empty when they were brought out.

Aimisi leaned back in her chair and rubbed her rounded belly, letting out a long breath.

"That meal was so satisfying. I feel like I could lie down and go straight to sleep."

Lingyang gently set his bowl and chopsticks on the table. A trace of resentment from being forced to eat lettuce still lingered on his face. He silently pursed his lips without speaking.

Calcharo's cheeks were stuffed full. He took a sip of tea to help it go down, still wanting more.

"How long has it been since I've had such a satisfying meal? We've got to come back. Next time, I'm trying their grilled lamb chops. I hear those are great too."

Chisaki took out a tissue and gently wiped the corners of her mouth, smiling softly.

"The dishes were all delicious, but the portions were really too big. I'm a little stuffed."

Jinhsi put down her chopsticks, her silver-white twin tails swaying gently as she lifted her head, the green bows resting against her shoulders. She brushed a few stray strands of hair back from her temples and looked out at the bustling street through the window, her eyes pale.

"The food was wonderful. I've only had dishes this authentic in Huanglong. We can go browse the creative market now and walk off the meal."

Wuling raised his wrist and checked his watch. There was still plenty of time before four thirty.

In his sea of consciousness, Abu had slumped into a ball and was wailing in the space.

Abu had wanted the food so badly that he had nearly gone mad, begging Wuling the whole time, only for Wuling to block him out completely.

Boo-hoo, I'll never cheat again.

Wuling waved a server over to settle the bill. The group gathered their belongings and rose from their seats one after another.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, the midday heat washed over them. Crowds flowed along the street, and the colorful tented stalls of the creative market were visible in the distance, with vendors' cries faintly rising and falling.

"Come on, let's head over to the market."

Calcharo waved and took the lead.

The group followed the sidewalk toward the market. Aimisi skipped along at the front, turning back from time to time to call to the others.

Calcharo and Lingyang walked in the middle, while Jinhsi and Chisaki followed at Wuling's side, taking their time.