The owner of the grilled meat stall was a man in his forties, with a face full of rough, fleshy features. But when he smiled, he seemed very kind.
He wore an apron yellowed by the charcoal smoke. With a skewer in each hand, he turned the meat over and over on the iron grill, his movements so practiced they looked like a juggling act.
When he saw Huang Fei approach, he froze for a moment.
Most of the customers who came here to eat were grown men. Occasionally, there would be a boy, but he would always be with an adult. A six-year-old walking in alone was a first.
"Little brother, want some skewers?"
The owner asked tentatively.
Huang Fei stopped in front of him and looked up at the skewers sizzling on the grill.
The chunks of meat weren't large, and they were streaked with fat. They had been grilled to a caramel brown and sprinkled with cumin and chili powder. Their aroma was so rich it seemed almost solid, burrowing straight into his nose.
For the past few days in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had eaten nothing but dry rations and wild fruit. His mouth had long since gone completely bland.
"Ten skewers."
Huang Fei said.
The owner's hands paused.
Ten skewers wasn't a small amount for a six-year-old, but it wasn't so much that he couldn't finish them.
The owner asked no questions. He pulled the ten most fragrant, crispiest skewers from the grill, wrapped the bottom halves in oil paper, and handed them over.
Huang Fei took the skewers, crouched on the steps beside the stall, and began eating them one bite at a time.
The meat was piping hot, but he didn't care.
The first time he bit into one, the juices