Just a Meal

Dawn had barely broken.

The atmosphere in the lavishly decorated little house deep in Dark Alley was somewhat stiff.

A set of silverware of unknown provenance sat on the table.

Though polished to a shine, the fine scratches on it still exposed its origins—most likely lifted by some thief from the home of a down-and-out noble.

Old Jack held a dinner knife.

He tried hard to cock up his short, thick little finger, striking an incredibly awkward pose.

The half-burned face of his scrunched up, making him look especially ridiculous.

"Watch closely."

Old Jack spoke in the tone of someone disappointed by another's failure to meet expectations.

"This is noble etiquette."

"Fork in the left hand, knife in the right."

"When cutting meat, don't raise your elbows. Keep them tucked in."

"When you bring food to your mouth, don't lower your head. Let the food find your mouth, not your mouth find the food."

As Old Jack spoke, he clumsily cut at the slab of air-dried cured meat on his plate.

Screech.

The blade scraped across the plate with a teeth-grating sound.

The meat remained uncut.

Like a stubborn stone, the cured meat slid around the plate.

It nearly flew off and smacked Su Li in the face.

Su Li sat opposite him.

The white silk robe draped loosely over his body.

His long hair fell casually over his shoulders.

He rested his cheek on one hand, wearing the expression of someone watching a monkey show.

"Old man."

Su Li yawned.

"How is this eating?"

"How's this any different from us sawing lumber down at the docks?"

"The meat's just a little too tough. If it were softer, that pose of yours would have you cutting your own hand."

Old Jack's face reddened.

Fortunately, his face was already such a dark reddish-black that it was hard to tell.

In embarrassed fury, he slapped the knife and fork onto the table.

Clang.

"What the hell do you know!"

"This is class!"

"All those gentlemen on Golden Glow Avenue eat like this!"

"If you're going to pretend to be a prince, you need to learn this."

"Otherwise, the moment you sit down and grab meat with your hands to gnaw on it, who'd believe you're a noble?"

Su Li shook his head.

He stood up.

There were no windows in the room, only a few whale-oil lamps burning.

Dim yellow light fell across his face.

The impact of those sword brows and starry eyes still made Old Jack freeze for a moment, even after watching him all night.

Damn, he was handsome.

He was born to live off that face.

Su Li walked over to the pile of firewood in the corner.

Several unchopped dry logs were stacked there.

He bent down.

His long fingers sifted through the rough pieces of wood.

In the end, he selected one that was slightly harder in texture.

Then he took a small knife from the table.

Slice, slice, slice.

Wood shavings flew everywhere.

Old Jack stared with his one eye, utterly dumbfounded.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get you silverware, and you're playing with wood?"

Su Li ignored him.

His hands moved quickly.

In less than two minutes, two small wooden sticks, rounded smooth and of equal length, appeared in his hands.

They were neither lacquered nor carved.

Yet in Su Li's dazzlingly pale hands, those two shabby sticks somehow carried an indescribable elegance.

Su Li returned to the table.

He sat down.

He lightly tapped the two sticks against the tabletop to align them.

Tap.

A crisp sound rang out.

"Watch."

Su Li spoke calmly.

Old Jack instinctively craned his neck.

Several salt-boiled green peas lay on the plate as a side dish.

They were round, slippery, and hard.

Spearing those things with a fork was absolutely a test of skill.

More often than not, one stab sent the peas flying.

Su Li flicked his wrist.

The two wooden sticks seemed to become extensions of his fingers.

They darted deftly into the plate.

Incredibly precise.

Incredibly light.

The round green pea was firmly held between the two sticks.

It did not fall.

Nor was it crushed.

Su Li turned his wrist and brought the pea to his mouth.

He chewed slowly.

The movement flowed as smoothly as clouds and water, carrying an indescribable rhythm.

Old Jack's mouth fell open.

His gold tooth glittered under the lamplight.

"This..."

"What is this?"

Su Li picked up another piece of cured meat.

He did not even need to cut it with a knife.

He simply brought it to his mouth and bit off a piece.

Though his manner of eating was bold, the two wooden sticks somehow kept it from seeming crude at all.

Instead, it had a kind of... back-to-basics sophistication.

"This isn't witchcraft."

Su Li swallowed the meat in his mouth.

It was damn salty.

He needed some water.

He lifted his cup and took a sip before speaking at an unhurried pace.

"This is culture."

"In the East, only uncivilized savages wave knives and forks around at the dining table."

"Those are weapons."

"It's disrespectful to food."

"True noble blood uses these—chopsticks."

Su Li waved the wooden sticks in his hand.

His eyes held the pity of someone looking at a country bumpkin.

"Two sticks contain yin and yang."

"One moves, one rests. That is the great principle of heaven and earth."

"Understand?"

Of course Old Jack did not understand.

Yin and yang, heaven and earth—what were those supposed to mean?

It all went over his head.

But he was deeply shaken.

Especially that trick Su Li had just performed with the pea. It was practically divine.

In this world.

Even knights had to train with swords for seven or eight years, sometimes ten, before they could wield them like extensions of their limbs.

And this kid could do that with two wooden sticks?

This was what Eastern nobility was like!

Every last trace of suspicion in Old Jack's belly vanished completely.

He slapped his thigh.

"Good!"

"We'll use this!"

"This thing looks classy as hell!"

"If we put this in front of those noble ladies who haven't seen the world, won't it scare them stupid?"

Su Li rolled his eyes inwardly.

Obviously.

This was the crystallized wisdom of the older generations.

Around noon.

The weather in Grey Gull Port was rarely clear.

Sunlight pierced the ever-present fog and spilled across the damp streets.

Old Jack had really splurged today.

He took off the gray cloak he had worn for ages.

In its place, he put on a purplish-red velvet coat.

The coat was a little tight, making the fat on his stomach jiggle.

And the collar was somewhat worn.

But once he slipped that huge fake gemstone ring onto his finger and slicked his hair back until it gleamed.

He actually looked fairly convincing.

Like the butler of a nouveau riche household.

Su Li walked beside him, still dressed in white.

But for going out, he had put a black hooded cloak over it.

The hood was pulled low.

Only his perfectly shaped chin and those indifferent eyes were visible.

The two crossed the filthy lower district.

Along the way.

The little thugs who usually bowed and scraped before Old Jack did not even dare breathe too loudly today.

They looked at Su Li with uncertainty.

Though they could not see his face clearly.

That way he walked.

That sound of his hem brushing over the ground.

All of it made them instinctively want to move aside.

This was what they called presence.

Or maybe Su Li was deliberately putting on airs.

If they knew this guy had been rummaging through a trash heap for pants just yesterday, it would probably shatter his whole image.

Soon.

The surroundings changed.

The mud and garbage on the ground vanished.

In their place was a neatly paved road of blue-gray flagstones.

The stench in the air disappeared as well.

A scent of perfume, fresh-baked bread, and horse manure—manure from high-class horses, at that—drifted over.

Golden Glow Avenue.

Grey Gull Port's wealthy district.

Most of the buildings here were made of white or pale yellow stone.

Pointed roofs, floor-to-ceiling windows, even balconies with gardens.

The pedestrians on the street had changed too.

There were no laborers in ragged clothes.

Only ladies in long dresses and gentlemen in tall hats.

An occasional lavishly decorated carriage rolled by, its wheels wrapped in shock-absorbing rubber.

Old Jack led Su Li straight toward a restaurant at the street corner.

Golden Wheat Ear.

The name sounded rustic.

But the two uniformed doormen standing stiffly outside, along with the glass doors polished brightly enough to serve as mirrors, told everyone one thing—

No money, no entry.

"This place isn't bad."

Old Jack lowered his voice, with a hint of pride in his tone.

"I usually can't bear to come here."

"Even a glass of water costs a silver coin."

"But the steaks here are the most tender in all of Grey Gull Port."

"Most importantly..."

Old Jack's single eye darted sneakily toward the interior.

Su Li said nothing, merely giving a slight nod.

The two walked up to the entrance.

The doorman glanced at Old Jack and frowned.

He had clearly recognized the old thug who lurked around Dark Alley.

Just as he was about to reach out and stop them.

His gaze fell on Su Li, and his hand froze in midair.

Su Li raised his head slightly.

Beneath the hood, those eyes swept over the doorman.

Calm.

As though he were looking at an ant, or perhaps at empty air.

The doorman shuddered.

That look.

This was definitely no ordinary person.

The doorman instinctively withdrew his hand, bowed, and pulled open the doors.

"Welcome."

Even his voice trembled slightly.

Old Jack strutted inside with his chest puffed out.

Normally, weren't these snobs always looking down their noses at people?

And today they had actually bowed?

Those fifty gold coins had been well worth it!

Oh, no, they hadn't been spent yet.

But the return on that investment was already on its way.

The restaurant had quite a few patrons, with mellow violin music flowing through the air.

The guests spoke in low voices, and even the clinking of tableware was soft.

Old Jack picked a seat by the window.

The lighting there was good, perfect for showing off.

A waiter approached with a menu.