As luck would have it, Tang Wulin spotted Xie Xie just as he walked into the cafeteria. Xie Xie had finished eating.
The cafeteria was crowded. Though lunchtime had already passed, Shrek's outer court dining hall was still packed.
Long lines stretched from the serving windows, and iron ladles clanged against stainless-steel trays. The air smelled of cooking oil and detergent drifting over from the dishwashing area. Xie Xie sat by a window, his tray empty except for a half-finished bowl of soup with a few chopsticks resting across its rim. He stood, ready to pay.
Their eyes met.
Xie Xie's eyes lit up, his pupils gleaming in the sunlight from the window. His mouth curved into a smile that held both surprise and a hint of caught you. He raised a hand and waved Tang Wulin over. With his arm held high and his wrist flicking twice, he stood out amid the crowd.
Tang Wulin made his way through the crush just to sit beside him.
He passed through the narrow aisle between two rows of tables, turned sideways to let a large man carrying an enormous bowl of noodles pass, then skirted a square table filled with diners. His shoes struck the floor at an unhurried pace.
He reached Xie Xie's table, pulled out the chair across from him, and sat down. Its legs scraped across the tiles with a short squeak. He picked up the menu and opened it, though his gaze stayed on Xie Xie.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Xie Xie sat down again, set his wallet on the table, and tilted his head at him.
Tang Wulin's mouth twitched.
It looked as though he had held back a laugh for ages, only to force it down into an awkward curve. His fingers worried at the edge