Xie Xie's Past

After crossing the bustling main street, Xie Xie led the two of them into a somewhat quieter alley. Deep inside, a dim yellow lantern swayed gently in the evening breeze, bearing several bold, vigorous characters: "Li's Stewed Beef Pot."

"This is the place!" Xie Xie's steps grew noticeably lighter, and a warm light shone in his eyes.

It was a little shop that looked as though it had been around for years. The storefront was small, its few wooden tables polished to a shine, and a rich, mellow aroma of meat filled the air. The stove stood outside, with brownish-yellow clay pots lined up neatly over more than a hundred small burners. Rising steam made their lids tremble slightly with a humming rattle, allowing tantalizing aromas to slip out and tease the taste buds.

The owner was a middle-aged man wearing a grease-stained apron, busily tending the stove. Hearing movement at the entrance, he looked up. The moment he saw Xie Xie, a brilliant smile spread across his face.

"Uncle Li!" Xie Xie shouted, rushing over like a child and wrapping the owner in a huge bear hug.

Uncle Li stumbled half a step backward from the impact, then laughed and patted his back, his voice full of fondness and reproach. "You little rascal, what took you so long? How long has it been since you last visited me? Have you forgotten the taste of my beef?"

Xie Xie let go, scratched his head, and grinned. "How could I? I've just been busy. Uncle Li, look who I brought!"

Only then did Uncle Li notice Tang Wulin and Gu Yue behind Xie Xie. He wiped his hands and greeted them warmly. "Oh, you've brought friends! Good kids, aren't you? Sit down, sit down. It's cold outside."

"Uncle Li, this is my deskmate, Tang Wulin, and this is Gu Yue," Xie Xie introduced them. "Wulin, Gu Yue, this is Uncle Li, the owner I told you about."

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue quickly greeted him. "Hello, Uncle Li."

"Hello, hello!" Uncle Li smiled so broadly he could barely close his mouth, his gaze full of affection as he looked at Xie Xie. "Now that you're here, you're my guests. Xie Xie, you'd better behave today. Don't embarrass yourself in front of your friends."

"Hehe, don't worry, Uncle Li. It's my treat today!" Xie Xie said, thumping his chest.

Uncle Li shook his head with a smile and turned toward the stove, calling out cheerfully, "Since we have guests, I'll show you what I can do today! I guarantee you'll want more once you've tasted it!"

As he spoke, he deftly lifted the lids off several clay pots. An even richer aroma of meat burst out, making their mouths water. Tang Wulin's stomach betrayed him with a growl as he breathed it in.

Seeing this, Xie Xie grinned smugly. "Wulin, Gu Yue, you're in for a treat. Uncle Li's stewed beef pots are one of Eastsea City's finest!"

Gu Yue looked at Xie Xie's smug expression, then at the busy Uncle Li. Some of the arrogance in her eyes seemed to melt in the warmth of this simple, bustling shop. She sat down gently, taking in its cozy atmosphere, and the inexplicable irritation in her heart gradually settled.

At that moment, there was no arguing, no showing off—only the steaming aroma of beef and the warmth of a reunion after a long separation.

Before long, Uncle Li personally brought over three steaming clay pots. Even after being set on the table, they continued to bubble away. The rich aroma drifted from their openings, enough to whet anyone's appetite with a single sniff.

"Here you go! Enjoy, all three of you!" Uncle Li said with a smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Wow! It looks so delicious!" Tang Wulin was already starving. Without standing on ceremony, he picked up his spoon, scooped up a huge mouthful of beef, and stuffed it into his mouth.

A second later, his eyes lit up.

The beef was tender and thoroughly infused with flavor, melting in his mouth. The rich broth, perfectly blended with more than a dozen spices, exploded across his tongue. Its deliciousness was simply beyond words.

"Mmm... it's so good!" Tang Wulin praised indistinctly, panting from the heat while still unable to resist stuffing more into his mouth.

Gu Yue had remained skeptical. Watching Tang Wulin abandon all decorum, she elegantly picked up her spoon, scooped up a small piece of beef, and blew on it to cool it before putting it into her mouth.

After only two chews, a flicker of surprise appeared in her purple eyes, which usually held a hint of arrogance. The beef really was astonishingly delicious—a hundred times better than anything the master chefs at home had made for her.

"Well? I wasn't lying, was I?" Xie Xie said smugly as he deftly helped Uncle Li clear away empty plates.

"It really is good." For once, Gu Yue did not argue. She nodded, then scooped up another generous spoonful.

What happened next, however, left Uncle Li utterly dumbfounded.

He had thought three clay pots would surely be enough for three children. Yet Tang Wulin and Gu Yue were like two tireless "food harvesters," making the beef and broth vanish from their pots at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Buuurp—" Tang Wulin let out a satisfied belch and rubbed his round belly. Looking at his now-empty pot, he said, still wanting more, "It's delicious. There's just a little too little."

Gu Yue put down her spoon as well. Elegant though her movements were, the pot in front of her was also completely empty. She wiped the corner of her mouth and said calmly, "Another serving."

Standing beside them, Uncle Li's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg. After running this shop for so many years, what kind of diner hadn't he seen? Yet this was his first time encountering children who looked so quiet and refined but had such astonishing appetites.

"Um... you three still want more?" Uncle Li asked uncertainly.

"Yes!" Tang Wulin and Gu Yue answered in unison, their eyes full of anticipation.

"All right, all right. Wait a moment. I'll make some more for you right away!" Uncle Li came back to his senses and hurried toward the stove.

As he busily prepared fresh ingredients, he could not help glancing back. Tang Wulin took a pouch of Gold Soul Coins from inside his clothes, set it on the table, and pushed it toward Xie Xie. "Xie Xie, we agreed earlier that you'd treat us. Here's my share."

Xie Xie's eyes went wide as he stared at the pouch of Gold Soul Coins. "Wow! Wulin, since when were you so rich?"

"It's the prize money I won in the earlier competition," Tang Wulin said with a smile. "If it's not enough, I have more."

Seeing this, Gu Yue elegantly set down a pouch of Gold Soul Coins that was every bit as hefty as Tang Wulin's. "My share. Keep the change."

Uncle Li looked at the two pouches of glittering gold coins on the table, gleaming enticingly beneath the dim yellow light. Suddenly, he felt that tonight's business might keep him working very late.

"Xie Xie," Uncle Li said with a smile as he added water to the clay pots, "these two friends of yours really are... bottomless pits!"

Xie Xie looked at the two pouches of coins, then at the pair waiting eagerly for their second round of food. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he silently lamented:

This meal is probably going to eat through half a month's living allowance...

After they swept through the food like a gale stripping away clouds, the three clay pots were empty once again. Tang Wulin leaned back contentedly in his chair and rubbed his round belly, his face glowing with happiness.

"Xie Xie," he said, turning his head with a sincere look, "thank you."

Xie Xie had been watching with an aching heart as Uncle Li collected the two pouches of Gold Soul Coins from the table. Hearing those words, he froze, then reacted with an exasperated roll of his eyes. "What are you thanking me for? Has all that good food scrambled your brains? There's no need for that between us!"

Tang Wulin shook his head and explained with a smile, "No, I was just saying your name."

He paused, studying Xie Xie's face, which remained handsome despite its bruises, and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, why are you called 'Xie Xie'? It's a pretty unusual name."

The smile on Xie Xie's face froze instantly. He lowered his head, looking at the broth left on the table as his fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of his bowl. His voice grew low. "Actually... my mother gave me that name."

He drew a deep breath, as though trying to expel the pent-up emotions in his chest.

"My family has been involved with mechas for generations," Xie Xie said, his voice slightly hoarse. "But my mother gave me this name to express her gratitude for that chance encounter. She said the happiest thing in her life was meeting my father back then."

At this point, his voice sank, his face grew a little pale, and his grip on his chopsticks unconsciously tightened. "But... when my mother died, he didn't even come to see her. All he ever did was work. Even when Mom was gravely ill, he was still running around outside. Her final wish before she died was to see him one last time... but he still came back too late."

Xie Xie's eyes reddened slightly, and his voice caught. "I'll never forget that night. Mom was crying, her eyes full of regret... and she let go of my hand. I hate him! I hate my name, too! If that chance encounter had never happened, maybe Mom wouldn't have..."

He could not go on and abruptly buried his face on the table. Coming here seemed to have stripped away every disguise he had built from coldness and pride, allowing him to reveal his heart to his companions for the first time.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue both fell silent. Watching Xie Xie with his face on the table and his shoulders trembling slightly, they did not know what to say. Sorrow hung in the air, a stark contrast to the liveliness of moments earlier.

Just then, Uncle Li brought over freshly made stewed beef pots. As he set them down, he sighed. "This poor child... his mother used to love bringing him here. After she passed away, he started coming alone. Every visit reminds him of her. Please don't blame him! It's rare to see him bring friends, and I'm truly happy for him. He's so young, yet he carries such a heavy heart. Please help him when you can... ah, what a cruel fate!"

After hearing Uncle Li's words, Gu Yue looked at Xie Xie crying against the table. A trace of complicated emotion now appeared in her purple eyes, which usually held only arrogance and indifference. She was silent for a moment, then reached out and gently patted his back.

"All right, stop crying," Gu Yue said. Her voice remained cool, but it had lost some of its sharpness and gained a rare gentleness. "You're acting like a little kid."

She paused, her tone growing lighter, even taking on a hint of teasing. "I'll let you treat us today. I'll be merciful and won't hold anything against you. But this alone isn't enough. I still want to see what other delicious things Eastsea City's snack street has to offer."

Xie Xie raised his head and wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve. His eyes were still red, but his emotions had settled considerably. Looking at Gu Yue's expression of "I'll forgive you, reluctantly," then at Tang Wulin's encouraging gaze, he forced a smile uglier than a grimace.

"Let's go! What are you staring at? We'll eat you out of house and home!" Xie Xie puffed out his chest again. Though his voice still caught slightly, the pride of the Xie Family's young master had returned.