Chương 19: Ancient Imperial City

Xiao Yao quickly found a restaurant that looked quite grand: "Douhuang Grand Restaurant!"

As soon as you enter, a waiter will come up to greet you.

"Are you alone, sir? Please come in!"

"One distinguished guest, please grant us private room number three in the Xuan section!"

The waiter called out loudly while leading the way with a broad smile.

It must be said that the service here is excellent; they did not look down on Xiao Yao because of his clothes or age.

"Sir, what would you like to eat?" The waiter asked after Xiao Yao sat down, clearing his throat to announce the dishes.

"Let's have a table full of your local specialties! Hurry up, I'm in a rush!" Xiao Yao didn't waste any words and skipped the ordering process, ordering a whole set of dishes.

"Hmm? All of them?"

"Yes! Bring them all on!"

Xiao Yao's choice put the waiter in a difficult position. Although Xiao Yao was holding valuable fruit, the waiter was unsure whether he would receive payment later.

"Um... sir, we have a Battle Emperor Set Meal here. Back in the day, several of the top warriors in the capital city had tried it, but... it's very expensive."

"It costs a hundred gold coins. How about... you just pick a few of their specialties?"

The waiter didn't dare offend the customer, and was also afraid of not getting paid, so he could only speak tactfully.

"Oh? It's so expensive!"

Xiao Yao never expected that this meal would cost more than the money he had saved in eight years. How many pheasants would he have to catch to make that money?

"Fine, let's get the Battle Emperor Set Meal for good luck!"

With a snap, Xiao Yao took a bag of gold coins from his pocket and slammed it onto the table.

The waiter was startled when he saw the bag of gleaming gold money!

He never expected that the unassuming young man in front of him was actually a master of low-key demeanor.

While secretly relieved that she hadn't seen through his disguise, she couldn't help but think to herself, "What's wrong with him! So rich, yet dressed so modestly. Is he playing with people's feelings?!"

But he excitedly shouted, "One table of Douhuang Set Meals!"

"Sir, please have some tea first. I'll prepare it for you right away, it'll be right there!" The waiter hurriedly went down to urge the food order. Such a big order was rare; the commission alone was ten gold coins, almost equivalent to his monthly salary. He had to serve the customer well.

Xiao Yao sipped his tea and ate grapes. Before long, a table full of food was laid out.

"Hey? Waiter! Where's the rest stop in town?"

"Sir! You'll see it once you walk south past the south gate of the city."

"Okay! It's alright now."

"Alright! Please enjoy your meal, sir!"

The waiter tactfully left the private room so as not to disturb the guests from enjoying their meal.

Looking at the colorful delicacies, with plates and bowls arranged in a crisscross pattern, Xiao Yao's appetite was immediately aroused.

Xiao Yao began to eat, thoroughly enjoying the meal.

But after only a few bites, the waiter returned again.

"Sir/Madam! Someone is looking for you."

Xiao Yao was taken aback, putting down his chopsticks and bowl. He wondered, "Looking for me? How could that be? I only know Cai Ni... Could it be that she came back to find me?"

"Where?" Xiao Yao asked anxiously as soon as he thought of this.

Upon hearing this, the waiter moved aside, revealing the figure behind him.

"Why is it you? Is something wrong?" A hint of disappointment flashed in Xiao Yao's eyes, and then he asked in surprise.

The little girl stood there, holding a bag of grapes, looking bewildered. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "I'm hungry... I want to eat."

"Go home and eat your meal. Why are you coming to me?" Xiao Yao was speechless.

"I have no home, I am an orphan..." The little girl spoke slowly, afraid of upsetting Xiao Yao.

"An orphan?" Xiao Yao exclaimed in surprise!

He suddenly remembered the house where he had stayed the night before. Besides, he was also an orphan who had lived a difficult life alone for eight years. Only he knew the hardships he had endured.

"Sigh... okay, come and eat with us."

"Really? That's great!"

"Hmm! Hehe! Would I lie to you? It's true, waiter, please bring another set of chopsticks and a bowl."

"Alright, sir!"

The waiter immediately complied, quickly bringing over bowls and chopsticks before leaving, a wave of lingering fear washing over him.

"I didn't even recognize him! Thank goodness nothing serious happened! I was terrified!"

It turned out that the little girl had been following Xiao Yao for a long time without him noticing. She only stopped when they entered the restaurant, hesitated at the door for a long time, and finally mustered up the courage to step inside.

Seeing this, the waiter couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Why are all the customers here today buying purple clay grapes, and yet they're dressed so shabbily? Are wealthy people in the city now embracing a low-key style?"

After asking, they learned which distinguished guest she was looking for. Seeing that she was holding the same grapes, they let her in and led her to Xiao Yao.

"Eat up! By the way, what's your name?"

"I don't have a name, and my father didn't give me one either," the little girl mumbled between bites of her food.

"However, several people in town have given it a name, something like...

'Little Rascal'!"

"Haha! Who helped you choose it?"

"Those stall owners always call me a little brat whenever I go there."

"These guys are really something... Heh, let's eat!"

Xiao Yao picked up his chopsticks again and started eating with her.

A meal is nothing to Xiao Yao, but it is very important to the little girl who has been hungry for a long time!

She ate very quickly, but without wasting a single grain of rice; not even a single grain spilled on the table.

"Don't just eat vegetables, eat some meat too. If it's not enough, I'll order you some more."

"Yes, thank you so much. My dad told me I can only eat vegetarian food."

"How can that be? You're at the age where you're growing, here's a chicken leg for you."

"No! No! I can't eat it, I can't eat it. My dad said I can't eat it!"

The little girl hurriedly and frantically protected the bowl and chopsticks to prevent the chicken leg from falling.

"Oh... what a sensible yet pitiful child. Well then, you should eat more vegetables."

Seeing this, Xiao Yao stopped insisting and let her eat on her own.

Although there was a lot of food on the table, the two of them managed to eat most of it!

Xiao Yao finished eating first and was about to leave!

"You can eat here. I've already paid. You can leave when you're done."

"I have some money here. Take it. If you live frugally, it will be enough for you to live on for a few years and you won't go hungry anymore. Find a husband and get married soon so you'll have someone to rely on."

Xiao Yao put down the money bag and left.

The little girl didn't take him or thank him; she continued eating, but her movements slowed considerably as Xiao Yao got up, as if she was hesitating over something...

Xiao Yao left the Douhuang Grand Restaurant and continued south. He soon left the city and finally saw the transportation station.

"Wow, that's huge!"

"This large blue bird must be a flying mount."

The rest stop was small, only about the size of a small shop, but the bird was enormous.

Because of the city wall, it was completely invisible just now.

The bird's back is covered with wooden houses of various sizes, secured with iron chains and ropes.