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[Game] Chapter 13: Expensive, But Worth It
🕑 Added 2024-11-04 09:39:41 +0000 UTC“Eating out?”
Hearing Ichin’s invitation, Utaha suddenly felt a bit hungry. Due to the release of her novel today, she hadn’t slept well since yesterday. After a simple breakfast in the morning, she rushed out and had only been sitting here drinking a cup of coffee.
After thinking it over, she agreed, “Sure, but where are we going? Have you decided?”
“Of course, I’ve already made up my mind. It’s something I haven’t eaten in a long time,” Ichin replied with a nod, taking out his phone and smiling at Utaha. “Let’s go!”
Five minutes later, Utaha followed Ichin out of the elevator and saw the name of a Chinese restaurant in front of them. With an exasperated look, she said, “You really are spending big, coming to Quanjude for dinner.”
“Have you been here before?” Ichin asked.
“No.” Utaha shook her head. “I knew there was a Quanjude in Tokyo, but the prices are just too outrageous, so I’ve never come.”
“Well, today’s the day, isn’t it?” Ichin laughed. “Once your novel royalties come in, you can bring your family here to try it out. Think of today as a preliminary visit; I’ll treat.”
“Really? No splitting the bill?” Utaha glanced at Ichin skeptically. “This place isn’t cheap. I saw the price downstairs—a single duck costs nearly ten thousand yen.”
“Don’t worry, I already checked the prices beforehand. I know it’s pretty expensive.” Walking towards their table under the guidance of a waitress, Ichin continued, “But what can you do? I’ve been craving it. Even if it’s a little pricey, it’s not like I eat here all the time.”
It was already lunchtime, and there were a few other customers in the restaurant. Since there weren’t any tables meant for two, Utaha decided to sit beside Ichin rather than across from him. Sitting so far apart would feel strange.
Taking the menu from the waitress, Ichin turned to Utaha and asked, “Do you mind if I order?”
“You’re treating, so it’s up to you.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be going home with a full stomach.” Ichin flipped through the menu and asked the waitress, “You have different origins for the duck here, right? Which one has the best flavor?”
The waitress pointed to a picture on the menu and said, “If the price isn’t a concern, I would recommend our Kyoto-raised roast duck.”
After glancing at the price, Ichin raised an eyebrow but nodded anyway. “Alright, we’ll have that one. Do you serve duck soup?”
“Yes, we do. Would you like a small portion or a large one? The prices differ.”
Wow, they even have portion sizes? Ichin thought to himself. They probably aren’t even using the duck from our order to make the soup.
He glanced at the waitress and said, “We’ll take two small portions. Utaha, what would you like to drink?”
“Orange juice.”
“Alright, one can of orange juice and one can of cola. And let’s get this and this side dish as well. That’ll be all for now.”
The waitress noted the order and responded with a smile, “Understood, please wait a moment.”
After the waitress left, Ichin placed the menu aside, took a sip of tea, and remarked, “At these prices, let’s hope it tastes good.”
“It should be, right?” Utaha replied, her curiosity evident since she’d never tried it before. “It’s Peking duck after all; no matter what, it can’t taste that bad. I checked online reviews earlier, and none of them said it tasted bad—just that it’s expensive. Ichin-kun, the duck you had in China wasn’t this pricey, right?”
“Of course not. The location makes a big difference in price.”
Talking about this made Ichin sigh in nostalgia. I really miss the roast duck back home in China.
They say that apart from missing family, what international students miss the most is home country food. Thinking about it now, that’s absolutely true. No matter how delicious foreign food is, it can’t quite compare to the flavors of home.
“I haven’t been out much these days, but I’ve noticed that it’s really hard to find Chinese cuisine in Tokyo. After eating a so-called Mapo Tofu and Sichuan-style Ramen at one restaurant, I vowed never to step into another place claiming to serve ‘Chinese cuisine.’ It’s not that the food was bad—it’s just that I couldn’t get used to the taste. So, I ended up cooking my own meals.”
“Mapo Tofu? That should be delicious! Although I’m not great with spicy food,” Utaha Kasumigaoka recalled eating Mapo Tofu with her parents at a Chinese restaurant. It was genuinely tasty.
“Maybe the restaurant you chose wasn’t that great?”
“I found it based on high reviews from a food website,” Ichin shrugged helplessly. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Next time, I’ll make my own version for you, and you’ll be able to taste the difference.”
While they were chatting about Ichin’s experiences since coming to study abroad, a chef approached with a cart carrying the roast duck. He lifted the cover to reveal a golden, crispy duck that looked quite impressive and smelled delicious. The only question left was whether it tasted as good as it seemed.
After arranging the side dishes on the table, the chef began slicing the duck.
Curious about the chef’s background, Ichin asked, “Excuse me, are you from China?”
The chef, who appeared to be in his thirties, nodded with a smile and replied, “Yes, I am.”
Hearing that, Ichin switched to Chinese, “Ah, I’m lucky to have run into a fellow countryman.”
“Are you also from China?” the chef asked, pleasantly surprised.
Ichin smiled, “Yes, I’m studying abroad here. I was craving roast duck today, so I came to this place.”
The chef could tell from Ichin’s accent that he was genuinely Chinese, not someone pretending, and his smile widened. “To be honest, in the year I’ve been working here, I haven’t met many fellow countrymen. Where are you from?”
“I’m from Shanghai.”
“I’m from Chengdu,” the chef introduced himself briefly. Glancing at Utaha beside Ichin, he asked, “Is she your girlfriend?”
“No, she’s just a classmate. We ran into each other today, so we decided to come here together.”
Realizing that Utaha didn’t understand Chinese, the chef smiled and said, “Ah, she’s quite pretty! Make sure you cherish this opportunity.”
Ichin couldn’t help but feel a little awkward. It’s rare to meet someone from home, only to be teased like this.
While chatting, the chef continued slicing the duck with precision, laying the slices with crispy skin onto a plate, and placing a separate plate with only the roasted skin on it.
After finishing, the chef looked at Ichin and said, “I’ll take the duck bones and make a salt and pepper dish for you. It’s on the house since it’s a rare chance to meet a fellow countryman.”
“Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”
The chef casually waved it off, “No worries, it’s a small thing. Just wait a bit.”
With that, he pushed the cart away.
