It didn't take long before Qi Han opened the door.
After the three entered, he closed it behind them.
Outside, the man with the bamboo hat, who had been keeping an eye on Keke, raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Why did those three go in first?"
After finishing their meal, everyone cleaned up their dishes and got ready to start the day's business.
As Qin Yue opened the restaurant doors, the eager customers flooded in, each finding a seat.
Those still in line, upon being told by Qin Yue that the restaurant was full and they'd need to wait, groaned in disappointment, silently vowing to arrive earlier next time.
The man with the bamboo hat was lucky.
Since he had arrived early, following Keke, he managed to find a seat and didn't have to wait.
Observing the lively atmosphere with every seat filled, the man nodded approvingly and found a vacant spot to sit.
His gaze wandered around the dining area before landing on Keke, now dressed in his work uniform.
"Is he working as a waiter?"
The man finally understood why Keke was different from the other customers.
His eyes followed Keke as the young man clumsily took orders from a table.
The man felt a sense of happiness swell within him.
"Not bad," he thought. "It might not be a luxurious life, but he can at least take care of himself."
This situation was already better than what the man had expected.
Curious to learn more about the restaurant where Keke worked, he began to survey his surroundings more closely.
The more he looked, the more impressed he became.
The restaurant wasn't adorned with any extravagant decorations.
The simple designs and patterns created a relaxing ambiance.
One entire wall facing the street was made of large windows that allowed plenty of sunlight to pour into the cozy environment, making the interior especially bright.
"What excellent design," he thought, nodding quietly, his impression of the restaurant growing more favorable.
Then, he noticed something different about one of the walls.
It was covered in wooden plaques, each bearing the name and price of a dish.
When he finally managed to see the prices clearly, his face, hidden beneath the bamboo hat, twitched.
"Seriously? Is this what food costs nowadays?"
It had been over a decade since he last visited Star Luo City.
Had prices really soared this high?
Watching the other customers calmly order their meals without any concern, the man instinctively touched the wallet in his pocket, feeling a bit unsure.
Thankfully, he had brought enough money, so one meal should still be affordable.
This realization brought him a sense of relief, though he couldn't help but feel a bit strange.
It was the first time in his life that he had to worry about being able to afford a meal.
"Hello, sir. May I take your order?"
A girl's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He turned slightly to find one of the girls he had seen earlier talking with Keke.
The other girl, it seemed, wasn't around.
The man smiled. "Can I ask, are you and that boy both waitstaff here?" He pointed toward Keke, who was not far away.
"You mean Keke? Yes, we both work as waiters."
"Keke…" the man murmured under his breath.
So the boy's name was Keke.
"Then, could I ask for Keke to take my order instead?" The man straightened up a bit, resting his elbows on the table, his eyes showing a hint of nervousness.
"This…" Qin Yue looked slightly amused.
Was she being rejected?
"You've misunderstood," the man explained, noticing her confused expression. "I've met him once before and just wanted to say hello."
Ah, that made sense. Qin Yue smiled knowingly. "Please wait a moment. I'll go get him for you."
"Keke, a customer specifically asked for you to take their order."
Having just finished taking an order from another table, Keke turned around as Qin Yue tapped him on the shoulder and relayed the message.
His eyes followed the direction she pointed, and his pupils shrank slightly.
It was the man with the bamboo hat from this morning.
Why had he requested Keke to take his order?
Recalling the man's iron-grip hands, Keke felt a twinge of unease.
"What's wrong? Did you have some kind of disagreement with that customer?" Qin Yue asked, noticing the troubled expression on Keke's face. "I could go instead if you'd prefer."
"No!" Keke quickly stopped her from turning away, his conflicted look slowly fading. "I'll go."
After all, he was a boy. He couldn't hide behind a girl.
Taking a deep breath, Keke mentally braced himself and walked over to the man. "Sir, what would you like to order?"
The man didn't respond immediately, instead asking, "This morning, I might have been too forceful. Did I hurt you?"
Keke instinctively touched the spot on his shoulder where the man had grabbed him earlier and shook his head. "It's fine now."
Though the man's grip had been strong, Keke's body had grown more resilient since his martial spirit awakened.
He had already recovered.
He felt somewhat relieved.
It turned out the man had called him over to ask about this, not for anything else.
Seeing that Keke was fine, the man relaxed a little too.
"I was too impulsive this morning," he thought, "I must have been rough without realizing it."
Looking back, he had been worried that he might have injured the boy.
"This is my first time at this restaurant. Can you recommend any dishes?"
While Keke hadn't had the chance to try all the dishes at Small Shop yet, he had already asked the Qin sisters about many of them.
After last night's service, he was able to confidently describe the various options to the customers.
As Keke listed off the dishes, the man rested his chin in his hand, watching the boy with growing interest.
He was so much like the person in his memories.
Once Keke had finished describing all the dishes, his throat felt a bit dry.
Just then, the man handed him a glass of water.
"Have some water," he said, his tone tinged with warmth.
For some reason, Keke felt a comforting warmth in the man's words.
"Th-thank you." Keke took the cup and drank, the sweetness of the water soothing his parched throat.
"By the way, how old are you?"
After Keke set the glass down, the man suddenly asked.
"Uh… sixteen."
"Sixteen?" The man's voice rose slightly.
His body trembled with excitement, but he quickly composed himself, hiding his emotions.
"Everything matches up perfectly!"
<+>
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