Chapter 60: Lunch
The first place Thuy Linh took Kieu Ly was a restaurant near the university.
"This place is great. Tasty, good portions, and relatively cheap. Well, 'cheap' by UK standards — it's still expensive compared to Vietnam," Thuy Linh said as she handed the menu to Kieu Ly.
It was already well past noon when they arrived, so the restaurant was relatively quiet, with only a few scattered customers. Kieu Ly glanced over the menu, feeling a bit overwhelmed, but she wasn't so strapped for cash that she couldn't order a meal. She chose a standard dish and passed the menu back to Thuy Linh. Thuy Linh only ordered a drink since she had already eaten.
Having been on a flight for half a day and still not having eaten anything, Kieu Ly was truly hungry. She focused on her meal while Thuy Linh sipped her drink and enthusiastically shared tips and experiences about life in London.
In the middle of their conversation, an Asian man entered, quietly took a seat a few tables away, and placed an order. Thuy Linh, mid-sentence, suddenly stopped talking and leaned over to whisper in Kieu Ly's ear,
"That guy's Vietnamese too. But he's super unapproachable. Like a fridge. Probably really smart — has a bit of a superiority complex. He's about to start his Master's."
Kieu Ly paused and glanced in his direction. Just an ordinary-looking guy, really — the only thing that stood out was his thick, bottle-bottom glasses. She only looked for a moment before turning back to finish her meal. After all, Thuy Linh was waiting for her, and she didn't want to keep her waiting too long.
After lunch, Thuy Linh took her around a few Asian shops and Chinatown so Kieu Ly could buy ingredients to cook for herself. Kieu Ly wasn't much of a cook — when she lived in a shared rental, Huong Tra usually handled the cooking. Now that she was in London without Huong Tra, she'd have to manage on her own. Her food might not taste good, but as long as it was edible, that was good enough.
She picked out a few packets of dry noodles and pho, paid for them, then added some vegetables and frozen meat to her haul before heading back.
On her first day, that was all Thuy Linh showed her. They agreed that the next day, Thuy Linh would take her sightseeing around London.
After returning to the dorm, Kieu Ly had dinner, then showered. Being new here, most of her transportation involved walking and taking the bus, so she felt pretty tired.
In the evening, she opened the window for fresh air, then turned on her laptop and played some music to lighten the mood.
When she opened Facebook, she saw a number of messages from friends and family. Among them were messages from Huong Tra and Toan Phuong.
Speaking of Toan Phuong — the night he took her back to her old rental place, he had sent her a friend request on Facebook. Kieu Ly had accepted it, but they hadn't spoken since. This was his first message:
"Have you arrived in London yet? It's cold over there, be careful not to catch a cold."
Kieu Ly responded politely:
"I arrived this afternoon. Still getting used to everything. Don't worry, I'm a grown-up."
Then she scrolled down to read and reply to Huong Tra's message:
"How's it going over there? Do you like it?"
"No one here to cook for me. It's kind of sad. But I just made a new friend — stylish, pretty, and super friendly too."
Huong Tra was online and replied instantly:
"I thought you were going to say you met a hot guy — and you're bragging about a girl?"
Kieu Ly burst out laughing and replied with her usual catchphrase:
"You're always quick with that kind of thing."