The waiter was evidently frightened by Anya's appearance and took a few steps back.
Anya kept growling lowly, staring intently at the helpless waiter, inching her further away.
"Anya, you mustn't be rude."
Xu Xiaoyou said, handing the menu back to the waiter.
"In that case, serve this dish."
Half of the girl's face was shrouded in shadow, making the smile at the corner of her mouth appear a bit eerie.
"Letting the child starve would be bad, don't you agree?"
Even through the mask, one could feel the waiter's face turning pale, and her hands were trembling.
Her fear came entirely from the little girl in front of her, her instincts urging her to flee, constantly warning her that if the girl before her suddenly lashed out, her throat would be torn out in the next second.
The diners in the restaurant, who were initially eager to stir, also felt the terrifying aura emanating from the little girl, the chilling killing intent she emitted had a sobering effect, leading them to reassess the blonde girl at the table.
Those who could come to Zone Thirteen and dine at the Fresh Meat Restaurant couldn't possibly be harmless lambs.
The blonde girl, whether in appearance or aura, was far less threatening than the girl beside her, yet she maintained a calm and composed demeanor from start to finish. If she wasn't a fool oblivious to danger, there could only be one possibility...
She was an undeniably crazy person.
The genteel and gentle exterior was just a facade to lure prey in.
"Alright, Anya, sit down properly and put your claws away."
Xu Xiaoyou noticed the change in the surrounding gazes, and her lips curled up imperceptibly as she said in a light tone.
Only then did Anya stop baring her teeth and put away her claws, obediently sitting down.
Seeing the girl manage to make the little girl comply with just one sentence, the onlookers' eyes kept changing, the dark red glint extinguishing by half, and the air was no longer as oppressive as before.
"This table isn't cheap, sorry, it's my inability to discipline her. I'll compensate you after the meal."
Xu Xiaoyou said to the waiter who stood frozen in place.
"Miss..." The waiter's lips trembled.
"It's alright, there's no need for compensation, dear customer."
At this moment, a steady voice came, and looking towards the source of the sound, they saw the Deerman, who had been sitting calmly at the VIP table, walking over.
The waiter looked pleadingly at the Deerman, and only after getting a nod from him did she dash off in relief.
"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm the owner of this restaurant, my name is..."
"Mr. Hao," Xu Xiaoyou smiled. "Isn't that right?"
The Deerman seemed a bit surprised, his brows raised, but then they relaxed: "It seems this guest knows my name; I didn't expect to be so well-known in Zone Thirteen."
"Came because of your fame, it's well-known among diners here that Mr. Hao's signature dishes at the Thumb Plate have a great taste."
"Thank you for the compliment; I'm glad the guests like it. It's my honor to provide a better dining experience for every diner."
The seemingly casual conversation was full of probing.
Xu Xiaoyou observed several members of the Lion Group behind Mr. Hao, those towering lions, seemingly randomly positioned, were actually scattered at the passages leading to the restaurant's exit, making it clear they didn't intend to let her leave easily.
A single wrong step might lead to an abyss.
Mr. Hao being quite well-known in Zone Thirteen, Xu Xiaoyou knew clearly that if she pretended to be completely unaware of him, it would certainly arouse suspicion.
Might as well make it clear she knew his identity, eliminating his doubts in that aspect.
"Seems like you've visited my other restaurants?" Mr. Hao asked.
"Yes, Dolphin Street Pavilion. I really enjoy the atmosphere there. The sea animals' performances are quite interesting, freshly chosen and cooked," Xu Xiaoyou seemed genuinely excited, speeding up her speech, "I still remember that little dolphin named Keli, its call was so gentle and cheerful, I mean... when it was sizzling on the grill."
The diners, sensing the excitement in the girl's eyes, secretly cursed her as a lunatic.
Dolphin Street Pavilion, who doesn't know it's the most perverse restaurant in Zone Thirteen? Only those with extreme fetishes or severely twisted minds would go there.
Don't be deceived by its name, the animals performing inside aren't real marine life, nor real dolphins.
For the residents living in Zone Ten here, seeing a neighbor who greeted them one moment, and the next sighting them as a seal entertaining diners at Dolphin Street Pavilion was all too common.
Upon hearing Xu Xiaoyou's words, the look in Mr. Hao's eyes as he regarded the girl flashed with deep significance.
When she spoke those words, the girl's tone was natural, her expression lively, without any hint of suspicion.
Was he being overly cautious...
No matter how you looked at her, she seemed like just another normal diner.
But looking at the girl's face, he couldn't shake off an inexplicable oddity in his heart, from where did this unease arise?
"Would you mind telling me where you're from..."
Just as Mr. Hao intended to probe further, Xu Xiaoyou interrupted: "Mr. Hao."
The girl seemed to just realize, the excitement on her face froze, slowly faded away. Her brow furrowed, and shadows passed through her eyes:
"Are you... doubting me?"
"Should I reveal my age, height, weight, and family too?"
Mr. Hao stared into the girl's eyes, as if trying to see right through her.
The air was filled with tension, silently, as if just a small commotion could ignite the atmosphere.
The members of the Lion Group exchanged glances, inching closer in this direction.
The simmering anger on Xu Xiaoyou's face hadn't diminished as time went by.
A pall of dark clouds seemed to hang over the entire restaurant, and the diners held their breath, their eyes flashing with fervor.
"Apologies, dear customer, my mistake."
Finally, the Deerman with his arm cradling his suit, face sincere.
"I apologize for the previous rudeness to you, dear customer."
"The repair for this table and your dining expenses this time are on the house. If you wish, consider it making friends, and I can give you a Black Gold membership for our store."
"Maybe next time."
Steam billowed as the dishes were served, Xu Xiaoyou no longer looked up, just draped a napkin in front of Anya, shielding her from oil splatters.
"Eat up." Xu Xiaoyou's voice was soft as she ruffled Anya's disheveled hair.
The soft sensation from above, Anya loved the feeling of the girl's hand on her head, skewering food into her mouth, her little face filled with satisfaction and happiness.
Mr. Hao remained, keeping his arm around his suit.
"BOSS."
Seeing their boss being ignored, a hunched lion rolled up his sleeves wanting to step forward, but was stopped by the Deerman raising his hand.
"We won't disturb the guest's meal any further, enjoy your meal."