When Bai Hao returned to Liyue Harbor, the first place he headed—of course—was Wanmin Restaurant.
Dinner hour had just peaked. The place was bursting with noise and warmth: woks clanged, oil hissed, and the aroma of fried seafood drifted thick through the air.
He went straight to the ordering window.
"Hey, Xiangling! One 'Zhongli Happy Combo' please."
The blue-haired chef, busy slicing fish with swift, practiced strokes, paused mid-chop.
"'Zhongli Happy Combo'?"
Bai Hao coughed.
"Ahem—I meant, uh… just bring me every seafood dish you have."
He'd turned Osial's wife into ocean confetti earlier, but somehow he remained irritated.
So tonight, he had one rule:
If it swam, crawled, or slithered in water—it was going in his stomach.
The private rooms were full, so Xiangling asked him to wait.
Bai Hao didn't mind. He leaned against the counter, chin resting on his palm, watching chaos unfold in the massive kitchen: flames flaring, chefs shouting orders, plates flying out in all directions.
Wanmin Restaurant wasn't just popular—it was a livelihood. Every evening, half the district's workers crowded inside for hot meals at affordable prices. The whole place was alive with chatter and laughter.
Chef Mao and Xiangling handled the premium orders—the ones bound for the private rooms.
And since Bai Hao had ordered the entire seafood menu… Xiangling took his ticket herself.
She wielded a sleek kitchen knife, its blade carved with a curling dragon pattern. Her movements were so rapid that they blurred into afterimages.
Bai Hao raised an eyebrow.
"New knife?"
"Mhm!" Xiangling beamed. "It's a reward from the livestream! They called it the Eternal Spirit Blade—supposedly from some 'Little Master Chef' world. It's perfect for cutting seafood!"
She was glowing with pride, clearly in love with her new toy.
"What about you?" she asked. "Did you win anything?"
After that "table-breaking incident" the day before, everyone at Wanmin knew exactly who Bai Hao was.
And Xiangling had seen his name among today's reward winners—so naturally, she was curious.
"A laser," Bai Hao said casually. "Cuts straight through solid Rock."
He made a little pop-pop finger-gun motion.
Of course, adding his own name to the winners' list didn't change anything—it just looked cool.
Xiangling's eyes flashed with pure admiration.
"Whoa! That's awesome! Just… um, be careful, okay? You don't want to hurt anyone!"
"Relax," Bai Hao assured. "I'm a model citizen."
Somewhere deep beneath the waves, a three-headed serpent violently disagreed.
Suddenly—
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The crisp rhythm of high heels echoed through the hall.
"Xiangling, one Golden Shrimp Balls, one Crystal Shrimp, and one Triple-Layered Consommé."
A girl with violet twin-tails, black stockings, and the kind of brisk authority that came from years of overwork appeared at the window. Efficient, composed… and a little impatient.
Bai Hao turned.
Purple hair.
Twin tails.
Cat-ear hair accessories.
Long legs wrapped in sheer black stockings.
There was no mistaking her.
"Well, if it isn't the elegant and very hardworking Lady Keqing herself…"
"Sorry," Xiangling said without turning, still stirring a wok. "The last Golden Shrimp Balls were just ordered."
Indeed—the final plate, sizzling golden in her pan, belonged to Bai Hao.
"Ah… I see."
Keqing's voice softened, a hint of disappointment flickering in her violet eyes.
"Then… just the other two dishes, please."
That tiny dip of her shoulders—like a kitten watching someone else take its fish—stabbed Bai Hao right in the chest.
He sighed dramatically.
"Alright, alright. You can have mine."
Her eyes brightened immediately.
"Really?!"
Then—realizing how excited she sounded—Keqing straightened her posture and lightly covered her mouth.
"Ahem. I mean… thank you. May I have your name?"
She finally took a proper look at him:
A young man in a silver-white martial robe embroidered with floating clouds.
Dark hair slicked cleanly back.
Sharp brows, relaxed eyes, a calm confidence that was hard to miss.
"Bai Hao," he said. "Just passing through Liyue."
"I understand."
Keqing placed her hand over her chest in formal greeting.
"I'm Keqing, Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. If you ever need help, feel free to seek me out."
It was clear—she was genuinely grateful.
After all, during the Chef's Championship, she once voted against Xiangling solely because of Golden Shrimp Balls.
That was how much she loved them.
Bai Hao chuckled.
"I know, I know. You're 'Master Ke,' right? Don't overwork yourself."
"...Master Ke?"
Keqing's brows twitched sharply.
"Uh—I mean—the shrimp balls are ready!"
Just then, a waitress approached.
"Sir, a private room just opened upstairs."
Bai Hao waved goodbye, following the waitress toward the staircase.
"What a strange man…"
Keqing murmured, watching his figure disappear around the corner.
Clink.
A plate slid across the counter—perfectly rounded, golden shrimp balls shimmering under the lamplight.
"Weird, maybe," Xiangling said, chin propped in her palms. "But he seems nice! Why not share a table with him? The hall's super crowded tonight."
"No need," Keqing said quickly, shaking her head. "I'll take mine to go. And… what's with that look?"
She could feel it—Xiangling's sly, knowing smile.
A smile that said:
Wow, Keqing… one plate of shrimp balls and you're ready to elope?
Xiangling giggled.
"Hehe, nothing~ You're imagining things."
With a playful wink, she turned back to the stove.
The Eternal Spirit Blade flashed in her hand, glinting gold in the restaurant's warm lights.
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