The blonde twin-tailed girl was Sazama Eri.
The boy with black-framed glasses was An Yilun.
These two were anime characters come to life. Xia Yu thought he was seeing things, rubbed his eyes, and, considering the promotions by the well-known ACG blogger "TAKI-kun" and the 18+ female illustrator "Bai Muying" for his shop, any last bit of doubt vanished from his heart.
"Officer, it's these two people!"
Xia Yu was thinking about how to strike up a conversation and properly express his thanks.
It seemed inappropriate to just rush up and reveal his identity, saying he was the manager and head chef of some small shop. It would be as awkward as a nouveau riche showing off with a wad of cash, claiming they had money.
However, his worrying didn't last long. Sazama Eri, after angrily venting at An Yilun, turned around and walked off quickly, only to crash right into Xia Yu. The scene was as disastrous as a traffic accident.
"Watch where you're going—" Xia Yu got bumped into for the second time today. He was just stepping out for some fresh air and got caught in the crossfire, showing a face full of innocence as he helped steady the blonde twin-tailed girl.
In front of others, Sazama Eri was the epitome of a refined young lady, with impeccable manners. She worked hard to conceal the anger in her eyes, stood firm, and forced a smile, "Th-Thank you!"
Xia Yu chuckled to himself. Indeed, blondes have different personalities.
Sazama Eri could have a temper, but at least she knew how to hide it. If it had been Tiqie Eriina crashing over like this, and Xia Yu kindly helped her, he'd probably be scolded with her signature "commoner" rant.
At least in terms of lines and sharp tongues, Sazama Eri was genuinely not on the level of Tiqie Eriina.
An Yilun, like his anime counterpart, continued to be a wooden block, standing a few meters away, pushing up his black-framed glasses, with no intention of chasing Eri.
This was a clear moment for him to comfort an upset girl, yet he simply stood there, even deflecting blame. Even if it was all Eri's fault, a slightly more empathetic boy would have taken all the blame and soothed her.
"No wonder their 'childhood sweetheart' relationship is so awkward," Xia Yu twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Wait!"
He quickly called out to Sazama Eri, who was about to leave with her ponytail swinging, and blinked, "Did you come to the shopping street intending to eat at Xia's Chinese Restaurant?"
Hearing "Xia's Chinese Restaurant," Sazama Eri's eyes instantly lit up.
"Yes, yes!" Eri's bright eyes fixed on him, "Did you also take the train to come here?"
Xia Yu scratched his face, unsure how to answer.
His embarrassed look in Eri's eyes seemed like someone who traveled far only to find they couldn't get in line, stuck with frustration.
Her lips curled slightly upward. Half of Eri's anger quickly dissipated.
Meeting someone else in a similar plight, especially someone seemingly worse off, made empathy quickly overpower her anger.
An Yilun walked over and said, "Hello, I'm An Yilun, nice to meet you."
This anime male lead, though a deep otaku, likely had strong social skills and initiative due to the part-time jobs he often did outside.
He looked just like any high school student, with short black hair and big black-framed glasses. His outdoor casual wear was a crew-neck shirt paired with a sports jacket, with an ordinary disposition.
"I'm Xia Yu."
"A Chinese person?" An Yilun perked up instantly, his voice filled with curiosity and excitement.
"I never expected that this restaurant on the shopping street could also attract Chinese guests. So, is this your first time here? Second time? Could you share your impression of the restaurant? Though it boasts great online reviews, those are all from the Neon people. From what I know, the Chinese seem uninterested in overseas 'authentic' Chinese cuisine. I'm super curious to know how Chinese visitors feel after eating here..."
Seeing An Yilun's incessant chatter, Xia Yu inexplicably thought that he probably sounded like this when promoting anime and games to others.
Did he gain a fervent fan?
Xia Yu inwardly chuckled, but didn't explain much, "Follow me—"
He proceeded ahead of them.
Sazama Eri kicked An Yilun, who was still talking to himself, awake and followed along.
At Xia's shop, a crowd bustled at the entrance.
"Don't we need to queue?"
Being led by Xia Yu towards the shop, the unfriendly looks from other people in line made An Yilun and Sazama Eri feel like they were sitting on pins and needles.
What's going on here!
Glancing at the calm figure ahead, Sazama Eri wanted to stop and ask him for an explanation, but a few female cosplayers beat her to it, surrounding Xia Yu in the crowd.
"Could you open up a bit earlier?"
"No!"
"Then could you at least give us a hint of the six dishes today, so we can discuss them while waiting, and order right away when you open?"
"Sorry!"
Though surrounded, Xia Yu remained calm, like water behind stone, unmoved despite the crowd's questions.
An Yilun and Sazama Eri were left speechless at the scene.
Even the densest people could realize that this Chinese named Xia Yu seemed to be an employee of Xia's cuisine shop!
"Xia Yu, Xia's Restaurant..." An Yilun lowered his head slightly, hiding the excitement on his face, and adjusted his large round glasses.
"Could it be possible to eat this restaurant's dishes today?" Beside him, Sazama Eri was already shaking with excitement but was doing her best to suppress it, fearing the angry crowd might tear them apart.
As Xia Yu led the two straight into the shop, the crowd erupted with unrest and protests.
A little chubby guy at the front of the line hurried forward to grab Xia Yu's shirt, demanding, "You can't do this, it's cutting in line, it's privilege... As an employee of the restaurant, you can't break the service rules!"
The chubby guy was flushed with urgency.
He clearly valued his position. Originally at the front of the line, he could be the first to sit and order when the store opened at six. Looking back at the long queue, he naturally felt a sense of "superiority."
He was likely a regular, as those in the front often weren't ordinary patrons. Xia Yu glanced behind him and saw no companions, suggesting he came alone.
"They're my friends," Xia Yu explained, removing the chubby guy's grip on his shirt, patting him on the shoulder with a slight smile, "Rest assured. They aren't diners and won't take up a table, so you're still the first customer today. We appreciate your support of our restaurant. Later, I'll have a special dish prepared for you from the kitchen, free of charge, as our appreciation!"
The chubby guy was dumbfounded.
As Xia Yu led An Yilun and Sazama Eri through the shop and disappeared, a group of people immediately and aggressively surrounded the chubby guy.