The kitchen at Wanmin Restaurant was semi-open, and from the courtyard seats, one could clearly see Chef Mao cooking.
Frying, sautéing, boiling, steaming, braising, tossing...
Xia Zhi sat quietly at the table, waiting for his food while observantly watching the cooking methods of this world from his god's-eye perspective.
"Young man, excuse me, would you mind if I share your table?"
At this moment, a man in his thirties approached Xia Zhi's table with an apologetic expression.
Xia Zhi lifted his head slightly, nodded at him, and smiled, "Of course, please feel free."
He wasn't a cold person and didn't mind such small matters.
Moreover, this man who wanted to share his table had a black iron progress bar floating above him.
He only had 3 points left now, and if he wanted to stay in Liyue for long, relying solely on commissions from the Adventurers' Guild wouldn't be enough—he needed to farm treasure chests.
Fortunately, Liyue wasn't the wilderness; with so many people here, there were more opportunities to farm chests.
"Thank you, young man!" The man sat down across the table, showing a simple, honest smile. "Wanmin Restaurant's business is really good; it's always packed during meal times, and there's always a wait."
The man spoke with a slight accent, and his manners and movements were rather casual. His tone carried a familiar kind of wonderment—he was likely a local.
His clothes looked somewhat worn but were very clean, suggesting he was probably quite meticulous in his work.
His short black hair still had traces of water, and his sun-darkened face naturally showed hints of fatigue and relaxation. He had probably just finished a busy day of work.
Coming to eat alone after a shower suggested he wasn't married.
Combined with the faint fishy smell emanating from him...
Xia Zhi silently made his assessment: a local single fisherman, simple and honest in nature, who frequently dined at Wanmin Restaurant.
Such people, who spent years drifting at sea, usually had many stories to tell and possessed that local pride that made them eager to chat with and boast to tourists, satisfying their own emotional needs.
Sure enough, shortly after sitting down, the man smiled and started a conversation: "Young man, you're a tourist, aren't you?"
Xia Zhi put on a curious expression: "Yes, how did you know?"
The man pointed at the menu on the table and smiled, "Only first-time visitors to Wanmin Restaurant need to look at the menu. We regulars order directly."
Then he called out toward the interior: "Xiangling, one Jueyun Chili Chicken!"
A young girl's crisp voice responded from inside: "Coming right up! Please wait!"
"I see." Xia Zhi nodded, then shook his head, saying, "Actually, the menu doesn't help me much—I'm blind. I just ordered the Crab Roe Tofu because I heard other customers ordering it."
"Ah..." The man was surprised, only now noticing his lifeless gray eyes. "I'm sorry..."
"No need to apologize, what you said was correct—this is my first time in Liyue," Xia Zhi changed the subject. "I heard the Lantern Rite in Liyue is quite lively, so I wanted to experience it."
"Our Lantern Rite is indeed famous. Many travelers come from far and wide every year," the man's face showed pride at this. "Though it's a shame you can't see the lanterns with your eyes, young man."
"It's fine, just experiencing the festival atmosphere is good enough."
"Would you like some wine? My treat!"
"Thank you, but I don't drink."
"We have good wine from Mondstadt!"
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass."
...
The local was indeed hospitable and easy to talk to, but watching the progress bar status above the man, Xia Zhi felt somewhat helpless.
Progress: [5%]
They had been chatting for several minutes, and despite his deliberate guidance of the conversation, making the man feel increasingly engaged to the point of seeming like kindred spirits, the progress bar had barely moved.
At this rate, even after finishing their meal together, they might only reach half progress.
Indeed, relying solely on conversation as a form of interaction to farm the progress bar was too slow.
But for now, this was all he could do.
Their dishes arrived quickly.
Crab Roe Tofu and Jueyun Chili Chicken.
The man took a pair of serving chopsticks and enthusiastically offered some chicken: "This is my favorite dish. Other restaurants have it too, but only Wanmin Restaurant can achieve this taste."
It was a cold dressed chicken dish, somewhat similar to mouth-watering chicken.
The tender white meat seemed delicate enough to melt, bursting with juices at the slightest bite, as if transported to a dreamlike realm, making one forget where they were.
Most crucially, the chili flavor in this dish was completely different from the chilies Xia Zhi remembered.
Xia Zhi chewed carefully and nodded with a smile: "It's indeed delicious."
The man grew even happier—for a food lover, having others appreciate a recommended dish was a joyous thing.
"If you like it, have more. I can order another serving!"
"You're too kind. Try some of my Crab Roe Tofu."
"Young man, you know how to order—this Crab Roe Tofu is also one of Wanmin Restaurant's specialties."
"Is that so? I just ordered what others did, but it is indeed delicious."
"When autumn winds blow, crabs get restless. Now is the best season for eating crab—they're at their most delicious. If you like crab, I can save some big ones for you tomorrow."
"Oh? What business are you in, brother?"
"It's hardly a business—just catching and selling fish. I have a small shop on the harbor street called Liu's Fish Shop."
"So your surname is Liu?"
"Yes, and yours?"
"My surname is Xia. Brother Liu, that's very kind of you, but I'm staying at an inn and can't prepare crabs."
"That's no problem! You can bring them to Wanmin Restaurant and have Chef Mao cook them. You can trust his skills—guaranteed to taste better than if you cooked them yourself! The processing fee isn't expensive either!"
"That's possible?"
"Of course! Then it's settled! Come back to Wanmin Restaurant tomorrow evening, and I'll treat you to crab!"
"Thank you, Brother Liu."
Xia Zhi accepted with a seemingly embarrassed expression, while feeling more assured inside.
Tonight he'd farm half the progress bar, and tomorrow night the other half, perfectly completing this treasure chest.
After dinner, Xia Zhi bid farewell to Brother Liu and, following his recommendation, went to a nearby tailor shop. He bought two casual outfits and two sets of soft pajamas, spending about 500 Mora in total.
Passing by a barbecue stall, he caught the appetizing aroma.
Xia Zhi stopped and spent another 20 Mora on two skewers of grilled Tiger Fish.
The quickly grilled fish skewers had golden-brown skin that locked in the tender meat, crispy outside and juicy inside, so delicious that one wouldn't want to waste even the last bits of fish stuck to the bamboo skewers.
After finishing the skewers, Xia Zhi slowly strolled through the streets back to the Seaview Lodge.
After a hot bath, he changed into his new pajamas and lay in bed, gradually falling asleep to the faint sound of waves outside.