Four plates: boiled vegetables seasoned just right, lean meat without excess fat, fish fillets seared to a golden brown on both sides, and fresh seasonal fruit.
A wooden bowl: filled only about seventy percent, containing a slightly milky broth with a floating piece of tomato and some green leafy vegetables.
Three small saucers: holding a few pieces of sweets and pickled vegetables.
A plate of rice: although Sū ěr desperately wanted to call it a "bowl" of rice, he couldn't bring himself to use that word for a dish that flared outward like a trumpet. The rice was just rice—nothing special, though the faint aroma of cooked grain was pleasant.
This was the meal set before him.
"This is a quintessential Japanese meal. I hope you like it, Sū ěr," Hanekawa said with a small smile. "Considering all factors and keeping the price moderate, I believe this is the most representative dinner possible."
The word "austere" came to mind. All-natural, pollution-free, and absolutely plain.
Having never traveled to Japan in either of his previous lives, Sū ěr had been quite excited to see what kind of delicacies she would lead him to. It wasn't that the food was bad, it was just... different from his expectations.
"Do you people actually get full eating only this?" Sū ěr asked skeptically, poking the rice with his chopsticks.
"Eh? Of course," Hanekawa replied, a bit surprised. "Are you not full?"
"According to scientific research, eating until you're seventy percent full is actually the ideal state for the body. However, most people fail to maintain this because they keep eating until their stomach feels 'packed,'" Hanekawa continued, taking a sip of soup. "Maintaining that seventy-percent state significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the incidence of diabetes drops to almost zero. It's the secret to health and longevity."
"...In that case, I'd rather not live so long..."
"Hmm?"
"No, nothing," Sū ěr muttered, shoving a piece of fish into his mouth. "You even know stuff like that? Man... sticking to that theory in practice is pretty impressive."
"I just happened to know it," Hanekawa said modestly.
He had thought her claim of memorizing every book in the school library was hyperbole. But through their conversation on the walk over and during the meal, Sū ěr realized there wasn't a hint of exaggeration. She might not literally know everything under the sun, but she was getting there. He didn't even bother asking about her grades; he was certain she was at the top of her class.
Despite an afternoon of reading, Sū ěr only had a general grasp of the era. There were countless things he still didn't know, especially the labyrinthine social rules of Japan—from explicit laws to the unspoken "common sense" of the populace. Hanekawa patiently answered his questions... or at least a small portion of them.
She was too kind. To do this much for a total stranger—Sū ěr was genuinely moved.
"Are you planning to settle down in Japan?" Hanekawa asked curiously after a sip of tea. A mere tourist wouldn't ask such detailed questions about daily life.
"Mm... you could say that," Sū ěr admitted. "Because of work, I'll likely be staying in Japan for quite a while, so I'm trying to prepare early."
"Work, huh? I suppose that can't be helped," Hanekawa nodded understandingly. "Have you found a place to live yet? If you don't mind, I could—"
"Ah! No, no, it's fine!" Sū ěr waved his hands frantically. This wasn't him being modest; he was firm. "Really, it's fine. You've already done enough for me today. I'd feel terrible if I kept bothering you. You're a student, right? You should focus on school."
He said "focus on school," not "focus on studying."
"I understand. Then I wish you success with your work," Hanekawa said, sensing his resolve. "But since we've met, I can't just ignore you. Let's exchange contact info. If you run into any trouble while settling in, you can message me... Sū ěr?"
Hanekawa waved her phone.
Sū ěr sat there, dazed—Right. Modern life requires a phone.
He had spent decades across two different worlds completely removed from cell phones; he had almost forgotten they existed.
"Ahem, well... I accidentally lost my phone earlier. Can I take your number down? I'll contact you once I get a new one," Sū ěr lied, coughing twice.
It was a total fabrication.
In reality, he had no money. Even the cash for this meal came from his "loan" during a bathroom break earlier, where he'd "borrowed" funds from some burly, tattooed, mean-looking "friendly comrades."
Of course, to prevent those comrades from taking it out on innocent people when they woke up, Sū ěr had thoughtfully left behind some gold for them.
However, the cash he'd taken from them wasn't quite enough to buy a phone yet.
Life was hard. Sū ěr didn't want to resort to theft or robbery; he already had a vague plan for his future livelihood.
"That's quite unfortunate. You should be more careful when you're traveling," Hanekawa warned as she pulled a pen and paper from her bag. She scribbled a number and handed it to Sū ěr.
A Japanese girl's contact info... GET!
In his first life, there were probably people who would have paid a fortune for this.
"Yeah, I definitely need to be more careful," Sū ěr agreed, pushing the strange thoughts out of his head.
Dinner was finished, and the sky had turned dark.
"In that case, I'll take my leave. Please don't be a stranger if you need help. Just call," Hanekawa said with a polite half-bow.
"Yeah, don't worry. I'm not the type to let pride get in the way of a helping hand," Sū ěr said honestly.
"Haha, then I'll see you later... Mr. Assassin?" Hanekawa teased with a wave before turning to walk away.
"Uh, yeah, see ya." Sū ěr watched her retreating figure, his eyes flickering.
The night was still young.