Chapter 25: A Sweet Date

Watching Lin Tianran's eyes shine as he gazed out of the car window, Li Yicheng indulgently asked, "Do you rarely come to the city?"

"Well, I've only been to the city a few times in my life. I usually stay in the industrial area and rarely come out," Lin Tianran replied honestly but couldn't tear his eyes away from the scenery outside the window.

"It's alright; you'll have many opportunities in the future," Li Yicheng said, extending a hand to ruffle his little head.

"My legs aren't very convenient, and it's quite far to take a bus from the company. Besides, we have a small community there, so there's really no need to come out often," Lin Tianran explained, "Plus, things in the city are more expensive..."

"That's different," Li Yicheng said thoughtfully.

Lin Tianran wasn't sure what Li Yicheng meant by "different." He only knew that people should stay where they belong. Someone like him would never fit into this bustling metropolis. The desolate industrial area, where there was nothing but rolling dust, was the most suitable place for him.

"It's almost noon. Let's go have lunch first," Li Yicheng drove the car into a large shopping mall.

Lin Tianran was about to object and suggest eating street food, but Li Yicheng, seemingly prescient, spoke first, "Today, you have to listen to me and not resist."

Lin Tianran could only blink his eyes at him, nodding obediently, and suppressing the words at the corner of his mouth.

"Very well." Li Yicheng elegantly reversed the car, parking it precisely in the designated spot.

This mall was a well-known landmark in the city, with tens of thousands of visitors daily. To explore it fully, one would need an entire day. It housed all the famous brands and cuisines from around the world, truly a shopping paradise.

"Do you want to take the escalator or the sightseeing elevator?" They entered the mall, and Li Yicheng asked.

Before today, Lin Tianran had never taken either, but he had already experienced the escalator this morning at the hospital.

"Sightseeing elevator," Lin Tianran replied.

"Alright." Li Yicheng smiled and agreed. If he had come alone today, he would undoubtedly have chosen the escalator to avoid physical contact with strangers due to the crowded conditions.

There were so many people that they had to wait for several rounds before finally squeezing into the elevator.

Fortunately, both of them managed to stand near the glass.

"Could you please press the twelfth floor? Thank you," Li Yicheng gently said to the person nearest the buttons.

"The twelfth floor?" Lin Tianran glanced up at the sign, and the twelfth floor was labeled "Gourmet Paradise."

Before he could grab the handrail, the elevator whooshed upwards.

"Ah!" He was startled, watching as the vast landscape outside the glass gradually descended to his feet. For a moment, he felt a bit dizzy. Coupled with the crowd's overwhelming presence in the cramped space, his discomfort intensified.

"Don't be afraid; I'm here," the small hand, which had gripped the handrail and turned slightly pale, was covered by the man's large palm. The man's soothing voice flowed into his ears word by word.

Suddenly, his fear dissipated. When he relaxed, Lin Tianran began to enjoy the magnificent scenery before him.

"It's like... it feels like the whole city is beneath my feet," Lin Tianran's pupils widened in awe, "It's so beautiful, incredibly beautiful."

The roads winding through the skyscrapers appeared narrow, and the continuous flow of vehicles resembled children's toys, while the people seemed minuscule, like ants.

Watching him so excited, Li Yicheng's heart lifted in tandem.

Indeed, the community in the industrial area had markets, supermarkets, hair salons, and restaurants, satisfying all the daily needs. However, it lacked exposure. One's self-confidence is built upon one's exposure.

So many people struggle and work hard to enter the big city, seeking knowledge and opportunities.

Li Yicheng understood deep down that Lin Tianran's underlying self-doubt stemmed from his physical disability and his educational and experiential background. So, to change Lin Tianran, to help him shed his self-doubt and regain confidence, he needed to employ a two-pronged approach.

"Let's have Japanese cuisine today," Li Yicheng pointed to a sushi restaurant named "Four Generations" ahead. "This is a very famous sushi place because it's been passed down through four generations in the family. So, their skills haven't been lost but have preserved the most original and delicious Japanese cuisine. It's definitely worth trying."

Lin Tianran followed him to the entrance of the sushi restaurant, where the hostess greeted them with a smile. "Hello, the two of you. I'm sorry, but it's currently peak hours. Please take a number and wait patiently in the waiting area."

Sure enough, Lin Tianran saw two rows of seats outside the door, filled with waiting customers.

Li Yicheng smiled and took out a VIP card from his wallet. "It turns out I'm a VIP at this establishment. Please go ahead, the two of you."

"May we have a private room, please?" Li Yicheng added.

"Of course, please this way, gentlemen."

Lin Tianran had never eaten Japanese cuisine before, so when he entered the restaurant, he was curious about the conveyor belt with various revolving sushi dishes on it. He wanted to stop and take a closer look, but he was afraid of falling behind Li Yicheng and could only glance at it a few times before retracting his gaze.

The hostess arranged their seating, leaving the menu for them, and then departed.

"Private rooms are indeed more comfortable than sitting outside," Li Yicheng reclined in comfort, and Lin Tianran followed suit.

"This is Genmaicha tea; it's very fragrant. Have a taste," Li Yicheng kindly prepared the tea bag for him and placed it in the hot water.

Indeed, a fragrance of tea emanated from the steaming hot water. Lin Tianran took a sip, and the taste lingered on his lips.

"What were you looking at earlier?" Li Yicheng asked while opening the menu.

"The things outside, the ones rotating around, are those the sushi?" Lin Tianran asked earnestly.

"Yes, that's right. The different colored plates represent different prices. Customers sit around the conveyor belt and can freely pick up plates to eat. When it's time to pay, the waiter only needs to count the number of plates on the customer's table."

Li Yicheng patiently explained.

"As I was looking at it, it seemed like an assembly line in a workshop. But up there, it's not product parts; it's clumps of rice," Lin Tianran scratched his head.

"Haha, Little Tian, you're really cute," Li Yicheng chuckled, thoroughly entertained by his rich imagination. His Tiantian was just so adorable!

"But, today, we won't eat those. We'll order something else," Li Yicheng began to place their orders.

Soon, a plate of sashimi was brought to the table.

The plate was shrouded in mist, and it was filled with slices of raw seafood. Lin Tianran reached out to touch the mist, finding it quite fascinating.

"This is dry ice," Li Yicheng continued with his explanations.

"But this is raw!" Lin Tianran poked at a piece of salmon with his chopsticks. The orange fish flesh looked tender as if it was saying, "Come and eat me."

"This is a sashimi platter. All the meat on top is raw, but it's safe to eat," Li Yicheng added some wasabi to the soy sauce dish and then used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish, dipping it into the sauce before savoring it.

Lin Tianran followed suit and had his first-ever piece of sashimi.

Cough, cough! Lin Tianran's face turned slightly red, and tears welled up in his eyes. He had a hard time swallowing the fish and quickly took a sip of genmaicha tea. "It's so spicy!"

"Haha, you got a taste of wasabi, silly," Li Yicheng quickly handed him a tissue to wipe his mouth. "If you can't handle it, don't dip in the green wasabi."

"Oh," Lin Tianran wiped his mouth somewhat dejectedly. "But the fish isn't fishy at all. It melts in your mouth and tastes so sweet. It's really delicious!"

"Try this scallop; it's from Hokkaido. As soon as they catch them on the boat, the fishermen will roast them, and then they're flown over here the same day, so they're very fresh."

"Oh."

Over the course of the meal, Li Yicheng provided Lin Tianran with an extensive education in Japanese culinary culture. Lin Tianran listened attentively while eating, and for the first time, he realized that the outside world was so colorful. Previously, he had viewed eating as a mere survival behavior to fill his stomach, but today it had turned into an art form.

These things were beyond his wildest dreams.

"I'm so full," Li Yicheng patted his slightly bulging belly and began planning their next meal. "Next time, I'll take you to try Brazilian barbecue. The chef there is a real Brazilian!"

Burp! Lin Tianran wiped his mouth; he was so full now that he had lost interest in any more culinary adventures.

"Miss, the check!" Li Yicheng raised his hand and signaled to the server outside.

"Hello, sir. You're a VIP, so after a 20% discount, the total is 3,640 yuan," the server said as she handed them the bill.

"Three... over 3,000 yuan?" Lin Tianran was shocked and nearly fainted. "Miss, did you make a mistake?"

"We use computerized ordering here, and the bill is calculated by the computer, so there shouldn't be any errors," the server replied with a smile.

"Fine," Lin Tianran felt helpless. They had already eaten everything, and he couldn't just spit it back out. So he reluctantly asked, "Are there any tempura pieces left that we can take away?"

"No," Li Yicheng knew what he was thinking but shook his head. "Eating too much of this at once can cause internal heat. If you want, I'll bring you to have it next time."

"No, thanks!" Lin Tianran quickly shook his head.

After the satisfying meal, both of them wanted to stroll around and walk off some of the food. Li Yicheng took Lin Tianran for a walk in the large shopping mall.

"Let's see if there's anything you'd like to buy," Li Yicheng saw Lin Tianran's eyes drawn to the dazzling array of items in the shop windows. He wished he could buy the entire world for him.

"No, no!" Lin Tianran had just had that outrageously expensive meal, and he couldn't afford to spend any more here.

"It's okay; consider it an early birthday gift from me," Li Yicheng continued to tempt him.

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