Chapter 4: 4

Chapter 4

Expressing Gratitude

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

Outside the restaurant, the name ‘Golden Shell Seafood Restaurant’ stands proudly above the building, which is in the northernmost corner of Qiaohai, right by the coastline.

Inside, Bai Yao quickly moves past the row of clean and bright French windows that look out onto an azure ocean and the gentle sands of the beach. The windows also have soft, white, silken curtains on both ends. When the sun shines straight through the windows, they can be drawn to soften the light, so that the interior remains bright but not searing.

The restaurant’s interior décor mainly employs a dull green and white, with a faux-crystal chandelier hanging off the ceiling. On the wooden wall at the far end from the entrance is a painted panorama of Qiaohai, with the island not far off the coast visible within.

“Wait here, and I’ll make something for you,” Bai Yao goes to retrieve the tub of potatoes, while casually adding, “remember to turn back to human and pay before you leave. I don’t accept oysters; cash only.”

Bai Yao just finished shopping for fresh crabs, sea urchins and scallops at the seafood market on the south side of town this morning. The scallops are fresh produce from the nearby waters, making it a specialty of Qiaohai that can’t be bought anywhere else.

He first glances over at the large box of scallops on the table, but decides against it because that’s going to be the main ingredient for most meals tonight when the restaurant is open. Tourist customers are plentiful during the summer holiday season, and the scallops are quite popular even despite the steep price tag. He can’t really spare any from tonight’s portion.

The fridge also has fresh frozen Spanish mackerels that just arrived yesterday. Bai Yao bought those to practise making a new meal that he could add to the menu, which means he still has much extra fish in store that he could steam in a jiffy.

Meanwhile, the little sea otter is quietly staying at a corner of the restaurant after being let go close to the entrance, watching Bai Yao get to work. He has his paws in a praying position in front of himself, and big, focused eyes, that honestly make him feel more like a good puppy boy than a sea otter.

Bai Yao quickly steps into the kitchen to cook.

Quickly whip up a meal, feed him, then he could get back to prepping work for tonight’s work.

He takes the fish out, and handily guts and cleans it. Then he chops the ginger and spring onions into fine slices and arranges them on the mackerel after it was run through some clean water. Finally, he puts the entire meal in a steamer and turns the heat on.

A simple steamed fish would be done quite soon.

But before the fish can be done, there is a loud crash coming from the restaurant itself. It sounds like something big fell onto the floor.

Bai Yao quickly turns off the heat before running out of the kitchen, only to see the large box on the table overturned, and the neat rows of scallops scattered across the floor.

While the ostensibly well-behaved little sea otter is looking excitedly all around himself by the table.

He is holding the biggest of the scallops in his paws, and while looking around, sees Bai Yao emerge from the kitchen. After a brief second of silence, he continues looking around for somewhere he can smack the shell open.

Bai Yao isn’t sure, but he feels like the moment of silence during the stare contained just a tinge of apologetic attitude from the little sea otter.

Odd, there are sturdy tables and chairs all around, but the little sea otter is holding his scallop and not using any of these hard surfaces for his meal. In front of a table leg, he wobbles while holding up the scallop, before hesitantly lowering his paw again. Maybe he thinks he shouldn’t be breaking things in Bai Yao’s store?

With the box already overturned and wasted, Bai Yao just gives up getting outraged entirely, and decides to observe what the dumb little scallop thief has in mind.

The little sea otter is quite distressed, having such succulent food in his paws that he can’t eat. His whiskers are all twitching in sadness.

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Then he seems to decide he wants to crack the scallop open on the ground, but when he raises the scallop in his hand, he only puts the scallop down very, very gently. It’s nowhere near enough force to crack the scallop open.

Maybe he’s worried he’d dent the floor of Bai Yao’s restaurant this time.

What a ‘polite’ little sea otter.

Bai Yao almost finds himself amused, and he walks over, and says, “hand it over.”

The little sea otter immediately gives him this wary look, though, and holds the scallop tighter, looking all like ‘this is mine now. My food.’

“I’m going to open it for you,” Bai Yao explains patiently.

The sea otter seems to be making a very tough decision, if what Bai Yao thinks he’s seeing in the sea otter’s expression is true.

After some time spent agonising over it, the sea otter raises one paw, and puts the scallop into his little pocket with the other. Then he rubs his paws together while looking up at Bai Yao, with this expression that feels like it’s saying ‘it’s gone now.’

Bai Yao does not budge, however, and with one hand in his pants’ pocket, and the other still extending out towards the little sea otter, he raises his brow at him.

Thus the little sea otter acquiesces. He takes the scallop out from his pocket once more, before raising his paw, and finally offers it to Bai Yao.

He is looking up with these pleading eyes and a pitiful stare, like he’s worried Bai Yao is not giving him the food back. He wobbles forward a little, and gently pats Bai Yao’s leg with his paw.

Bai Yao looks at the little otter and his flat, empty tummy, and feels like he might as well have picked up a stray little puppy off the road.

The scallops being fresh, they’re clamped shut tightly, and wouldn’t open at all without tools. Well, or smashed open in the case of sea otters.

Bai Yao retrieves a knife from the kitchen, and neatly stabs right through the gap of the shell. One deft click and the scallop opens up in half, revealing the juicy white meat within. Bai Yao hands it to the sea otter, and can’t help but ask, “eating raw?”

As far as sentient beastkin go, since they generally adopt human forms, they do not usually enjoy eating raw meat.

The little sea otter tilts his head, and processes Bai Yao’s question for a second, before excitedly nodding with practically glowing eyes.

“… It wasn’t a compliment.”

The little sea otter doesn’t immediately take the scallop from Bai Yao’s hands, but has extended his paws and opened them wide for Bai Yao to put it on there.

After finally receiving the opened scallop, he places it close to his chest, and does not immediately partake, but first bows towards Bai Yao with an almost amusing motion. His eyes are glimmering from the lighting as he swallows the meat of the scallop in one fell swoop. He closes his eyes in enjoyment.

Then Bai Yao finally realises, that he was saying thanks just now, when bowing.

The silly little sea otter was thanking him.

Author’s notes: I’m imagining a snow leopard hugging a little sea otter in an embrace. Sooo cute!

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