It didn't help that more than one customer, teenage girls still in uniform, university students, and even the occasional confused office worker, kept sneaking second glances at him.
Some even doubled back to the counter, pretending to ask about side dishes just for the excuse.
"He's going to get too cocky.." Mianmian muttered under her breath as she handed him a tray of freshly plated dishes. "Don't smile too much."
"I'm not smiling that much.." he murmured back, barely holding back a grin. "They're just very… welcoming."
"Mm, I'll welcome you back into the kitchen with a mop if you mess up the next order."
Even so, the energy in the restaurant was infectious.
Between the clatter of chopsticks and the chatter of lunchgoers, there was a warmth to the chaos.
The afternoon sun filtered through the window blinds, casting golden stripes across the tiled floor, and despite the heat and constant movement, the atmosphere felt light.
