The table was a bit out of the way and a little noisy, but it didn't affect their meal.
The paper placemat on the table also served as the menu. There weren't many items. The only meat option was venison, with a choice of portion size. The main feature was the Alaskan Emperor Crab, along with a few appetizers.
Frank ordered the set meal for two. He didn't order any alcohol, since they had errands to run in the afternoon.
The house-made bread, a staple for every table, came with three toppings: butter, bacon bits, and chopped green onions.
First, he sliced the bread and spread it with butter, then layered on the bacon bits and sprinkled on the green onions.
It tasted very strange.
After a few tentative bites, Feng Shan gave up on the strange-tasting bread.
The restaurant also had a self-serve salad bar with a relatively wide variety of options.
Frank brought back two plates from the salad bar. They had onions, lettuce, and tomatoes mixed with croutons, along with flour-dusted fried chicken wings and onion rings, all drizzled with a layer of white dressing.
As his eyes fell on the plate of vegetable salad, a look of clear disgust crossed Feng Shan's face. He picked up his fork and stirred it listlessly.
He forced himself to spear a lettuce leaf and put it in his mouth. The raw texture and bland flavor made him frown.
'This stuff is like eating grass. It's so bland. How can anyone eat this?'
Feng Shan immediately put down his fork, not wanting to give it another glance.
However, one of the appetizers wasn't bad.
The shrimp cocktail consisted of large shrimp that were boiled, chilled, and served with a special cocktail sauce for dipping.
A short while later, Winnie brought their main course to the table.
The venison stew, served with vegetables and drizzled with a special gravy, tasted as if it had been braised. The meat was exceptionally tender.
Next came a massive platter of fresh seafood.
It was Alaskan Emperor Crab legs, complete with tools for cracking them open. You were supposed to add a few drops of lemon juice after shelling them.
"Try it," Frank said, handing a huge crab leg to Feng Shan. "These Emperor Crabs were caught and airlifted straight to the restaurant. They were alive the entire time."
Feng Shan took the crab leg. Following Frank's instructions, he picked up a tool, inserted it into the seam of the shell, and applied a bit of pressure.
With a sharp CRACK, the shell split open easily.
Instantly, the plump, white meat was revealed, glistening alluringly like a pearl.
He took a small bite. The tender crab meat burst in his mouth, its delicate, savory flavor spreading across his tongue.
The sweetness of the meat mingled with a faint brininess, as if to declare that it had come from the depths of the ocean.
Next, Feng Shan picked up a piece of body meat and popped it into his mouth, getting some of the juices on his hands and around his lips.
"Not bad, huh?" Frank asked with a grin.
Mhm!
Feng Shan nodded in satisfaction. Compared to bear meat or venison, the crab had a pure, savory seafood flavor that was a hundred times better than the bland vegetable salad.
WHIMPER WHIMPER!!
MEOW!!
Attracted by the smell of the Emperor Crab, Prince and Coca-Cola began to clamor impatiently around the table.
"Careful with the shells," Feng Shan said. He wrapped two shelled crab legs, some chicken wings, and a piece of venison in a paper placemat and placed it on the floor beneath the table.
The two little critters pounced on it without hesitation, devouring it greedily.
...
The first taste of Emperor Crab had been amazing, but after a few more bites, the novelty wore off.
'If I were cooking this, I'd definitely make a spicy crab hot pot. Lots of chili, lots of Sichuan peppercorns, and a few beers to go with it. I could go all night.'
Still, when it came to filling his stomach...
'The venison is what really fills you up. I ate a whole Emperor Crab and my stomach still feels empty. Besides, this stuff can't be cheap. If I ate as much as I wanted, I'd probably bankrupt Frank.'
He flagged down Winnie and ordered a large portion of venison and a side of rice.
The two ate and chatted. Feng Shan felt relaxed and happy. The Soul Power emanating from the kitchen's cooking station was being continuously absorbed by his Witchcraft Bone Ring. In fact, the fur coat he was wearing was starting to feel a bit hot.
Frank put down his crab cracker and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Feng, this afternoon I'm taking you to City Hall to sign some documents and get your permanent resident card processed. I should tell you ahead of time, the government won't be making any public announcements about this, and they're hoping you'll keep it quiet, too. They want to keep this matter as contained as possible."
"I think it's in your best interest. If the public found out a large piece of land was just given away, some people would try to sensationalize it for political gain, arguing about taxes and that sort of thing."
"I get it." That was exactly what Feng Shan had been thinking. 'The more people who know, the more trouble it'll cause, and I hate trouble.'
Just then, a little boy with black hair walked over to their table and crouched down to watch Prince and Coca-Cola eat.
Prince noticed the approaching figure and, assuming someone was there to steal his food, his protective instincts kicked in. He looked up at the boy and let out a low, warning growl.
SMACK!
Coca-Cola lifted a paw and gave Prince a good smack right across the face. The little puppy immediately lost his swagger, snatched up a piece of venison with an aggrieved air, and scurried off to the side to eat.
The little boy's eyes lit up. He got up and walked away, returning a moment later with a plate in his hands. He set it on the ground; on it were a few pieces of venison.
"Doggy, eat!"
'Huh.'
'He's Chinese.'
The perfectly standard Mandarin made Feng Shan glance over in surprise. He hadn't expected to run into a fellow countryman here.
"Buddy, try not to look like such a country bumpkin," Frank murmured, picking up his lemonade. "Alaska is a major tourist destination. Lots of people from your country come here every year to travel and see the northern lights."
'Tourism!'
'The aurora!'
An idea suddenly flashed through Feng Shan's mind, but it vanished just as quickly at the sound of a woman's voice.
"Xiao Liang! Xiao Liang!"
"Mom, I'm over here!" the little boy replied, scrambling to his feet.
"There you are! Why are you running all over the place?" A pretty woman appeared from the aisle, grabbing the boy's hand and chiding him. "I told you not to wander off! What if you run into a kidnapper? Come back with me."
After scolding her son, the woman turned to Feng Shan and Frank with an embarrassed apology. She seemed particularly wary of Feng Shan; his heavy fur coat was quite intimidating.
'While traveling in Fairbanks, she'd often seen people with Asian features. Her husband had told her they were Alaska's Indigenous People, that they had short tempers, and that it was best to keep her distance.'
The fact that her son had approached someone's dog without permission made her a little frightened.
"Mom, I don't wanna go back! The doggy hasn't finished his meat yet!" the little boy suddenly cried out, hugging the leg of the table and refusing to leave.
Being defied by her son in public made the woman lose face. Looking around, she saw several foreigners watching the commotion, which made her even more uncomfortable.
She was just about to lose her temper when the man who looked like one of the Indigenous People spoke in fluent Mandarin. "Little fella, you need to listen to your mom when you're out. Prince, go play with him for a little while."
Hearing his master's command, Prince reluctantly abandoned his delicious venison and trotted over to the little boy's side.
"You're Chinese?" the woman asked, surprised.
"Yes," Feng Shan nodded.
"Your outfit gave me a start," the woman said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank you for letting your puppy play. We won't disturb your meal any longer." After thanking him, she led her son away. Prince followed, glancing back reluctantly every few steps.
"Feng, I've noticed that when Chinese people run into each other abroad, they don't seem very warm. There's a sense of guardedness," Frank asked curiously.
That was a tough question.
'It's probably because of the old saying: "When fellow countrymen meet, watch out for a knife in the back."'
Feng Shan didn't want to get bogged down in that conversation. "This afternoon, could you help me get a phone card first? I've been away for so long and still haven't contacted Hu Zi and the others."
"No problem. We can get your gun license at the same time. Even though you can carry a gun in Alaska without a permit, having one can save you a lot of unnecessary hassle."
As Frank was speaking, the sound of shattering plates suddenly echoed from the front of the restaurant, followed by a woman's scream mixed with the sound of a dog barking.
The scream sounded just like the Chinese mother from before, and the bark was definitely Prince's.
Feng Shan shot to his feet and strode quickly in the direction of the commotion.
...