The Matsumoto clan's eldest son, Momo's twin brother Hiro, is ready to be the clan's leader, it was a role he had been groomed for since he was young.
It was a time of peace, a time of prosperity. But it was also a time of change. Her brother is r...
The Rickshaw has reached Ritou. The Summer Festival had just started and the entire town was already filled with people.
The streets had food stalls, game booths, and souvenir shops. The air was filled with laughter, music, and the occasional scream from a winning game.
Ayato helped Momo out of the Rickshaw, taking her hand in his as they walked through the bustling crowd.
"Do you want to eat some Liyue cuisine?" Ayato asked her.
"Yes, I haven't eaten yet I'm starving." They walked through the crowd, eventually finding a Liyue food stall.
The stall owner Xiangling is the head chef at the Wanmin Restaurant and runs it alongside with her father in Liyue Harbor.
She has navy blue hair cut in a bob-like fashion at the front and of unknown length at the back, golden eyes, and a pale complexion.
She also has a companion named Guoba, but he's currently back home helping out at her father's restaurant.
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The picture is not mine.
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The stall was decorated with traditional Liyue decorations, and the aroma of spices filled the air.
"Hello Lord Ayato it's good to see you who do you have with you?" Xiangling asked him "This is my soon-to-be wife Matsumoto Momo. Momo this is Mao Xiangling, I invited her from Liyue Harbor for the festival. She is one of the best chefs in Liyue," he said. "Hello Mao Xiangling it's nice to meet you," Momo said.
"Well it's an honour to meet you Lady Momo, you can just call me Xiangling. What would you like to eat today?" she asked, her golden eyes sparkling with excitement.
"What do you recommend?" Momo asked, looking around at all the delicious-smelling dishes.
"Oh, today's special dish is something that I'm very proud of creating. It's called Wanmin Dan Dan Noodles. It's a savoury dish with minced chicken, vegetables, and of course, my famous dan dan noodles with a spicey broth with a secret ingredient. I think it would be perfect for you two," Xiangling suggested with a smile.
"Sure any recommends for appetizers?" Ayato asked Xiangling.
"Well, there's Golden Shrimp Balls, they are deep-fried shrimp wrapped in potato strips, they're crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and they go perfectly with my special sauce," Xiangling suggested.
"That sounds delicious sure I will get that," Momo said, her stomach growling at the thought of the food. "Same for me too," Ayato said.
"Sure what level of spice do you want for your dan dan noodles?" Xiangling asked them. "I can handle medium spice," Momo replied, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.
Ayato looked at her, amused. "Oh, you think you can handle medium spice, huh? We'll see about that." He grinned, teasing her playfully.
As they waited for their food, they found a small table near the back of the stall, sitting down and watching the bustling crowd around them.
Ayato couldn't help but feel grateful for the moment and for the fact that he was here with Momo. He took her hand in his.
"Do you remember Kaedehara Kazuha?" Ayato asked her. "Ya, I do. My clan were never close to his clan. Was he in an arranged marriage with your sister before The clan's downfall and left the nation to wander?" she asked him.
"Yes, that's right. He is now back in Inazuma because he wanted to be with Ayaka, they were so in love before everything happened" Ayato answered.
Momo smiled at him. "That's sweet. It's nice to see him come back for a reason after such a tragedy. So are they re-engaging?"
"Yes, he asked me for his blessing and he also said that he didn't want to rebuild his clan, he just wanted to live an un-noble life" he answered. "Well I wish them both the best, I hope they will be happy together," Momo said.
Xiangling brings their Golden Shrimp Balls appetizers to their table. "Here's your appetizers, Im already starting on the dan dan noodles so please enjoy," she said as she left.
The golden fried shrimp balls looked delightful, and they were steaming hot. Ayato took a bite of one, savouring the combination of crispy exterior and soft, warm interior.
The special sauce was a perfect complement to the dish, adding a tangy and slightly sweet flavor.
He glanced at Momo, watching her take a bite of her Golden Shrimp Balls as well. Her reaction was priceless, her eyes widening in surprise and delight as she chewed.
"Wow , these Golden Shrimp Balls are amazing!" Momo exclaimed, wiping the sauce off her chin. "They're the perfect combination of crispy and juicy. I can't believe I've never had them before."
As they enjoyed their appetizers, they could hear Xiangling humming to herself in the back of the stall, clearly focused on preparing their main dish.
After seven minutes, Xiangling emerged from the back of the stall, a broad smile on her face. "Here you go, my Wanmin Dan Dan noodles, I made sure the spiciness is not super hot for you both please enjoy."
She placed their bowls in front of them, revealing a hearty serving of dan dan noodles, topped with ground pork, scallions, and a generous helping of their preferred medium spice level.
The aroma was incredible, a complex mixture of savoury and spicy flavours that tantalized their senses. Momo and Ayato both thanked Xiangling profusely, digging in eagerly.
The noodles were perfectly cooked, with a satisfying chew that went well with the rich, spicy broth. As they slurped them up, the heat from the dan dan noodles seemed to spread through their bodies, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation behind.
The chicken added a delightful texture to each bite, while the scallions and vegetables lent a fresh contrast.
"This is the best noodles that I ever had, no wonder Xiangling is one of the greatest chefs in Liyue," Momo said "I wish I could eat like this every day," she added. Ayato smiled at her, he ate slowly savouring every bite of the dan dan noodles.
After they finished their meal, they thanked Xiangling once again and made their way to the festival games area.
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Xiangling, Guoba and Ayato are owned by Hoyoverse.
