Visa On Arrival Chapter 16

The Last Meal

It was one in the afternoon, and the sunlight was pleasantly warm.

Qi Ranyue sat at her workstation in her father’s company, her fingers tapping away at the keyboard as she handled her afternoon tasks.

Her phone screen suddenly lit up with a message from Xu Xingci.

Are you free for dinner tonight?

Qi Ranyue stared at the line of text, the corners of her mouth curving up involuntarily.

An invitation on a workday always carried a hint of stolen sweetness, like a piece of candy suddenly offered to one’s lips during a busy moment.

Qi Ranyue replied: Pick me up after I get off work.

Sabor Caribeo.

This was an exquisite restaurant dedicated to presenting traditional Venezuelan flavors. The Pabellón Criollo was prepared very authentically, and the toasted Arepas were incredibly fragrant!

I have been to this place before! Qi Ranyue’s eyes suddenly lit up. She grabbed Xu Xingci’s sleeve, her tone filled with surprise. A good friend of mine was from this country, but she went abroad to study later. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her in seven or eight years.

Stumbling upon a restaurant she thought had been buried in her memory felt like a wonderful twist of fate.

Before she left the country, she specifically brought me here once to experience her country’s cuisine. Qi Ranyue’s voice softened before jumping back to the present with a bit of excitement. How about this—let me order! Let me see if it still tastes like it used to!

Qi Ranyue flipped through the menu, her fingers sliding over the familiar yet strange names as she muttered to herself: She strongly recommended this one back then… and that one, she said you have to dip it in this sauce for the right flavor…

The Tajadas were fried to a golden crisp, sweet yet salty.

The Mandoca was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, paired with savory cheese.

The Tequeños were wrapped around stretchy, melted cheese.

The Pabellón Criollo was the national dish of Venezuela, a combination of shredded stewed beef, black beans, white rice, and fried plantains.

The Arepas were sliced open and could be filled with a choice of chicken, beef, avocado, or cheese.

The Carne con Pimienta Negra featured beef stewed until tender in a rich, spicy sauce.

There were also two desserts.

One was Quesillo, made from eggs, condensed milk, and rum, then steamed and baked to a firm texture with a caramel aroma.

The other was Chicha, a traditional Venezuelan chilled sweet drink made from rice, milk, and cinnamon, with a rich consistency.

Qi Ranyue tore off a piece of fluffy Arepa, wrapped it around some shredded chicken and black beans, and carefully handed it to Xu Xingci. Taste it.

Qi Ranyue’s eyes sparkled. She said this is the Venezuelan national breakfast—corn cakes that can hold anything.

Xu Xingci rested his chin on his hand, watching the person across from him gesturing animatedly.

Qi Ranyue was just explaining the order in which her friend taught her to dip the corn cakes into two different sauces, her voice full of cheer.

Xu Xingci waited for her to finish before speaking softly. His tone carried a hint of expectation, a bit of a joke, and a trace of subtle seriousness:

Then… out of all the meals we have shared, which one is the most memorable for you?

The question was like a small pebble tossed gently into the river of her memories.

The air went quiet for a second or two, with only the faint background noise of the restaurant flowing around them.

Hmm… Qi Ranyue drew out the sound, thinking seriously. None!

It was not a dismissive answer, but one reached after genuine reflection.

Her tone even carried a bit of frankness. There is not a single meal that is particularly memorable.

Xu Xingci was just putting a piece of sauce-dipped Arepa into his mouth. Hearing those words, his movements paused, and he could not help but feel a sense of disappointment.

Why not?

He put down the corn cake and took a sip of water.

Qi Ranyue did not answer immediately, appearing to give the question deep thought.

Then she turned to look at Xu Xingci, her gaze very calm.

You know, memory is a rather picky thing.

It specifically remembers things that are about to be gone.

She looked at the table full of food.

I still remember that meal seven or eight years later because that friend went abroad. That meal was the last time, even though I did not know it at the time.

She looked at him, and he looked at her.

The food on the table was still steaming slightly. The noise of the restaurant felt as if it were behind a thin membrane, becoming distant.

Qi Ranyue suddenly spoke, her voice very light, as if speaking to him and to herself at the same time:

People always seem to be like this.

They only know to cherish something once they have lost it.

Xu Xingci was stunned for a moment and did not respond.

Qi Ranyue continued, her gaze falling on the plate of Tajadas that had cooled slightly:

But what is even funnier is that before you lose it, you never know it is the last time.

We always think there are many more meals, plenty of time, and many opportunities to say let us meet next time, but in reality, there are not. Every meal could be the last meal. Every meeting could be the last time, and every today could be the final today. Qi Ranyue looked up at Xu Xingci, her eyes peaceful.

We just do not know it.

So… we have to cherish the present.

After hearing this, he remained silent for a while. Then he suddenly smiled, feeling lucky that he did not have a particularly memorable meal with her. It meant she had always been there, and that was enough.

Years later, when he sat alone in a certain restaurant facing the same food, he would finally realize that he and she would also have such a last meal.

The nine o’clock morning sun cut diagonally across the window frame, spreading into a warm yellow patch on the wooden floor.

The window screen swayed slightly, and the aroma of coffee drifted over, curling through the light like an invisible thread.

Chen Rong stood slightly leaned over the counter, scooping coffee beans into the grinder. The rustling sound of crushing gradually became fine and dense.

She removed the portafilter and shook her wrist gently, letting the powder fall like fine sand into the basket. Her finger lightly leveled the surface.

Then she used the tamper to press down vertically, locked the handle in place, and pressed the extraction button. The dark brown coffee liquid flowed slowly into the cup, the crema delicate and golden.

Chen Rong turned to get the cold milk and poured it into a steel pitcher.

The steam wand was inserted diagonally into the liquid.

Hiss!

With a light sound, the milk began to swirl.

Chen Rong’s left hand lightly touched the bottom of the pitcher to sense the temperature, while her right hand made minute adjustments to let the air roll in just right. Once the milk foam became dense and heavy with a silk-like luster on the surface, she turned off the steam and wiped the wand clean with a cloth.

Finally, she picked up the pitcher and gave it two light shakes, the foam as smooth as thick satin. The spout tilted, and the white liquid flowed smoothly onto the coffee surface, layer upon layer, until it formed a mirror-like foam that perfectly covered the entire surface.

There, your coffee. Chen Rong carefully picked up the cup, holding it steady in her palm. she walked around the counter and stepped lightly to the dining table.

Here. She leaned over slightly and placed the cup gently in front of Qi Ranyue, turning the handle toward her dominant hand.

The foam in the cup was perfectly intact, glowing softly in the morning light.

Qi Ranyue looked up, her gaze moving from the coffee cup to Chen Rong’s face. Her lips curved into a bright, beaming smile. Thanks, Rongrong baby.

Chen Rong sat down in the chair opposite her, her gaze lingering on Qi Ranyue’s face.

She reached into a small drawer, pulled out a latte art stencil of a cat with a curled tail, and handed it to Qi Ranyue.

Qi Ranyue took the stencil and laid it gently in the center of the foam. Once the position was right, she measured it with her hand to ensure the cat’s back was facing the handle. Then, out of the blue, she said: Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?

The air suddenly went still.

Chen Rong was taken aback. She looked at Qi Ranyue, whose eyes were still focused intently on the coffee, and then forced an unnatural smile. Why do you ask that?

Qi Ranyue’s hand holding the powder shaker paused. Because I am in a relationship!

Chen Rong lowered her eyes, staring at the coffee in front of Qi Ranyue. She remained silent for a few seconds.

When she looked up again, Chen Rong spoke in a teasing tone. What do you want me to ask?

Qi Ranyue’s wrist remained suspended in the air. Her hand, which had been gently sifting the powder, stopped. Her voice was soft and casual, as if she were talking to herself: Like how far things have progressed? How I feel about him? Whether this relationship will last… things like that!

The yellow-green matcha powder fell in fine grains like a silent, light snow, covering all the white foam around the stencil.

How far things have progressed? Chen Rong repeated her words.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Chen Rong’s hand, hidden under the table, lightly pinched her own leg. It was a subconscious attempt to hide her feelings, or perhaps to pinch herself awake from an emotion she shouldn’t have.

Qi Ranyue looked down as the last of the powder fell from the shaker. She pinched the small handle of the stencil and lifted it vertically. Her tone was lazy. We have hugged and kissed. Dates are just dinner and walks.

Chen Rong nodded and looked up at her, forcing a smile. That is good. Under the table, the knuckles of the hand pinching her leg turned slightly white.

In the cup, a small white cat appeared in the center of the coffee, surrounded by a green ground.

Qi Ranyue suddenly went quiet as if thinking about something. After a few seconds, she spoke slowly. Her tone was no longer as light as before, gaining a touch of seriousness. Actually… I cannot really say if I truly like him.

Qi Ranyue looked at the little cat and picked up a long, thin carving needle. She leaned down and used the tip to gently nudge a bit of excess powder near the cat’s ear to make it rounder.

She continued: Sometimes when I see him acting shy or at a loss, I really want to tease him. But…

Qi Ranyue paused and looked up at Chen Rong, hesitating. But… I also quite like the feeling of two people just staying together quietly. It feels very warm when it is peaceful.

After saying this, she lowered her head again and added a dot to the tip of the cat’s tail, making the curve of the tail look more playful.

Chen Rong listened to every word. Her expression remained unchanged, and she even nodded in cooperation as if listening intently.

Only she knew that her heart felt as if it were being gripped and slowly squeezed.

When Qi Ranyue said seeing him shy makes me want to tease him, Chen Rong remembered how she used to tease her the same way.

When she said two people staying together quietly is very warm, Chen Rong thought of the countless ordinary days they had spent quietly together.

It turned out that the things she considered incredibly precious were just a generic template for liking someone to Qi Ranyue.

But why could that person not be her!

When this thought emerged from her heart, it felt like a fine thorn stuck there. It was not fatal, but it hurt whenever she moved.

Chen Rong looked up at her. Qi Ranyue was still looking down, that soft curve still hanging on her lips.

Qi Ranyue poked two tiny dots on the cat’s cheeks for whiskers. After finishing everything, she straightened her back and turned the coffee cup so the cat’s face was pointing toward Chen Rong.

For you!

Qi Ranyue propped her face in her hands, using the movement to organize her thoughts. Her gaze rested on Chen Rong. After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly: Romance is romance, and life is life. I cannot bring romance entirely into my life. It is like with him—I cannot tell him everything about my life. That boundary is very clear.

As she spoke, Qi Ranyue naturally stood up and walked to the coffee machine at the counter, operating it skillfully.

Amidst the subtle sound of grinding coffee beans, her voice continued, her tone more relaxed than before.

I feel like I might not actually like him that much. Because in front of him, I cannot show my soft, vulnerable side at all.

Qi Ranyue walked back to the table with the prepared coffee. When she sat down, she looked at Chen Rong with a focused and serious expression.

She took a sip of coffee and placed the cup gently back on the table, leaning forward slightly with her fingers interlaced.

The steam from the coffee rose between the two of them.

When I act spoiled with you, it is a kind of total surrender, very peaceful. But with him, acting spoiled is more like a form of teasing or proactive flirting. It is not that natural reliance. Qi Ranyue spoke with serious certainty, every word sounding as if it had been carefully weighed.

Chen Rong spoke with a long-suppressed dissatisfaction. Do not always compare me to him.

Qi Ranyue’s hand holding the coffee cup paused. She looked up, her gaze lingering on the other woman’s tense face for a moment, then she gently set the cup down. Sorry, Rongrong. I was not comparing you to him.

Her voice was slow but clear. Besides, in my heart, you are the most important. If you and he both fell into the sea and I could only save one, I would definitely only save you.

Hearing this, Chen Rong’s movements visibly stiffened. A flash of complex emotion crossed her eyes. She remained silent for a moment before speaking, her voice lower than before. …What is this supposed to be, a confession?

Chen Rong looked up and stared at her seriously. If such a day ever comes, do not save me. I do not want you to be in a dangerous situation.

After saying this, she picked up her phone, tapped the screen quickly a few times, and then turned the screen toward Qi Ranyue with a grunt.

Qi Ranyue did not look at the phone, only staring at her. What are you doing?

I just signed myself up for swimming lessons. Chen Rong met her gaze.

Qi Ranyue’s shoulders began to shake, and she finally could not help but burst into laughter. Her low chuckles gradually grew louder.

Oh, Rongrong!

I told you, I will save you!

I will save you, believe me!

Rongrong!

Before Chen Rong could react, Qi Ranyue had already stood up and walked around the table. In a few steps, she reached her and, while Chen Rong was still dazed, threw herself directly into her arms.

Sitting in the chair, Chen Rong was knocked backward. She subconsciously reached out to support Qi Ranyue’s waist, using her other hand to brace against the edge of the table to steady them.

The coffee cup was bumped slightly, making a faint clinking sound.

I am serious, Rongrong! Qi Ranyue buried her face in the crook of Chen Rong’s neck, tightening her arms.

Yes, I know. Chen Rong’s voice was a bit hoarse, and something in her chest was vibrating rapidly.