Chapter 51: Isa’s Tender Beef

With Charles still grumbling beside him, Ou Xiaolu left the police station and noticed that Miguel was waiting for them in a quiet spot with few people around. As soon as Ou Xiaolu stepped outside, Miguel approached. "Your girl left on her own," he said.

Ou Xiaolu knew Miguel was talking about Carissa. It made sense—if Ou Xiaolu hadn't intervened earlier and struck that man, he wouldn't have been delayed at the police station for so long. Charles, who had just spent half the day locked up, perked up at the mention. "Hey, Tiger, which girl? Haven't seen you all day—bet you were out having fun again."

Ou Xiaolu shot Charles a glare. "Carissa, the one from room 301."

"Ah, her! She looks pretty good. Did you hook up? Did you?" Charles exclaimed, suddenly lively and not at all downtrodden after his release.

Miguel cut in bluntly, "He pushed her down, and just as he was about to make his move, there was an explosion." Instantly, the mood turned awkward. Ou Xiaolu felt his veins throbbing—what was Miguel implying? He was the one who noticed something was off and protected Carissa, but Miguel made it sound like he was some lecher.

Charles took the comment seriously, but instead of questioning Ou Xiaolu, he peppered Miguel with questions about what happened. The two kept at it, chatting away, and Ou Xiaolu was tempted to unsheath his sword and cut them both down.

Chattering and bantering, the three made their way to a restaurant on campus. It had been a busy day and none of them had eaten properly. Ou Xiaolu, for his part, had spent most of his time rushing about in the car, and had skipped dinner to find Charles.

Miguel had chosen the place. Normally, he and Charles ate elsewhere—Charles loved pizza, or would grab a burger to go. Miguel, however, was either content with something simple or insisted on eating well. He claimed this spot had the best steak in the entire campus, though the best vegetable salad was served elsewhere.

For Ou Xiaolu, the only memorable meal he'd had lately was a dinner in Chinatown a few days ago; otherwise, his eating habits amounted to stuffing himself with whatever was available, and he had no recollection of the specifics.

When it came time to decide what to eat, Ou Xiaolu deferred to his roommates. Charles insisted on pizza, Miguel wanted steak, and finally, the prospect of delicious meat swayed Ou Xiaolu—two votes to one, and they came here.

Miguel was on familiar terms with the owner. As soon as they entered, Miguel called out loudly, "Ezzo, give me your most tender cut. The others can choose whatever they like."

The man who greeted Miguel was bald. When he saw Miguel, he brought out a bottle of red wine and set it at Miguel’s place, then glanced at Charles and Ou Xiaolu.

"So you must be Charles. Miguel always says you never stop talking, but you’re so quiet tonight," Ezzo said.

Charles instantly glared at Miguel. "Hey, kid, when have I ever gone on and on? Are you looking for a fight?"

As the two began to squabble like fighting cocks, Ou Xiaolu noticed a smile on Ezzo’s face. Clearly, Ezzo shared Charles’s temperament—one who enjoyed a lively scene.

Ou Xiaolu, not in the mood to watch the show, was still hungry. While Charles and Miguel bickered, he turned to Ezzo. "Ezzo, could you recommend something good here?"

Ezzo hadn’t expected Ou Xiaolu to still be focused on food, but he was here to do business. "Our tender beef is the best. Would you like to try a portion?"

Ou Xiaolu had quickly sized up Ezzo’s personality, but he found himself intrigued by the tender beef. With a hint of amusement, he replied, "Sure, I’ll try a portion."

"And what about the dark-skinned fellow? Would he like some as well?" Ezzo asked, glancing at Charles, who was still sparring with Miguel.

"No, I want fish, seafood, you know? Fish," Charles said, determined to reject anything Miguel agreed with.

"Alright, we do fish quite well too—shall I bring a portion?" Ezzo had no objections; he couldn’t expect everyone to love his tender beef, and the menu offered plenty of options.

Ezzo soon had their orders in, and then stepped away. Ou Xiaolu could sense Ezzo’s gaze returning from time to time, as if he wanted to catch more of Charles and Miguel’s verbal sparring.

Miguel turned to Ou Xiaolu. "Ezzo’s always joking around, but he’s a decent guy. His beef is the most authentic you’ll find."

Before Ou Xiaolu could reply, two waiters brought their dishes.

Charles’s fish looked perfectly normal—large chunks of cod, roasted to a golden crisp, drizzled with black pepper. It looked quite appetizing.

But the tender beef that Ou Xiaolu and Miguel had ordered was something else entirely. Ou Xiaolu stared at a bowl of uncooked beef, covered in a strange sauce, yet somehow exuding a mysterious allure.

It was Ou Xiaolu’s first time trying this tender beef, and Miguel explained, "The beef is best raw. It’s treated with wine, so the flavor permeates the meat—you should try..."

Miguel hadn’t finished speaking when Ou Xiaolu, unconcerned, cut into the beef. He remembered hearing about the tradition of serving raw beef abroad, but hadn’t expected to encounter it himself.

Still, the order had been placed, so Ou Xiaolu was determined to eat it—he wouldn't let his nation of food lovers down. As for how it tasted, he’d wait until he finished to judge.

Taking up knife and fork, Ou Xiaolu sliced off a small piece and popped it into his mouth. Instantly, he nodded in satisfaction. Though the beef was raw, Ezzo hadn’t simply served it without care—it had been meticulously prepared.

Just as Miguel had said, the flavor had seeped into the meat, and the raw taste was completely subdued. Ou Xiaolu found it even more tender than ordinary beef.

"No wonder it’s called tender beef," Ou Xiaolu murmured, slicing off another piece. "An interesting method."

Miguel nodded. "I love beef like this. If you’re not used to it, you can order it medium-rare—they do that very well here, too."

Ou Xiaolu kept eating, nodding in agreement. "I’ll come back next time."

Ezzo returned just then. "Excellent! Now we have another customer. Come again soon!"