Genshin Impact: They all seem to like me!?

Inazuma City,

It was dusk, and the crimson sunset spread across the sky like the yolk of a freshly cracked egg, slowly spilling into the twilight.

After a busy day, the people of Inazuma began to emerge from their homes.

They wandered the streets, enjoying the rare leisure of the day.

Hanamizaka,

The scarlet cherry blossoms slowly fell with a soft rustling sound.

A gentle breeze stirred, bringing a flurry of colorful petals into the air.

People dressed in kimonos greeted each other warmly.

Some called out to friends with enthusiasm, creating a lively atmosphere.

Others strolled alone, savoring the freedom of solitude.

One by one, the food stalls began to light up, preparing for the evening's business.

Inazuma residents generally prefer not to cook at home.

On one hand, they respond to the policies of the Tenryou Commission, which encourage people to spend more and support local businesses.

On the other hand, Inazuma's food stalls are famous for being affordable and delicious.

...

"Creak!!"

Teiyu pushed his manually modified cart leisurely.

He followed the bustling crowd to the familiar small bridge, ready to set up his stall.

At the bridge

Quite a few customers were already waiting.

Judging by the accumulation of cherry blossoms at their feet, they hadn't been waiting long.

"Oh, boss Tei, you're finally here! We've been waiting for you!" someone shouted excitedly at Teiyu.

"boss Tei, you're finally here! I hope I can get today's limited Fox Ramen!"

"Hehe, I've been lining up for a while, you might want to step back a bit!"

"I... I've been waiting here since last night... yawn... I'm so tired."

Who doesn't know about Fox Ramen in all of Inazuma?

It's the new rising star of Inazuma's famous snacks!

"You're impressive!" said someone who had come after hearing the buzz. "This is way too popular."

...

"Thank you for waiting, everyone. I'll start boiling the water and cooking the noodles right away. Please wait a moment."

The boy named Teiyu smiled warmly.

He greeted the waiting customers, neither ignoring anyone nor being overly enthusiastic, making everyone feel comfortable.

Despite his young age, he handled things with impressive maturity.

Some curious onlookers tried to catch a glimpse

of the young ramen boss who had recently become a sensation in Inazuma.

...

They saw a short, slightly thin boy.

A white towel was tied around his head.

It had a cute pink fox lying lazily on a tatami mat.

His delicate, doll-like face and lively, peach blossom eyes made him look endearing.

...

"Little Tei, you're a bit late today. Did something happen? Do you need big sis to help?" said a tall woman in an orange kimono, smiling as she leaned closer to Teiyu.

She cupped her hand to whisper to him, her fragrant breath lightly brushing his ear.

The sudden intimacy sent a shiver down Teiyu's spine.

"N-no, it's fine... Sister Yako," he stammered, his delicate face turning as red as an apple.

His body swayed slightly, clearly flustered by her actions.

"Hehe, you're so cute! I could just eat you up~~" Yako said, licking her lips.

Her pink tongue slid across her lips, leaving a trail of saliva that made her already alluring lips even more seductive.

"Ugh, carnivorous big sisters are really scary..."

...

It didn't take long to prepare. Teiyu had already prepped the ingredients for the Fox Ramen that morning.

He boiled the water, then carefully arranged the small pink fox bowls.

These bowls had been custom-made by Teiyu, after much effort, to make the noodles look even better.

...

Kneading dough is hard work.

The boy focused intently, kneading, pressing, and shaping the dough with strength.

He then rolled the dough into smooth, round balls, stretching and pulling it into long strips before quickly slicing it into thin noodles with a special knife.

After boiling the noodles, he placed them in ice water, then drained them.

He added onions, soft-boiled eggs, char siu, pickled bamboo shoots, and his signature extra-large aburaage (fried tofu).

Finally, he poured in his secret three-beast bone broth, and a fragrant bowl of special Fox Ramen was ready.

The unique aroma made everyone impatient. They all took out their Mora and started pushing forward.

"Boss, one bowl of Fox Ramen, please!"

"I was here first! Give me a bowl first!!"

"I can't stand it, the ramen smells too good. I want two bowls!"

"Hey, hey, everyone, don't push. Line up orderly. There's enough noodles for everyone; I've prepared a lot today!"

Seeing the crowd about to get out of control, Teiyu hurried to calm everyone down.

"Hey, stop pushing, stop pushing..."

"You heard boss Tei, there's enough for everyone! And you, Onodera! Don't think I didn't see you trying to sneak forward!"

"Hehe, Kuroda, you've got sharp eyes."

Onodera chuckled sheepishly and stepped back.

Just then, the crowd behind them started to stir.

Accompanied by the sound of a gong being struck, "Boom, boom, boom."

The crowd quickly parted, as if some fierce beast was about to charge through!

"Hahaha, Little Tei Bro, how have you been?"

"I haven't had your Fox Ramen in a while, and I've been craving it!"

A booming laugh accompanied a tall figure who pushed through the crowd to stand before Teiyu.

The newcomer sported eye-catching red horns and a mane of wild white hair that flowed freely.

He carried an enormous "Choco Pie" on his shoulder.

Clearly, not an ordinary person.

Behind him were a few lackeys wearing straw hats, rudely shoving their way forward.

"..."

Teiyu was speechless.

"So it's Big Brother Arataki."

This Arataki guy was an old acquaintance of Teiyu's.

When Teiyu first started his business, no one knew him.

He was just a street vendor, with no reputation to speak of.

People would look at the young boy selling ramen and doubt his skills, often walking away without giving him a chance.

With no customers, Teiyu almost gave up on this venture to try something else...

But, who would have thought

A simple act of kindness would become the starting point of his career.

One evening, after a day of lounging around, Teiyu was preparing to close up shop and head home.

He happened to run into the members of the Arataki Gang, who had just been released and were starving after a day without food.

Since no one else was coming to eat his noodles anyway...

He decided to treat the penniless group to some ramen.

The amazed Arataki Itto immediately saw Teiyu as a kindred spirit,

Shouting "brother!" while crying and slurping noodles.

As a member of the oni tribe, who was disliked and shunned from a young age,

Except for Granny Oni, who raised him, no one had ever genuinely treated him well.

Even the slightest bit of sincere kindness was something Itto found incredibly precious.

At that moment, he made up his mind.

He wanted to become sworn brothers with this kind-hearted young man.

And he absolutely wanted him to join the Arataki Gang.

——

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