Chapter 36 - Noodle Shop

The noon sun hung high in a cloudless sky, beaming down brightly over the myriad colourful shop stalls that lined Tye-An Street. The shopping district was packed and noisy, as it always was from the moment it opened every morning to when it closed long after the sun set. It was a hectic place where many times there were so many people in the lanes that shoppers were compelled to keep moving with the crowd, unable to stop and browse the wares unless they stepped fully into the stalls.

“There’s so many people.” Char Char said as she grasped onto Yuzu’s hand, staying close to her friend to avoid being swept away. She had never been to Tye-An Street before, despite its fame. It was known as a place where one could buy pretty much anything, as long as you knew where to look. The stands and shops along the titular Tye-An Street itself were the most popular, filled with street food and clothes, but the market in its entirety stretched over twenty city blocks.

“Stay close.” Yuzu said, “If we get separated, go to that building over there and wait in front of the fountain in the plaza so we can find each other.” 

She pointed with her free hand at a spire to the west that could be seen rising up over the four storey buildings. The tall, steeply pointed pyramid was the crown of the Tye-An Cathedral, one of the largest attractions in the city. It was made of stone, and the peak towered one hundred fifty meters above the ground. The spire wasn’t smooth, but was layered with geometric protrusions that gave it a complicated appearance. The spire was topped with a gigantic stone blade that pierced the heavens, and was a symbol of Lord Noga’s power.

Using the cathedral as a landmark was common among people who visited Tye-An Street, since it could be seen from nearly everywhere in the market. It was only a few blocks away from the outskirts of the market and there was a giant plaza at the base of the cathedral that could fit thousands of people. The fountain at the center of the plaza was just one of the many landmarks that could be used as a meet up spot.

“It’s easier to get lost than to find the place you’re going to.” Char Char commented. She couldn’t see over the crowd, so all she could do was look at the closest stall as they passed. Yuzu had a better time, since she was above the average height of the crowd. She could see the shop fronts and signs above a sea of black and brown haired heads.

“They say that going to Tye-An to shop is like going fishing in the dark. You might have a plan for what you want to catch, but whatever is in your hands at the end of the day is what you came for in the first place.”

“Then how are we going to find the mushrooms?” Char Char asked.

“We just have to know how to talk to the fish.” Yuzu grinned.

She led the way confidently through the streets, ducking into side streets lined wall to wall with vendor carts for the merchants who couldn’t or didn’t want to secure a spot on the main thoroughfare. 

A voice called out to her as she passed, “Miss Xing! Are you looking for me today?”

The girl’s eyes flickered over to a man wearing a bandana over his head, standing next to a cart of jewelry and trinkets. “No. I’m looking for Spider. Have you seen him today?”

“He’s around.” The man smiled. He grabbed a bowl of fruit from behind his cart and held it out to her. “Want some lychee? I haven’t seen you in a while. You doing good?”

Yuzu walked past without acknowledging the friendly gesture, “Just fine. If you see Spider let him know I’m looking for him.”

“How about you, miss? They’re real sweet.” He held the bowl towards Char Char in a friendly manner.

Char Char smiled back at him and would have taken a few of the soft spiky skinned fruit but Yuzu kept hold of her hand and pulled them away.

“See you soon!” The man called as they walked away.

Char Char cast a confused glance back to the man before saying to Yuzu, “Wasn’t that a bit rude? He seemed to know you.”

“Yeah, I know a lot of the merchants in this part of the market.” Yuzu said dismissively, “They are like sucker fishes. If you let them take hold you can’t get away from them.”

“Who’s Spider?” Char Char asked.

“He owns a bunch of noodle stalls in Tye-An, but he doesn’t run them anymore. Instead, he spends his days walking through the market socializing.” Yuzu said, “All the merchants know him because he has a very sharp eye for people, and he has a great memory. If you want to find something special, he will know exactly who is selling it.”

“He’s called Spider because of his web of social connections. If something is going on in the market, he knows about it.” Yuzu finished her explanation as they approached a busy noodle stall at the corner of an intersection. Two cooks manned the cramped kitchen while a young girl with short brown hair took orders from an endless line of people. She was standing on a stool behind the counter. She couldn’t have been more than twelve years old but she looked completely comfortable and in control of the tiny stall as she yelled out orders and interacted with customers. 

Yuzu walked directly up to the side of the counter. “Rabbit, where’s Spider?”

‘Rabbit’ looked over to Yuzu while putting together a tray for a customer. Two sets of chopsticks and drinks were placed next to a pair of steaming bowls of soup. The rich, slightly sweet fragrance rich with herbs made Char Char’s mouth water, who had not eaten for the entire day.

“He went to do a delivery. I think he’ll be coming back around soon. You want something to eat?” The spunky girl placed the tray up on the counter top and yelled, “Number EIGHTY SEVEN. EIGHTY SEVEN.”

She passed the tray to a waiting customer, then looked back to Yuzu.

“Sure.” Yuzu said, “Char Char, you want something?”

“Okay-“ Char Char said, taking a look at the menu that was posted on one of the posts holding up the bright yellow and green tarp.

“Two specials.” Yuzu said to Rabbit, pulling out a copper bell. She placed the coin on the counter then turned to Char Char and said loudly, “The only good thing here is their special. Don’t bother looking at the menu.”

“You want to say that to Spider’s face?” Rabbit grinned, tossing several leafs in change on the counter. She caught the look of several grumpy customers at the front of the line casting evil eyes at Yuzu and Char Char who had bypassed the entire line. Rabbit pointed at them with a paper fan, “Hey, you wanna complain about something? Hey! If you want to protest something you can go to the back of the line!”

She held out a palm sized wooden token with the number 55 carved into it. She held it out to Char Char, since Yuzu was busy putting the change back in her pouch. “Here’s your number. Take a seat inside.”

“Thanks. Is your name really Rabbit?” Char Char couldn’t help but ask.

“No, it’s just everyone’s nickname for me.” She winked. “Cuz I’m lucky.”

“Cuz she has big front teeth.” Yuzu said matter of factly.

“Not anymore!” The girl pouted.

Char Char looked over to Yuzu, “Do you have a nickname too?”

“No.” Yuzu said, turning to walk away.

“We call her Sharky” Rabbit laughed, revealing a smile with two large front teeth as she called out after Yuzu, “She hates it so we only call her that behind her back.”

“Why’s that?” Char Char asked.

“Because she’s a bloodthirsty shark when it comes to bartering. Only the brave can stand against her.” Rabbit grinned, then turned away to prepare another tray of noodles, her voice ringing out as she called the next number.

Char Char’s lips curled up in a small smile as she recalled Yuzu’s earlier comment about fish. She left Rabbit to take care of the next customer as she turned to see where Yuzu had gone. The thin girl was approaching the building at the corner of the intersection, just behind the noodle stand.

The walls at the corner of the building had been removed, and the space had been converted to an eating area with tables and benches. The walls were undecorated and the tile floors were faded and cracked in places. A big sign said “GOLDEN NOODLE CUSTOMERS ONLY” in bold letters, and there was a bus boy with a rag tucked into his belt that was in charge of clearing tables and wiping them. He had metal bin that he tossed bowls and cups into, which he carried into the alley behind the shop where there was another employee out of sight who washed the bowls and utensils.

Since space was at a premium, people sat wherever there was room, sharing tables and sitting beside strangers. It was completely different than what Char Char was used to as she took a seat at the end of the table beside Yuzu, who sat down to her left next to a large man who was busy slurping up his noodles.

“Yuzu! Long time no see!” The bus boy smiled, “What’s your number?”

“Fifty-five.” Char Char said.

The boy nodded and said, “I’ll bring it out when it’s ready.” 

“You’re really famous here!” Char Char exclaimed in a low voice after the boy left to clean another table. “I’m surprised!”

“I guess.” Yuzu shrugged, sighing, “Sometimes when we have items sitting in the shop for too long, or when we buy something unique, it’s easier to sell it to the merchants at the market. Xiang’s been making me come out here for the past few years since he hates the crowds.”

“I see. No wonder you’re so different.” Char Char commented thoughtfully. She caught Yuzu’s inquisitive look and continued, “I was thinking you’re a lot more confident and mature now. Like yesterday, on our hike to the shrine. I thought you’d turned into a completely different person.”

“Is that so...” Yuzu frowned as she rested her hand on her chin, looking out towards the street as she avoided Char Char’s eyes.

The bus boy arrived with a tray, setting it down in front of them. “Here you go, Miss Xing. Oh, Rabbit gave you two ice teas on the house.”

“Thanks, Bing.” Yuzu said, taking one of the bowls off the tray for herself.

“It looks so good!” Char Char said as she pulled the second bowl closer to her. A bowl of white, chewy noodles sat in a rich golden broth. Tender medallions of stewed lamb were arranged in a half arc on top of the noodles. A garnish of torn Fuha Basil provided a splash of colour to the steaming hot dish.

The two girls dug into the noodles without another word as they savoured the silky, flavourful meal. Yuzu ate at an unhurried pace, watching as Char Char devoured the noodles as if she were trying to do her best Xiang impression. She took her eyes off her friend and looked out into the streets, letting her gaze wander.

The streets glistened with an illusory light at the edges of her vision. The golden threads were extremely dense out here. She had tried to activate her spiritual vision several times during their walk, but the effect was like she was walking in a three dimensional tapestry of golden smoke, all interweaved and difficult to follow. She only took a quick glance each time before turning it off.

As she sat, taking in her meal, she experimented with her control over her vision. She first focused only on her own white thread, and found that she was able to tune out a lot of the other threads. Only a few illusory threads retained their brilliance while the others became transparent, clearing up her vision. 

Touching Char Char’s thread lit up a number of other threads in the streets. Touching Bing, the bus boy’s thread, lit up dozens more, but with focus she was able to selectively tune out threads that she didn’t find interesting. Her mind was enraptured by her experiments as she forgot about the noodles in front of her.

As she stared out into the streets, not looking for anything in particular, she caught a glimpse of two black threads floating quietly amidst the golden tapestry at the other end of the street. Her brows knit in concern as she reached out to them.

The image of a figure with a greyish purple vest bubbled up in her mind. His face and body were cast in shadow as he walked through the market. Beside him walked a woman with long hair and a white dress. A pendant on her neck glimmered with a silver aura. Her features were also hidden in shadow. Unlike Yuzu’s previous attempts at connecting to fate threads, this vision was hazy and distorted. 

Her lips tensed as she tried to grasp harder onto the threads to make the vision clearer, but in response to her touch they started to dissolve into smoke that faded into nothing.

“What’s wrong?” Char Char asked, looking out into the street in the direction of Yuzu’s concerned gaze. She didn’t notice anything unusual. Yuzu had just been motionlessly holding onto her chopsticks while looking out into space.

“Nothing.” Yuzu said, still gazing out into the street. 

Char Char frowned, looking between the street and her friend, who clearly was bothered by something. 

Yuzu ignored the glances, letting her friend remain confused. She broadened her focus to the street, bringing thousands of golden threads into view. Once again the myriad glimmering threads overwhelmed her vision. Yuzu resigned herself to the fact that she’d lost the black threads. If they were still in the street, she couldn’t find them.

Her mind went back to the previous night, where the golden threads of the wolves had been covered in a sticky black substance. The figures with the purple vest and white dress thread were different - there was no coating. Rather, they felt like they were inherently black to their core. 

She had a distinct feeling that her action of grasping onto the threads had directly caused a reaction that caused them to fade.

Yuzu lost her appetite as an uneasy feeling grew in her stomach.

~

A few blocks away, just on the outskirts of the market a young man with a purple vest and spiky black hair paused as his spiritual intuition was triggered. He looked over to his partner, who had also stopped in her tracks. She gazed down the busy market street into the distance, trying to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.

“What was that?” He asked. “It felt like something was trying to look at me just now.”

“I don’t know. I felt it too.” She frowned, her hand reaching up to touch the crystalline amulet hanging from her slender neck. “Let’s avoid this road, just in case.”

They made a turn at the next intersection, taking a longer route towards their destination.