Although the guy who lived across the street agreed to Zhang Heng's invitation to eat together, he was still full of vigilance and kept a certain distance from Zhang Heng.
Zhang Heng did not force her. At the very least, the two of them had introduced each other's names and made a simple self-introduction. It was a considerable improvement.
Zhang Heng already knew that the guy next to him was called Fabericotte. He was very young, only 17 years old, and he was traveling in New England. According to him, he mainly wanted to enjoy the natural scenery, visit historical sites, and research his family's genealogy. Initially, he planned to take the train directly from Newburyport to Arkham, but the conductor in Newburyport offered him a more economical travel plan.
Fabericotte, however, did not expect the late bus to Arkham to be canceled. So, he had to spend the night here.
During the conversation, Zhang Heng also learned that Fabericotte had arrived much earlier than him. He took the 10 o 'clock train from Newburyport, and he had been wandering around for half a day. So, he should have collected a lot of information. Perhaps this could explain why he was so flustered and vigilant now.
The unlucky child must have heard or seen something he shouldn't have. But when Zhang Heng asked him about it, he immediately shut his mouth and stopped talking.
Zhang Heng knew that it was because the two had only known each other for a short period of time, and their trust in each other had not reached a certain level yet.
Although Zhang Heng could also sense the gloominess and strangeness of this town, he did not feel too depressed or afraid. On the contrary, Fabericotte, who was next to him, was very disgusted and uneasy. In his words, he did not want to stay here any longer. He wished he could grow a pair of wings and fly away.
The two walked out of the inn.
Although the nearby buildings still looked dirty, they were considered decent considering the state of the town. There were grocery stores, pharmacies, wholesale fish markets, refinery offices, and restaurants. There was even a river in the middle of the town, which formed the center of the town.
However, it was unknown whether it was because it was time to get off work or because they were also preparing for the evening celebration, but most of the shops were closed. Fortunately, the restaurant was still open.
There were two people inside, a man and a woman. The man's face was thin, his back was hunched, and his eyes looked dull. Zhang Heng stared at him for a while and realized that he did not even blink. If the SCP Foundation's Team 173 were to meet him, they would probably be crying in a corner.
On the other side, the woman had a flat nose and was wearing rustic clothes. She was bending over to wipe the table. Although she might be exposed, considering her appearance, probably no man would be willing to take advantage of her.
Zhang Heng noticed that Fabericotte, who was next to him, began to feel uneasy again. Although neither of them had obvious deformities, they were borderline deformities. According to the old man, as they grew older, they were likely to look like old people.
It was obvious that if Fabericotte had a choice, he wouldn't want to walk into this restaurant. But in the end, between starvation and visual pollution, he chose the latter.
He tried not to look at the two people's faces, focusing on the menu on the counter. After discovering that the food was mainly canned food and ham, he was not disappointed. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Obviously, he did not trust the people in the town. Hence, he was quite skeptical about the food they served. A canned ham with biscuits and a bowl of vegetable soup was enough for him.
After that, he stepped aside and asked Zhang Heng, "What do you want to eat?"
"I didn't bring any money, and I'm not very hungry. I'll just watch you eat."
"…"
Fabericotte stood there for a moment, hesitating. In the end, he sighed, "Forget it. Let me treat you."
Zhang Heng did not hesitate and said to the man with the dull eyes, "Just give me the same amount."
After Fabericotte paid, the flat-nosed woman went into the kitchen.
Zhang Heng and Fabericotte found a place far away from the counter and sat down.
After a while, the latter could not help but ask, "You knocked on my door and asked me to come out for dinner, but you didn't bring any money with you?"
Zhang Heng grunted, rubbed his chin, and looked at the restaurant with interest. It was obviously decorated for the celebration in the evening.
Fabericotte frowned, and at the same time, he was unhappy. "… Do you think I'm a fool?"
"I told you that I'm actually not very hungry. You can eat by yourself," Zhang Heng turned his head. "You insisted on treating me."
"I … I was just being polite."
"Then it's not too late to tell the kitchen to cancel my share."
"This is too embarrassing … Wait, you know I won't do that. That's why you said that, right?"
"If you feel embarrassed, I can help you," Zhang Heng said as he stood up.
"Are you bluffing?"
Zhang Heng did not answer. He smiled, turned, and walked to the kitchen.
When he was about to walk to the door, Fabericotte finally said, "Well, let's stop here. It's not much money anyway."
However, Zhang Heng did not stop when he heard what Fabericotte said. Instead, he walked into the kitchen.
At this time, Fabericotte was a little embarrassed. After all, he had been taught since he was a child that people would face difficulties. If he could, he should help them. Besides, as he said, the meal did not cost much anyway. Even for a young man who was struggling to make ends meet, it was not a big deal. So, he stood up from his seat and rushed into the kitchen with Zhang Heng.
The man sitting behind the counter looked at the two of them without saying a word or stopping them.
The hygiene in the kitchen was not as bad as Fabericotte imagined. Although there was still a fishy smell, and the walls were covered with mold, at least there were no rats or cockroaches. Zhang Heng was talking to the woman with the flat nose.
After that, Fabericotte quickly interrupted, "No, no, no … Don't listen to him. Just prepare dinner as before."
However, the flat-nosed woman's reaction was a little slow. She did not seem to understand what Fabericotte was saying, and she looked at Fabericotte in confusion.
So Fabericotte stretched out two fingers. "Two! I want two servings for dinner. "
At this moment, he noticed that Zhang Heng had taken down the chef's knives hanging on the wall. He even took two knives at once, hid them in his clothes, and gestured for Fabericotte to keep quiet.
Fabericotte's eyeballs almost fell out of their sockets. He immediately realized that Zhang Heng did not sneak into the kitchen because he was angry with him, but to steal the knives. Of course, such behavior was not worth advocating. However, Fabericotte hesitated for a while and did not say anything. His heart was beating fast, and he followed Zhang Heng out of the kitchen.
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