"Gecko," He Xi Qian Yu replied crisply, "We just met him."
"You and Gecko are friends?" Ayato narrowed his eyes, his gaze scrutinizing He Xi Qian Yu.
This man in front of him, apart from being excessively strong, looked completely normal. Ayato simply couldn't associate him with a madman like Gecko, who enjoyed torturing people.
Gecko was infamous in Bronze Tree; besides the perverted cross-dresser Nico who was willing to follow him, he only had one subordinate locked up in Kukulia.
"Why would I lie to you?" He Xi Qian Yu's lips curved into a meaningful smile. "Gecko and I, our friendship is one forged through life-and-death situations."
The suspicion in Ayato's eyes did not lessen in the slightest. Gecko's violent nature was true, but he was fiercely loyal to the organization, and he always completed Tatara's assigned tasks perfectly.
"Don't believe me? Ask them." He Xi Qian Yu casually gestured towards the corner where Shuichi Banjou and the others were huddled. The few men shivered violently, nodding their heads frantically like chickens pecking rice, their eyes fearfully darting towards He Xi Qian Yu.
Ayato frowned, half-believing, half-doubting.
Could that guy Gecko have betrayed the organization?
This thought sent a chill down his spine; he had to go back and tell Tatara immediately.
"It's getting late," He Xi Qian Yu's voice sounded at the right moment, cutting off his thoughts. "Eat first before you go."
Ayato initially wanted to refuse, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the silent Dong Xiang beside him. After a brief struggle, he scoffed and stopped walking.
He was just hungry, that's all, and he definitely didn't want to spend more time with this idiotic older sister.
He emphasized in his mind.
Seeing this, He Xi Qian Yu shook his head silently.
—Such a tsundere.
He turned and walked towards the kitchen. The hall instantly fell into a subtle silence, with only a few suppressed breaths audible. Ayato and Dong Xiang stood a few steps apart, looking at each other with identical awkwardness and discomfort.
"He can cook?" Ayato asked stiffly.
"...I don't know." Dong Xiang's voice was equally dry.
The air solidified again.
Kaneki Ken was at a loss, looking at the seemingly frozen siblings. He quietly picked up a broom and began to clear the broken glass shards from the floor.
Shuichi Banjou also wisely led his three subordinates, carefully helping to clean up the mess.
...
When He Xi Qian Yu returned to the hall carrying several plates of steaming meat, he found the siblings at loggerheads, almost on the verge of fighting.
"Dad died to protect us! Don't you understand?!" Dong Xiang's voice was filled with suppressed anger.
"You're the one who doesn't understand!" Ayato retorted, his neck stiff and his eyes sharp. "It's all because of his cowardice..."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Ayato's sharp eyes caught sight of He Xi Qian Yu, who was holding up his phone, pointing it at them.
"Recording," He Xi Qian Yu shook his phone, answering with utmost candor. "It's a wonderful segment; I'll let Kirishima Arata listen to it later."
"What are you kidding?! Dad is already..." Ayato's voice abruptly stopped.
He sharply turned to He Xi Qian Yu, his pupils rapidly contracting from the immense shock, his voice trembling in a way he himself didn't notice.
"What he said... is it true?" He looked at Dong Xiang almost pleadingly.
Dong Xiang pressed her lips together, meeting his shocked yet slightly hopeful gaze, and nodded affirmatively.
This silent confirmation was like a heavy hammer striking Ayato's heart. He staggered back half a step, barely steadying himself by holding onto the back of a chair, his mind a blank.
He Xi Qian Yu seemed not to notice Ayato's state, placing the plates one by one on the table: "Eat while it's hot."
Ayato sat down dejectedly, mechanically picked up his knife and fork, and stared blankly at the fragrant meat in front of him. After several seconds, he noticed that He Xi Qian Yu had not taken a seat.
"Why aren't you eating?" He frowned deeply, putting down the knife and fork he had just picked up, his eyes mixed with vigilance. "You... you didn't poison the dinner, did you?"
"I've eaten," He Xi Qian Yu leaned against the bar, his tone flat. "I'm not hungry yet."
The chaotic thoughts in Ayato's mind left him no room for anything else; his father's life and death weighed on his heart like a huge rock.
The aroma of the food wafted into his nostrils, and an empty feeling came from his stomach. He urgently needed to do something to divert his almost exploding emotions, even if it was just mechanically eating.
He picked up his knife and fork again, numbly cut a large piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed vigorously.
Unexpectedly, an extremely rich meaty flavor instantly exploded in his mouth. The meat was tender and juicy, and the simple seasoning brought out the deliciousness of human flesh to its fullest for a Ghoul.
This taste instantly soothed his nerves, which were taut from emotional fluctuations.
Ayato's chewing movements unconsciously slowed down, his previously tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxed, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He subconsciously cut another piece and savored it carefully.
"Mmm..." A very faint sigh escaped his throat uncontrollably, only to be forcefully suppressed by him. He somewhat awkwardly tried to cover up his lapse, but his eyes could not move away from the tempting meat on the plate.
Dong Xiang watched her brother's reaction, first with confusion, then she herself cut a small piece to taste. Her eyes also brightened slightly, clearly also impressed by the taste.
Kaneki Ken, however, was not surprised by this, merely silently speeding up his eating.
Shuichi Banjou and the others, seeing that Ayato seemed very satisfied, cautiously picked up their knives and forks and began to eat in small bites.
He Xi Qian Yu took in everyone's reactions, a barely perceptible curve on his lips.
"How does it taste?" he asked casually, his gaze falling on Ayato.
Ayato's movements paused, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the delicious food in his mouth. He tried to maintain his usual aloofness, but his slightly bright eyes and the unconscious licking of his lips betrayed him.
"...It's alright." He stiffly squeezed out two words, then lowered his head and cut another large piece of meat, his movements much faster than before.
The questions about his father, Kirishima Arata, still weighed heavily on his heart.
Dong Xiang watched her brother eat, then looked at He Xi Qian Yu, and finally her gaze returned to the plate in front of her. She ate in small bites, the delicious food seemingly temporarily easing her tense emotions.
Only the faint clinking of cutlery and chewing sounds remained in the hall; the previously tense atmosphere was replaced by a strange silence.
...
After the meal, Kaneki Ken, seeing that the atmosphere was off, quickly made an excuse and returned to his room.
The brief calm was broken. Ayato abruptly pushed his chair back and stood up, the metal chair legs scraping harshly against the floor.
He walked directly to He Xi Qian Yu, who was leaning against the bar, his deep red Kagugan faintly visible, his voice low:
"What do you need me to do?"
He Xi Qian Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, putting down the empty glass he was toying with. The bottom of the glass made a crisp clinking sound on the counter.
"I thought your first question would be 'source of the information' or 'where's the proof'..." He leaned forward.