Chapter Fifty-Two: Fans Restaurant

“Surprise?” Luo Chen chuckled softly, not pressing for more details. Since the waiter was determined to keep it a secret, he might as well wait patiently—judging by the atmosphere, perhaps there really would be a surprise tonight.

After consulting Dai Xinhua’s preferences, Luo Chen ordered a few dishes at random and settled in with anticipation. Unfortunately, though the restaurant staff hoped to build suspense among the guests, the lively conversations nearby quickly gave everything away to anyone paying a little attention.

“I heard the boss’s special guest tonight is the Pure-hearted Little Angel. Is that really true?” Not far away, several young men and women were gathered together, speaking loudly enough that even Luo Chen and Dai Xinhua at the neighboring table could hear every word.

“Of course. When has the boss ever failed at inviting someone?”

“Exactly! Last time, even Huang Ying from the Stardust platform showed up. Who would refuse the boss’s invitation?”

“Huang Ying? You mean that streamer with millions of followers, the top star of the Stardust platform?” A young woman, probably in her early twenties, sounded astonished at her companion’s answer.

“Don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s modest appearance. The boss here is quite something. If he says he’ll get someone to come, you can be sure they’ll show up.” One of the young men patted his chest, confident in the boss’s ability, his companions’ surprised looks only boosting his pride.

He had absolute faith in the boss here; the man had never let anyone down.

Stardust platform? Little Angel?

Sitting in his seat, Luo Chen listened for a moment, his expression growing strange. Weren’t they talking about him? Could it be the boss knew he would come tonight?

Impossible.

He’d only come to this restaurant on a whim. The owner couldn’t possibly recognize him, let alone know he’d be here tonight.

Besides, he hadn’t received any invitations lately—no texts, no calls. These fans were likely to be disappointed.

“Luo Chen, you seem a bit down. Don’t you like tonight’s special guest?” Dai Xinhua had overheard some of the conversation and, guessing the gist of it, turned to look at Luo Chen, noticing his odd expression.

Luo Chen snapped back to himself, realizing not only Dai Xinhua but the group of young people at the next table were all glancing his way. He quickly explained, “It’s not that. I just heard that the Pure-hearted Little Angel is supposed to be very mysterious, never revealing any personal information. Is the boss really capable of inviting them here tonight?”

He, better than anyone, knew there was no chance of that. The fans would only be disappointed.

“Don’t worry, trust me. If I say they’ll come, they’ll come.” The confident young man seemed to know some inside information. The boss had connections within the Stardust platform and was generous, well-liked by many famous streamers. As a result, the place had become an unofficial, offline fan meeting spot.

Faced with the young man’s certainty, Luo Chen opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it and fell silent.

“Little Angel?” Dai Xinhua found the nickname familiar but couldn’t quite recall which streamer it belonged to. “Isn’t that the same as Sister Yanhe’s nickname?”

“Actually, that’s also the Monstrous King,” Luo Chen replied, seeing her confusion. He watched as the girl suddenly understood and sighed deeply. It seemed many people only remembered that title.

Who knew when he’d finally shake off that moniker.

“You guys must not come here often if you don’t even know that. And you shouldn’t call them the Monstrous King anymore. If you run into any rabid fans, you’ll be in trouble,” the young man said with exaggerated concern.

“Is this restaurant specifically for Stardust platform fans, then?” Luo Chen noticed the guests all seemed to know one another, their conversations revolving around well-known streamers. Judging by how at ease they were, they must be regulars.

“No, no. This place is owned by a wealthy fan. Originally, it was just a spot for meetups, but as word spread, more and more people found out about it. Eventually, it became a gathering place for Stardust platform fans. The boss started inviting famous streamers to make appearances, and what would’ve been a failing restaurant became a bustling hotspot,” the young man explained, evidently familiar with the establishment’s history.

“Then what’s with the big television in the dining hall?” Now that he understood a bit about the restaurant’s unique nature, Luo Chen shifted the topic. The prominent TV couldn’t just be for show.

“Oh, that? The boss put it there on purpose—it’s one of the restaurant’s special features. Guess what they play on it?”

“Let me guess—it’s videos from the Stardust platform?” Dai Xinhua thought for a moment. If it was something distinctive and Stardust-related, that seemed the only possibility.

“Well, you got it right. A lot of guests say watching videos alone at home, even with live comments, still feels lonely. But here, it’s different. Most people are fans of the same streamers, so everyone lets loose—sometimes the more enthusiastic fans even cheer and shout right there in the restaurant.”

“But that only happens on special occasions. Usually, the TV is off. I’ve never witnessed the madness myself—those fans are really something.” The young man recounted this with a touch of amusement, having never joined in the more frenzied gatherings.

Just as he was about to continue, the restaurant’s main doors were flung open. A man in his thirties hurried in, an apologetic look on his face, and strode to the center of the hall.

“I’m sorry, everyone. I’m afraid I’ve let you down this time. I asked everyone I could, but I simply couldn’t find any way to contact the Pure-hearted Little Angel. I’m afraid you’ll have to be disappointed tonight.”

“No way, not even you could get in touch?”

“Could it be they just refused to come?”

“Yeah, what do you mean you couldn’t reach them? That’s just putting on airs!”

“Nonsense! My Little Angel would never act like that!”

The restaurant, already lively, erupted into chaos. Many fans, visibly agitated, were just short of outright cursing. They’d anticipated this for a week, waited so long, and now it all seemed like a tease.

Special thanks to book friend Gourmet Youyouzi and the Author’s Team for the 200-point reward, as well as to book friends Bunny Paper and Moonless Day for the 100-point reward. Flowers to you all!