Eden had already gone up to greet her.
As soon as Satsuki's words "Mr. Eden" finished falling, he stepped out from the very front of the line of people.
His pace was unhurried, with a smile on his face, as if no matter what this guest was dressed like, it was completely normal.
His gaze lingered on the straw hat whose corner was lifted by the sea breeze, and the smile deepened slightly.
"The wind in this area has been blowing this strong all afternoon, but it will calm down a bit by evening. Your hat should be safe tonight."
Satsuki laughed and pushed her sunglasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"Mr. Eden, I thought you wouldn't be able to come back until tomorrow."
"I arrived this morning."
Eden stopped in front of her, turned slightly sideways, and blocked the wind blowing over from the sea for her.
"I couldn't possibly let you arrive here and not even find someone to show you the way. Was the trip here smooth?"
"Very smooth. I arrived at noon, and seeing that it was still early, I had the driver drive south along the coast for a bit and stayed at a beach for the whole afternoon."
She shook the coconut in her arms.
"I bought this at a small stall by the beach. The boss said it was shipped from Mexico, but I think he's lying to me."
"He's probably lying to you," Eden said earnestly. "That stall has been there since I was a child, and the coconuts have always been sourced from the supermarket."
Satsuki covered her mouth and chuckled softly again.
During the few sentences Eden spoke ahead, the line of people at the entrance had not yet fully recovered their wits.
Ray was the first to snap out of it.
He blinked twice, temporarily casting those forgotten opening lines to the back of his mind, and when he turned his head, he saw Bud still staring blankly at the shirt covered in hibiscus flowers.
Ray gently nudged him with his elbow.
"Bud, pay attention."
Only then did Bud pull back his line of sight and lower his voice:
"Ray, are you sure this is her?"
"Didn't she already call for Thomas just now?"
"I know!" Bud's voice dropped even lower. "But look at her!"
Ray didn't answer.
Of course he had looked. Ever since the back door of that car opened, he had been watching.
Doris beside him raised her hand to cover her mouth, barely swallowing back a chuckle with great difficulty.
The hair she had spent over an hour styling that afternoon had been blown messy on one side by the sea breeze, but she couldn't care less about fixing it.
"At least," she whispered, "we don't have to worry about her finding this place too tacky."
Glenn had remained silent all along.
He stared at the backs of Eden and the girl for a moment, then suddenly leaned closer.
"By the way, shouldn't we say a sentence in Japanese first?"
Bud was stunned for a moment, then nodded immediately.
"Makes sense. They came all the way from Japan, so speaking a bit of their language shows sincerity."
After speaking, several of them looked at each other in dismay.
None of them knew Japanese.
"I heard a phrase in a movie," Glenn frowned and thought for a long time, "Kon... Konnichiwa?"
"What does that mean?"
"Hello, probably."
Doris glanced out at the sea. The sun had already pressed down onto the waterline, dyeing most of the bay a dark orange.
"Glenn, it's evening now."
"So what if it's evening?"
"I remember that phrase is said during the day."
Bud was even more confused: "Is there another way to say it in the evening? How do you say that?"
No one knew.
Ray finally couldn't take it anymore.
"We can just speak English, gentlemen."
He tugged at his cuffs.
"She just finished a meeting with hundreds of Americans in New York."
Bud opened his mouth, wanting to say something else, but Eden was already leading Satsuki walking over in this direction.
The few of them immediately shut their mouths and straightened their postures.
"As you can see, this is Ray Mendoza, the assistant county administrator in charge of economic development."
Starting from Ray, Eden introduced them one by one.
"This is Bud Collins, president of the town chamber of commerce. Doris Harper, the best real estate agent in this area. Glenn Hodges, county supervisor."
Satsuki took off her sunglasses and shook hands with them one by one.
Her hands were small, but her handshake was firm. Every time she heard Eden introduce a name, she would look into that person's eyes and repeat the name.
"Mr. Mendoza."
"Mr. Collins."
When it was Bud's turn, her gaze lingered briefly on his tightly buttoned suit jacket.
"Mr. Collins, it's so hot today, aren't you uncomfortable wearing a jacket?"
Bud was startled, and subconsciously puffed out his belly.
"No, not uncomfortable at all, this is how it should be—"
"But look at how I'm dressed."
Satsuki looked down at her floral shirt and shorts with a troubled expression.
"With you dressed so formally, standing next to you makes me look like your niece that you brought out to play."
Bud froze for two seconds.
Then he burst out laughing, his laughter carrying far across the open space at the entrance of the resort.
"That won't do," he said while laughing, unbuttoning his jacket. "I certainly don't have such a successful niece."
The moment the jacket was taken off, he looked like he let out a huge sigh of relief.
Doris rolled her eyes beside him, but the corners of her mouth also curved upward.
Ray watched this scene and reached into his pocket to touch something.
The card in his pocket contained the welcome speech he had revised until 1:00 AM last night. Starting with "On behalf of San Luis Obispo County," there were seven sentences in total.
He pushed the card deeper into his pocket.
It probably wouldn't be needed anymore.
...
The few of them stood around and made small talk for a while longer.
Mostly Satsuki was asking questions, asking if this bay was always this warm at this time of year, asking where people in town went on weekends, and asking how long it took to drive from here to San Francisco on Highway 101.
The questions were all very casual, like a tourist who had just arrived in a new place.
Ray answered while waiting for a suitable gap.
Waiting until Satsuki turned her head to look at the row of palm trees on both sides of the resort's entrance, he spoke up:
"Miss Saionji, we have prepared dinner at the resort's seaside restaurant to welcome you."
"I wouldn't dare say the chefs here can compare to those restaurants you usually go to. However, there is one thing I can guarantee."
Satsuki turned her head back, a hint of curiosity showing in her eyes.
"Oh?"
"Tonight's ingredients are extremely fresh. The fish was just delivered from the port this afternoon, and most of the other items come from nearby farms."
"Then I'll really have to look forward to it."
Only then did she look down at the coconut in her arms, though nothing could be sucked out of the straw anymore.
Then she turned around and handed it to the young woman who had been standing slightly behind her to the side.
"Chizuru, I'll leave this to you."
The woman took the coconut with both hands and conveniently collected the sunglasses she had taken off as well.
Eden was preparing to lead the way ahead.
Just as Ray was about to follow, his footsteps slowed by half a beat.
Those people in dark casual clothes who came with Satsuki were somehow no longer by the car.
Two of them had already stepped into the resort's lobby ahead of time, heading in the direction of the restaurant.
One was left at the entrance, leaning against a pillar, looking like he was waiting for someone, but his eyes kept landing on the parking lot entrance.
Another was talking to the resort's front desk manager, who nodded while listening and frantically took notes in a notebook with a pen.
No one wore uniforms, and no one carried anything conspicuous.
But Ray had worked in the county for over a decade, and when the president inspected central California, he had also helped arrange the perimeter. He could tell that every single movement of these people had been assigned beforehand.
Only then did he remember something.
A few months ago, a piece of news was published in the corner of the international section of the newspaper.
An armed attack against the heir to the Saionji Group had occurred in Japan, resulting in deaths. That day when he flipped through the news in his office, he only glanced at the headline and flipped past it.
Back then, the name Saionji was simply too far away from him.
He glanced again at the young girl walking ahead.
Being attacked at such a young age... It's not easy being a big shot either...
The young girl didn't know she was being pitied again; she was tilting her head to talk to Doris, pointing her finger at the darkening light over the sea.
"Is the sunset here this beautiful every day?"
"Not every day," Doris thought for a moment and said honestly. "Spring and summer have a lot of fog, and often you can't see anything. September and October are the best times."
"You're very lucky."
She paused, then added:
"Though when I sell houses, I tell the buyers it's every day."
Satsuki laughed out loud.
Ray withdrew his gaze and followed along.
...
The location of the seaside restaurant was indeed very good.
The entire terrace extended above the beach, with low wooden railings on three sides, and right outside the railings was the bay.
By the time they arrived, the sun had already half-sunk.
The remaining half dyed the entire sea surface a dark copper color. In the direction of the distant port, a few late-returning fishing boats were slowly heading back, their hulls reduced to mere black silhouettes in the light.
The lights inside the restaurant were already on, and a warm yellow glow seeped out through the glass doors, falling onto the tablecloths of the terrace.
A corner of the terrace was shielded from the wind by several tall potted plants. Sitting inside, one could only hear the sound of the waves, and hair would no longer be blown messy.
The first thing Doris did upon sitting down was to gather back her messed-up hair on her side.
Satsuki sat on the seaside side of the long table, facing the sunset.
The woman named Chizuru sat beside her. The tableware in front of her was set just like everyone else's, but she barely touched it, glancing toward the entrance of the terrace every now and then.
At the entrance stood one of the two men who had entered earlier, while the other guarded the edge of the steps leading from the terrace to the beach.
A waiter came over with a pitcher of ice water, filled everyone's cups one by one, and placed a small menu card in front of each person.
When walking to the entrance, he subconsciously slowed down his pace, turned sideways, and squeezed past that person.
Ray watched and almost laughed out loud. That kid was the son of the town's hardware store owner, working here for the summer vacation, usually running faster than anyone else on the terrace while carrying a tray.
But as he laughed, he himself cast another glance toward the entrance.
The meals he had eaten in the county were not a few.
The Chamber of Commerce annual meeting, the Rotary Club luncheon, the campaign fundraising dinner—someone always organized every single one of them, but never once had there been someone specifically guarding the door and behind him.
He picked up the ice water and took a sip, feeling a bit of novelty in his heart.
It felt like walking into some movie, sitting in a private room with bodyguards standing outside the door, having a meal with some big shot—
Oh, there actually sat one right at this table.
Ray put down his cup and looked across the long table.
That big shot was holding the menu card, reading down line by line, and whenever she saw a dish, she would raise her head and look toward the kitchen direction.
Not long after, the waiter came out carrying the first dish.
The first dish was oysters.
The waiter said they were delivered from Morro Bay in the north, freshly shucked this afternoon. (Morro Bay also has a name called Coronado Bay www)
Half of Ray's attention had always been on Satsuki.
He was in charge of today's reception, and every time a dish was served, he would unconsciously look at her expression.
Satsuki picked up an oyster, squeezed a few drops of lemon on it, tilted her head back, and ate it.
Then she narrowed her eyes, nodded with satisfaction, and quickly picked up a second one.
Ray quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Next was a grilled fish dish. Satsuki ate a few bites, put down her fork, and asked: "What kind of fish is this?"
"This is rockfish."
Hearing this, Ray immediately put down the knife and fork in his hand, turned his body slightly.
"One of the most common kinds on this coast."
"The fishing boats in the port go out to sea every morning and return in the afternoon. The restaurants around here basically get their supplies from there."
"And the side dishes?"
"The side dishes..."
Ray glanced at the roasted asparagus and baby potatoes on the plate, and for a moment couldn't quite answer.
"Oh, the side dishes come from a farm to the south," Doris took over the conversation, "It can be reached in twenty minutes by driving from here."
"The boss's wife of that place is my high school classmate, and her family's potatoes win awards at the county fair every year."
"Is that so? It seems I'll have to eat a few more then."
Satsuki forked up another baby potato.
She looked very focused when eating, and if she encountered something she liked, she would eat a couple more bites.
Occasionally, if she only touched a dish once, she wouldn't say much either, just pushed the plate a bit to the side and continued chatting with the people around her.
When the main course was served, Ray specifically introduced it.
"This is the specialty of this county. Santa Maria-style grilled tri-tip steak, grilled with local red oak."
On the plate were three extremely thinly sliced pieces of beef, arranged in a fan shape, drizzled with a ring of dark red sauce, and garnished with a few tender shoots on the side.
Satsuki cut a small piece to taste and nodded.
"Santa Maria, is it a nearby place?"
"A little more than half an hour's drive south, a small town in a valley," Ray said.
"Do people over there usually eat it this way too?"
Ray paused for a moment.
In the afternoon when he came to the restaurant to confirm the menu, he specifically instructed the head chef that the main course must be made to look decent.
He glanced at Bud. When it came to the food and customs of this area, no one at the table knew better than this Chamber of Commerce president.
Bud put down his knife and fork, thought for a moment before speaking.
"The head chef's preparation today is much more refined, Miss Saionji. The way we usually eat it in our town is a bit simpler."
"Simpler meaning?"
"It's grilled outdoors. Using a large iron rack with burning red oak underneath, grilling for an entire afternoon."
"When cutting, it's sliced thick, served with a spoonful of beans, a spoonful of fresh salsa, and a piece of garlic bread."
When he said this, there was a bit more pride in his tone.
"Every weekend, the church, the Lions Club, the high school football team—they all set up racks in the parking lot to sell it. A few dollars a plate, and the money made is used to do things for the town."
"The roof of the town's elementary school was repaired this way," Doris added from the side, "They sold it for two summers."
"And the fire department's water tanker," Glenn said, "When I first ran for county supervisor, I also helped sell tri-tip steaks in the church parking lot, which was how I got to know everyone in town."
Satsuki listened very attentively.
"It sounds like eating it that way would be even tastier."
She turned to Ray with a slightly consultative tone in her voice.
"If it's convenient for the kitchen, could I try that kind?"
"I'll go ask."
Ray raised his hand to summon the waiter and gave a few low instructions.
After a while, the head chef wearing a white chef's uniform personally came out carrying a large plate.
He explained that the dinner the back kitchen made for the staff happened to be just this, but the appearance wasn't very good, and he hoped the guests wouldn't mind.
Several thick, large pieces of beef with edges grilled somewhat charred. Next to it was a large bowl of pinkish-brown small beans, a bowl of red-and-green salsa, and a basket of sliced garlic bread.
"Thank you."
Satsuki took the plate.
"I also liked that previous dish very much. Sorry for the trouble of making it twice."
The head chef was stunned for a moment, the restraint on his face loosened a lot, and he bowed slightly before returning to the kitchen.
Following the way Bud had just described, Satsuki picked up a piece of beef, scooped a spoonful of salsa to cover it, and added a spoonful of beans on the edge of the plate.
She took a bite of the beef first, and then scooped another spoonful of beans.
"What are these beans?"
"Pinquito beans," Bud replied, "They can only be grown around the Santa Maria Valley. People elsewhere have taken the seeds back to plant them, but when they grow up, they don't taste like this."
"Only here?"
"Only here."
Satsuki nodded and moved that bowl of beans a little closer to herself.
Bud didn't say anything, but the corners of his mouth couldn't be pressed down no matter what.
Ray watched Satsuki scoop up another spoonful of beans, but felt a bit unsure in his heart.
Did she genuinely like this, or did she notice that smug look of Bud when he talked about these things, and deliberately ate a few extra bites?
When the head chef came out earlier, she had even specifically thanked him and said it was hard work making it twice. But among the previous dishes, there were also ones that she only touched once and pushed aside.
He didn't know.
Logically speaking, a person like her didn't need to care about the moods of a table of small county officials and town businessmen.
Perhaps that was just how her family always taught her; one could only say she truly lived up to being an Eldest Miss from an aristocratic family.
Regardless of whether the person sitting opposite was a big shot from Wall Street or a waiter carrying plates, she was probably always this polite.
But whichever it was, her willingness to be this easygoing was ultimately a good thing for those of them sitting at this table.