BFILWY CH 2

Chapter 2: Welcome to “No Light” Restaurant

Six years later.
The “No Light” restaurant kitchen.

Ding ling ling.

“Welcome to the world of No Light,” Brian said as he heard the front desk bell ring, signaling that guests were entering the dining area. He tugged on the hem of his vest, smoothing out his uniform to ensure it looked neat, and stepped out from behind the curtain to greet them. Tilting his head slightly, he listened carefully and identified two distinct sets of footsteps approaching him. The sounds stopped directly in front of him.

“Hello, I’m Brian, and I’ll be your server for this evening,” the blind waiter said, flashing a warm smile and cheerfully delivering the welcome speech.

“No Light” was a blind dining restaurant. He Zhifan had heard about it from other members of his team. Intrigued by the concept, and having heard that the food was delicious, he brought Ye Qinghe along to experience it.

Following instructions, He Zhifan rested his right hand on Brian’s left shoulder. When he sensed no movement behind him, he turned to glance at Ye Qinghe and shot him a meaningful look. What are you spacing out for? Put your hand up already! Only then did Ye Qinghe snap out of his impolite staring at the waiter.

Seeing He Zhi Fan rest his palm on Brian’s shoulder, Ye Qinghe initially intended to do the same. However, he noticed that He Zhi Fan was roughly the same height as him, making the shoulder-resting posture a little awkward. So, he changed tactics and lightly hooked his arm through He Zhifan’s left arm instead. The two of them followed Brian, who guided them into the dining area behind the curtain.

The velvet curtain at the entrance of the dining area consisted of two layers. When guests entered the first red curtain, the waiter would have them pause for a moment. Only after confirming that the first curtain was securely closed would they pull open the second black curtain. This ensured that no external light seeped into the dining area, preserving the immersive experience for the diners.

No light. Absolute darkness. No matter how many times one blinked, it was impossible to adjust to the pitch-black surroundings. Guests cautiously attuned themselves to the flow of air, the aroma of food, the faint scent of women’s perfume, and even lingering traces of tobacco.

The dining area wasn’t noisy. Perhaps because of the darkness, every little sound seemed amplified, prompting diners to lower their voices intentionally. The space was filled with soft whispers and the faint clinking of utensils and plates. Gentle and unobtrusive, the sounds merged into a soothing backdrop.

He Zhifan tilted his head curiously, his ears perked up like radar antennas, trying to gather feedback from his other senses beyond sight. While the guests seemed nervous, Brian remained calm and composed. With practiced ease, he guided the guests to their seats. The two people following him moved carefully, cautiously aligning their movements with the person ahead to avoid bumping into anything.

Brian said, “Here are your dining seats. The tables and chairs are fixed to the floor. Please take a seat by aligning yourself with the chairs.” This arrangement was made to prevent guests from accidentally moving the furniture and injuring themselves in the dark.

Both He Zhifan and Ye Qinghe groped around for the chair backs and smoothly sat down.

Once they were seated, Brian began reading out the menu.

The menu at the “No Light” restaurant was simple, offering vegetarian, chicken, pork, beef, and seafood set meals. The side dishes were the same for all sets, with the only difference being the main dish. After Ye Qinghe and He Zhifan ordered their meals, Brian stepped away to prepare their food. Before leaving, he informed them that there was a water pitcher and cups on the table, which they could use to pour themselves a drink.

In the pitch-black darkness, He Zhifan managed to find a bottle. He carefully sniffed it first, ensuring it wasn’t a flower vase, and confirmed it was the lemon-mint water Brian had mentioned. Only then did he attempt to pour some water.

This simple act of pouring water turned out to be quite a challenge. Unable to see anything, He Zhifan fumbled for quite a while before finally locating his cup. But the real struggle began once he started pouring. Although he was cautious about the water level, his estimation was slightly off. The water overflowed, and he let out a small exclamation as he spilled more, accidentally soaking his pants in the process.

Ye Qinghe, unsure of what He Zhifan was doing, asked nervously, “What’s going on?”

When Brian returned to their table, it seemed he had deliberately left earlier to give them a firsthand experience of how even the smallest, most mundane tasks could be significantly more challenging for visually impaired individuals. Of course, with proper guidance and training, most of these difficulties could be overcome.

Taking the bottle from He Zhifan’s hand, Brian gently explained how he usually pours water for himself. He encouraged the guests to focus on the sound of water filling the cup, describing how the “bloop bloop” sound rises in pitch as the cup fills, eventually stopping when it’s full. Brian said, “Some people are less sensitive to sounds and can’t tell when the cup is full. In that case, they stick a finger into the cup to feel the water level. Once the water touches their finger, they know it’s enough.” He paused, chuckled, and added, “Of course, I wouldn’t use that method to pour water for you. That would be far from hygienic!” He laughed heartily.

He Zhifan laughed along and said, “Let me give it another try. Ye Qinghe, I’ll pour water for you.” He spoke toward the general direction of Ye Qinghe’s voice and waved his hand in the air. Based on He Zhifan’s voice, Ye Qinghe handed him his cup.

This time, He Zhifan carefully aligned the bottle with the rim of the cup and tilted it slowly. Listening closely, he stopped pouring just as the sound Brian had described reached the right pitch. The water level stopped precisely at the eight-tenths mark.

“Hah, if someone without a good ear for pitch wants to drink hot water, I’m sure they’ll end up burning a few fingers in the process,” He Zhifan joked, shaking his head with a smile.

Ye Qinghe accepted the cup from He Zhifan in the dark and quipped, “You’re a cellist^[1]—your sense of pitch is bound to be good. You didn’t pour me finger-boiled water, did you?”

“I did. Drink up!” He Zhifan teased.

“Tch.” Ye Qinghe clicked his tongue, knowing He Zhifan was teasing him. He took a sip from the cup anyway.

Brian stood nearby, smiling as he waited. Once he confirmed that the guests had successfully poured and drank their water, he began explaining the arrangement of utensils on the table. He described the placement of the salt and pepper shakers, distinguishing them by their shapes—square for salt and round for pepper. Following Brian’s instructions, both guests felt around for their utensils, familiarizing themselves with the setup.

Then, the meal service began.

(To be continued…)