Starting from the Collapse World, I became the behind-the-scenes boss

Of course, white lies are an exception.

As for which lies are well-intentioned... Shihen has his own flexible standards.

Dusk has passed, and the night lights are just beginning to illuminate the night.

Although Sicily was still sweltering, the rest of the Northern Hemisphere was gradually entering autumn, and darkness quickly enveloped the world after sunset.

"Let me tell you, the one thing you absolutely can't miss when you come to Sicily is seafood pasta."

Walking along the brightly lit streets, Kiana enthusiastically introduced Sicilian cuisine to Shihen, looking every bit the Sicilian expert.

"Ah."

Shihen glanced at the girl beside him and nodded.

He certainly knew about seafood pasta; Raven had taken him there on his first day in Sicily—it was a restaurant that looked quite luxurious.

He didn't ask how much it cost, but Shihen remembered that Raven's fingers were trembling when he paid the bill that night.

However, the seafood noodles at that restaurant were indeed delicious.

Compared to top mercenaries like Raven and super-rich women, Kiana, still a homeless girl, could hardly recommend a high-end place, but her enthusiasm was in no way inferior.

The streetlights shone on the girl's flushed face, a blush born of excitement, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene that left Shihen momentarily stunned.

Later, whatever Kiana treats him to eat, I'll give it a five-star review.

Shihen thought to himself.

Wandering through the city streets, the two soon arrived at their destination.

This is a small shop facing the street, so small that there is no space inside to put a table. A few sets of folding tables and chairs are casually placed on the open ground outside the shop.

"Don't let the small size of this shop fool you, they use only the freshest ingredients of the day."

Fearing that Shihen would find it offensive, Kiana quickly explained.

"It smells delicious. I can't wait to try this food that Kiana praises so highly."

Shihen said, a smile appearing on his face.

It was lunchtime, and several diners were already seated inside. Just by looking at how much they enjoyed their food, you could tell that this restaurant must be pretty good.

"Haha~ Little Kiana finally brought her boyfriend! Let's find a place to sit down."

The shop owner, busy at the boiler, smiled and said, seemingly already acquainted with Kiana.

"We're just ordinary friends!" Kiana quickly corrected herself, turning to Shihen to explain, "Luke just likes to joke around, don't mind him."

"It's obvious that you two have a good relationship."

Shihen glanced at the overweight, bearded shop owner, then at the white-haired girl in front of him who was blushing but still trying to remain calm, and couldn't help but find it a bit amusing.

"I... I only helped Luke with some small favors."

Kiana blushed even more when she noticed the increasingly intense gaze from the boy in front of her.

"That's it."

Shihen nodded.

Although he didn't think the "small favor" the girl mentioned was really just a small favor, he didn't want to pry too deeply.

It was just a chance encounter; he didn't plan to have much contact with Kiana right now.

Who knows, some national father-in-law might be hiding in some corner, secretly watching.

Seeing that the boy didn't ask any further questions, Kiana breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the bearded shop owner: "Luke, two classic seafood pasta dishes will do."

After ordering, the girl turned her attention back to the restaurant and explained, "I've had seafood noodles at this place several times. The classic flavor is the best and is also suitable for first-timers."

Finally, Kiana asked, "By the way, is there anything you don't eat?"

Shihen shook his head.

He has a high tolerance for food.

The restaurant serves food very quickly; in just a few words of conversation, two servings of seafood pasta were ready.

"It's rare to see Kiana bring friends, buddy, you'd better seize this opportunity!"

He personally served the food to the two of them, his face full of a simple and honest smile, his big beard twitching with a rather cute manner.

"Rook!"

Kiana was instantly furious, clenching her small fists tightly, as if she was about to knock the meddlesome bearded man flying at any moment.

"Haha..." Luke involuntarily took a step back, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. "Please enjoy your meal, gentlemen..."

After saying that, Luke disappeared from their sight with a speed that was completely out of proportion to his overweight figure.

"The people of Sicily are so warm and welcoming."

Looking at the girl's adorable, blushing face, Shihen sighed.

“Yes, yes…”

Kiana looked down at the pasta in front of her, which was twice the size of everyone else's and topped with seafood, and her expression became somewhat conflicted.

The special treatment given by Luke was indeed to the girl's liking, but after all, it was her first time having dinner with Shihen. Would revealing her appetite like this scare him?

Or, how about we just eat half?

No, no, no, wasting food is shameful, and it will make Luke sad...

Kiana's mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Ignoring the girl's reserve, Shihen began to enjoy his dinner.

Similar to Kiana's, his plate was also filled with an exceptionally generous amount of seafood, making it look very appetizing.

Pick up a lobster with a knife and fork, and take a bite to enjoy the rich, meaty flavor.

This little shop may not look very conspicuous, but the ingredients are indeed as fresh as Kiana said, and the combination of various flavors is truly amazing.

Moreover, free food always tastes especially delicious.

Sure enough, Kiana is quite trustworthy when it comes to food, as long as the other person doesn't go into the kitchen.

Inspired by the boy's earnest enjoyment of the food, Kiana gradually let go of her hesitation and began to feast.

We can talk about other things later; the most important thing right now is to fill our stomachs.

"Hiccup~"

When the girl realized what was happening, her plate, which was larger than the others', had been completely emptied, and next to it lay a pile of shellfish.

"It's so delicious, I almost want to swallow the plate whole."

After chewing the last noodle carefully and swallowing it, Shihen said with a smile.

"I'll go pay the bill!"

Kiana blushed at the boy's gaze and quickly made an excuse to escape, without even wiping the grease from her mouth.

She still felt embarrassed even though she had only known the boy for a few hours.

This white fluffy ball is quite cute.

Shihen's smile deepened.

While wiping his mouth with a tissue, Shihen watched with great interest as Kiana and Luke argued about the bill.

Luke quoted the price for two servings of seafood noodles, but Kiana insisted that her serving was equivalent to two and wanted to pay for three servings.

Ultimately, the battle ended with Kiana paying for three bowls of noodles, and Luke forcing her to promise to come back again with the Time Mark.

"Boss Luke is a good man."

Shihen handed Kiana a tissue as she returned, and sighed with a smile.

Birds of a feather flock together, and it is truly a delightful thing that the kind-hearted girl is being treated gently by the world.

"He's just a smelly old man!"

Kiana's expression was fierce.

Even though she and Shi Hen were just ordinary friends, she insisted on making decisions on her own, even though this boy from the distant land of China was indeed very handsome...

As she thought about it, Kiana couldn't help but steal a glance at the boy, and her cheeks immediately flushed red.

Faced with the girl's complaints, Shihen just smiled and said, "Let's go, let's walk around some more, just to digest our food."

He wouldn't do something so despicable as to take advantage of someone and then leave immediately.

But they hadn't gone far from the shop when several casually dressed, thuggish-looking young men blocked their way:

"Hey, girl..."

Chapter Eight is like something out of a fairy tale.

"Hey little girl, how about coming to play with your brothers?"

I'm coming!

Here comes the most classic routine!

Looking at the group of young men in front of him who, no matter how you looked at them, seemed like a bunch of lackeys, Shi Hen felt a surge of excitement.

If we're talking about what Sicily is most famous for, the Mafia is definitely at the top of the list.

Although the Sicilian Mafia now mostly hides in various industries and rarely appears in public, they still exist and still dominate all aspects of Sicily.

As the protagonist, how could you come to Sicily without going toe-to-toe with the Mafia?

Even if these small fry aren't necessarily members of the Mafia, the common trope in most stories is "the old guard comes after the small fry," and he always manages to run into the real Sicilian Mafia.

Boom!

While Shihen was still daydreaming, Kiana rushed up and punched the youths twice, knocking them to the ground.

Clapping her hands with a look of lingering satisfaction, Kiana turned to the boy and explained, "Hey, that's just how it is in Sicily. Are you alright?"

Looking at the group of people piled up like a human pyramid in the corner, and then at the girl's concerned expression, Shihen fell silent.

So, these days, you can't even be a good thug without some skills.

"Miss Kiana's charm is truly powerful."

After holding it in for a long time, Shihen could only sigh helplessly.

It must be mentioned that although Kiana, at fourteen, had not yet fully matured, she was already a stunning beauty.

Her rare long, silvery-white hair, in particular, added to her ethereal beauty.

If she were to change into a gorgeous dress, she might be mistaken for a fairy who had escaped from some hidden paradise.

Of course, the premise is that you don't speak.

"Hehe~"

Upon hearing the boy's words, Kiana immediately burst into a happy, silly grin.

The ethereal quality has completely vanished.

"Want some fruit?" Shihen asked the girl, his gaze catching sight of the street vendors. "It's on me."

Although the seafood noodles they had just eaten were quite a generous portion, that didn't stop the two of them from having some fruit after the meal.

Upon hearing the words "treat me to a meal," Kiana's hesitation vanished instantly, and she immediately exclaimed, "I want to eat grapes!"

She hadn't eaten fruit or desserts for a while, since the salary for a beach lifeguard wasn't high, and since she was a minor, her pay was pitifully low.

Now that someone is willing to treat her, she certainly won't stand on ceremony.

Kiana immediately picked out a bunch of big, red grapes and blinked at the boy beside her.

Seeing the girl's pitiful appearance, like a kitten waiting to be fed, Shihen couldn't help but shake his head slightly and added another bunch of grapes to the girl's hand.

With his current wealth, he could buy the entire fruit stand without batting an eye.

Once again, praise the generosity of the world's snake.

Kiana burst into laughter, unable to stop smiling.

"By the way, Hen is from China, right? Is he studying in Dimonte?"