Getting into China was probably one of the hardest things you've ever done in your entire life. It took forever to get the money for this trip, and then it took forever to get all of your paperwork squared away. Both your government, and the Chinese, made you fill out form after form after form to get your passport and visa.
But it was totally worth it.
Beijing is one of the most beautiful places you've ever laid eyes on. The architecture is one of a kind, and the culture is a mixture of new and old. The whole city feels that way. You'll be walking through the more recently built areas of the city and see modern wonders. Later, you'll be in an older district and see buildings proudly standing with an ancient air of imperialism.
Today you're walking through a market area looking for items on a list your friend gave you. You've been staying with her during your stay, and you decided the least you could do is get some groceries. You had thought it would be fun to go to an open market instead of some boring store, which is how you end up completely lost.
Every time you think you know where you are, something new appears and confirms your suspicions once more. You are definitely lost. On the bright side, you are getting your grocery shopping done. A bag made of sturdy material hanging from your arm has been steadily filling up with food as you try to figure out where you are. Some of it is from the list and some of it isn't. A couple of the vendors are just so convincing you can't say no, even though you don't understand half of what they're saying.
You finally begin to feel nervous when you take a turn that leads to a dead end. This is most definitely not where you're supposed to go. A quick pat to your front pockets reminds you that you left your cell phone back at your friend's house. You didn't think you'd need it, but it looks like you were sorely mistaken.
A gentle breeze tugs at your clothes and hair, and also makes you cough. The air quality isn't great in Beijing. You decide to turn back and try to ask for directions. It has been something you've avoided doing because your Chinese isn't the best, but you've run out of options. You either risk being laughed at or wandering around for another hour.
You retrace your steps for a while to try to get back to the stall where you bought some bok choy. The vendor had been very nice to you, and you thought he would be the best person to for ask directions. You walk a little while longer and slowly become more panicked as you do. It shouldn't be taking this long to get back to the bok choy stall.
Suddenly, a delicious smell fills the air around you, and you turn your head to see where it's coming from. A small restaurant with an open front is situated between two seafood sellers. You take another deep breath through your nose, and the scent of cooking food makes your stomach growl loudly. You've spent so much time trying to figure out where you are that you didn't notice how hungry you are. It wouldn't hurt to stop for lunch and get directions after that. Maybe the restaurant owner will help you out.
You walk under a small canopy covered in red cloth and sit in a chair around a long front counter. Just like the outside view of the restaurant implies, it's not a very big place. There are only a few other people here and they're sitting further down than you. They give you wary looks before going back to their food. You've been getting looks like that a lot since you've arrived in China. It's probably because you're very obviously not Chinese.
"Nín hǎo! Huānyíng lái dào wǒ de cāntīng! (Hello! Welcome to my restaurant!)"
The abrupt loudness of the voice makes you jump up in surprise. You look around to see where the voice came from, but you don't see anyone other than the two people from before.
"Zhèlǐ! Kàn zhèlǐ, aru! (Down here! Look down here, aru!)"
You do as the voice says, and you're surprised to see a round object smiling widely at you from the counter. It has a long brown ponytail and dark brown eyes, which shine excitedly at the sight of another customer.
"Yǒu shé me wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ ma? (What can I get for you?)" it asks you.
"Uhh...Càidān...shàng de...shì shénme? (What's on the menu?)"
"Wǒ hěn gāoxìng nǐ wèn, aru! (I'm glad you asked, aru!)" the object says excitedly. It starts to list off a long list of food very quickly, and you have a tough time keeping up.
"Wǒ xiǎng lāo miàn, qǐng (I would like lo mein, please)," you tell the white object. It's the only food you understood from the list given.
"Mǎshàng lái! (Coming right up!)" it says before turning toward the kitchens behind the counter. "Lāo miàn, aru!" The thing looks back at you with a smile. "You're not from around here, correct?"
"You speak English?" you ask with wide eyes. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"Because, aru. I wanted to see how much Chinese you could speak," it says rather smugly.
You stare at it with your mouth hanging open. What the heck is this thing? "What-? Why-? What-?...Who are you?"
"My name is China Mochi, aru!" the object says in a proud voice. "I'm the owner of this restaurant."
A fist comes out of no where and lands on top of the mochi, squeezing it into the counter. "Who did you say owns this place, you little twerp?" A young man that looks uncannily like China Mochi stands behind him with a plate of noodles and glares at him as the man's fist grinds the mochi into the wooden counter.
"Ai yah! Stop it, Yao!" China Mochi whines. "That hurts, aru!"
"Then don't make stuff up that isn't true," the man called Yao says. He looks at you and smiles pleasantly, which is a complete 180 from his irritated expression before. "Here are your noodles, aru. As the real owner of this restaurant, I hope you enjoy them." You couldn't help but notice the emphasis he put on the word "real".
"T-thank you," you tell him. The tense situation makes you rather uncomfortable.
Yao smiles before turning to go back to the kitchen. You can't help but notice the glare he shoots China Mochi as he walks away. Those two don't seem to get along very well. The mochi sighs heavily at the same time you begin to eat your lo mein.
"He's such a pain, aru," he mumbles. You assume it's a he since he and Yao looked, and sounded, so much alike.
"Why don't you two get along?" you ask after swallowing.
"We've been stuck together for the last few centuries and it's really starting to get on my nerves!" China Mochi rants. "He thinks he can boss me around because he's bigger than me, so he's always taking all of my cute things when I'm not looking, aru! He never notices how much work I do around here! Who does he think washes his precious woks after the restaurant closes? It's always me, aru!"
You just blink at the mochi in surprise. Did he say he and Yao have been together for centuries? On top of that, you weren't expecting so much malevolence to come from such a cute little thing. He must have been holding in his feelings for a very long time. You feel a little sorry for the poor thing.
"Why don't you leave then?" you ask the mochi. "If it's really that bad you should go somewhere else. Then he'll see how much he really needs you."
The mochi seems to think it over for a few moments while you work on finishing your noodles. They really are quite delicious. Not like that fake stuff they make at Chinese restaurants back where you come from. A big smile stretches China Mochi's lips, and you pause your eating to see what he has to say.
"I'm going to leave," he announces with confidence. "I'm going to leave, aru!"
"That's great! Where are you going to go?"
The mochi's smile falters. "I don't know. I haven't figured that much out yet, aru." He furrows his small brows together in concentration and his bottom lip sticks out in a thoughtful pout.
You watch him for a moment, and that's when an interesting idea pops into your mind. "You can come with me," you say.
China Mochi looks at you in surprise. A slow smile begins to take form as he processes what you just said. "Really, aru? You'd let me do that?"
"Sure, I don't see why not," you say with a shrug. "You can stay with me as long as you want." You stop talking for a moment when you remember your friend. "Well, I'd have to make sure my friend would let you stay. I'm staying with her right now"
"I'll convince your friend!" the mochi assures you. "She won't say no after she tries some of my wonton soup, aru."
You try to imagine how he manages to cook, but no logical explanation comes to you. Instead you smile at him reassuringly. "I'm sure she'd love that. You can use the ingredients I just bought."
China Mochi hops up and down excitedly, which also causes his ponytail to flail around. "This is perfect, aru! Let's go right now! You're the best, aru!" The mochi suddenly stops hopping and looks at you quizzically. "I never got your name, aru."
"My name is (y/n)," you say with a laugh. "It's very nice to meet you, China Mochi."
"(Y/n)," he breathes. "You're a wonderful person, (y/n)." You blush slightly at his compliment, but smile nonetheless. "Alright! Let's go, aru!" he exlaims.
You pick up the enthusiastic mochi with one arm and grab your bag of groceries with the other. Your empty plate sits all by its lonesome on the counter as you exit the restaurant. It's much brighter outside, and it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. The market has gotten busier than it was before, which makes it harder for you to know where you are.
"I should probably tell you I have no idea where I am," you tell the mochi. "I was hoping you could give me directions."
"Ai yah!" China Mochi shouts. "You're not as cool as I thought you were if you get lost so easily, aru!"
A smirk tugs at your lips. "You think I'm cool?"
"A-ahhhhh...just take a left!" the mochi says as a blush appears on his cheeks.
You smile and do as he says. Somehow it doesn't matter to you if you're lost anymore. China Mochi's presence is enough to keep you from feeling too frightened. Yup, this trip is definitely worth all the hassle it took to get here.