Around 2013, I was an exchange student in China, exploring Xi’an with a friend. Our hotel was on a bustling, six-lane, brightly lit street, with a mix of locals and foreigners. One evening, around 10 pm, we decided to venture out to find something to eat.
At an intersection, we found a small shop and, with our limited Chinese, managed to communicate with the shop owner’s niece, who spoke good English. She looked young, possibly in her late teens, but she confidently offered to guide us to a good, affordable restaurant. Trusting her, we followed her off the main tourist path into a quieter part of the city.
As we walked, the surroundings changed dramatically. The streets became less lit and more rundown, and we noticed that we were the only foreigners around, drawing curious stares from the locals. Our guide kept chatting with us, asking about our stay and plans, and mentioned several times that she was 21 and studying, which raised some red flags. However, driven by hunger and not wanting to be rude, we continued.
After about 15 minutes, we arrived at a small, charming restaurant in a pre-fabricated building with just a few tables, a counter to the kitchen, and a video game machine. With our guide’s help, we ordered and she left us there. The food was excellent and incredibly cheap: large bowls of ramen, baozi dumplings, and several beverages for around $25-$30.
However, the atmosphere was unsettling. The other patrons looked like characters from a crime film, with one sporting a knife scar, another with a broken nose, and a third with an eyepatch. We also noticed a group of young men in matching leather jackets patrolling the street and glaring at us each time they passed the restaurant.
After finishing our meal, our guide reappeared, asking if we enjoyed the food and suggesting we go to another fun place. We declined, saying we were tired, but she persistently tried to persuade us with promises of parties and beautiful women. When we saw the young men again, we decided to leave quickly. She followed us, appearing frustrated and panicky, but we managed to return to the main road and parted ways.
Reflecting on the experience, it was a scary situation. While it’s possible that everyone we encountered was just curious and friendly, the combination of the shady characters, the persistent guide, and the menacing atmosphere made us feel we had narrowly escaped potential danger.