Chapter 392: How Could the Future Mother-in-Law Not Be Saved?
"Huff... huff... It's so hot..."
"Mmm... It's deep-fried, but why is there so much soup inside, even with the opening?"
"But it's quite fun, biting into it triggers laughter, and even the heavy mood from before feels better unconsciously."
...
Biting into the bun, smiles appeared on everyone's faces.
Curious, Joichiro opened his bun to inspect its interior structure.
The interior of the dough was divided into two compartments. The larger one contained clusters of fillings, including some gelatinous substance that melted into a semi-liquid broth when heated.
"No wonder there's so much soup even though it's deep-fried," Joichiro nodded in understanding.
Compared to the original recipe, which used vermicelli to absorb the soup in the filling, Hachiman's method was much more ingenious. After all, vermicelli absorbed soup would compromise the texture.
In the other smaller compartment, there were a few fried beef cubes. With a slight squeeze, the compressed air caused the beef cubes to roll around, emitting laughter-like sounds.
"Interesting. So this is why it can laugh," Joichiro laughed heartily, but then his expression turned puzzled again.
"But how did you manage to create this structure? The bun only has this small opening, was the space divided before wrapping? But that wouldn't work; the dough would compress them together. Hachiman, how did you do it?"
Looking at Hachiman, hoping for an explanation.
Hachiman just smiled slightly and brought over a ball of dough from the kitchen counter. Instead of rolling it into a dough, he made a small incision on the side and dipped his index and middle fingers in oil, then inserted them into the crevice...
Then the flattened dough began to undulate continuously, as if something inside was bustling around. And because his fingers were coated in oil, the interior wasn't dry but rather quite lubricated.
In no time, the flattened dough transformed into an empty pocket inside.
All that was left was to slowly fill it with the stuffing.
But as they observed Hachiman's deft fingers, the expressions of the people present varied.
Komachi and Erina were unfazed; both were quite innocent and didn't notice anything unusual.
Hisako, Alice, and Leonora, on the other hand, sported a faint blush on their faces. Being relatively open-minded Nordic people, they were not unfamiliar with such things.
As for Hisako, since her mistress enjoyed reading manga, many of the manga had to be reviewed by her first, so she naturally encountered some less serious scenes.
As for the remaining gentlemen, well, it's needless to say.
...
After witnessing Hachiman's demonstration, Senzaemon cleared his throat to ease the awkward atmosphere.
"Ahem, Hachiman, your finger... skills are indeed impressive."
"You flatter me, Grandpa Senzaemon."
Though Senzaemon's tone was a bit peculiar, Hachiman still nodded in acknowledgment of his praise.
"How is it? After sampling this dish, do you all feel much better now?"
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded. After tasting the "Golden Smiling Bun," the heavy atmosphere induced by the Soul Buns had significantly lightened.
Seeing their reactions, Hachiman smiled.
"Then let's proceed to the final touch."
With that, Hachiman walked to the refrigerator and retrieved several cantaloupes, placing them in front of everyone.
"Please enjoy; this is the final dessert."
Observing the cantaloupes in front of her, Erina asked with some confusion, "Are these the post-dinner fruits?"
"Guess?" Hachiman smiled faintly.
"Umm..."
Hearing Hachiman's playful words, Erina pouted in dissatisfaction, but at that moment, Alice noticed something and gently pulled on the melon vine.
The lid of the cantaloupe was directly pulled off, revealing the orange-yellow gel inside.
"This is... jelly?" Alice speculated.
"It's fish aspic, similar to yokan," Hachiman explained.
"For the final dish, the Bouncing Softshell Turtle Soup, please enjoy."
Upon hearing Hachiman's words, everyone also pulled off the lids of the cantaloupes and began tasting.
"Was the cantaloupe steamed with softshell turtle soup? The sweetness of the cantaloupe perfectly masks the earthy taste of the softshell turtle," Gin asked casually.
"That's right. I also added ingredients like umeboshi and hawthorn for acidity, which aids digestion," Hachiman nodded. "Plus, softshell turtle is rich in collagen, which promotes beauty and anti-aging. Ladies, feel free to indulge."
Hearing this, Leonora chuckled, "Haha, Hachiman, you're truly considerate. Nowadays, we need some collagen replenishment, especially when wrinkles start to appear."
After speaking, she touched her own youthful face.
On the side, Alice looked a bit resentful as she glanced at her mother, "Mom, you shouldn't eat it. Middle-aged women should look like middle-aged women; why bother dressing up to look so young all the time?"
Darn it, with such a big bust, a slender waist, and such a youthful face, what if my Hachiman is tempted away?
Thinking this, the girl reached out to grab the cantaloupe from her mother's hand.
"Hey, Alice, let go. This is my cantaloupe."
Of course, Leonora wouldn't let her daughter succeed, firmly holding onto the cantaloupe in her hand.
Thus, the mother and daughter were like children fighting over food.
On the side, the others seemed accustomed to this scene, enjoying their cantaloupes without paying any attention to the antics of the mother and daughter.
In no time, the entire cantaloupe was emptied.
After finishing the cantaloupe, Senzaemon patted his stomach and burst into laughter, "Haha, appetizers, main courses, staples, and even dessert after the meal; this truly is a complete meal."
"Yes, indeed. The final cantaloupe was the perfect touch; the sweetness of the cantaloupe, coupled with the slight tartness of the umeboshi, presented the entire dish with a delicate elegance. And after being refrigerated, the cool sensation is absolutely refreshing."
"Absolutely, this trip was worthwhile. Tasting so many delicious dishes, I'm beyond satisfied."
Gin and Joichiro, the two best buddies, laughed together, while the others nodded in agreement.
Though the number of dishes wasn't large, each one was crafted by Hachiman's hands and could be considered top-notch delicacies, leaving everyone feeling thoroughly satisfied.
"Thank you, Hachiman-kun, for bringing us so many delicious dishes," Senzaemon expressed, standing up and bowing slightly towards Hachiman, with others following suit.
They acknowledged that their enjoyment of these delicacies was all thanks to Hachiman; others weren't as fortunate.
"What are you all doing? Please, get up. I'm just fulfilling my promise to Erina," Hachiman waved his hands, surprised by everyone's actions, and personally helped Senzaemon to his feet.
"Grandpa, you're my elder. How can you bow to me?"
"No, you deserve this respect, Hachiman-kun," Senzaemon insisted firmly, straightening himself up.
"Thank you for giving me hope to save my daughter and granddaughter."
Hearing this, Hachiman recalled Senzaemon's mention of his daughter, Mana Nakiri, earlier.
"Grandpa, rest assured. Since Aunt Mana is Erina's mother, I will definitely do everything in my power to help," Hachiman pledged.
After all, she was his future mother-in-law; how could he not try to save her?
Upon hearing this, Erina's face showed excitement, mixed with feelings of joy and gratitude. Her gaze towards Hachiman softened.
"I entrust you with this, Hachiman-kun. Please, save Mana. I'm counting on you."
Senzaemon bowed slightly to Hachiman again.
This time, Hachiman didn't dodge the bow because it represented the gratitude and hope of a father and a grandfather!