Quiet, very quiet.
The air in the tavern seemed to freeze at that moment.
Gin Dojima and the others remained seated, staring blankly ahead. The power of the Spirit-Calming Noodles had left them in a daze!
"This... this bowl of noodles..."
"What's going on? By the end, I felt completely at peace."
Fuyumi Mizuhara was the first to snap out of it, speaking with astonishment.
Such a noodle dish would not only seem out of reach for the students in the training camp but would also make these Totsuki graduates bow their heads in admiration!
...
"Owner, can I ask you a question?"
Kojiro Shinomiya, having some insight, raised his head to look at Zane.
"Go ahead."
"I'll answer what I can."
Zane replied calmly.
"That student, Megumi's dish—no, more accurately, her French vegetable terrine—did you teach her that?"
"Yes, she had it here before."
"Hmm!"
"I thought so!"
Kojiro's face remained calm, showing neither surprise nor joy.
But if you looked closely, you could see his eyes deep in thought, filled with contemplation.
As the first seat of the Totsuki Elite Ten who had graduated a long time ago, Kojiro himself was a powerhouse.
When faced with Megumi's dish, he could easily pinpoint its flaws and find a reason to expel her!
But in the end, he didn't do it.
The reason was that he sensed a kind of "culinary empathy" from Megumi.
Tasting her dish had brought back memories of his first time dining in an expensive French restaurant with his mother, touching some deep emotions.
In the end, feeling complicated, he decided to cancel Megumi's expulsion.
Simply put, Megumi's cooking did not defeat Kojiro or convince him.
It was the extra "emotional score" that saved her!
...
Talented people often have their quirks, such as:
Erina, Senzaemon, Kojiro, Mana, Asahi, Alice, Miyoko, Megumi, and even those who haven't visited the tavern yet, like Takumi, Subaru, and Ryo.
Thus, these "ill" individuals were waiting for the "main character" Zane to save them, to heal them—a theme that runs through the entire tavern.
Through Megumi's dish and the recent Spirit-Calming Noodles, Kojiro started to sense this.
So, he sighed deeply and admitted to Zane, "Owner, in a sense, you are a rare genius in the culinary world, a highly skilled savior!"
"Oh?"
"The proud Kojiro giving such high praise?"
Gin Dojima found it hard to believe.
He knew Kojiro's personality well. Very few people in the world could earn his respect.
Most people, in his eyes, were "trash," irredeemable "leeches."
However, when it came to Zane, Kojiro willingly bowed in admiration!
...
Time quietly passed by.
As a first-time visitor, Miyoko stayed until the tavern was about to close, reluctantly choosing to leave.
Kojiro and the others, who had an early departure from the Totsuki Resort the next morning, didn't stay long after finishing their Spirit-Calming Noodles and soon returned to their rooms.
Despite the short time spent together, this small tavern left a profound impression on them.
Especially for Kojiro, who was at a crossroads in his life, he began to see himself more clearly through Zane and finally knew his next steps.
"Ah... mmm..."
"The taste of the shumai is like fireworks bursting in my mouth!"
"The meat is 8, the shrimp is 5, the vegetables are 5, and the egg is 5. I see, this way the ratio of meat to the other three ingredients is 8:5, achieving the golden ratio."
"No wonder, shumai made with this ratio ensures that the four ingredients don't interfere with each other but balance perfectly. Just one bite feels like all the flavors are condensed in this small wrapper."
"Mom, I envy you."
"You got to taste this golden ratio shumai before I did."
As the tavern finally closed, Zane had made some golden ratio shumai.
Firstly, these shumai could be a late-night snack, and secondly, it was a reward for Erina and Sonoka's hard work tonight.
Erina, with her God's Tongue, was once again conquered by Zane's cooking, eating with great satisfaction and enjoyment.
...
Drip, drip, drip!
Tap, tap, tap!
At that moment, it started to rain outside.
At first, the rain was light, with crystal droplets like countless small pearls, painting the dark ground poetically.
But soon, a heavy downpour came, making it seem like the sky had burst open, with rain pouring down and hitting the windows with a clear, pleasant sound!
"Zane, it's raining outside."
"If there's nothing else, I'll head back to Shunkatei."
Glancing at the scene outside, Sonoka stood up and spoke to Zane.
"Sonoka."
"You've worked hard lately!"
Seeing her about to leave, Zane quickly took a few shumai from the steamer, packed them, and handed them to her.
In the past, Sonoka would blush and refuse shyly in such situations.
But now, after spending so much time with Zane, their relationship was no longer so distant, and she accepted the golden ratio shumai without saying much.
She bowed slightly to express her gratitude, then picked up an umbrella and left the tavern.
...
"She's gone, what about you?"
Zane turned to the just-full Erina and asked.
"Ah?"
"Well... it's raining heavily outside..."
Erina, still savoring the shumai, was stunned by his sudden question. Her pretty face quickly turned red as she responded softly.
"Alright, I'll prepare a room for you. You can stay at the tavern for now."
Seeing her like this, Zane didn't say much. He went upstairs and started preparing a room on the third floor!
Currently, the tavern had undergone an upgrade.
However, it still had only three floors. The first floor was for business.
The second floor was empty for now but might be used for functional areas like a coffee or snack zone in the future.
Only with Zane's permission could customers go beyond the second floor.
The third floor was Zane's quarters, with his bedroom, bathroom, and a few empty rooms.
"Ding!"
"The host has successfully signed in."
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a special recipe, The Night of the Twenty-Four Bridges."
After taking a hot shower in the bathroom, Zane, feeling a bit tired, had just returned to his room when the system's voice echoed in his mind.
"Hmm?"
"The Night of the Twenty-Four Bridges?"
Hearing the name of the special recipe, Zane was surprised.
In the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's poem "Sending Off Judge Han to Yangzhou," there's a line: "On the night of the twenty-four bridges under the moon, where is the lady playing the flute?"
During the reign of Emperor Wenzong of Tang, from April 833 to early 835, Du Mu served under Niu Sengru, the Military Commissioner of Huainan. This poem was sent to Han after Du Mu left Yangzhou.
Yangzhou was famous for its Huaiyang cuisine.
The dish's name, "The Night of the Twenty-Four Bridges," came from Du Mu's poem but was actually created by Huang Rong in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."
The method involves taking a ham, making 24 holes in it, inserting 24 tofu balls, steaming it, and letting the ham's flavor infuse the tofu.
In the original story, Hong Qigong was greatly impressed by it, and the dish, called The Night of the Twenty-Four Bridges, gained its poetic name.
Moreover, the dish requires the special skill of Huang Rong's family, the "Flower Brushing Hand," to delicately shape the tofu into 24 small balls.
"Interesting."
"I didn't expect such a sign-in reward from the system."
Although this special recipe differs fundamentally from those in "Cooking Master Boy," Zane was happy to accept it.
Feeling tired, he stretched and prepared to sleep.
...
Boom!
Just as Zane was about to fall asleep.
A bright flash of lightning lit up the dark night like daylight, making everything very bright!
Immediately after, there seemed to be some noise outside, causing Zane to open his eyes.
With Erina staying at the tavern, the noise must be related to her. Zane couldn't help but call out, "Erina, is that you outside?"
"Yes, it's... it's me!"
Outside the room, Erina's voice trembled slightly.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Zane frowned, wondering why this noble lady was looking for him so late.
"I can't sleep!"
"And I'm alone... I... I feel a bit scared."
Erina's voice was soft.
"Alright, the door's unlocked. Come in."
The tavern closes at midnight, which isn't very late. However, for Erina, it might feel a bit unsettling.
Moreover, being alone, it's natural for her to feel scared.
Thinking for a moment, Zane understood Erina's feelings.
...
Creak!
The door opened with a crisp sound.
Erina, like a sneaky cat, peeked around before cautiously entering Zane's room.
"Hehe, not used to staying here?"
Seeing Erina's pale face, Zane asked with a smile.
Before he could finish
, another loud thunderclap shook the sky, making it seem like the world was ending, causing fear and trembling!
"Zane."
"Help... help!"
In an instant, Erina's face turned even paler, and she screamed, rushing onto Zane's bed and diving under the covers.
"You... you're afraid of thunder?"
Seeing this, Zane couldn't help but laugh.
Who would have thought that the dignified Erina, with her God's Tongue talent, would be afraid of thunder? If the students at Totsuki knew, they'd be shocked!
"I'm a bit scared."
"No, I'm really scared of thunder!"
Erina trembled under the covers, inching closer to Zane until she could hear his heartbeat and the distant thunder. Only then did she start to relax.
"What did you do during thunderstorms before?"
Zane looked at Erina curiously.
"If there was a thunderstorm, I'd have Hisako accompany me. But she's not here today, so you're the only one I can rely on!"
Erina's voice was as soft as a mosquito's.
Admitting she was scared of thunder was embarrassing enough in front of Zane.
However, she didn't realize how intimate their current position was until her heart raced and her face reddened!
...
Boom!
Another clap of thunder rumbled.
Erina, who had started to calm down, began to tremble again.
Sigh!
It seemed she couldn't sleep alone tonight!
"Erina, tonight... I'll keep you company like Hisako."
Zane whispered in her ear.
"Mm!"
"Don't leave me!"
Erina nodded, moving closer to Zane.
Smelling the familiar scent on the thick blanket, which was the same as Zane's, she felt comforted.
Instinctively, she hugged Zane tighter!
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