Takahashi Airi's face was a mix of emotions. She had always been confident in her skills, believing there were few young chefs who could surpass her. But now, someone so talented had appeared in her own school. Never had she heard of a chef capable of making medicinal dishes with such potent effects. In this area, Sui could certainly be considered a master.
At this moment, she even thought Sui's dishes, priced at 20,000 yuan each, were far too cheap. After all, medicinal cuisine wasn't just regular food; it had health benefits that the wealthy would gladly pay any price for.
"Your name is Sui, right?" she asked suddenly. "I want to hire you as my grandfather's personal chef. Name your price."
She was convinced that if her grandfather ate Sui's medicinal dishes daily—such as the Stir-Fried Pork with Garlic he'd just prepared—his health would rapidly improve.
The principal and the others were immediately shocked. The vice-principal and Mr. Mitaka, on the other hand, couldn't hide their envy.
"A private chef?" Sui repeated, taken aback.
"That's right. All you'd need to do is prepare three meals a day for my grandfather. It's a light workload, and you can attend your classes when needed. Money is not an issue," Airi explained confidently.
Sui shook his head. "I think I'll pass."
"Why?" Airi frowned, puzzled. "Are you unhappy with the offer? How about this: you only need to make one medicinal dish a day. You'll still earn plenty. What do you say?"
In Airi's view, the offer was already very generous. Sui would only need to spend about two hours a day preparing food, and he'd make a fortune in return.
"Plus, you're a student here, right? This is a request from the chairman himself. You wouldn't refuse, would you?" she added, assuming her position and the chairman's name would carry weight.
Sui's brow furrowed. Annoyed by her arrogance, he replied, "Actually, I'm here to withdraw from school."
"Withdraw? Why?" The entire room, including the principal, was stunned.
"I don't have time to attend classes regularly," Sui explained, glancing briefly at the vice-principal. "And the vice-principal has already suggested expelling me."
"Expel you? For what?" Airi's eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
From her perspective as a manager, expelling such a talented student seemed absurd and short-sighted.
Fumio Takahashi also frowned, clearly displeased.
The vice-principal broke into a cold sweat, feeling utterly trapped.
"No, no, it's not like that!" the principal hurriedly clarified. "Sui had been on leave for quite some time, and we were unaware of his circumstances. We haven't made any formal decision yet."
Airi's anger flared. "You didn't know about his situation? You're the principal, yet you didn't even realize you had such an outstanding student in your school? That's a huge failure on your part."
The principal wore a wry smile, knowing her accusations held merit.
"Sui, why not stay?" Fumio Takahashi said warmly. "On behalf of the school, I apologize for this oversight. From now on, you'll be an honorary student here. If you don't have time for classes, that's fine. What do you think?"
"Chairman, this…" The principal and his staff were at a loss for words, embarrassed that Fumio had to apologize on their behalf.
The vice-principal, meanwhile, was drowning in regret.
Sui hesitated. The reason he'd wanted to drop out was his lack of time. If what the chairman proposed was true, staying wouldn't be such a bad option. Plus, he had friends like Luna here.
"That's right," Airi chimed in. "You don't even need to attend regularly. You can come and go as you please. No tuition fees, plus additional scholarships. It's a great deal."
Having a student like Sui in the school would elevate its reputation, and maintaining a good relationship with him was essential.
"Alright," Sui finally agreed.
"That's settled, then." Fumio Takahashi smiled approvingly. "It's wonderful to see such talent in this school."
"Thank you, Chairman." The principal and the rest of the staff heaved a sigh of relief.
"But this situation with Sui was a serious oversight, especially on the vice-principal's part," Fumio said sternly. "As a result, the principal will have his bonus deducted this year, and the vice-principal's position will be suspended for the next three months. We'll evaluate his performance during that time."
The principal, relieved it was just a bonus deduction, nodded. The vice-principal, however, wore a bitter expression, knowing that if he didn't shape up, he could lose his job entirely.
"By the way, are you still not interested in being my grandfather's private chef?" Airi asked again, her tone softer this time.
Sui shook his head. "Let's forget about it. I study during the day and run my shop at night. There's just no time."
"This kind of food should be shared with more people," Fumio remarked with a nod of understanding.
——
"I wonder if the vice-principal will report Sui to the chairman," Luna sighed, her voice tinged with worry.
"Will he be expelled this time?" Mako asked, barely hiding her amusement.
"I doubt it," someone else chimed in. "He'll probably drop out before that happens."
The students in the class began gossiping, casting sidelong glances at Erina.
Just then, the principal's office door swung open. Out stepped Fumio Takahashi, walking alongside Sui, both laughing and talking as if they were old friends. The principal and the others followed behind them.
"What's going on?" one student asked in disbelief. "Sui seems to have a great relationship with the chairman."
"Yes, very close," another student agreed, equally stunned.
Before long, the true story circulated through the school, causing widespread shock.
"What? Not only was Sui not expelled, but he was named an honorary student? And his tuition is waived with a scholarship on top of that?"
"And he even turned down a job offer to be the chairman's personal chef?"
The news left everyone dumbfounded. Mako, in particular, felt her face burn with embarrassment.
Sui, meanwhile, didn't bother seeing off the chairman. Instead, he walked over to Erina, letting out a deep breath. "That's finally settled. Let's go."
"Mhm." Erina smiled softly, ignoring the envious stares of the boys around her as she naturally slipped her hand into Sui's.
However, after a few steps, Erina suddenly stumbled.
"What happened?" Sui asked, concerned.
"I twisted my ankle," she said, rubbing her foot with a wince.
"Were you wearing high heels?" Sui asked, a bit incredulous.
Erina's face flushed crimson.