Sui turned his head and saw Momo standing nearby, though she appeared to be looking elsewhere, pretending nothing had happened.
"Akanegakubo-senpai, were you the one talking just now?" he asked.
A faint blush, rare for her, appeared on Momo's face. Clearly embarrassed, she hesitated before nodding. "Yes. Can you sell me half of that egg? I want to try making a dessert with it."
As soon as Sui had taken out the rare Chansey egg, it had caught her attention. With her keen sense for all things cute, she instantly became enamored with it, thinking it would be perfect for a dessert.
Sui was a little surprised. Momo Akanegakubo, who usually had an indifferent expression and seemed uninterested in everything, was now clearly taken by something.
"But what did you call me just now?" he asked.
"Su Pian," she responded.
"That's not my name," Sui shook his head, then gently flicked her forehead. "Can't you say my name properly?"
In fact, ever since he had met Momo, Sui had always wanted to flick her on the forehead like this. Despite being a third-year student, she was small and cute, always carrying her teddy bear, which made her look more like a little girl playing grown-up. It gave people the urge to tease her.
So, Sui couldn't resist flicking her forehead, and to his delight, it felt great. Especially the "dong" sound—it was crisp and satisfying.
Momo, still clutching her teddy bear, stood there in stunned silence. She couldn't process what had just happened. No one had ever dared to treat her like this before!
"Su Pian, how dare you treat me like that!" Her expression turned icy, and a chilling murderous aura radiated from her.
Kuga, Erina, and the others who witnessed the scene were dumbfounded. Though Momo looked like a child, she was Tōtsuki's "Queen of Desserts," feared by her peers. No one had ever dared to flick her on the forehead like that in public.
Kuga swallowed nervously.
"That's still not my name," Sui said, completely unfazed by her glare. He flicked her forehead again, just as if he were teasing a little girl.
After all, she needed something from him right now.
A vein pulsed on Momo's forehead. She was clearly on the verge of exploding, her aura becoming increasingly menacing.
"Su Ping," she said through gritted teeth.
"Still wrong," Sui said, flicking her forehead again with a sharp "bang."
"Su Nian," she tried again.
"Nope." Another flick.
Finally, she almost screamed in frustration. "Sui! That's right, isn't it?!"
This time, Momo's cheeks were flushed red, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes. She looked like a little girl who had just been bullied, her voice close to a wail.
Kuga and Erina were speechless, while even Rindō and Tōsuke watched in silence, stunned by the sight.
"Is this really the same Akanegakubo-senpai who's usually so intimidating?" Kuga asked dumbly.
"That's right," Sui nodded in satisfaction. He poured half of the rare egg into a bowl and handed it to Momo. "Here you go, Akanegakubo-senpai."
Though he used the term "senpai," his tone and actions resembled someone coaxing a little girl with candy.
"Hmph! Su Pian!" Momo huffed, snatching the bowl. Still hugging her teddy bear, she turned away, though there was a hint of pride in her expression.
Sui could only smile helplessly. "Akanegakubo-senpai, you're still a kid at heart, aren't you?"
Erina watched the interaction between the two with gritted teeth, unsure how to react. Then she noticed Sui suddenly looking at her with a peculiar expression.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing!"
She said, her tone betraying her irritation.
Sui shook his head, already immune to her dere.
"Yes."
Kuga nodded, hearing Sui's description of Momo, then glanced at her, who was standing on a stool, already focused on making desserts. For some reason, a mischievous urge to tease her crept into his mind.
'That forehead… it should feel good to flick,' Kuga mused as he quietly approached her, seemingly planning to tap her forehead too.
But just as he got closer, Momo suddenly turned her head, looking at him with a cold, sharp stare.
Kuga instantly froze, his confidence wilting. He let out a nervous chuckle, "Haha, I just wanted to see what kind of dessert Akanegakubo-senpai is making."
Meanwhile, Sui had already started preparing his dish: shredded pork and scrambled eggs.
The key to this dish lay in the technique of "running" the eggs. The term "running" referred to shaking the heavy iron pan with enough skill to toss the eggs into the air and catch them seamlessly.
Though it looked simple, it required a high level of control.
The iron pans he is using are notoriously heavy, demanding significant strength, and the egg must be flipped and caught without breaking. The right balance of power and finesse is crucial.
In the past, Sui might have found it challenging, but now, with dragon cells in his body—despite them being only 1% complete—his physical strength far surpassed that of an ordinary person.
The hefty iron pan felt like a toy in his hands. The golden eggs flipped effortlessly, over and over, in midair, and the savory aroma of scrambled eggs began to fill the kitchen.
Kuga, busy with his mapo tofu, suddenly became serious.
Stir-frying is an essential skill for Chinese chefs, and as the Eighth Seat of the Elite Ten, Kuga had mastered the basics long ago. Yet, seeing Sui handle the iron pan with such ease left him both surprised and slightly envious.
Tōsuke, watching from the side, was equally taken aback.
Among the elite ten, he was known for having the greatest physical strength, since kneading dough required considerable arm power. The stronger the chef, the more elastic and delicious the noodles would be. But now, it seemed Sui's strength surpassed even his!
Yet Sui's slender frame didn't match his immense power, making it all the more astonishing.
"This year's freshmen are really something. They might even surpass the strongest 69th class in history," Tōsuke muttered to himself, casting a glance at Sui, then at Erina beside him.