"Sister, Kazama, you can eat now."
When Shinchan was still confused, Asuka came out with a plate of Mapo Tofu.
"Just call me Sister Mineko. Are the dishes ready? I'm going to serve the rice now." Mineko Kazama walked into the kitchen, took out the rice cooker, filled four bowls of rice with a wooden spoon, and said:
"Shinchan, Toru, eldest sister has already prepared the meal. Go wash your hands and rinse your mouth and come over to eat!"
Before Mineko could finish her words, Shinchan appeared from the sink, wiping his hands with a handkerchief as he walked.
"It's true that Kazama is almost ready to eat. If you don't wash your hands and rinse your mouth, my eldest sister will be in a hurry!"
Toru Kazama: ...
This guy Shinchan! As soon as he sees a beautiful big sister, he turns into a perfect gentleman!
"Toru, go and wash your hands quickly." Mineko saw her son standing idle and urged, "Sister, I'm going to serve tomato and beef brisket soup. If you don't hurry up, it will get cold and won't taste good!"
"Oh~ I'll go right away." Toru pouted but went to wash up obediently.
Meanwhile, Asuka filled four bowls of varying sizes with the delicious beef brisket soup, placed them on a tray, and brought them out.
"The soup is ready."
Mineko stepped forward to help and distributed the four bowls in order. Only then did she take a closer look at her portion of tomato and beef brisket soup, which exuded a sweet and sour aroma.
The bright soup looked incredibly appetizing. Using chopsticks, she gently picked up a piece of stewed beef. As the tender meat parted, the savory soup seeped out. What amazed her most were the tomatoes—they had been pressure-cooked for so long, yet their structure remained intact.
"It looks delicious. I'll try it first!"
Mineko Kazama picked up a piece of beef brisket in amazement, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.
The beef practically melted, releasing a burst of savory and slightly tangy flavors that awakened her taste buds and whetted her appetite!
"Wow, Sister Asuka, your tomato and beef brisket stew is incredible—better than anything I've had at high-end restaurants!"
After swallowing the still-hot beef, Mineko couldn't help but shower Asuka with praise.
Back when she was dating her husband, Mineko often dined at star hotels or Michelin restaurants. Yet, those places never served anything as visually appealing or delicious as the soup she now held in her hands.
While marveling at the taste, Mineko began speculating about Asuka's background.
"Could her family have run a restaurant?" she wondered.
But then Mineko shook her head, dismissing the thought. Asuka's outfit—a chic and elegant maid uniform—was far from what a traditional chef would wear.
While Mineko was lost in thought, Shinchan and Toru returned from washing their hands and sat at the dining table.
Mineko quickly snapped out of her reverie, gazed at the two children warmly, and said: "You must be hungry. Let's eat."
"Okay! I'm going to start!"
"I'm going to start!"
Japanese dining etiquette emphasizes sharing food. Mineko had already divided the dishes into four portions based on everyone's appetite.
Asuka, though unfamiliar with Japanese customs, had the presence of mind to follow the children's lead. She murmured softly, "I'm going to start."
After this brief preamble, Asuka tasted her tomato and beef brisket soup...
Delicious!!
Asuka, who had never tasted food this good while alive, was instantly enthralled by her own cooking. Her eyes lit up as she eagerly picked up her chopsticks to dig in.
"The chicken wings are so tasty~!" Shinchan exclaimed, his words muffled by a mouthful of food.
Initially, Shinchan had planned to display his "gentlemanly demeanor" in front of the beautiful Asuka, but after tasting her food, he abandoned all pretense and focused solely on eating.
Toru Kazama and Mineko Kazama were no different. The Mapo Tofu was so flavorful they couldn't stop eating, while the tomato and beef brisket soup was so tantalizingly savory that they wished they could savor every drop.
And then there were the Coca-Cola chicken wings—tender, fragrant, and utterly delectable. The long simmering had neutralized the cola's sweetness, leaving a perfectly balanced flavor that appealed especially to children.
It was a rare moment of silence as the four of them enjoyed their meal. Once they finished, everyone leaned back, patting their full stomachs and letting out satisfied sighs.
Asuka now truly understood what it meant to have her Chinese cuisine skill maxed out. She couldn't stop eating her own food and already felt the urge to make something else.
Acting on her impulse, Asuka stood up, rubbed her full belly, and looked at the children. In her usual calm tone, she asked:
"Would you like dessert? Let's have a quick bite."
"Wait, Asuka, you can make desserts too?"
Before the children could answer, Mineko Kazama spoke up, clearly astonished.
Asuka nodded and then smiled at the children, her tone softening slightly: "But this snack takes some effort to make. I'll need Shinchan and Toru to help if we're going to finish it quickly."
Asuka's ethereal beauty and radiant smile left both boys blushing. They quickly raised their hands, eager to assist.
"Then, what about me? Don't I get to help?" Mineko asked as Asuka led the children into the kitchen.
In just one afternoon, Mineko had become utterly enamored with Asuka's cooking. She was itching to learn how to make Mapo Tofu but felt hesitant to impose. Her upbringing stopped her from asking outright, leaving her frustrated.
"Um?" Asuka tilted her head slightly, her gaze meeting Mineko's with an innocent, puzzled look.
"It's fine, but… Sister Mineko, who will clean up the dining table?"
Mineko: ...
How could I forget?!
With a defeated sigh, Mineko resigned herself to tidying up as Asuka happily led the children into the kitchen to prepare snacks.
At the dining table, Mineko cleaned up alone, her heart filled with envy.
In the kitchen, Asuka smiled at the enthusiastic Shinchan and Toru. "Have you eaten—"