Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 621 Chef Xiao Bei
"...Eh—?!!"

Spring and Autumn were completely stunned. Their little mouths were wide open, so wide that it seemed as if they could fit a whole day's worth of the Imperial Prize Shield inside.

She stared blankly at the approaching mansion outside the window, completely bewildered by the overwhelming amount of information.

The vehicle smoothly drove into the courtyard and came to a stop.

Inside the car, everyone couldn't help but chuckle at Chunqiu Fen's still wide-eyed and astonished expression.

Then they woke up Chunqiu Fen, who was still in a daze, and got off the bus one after another, laughing.

Saburo Kitajima personally greeted him at the door. Although this national treasure-level singer was advanced in years, he had a straight posture, bright eyes, and an extraordinary aura.

"Welcome, welcome, trainer Yasui, and all of you wonderful ladies!"

His voice was loud and warm, with the infectious quality unique to people in the entertainment industry.

His kind gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Chunqiu Fen, who was still somewhat dazed from the earlier shock and timidly hiding behind Beifang Xuanju and Xingmu.

Kitajima Saburo's smile grew even more amiable. He stepped forward slowly, bent slightly so that his gaze was level with Chunqiufen's, and said in an exceptionally gentle tone:

"Oh my, this must be Chunqiu Fen? I often hear Xiaobei mention you, saying you're a hardworking and adorable kid. Welcome to visit, make yourself at home, don't be shy."

Chunqiufen's face flushed slightly, both shy from the personal greeting from such an important person and somewhat relaxed because of the other party's kindness.

She moved slightly out from behind Kitajima and Aloe, and replied softly and politely, "No, thank you very much for your invitation, Kitajima-sensei..."

Upon hearing this, Kitajima Saburo's smile became even more benevolent, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

Far from feeling awkward because of the spring and autumn equinoxes' shyness, he seemed to see something extremely lovely, smiling kindly with his gaze becoming even gentler.

After this warm first meeting, led by the enthusiastic old man, the group walked through an elegant corridor to a spacious and bright kitchen-dining room that cleverly blended traditional Japanese style with modern kitchenware.

A long solid wood countertop connects to the dining table, where various fresh ingredients have already been prepared in different categories, emitting a natural fragrance.

As if it had been planned beforehand, after leading everyone over, Kitajima Saburo simply introduced his family and then smiled and took the lead in sitting down at the dining table.

As expected, the Northern Black Horse...

She took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves, and skillfully tied on her apron with swift and decisive movements.

Once she was ready, she turned to her family and said loudly:
"Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, everyone, you can all sit and rest today and watch us! We've discussed it, and we're going to cook this meal together!"

The "year-end party" is different from a regular dinner party. It's more lively when the host and guests work together. Considering Kitajima Saburo's reputation and age, it was most appropriate for the younger generation to cook.

Upon hearing this, Kitajima Saburo burst into laughter, his eyes filled with trust and doting affection.
"Okay, okay! We'll leave today to our Chef Xiao Bei. We'll follow your instructions!"

With his grandfather's approval, the Northern Black Horse immediately began assigning tasks with great enthusiasm:
"Yamato-senpai, I'll leave the preparation of the fresh fish to you! Almond, I'll leave the vegetable salad and plating to you, please! As for the smaller portions... come on, help set the table first, remember to keep the spacing even, okay?"

As previously agreed, without waiting for instructions, Yasui Makoto naturally joined the cooking team and then began to work together seamlessly with Kita Genko.

As Beibu Xuanju prepared to season the stew, he handed her the bowl of sauce.

Northern Black Horse looked up, looking for the grinding rod, and as if he had a premonition, he took it out of the cupboard drawer and handed it to him.

One of them is in charge of cooking, and the other is assisting. When they need to pass tools or ingredients, they can often understand each other with just a glance or expression, almost without saying a word.

At the dining table, Saburo Kitajima leisurely sipped his tea, watching the fluid teamwork on the other side with admiration in his eyes. He couldn't help but whisper to his wife beside him, "See? How well they coordinate. No wonder Kitajima performed so well in the competition."

Yamato and Akaki seemed quite skilled, and even Shunjue set the tableware in a very professional manner.

In contrast, Alice seemed somewhat out of place.

After taking the initiative to ask Yamato Akame for the job of processing fresh fish, she began to "study" a lively fish on the cutting board.

She examined the cookbook in her left hand as if it were a thesis, while her right hand dangled a measuring ruler she'd pulled out from who-knows-where.
"Hmm... Make an incision 1.5 centimeters behind the pectoral fin at a 35-degree angle. Theoretically, this should allow for a perfect separation of the spine..."

Just as she was muttering to herself, the fish on the cutting board seemed to have foreseen its fate. It suddenly sprang to its feet, crashed onto the table with a "thud," and frantically twisted and turned as it "escaped" towards the edge of the table.

"Whoa?! Wait, wait! Don't run away!"

For once, Alice showed a hint of panic, and as if frightened by her, the fish "escaped" even more happier.

The kitchen suddenly became chaotic.

"Huh? What's going on with this fish...?"

"Quick! Stop it!"

"It went that way!"

A small, chaotic fish-catching frenzy ensued in the kitchen, a scene that immediately drew laughter from Kitajima Saburo and the others who were chatting and "watching" the chef's skills at the dining table.

In the end, Yamato Akaki reacted quickly and accurately, using a towel to pin down the "fugitive".

She swung her fist and slammed it onto the fish's head with a thud. Seeing the fish instantly freeze, she muttered irritably:
"What are you running away from? Xiao Bei and I are here. You have no chance to escape..."

Then, she looked at Alice, whose face was flushed:

"Senior Suko, this... uh, I'll leave it to you. Why don't you... help Koban set the plates? Or... help me clean the counter later...?"

Upon hearing this, Alice took a deep breath and quickly regained her usual calm demeanor as a researcher, though her slightly flushed cheeks still revealed a hint of embarrassment.

She shrugged and readily switched to setting the table.

Although she didn't take out a ruler, she still unconsciously used her fingers to precisely measure the spacing when setting out the dishes, striving for symmetry and alignment. Her meticulous posture resembled that of someone setting up precision instruments in a laboratory.

The "fish-catching" activity took a little longer, but it didn't affect the rest of the activities.

Yamato Akachi and Almond Meteor displayed their all-around talents as top students. The former handled the fish scales and entrails cleanly and efficiently, while the latter arranged the vegetable salad in a colorful and artistic way.

With the seamless cooperation of Genkomoku Kita and Makoto Yasui, the entire cooking process was impeccable, from handling the finest ingredients to coordinating the workflow.

Seeing this, Mrs. Kitajima would occasionally smile and look at Saburo Kitajima, praising him repeatedly as "such capable and virtuous children."

Amidst laughter and the clatter of pots and pans, the preparation of the meal was successfully completed.

The long table was filled with a variety of exquisite seasonal dishes that were delicious in color, aroma, and taste, as well as steaming hot and fragrant stews, making one's mouth water.

(End of this chapter)