Basketball miracles

Chapter 172 [Extravagant Sweetness]

Tie Nan recommended a blue Honda TieMa 400. Although it doesn't have a high horsepower, it has plenty of low-end torque, which is more than enough for city commuting. The riding position is also comfortable, with a recessed seat, making long rides less tiring.

Xiao Tu thought the car was pretty cool, so he readily paid the bill.

Tie Nan offered a very reasonable price, and seeing that the two brothers wanted to catch up, Xiao Tu simply invited Tie Nan to have dinner with them.

The three of them went to a nearby restaurant and ate sukiyaki, a hot pot where you dip raw eggs in sweet soy sauce with beef.

During the meal, Xiao Tu heard many embarrassing stories about Mitsui Hisashi's days as a thug. He was indeed terrible at fighting; he usually didn't fight, but just stood on the sidelines shouting orders and relied on his friends to protect him.

In the manga, this guy is always getting beaten up; he can't even beat Ryota Miyagi, who's 168cm tall. Mitsui is good at getting by because he's a decent person, loyal, and generous.

His surname is quite intimidating, especially considering Japan has always had a clear and rigid class system. Mitsui is the surname of a long-established and powerful zaibatsu (financial conglomerate), associated with the wealthy and powerful.

Iron Man is a complete thug from a family of biker gangs; his family does make some money running a car dealership.

Seeing that Tie Nan was about the same height as him, Xiao Tu asked, "You and Mitsui have known each other since childhood, and you're much stronger than him. Haven't you ever considered playing basketball?"

Iron Man said, "I can't stand the fouls on the court. If I were allowed to bring a wrench, I would play."

“You’re a motorcycle mechanic, so it’s reasonable for you to carry a wrench. It’s also logical for you to have a hammer with you, so you can use both to wreak havoc.” Xiao Tu said, gesturing with his hands.

Tie Nan laughed loudly. "Hahaha, you're quite an interesting foreigner."

That evening, Xiao Tu tested the motorcycle's performance and returned to Tokyo with Mitsui Hisashi. Tetsuo's shop had helmets, but he himself refused to wear one while riding, often getting chased by the police.

Xiao Tu is willing to wear a helmet and doesn't ride fast; safety comes first.

After returning to the hotel, Xiao Tu did not open any more treasure chests, planning to save two for 2003.

Although his physique is relatively weak, he is young and won't be participating in the NBA draft for a long time, so he can take his time to improve his skills. His small forward physique doesn't allow for much training time; he'll be playing for the Heat in the NBA right after the summer break.

The next day, Xiao Tu got up at 8 o'clock, washed up, and called Uchida Yuki from the hotel to ask her to come out and have fun.

The two met in the hotel lobby, and Xiao Tu asked with a smile, "What's your decision? Will you agree to be my girlfriend?"

Yuki Uchida blushed as red as an apple, fidgeted, and whispered in a barely audible voice, "I...I agree."

"Your voice is so soft, luckily my hearing is good enough to hear you." Xiao Tu immediately took Uchida Yuki's hand and smiled, "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Is there anything you want to eat?"

I usually don't eat breakfast.

"That's not good. Let's go eat together." Xiao Tu wasn't surprised at all. Japanese people don't eat, Koreans don't sleep, and Chinese people don't take holidays.

The reason Japanese people eat less is not because they have small appetites, but because resources are scarce and prices are high; they tend to eat quite a lot when others treat them to meals.

In the 80s, Xiao Tu only skipped breakfast when he slept in; he usually got up early to participate in training and ate small, frequent meals.

Xiao Tu didn't ask Uchida Yuki why she agreed to be his girlfriend, but he could roughly guess. It was because she had recognized a new older sister at work yesterday, and they agreed that she could consult Natsukawa Yui if she had any questions.

While Uchida Yuki was in the restroom, Xiao Tu chatted with Natsukawa Yui for a few minutes. Miss Natsukawa knew what she should and shouldn't say.

Last night, Yuki Uchida probably called Yui Natsukawa for help, as she only knows this one senior in the entertainment industry.

Xiao Tu didn't know exactly what Yui Natsukawa said, but he guessed she would say something like, "You'd be a fool to refuse."

Yui Natsukawa was content being Robert Shaw's mistress, and her path in the entertainment industry suddenly became much smoother. That's how this industry is; it's incredibly cutthroat, and it's extremely difficult for someone without connections to make it big. There are certainly exceptions, but they are extremely rare.

Those big directors, producers, and company bosses aren't idiots. Why would they support outsiders if there's no profit to be made?

Female celebrities are either exceptionally talented and sign long-term contracts, generating significant profits for the company, or they have powerful backers.

The entertainment industries in China, Japan, and South Korea are all pretty much the same; having a powerful backer is extremely important. Some actresses have all their movies flops, yet they can drive directors they work with crazy, and they're still top-tier stars.

Xiao Tu liked Uchida Yuki because she was currently a pure and innocent young woman. He could tell at a glance that Uchida hadn't fully matured yet; her chest and back were flat, and her hips were narrow.

Her flaw is the same: she is often mistaken for a boy.

Yuki Uchida suggested eating tamagoyaki, also known as thick omelet. It is a Japanese dish made primarily with eggs, seasoned with milk, salt, mirin, and other spices. Xiao Tu had never heard of it before.

After the dish was served, Xiao Tu took a few bites and felt that the taste was just average, not even as good as a jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe). He could only give the assessment that you get what you pay for. However, he suddenly had an inspiration for a new recipe and said with a smile, "If you like this, I'll cook it for you next time. It will definitely be better than what this restaurant makes."

Yuki Uchida asked, "Can you cook? You can't just grill meat, can you?"

"Barbecuing is the simplest thing; I can grill it well without even concentrating. You might not believe it, but I'm a top chef. I can learn any recipe after just one look, and I can even create new ones."

Yuki Uchida laughed and said, "You're bragging. Aren't you a rich young master? You probably don't cook usually."

"It's easier for me to learn by watching someone cook at home. I often learn by watching others cook without even realizing it... Fine, I'll make it for you once and you'll believe me."

"Didn't you just arrive in Japan recently? And the food you can cook is Western cuisine, how could you possibly know anything about Japanese food?"

"I don't need to know a lot about Japanese cuisine; you just don't understand geniuses. It only took me a month to learn Japanese."

"Really?" Yuki Uchida exclaimed in surprise.

"It's fake. It didn't actually take that long. I said a month because I wanted to make myself look like a normal person. Because if I told you the truth, you would definitely think I was bragging."

After opening several golden treasure chests, Xiao Tu's life also took a turn for the better.

Ever since he acquired the talent of a culinary god, his mind would unconsciously "generate recipes" when he ate. He could taste how the food was made, and judge the steaming, boiling, frying, stir-frying, stewing, and braising processes just by their texture. He even knew what seasonings were used.

During his initiation, in addition to learning basic cooking skills and various knife techniques, he was also able to identify ingredients and learn many seasoning methods. Whenever he eats, this knowledge helps him reverse-engineer the recipe.

His greatest strength is his ability to taste the flaws in a dish and then devise ways to improve it.

Today's tamagoyaki was just so-so, so Xiao Tu immediately came up with a better way to make it. He believed that he could use different seasonings and ingredients to create a completely different and much tastier dish.

This is the terrifying aspect of the God of Cookery's talent; it's more like a superpower than a culinary skill.

Meeting Xiao Tu was Yuki Uchida's good fortune. Not only did it lead to her signing with a major company and entering the entertainment industry, but it also brought her comforts in her personal life. Before, this kid just ate whatever was available; she never really had a good appetite.

The two chatted casually, and Xiao Tu asked Uchida Yuki a lot about her past, showing great interest in her history.

She has always been passionate about sports. She practiced gymnastics in her early years, but was forced to switch to other disciplines as she grew taller. She tried taekwondo, but it didn't work out, so she tried fencing. Short hair suits sports better, so she has always had a boyish hairstyle. She doesn't like skirts and has never worn high heels.

She was exceptionally athletic and had a cool appearance, but her voice was soft and sweet, and she was also very shy. Xiao Tu couldn't help but tease her; the contrast was too great.

"I've never been in a relationship before, so you can't bully me," Yuki Uchida whispered.

"I haven't dated anyone, and I've never bullied anyone," Xiao Tu said shamelessly.

"I don't believe it. You...you don't look like someone who's never been in a relationship before."

"Anyway, I'm not a bad person."

"How can you prove it?" Yuki Uchida asked.

"Because I will treat you very well. I will buy you whatever you want. After dinner, we will go shopping."

"..." Yuki Uchida was speechless, not knowing what expression to make.

She might appear overly materialistic if she seems too happy. But she does like money; who wouldn't?
And she's really happy now because no one has ever been so kind to her before.

The way the rich treat people is this extravagant. Rich men don't rely on looks or sweet talk to attract women; they often conquer women with just a few words, making them want to throw themselves at them.

Xiao Tu bought Uchida Yuki new clothes and shoes, all in her favorite style. Xiao Tu had absolutely no intention of changing Uchida Yuki's appearance, which made her feel extremely comfortable and boosted her confidence.

Maybe he just likes my type?

Turns out I'm quite charming too.

Yuki Uchida is used to a neutral style and wears casual clothes. Xiao Tu also bought a set in an oversized size, so the two of them would look like matching couple outfits when they went out, the kind that could be used in an advertisement.

Xiao Tu held hands during the day and then pinned her against the wall at night, which kept Uchida Yuki awake that night.

It's progressing too fast, but it's so sweet.

(End of this chapter)