My girlfriend is Saiki Kusunoki

The wait inside Zhuyue Tower was short; soon, Meili brought out a table full of delicious dishes from the kitchen.

A pot of sauerkraut fish is made by bringing water to a boil over high heat, then adding fish fillets. After the water boils again for 10 seconds, all the broth and fish fillets are transferred to a bowl containing bones. Garlic cloves and chopped scallions are then placed on top. The broth is golden yellow, and the fish is tender. Take a bite, dip it in the broth, and the deliciousness is unparalleled. The sourness of the sauerkraut and the tenderness of the fish are a taste that no one has ever experienced before.

Even a simple dish of pickled fish becomes incredibly delicious after being prepared by Mr. Liu.

Salted duck has white, tender skin, is fatty but not greasy, and has a fragrant and delicious flavor. It is characterized by its aroma, crispness, and tenderness. Once you take a bite, you can't stop eating it.

The most mouthwatering dish was Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, which Boss Liu had been preparing for days and was finally serving up now. It was tender and juicy, with a rich, savory aroma that wasn't greasy at all, a perfect blend of flavors. In just a few bites, the entire pot of soup vanished without a trace.

The food was already top-notch, and with Boss Liu sparing no expense in using the best ingredients, the final result left Nanzi and Zhiren completely stuffed.

If it weren't for the feeling that his stomach was already full, Naoto felt he could still stuff more food into it.

After the meal, Mei Li thoughtfully served Nan Zi and Zhi Ren a cup of plum juice.

After drinking it, I felt much better in my stomach.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Zhi Ren followed Boss Liu upstairs to the second floor, which was usually Boss Liu's resting area. Generally speaking, guests did not come here.

"Old Liu, is there something you want to say today? Why the sudden treat? Is something wrong?"

Actually, during the meal, Naoto noticed that Mr. Liu seemed to have something on his mind.

Although Nanko seemed to have sensed something, she did not tell Naoto directly what had happened.

Even the usually cheerful Meili seemed strange today.

It felt like he was the only one out of everyone present who didn't know what had happened.

"No, it's nothing, I just wanted to treat you to a meal today."

"You're lying. Neither you nor Mary are the kind of people who lie. Really, just tell me what's wrong. I may not be able to help, but I won't stand idly by if a friend is in trouble."

Seeing Naoto's serious expression, Mr. Liu opened his mouth slightly, and then, as if he had made up his mind, said to Naoto, "I plan to leave Japan."

"You guys are planning to leave Japan?"

Downstairs, Mei Li also told Nan Zi the real reason why she was treating everyone to dinner today.

Actually, my main purpose today was to say goodbye to Nanko and Naoto.

"Because, Ah Xing no longer has a reason to stay in Japan. From the beginning, our reason for coming to Japan was to spread Chinese cuisine there, and now, with Naoto's help, we have already achieved our goal ahead of schedule."

"So that's it?"

The reason why Mr. Liu and Meili gave up their lucrative opportunities in China and traveled thousands of miles to this unfamiliar country is because of this.

The purpose is to spread Chinese cuisine and help more people understand Chinese culture.

Originally, it might have taken the two of them several years, or even more than a decade, to accomplish this.

However, with Naoto's help, this process was completed in just two years.

So, thanking Naoto is no joke, and that's part of the reason I'm treating everyone today.

"So, where do you plan to go next?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go back to my hometown to see my dad first. Then, maybe I'll go to France? Anyway, my dream is to make the whole world recognize Chinese cuisine and make it as popular as French cuisine."

Looking at the serious-looking Mr. Liu, Zhi Ren knew how unattainable his dream was.

But isn't Naoto the same? The more he draws comics, the more he understands how difficult it is to be the so-called world's number one comic artist.

But even so, wasn't he like a moth drawn to a flame, constantly taking on challenges?

Men will choose to challenge themselves no matter how difficult it may be for their dreams. Isn't that what makes young people so admirable?

"So what should we do with this shop? It's such a waste to close it down after all the hard work it took to open."

"It might have to be closed temporarily. Although I originally planned to train a trustworthy person to take over the shop in a few years, unfortunately, time is just too short."

Mr. Liu was also filled with reluctance to part with the restaurant that he and Meili had worked so hard to build.

To this day, Mr. Liu still remembers how, on his first day there, he and Mei Li used Japanese, which they weren't very familiar with, to contact various decoration companies, which eventually led to the creation of the current Zhuyuelou.

"It's such a pity. In the future, there will be one less restaurant where I can eat my hometown food."

Naoto's words at this moment were filled with melancholy.

It feels like time has flown by so quickly. I never imagined that Zhuyuelou would be closing down so soon.

"But don't worry, if we have time, Mei and I will come back. After all, we've worked so hard to open up the Japanese market, we're not going to give up so easily. Who knows what will happen next? Maybe the next time we meet, I'll be a famous chef running a Chinese restaurant in France."

"Ha, by then, I had already become the number one manga artist in Japan and was on my way to becoming the number one in the world!"

The two chatted and laughed, discussing who would be more powerful in the future.

It was as if the pain of parting had no effect on the two of them.

After chatting happily for a while, Mr. Liu simply took out a few bottles of his own homemade liquor from the shop.

This is the first time a straight person has ever drunk alcohol. Even if you count his entire past life, this is the first time a straight person has ever tasted alcohol.

To be honest, this tastes not very good; the bitterness is not a flavor that straight people like.

"Ha, the older generation always said how good alcohol was, but nowadays it's not so great."

"Indeed, I don't really like drinking, but I didn't know that drinking it today, I felt that there was still a bit of flavor in it."

"Ha, you'd better work hard. Meili has accompanied you to so many places, so don't let her down."

"You should do the same. Nanzi is a good girl, and you can't let her down."

The two sat on the balcony of Zhuyue Tower, chatting idly, until the moon rose high into the sky.

Chapter 139: Perseverance - Nan Yunxiao

"Huh? Naoto seems to be in a bad mood lately, what happened?"

"I don't know, I've been looking really melancholy lately."

"Nanzi said that a good friend is leaving, so she's been feeling quite sad lately."

"Oh, a friend? So Naoto has other friends?"

After Mei Li and Boss Liu decided to leave, Naoto's spirits have indeed been low lately.

On the one hand, I am happy that Mr. Liu is able to pursue his dreams, but on the other hand, I am saddened by the departure of my friend.

Complex emotions have made Naoto lose interest in drawing lately.

Just as Naoto was feeling down, a red-haired young man wearing sunglasses walked up to the gate of PK Academy with a smug look on his face.

That strange outfit of a black shirt paired with sandals immediately attracted the attention of many people on the street.

"Oh? Is this the place? PK Academy, is that kid Naoto Yamashita hiding in here?"

The person standing before the PK Academy entrance was none other than Nan Yunxiao, who had taken it upon himself to consider Naoto as his rival.

After failing to invite Naoto to participate in the art competition last time, Nagumo Akira naturally wouldn't give up so easily.

This time, he specifically inquired about Zhi's home address and school address.

They came specifically to ambush Naoto, wanting him to participate in the art competition and then defeat Naoto.

In Nan Yunxiao's view, as long as he appeals to emotions and reason with people, and adds some special methods, he will definitely be able to get Yamashita Naoto to go with him to participate in the art competition.

However, just as Nan Yunxiao was confidently about to go in and find Yamashita Naoto... he was immediately stopped by the security guard at the school gate.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? You're not a teacher or student, yet you want to get into the school?"

The old man at the gate looked at Nan Yunxiao's flashy outfit and, based on his experience as a security guard at the school for over a decade, concluded that this man was definitely not a good person.

In fact, Nan Yunxiao did not expect that he would be stopped by the security guard at the gate.

"You, do you know who I am?"

Seeing that the old man at the door dared to stop him, Nan Yunxiao took off his glasses, wanting the old man to see who he really was.

However, what Nan Yunxiao didn't know was that after seeing Nan Yunxiao's actions, the old man at the door became even more certain that Nan Yunxiao was definitely a gangster, because only those so-called big bosses would do such a thing.

After secretly raising his guard and picking up the walkie-talkie, ready to call for backup at any moment, he spoke directly to Nan Yunxiao:

"I don't care who you are, anyone who hasn't made an appointment or registered is not allowed to enter or leave the school. That's the rule!"

Nan Yunxiao was somewhat taken aback by the old man's retort. He hadn't expected his plan to encounter such misfortune at the very first step.

"Ahem, sir, could you please make an exception? I'm here to look for a classmate of yours named Naoto Yamashita. Could you let me in to look for him?"

"Looking for that Naoto guy? Who are you to him? You're not here specifically to find his fans, are you?"

When Nan Yunxiao mentioned Naoto's name, the old man not only did not lower his guard, but became even more wary of Nan Yunxiao in front of him.

Since Zhiren became famous, the school leaders have specifically notified everyone to ensure his safety and not to let him encounter any danger.

If any fans come looking for Zhi Ren, remember to stop them.

Let alone Nan Yunxiao, even ordinary fans wouldn't be allowed to pass by the security guards. Especially not Nan Yunxiao, who clearly isn't a good person.

"Cough cough, me, his fan? Are you kidding me! I could never be his fan in my entire life, not even a tiny bit!"

When the old man said he was a fan of straight people, Nan Yunxiao started barking like an enraged husky.

"Oh, not a fan. Then who are you?"

"Me? I am his lifelong nemesis!"

Nan Yunxiao adjusted his sunglasses with his left hand and said to the old man in an extremely flamboyant manner.

The old man naturally had no idea about any nemesis or anything like that. His first thought was, "Is this kid some kind of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome)?"

I've heard from colleagues that kids these days often have strange and unusual fantasies, which is generally called "chuunibyou" (middle school syndrome).

It feels exactly like the person in front of me.

"Well then, sir, could you please let me in for a moment?"

"No, get out, go back to where you came from."

Faced with Nan Yunxiao's request, the old man didn't hesitate for a moment and told Nan Yunxiao to get out.

"Damn it! How dare they treat me like this! It's outrageous! Naoto Yamashita, was this all part of your plan?!"

Seeing that she hadn't even gone inside the school gate, Nan Yunxiao couldn't hold back anymore.

I came full of confidence, but now I haven't even seen the target area and I've turned out like this. If people find out, won't I become a laughing stock?