Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

The more dignified someone appears on the surface, the more surprising and delightful their hidden side may be.

"No... let me sleep for five more minutes..."

Hisako Niito mumbled incoherently, then rolled over like a lazy cat and buried her face in the pillow.

Her hoarse voice was filled with weariness, and a few ambiguous red marks remained on her fair neck exposed outside the blanket.

These are all proof that Bai Yuan tormented me last night.

Bai Yuan felt both sorry for and amused by the sight of Hisako Shinto.

He sat on the edge of the bed and said in a deliberately businesslike tone, "New Chef, don't forget you have work to do today. If you stay in bed any longer, the freshly steamed snow rabbit buns will get cold." As he spoke, he mischievously pulled back the last of his blankets.

"Ah, my little blanket!"

Stripped of her physical support, Hisako curled up like a startled rabbit, then reluctantly opened her sleepy eyes.

In the morning light, the girl's amber eyes were glistening with tears as she stared at the "culprit" in front of her with a pitiful expression.

"I'll make sure you get a good rest tonight. The Five-Red Soup and snacks are all prepared. You can eat them after you wash up."

Bai Yuan softened his voice and reached out to ruffle her messy hair.

He had already gone to wake Hisako Shinto right on time. The girl had slept a full eight hours, and she was still so sleepy under these circumstances, so she must be really exhausted.

"Um..."

Hisako Shinoto struggled to sit up, clutching her pillow, and mumbled an agreement, but her body went limp and bent back down as if her bones had been removed. She rested her chin on the fluffy pillow, her breathing quickly becoming even and long again, and she was about to drift back to sleep.

"I've put your change of clothes by the bed. Get dressed and wash up, then come to the kitchen to find me."

Bai Yuan shook his head helplessly and gently pinched her flushed cheeks.

After saying that, he quickly returned to the kitchen and lifted the lid of the clay pot.

A rich, sweet aroma immediately filled the air, and the soup had already taken on a beautiful amber color. He skillfully sprinkled goji berries into the pot, then gently cracked in two eggs. The egg mixture gradually solidified in the boiling broth, resembling two blooming clouds.

While the cooking was taking place, noises came from the room behind them.

After an unknown amount of time, Hisako Shinto appeared in the kitchen, behind Shirabuchi.

"It'll only take three minutes..."

Just as he was intently adjusting the heat, he suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him. A moment later, a pair of cool hands wrapped around his waist from behind.

Hisako pressed her face against his back, her voice still smothered from just waking up: "Smells so good..."

Bai Yuan turned around and saw that although she had changed her clothes, her hair was still messy.

"Are you finally a bit more awake? Come and eat."

Bai Yuan gently ruffled the strands of Hisako's hair that had sticked up from sleeping, his fingertips sliding down to her slightly wrinkled collar. He naturally unbuttoned the top button, smoothed the crooked collar, and then carefully buttoned it up one by one.

"Hmm~"

Hisako stood obediently in place, feeling the warm touch of Shiro's fingertips occasionally brushing against her neck.

Such a simple act of adjusting her collar warmed her heart. In this country where male chauvinism prevails, a man like Bai Yuan, successful in his career yet still willing to take care of her daily chores, is rarer than a wild crested ibis!

It is precisely because of its rarity that it is so precious.

"Let's have some noodles to fill our stomachs first, and we can drink the five-red soup later."

Bai Yuan turned around and lifted the lid of the steamer. A cloud of white steam rose up with a "poof," carrying the aroma of steamed buns and the sweetness of honey.

In the hazy mist, the lifelike snow rabbit and apple-shaped buns gleamed alluringly, as if trembling gently in the morning light. He deliberately chose the roundest "apple" and placed it on the plate in front of Hisako, its bright red skin still glistening with water droplets.

"Here, try it while it's hot."

Bai Yuan carefully placed the steaming snacks on the makeshift dining table, lining the edge of the steamer with a damp cloth.

His gaze toward Hisako was so tender it could melt hearts, and a satisfied smile played on his lips.

"Oh my god! This little rabbit looks so much like one, and it's so cute!"

Hisako's eyes lit up instantly when she saw the pastries that Bai Yuan brought over, and she leaned in to examine them like a child who had discovered a treasure.

"Is this really a pastry? It's so exquisitely made, I almost don't want to eat it."

She gently poked the rabbit's ears, feeling the soft texture of dough on her fingertips.

Of the six kinds of pastries, her favorite was the bunny-shaped one.

"This is a Snow Rabbit Custard Lotus Seed Paste Bun. If you like it, start with this one."

Seeing the joyful expression on Hisako Shinto's face, Shirai picked up the Snow Rabbit Custard Lotus Seed Paste Bun from the steamer and handed it to her.

"How can you eat such a cute bunny!"

Taking the snow rabbit custard lotus seed paste bun that Bai Yuan handed her, Shinoto Hisako held it protectively in her arms. Her intention was to protect it, but the more she looked at it, the more fragrant it seemed, so she swallowed hard.

The milky white snow rabbit-shaped steamed bun with custard and lotus seed paste shimmered in her hand, indicating its culinary quality.

This is yet another dish of exceptional quality.

"Fine, it's not a real rabbit anyway, let's just eat it."

After examining the exquisitely crafted snow rabbit for a long time, Hisako Shinoto finally succumbed to its temptation and brought it to her mouth.

At this moment, the Snow Rabbit steamed with steam, and the warm sweetness of milk mixed with lotus seed paste wafted over.

"First comes the fluffy, cloud-like dough, then the smooth and delicate lotus seed paste, and finally the custard filling that gushes out like lava."

The delicate lotus seed paste is as smooth and creamy as sand, retaining the delicate aroma of lotus seeds. Its sweetness is mild and not cloying, creating a layered contrast with the rich custard, as if achieving a harmonious balance of yin and yang on the palate.

The next moment, her teeth sank into the fluffy dough, and the instant they touched the smooth lotus seed paste, the custard filling gushed out, blending with the lotus seed paste to form a yin-yang symbol of milky and lotus aromas.

As you savor the aftertaste, the wheaty sweetness of the dough and the lingering flavor of the filling linger in your mouth, leaving you feeling exceptionally satisfied.

"Eat slowly. I specially added two eggs to the five-red soup I made for you."

Bai Yuan appeared behind her at some point, his slender fingers running through her loose hair, casually tying it into a simple bun with chopsticks.

"Okay, I'll take them all. It's been so long since I've had Teacher Baiyuan's cooking."

Hisako muttered without looking up, her freed hand reaching even more eagerly for the next Burmese. The long-awaited taste of Shirabuchi-sensei's cooking caused her to completely abandon her ladylike image, her hair swaying gently with each chew.

"I'll go get you some soup."

Seeing Hishisako's cheeks bulging from eating, Baiyuan's smile deepened.

He turned and went back to the kitchen, and soon returned with two bowls of steaming hot five-red soup.

On the amber-colored soup surface, plump red dates and golden egg flowers swayed gently with his steps.

“Smells so good…”

Hisako put down the half-eaten snow rabbit bun and took the soup bowl with both hands.

In the rising steam, the honey-sweetness of red dates, the caramel aroma of brown sugar, and the rich flavor of red beans blend perfectly, while the subtle hint of ginger just right balances the sweetness.

She couldn't wait to pick up the bowl and take a sip.

The warm broth glides over the tongue, the mellow sweetness of brown sugar bursting forth first, followed by the complex sweet aroma of red dates and longan.

The red beans and peanuts, after being simmered for a long time, have become soft and tender, releasing the sweetness of the starch, making the soup thick, smooth, and slightly sandy.

As the sweetness spreads in the mouth, the warm spiciness of the ginger quietly emerges.

This warm spiciness isn't intense; it's more like a gentle current of heat that slowly spreads from the throat to the stomach, dispelling the chill and leaving you feeling warm all over. This combination of sweet and spicy not only cuts through the richness but also enhances the soup's nourishing effects.

"The goji berries, added just three minutes before the soup is finished cooking, still retain their grainy texture. When you bite into them, they release a subtle sweetness and a hint of sourness, enriching the overall flavor of the soup. The free-range eggs have a rich aroma, tender egg whites, and semi-solid yolks that have absorbed the sweet fragrance of the broth."

Especially the moment it enters my mouth, the feeling of satisfaction reaches its peak!

After finishing a bowl of Five Red Soup, the sweetness of brown sugar and red dates lingered on the lips and teeth for a long time.

The warmth of the ginger spread from her stomach to her limbs, causing Hisako Shinoto to break out in a light sweat on her forehead before letting out a long sigh of relief.

All the exhaustion from last night has vanished at this moment.

Instead, new energy arises from within the body.

Hisako Shinoto stretched her arms energetically and said, "I feel like I could kill a bull right now!"

"So it seems this blood-nourishing soup is very effective?"

In the morning light, Hisako's flushed cheeks were more vibrant than the red dates in the bowl, and especially her eyes, which shone with a unique brilliance, were more captivating to Bai Yuan than any delicacy.

"It's so effective!"

Hisako cupped her cheeks, letting the morning light gild the dining table.

Looking at Bai Yuan's gentle profile, she suddenly understood why Erina and Alice always clung to him.

This feeling of being meticulously cared for is truly something to want to indulge in.

Chapter 311 The Gap Between Geniuses and Ordinary People

"In that case, let's go to work."

I'll bike you there; you can wash the dishes when I get back.

Before they knew it, the food in front of them had been completely cleared out. Hisako Shinto lay on the bed with a satisfied look on her face, one hand outstretched in a V-shape, and the other hand gently stroking her exposed white navel.

"I don't really feel like moving anyway, so I'll just lie down over there."

According to Hakugen's investigation, it's common for Hisako Shirato's restaurant to have no customers for a whole day.

So their daily routine consisted of finding a corner to daydream, and Cao Sandao wouldn't say anything if they were occasionally a little late.

In his view, it is perfectly normal to work hard when there are customers and relax when there are no customers.

Strict attendance checks when there are no customers will only wear down employees' patience.

When the day actually comes that they need to put in the effort, the other party will only give them a perfunctory response.

Therefore, the moment Hisako Shinto and the others entered the restaurant, Cao Sandao had already set the rules in advance.

You can be a little lazy when you're not working, but you must do your best when you're working!

"If there's not much else to do, develop some new dishes. Boss Cao is quite capable; you can learn a lot from him."

In three days, your field training in pairs will end. After that, you'll be dispersed to the restaurants frequented by past graduates of Totsuki Academy. The intensity of the assessments will be significantly higher than before, so be prepared.

Standing in front of the bed, looking at Hisako Shinto lying there in a lazy manner, Shirabuchi briefly explained the situation.

Totsuki Culinary Academy practices elite education, and the number of graduates each year can be counted on one hand. The weakest graduates in each year are all first-class chefs, and more than 10% of them are even master chefs. Their foundation is truly profound!