Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

"What kind of barbecue place is this?!"

Kuroba Shido stood at the door, looking at the sign above the barbecue restaurant, and fell silent.

A dark wooden sign hangs under the eaves, with warm yellow light shining from behind. The five large characters are written in a vigorous and powerful style. Next to it is a cartoon bird with its head tilted to one side, its expression quite smug, its wings pointing towards the entrance, and a huge question mark on its head.

What bird?

Would the boss secretly curse at him?

Kuroba Shido stared at the signboard for a long time, and the more he looked at it, the more he felt that this store was full of malice towards first-time customers. Normal barbecue restaurants are called Charcoal Fire, Red Bird, or Flame Pavilion, or at the very least, they can be called Midnight Diner.

Since it's all about ripping people off anyway... naturally, we should go for something high-class, like a packet of instant noodles, two leafy greens, and 88 yuan.

As a result, a customer stood at the door and read it aloud. The shop owner, hiding behind the counter, secretly replied, "What kind of bird are you?" This was a perfect example of both advertising and psychological warfare, demonstrating a remarkably advanced business strategy.

However, Kaoru Amamiya has already sent over the reservation information and made it clear that she's treating everyone today.

Whether the boss curses or not is not important.

Free services are the primary source of productivity.

Kuroba Shido adjusted his coat, pressed down the large black thing peeking out of his pocket at the signboard, and pushed open the wooden door with his cane. Warm air mixed with the aroma of charcoal, sauce, and grilled meat fat wafted out.

Unlike the noisy roadside barbecue stalls, the restaurant is separated by dark wooden boards and bamboo curtains in the front hall. Several pictures of yakitori are hung on the wall, and waiters in kimono-style uniforms move back and forth in the aisle.

Behind the open cooking station, a row of skewered chicken sizzles and drips oil over charcoal. As the chef flips the skewers, the melted oil falls onto the charcoal, causing flames to leap up instantly and releasing an extremely powerful, caramelized aroma.

Shido Kuroba's nose twitched.

Good place.

The air is filled with free hope.

"Welcome! Do you have a reservation?"

The receptionist approached with a polite smile. Kuroba Shido took out his phone and showed her the reservation screenshot sent by Amamiya Kaoru. It showed that the person making the reservation was Amamiya Kaoru, there were three people, plus a pet, and the room was a private room of a very high standard in the hotel.

After the waiter confirmed the information, he looked into Kuroba Shido's jacket pocket, where Kuroba's two black bean-like eyes were peeking out.

"Is this the pet customer?"

"Yes, my beloved pet is a purebred aristocratic fancy rat, certified with uranium bloodline..." Kuroba Shido introduced earnestly, speaking fluently and at length.

The waitress paused for a moment, then quickly resumed her professional smile: "The private room has been cleaned and prepared for pets in advance, please follow me."

Kuroba Shido was somewhat surprised.

Why is Lao Niu Ma being so generous today?

Not only did they book a VIP room, but they also specifically requested Dahei (Big Black). It seems that after experiencing having no food at home, having to flee on shared bicycles, and having her cooking skills criticized by elementary school students, Amamiya Kaoru has finally found a way to improve her life.

I finally realized that as an adult, I should occasionally demonstrate some respectable economic strength.

The waiter led Kuroba Shido through the lobby and into the relatively quiet private room area. There were numbered wooden doors on both sides of the corridor.

Small lanterns hung outside the door, and the soundproofing was quite good; only faint voices could be heard coming from some rooms, but the content was completely unclear.

Kaoru Amamiya's reserved private room was located deep in the corridor, and the interior space was spacious.

There is a long table against the wall with a barbecue grill embedded in the center of the tabletop and a special smoke extraction device next to it. The tatami seats are recessed so that you don't have to kneel. They even provided a small pet cushion and a shallow spit bowl in advance.

Big Black spotted its designated spot, and then...

Satisfaction level +1 +1 +1...

Kuroba Shido was quite satisfied with his reserved spot; this was the kind of treatment a noble like him should enjoy!

Wuhu!

"Ms. Amamiya won't arrive for a while, you can order now."

The waiter handed over the menu.

Shido Kuroba leaned back in his chair and casually flipped to the first page, where the price immediately caught his eye.

One skewer of regular chicken thigh meat can buy three discounted rice balls.

One serving of special chicken meatballs can feed the entire Dahei family for two days.

The price of high-end lantern strings is even more outrageous; they're just eggs and some unknown stuff attached together, yet they dare to sell them for the price of a box of cordyceps.

Shido Kuroba's expression gradually turned serious.

No wonder Kaoru Amamiya offered to treat everyone.

If it were a place like this where everyone splits the bill, after looking at the menu, Kuroba Shido would most likely choose to sit in a private room, drink the free hot water, and then seriously watch others eat. On the way back, he would buy two discounted rice balls to replenish his energy.

However, since the teacher is treating, the nature of the matter is different.

The numbers on the menu are no longer prices.

This is a quantitative proof of Amamiya Kaoru's teacher-student relationship.

Kuroba Shido flipped to the back and quickly discovered the origin of the shop's name.

[Our specialty: What the heck set meal.]

Don't know what to eat? Don't recognize the different cuts of yakitori? Having trouble choosing? Leave it all to the chef!

[The set meal contents are randomly selected based on the freshness of the ingredients, the state of the charcoal grill, the chef's mood, and the customer's luck. Each set includes six types of yakitori, one main dish, one seasonal side dish, and a random dessert. Before opening it, no one knows what kind of bird they'll be eating today!]

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

So that's what this bird is.

Random package.

What the chef cooks, what the customers eat, and even the chef's mood are written into the set meal description. I don't know if this is a barbecue restaurant or some kind of paid food blind box.

Kuroba Shido continued reading.

[Possible items include: chicken drumsticks with scallions, chicken skin, chicken cartilage, chicken gizzards, chicken hearts, chicken livers, chicken tails, chicken wings, chicken meatballs, lanterns, quail eggs, grilled rice balls, vegetable skewers, etc.]

[Chef's special reminder: Set menus cannot be requested, changed, or followed up with questions like "What kind of bird is this?", because we will answer "What bird?" as well.]

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Kuroba Shido rubbed his smooth chin.

This package looks suspicious.

Based on the daily ingredients, in other words, whatever is left over today is served to the guests.

The chef's mood determines the serving; in other words, if the chef is in a bad mood, he might give you six skewers of grilled green peppers.

The idea of ​​pairing food based on the customer's luck is even more outrageous. This preemptively shifts all blame for any food problems onto the consumer. If you don't eat well, it's not because the chef is bad; it's because you're destined to eat chicken butts today.

high.

It's really high.

No wonder this restaurant can be located in such a prime location and has an entire area of ​​high-end private rooms. By simply packaging leftover ingredients as random surprises, they have already mastered the core traffic-generating secrets of modern commerce.

"Would you like to order now?"

The waitress stood beside them and asked.

Kuroba Shido closed the menu, his expression perfectly calm: "Let's start with three of those 'what the hell' set meals."

Waiter: "Okay."

"One portion is less salty and less seasoned, and can be separated out for small animals."

"We will prepare an additional serving of unsalted chicken breast and vegetables."

"Then add another one."

The waiter confirmed the order and left, then closed the wooden door again.

Kuroba Shido leaned back in his seat, his face showing no trace of his earlier suspicion that the set meal was from a leftover disposal channel.

Mouth and body integrity?

No.

This is called "practice makes perfect".

How can one accurately criticize this wicked marketing tactic that exploits consumer curiosity without personally ordering three servings to try?

What's more, today Amamiya Kaoru is treating, and the random set meal is much cheaper than ordering à la carte. It includes six kinds of yakitori plus a main dish and dessert. Even if there are three chicken butts among them, the remaining three skewers are enough to break even.

If you're lucky, all three set meals might randomly include lanterns and chicken drumsticks, wouldn't that be a huge profit?

Kuroba Shido looked at Daikoku: "Today I'll show you what real food gacha is all about. The one with less salt is for you later. The boss doesn't fight with his underling."

Big Black: "Squeak?"

"Of course, if you get a particularly expensive cut, it has to go through the boss's quality inspection first, to avoid one mouse not being able to handle it."

Big Black: "..."

It knows.

When the boss says he won't grab, he usually just means he won't grab everything.

The next private room.

The charcoal fire was burning red-hot, and fine white smoke was quickly drawn away by the exhaust vent. More than a dozen kinds of freshly delivered ingredients were laid out on the table.

Chicken drumsticks with scallions, chicken wings, chicken skin, chicken cartilage, roasted shiitake mushrooms, green peppers, beef tongue, and several kinds of marinated meats are neatly arranged on a long plate.

Yoshiko Sawamura sat at the table, holding tongs in her hand, her eyes shining like two lamps as she watched the oil constantly oozing from the grill.

The chicken skin curls slightly over the fire, and the edges gradually become crispy. The sauce that has been brushed on is forced to release its sweet aroma by the high temperature. An enticing layer of charred marks appears on the surface of the chicken thigh meat. The scallions sizzle after absorbing the oil. Just one more flip and it's ready to be eaten by our great mother.

Yoshiko Sawamura swallowed.

"It's almost ripe..."

Ritsuki Sawamura sat opposite her, with only a glass of ice water in front of her. She had said she wasn't hungry, but her gaze kept drifting towards the grill. However, every time Yoshiko Sawamura looked up, she would quickly turn away, pretending that she was just studying the decorations on the wall.

The waiter brought another menu, and when Yoshiko Sawamura opened it, the first thing she saw was the sushi.

Bluefin tuna.

Grilled salmon.

Sea urchin warship.

Sweet shrimp nigiri sushi.

The photos were incredibly tempting; the oil glistened under the light, and the rice grains were distinct. Yoshiko Sawamura's fingers began to move uncontrollably toward the "add more" button, but suddenly the horrific scene from last night flashed through her mind.

Bluefin tuna sushi.

The little pink-haired boy burst into flames.

It's stuck in my throat.

Grandma waved.

My great mother nearly lost her life twice in one day because of sushi. One of the times was a precise backstab after multiple feints, repeated checks, and confirming that the little pink-haired girl was no threat.

Sushi is poisonous.

It's at least toxic to her.

Yoshiko Sawamura stared at the tuna belly on the menu for a long time before finally managing to look away with difficulty.

"No."

Ritsuki Sawamura looked up: "Weren't you watching the whole time?"

"Mom doesn't like sushi."

"Who was the person who almost ended up in the hospital yesterday because of what they ate?"

"Yesterday's mother was young and didn't know how to cherish life, today's mother has matured."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

It grows twice a day.

The older woman updates her game version faster than the game itself.

To completely resist the temptation of sushi, Yoshiko Sawamura quickly flipped to the next page and soon saw the restaurant's signature "What Bird Set Meal." The description of the set meal, "No one knows what kind of bird they're eating until they open it," immediately piqued the great mother's curiosity.

random?

Blind boxes?

Is there a chance to draw a very valuable lantern or limited-edition parts?

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Little pink-haired girl, this looks interesting."

"I won't eat it."

"Mom hasn't asked you yet."

"Whenever you make that face, nothing good ever comes of it."

Yoshiko Sawamura was completely unfazed and carefully studied the set meal details: "One set includes six skewers, a main dish, a side dish, and a dessert. It's cheaper than ordering individual items, and if I manage to win three lanterns, I'll be rolling in money!"

"What if all six skewers are chicken butts?"

"How could that be? Mom has always been very lucky."

Ritsuki Sawamura glanced at the bruises on her face that hadn't completely faded, and then, recalling her glorious record of being solo-killed by food twice in a row yesterday, she remained silent.

The older woman's perception of her own life seems to be greatly distorted.

Yoshiko Sawamura raised her hand and called over the waiter: "Three of those 'what the hell' set meals, please!"

Ritsuki Sawamura frowned: "I don't want to."

"Mom knows."

"Then why order three?"

"I'll eat two, you can have one."

I said I wouldn't eat it.

"Then Mom will eat three."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

There was no option to reduce the number from the beginning.

After the waiter finished recording the order and left, Yoshiko Sawamura continued to watch the grill. She picked up a skewer of freshly cooked chicken skin, blew on it twice, and couldn't wait to take a bite. The crispy skin crackled in her mouth, and the oil and sweet and salty sauce spread out at the same time. She squinted her eyes in happiness, and a very innocent and sweet satisfaction appeared on her face.

"tasty."

Riki Sawamura lowered her head to drink water, pretending not to see.

After finishing the chicken skin, Yoshiko Sawamura started eating the chicken leg skewers with scallions. The meat was tender, the scallions were sweet, and the aroma of charcoal permeated every fiber. By the time the three "what the hell" set meals were brought into the private room, there was already a pile of empty bamboo skewers in front of her.

The set meals are served on black rectangular wooden trays, and each set contains slightly different contents.

The first course included chicken meatballs, chicken hearts, chicken leg skewers with scallions, chicken cartilage, roasted quail eggs, and a golden-yellow lantern with a soft egg yolk hanging from the top. The main dish was grilled rice balls brushed with sauce, the side dish was salted kelp cabbage, and the dessert was a small bowl of grapefruit smoothie.

The second dish consists of chicken wings, chicken skin, chicken gizzards, chicken tail, perilla chicken skewers, and grilled shiitake mushrooms, served with a mini bowl of chicken soup rice and two pieces of soybean flour fern cake.

The third dish was even more luxurious, featuring not only chicken thighs and chicken meatballs, but also lanterns, chicken necks, mentaiko chicken wings, and a skewer of chicken cartilage sprinkled with sea salt. The main course was ochazuke (rice with tea), and the dessert was matcha pudding.

When Yoshiko Sawamura saw the two lanterns, her eyes almost turned into the shape of lanterns.

"I won!"

She reached out with her chopsticks and picked up the lantern skewers from the first set meal. The soft egg yolks wobbled gently with her movements, the outer membranes tightened slightly from baking, and the surface was brushed with a layer of glistening sauce, making them look like two small lanterns hanging on bamboo skewers.

Ritsuki Sawamura wasn't initially interested, but her gaze followed the string of things for a moment.

"What is this?"

"Lantern."

"Is it edible?"

"Of course, the menu says it's a limited cut, only one skewer per chicken, and the taste is very special."

Yoshiko Sawamura put one in her mouth, the membrane gently broke, and the warm yolk flowed out, mixed with the sweet and salty sauce and the aroma of charcoal. She instantly quieted down, and then a blissful expression appeared on her face, as if she had entered a completely new human realm.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Is it really that delicious?

She glanced down at the ice water in front of her, then looked at the other string of lanterns next to Yoshiko Sawamura.

Yoshiko Sawamura had already noticed her gaze and cautiously pulled the three set meals closer to herself.

"You just said you weren't going to eat."

"I didn't say I wanted to eat."

"Then what are you looking at?"

"Watch how this old lady gets choked to death for the third time."

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

The little pink-haired girl's words were so vicious.

She decided not to give it to him.

The aroma of a second bowl of chicken soup rice wafted over. Ritsuki Sawamura, holding her straw, lingered on the soup for a few seconds before finally asking casually, "Can you finish this?"

Yoshiko Sawamura nodded vigorously, her mouth still stuffed with chicken meatballs: "I can finish it."

"You've already eaten a lot."

"Mom walked all day today and is very tired."

"I ate a lot at noon too."

"The food from lunch has already been digested."

"There's ice cream in the afternoon too."

"Ice cream is water, it can't be considered a meal."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Fallacy.

That's all fallacy.

She reached out with her chopsticks and tentatively picked up a chicken wing from the second set meal.

Yoshiko Sawamura reacted quickly, using her own chopsticks to stop it.

"what?"

"Try it."

"You just said you weren't going to eat."

"I've changed my mind."

"Mom has already planned out the space in your stomach based on the premise that you won't eat. If you suddenly start eating now, it will disrupt Mom's eating plan."

Ritsuki Sawamura stared at her: "Let go."

"Not loose."

"Auntie"

"Using one's status to coerce consumers is prohibited!"

Two pairs of chopsticks held the same chicken wing and began to pull it in mid-air. Yoshiko Sawamura leaned back, while Riki Sawamura expressionlessly increased the force. The chicken wing swayed back and forth between the two of them, and a small drop of sauce spilled out and landed on the table.

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes widened with heartache.

"What a waste!"

Taking advantage of her distraction, Ritsuki Sawamura flipped her wrist and snatched the chicken wing, taking a bite of the fattest part.

Yoshiko Sawamura: "???"

"Little pink-haired girl, you attacked me from behind!"

"That's real strength."

"That's Mom's meal!"

"You just said the third one is mine."

"You said you didn't want it!"

"I want it now."

Yoshiko Sawamura hurriedly protected the remaining two portions, but Ritsuki Sawamura had already stopped pretending and her chopsticks precisely crossed the defense line.

She grabbed a skewer of chicken cartilage and then casually picked up a bowl of chicken soup with rice. The mother and daughter then engaged in a battle of wits on the table, one protecting and the other attacking. On the surface, there were no large movements, but their feet under the table had already been stomping on each other several times.

"Put it down, that's Mother's lantern!"

"You have another string."

"Eating two skewers together is the only way to complete the experience!"

"Does a chicken have two sides?"

"Who cares if they have it or not, Mom ordered it anyway!"

"Auntie, you ate too much today."

"Mom can still eat!"

"I'm helping you manage your weight."

"Don't use Mom's money to help Mom!"

Riki Sawamura picked up the lantern.

Yoshiko Sawamura lunged forward to protect the food.

The chair creaked as it was bumped, and the bamboo skewers and plates on the table shook. The two of them reached out to steady the food, preventing it from falling. Once they were stable, they continued to fight over it, their movements as practiced as if they had trained countless times before.

The next private room.

Shido Kuroba sat at the table, listening to intermittent noises coming from behind the wall.

The sound insulation is indeed quite good.

I couldn't make out what was being said, but I could hear the rustling of chairs, the soft rattling of plates, and the muffled sounds of two women arguing in hushed tones, occasionally punctuated by a loudly raised "Put it down," before quickly falling silent again.

Kuroba Shido took a sip of the free hot tea and listened for a few seconds.

"Is there a robbery next door?"

Big Black squatted on its special cushion and also raised its head to look at the wall.

"Judging from the commotion, it sounds like an internal conflict, and the target is very valuable, so neither side is willing to give it up," Kuroba Shido nodded and continued his analysis.

Another low gasp came from next door, followed by a woman's painful gasp.

Kuroba Shido nodded: "As expected of 'What Birds Barbecue', it's full of 'What Birds'!"

Chew, chew, chew...

Big Black: "..."

outside the store.

Amamiya Kaoru pulled Shimotsuki Airi to the door, and when she looked up and saw the sign, she paused for a moment.

"What kind of barbecue restaurant?"

Shimotsuki Airi tilted her head back and carefully read the words above: "Little Rain, what does this mean?"

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Kaoru Amamiya forced herself to explain, "It's probably... a yakitori restaurant, right?"

"Why is there something in front of it?"

Amamiya Kaoru paused for two seconds: "Maybe the boss doesn't know what kind of bird he's roasting."

Airi Shimotsuki: "..."

She suddenly felt a little reluctant to go in.

"Xiaoyu, is this store safe?"

"Of course it's safe. I saw great reviews online, and there are private rooms here, which is convenient for bringing Dahei."

Amamiya Kaoru took out her phone to check that Kuroba Shido hadn't sent any new messages urging her to come back. She then pushed open the door and walked into the store. The receptionist quickly came up to her and, after verifying Amamiya Kaoru's reservation information, her smile became even more enthusiastic.

"Your companion has arrived ahead of time and is currently waiting in the private room."

"That kid arrived pretty quickly."

Amamiya Kaoru muttered something under her breath, then followed the waiter with Shimotsuki Airi in tow.

Shimotsuki Airi carried her small bag and walked along, observing the yakitori guide on the wall. Her expression was relatively normal when she saw the chicken heart, liver, and gizzard, but when she saw the lantern pattern, her little face gradually showed confusion.

"Xiaoyu, what is this?"

"Lantern."

"I know the name, but why is the egg hanging down there?"

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

You're just a kid, stop asking all sorts of questions all the time...

The two entered the store.

The waiter led the two to the door of the private room and was just about to open the wooden door.

Another waiter happened to walk over from the other side of the aisle, carrying three huge black wooden platters in his hands, followed by a staff member pushing a food cart. The food cart was filled with grilled rice balls, chicken soup rice, side dishes, desserts, and unsalted chicken breast prepared for Big Black.

Two groups of people stopped at the entrance at the same time.

The waiter glanced at the room number and politely said, "Hello, these are three sets of some kind of 'something-or-nothing' set meals ordered by the guests in the private room. Could you please move aside?"

"Great, what bird has finally arrived? Hey teacher, what a worthless brat?" Kuroba Shido blinked and looked at the two of them.

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Airi Shimotsuki: "..."