Their restricted abilities are refreshed every week.

Then let Qing like me more.

Takamatsu Deng looked at Chihaya Aine, his lips moving slightly: "I'm sorry, Aine-chan, I'm a... bad girl."

Chapter 4.3 Goto Ichiri just wants to understand (k

The rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables could be heard on the chopping board. The purple-red onions were cut into thin strips, and the pestle next to it exuded the green fragrance of apples.

After Shirakawa Haru helped Chihaya Aine and Takamatsu Deng complete most of the steps in making cream stew, he went to visit other groups and solve their problems.

By the time the marinated beef is taken out of the refrigerator, it has already exceeded the optimal marinating time by several minutes.

Goto Ichiri swayed around Shirakawa Haru, the skin on his fingertips slightly wrinkled.

She had just filled a basin with water and washed the vegetables over and over again before Shirakawa Haru came back. Her fingers, which were exposed to the water, became wrinkled.

"We're having curry rice today." Shirakawa Haru pulled out a fruit knife from under the stainless steel cooking table and deftly cut an apple into wedges. "Yili, can you help me puree the apple with a masher?"

Goto Ichiri stood beside Shirakawa Haru, his face looking awkward and reserved.

She wanted to help Shirakawa Haru, but she didn't know what she could do or what she should do, so she seemed very helpless.

This was the case when Shirakawa Haru asked her to wash vegetables before. If she stopped what she was doing, she would feel like an unwanted person and would feel restless.

"Huh? Okay, okay!" Hearing Shirakawa Haru asking him for help, Goto Ichiri quickly nodded in agreement.

"The masher is under the table. If you don't mind, you can use the red one. The apple puree it makes is very smooth, just like ice cream made from milk." Shirakawa Haru cut another small apple and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Yili."

Goto Ichiri found a masher from under the table, put a few small apple halves in it, and squeezed the masher hard.

Originally, she wanted to put all the apple slices in and squeeze them at once, but she was too weak and could only squeeze part of the apple first.

When she had mashed the apple segments in the muddler into puree, she would look at Shirakawa Haru happily and ask for more apples.

There was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, her breathing was a little rapid, and the gloomy expression on her face disappeared. She would occasionally smile while daydreaming, and she was discussing guitar and music with Shirakawa Haru during this time.

Goto Ichiri was very charming with her smile. A group of female classmates gradually gathered around her. They chatted loudly and handed over apples, wanting Goto Ichiri to help them make the puree.

As a "reward" for inviting Goto Ichiri, they gave Goto Ichiri spices or ingredients unique to their group. It was like girls giving each other small gifts like shells to increase their affection.

After cooking, they would invite Ichiri Goto to share the food with them.

At first, Goto Ichiri didn't dare to talk to the classmates around her, but the female classmates kept praising her for being clever and skillful, and for making the fruit puree so fine and beautiful.

Amidst the praise, Goto Ichiri's face flushed and he accepted his classmates' request. The pestle in his hand moved up and down faster than an electric one.

Shirakawa Haru looked at the excited Goto Ichiri and the classmates surrounding her, which made the corners of his mouth slightly raise upwards.

He witnessed Goto Ichiri's growth.

He thought that offering cooking classes was definitely not just to improve students' culinary skills, the most important thing was to provide a place for social interaction and to cultivate team collaboration skills.

Now Goto Ichiri can talk to the girls in the class with his company. Maybe next time she can leave him and communicate with others on her own.

Sauté shredded onions until softened, then add water and stir until the onions turn reddish-brown. Coat large chunks of beef in flour and fry until golden brown. Add curry powder and stir-fry evenly. Add minced garlic and ginger to bring out the aroma.

Shirakawa Haru poured the beef and spices into the pot of cooked onions, added water, brought to a boil, and skimmed off the foam.

His movements are dazzling, and in his hands, cooking has become an art.

The whole classroom could smell the aroma of the curry beef cooking in the pot in front of Shirakawa Haru.

"S-smells so good!" Goto Ichiri swallowed his saliva, and the pink hair on his head swayed non-stop in the breeze of spices. "Qing...are we going to eat this later?"

"You were in the same group with me in the last cooking class." Shirakawa Haru put down the spatula and took off his gloves, then gently tapped Goto Ichiri's forehead with his finger in public. With his current relationship with Goto Ichiri, he no longer minded making this kind of intimate and somewhat ambiguous gesture.

Goto Ichiri closed his eyes and tilted his head back.

"Do you remember what we ate in the last cooking class?" Shirakawa Haru stared into Goto Ichiri's eyes.

"Yes, it's a very fragrant omurice!" Goto Ichiri said, "It was so delicious that I even had two servings..."

"So in cooking class, you eat whatever I cook, and this time is no different." Shirakawa Haru added tomato sauce, curry cubes, and Goto Ichiri's mashed applesauce into the pot and simmered it over low heat. "Let's taste it. If it seems too bland, you can add some salt or sugar."

"I think adding more sugar will make it taste better...ah, this is just what I said casually. It's up to Qing to decide how she feels. You can ignore my suggestion and feeling." Goto Ichiri picked up a potato and tasted it. He thought that adding sugar would be better according to his taste.

"I understand." Shirakawa Haru stared into Goto Ichiri's eyes and said, "Ichiri thinks sweet beef curry tastes better, and you should add a lot of sugar... Don't always eat potatoes, try the taste of beef."

As soon as Goto Ichiri finished speaking, Shirakawa Haru picked up a small spoon and kept adding sugar to the pot, adjusting the sweetness of the beef curry according to her taste. He said, "Don't always think that your thoughts are insignificant. It is because I care about you that I ask you what you think."

"Yeah, yeah!" Goto Ichiri nodded quickly. If someone who didn't know her and Shirakawa Haru saw this, they would definitely think that she was being bullied by Shirakawa Haru.

Shirakawa Haru didn't know how much Goto Ichiri could take in. Ever since he saved her last time, she had been very obedient to him. However, her social anxiety and tendency to self-deprecate were two things that were difficult to change no matter what she did...

In fact, she has been gradually changing, but in her daily life, she always unconsciously reflects these two points.

Shirakawa Haru looked at Goto Ichiri's drooping face and wanted to use that long-handled colander to hit Goto Ichiri's head twice to see if there would be a hollow echo.

Sometimes he would hit Yuki Suho on the head like this in his kitchen because she loved to mess up and cause trouble for him, so there was always a very clean long-handled colander hanging on the kitchen wall.

"Is it sweet enough?" Shirakawa Haru asked Goto Ichiri.

"Hmm," Goto Ichiri sniffed the aroma of beef curry, his mouth watering, "It's delicious!"

Shirakawa Haru divided the beef curry in the pot into five portions, two of which were kept for herself and Goto Ichiri as lunch; of the remaining three, two were given to Chihaya Aine and Takamatsu Touma, and one was kept for the classmates around to try.

"Haru, I want to ask, there seems to be half of the beef left on the cutting board..." Goto Ichiri looked at the large piece of beef in front of Shirakawa Haru with a puzzled expression, "Are you planning to put it in the refrigerator for the next cooking class?"

Today the cooking class teacher was going to demonstrate the process of making beef curry rice, but the teacher was not here, so the beef ingredients were naturally left to Shirakawa Haru, who was on duty as a substitute.

"The next cooking class is next week, and the beef will have gone bad by then." Shirakawa Haru washed the pot, wiped out the moisture inside, and cut up all the remaining large pieces of beef. "Don't talk while eating or sleeping. Eat well, and talk less while eating. Be careful not to choke or choke."

Goto Ichiri was sitting on a chair in front of the dining table eating beef curry rice. Because she ate too fast, the corners of her mouth were covered with beef curry sauce. If someone kissed her now, they would definitely taste various spices and sugar.

"I'm a little curious..." Goto Ichiri moved closer to Shirakawa Haru's left and acted coquettishly towards him. This was the method taught to her by Kita Ikuyo and Ijichi Nijika. They said that Pochi-chan was very cute, so if Pochi-chan wanted to get close to Shirakawa-kun, she could act coquettishly towards him as much as she wanted!

They also told Pochi-chan not to be shy, because just as Pochi-chan likes Shirakawa-kun, Shirakawa-kun also likes Pochi-chan.

"Goto-san, please wipe the curry sauce off the corner of your mouth first." Shirakawa Haru tore off a napkin and handed it to Goto Ichiri, then continued to deal with the ingredients on the table. "I want to nourish my friend."

"Friend...friend?" Goto Ichiri stood beside Shirakawa Haru and hesitated for a while, then asked, "Which friend is it? Can you tell me?" After asking, she realized that this was not her business.

Even though she was very curious.

"I won't tell you." Shirakawa Haru bluntly rejected Goto Ichiri's request. "My friend is very shy. If I tell Ichiri about us, she will definitely get mad at me. Besides, I have my own life too. In interpersonal relationships, we should give each other some privacy."

Goto Ichiri walked away from Shirakawa Haru, then silently sat back down at the dining table. In order to prevent Shirakawa Haru from seeing her unhappy expression, she deliberately showed him only her side profile.

I was so bold when I asked Shirakawa-kun a question just now!

I know I shouldn't ask this question, but I just want to know...

What are you thinking, Goto Ichiri? It's already very kind of you that Mingchuan-kun is willing to be your friend, so why are you still shamelessly trying to interfere in his life?

As a neglected wild dandelion on the roadside, you need only quietly grow, quietly bloom, and quietly wither. Rainy nights are the norm during your growth, while clearing clouds and rain are only occasional. Even if the sun were to notice your quiet and silent presence, you couldn't arrogantly claim that this sun was yours alone. The sun belongs to everyone, and you are merely a weed that relies on its warm glow to thrive.

"I'd love to tell you her name." Shirakawa Haru couldn't help noticing Goto Ichiri's changing mood. Sensitive children are always like this. Once they're rejected, they'll feel abandoned by the whole world. "But doing so would be too unfair to her. You're my friend, and she's my friend too. I can't favor one over the other, right? I'll notice your little emotions, but I have to take care of hers, too."

Shirakawa Haru took off his gloves and touched the top of Goto Ichiri's head: "So don't be unhappy."

"Eat more." Then he put all the beef from his curry beef rice into Goto Ichiri's bowl.

"Hmm... too much, too much. I'll get fat." When Shirakawa Haru touched her head, Goto Ichiri subconsciously rubbed her head against the palm of Shirakawa Haru's hand. She felt very comfortable and had the illusion of being very close to him.

"For someone like me who's good at cooking," Shirakawa Haru poured a glass of water for Goto Ichiri and placed it on the table, "the fact that you can gain weight is the best compliment. And beef is high in protein, so eating it won't make you fat."

"When my friend is no longer so stubborn and awkward, I will tell you who she is." Shirakawa Haru promised Goto Ichiri.

"Oh," Goto Ichiri nodded.

She thought to herself, "Actually, I don't really have to know who your friend is. I just want to get to know Qing and you better."

Shirakawa Haru put on his gloves again and continued to process the ingredients on the stainless steel cooking table.

Because some of the ingredients had been processed before, this time, apart from the time required to stew the soup, Shirakawa Haru was able to make beef curry faster than before.

He went to the cupboard and got a large insulated box, then poured the beef curry from the pot into it, carefully sealed it with the airtight lid, and fastened the buckle.

Then he packed another box of white rice.

After finishing all this, Shirakawa Haru returned to the dining table. As soon as he picked up the chopsticks, he heard someone calling him "Chairman".

He turned his head and found that it was Chihaya Aine and Takamatsu Touma walking towards him. They were wearing thick gloves to prevent burns and each held a small pot that exuded the aroma of cream stew.

"Chairman, would you like to try the cream stew that Deng and I made?" Chihaya Aine tapped her lips mischievously. "Actually, I already made it a long time ago, but I don't know why Deng made a small pot of cream stew on his own."

"Except for the last few steps, the chairman prepared both my and Deng's cream stews, so the taste shouldn't be any different. But Deng insisted on making a separate pot herself," Chihaya Aine continued. "That's why it's been delayed until now."

"Sorry...Aine-chan." Takamatsu Deng lowered his head, as if he didn't dare to look at Chihaya Aine's face.

"It's okay, it's okay!" Chihaya Aine walked behind Takamatsu Deng and put her arms around Takamatsu Deng, then placed her head on her shoulder. "Chairman, you haven't eaten yet."

"Haru... try the cream stew we made." Gao Songdeng raised her eyes and looked at Baichuan Qing carefully. She knew that as long as she asked, Baichuan Qing would agree even if the request was unreasonable.

"The taste is not much different, both are delicious." Shirakawa Haru gave a very objective evaluation after tasting it.

"Haru... Between Aine and me, whose cream stew do you like better...?" Takamatsu Deng looked directly into Shirakawa Haru's eyes, his eyes filled with passionate emotions.

"I prefer the light ones. I like the delicate taste." said Shirakawa Haru.

"Hmm, hmm, it turns out that Haru likes the cream stew I make more." Takamatsu Deng repeated what Shirakawa Haru had just said, that she liked him more, "Haru likes me more than Aine..."

Chihaya Aine loosened her hands and walked to the side of Takamatsu Touma. She felt that something was wrong with Takamatsu Touma. She thought that Takamatsu Touma was "competing" with her.

But after Gao Songdeng whispered in her ear that Qing preferred a more delicate taste, she immediately dispelled this strange feeling.

Am I too sensitive? Deng is helping me to get "information" about the chairman.

I think too much.

"Qing...if you like it, then eat more." Gao Songdeng said.

Chapter 4.6: Toyokawa Shoko · Seed · Responsibility (k

After school last Monday, Shirakawa Haru asked Toyokawa Shoko's deskmate where Toyokawa Shoko had been at noon these days and whether he had eaten lunch well.

Soon, Shirakawa Haru learned that she spent her lunch break reading in the piano room, occasionally playing a few piano pieces, and her lunch was something like "tea rice" which had no nutrition.

So Shirakawa Haru tried to find a way to prepare healthy and nutritious food for Toyokawa Shoko, so that she wouldn't starve herself.

He felt that she was in adolescence and her body needed a lot of nutrition to grow healthily. Otherwise, although no bad consequences would be seen in the short term, the damage caused by malnutrition would definitely be reflected in her body in the future.

Shoko Toyokawa would work a part-time job after school, which often resulted in her skipping dinner.

After get off work, she would go to the convenience store to buy discounted bento as a midnight snack. Shirakawa Haru had asked the convenience store manager to only sell her fresh bento and milk that was not about to expire, but because she couldn't see them, she was still a little worried.

Although he couldn't control what she ate after work, at least at school, he still found a way to ensure that her body got enough nutrition. The specific method was to prepare meals in cooking class and bring them out in an insulated box.

If I take Fengchan Xiangzi directly to the cafeteria, according to her personality, the meal we agreed to pay for will definitely be split in the end, or even she will pay alone, so I can't do it in this direct way.

The excuse of “no food waste in cooking class” works really well.

Haru Shirakawa started her first cooking class of this semester last week.

He made omurice that day, so Toyokawa Shoko's lunch was also omurice, and there were a lot of beautifully cut fruits and vegetables.

From that day on, Shirakawa Haru took the initiative to propose to the cooking teacher the idea of substituting for half of the class.

Because he was a good cook and the cooking teacher was happy to have some free time, he agreed.

Out of five days a week, Shirakawa Haru needs to substitute for classes on three days, and the remaining day is just a "cute" disguise.

These days, Shirakawa Haru has been bringing lunch to Toyokawa Shoko. Basically, she eats whatever he cooks in cooking class at noon.

Sometimes classmates would share the dishes they made with Shirakawa Haru, and he would pack these dishes in another insulated box and bring them to Toyokawa Shoko.

The purple velvet Oxalis gradually withered day by day, and the ground was covered with fallen flowers covered with mud. Some summer cicadas can survive into winter, so the birth and death of petals can better reflect the rotation of the four seasons than the cicada's chirping.

Shirakawa Haru walked on the stone road. The trees were swaying in the wind and leaves were falling. He reached out and grabbed the dead leaves. He stared blankly, feeling that summer was really coming to an end.

Walking down the stone pavement, Shirakawa Haru stepped a few times on the carpet in front of the piano room door. The carpet was newly stained with some purple mud, which was the color of the Oxalis petals and the soil that he had stepped on the stone pavement.

Shirakawa Haru pushed open the familiar door and walked into the room where the sound of piano echoed.

On the grand piano lies music scores that have been read countless times. A few piano stools are scattered in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Golden sunlight penetrates the ice-like glass, cutting the light and shadow and space in the piano room. The thermos of boiling water hums in the darkness, and the rice in the lunch box is covered with a few vegetables and soaked in warm water.

Shoko Toyokawa and Haru Shirakawa agreed that only two piano stools would remain in this piano room in the future, but they moved the piano stools that had been moved out back last week, put them together, and placed them by the floor-to-ceiling window as a small dining table.

The sound of crisp footsteps rang out in the piano room, and the harmonious piano music suddenly stopped.

The blue-haired girl sitting at the piano flexed her fingers nervously, lowering her head and gritting her teeth. The photo she'd seen at the tea shop yesterday flashed through her mind: Chihaya Aine kissing the side of Shirakawa Haru's face, a faint blush on her face. She thought to herself, "That photo was so well taken, even she had been stunned when she first saw it." Chihaya Aine could stand beside Shirakawa Haru better than she could.

In order for Shirakawa Haru to better appreciate the piano performance, Toyokawa Shoko always placed a piano stool beside her. This was originally the only two piano stools in the piano room.

But today, the piano stool was not placed next to her.