Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

After saying that, Kakuzaki Taki left the kitchen without waiting for Tadokoro Megumi's response.

Kikuchi Sonoka quickly jogged to catch up with Kakuzaki Taki, passing by Tadokoro Megumi.

She stopped and waved her fist at Tadokoro Megumi, making a cheering gesture: "Megumi, you were really great today! The allspice flavor was so gentle, please keep up the good work! I believe you can become a very good chef!"

As the graduates left one after another, the once lively kitchen was left with only Chen Yuxing, Tadokoro Megumi, and Dojima Gin standing silently to the side.

Dojima Gin walked up to the two of them and looked at them gently.

“Tadokoro Megumi,” Dojima Gin’s deep voice rang out.

"Yes, Chef Dojima!" Xiaohui stood ramrod straight like a soldier.

“You don’t need to be so nervous.” Dojima Gin couldn’t help but laugh. He looked at Tadokoro Megumi in front of him. “There is a kind of warmth in your cooking that can make diners feel warm. This kind of heart that is still wholeheartedly thinking about the diners even when facing desperate situations is something that many chefs are very easy to lose on the long road of cooking.”

"Don't lose this gentleness. But just as gentleness isn't enough, you also need the skills to support it." Dojima Gin patted Tadokoro Megumi's shoulder with his broad hand. "Remember this feeling from today. From now on, continue to stay in Totsuki and work hard to hone your skills."

"Yes, Chief Dojima! I will definitely work even harder!" Tadokoro Megumi replied loudly.

Dojima Gin nodded, then looked at Chen Yuxing: "And you, kid, your performance as sous chef today was also outstanding. You're not like an ordinary first-year student at all. I look forward to your performance in the future."

After saying that, Dojima Gin turned around and strode out of the kitchen.

After everyone left, only Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi remained in the empty kitchen.

Megumi Tadokoro stood there blankly, reflecting on everything that had happened that day.

From the despair of being expelled from school by Chef Shinomiya, to Chen Yuxing stepping forward in the food battle, to trembling as he plated the food at the counter, and finally to Shinomiya Kojiro's recognition as he tossed that crucial coin into his bowl.

She felt like she had just woken up from a dream.

Chen Yuxing turned around, looked at Tadokoro Megumi who was standing there in a daze, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips.

"It seems that we have won in the end."

Chen Yuxing reached out and ruffled Xiaohui's hair. "I told you before, believe in yourself, you can definitely do it. Not only were you not expelled, but the graduate chefs also spoke highly of you. You did a great job, Chef Tadokoro."

“Ah… Ah Xing, classmate…”

Upon hearing this praise, Tadokoro Megumi could no longer hold back. Despite her special training, the tension of facing a group of graduate chefs and the immense joy of finally being recognized all surged forth in that instant.

Large tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string. Xiao Hui didn't care about her image anymore and squatted down on the ground, covering her face with her hands and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Waaaaah... I thought... this time I really had to pack my bags and go back to my hometown..."

Xiao Hui sobbed and said haltingly, "If... if it weren't for Ah Xing insisting on standing up for me, if it were because of me that Ah Xing got expelled... I... I really don't know how to face you... Waaah..."

Chen Yuxing looked at Xiao Hui, who was crying in front of him, squatted down, and gently patted her back to comfort her.

"We've won, so we don't need to worry about those things anymore."

"And as I said before, I believe in you. Just make your own dishes. Your gentleness towards diners is your real weapon. And compared to Chef Shinomiya's dishes, I still prefer your dishes with your own style."

"Really..." Xiao Hui looked up at Chen Yuxing and asked uncertainly.

"Of course it's true." Chen Yuxing reached out and pulled Xiao Hui up. "Okay, stop crying. If you cry for too long, your eyes will be dry and your throat will hurt. You won't have any motivation for class tomorrow."

He turned around, picked up a rag, and began to clean up the mess on the worktable. "We need to clean this up quickly. It's already very late. If we don't go back soon, everyone in Polaris Dormitory will be worried sick."

Tadokoro Megumi vigorously washed her nose, wiped away her tears haphazardly with her hand, and replied, "Yeah! I'll help too!"

……

Meanwhile, in the corridor on the first floor of the Totsuki Palace.

"Chief Dojima, you did this on purpose, didn't you? About the Shinomiya matter..."

Guan Shouping leaned against the side of the corridor, his eyes, which were always squinted, were now slightly open as he looked at Tangdao Yin who was walking out.

Dojima Gin stopped and turned to look at Seki Shouping.

"Yes, ever since he received the Prudpool Medal and stood at the pinnacle that many people never reach in their entire lives, he has lost his way forward."

“Shinomiya… he moved too fast and climbed too high.” Dojima Gin sighed, looking out the window. “His exceptional talent made him abandon many things he shouldn’t have, such as his concern for his diners.”

Dojima Gin shook his head as he recalled how Shinomiya Kojiro cried when he ate the rainbow jelly.

"However, real cuisine shouldn't be like that. A good chef should not only constantly improve their skills, but also learn to absorb things they are not good at."

"Like Tadokoro Megumi's dishes, clumsy yet full of heart. Only by constantly absorbing new ideas can the vitality of a dish not be exhausted. Shinomiya was too afraid of falling from that peak, so he stagnated."

"It seems that today, not only the freshmen have been tempered, but it has also been a valuable lesson for us graduates." Guan Shouping nodded.

……

By the time Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi finished cleaning up the kitchen, changed their clothes, and walked out of the annex of the Totsuki Palace, it was already completely dark outside.

Just as Chen Yuxing took out his phone to check the time...

"Beep beep beep beep beep—"

A barrage of messages and missed call notifications popped up one after another.

[Yoshino Yuuki]: Hoshino! Megumi! Where did you go?! Why aren't you back yet?!

[Yoshino Yuuki]: Reply! This is driving me crazy! If you don't reply, I'm going to send Daigo and Shoji to bomb the lecturer's dorm!

[Ryoko Sakaki]: Hoshino, let me know you're safe and sound. Everyone was worried about you.

[Marui Zenji]: If you get lost outside, please contact the hotel front desk immediately. Wild boars may appear in the mountains at night!

[Ibuzaki Shun]: Please reply if you see this.

[Soma Yukihira]: Hoshino! Where have you run off to again! Why didn't you take me with you again!

Xiaohui's phone was also constantly buzzing with messages. She took it out and was shocked: "Ah! It's messages from Yuuki and the others! Oh no! We have to get back right now! Everyone must be so worried about us!"

"Let's go, let's hurry back." Chen Yuxing put his phone back in his pocket. "If we don't go back soon, I'm really worried that Yuuki and Daigo will kick down the lecturers' doors."

The two quickened their pace, jogging along the path back to the accommodation area of ​​the Totsuki Palace.

As soon as I arrived at the floor where everyone lived in the Polar Star Dormitory, I could hear footsteps coming from Marui Zenji's room from afar.

Chen Yuxing stepped forward and grasped the doorknob, preparing to open the door.

"boom!"

The door was suddenly pulled open from the inside, and then an orange figure shot out like a cannonball, accompanied by a gust of wind.

"Xiao Hui—!!!"

Yoshino Yuuki grabbed Tadokoro Megumi, and because of the force of the impact, the two of them almost fell down in the corridor.

"Yu... Yuhime..." Xiaohui was a little at a loss, and could only pat Yoshino Yuhime's back to comfort her, "We're back now, aren't we..."

"Where the hell have you been?! Do you know we were about to call the police?!"

Yoshino Yuuki clung tightly to Megumi, crying and loudly accusing her, "I thought you were going to be expelled by Chef Shinomiya and I'd never see you again! Waaaaah..."

"Let go, Yuuki! Megumi is almost suffocating from your hug."

Daigo Aoki quickly pulled Yuuki off Megumi, who was clinging to her like an octopus.

Inside the room, Ryoko Sakaki breathed a long sigh of relief upon seeing that the two were safe and sound, and her face returned to its usual gentle smile.

Marui Zenji pushed up his glasses and visibly relaxed as he said, "You two are really something, disappearing for so long without a word, making everyone so worried about you. You have no sense of organization or discipline at all."

Ibuzaki Shun leaned against the corner of the wall and simply said, "It's good that you're back."

Soma Yukihira sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, holding a half-eaten bag of potato chips in his hand, and grinned as he looked at Chen Yuxing who walked in.

"I knew it! With Ah Xing and Xiao Hui together, nothing bad could possibly happen."

Soma Yukihira popped a potato chip into his mouth. "Although Chef Shinomiya looks intimidating, if it really comes down to cooking, Hoshino won't let anyone bully him."

Chen Yuxing walked to the tatami mat and sat down, casually grabbing a handful of potato chips from Soma and popping them into his mouth: "You've got quite the nerve."

"What exactly happened?" Ryoko Sakaki poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Megumi, asking softly, "Why are you only coming back now?"

Holding the hot water cup, Tadokoro Megumi felt the warmth emanating from her palms and looked at the concerned faces of everyone in the Polar Star Dormitory, feeling a warm glow in her heart.

She recounted the entire story, from being expelled from the Shinomiya class that afternoon because of the ingredients, to Chen Yuxing stepping forward to propose a food battle, and then to the thrilling competition in the underground kitchen that evening, without changing a single detail.

Of course, she omitted some details from the end, only saying that Chef Shinomiya finally approved of her cooking and withdrew her expulsion.

After Xiaohui finished telling her story, the whole room fell silent.

"Are you all crazy?!"

Yoshino Yuuki let out a scream, grabbed her hair with both hands, and looked at Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi as if they were idiots.

"That's Kojiro Shinomiya! The first seat of the 79th Elite Ten of Totsuki Academy! A monster who received the Order of Puruspur! How dare you challenge him to a food battle?!" Daigo Aoki was also very shocked when he heard this.

"This is too reckless...it's really too reckless..."

"However, since Chef Shinomiya has withdrawn his expulsion, it means that Megumi's cooking really impressed him."

Ryoko Sakaki looked at Megumi with eyes full of relief and encouragement. "Megumi, you're really amazing."

Soma Yukihira's eyes lit up as he listened, and he grabbed Chen Yuxing's shoulders and shook him violently: "Damn it, Yuxing! You didn't even call me for something this interesting! I really want to have a competition with that Chef Shinomiya too!"

"Alright, alright, stop shaking it. I'm about to throw up the potato chips I just ate."

Chen Yuxing slapped Kai Chuangzhen's hand dismissively, "If there's a chance next time, I'll definitely invite you along."

Everyone sat together, discussing their thrilling experiences of the day.

Listening to her companions' concern and chatter, Tadokoro Megumi held her water cup and a genuine smile appeared on her face.

It's great to be able to sit here with everyone.

Chapter 34 The Final Lesson

The fourth and fifth days of training also passed quickly in a flurry of activity.

After the trials of the past few days, and Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi's victory in the food battle against Chef Shinomiya, everyone in Polaris Dormitory performed exceptionally well and demonstrated their abilities when facing the challenges of the next two days.

Soma Yukihira earned a very high rating from Taki Kakuzaki with his unique tempura rice bowl.

As a wild game cuisine expert, Yoshino Yuuki successfully defeated Mizuhara Fuyumi with her unique way of handling and cooking wild game.

Although Marui Zenji's physical strength was still a bit lacking, he still managed to pass the highly demanding perfumery challenge perfectly thanks to his culinary knowledge and extraordinary sense of taste.

Even the rivals Daigo Aoki and Shoji Sato showed amazing chemistry when working together on projects that required their cooperation.

As expected, on the evening of the fifth day, no one in the Polaris Dormitory was eliminated; everyone passed the assessment.

By 6 p.m. on the fifth day, all the regular assignments had been completed.

Just as all the first-year students were about to go back to their rooms to rest, the hotel's loudspeaker blared at an inopportune moment.

"All surviving students, please proceed to the Grand Ballroom immediately." Dojima Gin's deep voice echoed over the loudspeaker.

Exhausted, the more than 600 surviving students gathered once again in the familiar hall.

Dojima Gin stood on the main stage, looking down at the students below, who were tired but had shed their original naivety and become resilient.

"First of all, congratulations to all of you for successfully completing the fifth day of the challenge."

He didn't keep us in suspense any longer, his booming voice echoing through the hall: "The 654 students who are still here have all demonstrated their value and persevered until now. The residential study program is almost over."

"But now is not the time to relax." Dojima Gin rested his hands on the podium, gazing at the survivors before him.

"Now, I'm here to announce the final topic for this residential training program tomorrow morning! Once the topic is finished tomorrow morning, you can pack your things and return to Totsuki!"

Upon hearing that the event would end tomorrow, the students in the audience began to stir.

"Tomorrow's topic." Dojima Gin's voice suddenly rose, and the students fell silent.

"It's to provide an innovative breakfast for the guests of the Far Moon Resort, the suppliers who provide our ingredients, and the employees of our partner companies in the surrounding area! The theme of the ingredients is—'eggs'."

Dojima Gin extended one finger.

"Whether you prefer Chinese, Western, or Japanese style, the choice is yours. This project will begin with a buffet-style meal, starting at 6:00 AM and lasting for two hours!"

“The minimum standard for qualification is—” Dojima Gin’s eyes narrowed slightly, “to prepare and have guests take away two hundred servings of your dishes to taste within two hours!”

As Dojima Gin made the announcement, the students below the stage began to wail.

Two hundred copies?!

"Two hundred servings in two hours? That means each serving would need to be made in less than a minute!"

"And since it's a buffet, if the breakfast isn't appealing, no one will come!"

"By the way," Dojima Gin tapped the podium, "tomorrow's broadcast will report in real time how many of you have reached 100 servings. If you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of so many people, then you'd better work hard. The kitchen will be open all night tonight. You can choose to go back and get some rest, or you can go to the kitchen to prepare the dishes you need for tomorrow."