Uneasy daily life

Yukino ate her meal silently, paying close attention to the small plate of pork kidneys and the brown twice-cooked pork.

"The seasonings aren't quite authentic either. Speaking of which, after my recommendation, the boss went to his hometown to buy ingredients. Although he was initially shocked by the mild spiciness, he also gained some appreciation for the deliciousness of Chinese cuisine. He also praised some of the staff meals I made before. Maybe I can get some fermented bean curd, broad bean paste, fermented black beans, and authentic pickled peppers from him..."

Bai Ying casually picked up a piece of pickled pepper cut into the shape of a horse's ear with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, occasionally uttering a few words of local dialect.

Yukino Yukinoshita's cheek twitched slightly.

The white figure asked curiously, "Why is the brave warrior so startled and silent?"

"Don't talk when you eat, don't talk when you sleep."

"Pretentious."

Yukino Yukinoshita: Blood pressure ↑.

Bai Ying took another bite and said enthusiastically, "Won't you order some, brave one? I've been here for a few years now, and the dishes have been modified to suit local tastes. Don't be fooled by the large amount of pickled peppers; this stir-fried pork kidney is actually savory, as is the twice-cooked pork. While it may not have the soul of the fermented bean curd, it's still enough to complement the light flavor. To be honest, the portion sizes have already been changed."

"The portion size has been changed?"

Yukino Yukinoshita immediately changed the subject away from urging him to eat: "Isn't this portion size normal?"

"A stir-fried kidney dish is gone in no time, how can you enjoy it?" Bai Ying shook her head and said, "You can make more dishes, make big plates, but you can't make too little. If you can't finish it in one meal, you can save it for the next meal."

Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated and said, "Cold rice and cold dishes?"

"Just reheat it. Sometimes it's normal to cook one pot of rice and eat it for two days," Bai Ying said. "Based on my many years of cooking experience, cooking larger portions makes things easier and less stressful. You can cook a big dish once and eat it for two or three days, which saves a lot of trouble."

Yukino Yukinoshita recalled the time and effort someone had spent preparing the ingredients, and subtly understood the meaning behind it.

Preparing more ingredients at once can avoid the problem of cooking too little food. Even if there is too much, it can be reheated and eaten again, greatly reducing the trouble for the cook.

It's quite a strange dining habit. When it comes to processing ingredients, whether it's removing odors or other preparations, the initial preparation is quite meticulous, showing a craftsman's spirit that doesn't mind spending an hour or two on a dish. However, when eating, they are very casual, and it's common to save cold rice and dishes to reheat for the next meal.

"Meow~"

In the distance, inside a garbage bag pinned down by a chair leg, Knight peeked out from a gap, letting out a weak meow.

"What are you yelling for? If you yell again, I'll press your butt outwards."

The white figure snorted: "A meowing cat like you wouldn't survive more than three episodes in Detective Conan. You'd probably be silenced by Blackie for witnessing a murder—Hey brave one, how about some pork kidneys?"

Yukino immediately protected the bowl, shouting sharply, "No!"

In the end, Xue Paopao is still Xue Paopao, having escaped the soul-piercing experience and stepped into a new world.

After the meal, Bai Ying took the initiative to take on the most annoying task in terms of food – washing the dishes.

Preparing ingredients before cooking, though troublesome, has a certain creative appeal.

Needless to say, once it's put into the wok and stir-fried, the intense heat and excitement lasts only a few minutes before it's gone in an instant.

The only thing that seems so troublesome, tedious, mechanical, and soulless is washing dishes when you're full and satisfied, but if you don't want to attract flies, it's a problem that needs to be solved immediately.

Washing dishes has sparked countless family feuds, exposed the facade of harmony within families, and unleashed countless conspiracies lurking in the shadows.

Some people believe in speed, grabbing chopsticks and bowls faster than anyone else, eating with the swiftness of an army, striving to quickly satisfy their internal organs, and then fleeing the table to retreat to their room and pretend to be busy.

Some people, having discerned the swiftness of the tactic, devised a plan to strike first. During a pleasant meal, they would casually call out the name of the person in charge, thus nipping the swiftness of the tactic in the bud. However, to implement this plan, one must have a legitimate and justifiable position, high rank and great power. Otherwise, it would be like Emperor Xian declaring that this was the Han dynasty's empire, and Prime Minister Cao would remain silent, thus bringing shame upon himself.

Some people sell their souls to become the king's lackeys and gain his favor, thus having the leisure to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. However, such a scheme is quite treacherous. If the chosen lord gives the order, then one will have no choice but to bear the heavy responsibility of washing the dishes.

As Bai Ying washed the dishes, she suddenly wondered—why am I so skilled at this? Just how many dishes have I washed?

Do the math...

In my past life, after my younger sister was born and I learned to cook, I unknowingly became a kitchen appliance.

In this life, due to various unusual circumstances, I joined a theater troupe as a handyman, and washing dishes was naturally outsourced to me. After that, I had to wash them myself in my solitary life.

Now, the brave one is his own landlord... Does that mean a landlord can't wash dishes for his tenants? That's outrageous!

But considering the differences between one's own and the other person's tastes, the most troublesome bowl is definitely the one used for cooking.

We need to come up with a clever, roundabout way to get rid of the dishwashing job.

Let's lie low for now and let her be careless.

"Jie Jie Jie..."

What's wrong with you now?

The white-clad figure continued washing the dishes as if nothing had happened: "Weren't you bewitched by a demon?"

"You can't grow up healthy just by eating cat food."

Yukino Yukinoshita, whose mind was filled with thoughts of cats, was easily fooled. She took a fruit knife and sliced ​​some carrots and apples: "Cats can eat vegetables and fruits too, so I'll give it some extra nutrition... I'll buy some beef and goat milk tomorrow... and I also need to prepare a cat bed..."

Bai Ying kindly suggested, "An excellent demon... I mean a cat, should be trained from a young age to have an unyielding character, the courage to overcome difficulties, a strong and healthy physique, the awareness to run towards the stars, the spirit of twinkling stars, and a vast and immortal dream."

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at her and asked, "What are you trying to say?"

The white figure said mercilessly, "Send it into space, let it become a star, and let it go down in history."

Ultimately, he was a pathetic and incompetent ruler who was completely bewitched by evil, ignoring the advice of loyal and virtuous ministers.

After feeding the cat dinner, I patted its warm belly to make sure it was full...

Yukino's face lit up with a healed smile.

"Meow~"

Knight called out softly and shifted his position.

A foreign object appeared on the clean floor.

The smile disappeared.jpg

I was so engrossed in petting the cat that I almost forgot that adopting it was already a hasty decision, and then inviting Baiying to stay at my house added to the mix. With all these things going on, I forgot to prepare essential pet supplies like cat litter.

I'm so flustered. I haven't made a perfect plan or considered things properly. Yukino, Yukino, you can't do this.

Yes, it was my mistake, and it has nothing to do with the innocent cat.

Yukino Yukinoshita got up and found a broom and mop to clean up the mosquito bites and white rice stains from the cat lover's face, and sprayed some deodorant on her.

After taking care of these things, I turned around and saw the kitten lying sprawled out on the sofa, fast asleep, looking like a flat cat pancake.

Yukino Yukinoshita silently took out her phone. She usually watched videos of cats liquefying, but she never expected to see it in real life, especially her own cat.

Bai Ying came out after washing the dishes and saw this scene, casually saying, "Brave warrior, I suggest you shake it awake."

"Baijun, you're always so picky about a kitten. Don't you think it's beneath you, a human being?"

Yukino Yukinoshita, while filming a video, said in a mature tone as if she were scolding a child, "It all comes down to Shirakami's fear of cats, right? Try spending time with cats, maybe that will cure this problem..."

Bai Ying didn't speak, but glanced at her with a mixture of mockery, pleasure, and indifference before walking towards the guest room.

"By the way, there are two bathrooms here. If you want to take a shower, you can take a shower in the bathroom on the left side of your room."

Yukino Yukinoshita spoke in a rather serious tone.

"Don't worry, I only shower in the morning and I don't have the habit of showering every day. You don't need to worry about seeing a picture of a white figure emerging from the bath, because it won't pass censorship."

I'm worried about myself!

Speaking of which, it's time to take a shower...

There's suddenly someone in the house, and it's a person of the opposite sex. It feels strange in many ways.

For example, when it comes to pajamas, I subconsciously chose this thick and long type.

I was a little annoyed by the loud spraying sound and the splashing water on the ground.

I wish I could finish my shower so quietly, like an assassin, without making a sound.

Huh...calm down, Yukino...

After taking a bath, Yukino Yukinoshita, still warm from the shower, stepped out and quickly looked around.

no one.

There was no one in the living room.

Arriving outside the room rented to Bai Ying, he subconsciously stopped and listened.

The clattering sound of the keyboard...

Our side is in complete disarray, while the enemy's mind remains as still as water.

If that guy said something like "the sound of a gentleman taking a bath" could make you eat three bowls of rice, then I would definitely think he was frivolous, greasy, and even a little disgusting, and have the idea of ​​packing him up and throwing him away on the spot.

If I were to think like this again—"You took a shower?" Oh. A strange, subtle sense of resentment arises, and the realization of this resentment suddenly sends a chill down my spine, making me wonder if I have some serious illness.

Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head to clear her mind and went to the living room. Looking at the cat sleeping like a pancake, her mood gradually calmed down.

Hmm... Bai Ying is working hard on her creations, so I'll go back to my room to study and do my homework.

Let the cat sleep for now, I'll bring it back to my room later when I go to bed...

"finished Wash?"

After activating the vibration mode for less than half a second, Yukino Yukinoshita calmly turned around. Before she could even gather her thoughts, a stack of banknotes was handed to her.

"?"

"I withdrew some money on my way down. Based on some rental prices in this building, this is half a month's rent." Bai Ying gestured with her eyes, "What are you standing there for?"

Yukino Yukinoshita calmed down, put her hands in her pockets, and said crisply, "I invited you, who is temporarily homeless, to stay with me. I'm not after any rent, I..."

I clearly consider you a friend...

The white figure directly countered the attack and immediately retaliated: "My life motto is to never owe money. Although I am the Demon King and you are the hero, and we are rivals, we should respect each other. You are trying to break my principles and destroy my Dao heart. Isn't that disrespectful to me?"

Yukino Yukinoshita was stunned for a moment, and then the money was stuffed into her hand.

"By the way, this is a heartfelt admonition from the Demon King—awaken the demons from the abyss immediately, lost hero!"

Bai Ying said meaningfully, "It would be best to launch it directly into space."

Yukino Yukinoshita retorted as usual: "Why are you arguing with a kitten? Are you a demon king who's afraid of cats? It does have a comedic effect due to the contrast."

They became complete puppets of the devil, unaware that everything comes at a price.

The white figure left with a pitying look before turning and leaving.

Yukino Yukinoshita fell into deep thought.

"Enemy countries respect each other"... What kind of nonsense is that?

Was Bai Ying's earlier statement about not owing money and the principle of not owing money not just made up?

As friends, how should we handle it if our principles clash?

I always feel that this rent has an awkward and unpleasant feel to it... If it's money, why not just spend it directly? For example, temporarily add some extra meals for the next two weeks, stock up the refrigerator with some more expensive ingredients that we don't usually eat often, or prepare deluxe bento boxes, and return the money to the other party indirectly.

Yukino Yukinoshita came up with a solution and felt a little more relaxed.

As usual, I went back to my bedroom, made a cup of coffee, did my homework, studied, and previewed the upcoming lessons.

Before going to bed, I moved a cat biscuit from the living room to the bedroom. Luckily, it wasn't winter, so I didn't have to worry about the cat getting cold.

A tiring, chaotic, and fearful day is finally coming to an end.

Yukino Yukinoshita was getting ready for bed when her phone suddenly rang.

Who would call me this late...?

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at it and nearly had her heart stop.

Mother's number?!

Chapter Sixty-Two: Ecological Conflict, Act Three

The Yukinoshita family is considered a prominent and prestigious family in Chiba.

In reality, it's just talk.

There's a saying that everything outside of Tokyo is rural. Whether in terms of economic status or political influence, Tokyo is the heart of the country. Countless young people flock to Tokyo from all over the country, seeking a chance to survive like gold being sifted from sand.

Chiba may be closer to Tokyo, but it is not Tokyo after all.

Yukinoshita's father deeply agreed with this, but he did not seek to develop in Tokyo, or have the desire to expand and create new glories. Firstly, the objective obstacles were there, and apart from luck and fate, he could not think of any feasible way to overcome them. Secondly, he himself was not dissatisfied with his life, nor did he have any particular desires.

I don't know how many mountains one has to climb to reach success, but I have done my best to climb to where I am satisfied.