The Girls

Chapter 143 The Girls

Hehe~

Feeling the strength and warmth coming from above her head, Tadokoro Megumi felt a sense of security and couldn't help but smile happily.

"Thank you so much for your concern, Lin Yujun!"

"But don't worry, everything is going smoothly."

"By the way, if Lin Yujun doesn't mind, would you like to try some?"

After saying that, Tadokoro Megumi handed over a small bowl, then looked up at Lin Yu with a hopeful expression.

"OK."

Lin Yu took the small bowl and immediately felt a warm sensation from the bowl to his palm.

"Oden?"

"That's right! And it's bite-sized oden." Tadokoro Megumi nodded with a smile, scratching her head sheepishly.

"After all, I figured the judges would eat a lot today, so I decided to make some dishes that aren't too heavy and hopefully nothing will go wrong."

What a kind girl...

Looking at Tadokoro Megumi's blushing face, Lin Yu couldn't help but think this.

"Xiao Hui!"

"I'm here!" Tadokoro Megumi replied, seemingly surprised.

Lin Yu looked at Tadokoro Megumi and said solemnly, "Megumi, your thoughtfulness in considering the needs of the diners... is truly admirable!"

Promise me you'll keep it up.

"This sentiment may one day become your most powerful weapon!"

Tadokoro Megumi tilted her head, a charming smile spreading across her face. "Hehe, although I don't quite understand what Lin Yu-jun is saying... I believe Lin Yu-jun wouldn't harm me!"

"Okay! I promise you!"

Seeing Tadokoro Megumi nod solemnly, Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

Tadokoro Megumi gently nudged Lin Yu's hand, urging, "Lin Yu-kun, try it quickly! It won't taste good when it gets cold."

Lin Yu couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, I'll eat right away."

As he spoke, Lin Yu looked at the dish in his hand.

The small bowl contained about half a bowl of broth, which was clear and steaming gently, with a delicate aroma wafting from it.

Small ingredients float in the clear broth.

Quail eggs, fried tofu, fried fish cakes, octopus legs, carrots carved into small flowers, tightly rolled cabbages, and lucky bags made by wrapping fish roe and rice cakes in fried tofu puffs...

The ingredients are plentiful and varied, with a rich array of colors that are pleasing to the eye and create a pleasant atmosphere.

Not only that, Tadokoro thoughtfully prepared each ingredient into bite-sized pieces, and all of them were skewered for easy handling.

The broth, which reflects a subtle light, gives this bowl of oden a delicate and exquisite beauty.

"Quail eggs!"

Lin Yu picked up a bamboo skewer and looked at the small quail egg at the end of the skewer. Lin Yu felt a little gratified.

"It seems Xiaohui has broken free from the constraints of the egg, not bad at all!"

Tadokoro Megumi felt a little embarrassed by Lin Yu's praise.

"I just felt that if I cooked eggs in oden, they would be too big and inconvenient to eat, so I changed them to quail eggs."

"I didn't actually think that much about it..."

'

"That's still amazing!"

Lin Yu didn't hold back his praise, saying with a smile, "Xiao Hui, don't underestimate yourself! You're very talented!"

"Hehe, is that so... If Lin Yujun says yes, then so be it..."

'

Although she said that, Tadokoro Megumi was visibly happy to be praised by Lin Yu.

"Then I'll start eating."

Lin Yu popped the quail egg into his mouth in one bite.

"What a comforting taste!"

"With each chew, the warm, savory broth flows out from between the ingredients."

With each chew, the creamy egg yolk melts further into the delicious broth of the oden, creating a magical yet comforting texture.

"What about the other ingredients?"

Octopus legs, fried tofu, cabbage...

The light and elegant broth establishes the initial flavor, while each ingredient, after being simmered, further develops its own flavor, combined with their unique textures...

Such a variety of combinations can truly bring genuine joy to people without them even realizing it!

After finishing all the ingredients and drinking the broth in his bowl, Lin Yu let out a long sigh of relief, a happy expression on his face.

At that moment, Lin Yu felt an overwhelming warmth spread throughout his body.

"Xiao Hui!"

Lin Yu handed the empty bowl to Tadokoro Megumi and gave her a thumbs up.

"The food is delicious! Keep it up!"

"Um!"

Megumi Tadokoro nodded vigorously, tears welling in her eyes.

After saying goodbye to Tadokoro Megumi, Lin Yu walked leisurely around the venue with his hands behind his back, looking around at everything.

Wherever there is excitement or a crowd, Lin Yu would curiously go over to take a look, and occasionally he would even take a bite.

For example, this time, Lin Yu ran into an acquaintance again.

"Yu Mei?"

Looking at the girl with wheat-colored skin and short blonde hair who was busy planting, Lin Yu smiled and waved to greet her.

"Good morning, Yu Mei! It's been a while!"

"Lin Yu?"

When Mito Ikumi heard the familiar voice, she turned around and saw Lin Yu smiling.

"Good morning!"

For some reason, Mito Ikumi always felt a strange sense of panic when she saw Lin Yu's smiling face, as if her body was in a stress response.

"Is there something you need?"

Mito Ikumi's voice carried a distinct tension as she spoke.

"It's nothing!"

"I've completed the required 200 servings for the project, and I've used up all the additional ingredients, so I'm just wandering around."

Lin Yu noticed Mito Ikumi's nervousness and casually glanced at the dishes she had laid out.

A small bowl with fluffy white rice at the bottom, topped with sauce.

The crispy, tempting meat patties and eggs are placed on top of rice, with a mound of salad made of tomatoes and avocados piled up next to them.

The whole bowl of rice looks colorful and has a rich aroma, which is very appetizing.

"A fried egg and meat patty over rice?"

Lin Yu couldn't help but take a light sniff of the fragrance in the air. "Pretty interesting, Yu Mei!"

"Want to give it a try?" Mito Ikumi looked at Lin Yu with expectant eyes, as if afraid he would refuse.

"OK!"

"Then I won't be polite!"

At Mito Ikumi's enthusiastic invitation, Lin Yu picked up a bowl of rice that was very colorful and had a lot of ingredients.

Lin Yu picked up his chopsticks, but instead of immediately devouring the food, he gently used them to separate the rice.

Looking at the clump of rice stained dark with sauce, and smelling the rich aroma of rice mixed with a salty and savory fragrance emanating from deep within the rice, Lin Yu made an analysis in his mind.

"Logically speaking, the sauce that comes with pan-fried meat patties should be a meat sauce made by simmering meat broth until it becomes thick, then adding spices and seasonings."

"But this aroma is clearly not from gravy?" Lin Yu muttered to himself, already having figured it out. "This is... a salad dressing made with white wine?!"

Lin Yu's eyes lit up, and his interest was instantly piqued. He picked up a ball of rice with his chopsticks, wrapped it with sauce, meat patty, and fried egg, and put it into his mouth in a big bite.

The rice was fluffy and delicious, with the sweet aroma of grains.

The aroma of rice is interspersed with the subtle sour fragrance of the sauce.

Although the flavor is not strong, it is impossible to ignore, highlighting a subtle yet indispensable presence.

A mouthful of rice makes one's appetite soar, as if one could eat a whole bowl of rice alone.

The surface of the pan-fried meat patty is crispy and fragrant, with a rich and tempting aroma of meat, while the inside is soft and juicy.

With a bite of the teeth and a press of the tongue, the juices flowed out, filling every crevice of the mouth.

Frying eggs is very simple, but the heat must be just right to make the egg white smooth and bouncy, while the yolk is still runny.

With one bite, the egg yolk flows out, like melted chocolate, with a rich and savory aroma that instantly coats all the ingredients, as well as the tip of the tongue and the taste buds.

Lin Yu picked up a piece of salad made with tomatoes and avocados. The refreshing sourness paired with the soft texture perfectly balanced the oiliness of the meat patties and fried eggs, so that diners would not feel greasy at all.

"It's delicious!"

Lin Yu swallowed the food in his mouth, but still felt unsatisfied, so he shoveled another big mouthful of rice into his mouth.

The soft, sweet white rice wraps around all the ingredients, and together they come together in your mouth, creating a layered flavor combination that brings a sense of joy when you chew it.

"The crisp sweetness of the white wine, paired with the rich, fluffy egg yolk and the succulent patty, creates a truly perfect combination!"

"Plus, hot white rice and a refreshing salad made with tomatoes and avocado."

"Rice, fried meat patties, fried eggs."

"The combination of three flavors, though simple, has a powerful, surging energy!"

"With the sauce and salad dressing, it's so good you could easily finish the whole bowl of rice in one go!"

Lin Yu looked at Mito Ikumi with fervent eyes and praised her generously, "Ikumi, you've grown so much since we last met! It's truly admirable!"

Mito Ikumi felt a little embarrassed by Lin Yu's intense gaze and turned her eyes away, not daring to meet Lin Yu's eyes.

Mito Ikumi pouted and muttered under her breath, "No...it's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be..."

'

"Haha! I'm not lying!"

Lin Yu said it, and he did it.

Lin Yu started shoveling rice into his mouth, finishing the entire bowl of rice in a very short time.

Lin Yu ate in a rather hearty manner, but Mito Ikumi didn't find it rude at all. On the contrary, she was secretly pleased that Lin Yu liked her cooking.

Lin Yu put down his chopsticks and breathed a long, satisfying sigh of relief.

"That felt great!"

"Yumei, thank you for your hospitality!"

Seeing Lin Yu's somewhat childish behavior, Mito Ikumi smiled knowingly, her ear tips turning slightly red.

"I'm glad you like it... um..."

'

"Ah~ Lin Yu-kun is so leisurely." Mito Ikumi was about to say something when a voice suddenly rang out beside her, interrupting Mito Ikumi, who had finally mustered up the courage.

Mito Ikumi immediately looked in the direction of the voice, annoyed, and roared, "What's it to you?!"

"It's none of my business... but can't I even say something? Why should I be silent?"

Hearing the sarcastic tone, Lin Yu looked at a cooking station next to Mito Ikumi and sure enough, he saw a familiar figure.

The girl with short silver hair, red eyes, and pale skin nonchalantly ignored Mito Ikumi's angry gaze.

When she noticed Lin Yu looking over, she immediately smiled and waved to him in greeting.

Good morning, Lin Yujun!

Good morning, Alice.

"I just heard the announcement!"

Alice Nakiri's voice was melodious and cheerful, carrying the liveliness and vivacity of a young girl.

"Oh dear~ Although I expected Lin Yujun to be in first place... I didn't expect her to finish so quickly!"

Looking at Lin Yu's calm expression, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but sigh.

"She's even more of a supermodel than my cousin!"

"Come on!"

Lin Yu rolled his eyes at Alice Nakiri, then looked at the mountain of empty plates behind the girl.

"And you're one to talk! You're not bad either!"

Lin Yu walked up to Alice Nakiri's cooking station and looked curiously at the dishes laid out on the table.

On the pristine white plate were a small bowl containing raw egg liquid, a halved hard-boiled egg, and an unpeeled egg.

It has a peculiar...rustic feel to it.

But even a fool could tell that if Alice Nakiri was able to complete the task of serving two hundred meals, then her cooking must not be as simple as it seems on the surface.

The mountain of empty plates behind Alice Nakiri is the best silent proof!

"Is this molecular gastronomy?" Lin Yu asked curiously.

"That's right!"

When the conversation turned to topics she was good at, Alice Nakiri immediately became lively and cheered excitedly.

"Ding ding ding ding Nakiri Alice excitedly gestured for Lin Yu to carefully examine the dishes on the table.

"This represents the cutting edge of culinary technology, and it's also my area of ​​expertise!"

"Molecular gastronomy: turning the mundane into the extraordinary!"

"Let me tell you..."

As Lin Yu listened to Alice Nakiri's eloquent introduction, he raised an eyebrow, his face showing curiosity.

"Cutting-edge?"

"Turning the rotten into the miraculous?"

"This is really..."

Lin Yu paused for a moment, carefully considering his words.

"That's quite an aggressive way of putting it..."

'

Don't you believe me?

Hearing Lin Yu's seemingly disbelieving tone, Alice Nakiri immediately pouted.

Lin Yu was momentarily at a loss for words. "No, I didn't mean I didn't believe you..."

5

Alice Nakiri angrily retorted, "I'm not making this up!"

Alice Nakiri stood with her hands on her hips, trying to straighten her head and chest, attempting to make herself look more imposing.

However, given that Lin Yu was significantly taller than her, this "pretentious" effort seemed somewhat weak.

Alice Nakiri cleared her throat twice and began her lengthy introduction: "My parents, based in Denmark, my mother's homeland in Northern Europe, jointly founded the [Nakiri International Research Institute]!"

"Researchers there use molecular gastronomy as a foundation to study the latest culinary techniques."

"This even includes research on the physiological structures of the human body, such as taste, smell, and brain structure!"

"It is a comprehensive food research institution that uses science as its core approach!"

"And let me tell you..."

"

"And also..."

'