Chapter 57: Familiarity: Could it be the same person? ...?
The girl who claimed that she could "princess carry two police academy students and run 800 meters easily" raised her hands confidently. The two former police academy students and active police officers present had strange expressions on their faces.
Hagiwara was mainly trying to suppress his laughter, but Matsuda's desire to win was aroused.
"So sometimes I really don't know what's going on in your head..." He felt his hands itching when he saw her like that. He chuckled and pinched her forearm muscles, which felt surprisingly soft. "With such a small amount of muscle mass, you dare to brag about it? Do you know how much a properly trained police academy student weighs? And you're carrying two? I don't think you can even carry one."
Although the quality of food has improved during this period, Chaomu's arms and legs, which were originally a little malnourished, have grown some flesh, and his beautiful muscles have begun to take shape, but there is still a visible difference compared to Matsuda who stretched out his hand for comparison.
The two hands leaned against each other, creating a sharp contrast. Hagiwara looked at Yu Junran's hand that was pinching the girl's arm, feeling a little helpless for a moment.
Before he could reach out and separate the two of them inconspicuously, he saw Chao Mu pursing his lips slightly and tensing his biceps in defiance.
She leaned in a little closer, trying to make Matsuda realize that he was completely underestimating her. "Matsuda-kun, you're just judging me by my looks—you'll know if I can do it once you try. It just so happens that you and Hagiwara-kun are here, so why not let me hold you?"
Before Matsuda could react, she had already grabbed his knees and lifted him up: "Wait, are you serious?!"
Chao Mu supported his knee with one hand, even freeing up his other hand to adjust his bangs. He spun around twice under the stunned gazes of passersby. "See, you're no problem at the police academy level. Running 800 meters is a piece of cake."
It was indeed quite easy for her to hold him like this. She even had the energy to think twice before supporting his throbbing knee with her palm from the bend of his leg. She felt the muscles of the man in her arms were as hard as rocks... Well, he was also very strong, and his flapping movements were like a fish that was forced ashore and was too fresh.
The difference in their physiques was quite significant, and Matsuda was practically at a loss as she held him in her arms. The young girl's sudden, supple body contrasted starkly with her unwavering strength—wait, could this idiot stop trying to press his head to her chest! Putting that spot aside, it was a bit too much… his neck and shoulders were about to break…!
I rubbed against it...something soft and fluffy was sticking to me...!
"Stop spinning...put me down first!" The curly-haired officer's ears were red. He couldn't wrap his arms around her neck, and neither could he lift them. He spun around, swinging his arms like a windmill. "It's forbidden to attack active police officers in public...hagi, take care of her!"
Kenji Hagiwara decisively took a few steps back to prevent Asami from making a surprise attack in order to test the "holding two" strategy, and took out his cell phone to take a picture.
Seeing that You Xunran looked utterly ashamed and angry, as if he was going to fight him to the death if this continued, he cleared his throat and came over to enforce justice: "Alright, alright, Xiao Chaomu is the most powerful... Can you put Xiao Zhen down first? It's all his fault for being so ignorant that he actually dared to doubt your strength... Unlike me, I never doubted your physical strength, Xiao Chaomu."
Matsuda Jinpei almost rolled his eyes at Yukinen: What nonsense is this guy talking about! He's like he's convinced Asami is some kind of super-strong muscled Barbie! He used to worry all day about how "Asami might be malnourished because of the poor food," and he even hesitated for ages about letting her take fighting lessons. Now he's saying "no doubt"!
But Chaomu, who knew nothing about these behind-the-scenes details, was obviously completely bewildered by his sweet words and obediently let go of his hand, even saying a few words of criticism: "So Hagiwara-kun is still reliable - Matsuda, you should learn from him."
...He's even been demoted from Matsuda-kun to just Matsuda... Is this guy so self-indulgent?! At least show some respect to those older than you!
Matsuda landed on his feet, looking a bit awkward, feeling like he was about to throw up. He straightened his slightly crumpled shirt and met her golden eyes. He was genuinely worried she'd think he wasn't giving up and would lift him up again, so he could only manage to say, "...It's my fault for underestimating you... You're really strong."
It's more like sheer super strength... Even if he tried to lift the same weight with one hand, he probably wouldn't be able to do it so effortlessly. Among the same generation, only the squad leader could rival her, and he didn't think Furuya Rei was in a good position either.
Thinking of Furuya Rei... I really wonder where he went after graduation. And the same thing about Morobushi, there's been no news at all. Where are they now, striving for their dreams and careers?
Their thoughts drifted off into the distance for a moment, then were drawn back by the aroma of fried food. Before they knew it, the three of them had stopped at the entrance of a shop. A customer lifted the drooping bamboo curtain, and the warm, burnt aroma filled their nostrils, making their saliva flow even faster.
"Hmm, today's a special day where you can get more for free," Hagiwara Kenji's eyes fell on the handwritten sign at the door. "Thick-cut fried pork cutlet rice bowl, made with premium Kagoshima Kurobuta pork... Yeah, it's a premium ingredient."
He placed his hand on Chaomu's shoulder and, smiling, manually moved her eyes away from the special offer sign: "How about we eat here?"
"Just pork chop rice?" Although he moved quickly, Chaomu had already seen the words "special offer". Although he was quite tempted by the aroma, he still showed a little disapproval, "Hagiwara-kun, you don't have to save money for me. I'm really rich now..."
"Of course the rich Xiao Chaomu can treat us to a better restaurant—"
Kenji Hagiwara pushed the girl's shoulders as they walked into the shop. The bamboo curtains were lifted, and beneath the tinkling of shell wind chimes, his hot breath brushed against the tip of her ear as he bent over. "Well, Kenji-chan just really—is craving the golden pork chop from this shop. This shop is a famous internet celebrity. I was too busy with work before and didn't have time to line up...and the unlimited refills of rice, side dishes, and miso soup are really tempting. Look at this onsen egg? It's as soft as a cloud, melting into the rice."
His tone was so gentle, like he was coaxing a child, and the child was indeed completely lost in his thoughts. After wiping his saliva, he obediently let him push him into the store. Matsuda, who was standing behind him, couldn't help but show a disgusted expression, put his hands in his pockets, and followed him: "I can't stand it..."
The shop isn't big, only about 30 or 40 square meters, enough for customers to immerse themselves in the aroma of fried food. From the sizzling wok, golden pork chops are scooped out to drain, and the crispy snaps echo as the knife slices through them.
The area around the bar was already full, and Kenji Hagiwara skillfully ushered the two of them through the crowd, settling them into the tatami seats on the inner side. Both men were tall, and their seats were a bit awkward; Matsuda's knees almost touched the edge of the low table. As the only woman present, Asami had a side to herself. She propped her chin up and pushed the menu toward Hagiwara, saying, "Order whatever you want. No need to save money for me."
"The special set meal comes with a thick-cut pork chop, a hot spring egg, and pickles, plus unlimited miso soup and rice... Let me see, this is what Xiao Zhenping and I will have." Hagiwara Kenji sketched on the order sheet with a pencil, his fingertips tapping the wooden table. "For Xiao Chaomu, add a hot spring egg, um... and some fried shrimp, and fruit after the meal..."
He quickly placed his order. Seeing the girl across from him eager to try, with a look of "let me do something" written all over her face, he couldn't help but laugh. He handed the order to her and said, "Please, Xiao Chaomu, take the order."
The player, who was completely restless from scratching around, pricked up his ears and accepted the NPC's temporary request: "Leave it to me."
She could see the chefs hard at work in the middle of the bar. After placing her order, she scraped her food on the counter and peeked in. Unfortunately, she found it difficult to go through the trash cans in public with her job: her NPC favorability would probably drop significantly, and she might even be blacklisted by this restaurant...
...Then let's not go, because the pork chops here look really... delicious.
The deep-fried pork cutlet, drenched in amber sauce, gleamed glossily under the warm light. Its crispy coating crackled in tiny lines, revealing a pink and white, juicy slice roughly three or four centimeters long. The turbaned chef generously piled the large cutlet high on a bed of rice and shredded cabbage, the batter crackling softly as it clashed.
Although players rarely feel hungry, Chaomu still instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth and slurped: I feel that the pork chop here will not be inferior to the delicious tenderloin that Midorikawa-kun grilled at home... She kind of wants to learn this.
After seeing Hagiwara-kun and Matsuda-kun off, I'll come back and ask the master chef if he's accepting any apprentices. I'll see if I can trigger some apprenticeship quests. She's a woman with superb cooking skills now! Even though she's been busy rummaging through the trash lately, and Midorikawa-kun has been the one cooking whenever Mrs. Kawasaki needs her, she hasn't had much chance to use that skill...
The pork chop rice was quickly ready, and she cautiously embarked on her return journey, carrying the tray. The thick steak reached the height of her nose. The lady who was in charge of carving the meat was so cute that she offered an extra portion of pudding, smiling and encouraging her to eat more and to keep it if she didn't have enough.
It seems that this store is doing really good business, and the proprietress is also a hidden rich woman.
Chaomu, who wore the title of Lady Special Attack, replied contentedly that business was booming, and carefully returned to her seat carrying three large bowls of pork chop rice, miso soup, side dishes and a large plate of fried shrimp.
Her satisfied expression was like that of a small animal with its tail raised after returning from hunting. Hagiwara looked at her face with a smile and naturally reached out to wipe away the sauce that had smeared on the tip of her nose with his fingertips. "You're amazing! You can actually bring back so many meals by yourself. You really are worthy of being called Little Chaomu."
This time, Matsuda rolled his eyes without avoiding Yu Xunran: "Are you going to praise her again next, 'It's amazing, little Chaomu can actually eat by herself'?"
"Does Zhen Ping want to be praised like this?" Hagiwara blinked, his voice rising slightly. "If you're the one treating, then of course I can... But Chao Mu is the sponsor today."
Chaomu had only spent the price of a few bowls of pork chop rice, yet he had coaxed her into spending like a wealthy woman. She generously shared the pudding with him, sighing heartily, "I think if Hagiwara-kun were a gigolo, his business would be ten times better than that of the black-faced man—he'd definitely become a renowned prostitute!"
Amidst Matsuda's choked laughter mixed with coughs, the warm smile on the half-long-haired young man's face froze. "Eh, eh? Are you saying I'm too frivolous? A gigolo or something...eh?"
Jinpei Matsuda almost died of laughter.
Sure enough, no one can escape Chaomu's sharp mouth.
"If that's the case, Hagi should indeed have good performance." He finally swallowed a mouthful of rice and poked Xiao Xunran with his elbow with a smile. "After all, he's a pool boy, and his personality is just right. He's very suitable to be a janitor."
"Speaking of Ikemyun, Jin-sama-chan is pretty good too, right?" Hagiwara Kenji, always quite confident in his looks, offered a rare excuse. "As for suitability, Jin-sama-chan actually has quite the advantage—after all, he has fashionable curly hair. Compared to Jin-sama-chan, my looks are still a little lacking."
"My hair style and color are obviously mediocre, right? Aren't gigolos supposed to have colorful hair?" Matsuda, a straight man who knew nothing about the gigolo industry, spoke based on stereotypes. Then, thinking of a certain colleague, he was struck again with amusement. "So, that means some blond jerk is the chosen gigolo, right?"
"As for Kofuku-kun... that's true." Hagiwara Kenji couldn't help laughing. "After all, he does have eye-catching blond hair. I just don't know what he's doing now..."
Chaomu, who had detected the keyword "blonde hair" and automatically thought of "little dark face", stopped his whirlwind meal and looked up alertly: "Blonde hair? Little dark face? Where? Did he spawn here?!"
"Aren't we talking about Xiao Chaomu's rival Amuro-kun... Does Xiao Chaomu think he's some random mini-boss?" She looked like a hamster whose feeding was interrupted. Hagiwara Kenji twitched his index finger slightly, but ultimately resisted the urge to poke her cheek. He explained with squinted eyes, "Xiao Zhenping and I were talking about a classmate of ours in the police academy. He just happened to be a handsome blond..."
...Blonde hair, dark complexion... Come to think of it, the color scheme of that competitor Asami mentioned seems quite familiar... But it can't be the same person, right? Although Kofuku apparently went into some kind of confidential work after graduation, he probably wouldn't become a gigolo and compete with little girls for business...
A strange sense of déjà vu gave Hagiwara a flash of inspiration. The next second, before he could finish his words, the bamboo curtain at the door was lifted.
As the air outside blew slightly cooler, a blond young man wearing a baseball cap walked in with a bright smile on his face. "Mr. Takahashi ordered two limited-edition pork cutlet rice dishes. I'm here to pick them up..."
The voice was all too familiar. Hagiwara and Matsuda raised their heads almost simultaneously, their eyes meeting those of the blond young man who had just walked in. The latter's pupils shrank slightly, and he instinctively lowered the brim of his hat.
At the same time, Chaomu, who had his back to the door, also caught the familiar voice and turned around, shocked: Has the evil little black-faced man's business territory expanded to this point? Why is he everywhere?
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The author has something to say: The number of strange Shura fields has increased.
I wrote to myself that I was hungry and gave up...but I seem to have a cold and my head hurts, so I can forget about fried food.
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