Kamen Rider, the Mission Must Be Fulfilled!

"Are you... are you going to make mapo tofu too?"

"Knowingly asking."

No, seriously, why did you suddenly choose to make mapo tofu?Shouldn't you be making cold tofu?I'm still looking forward to the competition between Sichuan cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine. Why did it suddenly become a rivalry within Sichuan cuisine?

Zheng Yi opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Seemingly seeing the searching expression on Zheng Yi's face, Tiandao showed his sharp knife skills no less than Yacar, and kept explaining in his hand: "The same dishes are more conducive to distinguishing the winner, and—— "

Putting the cut tofu into the iron wrist filled with clear water, Tiandao patted the beef on the chopping board: "——I finally caught you, an expert in Chinese cuisine, and I have no reason to let go of this opportunity."

"Whose mapo tofu is better, and how far is my mapo tofu from you? I want you to tell me everything today, empty note."

"Even if Mr. Tiandao said so..."

He glanced at Yacar next to him with some embarrassment, and found that the other party was completely immersed in the cooking process, and his engrossed appearance faithfully expressed his fancy for this game and his strong desire to win.Tiandao's level of concentration here is not too much. After Zheng Yi mumbled and shrank back, Tiandao also devoted himself to cooking, pouring all his energy into every process.

If someone walks into this small back kitchen at this time and sees the scene in full swing, they will probably mistakenly think that a variety show such as culinary hegemony is being filmed here, and subconsciously look for hidden cameras. maybe.

The attitude of the two of them towards the competition was to be so rigorous and serious.So that apart from Zheng Yi who dared to occasionally walk between the kitchen counters of the two, the store manager of Zhugong and Xiao Xu simply shrank at the door where the back kitchen connected to the front desk, watching every move with their heads wrapped around their heads.

Heat up a wok with oil, stir-fry the minced beef evenly, pour in the bean paste, then add ginger, garlic and chili to sauté until fragrant.With the rise of the temperature in the back kitchen, the smell full of hot and spicy flavors comes out, the aroma is overflowing and at the same time it is unavoidably choking.

Xiaoxu is fine, the girl just squinted her eyes, and then shrank her head back a little, while the store manager of Zhugong was unprepared, coughed twice and quickly took a step back to avoid the little smoke from the pot.

Only Zheng Yi didn't dodge. He was walking around from time to time, but he stood straight in the middle of the two kitchen counters, watching the movements on both sides.

It seemed that at this moment, something caught his attention.

The next step was to pour in the prepared broth, but the two people who didn't prepare it here chose to mix it with simple water and boil it in the pot.Carefully slide the tofu into the medium heat and simmer for a few minutes, add a little soy sauce and salt to season, thicken the sauce and stir well, and finally take it out of the pan and sprinkle with scallions.

In the eyes of store manager He Xiaoxu of Zhugong, the movements of Yache and Tiandao are similar to looking in a mirror. Regardless of the fashionable preparation of materials, when they actually start cooking, they are almost as if they were engraved in the same mold, just like Even the timing of the pot is in no particular order.

On the left and on the right, Tiandao and Yache put the steaming mapo tofu in front of Zheng Yi and Xiaoxu who were sitting upright.

"Mapo tofu."

"Please taste."

After the dishes were set, the two men looked at each other, but without saying a word, they turned around, took off their aprons, and put on their clothes again.

Obviously, both Tiandao and Yacar have considerable confidence in their works.

Sitting next to Zheng Yi, Xiaoxu buried her head and refused to look up, nor did she want to move the spoon first.She didn't know that Zheng Yi in front of her was the black rider who had saved her once earlier.Although the manager of Sacang and the manager of Zhuomiya have a good personal relationship, Xiao Xu, who doesn't like to go out, has never been to Nero restaurant even once, so naturally she doesn't know that Tachibana is an employee of Nero restaurant.

So to Xiao Xu, Zheng Yi is completely a stranger who meets for the first time.Even though this stranger always had a cheerful smile and a soft voice, as if he was willing to treat everyone sincerely, Xiaoxu was still a little afraid to sit beside Zheng Yi at such a close distance.

"Then, ladies first, Ms. Kusakabe, please don't mind me."

"..."

With her head tilted, some long hair covered Xiao Xu's expression. If Zheng Yi hadn't been for Zheng Yi, most people would not be able to notice that she nodded her head, so she held the spoon stiffly. Xiao Xu first Tasted the Tiandao Mapo Tofu.

The bright red soup wrapped with tender white tofu and golden diced beef was sent into the girl's mouth, Xiao Xu chewed it twice, and paused, as if thinking about something.But after thinking for a short time, she put down the spoon, took a sip of water, rinsed her mouth, and then scooped up Yacar's work with a new spoon.

There was another short period of thought at the entrance, Xiao Xu put down the spoon, folded his hands on his thighs, lowered his eyes, and shook his head silently after a moment of silence.

"...can't tell..."

The girl's voice was very low, but the three men present could hear it clearly.

PS:

first change

Chapter 48: Zheng Yi pulled off the white scarf from his shoulders

"Then, how about counting the first vote as a tie?"

Zheng Yi took the lead in raising his hand and speaking to relieve Xiaoxu. The subtle silence just now lasted even one more second, which would be a torment for this introverted child.

Tian Dao was noncommittal, although Xiao Xu's lack of evaluation made his eyebrows a little impetuous, but he quickly calmed down.For Tiandao, the real goal of the mapo tofu dish is to get Zheng Yi's suggestions and even approval.Of course, if today's competition is Japanese cuisine, it is inevitable that Xiao Xu will be an authority figure.

Yache naturally also saw Xiaoxu's embarrassment, he has a good character and pays attention to etiquette, and he would not intentionally make things difficult for a little girl.

"I have no objection, this is a fair judgment from her heart."

However, things have come to this point, and it will definitely not work to deal with these two people with the rhetoric of a draw.And if there is a real victory or defeat, the key now lies in Zheng Yi alone.

As the last judge, his opinion will determine the winner of this match.

Tiandao and Yache all set their sights on Zheng Yi.

Although it was just the eyes of two people, Zheng Yi felt an inexplicable pressure.In his memory, the last time he felt this kind of pressure seemed to be when he walked through the long corridor and stepped into the octagonal cage alone.

Facing countless eyes, flashing lights and cameras at that time, Zheng Yi felt for the first time that his body was trembling due to the pressure.

Right now, under the focus of the eyes of these two people, there is a hint of the attention of the public.

"So, let's start with Yacar-san, okay?"

"Please use."

Picking up the spoon, Zheng Yi gently scooped up a spoon and put it into his mouth.The tofu and diced meat dance back and forth in the fiery red boiling soup. The tender tofu and chewy diced beef are full of the flavor of the soup without losing the characteristics of their own materials. The energetic heat surrounds Zheng Yi's tongue, from the tip of the tongue to the root of the tongue, slowly returned to the tip of the tongue, and finally fell through the throat and fell into the abdomen under the grinding and cutting of the teeth.

To be honest, if Yache is willing to open a Chinese restaurant in Yokohama's Chinatown just because of the mapo tofu, he will surely attract many repeat customers.

but……

Putting down the spoon quietly, Zheng Yi also didn't make any comments, just picked up the cup silently and rinsed his mouth with clean water, and then started to cook normally with a new spoon.

Upon entering, the taste blooming in the mouth was quickly transmitted to Zheng Yi's brain through the taste buds. He blinked and nodded slightly.

Sure enough, God knows he...

Putting down the spoon, Zheng Yi considered his words, raised his head and looked at the two people whose eyes had been on him without shifting.

"Before announcing the winner, I would like to ask the two of you a few questions, is that okay?"

"Please say."

"Go ahead."

"Then, excuse me..."

Turning his head to stare at Yache, Zheng Yi asked: "Mr. Yache, did you learn your mapo tofu from the visit to Chinatown?"

Yacar was stunned for a moment, and then smiled in surprise: "Actually, I heard that Mr. Kujo is good at Chinese cuisine, and I still didn't believe it. But now, I really don't believe it. As you said , I did learn this dish from a well-known and familiar Chinese restaurant.”

He nodded readily, admitting that he did learn from the restaurants in Chinatown.

"But I'm curious, how did Mr. Kujo tell the difference?"

"About this, I hope Mr. Yacar will allow me to answer you later."

"It's okay, but I was abrupt, please continue."

Turning his face to look at Tiandao again, Zheng Yi scratched his cheek, and said with a sneer: "Mr. Tiandao, do you understand the idiom "Appearance is in harmony with spirit?"

"……I see."

Regarding Zheng Yi's sudden and unexpected words, Tiandao just frowned slightly and thought for a moment, then grinned suddenly. The expression on his face seemed to have gotten some answer from Zheng Yi's sudden inquiry, with a kind of Excited and relieved.

Yache at the side looked at Zheng Yi, who was smiling, and at Tiandao, who was full of approval, with a dazed expression.

"Do you two have time next?"

Zheng Yi stood up all of a sudden, pressed the table and looked at Tiandao and Yache.

"Go!"

"If it doesn't take long."

Compared with the enthusiastic Tiandao, Yacar hesitated for a while, but because Zheng Yi was willing to help as a judge, and his personality was in line with his own aesthetics, he still agreed to Zheng Yi's request.

"You two wait a moment, it won't be long. Ah, by the way, if you feel that you can't finish the two portions, you can leave them to me. It's better not to waste food."

After saying that, without further explanation, Zheng Yi passed Xiaoxu's chair and walked to the back kitchen: "Master Zhugong, can I borrow the kitchen?"

"Of course! Use whatever you want!"

"Thank you for interrupting."

Looking at the back of Zheng Yi who opened the curtain and entered the kitchen, Yacar was a little confused.But since he agreed to the other party, he wouldn't change his mind just for this little time.Looking down at the time on the watch, Yacar leaned on the back of the chair and secretly began to speculate about Zheng Yi's intention after confirming that there was still time left.

"Grandma once said that."

Tiandao's unexpected words on the side made Yache unable to react for a while, but after glancing at Xiaoxu who had no reaction from the corner of the eye, he still realized that Tiandao was talking to him.

Although Tiandao was always staring in the direction of the kitchen, even at this time, he didn't mean to look away at all.

"A real famous store doesn't need a signboard."

"...I didn't expect a man like you to admit that he was inferior."

"Do not."

Finally, he moved his eyes away from the kitchen, and Tiandao met Yacar's eyes, and those piercing eyes seemed to be shining with pride at all times, just like the star above the sky that always Eye-catching like the shining sun.

That strong self-confidence and ego revealed a strong courage, and it went straight into Yacar's heart.

"I will learn the secret of that delicious taste, the secret of being able to make the world's best mapo tofu."

It was neither forceful nor categorical. It was just a tone that was so plain as if he was talking about everyday life, but it was full of persuasiveness that even Yache had to admire.

"...I'll wait and see."

-

"You two, I've been waiting for a long time."

Putting two plates of mapo tofu in front of Tiandao and Yache, Zheng Yi pushed his hand while unbuttoning his apron: "Please taste it, be careful not to burn it."

Can't wait, Tiandao scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth, and Yache also scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth after politely thanking him.

"—?"

"—!"

"..."

Putting down the spoon in his hand, Ya stood up, took a deep breath, leaned forward slightly to Zheng Yi, and said solemnly: "Thank you for your guidance!"

Flattered, Zheng Yi quickly waved his hands.