The strongest anime shop owner

Because he behaved very well along the way, Tadokoro made the wrong judgment. However, there was nothing she could do about it. After all, she knew Soya well. Soya often acted like this, sometimes acting erratically, and sometimes it was for a purpose. If you took it seriously, you would lose.

"Susu." Tadokoro was now somewhat regretting bringing Ichiro along, and stammered, unable to speak.

"If you have something to do, you can go now!" Su Luo seemed to have seen through something. He knew that Tadokoro was a person with a strong heart but lacked self-confidence. Of course, the later Tadokoro was relatively perfect.

After hearing this, Tadokoro was about to leave, but for some reason, he hesitated for a while, struggled, gritted his teeth, and finally chose to stay. It's unclear what he was thinking, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "It's nothing."

Seeing this, Su Luo couldn't help but smile. Although she didn't know why she left two behind, it was still a form of support, and even if she left, it was within expectations.

Hearing the commotion outside, many people stopped in their tracks, looking on as if watching a show.

Soon, a tall, fat man emerged from inside, wearing a dark blue kimono with light blue water patterns. Compared to the short Soya, he was like a caterpillar compared to an elephant. Standing there, he looked like a mountain. Soya almost vomited at the sight of his physique. He really wanted to complain, "Is this inhuman? It's amazing that a person can grow up like this."

The person who came out was the president of the Sumo Hot Pot Research Association.

Hao Tian Lin Zhiqing

Second-year student of Totsuki High School

The 76th captain of the Sumo Hot Pot Research Club, which has been established since the academy's founding.

Behind him followed a group of people of similar build, presumably members of this organization! Each one of them was tall and fat, practically identical. It's truly baffling why people would grow up like that; it's quite an eye-opener.

"Kid, you're the one who's here to challenge us." When Hao Tianlin Zhiqing saw that the person who came was a six or seven-year-old child, his angry face immediately softened, and he frowned as he spoke.

"You fatso, I'm the one here to challenge you! This lousy place of yours, what kind of sumo hot pot is this? What does sumo have to do with hot pot? A place like this shouldn't exist anymore. So, let's have a food battle!" Su Luo didn't waste any words and said directly. Seeing this, Tadokoro next to him looked nervous and worried.

Su Luo's behavior wasn't due to her personality; it was just a tactic of provocation.

"What did you say to me? It's fine if you insult me, but you shouldn't insult my research association. It is..." Hao Tianlin Zhiqing was furious upon hearing this. As the 76th captain of this research association, he should bear the responsibility of protecting its honor.

"Stop talking nonsense, just one word: Food War!" Su Luo's expression remained unchanged, as if she hadn't seen his anger at all. She uttered a single sentence in a calm and straightforward manner.

Seeing that Hao Tianlin Zhiqing had been silent for a moment, Su Luo couldn't help but say, "What, are you scared?"

"Hmph! Scared? You must be joking. Who would be afraid of a little brat like you? I agree, but don't accuse me of bullying the weak." Hao Tianlin Zhiqing felt he was being looked down upon. He didn't consider himself a pushover and couldn't help but snort coldly.

"How about the day after tomorrow?" Hao Tianlin Zhiqing asked.

"Hehe!" Hearing this, Su Luo couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Hao Tianlin Zhiqing asked curiously, seeing Su Luo laughing for no apparent reason.

"You're going to compete against that old lady Erina the day after tomorrow, do you think I still have a chance?" Su Luo asked back directly after hearing this question.

"Do you think I'll lose?" said Hao Tianlin Zhiqing.

“It’s not just a belief, it’s a certainty.” Unfazed by his criticism, Su Luo stated this directly.

"Then let's do it tomorrow!" Hao Tianlin Zhiqing felt like he was about to explode with anger as he spoke to Su Luo.

"Then it's settled! If I lose, I'll drop out of school. If you lose, the 'Sumo Hot Pot Research Club' will be disbanded. If you agree, then apply for a Food War!" Su Luo deliberately emphasized the words "[Sumo Hot Pot Research Club]", implying that the club could continue, but it couldn't use that name anymore. Whether he understood or not was none of his business.

"Okay!" Without even thinking, Hao Tianlin Zhiqing agreed immediately. Whether he was blinded by anger or not, he believed that he would not lose to an eleven or twelve-year-old child, especially a first-year student.

"Then it's decided. If the food battle is finalized, come to the Polaris dormitory to inform me of the details. My name is Su Luo, and it's easy to find out among the first-year students," Su Luo said when she saw that he agreed.

"it is good."

It seemed that the matter was settled, and Su Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that everything was alright, she turned and walked out of the school, asking Tadokoro as she went, "Xiaohui, do you want to go to the market with me?"

"Huh? Oh, okay." Only then did Tadokoro realize what was happening and said.

"Let's go then!" With that, the two walked out of the school together, standing side by side.

The two walked in silence, just as before, neither of them speaking.

After walking for a long time, Tadokoro, who had been silent, couldn't help but ask, "Su Luo-kun, are you really going to have a food battle with senior Gouda Lin Zhiqing?"

"Haven't you already seen it?" Su Luo said, unable to deny it.

"I think you did that on purpose just now!" Tadokoro said, based on his intuition.

"How do you know that was intentional?" Su Luo didn't answer directly, but asked in return.

"It's a feeling," Tadokoro stated his reason directly.

"A woman's sixth sense?" Sou asked, amused.

"I suppose so," Tadokoro nodded.

Su Luo neither confirmed nor denied this.

Soon, the two arrived at the trading market. The trading market was very large, with a wide variety of goods, all of which were very fresh, perhaps because Totsuki was right next to it!

Soon, Su Luo selected the ingredients she wanted: RB tofu, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, frozen tofu, beef balls with fillings, bok choy, and ingredients for making hot pot and broth. As for seasonings, there were some in the Polar Star dormitory, so she didn't need to buy them.

On the way back, Tadokoro couldn't help but ask curiously, "Su Luo-kun, what are you planning to do?"

"You'll know when I finish making it," Su Luo said mysteriously, without telling her.

"You'd better show us your best skills. I had to take the test several times before I passed," Tadokoro said.

"I'm sure I'll pass. Just wait and see," Su Luo said confidently.

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Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Cooking Challenge at Polaris Dormitory

As they talked, the two unknowingly returned to the Polar Star dormitory. Upon seeing the door, Tadokoro called out, "Mrs. Fumio, we're back."

"Oh? You're back so soon!" Hearing the voice, Mrs. Fumio came out from inside and said, "Come with me, kid."

"Xiao Hui, come along too!" Su Luo said to Tian Suo after walking a few steps with Wen Xu.

Faced with such words, Tadokoro naturally agreed.

Then, the two followed Mrs. Fumio over there.

"Tsk, I really can't believe it. This place is completely different from the dormitory's exterior." When Su Luo followed Mrs. Wenxu into the dormitory's kitchen, her eyes lit up and she couldn't help but say.

Although the kitchen here isn't top-of-the-line, it's still quite nice. Everything is neat and clean, giving you a refreshing feeling and making you feel like you're cooking here.

"Listen up, I hate brats who talk big but don't follow the rules. I look forward to you making a dish that satisfies me." Mrs. Fumio stated her thoughts directly.

Su Luo didn't seem to care about this at all. She went straight in to familiarize herself with the kitchen and check if all the seasonings were available.

"You should know how many students' dishes I've eaten so far! You'd better bring your best," Mrs. Wenxu said, as if to remind me.

"Please rest assured, I will definitely make a dish that will satisfy you. Please wait a moment," Su Luo said confidently.

Su Luo took out all the ingredients she had just bought and started making the food. First, she had to clean the ingredients. The other ingredients only needed to be washed. As for the beef, she put it directly into a blender with the seasonings, turned it on, and minced it. She added a little flour to make it more shaped and formed it into beef balls.

Open the package and cut the RB tofu into small, uniform pieces.

Trim the roots off the enoki mushrooms and wash them. Wash the enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and cabbage separately and drain them.

Add oil to a pot, stir-fry the oyster mushrooms, add the beef balls, stir-fry evenly, add broth, and bring to a boil.

Add the RB tofu, a little salt, and bring to a boil.

Put the hot pot base into the casserole dish.

Pour the boiled RB tofu and other ingredients into a clay pot and cook for 10 minutes.

Add enoki mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the bok choy and cook for 2 minutes. Finally, season the cooked casserole and it's ready to serve.

【Clay Pot Enoki Mushrooms and Frozen Tofu】Completed.

"Clay pot with enoki mushrooms and frozen tofu, please enjoy." Su Luo placed the prepared dish on a tray and presented it to Mrs. Wenxu, saying.

Then he brought out a second serving and said to Tadokoro Megumi, who was standing to the side, "This is for you. Consider it a reward for showing me the way today!"

"Ah, I have one too?" Tadokoro was stunned for a moment when he saw Su Luo's action, but he quickly realized what she meant and immediately said, "Then I won't be polite."

On the table, inside the casserole, the dish appears quite light, predominantly yellow, garnished with a touch of green bok choy. The broth is crystal clear, making it visually appealing and refreshing.

"It looks quite nice," Mrs. Wenxu couldn't help but say, seeing the clear and clean dishes in front of her.

Seeing such an appealing and delicious dish, Mrs. Fumio couldn't wait any longer. She picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of green vegetable, which stood out against the clear broth.

After eating the vegetables, Mrs. Fumio couldn't help but think, "They're so refreshing! The crisp texture perfectly preserves their deliciousness, and the subtle umami flavor makes them even more delightful!"

Then, Mrs. Wenxiu slowly began to eat, and quickly finished it, since the amount was not much.

"You'd better drink some of the broth; that's the real essence of this dish!" Seeing that Mrs. Wenxu had finished all the ingredients in one go, Su Luo couldn't help but smile. Although she didn't know if Mrs. Wenxu would drink the broth, she still reminded her.

Meanwhile, Megumi Tadokoro also started eating, picking up food and stirring it in her mouth. A faint fragrance spread from her mouth, filling her whole body. The delicate taste was always so comforting.

After hearing Su Luo's words, the two of them blew on the soup, creating ripples, and then took a sip.

A fresh, high-class aroma immediately filled the air, and Mrs. Fumio's eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't help but exclaim, "The rich aroma of your broth is no less than that of a fine soup, yet it retains such a delicate flavor. How did you manage to do that?"

“Generally speaking, seafood is the ingredient for making fresh base sauce, and the one I chose is daikon,” Su Luo explained after seeing their reactions.

"Impossible. Although seaweed can indeed be used to make a high-quality soup base, the flavor won't be as delicious as this." Before Soya could finish speaking, Mrs. Fumio retorted.

"Of course, seaweed alone cannot create such a light and refreshing broth, but I added this." As she spoke, Su Luo took out a white radish from behind her and said.

"White radish!" Mrs. Fumio was quite surprised to learn that this ingredient had been added.

“That’s right! The fresh and delicate flavor of white radish can remove the pungent and umami taste of the original radish, allowing the two to blend together. It’s like calming the waves, bringing the fresh taste even closer. Even on its own, without adding any seasonings, it’s enough to be a high-end base ingredient,” Su Luo explained.

After a pause, Su Luo continued, "Under normal circumstances, many people use this kind of broth to make hot pot, especially in winter. When you stew a pot of hot pot like this, the flavor becomes more and more delicious as the water boils and evaporates. It's such a wonderful feeling."

Listening to Su Luo's words, it felt like winter. The group sat around a hot pot, eating and chatting. It was a really nice feeling.

"That's a great idea! If we have the chance next time, we definitely have to make a hot pot like this." Fumio and Tadokoro clicked their tongues, their eyes gleaming.

Su Luo's reputation among Mrs. Wenxu also rose considerably. She couldn't help but think, "What a remarkable child! To be able to make such delicious dishes at such a young age, his future is truly limitless!"

"This fresh and delicate flavor is so comforting, it warms my heart." Mrs. Wenxu took another deep sip, her face showing enjoyment, her eyes filled with happiness.

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Chapter Thirty-Eight: Checking into Room 304

He put down the bowl, let out a soft breath, his eyes were unfocused, as if he were savoring something: "This delicate flavor reminds me of my youth - that warmth."

On a hillside, next to a wooden house, young Wenxu sat with a young man beside him. The bright moon was high in the sky, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of grass.

"Are you cold, Wenxu?" The night breeze was a bit chilly, so the man couldn't help but ask Wenxu, his words full of concern.

"Hey Gao, do you know what I want you to do right now?" Wenxu remained silent for a long time before finally speaking to the young man who was keeping his distance from him.