Why is my anime art style so weird?

Xu Ming noticed that the entire guest room was actually a rectangle, except that each area was separated by paper sliding doors. When the paper sliding doors were closed, the entire guest room appeared as large and complex as a maze.

The guest room has a washroom inside. After going out through the door on the other side of the washroom, the space opens up dramatically.

There was a small hot spring outside!

Chapter 481 Teppanyaki (Bonus Chapter)

A canopy was built over the eaves, extending all the way up to the hot spring.

Facing the mountain is a row of low walls, and the picturesque, mist-shrouded mountain forest is clearly visible.

Soaking in a hot spring, with a light drizzle falling from the sky, gazing at the rain-drenched mountains and forests, accompanied by a glass of cool sake—what a delightful experience that would be!

As Xu Ming watched, he almost stopped caring about anything and started taking off his clothes to soak in the hot spring.

However, before entering the house, he and Kato Megumi had already agreed to try the local cuisine first, and to discuss the hot spring later.

We're exhausted from the journey and haven't had lunch yet. If we go to soak in a hot spring now, I'm afraid we'll faint after a while.

Xu Ming reluctantly closed the door, returned to the bedroom, found the bathrobe in the closet, and changed into it.

Just as Xu Ming was about to leave, the paper sliding door next to him suddenly swung open! Kasumigaoka Utaha, wearing a pink floral yukata and with her hair tied up, walked out.

Upon seeing Xu Ming, the older sister immediately and naturally raised her hands, spun around in front of him, and then looked at him expectantly.

Is it pretty?

Xu Ming nodded quickly.

"Yes! It suits you very well, sister."

This wasn't a fake compliment.

Even the loose-fitting yukata couldn't hide Kasumigaoka Utaha's voluptuous figure.

Her attire revealed a different side of her: a virtuous and gentle demeanor, along with a touch of mature charm.

"In that case, let's hurry up and set off. Aren't we supposed to have lunch?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha started to walk outside.

Xu Ming suddenly came to his senses and scratched the back of his head with some embarrassment.

"Sister, if you go out like this, won't you scare the staff at the hot spring resort..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha rolled her eyes at him.

"What, little brother, do you think I'm ugly?"

"How could that be! My sister is the most beautiful in my heart!"

Xu Ming blurted it out, but he had other thoughts on his mind.

Sister, you're a vengeful spirit. Is it appropriate for you to run around like this in front of so many staff members?

Of course, he only dared to mutter these words to himself.

Fortunately, Megumi Kato came to his rescue.

"Since Kasumigaoka-senpai wants to have lunch with us, let's go together."

Kato Megumi expressed her great generosity.

"Thank you, Xiaohui."

Xu Ming thanked him very sincerely.

"Humph!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha snorted, her tone full of sourness.

In Kasumigaoka Utaha's opinion, no matter what Kato Megumi does, it's all hypocrisy. This woman is a vixen who wants to steal her brother away, a philandering wildcat!

There were only two guests originally booked, but an extra person inexplicably appeared. The shrine maiden here seemed to be used to it and didn't bother to interfere at all.

This is also because Kasumigaoka Utaha is becoming more and more like a living human being, provided, of course, that she doesn't go berserk.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the head chef was already standing behind the teppanyaki grill, waiting for them.

After the three (?) sat down, the head chef immediately picked up the ingredients and began to introduce them.

"Today's main dishes are Ise lobster and abalone, which were just caught this morning..."

The chef then showed them a black wooden box containing a dark red lobster larger than a ping-pong paddle and a light brown abalone about the size of a palm.

Because of the good water quality along the Japanese coast, it is rich in various kinds of lobsters and abalone, and the quality is excellent.

The world's three top abalone varieties—net abalone, Yoshihama abalone, and Woma abalone—are all produced in Japan.

These top-quality abalone are caught by fishermen and then processed into dried abalone by master craftsmen before being sold all over the world.

However, dried abalone is better suited for stewing, while fresh abalone that has just been caught is better for teppanyaki.

Xu Ming saw that the lobster's antennae were still swaying from side to side inside the box, and the piece of 'meat' inside the abalone was also wriggling slightly.

duang!

With a swift stroke of the knife, the chef split the large lobster in half, then placed the two halves, shell and all, on the hot plate, along with the abalone.

These two ingredients have relatively thick shells, so they take a long time to bake. After placing them on the hot plate, the chef began to cook the other ingredients.

The first dishes served were steak and foie gras.

The steak is covered with snowflake-like patterns, much like the patterns on marble, making it very pleasing to the eye.

Just by looking at the marbling of this steak, Xu Ming could tell that it was among the finest even among A5 grade Wagyu beef.

The foie gras was also a premium product, just air-freighted from France.

The chef placed the ingredients on the hot plate and skillfully began cooking them with a spatula.

Soon, a rich, sizzling aroma filled the air; the steak and foie gras were ready.

The steak was served on a pineapple slice, and the foie gras was sprinkled with a little black caviar.

A medium-rare steak, with its rich beef flavor, subtle bloodiness, and the unique aroma of charred fat from being grilled on a hot griddle, all blend together and linger in the mouth.

Moreover, the steak was tender and melted in his mouth, providing Xu Ming with an unparalleled and exquisite experience in terms of aroma, taste, and texture.

The foie gras, grilled at high temperatures, has a rich and unique flavor, with a sandy and creamy texture like a cream cake. Paired with a touch of top-quality caviar, after a slight fishy taste, a hint of sweetness spreads from the tip of the tongue...

The next course after steak and foie gras is beef tongue.

The thick-cut beef tongue is a full finger-thick, and it's not only flavorful but also incredibly chewy and springy.

After tasting the beef tongue, the chef placed the pan-fried sea bream pieces in front of Xu Ming.

The fish meat is as white as snow, and the skin is roasted to a light golden brown. One bite and you can immediately feel the ultimate freshness and tenderness. It is definitely a perfect combination of taste and texture.

At this moment, the shrine maiden placed a small cup of concentrated iced passion fruit juice in front of Xu Ming.

Xu Ming picked it up and took a sip. The cool, sweet and sour taste hit his taste buds, instantly relieving the greasiness lingering on his tongue.

Next up is the main attraction: Ise lobster and abalone.

The lobster, cut in half, was placed in front of Xu Ming. He scooped up the lobster meat from the shell with a spoon and put it in his mouth.

The shrimp meat was so tender that it slid right into Xu Ming's mouth. He almost knocked his teeth away with a gentle bite, and the taste was full of the salty freshness of the sea.

The abalone has a chewy texture, like eating gummy candy. It is not only delicious, but also has a sweet aftertaste that makes it unforgettable.

It was worth the long wait.

We thoroughly enjoyed the teppanyaki meal.

Xu Ming also secretly observed that his older sister was enjoying her meal very much, and she seemed to be in a much better mood.

After a satisfying meal, the three returned to their guest room.

Chapter 482 Miss Kasumigaoka's Great Victory

Xu Ming originally wanted to book another guest room, but his older sister firmly disagreed and insisted on sharing a room with him.

"What if a hungry stray cat sneaks in at night and steals my food if I don't share a room with my younger brother?"

When Kasumigaoka Utaha said this, her eyes were fixed on Kato Megumi across from her.

It goes without saying who the "cat that steals fish" she's referring to is.

In the end, Xu Ming couldn't refuse and had to agree to share a room with his older sister.

Kato Megumi, on the other hand, remained calm, as if she had known all along that Kasumigaoka Utaha would make such a request.

After returning to his room, Xu Ming sat for a while and immediately felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him.

They had traveled nearly 100 kilometers to reach Hakone that morning. Their fatigue from enjoying the food earlier had been dampened by their excitement, but now, after resting for a while, they were feeling sleepy again.

"Sister, I'll rest for a while. Call me when it's time for dinner."

After greeting everyone, Xu Ming collapsed onto the bed, and soon soft snoring could be heard from the bed.

Kasumigaoka Utaha walked to the bedside, bent down, and quietly looked down at Xu Ming on the bed, her body motionless.

After staring at him for a while, Kasumigaoka Utaha reached out and gently brushed Xu Ming's nose while whispering something under her breath.

"Baka~"

His voice carried an indescribable emotion, a mixture of shyness and annoyance, yet also affection.

Xu Ming seemed to feel a tickle in his nose and subconsciously turned over.

Kasumigaoka Utaha quickly stood up straight.

After a while, Xu Ming stopped moving and seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked up and saw that her younger brother hadn't even taken off his socks. She shook her head, a helpless look on her face, as if to say, "I just can't do anything with you."

Then, Kasumigaoka Utaha naturally reached out and took off Xu Ming's socks, covered him with the blanket, and then bent down and gently kissed his forehead...

For some reason, Xu Ming felt he slept very soundly, and actually slept until sunset before waking up groggily.

Dinner was again served at the restaurant in the hot spring resort, and this time the restaurant prepared a sumptuous sashimi meal.

Sea bream, tuna... all kinds of fish were available, along with shrimp, sea urchins, and various shellfish, truly giving Xu Ming an ultimate experience of freshness.

After the meal, it was finally time for Xu Ming to enjoy the hot springs, which he had been looking forward to for a long time.

Xu Ming had already inquired beforehand and found that there were only three guests in the entire hot spring resort at the moment.