I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Her tone was gentle, but there was no smile in her eyes.

Tenkuji Yuu felt a sudden chill run down her spine: "Snow..."

"Stop talking nonsense, let's go. To the Culinary Research Department."

Too lazy to even glance at him again, Yukino Yukinoshita started walking again towards the club building.

Chapter 75: A Food War with the Culinary Research Club?

Not long after.

I don't know if it was Yukino Yukinoshita who successfully gained popularity, or if the members of the Culinary Research Club are just naturally this warm and hospitable.

After the three explained their purpose, they encountered no difficulties or excuses and smoothly obtained the right to use the equipment and ingredients.

Upon learning that Yui Yuigahama wanted to learn to cook, the head of the cooking research club—a second-year student named Yukima—confidently offered to help, saying that teaching her a few common dishes would be no problem.

True chefs are happy to see more companions step into the world of cooking.

Yukino Yukinoshita responded calmly, "I appreciate your kindness. However, this is a matter for our club. Watching from the sidelines and trying not to say anything is the greatest help you can give us."

"Oh, I see..."

Her cheerful and sincere smile froze slightly, and Yukima scratched her forehead, which was covered by a white headband, looking somewhat embarrassed.

The other two club members looked at Yukino with a hint of dissatisfaction, their previous friendliness gone.

She remained oblivious to the changing atmosphere and ignored the growing hostility.

He simply opened the refrigerator, looked at the ingredients inside, and pondered what kind of dish he should make later.

Yukino Yukinoshita only cares about herself, but Yui Yuigahama cannot ignore the tense atmosphere.

In order to avoid being kicked out of the culinary research department, she had no choice but to step forward again to ease the tension.

"Um, thank you for your help... I asked Yukinoshita-san for help, I'm really sorry to have interrupted your club activities!"

After sincerely thanking them and successfully gaining their understanding, Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but tug at Yuu Tenkuji's sleeve and whisper, "Yuu, Yukinoshita-san, she..."

"Please be understanding of this young lady who hasn't experienced the harsh realities of society."

Yuu Tenkuji said this in a sarcastic tone, without letting Yukinoshita hear it.

Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but feel puzzled: "Why 'Second Miss'? Don't they usually say 'Young Lady' or 'Heiress'?"

Instead of answering this irrelevant question, Yuu Tenkuji stepped forward as if he had already prepared, and struck up a conversation with Yukima, a bright red-haired young man who looked like a spirited young man.

"Minister Yukima, I am Tenkuji from the Service Club. I look forward to your guidance."

"Oh, nice to meet you!" Seeing the friendly smile on his face, Minister Yukima put aside the embarrassment from before and responded to him in the same cheerful and friendly manner.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Tenkuji Yu casually put his arm around the other man's shoulder and pulled him to a corner for a private talk.

"Although this may seem a bit sudden, Minister, I have a suggestion..."

△

"If you're making bento boxes, I'll teach you a few common and simple dishes."

As she said this, Yukino Yukinoshita tied the knot of her apron and then guided the clumsy Yui Yuigahama to put on the apron properly.

She neatly arranged the ingredients on the iron plate, then turned her clear, bright eyes to look behind her, her brows furrowing.

Where is that guy?

“Look, it’s over there.” Yui Yuigahama pointed to the kitchen counter next door.

The Culinary Research Club uses the old home economics classroom as its club room. The layout remains unchanged, with six kitchen counters arranged in a 3x2 grid. Each counter has two stoves and a sink, and both water and gas are functional.

Yukino Yukinoshita looked up and saw Yuu Tenkuji with his back to them, chatting amicably with the head of the Culinary Research Club. The two were beaming with joy, looking as if they had known each other for a long time.

...What happened while she was focused on preparing?

Despite some curiosity and surprise at the guy's social skills, for Yukino Yukinoshita, the most important thing right now was the important matter at hand.

She quickly looked away, glancing at Yui, who was waiting obediently beside her, and shook her head helplessly: "Let him be, let's start the lesson."

“Okay!” Yui Yuigahama replied energetically.

After Yukino Yukinoshita finished washing her hands, just as he was about to explain the cooking steps and precautions to her, he noticed that a fire had already been lit at the kitchen counter next to them, and Yuuto Tenkuji was also wearing an apron, calling out to Manager Yukima, who was standing in front of the third kitchen counter:

"The topic is Mapo Tofu, is that okay?"

"Oh? Then you'd better watch out. This dish appears very often at my family's set meal restaurant!"

"You're the one who needs to be careful, or you might end up crying from eating too much."

"Hahaha! Bring it on, Ayu!"

At some point, the two of them had developed a relationship where they could passionately call each other by name.

"...Why did it turn out like this?"

Setting down the ingredients, Yukino Yukinoshita pressed her temples as if in pain, sighed softly, gave Yui Yuigahama a "wait a moment" look, and walked over to Yuu Tenkuji, who was washing knives with his sleeves rolled up. She asked in a cold tone:

"Tenkuji-kun, we're here to fulfill Yuihama-san's request, right?"

He paused for a moment, then turned around: "That's right."

"So, may I ask what you are doing right now?"

With one hand resting on her slender waist, the black-haired girl tilted her head slightly, waiting for his explanation with a blank expression.

Tenkuji Yu said with a smile, "Food Wars."

"Food Wars?" She frowned in thought, having never heard of the term before.

"It means a cooking showdown. Didn't I tell you? I'm going to show you the confidence I have in carrying out that plan..." Tenkuji Yuu turned her gaze back, washed and dried the kitchen knife, and picked up a piece of tofu from the basin.

"Now is the perfect time, and Minister Yukima seems quite interested, so let's start with 'cooking'."

Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes widened slightly, her small mouth opening in surprise: "You...you're not joking?"

"A ridiculous plan to openly challenge other clubs on the day of the 'Club Showcase' and make the Service Club famous... Are you really going to do it?"

"Why not?"

Place the tofu on the cutting board. Yuu Tenkuji didn't show off his skills; he just casually made a few cuts and didn't even look at the tofu.

After cutting, he extended his long, clean fingers and flicked them lightly.

The square blocks of tofu scattered like building blocks, their white and soft bodies swaying and shimmering with a crystal-clear white light on the cutting board.

“This…” Yukino Yukinoshita looked on in astonishment, glancing at the tofu and then at him.

Just from this knife skill, she knew there was a clear difference between the two in terms of cooking techniques—such precise and delicate movements could never be achieved without a long period of practice.

Seemingly enjoying her surprise, Tenkuji Yu chuckled softly, heated up the barely usable frying pan, and began to simmer the Mapo sauce.

"By the way, as long as we win the food war against Manager Yukima, he won't charge us for the ingredients and equipment, and he can even cooperate with our Service Club... So Yukino, go ahead and teach Yuihama, and don't worry about me."

"Once the food is ready, I'll give you a plateful."

Chapter 76 [The Magical Mapo Tofu]

Yuu Tenkuji still felt somewhat guilty about using the system to cheat and bully ordinary students.

But that's not a reason for him to go easy on the problem.

Unless absolutely necessary, Yuu Tenkuji has no habit of holding back. If he's going to do something, he wants to do it to the best of his ability and make everyone look up to him. Because he has the ability, his confidence naturally arises, and he can take the admiration of others for granted.

Even if a skill is given to him out of thin air by the system, as long as he can use it, it is his weapon.

Since that's the case, there's no need to worry about anything; just swing straight at the 'enemy'.

Moreover, the head of the culinary research club, Yuki, is no novice at all; on the contrary, his cooking techniques and speed are incredibly skilled, and with this level of expertise, he could easily serve as the head chef of a small shop, which is not at all what an ordinary student should be capable of.

Out of respect for a worthy opponent, Yuu Tenkuji naturally intends to go all out.

【Magic Mapo Tofu】This dish should be enough to win this game.

“Nana, start.”

Yuuki Yukinoshita was told to go back and teach Yui Yuigahama how to cook. Yuuki Tenkuji was beaming with excitement and a slightly excited smile on his face. He opened the fermented soybean paste provided by the Culinary Research Club and poured most of it into the hot pot.

laugh--

White smoke suddenly rose up, and in the pure black frying pan, the bright red sauce burst into a beautiful melody of flames the moment it hit the pan.

With the firelight reflecting off her face, Tenkuji Yu's hands didn't stop. She stir-fried minced garlic, mixed in fermented bean paste, and then added fermented black beans, cooking wine, sugar, and hot water in that order...

The spatulas flew about with a wonderful rhythm, and all the ingredients were quickly and orderly mixed together.

The intense, pungent aroma resembled a red dragon, gradually coiling within the rising smoke, gathering its strength as it prepared to unleash its power.

Minister Xingzhen, who was also preparing the Mapo soup base, subconsciously looked up and glanced at the activity at the next kitchen counter, even taking a few sniffs.

"This is……"

He couldn't help but widen his eyes, his throat feeling as if it were blocked, unable to utter a word.

Harmony and harmony, yet full of aggression... It clings tightly to the air, and as long as one is breathing, no one can escape its grasp!

The range hood was no longer effective, so the other two members quickly covered their mouths and noses, coughing softly as they opened the window to let the cool September breeze disperse the acrid smoke lingering in the clubroom.

Coming to her senses, Minister Yukima looked at the Mapo sauce in her pot with a somewhat subtle expression.

Like a kitten that has spotted a leopard, the sauce boils quietly, its harmless aroma wafting into the nose, almost imperceptible if you don't sniff carefully.

"They're both Mapo Tofu, so why..."

The gap is so big.

Is it a huge gap in culinary skills? Or is it that the Mapo recipe he used is different from his own?

Where did this chef come from...?

With beads of sweat on his forehead, Minister Yukima took a deep breath, slapped his cheeks twice, and forced a smile through gritted teeth.

"Hey, it's just that the aroma is a little weak. The most important thing is the taste!"

A dish must be colorful, fragrant, and delicious – before you actually eat it, you don't know who will win or lose!

By blocking out unnecessary thoughts, Minister Yukima gripped the pot handle tightly again, making her movements nimble once more.