Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 339 - 338: Troops at the City Gates

Chapter 339: Chapter 338: Troops at the City Gates

Without realizing it, a month had passed.

Time had moved from early June to the end of June, and then to early July.

From the season of blooming cherry blossoms to the hot summer days, time always flew by too fast.

This month, the "Xia’s Interns" program had not been suspended due to Xia Yu’s focused practice. It was worth mentioning that after Koga Shoji and Tiqie Helinai returned to the campus and demonstrated strong performances, the Far Moon Commander lifted the internship restrictions. From the second phase onward, not only second and third-year students but also first-year students could apply.

Coincidentally, this phase included Niho Fuyuka, who came from a family specializing in Chinese medicinal diets, as one of the interns.

Today was Sunday.

Xia Yu’s voice emanated from the branch kitchen.

"Fuyuka, go weigh 5 qian of lotus seeds and 1.5 liang of Chinese yam, 4 qian of poria..."

Xia Yu instructed casually.

And Niho Fuyuka, apparently used to such sudden commands, left the branch kitchen to retrieve the medicinal ingredients Xia Yu needed from the main store.

An hour later, the rich flavors of the ingredients filled the kitchen and even billowed out, attracting two other interns working at the VIP branch.

"Hey, this time it’s ’Strawberry Four Gods Porridge’!"

Setting down the steaming lid, Xia Yu surveyed the medicinal porridge in the pot with satisfaction.

"Divine Sense of Smell" Yashan Liang was part of the interns, and as soon as he entered the kitchen, his expression slightly changed as he sniffed the aroma, "A combination of Chinese medicinal ingredients? That mix of sour and sweet flavors complementing each other, creating a completely new taste, what’s going on?"

Beside him, a girl wearing glasses with a scholarly air, exclaimed in surprise, "...Is this a medicinal diet?"

This was Ningning from Nikunokuni, the sixth seat among the Ten Masters of Far Moon.

Niho Fuyuka remained silent.

She had witnessed the entire process of Xia Yu cooking this pot of medicinal porridge, and precisely because of this, she was too shocked to speak.

This was the first time Xia Yu had showcased his culinary skills concerning Chinese medicinal diets in front of the interns.

In the previous month, Xia Yu had been practicing either late at night or early in the morning, acting mysteriously. The interns all thought he was preparing diligently for the super chef assessment, but little did they know, he was quietly exploring a completely new field!

Moments later, all four in the kitchen, including Xia Yu, each took a bowl.

He bowed his head to examine the porridge in his bowl.

The rice used for the porridge was not ordinary japonica rice but was a fantasy ingredient, with grains resembling miniature strawberries. Before cooking, they were a pale pink, but after being mixed and cooked with the medicinal herbs, they turned a dark red hue.

"Is he planning to use medicinal cuisine for the super chef exam?"

Niho Fuyuka thought, seeing Xia Yu smiling at them. She didn’t ask further but scooped up a spoonful of hot porridge, blew on it to cool it down, and carefully ate it.

Instantly, her appetite was wide open!

The dormant hunger demon roared, burst through her heart, and coursed through her body.

Eat! Want to eat!

Yashan Liang, Niho Fuyuka, and Ningning, the three interns, stiffened for two to three seconds; then they started spooning up the hot porridge unabated, puffing their cheeks to blow, hardly waiting for the porridge on their spoons to cool before they hurriedly swallowed it.

The hot porridge tumbled in their mouths.

Their heads were spinning.

The ’strawberry rice’ clacked between their teeth, bouncing, scattering a symphony of sweet and sour flavors.

Yet, the lotus seeds, Chinese yam, and poria, which flavored the medicinal porridge, those faint medicinal tastes, they were the performers of the symphony, an invisible pair of hands waving the conductor’s baton, everything proceeding in orderly fashion.

Xia Yu watched the three interns wolf down their food, his lips curling into a gratified smile.

"Strawberry Four Gods Porridge."

This is a type of porridge that whets the appetite, while the ingredients such as lotus seeds, Chinese yam, Poria, and Euryale seeds have the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach, boosting appetite, and enhancing immunity. It’s perfectly fine as a main meal.

"Sure enough, ’strawberry rice’ can improve a qi-deficient constitution."

"According to the old man’s research notes, this fantasy ingredient belongs to the spleen, lung, and kidney meridians!"

Xia Yu thought to himself.

...

The evening glow fell between the floors of the IGO Neon headquarters.

Shinohara Shigetaro stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the office, overlooking the bustling Tokyo, the evening glow casting a faint golden hue over him, making him resemble a Western-style statue, motionless for a long while.

The office television was on.

On the TV, a beautiful female host of the evening food news segment was reporting on today’s events in the culinary world.

"The hot summer day today saw Miss Yuchuan Ayaka, the eldest daughter of the ’Four Prestigious Families’ Yuchuan Family, a talented female Super Chef who passed the special grade assessment at the age of 26, representing her family to inspect the Kobe beef breeding grounds..."

The scene switched to the farm.

An external reporter handed a microphone to a woman styled like a Bohemian goddess.

"Miss Yuchuan, the Yuchuan Family’s Kobe beef farm has been vigorously breeding purebred Wagyu in recent years. Do you expect an explosive increase in the production of Kobe beef this year?"

As the female reporter asked the question, her eyes were fixed tightly on Yuchuan Ayaka, with an undisguised expression of admiration and enthusiasm, resembling a seventeen or eighteen-year-old fan girl.

"Unfortunately, the number of Kobe cattle at Yuchuan Farm will not increase significantly in the short term."

Yuchuan Ayaka answered with a smile.

Compared to the arrogant demeanor she showed when shouting through the air after just passing the special grade assessment, Yuchuan Ayaka now had a more contained demeanor. Her flawless beauty combined with a clean refreshing smile made her appear impeccable.

Such a perfect woman.

An extraordinary culinary talent.

Born with a silver spoon, she had been the cherished elder daughter in the Yuchuan Family since childhood.

"Currently, all across Neon, about 5500 cattle known as ’Tanushi’ are sold each year, and the certification for Kobe beef is very strict. Out of these 5500 cattle, only about 3000 can pass the final assessment to bear the Kobe beef mark."

Facing the camera, Yuchuan Ayaka spoke with a clear pleasant voice, smiling as she explained: "Therefore, Kobe beef makes up only 0.06% of the beef market in Neon, a very high-end ingredient... and our Yuchuan Farm’s long-term goal is to increase the production of Kobe beef, raise its proportion in the beef market, reduce the price of this beef ingredient, and make it a common meat product on the dining tables of Neon’s people... even exporting Kobe beef to various countries to promote our most authentic Neon culinary culture!"

The television broadcast a loud round of applause.

The farm workers, management, and even the on-site reporters were applauding.

Kobe beef to become a daily staple? Probably the Neon public watching the television were stunned by the grand vision described by Yuchuan Ayaka.

Hearing this, Shinohara Shigetaro, who had been motionless in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, slowly turned around to look at the TV mounted on the wall.

The applause lasted for a long time.

On the screen, the female reporter hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Well, Miss Yuchuan, I have received accurate information here, and I’m sure you are aware, the latest special grade assessment by the IGO Neon Department will take place in three days, on Wednesday..."

The reporter was cut off mid-sentence by the farm manager nearby, who glared and gestured to stop her.

Hmm?

Yuchuan Ayaka blinked her eyes.

"Are you asking about my opinion on this special grade assessment and a certain chef participating in it?" Yuchuan Ayaka appeared gracious and not evasive.

"Allow me to speak directly to the camera and say a word to that ’youngest Super Chef in Neon history.’"

The atmosphere on site tensed, and surely many viewers in front of their TVs thought Yuchuan Ayaka was about to say something harsh, but the first thing she said dropped jaws.

"If you fail this time, it’s okay, you’re still young..."

Accompanied by a smile, this phrase was immediately understood by the audience as words of preemptive consolation.