Night fell.
Quietly.
In the bustling city, lights began to sparkle.
People were leaving their workplaces one after another, returning to their warm homes, or heading to Izakayas for a few drinks to let loose!
However, at this moment, a torrential downpour suddenly began, bringing a unique atmosphere and charm to the city!
It wasn't until after 7 PM that the Izakaya began its business, and the heavy rain still showed no signs of stopping!
This kind of bad weather naturally affected the Izakaya's business. After serving a few customers, Zhang Fan found himself with free time.
…
"Sigh!"
"What a miscalculation."
"If I had known it would rain heavily tonight, I should have closed for the night!"
Zhang Fan sat there in a daze, sighing helplessly after a long while.
Just as he was wondering whether to close early, some customers actually arrived at the Izakaya again, and the people who came were… well, regulars!
The first to push open the door was Nakiri Erina, who possessed the God Tongue ability.
Her long golden hair was like a flowing waterfall. Whenever she gently shook her hair, it was as if she was displaying her elegance and nobility to the world!
Her clear, sparkling eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, full of innocence and wisdom!
Upon closer inspection, one could also notice that she was wearing a magnificent princess dress tonight.
The hem of her skirt swayed gently with her steps, further enhancing her graceful figure.
As for the other customer, it was Hisako Arato, the secretary who was always inseparable from Erina.
Although she was completely outshone by Erina in terms of temperament, her pure and sweet appearance and gentle and elegant demeanor still left a deep impression on Zhang Fan!
…
"Hmm?"
"Isn't that Erina?"
Seeing that the customers who entered the Izakaya were none other than Nakiri Erina and Hisako Arato, Zhang Fan couldn't help but be stunned!
It was known that Erina would definitely hold a grudge about his views on commoner cuisine from last night. Given her particularly tsundere personality, she would surely go back to Totsuki Culinary Academy and diligently research his dishes!
Therefore, it was impossible for her to come to the Izakaya again on the second night.
Firstly, Zhang Fan was very confident that his dishes wouldn't be understood by her so quickly.
Secondly, the heavy rain was continuous tonight!
Even if she really liked the dishes he made, she wouldn't deliberately choose this time to come, would she?
However, the development of events was often this absurd, truly exceeding Zhang Fan's expectations!
…
"Hehe!"
"Let me guess."
"After you went back, you must have used your God Tongue ability to try making my dishes again, but failed, right?"
At this moment, the stunned Zhang Fan, after a moment of thought, understood something and couldn't help but take a few steps forward to tease Erina.
"Huh?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Your dishes, which are only worth 5,000 yen, I'm not interested in doing all sorts of research on them!"
"This… that… I just wanted to go to a restaurant to taste some dishes, but it happened to start raining heavily on the way, so I just reluctantly came here to temporarily take shelter from the rain. Yes, I just came to shelter from the rain!"
Facing Zhang Fan's questioning, Erina, who had just entered the Izakaya, was instantly flustered!
Afterward, her face instantly turned red.
Although she had been hit by Zhang Fan's words, how could she admit such a thing in front of Zhang Fan?
So, she casually found a clumsy excuse to brush him off!
"Oh!"
"So you came to shelter from the rain!"
"Are you sure it's not because you couldn't reproduce my dishes and specifically wanted to ask for guidance?"
"Or perhaps, my dishes conquered your God Tongue last night, and you miss them so much that you're preparing to taste my dishes again today?"
Seeing Erina's face as red as a monkey's butt, Zhang Fan deliberately asked mischievously.
"No!"
"I already told you."
"I have absolutely no interest in your dishes, and I… I wouldn't try to make them after going back!"
"Moreover, your low-grade, cheap, ordinary, and uninteresting commoner dishes, only the taste aspect satisfies me. What's good about the rest?"
Erina still argued with a red face.
"I get it!"
"I understand it all!"
"Being stubborn, huh."
"Saying no, no, no, and don't want, don't want, don't want, but your body is very honest. Tsk tsk tsk, I've seen many people like you!"
Zhang Fan, looking at Erina who was almost exasperated, couldn't help but feel an urge to laugh out loud.
Leaving aside other things, just look at this tsundere young lady who usually wears the Totsuki uniform and appears before everyone with a serious and aloof image.
Yet, tonight she came wearing such a beautiful princess dress. Even a fool would know what was going on!
"Zhang Fan."
"You… you're truly awful!"
At this moment, Nakiri Erina was truly going crazy!
Darn it!
So infuriating!
This Zhang Fan must have known all along that I couldn't do anything with his dishes, which is why he's deliberately making me uncomfortable!
…
"Cough cough!"
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."
"Originally, I wanted to close early tonight because of the weather."
"But since you're here, and it so happens that I've just developed a new dish, hey, hey, hey, don't look at me with such a shocked expression! I can guarantee you that the shocking level of the new dish will definitely surpass those three Western fast foods from last night!"
With that, Zhang Fan no longer paid attention to Erina's astonished expression. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and returned to the cooking counter.
"A new dish?"
"How did you develop a new dish so quickly again?"
"I haven't even researched your three Western fast foods… Oh no, no, are you saying the new dish will surpass last night's beef burger, anchovy fries, and chocolate brownie?"
Shock!
Excitement!
Anticipation!
Doubt!
In just a few seconds, Erina's emotions changed so rapidly!
Her purpose for coming to the Izakaya this time was indeed to see why Zhang Fan's cooking skills could completely disable her God Tongue.
However, she didn't expect that upon revisiting the Izakaya, she would learn that he had actually developed a new dish again!
"Let me put it this way, those three Western fast foods from last night were all deliberately made by me using leftover ingredients, things like toast, tofu dregs, and rice bran. Let alone you, very few ordinary people would be willing to eat those!"
"Therefore, those dishes absolutely cannot represent my true skill level!"
"And this brand new dish, I can guarantee you, will absolutely represent the highest standard of the entire culinary world!"
"Huh?"
"The… highest standard?"
If it were anyone else who dared to utter such arrogant words, Erina would definitely think he was a lunatic.
But if these words came from Zhang Fan's mouth, then she had every reason to believe him!
Could it be that on this night of pouring rain, I, Erina, will truly witness the birth of this dish?