21st Century Necromancer
Chapter 815 - 811: Fried Noodle Bread

A stomach tumor removal surgery was naturally no challenge for Chen Yu. After successfully removing the tumor from the patient's stomach, the surgery came to an end.

Once he handed over postoperative management tasks to the anesthesiologist, Chen Yu tidied up a bit and returned to his office, planning to take a short break.

Although the surgery itself wasn't physically exhausting, the mental focus required did consume some energy. Taking a break to adjust his state of mind had become a routine for Chen Yu after every surgery. It was also an opportunity to organize the relevant surgical records while everything was still fresh.

However, just as Chen Yu was sorting through the related documents, Jounouchi Hiromi knocked on his office door.

Looking up from his files, he saw Jounouchi Hiromi standing at his office doorway, with Akagi in a striking red kimono standing right behind her. Chen Yu smiled and asked, "What's the matter, my dear wife? Any instructions for me?"

"It's almost quitting time. How come the esteemed professor still hasn't clocked out?" Jounouchi Hiromi looked at Chen Yu with a touch of grievance. Ever since he started working on the new drug research, he hadn't been leaving work on time for quite some time, "You haven't had dinner with me in ages!"

Hearing his wife's words, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Chen Yu's face, causing Akagi, who was standing behind Jounouchi Hiromi, to stifle a laugh.

Though Jounouchi Hiromi claimed it had been a long time, it had really only been about a week or two. For a doctor—or especially a doctor in Japan—this was entirely normal.

Jounouchi Hiromi's words were more of a playful complaint, a way to express her dissatisfaction.

Even though being teased by his "ship-girl" and having his wife exhibit her grievances made Chen Yu somewhat helpless, he could only plaster a wry smile onto his face. "The lab made a bit of a breakthrough today. Although I've delegated most of the work to Naoki, I'm still a little uneasy about tonight, so I thought I'd…"

Before Chen Yu could finish his sentence, the look of grievance on Jounouchi Hiromi's face deepened, accompanied by a hint of feigned reproach.

That said, Jounouchi Hiromi herself was also a doctor and equally involved in research. She understood Chen Yu's mindset—whenever a project achieved a breakthrough, it was all too easy to lose track of time.

So, Jounouchi Hiromi merely scrunched her nose and huffed at him before turning and walking away without saying more.

Watching her leave, Akagi quickly bowed to Chen Yu, then hurried to catch up with Jounouchi Hiromi.

Gazing at the backs of Jounouchi Hiromi and Akagi as they left, Chen Yu could only chuckle to himself while rubbing his nose. Though he knew he ought to accompany his wife, tonight really wasn't an option. He needed to stay and wait until Inomata Naoki's analysis of the tumor cell samples—mixed with the broad-spectrum anti-cancer drug and the new drug—was complete.

Fortunately, Jounouchi Hiromi wasn't someone who made unreasonable demands. Her slight dissatisfaction had been expressed but hadn't extended to forcing Chen Yu to join her for dinner.

Even so, understanding aside, Chen Yu felt it was only right to make it up to her later. He resolved to properly soothe and apologize to her when he had the chance.

With these thoughts running through his mind, Chen Yu continued sorting through his documents, while also pondering what to eat for dinner later.

Though, as a demigod, skipping not just one meal but even an entire year of meals wouldn't affect him, food was one of life's simple pleasures. Without it, what's the point of living?

Thus, even with his ability to forgo eating, Chen Yu had never skipped a meal. Food was both an enjoyment and a habit for him.

Just as Chen Yu was mulling over dinner options, Kohinata Kaori suddenly pushed open his office door and appeared before him.

"Shixiong*, did you upset Shijie*? She looked pretty annoyed just now." Kohinata Kaori looked at Chen Yu curiously as she walked toward his desk, simultaneously placing a yakisoba bread in front of him.

"Hiromi wanted me to have dinner with her tonight, but I'm tied up here. She's a little upset because of that. This is…" Chen Yu couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the yakisoba bread placed in front of him. "Kaori, you still remember this?"

Seeing Chen Yu recognize what she had brought, Kohinata Kaori laughed as well, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "How could I forget? Back when you and Second Shixiong* were working late in the lab, too busy to have proper meals, wasn't I the one bringing you both food?"

Yakisoba bread is a uniquely Japanese food. Instead of a hot dog inside the bread, stir-fried noodles are used as the filling, topped with sauce, creating a classic yakisoba bread.

In terms of texture, it combines the crispiness of the bread's outer crust, the softness of its inner crumb, and the chewy bite of the stir-fried noodles, making it a remarkably multi-textured food.

Moreover, since the yakisoba filling is typically hearty and often includes vegetables like cabbage, it's both nutritious and filling enough to serve as a meal replacement, making it a highly suitable option.

Because of this, yakisoba bread is very popular in Japan. Many high school students, especially those who don't bring their own bento boxes, opt for it as a cost-effective lunch option.

Back when Chen Yu and Inomata Naoki were at the University of Tokyo, they had poured all their money into the development of the broad-spectrum anti-cancer drug. Often, they ended up missing mealtimes due to being engrossed in their research.

As a result, they frequently relied on Kohinata Kaori to bring them dinner, but being strapped for cash themselves, they could only pay her back once they earned enough from their part-time jobs. Most of the time, Kohinata Kaori had to cover the cost herself.

Of course, Kohinata Kaori didn't have much pocket money either at the time. When she couldn't afford bento boxes, yakisoba bread became the go-to option for feeding the two of them. In the end, both Chen Yu and Inomata Naoki consumed so much yakisoba bread that it left a deep impression on them.

Looking at the familiar yakisoba bread, Chen Yu couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.

Just as he picked it up to take a bite, he suddenly thought of Inomata Naoki. Turning to Kohinata Kaori, he asked, "Kaori, you didn't just buy one, did you? Naoki hasn't eaten dinner yet either!"

"Don't worry! How could I forget about Second Shixiong's share?" Kohinata Kaori smiled brightly as she pulled another yakisoba bread out from behind her, waving it at Chen Yu.

Seeing another yakisoba bread in her hand, Chen Yu couldn't help but smile helplessly. He placed his own back on the desk and stood up, saying to Kohinata Kaori, "In that case, we'd better head to the lab and find Naoki. Let's deliver his yakisoba bread to him as well."

Kohinata Kaori, understanding Chen Yu's suggestion, nodded cheerfully in agreement and followed him out of the office toward the lab.

As they walked, Kohinata Kaori couldn't resist teasing Chen Yu, "Shixiong, now that Shijie is pregnant, you really ought to pay more attention to making her happy..."

*Shixiong/Shijie: Polite terms in Chinese denoting senior peers in a mentorship or educational relationship, akin to "senior brother/senior sister".