This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 243 - 198. The Shape of Flowers (Goal of 8000 Words Achieved!)

Chapter 243: Chapter 198. The Shape of Flowers (Goal of 8000 Words Achieved!)

"Exactly as I said, Miss Nakajima will be staying for half a year, understand?"

Beichuan Si took the cleansed mushrooms from the stainless steel basin, gave his wrist a light shake, made a changed cut on the mushroom surface, then removed the stalks and tossed them into a pot with some heated oil to fry until slightly golden on the surface. After scooping them out to drain the oil, he poured some oil out of the pot, leaving a little base oil, and then put in the prepared ground chicken to pan-fry.

After adding salt to the chicken, he put the mushrooms back in to stir-fry together and then poured in clear water that had dissolved the stock cube.

A fresh aroma suddenly emanated, making Beichuan Hui Li’s nose twitch involuntarily.

She approached Beichuan Si and then asked in surprise, "Brother Temple, you can cook too?"

Beichuan Si usually made just simple bread, milk, and salad for breakfast, so Beichuan Hui Li had always thought that Beichuan Si couldn’t cook, or at least not as skillfully and neatly as he was doing now.

"..." Beichuan Si.

Beichuan Si glanced at her, feeling as if the whole world knew about his abilities except for her, who knew nothing about him.

"Um—whoa, doesn’t this smell just too good?"

Looking at the soup in the pot that was bubbling with bubbles, turning from white with a hint of pale yellow, Nakajima Michika, who had just suggested coming over to lend a hand, drifted over.

She watched for a long time and then said with surprise, "This isn’t the traditional miso soup, is it?"

"It’s my own recipe," Beichuan Si replied simply, and added the soy sauce into the broth, then turned the heat down for a slow simmer.

After that, he reached out to check the oil temperature in the flat pan on the second burner.

When it felt about right, he put the three treated saury fish into the pan for a slow fry over a low fire.

The saury fish had been treated with cooking wine to remove any fishy smell, and with the oil not too hot and frequent flipping, they wouldn’t stick to the pan.

He then took out another flat pan from under the table, washed it, and lit the third burner.

Next, he had to prepare the sauce for the saury fish.

Although Japanese ingredients were predominantly used here, Beichuan Si still retained the Chinese way of cooking.

He preferred cooking with oil and a high flame.

However, considering something, he didn’t use heavy oil, avoiding the traditional wide use of oil in Chinese cooking.

"Uh... Brother Temple... you can actually use three burners?"

Beichuan Hui Li widened her eyes.

"It’s better for you that I didn’t ask for your help; instead, you’re here running your mouth," Beichuan Si said.

Uh—

Beichuan Hui Li covered her mouth and obediently went back to the sofa to watch her favorite little animal programs.

On the side, Nakajima Michika watched as Beichuan Si made a few snappy cuts to divide the butter into small chunks, and with a flick of his wrist, placed them in the pan while simultaneously reaching out to flip the frying fish.

With his methodical rhythm and manner, she felt that even if she had wanted to help, she would have only made things worse.

"Then I’m also heading over. Mr. Beichuan, you’re busy."

"Hmm."

Beichuan Si nonchalantly responded without lifting his head, dishing out the three fish portions while tilting the pepper sauce from the third flat pan over the fish, accompanied by a sizzling tempting sound, and the aroma also wafted through the air.

He also made some greens and cherry tomatoes for garnish, then set two plates on the table and looked up to call out.

"It’s time to eat."

"Here I come! The first meal officially cooked by Brother Temple, let me, Beichuan Hui Li, taste it! Ah—Shihua, you first."

Beichuan Hui Li sat down noisily.

But Nakajima Michika noticed that once the noisy Beichuan Hui Li sat down to eat, she very consciously stopped talking loudly.

’Is this also because of Mr. Beichuan’s discipline?’

Nakajima Michika wondered to herself, but still gathered at the table.

"Brother Temple, how did you make this saury fish taste like this? It’s too delicious," Beichuan Hui Li whispered.

Beichuan Si, holding a small bowl, took a sip of the soup before responding, "It’s my own recipe, I’ll write it down for you when I have time."

"Okay." Beichuan Hui Li nodded, and then obediently began to eat.

Beichuan Hui Li had started eating, while Nakajima Michika, sitting opposite, also took a steaming bowl of soup and, following Beichuan Si’s example, took a sip.

Then—

"So hot! But so fragrant..."

Nakajima Michika stuck out her tongue.

She had never been a food connoisseur, so she didn’t have all the drama from the novels.

After all, most people couldn’t come up with so many adjectives to describe food, so her expression was straightforward:

"Another bowl, Mr. Beichuan."

Beichuan Si took Nakajima Michika’s small bowl, filled it with more soup, and asked:

"Is it tasty?"

"Tasty,"

Nakajima Michika praised.

Hearing this, Beichuan Si nodded, "Indeed, I think it’s tasty too."

Uh—?

Nakajima Michika, holding the bowl, twitched her mouth at Beichuan Si’s display of ’no false modesty.’

She wanted to say something but didn’t know how.

On the other side, Beichuan Hui Li quietly continued to eat without speaking.

Perhaps sensing Nakajima Michika’s expression, Beichuan Si picked up a piece of fish with chopsticks, dipped it in the sauce on the fish, and ate it before counter questioning, "Does Miss Nakajima prefer those who, though they do well, still put on an affected modesty?"

"Not really," Nakajima Michika replied.

"Then naturally, I don’t need to pretend in front of you," Beichuan Si put down his chopsticks and stated matter-of-factly, "Maybe if it were someone I’m dealing with once or twice, I would retain my modesty, but you’re going to be living in my house for half a year; I think between us, there’s no need for so many pretenses, right?"