Who Let Mei Into the Kitchen!? (Continued)

"... I think so too." Raven nodded with a puzzled expression. "Would Lord Liu Bai like some?"

"Cilantro? Why bring this up all of a sudden... But I'm the kind of person who's used to putting cilantro in things, but I don't specifically eat it. I wouldn't say I like or dislike it, it's more like a habit?"

Liu Bai couldn't understand why there was a debate about cilantro, because in his mind, cilantro wasn't something to be eaten on its own... Perhaps this was just a regional difference?

"Sir, your statement is quite honest... so it's used as a seasoning?"

"Brother Liu Bai, would you like some cilantro?"

"... What use is it for you to ask me, a ghost?" Liu Bai shrugged.

Mei then turned her attention to Raven and the others.

Rita just said she's not a picky eater.

Raven's words...

"I'm not used to the food, but it's not to the point that I can't eat it."

Raven gestured to Mei she shouldn't worry about her.

So what's left is...

"It's okay! Mei, I love whatever you make," Kiana said eagerly.

"Oh."

"Why are you so indifferent, Mei!?"

"Um... is it because I don't really know your taste, Kiana?"

Mei said with a rather helpless expression.

"Forget it, Kiana, you should go out and help the class monitor soothe the child. You're not helpful at all in the kitchen."

"Hmm..."

Damn it! It's all because of this guy...

Although thanks to Liu Bai, I was able to get some rest, but! Let's keep Mei's matter separate from this!

This isn't repaying kindness with enmity! This is called clearly distinguishing between gratitude and resentment!

"I'm sorry, Brother Liu Bai, Kiana seems to have caused you trouble."

Mei apologized to Liu Bai while cooking.

"No, I think it's fine. Actually, I quite dislike the changes brought about by heavy pressure—especially for young people, well, although I would say that I am young myself."

Liu Bai said dismissively.

Adding up the time in the simulation, it must have been almost twenty or thirty years, right?

"Seeing you all forced to shoulder burdens that you shouldn't have to bear at this age always makes me feel like we seniors are incompetent... So I'm actually quite happy that Kiana has returned to her idiotic state."

"... You've insulted me too with those words."

Mei took off her glasses, wiped them, and sighed. "But that's why you're my teacher, isn't it? I left behind all sorts of backup plans so that future generations wouldn't repeat the mistakes of an incompetent predecessor like me."

Rita's compatibility +5%

Fu Hua compatibility +5%

Kiana compatibility +10%

"Seniors? Don't underestimate us," Rita chuckled. "We have things we can do too."

(Teacher Liu hasn't changed at all...) Fu Hua couldn't help but sigh. (Teacher Liu said something similar to me back then... Okay, Kiana, stop eavesdropping.)

Twenty minutes later

Boom--!

"So, Mei, you brat, how come you can't even use a gas stove properly?" With a loud bang and billowing smoke, Liu Bai roared in exasperation, "So your cooking skills have actually declined over the years, huh?"

"Cough cough... No, I've never used a gas stove before—I've researched wind power, water power, electricity, and Honkai Energy, but I've never touched gas."

Mei coughed as she defended herself.

"When I first got my hands on it, I didn't know it was gas. I thought it was some kind of strange electrical equipment—who knew this place was so primitive."

"My new kitchenware... my pot..." Then came the mournful wails of Raven.

"Save your breath. You just got a hundred million, what are you yelling about?"

Rita, covered in soot, poked her head out of the smoke.

"On another note, gas cylinders aren't made of paper. Dr. Mei, how did you manage to detonate this thing? If everyone hadn't reacted quickly enough, you would be finished today."

Rita was clearly too angry to bother with a ladylike tone anymore.

"I... I just did some research..."

"Okay, it's my fault. I didn't throw you out with Kiana after she left." Liu Bai said resentfully.

Letting Mei into the kitchen is never a good thing!

The loud noise startled the children and naturally caught the attention of Kiana and Shibao.

"This is..."

"Obviously, Mei finally blew up the kitchen." Shibao shrugged, then immediately stood up and ran towards the smoking kitchen. "Teacher Liu! Teacher Liu, are you alright? I'll get you a towel right away!"

(All I can say is, she's truly beautiful.)

The Fu Hua in Kiana's mind was also filled with emotion as she watched this scene unfold.

We're back. Everything's back.

"Doesn't that Dr. Mei know how to cook?" Kiana asked, quite puzzled.

(She says she doesn't know... but she actually knows a little, though she's not on the same level as Mei —even though they have the same face.)

Fu Hua then remembered that Kiana didn't seem to know about Mei's god-slaying cooking skills.

(For Kiana's safety, I'll just say this again—no matter how normal or delicious Mei's food looks, even if it's packaged as a snack, don't taste it, understand?)

"Huh? Isn't this a bit too much...?"

(If Kiana wants to develop the courage to face death, she can give it a try.)

"..."

With Kiana falling silent, the argument in the kitchen came to an end.

"Alright, alright, I've disposed of the gas cylinder, but obviously, the kitchen is gone."

Mei, in her Herrscher form, appeared to be in the best condition, and it was she who suppressed the deadly aftermath of the explosion, such as the fire.

"Is everyone alright?"

"What could possibly happen to us with our constitutions..." Raven said irritably, "Dr. Mei protected us very well, it's just that we got a bit too choked by the smoke."

"To be honest, I thought my death immunity would trigger at this time..."

Liu Bai patted his chest, still slightly shaken.

With so many simulations, it has never taught the host how to protect themselves. It would be ridiculous to teach them today.

"My bad... but I think I've figured it out, I definitely won't blow up the kitchen again next time... cough cough cough!"

"Don't do it again! With what you did today, you wouldn't have gotten this house even without Mei."

Liu Bai said in an annoyed tone.

Raven wasn't wearing her combat uniform today, and Rita wasn't wearing her Valkyrie Armor either... It's terrifying.

Thankfully, it was "just" a gas explosion.

"From now on, Dr. Dr. Mei, could you please stay at least 30 meters away from the kitchen?"

Rita, still covered in dust, wiped the dirt off her face and kindly offered her advice.

"...All right."

"Mei, you should continue cooking at the weapons testing range from now on."

Shibao ran over with a wet towel, not forgetting to tease Mei.

"Come, Teacher Liu, let me wipe your face... and your body while I'm at it."

"Give me a towel, and you get out of here, you brat."

Liu Bai rolled her eyes at this brat who wanted to "take advantage of the situation."

After roughly wiping his face, Liu Bai passed the towel down.

"So it's impossible to eat lunch at home. Let's go take a shower first, and then take the kids out to eat."

"...Too."

"Phew... So, my house has exploded again."

The last Raven to finish its bath came out of the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe.

Since there are many children in the family, there is no problem with bathrobes.

"It was just a kitchen that was blown up."

Mei, also wrapped in a bathrobe and holding Liu Bai, corrected him.

"Doctor, you, the culprit, shouldn't offer your opinions," Shiora said irritably. "Looking at it this way, I guess I've been having a lot of bad luck lately."

"A guy who just got a hundred million has no right to say that."

As Rita spoke, she reached out to snatch Liu Bai from Mei's arms, but Mei nimbly dodged her.

It's only at this moment that I'm so sensitive...

"Heh... Now that you mention it, it seems like I'm only lucky when it comes to things involving adults, while I'm always having bad luck with you guys."

Raven reached out to Mei, and Mei reluctantly handed over Liu Bai.

"Hmm... you're heavier than you look." Raven lifted Liu Bai and weighed him in her arms.

"After all, it's not hollow; it contains a complete set of bionic organs," Mei explained.

"Hey... are you guys treating me like some kind of mascot? Passing me around like that?"

Liu Bai felt that these guys seemed to lack respect for him.

"Liu Bai, you seem quite happy?" Rita looked at Liu Bai in Raven's arms, "Being held by a beautiful girl who is only wrapped in a bathrobe or something."

"Well... that's undeniable."

After all, Liu Bai himself is capable of floating, so the fact that he isn't floating means that Liu Bai is also having a good time.

"But then again, you three don't really want to chat like this for half a day while wearing bathrobes, do you?"

"I just came out," Raven corrected. "This question should only be asked of the two of them."

"Who do you think we're waiting for...?"

"Oh, I thought you were trying to seduce the adults."

Raven sneered, shutting Mei down.

"Never mind, I'll go change... Rita, here you go."

As Raven spoke, he handed Liu Bai to Rita.

Although she usually disliked Rita, she disliked Mei even more now.

"You guys don't really think of me as a toy, do you?"

Liu Bai sighed and floated up on his own.

"Since the kitchen's already blown up, how about we take this opportunity to move? How about moving to a more lively area?"

"Moving itself isn't a big deal, but it's certainly lively..."

The Raven was just about to take off its bathrobe, paused.

"Isn't it too dangerous to be in such a noisy place?"