Chapter 94

Shirou pedaled hard with both feet, and the basket in front of him was piled full.

Shirou rode his bicycle past one car and motorcycle after another, speeding away amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd.

He quickly rushed back to the dormitory, grabbed two large bags, and ran upstairs.

As soon as I opened the dormitory door, I saw four pairs of unfriendly eyes staring at me.

"Ahem... I can explain."

Holding two large bags in his hands, Shirou looked at everyone in the room with an embarrassed expression and tried to explain.

"It's okay, take your time."

Seeing that Shirou's hair was a little messy from the wind, Sora spoke first to break the awkward situation.

Upon hearing Sora's words, Shirou immediately slipped into the kitchen and closed the door behind him.

Luckily, I knew I was going to the training ground today, so the main course was prepared at noon. Now all I have to do is cook the side dishes.

"You all saw it just now, right?"

Watching Shirou rush into the kitchen and close the door, Exusiai put down the joystick and spoke to her teammates.

"I saw it."

Croissant, who was standing next to him, also put down the joystick and said.

"Um."

Texas nodded.

"What do you see?"

Kong was completely out of the loop and couldn't understand what his teammates were saying at all.

She was increasingly unable to understand her teammates' thought processes.

"Hair, hair, has Shirou not had a haircut in a while?"

Exusiai lifted her hair up, mimicking Shirou's earlier gesture.

"Oh? Is this it?"

Croissant turned to look at her teammate, questioning her own existence. Shouldn't it be Shirou looking a little strange?

Coming back so late, and in such a hurry, it all seems very strange!

"Um?"

Texas tilted her head in confusion upon hearing Exusiai's words.

He was puzzled by Exusiai's words, and also by what was going on in his teammates' minds.

"Hair? I think I just got it cut about two months ago."

Sora echoed Exusiai's words; she had missed the conversation and needed to find a way to catch up.

"Two months has passed so long already. It's so hot in this weather, I should probably get a haircut, otherwise I could just put on a halo and have someone else take my place at work... Hmm? It looks pretty good?"

Exusiai started chatting with Kong. Shirou takes good care of everyone, but he doesn't care much about himself. If they hadn't mentioned it, Shirou probably wouldn't have noticed something like his hair until someone reminded him.

Plus, Shirou has red hair just like her, and he's going to compete with her for the Penguin Logistics sniper position. If he grew his hair long and added a glow, wouldn't he look just like her?

Thinking about this, Exusiai felt it wasn't so bad. If she became her, could Shirou fill in for her?

"Sister Neng, wake up! Shirou doesn't carry a gun."

Seeing Exusiai making some random plans, Croissant up to remind her.

"Be practical."

Texas, standing nearby, rolled her eyes in exasperation upon hearing Exusiai's comment.

"I don't think the heights match up either. Shirou is much taller than you."

Sora briefly compared Exusiai's height with Shirou's height in her memory and then said...

"So what if I'm shorter? I'm only shorter than him when I'm standing. I might not lose to Shirou even when I'm lying down!"

Upon hearing Sora's words, Exusiai raised her head and straightened her chest, speaking up.

"Cough... I don't think Shirou will necessarily lose."

Croissant seemed to have thought of something, coughed awkwardly twice, finished speaking, picked up the joystick, and continued playing the game.

"Yellow Waste Angel and Puff Man".

Texas shifted her position, looking at her teammates with disdain.

"???"

Sora looked bewildered, then Texas pulled her aside to continue reading her magazine.

Shirou, busy in the kitchen, naturally didn't hear what Penguin Logistics was saying.

By the time Shirou finished preparing dinner and brought it out, everyone from Penguin Logistics was already seated at the table, especially Exusiai and Croissant, whose eyes were practically blazing with desire as they stared at the food in Shirou's hands.

"Sorry it's so late, hurry up and eat."

Shirou took Sora's portion. Compared to the others, Sora ate more elegantly and at a relatively slower pace, so Shirou usually served Sora's portion first.

"I'll help."

Exusiai darted into the kitchen and grabbed two portions.

Croissant and Texas are easy to distinguish. Nezha has two portions of meat, so they are the two of them. Exusiai's is more balanced.

"Aren't today's dishes a little too healthy?"

Looking at the dishes in front of her, Croissant remembered the healthy meals that an angel had specially bought when she said she wanted to lose weight.

It's the kind of meal that looks very healthy at first glance, making it hard to feel hungry. However, you have to look closely to see any trace of healthiness in Shirou's dishes.

I picked up a piece of meat with my chopsticks; it was marinated very well.

"The last meal was too oily after our workout, so you didn't have much of an appetite. This time, I'll make it lighter."

Shirou pulled out a chair and sat down at the dining table, saying that he always paid close attention to everyone's eating habits.

After the last workout, Shirou made some dishes that were quite strong in flavor, and everyone seemed to have some difficulty eating them, but they still forced themselves to finish them.

So this time, Shirou opted for a lighter flavor.

"Oh, I think that's true."

Exusiai picked up a piece of food and took a bite.

It tastes pretty good, no problem.

"A lighter diet is better."

Sora prefers lighter fare, so the dishes this time suited her taste perfectly.

"Um."

Texas doesn't really care; she'll eat anything as long as it's not too weird.

"Mom, I'll finish my food, don't worry."

Croissant deeply moved as she listened to Shirou's words.

"There's no dessert left for you, Kong, Texas. Can you have another dessert?"

In response to Croissant's question, Shirou calmly announced the fate of the dessert for the evening.

Sora nodded to Texas, indicating that there was no problem.

"Hmph, I noticed just now, Shirou, you didn't buy any desserts today!"

Croissant pushed up glasses that weren't even there and said to Shirou.

"I made ice cream of all flavors before bed last night, but it's such a pity there's none for you."

Shirou gave Croissant a subtle smile and said.

I had a lot of leftover whipping cream and custard from making desserts before. Then I remembered a video I saw before, which showed that you can use large and small bowls to make ice cream.

Put ice cubes and salt in a large bowl, then put a small bowl inside. Pour two cups of heavy cream and one cup of custard into the small bowl, and stir the heavy cream and custard in the small bowl continuously until it solidifies and thickens. Then put it in the freezer.

You can add fruit puree or other ingredients according to your personal taste to make different flavored ice creams.

Shirou only made milk tea and dark chocolate flavors, mainly because the freezer wasn't big enough to hold them all.

"I was wrong, I was really wrong. Please, Mr. Shirou, have mercy and forgive my ignorance."

Upon hearing that there was ice cream, Croissant lowered her head and sincerely apologized to Shirou.

Character and dignity? What are those?

Is ice cream delicious?

Eating ice cream in this weather is so refreshing, isn't it?

"Croissant, you..."

Kong, who had witnessed all of this, spoke with a hint of helplessness.

This kind of plot plays out almost every day, and Shirou is becoming more and more cunning.

At first, Shirou's cunning was more subtle; he would always stab you in the back unexpectedly.

The current Shirou is like someone who directly pulls out a knife, stabs you twice, and then you still have to thank him.

When exactly did she go astray...? It must Exusiai and Croissant who were to blame.

Thinking of this, he sighed.

The old Shirou is gone forever.

"Wait, Shirou, why didn't you ask me that just now?"

Exusiai ate while watching the drama unfolding before her, finding it particularly appetizing.

Then something felt off. Why did Shirou only ask Sora and Texas, but not her?

Shirou gave Exusiai a look, letting her understand on her own.

"Do you have chocolate?"

Texas is only interested in whether the ice cream has chocolate or coffee flavors; she doesn't like the others because they're too sweet.

"Yes, it can be made with dark chocolate."

Shirou, knowing Texas's preferences, specially made a dark chocolate ice cream.

The milk and whipped cream are already somewhat sweet, and when paired with dark chocolate, the sweetness is just right. At least Shirou didn't feel any discomfort while eating it.

Upon hearing Shirou's words, Texas nodded and then quickened her pace of eating.

She was really looking forward to the ice cream Shirou made.

109 Respecting the Elderly and Honoring the Virtuous

Lungmen, a slum.

"It's quite cold."

Shirou touched the top of his head and muttered to himself.

Last night, Sora reminded me that I should get a haircut, and considering that the weather is getting hotter, Shirou also felt it was time.

Last time he only trimmed it slightly, but this time he cut it all the way short.

After the haircut, I felt refreshed and invigorated.

Last time I went to a place recommended by Kong to get my hair cut, this time I found a shop that everyone usually goes to nearby.

It seems like A-Xing recommended it; everyone seems to like it.

"I'm back."

Shirou's voice, as he pushed open the shop door, attracted the attention of those inside, mainly the children helping out and Ansuo.

"Shirou, you're back... Hmm? Who are you?"

Upon hearing Shirou's voice, Anso, who had been sitting by the cashier yawning out of Ansuo, immediately perked up, stood up, and waved towards the door.