Even Hearing It Would Make One Blush and Hide

Good heavens!

Senzaemon Nakiri felt a splitting headache.

His own granddaughter, the heir to the Nakiri family, the savior of the Japanese Cooking world, the possessor of the God's Tongue, and the leader of the Era of Gems he had pinned his hopes on...

Was now dead serious about wanting to study abroad in the Celestial Empire.

This—this was even worse than if she had said she wanted to fall in love!

Just as Senzaemon Nakiri was nursing his headache.

Erina Nakiri wore an expression that said she understood everything: "Grandfather, I already understand how Sogo Doma felt back then. That near-perfect Cooking that should have appeared in this world long ago should not be buried like that!"

Senzaemon Nakiri: "?_?"

He was finding his granddaughter's words increasingly incomprehensible. Where in this world was there such a thing as near-perfect Cooking? Was this truly just a rebellious phase?

However, Sogo Doma? The Doma Family? Were they trying to test the foundations of Totsuki?

As the Director, Senzaemon Nakiri had many things to consider.

As a grandfather, he had even more.

He had to weigh the development of Totsuki against the mental state of Erina Nakiri.

But if he were to strike his own granddaughter down, wouldn't he just become Azami Nakiri?

To accommodate his granddaughter's feelings, Senzaemon Nakiri picked up his tea once more, preparing to listen to what was on Erina's mind.

Of course.

It was fortunate that Erina Nakiri had only mentioned studying in the Celestial Empire, which allowed Senzaemon Nakiri to remain calm and composed.

After all, The cuisine of the Celestial Empire was vast and profound. If Erina Nakiri truly encountered a master of the Chinese Cooking world, it would be her good fortune. Naturally, this was under the condition that it was a true master, someone several stories higher than the "Demon King" of the Japanese Cooking world himself.

That said, where exactly were those New East and Blue Shit in the Celestial Empire?

However.

Regardless of where they were, Erina Nakiri could not possibly study abroad. After all, she was the God's Tongue, the hope of the Japanese Cooking world! To study abroad would be a slap in the face to the entire Japanese Cooking industry.

As for stopping her by force? As a great educator, Senzaemon Nakiri would certainly not resort to such crude methods; patient guidance was the proper path.

"Erina! You want to study at the New East and Blue Shit in the Celestial Empire—do you have a plan?"

"Grandfather, I have a comprehensive plan. The first step is to go to Lanxiang to learn the secret technique of Master Takumi: Water-Entry Corner-Drifting Tofu Grinding!"

"Water-Entry Corner-Drifting Tofu Grinding? Is that a Cooking technique?" Senzaemon Nakiri felt a slight sense of relief; at the very least, his granddaughter hadn't gone completely off the rails, as she still wanted to learn Cooking techniques.

"That's right, it's a type of Cooking that can only be handled by an excavator," Erina Nakiri nodded.

Senzaemon Nakiri: "..."

What the hell was an excavator?

"So, Grandfather, please let me go to Lanxiang to learn how to operate an excavator from Master Takumi first."

"What?" Senzaemon Nakiri's confusion deepened, and the teacup in his hand trembled.

"I, Erina Nakiri, am going to the Celestial Empire to learn how to drive an excavator!"

Erina Nakiri's small face was incredibly serious!

"Bang!"

"Pfft!"

The tea Senzaemon Nakiri had been using to calm his nerves splashed directly onto his face.

To this day, we still don't know what happened at the Nakiri estate that day, nor do we know what the two grandfather and granddaughter discussed. We only know that when she emerged, Erina Nakiri was covering her small face, and through the gaps in her fingers, one could vaguely discern that her cheeks were incredibly red.

Amidst a background of:

"New Oriental, learn to... ahem... learn to cook, eight hundred beds, stainless steel, three thousand technicians..."

"Excavator, go to Lan... that is a good place."

Under these background noises, Erina Nakiri walked away in a hurry. Hisako chased after her for a long time, and when she finally caught up, Erina was still covering her face...

It is said that they found the video in the ghost... the ghost-something section of Bilibili.

What a pity.

The longer she spent with Sogo Doma, the less she could bear to see such scenes; even hearing them made her blush and hide away.

Ever since then, Erina Nakiri had treated Sogo Doma as a thorn in her side, constantly looking for trouble with him. Although she always ended up suffering for it, she never tired of it (or was she just refusing to admit defeat?).

To this, Sogo Doma's reaction was:

"Hahaha, as expected, the bluff didn't work back then? Actually, I still have moves like Drainage Corner Drifting Ditch Shovel and Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Tumbles up my sleeve. Truly, if you're going to bluff, you have to go all the way!"

Time returns to the present.

Hearing her Secretary—ahem, Arato Hisako—say that it was just a joke back then, Erina Nakiri felt her teeth itch. She would never forget the scene of Senzaemon Nakiri watching New Oriental on Bilibili; his expression was as if he were looking at an idiot...

Ahem.

No!

It should be said that she herself would never forget that scene either!

Senzaemon Nakiri was like: "?_? Erina, are you sure you want to go?"

Erina Nakiri was like: "@_@"

She didn't know how she walked out of the Nakiri Residence; she only knew that for over a month, she didn't dare to speak to Senzaemon Nakiri.

"Hisako, don't easily trust that guy. So-called promises are just a joke to him." Recalling her own experience, Erina Nakiri gritted her teeth.

However.

Arato Hisako touched her forehead: "Is this what they call a bickering couple? Please, my dear young lady, how many times have you already tasted dishes for that guy..."

Yet, before she could even finish.

Erina Nakiri started calling out again: "Hisako, Hisako, hurry over here, what is going on with this?"

Arato Hisako: "..."

My dear young lady, wouldn't it be better to learn some computer skills?

It's Umaru @-ing you, let me see. While complaining internally, Hisako still did what a secretary should do and opened U.M.R's Twitter.

There wasn't much information on it, just a post showing off that she had an autograph from Utako Kasumi. As for replies? Don't joke, where would the God's Tongue find the time to read replies?

Then.

"That little dumpling!!!" Erina Nakiri exploded.

Arato Hisako: "Ahem..."

She coughed twice to signal a warning.

"Mm."

Erina Nakiri indicated she understood at the right time, then: "Sogo Doma!"

Meanwhile.

Tokyo.

Doma Family, second floor.

Sogo Doma was clutching his head: "Hahaha... working really doesn't suit me, does it? Let work go to hell. Isn't it better to just stay put peacefully?"

"Those who say they want to work are heretics. It's impossible to work, so why not just slack off and loaf around?"

"Haha, this world is sinful. Why is it that if you don't work, you don't get to eat? How nice it would be to just stay at home without working; not bothering others, nor harming oneself."

"What to do? What to do? Should I go find Ryunosuke Akasaka and those guys? I'd be mocked, right? I'd be ruthlessly mocked for going to them because of work, right?"

"Damn it, why did I say back then that I don't care if my friends have money or not, since they definitely don't have as much as me anyway? Even if they have more money than me now, they'll still be my little brother in the future?"

"Little brother, save me!"