Although Lu Ping had "seen" Kenjaku smile toward the private room, he had no intention of responding immediately.
The other person was sitting here not for slaughter, but as if she was... observing?
Had she come to watch, up close, what kind of ripples would follow from this drama that she had indirectly set in motion?
"What are you thinking about? Your brows are practically twisted into knots."
A cool female voice suddenly came from beside him.
Lu Ping refocused his gaze.
At some point, Ieiri Shoko had stopped talking with Qian Chun.
She propped her cheek up with one hand while holding clean serving chopsticks in the other. She picked up a richly marbled piece of wagyu, sizzling with grease from the grill, and precisely placed it on the empty plate in front of Lu Ping.
A medical expert's gaze always carried an insight that seemed to see through people's hearts.
"That mission really was ridiculous, and the way those old bastards in the higher-ups handled things was disgusting enough. But since you made it back alive, don't overthink it. For this entire week, your job is to recover."
Shoko spoke lazily, her tone carrying the advice of someone who had been there before.
"What you need to do now is empty your mind, eat more meat, and replenish the fat and protein you burned through."
She paused, then added another sentence.
"After all, if you don't eat meat once it's cooked, it'll get cold."
Lu Ping looked at the steaming beef on his plate, warmth rising in his chest.
A companion's concern could always offer a sliver of genuine warmth in this Jujutsu World filled with schemes and calculations.
He did not argue. He picked up his chopsticks and put the beef into his mouth.
The fat burst