Shinigami the Unforgiven in Bleach, Chapter 21: Unohana's Little Thoughts.
The green bamboo tubes tapped against the white, millstone-shaped boulder, and the stream water flowed into them. When it reached a certain height, it would fall into the pond through the drilled holes.
The early summer sun was very hot.
The sound of cicadas chirping filled the pine trees as Retsu Unohana enjoyed a peaceful lunch.
If there's any benefit to merging the two worlds, it's probably that the abundance of seasonings in the World of the Living will impact the original Soul Society's seasoning market.
The world is making new progress in food and ecology, but at a very high cost.
It's so large that ordinary people can't afford it.
She reached out her chopsticks and picked up a piece of fish, thinking that it was so hot, she would take a nap later and then take the watermelon out of the ice bucket and cut it open.
Iced watermelon in summer has a magical power.
Retsu Unohana is used to fighting and it doesn't affect her mindset. She can still be thinking about what to eat for lunch right before drawing her sword to fight.
She picked up the plate, poured the fish soup over it, stirred it with chopsticks, and drank the small mouthful of rice as if it were porridge.
The delicious, hot fish soup, coating the rice grains, is truly a delightful experience.
Retsu Unohana reached for a napkin, but a hand grasped hers from behind, and a gentle male voice said, "Retsu, I'm back."
She paused, tilted her head back, her jet-black hair cascading down her shoulders, her lips glistening with oil, and a faint smile appeared on her face. "Welcome back, Shiraishi."
Looking at the beautiful woman before him, he couldn't help but wipe her mouth and, incidentally, taste the fish soup she was drinking.
Then, as his hand tried to move downwards further, it was slapped away.
Retsu Unohana ended their conversation, rolled her eyes at him, and said, "Now is not the time for this kind of thing. Where are Ichigo Kurosaki and the others?"
Shiraishi was still savoring the fish soup; it was indeed incredibly delicious. "I told them to wait outside, now I'll call them in."
"Okay, go ahead."
Retsu Unohana quickly cleared away the leftovers on the table, used Shunpo to take them to the kitchen, and without washing them, first rinsed the rice to cook, then washed the vegetables and meat.
Sensing the Reiatsu in the hall, she put down her knife, washed her hands to remove the fishy smell, and Shunpo returned to the hall.
Her black hair swayed gently, and a warm smile spread across her face as she said, "You've finally arrived."
"Hi!"
Soul spoke first, its belief being that a woman whose feet were invisible when she looked down was a top-tier beauty. "Big sister, my name is Soul."
He made a move as if to pounce on him.
Retsu Unohana drew her sword with her right hand and blocked the soul's path. The soul was so frightened that it stopped abruptly, gripping the blade with its hand, its little heart almost jumping out of its chest.
Bang.
Retsu Unohana lightly slapped her hand, punching a hole right through it into the ground. Ignoring the hole, she smiled and said, "Please sit down first. We can talk about anything after you've eaten."
Ichigo Kurosaki asked anxiously, "Why did Kisuke Urahara leave a message there, guessing that I came with Inoue and the others?"
" Kurosaki- kun, please don't make me repeat myself, okay?"
She replied with a smile.
"..." Ichigo Kurosaki swallowed hard, his smile conveying a powerful sense of pressure. "Hmm."
He obediently gave in.
Orihime Inoue her hand and said, "If you don't mind, I can help with the cooking."
"Really? I need some help."
Retsu Unohana replied with a smile, then turned and said, "Please come with me."
Orihime Inoue headed to the kitchen full of confidence.
Ichigo Kurosaki, crouching at the edge of the hole, looked down and asked, "Hey, Kon, are you still alive?"
"Grandpa Hun isn't that easy to kill!"
"Oh." Ichigo Kurosaki ignored it.
"Wait, help me pull it out, my head is stuck in the ground."
The soul is calling out from below.
Only Yasutora Sado has an extreme fondness for cute dolls, reached out his arm to help rescue it.
"Phew, I'm covered in mud. That pretty lady was terrifying."
Hun jumped into the corridor, shook off the mud, and almost thought he was going to die.
Shiraishi smiled and said, "Retsu used to be the First Kenpachi, the kind who kills without blinking an eye. You'd better not mess with her, or you'll be torn to pieces. Don't blame me for not warning you."
Rebirth in the Great Era of Surfing Waves
"Hiss," Soul trembled as he thought of his shattered body.
Several people were waiting in the lobby for their meal, but the dishes had not yet been served.
Orihime Inoue staggered back, bracing herself on her hands and feet in the living room, her long, brown hair hanging down as if all her energy had been burned away, turning into snow-white ash.
"Miss Unohana said I was strange, and then told me not to cause trouble here, so she was kicked out."
Finally, someone told the truth.
This thought flashed through the minds of Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia, Yasutora Sado simultaneously.
Despite her thoughts, Rukia still comforted her, saying, "It's alright, we really enjoy the food you make."
"Yes, your idea is very innovative. As for Lie, she's a traditional foodie and wouldn't understand you."
Shiraishi also offered words of comfort.
He felt that Orihime Inoue's culinary skills excelled in their bold innovation; how many people could cook a mixture of fruit, cream, meat, and vegetables together?
Only Orihime Inoue.
"Mr. Shiraishi, you are truly my soulmate."
Orihime Inoue grasped his hand, her face filled with deep emotion.
Shiraishi laughed and said, "I'm just telling the truth."
"I must win over Miss Unohana."
Orihime Inoue got up, intending to communicate with the other party through food.
Shiraishi grabbed him, saying, " Orihime, I think we shouldn't disobey Retsu's orders. If she gets angry, even I'll have to back down."
"..." Orihime Inoue thought for a moment, then chose to sit down, not wanting to put Shiraishi in a difficult position.
He breathed a sigh of relief. If Lie knew that he had instigated Inoue to go to the kitchen, he might have to sleep on the floor that night.
About ten minutes later, Retsu Unohana spoke up, "Dinner is ready."
Ichigo Kurosaki turned his gaze away from the pond in the courtyard and noticed that a tall round table and chairs had been set up in the living room at some point. On the table were six meat dishes, six vegetable dishes, and a large bucket of rice.
"When?"
He was utterly shocked; so many things had been laid out, and he hadn't even noticed a thing.
"Just now."
Retsu Unohana answered with a smile.
Shiraishi was already seated and greeted them, "Don't just stand there, come and try Lie's cooking!"
Rukia stepped forward and smelled the long-lost aroma of food—it was the soup in the pot. Why was its color so bright red?
"Taking into account your tastes, I've made it mildly spicy."
Retsu Unohana explains.
"..." Rukia wanted to cry. She thought she could finally eat normal food again, but she was trapped in another cycle.
She likes sweets but doesn't like spicy food.
Ichigo Kurosaki and Yasutora Sado didn't react much; they can both handle spicy food.
Orihime Inoue can eat spicy food; the spicier, the better she can eat it.
"Cough cough." Shiraishi suddenly choked.
Rukia put down her katsu and asked, " Captain Shiraishi, do you need some water?"
"No need, everyone, please continue eating."
Shiraishi didn't dare let her get up. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked down, and saw that the feet coming from the opposite side were running rampant.
Retsu Unohana rested her cheek on her hand, her eyes smiling.