"It seems this dish is a failure; there's no need to bake what's left, as there's no way to make it in such a short time."
Looking at the considerable amount of vanilla milk remaining, Li Wanwan sighed softly. A dish that required time to mature was truly unsuitable for a demonstration. She had made a poor decision today.
"I've told you before, when problems arise, you should think about how to solve them, not give up."
Seeing Li Wanwan give up so easily, Dylan's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of annoyance there. He stood up and casually grabbed the rolling pin from the nearby prep counter, then, in front of everyone, brought it down on her backside.
"Mmmph…"
A dull thud sounded as Dylan pressed her down onto the prep counter, her backside facing outwards.
The force he used wasn't very great, just enough to feel a sting.
But the sense of shame it brought was inexpressible.
Especially in front of so many people, it was practically dragging her dignity through the dirt. But she was utterly helpless, because it was Dylan who was hitting her.
As the leader of the Dark Cooking Society, Dylan had the right to discipline every member.
"Leader, I was wrong! I shouldn't have given up so easily. Please give me another chance!"
Barely suppressing a flicker of pleasure deep within her voice, this situation made Li Wanwan recall when she first met Dylan; he had spanked her in the same manner back then.
The only difference was that back then, Dylan had used a ruler, and now it was a rolling pin. Moreover, that time it was in private, whereas now it was in public view.
"Then hurry up and think! I'll keep hitting you until you come up with it—a method to quickly eliminate air bubbles."
Dylan's voice was cold and sharp. He had to correct this bad habit of Li Wanwan's, otherwise, she wouldn't get far on the culinary path.
A chef who gives up at the first sign of trouble could never become a Special Grade Chef.
"A method to quickly eliminate air bubbles…"
Facing Dylan's urgent questioning, Li Wanwan's breathing quickened. Feeling the varied gazes of those around her, she felt a strong tingling sensation all over her body, and the feeling of shame made her head throb.
But there was no other way to escape this predicament; she could only desperately try to think of a suitable solution.
Dylan couldn't possibly be intentionally making things difficult for her. Since he'd told her to think of a solution, this matter definitely had one; the key was how to solve it.
"Vacuum! That's right! It's vacuum! Put the vanilla milk into a bag, then use a vacuum machine to suck out all the air inside! That way, the small air bubbles in the vanilla milk will disappear!"
Closing her eyes, trying not to think about the embarrassing situation she was in, a flash of inspiration struck Li Wanwan's mind. She suddenly twisted her body and shouted loudly.
The rolling pin raised high finally stopped in mid-air. Dylan revealed an expression of satisfaction.
"Not bad. You pass."
He raised his hand and patted Li Wanwan's head. Dylan nodded with satisfaction.
Although her speed was a bit slow, at least she came up with a solution. Vacuum processing could indeed effectively solve the bubble problem.
However, such things must be thought through clearly before a competition. Otherwise, if she made a fool of herself like today, there would be no one to bail her out again.
"Vacuum is indeed a good method, but you don't have the relevant equipment on hand. Today, I'll teach you a simpler trick: the Oscillation Bubble Removal Method."
As he spoke, Dylan stood up from his chair.
He took a few quick strides to the prep counter, looking at the considerable amount of vanilla milk remaining on the table. He quickly lifted and dropped it, causing the bowl to hit the tabletop and generate a certain degree of oscillation.
However, for the delicate vanilla milk, this level of oscillation was negligible. So Dylan increased the frequency, quickly eliminating the air bubbles within.
"This level should be about right."
After a few minutes, Dylan looked at the vanilla milk in the bowl and smiled with satisfaction, then repeated Li Wanwan's previous steps.
This time, the canelés in the oven became incredibly calm.
Seventy grams of vanilla milk, once poured into the molds, slowly expanded in the oven. They stopped just before overflowing, their surfaces gradually turning golden-brown.
Midway, Dylan took them out to check the color of their surfaces, then put them back into the oven, turning down the heat until they were uniformly browned.
"It's ready. Come and see."
Taking the canelés out of the oven, a faint golden glow emanated from their surfaces. Though it was fleeting, it had undeniably been there.
Everyone present, because they had been staring intently, saw everything clearly! Especially Momo Akanegakubo, whose mouth was agape.
In Li Wanwan's hands, the canelés hadn't even reached First-Grade Chef level, yet after a few touches from Dylan's hands, they had astonishingly become Special Grade Five-Star dishes?!
Could it be that simply oscillating out the air bubbles could lead to such a massive improvement?
How could that be possible!
If cooking were that simple, then almost everyone in the world would be a Special Grade Chef, and they wouldn't be struggling so hard between First and Second Grade Chef levels.
Therefore, to achieve such an effect was entirely due to the man before them.
Thinking of this, Momo Akanegakubo's gaze towards Dylan changed, acquiring an indescribable, elusive emotion.
It was hard to imagine such a chef existed, who, by merely extending or altering a few steps, could significantly elevate the grade of another's dish.
"Good."
Looking at the canelé in front of her, Momo Akanegakubo nodded softly.
She had no reason to refuse, and speaking of which, this was her first time seeing a glowing dish, though she hadn't expected it to be under such circumstances.
She had originally thought it would be a more formal occasion.
"Oh, right. Eat one first, and eat the other one after it cools down. That way, the texture and flavor of the two will undergo completely different changes."
As if remembering something, Dylan looked at Momo Akanegakubo, who was about to take a bite, and reminded her.
"Okay."
Though somewhat doubtful, having just witnessed Dylan create a glowing-grade dish, she had become unconditionally convinced.
Because it had just come out of the oven, the canelé was still slightly soft, moist, and dense, appearing as light and airy as clouds.
The sweetness of vanilla milk intertwined with the rich aroma of rum, forming a complex yet harmonious layering of flavors.
Closing her eyes, a faint blush spread across Momo Akanegakubo's face. At this moment, she felt as if she were immersed in incredibly silky vanilla milk, surrounded entirely by white.
Every pore on her body was absorbing, feeling the beauty of this moment. Every cell in her body rejoiced, shouting with excitement.
"Amazing! Is this a glowing-grade dish? It feels completely different!"
Her voice carried deep shock. Both were desserts, but this one and those she used to make were entirely different concepts.
A glowing-grade dish is actually this amazing!?
Thinking of the desserts she used to eat, Momo Akanegakubo suddenly found them as bland as chewing wax.
"It's almost time. Come, listen to the beautiful sound of the Angel's Bell."
Placing the canelé on a wire rack to cool, its outer shell became incredibly crisp with the passage of time.
Dylan gently squeezed it with his hand, and a part of its outer shell cracked. The sound in that instant was like an angel, far away in heaven, ringing a bell to call to them.
"Alright."
If the uncooled canelé was already so delicious, then what about the one that had been left to cool, as Dylan instructed?
Anticipation clearly appeared in Momo Akanegakubo's heart. She then took the fresh canelé offered by Dylan and opened her delicate mouth and bit off a small corner.
"So delicious!"
Unlike the softer outer shell from before, this time, the outer shell was much crispier, as if a gentle touch could produce the delightful sound of a 'crunch'.
This was the miracle born from the combined action of beeswax and butter, which not only maintained the mold's shape but also endowed the canelé with a unique luster and texture.
At the same time, it formed a wonderful contrast with the soft interior. As her teeth moved up and down, producing a 'crunch' sound, the flavors also diffused throughout her mouth.
Momo Akanegakubo, who had been sitting upright and primly, now had her legs tightly pressed together, her breathing slightly ragged, and her eyes were glazed over.
"There's something wrong with this dessert! It's clearly just a dessert, so why does my body feel all tingly and numb after eating it? This feeling is so strange!"
"Although there were some issues, since a slight modification allowed it to become a Special Grade Five-Star dish, it proves that the preceding steps were very successful.
The Dessert Research Society welcomes your joining, Li Wanwan, Huang Mei."
Not for the monk's sake, but for the Buddha's: although Li Wanwan had made some mistakes during the cooking process, her technique was still evident.
Furthermore, she was someone Dylan had brought, and given the intimate interaction they just had, their relationship was definitely extraordinary.
Moreover, leaving Li Wanwan aside for a moment, Huang Mei indeed possessed the skill to make First-Grade dishes, which, for the Dessert Research Society, was a significant boost!
"Pfft," he muttered. "When we arrived, there were clearly three of us. How is it that only one is left as we leave?"
Coming out of the Dessert Research Society, Dylan couldn't help but complain. Momo Akanegakubo had kept them there on the pretext of preparing club uniforms for Li Wanwan and Huang Mei.
The so-called club uniforms were Momo Akanegakubo calling professional tailors to custom-make clothing for the newly joined members of the Dessert Research Society.
What they saw today in the Dessert Research Society, the outfits of those girls, were all the result of Momo Akanegakubo's meticulous selection.
Feeling it was too tiring to wait there, Dylan casually found an excuse to leave.
"However, with this turn of events, I feel a bit bored for a moment, even though it's a rare weekend."
Walking aimlessly through the Totsuki Academy campus, complaining under his breath, yet when he saw the beautiful scenery around him, he suddenly felt his vision broaden, and his mind relaxed accordingly.
"Never mind, this isn't bad either."
Looking at the cherry blossoms scattered on the ground, Dylan casually picked up one of them, placed it at his nose, and gently sniffed its fragrance, an expression of enjoyment on his face.
"These cherry blossoms are truly beautiful. It must be spring now."
"This is a rare opportunity. I'll make some sakura mochi tomorrow."
As this thought surfaced in his mind, Dylan bent down slightly, then pushed off with his legs and leaped up. With a speed so blinding that only blurs could be seen, he began picking the roughly 80% ripe and perfectly shaped cherry blossoms from the trees.
The picked cherry blossoms needed something to hold them, so Dylan took off his jacket and put all the picked cherry blossoms inside.
Soon, his jacket was filled with cherry blossoms. Dylan glanced at it, decided it was enough, and prepared to return to catch up on the sleep he'd missed that morning.
"Teacher Dylan, what are you doing?"
Though it was the weekend, it didn't mean there was no one outside.
Looking at Rindō Kobayashi walking towards him, her face full of curiosity, Dylan stopped what he was doing.
"Picking some cherry blossoms, planning to make some sakura mochi. But what about you? Why are you here? On a big weekend like this, I thought you'd be sleeping in."
Looking at the girl with her uniform collar unbuttoned, a bright smile on her face, and two cute little fangs showing, Dylan asked.
"I went sea fishing the past two days, enjoyed a seafood feast, and just came back from the beach today. Then I saw you picking cherry blossoms over here."
Hearing Dylan's somewhat puzzled words, Rindō Kobayashi placed a hand to her lips, feigning thought, then began recounting her itinerary.
"I see. So now you're planning to…"
"I was originally going to go straight home and sleep, but since I saw you here and learned that you're going to make sakura mochi, of course, I have to freeload! Let me help you carry the cherry blossoms."
As she spoke, Rindō Kobayashi took two steps forward and quickly grabbed the jacket Dylan had placed on the ground, filled with the cherry blossoms he had painstakingly picked.
"Then let's go to your place."
Looking at Rindō Kobayashi's actions, Dylan smiled helplessly. Was she afraid he'd run off?
"Are we going to my place? Teacher Dylan, are you perhaps also interested in a maiden's boudoir?"
Hearing Dylan's words, Rindō Kobayashi paused for a moment, then said with a slight teasing tone, nudging his arm with her elbow, her manner affectionate, as she spoke.
"Today is a holiday. I gave those kids the day off. If I go back to cook now, they'll probably come back, and the holiday would be wasted."
Work-life balance is important: constant cooking for long periods can easily backfire, and proper relaxation is necessary, which is why Dylan designated Saturday as a holiday.
His original intention was to let them relax properly. If he went back now, they'd probably immediately drop what they were doing and come to watch him cook.
That would render the holiday meaningless.
"I see. Then follow me."
"My place is a bit messy, though, and I hope you don't mind."
Whether she believed him or not, Rindō Kobayashi nodded gently after hearing Dylan's explanation, then led the way.
Glancing at the jacket Rindō Kobayashi was holding, Dylan gave a wry smile.
This girl really was too familiar. If it weren't for her charming, pretty face, which made it hard to get angry at her, he wondered how much trouble she would cause.
"The kitchen is alright, but don't have too high expectations, because I rarely cook at home, so it's probably just… average."
As she spoke, Rindō Kobayashi suddenly lost some confidence. She actually rarely went home; that house was merely an ordinary dwelling.
"It's fine. As long as it's usable."
Seeing Rindō Kobayashi like this, Dylan felt a hint of curiosity.
But soon, his curiosity found its answer.
"Ahem, you step back a bit."
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but Dylan felt Rindō Kobayashi's face was a little flushed, and most of her body was blocking the doorway, obstructing most of his view.
"An ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet her in-laws. Let me see what's going on."
As the door was opened, Dylan pulled Rindō Kobayashi aside and squeezed in, and then witnessed a truly magnificent sight.
Clothes and pants were casually scattered on the sofa; he could even see a few pieces of underwear.
It wasn't particularly dirty; it was clear it was cleaned periodically. But it was truly messy, yet somehow possessed a chaotic order.
"Don't look at how messy it is; I actually arranged it this way on purpose. If I tidied it up, I wouldn't know where anything was."
Seeing Dylan's slightly subtle gaze, Rindō Kobayashi squeezed into the room, awkwardly scratching her head, and quietly tried to justify herself beside him.
Though the room was messy, no matter what she was looking for, she could always find it immediately. In a sense, wasn't that a form of organization?
"As long as you're happy living here, other people's opinions don't matter. I think this is fine; it feels like a home, doesn't it?"
Facing Rindō Kobayashi's attempts at justification, Dylan waved a dismissive hand.
As he spoke, he strode towards the sofa, looking at the underwear and stockings lying on it, and silently picked up a pair of black stockings.
"But you should still put your changed clothes into the laundry basket instead of leaving them for ten days or half a month before washing them. Removing these would make it look much cleaner."
"Ahem, I know. Give them to me."
Although she acted very free-spirited on the outside, having her personal undergarments held by a handsome, physically healthy man made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
Logically, this should have been quite annoying, but at this moment, Rindō Kobayashi not only didn't feel annoyed, but instead felt a faint sense of private delight.
This feeling was subtle.
To describe it simply, it was like this:
When someone usually high and mighty suddenly pays attention to your daily life, then gently tells you to be careful, this kind of consideration from a superior not only doesn't make one uncomfortable but instead feels like bathing in a spring breeze.
Especially considering Dylan's identity as a Seven-Star Special Chef—a talent who would be a national treasure in any country—this delight became even more prominent.
"I'll go cook in the kitchen. You tidy up the dirty clothes; the sakura mochi will be your reward. If you don't do it well, there'll be no reward."
Looking at Rindō Kobayashi, who had snatched the black stockings, feeling the lingering warmth on his fingertips, Dylan waved his hand and strode towards the kitchen.
"Mission accomplished, guaranteed!"
Looking at the messy living room, Rindō Kobayashi also felt a little embarrassed, so she made an OK gesture towards Dylan's retreating back.
She was good at tidying and organizing. After all, over the past three years, she had repeatedly transformed her home from messy to tidy.
Only for it to revert to a chaotic state in less than half a month.
"Teacher Dylan, you're the first person to come to my home! You're my 'first time' target, you know."
As if remembering something, feeling it was unfair that only she was embarrassed, Rindō Kobayashi, hugging her underwear, came to the back room's doorway and shouted a remark to Dylan, who was standing at the prep counter inside.
Perhaps it was her first time having a boy over; she felt that their situation was a bit ambiguous at this moment.
But she truly enjoyed this feeling.
She liked powerful people because being by his side made her feel very secure, feeling that no matter what she did, someone would have her back.
Just like a small, weak beast in the forest that always likes to find a powerful mountain to rely on.
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Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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