Chapter 438: Overcome Just Like That?
When Lucoa returned, Ryohei had already started cooking the Zenzai (red bean mochi soup) and was currently leading Jashin-chan and Yusa in the preparation work for the Egg Ciba.
"Bought them back, is this kind okay?"
Lucoa placed a large bag of rice cakes on the cooking counter, taking out a piece of "Noshi Mochi" (flattened mochi) to show Ryohei.
"It works. Yusa, slice it up, cut them into palm-sized pieces." Ryohei took a glance and instructed Yusa, then set up a wok, preparing to stir-fry the minced meat.
Since he decided to replicate the Egg Ciba from his memory, naturally, minced meat couldn't be missing, and the same went for ham sausage.
Regarding the ham sausage—he had bought a box before the New Year, intending to use it for fried rice, or to eat with deep-fried skewers or barbecue, and it still hadn't been finished.
A rich and enticing aroma of pork soon permeated the kitchen.
Immediately following, the fragrance of ham sausage, rice cakes, eggs, and chopped green onions rose up. Just smelling it whet the appetite and greatly boosted the desire to eat!
"Here, Kyon-Kyon, Ran-Ran, you guys eat first."
As two piping hot portions of Egg Ciba came out of the pan, Ryohei turned his head and called out to Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran.
The two sisters responded in unison. With their small faces taut and showing utmost seriousness, they stepped forward and took the Egg Ciba from the stove.
"Mmm... this looks so delicious!"
Passing by Minos, she peeked at the plates and praised them with a cheerful voice, offering encouragement.
It wasn't entirely just encouragement; she genuinely thought so—
The surface of the Ciba was covered with a layer of egg crepe interwoven with golden yellow and tender white, embellished with emerald-green chopped scallions. Looking at the bulging parts, it must be wrapping ham sausage and minced meat inside...
Just looking at it made one's mouth water!
"So fragrant!" Elma inhaled gently, her thick dark blue finned tail unconsciously rising a bit.
"I want to eat!" Kanna said, cupping her small face.
"Come over if you want to eat, two more portions are ready!"
Ryohei's serving speed was very fast!
After all, he had set up five flat pans in one breath, and with people helping out as assistants beside him, how could the speed not be fast?
"Ooh ooh—!"
Kanna raised her hands above her head, cheered with that adorkable voice, and immediately marched her short little legs into the kitchen.
"..."
In the dining room—
Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran placed the Egg Ciba on the dining table and sat face to face.
"Itadakimasu!"
Although they said so, neither of them made a move.
Even though the Egg Ciba looked delicious and emitted an enticing aroma, the thought that the egg crepe wrapped Ciba made of glutinous rice caused their bodies to instinctively repel and resist.
When Kanna, Koji, and Little Binchou-tan each brought a portion of Egg Ciba to the dining room, the two were still maintaining that posture of sitting bolt upright, staring intently at the plates.
"Mmm—! So delicious!"
The soft and sweet voice of Little Binchou-tan suddenly came from the side.
Kyon-Kyon subconsciously turned her head, then looked at Ran-Ran, took a light breath, and said:
"Sister."
"Mn." Ran-Ran understood what she meant and responded softly. Then, the two sisters tacitly moved their chopsticks.
Baring their fangs, emitting whimpering sounds from their mouths similar to small beasts encountering natural enemies—carrying a bit of bravado and revealing unease—they fiercely yet cutely picked up the Egg Ciba.
So interesting!
Yurine, who had followed over to see how they would overcome their weakness, kinda wanted to take her phone out to record this scene and share it with Ryohei.
Meanwhile, the two sisters closed their eyes and took a bite as if resigning themselves to their fate—
"Mmm—!"
The freshly-cooked Ciba was still stringy—the outer layer was fragrant and tender pan-fried egg, wrapping the soft and glutinous Ciba in the center. The chewy, fragrant, glutinous, and resilient texture was excellent.
The ham sausage added a touch of savory flavor and bouncy texture, making the flavor more layered.
The rich aroma of the minced meat's fat and its solid meaty texture greatly elevated the mellowness and satisfaction of the taste.
The chopped green onions garnished it timely, enhancing the fragrance and cutting through the greasiness...
"..." Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran opened their eyes in unison, freezing for a moment.
Then, they exclaimed together:
"So delicious!"
"Savory, soft, and glutinous, fragrant on the outside and resilient on the inside... eating it piping hot truly makes one feel happy and satisfied in just one bite!" The lines on Kyon-Kyon's face softened involuntarily.
The feelings of repulsion and resistance vanished into thin air, replaced by a desire to taste even more!
Ran-Ran felt the same way, and she was even a little moved.
Recalling the special training they underwent in the past to rid themselves of the blood-sucking instinct and to walk on two feet, she was again somewhat pleasantly surprised.
This time was truly so easy! —Even a bit enjoyable!
"Overcome... just like that?"
Yurine looked at Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran with a surprised face, but then felt it was only natural—after all, Ryohei's cooking could satisfy even ghouls who were unable to eat human food.
Making this pair of jiangshi girls, Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran, able to accept glutinous rice products seemed quite normal too!
"..."
A noisy clamor suddenly rang in their ears.
Kyon-Kyon and Ran-Ran snapped back to their senses, finding themselves standing on a two-way single-lane road, surrounded by surging crowds and slowly moving vehicles.
—They were at a market!
On both sides of the road, the shouts of street vendors, the price inquiries, and haggling of passersby intertwined and boiled. Occasionally, one or two car horns squeezed in, blending into a background noise full of earthly vitality.
"So fragrant!"
A familiar, enticing burnt aroma drifted into their noses—it was Egg Ciba!
The two sisters followed the scent in unison and quickly locked onto a food stall by the roadside.
The stall owner was a young man, sitting on a small folding stool, watching the honeycomb briquette stove in front of him.
A huge commercial flat pan was set on the stove. Several pieces of Ciba and ham sausages were resting on the edge of the pan, and in the center was golden egg wash being spread out, the aroma billowing forth from there.
"Does Kyon-Kyon want to eat?" The older sister with twin tails turned her head and asked.
"I want to." Kyon-Kyon, wearing hair buns, stared longingly at the food stall and replied crisply, her face full of anticipation.
"..."
Real world—
"The Zenzai is ready."
Ryohei hummed a brisk tune, fluidly cooking the Egg Ciba. He glanced at the stove next to him, walked over to turn off the heat, and called out outside.
Accompanied by a few cheers and footsteps, Elma took the lead, stepping into the kitchen with the several little ones.
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