Misae and Kazama's mother gently led Yang Chan to a quieter corner of the deck, with Kazama following close behind them. The young boy had developed an immediate fondness for Yang Chan due to her undeniably adorable appearance and sweet demeanor.
As for why Shin-chan didn't join this group, it was simply because he had never shown particular interest in children younger than himself—preferring instead to focus his attention on more mature individuals who could engage with his surprisingly adult observations about the world.
Compared to Yang Chan, Shin-chan found himself much more fascinated by the mysterious Moral Lord and his cosmic presence.
"Master, judging from your distinctive attire, you must be a cultivator of some sort, correct?" Chu Zihang inquired respectfully after Misae and the others had taken Yang Chan aside for their private conversation.
"That is indeed correct. I am a practitioner of the cultivation arts," the Moral Lord replied with serene dignity, raising his ceremonial whisk in acknowledgment.
"Then I wonder if the master would be willing to share his honored title?" Chu Zihang continued with careful politeness.
"All so-called names and titles are nothing more than ephemeral clouds drifting across the sky," the Moral Lord responded with philosophical calm. "However, I once possessed a common mortal name during my travels: Li Er."
The Moral Lord mentioned one of the identities he had used during his journeys through the human world in ancient times.
"Li Er... what an incredibly familiar name!" Hiroshi murmured thoughtfully, feeling certain he had encountered this particular designation before, though he couldn't immediately place the context.
"Li Er!" Unlike Hiroshi's vague recognition, Chu Zihang was completely familiar with this legendary name.
Given that Gustave's Gate of All Worlds connected multiple different dimensions and realities, this person might very well be the exact historical figure he was thinking of.
"I humbly greet the saint Laozi," Chu Zihang declared with profound reverence.
He quickly transferred baby Himawari into Shin-chan's surprised arms, then performed a deeply solemn bow before the Moral Lord.
"Laozi!" Hiroshi suddenly exclaimed as the significance of the name finally clicked into place.
Now he remembered exactly why this name seemed so familiar—it was the secular name of Laozi, the legendary Taoist sage and philosopher.
"I too humbly greet the saint Laozi," Hiroshi announced with newfound understanding, following Chu Zihang's example by performing his own respectful bow before the Moral Lord.
Hiroshi wasn't exactly a scholar, but he wasn't clueless either. Back in his college days, one of his general education classes had touched on Chinese philosophy. He could still remember the name "Li Er" scrawled on a blackboard, the professor explaining that it was the birth name of Laozi, the old sage who wrote the Dao De Jing.
Even in Japan, you couldn't fully escape hearing about him—his ideas about balance and the "Way" popped up in everything from Zen temple quotes to the occasional TV documentary.
"There's absolutely no need for such formality," the Moral Lord assured them gently, raising his whisk in a gesture that generated a soft force which lifted both men back to their feet. "We can simply treat each other as equals."
The Moral Lord could determine with certainty that neither of these individuals originated from the chaotic primordial world where he typically resided, nor from any of the billions of affiliated worlds or derivative dimensions connected to that realm. He found it remarkable that both of them actually recognized the names he had adopted during his ancient travels through mortal societies.
After contemplating this curious phenomenon, the Moral Lord arrived at a fascinating possibility: the vast influence and power radiating from saints like himself extended not only throughout the chaotic world and its connected dimensions, but also reached certain other undiscovered realms. As a result, those distant worlds might develop existences that bore striking similarities to himself and other cosmic entities.
Kizaru, who had been observing this exchange from nearby, watched the two men with obvious confusion. He couldn't understand why they would perform such elaborate ceremonies simply upon hearing a name, but the elderly figure before them was clearly an extraordinary being beyond normal comprehension.
In Kizaru's Observation Haki, the Moral Lord seemed to be integrated into heaven and earth itself—simultaneously present everywhere and nowhere. Such an existence was utterly terrifying and represented the most formidable individual Kizaru had ever encountered in his entire life.
"Grandpa, so people call you Laozi? What a strange name!" Shin-chan observed with his characteristic blunt curiosity, looking at the Moral Lord with obvious puzzlement.
"Haha! Whether it's Li Er, Laozi, or any other designation, they are merely temporary labels and identifications," the Moral Lord laughed warmly. "I am simply myself, regardless of what others choose to call me."
"Himawari, do you understand what grandpa means?" Shin-chan asked, turning to look at the baby he was now holding.
"Gah!" Himawari responded, essentially communicating: "You don't understand, so how would I—a baby less than one year old—possibly know?"
Meanwhile, Misae and Kazama's mother were feeling deeply confused about why Yang Chan was living with Gustave and his friends. They understood the circumstances surrounding Ace and Luffy, since both boys had explained that their grandfather had entrusted them to Gustave's care.
However, Yang Chan appeared even younger than both Shin-chan and Kazama. Under normal circumstances, parents of such a small child would never voluntarily abandon their daughter.
When the mothers gently inquired about these circumstances, Yang Chan remained silent for an extended period, then slowly began to sob with heartbreaking quietness.
Misae and Kazama's mother immediately understood what must have happened to this precious child. Kazama's mother carefully lifted Yang Chan into her arms, hugging her gently while offering comforting words:
"Please don't cry, Chan'er. This is entirely our fault, and we sincerely apologize to you."
"Chan'er, I'm so sorry. Auntie shouldn't have asked such personal questions," Misae quickly added her own apology.
"Chan'er is fine. Chan'er won't cry anymore," Yang Chan whispered bravely after hearing their compassionate words, struggling to hold back her tears because she wanted desperately to become stronger.
"Chan'er is such an incredibly sensible and mature child," Kazama's mother observed with obvious admiration.
"Kazama, you must visit Chan'er frequently in the future and treat her exactly like your own sister. Do you understand?" she instructed her son with maternal authority.
"I understand completely, Mom!" Kazama replied with vigorous nodding to demonstrate his commitment.
"Chan'er, whenever you have free time in the future, you can come visit us with Shin-chan and Kazama," Misae offered with genuine warmth. "Your auntie will prepare delicious food for you and buy you beautiful clothes. Would you like that?"
Misae felt tremendous sympathy for this vulnerable child and wanted to extend whatever maternal support she could provide.
"Chan'er understands," Yang Chan replied softly, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
From his position not far away, Gustave had already noticed the emotional situation developing around Yang Chan. However, he chose not to intervene because he recognized that allowing Yang Chan to connect with Misae and Kazama's mother represented a genuinely positive development. Both women were experienced mothers who understood exactly how to interact with a child of Yang Chan's age and emotional needs.
Moreover, if Yang Chan could establish strong relationships with these maternal figures, perhaps she could find some comfort for the sadness weighing so heavily on her young heart. If future situations arose that required delicate assistance—such as helping Yang Chan with bathing or other personal care—Misae and Kazama's mother would certainly be far more appropriate than Gustave and the other men aboard the ship.
Seeing that Yang Chan was being well cared for, Gustave returned his attention to his primary responsibility: preparing a substantial meal for their expanded group.
Because there were so many people present today and they were approaching the dinner hour, there simply wouldn't be sufficient time to prepare multiple individual dishes as usual. Therefore, Gustave decided to create a magnificent seafood crab hot pot that could feed everyone simultaneously.
Following the ancient wisdom of "live by the mountain, eat from the mountain; live by the water, eat from the water," the thing that Bamboo Staff restaurant possessed in greatest abundance was an incredible variety of fresh seafood. The marine creatures in the One Piece world were so impressively large and flavorful that using them for a crab hot pot represented a true culinary luxury.
Gustave began by blanching chicken feet, chicken wings, and chicken drumsticks in boiling water to remove impurities. While the chicken was blanching, he carefully cleaned and processed fresh crabs, cutting them in half and coating each piece with a light layer of starch for optimal texture.
He heated oil in a large wok and added the starch-coated crab pieces, frying them until they were thoroughly cooked and developed a beautiful golden color.
Next, he prepared fresh shrimp using the same technique as the crabs, frying them until perfectly cooked before removing them from the hot oil.
Since Gustave particularly enjoyed potatoes, he cut several into chunky pieces and fried them until their surfaces achieved a golden and crispy texture.
The fried crabs, shrimp, and potatoes were set aside temporarily while he retrieved the blanched chicken pieces and drained away excess water.
The next crucial step involved preparing the complex sauce that would define the entire dish's flavor profile. This included soybean paste, fermented bean paste, and tomato sauce—though if such ingredients weren't available, simple bean paste would suffice as a substitute.
Gustave enhanced the mixed sauce base with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar for balanced seasoning, creating the perfect foundation for his crab hot pot.
He heated oil in a large casserole dish, then added dried chili segments, Sichuan peppercorns, fresh ginger, onions, and garlic, stir-frying everything until the aromatic fragrances filled the entire kitchen. When the spices had released their full potential, he added the chicken feet, wings, and drumsticks, stir-frying them with the seasoned oil.
When the chicken had absorbed the flavors sufficiently, Gustave added cooking wine to eliminate any residual fishy odors while enhancing the overall taste. Then he incorporated the prepared sauce, stir-frying everything together until the rich mixture coated every piece of chicken in the pot.
He added hot water to the casserole, covered it with a tight-fitting lid, and allowed it to cook for an appropriate period. The exact timing depended on the quantity of ingredients and required experienced judgment rather than strict adherence to specific minutes.
When the chicken had reached the proper tenderness, Gustave added the previously fried potatoes, crabs, and shrimp, covering the pot again and allowing everything to simmer together. This final step ensured that the potatoes, crabs, and shrimp would fully absorb the rich, complex flavors of the aromatic broth.
Examining the beautiful golden crab hot pot, Gustave felt it appeared somewhat monochromatic, so he added fresh celery segments for both visual appeal and additional flavor complexity.
Since they were feeding such a large group today, Gustave prepared three enormous pots of the seafood crab hot pot to ensure everyone would have plenty to enjoy.
While the crab hot pot continued simmering to perfection, Gustave also prepared a refreshing cabbage and tofu soup. He felt that the rich, intense flavors of the crab hot pot needed a lighter complement to create proper balance.
When the cabbage and tofu soup reached completion, the crab hot pot had also finished cooking. Gustave called for Ace and Luffy to help set the dining tables, and soon they would be ready to enjoy their magnificent lunch feast together!