"Nice shot, Senior Chen Yao."
Horikita Suzune praised Chen Yao as she returned to defense.
"It's also thanks to your passes."
Chen Yao also understood that he wasn't very familiar with dribbling yet, but his shooting was basically fine.
"Damn, this guy... and Horikita and Ayanokouji are surprisingly strong. But it's only the first round. With Brother Kyoichi and my strength, we shouldn't lose."
The two sides began to trade blows, and the offense and defense gradually became more intense. However, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka never went head-to-head with Sudo Kyoichi, instead passing the ball to Horikita Suzune or Chen Yao. Chen Yao's rapid movement and shooting made Sudo Ken unable to defend effectively. By the end of the first half, Sudo's team had 26 points while Chen Yao's team had 23. But in the second half, Sudo Ken found it harder and harder to keep up with Chen Yao. Until the last ball was shot by Chen Yao with a'swish', the score turned into 35 to 41.
The basketball bounced on the ground with a thud. Sudo Ken was completely stunned, staring breathlessly at the final loss. The basketball skills he had originally intended to show off to Horikita Suzune had instead become a huge joke.
"Senior Chen, how is your shooting so accurate?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was panting, shocked by Chen Yao's shooting skills.
"After all, I'm from the baseball team. Although the principles of the ball are different, the feel is still there..."
Chen Yao said to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka somewhat vaguely.
"Senior, your athletic nerves are also excellent. If you were at Koudo Ikusei High School, you would probably be a leader-level figure in the second year."
Horikita Suzune was also dripping with sweat at this moment, praising him with a smile.
Sudo Kyoichi conceded defeat straightforwardly, patted Sudo Ken's shoulder, and said, "Alright, sportsmanship means accepting defeat when you lose. We..."
Sudo Ken, however, pulled away from Sudo Kyoichi's hand in frustration and anger, leaving dejectedly.
"..."
Anyone who knew Sudo Ken knew he was reckless and emotional, but he was good at heart. Although a large part of the credit for this match went to Ayanokouji and Horikita Suzune's passing, it was true that his most confident athletic talent had lost to Chen Yao.
Horikita Suzune actually had a vague sense of what caused this ball game, but she really wouldn't like Sudo Ken, so she helped Chen Yao defeat Sudo; after all, she shouldn't lead others on. At the same time, Sudo Ken was probably guessing her thoughts about Chen Yao. In fact, she didn't have any special feelings for Senior Chen Yao. It was just that when she was very helpless, her brother would not pity the weak, and her companion Ayanokoji-kun would not care for her either. The only one who truly cared for her in her heart was Senior Chen Yao, so she also hoped to learn from him... Just as Horikita Suzune's thoughts were in a mess, she suddenly saw a familiar-looking girl standing by the teaching building. Like a confrontation arranged by fate, Horikita Suzune encountered Sakayanagi Arisu once again... Chapter 59: Shokugeki no Soma at the Campsite
In front of a glass wall stood a girl in a white dress. Her eyes always held an indescribable sense of charm, yet she had a cute, somewhat youthful face. Her light purple short hair fluttered slightly in the summer breeze as she held her handbag, smiling gracefully at them.
Meeting the black-haired Horikita Suzune head-on, Suzune's expression immediately became solemn.
"Why do you have that expression when you see me, Horikita-san? Am I that unwelcome?"
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at her with a faint smile and asked.
"Why are you here?"
Horikita Suzune's brows furrowed slightly as she asked uneasily.
"My father and I are visiting this school. Then we happened to see you playing a basketball match here. You played very well, though someone's jump was a bit low."
Sakayanagi Arisu pinched her chin with one hand and teased a certain person passing by.
"..."
Chen Yao happened to hear Sakayanagi Arisu's comment. His expression froze instantly, and he said, "My knees were a bit stiff to begin with. I can't jump high, but my shooting is accurate."
"Yes, that's true. Mr. Chen Yao, I didn't expect your knees to have problems too. Should I lend you my cane? You won't be able to walk when you get older."
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at Chen Yao and asked with a smile.
"No need. They're just a bit stiff, but very healthy. By the way, why are you here?"
Chen Yao looked at Sakayanagi Arisu, who had suddenly appeared at Motosu High School, and asked in confusion.
"I just answered Horikita-san..."
Just as Sakayanagi Arisu was not planning to explain a second time, a middle-aged man with glasses and graying hair but a very upright aura walked out from behind her and asked, "Arisu, are they your friends?"
"Father..."
Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't expected her father to finish the meeting so quickly. She was slightly stunned and turned to look at him.
"Horikita-san, Yamauchi-kun, Sudo-kun, Ike Hiro-kun, and... Ayanokoji-kun, we meet again."
Sakayanagi Narimasa looked at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and said with a smile.
"...Yes, long time no see, Chairman." Ayanokouji Kiyotaka replied indifferently after a moment of silence.
All the students from Koudo Ikusei High School looked at this man. He was the Chairman of their school. None of them dared to be negligent and bowed, saying, "Hello, Chairman."
It had to be said that Sakayanagi Arisu really felt a bit like a princess now.
After a brief contact with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Sakayanagi Narimasa didn't converse much more. He began to turn his gaze to the external element that did not belong to Japan's Koudo Ikusei, or even to Japanese education.
He looked at the boy with bright eyes and asked, "You must be the student from our sister school, Sobu High School, Mr. Chen Yao, right?"
Sakayanagi Arisu didn't speak again, standing beside her father. Her calm expression seemed to still hold a hint of inexplicable tension.
"Yes, hello, Uncle Sakayanagi." Chen Yao nodded in greeting.
Sakayanagi Narimasa smiled and said, "I've actually heard many of your deeds and even watched your baseball matches. You're quite remarkable. You've also come to Yamanashi Prefecture for a vacation, right? Could you please get along well with my Arisu?"
Sakayanagi Arisu's expression became somewhat helpless. But no matter how high her parents' status was, his primary identity now was her father, and his wish was for his daughter to make close friends.
"Okay, I will."
Chen Yao nodded politely again. He had originally thought that parents who could raise someone as calculating as Sakayanagi Arisu might be snobbish, but they were unexpectedly open-minded, humble, and steady, sincerely caring for their daughter. It seemed this point was exactly the same in Japan as in China.
But he didn't notice that while he was talking to her father, Sakayanagi Arisu stood next to him, silently paying attention to Chen Yao's answer.
"Arisu, next I'm going to the local government to have a discussion. You probably won't be interested in going, right? Why don't you go play nearby with your friends?"
A school director and some attendants appeared behind Sakayanagi Morishige, and he then asked Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi Arisu was silent for a moment, then glanced at Chen Yao and said, "Mm, I'll go to Lake Motosu with my Classmates to relax. I wish Father success with your work."
"..."
Horikita Suzune felt a bit uneasy in her heart. She had heard girls gossiping on the cruise ship that Chen Yao from Sobu High School and Sakayanagi Arisu had some kind of close relationship. Although she had no right to interfere in others' social lives, she still felt uneasy... ~·~·~·~·~·~·
In the afternoon, after everyone was full in the restaurant, they took a car to Lake Motosu.
Sakayanagi Arisu, leaning on her cane, arrived at the shore of Lake Motosu. What greeted her eyes was the hazily colored Mount Fuji, and she couldn't help but be attracted by its beautiful scenery.
"Hmm? You're the leader of Class 1-A, Sakayanagi Arisu? Why are you here?"
Horikita Manabu, who had been reading in his tent, saw Sakayanagi Arisu and asked in confusion.
"If it isn't the Student Council President. Good afternoon. I came to Yamanashi Prefecture with my father for some business. During that time, I ran into Horikita-san and the others, so I came along for the vacation."
Sakayanagi Arisu replied with a smile.
"I see. We're not at school now, so there's no need for formalities. Enjoy your time off."
Horikita Manabu smiled slightly, and after saying that, he continued reading.
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at Horikita Manabu silently. Although she was currently surrounded by beautiful scenery, she was acting alone and had no tent. She actually didn't know what to do.
The boys from Class D were either playing cards or handheld consoles, while Horikita Suzune was responsible for clearing trash. It was quite lively, and for a moment, a sense of loneliness swirled in her heart.
The breeze blew against her cheeks, bringing a hint of coolness. Her hat was blown up, but before it could hit the ground, it was caught by Chen Yao, who was a few meters away.
"...The wind is quite strong here. My tent hasn't been used yet. Would you like to sit inside?"
Chen Yao returned the hat to her and asked with a calm expression.
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at him and said with a smile, "Thank you, Knight-kun."
Consequently, she followed Chen Yao to a small tent and saw a tripod and a hollow iron frame that looked like they had already been used.
"Mr. Chen Yao, thanks to your care, how about I cook dinner for you?"
Sakayanagi Arisu said to Chen Yao.
"Eh? Is that okay?" Chen Yao was stunned and asked.
"It's fine. Although I can't walk very far, I'm quite good at cooking."
Sakayanagi Arisu turned her head and smiled in the wind.
She saw that there were still a few steaks, rice, pork, green onions, garlic, pepper, and so on in Chen Yao's food box. She decided on the dinner menu and began marinating the steaks. She also borrowed some vegetables and soup stock from Shima Rin's tent, clearly preparing to make steak and fresh soup.
This action by Sakayanagi Arisu left the Class D boys dumbfounded. The high and mighty Class A princess was bowing her head and silently marinating steaks. It was like seeing the most incredible scene in the school.
"Am I dreaming? Sakayanagi-san is making food for Senior Chen."
Yamauchi Haruki watched with his mouth agape and asked.
"It's a nightmare... I heard before that they were close on the deserted island, but I thought it was definitely a lie..." Ike Kanji added indignantly.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka silently watched Sakayanagi Arisu. He had almost never seen this arrogant and condescending Sakayanagi focus so single-mindedly on cooking. The scene was indeed a bit frightening. He suggested, "How about we start cooking too? The meat needs to be marinated by three o'clock..."
Setting aside Sudo, who looked like he had lost his soul, the other two were focused on Sakayanagi Arisu. Sudo Kyoichi was taking a nap, so the situation on his side was not optimistic either.
Horikita Suzune, watching from nearby, had a darker expression. After sorting everyone's trash, she planned to take it all by herself, but there were too many trash bags. At that moment, Chen Yao helped her pick up two bags and said, "I'll help too."
Horikita Suzune was stunned for a moment, nodded, and then the two walked toward the trash collection point.
"Senior, although there are some things I shouldn't say... I still want to advise you not to take Sakayanagi too lightly."
Horikita Suzune, carrying the trash bags, couldn't help but offer a warning as they walked down the path.
Chen Yao was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"In school, there are many rumors about Sakayanagi Arisu-san. Her view of power is dictatorial, aggressive, and unscrupulous. It's only because her physical condition wasn't good in the first semester; otherwise, the situation would be even more severe. She is a dangerous genius of political maneuvering. You should be more careful, Senior."
Horikita Suzune explained Sakayanagi Arisu's performance at school to him seriously.
"..."
Chen Yao fell silent, following behind Horikita Suzune. This was the second time he had heard such words; the first time was from Sakayanagi Arisu herself.
Recalling how she used a prank to make him remember her at their first meeting, and then used very forceful methods to force Class D to compromise in the chess game trade, this girl, who was like a dark Alice, was indeed not as pure and lovely as she appeared on the surface. But in fact, he had known this all along.
In the whistling lake wind, Sakayanagi Arisu was still quietly preparing the Western-style soup. She seemed to be in a very, very good mood... At dusk, Sakayanagi Arisu elegantly placed two steaks and two bowls of carrot soup on the table, introducing them with a faint smile: "Alright, French Pepper Steak and French Carrot Bisque. Although the ingredients were insufficient, it's basically fine. I've tasted it."
Everyone around was attracted by this exquisitely made Western-style camping dinner. Even Sudo Kyoichi felt that this girl in the beret indeed had some skills.
"You're really something, Sakayanagi. You weren't a student at Totsuki Academy before, were you?"
Chen Yao tried pressing the beef with his knife; it was very springy. He cut a piece to taste, and the flavor was delicious, making him ask in suspicion.
"I'm glad you like it, Senior."
Sakayanagi Arisu said with a smile.
However, Horikita Suzune brought over a bowl of rice from her side and said, "Senior Chen, this is the Curry Oyster Rice my brother and I made. As a return for lunch, please try it."
Chen Yao looked up and saw Horikita Suzune's competitive expression. Out of curiosity, he opened the lid and saw beautifully prepared rice with a seafood aroma that instantly whetted his appetite.
"Oh, Curry Oyster Rice. It's truly a masterpiece. Why didn't I think of that?"
Sudo Kyoichi, standing nearby, couldn't help but praise it again.
"But they probably didn't use fresh oysters; they're most likely frozen. The taste will be much worse."
Sakayanagi Arisu took a look and commented casually.
"Your steak is also from a supermarket. Can you please not raise camping food to the level of a gourmet competition?"
Horikita Suzune put her hand on her hip and said dissatisfiedly.
Everyone was stunned by the friction between these two girls. Wasn't it just normal camping etiquette? Why was there suddenly an indescribable sense of tension... And Sudo Ken, watching from a distance, felt an even more painful sensation in his heart.
Now, Chen Yao had to eat both portions. Looking at them, he said, "No, no, no, I think both are delicious. Thank you both very much."
However, just then, an unaware Shima Rin brought over a small pot of hotpot dumplings and said, "Excuse me, as a return for lunch, we have some extra Hamamatsu Gyoza..."
She then saw that Chen Yao's table was already full with steak, hot soup, and a bowl of rice, and her pot of dumplings was not a small portion either.
That night, under everyone's gaze, Chen Yao ate ten dumplings, one steak, a large bowl of Western-style soup, and 70% of the Curry Oyster Rice, all while praising how delicious everything was. Only after he finished did two of the girls seem to relax, but Chen Yao felt that even though he was full, his life force seemed to have decreased slightly... Sudo Ken, seeing Horikita Suzune glancing toward Senior Chen Yao intentionally or unintentionally, felt his mood sink to the bottom. After finishing dinner, the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't take it, so he stood up and said, "I'm full. I'm going for a walk. You guys take your time."
Sudo Kyoichi was stunned and asked, "Why did you eat so little tonight?"
"It's nothing."