hotmtlnovel 098 Ye Sheng
098 Ye Sheng
"The most convenient way to buy the ingredients and seasonings for spicy shrimp tails and Mapo tofu all at once is to go to the Chinese supermarket 88 Marketplace, where there is a whole wall of Sichuan cuisine seasonings in the seasoning section."
Early this morning, Lu Mingfei went to the staff dormitory to ask Ye Sheng for advice on how to make spicy shrimp tails. After learning that Lu Mingfei was going to cook for Ling, Ye Sheng immediately took him to his Alfa Romeo 8C and drove directly to Jefferson Street in Chicago to buy ingredients.
"Not bad, Lu Mingfei," Ye Sheng said, weaving through the streets in his red sports car. "I've heard that the most beautiful freshman this year has been cooking for you. Is it good?"
"...Delicious." Lu Mingfei said hesitantly. To be honest, when you're not hungry, you don't have an appetite for anything. Ling's cooking was indeed not bad, but the only thing he truly found delicious was the barbecue he ate with everyone after he was exhausted in the Three Gorges.
"Then it just doesn't taste good," Ye Sheng said. "I understand, I've eaten Aki's cooking before."
Um... Lu Mingfei looked at Ye Sheng, wondering what was going on with this sudden feeling of finding a revolutionary comrade? The food Ling made wasn't bad, it's just that I didn't have an appetite!
"The only edible thing she made was the egg, and it was burnt." Ye Sheng had a look of unbearable recollection on his face. When he and Aki were interning in the Executive Department, their senior Fingel was still there. One day, Aki saw the dejected Fingel and wanted to comfort him, so she made him some fried eggs. The next day, Fingel left the Executive Department.
Ye Sheng smiled knowingly as he recalled the anonymous congratulatory email he received on the day of his engagement ball.
“You seem to know this place very well,” Lu Mingfei said. “I’ve been in Kassel for almost a semester and haven’t explored Chicago yet.”
"That's different. You're a very busy person. You participated in the operation right after enrolling, and then you encountered the Dragon King's invasion. It's normal that you don't have time to go out and have fun," Ye Sheng said. "Are you going back to China for winter break?"
"I won't go back." Lu Mingfei thought about his winter break training camp. Angers was such a good principal; he never took up his school time when doing tasks!
"Then you can have a great time during winter break. It would be best if you brought Ling along. There are many places here suitable for two people," Ye Sheng introduced. "Our school is located in a rather remote area. If you want to go out, you'll need a car to get to the city center. It's an hour's drive, or forty minutes if you're quick. Hyde Park is near the University of Chicago, which is perfect for a date!"
"Do you and Aki go there often?" Lu Mingfei asked.
"I went, but not together. When I was in school, I represented my school on the sailing team in a competition against the University of Chicago, and Aki was in the audience," Ye Sheng said with a smile. "At that time, I had absolutely no memory of Aki; she told me about her later."
"fate!"
"We often went on secret dates to Wood Island afterward. There's a Japanese garden there, a popular dating spot at the University of Chicago. You absolutely have to take Zero there. Have you two dated?"
"..." Lu Mingfei wanted to ask if taking a walk and having dinner by the lake counted, but seeing how much fun Ye Sheng knew how to have, he was sure he wouldn't.
"It's okay. Starting today, cooking is a proactive beginning." Seeing Lu Mingfei's expression, Ye Sheng guessed what was going on. "You guys are better off than I was back then. At least you can date openly."
"When did you two get together, before or after you joined the Executive Department?" Lu Mingfei asked curiously.
When exactly did he fall in love with Aki?
Ye Sheng is a star on the sailing team, always winning first place in every competition. Although he doesn't have top-tier A-grade bloodline, he has an outgoing personality, enjoys socializing, and has many friends. During the day, he can drive around the mountains, and at night, he can cook Sichuan hot pot with his friends, drink, and watch the stars. He thinks he can talk to or at least recognize the faces of most of the upperclassmen at Kassel College.
He didn't meet Aki until he started his internship in the Executive Department.
It's a little embarrassing to admit, but Ye Sheng is a good swimmer and not afraid of snakes, but he is afraid of insects on land, especially those with many legs.
Ye Sheng would experience some physical discomfort whenever he had more legs than a spider, a secret he was always too embarrassed to tell others.
It wasn't until his senior year, when he was interning in the Executive Department, that he and Aki went inside the Egyptian pyramids to excavate burial objects belonging to a pharaoh. The inside of the pyramids was extremely dry, and they were filled with strange insects. They were either influenced by some kind of alchemical artifact or had eaten the flesh and blood of the hybrids buried with them. In any case, they had many long legs, which made Ye Sheng's hair stand on end and his legs tremble.
Fortunately, Aki's Word of Power was Blazing Sun. With Blazing Sun clearing the way, the insects dared not approach the bright light. Ye Sheng's mind went blank. He held Aki's hand tightly and stayed by her side, not daring to leave her side for even a moment.
Only after they went outside did Ye Sheng notice that Aki's face was very red, as if she had overused her Word of Power. Feeling grateful, he fanned Aki and offered her water, silently thanking her for saving his life.
From then on, he always felt at ease whenever he went on a mission with Aki.
"After joining the Executive Department," Ye Sheng said, "Aki was an ugly duckling. If she hadn't joined the Executive Department, I would never have noticed her at all before."
"You broke the law, bro? Luckily everyone covered for you, otherwise you'd be in for a world-class beating!"
"When feelings come, you can't stop them, bro. And the more clandestine the relationship, the more passionate they become. To be honest, after leaving the executive department, Aki and I have lost all our passion, like an old married couple."
"Does Aki know that you've lost your passion for her?"
"Stop, you can't tell her that. I still have a headache dealing with her strange family. When we got engaged, the person who took care of Aki since she was little almost killed me. I don't even dare to go to Japan to get married."
"...Does Aki know that she has such a powerful family?" Lu Mingfei was speechless. Mai's impromptu idea had actually caused so many people to misunderstand.
"She feels that she is too mediocre, and the family does not allow her to participate in family affairs," Ye Sheng said helplessly.
The two chatted along the way and soon arrived at the supermarket. The student dormitories in Kassel have kitchens with induction cookers, ovens, and microwaves, which are not suitable for making authentic spicy shrimp tails and Mapo tofu.
But this didn't stump Ye Sheng and Lu Mingfei. It was an essential skill for international students and time travelers: adjusting cooking methods based on available kitchen utensils.
They bought several pounds of spicy lobster tails, a bag of rice cake slices, a box of minced beef, two boxes of tofu, a package of romaine lettuce, and various seasonings from the condiment section.
You don't need to buy beer and rice; you can just go to the cafeteria to get them.
After buying the groceries, put them in an insulated box, pile on ice, and then put them in the trunk.
Along the way, Ye Sheng patiently emphasized the key points of making spicy crayfish tails to Lu Mingfei. Lu Mingfei nodded repeatedly, confirming the crucial points, and took out his phone to write them down.
It was already afternoon when they returned to school. Ye Sheng opened the soft top of the car and tucked it behind the seats. The late autumn wind blew through the boys' hair as they cheered on the road, speeding along and chasing the sun.