"I remember putting it here... Could I have remembered the wrong place?"
A large, rough hand fumbled under the stove, quickly finding a worn cloth sack and pulling out a handful of peanuts in their shells.
"Found them!"
With a slight squeeze of his knuckles, countless shelled peanuts began to tremble. Then, their shells shattered and fell onto the cutting board with dull, short thuds.
What was astonishing was that even though the shells were in pieces, the peanuts inside remained perfectly round and plump, without the slightest damage to their skins.
Looking at the mess on the cutting board, the tall, sturdy, two-meter-tall elder waved his hand. A low-pressure wave immediately swept before him, blowing away all the peanut shells scattered around the peanuts, which then disintegrated into dust in mid-air.
That wasn't all. As his large hand landed on the table, the peanuts that were insect-bitten or moldy on the inside flew straight into the air, where he caught them and tossed them into the trash can.
A ladle of cool water went into the wok, and all the remaining round, plump peanuts were tossed in to soak.
"Every time I watch you prepare ingredients, it's like watching an artistic performance. It's terrifyingly entertaining to watch, and your efficiency is more than ten times that of others."
Liu Anqing leaned against the wooden door, having taken in everything that had just happened. Seeing the other man pause, he stepped forward and remarked with sincere admiration.
"You flatter me. Speaking of which, you still haven't told me why you're here."
"I missed you, so I came to visit."
"That kind of line might work on little girls, but this old man is too old to believe such nonsense.
You came all the way here from China. It's unlikely you're just here to poke fun at me. Don't tell me the Dark Cuisine Society is starting to stir again?"
Looking at Liu Anqing, who was now standing beside him, the tall elder seemed to think of something. His eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle chill in his voice.
"It's not about them. Rather, I have a personal matter I wish to ask of you. Please, I implore you to accept my request, Lord Fūrinji."
Liu Anqing shook his head slightly, but the expression on his face was exceptionally grave.
"You have something to ask of me? How rare. But then again, I received a great deal of help from you all back in China. Let's talk while we eat in a bit."
Seeing Liu Anqing's dead-serious expression, Hayato Fūrinji was visibly stunned for a moment before turning his gaze back to the peanuts in the wok.
The peanuts, having soaked in the water, were now even plumper.
He gently slapped the stove, and the soaking peanuts instantly flew into the air. The moisture on their surfaces vanished in the strong gust created by the wave of his hand, and he poured out the remaining water in the wok.
"Crackle, pop~"
The peanuts, now free of surface moisture, made a crisp crackling sound as they hit the wok's surface. He poured in peanut oil until they were completely submerged.
He turned the heat to medium to fry the moisture out of the peanuts. Because of the high water content, large bubbles began to form in the oil, and there was noticeable resistance when stirring with a spoon.
However, as time went on, the bubbles in the oil gradually shrank, and the peanuts felt much lighter when stirred with the spoon.
At this point, he lowered the heat.
Using low heat, he slowly fried the peanuts through. This was also the stage where they would become crisp.
"Crackle, pop."
A crisp sound reached his ears, as if something had burst. This brought a serious expression to Hayato Fūrinji's usually carefree face for the first time.
"Now!"
The entire process lasted less than ten seconds. As the sound faded from loud to soft, Hayato Fūrinji's ears twitched slightly, and he swiftly scooped the peanuts out and placed them on a plate.
"Clink."
The lightly golden peanuts clinked melodiously as they hit the plate.
But he wasn't finished. He opened a bottle of baijiu he had prepared and poured it over the peanuts in a circular motion. Flames erupted the moment the alcohol touched the peanuts.
Hayato Fūrinji wasn't flustered. Instead, he tossed the flaming plate into the air, using the wind from its rotation to extinguish the flames.
In the process, the baijiu evenly coated every single peanut.
No complex seasonings were needed. Just a pinch of salt, another toss in the air to mix it all in, and it was done.
Smelling the combined aroma of peanuts and liquor in the air, Hayato Fūrinji nodded in satisfaction and brought the plate over to Liu Anqing.
"Alright, let's hear it. As long as it's within my power and doesn't violate any moral principles, I can help you with it."
He placed the peanuts between them and poured baijiu for Liu Anqing and himself. His voice was not loud, but it was incredibly reassuring.
"Crispy, crunchy, and fragrant, with a light salty taste... These peanuts are truly the perfect companion for a drink. No matter how delicious a dish is, it can't beat this when it comes to pairing with alcohol."
Liu Anqing didn't rush to the point. Instead, he picked up a peanut and popped it into his mouth. As his teeth gently closed, there was a faint "crack," a sound so crisp and clean it was like snapping a dry pine twig in a silent forest.
As he chewed, the unique, rich aroma of the peanut spread across his tongue. The baijiu he'd sprinkled on transformed into a subtle, mellow spirit that cleverly neutralized any greasiness from the oil.
"And they're so simple to make. A plate of these at night with a glass of baijiu... it's just pure satisfaction!"
The heat of the liquor flowing down his throat and the lingering crispy fragrance of the peanuts mingled and rose between his lips and teeth. Seeing Liu Anqing's contented expression, Hayato Fūrinji laughed heartily.
"Now, can you tell me what you've come to ask?"
"I want you to take on a disciple."
"Oh? Someone wants to join our Ryōzanpaku? Just have him come and ask himself. If he's a good fit for this place, we will naturally accept him."
Hearing Liu Anqing's words, Hayato Fūrinji picked up his glass of baijiu and swirled it gently, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"He's still a young child, only three years old at present. He's currently living with the Nakiri family. He's that boy Hakuji's son."
"Hakuji? It's been a long time since I've heard that name. You're saying this person is his son? If that's the case, I can agree."
Hayato Fūrinji's eyes sharpened. Eight years ago, Hakuji had saved Miu, who had been abandoned in the snow. Although it was unintentional, he was still greatly indebted to that father and son.
"However, starting martial arts training at three is a bit too early. I'm not prepared for that either. When he turns five, I will personally go to the Nakiri home to pick him up and accept him as my disciple."
"In that case, I thank you."
"Don't mention it. It's what I should do. Speaking of which, I should be thanking you. I received a great favor from you back then, and now I finally have a chance to repay it."
Looking at Liu Anqing's sincere gratitude, Hayato Fūrinji was a little curious about their relationship but didn't pry, remarking instead with emotion.
"But speaking of which, what's the situation with the Dark Cuisine Society now?"
"After their leader was beheaded three years ago, things were quiet for a while. His second son is in charge now, and for the time being, they haven't caused any major trouble.
There have been plenty of minor squabbles, but they're all insignificant."
"Let's hope they continue to stay quiet."
The two continued to chat about the Dark Cuisine Society for a long time, until the sky began to lighten in the east. Only then did Liu Anqing get up to leave, needing to catch an early morning flight.
Watching Liu Anqing's departing figure, Hayato Fūrinji took out a lollipop he'd had hidden in his sleeve for a long time. Unwrapping it, he licked it and thought: "Okabe, huh? I hope he's a little guy who can endure hardship. Otherwise, life at Ryōzanpaku is going to be tough for him."
"Grandpa, you're eating candy late at night again! It's really bad for your teeth."
A sweet, charming voice called out from nearby. Hayato Fūrinji looked over to see his granddaughter, Miu Fūrinji, who had just turned eight.
Thinking about the time, it was indeed when she should be getting up to make breakfast and prepare for school.
He hadn't expected to be caught red-handed.
"It's already morning."
Hayato Fūrinji pointed at the sky with an embarrassed smile.
"Morning is no excuse! Who was that person who just left? His figure looked so familiar."
"Of course he's familiar. Five years ago, we ate a meal he cooked at the Juxiang Restaurant. You couldn't stop praising it back then."
"Oh, it was him! But why did he come here?"
"He was traveling in Japan and stopped by to see me. Now, hurry up and make breakfast, or you'll be late for school."
"Aaaah! It's all your fault, Grandpa! You made me forget something so important."
Miu Fūrinji said as she ran towards the kitchen. Hayato Fūrinji let out a sigh of relief, but before he could relax, the lollipop was snatched from his hand.
"This is confiscated."
Miu Fūrinji gave a sly smile, then hummed a little tune as she skipped cheerfully towards the kitchen. She had to prepare breakfast not just for herself, but for everyone.
This was her daily routine at Ryōzanpaku.
_____
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