"Brother Dylan, over here, over here~"
In the third-floor hallway, Dylan saw Alice Nakiri in a bathrobe, waving energetically at him. He walked over.
"What are you doing?"
As he approached, Alice Nakiri took two steps forward and hugged him, greedily sniffing the air around him, her face an expression of pure bliss.
"Smelling Brother Dylan's scent! The 'original scent' of someone who's been busy all day without a proper rest; it feels very exciting!"
"Don't say such perverted things with such a straight face."
Hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Dylan helplessly tapped her on the head.
When he smelled something, he'd take a couple of deep breaths at most. Not like this girl, who looked like she wanted to pull off his pants and take a whiff. She was simply a pervert!
"Hehe, don't worry, I'm only like this in front of Brother Dylan. In front of others, I'm always a beautiful, unattainable girl!"
"Don't you guys like a sense of contrast the most? A 'flower on a high peak' in front of others, but by Brother Dylan's side, I'm a 'doll' you can do anything with."
"That's not the point, is it?"
Hearing the girl's words, Dylan couldn't help but retort.
Perhaps because he had been away for too long, the girl had accumulated too much longing while alone. He always felt Alice Nakiri had changed a lot.
Back in Northern Europe, she could still maintain some composure, at most cuddling and hugging him. But after coming to Tōtsuki, she just dropped all pretense.
Thinking about the recent nights, Dylan's mood was a bit complicated.
"So, what did Brother Dylan come to find me for? Could it be that you're lonely late at night and want to seek comfort in my room?
It's okay! Here's my room key, Brother Dylan can come whenever he wants!"
As she spoke, Alice Nakiri took a key out of her pocket and presented it to Dylan as if offering a treasure, then struck a pose as if waiting for praise.
"If you give me the key, how will you get back in? You really are a complete idiot. I came to find you for something else."
Dylan tossed the key she had pressed into his hand back to her, his voice tinged with exasperation.
What was that saying again? When a girl takes the initiative, there's nothing left for the guy to do. Most people really couldn't handle this kind of forwardness.
"What is it?"
Hearing Dylan's words, Alice Nakiri became serious. For him to personally come looking for her, it must be something very important.
"Bring your ear closer."
"Oh, oh!"
…
"I see, what an interesting idea!"
Hearing Dylan's words, Alice Nakiri pressed her ear close. Her eyes, initially alarmed, turned to surprise, then to extreme excitement.
"Anyway, I'm leaving this matter to you. If you do a good job, I'll give you a reward."
"A reward? Will you let me grow into an adult!?"
Hearing Dylan's words, Alice Nakiri paused for a moment, then, as if she understood, her voice filled with excitement.
"That's not it. Haven't you always wanted to learn my 'White Serpent Spinning Wok' technique? Before, because your foundational skills weren't good enough, I only taught you a simplified version.
Your foundation is pretty solid now. If you can handle this matter well, I'll teach you the complete version of this technique."
Hearing the girl's words, Dylan's mind went blank for a moment. Who on earth taught this little brat these things? Why was she talking about this stuff all day long?
As for letting her grow into an adult.
Dylan had considered this matter extensively and finally decided to set the time for the day she officially came of age, to ensure her well-being.
Of course, Dylan wouldn't neglect the preliminary development, as he also had needs in that department and needed to vent a little.
"Really?! That's great! Once I learn this technique, I'll perform it in front of Erina. I can't wait to see her expression then!"
Thinking of the White Serpent Spinning Wok she had witnessed in her childhood, Alice Nakiri looked quite excited.
That technique had left a deep impression on her, so much so that she still dreamed about it.
If she could perform it in front of Erina Nakiri, how shocked would she be? Just thinking about it made Alice Nakiri's body tremble with excitement.
"That's about the extent of your ambition, but it's good to have motivation. Since you're going to learn, learn it all. I don't want to teach a half-baked student."
Looking at Alice Nakiri's expression, Dylan couldn't help but tease.
"Master, you don't understand at all! If you learn something so painstakingly and don't show it off to others, wouldn't that be learning it for nothing!?"
Hearing Dylan's teasing, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but raise her hand, wagging her finger as she stated her opinion.
"Whatever makes you happy."
.
"All the ingredients here, every single one of them, I'll take them all. Give me a discount for buying in bulk and packing it all up."
At the market, looking at the ingredients left over after a day of selling, Dylan stood at the entrance and shouted to the stall owners who were preparing to close up.
"Eh, really?"
"That's great! I'll give you a 20% discount! No, 30% off, 30% off! Please, you must take all the remaining vegetables from my stall!"
"I'll give 30% off too! As long as you can take all the meat from my stall, I can even round down the total for you."
After a brief silence, there was a scramble to offer the best prices.
Although Dylan said he would buy all the ingredients in the market, they were also afraid he might suddenly change his mind, so they offered discounts as much as possible, hoping he would take their produce first.
"Slowly, slowly. Start from this stall over here. Put everything onto this truck, then come over with the quote, and I'll settle it with you."
Dylan casually cleaned his ear with his pinky finger and patted the small truck beside him.
He had deliberately chosen a market that wasn't too large, and since it was leftover goods from the evening, a small truck was perfectly sufficient.
"Alright, boss! But let me tell you beforehand, the vegetables we have left are all flawed. You can't return them after buying."
"Don't worry, flawed vegetables are exactly what I want. Not just for today, but for the next month, you can all sell me your unsellable produce."
Looking at the honest-looking old farmer in front of him, Dylan said with a smile.
"Alright, boss!"
"Our vegetables here might look a bit rough on the surface, but they're good on the inside. If you remove the damaged parts, it doesn't affect the taste at all. They might even taste better than the perfect-looking ones!"
The old farmer said with a smile. These vegetables only looked bad; their taste was no different from normal ones. Usually, when no one wanted them, he would take them home to eat.
"Only the surface is bad. As long as the core itself isn't rotten, skilled people can always find a way to turn trash into treasure."
Dylan picked up a tomato from the stall. Its skin was somewhat damaged and looked wrinkled, but when he took a bite, the juice burst forth—it was incredibly delicious!
.
The truck drove up the mountain. Looking at the narrow mountain road ahead, Dylan appeared relaxed.
With a drift, the small truck pressed against the drainage channel and very easily navigated the bend. And up ahead was the training camp for the laggards.
"How's the situation? How many have passed so far?"
Watching the young men and women flipping woks under the moonlight, Dylan strode forward, glancing at Leah beside him, his brow slightly furrowed.
The foundation of these kids seemed even worse than he had imagined.
"So far, only three have passed, and there was a large element of luck involved. However, they didn't rest after succeeding; they're still over there practicing."
Leah answered truthfully, a faint look of helplessness on her face. In her eyes, even some seemingly simple operations were stumping so many students.
"As expected of laggards."
Dylan nodded, not too disheartened. Instead, he walked over to the mountain of iron woks and began searching through them.
Heaven knows how much effort he spent gathering this 'junk'.
"Brats, look over here! I'll only demonstrate this once."
Dylan's voice rang out, and instantly, everyone's gaze converged on him, their eyes filled with intense desire.
They had already tried countless times. Leah had also been demonstrating continuously, but they just couldn't get the hang of it.
However, because everyone was struggling together, no one felt dejected. Instead, their fighting spirit grew even stronger.
Now, hearing that Dylan was going to make a move, they were incredibly excited, their eyes full of eagerness to learn.
"That's…"
"Wait, why did he pick up a leaky wok?! Is Professor Dylan planning to flip with that kind of wok? How is that even possible?"
"He must have picked the wrong one. Even if he's Professor Dylan, this is too much!"
Seeing the leaky iron wok in Dylan's hand, the scene immediately erupted into a heated discussion.
Even if that person was Dylan, how could you flip a wok with a hole in the bottom?
The sand and soil would fall out as soon as it landed in the wok. Even with the most superb technique, if you couldn't use it, wouldn't it be futile?
"Quiet! Boss Dylan is demonstrating. Just watch quietly. Don't make baseless comments."
"Watch carefully, learn diligently. To be personally taught by Boss Dylan is definitely a blessing you've earned from your past lives."
Looking at the leaky wok in Dylan's hand, although Leah also felt it was a bit exaggerated, she still believed in him unconditionally.
After all, he was Dylan!
The man who single-handedly established the Dark Cooking Society in the international metropolis of Shanghai, a massive organization with more than ten Super Chefs, all through his absolute strength!
And he did it in just one year.
"Wok flipping. The first step is to maintain a balanced stance. There are no specific requirements for this; just maintain a posture you find comfortable."
Ignoring the crowd's chatter.
Dylan tapped his foot on the ground, took a step forward, and a surge of white energy erupted from his body. His incomparably strong inner power instantly blasted the loose soil and stones on the ground into the sky.
Under the astounded gazes of the crowd, Dylan reached out and lifted the wok. The sand and soil landed steadily in it. Just as it seemed about to fall through the bottom of the wok and embrace the earth again, it was instead tossed into the sky by the force applied.
"There are many techniques for wok flipping, but generally, they can be divided into five points: small toss, large toss, shake, suspended toss, and assisted toss."
Dylan demonstrated as he spoke. His movements were standard throughout, but surprisingly, not a single grain of sand or soil fell from the wok.
The high-flying sand and soil, as if attracted by a magnet, no matter how high it flew or how far it went, always managed to fall back into the wok.
And the leaky bottom seemed non-existent, as not a single grain of sand could touch it. Even if it briefly made contact, it would be tossed into the air again in the next moment.
"Holy crap."
"Is this really something a human can do?"
"Awesome! Not a single bit fell out! I completely don't understand how he did it. This is just too exaggerated!"
"A miracle! This is undoubtedly a miracle!"
Watching Dylan, from whose wok the sand and soil never escaped no matter how he flipped it, the scene erupted with fierce discussion, everyone's face etched with shock.
His movements were clearly similar to theirs, so why were the results completely different?
"When flipping the wok, you mainly rely on wrist strength for turning and shaking."
"This is the gift I brought you from down the mountain. Starting tomorrow, you must carry these with you at all times. You can't even put them down when you go to the toilet."
At the same time, Leah walked over carrying a box. As the box landed on the ground, it made a dull thud.
Dylan, seeing this, slowly spoke, which also drew his gaze to the nearby box.
"After you pass the wok-flipping test, each of you come and get two small balls. Grip them with your wrist strength, then slowly release, letting the balls roll in your hand, just like this."
As Dylan spoke, he took out two small balls from the box. The balls were made of pure iron and were quite heavy. Holding them for a long time could also train arm strength.
And as his words fell, the two round, smooth iron balls began to collide and rotate in his palm.
During this, his fingers were loosely spread, only his wrist moving slightly, yet the iron balls, as if driven by some force, spun faster and faster.
Eventually, they even sparked.
"Alright, keep working hard. It is precisely because of your weakness that you have greater room for improvement. Don't let others put you down!"
"Yes, Professor Dylan!"
"We'll work hard!"
"Yo yo yo! Fired up!"
Watching the youths resume their wok-flipping practice, Dylan went to the corridor outside the wooden hut, sat down, and watched them with a lazy expression.
Leah, seeing this, trotted back into the hut and reappeared with a small pot and a white porcelain cup in her hands.
"Drinking alone under the moon, watching the youths."
"This feeling is truly enjoyable."
Accepting the wine Leah poured, Dylan watched the youths sweating under the moonlight, took a sip of wine, and thought of himself in the past, sighing involuntarily.
Day after day of hard work doesn't lie. As long as you put in the effort, you will definitely be rewarded. Diligent sweat does not
lie.
"Shouldn't there also be a beauty by your side?"
Hearing Dylan's words, Leah couldn't help but pout. Did this guy forget about her?
"Hahaha, good! Truly, drinking alone under the moon, watching the youths; a beauty by my side, her face reflecting the blossoms. Woks and ladles fly, displaying their skills; youthful passion forges tomorrow."
Taking another sip of white wine, Dylan leaned back against a pillar, watching the sand and soil fly in the youths' woks, and couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"Amazing! Boss Dylan, you can also compose poetry!"
Hearing Dylan's words, Leah clapped her hands, her face full of admiration.
In Dylan's eyes, it was just a doggerel verse, but to Leah, it was an incredibly lofty poem, composed in an instant.
"It's nothing special. But drinking wine needs some side dishes. Go fry some peanuts for me to go with the wine. Come and have a drink with me later."
"That's not true, it's really amazing!"
Hearing Dylan's words, Leah demurely pouted and said, then turned around. "Then wait here for a bit, I'll go show you what I can do."
"I'm looking forward to it."
Even frying peanuts requires a lot of effort to do well.
"Oh! Leave it to me! In these years following you, I've learned quite a lot."
Rolling up her sleeves, Leah responded excitedly, then turned and went back into the wooden hut, heading towards the kitchen.
.
Although there weren't many ingredients here, some basic ones were available.
Peanuts were a basic ingredient.
"I remember putting them here…"
Bending down, she pulled out a bag of dry peanuts from under the table.
She moved a stool over, poured the dry peanuts into a sieve, removed any with insect holes or mold, and soaked them in clean water for ten minutes.
Compared to unsoaked dry peanuts, soaked peanuts become plumper, their skins don't fall off as easily, and they won't burn or turn black as readily when fried.
The processed peanuts were simply drained of water and poured directly into the wok, then oil was added. What remained was the most crucial part: controlling the heat.
First, use medium heat to fry off the moisture. This is indicated by large bubbles forming in the oil, and the peanuts offering slight resistance when pushed with a spoon.
As time goes by, the bubbles in the oil will gradually become smaller, and the peanuts in the wok will feel lighter when pushed with a spoon.
At this point, reduce the heat in the wok.
Slowly fry the peanuts through on low heat; this is also the stage where they become crispy and cooked.
"Crackle, pop."
A crisp sound reached her ears, like something bursting. This made Leah's slightly tipsy face take on a serious expression.
"Now!"
The entire process lasted less than 10 seconds. The sound went from loud to soft. Leah let out a low cry and then scooped the peanuts out onto a plate.
"Shhh."
The light-yellow peanuts clattered pleasantly against the plate.
But it wasn't over yet. Leah opened a bottle of white wine nearby and poured it over the peanuts in a circular motion, then quickly tossed them with chopsticks.
This would make the peanuts crispier and give them a hint of wine aroma.
No need for too many seasonings, just a little salt, evenly tossed with a spoon.
Smelling the enticing aroma wafting through the air, a satisfied smile appeared on Leah's face. She then carried the plate to Dylan's side.
He was currently addressing some students.
"I saw your movements just now. It was okay at the beginning, but the further you went, the stiffer your bodies became. That's the main reason for failure.
There's no need to be so nervous. If you fail, just try again. If one time doesn't work, try ten times. If ten times don't work, try a hundred times. You'll get it eventually. Relax."
"I understand, Professor Dylan."
"We'll continue to work hard!"
Hearing Dylan's words, the two who had come to ask questions had a moment of realization and then thanked him sincerely.
"Professor, what about us over here? I always fail around the tenth try. I was doing fine before that, and I feel like my condition is okay…"
"Professor, Professor, over here…"
Dylan answered the youths' questions without reservation. Although his face was expressionless, his eyes revealed his pleasure.
Clearly, he was enjoying this process.
Even though these foolish students were all asking basic questions.
_____
Greetings! ✨ Walnut here!
🔥 AN INCREDIBLE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE! 🔥
We're only 17 members away from our 65-member goal! 🎯
The second we hit it, 10 BONUS CHAPTERS for ALL STORIES will be released to everyone. No exceptions!
🪦 Your membership is the key. Let's make it happen!
100 powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone! 5 reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
Secure your early access before it's too late!
👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan