Shokugeki No Douluo Dalu (Patreon)

Chapter 71: Fooled by the System Again?

"Really? Did the boss really say he's going to treat me to two working meals?" Ying Shuang's face was filled with a delighted expression. God knows how envious she had been of her best friend, who could eat working meals for free in the small shop every day. Now, it was finally Ying Shuang's turn?

"It's helping me be a waitress in the small shop tonight and tomorrow at noon, and the working meals come along with it," Fu Ya helplessly pinched Ying Shuang's slightly chubby face, her face showing a hint of helplessness.

How did it become treating her to a meal when it came out of Ying Shuang's mouth?

Is this best friend really reliable? What if she messes things up at the small shop?

"Oh, don't you worry, it's just being a waitress. For me, Ying Shuang, it's a piece of cake." Ying Shuang patted her already flat chest, a wicked smile playing on her lips. "Fu Ya darling, hurry up and get your uniform for me to try on!"

Ying Shuang had been coveting Fu Ya's two exquisitely designed and top-quality work uniforms for a long time, but Fu Ya cherished them and wouldn't let Ying Shuang try them on. Now, she finally found an opportunity.

"Alright, alright." Fu Ya rolled her eyes and took out the set of maid uniforms that she had just dried. She helped Ying Shuang change into them.

"Um."

After changing into the maid uniform, Ying Shuang looked at herself in the mirror and then lowered her head to glance at her slightly empty chest. She couldn't help but pout and said, "Fu Ya, I need your consolation!"

The maid uniform had been custom-tailored by the system based on Fu Ya's body measurements, so it looked a bit ill-fitting on Ying Shuang. Fortunately, the chest and waist of this maid uniform were adjustable, and with Fu Ya's help, Ying Shuang quickly adjusted it to fit her size.

Seeing her best friend's pitiful appearance, Fu Ya playfully ruffled her hair and said, "Sorry, there is nothing I can console you at, it's something you're born with."

Huh? Is this what you call consolation?

This was a critical hit! Fu Ya, you're truly a genius at comforting people!

Ying Shuang, in agony, covered her chest, sensing the deep malice from her best friend.

"Aaaah! Fu Ya, give me half of your chest!"

After some playful laughter, Fu Ya began her meditation, while Ying Shuang sat beside her, curiously observing.

Fu Ya had already told her that she might enter a state of deep meditation during her session, which made Ying Shuang both envious and curious. After all, she had never experienced deep meditation before.

As Fu Ya entered her meditation, a sudden flash of golden light appeared on her forehead, too quick for Ying Shuang to discern. The golden light quietly disappeared, and in the next moment, Fu Ya's meditative state underwent a subtle change.

Ying Shuang rubbed her eyes and looked surprised. At this moment, if she closed her eyes, she couldn't feel Fu Ya's presence at all, but when she opened her eyes, Fu Ya was sitting right in front of her.

Is this what they call a deep meditation? It's so amazing!

Deep meditation was incredibly valuable, and such a state couldn't be easily attained. After thinking for a moment, Ying Shuang tiptoed off the bed, took out a dusty wooden plaque from the cabinet, wiped off the surface dust, and hung it outside their dormitory door.

The wooden plaque had "Meditating, Do Not Disturb" written in large red letters.

This plaque served a purpose beyond a simple notice. According to Shrek Academy's rules, when this plaque was hung outside a dormitory, it prohibited anyone from entering and disturbing the person meditating inside. Violating this rule could lead to severe consequences, even expulsion.

Every dormitory was equipped with such a wooden plaque, allowing students to protect their meditation from interruptions. However, it was rarely used because normal meditation could be interrupted without significant consequences.

Therefore, to ensure Fu Ya's peaceful meditation, Ying Shuang brought out this plaque that had remained untouched since their first year at the academy.

Returning to her own bed, Ying Shuang glanced at Fu Ya, who seemed to be in a world of her own, and a smile crept onto her face.

"You're working so hard; I should put in some effort too," she murmured softly and entered into meditation herself.

………

"System, use four two-star self-selected recipe fragments to exchange for a two-star recipe: Complete Hot Pot Base," Qi Han's voice contained a hint of excitement.

With the completion of the Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb dish, it not only meant that his small shop now had a three-star recipe, but also that the recipe learning progress that had been stuck for so long could finally continue.

After waiting for so long, the accumulated fragments were finally ready for exchange.

【Friendly Reminder: The Hot Pot series requires the use of a specially designed dining table for consumption and cannot be sold without a custom dining table.】

What does that mean? Wasn't that mentioned before?

Qi Han couldn't help but feel a little startled.

"System, what does a custom dining table mean?"

【As shown in the picture.】

As the words were spoken, an image appeared in front of Qi Han. It was a dining table with a design consistent with his small shop, looking somewhat similar to the current tables inside, but with a large hole in the middle to accommodate a hot pot.

Is this thing a custom dining table?

Qi Han scrutinized it for a while and couldn't see much of a difference other than the hole in the middle.

"It's simple; System, just modify the tables in my small shop to have that hole."

Qi Han thought it was a minor issue. Easy!

【The host does not have the renovation permissions for the small shop, so the operation cannot be completed. Please obtain renovation permissions for the small shop first.】

This... The renovation permissions sound familiar, don't they?

【Only intermediate chefs can have the right to expand and renovate the small shop. Please strive to become an intermediate chef soon~】

Darn it!

Qi Han had a few dark lines on his face as he finally remembered what these renovation permissions were.

Previously, when the system had enticed him with promises, he hadn't paid much attention to this so-called renovation permission. He had only noticed the expansion rights. He didn't expect the system to be waiting for him with this now.

"So, System, you've tricked me again?"

【This system never tricks the host. Initially, the host simply inquired if the system had hotpot, and following the rule of never hiding information from the host, this system truthfully informed the host about anything related to hotpot. There was no intention to deceive the host during this process.】

Qi Han fell into contemplation.

So, I brought this upon myself again?

Huh? Why did I say "again"?

【Yes.】

Glancing at the four available two-star self-selected recipe fragments, Qi Han let out a deep sigh.

The hotpot base he had been eagerly anticipating couldn't be obtained in a short time?

"Never mind, I'll claim the two-star recipe: Kung Pao Chicken."

In the end, Qi Han chose not to use the fragments. Since he couldn't currently exchange for the hotpot series, adding another two-star dish to the menu wouldn't significantly affect his small shop's performance.

It would be better to save them for later when he could sell the hotpot series and then use the fragments to exchange for it.

In the next moment, Qi Han disappeared from his current location, entering the training space to begin practicing Kung Pao Chicken.