Capítulo 960: Chapter 959: Changes in Juxia Building (Part 3)

Neon laughed and before Ailisha could answer, a hand chop landed on the girl’s head.

Zhu Qing stood behind her chair, “You’ve got to have a bit of shame, girl—this is really dangerous and very irresponsible for your life!” The Grand Steward of the Juxia Building unleashed her fury.

Soon, Tiqie Helinai returned with a large serving of special roasted meat rolls.

Everyone at the Juxia Building gathered.

Neon tasted it first, smiling as he glanced at everyone present. He first asked Liu Ying, Koga Shoji, and Hozoi Midori for their tasting insights.

Liu Ying said, “Doesn’t the combination of roast beef and roast pork seem strange?”

Koga Shoji agreed, “Eating beef and pork together is a long-standing saying in the Chinese culinary world, it’s considered common knowledge, right?”

Hozoi Midori thought for a while, carefully choosing her words, “The idea that beef and pork shouldn’t be eaten together mainly comes from a Chinese medicine perspective. Pork is sour and cold, with a slightly cold nature, while beef is sweet and warm—the cold and warm meats conflict, and their natures repel each other. So, for the health of the guests, it’s best not to combine them!”

The voices were all slightly critical.

Tiqie Helinai lowered her head slightly.

“Come on!”

A voice of discontent came, Ailisha widened her eyes, “Does any food science really prove that eating pork and beef together is detrimental to health or causes poisoning? Show me a research conclusion!”

“I’m a molecular gastronomist, I don’t believe in Chinese medicine!” Ailisha lifted her head defiantly.

Neon was slightly surprised.

He hadn’t expected Ailisha, who often found faults in her cousin, to be the one to stand up and counterattack.

After all, in crucial moments, family still sticks together!

He chuckled secretly.

“Yu—” Sensing the atmosphere wasn’t quite right, Makki tugged at his sleeve and shot him a slightly annoyed look. The girl certainly didn’t want any fractures within their small group.

Neon knew it was time to stop, “Okay!”

He spoke, and as everyone’s gaze gathered, he looked directly at Helinai, “You’re excellent, truly excellent—”

The girl, who had just sunk her expression, shifted to one of bewilderment and confusion.

Tiqie Helinai actually felt ashamed for violating the “beef and pork shouldn’t be eaten together” common knowledge in Chinese cuisine, secretly blaming herself for not being thorough in developing new recipes, neglecting such a basic culinary wisdom.

Moreover, in the Chinese Realm, if such a dish that violates conventions were put on the menu and served to guests, it would definitely invite criticism and doubt.

Thinking of this, Tiqie Helinai felt chills down her back.

Neon smiled slightly, “Our New Juxia Building is themed on novelty and freshness.”

“I know this type of pork.” He continued, pointing to the half roast meat roll on the plate, with beef on the outside and pork on the inside, clearly layered.

Meeting Helinai’s suddenly bright eyes, Neon nodded with a smile.

“It is ‘Ginger Pork’, right?”

“Hmm…”

The girl’s voice carried a tint of joy through her nose.

“Therefore,”

Neon spread his hands towards everyone, “Ordinary pork, from a Chinese medicine perspective, is sour and cold, but this ‘Ginger Pork’ is no ordinary pork—it’s complex synthesis where ginger attributes are apparent yet retains the nature of pork. We shouldn’t view it from an ordinary pork standpoint.”

He gave Helinai a thumbs-up.

“Is this combination accidental or exquisite craftsmanship? Regardless, this new dish is superb—according to my level of medicinal diet skills, it’s flawless, its ‘qi’ and ‘nature’ are very balanced, and you don’t feel sick of it even if you eat more.”

“In summary, this new dish stemming from ‘Flame-roasted Suckling Pig’ reform is very successful; I believe it has the potential to become a hit on our Juxia Building’s menu.”

The joy on the girl’s face was undisguisable.

Neon did not speak this way to deliberately curry favor; he sincerely acknowledged Helinai’s dish.

“Maybe…”

Seeing the difficult-to-express happiness on the arrogant girl’s face, Neon’s mind turned.

Ah, locking on an item in the inventory that’s nearly forgotten.

[Awakening Card] (Gold).

A special card obtained from a big box opening that can’t be used on oneself but only on others.

Gazing around at the table full of people, Neon thought silently, “Koga Shoji and Hozoi Midori are outstanding enough, they are head chefs independently handling things in the Juxia Building, but in terms of ability and future, they still fall short of the ‘Divine Tongue.'”

“Little Ying hasn’t reached the top level yet, and she has progressed very rapidly recently; she needs stability before reaching the top level—I can’t rush it, or Liu Maoxing will surely launch a cross-dimensional nuclear attack against me. After all, she’s an excellent seed shouldering the revival of the Liu family.”

“Others, hmm…”

Yuchuan Sisters?

Yuchuan Meisha specializes in seafood, just like Sen Tian Makoto, unable to master everything.

As for Yuchuan Ayaka, frankly speaking, she’s talented enough, her culinary level is high too. But if it’s just this one card, considering closeness, she should not have it. Unless there are second, third, or more similar items, then consider it.

Above, Zhu Qing doesn’t need this kind of item.

“Then it’s only her, isn’t it?” Neon smiled.

After dinner.

Neon and Makki sat closely on the chairs in the corridor of the Juxia Building’s backyard.

“Makki, I want to ask you something.”

Neon, appreciating the brilliant stars in the night sky, suddenly lowered his head.

“Ah?” The girl smiled sweetly, her voice soft, tilting her head to look at him, “Is it about Helinai?”

“Eh!”

Neon nearly fell off the chair.

He grimaced, intentionally showcasing a fierceness, flailing his arms, “Feels like you’ve seen through me completely!”

The girl covered her mouth while laughing, moving the chair closer.

The two hadn’t bathed post-meal; the girl, busy all day, emitted a scent that reached Neon’s nose—not a stink that made him want to escape, but rather a very particular fragrance. Perhaps she sprayed perfume, or maybe it’s habit of using deodorant—in any case, Neon didn’t dislike this smell.

On the contrary, hmm, he found it quite pleasant.

So…

This is why Neon markets ‘Schoolgirl Holy Water Scent’, ‘Schoolgirl Underarm Scent’ these strange liquid products? Neon rubbed his nose hard, “Forget it, don’t dwell on it.”

“Dwell on what?” The girl cast a weird glance, her clean eyes filled with a tinge of complexity, “You, when complimenting Helinai during dinner tonight, your eyes lit up—I saw it!”

“Uh, actually, I was contemplating whether or not to…”

The words abruptly ceased.

A cluster of warmth leaned against him. But unlike this picturesque touch, the girl’s dialogue suddenly sharpened: “Yu, I seem like just your ex—why consider my feelings when doing things?”

Neon chuckled, “I fear imposing extra burdens. If you’re unhappy in the Chinese Realm, next time Uncle Sen Tian sees me, he certainly won’t show a kind face.”

A sigh of lament.

“I don’t want to burden you either.” The girl propped herself and gently pushed Neon’s shoulder, “Whatever you think, decide and act.”

“Helinai, she’s different from me. I only temporarily caught up with her, purely confined to noodles and pastry domains. Helinai originally specialized in Western cuisine, she’s also a Japanese cuisine chef. Under your influence, Yu, she began learning Chinese culinary arts, her scope widening, her cooking skills increasingly holistic; she’s destined to be an all-rounded famous chef.”

Sen Tian Makoto blinked, “Cultivating her is undoubtedly a profitable investment.”

A while passed, and the night talk ended.

Corner of the yard.

Secretly watching Makki moving the chairs, Ailisha patted her chest, exhaled, feeling a lingering fear, “Almost turned into a cliché romance under the stars! No way, can’t let this slide anymore, Ailisha—the opponent is formidable, you must strive harder!”

A window on the loft silently shut.

Zhu Qing shook her head, yet her face bore no smile; her phone had just received a short message from her father Zhu Ji.

“Huang He has returned.”

“Keep Neon in the Shu region, matters outside are beyond his concern.”

A brief letter of warning.

“Stay in Shu?” Zhu Qing’s fingers tapped hard for replying, “Yu also hunted for ingredients in Outer Mongolia, harvesting richly—his nature doesn’t allow quietness or stagnancy. Can you bind him in Shu region—then you come!”

“In any case, being rebuffed warrants a rebuttal! I support Yu!” Zhu Qing’s wording was far from courteous.