"What a sumptuous meal."
As the dishes were served one by one, Keqing looked at the food, which was perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and couldn't help but salivate slightly.
She wasn't quite a foodie like Paimon, but she couldn't resist so much delicious food, and several of the dishes were her absolute favorites.
"Mmm... my favorite golden shrimp balls." Looking at the final dish of golden shrimp balls being served, Keqing's eyes lit up; the aroma alone was enough to satisfy her.
"So much delicious food!" Paimon exclaimed excitedly from the side. "Sister Makoto, can we start eating?"
Xiangling was completely won over by Raiden Makoto. Raiden Makoto's culinary skills were truly exquisite; if Raiden Makoto were to enter the Culinary King Competition, Xiangling felt she wouldn't be able to win the championship.
The only thing that puzzled Xiangling was that almost all the dishes Raiden Makoto prepared leaned towards the Liyue style.
Could it be that Inazuma's culture is similar to Liyue's?
"Sister..."
Ever since eating so many delicacies at the Kamisato Estate last time, Raiden Ei had been thinking about them. Today, she could eat her sister's delicious cooking again, and Raiden Ei had a look of pure satisfaction on her face.
Guoba and Orobashi were also huddled by the table at this moment, Guoba's eyes fixed intently on the dishes.
"Guoba, you eat too."
"Little Snakey needs to eat too, so you can grow up quickly."
"Grand Master's culinary skills are exquisite, truly amazing. If Grand Master were to participate in the Culinary King Competition, I probably wouldn't stand a chance." Xiangling looked at Raiden Makoto with a hint of admiration.
As for Keqing, she said thoughtfully, "Zhen and Ei are twin sisters, and Zhen's cooking is so good... Ei's shouldn't be too bad, right? I think the kitchen blowing up must have been an accident."
Raiden Ei couldn't help but glance at Keqing. She nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, yes, that was entirely an accident."
"Is Sister Ei that confident? Then we'll see the truth at the Culinary King Competition!" Xiangling didn't actually know Raiden Ei well. she had always wondered how cooking could blow up a kitchen, but Keqing's explanation seemed perfectly reasonable.
Lumine and Paimon weren't actually that familiar with her either.
Only Raiden Makoto, who knew the truth, felt a bit helpless, but she didn't intend to dampen her sister's confidence.
"Hmph, this year's Culinary King will definitely be me, Raiden Ei." Raiden Ei gave a cold snort. "No one else shall have it but me."
However, while they were chatting, Guoba and Orobashi on the side caught them off guard.
Guoba and Orobashi had actually secretly eaten several dishes, including Keqing's favorite golden shrimp balls.
"Waaaah... my golden shrimp balls..." Looking at what was originally a full plate of golden shrimp balls, now completely empty, Keqing's tears began to flow.
Her golden shrimp balls! Her favorite golden shrimp balls! Aaaaaah!
"My golden shrimp balls..."
"Guoba!" Xiangling was a little angry. "How could you sneakily eat Keqing's favorite golden shrimp balls?"
"How many times have I told you, you can't sneak food when we're out... you can't sneak food!"
"Guoba, bad!"
However, no matter how angry Xiangling got, Guoba just had a kind smile on his face, looking very satisfied.
"Jili gulu."
Keqing was very sad. She had thought she was about to eat her favorite golden shrimp balls, only for them to vanish the next second.
Just like that, snap, and they were gone.
"I'm sorry, Keqing... it's all Guoba's fault..." Seeing Keqing looking so sad, Xiangling felt quite guilty.
"Grand Master... how about you all eat first, and I'll go make another serving of golden shrimp balls for Keqing... it might not be as good as what Grand Master makes, but it'll do." Xiangling felt a bit self-reproachful; it was her fault for not keeping a better eye on Guoba.
Guoba's habit of sneaking food just couldn't be cured.
Keqing's pitiful look made Raiden Makoto think she was quite cute. She looked nothing like the Demoiselle she usually was; right now, she looked more like a little girl who had her favorite treasure stolen.
"Alright, alright, you all eat first. I'll go make another serving of golden shrimp balls for Keqing; there are enough ingredients." Raiden Makoto said with a smile. As a God, it didn't really matter to her whether she ate or not.
She wasn't a foodie like her sister.
She was happiest when the food she prepared was recognized and liked by everyone.
She had also exchanged ideas with Xiangling while cooking, and she found that even Liyue dishes that had prototypes in Chinese cuisine were much simpler in their preparation techniques, as was the case with the golden shrimp balls.
"No..." Keqing was originally going to refuse, but Raiden Makoto had already walked toward the kitchen. She had thought that she was a guest and all those dishes were made by Raiden Makoto.
Although her favorite golden shrimp balls had been eaten, she couldn't let Raiden Makoto go to so much trouble.
Seeing Xiangling's expression, she also seemed a bit self-reproachful, and she couldn't let Xiangling feel that way either.
But now that Raiden Makoto had already gone to the kitchen, she didn't know what to say, and her affection for Raiden Makoto grew even stronger.
"Zhen is truly a good person." Keqing couldn't think of any more words of praise to describe her.
"Of course, that's my Grand Master after all." Xiangling said with a look of admiration. "Grand Master is amazing and a good person."
Hearing everyone praise Raiden Makoto, the happiest person was naturally Raiden Ei sitting to the side. Raiden Ei looked delighted and was all smiles.
Her elder sister was of course the most amazing!
"Guoba, you can't sneak food anymore in the future." Xiangling exhorted Guoba, then looked at Keqing again. "Keqing, Guoba often can't control his mouth."
"I... I don't blame you guys." Keqing felt a bit embarrassed; more accurately, she didn't quite know what to say.
She had very few friends and didn't seem to know how to get along with girls; she had always been alone before.
"Alright, golden shrimp balls."
Fortunately, there were quite a few processed ingredients left. Otherwise, making golden shrimp balls would be a bit troublesome and would take a lot of time.
"Mmm..."
"Thank you..." Keqing stared at the plate of golden shrimp balls again, her eyes filled with longing and her mouth watering.
"Hurry up and eat." Raiden Makoto smiled. After returning to sit by her sister, she noticed that everyone hadn't started eating yet, so she asked in confusion, "Why aren't you eating? I told you to eat quickly, or it'll get cold."
"Weren't we waiting for Grand Master?" Xiangling said with a smile, and Paimon also nodded, saying, "Sister Makoto isn't here, how could we eat first?"
"Then let's eat quickly."
When the golden shrimp balls entered her mouth, Keqing looked completely satisfied. At that moment, she even shed tears again, but they were tears of happiness.
"Mmm... so delicious..."
That was probably the best golden shrimp ball she had ever eaten. Keqing even let out a soft, decadent sound because she was so satisfied.
When she snapped out of the deliciousness, she saw everyone looking at her, which confused Keqing. However, she then seemed to realize what she had just... Keqing's pretty face turned red in an instant.
"Why... why are you all looking at me?" Keqing's face was flushed red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, her voice very small.
"Delicious... munch munch..." Only Raiden Ei was focused on eating the dishes and hadn't noticed what was happening nearby.
"If it's delicious, eat more."
Xiangling had a look of satisfaction. As a chef, her favorite thing was also delicious food; being able to eat such wonderful food made her very happy.
Furthermore, she had learned many skills from Raiden Makoto.
"It's such a pity Grand Master isn't participating in the Culinary King Competition. If Grand Master did, this year's champion would definitely be her." Xiangling just felt it was a bit of a shame; only they could eat the dishes Grand Master made. As a chef, she hoped everyone in the world could eat delicious food.
However, she could learn from Grand Master and then promote the dishes Grand Master taught her.
"Hee hee, both of my masters are very amazing!" Xiangling said with some pride. As expected of her, both of her masters were very, very amazing.
"Two masters? Xiangling, you have another master?" Keqing was stunned for a moment. She had thought Xiangling only had Raiden Makoto as a master.
Not only Keqing, but even Lumine and Paimon became curious. "So Xiangling, you have two masters?"
"Is there something wrong with that? Sister Makoto is my master in culinary arts... the other one is..." Xiangling blinked her eyes; she didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
"My first master is an Adeptus!" Xiangling was very proud and boastful. "How about I take you all to see her tomorrow?"
"I can also take Grand Master to meet my first master."
Raiden Makoto was a bit surprised that Xiangling had another master, and one who was an Adeptus of Liyue.
But she didn't really care about that. All she wanted was to pass on the Chinese culinary culture to another world; everything else didn't matter.
As for the Adeptus, she cared even less.
"Xiangling, your master is actually an Adeptus? Why didn't you say so sooner!" Keqing was very shocked. "Which Adeptus is it?"
"She's always at Yujing Terrace, it's Grandma Ping. My first master is very amazing." Xiangling said with a face full of pride. "Of course, Grand Master is also amazing!"
"It's actually Grandma Ping..." Keqing was a bit surprised, but then she became serious. "In that case, let's go find Grandma Ping tomorrow and ask her. She must know something about the God of Stove."
"Mm-hmm."
"So delicious... Sister Makoto's culinary skills are truly too good." Paimon said contentedly. She even wanted to lift her shirt and pat her belly; she was particularly satisfied and very full.
"Zhen, is your sister really going to participate in the Culinary King Competition?" Seeing Raiden Ei eating so intently, Keqing was a bit reluctant to disturb her, so she turned her gaze to Raiden Makoto instead.
"Since she said so, then it should be true." Raiden Makoto nodded. "Once she's set her mind on something, it really is hard to change it back."
"Then... can I invite you to be a judge on the judging panel?" Keqing looked at Raiden Makoto expectantly. With Raiden Makoto's culinary skills, being a judge was more than enough, and since Raiden Ei was competing, Raiden Makoto would surely go to the scene anyway.
"Hmm?" Raiden Makoto was stunned for a moment, but then she nodded and said, "Sure, as long as you don't mind."
"However, can I bring an old friend along? I think he's also quite suitable to be a judge." Raiden Makoto said with a smile. She felt that Morax's erosion was really a bit serious. Since Morax had agreed to help them, they should give something back.
"An old friend?" Keqing was stunned for a moment. After thinking for a bit, she nodded. "It's not impossible. My duties allow me to consider letting you bring a friend in."
"But who is Zhen's old friend?" Keqing was a bit curious. "It wouldn't be the Traveler and the others, would it? That probably wouldn't work..."
It wasn't that she looked down on Lumine and Paimon, but the Culinary King Competition was hosted by the Qixing, and rules were still rules; not just anyone could be a judge.
"The consultant of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor, Zhongli." Raiden Makoto's answer surprised even Keqing. "Your friend is that consultant from the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor? Mr. Zhongli!"
She was very surprised.
Since the passing of Rex Lapis, she had also had some contact with Zhongli in secret. She found that the consultant of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor was indeed well-versed in both ancient and modern times and was very learned. Moreover, in many rules and habits, he was somewhat similar to that old fossil, Rex Lapis. If she hadn't known that Rex Lapis had already passed away, she might have even taken Zhongli for Rex Lapis.
"Hasn't Inazuma been under a lockdown for a while? To think your old friend is actually Mr. Zhongli..." Keqing was very surprised.
She had already learned quite a lot today: first, that Xiangling was actually Grandma Ping's disciple, and second, that Zhongli and Raiden Makoto were actually old friends.
"So, can he be a judge?" Raiden Makoto said with a smile. "With his experience, he should be qualified, right?"
"Of course..." Keqing nodded. She had actually sent an invitation to Zhongli back then, but Zhongli had refused it directly.
"Speaking of which, we already sent an invitation to Mr. Zhongli... but Mr. Zhongli refused our invitation." Keqing then looked at Raiden Makoto with some doubt. "Zhen, can you really invite Mr. Zhongli over?"
"Of course."
Raiden Makoto felt that Morax probably wouldn't refuse her invitation. It wasn't that she was narcissistic, but she and Morax were old acquaintances and she understood Morax somewhat.
"He should be able to..." But Raiden Makoto wasn't that full of confidence either; after all, she and Morax weren't exactly the closest of friends.
"Alright, I'll talk to Ningguang about it." Keqing nodded. She wanted to get to know Raiden Makoto more and more. On one hand, it was because she felt a mysterious sense of closeness with Raiden Makoto, and on the other, it was because Raiden Makoto was actually an old acquaintance of Mr. Zhongli.
"Then, you must come when the time comes." Keqing said with a smile. "I'll have everything else prepared for you."
"Mhm."
As for Raiden Ei, at this moment, her belief in winning the championship was even firmer; she had to win.
Her sister was now a judge, which meant she would definitely taste the dishes she made. She also wanted to make a table of sumptuous dishes for her sister.
She decided that starting tomorrow, she would practice cooking diligently!
"Keqing, I also want to participate. Help me sign up." Raiden Ei looked at Keqing. "I'm going to study culinary arts properly starting tomorrow."
"Hmm?"
"Okay!"
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