Chapter 29

At the port.

"Alright, I'll sell you half of the Galala Crocodile's meat, and I'll keep the other half for myself."

"Thanks a lot."

Kei sold half of the Galala Crocodile's meat to Tom, then prepared to head back to the shop to check on how things were going.

"Huh? Tina, why are you still following me? The interview should be over by now, right?"

After taking a few steps, Kei noticed Tina still following him and asked.

"The interview is indeed over, but... hehehe, I just thought, you know, it's almost noon. I-I don't mean anything by it, but..."

"You want to mooch a meal, don't you?"

"Yes, please let me taste the Galala Crocodile's meat!"

Tina immediately threw her dignity aside and begged earnestly.

"Alright, fine. It's not like you'll eat that much anyway."

Kei nodded. Even with only half left, the Galala Crocodile meat was still a lot, and Tina's appetite wasn't that big.

"Manager, you're the best!"

Tina said happily.

The two of them headed back to the shop together. As they reached the street, they saw Binchotan sweeping the entrance.

"Hello, Binchotan! We're back!"

"Binchotan-chan, we're home!"

Kei waved his hand to greet Binchotan.

Seeing the two of them, Binchotan's face lit up with excitement. She immediately dropped her broom and ran over. "Welcome back!"

"Slow down."

Kei reached out and caught Binchotan, who nearly tripped over her own sash from running too fast. He carefully adjusted her bow. "Why does this bow keep getting crooked?"

The three of them entered the shop together.

Binchotan expertly recounted all the customers she had attended to, describing their names, appearances, the ingredients they took, and the exact time they visited.

After verifying there were no mistakes, Kei nodded. "You did a great job, Binchotan. But next time, you can just write it down. You don't need to memorize everything."

"I-I can't read or write."

Binchotan admitted softly. She had lived with her grandmother deep in the mountains since she was a child and had never gone to school, so she could only rely on her memory.

"Hmm, you're still young. You can learn slowly over time."

Kei patted her head and then headed to the kitchen. "Today, I'll show you my cooking skills and prepare a feast of Galala Crocodile dishes!"

"Woohoo!"

Tina cheered excitedly.

"I'll help with the cooking!"

Binchotan ran into the kitchen and tiptoed to reach the countertop, struggling to rinse the rice.

"Whoa!"

Suddenly, Binchotan felt herself being lifted into the air. When she looked back, she saw that Kei was the one holding her up.

"I forgot you're not tall enough. It must've been tough for you to cook these past few days. Hold on a second."

Kei went outside, brought in a small stool, and placed it in the kitchen. He then set Binchotan on top of it. The height was now just right.

"Thank you, Manager."

Binchotan said gratefully.

"No problem. This way, it'll be much easier for you to wash rice and cook."

Kei cut the Galala Crocodile meat into pieces for stir-frying, chopped some into minced meat to make meatballs, and sliced some into smaller chunks to make crispy fried bites.

Suddenly, he noticed Binchotan removing the charcoal piece from her head and placing it in the water to purify it before adding rice.

"Huh? That charcoal looks familiar... Oh, I remember now! It's actually a special ingredient!"

"It has the ability to purify water, remove bad odors, and enhance flavor. No wonder the rice you make always smells so sweet."

Kei finally realized that the charcoal Binchotan carried was a special gourmet ingredient. Until now, he had always thought it was just a decoration.

While making sweet and sour Galala Crocodile, Kei suddenly realized there was no ketchup. He went outside to find some and then noticed something.

"Huh? The food supplies are still fully stocked?"

"Binchotan, did you not eat anything these past few days?"

Kei asked as he returned to the kitchen holding the ketchup.

"Uh, Binchotan just ate rice. The ingredients are for selling, right?"

Binchotan replied.

"It's just food. No need to be so reserved. Alright, you better eat plenty of this Galala Crocodile feast."

"Don't feel bad about it. That freeloader outside doesn't even bother to help out."

"You're way more helpful than her, so you have every right to enjoy the meal."

Kei had just finished speaking when a voice came from outside.

"I heard that!"

"I meant for you to hear it, you freeloader."

"I-It's not like I didn't do anything. When I go back, I'll definitely give the shop some great publicity."

Tina's voice sounded guilty. She would indeed promote the shop... but that was something to do later. For now, she was just sitting at the table waiting to eat.

And doing nothing else.

Once the rice was ready, Kei's dishes were also done. With Binchotan's help, they brought everything to the table.

The table was filled with dishes.

"Itadakimasu!"

Everyone said before they started eating.

Tina took a bite of the sweet and sour Galala Crocodile and her eyes sparkled. "So delicious! The sweet and sour meat bursts with flavor the moment it touches your mouth!"

"This fried meatball is amazing too! Crispy on the outside, chewy and tender on the inside! And this one too!"

Tina's mouth was stuffed as she continued to give her impressions, her habit as a gourmet show host clearly showing.

"So good!"

Binchotan savored the fried meatballs. The deliciousness made her eyes widen, but even so, she ate slowly and carefully, taking small bites.

Before long, both Tina and Binchotan were full. Despite her ravenous eating, Tina's appetite wasn't much bigger than Binchotan's.

Kei ended up finishing all the remaining dishes by himself.

"Manager, thank you for taking care of me these past few days."

Now that Kei had returned, Binchotan was planning to leave.

"You're leaving? I'll go get your payment."

Kei stood up to prepare some rice and gourmet ingredients as her reward.

"No need. The delicious food and the warmth you provided were enough. I don't need any other reward."

Binchotan was a grateful child. Even though her stay wasn't long, she had felt warmth and kindness here.

The manager had given her a warm place to stay, delicious food, and a feeling of companionship. That was enough for her.

Binchotan bowed deeply, then turned around to leave. Her expression was slightly downcast, as if she felt sad about the upcoming separation.

"Hey, Binchotan."

Tina looked at the little girl's back, feeling reluctant to part. She turned to Kei, unsure of what to do.

"Hmm, Binchotan, do you want to stay here and work for me?"

Kei thought about it. Maybe it was time he hired someone to help look after the shop. In the future, he might visit more places, hunting for more ingredients.

He needed someone to take care of the shop while he was away, and Binchotan seemed like the perfect choice.

Of course, the real reason was that Kei didn't want her to leave. This little girl was truly adorable.

Binchotan turned around with tears in her eyes. She didn't want to leave, but she was worried about causing trouble, so she had chosen to leave.

Now, hearing Kei's offer to keep her as a long-term employee, she couldn't hold back her tears.

"Yes, Manager! I will work really hard!"

[Welcome "Purple Big Mushroom" to the Chat Group.]

[Welcome "Yanhuang Guardian" to the Chat Group.]

[Welcome "Moyun Zhenjun" to the Chat Group.]

(End of Chapter)

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