Chapter 118: Can a Dog Drink the Bathwater of Six People?

Walking behind Mikami Ai, Qingshan Li could smell a faint fragrance.

Since she didn't need Calpis, he saved himself the trouble and returned to the bedroom to continue studying.

First become first in the class, then first in the school, then first nationwide—only then could he breathe easy in his studies.

Among people his age who were high school students, there were approximately 1.1 million in all of Japan.

Being first among a million people was, for someone with a system like him, just child's play.

Anything beyond that was unnecessary; he could go play something else.

The automatic pencil wrote on paper, and ideas surged endlessly in his mind—everything was as clear as a summer sky.

"Dong dong~"

"Come in." Qingshan Li did not stop writing.

"You don't lock your door?" Mikami Ai opened the door.

"Locking the door leads to doing bad things. To keep myself from doing bad things, except when sleeping at night, I neither lock the door nor draw the curtains."

"So what bad things do you do at night?" Mikami Ai walked in.

"Secretly studying." Qingshan Li stood up and offered her the chair.

He twisted his waist, stretching his body as he asked, "Is there anything else I can help with regarding the book?"

"What should be written on the book band? A romance novel?"

"Romance? This is a hundred percent a detective novel!"

After settling the matter of the novel, Mikami Ai took her leave, and Qingshan Li continued studying.

In the evening, Ono Mika, Ono Mizuki, and Agatsuma Haruka—four people, each made one dish.

Although there was no punishment, he still let Qingshan Li taste them and say whose was better.

"Who made the grilled fish?" Qingshan Li asked.

"I can't tell you. You'll definitely favor Mika or Mizuki." Agatsuma Haruka stopped the others from speaking at the same time.

"They're all delicious!" Qingshan Li said.

"How despicable!" F·Rino said.

"This is my first time cooking. Am I really this talented? Maybe I can become a good wife." Bass Sakurako muttered to herself.

It was an illusion.

Several dishes were mediocre—either too salty or lacking any characteristics—but Qingshan Li dared not say so, in case it was made by Ono Mika.

"Let's start eating!" he said.

"Big brother, you grew up eating my cooking, so you must be able to tell which dish I made, right?" Ono Mizuki showed a sweet, radiant smile.

The others laughed.

"Exactly, you must identify which dish Mizuki made!" Drummer Gu Mumi got excited.

They all looked expectantly at Qingshan Li.

—System!

The system had no response.

"Let you see the bond between my Qing Shan and Mizuki!" Qingshan Li burned himself up.

"Oh~" Everyone looked expectant.

"Mizuki! Tell me which dish you made! This is big brother's only wish today!"

"Just asking for the answer directly."

"Just kidding, is it this mapo tofu?" Qingshan Li suddenly laughed.

"Wrong."

"Huh? How do you know?"

"Gu Mumi! You're too honest; we could scare him some more!"

"How did you know?" Agatsuma Haruka asked curiously.

"The bond of siblings." Qingshan Li picked up his chopsticks, smugly saying, "Can we start eating now?"

"Wait a moment." Ono Mika became interested, "Li, our sibling bond can't lose either—tell me which dish I made!"

Help

Help!!

"Sorry!" Qingshan Li put down his chopsticks and immediately apologized, "Actually I could guess that the mapo tofu was made by Mizuki, entirely because only she and Mika-nee know I like Chinese cuisine, and only Mizuki has the ability to make it like this."

"Am I being underestimated?" Ono Mika asked.

"Who would specially make what you like? I like Chinese cuisine too!"

Statement: Ono Mizuki does not have a tsundere attribute.

So Qingshan Li was being self-indulgent.

However, there was one more person in the world who liked Chinese cuisine, and moreover was the one responsible for cooking at home, and he felt very relieved.

Everyone started eating.

"I'll make fried chicken tomorrow noon." Qingshan Li said.

Before the girls could be happy, he added, "Strive to make you all gain an average of 10 jin each before summer."

Agatsuma Haruka secretly asked Ono Mika, "If all six of us go up together, can we beat him?"

"I can hear you." Qingshan Li said.

"No need for six people," Ono Mika also replied softly, "Mizuki alone is enough."

"Mizuki is that amazing?!" Drummer Gu Mumi exclaimed.

"I, I won't fight." Ono Mizuki's face turned red.

"Ah, I really want a big brother like Qing Shan Jun too, someone who can cook, can't win against his little sister, and is handsome to boot," Bass Sakurako teased in an innocent little-girl tone.

Ono Mizuki buried her head and ate.

"Sakurako-senpai, you shower first tonight!" Qingshan Li gave up his own privilege.

"Right!" Bass Sakurako seemed to remember something and said to everyone, "To thank the little brother who's making fried chicken tomorrow, let him shower last tonight."

"Is that thanks?" Gu Mumi didn't quite understand.

Six people's bathwater!

Even a dog would have to check if it could drink it first!

This doesn't mean he wants to drink it; it's a hyperbole emphasizing how dirty the bathwater is.

You all understand, right?

No one would misunderstand, right?

"You're guests, so you should soak first," Qingshan Li said. "I'm not soaking today."

"Looking down on us?" Agatsuma Haruka immediately asked.

"As expected, I'll still soak first." Qingshan Li took back the privilege.

"Wouldn't that get someone pregnant?" Bass Sakurako said.

"Senpai!" F·Rino called out.

"This topic ends here!" Ono Mika also said.

After eating, Qingshan Li washed a whole sink full of bowls, chopsticks, and kitchen utensils by himself.

The kitchen was a disaster zone; perhaps only splashing paint on a spinning electric fan could create such a tragedy.

"I'll help," Ono Mika said.

"Ginger Pork?" Qingshan Li asked.

"No."

"Stir-fried Vegetables?"

"No," Ono Mika said. "Last chance. If you get it wrong again, I'll have to reconsider our relationship, Qing Shan Jun."

Qingshan Li didn't dare speak anymore.

Ono Mika occasionally gazed at him with a smile.

Qingshan Li avoided her gaze and worked seriously.

After everything was cleaned up, the others had already finished showering and were in the living room preparing to start studying.

Qingshan Li let Ono Mika shower first; after she finished, he drained the bathtub water, and he didn't soak.

No one chatted idly while studying.

The better the grades, the more focused — for instance, Bass Sakurako, simply like a different person.

The people around, including the Ono Sisters and the teachers and students of Kaimei High School, were not surprised by Qingshan Li's system state; perhaps it was because of this.

Additionally, seeing Bass Sakurako's Superior Student side, those deleted photos seemed to have become even more charming.

Private photos of the third-ranked in the grade.

Should have taken a few more looks.

(Chapter End)