Chapter 516

Xia Xia Xia Mujun felt a surge of joy in his heart and pressed further:

"Then, what is its price?"

Ando Masako was even more surprised:

"For Xia Xia Xia Mujun to ask like this, could it be... you are interested in that knife and want it?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun did not deny it and nodded frankly:

"Yes. I personally have some interest in knife collecting as well."

"The form and temperament of this knife made me feel it was very special at first glance; I like it very much."

"Sister Ando, I wonder if you... would be willing to part with it?"

Upon hearing this, Ando Masako’s face revealed an expression that was both troubled and somewhat amused.

"From my personal perspective, if a customer sincerely wants it, selling it is of course no problem."

"However..."

She shook her head with a bitter smile.

"This knife is my father’s 'heart’s treasure,' or rather, one of his 'obsessions'."

"He himself... is actually not very willing to sell it."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was slightly stunned:

"Is there... any special reason for this?"

Ando Masako sighed and began to recount that somewhat unusual past:

"When my father was young, he had a very close friend who was a highly skilled chef."

"The two of them—one obsessed with crafting various exquisite kitchen knives and tools, the other devoted to studying culinary arts—were true soulmates."

"They both particularly loved a very old manga called 'Cooking Master Boy'."

"One dreamed of making the glowing dishes from the manga, while the other dreamed of forging the magical kitchenware from the manga."

"This 'Water Chant' was forged by my father back then, who poured immense effort into designing and hand-crafting it specifically for his chef friend."

"It fused all the pursuits of 'sharpness,' 'ease of use,' and 'aesthetic beauty' that my father could think of at the time."

Her tone became somewhat sentimental.

"But, on the eve of the knife’s completion, just before he was ready to give it to that friend..."

"That chef friend passed away suddenly due to a heart attack."

Ando Masako pointed at the knife.

"My father never got to see his friend use this knife to create the dish of his dreams."

"This matter became a great regret deep in his heart."

"So, he hung this knife in the most prominent spot in the shop and set a rule—"

She repeated her father’s words.

"He said: 'Only a chef who can make truly "delicious" cuisine that I approve of is qualified to take away this "Water Chant".'"

"This is both a memorial to his friend and... a kind of near-paranoid expectation, I suppose."

After listening, Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s face showed an extremely strange expression.

This reason... was both a touching persistence and carried a bit of a manga-nerd’s romantic fantasy; mixed together, it left one momentarily unsure of how to evaluate it.

He remained silent for a few seconds to digest this information.

Ando Masako added from the side:

"Quite a few chefs have indeed come before; they all liked the knife when they saw it, and after hearing the story, they felt it was very challenging and wanted to give it a try..."

"But after my father tasted the dishes they specifically prepared, he would always shake his head, saying things like 'this isn't the right taste,' 'the heat control is wrong,' or 'it's unpalatable'..."

"They were all rejected..."

"My father is extremely picky when it comes to 'eating,' and his mind is hard to guess."

"So, Xia Xia Xia Mujun, if you just like this style or the sharpness of the knife..."

She enthusiastically pointed to other display cases.

"There are many other good knives in the shop that also came from my father’s hands, and are even more practical; I can introduce them to you in detail."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s attention, however, was completely captured by that "Water Chant kitchen knife."

The effect of "an invisible slash every fifteen seconds" held no small attraction for him.

It was rare to encounter a piece of special equipment for attack, and he wanted to try for the possibility of obtaining it no matter what.

Of course, if after trying he truly could not meet Ando Toshio’s eccentric conditions, he would not force it.

Just as he was thinking about how to bring it up, a crisp and pleasantly surprised female voice suddenly came from the shop entrance:

"Big Brother Xia—?! Why are you here?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun looked toward the sound and saw a girl wearing a Sacred Heart Middle School uniform, with a sweet and cute appearance, standing at the door and looking at him in disbelief.

It was Ando Chizuru.

His younger sister Ruri’s classmate.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was also somewhat surprised, but he quickly revealed a gentle smile:

"Hello, Little Sister Ando. I came here because I wanted to ask the Master to help repair an old piece of kitchenware."

His gaze shifted between Ando Chizuru and the shop, and he asked with slight astonishment:

"But... why are you here?"

Ando Chizuru’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she walked into the shop with small, shy steps to stand beside her mother, Ando Masako.

"This... is my home."

"Eh?!"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was truly dumbfounded this time.

"This... is your home?"

The beautiful clerk, Ando Masako, also showed a surprised expression; she looked at Xia Xia Xia Mujun, then at her daughter, and suddenly realized:

"Oh my! So this handsome young man... you know our Chizuru?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun quickly sorted out the relationship and explained:

"Yes, Ma'am. My name is Xia Xia Xia Mujun."

"My younger sister, Xia Mururi, is a classmate and good friend of Little Sister Ando."

"So that's how it is!" The smile on Ando Masako’s face became even more cordial, with a hint of playful reproach, "You are the older brother of that child Ruri! Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had said so, I would have had to give you a discount on the repair fee just now no matter what!"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun hurriedly waved his hands, his attitude sincere:

"No, no, there's really no need for that."

"Whatever the price is, it is; Master Ando’s craftsmanship is worth that much."

The two exchanged polite refusals, and seeing Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s firm attitude, Ando Masako had no choice but to give up, though her gaze toward him became increasingly gentle and appreciative.

She looked at her daughter beside her, whose cheeks were slightly red and who was stealing glances at Xia Xia Xia Mujun from time to time, and then looked at the handsome, upright, and well-spoken youth before her; a playful smile couldn't help but rise in her heart.

It seems that this classmate’s older brother, whom her daughter knows... is quite extraordinary.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s thoughts quickly returned to the "Water Chant kitchen knife."

Since he now knew Ando Toshio’s obsession and conditions, he felt he might be able to give it a try.

He turned to Ando Masako and spoke again, his tone serious:

"Sister Ando, regarding that 'Water Chant'..."

"After hearing that story just now, I actually want to try it even more."

"I wonder... would it be convenient to tell me what kind of cuisine Master Ando prefers or approves of?"

"Perhaps I can try making a dish to see if I can meet his standards."

His words had just fallen.

Ando Chizuru, standing to the side, suddenly had her eyes brighten slightly.

An idea quickly took shape in her mind.

She had been worrying about not having a suitable reason or opportunity to interact more with this "Big Brother Xia" who made her heart flutter.

Now, Big Brother Xia seemed to have developed an interest in her grandfather’s knife...

Isn't this the perfect opportunity?

Even if Big Brother Xia’s cooking failed to pass her grandfather’s harsh test in the end...

She could privately ask her mother to use another excuse to exchange a different, equally high-quality knife from the shop for Big Brother Xia as compensation.

This way, she could have more interaction with Big Brother Xia without letting him leave empty-handed.