[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment":3,"chapter-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-582":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Tokyo: You Call This Normal Equipment?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1952557,2739,"Chapter 582","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-582",582,"\u003Cp>“Natsume-brother, I know a very delicious restaurant nearby!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The owner of that shop used to be a good friend of my grandfather, and also a very amazing chef.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But he has passed away now, and the shop is being run by his son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Although his son is also a chef, his culinary strength… is said to be not as amazing as his father’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However, he also participated in my grandfather’s Mapo Tofu challenge, and although he unfortunately lost in the end, he must have some unique insights and experiences regarding that dish and my grandfather’s standards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her sparkling eyes and looked at Natsume Chikage full of anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How about… we go over and see now? Maybe we can learn some useful information?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage pondered for a moment, feeling that this suggestion was very valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going to the shop of that former challenger to see, maybe he could really get some information about the old gentleman Ando Toshio’s judging standards or the key points of making Mapo Tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, then I’ll trouble you to lead the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru was instantly overjoyed and nodded vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm! Then let’s go now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small restaurant called “Taste of the Town” was located at a slightly quiet street corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shop looked a bit old, the wooden sign washed by wind and rain, the color slightly dark, but wiped very clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Natsume Chikage and Ando Chizuru approached the shop entrance, they heard voices coming from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man in a crisp suit, carrying a briefcase, was backing out of the shop, turning back to say to someone inside:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, according to the contract signed between Midou Bank and you, the ownership of this shop will be officially handed over to our bank after the lease expires this month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please handle all matters in the shop properly within this month. Goodbye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, the man in the suit nodded slightly and turned to leave in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the name “Midou Bank,” Natsume Chikage’s brow moved imperceptibly, his face slightly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be… another industry related to the Midou family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it, better not think too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He calmed his mind and, together with Ando Chizuru, pushed open the somewhat heavy wooden door of the restaurant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind chime on the door made a crisp “ding-a-ling” sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light in the shop was soft, but unusually deserted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t a single customer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a man around thirty years old, wearing a slightly old-colored but washed-clean chef’s uniform, was sitting alone at a table by the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was supporting his head with one hand, his brow furrowed, his face full of distress and fatigue, staring at the tabletop in a daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And on the table in front of him, an old-looking, worn-edged notebook was spread open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage’s gaze was attracted to that notebook almost the moment he entered the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in his field of vision, that notebook was emitting a faint white light that only he could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Midnight Diner Notes】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Quality: White】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Effect: After equipping, you can learn all the recipes in this notebook, and your culinary skills will be improved by 100%!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Introduction: Poor hospitality!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage’s heart jumped, and a huge sense of surprise instantly welled up in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This… this is truly finding what you’re looking for without even trying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was indeed the right decision to agree to Ando Chizuru’s suggestion to come and see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that distressed boss—Yamashita Yujiro, heard the wind chime and looked up in a daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he saw Natsume Chikage walking into the shop, he couldn’t help but be stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This customer’s appearance was truly too outstanding, making this middle-aged man who was in the midst of frustration feel a brief moment of amazement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when he saw Ando Chizuru, whom he was familiar with, following Natsume Chikage, he was completely dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blurted out subconsciously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chizuru-chan? This… could it be your boyfriend?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ando Chizuru’s small face turned red “whoosh,” and she quickly covered her cheeks with both hands, but the eyes peeking through her fingers were shining, her tone was shy but carried undisguised happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Natsume-brother is my boyfriend or something… that’s not it at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“H-his name is Natsume Chikage, he’s the brother of a good friend of mine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yamashita Yujiro chuckled “haha” as if relieved, and raised his hand to scratch the back of his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is, it seems I misunderstood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze swept across the deserted shop, and he forced himself to cheer up, showing a professional, hearty smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Chizuru-chan, you brought a friend over specifically today, do you want to taste the dishes in our shop? Just say whatever you want to eat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru didn’t answer immediately, but turned her head and looked at Natsume Chikage as if asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage suppressed the excitement in his heart, moved his gaze away from the notebook on the table, spoke calmly, and stated his goal for this trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry for the trouble, please give us two servings of Mapo Tofu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ando-sister, how about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru nodded in agreement immediately, her face still flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm! Same for me, Mapo Tofu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four words “Mapo Tofu” made the smile on Yamashita Yujiro’s face freeze instantly, and his eyes became a bit complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t expect these two young customers to order this dish as soon as they entered the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always lacked enthusiasm for inheriting this restaurant and his father’s culinary skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to being with oily smoke in the kitchen, he longed for a life where he could play music and create melodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that his father passed away suddenly, and he didn’t find a suitable job for a while, so he reluctantly took over this shop for a living.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he ultimately didn’t have his father’s love and talent for cooking, and his skills could only be considered so-so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old customers who originally came for his father’s skills gradually stopped coming after tasting the dishes he made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The business in the shop plummeted, and even the waiters he hired left one after another due to salary issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, only he was left, guarding this increasingly deserted shop that was about to be taken back by the bank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, he had long had the idea of closing the shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as an adult, the last bit of responsibility, or inertia, made him still barely support it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, looking at these two rare customers, especially since one was brought by a junior he knew, he had to entertain them no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath, tried to make the smile on his face look more natural, and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, Mapo Tofu, right? No problem!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please sit for a moment, I’ll go prepare it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he got up somewhat hurriedly, casually closed the old notebook that was spread open on the table, placed it on the table next to it somewhat casually, and then walked quickly to the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Natsume Chikage’s gaze followed the closed notebook that was emitting an alluring white light, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>",1213,"2026-06-15T07:10:31.195Z","2026-06-15T07:45:40.648Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","7a5d7047976957311b04a618fb5e7db9be6367108fbe6e8f8d1244279270e6bd","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-583","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-581",624,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-cover.jpg"]