[{"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-583":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},1952558,2739,"Chapter 583","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-583",583,"\u003Cp>This shop used an open kitchen design.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wooden bar counter, half a person’s height, clearly separated the kitchen work area from the customer dining area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every move the chef made inside could be seen clearly by the customers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage sat on a high stool in front of the bar counter, his gaze naturally cast toward the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the shop owner Yamashita Yujiro wearing an apron, his expression exceptionally focused, even carrying a hint of piety, busy in front of the stove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He first cut the tofu into square cubes of uniform size, his movements cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he heated the oil in the pot, added peppercorns and bean paste, and the rich aroma rose with a “sizzle” sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stir-fried the minced meat and controlled the heat, every step meticulous, as if performing some kind of ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the other party handle the ingredients and control the heat so attentively, Natsume Chikage couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shop left by an old friend once recognized by Grandpa Ando, what would the taste… actually be like?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Two steaming servings of Mapo Tofu in white porcelain bowls were solemnly placed on the bar counter in front of the two by Yamashita Yujiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red, oily sauce wrapped around the snow-white tofu and dark minced meat, with emerald green chopped green onions dotted on top, the spicy and fresh aroma rushed toward them, and the color was alluring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although shop owner Yamashita Yujiro had made up his mind to give up the path of a chef and turn to full-time music, he always had an obsession in his heart regarding the dish “Mapo Tofu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is… to do his best to restore the taste that his father made back then, which made the old neighbors praise it, and which even the old gentleman Ando Toshio often missed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, even though the business was bleak, he would occasionally practice secretly in private and adjust repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, seeing the granddaughter of the Ando family bring a friend specifically to come, and order this dish, he couldn’t help but feel nervous, his hands gripping the hem of his apron under the counter subconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were full of anxiety and anticipation, staring tightly at the expressions of the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru and Natsume Chikage looked at the Mapo Tofu in front of them, which was overflowing with aroma and had an alluring red color, and both nodded secretly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least from the two aspects of “color” and “aroma,” it was quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two didn’t say much and each picked up a spoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage scooped up a small spoonful of tofu mixed with sauce and minced meat, and carefully placed it on the steaming white rice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he sent it into his mouth along with the rice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the spicy and fresh taste exploded on the tip of his tongue, the tofu was soft and smooth, the minced meat was crispy and fragrant, the numbness of the peppercorns and the spiciness of the chili were intertwined quite balanced, it was a qualified taste of home-cooked Mapo Tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yamashita Yujiro leaned forward slightly, his voice carrying obvious tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think… of the taste? Is it suitable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage himself was not afraid of spicy food, and after tasting it carefully, he nodded and gave an objective evaluation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, the taste is quite good, it has both numbness, spiciness, and freshness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru had also tasted the Mapo Tofu Yamashita Yujiro made in the early days, and in comparison, she indeed felt a significant improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She swallowed the food in her mouth, gave a thumbs up, and showed a sincere smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s really delicious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compared to what you made before, Yamashita-brother, it’s much better! Such a big improvement!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the evaluation of the two, especially Ando Chizuru’s comparative praise, a relieved and bright smile instantly bloomed on Yamashita Yujiro’s face, and his eyes lit up a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But immediately, as if remembering something, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, and in the end, he couldn’t help but ask cautiously, carrying a bit of anticipation and uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since that’s the case… Chizuru-chan, do you think… if I use this level of Mapo Tofu to go and challenge your grandfather again… this time, is there a possibility of success?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ando Chizuru put down her spoon, a serious thinking expression on her small face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She scratched her cheek with her finger, looking a bit troubled, and finally shook her head honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… I can’t say for sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandfather’s requirements for Mapo Tofu are really, really tricky, you know that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However,” she changed the subject, her tone becoming affirmative, “it’s really much, much better than before! I think… Yamashita-brother, you can really go and try again! Maybe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he didn’t get an affirmative answer, being able to hear such encouragement before deciding to close the shop, especially the affirmation from the junior of the Ando family, Yamashita Yujiro already felt very relieved and satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down at his hands stained with oil, then looked up at the deserted shop, complex emotions flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as if he had made some kind of determination, he slapped the bar counter hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah! You’re right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve decided, I’ll take it over now and let your grandfather try it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-now? Right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yamashita Yujiro nodded heavily in the affirmative, a long-lost fighting spirit burning in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right! Right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately turned back to the kitchen, quickly and carefully packing the Mapo Tofu he had specifically made extra and kept warm just now into a thermal food box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he didn’t even have time to say much to Natsume Chikage and Ando Chizuru, just hurriedly shouted “Please make yourselves at home!” and rushed out of the shop door like a gust of wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru looked at the direction of the instantly empty shop door, stunned for a few seconds, and then her heart “thumped,” a surge of panic welling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly realized that if… if Yamashita-brother really succeeded in the challenge this time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn’t that mean that the “Water-Chanting” kitchen knife that Natsume-brother wanted would belong to Yamashita-brother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She subconsciously turned her head, wanting to say something to Natsume Chikage to express her worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she was surprised to find that Natsume Chikage was still sitting in his original seat, his expression unusually calm, even one could say indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was unhurriedly using a spoon to mix the Mapo Tofu and rice, eating the food in front of him quietly and focusedly, as if the matter just now had nothing to do with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru was stunned, and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Natsume-brother… a-aren’t you worried?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if… what if Yamashita-brother really succeeds?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, wouldn’t you… be unable to get the Water-Chanting kitchen knife you want, Natsume-brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage swallowed the food in his mouth, put down his spoon, picked up the water glass next to him and took a sip, then turned to look at Ando Chizuru, smiled indifferently, and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I get it, it’s my luck; if I lose it, it’s my fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Yamashita-san can use his own efforts and heart to make a taste that is truly recognized by your grandfather, then it means that kitchen knife perhaps should have belonged to him in the first place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru didn’t expect Natsume Chikage to have such an open-minded and calm attitude, and was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at his calm side profile and frank eyes, for a time, the liking and admiration in her heart increased quietly by a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even thought to herself: If… if that really happens, she would go back and ask her mother to see if there are any other good knives at home that are not inferior to “Water-Chanting,” and she must find a way to give them to Chikage-brother!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About a few minutes later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shop door was pushed open again, and the wind chime made a dull sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yamashita Yujiro walked back with his head down and heavy steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expression on his face was completely different from the high fighting spirit when he left, full of loss and frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat back in his original position behind the bar counter silently, his whole person as if his strength had been drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage and Ando Chizuru, even if Yamashita Yujiro hadn’t said a word yet, just looking at his dejected and dim-eyed appearance, already understood the result in their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The challenge… failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yamashita Yujiro covered his face hard with both hands, his fingers deeply inserted into his hair, and was silent for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he let out a long, bitter sigh, his voice hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I really don’t have any talent for cooking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clearly… clearly I tried my best to follow the recipe left by my father, but I still couldn’t restore even a bit of the taste my father made back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandfather Ando… he… was still the same as before, took a bite and put down the spoon, shook his head, and didn’t say anything… didn’t give any face at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He put down his hands, revealing a tired and resigned face, and looked at this shop that carried half of his father’s life’s hard work, but was now empty, with a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems that the decision I made was right… closing the shop, it was indeed right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ando Chizuru looked at him like this, feeling very uncomfortable in her heart, and quickly spoke to comfort him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yamashita-brother, don’t say that… I think the Mapo Tofu you made is really quite good, even better than what my mother makes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish her sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yamashita Yujiro waved his hand, interrupting her, the bitter smile on his face deepening, carrying a kind of clear-headed self-analysis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How my culinary skills are, I know best in my heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s more, if it were really good, the shop wouldn’t be like this now, unable to keep a single customer, deserted like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And…” he paused, his tone becoming calm, but even more lonely, “this shop, I actually asked the bank to handle the mortgage and transfer procedures a long time ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Chizuru-chan, you really don’t need to comfort me. This path doesn’t suit me, I should have seen it clearly a long time ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ando Chizuru opened her mouth, but finally swallowed her words, her expression full of regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage’s face also looked a bit strange; he didn’t expect this shop to have reached the point of transfer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still maintained politeness, asking with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, Yamashita-san, since you don’t plan to continue running the restaurant, do you have any new plans for the future?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning future plans, a glimmer of light seemed to reignite in Yamashita Yujiro’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He straightened his back, and a look of anticipation and vitality, completely different from just now, appeared on his face, even somewhat beaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, I have always liked music more! Since I was a child!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And, in terms of music, I seem to have a bit of talent. Some time ago, I submitted some of the works I created to a music company…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone became excited, “Unexpectedly! I was actually accepted by a pretty good music company! They recognized my arrangement and creation ability!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, I plan to work full-time as a music producer after closing the shop! This is the path I truly want to walk!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1930,"2026-06-15T07:10:31.195Z","2026-06-15T07:45:40.648Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","d34934da99ed14dbb8a230d965076c6fc36d7b855b73e040ff3d2b2bfe8dc791","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-584","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-582",624,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-cover.jpg"]