Chapter 1

Neon, Tokyo, Taito-ku.

Amidst the orange sunset casting its glow over the bustling shopping street, a boy in a middle school uniform skillfully rode his bicycle, weaving through the crowd.

"I'm back!"

In a secluded residential alley, the boy casually tossed his bicycle in front of a half-open restaurant. If one paid attention, they would notice a sign in traditional Chinese characters hanging at the entrance, reading “Chinese Cuisine.”

The narrow shop was empty, and no one responded to him. Xia Yu had long grown accustomed to this.

About two years ago, Xia Yu, who had made a grand vow before bed to eat until he vomited, mysteriously woke up as a first-year student at Baiai Junior High School in Tokyo.

From initial panic and unease to eventual adaptation, Xia Yu only took one semester.

If asked for advice, since he had been forced into this situation, what else could he do but enjoy it? Complaining and sighing like a bitter woman, or seeking death, would be pointless. Xia Yu simply chuckled at the thought:

Be optimistic!

Fortunately, in this life, Xia Yu was still Xia Yu, and the blood of the Chinese people still flowed within him. However, unlike his previous life, where he had nothing to his name and only needed to worry about himself, in this life, he had a grandfather who was both loved and feared.

Crossing through the shop to the backyard, sure enough, an old man with white hair sat on a tatami mat. Hearing the footsteps behind him, the old man slowly opened his eyes and pointed to the teapot on the low table beside him, "You're back? Boil some water and make tea."

This was standard Mandarin.

"Okay."

Xia Yu responded, picked up the teapot, and instead of going to the faucet, he entered the kitchen and scooped water from an old water tank into the teapot, then placed it on the gas stove.

Gurgling.

After a short while, the teapot began to emit rolling steam. Xia Yu looked at the teapot, his eyes momentarily lost in thought.

Having been in this world for two years, Tokyo seemed to be the same as he remembered, but some undeniable details in daily life reminded Xia Yu that this world was not as simple as it appeared.

For example...

Xia Yu glanced at the old water tank in the kitchen.

The shop was already small, and the kitchen was even more cramped. The old water tank took up too much space, which seemed unreasonable.

As the sky grew darker, Xia Yu didn't rush to turn on the lights. Instead, he stood quietly for a moment, waiting for the sunset to fade from the kitchen. In the dim space, the old water tank suddenly emitted a few sparkling points of light, which left the water and floated in the air.

This was not a problem with the water; Xia Yu was very clear about that. He casually turned off the gas stove, not in a hurry to make tea for the old man. Instead, he glanced at the courtyard outside, quickly reached into the water tank, and fished out a gemstone that shimmered like a night pearl in the darkness.

In his hand was a wet and slippery stone, about the size of an egg.

Sighing, Xia Yu touched the stone and then threw it back into the water tank. Without looking back, he picked up the teapot from the gas stove and left.

He had asked the old man about the stone multiple times, using every method possible, but the old man remained tight-lipped. This frustrated Xia Yu, who had been reborn.

Damn it, this wasn't the treatment a reborn person should receive. Something must have gone wrong. Over the past two years, Xia Yu had suffered greatly. Not only was he treated like a workhorse by the old man, but he also suffered from severe sleep deprivation. He would sleep during class, earning him the nickname "Sleep Demon," which he carried through his three years at Baiai Junior High. Today, Xia Yu had just taken the internal entrance exam for Baiai High School, and he hoped that after the spring break and the start of the new school year in April, he could shed this nickname.

Damn it!

Despite his active thoughts, Xia Yu now sat with lowered eyes and a respectful demeanor, kneeling on a tatami mat beside the low table, making tea for the old man.

The tea leaves were bought from the shopping street, and the shop owner was also an old man. Every time Xia Yu ran errands, the tea shop owner would smile and bring out a small bag from the back room, acting quite mysteriously.

Speaking of the shopping street, this was the Ameyokocho in Ueno. During the day, it was filled with fresh and cheap seafood, and at night, it turned into a bustling night market where almost anything could be bought. However, after a few rounds, Xia Yu lost interest. It was no different from the night markets in China, except that the medical and cosmetic products were more reliable. Other items, such as clothing, were heavily imitated and looked cheap and tacky, though the prices were low.

The tea aroma wafted.

After making the tea, Xia Yu poured a cup for the old man and one for himself. As the tea flowed down his throat, his long-depleted body suddenly surged with a mysterious energy. At that moment, Xia Yu felt like an indestructible cockroach, and tears streamed down his face.

"Alright, go to work." The old man waved his hand, eyes closed.

"Okay."

Xia Yu wiped away his tears and stood up, glancing at the pile of ingredients outside the kitchen. He walked up the narrow stairs to the second-floor room to change into his work clothes.

As usual, he opened the wardrobe, but he quickly withdrew his hand as if electrocuted. He looked at his right hand, which had a cut almost spanning his palm, deep but strangely without any blood.

"Damn, did the door come loose?" Xia Yu clutched his injured hand, grimacing in pain and anger. He then removed the entire wardrobe door.

However, the door, when placed on the ground, was smooth, with no sharp nails or other mysterious protrusions.

This is impossible!

Xia Yu was confused, thinking he might be hallucinating. He glanced at his right hand, and the noticeable cut was still there, with no blood.

"Beep, system detection in progress, binding procedure initiated, completed."

What the hell?!

Xia Yu, who was about to find a first-aid kit, froze, exclaiming, "System?"

"Host, I am here."

The electronic voice in his head appeared again. This time, Xia Yu focused, confirming it was not a hallucination. He was stunned, taking a while to calm down and collect himself.

Since he had already experienced rebirth, what else was impossible? Xia Yu thought to himself and immediately became calm. With nothing to lose, he sat on the bed and asked, "Where are you in my body?"

"The system chip has been implanted in your brain."

Xia Yu's lips twitched. He glanced at his injured right hand and touched the back of his head. Could the chip have traveled from his arm to his brain? Just thinking about it made him shiver.

"Introduce yourself."

"The system is designed to cultivate a culinary master..."

Beep.

As the electronic voice answered, a character attribute box appeared on Xia Yu's retina:

"Host: Xia Yu.

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Physical Attributes: Level 9 (Strength, Dexterity, Burst, Reflexes, etc.)

Culinary Skills: Level 1 [Beginner]

Fame: 0 (This is related to the host's fame, exposure, and achievements, and can be used to purchase items in the system store.)

(Level 100 is the maximum. Therefore, you are just a beginner in the culinary world, only understanding the basics of ingredient handling, and have not yet cooked any dishes independently. At best, you are a kitchen apprentice.)

..."

"What is this!"

Seeing the evaluation at the bottom of the data, Xia Yu's face burned with embarrassment.

He was a food lover, enjoying eating, which led him to make a grand vow and be reborn here. But who said that a food lover must be a chef?

This was just Xia Yu's inner pride. Most food lovers naturally hoped to have good culinary skills. The culinary master system was a ray of light in Xia Yu's aimless life, and he saw hope!

What a dramatic turning point in life!

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(PS: New author, new book, please recommend and collect!)

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