Starting a New Life in Tokyo by Inheriting a Shopping Street [42]

Compared to the extravagant breakfast, dinner was simpler—relatively speaking, of course. It was Mrs. Akiyama’s specialty, tonkotsu ramen.

As soon as he stepped into the shop, Chiba Shuuichi was captivated by the rich, irresistible aroma. His stomach immediately protested with a growl, mouth rapidly filling with saliva.

Any temptation posed by a little maid was instantly forgotten.

After all, one had to be well-fed first, then... hmm-hmm.

Walking straight to the counter, he greeted Mrs. Akiyama, who was preparing bowls of ramen, with a grin. “This aroma stopped me in my tracks. I'm practically drooling already.”

Mrs. Akiyama laughed brightly at his compliment. “Chiba-kun, you’re just as much a glutton as An-chan! It'll be ready soon, no need to rush.”

“Honestly, I used to survive on bread and milk. It's your cooking that's spoiled me—now I've become picky,” Shuuichi teased.

Delighted by his words, Mrs. Akiyama replied cheerfully, “Then I'll have to put extra care into your meals from now on. You're still a bit thin, Chiba-kun, so eat plenty.”

“As long as it's made by Mrs. Akiyama, I'll eat until I can't move,” Shuuichi responded sincerely.

The 300% boost at breakfast had already provided him with unprecedented culinary delight.

Now the ramen shop had a 500% boost—what sort of divine taste awaited him? It was almost unimaginable!

If the shop's bonus eventually reached 1000%, would one bite send him straight to heaven?

Every cook took pride in their dishes being enjoyed. The more delicious the food, the more satisfaction they felt.

Happily humming to herself after hearing Shuuichi’s praise, Mrs. Akiyama quickly and efficiently served the ramen for the three kids.

Akiyama Tsuki eyed Shuuichi suspiciously. Flattering Mom like that—he’s definitely scheming something involving An-chan. He usually isn’t so expressive.

Even An-chan said he was rather quiet in class, not particularly noticeable.

Seating was the same as this morning. Akiyama An had long since sprawled onto the counter, eagerly awaiting the meal, literally drooling.

Shuuichi merely said he was drooling; An actually was.

“Wipe your mouth! What kind of manners are those?” Tsuki scolded her sister with a frown.

“Today’s ramen smells sooo good...” An wiped her mouth with her sleeve, grabbed chopsticks impatiently, and mumbled, “Itadakimasu!”

And immediately started devouring her bowl.

Tsuki shook her head helplessly. Her younger sister was truly hopeless; Chiba-kun definitely wouldn’t be interested in such a clumsy—huh?

Turning her head, she was shocked to see Shuuichi eating even faster than An! He had already shoved a piece of char siu pork into his mouth, eyes closed, chewing blissfully.

He looked completely entranced!

At this moment, Shuuichi’s mind was devoid of women; there was only the tonkotsu ramen before him.

An extra 200% boost seemed to have elevated the ramen to a transcendent level. The indescribably delicious taste rendered words meaningless, reminiscent of the legendary dishes from cooking manga.

The broth, meticulously simmered, extracted the essence from pork bones, exuding a uniquely rich fragrance that heightened his appetite.

Even the simple soft-boiled egg and seaweed took on exquisite flavors in this bowl, let alone the noodles themselves.

What did "springy noodles" mean?

Shuuichi finally understood today.

“How is it, Chiba-kun?” Mrs. Akiyama asked sweetly.

But Shuuichi had no time to reply. He noisily slurped noodles, which only pleased her even more.

Seeing Shuuichi completely engrossed in eating and ignoring her, Tsuki grew displeased. Under the counter, she subtly nudged his leg with hers, signaling it was time to do something exciting. He shouldn’t just focus on eating.

At least put your hands to use!

But Shuuichi paid her no heed. Annoyed by her distracting leg, he shifted slightly away.

Just don’t interrupt my ramen!

Tsuki instantly felt wounded. She was a campus goddess, wasn't she? Was she actually less appealing than a bowl of ramen?

She took the initiative to flirt, and he found her annoying?

This was really...

Really...

Wait... oh no, now I’m getting excited again…

Completely unaware that his indifference had unexpectedly aroused the perverted student council president beside him, Shuuichi continued his fervent ramen consumption.

Though he usually had a small appetite, today he devoured everything, including the broth and even the bits of chopped scallion. Still, he felt unsatisfied.

“Another bowl!” Two voices called out simultaneously.

Tsuki squeezed her legs together, lost in her own excitement, having not yet taken a bite, while the two beside her were already ordering second servings.

Mrs. Akiyama eagerly set down her chopsticks, happily taking their bowls, her face glowing with adorable pride. “Well? Is Mom’s cooking tasty?”

“Mmm-hmm!” An eagerly nodded.

“Class Rep's right,” Shuuichi chimed in.

Only after serving their second bowls did Mrs. Akiyama and her eldest daughter begin eating their own ramen.

After a single taste, Mrs. Akiyama lovingly touched her cheek, exclaiming dreamily, “As expected of me! I’m amazing!”

“Indeed. Your cooking is beyond words,” Shuuichi praised sincerely between bites. Who knew—perhaps making Mrs. Akiyama happy might boost her sense of belonging?

Tsuki tasted the soup and secretly marveled: So this is the flavor more enticing than me? This is too good—what kind of ‘play’ is this?

This dinner filled Shuuichi to bursting, leaving him happily leaning against the counter as he prepared to leave.

A perverted student council president? A seductive little maid? What were those compared to this?

No wonder the ancients said, “Appetite and lust are human nature.”

Putting food first made perfect sense!

Watching Shuuichi leave without even glancing back, Tsuki immediately imagined this as another form of neglect play, excitedly enjoying herself alone for a bit before suddenly remembering her young master’s orders.

“An-chan, go upstairs and study if you’re finished eating,” she sternly instructed her sister, who was comfortably rubbing her round belly, leaning back in her chair.

“I'll rest a bit… It feels amazing right now… I'll study later,” An waved lazily, licking her lips, savoring the meal's aftertaste.

“No. Right now, immediately. Upstairs!” Tsuki narrowed her eyes, shooting her sister a fierce glare.

Pouting, An sluggishly slid off her chair and begrudgingly headed upstairs.

Once her sister was gone, Tsuki turned to her mother, who was cleaning behind the counter. “Mom, do we have any goji berries?”

“Goji berries?” Mrs. Akiyama froze, looking back at her daughter with an odd expression. “Why are you suddenly asking about that?”

Tsuki, unaware of the implications and assuming it was merely a special food Chiba-kun liked, said straightforwardly:

“Tomorrow morning, could you add some to Chiba-kun’s food—or maybe prepare it as tea?”

Mrs. Akiyama’s expression grew even stranger. Her daughter suddenly asking her mother to feed goji berries to a male classmate—no matter how you looked at it, wasn’t this a bit suspicious?

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This is a fan translation of 从继承商店街开始东京生活 by 净消尘土 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!