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Even if she wasn't a love-struck fool, the other party clearly wanted to use him as a shield, and that was just not going to fly. Renz used to be a Solo-King, a true straight man who'd been single since birth, and words like "gentle and considerate" were probably quite foreign to him. He wouldn't indulge someone just because he found them cute. His own daughter, Rina Nakiri, was a prime example of someone who would act cute to win her parents' favor and avoid punishment after making mistakes.
However, Renz would still punish her when necessary; he always took education seriously. Don't try that routine with him, it's useless!
And out of his distrust for this school—after all, a dorm full of "gentleman" roommates popped up right away—Renz suspected that the girls he'd encounter at this school might also be problematic. Therefore, he'd interrupt their "skill casting" if he could and absolutely avoid getting involved if possible.
His phone rang. Renz picked it up.
"Hello, is that Renz? How's the school the club arranged for you?" a kindly voice said from the other end of the line. "According to the contract terms, we've already selected a school for you and paid for the first semester's tuition. For the subsequent semesters, Renz, you'll have to cover the costs yourself." The manager hung up after saying this, seemingly not wanting to give Renz a chance to speak.
Such unusual behavior. Renz suddenly remembered that Private Hachiko Academy was a private school and used to be an aristocratic girls' school. Although it now allowed co-education and accepted students from low-income families, as an international student, and with the club's help in finding the school, he couldn't possibly be under the low-income student terms.
Without any hesitation, Renz was certain he'd been tricked. After all, towards the end of his time at the club, their conflicts had become unresolvable. Now, they were merely fulfilling the terms of the contract. It was highly plausible that the club wanted to make things difficult for him.
If the club paid for the first semester and he had to pay for the rest, and if the tuition for non-low-income students was high, then his situation would be very grim. This naive young man, the club really played him for a fool. His past self had likely acted stubbornly, staying in Japan to work odd jobs and study. Of course, there was another option: giving up his studies abroad and returning home. But the club certainly wouldn't have paid for his plane ticket.
This meant that, following Erina's timeline, the most probable scenario was that he slowly learned some cooking skills while working, intending to earn enough money for a plane ticket back home or to study while working. Then, in the process of learning to cook, he would come into contact with Totsuki Academy and gradually get to know Erina. He was also a streamer who broadcasted on and off. This indirectly confirmed that he had also worked as a streamer for a period. Some things he couldn't figure out in the future were slowly starting to become clear.
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What would happen if it were his former self? Renz closed his eyes. After taking the call, he would be in a very anxious state. In that situation, Renz would choose to solve problems before they escalated, so he would leave the school to look for work, preparing a backup plan for himself.
Yes! He walked along the street with the mindset of looking for work. Renz's eyes constantly scanned the storefronts on both sides of the street. After wandering for about ten minutes, he came across a secluded street.
"Hey, young man, want to grab a bite?" a man with flowing red hair and a chef's apron greeted him. "You look distracted. Did you encounter some difficulty?"
It was Yukihira Diner. A seemingly ordinary restaurant. And the person in front of him was... Joichiro Yukihira! The wandering chef, a true genius, a pioneer, a revolutionary in the culinary world. Renz had to maintain his reputation for a long time before he surpassed him in culinary history.
How could he be here?! Renz knew him. In the future, after Renz officially took over the Nakiri family's main business, Joichiro Yukihira had casually mentioned something during a conversation, confirming that Renz had met Joichiro Yukihira once in the past. However, Renz had never known how they met and could only nod along familiarly during their conversations.
"I can't afford the tuition, so I'm looking for a job," Renz suddenly felt he had grasped an important clue, and he blurted out.
On his retina, the Life Simulator showed a red progress bar appearing on Erina's life path (97% (5%)), slowly covering the initial starting point of the previously all-blue bar.
"Is that so?" The red-haired man scratched his head. "I might not be able to help you much, but... would you like to try my cooking?"
"Do I have to pay?" Renz asked, as if possessed.
"Hahaha, no need," he laughed heartily. "Although I don't know your situation, and I can't comfort you much, life isn't always smooth sailing. It's normal to encounter some setbacks occasionally."
"If you get discouraged and dejected over trivial matters, then that life is truly a failure."
He was going to travel the world and leave the country tomorrow. Encountering a young man the same age as his son, walking along the road looking 'lost,' he thought that Soma Yukihira probably wouldn't be able to return to the diner, and the remaining ingredients would just go to waste. So, why not make a dish?
The red-haired owner walked into the kitchen. Blazing flames flickered on the stove. With skilled movements and the sounds of stir-frying, a fragrant fried rice dish soon filled the entire room. No wonder Soma Yukihira had such an optimistic personality. It must have been influenced by his father.
"One last plate of teppanyaki squid fried rice, please enjoy, customer," Joichiro Yukihira said with a hearty laugh.
Renz picked up his chopsticks and slowly savored the dish. When a person in their most anxious state encounters delicious food, at this moment, he should start to develop an interest in cooking.
"Where can I learn to cook?" Renz asked.
"If you want to learn to cook, Totsuki Academy is the best choice," Joichiro Yukihira replied. "My son, Soma Yukihira, is also there."
"However, if you want to enter Totsuki Academy, you can't do it without some basic skills," Joichiro Yukihira continued. "From your appearance, you probably haven't learned to cook, have you?"
"There are many restaurants nearby. You can choose to go in and be a prep cook or something, and see if you have a chance to learn something."
"If you really have the talent, you'll quickly be able to enter Totsuki Academy." Joichiro Yukihira actually wasn't optimistic about someone who had never learned to cook being able to reach the top overnight, but why say such hurtful words? A little encouragement. What if he succeeded?
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The unexpected meeting with Joichiro Yukihira and the appearance of the "red progress bar" on Renz's Life Simulator adds an intriguing new layer to his journey. The red bar might symbolize a new path, challenge, or critical decision affecting Erina's and possibly Renz's fate.
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"Heres the 2nd bonus chapter "
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