After that day's attack on Akai Shuichi.
He never came to find him again.
Lin Yi knew that Akai Shuichi had completely fallen for his trick.
Lin Yi had already spread a layer of camouflage over himself.
To make Akai Shuichi believe that he was an ignorant high school student used as bait by Vermouth, and let the organization continue to take the blame.
He put all the hatred on Vermouth.
The intelligence gap between the two sides was too large, and coupled with the fact that Akai Shuichi and Vermouth originally had grievances.
It was normal for Akai Shuichi to be fooled, it would be a problem if he wasn't.
In short, unless something happened, he wouldn't come looking for him again.
He had completely extracted himself from the organization's affairs, which was simply awesome.
Lin Yi was in a great mood, and once a person's mood improved, other good things would follow.
For example, a few days ago, he casually bragged to Ai that he went out secretly in the middle of the night to date Yoko Okino.
Then, at noon today, Lin Yi received a call from Yoko Okino, who asked Lin Yi to fulfill what he had promised – to cook her a meal.
To this, Lin Yi certainly agreed.
Opening the treasure chests accumulated during this period, the ordinary treasure chests didn't yield anything new, so I won't write about them.
The silver treasure chest opened up a favorability event card and a hypnosis card, which nicely replenished a wave of inventory.
The golden treasure chests brushed out from Sayuri and Kazumi opened up two skill upgrade scrolls in one go.
Good steel should be used on the blade.
Lin Yi unhesitatingly used the skill upgrade scrolls on cooking skills, upgrading intermediate cooking skills to special-grade cooking skills.
Lin Yi successfully advanced to a special-grade chef!
Good!
Tonight!
I'll let you see what's called luminous cuisine!
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Evening.
After Yoko Okino finished her itinerary for the day, she even turned down an invitation from a good friend in order to rush back and taste Lin Yi's cooking.
"Yoko, are you really not going to attend?"
Mizunashi Rena said to Ono Yoko: "Tonight's banquet is hosted by the Tomio Group. Every up-and-coming young man in Tokyo will be there."
"If you can find your other half here, maybe you'll be like Fujimine Yukiko—retire early and live the life you want."
"Sorry, I'm just too tired…"
Ono Yoko pressed her palms together, cheeks flushed with apology: "My schedule's been packed solid this month… I finally have a couple of days off. I don't want to do anything but lie at home and rest."
"I see… all right, then."
Mizunashi Rena understood. "In that case, I'll ask someone else."
"Sorry…"
Ono Yoko apologized again and again: "Next time drinks are on me."
"It's a deal!"
Mizunashi Rena nodded with a smile. The moment she turned away the smile vanished; when she spotted another starlet, Kusano Kaoru, she brightened again.
She walked up. "Kaoru, coming with me tonight? The Tomio Group banquet—lots of elite guests."
…After stepping out of her manager Yamagishi's car, Ono Yoko waved. "Drive safe."
"Will do. Get some real rest, Yoko."
Yamagishi Eiichi was about to leave when he noticed her apartment lights on. He froze. "Yoko… why are your lights on? Did someone break in?"
The memory of Fujie Yoshiyuki's suicide in her apartment still haunted Yamagishi—not the death itself, but the cleanup.
He'd bent over backwards to keep the police from reporting it.
And because he'd failed to protect his talent, the Agency had chewed him out royally.
He couldn't bear another incident.
Ono Yoko glanced up and smiled. "I invited a few high-school friends over… rare break, you know."
"Ah… good." He exhaled. "Just don't disturb the neighbors, or I'll be in trouble."
"I know. I'll head up now."
…Her building was a luxury high-rise.
There was key-card access, but she'd warned the manager friends were coming and left a spare key.
If she waited for Lin Yi to cook after she got back it'd be too late.
What would he make? Would he know what she liked?
Heart fluttering, she rode the elevator to the 25th floor and unlocked her door.
She shut it, stepped into the entry, saw Lin Yi's shoes—and for no reason felt nervous.
This was the first time she'd let a man into her home.
Slipping off her shoes, she reached the living room and caught the aroma drifting from the kitchen.
She inhaled deeply. "Smells amazing~~"
As the hottest idol around, she'd guested on countless variety shows.
Many were food programs; she even had her own four-minute morning cooking segment.
She knew good food.
Knowing and doing were different—she could never replicate the dishes.
Great cooking took hundreds of tries.
One sniff told her whatever was in there would be delicious.
Layered fragrances mingled—when you smelled that, the dish always tasted incredible.
She tossed her bag on the sofa and hurried in—only to be hit by chili fumes. "Cough… wow, spicy… are you making mapo tofu?"
"Yep."
Lin Yi grinned. "You said on TV you love mapo tofu, so I made you a special one."
"Really?"
She hadn't told him her favorite dish, yet he knew—her heart danced.
"Almost ready… wait outside."
He didn't act like a guest; he behaved like her boyfriend—no polite small talk, just easy intimacy.
"Mm… I'll change, then."
She skipped to her room, humming happily.
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