Yurine couldn't stop eating either. The Baiji mo and the stewed pork had merged into a perfect whole, each enhancing the other, bringing the flavors of both the bun and the meat to their absolute peak. Every bite was filled with pure bliss.

"..." Ryohei made a Roujiamo for himself, brought it to his mouth, and took a large bite. The crispiness of the bun and the savory aroma of the meat were a perfect combination. The taste was absolutely divine. Ryohei himself was a little stunned by how good it was.

After a few more bites, he recalled the history and culture behind the dish. A smile appeared on his face, and he began to share with Yurine and Lucoa. "Roujiamo originated in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty, which is modern-day Xi'an. As an international metropolis, it saw merchants from the Western Regions bring over baking techniques for flatbreads like naan. These were combined with the local stewed pork, and seasonings like soy sauce and spices were added, creating the more refined version of Roujiamo we know today."

History paired with good food made the meal even more enjoyable. Yurine and Lucoa listened with great interest as they ate.

"The stewed pork itself can be traced back even earlier, to the Warring States period, though it was called 'hán ròu' or 'cold meat' back then," Ryohei continued. "The Rites of Zhou mentions that one of the 'Eight Treasures of the Zhou Dynasty' was a preserved meat that was the prototype for this dish. When the Qin Dynasty conquered the state of Han, the cooking technique was brought to Chang'an and passed down through generations. It wasn't until the Tang Dynasty that the name was changed to 'là ròu'..."

Listening to Ryohei's story, Yurine felt as if she had been transported back more than two thousand years to ancient China. She imagined herself as the young lady of a noble family. Her hair was piled high, held in place by a white jade hairpin carved with flowers. She wore a deep purple silk robe with a straight hem, the lapels embroidered with fine cloud patterns in gold thread. The tailored cut accentuated her graceful figure. Beneath it, a matching skirt fell to her ankles, and a wide, vermilion brocade sash cinched her waist, from which hung a white mutton-fat jade pendant.

"Look, they're coming!" Excited chatter suddenly filled the air around her. Today was the day the army of the Great Qin Empire returned triumphant after conquering the state of Han. The streets of Chang'an were crowded with people, all craning their necks in anticipation. Yurine, accompanied by a handmaiden, stood with the common folk, looking curiously towards the city gate.

The rhythmic sound of horse hooves echoed from the distance, growing louder and making the stone-paved ground tremble. The general at the head of the column wore a suit of black armor that glinted coldly in the sun. His black steed pranced proudly, a bronze sword at his side swaying with the horse's gait. As he drew closer, Yurine froze. The general had a handsome, chiseled face with sharp, sword-like eyebrows and eyes that burned like torches. His jawline was firm yet elegant.

He looks so familiar! I feel like I've seen him somewhere before!

Just then, as if by some unspoken connection, the young general turned his head and looked their way. Time seemed to thicken, and the surrounding noise faded like a receding tide. His gaze cut through the swirling dust and landed directly on Yurine. Their eyes met, and everything else in the world seemed to lose its color.

...

"Great General~, one more, please~" Lucoa purred, having finished the last bite of her Roujiamo. She licked her fingers seductively and gave Ryohei a teasing look.

Ryohei rolled his eyes at her. Holding his half-eaten Roujiamo, he gestured to the side. "Help yourself." The meat was stewed and the buns were baked. All that was left was to stuff them, which wasn't hard at all.

"Hehe!" Lucoa giggled and strode into the kitchen on her long, shapely legs.

By the time Ryohei and Yurine were finishing up, Minos and the Second had showered and come downstairs. They each took a Roujiamo, and the moment they bit into them, smiles bloomed on their faces.

'This is delicious!' The Second felt it was all worth it—staying in the human world and working so hard during her morning exercise.

...

After breakfast, Ryohei headed out with Minos and Lucoa. It was just past 7 AM, but the sun was already fierce. A heatwave rolled through the concrete jungle. There wasn't a breath of wind, and the stuffy heat was enough to make anyone irritable.

In front of the house, Ryohei opened the car door, letting the air conditioning blast away the accumulated heat inside. Once the temperature dropped a little, he called for the others to get in. As he fastened his seatbelt, he turned to Lucoa in the passenger seat. "Lucoa, where is Jashin-chan right now?" he asked, planning to pick her up first.

"Mmm... she's still in the apartment," Lucoa answered, adjusting the seatbelt that was straining against her chest. She lifted her left eyelid and glanced in a certain direction.

"Alright, you navigate."

...

Over half an hour later, Ryohei pulled up in front of an apartment building in the Chiyoda ward.

"They're in room 602," Lucoa said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She got out, rubbed her chest, and casually closed the car door.

"Got it," Ryohei replied. He led Lucoa and Minos into the building and took the elevator to the sixth floor. Standing in front of room 602, he glanced at the nameplate by the door, which read "Tachibana," and rang the doorbell.

Ding-dong!

"Coming," a familiar female police officer's voice called from inside.

Click!

The door opened to reveal Mei Tachibana, already in her police uniform. She blinked in surprise when she saw Ryohei and the others, then tilted her head and played dumb. "And you are? Can I help you with something? If you're here to file a report or for a consultation, please go to the police box. I'm not on duty yet."

"We're here to pick up Jashin-chan," Ryohei said, deadpan. He couldn't believe she was pretending not to know them. He cut straight to the chase.

"Hmm? There's no Jashin-chan here," Mei said with a puzzled expression, tilting her head again and waving her hands dismissively. She was so convincing that the average person would have believed her. Ryohei thought she really should have been an actress; her skills were at least professional grade, better than many celebrities he knew from his past life.

"My vassal!" Jashin-chan's tearful voice suddenly cried out from the end of the hallway, apparently having heard the commotion at the door.

"Hey, hey!" Mei's face contorted in panic. "Orochimaru, don't come out! Get back!" She quickly turned and, with her rear end stuck out, tried to push Jashin-chan back down the hall.

Jashin-chan was having none of it. She resisted with all her might, reaching a hand out towards the door. "Vassal, save me! Minos, save me! Lucoa...!" she cried, making it sound as if she had been kidnapped by criminals.

Ryohei sighed. He placed a hand on his hip and threatened, "Alright, that's enough. Give Jashin-chan back to us, or we're going to file a complaint with your supervisor."

"Eh?" Hearing the word "complaint," Mei immediately forgot about Jashin-chan and spun around. "That's a dirty trick!" she whined, then held out her hands, tears welling up in her eyes as she put on a pitiful act. "Please... don't report me! I'll give Orochimaru back, I promise!"

"She seems to really like you, huh?" Minos remarked, looking from Mei to Jashin-chan, who was now scrambling over and hiding behind them, patting her chest in relief.

Jashin-chan immediately flew into a rage. "Who wants her to like me?! I don't want to be liked by her!" Being liked by that woman was a death sentence! The woman was a total pervert!

~~~

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