Chapter 162: The “Meal” Cooked by Foxy
Water roared into the bathtub, heat slowly permeating the steamy air of the bathroom. Irene sat with her chin resting on her hands atop the washing machine, visibly bored as she waited.
Yu Sheng tested the temperature with his hand and turned up the hot water a bit more—this little doll didn’t mind the heat anyway.
“I want to use the shower too!” Irene suddenly shouted from behind.
“You think you can reach it?” Yu Sheng shot her a sideways glance. “You need both hands just to hold the showerhead, and you have to stand on a ladder to turn the valve—just soak in the tub quietly. Honestly, you can practically swim in there. Normal folks don’t get this kind of bath experience…”
“It’s not like I wanted to be this short!” Irene huffed. “If you’re so capable, make me a body that’s one meter sixty-seven!”
Yu Sheng didn’t bother replying. He was used to the constant grumbling of this Doll Lady.
Irene didn’t seem to mind his silence and quickly came up with another demand. “Then make me a smaller showerhead, like the ones for kids! And install an extra valve near the floor. You could set up a mini shower system in the corner of the stall. It wouldn’t even cost much…”
“Someday, someday,” Yu Sheng brushed her off casually as he stood and looked at her. “Water’s ready. Hop in—the towel’s hanging on the wall.”
“Got it,” Irene waved him off impatiently. She leapt down from the washing machine, then struggled her way to the edge of the tub. “I’m bathing now, get out get out—”
Yu Sheng flicked her tiny forehead and left the bathroom. Soon after, the sound of water running in the kitchen caught his attention. When he went to check, he found Miss Foxy scrubbing a scorched spatula in the sink.
She had just finished cleaning up the mess Irene had made earlier. Now, she was quietly washing up the aftermath in earnest.
Yu Sheng felt a wave of comfort wash over him. [Thank goodness this household doesn’t only have the chaos incarnate that is Irene. At least there’s one earnest girl who knows how to help.]
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Foxy turned and glanced at him. She quickly dried her hands on her tail, then proudly carried over a large bowl from the stove like she was presenting a treasure. “Benefactor, this is for you.”
Yu Sheng froze, staring at the bowl. For a full moment, he couldn’t even tell what the lump inside it was. Blankly, he looked up at the Fox Girl. “…What?”
“Even though Irene burned the stir-fry, I already finished cooking the rice!” Foxy beamed. “Try it, try it!”
Still mentally stuck on the idea of her being a sweet and helpful child, Yu Sheng stared in a daze as Foxy happily sought praise. Two seconds later, he forced himself to look down at the contents of the bowl again—this time making an active effort to associate that abomination with “food.”
In an instant, dread surged through him like a bursting dam.
“You cooked this?!” He instinctively took half a step back, as though another glance might reveal the food had sprouted eight eyes and a nest of tentacles. “What did you put in there?!”
The image was seared into his mind—a strange-colored stew sloshing with unidentifiable clumps: lifeless vegetables, slain chunks of meat, and…who knew what else, all floating in a soup that looked cursed. Even from a meter away, Yu Sheng could feel the aura of grievance wafting off the dish—like the ingredients were still howling in protest from beyond the grave.
And yet Foxy showed no concern whatsoever. She earnestly explained, “Just all the things I like to eat.”
Yu Sheng took a moment to process that. She had boiled all the things she liked. The key issue? She liked everything.
Honestly, if no one stopped her, she might even sample the seasoning packets and plastic wrappers…
By now, Foxy had already carried the stew of horrors to the dining table. Gleefully, she filled two bowls and turned back, brimming with anticipation.
For the first time, Yu Sheng discovered that even the gaze of an innocent “Silly Fox” could be crushing under the weight of expectation.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself forward and managed a feeble start to a protest: “Actually, I’m not really…”
But the second half of the sentence refused to leave his throat.
Foxy was still looking at him, eyes sparkling, clearly waiting for a compliment.
Expression deadened, Yu Sheng sat down. After a long inner struggle, he finally decided to take the plunge. [Well… everything came from the kitchen. It shouldn’t be lethal. It’s her first time cooking for me, after all. This concoction may have zero sanity value, but it’s packed with sincerity. Worst case, I’ll risk it this once.]
[But after this… I have to have a serious talk with her. At the very least, she needs to learn the basics of proper cooking before trying to make some gourmet monstrosity like this again.]
Yu Sheng inhaled deeply, his mind tangled in wild thoughts, then scooped up a spoonful of the soup and brought it to his lips.
And then he froze.
Foxy looked on, brimming with anticipation. “How is it, Benefactor? This was something Mother taught me. Though the ingredients here are all so different, I improvised based on my memory…”
Yu Sheng still didn’t respond, overwhelmed by sheer surprise.
The flavor—it wasn’t horrible?
Not that it was particularly delicious either, but it defied expectations. It was one of those surreal experiences where the sight of the dish screams [I’m doomed], yet the first bite makes you exclaim—Holy hell! This is actual food!
The kind where you close your eyes, and it tastes like a real meal.
“Not… bad?” Yu Sheng took another bite, then hesitantly nodded under Foxy’s hopeful gaze. “The taste is… unique. I’ve never had anything like it, but I think it’s alright.”
As he spoke, he gradually got used to ignoring the shifting colors and the ever-wriggling blobs in the bowl. In fact, he was even starting to savor it a little.
Foxy beamed at his words. Though it wasn’t exactly high praise, she clearly took it as heartfelt validation. Turning around, she rummaged in her tail and retrieved two fuzzy little Chicks, placing them on the table. She filled a tiny bowl with some of the soup’s solid contents. “You two eat as well~”
Yu Sheng stared, bewildered. “…They can eat this? You’re just feeding them like that?”
“They should be fine,” Foxy replied casually. “We used to feed the Xuanling Plume Sparrows at home the same way.”
Something about that didn’t sit right with Yu Sheng, but before he could say anything, the two clueless Chicks had already started pecking at the food—chirping away happily as they ate.
They seemed fine.
Yu Sheng glanced at the scene, decided not to question it further, and quietly resumed eating.
Foxy, too, looked pleased and content as she returned to her meal.
Truth be told, she had been nervous. Recreating a dish based on decades-old memories was one thing, but doing so with unfamiliar tools, bizarre ingredients, and in a foreign environment? She wasn’t expecting much.
Mother’s original recipe produced shiny golden pellets. Her version? A bubbling soup.
But luckily, the Benefactor seemed to like it.
Plain Boiled and Salt Baked liked it too.
Once the meal was done, Yu Sheng let out a satisfied belch, rubbing his stomach. Maybe it was the nap earlier, but he felt energized, refreshed.
The two Chicks waddled across the table, clearly digesting. Occasionally, they paused at the edge, looking up at Yu Sheng and Foxy curiously, chirping with delight.
Foxy beckoned, and the pair obediently scurried back, disappearing into her tail.
“Is Irene still not done with her bath?” Yu Sheng glanced toward the bathroom. “She better not have drowned in the tub…”
Just as the words left his mouth, a voice called out from the living room, where the television was playing. “You drowned! I’m drying my hair! You know how long it is!”
Yu Sheng blinked and turned in surprise. “Oh, right! I forgot there’s another you in the living room! Why didn’t you come eat?”
Irene sauntered over, leaning against the dining room doorway and rolling her eyes. “I got one look at that thing and decided it doesn’t count as food.”
“It actually tastes fine…”
Yu Sheng muttered awkwardly. He watched as Irene moved to the bathroom door, grabbed a stool, climbed up, and pulled open the latch—releasing the other Irene inside. The little doll emerged wrapped in a towel, her hair damp, holding her black dress, and pattered over to the table. “Yu Sheng! I’m done washing!”
“…Still can’t get used to having two of you at home,” Yu Sheng muttered, eyeing the dress. “What happened to your clothes?”
“Got burned through in a few spots. Can you patch them up for me?”
“Isn’t that dress something you mimic into existence? Can’t you just transform it back?”
“Once it’s mimicked, it becomes regular clothing,” Irene said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you have any common sense?”
Yu Sheng: “…?”
Is that something Humans are supposed to know?!
He gave the little doll a perplexed look, then sighed and took the dress from her. “Fine, hand it over… but don’t expect much. You know my sewing skills. After I patch it up, it’ll probably still look like crap. Maybe I should just head to Wan Xiang Ji Mall and buy you a couple new ones. They should have clothes for 1/3 dolls. Probably your size.”
“Yay! You’re finally buying me something!” Irene lit up instantly and dashed back to the bathroom, returning with a hairdryer. “Now dry my hair!”
Yu Sheng: “…I swear I must owe you something in a past life!”