Chapter 428: Rainbow on the Dining Table!
Japan's "Nanakusa no Sekku" (Festival of Seven Herbs), also known as "Jinjitsu no Sekku" (Human Day Festival), is set on January 7th every year.
This festival originated from ancient Chinese culture, where people believed the seventh day of the first lunar month was the day "Nuwa created humans," hence calling it "Human Day Festival."
Later, it was introduced to Japan and combined with local Japanese culture to form the unique "Nanakusa no Sekku."
Eating "Nanakusa-gayu" (Seven-Herb Porridge) is one of the important activities of this festival!
Using the seven herbs of spring—that is, seven different plants and wild grasses as ingredients—to boil into porridge!
This porridge symbolizes vitality and hope. Not only can it regulate the stomach after overeating during the New Year period, but it can also ward off evil and disasters, praying for a year free of illness and calamity!
Under this cultural background, Ryohei boiled a unique festive porridge—
"Th-this is..."
Yurine came to the dining room, her gaze falling on the dining table, and instantly widened her reddish-brown beautiful eyes.
"A rainbow appeared on the dining table!" Second said in pleasant surprise.
Those specially customized ceramic bowls contained seven-colored rainbows.
Above the bowls, amidst a pale golden glow, an even more dazzling seven-colored rainbow was shining!
—Truly stunning!
"Such beautiful porridge!"
Minos wagged her silver-white tail, unable to help but marvel.
"This is my specially developed Nanakusa Festival·Seven-Color Rainbow Porridge!"
Ryohei untied his apron, hung it aside casually, opened his arms, and introduced: "Combining modern nutrition and natural pigment ingredients, a meticulously designed nutritious porridge!"
"Possessing both visual beauty and health-preserving effects... Of course, the taste won't be bad either!"
The inspiration came from Chuuka Ichiban's (Cooking Master Boy) Rainbow Porridge!
"I also helped," Pekola said with a cool voice.
"Mn mn."
Ryohei had a smile on his face, raised his hand to rest on her slender shoulder, and greeted: "Everyone sit down and start eating!"
"Ooh ooh—!"
Soon, breakfast kicked off amidst sounds of "Itadakimasu."
Yurine used a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of red porridge, blew on it gently, and put it into her mouth.
Those reddish-brown beautiful eyes instantly lit up!
The porridge entered the mouth silky and dense, with a slight graininess. Without needing to chew hard, a gentle press of the tip of the tongue made it easily melt in the mouth.
The warm sweetness of red dates, the thick mellowness of the rice porridge, the faint earthy smell inherent in the beetroot, and a refreshing sweetness similar to sugarcane rippled layer by layer on the tip of the tongue.
The first bite gave Yurine an excellent impression!
"The orange porridge is boiled using pumpkin puree and carrot puree..."
Second lifted her chin slightly, closed her eyelids, and said with enjoyment.
The first thing felt was the sweetness of pumpkin, gently wrapping the tip of the tongue, setting the main tone of sweetness.
Immediately after, the fresher sweetness of carrots, carrying a bit of "plant fragrance," emerged. Forming a sharp contrast with the mellow sweetness of pumpkin, making the sweetness more layered.
The grain aroma of the rice porridge served as the base, steadily supporting all the sweetness, making the taste of the porridge rounder and more advanced...
"Mmm... this purple porridge..."
Minos licked her moist lips, looked down at the touch of purple in the bowl, her beautiful eyes revealing a bit of curiosity.
"The rice in this porridge is different from the rice usually used for boiling porridge; it's more chewy and bouncy... By the way, the bursting texture of blueberries is really surprising!"
(๑´ㅂ`๑)
"For the purple porridge, I used purple rice. Compared to ordinary brown rice, purple rice is more resilient and chewy, and the texture is fuller."
Ryohei ate the porridge, explaining unhurriedly.
After a few mouthfuls of hot porridge entered the stomach, a wave of warmth rippled from the stomach, quickly spreading throughout the body—a steady stream of positive energy surged endlessly within him!
"..." Tasting seven different flavors of porridge, Yurine felt the same way.
As if traveling through time and space, arriving at Mount Wudang, becoming a young girl practicing martial arts.
At this time, the rain had cleared up, the dark clouds dissipated, a setting sun hung in the western sky, and a brilliant rainbow bridge quietly spanned across the distant mountains.
Yurine wore a distinct black and white training uniform, her reddish-brown long hair tied into a bun. She stepped over the puddles on the bluestone path, her clothes fluttering slightly, and arrived elegantly outside the hall.
Her figure turned lightly, starting to draw circles—a set of Tai Chi Chuan was performed smoothly and fluidly!
A slowly rotating black and white Yin-Yang fish appeared under her feet, expanding in an instant. White airflow was guided by her fist intent, lingering around her body with her movements, like threads, gradually converging into a swirling momentum.
"..."
"I feel terrifyingly strong right now!"
Yurine clenched her delicate fists, saying full of motivation.
"Not just right now..."
( ﹁ ﹁ )
Jashin-chan looked over with a side-eye, roasting: "You are terrifyingly strong usually, the unreasonable kind..."
"Nonsense!"
Yurine lightly punched her arm: "I am occasionally quite delicate too."
"Eek—!"
As if hearing news that would pollute her ears, Jashin-chan leaned to one side, revealing a disgusted expression:
"Give me a break! I've never seen you delicate! Even if you are, you're definitely pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger—faking it!"
"Talking too much, Jashin-chan." A gentle smile appeared on Yurine's face, and she knocked a bump on Jashin-chan's head.
"Sumimasen!"
Crystal clear teardrops spilled from the corners of Jashin-chan's eyes, apologizing very "sincerely."
"..." Second drank her porridge, secretly watching this scene from the side, and grinned gloatingly.
"Eh, Ryohei-kun..."
Minos, preparing to eat a second bowl of rainbow porridge, came to the stove, was stunned looking at the seven pots of differently colored porridge, turned her head, and asked Ryohei curiously:
"How did you dish out your rainbow porridge?"
"I had Pekola use divine power to divide the bowl into seven areas, and then slowly dished it out."
Ryohei looked over and answered.
"Uh... I can't do such delicate work!"
(￣ ￣|| )
Minos said helplessly.
—Referring to using magic power to divide the bowl into seven areas; destroying the bowl would be very easy.
"I'll help you."
Pekola just finished her first bowl of rainbow porridge. She wanted to eat more, stood up holding her bowl, and walked over.
"Arigato!"
Minos's tone rose, thanking her happily.
"You're welcome." She responded with a cool voice.
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