Demon hunter's Cooking Manual

Chapter 696: Chapter 75: Driven by Interest

Ailong pulled Yu and ran quickly towards the bookstore.

“Slow down, slow down.”

Yu staggered along, calling out repeatedly.

“Can’t slow down!”

“Don’t you know?”

“Jason’s new book ‘Jason’s Case’ contains the key to ‘Mystical Side’, and as long as you can solve the hidden puzzles within, you can become a person of the Mystical Side!”

...

Ailong was a tall and strong young man, clean-shaven with a handsome face, wearing a sporty hoodie and trousers, speaking rapidly but articulating clearly.

“What’s so great about becoming a person of the Mystical Side?”

“Staying home is what life is all about.”

Yu muttered.

Unlike Ailong’s tall and handsome appearance, Yu was of average build and had an ordinary face, looking lazy and somewhat scruffy.

The two were neighbors and childhood friends.

They had been classmates since their childhood, through elementary, middle, and high school, and had even taken the college entrance exams together… only to fail together.

Ailong didn’t like a life that was too structured. He lived off part-time jobs delivering food, and most of his remaining time was spent on martial arts, working out, and so on.

Yu, on the other hand, was content with his situation, working a nine-to-five job at a small company, stable as can be.

“Have you forgotten our dream?”

Ailong suddenly asked.

Dream?

Yu was stunned.

How long had it been since anyone had spoken that word to him?

“Yes, a dream!”

“The dream we had when we were kids!”

“Do you remember?”

The voice of his friend echoed in Yu’s ears, slowly bringing back the dream they had once shared―

Heroes!

They both aspired to be heroes!

It was this same dream that had made them good friends.

But that was then.

What about now?

Tired, he slept.

Awake, he went to work.

Hungry, food delivery.

What else was there to want for?

Emptiness?

Impossible.

Lying in bed on his side, the moment he picked up his phone, he felt fulfilled with every tap.

“That was… ouch!”

Just as Yu was about to say something, Ailong slapped his shoulder heavily, making Yu wince.

“Don’t be so down!”

“Youth is about never giving up!”

“Youth is also about never admitting defeat!”

“Our youth isn’t over yet!”

“We have to work hard!”

Ailong stood up straight, raised his right hand and clenched his fist, offering his friend an encouraging gesture.

But the more Ailong did this, the less Yu felt like joining in.

Dreams were beautiful, but the harsh reality turned that beauty into fragments.

He had long stopped dreaming.

Looking at his friend still advancing towards his dream, Yu sighed softly.

Lucky him.

He said silently to himself.

Then, he nodded slightly.

“All right, all right.”

Yu’s perfunctory words earned him another dissatisfied slap from Ailong.

“Youth needs to be vibrant!”

“And your voice should be full of energy!”

Ailong said.

“All right, all right.”

Yu’s response was still listless.

Truth be told, were it not for Ailong, he wouldn’t have left his warm bed on his day off in the morning.

According to his own plan, he would wake up around 11, maintain the sacred posture of playing with his phone in bed until 3-4 in the afternoon, when, urged by hunger countless times, he would begrudgingly order two takeaways. By the time he finished the first one, it would be around 5 o’clock, just before dusk, and he could lie back in bed to admire Cherry City before the sunset.

Then what?

Naturally, continue playing with his phone.

Until 8 or 9 in the evening, take out the second takeaway from the fridge, heat it up in the microwave.

After eating, check for any recent new game discounts.

If there is one, and the price is right, download it.

If the price isn’t right, look for the day’s free games.

Procrastinate until midnight or 1 AM, then get back into bed, open the company group chat on his phone, post a status: “Another busy day over, feel so fulfilled.”

After muttering about ‘formality’ under his breath, he continued to play on his phone until 2 or 3 in the morning, and only then, overcome with fatigue, did he fall asleep.

The next day?

Naturally, he went to work listless.

He and his so-called colleagues would say things like “Even rest days are busy, so tired” while slouching to their workstations and dragging themselves through work. If the boss wasn’t around, they would sneak in some sleep at their desk. With luck, they would stay that way until the workday ended.

If the boss did notice, they would pretend to work for a bit. @@novelbin@@

Incidentally, they’d complain about the boss’s ‘nosiness’ with colleagues nearby.

Hold out until the end of the day, then ‘selectively’ attend a meal organized by new colleagues.

Upon entering, be sure to humbly say, “Thanks for the invite.”

After drinking two cans of beer, loosen up a bit and say, “I only came because you invited me, otherwise I wouldn’t have.”

After two more beers, just before the main dish arrives, say with a touch of emotion, “Actually, I turned down someone else’s invitation just to come here, because I have high hopes for you.”

While speaking, gaze upward, fix your eyes on the ceiling, and if there is a light there, that’s even better, keeping your eyes on it. If you can muster some tears, clear and sparkling, that would be perfect.

Next, take the most delicious part of the main dish from the new colleague and continue to mingle with the people around while eating.

Finally, about 10 minutes before the bill comes, when around two-fifths of the dish remains, you must say, “Sorry, really sorry, they’re rushing me over there, I need to go make an appearance.”

A perfect exit!

And a perfect day!

Go home and continue to lie in bed scrolling through your phone!