In the succeeding weeks, Midori has been sharing her lunch with Dan . Their house cook cannot help but ask her how she suddenly had the appet.i.te to finish her lunch .

"Shobe*, I see you like your lunch more in the past weeks . What would you like today?"

"Aunty Lan, to tell you the truth, I have been sharing my lunch with cla.s.smates . But rest a.s.sured that I have plenty for myself . Also, can you teach me how to make okonomiyaki*? I would like to have that for lunch today . " She made puppy dog eyes with her request .

Xiu Lan is actually a second cousin of her father . She was raised to be a good housewife and her cooking skills were exemplary, mastering two Asian countries' dishes, one was innate in their family, while the other was for the Mistress' taste . However, she was not originally their cook . She was married once . Though it was an arranged marriage, she loved her husband and he cared for her a lot . It was marriage of convenience for their companies, but they developed their friends.h.i.+p into a blissful relations.h.i.+p between husband and wife . However, she became a widow and had a miscarriage due to grief when her husband perished in a plane crash abroad . She never remarried .

Midori's father is her favorite cousin . She did not have siblings and she grew up with him . So when he married, she decided to help out in the house as their cook . They happily took her for she is basically family .

Xiu Lan looked at her niece and smiled .

"Of course, Shobe . What would you like to toss into your okonomiyaki?"

"Uhm, do we have octopus?" She tapped her fingers together shyly .

Xiu Lan was shocked for a bit . They don't usually store such ingredient . However, since the mistress asked her to prepare spicy baby octopus for dinner mid-week, they luckily have some .

"Shobe, you're so lucky . Your Mama asked me to buy some yesterday . However, they are baby octopus, if you dont mind?"

Midori's face lit up . "Yes! Thank you, Aunty Lan! Maybe we can also make some takoyaki?"

Her beaming smile made her aunt laugh .

"Okay then, I'll teach you how to make them as per tradition, so it will look and taste authentic . "

Her aunt was very pleased that she finally showed some interest in the kitchen .

Midori felt satisfied and carried her bag and lunch towards their cla.s.sroom .

"Good morning, Miss Xiu . " Cla.s.smates greeted her one after another .

A cute girl in pigtails and blue-framed gla.s.ses approached her .

"Midori! Good morning!" She looks so refres.h.i.+ng with her smile .

"Mei!" Midori responded abruptly turning her body towards her .

"Ready for practice later?"

"Yeah . You brought knee support pads?"

"Yep! I also got you a matching pair . . teehee!"

Midori's eyes widened . She does not really use it, but she cannot turn this friend down .

"Uhm . . thank you!" She responded awkwardly after some delay .

Cla.s.ses went through . It is now apparent that Midori may not be the best student in cla.s.s anymore .

Competing with her and beating her in answering problems on the board was Verdan Zhou .

Their cla.s.smates have mixed feelings towards this change .

Some thought that Midori is still number 1 and that this newcomer should not be praised .

Some had a new model student and understood that he is better than Midori, with a few females among this group secretly sneered towards her .

And there is a group of people who thought they look good together and was silently s.h.i.+pping this tandem .