Luo Huai’an had just been thinking about how to buy a suitable ice maker when Big Fish jumped up in front of her.

The core of shaved ice dessert was the quality of the shaved ice. Good quality ice makers were too expensive, and poor quality machines didn’t produce good enough shaved ice. Luo Huai’an was overjoyed when she heard Big Fish’s words, and she exclaimed in her heart, ‘Oh, this is wonderful!’

But Big Fish felt that being a cleaner was tiring enough, and he didn’t want to find any more work for himself, so he quickly declined, “I- I’m not good at making ice.”

Luo Huai’an glared at him when she heard this, “What did you say?”

Big Fish held his broom tightly and felt the murderous look in her eyes; he couldn’t help but tremble.

Although they didn’t receive any salary, Luo Huai’an treated them well. She didn’t order them around, didn’t threaten their safety, and even gave them delicious employee meals. This made him feel a little proud.

However, under Luo Huai’an’s deathly gaze, Big Fish was reminded of the fear he once felt when he was dominated by her, and the big bump on his head that had just healed began to ache.

“I said I’m great at making ice! No one can make it better than me! No one!” Big Fish declared his surrender.

“Then let’s get started now.” Luo Huai’an took out mineral water and a clean bowl from the kitchen and said with a smile, “Give me a bowl of shaved ice. If it’s not silky, I’ll beat you until it’s silky.”

Big Fish: “…”

Big Fish trembled as he gathered his mana and poured it into the water. The mineral water condensed due to the cold and turned into fine, silky, shaved ice.

Five seconds later, Luo Huai’an looked at the finished product, his eyes filled with amazement. The ice that Big Fish had created with his magical power was perfectly silky, even better than that made with a shaved ice machine.

Luo Huai’an smiled happily and began to imagine how much profit the wenyao would bring her. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that she was wise and powerful for accepting them.

… …

However, Big Fish had the highest level of cultivation in their family. The others were not as good as Big Fish in controlling water, and the shaved ice they made did not achieve the effect that Luo Huai’an wanted.

Luo Huai’an felt it was a pity, but she didn’t want to pass off inferior products as good ones, so she gave the task of making shaved ice to Big Fish.

Luo Huai’an never expected that such a fish that wasn’t very smart or as good-looking could actually be so good at controlling water. She gave him an encouraging look, “Not bad.”

However, Big Fish was not happy at all.

Big Fish’s already difficult life became even more difficult because he exposed his special abilities to this black-hearted boss.

When his mana was once again drained by making shaved ice, he dragged his tired body quietly to the kitchen.

He approached Second Fish stealthily and said in a low voice, “Wife, let’s run away. This place is too torturous for Fish!”

He thought that Second Fish, whose freedom was restricted, would immediately put down her things and happily go with him, but things turned out to be beyond his expectations.

Second Fish looked conflicted. She put down the kitchen knife in her hand and slowly shook her head. “We can’t leave. The humans have placed metaphysical instruments on us to restrain us. If we try to escape, we’ll be caught within a day. Besides, the boss won’t let us go.”

Big Fish became increasingly disheartened upon hearing this, but he still held on to hope, “But we’re not happy here at all. People have human rights, and fish should have fish rights, too.”

“When we were sentenced, we were also deprived of our rights for the corresponding period.” Second Fish reminded him, “If you don’t want to stay here, you have to go back to jail.”

Big Fish was a fish with the characteristics of a salted fish, otherwise he would not have risked coming ashore with its lure of living a comfortable life.

Because of Luo Huai’an’s demands, Big Fish actually wanted to go back to jail. Of course, the meals given in the cell every day were not as good as those made by Luo Huai’an, but the most important thing was that he didn’t have to work!

He got nothing when he got ashore, only iron shackles, and was even called ‘the most disgusting man’ by these freshmen.

Many freshmen who arrived at the cafeteria gave him strange looks upon recognizing him. Those looks, 50% anger, 40% disdain, and 10% indifference, only made Big Fish even more depressed.

When Big Fish mentioned going back to jail, Second Fish shook her head and refused, “I don’t want to go back. I feel like I’ve found the meaning of life. I can transform all kinds of ingredients into delicious food like the boss and see people’s satisfied expressions. Cooking is really a fulfilling thing.”

Big Fish: “…”

Crazy, absolutely crazy!

Big Fish couldn’t understand his wife and was very angry. 

So he asked his children who were cooking, “Do you want to go with me? Do you like cooking too?”

Unexpectedly, the children all shook their heads and said, “We don’t like cooking. However, at home we only have water plants to eat, but here we have mung bean soup and pepper pancakes every day. I don’t want to go home.”

“Without me, Older Brother wouldn’t be able to scold others while playing games.”

“I don’t want to leave. There’s plenty of spiritual energy here, and the air is fragrant.”

Big Fish was speechless and cursed his unfilial children in his heart. They now looked down on their former home after moving to the city!

Seeing his children disobeying him, Big Fish thought of Third Fish. Third Fish was the eldest of his brothers and sisters, and they listened to him the most. If Third Fish agreed, things would be easier.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Big Fish walked to the game room and found Third Fish who was playing games.

Big Fish, with a tearful expression, spoke earnestly and for a long time about the bad things about life on land, asking Third Fish to go home with him. He talked for so long that his mouth was dry.

He rested his dry throat for a while and suddenly realized that Third Fish has not replied, so he asked curiously, “Third Fish, Dad is asking you a question. What are you thinking? Do you want to go back?”

Only then did Third Fish notice Big Fish. He was wearing headphones and concentrating on the computer, and didn’t hear what Big Fish said at all.

Mythical Beast Cafeteria translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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T/N: My bad for missing posts. I have an unfortunate cough+cold+fever situation going on, and I’ve been mostly asleep these past couple of days.

I don’t know what kind of shaved ice you have in your place, but the shaved ice that’s used in China (+ Japan and Korea) is very light and feathery.

As Luo Huai’an worried about, the fine, feathery, silky quality of the shaved ice depends on the shaved ice machine—or the level of cultivation of the aquatic beast.

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Chapter 17.3 — Shaved Ice
Chapter 17.4 — Shaved Ice