Xiao Jiang was a senior at Aero U. Once students enter their senior year, their coursework was greatly reduced, leaving only matters related to their graduation projects. As a result, many students chose to go out for internships.

It was the weekend, and Xiao Jiang and his classmates agreed to go back to school together to find a teacher to conduct experiments related to their graduation projects.

On the way back to school, Xiao Jiang couldn’t help but say to his classmates, “I remembered something funny.”

The classmate asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Jiang said, “You know how our school elects a school beauty every year through an informal election on the forum. I think it’s a lot of fun, so I’ve hosted it every year for these past years. This year’s school beauty is indeed beautiful, but she’s not a student at our school.”

The classmate laughed out loud. “Really? I’ve been too busy with work lately and haven’t been paying attention to this. Let me see what she looks like.”

Xiao Jiang took out his phone, opened the photo, and handed it to his classmate. After taking one look, his classmate exclaimed, “Wow, is this kind of beauty real?”

Seeing his classmate completely captivated, Xiao Jiang thought to himself, “Another one obsessed with looks. Today, I’m not only going back to school to do my experiments, but I’m also going to see what’s so special about the Eighth Cafeteria that’s captivating so many younger students.”

After Xiao Jiang finished speaking, he was still a little scared because he had been deceived many times before. “The food in the university cafeterias are so bad, could they be trying to trick me into going to the Eighth Cafeteria?”

The student thought about the taste of the food in the university cafeterias and his face scrunched up. “Sigh, I’ve envied the students at Jiangcheng University next door for almost four years. Fortunately, we’re about to graduate and won’t have to suffer in the cafeteria anymore!”

Xiao Jiang found this amusing and teased, “Now that you mention it, I’m starting to miss it. After all, it’s hard to find a cafeteria this bad. Let’s go to Cafeteria Eighth later and have it as our last meal at university.”

After completing their experiment in the chemistry lab, the two met at the entrance of the Eighth Cafeteria.

When Xiao Jiang saw the bustling crowd outside the Eighth Cafeteria, he was extremely surprised. “There are so many people.”

It was right after class, and a group of freshmen in military training uniforms was running quickly toward the Eighth Cafeteria. These freshmen moved with great speed and agility.

A group of upperclassmen followed behind the freshman. The upperclassmen were panting and cursing as they ran.

“These freshmen run faster than rabbits! It’s infuriating! Don’t they know anything about respecting elders and caring for the young?”

“Haha, as I’ve neglected exercise, my physical strength has been getting worse and worse. I didn’t think it was a big deal, but now I regret it. I never thought I could even lose to others when it comes to food.”

“I’m numb. I’m going to the track to run and exercise tonight. Nobody can stop me.”

Xiao Jiang: “…”

People have a herd mentality. When Xiao Jiang saw so many people running towards the Eighth Cafeteria, he also quickened his steps and pulled his classmate to rush in. They happened to arrive at the window selling bamboo rice.

Although it was the first day the bamboo rice was served, and there should have been few people lining up for it, there were actually quite a few people at the bamboo rice window, probably because the bamboo rice smelled so good.

The bamboo used to make this bamboo rice was freshly cut. Dried bamboo sold in the market were no match for freshly cut bamboo.

The steaming bamboo rice emitted a refreshing aroma of bamboo and charcoal, filling the air near the window and attracting many students from other windows.

Xiao Jiang stood at the back of the line, took a deep breath of the bamboo scent in the air, and looked out the window with anticipation in his eyes.

This Eighth Cafeteria seemed to be a bit bewitching.

Shu Wenwen, who was at the front of the line, happily accepted her bamboo rice, but faced with the thin bamboo tube, she felt at a loss and couldn’t help but ask, “How am I supposed to eat this?”

Luo Huai’an explained, “I’ve already made cuts on the cross-section, so you can just pry the bamboo open along the cracks.”

After getting the answer, Shu Wenwen felt the crack with her hand. As she touched the crack, she applied a little force, and the entire bamboo split open. The aroma of glutinous rice exploded in the air like a bomb, making everyone swallow hard.

Xiao Jiang was almost captivated by the aroma and became even more impatient, wanting to taste whether the flavor of the bamboo rice matched the aroma.

Because of the superb roasting technique, the bamboo was not charred at all; it simply changed from emerald green to yellowish-green.

After getting his bamboo rice, Xiao Jiang couldn’t wait to find a place to sit down and, without any instruction, found the crack and broke it open.

With his movements, a section of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo membrane made a stunning appearance, like a beautiful woman emerging from a bath.

One bite revealed the pure aroma of rice, the fresh scent of bamboo, the rich fat and lean meat, and the smoky fragrance of roasting. The myriad flavors combine to create a delightful sensory experience, leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated.

The transparent bamboo membrane wrapping the glutinous rice was integrated into the rice, giving it a chewy and sticky texture.

The diced fatty meat transformed into oil, making the sticky rice even softer. The diced lean meat, on the other hand, brought out a fragrant aroma, offering a satisfying chewiness that intensified with each bite.

The chef’s skills were exquisite, creating a perfect balance of proportions for all the ingredients, making every bite a delightful surprise. The superb baking technique further elevated the texture of the sticky rice to an all-around superb level.

After quickly finishing a bamboo of sticky rice, Xiao Jiang finally snapped out of his daze. He remained silent for a long time, then couldn’t help but pat the arm of the classmate next to him and let out a long sigh, “We’re so miserable. It’s so inhumane, so utterly miserable.”

So the Eighth Cafeteria really was magical; no wonder it has captivated so many freshmen!

Xiao Jiang initially thought it was because the boss was good-looking, but he didn’t expect the food to be even more amazing.

This classmate was immersed in the world of bamboo rice, feeling as if even his breath carried the fragrance of bamboo. 

He sensed Xiao Jiang patting him and almost burst into tears, his voice filled with sorrow and pain. “Why does school only get better when I’m about to graduate? It was like this in elementary school, high school, and now it’s still like this in college!

“Is it too late to quit my job and take the postgraduate entrance exam?”

Mythical Beast Cafeteria translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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