Chapter 40: A Bottomless Pit

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: A Bottomless Pit

The moment Xi Yunxui stepped out of Madam Huo’s room, she carefully closed the door behind her.

She stood there for a second.

The corridor was quiet.

Too quiet.

She glanced to her left.

Then to her right.

Nothing.

No servant.

No housekeeper.

Not even someone carrying a tray or cleaning the corridor.

Xi Yunxui frowned.

Where is everyone?

She remembered that Su Meilan had said she would need to prepare the food for the upcoming gathering, which meant she needed to find the kitchen first and check what ingredients were available.

That shouldn’t have been difficult.

At least, she assumed it wouldn’t be.

She walked down the corridor.

Then turned into another.

Nothing.

She reached the staircase.

Still nobody.

She waited for a few seconds.

Perhaps someone would appear.

Nobody did.

Xi Yunxui looked around again.

"This is strange."

She had been in the Huo household long enough to know that there were usually servants everywhere.

Someone was always carrying something.

Someone was always cleaning.

Someone was always hurrying toward the kitchen.

Yet the entire villa seemed unusually empty.

She walked for almost a minute, looking for someone she could ask.

Still nothing.

Xi Yunxui stopped in the middle of the corridor and rubbed her chin.

"Where did everyone go?"

She wondered whether there was some sort of emergency.

Perhaps the servants were all outside.

Perhaps the kitchen had its own entrance.

Or perhaps she had simply taken a wrong turn.

She was about to return to Madam Huo’s room and ask her for directions when—

Zip!

Xi Yunxui froze.

She slowly turned.

Her backpack was lying where she had left it against the wall.

The zipper was moving.

"No."

The zipper opened by itself.

Two tiny white ears emerged.

Then two golden eyes.

"King C!"

The little creature popped out completely.

Before Xi Yunxui could grab him, King C jumped down.

His tiny hooves landed softly on the floor.

Then he immediately sprinted away.

"King C!"

Xi Yunxui hurried after him.

"Stop!"

He didn’t stop.

"Come back!"

He ran faster.

Xi Yunxui nearly laughed from disbelief.

"Didn’t I tell you to stay inside my bag?"

King C ignored her completely.

He disappeared around a corner.

Xi Yunxui followed.

She wasn’t particularly worried about losing him.

The creature was white.

He wasn’t exactly difficult to spot.

But she was worried about what he might destroy.

After all, they were in the villa.

She couldn’t let him wander around causing trouble.

"King C!"

She turned another corner.

Then another.

And finally—

She smelled food.

Xi Yunxui stopped.

The kitchen.

She followed the scent.

Sure enough, she reached a large kitchen.

And there, sitting comfortably beside one of the counters, was King C.

A carrot was between his tiny front hooves.

A/N: If King C’s appearance is based on a goat, why does he love carrots?

He was happily nibbling away.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui stood at the doorway.

She stared at him.

He stared back.

Another crunch.

Xi Yunxui slowly walked closer.

"Where did you get that?"

King C continued eating.

"King C."

He ignored her.

She crouched.

"Give me the carrot."

King C turned away.

Xi Yunxui reached over and gently took it from his paws.

King C’s golden eyes immediately widened.

[Hey!]

Xi Yunxui held the carrot up.

"Do you want me to get fired?"

King C blinked.

[That’s not my problem.]

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"You don’t care if I lose my job?"

King C shook his tiny head.

[No.]

She narrowed her eyes.

"You really don’t?"

[No.]

He paused.

Then added honestly,

[That is a human problem.]

Xi Yunxui stared at him in disbelief.

"So if I get fired, what happens to you?"

King C looked at her blankly.

Xi Yunxui pointed at herself.

"If I don’t work, how am I going to stay in the Huo mansion?"

King C’s ears twitched.

Xi Yunxui crossed her arms.

"And if I don’t have money, how will I buy food?"

King C’s expression changed slightly.

Xi Yunxui leaned closer.

"And if I don’t have food..."

She paused dramatically.

"...you don’t get vegetables."

Silence.

King C’s eyes widened.

Xi Yunxui could practically see the calculations happening inside his tiny head.

She smiled.

"Now do you understand?"

King C lowered his head.

His little ears drooped.

After a moment, he muttered,

[That is unfair.]

"Life is unfair."

[I’m hungry.]

Xi Yunxui sighed.

"You just ate."

[That was before.]

"Before what?"

[Before I became hungry again.]

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

She had never encountered such an efficient eating machine.

"You’re a bottomless pit."

King C pouted.

[I’m not.]

Then, in an almost inaudible voice—

[I’m really hungry.]

Xi Yunxui’s expression softened slightly.

She looked down at the carrot in her hand.

Then back at King C.

"You could have told me."

[You were busy.]

"You could have waited."

[I did.]

"For how long?"

[A very long time.]

"How long?"

King C thought about it.

[At least several minutes.]

Xi Yunxui nearly laughed.

"That isn’t a long time."

[It is when you’re hungry.]

She shook her head.

Then sighed.

"Fine."

She handed the carrot back to him.

King C immediately brightened.

His tiny hooves grabbed it.

[Thank you.]

"Eat quietly."

[I always eat quietly.]

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"Your crunching can be heard from the corridor."

King C continued eating.

She put a hand over her forehead.

"System."

[Yes, Host?]

"What am I supposed to do about this creature’s hunger?"

There was a short silence.

Then the system answered in a tone that sounded suspiciously amused.

[The Host is capable of handling a little goat.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes narrowed.

A goat?

She could almost hear the mocking tone.

"So now you’re calling him a goat?"

[The system merely described the creature based on its appearance.]

Xi Yunxui shook her head.

She understood perfectly well what the system was doing.

It was enjoying this.

But she decided to be the bigger person.

I’m not arguing with you.

The system remained silent.

Xi Yunxui took a deep breath and turned toward the kitchen.

The mission came first.

She walked over to the counter.

Her backpack was still open near the doorway.

She walked back, picked it up and brought it into the kitchen.

Then she placed it neatly on the counter.

She rolled up the sleeves of her maid uniform.

She looked around.

The kitchen was large.

Much larger than the little kitchen at her mother’s home.

There were counters everywhere.

Modern cooking equipment filled one side.

Another section held storage cabinets.

She spotted an apron hanging nearby.

She picked it up and put it on.

Then she tied it securely around her waist.

King C was still sitting nearby, happily eating his carrot.

Xi Yunxui looked at the kitchen.

Then at the ingredients.

Then at the little creature.

Finally, she smiled.

"Alright."

She placed both hands on the counter.

"Let’s get to work."

She walked toward one of the large metal appliances.

It was tall, white and slightly intimidating.

Xi Yunxui placed her hand on the handle.

Then she remembered the manual she had purchased from the System Store.

Modern Kitchen Appliances Operation Manual.

Fortunately, a refrigerator had been included in the manual.

She had learned what it was, how it worked and how to adjust its settings.

She opened the door.

Cold air immediately rushed toward her.

Xi Yunxui’s eyes brightened.

"So this is the cold storage room."

She carefully examined the shelves.

Vegetables.

Meat.

Fish.

Eggs.

Milk.

Several sauces.

Fresh herbs.

Fruits.

She nodded approvingly.

"This kitchen is well stocked."

King C appeared beside her.

His golden eyes immediately fixed on the vegetables.

Xi Yunxui noticed.

"No."

King C looked at her.

[I didn’t say anything.]

"You don’t have to."

[I merely looked.]

"You were thinking about eating them."

King C looked away.

[...]

Xi Yunxui closed the refrigerator before he could make another attempt.

Then she suddenly stopped.

Her expression changed.

"Wait."

She stared at the closed refrigerator.

Then slowly turned toward the door.

"Madam."

She had forgotten something.

The gathering.

She knew who would attend.

She knew their food preferences.

She knew she had to impress them.

But...

She didn’t know when the gathering was happening.

Xi Yunxui slowly rubbed her forehead.

"How could I forget to ask?"

She looked at King C.

He was now licking the remains of the carrot.

"Don’t look at me."

King C blinked innocently.

[I wasn’t.]

Xi Yunxui sighed.

"I need to ask Madam Huo when the gathering starts."

She untied her apron slightly.

Then paused.

No.

She had been told to prepare the meals.

Better to check the ingredients first.

She would make the most of the time she had.

After all, the mission reward was fifteen percent.

She couldn’t afford to waste the opportunity.

Xi Yunxui rolled her sleeves back into place.

She looked toward the kitchen.

Then toward the little white creature.

"Stay here."

King C raised his head.

[Why?]

"Because I don’t want to spend the next hour chasing you through the house."

[I am perfectly capable of behaving.]

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

King C stared back.

She narrowed her eyes.

He lowered his head.

[...Probably.]

Xi Yunxui sighed.

"Just stay."

She turned toward the ingredients.

There was work to do.

And somewhere in the middle of the kitchen, a tiny alleged mountain god sat beside the counter, already wondering whether anyone would notice if he stole another carrot.