Chapter 42: Call Huo Jingchen [1]

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Call Huo Jingchen [1]

By nine o’clock in the morning, Xi Yunxui had already finished most of the preparation.

The kitchen had gradually transformed from a quiet, immaculate room into a place filled with the comforting sounds and aromas of cooking.

Vegetables had been washed and arranged neatly on trays, meat had been carefully sliced, sauces had been prepared, and several ingredients had already been seasoned and set aside.

Xi Yunxui moved between the counters with practiced efficiency, occasionally checking the dishes she had prepared while mentally going through the remaining steps.

Yet despite how smoothly everything had been going, two vital ingredients were still missing.

She had already sent the senior maid to look for them, but the woman had been gone for quite some time.

Xi Yunxui glanced toward the clock again.

9:00 a.m.

Her brows knitted slightly.

"The gathering is at twelve..."

She had barely three hours left.

Although there was still enough time to finish cooking, she couldn’t complete the dishes she had planned without those two ingredients.

After hesitating for a moment, Xi Yunxui wiped her hands on a clean towel and hurried out of the kitchen.

She found Madam Huo in the living room, seated comfortably on the sofa while looking through her phone.

Xi Yunxui approached respectfully.

"Madam."

Madam Huo looked up.

"Yunxui? What is it?"

Xi Yunxui glanced toward the entrance.

"Has the senior maid returned yet?"

Madam Huo shook her head.

"Not yet."

She studied Xi Yunxui’s expression for a moment before asking, "Is there a problem? Can’t you use something else instead?"

Xi Yunxui shook her head immediately.

"I’m afraid not, Madam. Those two ingredients are important to the dishes I’m preparing. I could substitute them, but the final taste wouldn’t be what I want."

Madam Huo frowned thoughtfully.

"Then let’s call her."

She immediately took out her phone and dialed the senior maid’s number.

The call connected after several rings.

"Madam."

"Have you found the ingredients?"

There was a brief pause.

"I’m sorry, Madam. I haven’t. I’ve already checked several stores, but none of them has the ingredients she’s looking for. I’m still searching."

Madam Huo glanced at Xi Yunxui.

"I understand. Continue looking, but don’t force yourself if you can’t find them."

"Yes, Madam."

The call ended.

Madam Huo sighed softly.

"It seems we’ll have to think of another solution."

Xi Yunxui gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don’t worry, Madam. I’ll find a way."

She bowed slightly before returning to the kitchen.

However, the moment she stepped inside, her confident expression faded.

She stared at the prepared ingredients.

Then she stared at the clock.

Then she sighed.

"System..."

There was no response.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

"Is there any fast way to earn affection points?"

The system remained silent for several seconds.

Then its familiar mechanical voice finally sounded.

[Host can earn Affection Points by helping others.]

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"I know that."

[Host can also gain Affection Points from people outside the Huo family.]

"Then what’s the difference?"

There was another pause.

[The Huo family is currently Host’s most reliable source of Affection Points.]

Xi Yunxui immediately understood.

She glanced toward the living room.

Madam Huo was the only member of the Huo family currently in the residence.

And she was already trying her best to prepare an excellent meal for Madam Huo and her guests.

Xi Yunxui rubbed her chin.

"But I’m already helping Madam Huo. How am I supposed to earn more points from her?"

The system went silent.

Xi Yunxui waited.

Nothing.

She waited a little longer.

Still nothing.

Then—

[What about Huo Jingchen?]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

"Huo Jingchen?"

She immediately clasped her hands together in realization.

"Ah! That’s right!"

Huo Jingchen was also a member of the Huo family.

If she could help him somehow, perhaps she could earn enough Affection Points to unlock the food section.

Her eyes brightened.

She turned toward the kitchen door.

But just as she was about to step out, she stopped.

"Wait..."

Her expression slowly fell.

"Huo Jingchen went to a meeting."

She had no idea where he was.

She didn’t even know which meeting he had gone to.

And even if she somehow found him, she couldn’t simply appear in the middle of his meeting and announce that she wanted to help him.

By the time she managed to reach him, the gathering might already have begun.

Xi Yunxui groaned softly.

"What am I supposed to do?"

[Call him.]

Xi Yunxui froze.

Then she slapped her forehead lightly.

"Of course!"

She hurried back to her backpack and pulled out her phone.

Her fingers were already moving toward the contact list when she suddenly stopped.

Her expression became strange.

She stared at the phone.

Then she stared at the ceiling.

"Oh..."

She had forgotten one very important thing.

She had never changed the phone number belonging to the original Xi Yunxui.

And she didn’t have Huo Jingchen’s number.

Xi Yunxui slowly lowered the phone.

"How am I supposed to call him?"

Then realization struck her again.

"Wait..."

She narrowed her eyes.

"The reward for this mission was 15% system progress."

She suddenly remembered how unusually generous that reward had seemed.

"Maybe I should have realized something was strange from the beginning."

She sighed.

"If I ask Madam Huo for Young Master’s phone number, wouldn’t that be strange?"

She imagined the conversation.

Madam, may I have your son’s phone number?

Xi Yunxui’s face twitched.

No.

Absolutely not.

There was no way that wouldn’t sound suspicious.

She was still thinking when a small voice suddenly came from behind her.

"I can help."

Xi Yunxui slowly turned.

King C was sitting on the floor.

A carrot was between his little paws.

He was chewing it leisurely.

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"What did you say?"

King C swallowed.

"I can help you get the woman’s phone."

Xi Yunxui’s eyes brightened.

"Really?"

King C nodded proudly.

"Of course. I’m a mighty—"

Xi Yunxui was already smiling.

"Yes! Then—"

She stopped.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Wait."

King C blinked.

"What?"

"You said you can get her phone."

"Yes."

Xi Yunxui’s expression became serious.

"You mean steal Madam Huo’s phone?"

King C froze.

For several seconds, the kitchen was completely silent.

Then he looked at Xi Yunxui as though she had just accused him of committing some terrible crime.

"Miss, what are you talking about?"

He puffed out his little chest.

"I’m trying to help you!"

Xi Yunxui pointed at him.

"How exactly were you planning to help me?"

King C waved one tiny paw.

"I’ll sneak into the room, take the phone, bring it to you, and then you can find Huo Jingchen’s number."

Xi Yunxui’s jaw dropped.

"You call that helping?"

"Yes."

"That’s stealing!"

King C looked genuinely confused.

"But I’ll bring it back."

"That doesn’t make it less of a crime!"

King C stared at her.

Xi Yunxui stared back.

After a moment, she sighed.

"Besides, if Madam Huo finds out, I’ll definitely be fired."

King C shrugged.

"Then I’ll eat your vegetables after you get fired."

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

"You—"

She took a deep breath.

"No."

She shook her head firmly.

"If someone did that while working for me, I would fire them too."

King C lowered his head.

His little ears drooped.

"But I was only trying to help..."

Xi Yunxui’s expression softened slightly.

"I know."

She crouched down and gently rubbed his little head.

"But you can’t steal people’s things just because you want to help."

King C muttered something under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

King C immediately returned to his carrot.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"You’re eating again."

King C didn’t even look at her.

"I’m thinking."

"With your mouth?"

"Yes."

Xi Yunxui pressed a hand against her forehead.

She suddenly wondered if bringing this creature back from the village had been the greatest mistake of her life.

First, he had eaten her vegetables.

Then he had secretly climbed into her backpack.

Then he had followed her onto a private airplane.

And now he was casually suggesting that she steal her employer’s phone.

She looked toward the kitchen ceiling.

"What am I supposed to do?"

The system remained silent.

Xi Yunxui waited.

Nothing.

"System?"

Silence.

"Are you there?"

Still nothing.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

"Don’t tell me you’re enjoying this."

There was a long pause.

Then—

[Host should use her intelligence.]

Xi Yunxui’s eye twitched.

"That’s not advice."

[It is the best advice available.]

"You useless system!"

King C suddenly looked up.

"You’re arguing with the air again."

Xi Yunxui turned toward him.

"I’m not arguing with the air."

King C tilted his head.

"Then who are you arguing with?"

Xi Yunxui opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

There was no reasonable answer.

She sighed deeply and leaned against the counter.

She had less than three hours before Madam Huo’s guests arrived.

Two rare ingredients were missing.

The food store remained locked.

She didn’t have enough Affection Points.

She didn’t have Huo Jingchen’s number.

She couldn’t exactly steal Madam Huo’s phone.

And King C was currently more interested in eating carrots than helping her solve the problem.

Xi Yunxui looked at the clock again.

9:07 a.m.

She slowly clenched her fists.

"Think, Xi Yunxui. Think."

There had to be another way.

And somewhere beside her, King C continued chewing his carrot peacefully, completely unconcerned about the crisis unfolding around him.