Chapter 46: A Brilliant Chef [2]

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: A Brilliant Chef [2]

The kitchen had finally returned to order.

Everything Xi Yunxui had spent the morning preparing was now ready to be served.

The main dishes had been arranged neatly on large serving platters, the soups were still warm, and the chilled fruit drinks had been transferred into elegant glass pitchers.

The aroma drifting from the food was rich enough to make even someone who had just eaten feel hungry again.

Xi Yunxui stood beside the counter, inspecting everything one final time.

She was satisfied.

The missing ingredients had been obtained.

The food was finished.

The drinks were ready.

There was still some time before the guests arrived.

Most importantly, the system mission was progressing exactly as planned.

The reward for successfully impressing Madam Huo’s friends was 15% System Progress.

Fifteen percent.

Xi Yunxui couldn’t afford to lose it.

"Alright," she murmured to herself. "Let’s move everything outside."

A few moments later, several servants arrived.

They had been sent by Madam Huo to help transport the dishes to the garden.

Xi Yunxui immediately took charge.

"Be careful with that one."

She pointed toward a large bowl of soup.

"It needs to remain upright."

"Yes, Miss Xi."

"And that plate should stay level. The sauce will spill if you tilt it."

"Yes."

"The drinks go last. They’re chilled."

The servants nodded and followed her instructions carefully.

Xi Yunxui moved alongside them, occasionally adjusting a plate or checking that a lid was securely fastened.

She didn’t merely stand around giving orders.

When one servant was struggling to carry a tray, she immediately reached over and helped.

"Hold it from this side."

Together, they lifted it.

"Thank you, Miss Xi."

"You’re welcome."

Within a short time, everything had been carried out.

Xi Yunxui looked at the now-empty kitchen.

She had a good feeling about this.

Then she remembered something.

King C.

She turned around.

The little creature had been quietly sitting somewhere nearby for most of the morning.

Xi Yunxui prepared to give him the usual warning.

"King C, you need to behave yourself—"

She stopped.

Her expression changed.

"Oh."

She had forgotten.

This wasn’t the main Huo residence in Country M.

This was the Huo family’s villa in Country Z.

Nobody here knew King C.

Nobody knew that he belonged to her.

And, more importantly, nobody here had any idea what kind of creature he actually was.

If someone saw a tiny white, horned animal wandering around the garden, they would probably assume it was simply a goat that had somehow escaped from somewhere.

That could become troublesome.

Xi Yunxui sighed.

She crouched slightly.

"King C."

Two golden eyes looked toward her.

"Yes?"

"Stay close to me."

King C tilted his head.

"Why?"

"Because nobody here knows you."

She glanced toward the garden.

"And don’t talk in front of anyone."

King C immediately looked offended.

"Why?"

"Because you’ll frighten them."

He puffed up his little chest.

"I am not frightening."

"You can talk."

"That is because I am intelligent."

"Exactly."

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"And people aren’t used to intelligent animals walking around."

King C’s ears twitched.

"So I should pretend to be an ordinary goat?"

Xi Yunxui paused.

"That would be very helpful."

King C looked deeply insulted.

"I am not a goat."

"I know."

Xi Yunxui gently rubbed his head.

"But for today, please pretend."

King C sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

"And stay close."

"Yes."

"And don’t run away."

"I won’t."

"And don’t eat anything without asking."

King C looked away.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

"King C."

"I heard you."

"Good."

She stood.

"Let’s go."

The little creature followed.

Or at least...

Xi Yunxui thought he did.

---

The garden was located behind the villa.

When Xi Yunxui stepped into it, she slowed.

She had expected something similar to the Huo family’s main residence.

Instead, she was pleasantly surprised.

The garden wasn’t overwhelmingly grand.

There were no enormous fountains or elaborate statues.

Instead, it had a quieter elegance.

Small trees lined the stone pathways.

Flowers grew naturally along the edges.

A few ornamental shrubs had been carefully trimmed, but most of the garden retained a soft, natural appearance.

There was a small pond in the distance.

A wooden pavilion stood beside it.

The seating area for the gathering had been arranged beneath a large tree where the shade would protect the guests from the afternoon sun.

Xi Yunxui looked around.

"This is beautiful."

The garden had none of the intimidating grandeur of the main Huo mansion.

Instead, it felt peaceful.

Elegant.

Almost intimate.

She liked it immediately.

She walked toward the arranged tables.

Several servants were already waiting.

The tables had been covered with pristine tablecloths.

Chairs had been arranged around them.

There were decorative flowers in the center.

Everything looked neat.

But Xi Yunxui wasn’t finished.

"Let’s make everything look a little better."

She began arranging the dishes.

The main dishes were placed strategically so that everyone would be able to reach them.

The soups went slightly to one side.

The fish was positioned in the center.

The vegetables were placed around the main dishes.

The smaller side dishes filled the remaining spaces.

Then she arranged the drinks.

She carefully poured some of the chilled fruit drink into crystal glasses so that the guests could immediately see its bright, refreshing color.

She adjusted one plate.

Moved another.

Turned a serving bowl slightly.

She even noticed that one flower in the center arrangement had tilted sideways.

She straightened it.

"There."

She stepped back.

Everything looked beautiful.

The table no longer looked like a collection of food.

It looked like a carefully designed feast.

Xi Yunxui placed both hands on her waist.

"Good."

She nodded with satisfaction.

Then she gave herself a tiny pat on the shoulder.

"Well done."

A smile spread across her face.

This should go smoothly.

The dishes looked good.

The drinks looked good.

The ingredients were excellent.

The preparation was flawless.

Madam Huo’s friends would certainly enjoy themselves.

Xi Yunxui glanced toward the sky.

Everything was going according to plan.

She was already imagining the system notification.

[Mission completed.]

[Reward: System Progress +15%.]

She smiled.

"This mission will definitely end without a hitch."

She had barely finished saying that when something occurred to her.

She looked behind herself.

Nothing.

Xi Yunxui frowned.

She turned around completely.

Still nothing.

"King C?"

No response.

Her smile disappeared.

"King C?"

Silence.

She looked beneath the table.

Nothing.

She checked beside the chairs.

Nothing.

She looked toward the flowerbeds.

Nothing.

Xi Yunxui’s expression slowly became serious.

"King C?"

Still no response.

A strange feeling settled in her chest.

It was the kind of feeling she had learned to trust in her previous life.

Whenever her younger siblings became unusually quiet, trouble was usually nearby.

And King C was far more troublesome than all three of her siblings combined.

Xi Yunxui slowly scanned the garden.

Her gaze moved from the pond...

to the trees...

to the flowerbeds...

to the pavilion...

Nothing.

Her stomach tightened.

"Don’t tell me..."

She closed her eyes briefly.

"Please don’t tell me you’ve already gone somewhere."

Somewhere beyond the garden, a faint rustling sound came from behind a cluster of bushes.

Xi Yunxui’s eyes immediately opened.

She turned toward the sound.

"King C?"

Silence.

Then—

Another rustle.

Xi Yunxui stared at the bushes.

Her bad feeling became stronger.

"Oh, no..."

She knew that creature.

Whenever King C became quiet, he was either eating something...

or preparing to cause trouble.

And judging from the silence that had followed his disappearance—

Xi Yunxui had a feeling that the trouble had already begun.