Chapter 32
The new female player, her dyed hair dry and brittle from two days in the instance, nervously twisted it in her hands, her face creased with worry.
She couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Clutching her stomach, which was cramping from hunger, she said:
“Didn’t the rules say we have to drink a bowl of the cook’s soup every night? Why isn’t she giving us any?!”
If she had, she wouldn’t be starving like this!
The other players, also weak with hunger, their vision blurring, sighed in agreement.
“But the cook refuses to make any for us. Come to think of it, we haven’t followed that rule at all, have we?”
The players suddenly realized this, their eyes widening in surprise.
That’s right, they hadn’t had any of the cook’s soup!
So why hadn’t anything happened?
The buzz-cut player, the calmest among them, touched her pendant prop, her expression thoughtful.
“Perhaps…something has already happened?”
Could the source of their emotional instability and irritability be their failure to follow the rule of drinking the cook’s soup every night?
Xing Nuo, lying on his stomach on the bed, had intended to rest for a while but ended up taking a nap.
When he woke up, he had missed lunch.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked groggily to the stairs, where a footman carried him down.
He yawned, tears welling up in his eyes from tiredness.
Xing Nuo wiped his eyes with his hand:
“Dad…where? Eaten…yet?”
Zaizai was always concerned about his dad’s meals, looking around for him.
The footman replied respectfully: “Master has already dined. Little Master, what would you like to eat? You can tell the cook.”
Just then, they arrived at the kitchen.
The cook, who had been waiting, hurried out, her plump face beaming, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
“Little Master is awake? Tell me what you would like to eat. I’ll make you the most delicious meal in the world!”
The pastry chef, usually overshadowed by the cook, his eyes shining at the sight of the little master, pushed the cook aside with his thin frame.
“It’s already afternoon, Little Master must want a sweet biscuit or a delicious cake?”
Shen Wen wasn’t particularly fond of pastries or afternoon tea, so the pastry chef’s creations were always placed at the far corner of the table.
Now that they had a little master, the pastry chef thought it was finally his time to shine!
The cook, glaring at the pastry chef’s fawning expression, gritted her teeth.
The two of them, glaring at each other, looked at the little master expectantly.
Xing Nuo, ever considerate, patted both of their arms.
“Auntie’s soup…delicious…Pastry’s biscuits…yummy too!”
Hearing the little master’s praise, the pastry chef’s eyes welled up with tears of joy. He immediately rushed to the oven, determined to bake the most perfect biscuits for the little master!
The cook, not to be outdone, went to prepare the soup the little master had personally declared the most delicious!
The two of them bustled around the kitchen, the sounds of clanging pots and pans echoing, while the kitchen maids scurried around, following their instructions.
After Xing Nuo left, the players emerged from their hiding spot, exchanged glances, and walked towards the kitchen with a mixture of nervousness and determination.
Just as they reached the doorway, they were met with the cook’s booming voice:
“What are you doing here?! This is the kitchen, not a place for you!”
The pastry chef, also instantly hostile, wiped his hands, his expression sinister.
“If you interfere with my baking for the little master, I’ll rip your heads off and bake them in the oven!”
The players gasped, looking at the two powerful monsters, and quickly retreated.
Hiding in a corner, wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads, they breathed a sigh of relief.
“This isn’t going to work! Asking the cook for soup is a dead end! That monster is too powerful, we can’t force her to cook for us!”
The buzz-cut player pursed her lips and, after a moment of silence, said:
“Perhaps…we should try appealing to the little master again?”
Come to think of it, the smartest thing they had done in this instance was to gain the favor of the little master, Xing Nuo!
A veteran player sighed.
“Thank goodness we were nice to Xing Nuo earlier.”
They didn’t dare imagine their current predicament if they had offended him.
In the dining hall, the crystal chandelier had been replaced with softer, warmer mermaid pearls.
Xing Nuo stood on his chair, his little head tilted up, touching the pillar where the mermaid pearl was placed.
He looked at it curiously.
“No…electricity?”
In his other home, the lights, the television, the refrigerator… even the phone, all needed electricity.
Why didn’t this glowing pearl?
The footman watching him nervously wanted to help the little master down, but he didn’t dare touch him, afraid of startling him, so he just anxiously paced back and forth.
“Little Master, please sit down. I can get one for you if you want to look at it.”
There were piles of mermaid pearls in the basement storeroom!
Xing Nuo touched the mermaid pearl. It wasn’t hot at all, but cool and smooth!
“Smells like…Second Brother!”
He sniffed it, his eyes crinkling into a smile.
Seeing the footman’s anxiety, he obediently sat down in his chair and looked up.
“Servant brother…I want…round pearl.”
Xing Nuo wanted to take it back and show Second Brother!
Second Brother would definitely like this cool, glowing pearl that smelled of the sea!
The footman sighed in relief, patted his chest, and quickly nodded.
“Of course, I’ll get one for you right away, Little Master. But please don’t stand on the chair anymore!”
Xing Nuo nodded vigorously and watched as the footman hurried towards the basement.
The players, hiding in the shadows, finally saw an opportunity to approach the little master alone.
They exchanged glances and began their performance.
“Xing Nuo, getting ready for dinner?”
The new female player, pretty and cheerful, having tidied her hair and clothes, approached Xing Nuo with a smile.
Xing Nuo, who was tucking his bib into his shirt, nodded in response.
“Yes…Zaizai…slept long…missed lunch!”
The new female player, with her lively demeanor and short, wavy hair, looked a bit like Xing Nuo’s kindergarten teacher.
Xing Nuo looked at her curiously.
Seeing his expression, the newcomer, sensing an opportunity, clutched her head and let out a few weak groans, without needing to feign weakness.
She dabbed at her dry eyes, sneaking glances at Xing Nuo, waiting for him to ask what was wrong.
Xing Nuo tilted his head, his long, thick eyelashes shimmering in the light, and quietly observed her.
Seeing that he was just staring at her, his chin resting on his hand, without speaking, the newcomer groaned a bit louder.
Xing Nuo, who often feigned weakness to get hugs and kisses from his dad, watching the newcomer’s terrible acting, couldn’t help but giggle, covering his mouth with his hand.
His eyes sparkled with amusement.
Someone’s acting was even worse than Zaizai’s!
If Dad saw this, he would never call Zaizai a Fake Cry King again!
Xing Nuo’s eyes, bright as obsidian, filled with amusement, he said to the player:
“Sister…can’t cry…like that.”
He leaned closer and whispered, sharing his expertise:
“You…pout…like this…”
Xing Nuo demonstrated, pouting and looking up at her with a pitiful expression.
“…then Dad…will hug Zaizai!”
Newcomer: “…”
Who was teaching whom here?!
She snorted, lightly pinching the little master’s soft cheek.
“You’re teaching me?! I’ve taught over a thousand children!”
It turned out, the newcomer really was a kindergarten teacher!
Xing Nuo, feeling the familiar authority of a teacher, quickly shrank his neck and placed his hands neatly on the table.
Afraid of losing his little red flower, he even straightened his back.
The newcomer snorted, then, noticing the veteran players frantically signaling to her, realized her mistake.
She had been led astray by the little cub!
She coughed lightly and changed her tactics.
“Xing Nuo, do you know why I feel so unwell?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, his voice soft.
“Don’t know.”
The newcomer sat beside him, clutching her stomach, and sighed dramatically.
“Because I haven’t eaten anything for two whole days.”
Xing Nuo’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening slightly.
“But…but Second Brother said…no eat…Zaizai…die…”
“Sister…die too?” Xing Nuo asked, confused.
Two whole days, she must be incredibly unwell by now!
He instinctively reached out to touch her, as if to check if she was cold.
The newcomer, avoiding any physical contact with the little master, quickly pulled away and continued sighing.
“Adults are different from children. Two days without food won’t kill us, but it’s very uncomfortable.”
Xing Nuo nodded understandingly, clutching his own rumbling tummy, and let out a small sigh.
Finally, as the newcomer had hoped, Xing Nuo asked the crucial question:
“Why…sister…no eat?”
The newcomer, feigning distress, her excitement barely contained, clenched her fists and replied:
“Because the cook didn’t make us any food. She looks down on us!”
Affected by the manipulated emotions, she couldn’t help but complain about the cook in front of the little master.
Just as she was describing the cook’s arrogant attitude, she suddenly stopped, a chill running down her spine.
She rubbed her arms and, looking at the innocent, adorable little master, asked:
“Xing Nuo, do you feel cold?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, adjusted his yellow sunflower bib, and smiled sweetly.
“No…Sister…Cook Auntie…brought Zaizai…food…want…eat…together?”
Xing Nuo, worried about the hungry sister, invited her to join him for dinner.
And in that instant, the smile on the newcomer’s face vanished.
