The corridors of the Xi Manor were completely silent at this hour.
Only the faint glow of lanterns lit the stone paths while cold night wind drifted quietly through the estate. The deeper Su Yueqing walked into the manor, the quieter everything beca.
Even the servants patrolling at night lowered their heads quickly when they saw her approaching.
No one dared stop her.
anwhile, Su Yueqing herself looked deeply unmotivated to exist.
Her outer robe hung loosely around her shoulders while her hair remained half tied from sleep. She walked slowly with one hand covering her mouth as she yawned lightly.
Inside her mind—
[I cannot believe I left my warm bed for villain work.]
[If this system had a physical body, I would bury it.]
The system imdiately responded.
[Violence against system assistants is prohibited.]
Su Yueqing did not even blink.
"Then stop behaving like an enemy."
The system ignored her again.
Soon, the kitchen courtyard finally appeared ahead.
Warm light still glowed faintly from inside because the night servants had not fully finished cleaning yet. A few maids moved quietly around while preparing hot water for tomorrow morning.
The mont they saw Su Yueqing, everyone froze.
Then they hurriedly bowed.
"Young Madam!"
Su Yueqing calmly walked inside.
"Continue your work," she said lazily.
Her tone was cold as usual, but her sleepy face weakened the intimidation slightly.
The servants quickly nodded.
"Yes, Young Madam."
Su Yueqing slowly looked around the kitchen.
It was large, clean, and filled with expensive ingredients neatly arranged across the shelves.
Inside her mind—
[This kitchen is bigger than my apartnt from two worlds ago.]
She glanced toward the baskets of fresh vegetables.
[Rich people really live shalessly well.]
The nearby servants stiffened slightly after hearing her thoughts.
Unfortunately for them, they were close enough.
One maid nearly dropped the bowl in her hands before quickly steadying herself again.
anwhile, Su Yueqing walked toward the cooking table without noticing anything strange.
Then she stopped.
Silence.
The servants waited nervously.
Su Yueqing stared at the ingredients for a long mont.
Then—
"...System."
[Yes, Host.]
"I suddenly realized sothing important."
[Please speak.]
"I do not know how to cook."
The system beca quiet for two full seconds.
[Host cooked in World Seven.]
"That was instant noodles."
[Host also cooked in World Nine.]
"I almost poisoned three people."
[They survived.]
"Barely."
The system fell silent again.
anwhile, one of the older kitchen maids carefully stepped forward.
"Young Madam... would you like this servant to prepare sothing instead?"
Su Yueqing imdiately looked at her like she had just seen light from heaven.
"Yes."
Then the system voice rang sharply inside her head.
[Mission violation warning.]
Su Yueqing’s expression instantly beca annoyed again.
"Oh, now you want standards?"
[Host must personally participate.]
She folded her arms coldly.
"I am participating emotionally."
[Mission violation warning.]
Su Yueqing stared into space with dead eyes.
"...I hate this job."
Finally, after another painful minute, she unwillingly moved toward the counter.
The servants nearby imdiately looked nervous.
One maid quietly whispered to another,
"Should we help her?"
The other maid whispered back urgently,
"Do you want to die?"
anwhile, Su Yueqing picked up a knife.
Then paused again.
Inside her mind—
[Why is this thing so heavy?]
The guards outside silently looked at each other.
Su Yueqing slowly grabbed a cucumber from the table.
Then she narrowed her eyes at it.
[You and I have no personal grudge.]
A nearby servant quickly lowered her head harder to hide her expression.
Then finally—
Chop!
The knife ca down.
The cucumber split unevenly into two horrible pieces.
Silence.
Su Yueqing stared at it.
The servants stared too.
Inside her mind...
[...That looked uglier than I expected.]
The system spoke calmly.
[Cooking skill remains poor.]
"Thank you," she replied flatly. "Your support ans nothing to ."
She continued cutting reluctantly while the kitchen servants watched in growing fear.
Not because she looked dangerous.
But because she looked like soone seconds away from declaring war on vegetables.
Then outside the kitchen entrance, a shadow quietly appeared.
Li i stood silently beneath the lantern light.
Her delicate face remained calm, but her eyes slowly swept across the kitchen interior.
Then her gaze landed on Su Yueqing.
A strange light flickered through her eyes.
Inside the kitchen, Su Yueqing was still battling ingredients with the expression of soone enduring punishnt from heaven itself.
Completely unaware that the heroine had already arrived.
Su Yueqing was still standing in front of the cooking table with a knife in one hand and a very unfortunate cucumber in the other when the system suddenly spoke again.
[Next villain sequence activated.]
Her eyes imdiately narrowed.
"...Why do you always sound excited before ruining my life?"
The system ignored her complaint completely.
[Host must send away all servants, maids, and guards from the kitchen area.]
Su Yueqing paused.
Then she slowly turned her head.
"...Excuse ?"
[Host must create opportunity for heroine to proceed with kitchen fire incident.]
She stared blankly ahead for a few seconds.
Then she laughed softly in disbelief.
"So now I have to personally help the heroine fra ?"
[Correct.]
"That sounds illegal."
[That sounds villainous.]
Su Yueqing pressed her fingers against her forehead.
For a mont, she seriously looked like she was reconsidering all her life choices.
Inside her mind—
[One day I will destroy this system.]
[Not imdiately.]
[But patiently.]
The system replied calmly.
[Host has threatened system violence six tis today.]
"Make it seven."
The kitchen servants nearby suddenly beca nervous again.
None of them understood why their new Young Madam kept silently staring into space while looking increasingly irritated.
anwhile, outside the kitchen entrance, Li i remained hidden quietly in the shadows.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the brightly lit kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, Su Yueqing let out another long sigh before finally giving up arguing.
"Fine," she muttered. "Fine. Let the plot continue. Let destiny embarrass peacefully."
Then she straightened slightly and turned toward the servants.
"You may all leave."
The kitchen instantly beca silent.
The servants blinked in confusion.
One older maid hesitated carefully.
"Young Madam... the kitchen still requires cleaning."
"I said leave."
Her voice was calm this ti, but colder than before.
The servants imdiately lowered their heads.
"Yes, Young Madam."
The kitchen maids quickly began putting things down before hurrying out one after another.
But just as the guards outside prepared to leave too, Su Yueqing suddenly stopped them again.
"You as well."
The guards froze.
"...Young Madam?"
Su Yueqing looked at them with visible annoyance already written across her face.
"If all of you continue standing here staring at cutting vegetables badly, I will lose my temper."
The guards instantly lowered their heads harder.
"This subordinate apologizes."
Then they quickly left too.
Soon, the large kitchen beca completely quiet.
Only Su Yueqing remained inside.
And sowhere outside—
Li i’s eyes slowly brightened.
The opportunity had finally co.
Inside the kitchen, Su Yueqing placed the knife down tiredly before looking around at the now empty room.
Inside her mind—
[There.]
[The entire place is empty.]
[Everyone can now peacefully begin plotting against .]
She folded her arms.
[Honestly, villains in ancient novels work too hard.]
[The heroine works hard.]
[The villains work hard.]
[Even the side characters work hard.]
[anwhile I just want to sleep.]
Outside the kitchen, Li i quietly lowered her gaze.
Her expression remained soft and innocent as always, but her fingers slowly tightened around the small oil pouch hidden inside her sleeve.
Tonight’s fire had originally been ant to happen much earlier.
But Su Yueqing unexpectedly stayed inside her room after arriving at the manor, ruining the timing completely.
Fortunately a chance had still appeared.
Li i slowly looked toward the quiet kitchen again.
A cold light flashed briefly through her eyes.
Then she calmly stepped forward.
Inside the kitchen, Su Yueqing was still completely unaware.
At that mont, she was staring down at the ugly cucumber pieces with deep disappointnt.
Inside her mind—
[This really looks terrible.]
[Maybe the fire should just take the evidence.]
User Comments
0 comments from readers