https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-399-Reasoning-Belongs-After-Dinner/13548081/
Chapter 400: Unexpected Gain
Chapter 400: Unexpected Gain
"By the way, there should be another maid in this mansion, right?" Feng Bu Jue asked while carefully dripping oil into a bowl of sauce. His hands were busy cooking, but his mind raced effortlessly—he could multitask without stress. For him, this wasn’t a burden but rather a release.
Earlier, he had speculated that Lovecraft’s household employed more than just Oliver as their maid. After all, this villa had countless rooms, corridors, foyers, staircases, and so on. Even basic cleaning would take half a day for one person. And with cooking, laundry, and other chores added to the list, the workload still wouldn’t be manageable—even if Henderson and Barton helped out.
"Yes, there’s another maid, Ma Sha. She went back to her hometown for Thanksgiving and won’t return until after the holiday", Madam Odette replied.
"So you had no choice but to help out in the kitchen yourself?" Feng Bu Jue smiled.
Odette caught his subtle implication and responded awkwardly, "Apologies… I admit I’m not very skilled at this."
Feng Bu Jue only needed a minute to assess her cooking abilities—it was clear she could barely offer assistance. He guessed she rarely set foot in the kitchen.
"On the contrary, you’re doing just fine. I’m sure Oliver appreciates your help", Feng Bu Jue said.
"Indeed, Mr. Feng! Madam has been a tremendous help these past few days", Oliver chimed in. "The previous two madams couldn’t even be bothered to pour their own water…"
"Oliver!" Odette interrupted, shooting her a glance and shaking her head slightly. Obviously, she didn’t want Oliver to continue. Undoubtedly, the maid had grievances against Lord Lovecraft’s first two wives—gripes that were unsuitable for outsiders’ ears.
Oliver, sensing the cue, quickly fell silent and returned to her work.
"Hmph", Feng Bu Jue scoffed, changing the subject as he picked up the bowl. "Look—by carefully dripping the oil in and slowly stirring it like a thread, you can avoid oil-water separation." He set the bowl aside. "After letting this sauce rest for a while, pouring it over the oysters will complete my special recipe: spinach cheese-baked oysters."
"You always surprise us, Mr. Feng", Odette said gratefully, taking the opportunity to praise him. "Who would’ve thought a detective could be so skilled in the kitchen?"
"Hehe… This dish is only moderately difficult", Feng Bu Jue boasted. "I’ve also prepared two more dishes of similar complexity—chicken liver mousse and Sichuan-style hot pot with Japanese-style filet mignon." He pointed at a pile of vegetables in the corner. "Pick out some old potatoes and do a double fry, and we can have Pomme soufflé with that unique crispy texture. The French really do know their stuff…"
"Oh! Detective Mr., just how many dishes are you planning to make? Some of these I’ve never even heard of", Oliver interjected.
"Don’t worry… I can handle this spread by myself." Feng Bu Jue seemed relaxed, even casual, but his movements were fast, precise, and efficient—twice as quick as those on cooking shows.
Truthfully, Feng Bu Jue had two main goals for coming to the kitchen: first, to interrogate the last two suspects before dinner; second, to enjoy a decent meal.
In this scenario, players needed to consume food and water. If that was inevitable, why not indulge in something good?
Terrifying Paradise excelled at simulating realistic food flavors. Players who bought food-related artifacts at the mall knew this well—whether potato chips, steaks, candies, or lobsters, the game could replicate their deliciousness with stunning accuracy.
Now, he could use in-game resources to enjoy a gourmet meal that would cost a fortune in real life—all while showing off his cooking skills. How could he pass up such an opportunity?
"Oh, Madam, there’s a question Officer Mark probably didn’t ask you…" Feng Bu Jue suddenly interjected. "In your opinion… who has the strongest motive in this case?"
Odette’s hand trembled slightly. She widened her eyes at him, her suppressed anxiety flashing through her gaze alongside her shock.
Oliver also turned to look, her expression laced with concern.
After an awkward silence, Madam Odette seemed to steel herself. "It’s me."
Feng Bu Jue continued his work, calmly prompting her, "Reason?"
"Because… Dennis and I have never had a good relationship." Her words aligned with what Barton had told him earlier. "He strongly opposed my marriage into the Lovecraft family seven years ago. Though I’ve tried to mend things, he’s always treated me coldly. You saw his attitude in the foyer today."
"I’d like to hear…" Feng Bu Jue interrupted, "…what I haven’t seen yet."
Odette’s heart skipped a beat. Then, as if understanding something, she sighed. "Sigh… Looks like I can’t hide anything from you."
Meanwhile, Feng Bu Jue thought, I was just bluffing… So you really did have something to hide!
Odette continued, "Alright… Before the corpse was discovered, I did go looking for Dennis." Before he could respond, she quickly added, "But I swear! I didn’t kill Dennis! I didn’t even enter that room!"
"Hmm, I believe you", Feng Bu Jue said, scooping up a handful of washed vegetables and chopping them rapidly. As his knife struck the cutting board rhythmically, he spoke quickly: "Here’s what happened…
"Your husband and Dennis argued about something today—and even fired a gun. As the family’s hostess, your concern was natural human behavior.
"At the time, you must’ve suspected their quarrel was about you. So later, you went to Dennis’s guest room to talk. You knocked for ages, but no one answered. You left. Then, not long after, Dennis was found dead in his room.
"With Dennis always hostile toward you, and your presence at his door during the crime window, suspicion naturally fell on you. Scared of implication, you kept quiet about it."
(End of Chapter)
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