Chapter 73

Chapter 73

I was afraid he would catch me looking at him. I clutched at my wrist. My skin felt warm where he had touched it. But the bracelet was cool.

“Teacher, I will go first and prepare breakfast for you. Enjoy your walk!” I hurriedly walked away and ran to the mansion without waiting for a response. I could feel his gaze on me but I tried hard to ignore it.

By the time I walked into the kitchen, Mimi was already preparing breakfast. She was really very diligent.

“Miss… Countess, are you up already?”

“Just call me Miss, that’s more familiar.” I didn’t really care about being addressed by my title. I checked the breakfast menu she had been preparing.

“Are you very hungry? I’ll hurry up and finish preparing it. It’s braised chicken with potatoes, your favorite.”

Mimi might have assumed that’s why I came to the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves and continued her work. The menu was very appetizing for today. But there were several things in the ingredients that Kaichen didn’t like.

Kaichen liked potatoes but hated carrots. These two ingredients were used abundantly in many dishes. I looked at the chicken soaked in the water to get rid of the blood, dirt and the smell. It would be cleaned thoroughly. Mimi was always meticulous. But Kaichen would not eat it after just a bite especially due to the carrots.

“Are you making this for Angel and his brothers too?” I asked.

“What? No, Miss! How could they eat the same meal as you?” Mimi had worked for the Alshine family for a long time. Even if titles didn’t matter to me, it mattered to her. I was of noble birth and they were commoners. Even if I was the ‘drunkard’ and ignored most of the time, they always remembered I was of noble birth. I sighed. No matter how many times I explained otherwise, it was in vain.

“Then, I will prepare something for me and teacher. You make something for you, your family and angel’s family.”

“But, why?”

“Ahh, my teacher is very picky when it comes to food.” He certainly was picky. I smiled. I had always taken it as a challenge to prepare something that could match his taste. If he didn’t like the food, his forehead would wrinkle ever so slightly. If he liked the food, the corners of his mouth would twitch up. He was also a big eater when it came to food he liked. Watching him eat brought me great joy as a cook.

“Are you going to cook Miss?!”

“Yes. Would that be a problem?”

“That… no problem, Miss!” Mimi couldn’t hold it anymore. “There is a problem! How can you cook, Miss?”

“Oh, Mimi, why not? Why can’t I make something to eat?”

Mimi stomped her feet. “Mimi, please,” I said, “It’s not that impossible. You and I are the only ones here. And this is my house. What is so wrong about cooking sometimes in your own house? Don’t you cook in your house too?”

“But… you are a noble lady…”

“Well… I am also a student now. So, think of it as a disciple’s duty to her teacher,” I explained, “If I make the teacher happy, he will help me to make Acrab a better place.”

I came up with many excuses for Mimi to let me cook this once. She relented but she kept glancing at me as I cooked. I think she was doubtful about whether I could actually cook. But she didn’t press me. It would be rude to doubt someone’s capabilities before they had the chance to try. Besides, Mimi had grown up together with Dalia. Even if I couldn’t remember the childhood memories, I knew that Mimi was a dear friend to Dalia. But I had so much trauma from the time I was trapped. Mimi didn’t remember, of course. I kept my distance from her.

“Oh my god….” When the finished dish was placed neatly on the tray, Mimi let out a short exclamation. The refrigerator was full of ingredients, so I had no difficulty cooking.

I had set the braised chicken with potatoes on the tray without the ingredients that Kaichen hated. Mimi opened her mouth wide in shock.

“Enjoy your breakfast!” I smiled at her and left. I grabbed the tray and headed to the dining room. I met Kaichen in the hallway, he was heading to the dining room as well. He took the tray I was holding and walked by my side.

Why is he suddenly acting like a gentleman? Is it because the hallway leading to the dining room was long and we had to walk quite a while. The Willow House had been small and cozy. Big mansions were nothing but inconvenient. But I was glad I got to enjoy Kaichen being a gentleman and helping me with the tray.