Chapter 12

Chapter 12

There was another thing: Xie Yin Xue found Qiu Yu Xing from Wei Dao's team strangely familiar.

His memory was exceptional, almost eidetic. If he forgot something, it was surely trivial.

If he felt Qiu Yu Xing seemed familiar and they had just met for the first time in the "Lock of Longevity" game, it meant they must have crossed paths in the real world—or at least, Xie Yin Xue had encountered Qiu Yu Xing.

But for the life of him, he couldn't remember where they had met.

He asked Liu Bu Hua, "Bu Hua, have you met Qiu Yu Xing before entering 'Lock of Longevity'?"

"I haven't," Liu Bu Hua, always attuned to Xie Yin Xue's thoughts, responded. Noting the subtle hint, he added, "Do you find him familiar?"

"Indeed," Xie Yin Xue replied, his eyes narrowing in contemplation, but no clarity came.

He paid particular attention to this man primarily because he noticed in the front courtyard that Qiu Yu Xing seemed to have overheard the dispute between Chen Yun, Yan Zhi, and Wei Qiu Yu.

"He doesn't come off as trustworthy," Liu Bu Hua remarked, "even if he's good at pretending to be."

Their conversation paused as a servant approached, knocking to deliver their lunch.

The meals for all game participants remained consistent: a main dish and a side dish for breakfast, and three dishes with a soup for both lunch and dinner. The feast at midnight was exceptional.

However, as today's lunch was presented to Xie Yin Xue, he noticed an extra dish—or perhaps, it would be more accurate to label it a dessert.

For it was a bowl of pear dessert soup.

Although both Xie Yin Xue and Liu Bu Hua shared the same table, the servant specifically placed the pear soup before Xie Yin Xue, making its intended recipient clear.

Even so, Xie Yin Xue asked the servant, "Is this specially prepared for me?"

"Yes," the servant replied with a smile. "Chef A Jiu noticed your recent coughing and specially prepared this soup to soothe your throat."

"Oh?"

A playful arch formed on Xie Yin Xue's eyebrows.

Did the chefs here possess such discretion?

Or was it... only A Jiu who had such privilege?

"It's quite timely, as I've been feeling a scratchy throat lately. A Jiu's gesture is truly considerate," Xie Yin Xue remarked with a gentle smile, despite the myriad of thoughts racing in his mind. "Could you perhaps fetch him? I'd like to personally express my gratitude."

"Of course, Sir Xie. Please give me a moment."

Xie Yin Xue already knew from yesterday that these servants wouldn't decline his requests; he was merely being polite.

As expected, it wasn't long before the servant returned with A Jiu in tow.

When they entered, Xie Yin Xue was in the midst of tasting the dessert soup.

His lustrous black hair, previously tied back with a red ribbon, was now loose. Stray strands cascaded down, framing his pale, delicate face, making him look even more frail.

Chef A Jiu's vertical-pupiled eyes were immediately drawn to Xie Yin Xue's porcelain complexion.

Catching the sound of footsteps, Xie Yin Xue looked up and, upon recognizing the visitor, greeted with a gentle smile, "A Jiu, you've come."

A Jiu paused before him, glancing down, "Mr. Xie, how may I assist you?"

"I heard from the servant that you prepared the pear dessert soup for me," Xie Yin Xue replied, unbothered by A Jiu's imposing stature. He tilted his head upward, continuing, "So, I wanted to personally thank you."

The chef with vertical pupils remained silent, his eyes appearing as distant and indifferent as a frozen wasteland, yet also seemingly swirling with some unidentifiable emotions.

It was when Xie Yin Xue almost believed he had become mute that the chef with vertical pupils finally spoke.

He said, "It's fragrant pear sweet soup."

The statement felt incomplete, leaving Xie Yin Xue somewhat taken aback.

"Not snow pear sweet soup."

Seeing her apparent confusion, the man elaborated, "It's fragrant pear sweet soup."

"Is there a difference?"

Xie Yin Xue chuckled with a hint of resignation. She knew fragrant pears and snow pears weren't the same. But once made into a sweet soup, even if the taste differed slightly, it would be enveloped by the sugary liquid, leaving only sweetness and pear aroma.

The chef with vertical pupils retorted, "I hate snow."

"—Anything related to snow, and even the word 'snow', repulses me."

Such a response was utterly unexpected to Xie Yin Xue.

Especially his use of the word "repulse". Expressing his preference so starkly, at first listen, it seemed as if he was criticizing Xie Yin Xue — but could such intense emotions truly belong to a mere NPC?

Or perhaps, all chefs were like this, only she had spoken more with Ah Jiu.

This posed an intriguing question. Xie Yin Xue fell silent for a few moments, resolving to investigate further tomorrow.

Xie Yin Xue leaned a bit closer to the chef, a smile on her face, and said, "My name contains the word 'snow', and I love snow. So Ah Jiu, do you dislike me as well?"

Although Xie Yin Xue's tone and manner were always gentle and soft, her words seemed almost like a challenge to Ah Jiu.

"No."

To her surprise, after hearing her words, the man chuckled. Looking down at the frail young man with a pale face, as if unwell, his voice, though raspy from behind a mask, was slow and clear, "Mr. Xie, you are unlike the rest."

Supporting her chin with the back of her hand, Xie Yin Xue gazed at the chef and asked, "How am I different?"

The chef with vertical pupils replied, "You're like this bowl of fragrant pear sweet soup."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yin Xue's gaze drifted to the fragrant pear sweet soup beside her, and she laughed with interest, "Are you saying I'm part of the ingredients too?"

"Anything that appears in the vegetable garden is."

The chef with vertical pupils almost directly gave the answer to Xie Yin Xue. Although everyone had guessed this answer earlier that day, hearing him reiterate it now made Xie Yin Xue suspect there was more to his words.

So Xie Yin Xue asked, "Are you one of them too?"

In the separate courtyard of the Qin Mansion, these chefs cook and prepare dishes, and they must also enter the vegetable garden. If those who enter the garden are ingredients, and the game participants are, would the chefs be as well?

"The master is the knife and chopping board, you and I—" The chef with vertical pupils was still smiling, but he leaned in close, his lips brushing Xie Yin Xue's ear as he whispered, "are but fish meat."

Having said that, the chef with vertical pupils straightened and left the main hall.

Xie Yin Xue's smile gradually faded, and he stared thoughtfully at the retreating figure.

Before Liu Bu Hua, who had been standing by for quite some time, could speak, Xie Yin Xue inquired, "Bu Hua, what did the chef mean by saying I'm like this bowl of fragrant pear sweet soup?"

Liu Bu Hua shook his head, "I don't know."

Xie Yin Xue frowned, looking puzzled for a moment, but soon, his face cleared.

Knowing him well, Liu Bu Hua immediately asked, "Godfather, have you figured out his meaning?"

"Yes." Xie Yin Xue nodded, "He meant that I'm as sweet as the fragrant pear sweet soup."

Liu Bu Hua: "..."

Liu Bu Hua hesitated.

He felt Chef Ah Jiu's words had a different intent. Could he be suggesting that Xie Yin Xue is as aromatic as the soup? Regardless of whether it's about being sweet or aromatic, neither seemed plausible.

Liu Bu Hua still believed that Chef Ah Jiu was insinuating a threat, implying Xie Yin Xue resembled an ingredient, which seemed the most likely interpretation.

But Xie Yin Xue's mind was now focused on Ah Jiu's last words:

——The master is the knife and chopping board; we are all but fish meat.

By "master," he likely referred to Master Qin. As for "fish meat," could it signify being an ingredient?

Was Ah Jiu suggesting that both the chefs and the game participants... are ingredients?

If the game participants become dishes when they choose meat dishes, what triggers the chefs, if they are also considered meat ingredients?

A hypothesis formed in Xie Yin Xue's mind. He gazed deeply at the pear blossom silver bracelet on his wrist, smiling briefly: Wouldn't trying it out tonight reveal the truth?

Author's note:

NPC: You're like this bowl of fragrant pear sweet soup because you...

Mr. Xie: Super sweet.

npc：？