Chapter 55 I Didn't Intend to Kill Her

She knew An Ran was serious.

This young lady looks gentle and aloof, but once she gets stubborn, not even ten oxen could pull her back.

She stared at the staggering number on the screen, finally sighing helplessly, and replied, "...Okay, okay, I accept it. Thank you, Anran. But really... there won't be a next time!"

Anran sent a victory and a pat on the head emoji.

Su Xiaonuan exited the chat and looked at the long string of zeros that had appeared in the bank app, her feelings mixed.

She accepted the gesture of goodwill, but she wouldn't easily use the money.

She thought to herself that she would have to go to the bank tomorrow to get a new card and deposit the money separately.

After dealing with this little incident, she remembered that her cookbook was empty again.

So I clicked on the light screen of the system store and started browsing the [Food Encyclopedia].

The sheer variety of recipes is dazzling.

After careful consideration, taking into account the different locations she might set up her stall and the different customer groups, she finally selected seven new recipes:

Limited-time dishes: Jufu omelet rice, French steamed egg, potted plant cake, matsutake mushroom soup, cheese potato pancakes, Mercury pudding, and seafood risotto.

I spent 700 merit points in one go, and a huge wave of food knowledge flooded into my mind.

Current merit points: 3500.

I just bought the recipe book, and the system's daily tasks refreshed on time:

[Daily Quest Refresh: Tomorrow, please successfully set up a stall near the Nebula Aquarium and sell 60 servings of 'Limited-Time Dish - Rufu Omelette Rice'. Reward: 450 Merit Points.]

I've been counting the days, and tomorrow is the last day of the week for the stall task. Once I finish it, I'll get a full week's attendance bonus. I'm a little excited about it.

Feeling a bit hungry, she went into the kitchen and decided to make a simple, elegant, and delicious cheese platter for lunch, and also to use up the high-quality cheese she had bought earlier.

She wasn't going to settle for just anyone.

Even lunch for one should be a ritual.

She first took out a large, shallow wooden cutting board from the cabinet to serve as a base for the platter.

Cheese is the star of the show. She carefully selected three different cheeses with different flavors and textures, took them out of the refrigerator, and let them warm up slightly so that their flavors could be fully released.

A mild Brie cheese: ivory-white rind, soft and delicate inside, with a subtle milky and nutty aroma, which she cut into small wedges.

An aged cheddar cheese: dark in color, almost amber, with a firm texture, a rich milky flavor and a strong salty aroma, even with a slight crystallization. She cut it into small cubes.

A smoky Gordard cheese: pale yellow, semi-firm in texture, with a unique smoky aroma and a hint of caramel sweetness, which she sliced ​​thinly.

She then took out several slices of baguette provided by the system, which were baked to a crispy exterior and a soft interior, along with some thin and crispy baked biscuits, and washed a small bunch of crystal-clear seedless red grapes.

She sliced ​​a few pieces of sweet and juicy apple, and to prevent oxidation, she quickly squeezed a few drops of lemon juice on them. After thinking for a moment, she also took a few plump figs, a small handful of roasted almonds and walnuts, and a few dried apricots.

Cut the fig in half to reveal its tempting red flesh and densely packed seeds.

I took a small jar of honey out of the refrigerator and scooped out a spoonful of homemade fig jam, placing them in small white porcelain dishes in the corner of the platter.

Finally, I cut a few fresh rosemary sprigs as decoration.

She arranged the various ingredients on the wooden cutting board in a pleasing, staggered manner, as if arranging a work of art.

Foods of different colors, textures, and shapes are intertwined to create a scene that is both abundant and harmonious.

Warm sunlight streamed through the window onto the platter, making the cheese gleam with a lustrous sheen, the fruit look juicy, and the bread exude a wheaty aroma... It was filled with a delicate and cozy atmosphere.

After preparing, Su Xiaonuan casually poured herself a glass of chilled soda water and added a slice of lemon.

Just as she was about to enjoy this leisurely and delicious lunch, her phone rang.

Judging from the caller ID, it's my aunt.

She wiped her hands and answered the phone: "Hello, Auntie?"

The phone call came through my aunt's warm, slightly noisy voice: "Xiao Nuan! Did I disturb you? Next Wednesday is your cousin's baby's one-month celebration. They're having a few tables at Hongfu Restaurant for the whole family to get together! Are you free to come back then? It's been so long since I've seen you!"

My cousin's baby is already a month old? Time flies.

Su Xiaonuan thought about it and realized that the daily task next Wednesday wouldn't happen to fall in the evening, and besides, she hadn't seen her relatives for a long time.

She replied with a smile, "Yes, yes, next Wednesday is fine, right? Okay, Auntie, I'll definitely be there! Congratulations to my cousin and his wife!"

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they hung up the phone.

She put down her phone, sat back down at the table, picked up a crisp baguette, spread some soft Brie cheese on it, added a slice of apple, and put it in her mouth.

Crispy, soft, sweet, savory... all kinds of textures and flavors blend perfectly in your mouth, bringing great satisfaction.

She leisurely enjoyed her lunch for one, her mind already planning the chores she would do that afternoon, as well as the ingredients she would need to prepare for her stall at the aquarium the next day.

Life flows gently through these busy, mundane, yet delicious and joyful days.

After enjoying the exquisite and delightful cheese platter lunch, Su Xiaonuan washed the used dishes and tidied up the kitchen.

Looking at the sorted kitchen waste and other miscellaneous items, she decided to take advantage of her free time in the afternoon to go downstairs and throw away the trash.

She picked up two neatly sorted garbage bags, changed into comfortable house shoes, and went outside.

The hallway was quiet and peaceful. The afternoon sun streamed in through the windows, forming beams of light, and fine dust particles floated in the air.

She walked briskly down the stairs to the garbage collection point between the fourth and fifth floors.

I had just accurately thrown the trash bag into the corresponding trash can and was about to turn around and go upstairs—

A very faint, suppressed conversation drifted into her ears through the stairwell's ventilation opening or a crack in a door that wasn't fully closed.

She wouldn't normally pay attention to such casual neighborly chatter, but a few keywords pierced her eardrums like ice picks, freezing her in place as if she had been put under a spell!

"...I didn't mean to kill her...really...I just lost my temper...I accidentally killed her..."

A man's voice, filled with a barely suppressed panic and trembling.

[WARNING! High-criteria targets detected within range! Location: Very close! Target A's crime value: 50! Target B's crime value: 39!]

[Target A's crime: Intentional homicide (spur-of-the-moment). Target B's crime: Harboring a criminal, assisting in the disposal of a corpse (suspected).]