Is it normal for everyone to die? I'm glad I'm alive? I'm lucky I'm alive?

Klein shuddered violently and took two quick steps toward the door, trying to chase after the police officers and seek protection.

But as soon as he touched the handle, his movements suddenly stopped.

"That police officer described the incident as so horrific, so why didn't they protect me, an important witness or key clue?"

"Isn't this too careless?"

"Probing, or laying out bait?"

Various thoughts were fighting in Klein's mind, making him suspect that the police were still secretly "watching" him and observing his reaction.

Thinking of this, he felt more at ease, no longer panicking. He slowly opened the door and shouted towards the stairs with a deliberately trembling voice:

"You will protect me, right?"

Snap, snap, snap. The police officers did not respond. The rhythm of the leather shoes touching the wooden stairs did not change.

“I know! You will do this!” Klein shouted again with a tone of false conviction, trying to act like a normal person in danger.

The footsteps gradually weakened and disappeared on the ground floor of the apartment.

Klein snorted and sneered inwardly:

"Isn't this reaction too fake? Your acting is substandard!"

He didn't chase after her, but turned back to his room and closed the door.

In the next few hours, Klein fully demonstrated the words of the foodie country such as restless, fidgety, anxious, confused, etc., and he did not relax his requirements just because there was no one around.

This is called an actor's self-cultivation! He laughed at himself in his heart.

As the sun set, the clouds in the sky began to "burn," and the residents of the apartment went home one after another. Only then did Klein shift his focus elsewhere.

"Melissa will be done with school soon" He cast his eyes towards the stove, lifting the kettle in one go, peeling away the coals and pulling out his revolver.

Without pausing or delaying, he reached his hand to the back of the lower board of the bunk bed, where there were a dozen or so wooden strips crisscrossing to support it.

After clamping the revolver between a wooden bar and a board, Klein straightened up and waited anxiously, fearing that the police would suddenly break down the door and rush into the room with guns drawn.

If this were a normal steam world, he was sure that no one would see him doing what he just did. However, there was extraordinary power here, extraordinary power that he had verified himself.

After waiting for a few minutes, there was no movement at the door. Only the sound of two tenants talking to each other at the "Wild Hearts" bar on Iron Cross Street came from far away and then went away.

“Huh.” Klein exhaled, and his heart settled back into his chest.

Just waiting for Melissa to come back and make lamb stew with tender peas!

As soon as this thought came to mind, Klein's mouth seemed to be filled with the aroma of gravy, and he also remembered how Melissa made lamb stewed with tender peas.

She first boils water to blanch the meat, then adds onions, salt, a little pepper and water and stews it directly. When the time is right, she adds peas and potatoes and simmers it for forty to fifty minutes.

“It’s such a simple and crude method, relying purely on the delicious taste of the meat itself!” Klein couldn’t help but shake his head.

But there is no way around it. Ordinary people don't have a variety of seasonings or cooking methods. They can only pursue simplicity, practicality and economy. Anyway, as long as the meat is not burnt or spoiled, it is good for people who only eat it twice or even once a week.

Klein was not a good cook and he mostly ate out on a daily basis, but he cooked three or four times a week, and after accumulating the knowledge from week to week, his cooking skills were still up to par. He felt that he could not let that pound of lamb go to waste.

“Wait until Melissa comes back. It will be after 7:30 when she’s done. She’ll be starving then. It’s time to show her real cooking skills!” Klein found an excuse for himself. He rekindled the fire, went to the public bathroom to get water to wash the lamb, then took out a chopping board and knife and chopped it into small pieces.

As for how to explain his sudden ability to cook, he decided to blame it on his dead boyfriend Welch McGowan. This classmate not only hired a chef who was good at Shanghai-style cuisine, but also often prepared delicious food on his own and invited people to taste it.

Well, the dead can't refute me! ..

But, hiss, this is a world with extraordinary people, and the dead may not be unable to speak. Thinking of this, Klein inexplicably felt a little guilty.

He put aside his messy thoughts, put the meat into the soup bowl, then took out the seasoning box and shook a spoonful and a half of yellow coarse salt into it. In addition, he carefully took some black peppercorns from a special small bottle, mixed them with the lamb meat and salt, and marinated them slightly.

He placed the stew pot on the stove and waited for it to heat up. Then, he found the carrots left over from yesterday and the onions he bought today and cut them into many pieces.

After finishing the preparations, he took out a small jar from the cupboard and opened it, revealing the little lard left.

Klein scooped out a spoonful and put it into the pot, frying it until it melted. Then he poured in the carrots and onions and stir-fried them for a while.

The aroma began to spread, and Klein poured all the lamb in and fried it carefully for a while.

During this process, he should have added some cooking wine, or at least wine. However, the Moretti family didn't have such luxuries, and Benson could only drink one glass of beer a week. Klein had to make do with what he had, poured some boiling water, and cooked it casually.

After stewing for about twenty minutes, he opened the lid, put in the tender peas and chopped potatoes, and added a cup of hot water and two spoons of salt.

After closing the lid and lowering the fire, Klein exhaled with satisfaction and waited for his sister to come home.

As time passed, the aroma in the room became stronger and stronger, with the aroma of meat, the richness of potatoes, and the "freshness" of onions.

The smells gradually became mixed. Klein swallowed from time to time, opened the cover of his pocket watch, and looked at the minute hand.

More than forty minutes later, the sound of footsteps, not brisk but rhythmic, approached, the key was inserted, the handle turned, and the door opened.

"It smells so good," Melissa whispered doubtfully before she came in.

She stepped in with her bag, her eyes glancing over the stove.

“You did it?” Melissa paused in mid-air while taking off her veil, and looked at Klein with horror in her eyes.

She sniffed, inhaling more fragrance, and her eyes quickly softened, as if she had found some confidence.

"You did it?" she asked again in confusion.

"Are you worried that I'll waste the lamb?" Klein asked with a smile. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Don't worry. I've asked Welch how to make this dish. You know, he has a good chef."

“First time?” Melissa’s brows frowned unconsciously, but were smoothed over by the aroma.

"It seems I have a talent." Klein laughed. "It's almost done. Put your books and hat aside, go to the bathroom to wash your hands, and then wait for the taste. I'm very confident."

Listening to her brother's methodical arrangements and looking at his gentle and calm smile, Melissa stood at the door in a daze, not reacting.

"Would you like it stewed softer?" Klein urged with a smile.

“Oh, okay, okay!” Melissa came to her senses, holding her bag in one hand and her hat in the other, and rushed into the inner room.

When he opened the lid of the stew pot, mist suddenly appeared in front of Klein's eyes. Two pieces of rye bread had already been placed next to the lamb and tender peas, allowing them to absorb the fragrance and heat to become soft.

By the time Melissa had packed up her things and returned from washing her hands and face, a plate of lamb stewed with tender peas, potatoes, carrots, and onions had been placed on the desk, and two pieces of black bread stained with a little gravy were on their respective plates.

“Here, try it.” Klein pointed at the wooden fork and spoon placed next to the plate.

Melissa was still a little confused, but she didn't refuse. She picked up the fork, picked up a piece of potato, put it to her mouth, and took a bite.

The soft and glutinous potato and the rich aroma of gravy filled the air at the same time, making her saliva salivate like crazy. She finished the potato and swallowed it in no time.

“Try the meat.” Klein pointed at the plate with his chin.

He had just tasted it and felt that it was just passing grade, but for a young girl who had never seen meat and could only eat it occasionally, it was good enough!

There was a look of anticipation in Melissa's eyes as she carefully forked a piece of lamb.

It is stewed till quite tender and feels like it is about to melt in your mouth. The real meaty aroma bursts out and the wonderful juice flows, filling your mouth.

It was an unprecedented wonderful feeling, and Melissa couldn't stop at all.

By the time she came to her senses, she had already eaten several pieces of lamb.

“I, I, Klein, this is for you.” Melissa’s face flushed and she stuttered.

"I've already eaten it secretly. This is my privilege as a chef." Klein comforted his sister with a smile. He also picked up the fork and spoon, sometimes eating a piece of meat, sometimes stuffing a mouthful of peas, and sometimes putting down the cutlery and breaking off a piece of black bread to dip it in the juice.

Melissa relaxed, influenced by Klein's normal behavior, and immersed herself in the delicious food again.

"It's delicious. You can't tell it's your first time making it." Melissa glanced at the empty plate without even a drop of juice left and praised sincerely.

"Compared to Welch's chef, it's still far behind. When I have money, I'll take you and Benson to a restaurant outside to eat better!" Klein said this with a bit of longing in his heart.

"You burp during the interview." Melissa didn't finish her sentence before she suddenly made an uncontrollable sound of satisfaction.

She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, looking embarrassed.

It’s all because the lamb stew with tender peas was so delicious!

Klein laughed secretly and decided not to laugh at his sister. He pointed at the plate and said:

"This is your mission."

"Okay!" Melissa stood up impatiently, picked up the basin, and rushed out the door.

When she came back from cleaning, she opened the cupboard and checked the spice boxes and other items out of habit.

“You used it just now?” Melissa blurted out in surprise. She turned to look at Klein, holding a black pepper bottle and a lard can in his hands.

Klein spread his hands and smiled:

"A little bit, that's the price of deliciousness."

Melissa's eyes flickered, her expression changed several times, and finally she pursed her lips and said:

"I'll cook from now on."

"Well you have to hurry up and prepare for the interview. You have to think about work."