The meat in the heavy-bottomed pan sizzled as it fried, the fat rendering out and soaking into the fresh herbs around the steaks. A strange aroma spread through the air, making everyone's mouth water as they gazed at the food in the pan.
Zayas hummed as he bustled around the kitchen. As the father of two children, he naturally possessed a cooking skill he rarely showed off.
He was showing it today because among those present, Wood came from a great family but had no affinity for cooking. As for Yuyuna, who lived with her parents, the peak of her culinary ability was frying a fairly perfect poached egg while boiling noodles. Su Xiao could cook, and he was pretty good at it, but Zayas and Wood—who had both been poisoned into unconsciousness more than once—refused to let Su Xiao within three meters of the kitchen.
Yuyuna had become the city lord's secretary, so there was no need to mention her intelligence. Under Baha's instruction, she mastered several card games in a total of fifteen minutes. Then Baha, Wood, Yuyuna, and A'mu began playing cards. To preserve the harmonious atmosphere, they naturally weren't betting real money. Whoever lost got a slip of paper stuck to them.
After an hour, A'mu was playing cards against three upside-down white mops. Even gentle-tempered Yuyuna had lost so badly that her neat little white teeth were clacking together.
"Why hurt yourselves? The food's ready. Let's eat."
Hearing Zayas call them to eat, A'mu dropped his cards and stood up. Yuyuna was just about to speak when Wood lifted A'mu's cards. After seeing the hand, Yuyuna's eyes widened. She questioned her life choices for a moment before deciding that since things had come to this, they might as well eat first.
It had to be