The Cooking of Peter Luk

That day, it was just getting light out.

Lu Gaosheng had just pushed open the door to his room when Zhang San's voice rang out, "Brother Lu, where are you going?"

Lu Gaosheng turned his head and said in his usual tone, "Brother Zhang, didn't you tell the servants not to come out? They were hungry all night last night. And unlike you jianghu masters, I can't go without eating or drinking for a few days without issue. So I'm going to the kitchen to make some food. Brother Zhang, what would you like to eat?"

Zhang San leapt down from the beam without a sound and laughed, "How could I let Brother Lu do such frightening work? Let me attend to Brother Lu's meal instead."

The two of them left the flower garden. As for Sha Lang and Li Xing, who had stood guard outside the door all night, they kept their distance and silently followed along without approaching.

Zhang San, who had already scouted the entirety of the Lu manor last night, was actually more familiar with it than Lu Gaosheng. Soon, they had arrived at the kitchen.

Zhang San had roamed jianghu for many years. Although he had not formally studied cooking, with his kind of seemingly preposterous but verified talent for picking up anything he learned, Zhang San's culinary skills were actually not inferior to those of an average restaurant's head chef.

Before long, two bowls of egg drop soup and two morning meal dishes were cooked.

The fragrant aroma whetted the appetite.

"I didn't expect the cookware in Master Lu's household to be silver. How extravagant and safe," Zhang San tidied up the stove as he casually praised.

"You flatter me. But don't trouble yourself Brother Zhang, I'll make it myself."

"Brother Lu, you're too cautious. You watched the entire process just now. Moreover, these are all silver wares - do you still suspect I would poison you unsuccessfully?"

"Haha...how could Brother Zhang think like that? Of course I trust you. I just don't like the flavor."

Lu Gaosheng bypassed the morning meal Zhang San had prepared and started making his own breakfast dishes at the stove.

Having set down the egg drop soup for Lu Gaosheng, Zhang San started on his own morning meal, while keeping an eye on Lu Gaosheng.

But this one look dumbfounded Zhang San.

This Lu Gaosheng held the vegetable knife with familiar ease. Moreover, his knife skills were...rather quick!

However, that Lu Gaosheng did not know martial arts was undoubtedly certain in Zhang San's discerning eyes as a master of martial arts research.

That left the remaining possibility - this Lu Gaosheng often cooks himself, which was why he had trained such skill with a kitchen knife.

But wasn't this possibility even stranger?

From the looks of it, Lu Gaosheng should have nothing to do with the kitchen.

Staring at Lu Gaosheng's back in front of the stove, even Zhang San couldn't help but ask, "Sir Lu...knows cooking?"

Without turning his head, Lu Gaosheng calmly replied, "Mm, I worked at a...a restaurant before."

Something was fishy!

Having chatted with Lu Gaosheng all night yesterday without managing to elicit half a useful bit of information from him, Zhang San immediately sensed something amiss.

Lu Gaosheng's speech had always been fluent and sonorous. Amidst his arrogant manner, he would intentionally or unintentionally reveal his own learning and talents. But just now he had hesitated and...

From Lu Gaosheng's tone, Zhang San felt a faint sensation of 'humiliation'!

This made Zhang San even more astonished to detect this kind of emotion in someone like Lu Gaosheng.

Zhang San even suspected that he was being overly sensitive.

"Sir Lu actually worked at a restaurant before?"

Crouched below, Lu Gaosheng smiled a thin smile and said, "Brother Zhang said he came from poor roots. I was once the same - before gaining fame and position, I was but a poor scholar. My family was destitute; as I recall we had borrowed books and bought rice on credit. Occasionally, I had to work odd jobs so I could pay for martial arts lessons. Life was miserable. If I didn't do some work for others, I might have starved on the streets."

Zhang San's brow quirked slightly. Although he did not believe a single word Lu Gaosheng said, from his tone, he felt as though he had hit upon something.

But before Zhang San could ask further, Lu Gaosheng had regained his composure. He had already finished cooking a savory bowl of noodle soup, which he started wolfing down with large bites, as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation with Zhang San.

"Come over to eat together," Lu Gaosheng suddenly said.

Zhang San did not object. Carrying his own egg drop soup and morning meal, he came to Lu Gaosheng's side.

Lu Gaosheng looked around, seeming to search for something.

Zhang San had already surveyed the entire kitchen and said, "There are no chairs here."

Lu Gaosheng chuckled and made no fuss. He squatted down and continued eating with large bites.

At this, Zhang San suddenly realized Lu Gaosheng's previous words were likely true...

This handsome fellow was now squatting on the ground, noisily slurping up noodles. Out of habit, he used his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow after eating something hot.

It was all very natural, without any pretense.

And so, within the kitchen, two ruthless men who deep down wanted to kill the other party who knew too many of their secrets, unexpectedly and out of the ordinary, shared a relatively peaceful breakfast together.

That evening.

The main door to Lu Gaosheng's quarters in the flower garden opened, and the night breeze carried the scent of flowers, poetic and meaningful.

Lu Gaosheng held an ancient tome in his hand. He sat comfortably in the main hall reading and leisurely sipping tea.

Standing outside the doorway, Zhang San's vigilance did not abate for even a moment.

Zhang San looked back and saw that Lu Gaosheng was enjoying his book. He let out the same sigh as Sha Lang had the night before:

I've never seen such an oblivious hostage.

No matter what, can't you see that I've killed countless numbers of people? Why don't you have even a shred of tension?

Even as he thought this, two hurried footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard, which Zhang San discerned belonged to Sha Lang and Li Xing.

The two of them arrived at the doorway. Seeing Zhang San standing outside and not daring to get too close, they slowly halted about two zhang away. Fortunately the manor's servants were all unable to come out from the rear courtyard now. Li Xing called out loudly, "Sir, we've found it!"

As he spoke, Li Xing took out an unopened letter from his bosom.

"Brother Zhang, regarding last night's question - who you want to kill - the answer is in this letter. Would you like to take a look first?" Lu Gaosheng unhurriedly said.

Facing Li Xing, Zhang San said, "Loosen your hand."

Li Xing's brow furrowed. He did not understand, but after all it was only a letter and he hadn't been gripping it too tightly anyway.

But in the blink of an eye, the letter flew from his hand!

The letter soared through the air toward Zhang San, who struck out with his palm midair, shattering the envelope! Yet the letter within remained completely unscathed. It was then sucked into Zhang San's palm.

Witnessing this scene, Li Xing cried out inwardly in shock - grabbing objects from midair across two zhang away as if it was nothing! Such powerful internal energy!

Not just strong internal energy. He actually has such minute control over it! Sha Lang secretly marveled.

Whereas Lu Gaosheng watched Zhang San being so extraordinarily cautious, wanting to read the letter yet also fearing contact with Li Xing, worried the envelope had been tampered with. Lu Gaosheng guffawed loudly, "Brother Zhang, aren't you being a little too careful?"

Zhang San completely ignored Lu Gaosheng. After glancing at the letter in his hand, he sucked in a sharp breath.

Zhang San turned to face Lu Gaosheng and said, "Sir Lu, so you're planning a rebellion!"