Is death the norm? Am I glad to be alive? Am I lucky to still be alive?
Klein shuddered violently and hurriedly took two steps forward, rushing towards the door, attempting to catch up with the few police officers and seek protection.
But as soon as he touched the handle, his movement suddenly stopped.
"That officer has made the situation sound so terrifying. Then why don't they protect me, this important witness or the crucial clue?"
"This is too negligent, isn't it?"
"Testing, or laying an ambush?"
All kinds of thoughts were jostling in Klein's mind, making him suspect that the police were still secretly "watching" him, observing his reactions.
Thinking of this, he felt much calmer, no longer so panicked and chaotic. Slowly, he opened the door, deliberately trembling his voice as he shouted towards the staircase position:
"You will protect me, right?"
Plop, plop, plop, the officers did not respond. The touch rhythm of the leather shoes and the wooden staircase remained unchanged.
"I know! You will do this!" Klein shouted again in a pretendedly convinced tone, trying to make himself act like a normal person in danger.
The footsteps gradually weakened and disappeared at the bottom of the apartment.
Klein groaned softly, chuckling inwardly:
"This reaction is too fake, poor acting!"
He did not follow up and turned back to the room, closing the door casually.
For the next few hours, Klein fully demonstrated his unease, restlessness, irritability, and confusion, using words like "impatient" and "unwilling to relax" from the "Food Addict Nation" vocabulary, not relaxing his guard even when there was no one around.
This is called an actor's self-cultivation! He thought to himself sarcastically.
As the sun set and the clouds "burned" in the sky, the apartment residents began to return home. Only then did Klein shift his focus to other things.
"Melissa will probably be out of school soon..." He looked at the stove, took the kettle in one breath, peeled the coal, and took out the revolver.
Without any pause or delay, he extended his hand to the back of the wooden board on the lower layer of the bunk bed, where there were about ten wooden strips interlocked for support.
After clamping the revolver between a wooden strip and the board, Klein straightened up, nervously waiting, afraid that the police would suddenly burst through the door, holding guns, and rush into the room.
If it were a normal steam world, when doing those actions, he confirmed that no one would see him. However, there was extraordinary power here, verified extraordinary power.
After waiting for a few minutes, there was no movement at the door, and the conversation of the two tenants, who had agreed to go to the "Wild Heart" bar on Iron Cross Street, grew closer and then farther away.
"Whew." Klein exhaled, his heart settling back into his chest.
Just waiting for Melissa to come back to make tender pea and lamb stew!
This thought appeared in his mouth, as if there was a smell of meat juice overflowing, and he also recalled how Melissa made tender pea and lamb stew.
She first boiled water to blanch the meat pieces, then added onions, salt, a little pepper, and water, and directly stewed until a certain time, then added peas and potatoes and let them simmer for a few minutes.
"This is really a simple and crude way... Supported solely by the deliciousness of the meat!" Klein couldn't help shaking his head.
But this was an inevitable thing. Ordinary families didn't have multiple seasonings or various cooking techniques. They could only pursue simplicity, practicality, and economy. As long as the meat wasn't burnt or spoiled, it was good for someone who ate it only twice or once a week.
Klein was not a skilled chef, and usually he relied on takeout. But he cooked three or four times a week, and over time, he still managed to achieve a passing grade, feeling that he couldn't let down that pound of lamb.
"Wait for Melissa to come back and do it. It will be after seven thirty, and she will be starving... It's time to let her experience true culinary skills!" Klein found an excuse for himself and first made the fire reignite, went to the public restroom to get water to clean the lamb, and then took out the cutting board and knife, chopping it into small pieces.
As for how to explain the sudden improvement in cooking skills, he decided to attribute it to the deceased Welch McGowan. This classmate not only hired a chef skilled in preparing regional specialties, but also often experimented with food and had others taste it.
Well, the dead can't refute me!
However, ah, this is a world with extraordinary individuals. The dead might not be unable to speak... Thinking this way, Klein felt a bit uneasy.
He dismissed his chaotic thoughts and placed the meat pieces in the soup bowl. Then, he took out the seasoning box and sprinkled half a spoonful of yellowish coarse salt into it. Additionally, he carefully took some black pepper grains from a special small bottle and mixed them with the lamb meat and salt. He let it marinate for a while.
He placed the stew pot on the stove and while it heated up, Klein retrieved the carrots left over from yesterday and the onions he bought today, cutting them into many pieces.
After the preparations were done, he took out a small jar from the cabinet and opened it. Inside was the remaining little bit of lard.
Klein scooped out a spoonful and put it in the pot, allowing it to melt and dissolve. Then he poured in the carrot and onion pieces and stirred them for a while.
The aroma began to spread. Klein poured in all the lamb meat and carefully fried it for a while.
During this process, he should have added some wine, or at the very least, wine could have been used as a substitute. However, the Moretti family didn't have such luxurious items. Benson could only have a glass of beer once a week. Klein had to be resourceful and pour some boiling water, and casually opened the lid of the thermos.
After about twenty minutes of cooking, he opened the lid, added the tender peas and chopped potatoes, and added another cup of hot water and two spoons of salt.
Closing the lid and lowering the heat, Klein breathed in contentedly, waiting for his sister to come home.
As time passed, the aroma in the room became increasingly intense. There was the allure of meat, the richness of potatoes, and the "freshness" of onions.
The flavors began to blend. Klein would occasionally swallow saliva and peek at the minute hand of the watch. Forty minutes later, without being particularly brisk, but with a steady rhythm, footsteps approached. The key was inserted, the handle turned, and the door opened.
"Smells so good..." Melissa, before entering, murmured with a puzzled tone.
She carried her bag and stepped in. Her gaze swept over the stove.
"Did you make this?" Melissa's hand paused mid-air as she took off her veil, looking at Klein with terror in her eyes.
She sniffed deeply, inhaling more of the aroma. Her gaze quickly became gentle, as if she found some confidence.
"Did you make this?" she asked again in confusion.
"Are you afraid I'll waste the lamb meat?" Klein smiled and asked in response, before continuing on his own: "Don't worry, I specifically asked Welch McGowan how to make this dish. You know, he has a good chef."
"First time?" Melissa's eyebrows involuntarily furrowed, but the aroma calmed her down.
"Seems I have a talent." Klein smiled. "It's almost done. Put your books and hat away, go to the bathroom to wash your hands, and then wait to taste it. I'm confident about it."
Listening to his orderly arrangement and seeing his gentle and calm smile, Melissa stood still at the door, dumbfounded and unresponsive.
"Do you like it cooked a bit softer?" Klein encouraged with a smile.
"Oh, okay, okay!" Melissa came back to her senses, holding her bag and hat, and rushed into the inner room.
Opening the lid of the stew pot, fog immediately appeared before Klein's eyes. The two black wheat breads had already been placed on the side of the lamb meat and tender peas to absorb the aroma and heat and become soft.
When Melissa finished packing her things and returned, having washed and washed her face, a plate with tender peas, carrots, and onions as embellishments of lamb stew was placed on the desk. And two black breads stained with a little color of the meat juice were in their respective dishes.
"Here, taste it." Klein pointed to the wooden forks and spoons placed beside the plate.
Melissa was still a bit confused and didn't refuse. She picked up the fork, took a piece of potato, and brought it to her mouth, taking a gentle bite. The soft and glutinous texture of the potatoes, along with the rich aroma of the meat juice, filled the air, making her saliva flow uncontrollably. In just a few bites, she finished the potato and swallowed it.
"Try the meat." Klein pointed at the plate with his chin and said.
He had already tasted it and thought it was only at the passing grade level, but for the little girl who had never seen meat in the market and could only occasionally have it, it was enough!
Melissa's eyes now had a look of anticipation, and she carefully picked up a piece of lamb meat with a fork.
It was well-cooked and as soon as she took a bite, there was a feeling of melting, the true meat aroma burst forth, and the wonderful juices flowed freely, filling her mouth.
This was an unprecedentedly wonderful feeling, and it made Melissa unable to stop.
When she came to her senses, she had already eaten several pieces of lamb meat.
"I, I, Klein, this is for you... " Melissa's face suddenly turned red, and her speech was stammering.
"I've already stolen and eaten it before. This is a privilege as a chef." Klein smiled soothingly at his sister, and at the same time, he picked up the fork and spoon, eating a piece of meat sometimes, stuffing a mouthful of peas sometimes, and sometimes putting down the utensils and breaking off a piece of black bread to dip in the sauce.
Melissa relaxed and was influenced by Klein's normal behavior, re-immersed in the deliciousness.
"It's so delicious. You can't tell it's your first time cooking." Melissa looked at the empty plate with no sauce left and sincerely praised.
"Compared to Welch's chef, it's still far from good. When I have money, I'll take you and Benson to an outside restaurant to eat better!" Klein said to himself, and he began to get a little envious.
"The interview...嗝..." Melissa's words were cut off, and suddenly, she couldn't control herself and emitted a satisfied sound.
She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, looking embarrassed.
It was all because the tender pea and lamb stew was so delicious!
Klein chuckled to himself and decided not to mock his sister. He pointed at the plate and said:
"This is your task."
"Okay!" Melissa couldn't wait and stood up, took the plate, and rushed out the door.
When she returned after cleaning, she opened the cupboard, checked the seasoning box and other items habitually.
"You used it?" Melissa exclaimed in surprise, turning to look at Klein, holding the black pepper bottle and the lard can in her hand.
Klein shrugged and smiled:
"A little bit. This is the price of deliciousness."
Melissa's eyes sparkled, her expression changed several times, and finally she pursed her lips and said:
"From now on, I'll do the cooking."
"Um... You have to hurry up and prepare for the interview. You need to consider the work matters."