The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 156: An Almost Cozy Breakfast

“...They’ll contact the Investigators and schedule another test soon.”

Back at the Bizarre Detective Agency, Lu Li was telling Anna about his visit to the laundry.

“I’ve never even heard of such a thing...” Anna murmured, setting aside her cookbook. In just a month with Lu Li, she had learned more than in her entire eighteen years of life.

“If the leaf had crumbled, would you have been in danger?”

“It only reflects the state of my mind; it doesn’t make it worse.”

“Oh,” Anna nodded in understanding, then suddenly brightened. “Are you hungry?”

Lu Li remained silent, giving her a questioning look.

Anna proudly brandished the cookbook. “I’ve learned how to cook! If you buy the ingredients, I can make you breakfast.”

Lu Li paused for a few seconds before nodding. “Alright.”

Cooking for themselves would be more economical.Lu Li’s permission—or rather, his indulgence—made Anna a little giddy. After he left for the market, she floated into the kitchen and prepared everything: matches, kindling, and firewood by the stove. Then she washed the cutting board and the kitchen knife. If she’d had a body, she would have put on a floral apron—not the prettiest, perhaps, but it would have made her look the part.

While she waited for Lu Li to return, Anna pored over the cookbook, cramming to make up for her neglected culinary education.

...

“Freshly caught cod, five shillings a kilo!”

“Pork, sixteen shillings a kilo! Offal for only six!”

“Vegetables straight from the Nathan Estate!”

At the market at the end of Sailor Street, the shouts of vendors filled the air, mingling with the scent of fish and sweat.

Street peddlers with baskets on their backs had arranged their goods along the gutters.

Despite his need to be frugal, Lu Li’s habits hadn’t changed. He didn’t wander from stall to stall like most homemakers, comparing prices and haggling over every last shilling.

Lu Li believed the time spent bargaining was worth more than any savings he might gain.

He walked up to the first stall. Before he could even speak, the owner, a robust woman, asked enthusiastically, “What can I get for you, sir? Beef, lamb, or pork?”

“How much is it?”

Having never bought groceries before, Lu Li had no idea what the prices were.

“A kilogram of ground pork, the usual,” a voice said nearby as another woman approached Lu Li’s side. The butcher nodded and deftly sliced off a piece of meat, then turned it into mince with a few swift chops of her cleavers.

As she worked, she answered Lu Li, “Beef and lamb are forty-seven shillings a kilogram, pork is sixteen.”

“It was forty-two just the other day. How much higher can these prices go?” the other woman sighed.

“There are fewer and fewer cows and sheep,” the butcher replied. “And they say the recent hurricane that hit the Nathan Estate took a lot of livestock with it. So the prices will keep climbing.”

“At these prices, not even lawyers and doctors can afford meat every day.”

The women continued to lament the costs.

This world was harsh, and not just for people. The death of plant life had been a catastrophe for most herbivores. Only pigs, being omnivores, continued to thrive. But due to high demand, the price of pork had risen as well.

“Two kilograms of lean pork,” Lu Li said.

“Right away, just a moment.” The butcher finished with the ground pork, cut a slab of lean meat, placed it on the scales, and after making sure it was exactly two kilograms, wrapped it in a paper bag and handed it to Lu Li.

“That’ll be thirty-two shillings, but for you, I’ll make it thirty.”

Lu Li paid the thirty shillings, took the bag, and headed for the vegetable stall.

Unlike the meat counters, the vegetable stalls had few customers. Those who did approach would ask the price, shake their heads, and walk away.

“How much for the carrots, onions, and potatoes?”

“Carrots are thirty-two shillings, onions are thirty-six, and sweet potatoes are two.”

The price of vegetables was staggering, nearly as much as meat. Two kilograms of pork cost as much as a single kilogram of carrots. Only sweet potatoes, or potatoes as they were commonly called, which were easy to store and grow, remained relatively cheap.

Hearing the prices, Lu Li decided to keep it simple. “A kilogram of potatoes.”

A minute later, Lu Li returned to the detective agency with two kilograms of pork, a kilogram of potatoes, and a small packet of salt.

He opened the door, nodded to a friendly neighbor, and stepped inside, closing it behind him.

Thud!

The sound of the closing door startled Anna from her thoughts. She put down her cookbook and hurried over to Lu Li, who was heading for the kitchen.

Lu Li placed the two paper bags on the cutting board. Anna, brimming with culinary ambition, peered into the bags, and her enthusiasm slowly deflated. “Lu Li, is this all you bought?”

“Yes.”

“Umm...” Anna chewed her finger thoughtfully.

“Is something wrong?”

“No... it’s fine,” Anna said quickly, ushering Lu Li out of the kitchen. “Leave it all to me! Go on, just wait.”

Lu Li said nothing and returned to his desk.

One minute passed, then five, then ten. Not a sound came from the kitchen, not even the boiling of water.

Lu Li stood up and walked to the kitchen doorway.

“What is it?” he asked, seeing Anna sitting there, lost in thought.

Anna turned slowly, her bright eyes filled with confusion. “I don’t know how to cook this...”

Lu Li glanced at the untouched paper bags. Even the stove hadn’t been lit.

“But you read the recipe.”

Anna’s eyes lit up. She grabbed the book, flipped it open to the right page, and pointed. “It says here to cut the meat into cubes, put it in a pot, add chopped carrots and minced onions, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and then add sliced potatoes after thirty minutes.”

“But all we have is pork, potatoes, and salt.”

For a girl whose education consisted of courtly etiquette and painting, cooking proved to be a far too complicated task.

“Then cook with what you have.”

With that, Lu Li left and returned a few moments later, having removed his coat and rolled up his sleeves. He took the pork and potatoes out of the bags.

In the end, breakfast was made, but only with Lu Li’s help.

“We should have bought a bottle of wine. I wonder what it tastes like,” Anna said.

Passersby bustled past the window. Lu Li and Anna sat at the table beneath it, a bowl of steaming meat broth set between them.

“We’ll get there.”

Lu Li watched as Anna ladled the broth, placing a bowl in front of him. He picked up his spoon, blew on the hot liquid, and took a sip.

“So, how is it?” Anna asked, watching him intently.

Lu Li just looked at her in silence.

Well, at least he didn’t say it was bad, Anna thought. This is a good start.