She remained hidden in the bushes, holding two dry twigs in her hands, quietly following behind. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, she slipped inside. The interior was like a maze of flowers and plants, with imposing statues displayed nearby.
Eloise was momentarily dazzled, unsure of which way to go. However, her clever mind quickly came up with an idea: following the scent of food was bound to be the right choice!
She tossed the twigs aside, bending low and activating her dog-like sense of smell, twitching her nostrils as she ventured deeper. The further she went, the more a warm, comforting heat enveloped her, bringing a sensation like spring rain gently caressing the earth.
Eloise felt a surge of triumph, certain she had found the right path, and she quietly slowed her pace. As she turned a corner, what appeared before her wasn't the grand banquet hall she had expected, but a silver-white kitchen filled with swirling steam.
A few girls in work uniforms quickly walked toward the door. Eloise was startled and hurriedly ducked behind a metal rack to hide.
Among the girls, one who looked more authoritative turned around as she walked and said, "Anna, stay behind and keep an eye on the pot. If anything goes wrong, you'll be the one to answer for it!"
Anna was a young girl with a round face, bending over to peel potatoes next to a large pot. When she saw the others walking out, she quickly stood up and, confused, took a few steps after them. "Where are you going?"
The leading girl answered impatiently, "They're short-handed ahead, so they've asked us to help!" With that, she stepped out the door. Through the thin wall, Eloise could clearly hear them chattering in the corridor, and the reason they had left their posts was completely different from what they had claimed.
"Betty, is that Mr. Kingswell really that handsome?"
"Really! Why would I lie to you? I just caught a glimpse, and he's even better looking than the celebrity who came last time! I'm sure you'll be stunned when you see him."
"Wow, he's so handsome and rich, and so young with such high status. If I could just have the chance to bring him a cup of tea!"
"Yeah! Sure, I'll go tell Misha to give you the job of serving tea. Who knows, Mr. Kingswell might just take one look at you and you'll be set for life!"
At this point, the girls burst into a fit of giggles, their excitement palpable as they laughed in a rather infatuated manner. "But is it okay to leave Anna here by herself?"
The others showed no concern whatsoever: "What could go wrong? This isn't the main kitchen, we're just watching over a pot. Can she really mess that up? Besides, newbies should be doing more work anyway!"
As the voices gradually faded, Eloise couldn't help but inwardly lament the cruel reality of the workplace. It seemed like newcomers were always destined to be bullied by the older staff—it was truly a dark and unjust system! Eloise had heard their conversation just now, and so had Anna, who had rushed to the doorway. Her round face was flushed red with anger, and her arm, gripping a potato, was trembling.
Eloise was overwhelmed by Anna's furious aura and tried her best to shrink into the background, but still, as she turned, Anna spotted her. With a sharp gaze, she demanded, "Who are you?"
"I'm the new one!" Eloise blurted out, her eyes nervously darting around. "I, uh... my hair tie fell into a crack." Anna gave her a suspicious look, eyeing her up and down. "Where's your uniform?"
"Uh... I'm... new. The logistics lead said it was too busy today, so she couldn't give it to me."
Anna thought for a moment, then lowered her head. When she raised it again, she had already assumed the role of a cold, experienced senior. "Come on out, I'll teach you how to work." Eloise, utterly confused, was pulled by Anna's grip and dragged out, brought to the center of the room in front of a large iron pot covered with a lid.
"There's nothing else for you to do, just keep an eye on this pot. It's a soup that needs to simmer for another half month. Right now, it doesn't need more water, but remember to turn down the heat when it starts bubbling in about half an hour."
Eloise watched as Anna spoke while taking off her apron and tying it around her waist, knotting it tightly before patting her back. "Stay here and keep an eye on things. We're short-handed up front, so I need to help out! Don't run off—if the supervisor catches you without a uniform, you'll get scolded!"
Without giving Eloise a chance to respond, Anna stood up straight and proudly walked out the door. Eloise stared at the large pot for a moment, then suddenly realized she had been handed the task like a hot potato. A surge of anger rose in her chest: "If you want to slack off, just say it! I've got important things to do, and you want me to babysit the damn boiler?"
In a fit of anger, Eloise grabbed the kitchen knife from the cutting board, swiftly slashing the strings of the apron around her waist. She tossed the apron onto the floor, stepping on it with both feet, her actions a rebellious protest against workplace tyranny! After venting her frustration, Eloise slipped out the door, heading in the direction where the girls had just left.
After walking for a while, the scenery before her changed—now a dense patch of small bamboo groves, then winding artificial streams. Eloise thought to herself, the guests just here for a meal, and yet they've turned this place into a flower garden. Truly, some people must be bored out of their minds.
After a long walk, she finally reached a narrow corridor, flanked by statues and oil paintings. At the end stood a huge door, behind which appeared to be a private dining room. Eloise crept forward cautiously, but just as she did, she heard footsteps approaching. In a panic, she pushed open the door beside her and hid inside.
In front of her were a few ancient-style, elegant urinals, but no matter how elegant they were, they were still urinals—clearly indicating to Eloise that she had wandered into the men's restroom! To make matters worse, the footsteps outside were getting closer.
Eloise simply couldn't push open those high-tech partition doors, so in a fit of resignation, she squatted at the far end of a row of urinals, pretending to be a mushroom.
The door was pushed open, and the footsteps paused for a moment, but then continued forward as usual, without any questioning or scolding. A steady and powerful sound of drainage echoed through the room. Eloise was puzzled: Was this person blind? How could he not see her?
Driven by curiosity, she boldly turned her head, only to be met first with a familiar body. While thinking no way, she raised her head, and met the gaze of the man she had encountered at the hotel that day.
His handsome face wore a half-smile, as his long fingers trembled slightly: "Ah, it's you again."
So what's the deal with their repeated encounters and all the talking? He must just be an extra, right?
Eloise pondered for a moment, then had an idea. She rose from her crouch, enduring the numbness in her foot as she limped toward him. With a mysterious air, she brought her face close to the man, and he, equally cooperative, bent down to lend her his ear.
Eloise whispered, her warm breath brushing against his ear, "I'll tell you the truth... I'm a private investigator!" Arrogant man raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of surprise.
Eloise met his gaze with a calm yet resolute look.
"Oh," Arrogant man nodded in a slightly impressed manner, "I see. Then, what brings you here—" "I have a job," Eloise responded, "I've been hired to investigate an affair."
"An affair?" Arrogant man seemed intrigued, asking in a gossiping tone, "Who's cheating on whom?"
"It's the manager of Ashdown Company's business department, and—don't be surprised," Eloise lowered her voice, "it's with that Mr. Kingswell!" Arrogant man's lips twitched, and his gaze became somewhat complicated, "No way?"
"Absolutely!" As a "reader's perspective" transmigrator, Eloise was one hundred percent certain—if it hadn't happened yet, it eventually would. Otherwise, how else would Isidore, this latecomer, rise to the position of second male lead?
She thoughtfully stroked her chin: "Actually, the last time I appeared outside the hotel, it was also to gather evidence of the ambiguity between them." Arrogant man curled the corner of his mouth, teasing, "You're really dedicated."
"Of course!" Eloise bent her elbow and nudged his arm. "Hey, we've known each other for a while now, could you do me a favor?" Arrogant man asked, "How can I help?"
"Since you're inside eating, taking a couple of photos of them together shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"..."
Eloise pouted, her voice taking on a slightly coquettish tone. "You won't help with such a small favor? Don't worry, it's just a little thing, it won't harm that Mr. Kingswell at all!" Arrogant man wasn't fooled. He narrowed his eyes. "Why should I help you?"
Facing a shrewd opponent, Eloise raised her guard for negotiation: "As for the commission, I'll give you half! This amount!" She spread her five fair fingers.
Arrogant man shook his head with a strange smile. "Then what do you want?" Eloise asked.
The man actually took a moment to think, staring at the ceiling, the sharp line of his jaw clearly defined. Then, a deep, penetrating gaze turned toward her, and his slightly thin lips parted ever so gently: "Including last time, you've seen my private place twice. Shouldn't you let me see once to make it fair?"
"See what?" Eloise first asked, puzzled, then her expression shifted to one of fear. "Could it be...?" The man, with a look full of meaning, confirmed that she was indeed heading in a strange direction of thought.
Eloise's face turned bright red as she freaked out. "What the heck, I don't want to see it!" "Then go ask someone else!" Arrogant man pretended to walk away, but she grabbed his sleeve. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Fine, I'll show you!" It's not like she'll lose anything.
