A young master who had been pampered since childhood was never accustomed to being touched by others, especially by a woman. The faint fragrance on her body, mixed with the warmth under the blanket, drifted straight into his senses.
Joseph quietly drew in a deep breath, repeating to himself that this was his wife, not a stranger, that he needed to learn to grow familiar with such closeness.
But his body, acting on instinct, slowly, very gently, slipped out from under the blanket, then stepped down from the bed.
The canopy curtains swayed lightly as cold air rushed in, carrying with it the sound of footsteps deliberately softened.
...
I opened my eyes, glanced around for a moment, and only then realized I had rolled into the middle of the bed. Still drowsy, I shifted myself back toward the inside. Joseph had showered and returned; seeing me lying properly on the inner side of the bed, I wondered what he felt at that moment.He got into bed for a little while longer, then had to get up early for work. The sky that day was gloomy and damp; my body felt heavy and exhausted, so I didn't go to my mother-in-law's room for morning greetings. Karen shooed all the maids out and tended to me herself: heating water for a bath, massaging my muscles and joints. Seeing how pale I looked, the girl worriedly asked:
"Miss, do you feel any better?"
I lay on the bed wrapped in a cotton robe. The fireplace was nearly set to its highest level, burning at full capacity. I closed my eyes and rested for a while. Hearing Karen's question, I gently opened my eyes, saw the concern in hers, raised my hand to smooth the fine hair at her temple, and smiled:
"It's alright, I'm fine now…"
Only then did Karen relax and continue massaging the meridians in my legs. Unexpectedly, my hand slipped from her temple and gave her soft, smooth cheek a light pinch:
"If I could have a sip of wine right now, nothing would be better."
Karen: "…"
The girl glared at me, her cheeks puffed up like a little fish, firmly refusing to yield. I laughed and stopped teasing her.
That evening came news that Joseph would return home for dinner. My maid and I cheerfully waited in the main hall, thinking we would surely have roast goose again today. Unfortunately, Joseph's palate changed by the day, seven days without repeating a dish so my hopes burst like a bubble.
There was no roast goose that night, but the heavens made it up to me the next day.
"What did you say? Mother wants me to oversee the kitchen?"
I had just woken and washed my face when the deputy housekeeper came to comb my hair and relay the message from Lady Lauren Anderson. As she pinned my hair into a bun, she smiled and said:
"That's right. Madam says Mrs. Vecna has already been in the house for several days. Sooner or later, this estate will be handed over to you, so you should start getting familiar with things."
In truth, Lady Lauren simply wanted to use the kitchen to test how capable I was. The Anderson estate was vast, full of chores, but the kitchen was the hardest of all. There, one served the most difficult masters, watching their expressions every day and enduring endless nitpicking. Though there were some "profits" to be made, it was indeed where Calamity is man's true touchstone.
I had rarely interacted with the servants before and didn't understand their subtle schemes nor did I care to. In my eyes, overseeing the kitchen meant… whatever I wanted to eat, I could have. What could be more delightful?
I immediately smiled:
"As it happens, I'm free. I'll try managing it and see."
After breakfast, I happily took Karen with me toward the kitchen.
The Anderson estate was anything but small; it took the two of us more than fifteen minutes to reach the kitchen complex in the northwest corner. Along the way, the deputy housekeeper explained:
"There are two kitchens in the Anderson estate: the outer kitchen and the inner kitchen. The outer kitchen manages banquets and is under the general steward; you won't handle that. Today, what Mrs. Vecna will oversee is the inner kitchen, responsible for meals for the entire household."
The Executive Cabinet was different; the inner kitchen served the main branch, the second branch, and the third branch of the estate.
Passing through a winding corridor and a moon-gate arch, we arrived. The kitchen area was built against the estate's outer wall; beyond it was a small woodland where livestock and poultry were raised , wild ducks, hares… From afar, you could even hear roosters crowing.
Perhaps my mother-in-law had instructed them beforehand, for when I arrived, more than ten matrons in charge were already standing in wait, all bowing in greeting. The deputy housekeeper led me there, then departed.
I said nothing at first, only ordered:
"Go on with your work. I'll take a look around."
They dispersed, though their eyes still flicked toward me, trying to determine what kind of person this "rustic" Mrs. Vecna might be.
The kitchen complex was divided into two distinct sections:
The first was the auxiliary rooms and storage facilities. Industrial stainless-steel racks lined the space, filled with premium ingredients: from ginseng and bird's nest to imported herbs. Deep-freeze refrigerators and vacuum-sealed preservation units ran continuously, ensuring every ingredient stayed perfectly fresh and at proper quality.
The second was the managerial office, where all operational records were kept: delivery logs, shift schedules, periodic menus, operating expenses… Transparent glass walls allowed direct oversight of the main kitchen below.
After walking down a long connecting corridor, I stepped into the central area: the main kitchen, located to the north. On either side were preparation rooms with white quartz countertops, automatic vegetable-washing machines, and stainless-steel hanging racks neatly filled with seasonal produce freshly delivered from partnered farms.
Through a side door was a small outdoor courtyard. Instead of a traditional garden, the space was designed in a hybrid European style: at the center lay an artificial pond, its still water reflecting the sky. Along its edges stood slender potted bamboo carefully trimmed; in winter, the bamboo was replaced with cold-resistant white plum blossoms, giving the courtyard a light, elegant fragrance.
Beside the pond was a row of recessed stainless-steel fish tanks with heating and automatic filtration, used to keep live fish ready for same-day cooking at the head chef's request.
One of the matrons led me around the entire area. When she saw me pause by the pond, she smiled:
"Mrs. Vecna, it's cold out here. Should this servant invite you into the office for hot tea?"
"No need."
I stood at the water's edge, lifting my face toward the radiant winter sunlight, and spoke slowly:
"The sun is lovely today. Bring me a chair, I'll rest here for a bit."
She obeyed, bringing out a round stool. I tried it, found it too hard, and switched to a lounge chair instead. Once I lay down, I said nothing more.
The matron, unable to guess my intentions, cautiously asked:
"Does Mrs. Vecna have any other instructions?"
"Prepare a roast goose for me. I'll have lunch here."
"Yes, ma'am…"She nodded, still full of doubt."Anything else?"
"No, go do your work."
She froze. She dared neither leave nor stay. Finally, Karen gave a small discreet gesture, and only then did the woman bow and retreat, turning to glance back repeatedly.
Usually, when a new daughter-in-law entered the Anderson estate, the first task was always "to visit the kitchen." These matrons had seen all kinds: those who immediately checked the ledgers, reassigned staff, planted their own people, and paved the way for earning profits. They knew the routine by heart.
But this was the first time they had seen someone… come only to order a roast goose.
Still, she was the young master's wife, they could only obey.
Once the matron left, Karen squatted beside me:
"Miss… madam told you to oversee the kitchen. What do you plan to do?"
Today's rare winter sunlight had already warmed my skin after just a short while. I opened my eyes and smiled:
"Managing the kitchen is managing people, isn't it? A daily matter."
I had always been first when it came to disciplining others; no matter how stubborn they were, they eventually bowed before me.
Saying so, I braced my hands to rise:
"In any case, I should at least go take a proper look…"