The Return Of the Invincible Heiress-Chapter 486
While waiting for the chickens to cook, he cleaned two fish thoroughly, leaving not a single scale behind, and cut them into neat, evenly-sized pieces.
Considering the meal was for the elders, he thoughtfully removed the fat and separated the fish pieces with extra bones, arranging them on a separate plate.
By the time the fish was cut into pieces, the three chicken potpies were also ready, and he could slice them into pieces and prepare the dipping sauces.
Nina was watching eagerly, nearly drooling. As soon as the chicken potpie was done, she quickly served it. Arthur, meanwhile, began to prepare chicken soup.
Next came dishes like baked ratatouille, lasagna, tuna casserole, stuffed sausages, stuffed mushrooms, roast beef sliders, and more—all prepped by Arthur and served one after another. The elders couldn’t help but drool as they watched.
Someone mumbled, "We traveled all this way to see Arthur and didn’t even have time for breakfast. We’re starving..."
Just as Arthur brought over the tuna casserole, his sharp ears caught the comment. Smiling, he said, "Everyone, I just made the freshest dishes. Hurry and eat, or if you wait until everything is ready, many dishes will get cold."
"That’s true. These ingredients are premium; they must be enjoyed at their freshest to honor the sacrifice they’ve made, right?" the elder replied. Everyone loved hearing that.
A group of people quickly said, "Arthur, if you’re tired, take a break. If you’re hungry, eat first. You can make the next dish after you’re full. We’re not in a hurry."
Arthur’s eyes lit up as he heard that. "You’re right! I don’t have to wait until I’m done to eat. I can cook and eat at the same time." He quickly grabbed a bowl and said, "Everyone, please take a seat. Let me serve you some mushroom soup."
He scooped them bowl by bowl, holding them with both hands and placing them in front of the elders.
The elders all watched his hands closely. Even though his hands were already clean, Arthur was still careful, ensuring his fingers didn’t touch the bowl’s rim or dip into the soup. They nodded in approval, thinking Arthur had paid attention to hygiene.
Additionally, when scooping the soup, every bowl was filled exactly to eight-tenths, without exception. The elders couldn’t help but marvel at how many soup bowls he must have served to perfect such a skill. Plus, he kept the kitchen spotless while handling the ingredients, which impressed them even more.
Dario and Niamh Lloyd felt for him and said, "Arthur, you’ve been driving and cooking for so long. You must be exhausted. Hurry up and eat; don’t let yourself go hungry."
Arthur replied earnestly, "It was Nina who drove here. I wasn’t that tired on the way."
"Oh my gosh, you’re being despised for cooking so well? You’re not even qualified to cook in a restaurant? Isn’t your family too much?"
"Arthur, you are too pitiful. Don’t worry, your family doesn’t know your worth, but we do..."
"Oh, poor thing, eat more, don’t let yourself go hungry..."
Arthur quickly explained, "It’s not that my family thinks my cooking is bad. It’s just that there are so many talented cooks in my family that I have to settle for fifth place at least."
He continued, "The first place is my mom, second is my older brother, third is my dad, and fourth is my grandpa..."
They were even more impressed, thinking he was so humble and considerate to praise his family despite his cooking talent.
Nina held up the bowl of soup and offered it to Arthur. "Arthur, this mushroom soup made with spring water is so delicious. Don’t just watch others drink; you should have some, too."
She then looked around at the table of elders. "Arthur spent two hours preparing this meal. Can we let him eat first before asking other questions?"
Everyone quickly nodded in agreement. "Munchie is right; we didn’t think it through. Hurry up and eat. We’ll ask later after you’ve had your fill."
Next came the enjoyable mealtime. Although the Lloyd family was the wealthiest in Vredo City, with more money than they could ever spend, they didn’t have many rules at home. Especially when it came to meals, the main priority was always to eat happily. It had become a family-wide consensus.
Therefore, talking and making some noise while eating or slightly compromising on image and etiquette wasn’t a big deal. After all, if they couldn’t eatArthur loved the dining atmosphere. Over an hour, over twenty people polished off the food, leaving only scraps behind. Afterward, they unceremoniously flopped onto sofas or chairs, rubbing their bellies and sighing in contentment.
"It’s so delicious! Better than anything our chefs have ever made!"
"Not only is it delicious, but the ingredients Arthur brought are also straightforward to digest. I ate over ten pieces of meat and didn’t feel bloated."
"Yes, I never used to like ceviches, sausages, or ratatouille; I never ate them. But Arthur’s cooking was so delicious, and after eating them, I felt no discomfort."
"It’s a pity we don’t have a daughter; otherwise, I would have married Arthur into our family..."
Everyone praised Arthur as he swiftly put on dishwashing gloves and cleared the table. He carefully dumped the leftover scraps into the giant soup bowl, carried them into the kitchen, and disposed of them in the trash bag.
Afterward, he stacked the smaller bowls into the larger ones and brought them to the sink, where he placed them in the dishwashing basin and let them soak in dish soap. Meanwhile, he wiped the dining table with a slightly damp cloth, cleaning it meticulously, leaving no stain behind.
After that, he used a dry cloth to go over it again. Then, he neatly placed the dining chairs back in their positions, ensuring everything was perfectly aligned.
The Lloyd family members called out to him as he busied himself: "Arthur, stop working so hard. We have servants for this. Let them handle it."
and drink to their heart’s content despite having so much money, that would be a misfortune.
Besides, everyone present was a close family who knew each other well, so there was no need to pretend to be elegant or noble.
