Chapter 8: The Chef

 "Mr. Monet, how did you find out about me and Jack?" As soon as they met, Ruth inquired of Monet.

"Jack told me, actually we were good friends on the ship. He shared many stories about you and him. Unfortunately, Jack can't speak anymore," Monet said casually, gesturing towards the incapacitated Jack.

"Alright, even if Jack had told you about our past, how did you know what he said to me before he died? Don't tell me Jack told you that too!" Ruth pursued.

This question indeed stumped Monet, because it was obvious that Jack didn't have the time to tell him that. So, he braced himself and replied, "Well, I was floating not too far away on the water's surface at that time, so I overheard part of the conversation. I also made some guesses on my own."

"That's quite coincidental," Ruth asked with a touch of disbelief.

"In a few days, you'll discover even more remarkable coincidences," Monet continued, then proceeded to explain the contents of the book "Futile Efforts" to Ruth.

"Is there really such a book? Where did you get it? I want to buy one!" Ruth hurriedly inquired.

"I had to search through several bookstores to find a copy. It might be easier to find one in London, but I believe in a few days, Russell, the editor-in-chief, and his team will start selling them. You'll have time to get one then," Monet explained.

Shifting the conversation, Monet asked, "Miss Buckett, are you really planning to marry Mr. Karl?"

Ruth sighed, "What else can I do? Do you think I can escape? Whatever I do now, someone is always watching, and there's no chance to run away. Besides, just as he said, I don't have the money to repay the debt he cleared for my family. So, I'll endure for a while and then see what happens."

"I'm sorry, it was my negligence," Monet reproached himself.

But before he could finish, Ruth interjected, "You can't blame yourself for this. You can't even blame Wendy. Carl told me he's been having you both watched all the time. He even saw the letter I sent to The New York Post before I did. So, even if you hadn't spoken, it wouldn't have changed anything."

At this point, Ruth leaned in and whispered to Monet, "There's another important reason. I discovered I'm pregnant two days ago. So, I have to stay here and give birth to the child. Do you understand what I mean?"

Monet was internally startled by this revelation. So, you're using Karl as the solution to your predicament. It all makes sense now. However, this isn't the right time to continue discussing this matter. He shifted the topic and asked, "Do you know where Wendy is right now? I want to talk to her in person and find out what she really thinks!"

Ruth pointed upstairs and replied, "She's here working as a governess. But I don't think she'd be willing to see you, or more accurately, she'd be too ashamed to face you."

"Alright, to each their own," Monet said. Then, he suddenly thought of how Karl went bankrupt during the 1929 American economic crisis, so he leaned in and whispered to Ruth, "I don't think you'll have to endure this difficult life for long. Business doesn't always go smoothly forever."

"What do you mean?" Ruth asked curiously.

"I'm just guessing, you'll know soon enough." Monet left Ruth with a glimmer of hope and then got up to leave.

Though he had understood the whole situation, Monet's mood remained rather sour. He planned to find a place to have a good meal. However, the abundance of American-style restaurants on the street didn't sit well with his appetite. After all, deep down, he was a typical Chinese person.

Fortunately, he wasn't far from Chinatown where he was staying. Monet decided to head there for an authentic Chinese meal. But what frustrated him was that most Chinese people in New York at this time were from Guangdong or Fujian provinces, and their culinary preferences differed from his as a person from northeastern China.

After trying several places, he finally found a restaurant that specialized in Shandong cuisine, satisfying his craving. However, as he was about to pay, he unexpectedly noticed two slender girls kneeling at the counter, pleading desperately to the owner, "Uncle Feng, please, don't drive us away. We can cook, we can do anything!"

The owner sighed, "Shanshan, Wenwen, it's not that I want to let you go. My place just isn't short on staff. Business isn't great right now, and I was even thinking of letting some people go. Besides, you two are girls, and the kitchen staff are all men. It's not convenient."

"But, but now that our brother is gone, we really have nowhere else to go. If we can't find work, we'll starve. Please, have pity on us!" The sisters pleaded.

At this moment, Monet, who had been standing to the side, interjected, "Excuse me, young ladies, do you know how to cook Chinese food?"

Hearing Monet speaking in fluent "Beijing dialect," the sisters and the owner all paused for a moment. However, the slightly taller of the two girls reacted quickly and replied, "Sir, we can cook Chinese food, and we can do anything."

Monet pointed at the dishes left on his table and asked, "Can you cook these dishes too?"

The girl nodded, saying, "Yes, we can. Don't believe me? I can cook them for you right now!"

What surprised Monet was that even the owner chimed in, "Sir, Shanshan is right. They really can cook, and they're no worse than our chefs. After all, her brother was our best chef here before!"

"Well, in that case, would you two ladies be willing to work as my private chefs? You'd come every day to cook lunch and dinner for me. As for the salary..." At this point, Monet turned to the owner, "How much do your chefs here earn per month?"

"Ten dollars!" The owner replied honestly.

Monet sighed inwardly about how low Chinese wages were and then continued, "In that case, how about fifteen dollars for the two of them combined? Are you interested?"

Although Monet speaking Chinese gave Shanshan a sense of familiarity and trust, after careful consideration, she still answered, "Sir, if it's just cooking, I can handle it myself. Can you hire only me? I would be satisfied with eight dollars a month... well, maybe even seven dollars."

Actually, Monet's intention was to help the two sisters. On the other hand, he was getting tired of Western cuisine, and he wasn't strapped for cash at the moment. So, he "indulgently" hired them as his private chefs.

But now, Shanshan's willingness to earn even less intrigued him. Soon, he realized that she might be skeptical, afraid that he had ulterior motives towards them. Thus, Shanshan was willing to sacrifice herself to protect her younger sister.

Unfortunately, he couldn't explain himself at the moment; otherwise, things might take a turn for the worse. So, he could only smile wryly and agree.

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