Liang He needed to stay behind to help treat Cedriel. However, since most of the equipment and food at the service station were meant for wild beasts, she had to purchase extra supplies for herself. Last night, Xu Yi had specifically asked her what supplies she needed so they could be delivered along with a bed.
"Someone will drop off the supplies later. I've also prepared the medication Cedriel needs. Do you think he'll still come back?" Xu Yi said, handing over the medicine he had formulated the previous night. His gaze drifted involuntarily toward the direction where Cedriel had disappeared, a mix of anticipation and nervousness in his eyes.
If Cedriel didn't come back, they would have gotten their hopes up for nothing.
"Leave it with me for now," Liang He said. Although she had spent a peaceful night with Cedriel, this was her first time interacting with interstellar animals. She still needed to understand them better. "Worst comes to worst, I'll just go find him and apply the medicine out in the wild."
Hearing this, Xu Yi thought it was a viable backup plan. It was certainly better than not being able to get close to the beast at all.
"Alright. I have other work to attend to, so I need to head back to the Main Service Area first. Will you be okay by yourself?" This vicinity was Cedriel's territory. Since he disliked humans coming near, the Seventh Service Area had no on-site staff.
"Don't worry."
Despite Liang He's brimming confidence, Xu Yi and their colleagues back in the control room couldn't help but worry about the petite and fragile Blue Star person.
After seeing Xu Yi off, Liang He sneakily cut a bit of meat from the leg of lamb prepared for Cedriel, planning to grill some lamb skewers.
"I wonder when the delivery person is arriving. Will they make it in time before I season these skewers?" She sighed softly. Had she known, she would have stuffed all her seasonings into her backpack.
Nutrient solutions? Absolutely not! She couldn't stomach a single drop of that stuff! The foodie nature of Blue Star people was carved right into their bones!
"I don't think I'm too late?"
Just as Liang He was whittling a few small branches into wooden skewers and threading the lamb chunks, a deep, slightly magnetic voice rang out beside her ear.
Huo An looked down, his eyes immediately drawn to a delicate, petite face. Her skin was so tender that it looked as if a mere pinch would leave a red mark. The sight made him involuntarily soften his voice and lower his gaze. "Hello. I'm Huo An."
Hearing his introduction, Liang He quickly stood up from her chair. Looking at the tall man with sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, she became acutely aware of the massive height difference between them. She was considered quite tall among Blue Star people, but standing next to Huo An, she had to crane her neck just to meet his eyes.
Honestly, it was quite hard on her neck.
"Hello, my name is Liang He," she said, quietly taking two steps back to resolve the crisis facing her neck.
Huo An, along with the colleagues watching from the control room, took in her little movement. They all thought, "Sure enough, the director scared the cute, petite Blue Star person!"
"Mm. I'm here to deliver your supplies." Realizing that Liang He probably didn't know who he was, Huo An didn't bother elaborating on his identity. Instead, he started unloading boxes from the aircraft.
Ever since Liang He announced her decision to stay and treat Cedriel the previous night, Huo An knew he wouldn't see her for a while. Thus, he had taken it upon himself to handle the delivery job, just so he could catch a glimpse of her.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Seeing him busy at work, Liang He felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to help. Unfortunately, the impression that Blue Star people were impossibly fragile was deeply ingrained in his mind; Huo An absolutely refused to let her lift a finger. Left with no other choice, Liang He rummaged through the freshly delivered seasonings, preparing to reward her hardworking colleague with some grilled lamb.
After Huo An finished hammering together the oversized double bed, he was just about to ask if she needed help making the bed when a rich, intense aroma suddenly hit him.
"What is... this?"
Using materials she found nearby, Liang He had managed to cobble together a makeshift grill. The skewered lamb was roasting over the charcoal fire with a loud SIZZLE, dripping with fat. As she sprinkled on the seasonings little by little, the tantalizing scent of roasted meat wafted into the air, making mouths water.
"Um... lamb skewers." Suddenly remembering that she had technically snatched this meat straight from the tiger's mouth, Liang He's cheeks flushed slightly. She held up a freshly grilled skewer and offered it to Huo An, pairing it with an adorable smile in an attempt to act cute and get away with her theft.
Huo An inhaled the savory aroma of the lamb, taking the skewer as if driven by some unseen force. He took a bite, and the rich flavor immediately exploded across his taste buds. He finally understood why Blue Star people refused to drink nutrient solutions. What kind of miserable life had he been living all this time?!
"How does it taste?" Since she wasn't on Blue Star, her barbecue seasonings were rather limited. Liang He waited nervously for her diner's feedback.
"It's delicious." Huo An looked at Liang He's pitifully small pile of lamb skewers, then glanced at the large chunk of lamb prepared for Cedriel sitting in the corner. "How about... you grill all of that, too?"
Cedriel didn't like eating it anyway. They might as well finish it off to avoid wasting food. To be honest, the small portion Liang He had prepared wasn't even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.
"Okay!"
Having successfully captured Director Huo An's stomach, Liang He happily dragged the rest of the lamb over. She raised a small knife, ready to dive into the prep work. The sight scared Huo An so much that he practically inhaled the rest of his lamb skewer in one bite and immediately jumped up to help.
How could a fragile, petite Blue Star person do such heavy manual labor? He had to be the one to do it, of course!
In the control room, the staff watched helplessly as their director was completely won over by a single lamb skewer. They wailed internally, "Just how good are these lamb skewers?! We want a taste too!"
"Just eating skewers won't be enough. Let's roast a leg of lamb and make some lamb soup too," Liang He suggested. After getting a sense of Huo An's appetite, she glanced at the small pile of wooden skewers in front of her. Figuring that skewers alone couldn't satisfy his massive cravings, she decided to add two more dishes to the menu.
"Whatever you want."
The shock of the lamb skewer still lingered in Huo An's mind. He offered no objections to Liang He's proposal, only pure anticipation. Following Liang He's instructions, Huo An finished prepping the leg of lamb and the rest of the meat. Then, he acted as the fire tender, controlling the temperature and size of the charcoal flames.
Liang He utilized her available seasonings to marinate the lamb leg. While waiting for the meat to absorb the flavors, she set a pot of lamb soup to simmer.
"Are all you Blue Star people this good at making food?" he asked. He watched the dancing flames cast a golden glow over the roasting lamb leg. The air was already thick with a rich, meaty aroma that made him swallow repeatedly.
"We all know how to eat, but cooking still requires talent." The best diners didn't necessarily make the best chefs.
Huo An nodded in understanding. He got it—Liang He's rarity level had just skyrocketed once again!
"It's ready. Brother Hao, take a taste and see if it's salty enough," Liang He said, slicing off a small piece of the roasted lamb leg and handing it to him.
Already impatient to devour the delicious food, he popped the meat straight into his mouth, not caring that it was scalding hot. The tender, juicy roast lamb instantly exploded with flavor. As his tongue savored the unique, slightly charred aroma imparted by the charcoal fire, Huo An immediately understood the true meaning of satisfaction.
"This is incredibly delicious!"
As Huo An let out an involuntary sigh of praise, Liang He also began to enjoy her lunch. Over in the control room, the staff watching this scene were practically drooling. They gritted their teeth, grumbling about Huo An's shameless behavior of hogging all the good food for himself.
Feeling a sudden chill down his spine, Huo An was quickly distracted by the bowl of lamb soup Liang He handed him. With one gulp, a warm sensation spread through his entire body.
Just as he was about to ask for a second bowl, an earth-shattering roar echoed throughout the entire service area.
"AWOOO!"