Chapter 9: Xu Yi, Pranked by Two Beasts

Having quickly inventoried the supplies, Liang He realized that she wouldn't be able to move everything by herself in a short amount of time, especially since she still had to prepare lunch.

So, with a bright smile, she dashed back to Xu Yi's side with great energy.

"Dr. Xu, could you help me move these supplies? I'll treat you to something delicious!"

Whether he was dazzled by her sudden smile or piqued by curiosity regarding the legendary food of Planet Blue, Xu Yi ultimately let out a helpless sigh and began helping with the transport using the same hands that usually held a scalpel.

When Huo An arrived at the central control room and happened to witness this scene, his eyes darkened slightly, and he pursed his lips, lost in thought.

"Xu Yi is being so attentive; he's probably trying to beg Liang He to help him control the Marshal and the others so they'll cooperate with the treatment."

"True. Dr. Xu often says he has no place to use his heroism; he probably wants to prove himself."

"No place to use his heroism? Isn't that just the new Blue Planet language you've been learning, Dr. Xu? Haha!"

Neither Xu Yi nor Liang He heard the colleagues' teasing. By the time they finished moving the items, it was already noon. Following the hospitable nature of Blue Planet people, and keeping his previous promise, Xu Yi was naturally invited to stay for lunch.

In truth, Xu Yi had been curious for a while: was the food from Planet Blue really that good?

Otherwise, why did Huo An, after eating it once, find nutrient solutions nearly impossible to swallow?

"Luckily, Landen is capable and caught a few big fish, otherwise, I wouldn't have known what to make for lunch."

As a Azure Blue Falcon, Landen's hunting abilities were top-notch.

He had likely seen the chicken and rabbit Cedric sent, and with a quick thought, he had taken a different approach by bringing back several large fish for Liang He.

"Dr. Xu, for lunch, shall we make fish soup with tofu, braised fish roe, and fish head with chopped chili?"

As Liang He processed the fish, she discovered plenty of roe in their bellies, which was just enough for a dish.

Combined with the chopped chilies she had specifically brought from Planet Blue to make a fish head dish, and using the remaining fish meat to make soup, it was bound to be incredibly fresh.

"I also found some edible wild vegetables nearby earlier. Dr. Xu, could you help me go pick some?"

As a person from Planet Blue, she believed in a balance of meat and vegetables; she really couldn't survive on meat alone.

"Sure, just tell me where they are and what they look like."

Just hearing the names of the dishes made Xu Yi swallow involuntarily; he was becoming increasingly expectant of today's lunch.

Liang He told Xu Yi the location and appearance of the wild vegetables, and to prevent any mistakes, she even sent him a photo she had taken with her optical computer.

Looking at the photo, Xu Yi felt confident and immediately went to work, while Liang He began preparing the fish.

"I wonder where Cedric and Landen have run off to again. Their wounds haven't even healed yet."

Liang He nagged like an old mother worrying about her wandering children, yet her hands never stopped chopping.

"Skree!"

"Awoo!"

Speak of the devil, and they shall appear. Cedric and Landen emerged from nowhere, occupying the spots to Liang He's left and right, beginning their competition for affection.

Seeing the bloodstains at the corners of their mouths, she guessed they had gone hunting again. She reached out to feel their bellies; they seemed empty, meaning they had gone purely for the hunt.

Liang He wiped their mouths and brought out a fruit and vegetable platter she had prepared earlier, giving one plate to each.

Thus, when Xu Yi returned laden with supplies, he saw two satiated beasts guarding the cooking Liang He, creating a scene of peaceful tranquility.

However, he was not doing so well!

"Cough... Liang He, I... they..."

Seeing Xu Yi hesitating to approach, Liang He thought of how Cedric had ambushed him before, and she knew he wasn't particularly well-liked by the beasts.

"Don't worry, Dr. Xu, they won't attack you."

Liang He covered the pot of simmering fish soup and patted the heads of the Ink-Gold Tiger and the Azure Blue Falcon respectively, softly instructing them not to hurt Xu Yi.

"Awoo~"

"Skree~"

Fortunately, the two large creatures gave him face. Seeing Xu Yi approach, they merely lifted their eyelids slightly, not even bothering to move.

Feeling unwelcome, Xu Yi had considered just running away, but he was once again captivated by the aroma of Liang He's cooking.

He had just caught a scent that was truly unprecedented, making him realize for the first time that he, too, had a craving.

"Then... then I feel relieved... Ah!"

Just as Xu Yi sat down, the Ink-Gold Tiger stood up to sharpen its claws, and the Azure Blue Falcon spread its wings. Startled, he jumped in place, leaping three meters away.

"Pfft."

Seeing Xu Yi so frightened, Liang He couldn't help but burst into laughter. These two little fellows were being too mischievous, clearly trying to scare him on purpose.

Sure enough, after their prank succeeded, Cedric slowly changed his posture to lie down again, while Landen began preening his feathers, striving to be the most handsome eagle in the avian world.

"They're just playing with you, don't be afraid."

"I'm not! I'm not afraid!"

Knowing he had made a fool of himself, Xu Yi could only pretend to be brave to save some face.

He clenched his fists and approached with hesitant, halting steps. This time, he finally managed not to be startled again.

"Alright, have a bowl of fish soup to calm your nerves."

Liang He handed Xu Yi a bowl of the freshly made fish soup with tofu.

The milky white soup, mixed with the fragrance of tofu and the wild vegetables he had picked himself, made Xu Yi's mouth water, and he immediately took it.

"Hiss! It's so hot!"

In his haste, Xu Yi's tongue went numb from the heat. He wanted to put the bowl down but couldn't bear to let it go.

"Sorry, I forgot to remind you. Drink some water first to settle down, okay?"

With an apologetic expression, Liang He handed him a cup of cold water. After drinking most of it, Xu Yi's discomfort finally subsided.

"I was just too impatient, it's not your fault."

Having recovered, Xu Yi finally learned to sip the soup slowly. This time, he could finally properly savor the delicacies from Planet Blue.

"This fish soup is delicious! I don't even know how to describe this feeling, it's just so... so...?"

"Umami. On Planet Blue, we call it 'umami'."

Although Planet Blue had joined the Interstellar Federation, most people still chose to live there, so interstellar citizens didn't know much about the planet, let alone its cuisine.

"So that's what it's called, umami!"

Xu Yi gave Liang He's cooking an unhesitating thumbs-up. Once the soup reached a suitable temperature, he began slurping it down, not even leaving a trace behind.

"It's too good!"

He finally understood why Huo An had been so disgusted by nutrient solutions after returning yesterday; they truly couldn't compare to the food of Planet Blue.

Once a tongue has tasted delicacies from the mountains and seas, how could it be willing to settle for coarse grains?

"I want another bowl."

Xu Yi looked at Liang He somewhat sheepishly, fearing she might think he was eating too much.

"Dr. Xu, there is plenty of soup. There's no rush; you can try the other dishes first."

As the cook, seeing a diner's expression of pure satisfaction and a desire for more was undoubtedly the best compliment, so Liang He certainly didn't mind.

"Quick, try the braised fish roe and the fish head with chopped chili."

Liang He wasn't sure how well interstellar people could handle spicy food, so she tried to use as little chili as possible. She first had Xu Yi try the mildly spicy braised fish roe.

"Hiss~ what is this flavor?"

Xu Yi felt a slight burning sensation on the tip of his tongue. It wasn't painful, but it was stimulating!

"I... why do I feel like I can't stop eating? *Burp!*"

Even though he was clearly hiccuping, Xu Yi kept stuffing food into his mouth, causing Liang He to knit her brows.

"Roar!"

The Ink-Gold Tiger suddenly stood up again. Having learned his lesson, Xu Yi had intended to act calm, but in the blink of an eye, he saw the tiger lunging toward him, scaring him so much he nearly took flight.

"Aaaah! Help!"

He couldn't stop eating! Haha~

(End of Chapter)