The moment Su Qinglan returned, the small open kitchen behind the house became lively again. The air quickly filled with the smell of fresh fish and firewood, and the quiet house turned warm and busy.

Hu Yan had already prepared the fire, and when he saw Su Qinglan rolling up her sleeves, ready to cook, he paused for a moment.

"Lan Lan, you just came back. You should rest," he said softly, stepping closer as if to stop her.

But Su Qinglan only smiled, her eyes bright and full of energy. "I am not tired," she replied lightly. "I want to cook today."

Looking at her spirited expression, Hu Yan stopped himself.

For the past many days, she had been tense and worried. He had seen it clearly. Now that she was finally smiling like this again, he did not have the heart to stop her.

"...Alright," he said in the end, his voice gentle. "Then I will help you."

Su Qinglan nodded happily, and soon both of them began to bustle around the kitchen.

She quickly cleaned the fish, her movements smooth and practiced. The fresh river fish were large and fat, their flesh firm and white. She sliced some into thin pieces and placed them aside, while leaving others whole for roasting.

"Start the fire stronger," she said while working.

Hu Yan immediately adjusted the firewood, making the flames burn brighter.

Soon, the first dish began.

She placed a flat stone over the fire and laid a whole fish on it, lightly scoring its surface. Without modern spices, she used simple things...salt, crushed herbs, and a bit of animal fat. The fat melted slowly, coating the fish and making it sizzle.

A rich aroma rose instantly.

At the same time, she used a stone pot to boil another batch of fish with wild ginger roots and mountain herbs. The soup slowly turned milky white, giving off a warm and comforting smell.

Beside it, she stir-fried thin slices of fish with wild vegetables on a heated stone plate, moving quickly so the flesh stayed tender.

Then came roasted meat.

Hu Yan had brought back some fresh prey earlier by sneaking out of the city wall, and Su Qinglan cut a portion into chunks, skewering them on wooden sticks. She sprinkled crushed spices and roasted them over the fire until the surface turned golden and slightly crisp.

Crackling sounds filled the air.

Even she decided to cook a big pot of rice today. Using a stone pot, she carefully washed the grains and placed them over a steady fire. Soon, steam rose, carrying a soft and comforting fragrance.

The small kitchen was full of bustling activities.

Hu Yan moved beside her, handing tools, adjusting fire, and occasionally glancing at her. Seeing her busy figure and bright face, his heart felt at ease.

This is how she should be, he thought.

Meanwhile, Stove and the little flower plant were not far away. Both of them were staring at the food with shining eyes.

Stove was practically drooling.

"Master..." he whispered, his voice full of longing. "Can we eat now?"

Su Qinglan laughed and lightly tapped him. "Greedy plant," she said. "Wait for everyone to come back. We will eat together."

Stove immediately nodded, though his eyes were still glued to the roasting meat.

Inside his mind, he was already imagining it.

Roasted leg... big roasted leg... juicy... tender...

Compared to fish, he clearly preferred big chunks of meat.

"The bigger the piece, the better..." he muttered, almost dreaming.

Beside him, the little flower plant was quietly chewing on a small piece of fruit. Unlike Stove, she was calmer, but her expression was gentle and content.

Since coming here, she has been eating well every day. Good food, rich spiritual energy... it was something she had never experienced before.

For a moment, she thought about her own kind.

Are they doing well? She wondered.

But soon, her gaze fell on Su Qinglan again. Her petals seemed to soften.

This female... is so good.

Not only did she feed her, but she also gave off a kind of energy that made her grow stronger much faster than before.

If this continued...

Maybe one day, she could reach that legendary stage.

The stage where a spiritual plant could take human form.

That was the highest level.

At first, she had never believed she could reach it in this lifetime. But now, following this beautiful female, she felt hope.

Her little body trembled slightly with excitement as she continued eating.

Back in the kitchen, Su Qinglan remained focused, frying fish with steady hands.

Just then voices came from outside. It was a mix of laughter, footsteps, and excited chatter.

"They’re back," Hu Yan said, looking toward the entrance.

Soon, Xuan Long, Shi Feng, and Han Jue appeared, carrying large amounts of prey. Their figures looked relaxed and satisfied.

Shi Feng was the first to rush in.

"Lan Lan is cooking!" he said excitedly, his eyes lighting up. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and kissed her cheek.

"We brought a lot!" he said proudly, pointing behind him. Then he started talking nonstop, just like a child... His image was far from the cold lion king.

"You don’t know; those fox-city beastmen ran away the moment they saw Xuan Long. They didn’t even dare to fight! If we knew they were this cowardly, we would have gone out earlier!"

He laughed loudly. "Everyone in the tribe got prey today. Now they are all asking when we will go again."

Su Qinglan listened with a small smile, her heart easing further. Han Jue and Xuan Long also nodded, both looking satisfied.

The three cubs on Xuan Long’s shoulders were already half asleep, their small bodies limp with exhaustion. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Xuan Long gently placed them on the bed.

"Let them rest for a while," he said.

Su Qinglan nodded. "Yes, let them sleep. We will wake them when the food is ready."

The room became quieter for a moment as the cubs settled.

Soon, everything was prepared. Dishes were placed one by one on the stone table: roasted fish, fish soup, stir-fried slices, roasted meat, and a big pot of rice.

The aroma filled the entire house.

Everyone gathered around.

Even the cubs woke up slowly, rubbing their eyes and joining the meal.