Chapter 23: Huo Zhanting Causes Trouble

Having understood the reason why the big lion had run off, Yu Lan no longer felt worried. Checking the time on her phone, she realized that after all the commotion, it was already seven o’clock. She had originally planned to visit a nearby supermarket after work to see if she could pick up some fresh vegetables, but by now, going back and forth would mean eating quite late. Glancing at the spot in the kitchen where she kept her nutrient solutions, Yu Lan pursed her lips, her pretty face wrinkling in distress. She truly did not want to continue drinking that tasteless sludge.

Holding onto a glimmer of hope, Yu Lan stood before the refrigerator and opened it, only to find, to her surprise, a small portion of noodles, some greens, and a few eggs inside. Her eyes lit up instantly. This meant she could make a bowl of egg and vegetable noodles—anything would be better than nutrient solution. Happily, Yu Lan lit the stove and added a dash of oil. She tapped an egg against the edge of the counter, producing a crisp, clean sound. A second later, the pan began to sizzle. The egg was fried until both sides were golden, and after a splash of cold water, the broth turned a beautiful, milky white.

Yu Lan covered the pot to let the egg soup simmer, then quickly moved to the sink to wash the vegetables. Leaf by leaf, the greens were cleaned, glistening with water droplets; just looking at them, she could imagine their crisp, fresh taste. Smelling the familiar, homey scent of cooking, Yu Lan could hardly contain her excitement. She quickly added the noodles and vegetables. Three minutes later, a bowl of egg and vegetable noodles, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, was fresh off the stove.

Placed on the dining table, the bowl emitted swirling wisps of steam. Behind the haze, the beautiful female’s face appeared soft and indistinct, though one could still sense her skin was as luminous as jade. A massive lion’s head peeked out from the bottom of the stairs, its round, golden eyes watching the spot where the female sat with intense curiosity. Its nose couldn't help but twitch, sniffing the air. For some reason, seeing this scene made the golden lion feel incredibly happy and excited; even its tail couldn't help but sway in the air.

Just then, Yu Lan looked up, her amber eyes locking with the golden lion’s gaze. A second later, a bright, radiant smile bloomed on the female’s face, and she waved at the big lion. "Baby, are you hungry too?" she asked. "Come down quickly. I’ve prepared some food for you, too."

Keeping a pet requires a certain level of consciousness. Before making her own meal, Yu Lan had already prepared for it. She had spent money on the Interstellar Network for an expedited delivery of some high-quality beef. Seeing the golden lion appear again, she hurried to the kitchen and brought out an oversized iron basin containing the dinner she had prepared for it. To her surprise, when she emerged from the kitchen, she saw the big lion leaning over the dining table, sniffing it in a remarkably human way, its eyes shining with curiosity.

"Baby, you can’t eat this." Yu Lan had never raised a lion, but she instinctively felt that animals shouldn't eat human food. She hurriedly set down the iron basin and reached out to hug the golden lion’s large, furry head.

"Awooo!" *Delicious.*

Unexpectedly, the big lion turned its head and began its "licking" ritual. Its large, warm head rubbed against Yu Lan’s neck as if it were acting spoiled. Her small, delicate figure was clearly reflected in its golden eyes. Seeing this, Yu Lan paused, confirming in her heart once more that the big lion before her could not possibly be Marshal Huo Zhanting. A ruthless, iron-blooded man like Huo Zhanting, who exuded an aura of slaughter, would surely keep a cold face even if he were in heat. How could he possibly be as enthusiastic and affectionate as "Baby"?

Still, it wasn't good for a pet to be too clingy. Yu Lan clearly couldn't handle it. Blushing from the enthusiastic lion's licks, she leaned back and hurriedly pushed it away. "Alright, alright, stop licking me! Be good, be good, I’ll give you a little bit. Just a little, okay?"

She turned to the kitchen to fetch a small bowl, using her chopsticks to lift a small portion from her own bowl. She carefully added half an egg and a few pieces of vegetable, then topped it off with a bit of the milky white broth. "There, just eat this much. This is yours, and that is mine." Yu Lan pointed between the two bowls, her eyes closely tracking the lion’s expression, fearing it might want more. To her surprise, the big lion accepted it quite happily, as if it only wanted to taste what Yu Lan’s cooking was like. Its tail wagged so hard it was almost a blur, and its large, furry head kept nudging against her chest.

"Alright, alright, let’s eat." How could there be such a clingy and enthusiastic big lion? It had none of the airs of a king of beasts at the top of the food chain. With that, human and lion began their happy dinner time.

*

After eating their fill, Yu Lan lay on the sofa, petting the big, furry lion while intently watching the news on television, quickly deepening her understanding of this world. In a blink, it was ten o’clock. Yu Lan let out a soft yawn, a tear welling at the corner of her eye and sliding down her fair cheek like a transparent gem. "I have to work tomorrow, time to wash up and sleep."

What she had seen at the facility for frenzied males today had deeply shaken her; she wanted to quickly develop a sedative that could truly help males through their heat cycles. A good sleep schedule was the most basic foundation. Yu Lan stood up from the sofa and headed straight for the bathroom. The big lion, which had been half-closing its eyes to enjoy Yu Lan’s petting, opened them in dissatisfaction. It watched as Yu Lan’s figure disappeared behind the door, her soft, slender frame firmly obscured by the black door.

?

The golden lion tilted its head, a flash of dissatisfaction in its golden eyes. It didn't want Yu Lan to leave its sight. Even though Huo Zhanting currently had no memory, the inherent, strong desire for exclusivity was still at play. Scholars had once analyzed him, noting that in an interstellar society where one female with multiple males was the norm, Huo Zhanting was definitely the type of dominant male who would monopolize his female mate every day, not allowing her to glance at other males. This claim was, of course, immediately refuted by the Huo family—a possessive, jealous male was not very popular in the marriage market. But Huo Zhanting himself had never responded to anyone. Yet, his actions were nothing less than the embodiment of that very claim.

Including now. Unable to see Yu Lan, the golden lion began to pace in circles in frustration. Suddenly, its gold-like eyes locked onto the doorknob. Tilting its head, it seemed to realize how to open the door and see the beautiful female again.