I raise furry animals and fly them to my motherland.

Chapter 228 I'll be available if you call me
The desert night was chilly, and Qi Xiao served a bowl of steaming tomato and egg soup.

"Drink it while it's hot."

Golden egg flowers floated in the reddish broth, and he gently pushed the soup bowl in front of Xu Ying.

Xu Ying eagerly picked up the bowl, and the warm touch immediately came from her fingertips.

She no longer cared about being refined and elegant, and drank it in big gulps. The hot soup slid down her throat, dispelling her fatigue and hunger.

With the fragrant rice in hand, Xu Ying ate until her cheeks were slightly bulging, and the wisps of hair on her forehead swayed gently with her movements.

As Qi Xiao watched her wolf down her food, a gentle smile unconsciously curved his lips, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.

"Eat slowly, no one will compete with you."

He said softly, and casually put another large chicken leg into her bowl.

After Xu Ying had finished eating, Qi Xiao brought in a brand new laptop bag from beside him.

"Professor Ye and Qin Yan have developed a complete snow lotus cultivation plan."

"I brought the documents and materials with me when I came back from Xishan this time."

He deftly took out the laptop from his bag; its silver-gray body gleamed with a metallic sheen.

"This is a work computer that Professor Ye's team gave you. It contains a pre-made demonstration animation plan."

Xu Ying's eyes were immediately drawn to the laptop. When she saw the brand logo on the laptop, she slammed her chopsticks down on the edge of her bowl.

She knew the laptop's specifications all too well—it was the top-of-the-line model she had been longing for, with a market price of 20,000 yuan!
She had always wanted to visit the digital mall in the city, but she could never find the time.

Although she's quite wealthy now, who wouldn't want more money? Who wouldn't be happy to get an expensive laptop for free?
"You just gave it to me?"

She looked up in disbelief, her eyes wide open like a surprised little animal.

Qi Xiao was amused by her reaction and gave a soft "hmm": "Qin Yan and Professor Ye asked when you would be free to go to Xishan."

As he spoke, he took out a brown paper envelope from his backpack and waved it in front of Xu Ying. "Want to open it and take a look?"

Xu Ying curiously took the envelope and smelled a faint scent of pine when she opened it.

Inside was a rough-textured white sheet of paper, densely covered with various shapes of charcoal claw marks. She immediately recognized these familiar marks.

"This is a snowsweeper's claw!"

She pointed to a small, plum blossom-shaped claw print, her voice rising slightly with excitement, "This is the claw of a snow mountain pigeon!"

Then they identified a larger paw print, "That's a snow leopard's paw!"

Xu Ying's fingertips gently traced the marks on the paper, as if she could touch those furry little creatures through these marks.

Qi Xiao looked into her bright eyes, and his tone softened unconsciously:
"Ever since you left Xishan, those little animals have been visiting Qin Yan's forest ranger post every few days."

He paused for a moment, a gentle smile in his eyes, "Qin Yan thought he was just like you, with an amazing affinity for animals, but it turns out they're carrying the dried snow lotus flowers you left behind every day."

"Although Qin Yan couldn't understand what they were saying, he could guess that these little animals were asking when you would go to the snow mountain again."

Xu Ying's eyes visibly moved upon hearing this. She lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes trembling slightly in the lamplight, casting a shadow on her lower eyelids. "I did promise them I would go back to the snow mountain to see it."

Xu Ying took out her phone, opened the calendar, and quickly swiped her finger across the screen. "I have two days off next week... let me see how I can take them."

After the meal, just as Xu Ying was about to get up to clear the dishes, Qi Xiao had already neatly stacked the tableware.

"Sit down and rest." He skillfully cleared the table, giving Xu Ying no chance to help.

Qi Xiao stood by the sink washing dishes, his leather jacket casually draped over the back of the chair, wearing only a fitted black turtleneck sweater that accentuated his sharp shoulders and back.

However, in stark contrast to his aloof demeanor, he wore a pink apron with a rabbit pattern around his neck—clearly a woman's size, with pitifully thin straps that clung tightly to his waist, outlining his lean and muscular physique. Xu Ying's gaze inadvertently swept over his taut waistline, and the faint outline of muscles visible beneath his sweater made her gasp.

She then turned away nonchalantly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the Pallas's cat that was sleeping soundly in her arms, feeling her face flush.

Did the heating at the shelter turn on automatically? Or is it just that the chubby "gas cylinder" in my arms has such fluffy hair that it's getting too hot?

"Did you ask Lao Yi to help you find people from the shelter?"

Qi Xiao suddenly asked Xu Ying, his hands still moving, the water gushing as it washed the dishes.

"If you're too busy, you can ask me for help."

he proposed.

Xu Ying raised her face: "But, I feel like you're usually very busy?"

Qi Xiao blurted out, "I'll be available if you call me."

Xu Ying was taken aback and tilted her head: "Huh?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Qi Xiao seemed to suddenly realize what he had said, and immediately shut his mouth, lowering his head to continue tidying up the washed insulated boxes, his movements noticeably more flustered than before.

The clanging and banging of metal was particularly noticeable in the quiet living area of ​​the rescue station.

The washed insulated boxes were quickly put into insulated bags, and Qi Xiao carried the insulated bags to the door.

Xu Ying stared at his slightly reddened ear tips, smiled at him with her eyes crinkling, and said, "I know, I'll ask for your help if I have any difficulties."

Qi Xiao dared not look directly into her clear eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily, his voice slightly hoarse: "I've delivered the things, I'll be going now, you should get some rest."

After saying that, he strode out the door.

"and many more!"

Xu Ying quickly called out to him.

"come over."

She subconsciously used the tone she usually used when scolding the little foxes, only realizing her mistake after she finished speaking.

But Qi Xiao really did stop immediately as if he had received an order.

When he turned to look back, the lines of his shoulders and neck, wrapped in a black turtleneck sweater, stretched out in a sharp arc, much like the snow wolf that Xu Ying had once seen on the snow-capped mountains.

Its silhouette, which should have been defiant, now folds into a submissive curve.

"how?"

His deep voice carried a barely perceptible hoarseness, and his deep phoenix eyes were slightly lowered, showing a hint of unease and helplessness.

Despite his imposing stature, standing before her now, he inexplicably reminded her of a large dog with its claws retracted, even its breathing was very soft.

Xu Ying pointed to the high-tech electronic door of the shelter: "Come and register your face, so you won't have to wait for me outside when you come to the shelter in the future."

A hint of surprise flashed in Qi Xiao's eyes, then he nodded: "Okay."

After completing the facial recognition, he straddled the motorcycle, deftly put on his helmet, and a deep voice came from under the helmet: "I'm leaving, goodnight."

"Good night."

Watching Qi Xiao's motorcycle roar away, Xu Ying turned to look at the electronic gate, suddenly remembering something.