Bossy Qiuqiu

The two kids tilted their heads and thought for a moment, understanding their godmother as someone closer than an aunt, but not quite as close as a biological mother.

They thought both were acceptable, but since it was Huo Lan's suggestion, they figured agreeing wouldn't hurt.

"Great!" the Third Cub exclaimed happily. "From now on, Aunt Huo Lan will be our godmother!"

"Great!" Huo Lan cheered. "We'll resend the gifts for recognizing your godmother back at base."

Hearing that there would be gifts, the Second Cub and Third Cub were also very happy.

Chen Lin and his two companions, who had just recovered from the delicious taste of the fruit, were completely bewildered. How could Huo Lan have gained two goddaughters in the short time it took to eat something?

Seeing Huo Lan and the two little girls embracing happily, Liu Qi'an also had an idea.

He glanced at the Eldest Cub nestled in Tao Qiu, watching the commotion, and chuckled twice.

Both being single, Huo Lan has two such well-behaved and sensible goddaughters, so what about herself...?

His intentions couldn't be more obvious. Before Tao Qiu and Lou Yu could even speak, the Eldest Cub said, "Thank you for your kind words, Uncle, but I'm not interested in having godparents."

Huo Lan has a bond with Erzai Third Cub Second Cub, and they share similar personalities. Becoming godparents would be a bonus, but Eldest Cub and Liu Qi'an are only meeting for the first time today, so naturally they wouldn't have such thoughts.

Liu Qi'an said disappointedly, "... Fine."

John and Chen Lin stood by, trying not to laugh.

I told you not to copy others, now you've hit a wall.

Liu Qi'an was a little sad, but after finishing the big black pear in his hand, those negative emotions had long since vanished.

Perhaps it was because the fruit was so juicy, but they felt full even though they hadn't eaten much. It wasn't the kind of watery fullness that comes from overeating, but a real feeling of fullness.

The temperature was low, and I felt a bit cold, but after eating the fruit, I felt warm all over.

They weren't stupid; they guessed that this must be the effect of the fruit.

John exclaimed, "This fruit is so delicious and amazing! If it were kept at the base, it would probably fetch an astronomical price and still have buyers."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qi'an exclaimed "Ah!" and looked at the half-empty food box and the fruit pits on the table, then asked in shock, "How much did we spend?"

He hadn't mentioned it, and we hadn't really noticed, but now that he'd brought it up, several of his teammates' hands were trembling slightly.

Good heavens, how many years' wages have they been living off?

Tao Qiu chuckled, "You are guests, these fruits are all for you to enjoy, how can you compare this to doing business?"

The crops were all planted by Tao Qiu, and he didn't mind at all, so Lou Yu reassured him, "It's a treat for you, so eat as much as you want. There's nothing to worry about."

Chen Lin and his group didn't say anything more polite; they just wanted to find a way to compensate the other party once they returned to the base.

Several teammates had been paid to complete the mission, so they couldn't slack off. After eating the fruit, they took out sickles and started cutting wheat.

This was their first time doing this kind of work, but even if they hadn't tried it themselves, they had seen it done before, and they quickly got the hang of it after a few tries.

The entire team consisted of strong and robust mercenaries, whose speed and quality of work were no less than that of machines. Lou Yu also joined in, and luckily his teammates had brought backup tools, so having an extra person meant they could finish the job faster.

The three kids found it interesting and joined in, but they were still children with delicate skin, and they couldn't handle such rough work. Before long, their faces were red from being rubbed by the leaves.

Huo Lan and the others were heartbroken and quickly carried him aside so he could play.

Tao Qiu never intended to participate from beginning to end. He had said before that he was only responsible for planting, not harvesting, and that would be paid separately.

The children were taking a nap in the cave. Tao Qiu sat on the edge of the stone platform, ostensibly reading a book, but his eyes were constantly glancing at Lou Yu at the bottom of the valley.

Even in late autumn, working can be tiring and make you sweat. Lou Yu and the others didn't care whether the leaves and wheat ears were prickly to their hands. Since the kids were sleeping, they didn't need to avoid suspicion, so they took off their outer clothes, wearing only vests that exposed their arms to keep cool.

Boiled chickens can't be mercenaries. The whole team is well-built. Tao Qiu glanced over them briefly, and their bulging muscles after exerting their strength were so beautiful that it was dazzling.

But his gaze was mostly fixed on Lou Yu; that was his ideal man.

The black vest, soaked with sweat, clung to his body, subtly revealing the muscle contours that were originally hidden beneath the fabric. When he bent over, the strong, clean lines of his back exuded power, and the hem of the vest rode up, revealing his lean and muscular waist.

How amazing is Lou Yu's waist? Tao Qiu, who has experienced it many times, is the most qualified to speak on that.

Tao Qiu was like a lecherous wolf peeping at a strong young man, his gaze burning directly on Lou Yu like it was on fire, showing no restraint whatsoever. If it weren't for the fact that there were other people present, he probably would have already whistled indecently.

His gaze was so direct that Lou Yu wasn't unaware, but instead of being shy or trying to stop him, he subtly showed off his physique, making Tao Qiu's lips practically curl into a smile.

Lou Yu and his team are all incredibly strong. From the start of the wheat harvest, they didn't rest at all, only stopping to drink some water at most. They have more stamina than oxen.

Therefore, by later in the day, all the wheat at the bottom of the valley had been harvested and bundled up in one place, just waiting for the grain delivery team to return the next day so that it could be transported back to the base.

They had just finished stacking the wheat when they heard the excited shouts of their children behind them.

"Dad, Auntie, Uncle, dinner's ready!"

The three kids ran up to the group and tried to take their hands.

The Eldest Cub said, "The food is all here. Everyone can wash their hands and eat."

The Second Cub Third Cub hugged Huo Lan's legs and laughed happily, "Godmother, my dad is a great cook, you must try it!"

Actually, while they were working, Chen Lin and the others smelled the aroma of food wafting from the cave, but they didn't expect it to be for them.

John looked a little embarrassed. "We brought food. I should have told Tao Qiu beforehand. We didn't want to trouble him; he cooked for so many people."

Before Lou Yu could speak, Second Cub asked, "Auntie, Uncle, what food did you bring?"

Huo Lan crouched down and replied, "Some... food that's easy to carry and store, like bread and jerky."

The Second Cub's eyes lit up after hearing this. "My brother, sister, and I love bread and jerky. Can you share some with us? We'll trade you some of the dishes Dad makes."

The Third Cub Eldest Cub looked at them expectantly. The Eldest Cub said, "Yeah, yeah! We can't often eat the snacks from the human base here, we're so hungry for them! Auntie and Uncle, can you trade with us?"

Lou Yu chimed in, "It's a good opportunity for both sides to try something different; it's a win-win situation."

John and the others could easily see that the children and Lou Yu were trying to find a reason for them to accept the meal. Otherwise, the children ate hot meals made with good ingredients every day, and Lou Yu often brought them snacks; why would they be so craving it?

The steps are all set up; wouldn't it make them seem inconsiderate if they didn't follow them?

Huo Lan smiled and agreed, "Sure, the bread and jerky are yours."

"Thank you, godmother. You're the best!" Second Cub threw himself into Huo Lan's arms, his voice soft and sweet, melting Huo Lan's heart.

Chen Lin unloaded all the food from the car and handed it to the three children. Then everyone washed their faces and hands and sat down at the table laden with food.

With so many people, Tao Qiu mainly prepared staple foods: rice pancakes, radish stew with meat, pumpkin pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, and stir-fried pumpkin leaf tips. All of these were served in bowls, which was definitely enough for everyone.

Liu Qi'an scratched his face, a little shyly saying, "Actually, I was drooling over the smell of the food while I was working during the day. I never thought I'd actually get to eat it! Hehe, we're so lucky today! Thanks, Brother Qiu!"

They didn't know Tao Qiu's exact age; calling him "brother" was just a respectful form of address.

Tao Qiu said cheerfully, "You're welcome! You're all Lou Yu's friends, how could we let our friends go hungry at our home?"

Lou Yu grasped Tao Qiu's hand, his tone gentle. "Thank you for your hard work."

Tao Qiu squeezed his hand back. "You've worked hard too."

After their intimate moment, seeing that everyone else was still sitting there awkwardly, Tao Qiu smiled and said, "If you keep spacing out, the food will get cold. Help yourselves, take whatever you want to eat, don't be shy."

After saying that, he picked up a piece of meat for Lou Yu first, and once he started eating, the others followed suit.

Every crop Tao Qiu grows, whether fruit or vegetable, tastes delicious; they all bring out the best in their respective flavors.

Huo Lan and the others all knew that the flour, rice, and seasonings were brought from the base by Lou Yu, but when paired with the vegetables grown by Tao Qiu, they elevated the taste of the base's ingredients to a whole new level, making it taste completely different from what they had eaten before.

Chapter 91 Domineering Qiuqiu

The best food they had ever eaten before, compared to this meal, was like heaven and earth; it was so delicious they felt their souls were about to float away.

Liu Qi'an felt like crying, realizing that eating those foods before was practically abusing his tongue.

Just like eating fruit during the day, the teammates couldn't stop eating from the first bite of the food. They only wished they had more mouths so they could taste all the delicious food at the same time.

The three kids actually ate the convenience food that Liu Qi'an and the others had brought. After finishing the bread and dried meat, they ran to their two fathers to ask for soup.

The Second Cub slurped up his hot soup and saw John and the others practically burying their faces in their bowls, grinning from ear to ear.

Dad's crops have gained a few more admirers.

They only stopped eating when they absolutely couldn't eat anymore. They ate soup to fill their gaps while staring longingly at the little food left.

My stomach is full, but my mouth is still craving something sweet—this is simply the cruelest thing in the world.

Liu Qi'an wiped his mouth, his gaze towards Lou Yu carrying a hint of resentment. "The captain got to eat all this good food before we did."