Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Of course, Lu Cian felt it was essential to present Nair Inan with some newly acquired ingredients and use them to create novel dishes.

He also needed to inform Nair Inan that he required another batch of Insect People and, while he was at it, mention his desire to raise some edible exotic beasts after planting the crops.

A balanced diet of vegetables, meat, and grains ensures proper nutrition.

The most fundamental level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is physiological. When even the most basic needs are unmet, survival becomes a struggle.

Just as in ancient times, farmers rebelled because their basic needs for food and drink weren't met; the common people revolted only when they could no longer survive.

If people had enough to eat and drink and lived comfortably, they wouldn't resent those in power.

No one in their right mind would abandon an increasingly better life to start a rebellion, only to risk execution if it failed.

It was the same with the Insect People. If the royal family treated its people well, they would naturally be loyal. Even nobles with ill intentions would have to consider whether they could win the people's hearts.

Those in power often fail to see reality clearly. Only when the blade hangs over their heads do they feel fear and regret—but by then, it's too late.

Lu Cian felt it necessary to advise Nair Inan further. By staying in this remote corner of the galaxy, self-sufficient with ample food and resources, they could eventually develop their own influence.

…

Speaking of hunting bird beasts, Lily, who had been craving meat earlier, devoured a few raw muskmelons before rushing off to hunt, without even waiting to roast them, let alone eat them properly.

Wawen, Landon, and the others hastily finished their roasted muskmelons, grabbed a few extras—claiming they were for Lily—and hurried into the forest.

After all, they owed him one. They were benefiting from Lily’s efforts, so bringing him some roasted muskmelons was the least they could do.

They could even frame it as helping Lily hunt bird beasts.

Lu Cian shook his head helplessly. Even for something openly acknowledged, these Insect People still felt the need to make excuses—they were truly too bashful.

Before long, rustling sounds and voices emerged from the forest. Lu Cian heard an excited shout: "Boss, boss! I caught a huge bird beast!"

Lily came barreling over in a flurry. Lu Cian looked up and saw him covered in dirt from head to toe, holding onto a massive bird that flapped wildly, occasionally letting out strange "ji-gu ji-gu" cries.

Lu Cian was startled—this bird beast was indeed enormous!

From head to toe, it was almost as tall as Lily himself.

"Wow, this is quite the haul!"

Lu Cian had no idea where Lily had found such a massive bird beast. They had explored this forest before but had never seen even a single bird.

Lu Cian nodded with approval. "Not bad, not bad. Not only did you find a new variety of muskmelon, but you also caught such a huge bird beast. I’ll definitely reward you."

Lily’s eyes sparkled as he shook the bird in his hands. "Boss, you don’t need to give me any reward. Just let me have a plate whenever you cook for the Young Master!"

Lu Cian raised an eyebrow. "You’ve got guts, kid! Daring to steal food meant for the Young Master?"

Lily looked embarrassed, though he knew his boss was just teasing him.

The Shelley Clan had a relatively lenient and harmonious atmosphere, but they still respected hierarchy.

However, since they were currently on the run, they weren’t so strict about rules.

To put it bluntly, they were counting on the Young Master’s good temper.

Besides, the Young Master wasn’t here right now anyway.

Lu Cian didn’t worry about it. Previously, he only cooked for Brother Nan because the female Insect People had huge appetites—cooking for a whole group would exhaust him. Plus, ingredients were scarce, just enough to prepare special meals for Brother Nan.

As for Lily, since the kid always called him "boss," it was only natural to give him a little extra care.

Lu Cian patted Lily’s shoulder. "From now on, whenever I cook for Brother Nan, I’ll record the recipes into the machine system. Right now, ingredients are limited, but once we have more, you can order whatever you want from the menu."

Lily was so excited he nearly dropped the bird in his excitement. "I knew you were the best boss ever!"

Lu Cian waved a hand dismissively. "I’m only responsible for inputting the recipes. No matter how much you flatter me, I won’t cook for you all. Your appetites are too big—do you want to run me ragged?"

Lily looked guilty right away.

He had almost forgotten—Boss Lu wasn't as strong compared to strong female Insect People like them.

But he wouldn’t say that out loud, or he'd lose his perks.

Once the bird beasts were brought back, Lu Cian inspected the meat and found it much better than the stored meat from the spaceship. He requested a few more and gave them the recipes, letting the others wait for the machines to process the ingredients while he prepared a meal for Nair Inan.

The crops on this central planet were excellent, and so were the bird beasts—their meat was tender, neither tough nor foul-smelling. They were practically a blessing.

Lily and his group must have found a bird beast nest and even brought back a basket of eggs. Lu Cian took a small portion.

This planet had many varieties of bird beasts but very few land-dwelling creatures. Lu Cian guessed it was just how this planet worked—after all, the Insect People’s mysterious planets always produced weird stuff.

Back in the spaceship’s kitchen, Lu Cian handed the muskmelons to the machines for processing. Some were peeled and ground up, some were cut into chunks, and others were boiled and mashed into paste.

The muskmelon flesh, once dried and dehydrated, was quickly turned into fine powder.

Muskmelon powder was similar to Prickly Fruit powder in that both could be mixed with dough to make flatbreads, but they differed in other ways.

Muskmelon powder wasn't stretchy like regular flour, making it unsuitable for dumplings or noodles.

However, its high sweetness made it great for sweets.

Thus, Lu Cian used the muskmelon powder to make steamed muskmelon cakes, muskmelon pancakes, and muskmelon pudding.

This time, the ingredients were simple, the flavors great, and no additional seasonings were needed. The results turned out exactly how Lu Cian wanted—sweet and delicious.

Only then did Lu Cian realize that the Insect People did have normal ingredients. It dawned on him belatedly that the foul-smelling dough made from Prickly Fruit powder and the weird-tasting beast meat from before must have been the worst ingredients.

Their Brother Nan had it so rough! To think a Young Master had been reduced to such a state!

Feeling even more sympathetic, Lu Cian went all out cooking with renewed vigor, dead set on making it up to him by preparing countless delicacies for Nair Inan.

The diced muskmelon was used to stew the bird beast meat, along with a muskmelon soup and some candied roasted muskmelon. As for the mashed muskmelon paste, Lu Cian turned it into a creamy dessert—another sweet treat.

Pushing a meal cart, Lu Cian went to show off his cooking to Nair Inan.

"Brother Nan, I got a new ingredient today! This muskmelon-bird beast stew smells amazing—you have to try it!"

"Lily found these muskmelons and named them himself. The bird beasts were also caught by them. Who knew the meat here would be so much tastier than what we had in prison—over ten times better!"

"New planets really do have superior soil and water. Even the beasts raised here taste amazing."

"I also made several desserts—roasted muskmelon, muskmelon pancakes, steamed muskmelon cakes, muskmelon pudding… There are actually many more ways to prepare them, but time was tight, so I started with these. From now on, I’ll make sure you eat delicious food like this every day."

"…"

Lu Cian kept yapping away, not really expecting a response from Nair Inan.

He felt the other had suffered so much, no wonder he's so quiet.

"You acting weird today?" Nair Inan asked between bites, sensing something odd about Lu Cian.

"Huh?" Lu Cian was momentarily confused.

Brother Nan was usually such a man of few words during meals, like the ancients who believed in "no talking during meals or sleep." Why was he speaking today?

Then Lu Cian realized the other was showing concern for him and felt deeply touched—Brother Nan was truly beautiful and kind-hearted!

"Nah, just... I think you're really good to me."

Nair Inan paused slightly, he looked confused as he looked at Lu Cian, unsure why the other had suddenly said that.

But Lu Cian was still grinning like an idiot, completely missing Nair Inan's bewilderment.

Nair Inan could only continue eating, thinking to himself: *Lu Cian must be acting weird again, just like Lily and those little brats.*

Damon stood nearby, watching as Mr. Lu was giving the Young Master this cute, sweet smile. Recalling the Young Master's earlier words, he wondered—was he treating the little female insect like a child?

On one hand, he admired the little female insect's competence, yet on the other, he feared her failure and sadness. Talk about mixed feelings.

Seeing how Mr. Lu had his act together, Damon felt the Young Master might be worrying too much.

Nair Inan ate bite by bite, every movement smooth and easy on the eyes. The food must have been truly delicious, as his satisfied expression resembled that of a refined little prince.

Lu Cian could clearly tell Nair Inan was very pleased with the meal—his eating speed was noticeably faster than before.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Lu Cian felt that every time Nair Inan finished the last bite of a dish, he seemed to want more.

Lu Cian tentatively asked, "Want me to whip up another batch?"

Nair Inan did like it very much, but as the Young Master, he refrained from asking Lu Cian to make more, even if he wanted to.

Being too fond of certain things could cloud his judgment.

Nair Inan shook his head and declined.

Lu Cian thought with a sigh. His Brother Nan really lived a hard life. They might be poor now, but not so poor that they had to skimp on a meal.

In life—or rather, in an insect's life—one should enjoy the moment.

His Brother Nan was like a little old man, so inflexible!

Still, Lu Cian didn’t press further. "Alright, next time then. Tomorrow, I’ll make more delicious food for you."

Nair Inan didn't say yes or no, but the emotions hidden in his eyes betrayed his true thoughts.

Lu Cian nodded to himself. *Now that’s more like how someone his age should be.*