87: Lamb offal soup, sprouted seeds

Having processed the mutton, Lu Fan and An Lan, laden with their harvest, set off on the road back to the Shelter.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell softly upon them, outlining a warm and beautiful silhouette.

Back at the Shelter, Lu Fan carefully lifted An Lan down from Big Horn's back.

An Lan's face flushed slightly as she said softly, "Actually, my foot is only a mild sprain; it's already much better."

Lu Fan's lips curled up upon hearing this. "It's fine. Just rest well for a bit longer. You don't have to worry about food at all."

Just then, Lu Fan noticed that An Lan was barefoot, her fair toes exposed.

Noticing Lu Fan's gaze, An Lan shyly pulled her feet back and explained, "I washed my shoes just now as well."

Moving around barefoot was truly inconvenient; if she accidentally stepped on something sharp, it would be a problem.

Suddenly, Lu Fan's eyes lit up as if he had remembered something.

Besides the pair he was wearing, he had made another pair before.

"Wait for me here a moment. I'll go find some shoes for you."

With that, he quickly ran back to his room and emerged a moment later holding a pair of rabbit fur slippers.

"Wear these for now. Although the craftsmanship is a bit crude, they're quite warm." Lu Fan handed the rabbit fur slippers to An Lan.

An Lan took the slippers and saw the cute rabbit ears drooping on the surface, her eyes filled with pleasant surprise.

She couldn't help but praise him, "I didn't expect your needlework to be so impressive!"

Then, Lu Fan placed the slippers on the ground. An Lan tried them on, and they were the perfect size, as if they had been custom-made for her.

After putting on the slippers, An Lan began looking for a place to hang her clothes to dry.

"The drying rack is behind the house," Lu Fan thoughtfully reminded her before turning to prepare dinner.

Considering the large temperature difference between day and night, he decided to make a steaming pot of lamb offal soup to warm everyone up.

Lu Fan skillfully sliced the lamb offal with smooth, natural movements, finishing in one go as if he weren't processing ingredients but creating a brilliant work of art.

"An Lan, do you eat lamb offal?" He suddenly stopped and turned to ask.

"I'm fine with anything; I don't have any dietary restrictions," An Lan replied with a smile after hanging the clothes, her eyes curving into crescents.

While Lu Fan was busy slicing the lamb offal, An Lan started the fire nearby.

Actually, she just needed to scrape away the furnace ash and add some firewood to easily light the fire.

After all, Lu Fan had always been careful to preserve the embers and never let the fire go out.

Finally, Lu Fan took out the earthenware jar, put the sliced lamb offal inside, covered it, and began to simmer it.

Before long, bursts of enticing aroma wafted from the pot. The lamb offal soup bubbled cheerfully inside, the white broth as thick as milk.

Lu Fan sprinkled some Wild Green Onions and coriander he had gathered nearby into the pot. Instantly, the fragrance became even richer, permeating the entire Shelter.

"Here, try some!"

Lu Fan ladled out a bowl of lamb offal soup and handed it to An Lan with great anticipation.

An Lan took the soup, blew on it gently, and took a small sip. Her eyes lit up instantly. "Mmm, it's so fresh! It's delicious."

Lu Fan scratched his head. "Haha, that's good. I was worried you wouldn't be used to it."

With that, he also picked up a bowl of soup and took a large gulp. His satisfied expression made it seem as if this were the most delicious food in the world.

By the time they finished the soup, it was completely dark.

Lu Fan remembered the Taro and chili pepper seeds he had carefully cultivated earlier and got up to check on them.

"I wonder if they've sprouted yet," he muttered softly as he walked quickly toward the seedbed he had built.

He gently lifted the bamboo cover, and the sight before him filled him with pleasant surprise.

The Taro and chili pepper seeds had already sprouted some tender green shoots. These little shoots swayed gently in the breeze, like cute little elves waving at him.

Although these sprouts were still weak, they were the hope of life, filled with vigorous vitality.

"Holy crap, they really sprouted!" Lu Fan shouted excitedly, his voice filled with uncontrollable joy.

Hearing Lu Fan's shout, An Lan hurried over.

Seeing those tender green shoots, she couldn't help but marvel, "So this is where you cultivate the seeds. I've been curious about it."

With that, she squatted down to observe the sprouts carefully, her face brimming with curiosity and joy.

Lu Fan also squatted beside her, gently stroking the shoots, his eyes full of happiness.

"These are our hope for the future. With them, we won't have to worry about food anymore," he said emotionally, his voice filled with longing for the future.

Looking at Lu Fan, An Lan's admiration for him grew even more.

In this wilderness full of unknowns and dangers, being able to grow their own food meant they had embarked on a path of sustainable development, and their future life seemed even more hopeful.

"Yes, I believe we will definitely be able to live well here," An Lan nodded seriously, her gaze firm and confident.

Just then, Dahei also came over, sniffing the sprouts curiously, his tail wagging like a propeller.

"Dahei, don't cause any trouble. These sprouts are very precious."

Lu Fan said to Dahei with a smile, reaching out to pat his head.

Dahei seemed to understand Lu Fan's words and lay down obediently to the side, but his eyes remained fixed on the sprouts, seemingly curious about what kind of treasure these tender green things were.

Meanwhile, the livestream room was bustling with activity.

"Wow, that's great! They finally sprouted!"

"As expected, farming is an instinct carved into the bones of Chinese people."

"Wow, this is so exciting! Even more exciting than watching the national football team score a goal!"

"Huh? When has the national football team ever scored a goal?"

"Zhang Yixuan? You actually dare to use your real name online? Aren't you afraid they'll pelt you with Sea Cucumbers?"

"Hehe, that would be great. Go ahead and pelt me; I haven't eaten Sea Cucumber yet."

Commentator Wang Tao, his face full of smiles, said excitedly, "As expected, Contestant Lu Fan never disappoints us. These seeds have truly sprouted successfully!"

Zhao Hangjun also couldn't help but nod in agreement. "The Taro and chili peppers cultivated by Contestant Lu Fan have sprouted. This seemingly small step will bring about a huge change."

"From a historical perspective, this is equivalent to stepping from a primitive society into an agricultural one—a major leap in productivity."

"This also means that Contestant Lu Fan has taken a solid first step on the path to self-sufficiency."

Lu Fan gently poked at the seeds, turned to look at An Lan, and asked seriously, "Do you have any good suggestions for this batch of seeds?"

Seeing that Lu Fan was asking sincerely, An Lan also began to think seriously.

"Lu Fan, I think these Taro seedlings need more sunlight. We can appropriately remove some of the coverings to let the sunlight shine in better."

An Lan pointed at the Taro seedlings and spoke methodically.

Lu Fan looked in the direction she pointed and nodded in agreement. "Mm, you have a point."

With that, he set to work removing some of the dried grass covering the seeds.

Before long, the warm afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, falling upon the tender green Taro seedlings.

Under the sunlight, the Taro seedlings appeared even more vibrant, as if they had taken another giant step on the path of robust growth.

"There, now they can grow vigorously." Lu Fan looked at the Taro seedlings with satisfaction, a gratified smile appearing on his face.

As for the chili pepper seedlings, An Lan also had her own unique insights.

"chili pepper seedlings like fertile soil. We need to set aside a plot of land and first find a way to increase the soil fertility," she said seriously to Lu Fan.

Lu Fan nodded with a smile after hearing this, pointing his finger at a compost pile outside the fence. "That's the fertilizer I prepared. When the time comes, we can just scatter it onto the soil."