88: Massage, Anlan makes breakfast

The night curtain, like a huge piece of black silk, gently covered the Shelter.

The faint glow of the bonfire gently swayed in the night wind, seemingly weaving a warm dream, adding a touch of warmth and romance to the surroundings.

Lu Fan and An Lan sat side by side by the fire, talking softly.

At this moment, Lu Fan was filled with emotion, realizing that life now was no longer as difficult as before.

With a companion by his side to chat with, and no need to hide in bed early at night, these times carried a unique warmth.

As they talked, Lu Fan inadvertently glanced over and saw An Lan gently rubbing her ankle.

His heart tightened; he realized that An Lan's previously sprained foot might not have fully recovered.

After much hesitation, he plucked up the courage to ask, "How about I give you a massage?"

An Lan was slightly startled upon hearing this, clearly not expecting Lu Fan to offer such a suggestion.

Seeing her reaction, Lu Fan quickly explained, "I don't mean anything else. When I worked part-time during holidays, I spent some time at a massage parlor and learned a few simple techniques. A massage will help your ankle recover."

An Lan felt conflicted, as her ankle was indeed still throbbing slightly.

She knew that if her foot injury didn't completely heal, Lu Fan definitely wouldn't agree to let her go exploring with him, meaning she would be stuck alone in the Shelter again.

As an independent woman, she did not want to constantly be the one who needed looking after.

After thinking for a moment, An Lan finally nodded gently and said, "Then I'll trouble you."

An Lan sat on a simple wooden stool. Under the firelight, her slightly flushed cheeks—whether from the bonfire's glow or internal nervousness—were visible.

She slowly took off her shoes, her movements gentle and shy, and carefully extended her sprained foot toward Lu Fan.

Lu Fan looked at the foot An Lan offered. Although he was mentally prepared, his heart still skipped a beat uncontrollably.

"Holy cow..."

But he quickly regained his composure and, under An Lan's slightly shy gaze, slowly squatted down, looking focused and serious.

He gently held An Lan's ankle, his movement so soft it was as if he were touching a rare treasure, afraid that a slight increase in force would damage it.

His fingers slowly traced the outline of her ankle, carefully feeling the condition of the joint; every subtle movement was filled with concern.

He occasionally looked up to observe An Lan's expression and said softly, "Tell me if it hurts even a little. Don't try to endure it."

An Lan nodded slightly, her cheeks growing hotter and her heart rate involuntarily quickening.

Lu Fan began to apply pressure, gradually increasing the intensity of his hand movements, slowly pushing and kneading upward from the ankle, each stroke applying just the right amount of force.

His technique appeared casual, yet it precisely avoided the most severely injured area, starting first by relaxing the surrounding muscles.

An Lan felt a warm current slowly rising from the sole of her foot, and the original soreness and pain seemed to have lessened considerably.

"How does it feel?" Lu Fan asked softly while massaging.

"Much better, it doesn't hurt as much." An Lan replied softly. Watching Lu Fan's focused expression, a warm current surged in her heart. This warmth dispelled the chill of the wilderness and also brought the two of them closer.

At this moment, the audience in the livestream room could no longer contain their excitement.

"Folks, what kind of idol drama plot is this? I'm completely swooning in front of the screen!"

"This interaction is too sweet! My smile is stretching all the way to my temples."

"Who understands this feeling? This kind of careful, gentle care just hits me right in the feels!"

"Am I the only one focused on the fact that Great God Lu Fan actually knows how to massage?!"

"Truly worthy of being the Wilderness Great God who knows a little bit of everything."

Lu Fan changed his posture again, using his thumb and index finger to gently pinch An Lan's toes, slowly rotating and stretching them to help relax the joints in her foot.

An Lan's foot was fair and delicate, appearing particularly small in Lu Fan's broad hand.

"Does it hurt?" Lu Fan asked again, looking up, his eyes full of worry and concern.

An Lan shook her head, a blush appearing on her face.

Lu Fan continued massaging seriously, occasionally tapping the sole of her foot lightly with his palm to promote blood circulation.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Reflected in the firelight, the outline of his profile looked particularly resolute.

After a thorough and careful massage, An Lan felt that her ankle was much looser.

She tried moving her foot and said in surprise, "It really is much better. Thank you, Lu Fan."

Lu Fan smiled and said, "It's nothing. You should be almost completely recovered by tomorrow."

That night, a warm atmosphere spread throughout the Shelter, and the two of them, carrying their own thoughts, gradually drifted into sweet dreams.

The next morning, sunlight, like golden threads, gently spilled onto the Shelter through the gaps between the leaves.

An Lan woke up early. She moved her ankle and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had almost fully recovered.

Remembering Lu Fan's focused and cautious expression while massaging her last night, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart was filled with warmth and gratitude.

She went to where the ingredients were stored, looked at the remaining mutton, and an idea formed in her mind.

To thank Lu Fan for taking care of her during this time, she decided to make him pan-fried lamb chops for breakfast.

She brought the iron pot and started a fire nearby. The flames danced, as if anticipating the birth of this delicious meal.

Meanwhile, the audience in the livestream room had also gathered early in front of their screens, eager to witness the pair's interactions for the new day.

"Folks, I have a hunch—there's definitely some sweet stuff happening today!"

"I'm ready to ship the couple! Just waiting for An Lan and Lu Fan's interaction."

"I wonder what surprises today will bring. Will they continue farming, or explore a new map?"

An Lan placed the sliced mutton onto the heated iron pot. Instantly, a sizzling sound arose as the fat quickly rendered under the high temperature, releasing an enticing aroma.

She flipped the lamb chops occasionally, her movements elegant and confident, and sprinkled them with some natural spices she had previously gathered from the wilderness.

As the spices blended in, the aroma grew richer, filling the entire Shelter.

Lu Fan was woken up by this enticing scent. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, stepped out of the room, and was a little surprised to see An Lan busy working: "Are you... making breakfast?"

An Lan turned around, a brilliant smile blooming on her face: "Yes! Thank you for taking care of me all this time. Today, it's my turn to make you something delicious."

Lu Fan scratched his head and laughed, "You're too kind, but it smells amazing. I'm practically drooling."

After the lamb chops were fried, An Lan placed them in a ceramic bowl and handed it to Lu Fan, a hint of nervousness and anticipation in her expression: "Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Lu Fan took a bite. The tender, juicy mutton burst in his mouth, and the spices were perfectly balanced, making him exclaim, "Wow, this is delicious! I didn't know you were such a good cook!"

Seeing Lu Fan's satisfied expression, An Lan quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, this was the first time she had cooked for a man; how could she not hope for praise?

"Then leave the breakfast duties to me from now on. I only know how to make simple things anyway," An Lan said happily.

Lu Fan knew that An Lan hadn't fully considered this place her home yet, so she always felt indebted to him and wanted to find more things to do.

Thinking of this, Lu Fan smiled and agreed, "Alright, breakfast is yours. How about we make lunch and dinner together?"

"Okay." An Lan looked very happy to receive this answer, her eyes shining with joy.

After finishing breakfast, Lu Fan looked at the vibrant An Lan, and an idea struck him. He suggested, "The weather is nice today. Should we go out and explore some more? Maybe we can find more useful things."