The Civil Servant's Job is to Raise The Furries!-Chapter 187 - 186: Director’s Call

Fox Si Bao’s round belly let out a "goo" sound, and his eyes, like black grapes, looked pitifully at the vegetable basket in Xu Ying’s hand.

[Who’s trying to sneak a bite?]

Fox Boss raised his head, but his ears involuntarily twitched, [I’m just here to inspect the safety of the vegetable garden!]

He said so, but the tip of his tail stealthily hooked onto a fallen tomato.

Fox Sansan elegantly licked his paws, suddenly noticing his reflection in the water bucket, [Oh dear, today’s sandstorm has messed up my fur!]

He immediately began to groom the fur around his ears with his paws.

Fox Xiao Wu directly jumped to Xu Ying’s feet, affectionately rubbing against her boots, [Sister Xu looks so pretty today~]

His big watery eyes were, however, fixed on the spinach in the basket.

"Today, I should treat myself."

Xu Ying smiled, bent down, and gently touched the heads of each of the five little foxes, placing the vegetables into the basket.

She deliberately walked to the corner and took out a handful of lamb skewers from a small cooler. The lamb was bought directly from the villagers who raised sheep in Dongqing Village; it’s plentiful, of good quality, and not expensive.

Fox Si Bao’s nose immediately twitched, and drool "plopped" onto the ground.

Fox Erniu quickly covered his mouth with his paw, "Remember your image!"

In the rescue station’s simple kitchen, Xu Ying deftly handled the ingredients.

The five little foxes sat neatly on the windowsill, watching.

When the knife made a crisp sound on the cutting board, Fox Xiao Wu shrank his neck in fear, being brushed disdainfully by Fox Boss’s tail.

"That guy Liu Kai, planting trees now must be so hungry he’s starving."

Xu Ying’s mouth curled into a sly smile.

When the garlic aroma burst forth, Fox Si Bao couldn’t help but let out a "howl," immediately muzzle pressed by Fox Erniu.

Xu Ying packed the sautéed garlic spinach into a thermal box, intentionally leaving a small bowl of spinach without garlic on the windowsill, "Would some little greedy ones like to try?"

Garlic contains compounds such as disulfides, which can cause hemolytic anemia in pets like cats and dogs. Since foxes are canines, their body structure is similar to that of dogs, Xu Ying can only let the fox cubs smell the aroma of garlic.

Five fluffy balls immediately crowded together.

Fox Boss pretended to be calm as he walked over, [Since you are so sincere in asking...]

Before he finished speaking, he was bumped away by Fox Si Bao.

Fox Boss bristled in anger, [Si Bao, you greedy fox!]

Fox Si Bao didn’t hear, his head already buried in the bowl.

The other four little ones quickly gathered around.

In an instant, the five little foxes licked the bowl shiny.

The desert evening wind carried dry heat as Xu Ying headed towards the tree planting area with a sumptuous dinner.

Behind her followed a small trail of tails—Fox Boss strutted ahead looking proud, Fox Erniu alertedly scanned the surroundings, Fox Sansan occasionally stopped to groom his wind-ruffled fur, Fox Si Bao’s nose continuously chased the aroma of the food box, and Fox Xiao Wu stayed close to Xu Ying’s pant leg.

From afar, Xu Ying saw Liu Kai bending down, digging holes.

Upon hearing footsteps, Liu Kai, without looking up, mocked, "Has the Station Chief come to check the progress again?"

"I’m not here to check."

As soon as Xu Ying finished speaking, Fox Si Bao darted to Liu Kai’s feet, staring hopefully at the food box.

When Liu Kai looked up, he saw the five little foxes surrounding Xu Ying.

Fox Boss sat proudly on Xu Ying’s left shoulder, as if declaring "this is my territory"; Fox Erniu squatted on the right, like a little guard; Fox Sansan continued primping; Fox Si Bao was anxiously circling; Fox Xiao Wu took the chance to sneak into Xu Ying’s jacket pocket.

"Is this... for me?" Liu Kai looked longingly at the food box.

Xu Ying smiled without responding, set up a folding chair, and sat down.

When she opened the food box, five pairs of fox eyes and one pair of human eyes lit up simultaneously.

The aroma of lamb skewers made Fox Si Bao stand upright on his hind legs, paws on Xu Ying’s knee.

"Gulp"

—This time, there were six simultaneous gulping sounds.

When Xu Ying took her first bite of lamb, the aroma of the fat burst forth, numbing and enticing.

Fox Si Bao let out a "howl" and collapsed on the ground, Fox Boss disdainfully flicked him with his tail, [Such a disgrace to foxes!]

But he couldn’t help secretly swallowing either.

"Uh, Station Chief Xu..."

Liu Kai was on the brink of tears from craving, he pleaded, "Could you spare me a skewer, please?"

"Oh?" Xu Ying drawled, "I remember someone saying that farming here was a pipe dream?"

Liu Kai’s face flushed immediately.

It was something foolish he had said three months ago when he first arrived at Xu Ying’s rescue station, even betting that her vegetable garden wouldn’t survive past a month.

In contrast, beside Xu Ying’s rescue station, a modern indoor farm was established without her spending a penny—envy overwhelmed him.

"I was wrong, isn’t that enough?"

Liu Kai looked pitifully at Xu Ying picking up a chopstick of spinach, "That spinach... looks really good..."

Xu Ying brought the spinach to her mouth, chewing deliberately and exaggeratedly, "Mm, so tender and sweet, unlike what some said ’vegetables from the desert must be bitter and astringent’."

Liu Kai’s shoulders slumped, he was truly about to cry from craving, exhausted and hungry!

He trudged back to his backpack, pulled out a dry, hard naan, and pitifully took a bite.

The crumbs of the naan fell down, mixed with sand, and were swallowed together.

Xu Ying glimpsed at him with the corner of her eye, silently amused, but intentionally slowed her eating pace.

She picked up a slice of tomato, letting the sugary juices glisten in the sunlight, "This tomato is a new variety improved by Professor Feng’s company, exceptionally sweet."

"What a pity, someone dismisses things grown by pipe dreamers in the desert."

Liu Kai couldn’t resist the temptation of the delicious food; he lost all strength and methods.

He suddenly walked over, squatted in front of Xu Ying, and clasped his hands, "Station Chief Xu, Mr. Xu, I sincerely apologize."

"It’s my narrow view, please don’t hold it against me, considering my hard work planting trees, grant me a meal, please!"

"As the saying goes, to make a horse run, you must give it grass to eat. If I’m full, I can plant trees faster, right?"

Xu Ying stroked her chin, acting reflective, "You’ve got a point, how about this, I’ll sell you a meal for fifty bucks, consider it like dining out for better living conditions."

Liu Kai:...

So outrageous!

So ruthless!

— "I’ve transferred fifty bucks to you, when can I eat?"

Liu Kai cradled his phone, eyes humble and yearning.

Xu Ying got up, stretched lazily, and prepared a meal with both meat and vegetables for Liu Kai.

As soon as Liu Kai got the meal, he ate rapidly, as if he hadn’t had a hot meal in eight hundred years, his speed astonishing.

Owing Xu Ying two thousand trees, Liu Kai had to report to Xu Ying’s place every weekend to clock in and plant trees, practically becoming the second employee of Rescue Station 032.

It also cured his habit of badmouthing Xu Ying; his targeting of her had stopped, and he became much more honest.

Now, every week at Xu Ying’s place, he pays to join for meals, and the culinary delights appease his inner grievances.

A week later in the morning, Xu Ying received a call from the "Desert Survival Law" program team.

"Hello, is this Little Xu Station Chief?"

"I’m Shao Zhihao, the director of ’Desert Survival Law.’"

"I’m calling today to inform you..."