"It should be restored in about a week."
Xu Ying pointed at the nded cracks and explained, her voice slightly hoarse from long hours of work, "Once my colleagues bring the water-pumping equipnt for reinforcent, your water supply station will be back in action."
She wiped the sweat off her forehead, leaving a streak of dirt on her face.
[You must be a god who controls the water source!] The fluffy-cheeked Tusun shook with excitent, its tail raised high. It leapt to Xu Ying’s feet, rubbing its head against her boots, [I’ve never seen a human who could bring a dried-up riverbed back to life!]
The Sand Rat Boss imdiately poked its head out from Xu Ying’s shoulder, following up with flattering praise: [Little Xu Station Chief is the East Sea Dragon King!]
It had been sneakily watching TV with the Gobi Bear lately—human cartoons were fascinating.
[The Dragon King controls water and can summon wind and rain!]
"I’m not that capable," Xu Ying laughed, shaking her head, as she unloaded two buckets of clear water from the motorcycle.
The clear water rippled in the buckets, reflecting her slightly weary face.
The little animals who had co upon hearing the news were both expectant and worried. They gathered around the buckets but dared not get too close:
[The river is dry. Do we have to move?]
A young jerboa asked timidly, its ears trembling with unease.
[How can we move an entire royal family, with everyone in tow...]
A mongoose babysitter sighed, carrying three pups, its little creatures peering curiously at Xu Ying from under its bushy tail.
"Don’t worry."
Xu Ying reassured them, opening one bucket and ladling so water into a small basin on the ground, "We’ll deliver water with a sprinkler truck during the shortage. If anyone spots poachers, report to the sand rat at any ti."
As she looked at the gradually darkening sky, she began to pack up her tools.
"Once the groundwater fracture is repaired, in about half a day, the capillary water routes blocked by the fracture will reconnect.
The deeper moisture will slowly rise through the gaps in the gravel, much like plant roots absorbing water, causing the groundwater to seep upwards slowly.
In another day, irregular wet patches will appear on the riverbed surface, a sign that the groundwater is seeking an outlet.
In four to five days, the rising groundwater will form shallow streams again, nourishing the once-dry riverbed and bringing it back to life."
Hearing Xu Ying’s response, the animals that ca for water were relieved.
They queued up cautiously to drink from the water basin, careful not to waste a single drop.
Only the tailless desert lizard remained worried at Xu Ying’s feet: [Little Xu Station Chief, can you help find my child?]
Xu Ying squatted down, allowing the lizard to climb onto her palm. Most desert lizards are solitary, laying eggs in caves and leaving them.
But this one was different—it’s a night lizard, a rare live-bearing desert lizard.
It had just given birth, lying weak in a cave, and its little lizard was taken away when it was at its weakest.
Xu Ying furrowed her brows and gently stroked its back with her thumb, trying to comfort it: "The Little Desert Rat has a wide intelligence network now, there will be news."
She paused, making a decision, "How about you stay with for now? Once we have news, we’ll find the culprits together."
Desert Lizard: [Okay!]
Xu Ying: "Then co back to the rescue station with ."
[Wait, it’s not just . So other lizards have lost their companions too.]
The desert lizard clung to Xu Ying’s pant leg, [I’ll go call them out right now!]
Soon, five young bearded capuchins erged under its leadership. Unlike the desert lizard, their heads had lion-like crests. The young bearded capuchins would huddle together for safety or warmth.
[Is this human here to protect us?]
[Human, our companions were captured, only five of us remain. Can you find our little companions?]
"I’ll do my best."
Xu Ying let these little lizards set in an aeration box, "There are five foxes at the rescue station. Don’t run out later, I don’t want you to beco their al."
*
When they returned to the rescue station, it was nearly dark. The last rays of sunset dyed the horizon of the desert red.
Xu Ying parked the motorcycle steadily, removed her helt, and shook her slightly ssy long hair. Her stomach growled with hunger, leaving her with no energy to cook dinner. She was about to open a few canned ats from the station for a makeshift al when she noticed Qi Xiao squatting at the entrance, playing with the ear fox and the little sand cat.
The man’s tall silhouette was particularly striking in the twilight, the black leather jacket outlining his broad shoulders and narrow waist, the jeans clinging to his long, strong legs.
He slightly bowed his head, his distinctively jointed fingers gently scratching Fox Erniu’s chin, while the little sand cat rubbed against his feet, the tip of its tail curling up happily.
The other little foxes almost clung to him, sticking to him eagerly.
Upon hearing the motorcycle’s sound, Qi Xiao lifted his gaze. His deep-set eyes were particularly sharp in the dim light, a tallic glint flashing across his brow—
Xu Ying blinked, noticing for the first ti the small silver stud on his left brow.
"Is that new?" She stepped closer, unable to resist taking another look.
The stud accented his already fierce features, adding a touch of wildness, gleaming cold in the twilight.
Qi Xiao touched his brow, a hint of a smile on his lips, "It’s just a sticker." He paused, his voice deep, "There’s a scar underneath."
Under the lamp’s light, Xu Ying could finally see the band-aid on his brow, the tallic decor rely a surface embellishnt. Her heart tightened, and she instinctively reached out to touch it but stopped halfway, "How did that happen?"
"Injuries are inevitable in rescue missions." He brushed it off lightly, his dark hair partially covering his focused eyes. Noticing her frown, he added, "It’s not serious."
Only then did Xu Ying rember that Qi Xiao was a mber of the Qingtian Rescue Team. He rarely talked about his rescue experiences, rely saving lives without turning them into conversation topics.
The little sand cat ca over, curiously pawing at Qi Xiao’s pant leg.
He bent down, rubbing the little one’s head, the leather jacket making a soft rustle with the motion.
As he stood up, Xu Ying noticed the tips of his ears seed slightly red, subtly visible under the light.
Fox Xiao Wu, perched on Qi Xiao’s shoulder, gently touched his ear with its paw pads: [Brother Qi Xiao, why are your ears changing color?]
Qi Xiao cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed.
"Have you eaten?" He shifted the topic, his voice a tad softer than usual.
Xu Ying shook her head, watching him as he turned to retrieve a thermal bag from the motorcycle. His tapered physique was reminiscent of a male model in a fashion walk, yet what he carried was a bear plush thermal bag for als—a stark contrast.
Unable to hold back, Xu Ying asked, "How did you know I hadn’t eaten?"
"Just guessed." He replied without turning.
Xu Ying chuckled softly, opening the door to lead him into the rescue station.
"Do you rember the West Mountain ranger Qin Yan and Professor Ye, who researches oncology?" As he spoke, he carried the thermal bag into the rescue station.
Xu Ying flicked on the light switch, filling the room with a warm, yellow glow: "Yes, Professor Ye and Qin Yan ntioned wanting to devise a plan for small animals to help plant Snow Lotus on West Mountain, right? Did they get a breakthrough?"
Qi Xiao didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he carefully placed the lunch boxes from the thermal bag onto the dining table, skillfully opening the lids. The aroma instantly filled the room.
There were a few ho-cooked dishes: stir-fried pork with green peppers, stir-fried vegetables, tomato and egg drop soup, plus a large box of glistening rice, looking refreshing and tempting.
"Did you co here because of the West Mountain Snow Mountain project?"
Xu Ying’s eyes lit up, her stomach growling involuntarily. She subconsciously licked her lips, and when she looked up, she t Qi Xiao’s gaze, his eyes smiling softly.
He had a gentle, warm smile, his voice low and smooth: "Let’s eat first, I’ll explain it to you slowly."
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