Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Master of Both the Drawing Room and the Kitchen

The Little Sand Cat was especially diligent today, digging out more than thirty holes of varying depths in the sand, even wearing its tender pink paw pads to a rosiness.

Xu Ying gently lifted its paw, tenderly massaging it with her fingertip, and affectionately scolded, "Why are you working so hard today? You know, just completing ten holes is already meeting the standard~"

The Little Sand Cat shook its round ears, [Sister Station Manager, I want our home to become more beautiful~]

It looked at Xu Ying with its big, moist eyes, [For every extra hole I dig, we can plant one more plant.]

Hearing this, Xu Ying’s heart warmed, even small animals understand the importance of caring for their home, making her sigh that some people aren’t as sensible as this little creature.

"You exceeded today’s workload threefold." Xu Ying tapped its pink little nose, "Take a good rest tomorrow."

But the Little Sand Cat was anxious, wagging its tail continuously, [No way! I feel uncomfortable all over when I’m idle.]

Suddenly, it stood upright, its two front paws swiftly mimicking the digging motion in the air, [See how fast I dig! I can dig more and more holes!]

Those small paws moved so quickly they almost left afterimages, and with its serious little expression, Xu Ying couldn’t help but laugh aloud, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

At that moment, the roar of an engine was heard from afar.

A modified off-road vehicle sped swiftly with a cloud of dust, making a neat drift, stopping steadily in front of the camp.

The car door swung open, and Qi Xiao jumped down nimbly, the hem of his black windbreaker flapping noisily in the breeze.

He raised his hand to adjust his iconic cowboy hat, with sharp hawk-like eyes revealed beneath the brim, exuding a wild charm.

As the head of the camp convoy and ace pilot, Qi Xiao just completed a long-distance supply transport mission, didn’t even have time to change out of his flight suit before rushing over.

He casually grabbed an insulated box from the vehicle, inside were chilled plum juice and a few boxes of steaming food.

"Here, to beat the heat."

Qi Xiao handed the plum juice to Xu Ying, water droplets formed on the bottle slipping down his well-defined fingers.

Xu Ying took the drink, her eyes curving into crescents, "Thank you, Boss Qi~ Another mission today?"

Qi Xiao gave a faint "Hmm," his gaze falling on the Little Sand Cat in her arms.

The little creature was pitifully holding up its two front paws, the pads showing an unusual red.

He squatted down, his rough fingertip lightly touched the cat’s ear, "Is this from digging holes?" The voice tinged with a hint of laughter, "Such a capable little one."

Upon hearing this, the Little Sand Cat immediately raised its head, proudly puffing up its chest and even the tip of its tail sticking up triumphantly as if saying, "Of course."

Qi Xiao chuckled softly, pulling out a small tin from his pocket, scooping out some ointment to apply to its rosy pads.

Xu Ying blinked in surprise, leaning closer to look at the tin in Qi Xiao’s hand, "You have this kind of ointment?"

Qi Xiao gently smoothed the ointment with his index finger, a slight smile on his lips, "An old family remedy."

He paused, twirling the tin in his palm, "Can be used on both animals and humans, works quite well."

The Little Sand Cat comfortably squinted its eyes, rubbing against his palm.

Qi Xiao casually scratched its chin, looking up at Xu Ying, "If you want, I can teach you how to make it."

Moonlight, filtering through his cowboy hat brim, cast a scattered light and shadow on his chiseled face.

Xu Ying unconsciously started to smile along with him, her voice light and cheerful, "Sure~" The tone slightly rising at the end.

As dusk deepened, the campfire crackled, stretching the shadows of the two people and one cat long.

After applying ointment to the Little Sand Cat, Qi Xiao suddenly stood up and said, "Wait here," before striding towards the supply tent.

In a short while, he returned with a sewing box and some fabric pieces, sitting cross-legged by the firelight.

Xu Ying curiously moved closer, and the Little Sand Cat perked up its ears.

Qi Xiao’s long fingers deftly handled the silver needle, swiftly weaving in the warm yellow glow, the fabric obediently changing shape in his palm.

"What are you making?" Xu Ying couldn’t resist leaning in to ask, and the Little Sand Cat joined her in leaning forward with a "meow."

Without lifting his head, Qi Xiao’s fingers fluidly guided the needle and thread, "The Little Sand Cat’s paws got red from digging sand, didn’t they?"

He bit off the thread end, shaking open a delicate little cloth cover, "Sewing a pair of claw mittens for it."

Xu Ying took a closer look, the outer layer of the deep brown canvas was durable, yet the interior was lined with soft wool.

Qi Xiao then took out some small metal claw covers from his pocket, carefully sewing them onto the front end of the fabric, "These materials can withstand sand and stone friction."

Qi Xiao sat cross-legged on the moisture-proof mat, needlework and fabric spread on his knees.

He occasionally gestured for the Little Sand Cat to come over, "Come over here, let’s measure the size."

The Little Sand Cat immediately scampered over, obediently raising its front paw.

Qi Xiao’s large hand gently cradled its furry little paw, his fingertips carefully measuring the size of the pad.

"Meow~" The Little Sand Cat squirmed a bit under the touch, its paw tips unconsciously spreading open like a blooming little plum blossom.

Curiously it leaned forward, its tender pink nose almost touching the needlework in Qi Xiao’s hand.

"No messing around." Qi Xiao tapped its damp nose lightly with his knuckles, causing the Little Sand Cat to shrink back its neck, yet it stubbornly used its paw to hook at the dangling thread.

The ball of yarn, teased by its actions, rolled quite far, leaving a winding trail on the sandy ground.

Xu Ying couldn’t suppress a laugh, reaching to scoop the mischievous little creature back into her arms, "No more gloves for you if you keep misbehaving."

The Little Sand Cat instantly settled down, burying its head in her elbow pit, leaving only its round eyes peeking at Qi Xiao’s actions.

The night breeze swept past, bringing with it the distant melodious sound of bellflowers.

Through the firelight, the brim of Qi Xiao’s cowboy hat cast a shifting shadow, his brows slightly furrowed, fully focused as he sewed the metal claw covers onto the fabric.

The Little Sand Cat watched intently, unconsciously mimicking his expression, its scrunched little face amusing Xu Ying.

"Finished sewing."

Qi Xiao lifted the completed claw mittens, the deep brown canvas shining warmly under the firelight, the metal claw tips intricately embedded in the fabric, both practical and cute.

The Little Sand Cat had been waiting impatiently, its furry little paws eagerly clawing at the air, [Give them to me, give them to me!]

The sand cat perked up its ears in excitement, impatiently stuffing its paws into the mittens, only to get caught in the yarn out of eagerness.

"Take it easy."

Qi Xiao’s low laughter mixed with the crackle of the campfire, he patiently helped the little one untangle the strings, his movements gentle.

Xu Ying rested her cheek in her palm, watching the scene unfold, the firelight dancing in her smiling eyes.

Never expected Qi Xiao to fly helicopters and also be able to sew mittens, really capable both in the field and at home.

When the Little Sand Cat finally successfully wore the mittens, it arrogantly trotted around the sand, leaving little plum blossoms in its wake, and then bounced around the two in circles, its tail held high like a triumphant little warrior.

[Fits well, looks great!]