Chapter 149: A Loving Meal
Hu Ao looked at Hu Yan as well. He also wanted to know who on earth had saved him!
How could Hu Yan not know what Hu Ao was thinking? He said, "The Beastman who saved me has already passed away."
The Emperor sighed. "What a pity..."
It was a pity indeed.
If any ordinary person had saved the Third Prince, as long as they didn’t make any mistakes for the rest of their life, they would not only have been set for life with endless fortune and glory, but they could have even walked sideways on the Main Star.
Hu Ao tutted to himself. ’What a real shame.’
At the entire table, only Zelda, who knew the truth, gave Hu Yan a meaningful look. ’The Beastman who saved him is indeed dead, but he brought the man’s daughter back with him.’
The corners of Hu Yan’s lips lifted slightly. "I have already repaid the debt."
Hearing this, the Emperor nodded. "That’s good. After all, they saved your life. It wouldn’t be excessive no matter what they asked for."
Hu Yan just hummed in response.
Since the person was already gone, the matter was considered closed.
The Emperor suggested again, "Let’s eat. The food will get cold soon."
But having just heard what Hu Yan said about the Insect Clan, no one really had much of an appetite at this point.
Hu Yan simply had no appetite, while Zelda had no appetite because he was dining with the Emperor and the Eldest Prince, Hu Ao.
As a result, by the end of the meal, the dishes on the table had barely been touched.
After lunch, Zelda didn’t stay in the palace for long. Hu Yan was summoned to Empress Leia’s chambers, who claimed to have missed him, so Zelda took the opportunity to take his leave and exit the palace.
He first went to Hu Yan’s private residence to let Bai Zhi and the others know what had happened.
When he arrived, he found them still eating roasted meat. The rich aroma of barbecue hit him the moment he stepped into the courtyard.
He hadn’t eaten much at the palace for lunch, and now, smelling the barbecue, his stomach immediately started rumbling.
Zelda immediately strode toward them and asked, "What are you guys eating? It smells amazing!"
Yue Junxiao was gnawing on a leg of meat off to the side. Hearing the voice, he turned, saw it was Zelda, and immediately said, "Oh, you’re back!"
As he spoke, he presented the leg to Zelda and asked, "Freshly roasted beast meat. Bai Zhi made the sauce herself, and it tastes incredible. There’s still plenty left. Want some?"
Bai Zhi heard the commotion and looked over. Seeing Zelda was alone, she glanced behind him and asked in confusion, "Why is it just you? Where’s Hu Yan?"
Zelda grabbed a plate for himself, served a portion, and only spoke after taking a bite. "He was kept at the palace. Let me eat a little first, I barely had two bites back there."
Yue Junxiao looked at him as if he’d been starving for days and asked doubtfully, "Is the food in the palace bad?"
The others all looked at Zelda, too.
Zelda’s mouth was full. "The food was actually okay," he mumbled, "but I just couldn’t stomach it with *them* sitting across from me."
Bai Zhi nodded in agreement. "That’s true. Who could eat much at a banquet like that anyway?"
’Just the thought of eating at the same table as a bunch of bosses would kill my appetite too,’ she thought.
Zelda said, "This roast meat is excellent—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. And the sauce is to die for. Could you give me some of this sauce? I won’t take it for free."
Bai Zhi agreed without hesitation. "Of course. I can mix up a jar for you."
After saying that, Bai Zhi suddenly asked, "Then doesn’t that mean Hu Yan didn’t eat either?"
Zelda nodded. "He barely touched his food from the very beginning."
The meat in Bai Zhi’s hands suddenly lost its appeal. "Did he say when he’d be back?"
Without looking up, Zelda said, "Tomorrow, probably. He went to see his mother, the Empress."
Bai Zhi asked, "Can you still get into the palace?"
Zelda paused. He only had to think for a moment to guess what she was planning. "You want me to bring him some food?"
"Mhm."
Zelda thought for a moment and said, "I can. What do you want to send? His grandfather and the others should be going to the palace later. We can bring it in under the pretext of delivering food to the Empress."
While speaking, Bai Zhi directed the others to find a large insulated container and pack the roasted beast meat into it. Verbally, however, she asked, "Is that okay? Will it be inconvenient?"
The roasted beast meat was still hot, so it should still be warm by the time it got there.
Zelda took two more bites of meat. "It won’t be. It’s just a quick trip for me after I finish eating."
Bai Zhi also got some leaves and side dishes, so they could eat the meat in wraps to prevent it from getting too rich.
The insulated containers here were excellent; they could keep food fresh for hours, preserving its original flavor. They weren’t like modern containers, which weren’t as effective and let the food’s taste deteriorate after a while.
She packed up the other smaller half of the roast as well. After all, there were other people in the palace, and it was better to send too much than not enough.
Besides, they were troubling Hu Yan’s maternal grandfather, so he and his family could share some of it too.
Even with so many of them, they hadn’t finished their own half, so she figured this should be enough.
Just as Bai Zhi finished packing, Zelda was almost done eating.
Bai Zhi said to Yue Junxiao, "Jun Xiao, why don’t you go with Zelda?"
Yue Junxiao wiped his mouth. "Sure."
Then Bai Zhi said to Zelda, "You two go make the delivery first. I’ll go mix the sauce for you, and you can pick it up when you get back."
Zelda swallowed his last bite and wiped his mouth. "Alright. Let’s go."
Then, Yue Junxiao left with Zelda, carrying the insulated container.
Hu Yan’s maternal grandfather’s home was some distance away, so it was forty to fifty minutes later by the time they returned from the delivery.
It was in the afternoon that Hu Yan received the care package from Bai Zhi.
Hu Yan’s maternal grandfather gestured for an attendant to place the insulated container on the table, saying with a smile, "Zelda asked me to bring you something to eat. You two seem to have a good relationship. He found some delicious roasted meat and, remembering you didn’t eat much at lunch, sent some for you."
Hearing this, Hu Yan raised an eyebrow and opened the insulated container with a guess already in mind.
Sure enough, the aroma of roasted beast meat that wafted out immediately told him who had really sent this meal.
A smile touched Hu Yan’s lips, and a soft light appeared in his eyes. "Mm. Grandfather, have you eaten? Would you like to try some? This roast meat smells wonderful; it must be delicious."
Empress Leia also smiled. "Zelda is a good kid. He saw you didn’t eat much at lunch and had this roast meat packed up and sent in for you. All these years, we had nearly given up hope, but he was the only one who insisted you weren’t dead and never stopped looking for you."
Hu Yan took out the roast meat, then instructed someone to bring bowls and chopsticks. "Mother, you didn’t eat much at lunch either, did you? Let’s eat together. They sent quite a large portion."
A servant quickly brought over several sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Hu Yan skillfully put on a pair of gloves and began carving the roast into slices, arranging them on a plate.
Watching his practiced movements as he carved the meat, a flash of heartache appeared in Empress Leia’s eyes. ’Just how much must my son have suffered outside these past few years to become so proficient at something like this?’