The surprise Lan received at the gathering will be sung about by the bards...

After nearly two days of preparation, a joyful atmosphere permeated Xia's habitat.

The orcs' solemn expressions turned into relaxed smiles.

They were really looking forward to the party, and in their free time they would discuss with their friends what clothes to wear and what accessories to put on the day.

Feather earrings, animal tooth necklace, round brooch... It's so frustrating, how do I coordinate them?

More often than not, the orcs were preoccupied with how to decorate their clan square and habitat.

Occasionally, when they weren't on patrol, the orcs, including Yan Duoyu, who were warriors, would set up frames in the square, connect a series of wooden frames with ropes, and hang lanterns on them.

Hati got tired of hanging two rows of lanterns with great enthusiasm, and lazily stayed where the lanterns were. Every now and then, he would hand one to Yan Duoyu, who was standing on a chair, so that she could hang it in mid-air with a rope.

"Hati, stop lying on the ground and get me two more lamps." Yan Duoyu said helplessly, standing on a high chair and looking down at the wolf-beastman who was staring blankly.

Hearing what she said, Hati twitched his ears, slowly got up and handed her the things, then lay back down on the ground.

The square's surface was concrete, not as soft as grass, but lying on it had a unique charm. He liked it very much.

Yan Duoyu caught the lantern, didn't even look at him, turned his head and used his teeth to bite the part of the square lantern used to hang the rope, and then used both hands to hang up the flower-shaped lantern.

Orc warriors who weren't on patrol were hanging lanterns, while the stronger orcs in the tribe were setting up tables and chairs.

"Sister! Should this be placed here?" Maple Red, an orc carrying a long table, gently put it down and loudly asked Maple Sugar, who was in charge of planning the placement.

Hearing her shout, Maple Syrup stopped talking to another orc, looked up, and said loudly, "A little to the left, that's too close to the other long table, it's inconvenient to move around there."

She nodded, adjusted her position, and ran off to get a new table, just as she brushed past Grey Honey and Ink Velvet.

"Are you going to rest? Go ahead, I've already recorded your work points." Gray Honey nodded as she looked at the orc who wanted to rest, and pointed to the notebook in her hand with the handle of her bamboo pen.

Nearby, Mo Rong was registering the names of the new orcs who had come to help, and telling them what tasks they could do.

"Lan said that the stalls in the trading area need to be moved over here. We need more manpower for this job," he said to the group of four who came with him: Mianhua, Abai, Yanlin, and Yanshi.

The four orcs accepted the mission and headed straight for the trading area, even having a race to see who could run the fastest along the way.

The stalls moved from the trading area are for food at the gatherings. The stalls will contain snacks and refreshments, while the food on the long tables will be the orcs' main meals. Of course, the main meals are rationed, and each orc can only receive one serving.

"This is the number of animals in the breeding area that can be used to make food." Yan Dahe gestured a number and discussed the dishes with the beastmen in charge of cooking.

She is in charge of the animals in the feeding area, and anyone who wants to take an animal away from the feeding area needs to ask her opinion first.

The cub Grayfeather noted down the number she mentioned and then asked, "Lan likes the meat of the Stone Tree Beast. Can you kill one?"

There's only one frozen sea beast left in the clan, which is perfect for the party. But the stone tree beast Lan also likes it and wants to get some for her to eat.

"Is this for Lan to eat?" Yan Dahe asked in surprise.

Lan had never mentioned her favorite foods before, except for rice and wheat. This was the first time she'd learned that Lan liked to eat Stone Tree Beast meat, and she agreed without hesitation, "Kill it! Kill an adult one for Lan. Although there are only three adult Stone Tree Beasts in the clan, it doesn't matter; there are many cubs. I'm entrusting Lan's favorite food to you."

Gray Feather and the other cubs, semi-adult beastmen, and adult beastmen all nodded in unison, patting their chests and assuring each other, "Lan has already volunteered her favorite food, so we'll definitely make sure Lan gets to eat it!"

There aren't many orcs in the tribe who like to be cooks, and nowadays the orcs in charge of cooking in the canteen range from cubs to adults.

The beastmen have different preferences for cooking, and their skill levels vary greatly.

They collected a list of food types that everyone wanted to eat and decided to set up food stalls after preparing the main dishes on the day of the gathering, with one orc responsible for each stall. Since they didn't have many people, they would need Grey Honey to issue another task to find an orc to assist at each stall.

They need assistants to help them deliver food to the tribespeople who come to buy it, carry water for them, process the ingredients, and also take the coins they receive from the labor distribution to the Grey Honey.

Because the food in the food stalls needs to be made and sold on the spot, it's really too much for one orc to manage one stall.

Lan said that the food at the food stall should be made in smaller portions, preferably easy to hold and eat, and the price of each dish should be controlled between one and three work points. After they calculated the portion sizes and prices, they found that the food at the food stall was much cheaper than the food in the regular canteen, so everyone could eat more food for less work points.

The Grayfeather orcs rubbed their hands together furtively, unseen sparks flying everywhere. It was time for them to show off their skills and demonstrate their best. Anyone whose food made at the stall couldn't be sold and wasn't welcomed by their tribe would lose face.

Soon, the day of the bonfire gathering arrived.

At the two entrances to the circular plaza built by the clan, lanterns hung in abundance, swaying in the wind like gently rippling waves—a subtle yet unique beauty. These lanterns were primarily lotus-shaped and square lanterns, traditionally made by the clan, with colorful tassels hanging below them.

Passing through the entrance of the lantern-lined corridor, one is greeted by empty food carts arranged around the square. Today's bonfire party officially begins in the evening, and the vendors are still preparing ingredients, not yet displaying the food on their stalls.

There were many food stalls, with a new one every five steps, neatly arranged around half the square. The beastmen could walk from one end of the stall to the other, take their favorite food and sit on an empty bench to eat, or they could choose to go below the stage to eat and watch the show.

During the day, as the orcs passed by their decorated clan square, they couldn't help but howl, "Why isn't it night yet?! I want the party to start right now!"

Jiang Yunlan was handling business in the central building when she could hear Maple Syrup and other orcs talking about the gathering.

They said they were especially looking forward to tonight.

"It will be evening soon, so please wait a little longer," she said helplessly, looking at the wailing beastmen.

It was just an ordinary campfire gathering. But seeing their expectant and contented expressions, and the smiles they couldn't suppress, she couldn't help but smile too.

I have a feeling this night will be a very happy one.

Jiang Yunlan listened to their conversation, then looked out the window. The sun shone brightly in the sky; it was a sunny day.

She seemed to be looking forward to it too, looking forward to the bonfire party that night and to playing with everyone together.

The night, eagerly anticipated by all the orcs, was slowly approaching. It seemed unaware of the anticipation it was receiving, arriving exceptionally late.

The lanterns at the entrance to the square and inside the square lit up, and the bonfire placed in the center of the square flickered with light.

The clan square at night felt different to the orcs than during the day. All the orcs felt the enthusiastic atmosphere in the air, and couldn't help but cheer as soon as they entered the clan square.

They had been looking forward to the night for so long that they were running wild, as if the reins had just been removed from their necks.

Jiang Yunlan walked over accompanied by Maple Sugar and a group of orcs. Before she even reached the lantern corridor, she could hear the sounds coming from the orcs in the distance.

The cacophony of conversation was interspersed with bursts of loud laughter.

Maple Syrup covered her mouth and laughed, saying cheerfully, "Lan, hurry over there. 022, Grey Honey, and I have secretly arranged a surprise for you. You'll find out when you get there."

Upon hearing about the surprise, Jiang Yunlan was shocked, a big question mark popping into her head. She looked at the transparent slime above her and asked in bewilderment, "022, how did you know about this?"

022 coughed lightly, silently put his hands in his pockets, and said to her, "I gave Maple Syrup and the others some advice. After all, I'm the one who knows you best."

"I don't think I've ever said anything about what I want." She thought for a long time, her mind blank. She couldn't even guess what the surprise would be.

Grey Honey pushed her forward, who was standing still. "Lan, let's go take a look. 022 said you'll like it."

She was bewildered and almost without making a mistake as the orcs behind her pulled and pushed her into the clan square.

Fabric was still a scarce resource in the clan, and the orcs couldn't possibly produce an enormous cloth to cover the surprise they had prepared for Lan. They simply huddled in a circle, completely concealing the gift behind them so that Lan wouldn't see it at a glance when she came over.

"Why are you being so mysterious?" Jiang Yunlan was a little nervous because of their serious attitude, and she almost started walking with her hands and feet in sync.

She had almost forgotten that the last time she received a surprise was in the winter when she had just started high school. It happened to be a weekend, and her good friend Ye An, who said she resembled a maple-leaf clematis, had specially taken a ride to deliver a birthday gift to her.

The beastmen remained silent, afraid of accidentally letting something slip, and all looked at her with smiles.

Jiang Yunlan was pushed to stand in front of a group of orcs, where she happened to meet the gazes of two orcs, Heitu and Huixiaoxi. The two orcs each led one side of their orcs to the sides, revealing a passage for Lan to see the surprise they had prepared overnight.

A bamboo recliner, resembling the one she used to rock in her childhood, came into view.

Her eyes widened involuntarily, and she stood frozen in place. After a few seconds, she finally found her voice, "I didn't say anything, so how did you know I like this?"

She doesn't like to openly express her feelings, let alone talk about her preferences. She's long been used to being ignored.

When her father took his new family on trips, he would forget she was at home and locked her inside. When her mother took her and her new family on trips, she would forget she wasn't on the bus and leave her in unfamiliar territory. She was used to it all.

She knew she was invisible. Even if she earnestly told her parents what she liked and disliked, they wouldn't remember. It was better not to say anything in the first place.

Even now, she never expected that one day, even if she didn't say anything, someone would put the things she liked in front of her.

“Of course 022 knows, we’re partners. It’s only natural that it would guess what you like from the past you’ve revealed in your words,” the transparent slime said confidently.

It's a creature that has lived through many civilizations, so don't underestimate it. It can even tell which of Lan's words are true and which are lies.

Partner? Partner. Yes, I already have a partner.

Jiang Yunlan subconsciously looked at her hands. Her hands were empty, yet she felt as if she had grasped something.

She already has 022 and many other members of her tribe by her side. How could she only realize this now?

Like someone who has been walking alone in the desert for a long time, they subconsciously believe that no one can possibly appear around them. Even if they occasionally see someone, they will suspect that it is just an illusion.

It wasn't until the "illusion" she had helped came to her side and chattered around her, making a sound so loud she couldn't ignore it, yet never disappearing, that she dared to believe it...

Someone really did appear in her life.

Maple Syrup lifted the dazed Lan and placed her on the large recliner, smiling with her eyes crinkling. "022 said recliners are great for resting. Lan will feel more relaxed sitting here, right? Because Lan has been working so hard and really needs to rest."

"I'm actually fine, I'm not forcing myself." Jiang Yunlan blinked.

"It means that I'm not forcing myself, but sometimes I feel tired and need to rest," 022 added.

She was caught off guard, and her body stiffened. This time she wasn't lying, but the emphasis was on the second half of her sentence. The beastmen wouldn't realize she was tired if they heard it, but 022 was too perceptive and pointed out the key point she was avoiding.

The orcs chuckled, verbally covering for Lan towards 022, echoing Lan's words that she hadn't forced herself, but in their hearts they kept in mind that Lan would feel tired and need rest.

Standing beside the recliner, Maple Syrup smiled and shook her head helplessly. She lowered her hand and ruffled Lan's fluffy head. "Whether you push yourself or not, Lan can always rely on us when you're tired. When you're tired, you should rest, just like you did that day when you leaned against my leg to sleep."

She realized later, when the ibex was singing a ballad and Lan was sleeping with his head on her lap, that no matter how strong Lan was, he would get tired and need help.

“Lan, what I can think of isn’t far-reaching. I can’t see the crisis you see. I don’t know what you’re busy with… You don’t need to explain. I don’t need reasons or explanations. Just tell me what to do, and I will do it,” Cotton said.

"Lan needs to eat properly," Mo Rong said.

"Lan needs to get some sleep," said Grey Honey.

"We'll help you with anything that's bothering you, Lan!" the orcs said in unison.

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Author's Note: The Lan clan will be divided into the following types.

Companion type, they rely on each other and travel side by side: Maple Syrup and other orcs

An elder type, a devoted fan of Lan, who hopes Lan takes good care of herself: Gray Honey, Black Velvet, and other beastmen.

Follower type, the most common type in the later stages, often includes potential fanatics, those in the process of becoming fanatics, and those who have already become fanatics: orcs such as Hati, Black Soil, and Cotton.

Hehe, just thinking about it makes me happy. I don't know when I'll be able to write it.