My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203 Taking Care of a Friend

Finished

Taylor thought the raisin congee was good, but right now, he was too worried about Jaden to have much of an appetite. “I’ll go see Jaden first.”

He tiptoed into the inner cave, moving so quietly that even the door was opened with unusual care.

The medicine seemed to have started working. After that short sleep, Jaden was not as uncomfortable as before. When he opened his eyes, he found Taylor walking over with worry all over his face.

“Did I wake you?” Taylor leaned against the edge of the bed, looking guilty.

“No. I woke up by myself.” Jaden’s voice was rough and weak, and he looked drained of energy.

“Are you feeling really awful?” Taylor reached out and touched his cheek. “You’re so hot.”

“I already drank the medicine.” Seeing Taylor’s brows droop even lower, Jaden added, “It’s not that bad.”

Taylor took a piece of candy from his pocket, peeled away the leaf wrapped around it, and brought it to Jaden’s mouth. “Mr. Bruce’s medicine is really nasty. Eat this quickly.”

Jaden did not refuse.

Taylor rested one elbow on the bed and propped his cheek in his hand. “The snow outside is huge. The snowman we made last time has turned into a big pillar.”

Jaden almost laughed. “Then we’ll build a new one.”

“Then you have to get better soon.”

“I will.”

“One bowl each.” Matthew came in with the raisin congee and placed the bowls on the small table beside the bed. Then he touched Jaden’s forehead. It was still warm, but not as frighteningly hot as it had been in the morning.

Taylor took one sip. “This tastes a little weird.”

There was no brown sugar here, so Zachary had cooked it plain,

Jaden held the bowl carefully in both hands. “Sire said drinking this can help keep us from getting sick.”

Taylor nodded, copied Jaden’s posture, and drank it down with both hands around the bowl.

Zachary was making noodle soup, so he had rolled the dough very thin.

Once the oil was hot, he cracked in a few eggs, added some herbs, and scrambled them until the aroma came out. Then he poured in boiling water, seasoned the soup, and dropped in the noodles.

When they were nearly done, he tossed in a handful of greens. It was quick, simple, and gentle enough for someone sick.

Taylor caught the smell from outside, but he knew this was Jaden’s sick-day meal, so he forced himself to

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Chapter 203 Taking Care of a Friend

behave and not drool.

Finished

When Zachary brought the bowls over, Taylor kept shaking his head. He even pushed his own portion toward Jaden, insisting that Jaden should eat it all so he could recover faster.

Zachary could only smile and lead Taylor to the pot. “There’s plenty. Jaden can’t finish all of it by himself. You each get one bowl.”

Only then did Taylor sit down obediently beside Jaden and eat with him.

The hand-rolled noodles were springy, wrapped in a warm, savory broth. One mouthful warmed the stomach at once. The eggs and greens tasted fresh and light.

Jaden still did not have much appetite, but Taylor kept watching him seriously from the side, so he managed to eat more than expected.

/

When Quincy and Yael came over, they brought meat and a small basket of sour fruit. Sick people often struggled to eat proper food, and tart fruit could help wake the appetite.

Zachary looked at the fresh wild berries in surprise. “Where did these come from?”

Quincy smiled. “We traded for them from someone in the tribe. The cold arrived too suddenly, so some fruit froze right on the branches. Once the leaves fall, you can knock the branch with a stick and catch whatever drops.”

Yael asked, “Is Jaden feeling better?”

“Much better after the medicine.”

Zachary had not really wanted Taylor to stay too close, worried he might catch the fever too. But Taylor refused to leave Jaden alone. He even drank the strange-tasting concoction without complaint, saying Jaden would be lonely by himself.

When Yael and Quincy looked inside, both cubs were already asleep, curled together under the blanket.

Yael stared at his own cub, who was sleeping like he had been the patient all along, and sighed. “Did he come to look after Jaden, or did he come here to sleep?”

Standing by the entrance, Zachary smiled. “Taylor was very good. During lunch, he kept watching Jaden and

made sure he ate more.”

Quincy went in, tucked the blanket around both boys, checked Jaden’s forehead, and added more wood to the fire.

The door was closed softly behind him, keeping all the warmth inside.

The two families had not shared a meal in a while, so Zachary invited them to stay for dinner. Quincy smiled and agreed. Yael did not even wait to be asked twice-he was already rolling up his sleeves.

They still had one clucking beast left, so Zachary decided to make a large pot of braised chicken and add pulled noodles to soak up the sauce.

They did not have all the proper ingredients, so he adjusted the recipe based on what was available.

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Chapter 203 Taking Care of a Friend

Yael stood beside him, so excited he could barely keep still. A new dish meant a new thing to learn.

Finished

Zachary first blanched the chicken pieces in cold water with ginger slices and drunken fruit juice, then rinsed them clean.

After that came the spices. He added them mostly by feel. He was not a proper chef, after all. Some steps were only bits and pieces he remembered from online cooking videos.

There was no sugar for caramelizing, so he used honey instead. Only a little. Even if it went slightly wrong, it would not ruin the whole pot.

The chicken went into the pot next. He seasoned it and stir-fried until the pieces turned a deep, glossy reddish brown, then added water and let it simmer. Potato chunks followed. When the meat was tenderand the sauce had thickened, he added the noodles and let them absorb the flavor.

One clucking beast, plus potatoes, vegetables, and noodles, filled a huge pot. The final result was far better than Zachary expected, good enough that he briefly wondered if cooking might secretly be his gift.

Since the braised chicken was spicy, Zachary made a few milder dishes too: eggs, turnip soup, steamed tender fish, and roasted sweet potatoes.

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Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs