《The Strong Female Lead Versus The Most Miserable Male Lead》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Crossing Interstellar Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Crossing Interstellar ¡°By the power vested in me by the Empire¡¯s law, I now pronounce you husband and wife.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°Bang!¡± The bride and groom, whose marriage had just become effective, both fell to the ground, unconscious. Nian Shutong felt a pain at the back of her head and quickly sorted through her memories. When her Tribulation had failed, a ¡°Farming System¡± had taken her across to the ¡°interstellar.¡± These words, individually and together, made no sense to her. Now, she was a person of no physical ability and mental strength, expelled by the Nian Family, set to inherit a Wasted Planet¡ªBlue Star¡ªleft by her foster parents after their death. According to Empire law, one must marry to become a Planet Master, so the Nian Family found a sickly person somewhere for them to marry. As the marriage took effect, one of the sickly individuals died immediately, and the other died of a heart condition. ¡°Oh¡­ too late.¡± This was Nian Shutong¡¯s first thought; a bit earlier and she could have refused the marriage. Now she had to figure out how to kill¡­ no! get rid of the groom, troublesome. Nian Shutong looked towards the other person lying on the ground, the sickly groom. Why is it a woman! Could it be that she herself is a man? No, the memories Nian Shutong inherited indicated she was a woman, and an ugly one despised by others. At this moment, Fu Yunhe also opened his eyes; he, the esteemed First Commander of the Empire, had been betrayed by his own people on the Insect Clan Battlefield and died. Now, he had reanimated in the body of a sickly groom and hadn¡¯t even had the chance to sort through his memories before he found himself gasping for air. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t help coughing as he woke up, followed by violent breathing, his breaths as fast as inflating a balloon per second. The restless breathing made the four indifferent people beside him lower their heads. ¡°Not dead?¡± ¡°This one¡¯s not dead either.¡± The tone was unmistakably disdainful, even carrying an impulse to stomp with their feet. Nian Shutong sorted through her memories and slowly stood up with some calculations in her mind. ¡°Sorry to disappoint everyone,¡± Nian Shutong bowed, her behavior slightly strange. The three people standing and the Holy Father presiding over the wedding all watched Nian Shutong. One of them, losing patience, spoke up, ¡°Nian Shutong, since you are fine, please leave soon. You were never a Nian Family member, and you have no right to the Nian Family¡¯s resources.¡± ¡°Correct! You are now married. Inherit your planet and leave the Nian Family.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t actually want to stay in this so-called Nian Family, even though it was a prominent family with no worries about food or drink. She didn¡¯t like it. Her core had been changed; she was totally different from the original host and would be exposed sooner or later, so she actually preferred inheriting the Blue Star. However¡­ Nian Shutong turned to the Holy Father on stage and asked, ¡°Is it possible to get a divorce¡­like, annulling the marriage?¡± The Holy Father looked at Nian Shutong in a sacred and solemn manner saying, ¡°Marriage is not a joke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s somber face grew stern as she seriously analyzed, ¡°Now that our marriage is effective, I have become a Planet Master. But since we are incompatible, why can¡¯t I ask for a divorce?¡± The impatient man standing aside interjected: ¡°Nian Shutong, don¡¯t cause trouble. After the marriage, once you leave your spiritual imprint on the planet, then you can become the Planet Master.¡± In other words, she couldn¡¯t divorce yet. Nian Shutong¡¯s disappointed expression was unmasked, but perhaps she could divorce in the future. Still, she privately ridiculed, what kind of absurd rule was this, needing a marriage to become a Planet Master? Could two people really populate a planet? She looked down at the groom, or perhaps the bride, who was still busy catching her breath and suddenly asked, bright-eyed: ¡°What if¡­ I became a widow instead?¡± That would be even more perfect than a divorce. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 White Flowers Chapter 2: Chapter 2 White Flowers Fu Yunhe, who lay below organizing his memories, finally understood his situation. Orphan¡­ Sickly¡­ Newlywed¡­ Dead. But what had he just heard? A woman? A widow? Was he a woman? He quietly moved one hand, relieved, he was a man. Struggling, he ¡°hmm¡± twice weakly, a faint voice arose. ¡°I¡­ am a man, not dead.¡± Nian Shutong glanced down briefly, scrutinizing him¡ªan actual man? Eyebrows like paintings, skin smooth as cream, small rosebud lips, willowy waist, even his hands had slender fingers. Nian Shutong then glanced at her hands¡ªdark, rough, dry, peeling, and dull. One leaf heralds autumn, one hand reveals the face. Forget it, being ugly or not, it¡¯s not important. Nian Shutong squatted down, her dark hand resting on Fu Yunhe¡¯s pulse, she spoke matter-of-factly: ¡°You¡­ are likely not going to survive the night.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s breathing, already hurried, became even more so. Why wouldn¡¯t he survive the night? ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Nian Shutong, looking at the somewhat disbelieving Fu Yunhe, continued: ¡°We are husband and wife, how can you distrust me like this? Rest assured, if you die, I won¡¯t remarry.¡± Fu Yunhe was speechless¡ªwho the hell cared about her remarrying! He didn¡¯t want to die. No, he wouldn¡¯t die. Fu Yunhe, on the ground quickly driven by patterns to his death, found strength from somewhere within him and managed to stand up. He grabbed Nian Shutong¡¯s arm for leverage, gritting his teeth as he forced out a few words. ¡°I¡­ will not¡­ die.¡± Nian Shutong looked helplessly at Fu Yunhe, what a stubborn beauty! She looked around regretfully and said, ¡°He¡¯s quite determined, maybe he really can make it through the night.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s stay with the Nian Family to recuperate.¡± ¡°If you get better, it¡¯s your good fortune; if you die, it¡¯s on me.¡± Everyone around, including Fu Yunhe, stared at Nian Shutong. The crowd thought: The Nian Family¡¯s known waste, could she really be so eloquent? Fu Yunhe: Why on earth is my life up to you! Nian Shutong did not care about everyone¡¯s looks¡ªa poison cultivator like her, there was nothing she dared not do if she wished to. These were the most indirect words she had ever spoken. If not for her lack of strength, why would she bother saying these polished, beautified words? She put aside this topic for the moment and looked around: grey columns with dark patterns, a deep red roof, open on all sides, without walls. This was a corridor of the Nian Family; this wedding was so casual, separated by just one wall from the main street. Huh? What¡¯s that? Nian Shutong casually pushed past a short-haired woman in front of her, who tried to stop her but was held back by another man beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t bother her, I¡¯ve notified the Housekeeper, he will be here soon.¡± ¡°Really doesn¡¯t know her own good, still wanting to cling to the Nian Family.¡± The three of them could see something different about Nian Shutong, but they took it as her tactic to stay with the Nian Family. Nobody would want to become a Planet Master of a ¡°Wasted Planet,¡± the lowest existence, also the quickest to die. Nian Shutong, who had pushed people aside, moved to the edge of the corridor, where there was a half-meter-high stone flower bed, filled with white flowers. Deep green leaves, with one or two white flowers standing against the wind above. Nian Shutong, not one to love and cherish plants, extended a finger to lightly touch the petals of a white flower. A route practiced countless times moved sluggishly within her, slightly obtuse, but the shattered Magic Treasure in her Divine Sense began to absorb energy. Just as suspected. These white flowers¡­ were poisonous. Nian Shutong withdrew her finger, confirming her suspicions; she¡¯d talk about it later. As long as there was poison, she was fearless. ¡°Ding! Host has discovered a superior species, potato. Farming System activation in progress¡­¡± Potato? White flowers? ¡°Nian Shutong, it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± Nian Shutong had not yet figured out the connection between the two when an authoritative, middle-aged voice arrived. She paused in thought, looking toward the newcomer. The man was middle-aged, clean-shaven, dignified, his eyes calm. He was the Housekeeper of the Nian Family, the Family Head¡¯s most trusted assistant, just below one, above tens of thousands. ¡°Alright,¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t fuss, leaving was indeed the best choice. ¡°I want money.¡± The Housekeeper didn¡¯t even change his gaze, simply stating, ¡°You should leave.¡± Nian Shutong shook her head smiling, seeing that they regarded her as a waste, unworthy to negotiate terms. She walked with the slow gait of an old man to the side of the pretty yet sickly Fu Yunhe. Grabbing him, she said, ¡°Since the Housekeeper is so reluctant to let us go, let¡¯s stay.¡± ¡°When the pretty boy dies, I¡¯ll buy him a coffin, place it at the Nian Family¡¯s door, and perform a widow¡¯s lamentation, to express my grief.¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Deal Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Deal Grief? Fu Yunhe¡¯s eye roll was so exaggerated that it could have turned into a fan blade. You really should wipe that smirk off your face when you talk about being sad. Still, he made a sound to assert his vivid presence. ¡°Cough cough¡­ not dead.¡± Nian Shutong broke into a sudden smile, which, to be honest, wasn¡¯t remotely stunning due to her dark, rough features that left her facial expressions quite indiscernible. Although the smile wasn¡¯t pretty, it was enough to make Fu Yunhe¡¯s hair stand on end. The next second, with just a gentle push from Nian Shutong, Fu Yunhe swayed a few times. He bit his tongue, determined to stand, not to fall. He, the Imperial Commander himself, bleeding and sweating¡­ ¡°Bang!¡± Oh well, lying down was quite comfortable, too. Fu Yunhe could finally breathe easily; this body was just too pathetic. That ¡°bang¡± drew a glance from the housekeeper as Nian Shutong spread her hands and said, ¡°My hand slipped.¡± Fu Yunhe, on the floor, couldn¡¯t even muster the energy to roll his eyes. He might as well play dead and lie there like a salted fish. He doubted whether this ¡°sickly¡± body, unable to stand, walk, or even breathe easily, would survive the day. Whether he went to the Wasted Planet or not, he was doomed to die young. Nian Shutong withdrew her slightly regretful gaze and flashed an ugly smile that made one shiver, addressing the housekeeper. ¡°Housekeeper, let¡¯s continue our conversation. You should at least provide some travel expenses for my trip to the Wasted Planet, right?¡± ¡°Nian Shutong, don¡¯t be excessive.¡± ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± Nian Shutong shook her head with a light laugh, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be¡­ amusing.¡± ¡°A waste, exiled and waiting for death, over the top?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s laughter boomed as she threw her head back. She stopped abruptly as she bowed her head, then raised her gaze again¡ªher eyes held a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile but was tinged with a touch of madness. Her dark complexion paired with her rolling eyes was truly creepy! Everyone simultaneously thought: Has she snapped¡­ gone mad? Looking back at Nian Shutong, her eyes were fixated on the housekeeper like a vulture. Her tone was steady, but her words caught the housekeeper¡¯s attention. ¡°Housekeeper, I¡¯m not a member of the Nian Family, and I won¡¯t cling to this place. However, the military merits my adoptive parents earned give me the right to stand here.¡± Nian Shutong activated her Light Computer, projecting it for all to see. Everyone watched as Nian Shutong awkwardly navigated to the largest live streaming site, opened a streaming channel, and named it. [Zone 3 Nian Family, a girl orphaned despite the illustrious military exploits of her parents¡ªwho is she really?] ¡°Since the housekeeper won¡¯t give me money, I¡¯ll just earn a bit myself.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s finger hovered over the ¡°Start Streaming¡± button. The housekeeper¡¯s gaze finally changed. No matter how powerful he was, he didn¡¯t have the authority to shut down someone¡¯s Star Network account in the blink of an eye. ¡°Nian Shutong, what do you really want?¡± ¡°Money,¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes turned from white to black, looking innocently at the housekeeper. ¡°Isn¡¯t what I¡¯ve said clear enough?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you money.¡± The housekeeper didn¡¯t want to blow things out of proportion. Nian Shutong¡¯s adoptive parents truly had earned military merits, and making a scene could damage the family¡¯s reputation and displease the Family Head. ¡°A thousand Star Coins.¡± ¡°A hundred million Star Coins.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane, Nian Shutong!¡± The housekeeper couldn¡¯t believe the outrageous sum Nian Shutong was demanding. Nian Shutong shrugged her shoulders and said to the housekeeper, ¡°Bargaining, then? Name another price.¡± For the first time, the housekeeper felt his years of self-discipline were somewhat in vain. He glanced at Nian Shutong, who was waiting to haggle again. ¡°Two thousand Star Coins.¡± ¡°Ten billion Star Coins.¡± ¡°Nian¡ªShutong!¡± The housekeeper punctuated each syllable. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t we just bargaining? Name another price.¡± The housekeeper closed his eyes and spoke again: ¡°Ten thousand Star Coins.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s promptness choked the housekeeper, like a ball of tangled yarn stuck in his throat, unable to swallow, suffocating. He thought¡­ Nian Shutong would raise the price so he could explode in anger. But he had never expected¡­ At this moment, Nian Shutong extended her hand amiably and said to the housekeeper in a pleasant tone: ¡°Please transfer the money.¡± Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Ragged Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Ragged The Housekeeper didn¡¯t want to get entangled any further, though sharp-tongued, he was still a waste, an ugly one slated to die on the Wasted Planet with no eligibility for marriage. Another was sellable due to her beauty, but her temperament was too fierce and she was an unhealthy one. Together, they were a perfect match. He opened his Star Network account and directly transferred ten thousand Star Coins. ¡°I hope you get a chance to spend it.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the deposit notification with a genuinely joyful smile on her face and nodded earnestly at the Housekeeper, ¡°Rest assured, I will certainly try my best.¡± The Housekeeper, seeing the rambling Nian Shutong, thought she must have gone mad indeed. Ten thousand Star Coins? The Housekeeper chuckled internally, not sure if it was even truly hers. Unaware of the Housekeeper¡¯s scheming, ten thousand Star Coins was not much for them, but for the penny-less Nian Shutong, it was significant. She couldn¡¯t get more, and she was unwilling to leave without any. She never felt that after arriving at the Wasted Planet, she only had a dead-end. Others¡¯ dead-ends might be her path to life. ¡°Thank you, Housekeeper. Don¡¯t worry, I am very sensible. I will take the sick one and leave soon,¡± said Nian Shutong, pausing as if she was in a difficult position. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± The Housekeeper, his eyes bearing down on Nian Shutong, even used a bit of his spiritual power. Nian Shutong, with her powerful Divine Sense, was naturally unfazed. After all, she had just learned to use the Star Network. However, she pretended to suffer a headache, covering her forehead with one hand, not knowing why she said, ¡°I just want to pack my clothes¡­ ah¡­ my head! It hurts! It hurts!¡± ¡°Take her away,¡± the Housekeeper withdrew the spiritual force and addressed several people standing aside. ¡°Nian Shutong, enough is enough.¡± ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Nian Shutong sighed lightly, looking around confusedly, then released her hand from her head and threw a look at the Housekeeper. ¡°Rest assured, I will leave for sure.¡± The Housekeeper, receiving the look, shuddered as if chilled, wondering if they were that close? Such a fragile waste! The Housekeeper walked away, hands behind his back, feeling cursed. Fu Yunhe, who had been lying on the ground gasping, also laboriously lifted a hand towards Nian Shutong. Nian Shutong calmly nodded at Fu Yunhe, reassuringly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come back. You don¡¯t have to fear no one will take care of your body if you die.¡± Nian Shutong then walked away, followers in tow, leaving only the Holy Father watching over the immobile Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe had no other options, even if he declared himself as the Imperial Commander, no one would believe him now. Interstellar Humans cultivated spiritual power and physical ability, and he was once among the strongest. To destroy a person¡¯s spiritual power and fuse one¡¯s own into it would cause rejection, a massive opposition, so no one would do that. How he would manage to resurrect himself was still a mystery. Currently, Fu Yunhe had nowhere to go, his only hope was Nian Shutong, who constantly wished for his early demise. On the other side, Nian Shutong truly went to her room to pack her things. However, when she emerged, the room she had once stayed in was empty except for the four walls. If it weren¡¯t for the lack of proper tools, she would¡¯ve taken down the walls to craft a coffin for the frail beauty. Ah¡­ such a pity. Nian Shutong looked at a button on her wrist, an exclusive Space Button from the interstellar, gifted by her foster parents. Though it was the smallest kind, it was enough to store her belongings. It was a wonder why the Nian Family hadn¡¯t taken it away. Stepping out of the house, Nian Shutong headed towards the Nian Family¡¯s flower garden. She said to a few people, ¡°I¡¯m going to pluck two flowers, that all right?¡± The people following her exchanged glances, eventually deciding not to stop her. These flowers in the garden, laden with mild toxins, were only kept on the periphery as ornaments, overlooked by everyone. Nian Shutong nonchalantly walked, reaching out intermittently. She plucked the easily accessible flowers of various colors. ¡°Beep! Detecting farm vegetable, eggplant.¡± ¡°Beep! Detecting farm vegetable, bell pepper.¡± ¡°Beep! Host successfully activates three kinds of farm plants, rewards beginner¡¯s gift package.¡± Her mind continuously beeped as Nian Shutong exhibited no expression, eventually plucking two ¡°white flowers¡± and a few strands of grass to make up the numbers. White flowers obtained. And there was even an unexpected bonus, not bad. From beginning to end, these scraps were her target. Packed up, Nian Shutong returned to the Nian Family¡¯s corridor, looking once at Fu Yunhe still lying down and struggling to breathe. ¡°Still alive, impressive.¡± Nian Shutong then told the people behind her, ¡°Please, take this strong sick man with me; we are ready to set off.¡± A man stepped forward like grabbing a rag, casually seized the front of Fu Yunhe¡¯s shirt. Fu Yunhe was thus dragged along, limbs dangling naturally, feeling¡­ not far from death. After exiting, Nian Shutong and the carried Fu Yunhe were placed aboard a ¡°Starship.¡± Nian Shutong, internally: What is this? Fu Yunhe: Such a battered starship? Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Gift Pack Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Gift Pack Nian Shutong, though curious, could restrain herself. There was no need for sneaky glances; she would find out everything in due course. She calmly found a place to sit and closed her eyes to rest her spirit. The weakling Fu Yunhe was tossed right beside Nian Shutong. He breathed with difficulty, his slender waist like that of a willow¡¯s, and his delicate and lovely face always sparked imaginings. However, Fu Yunhe hadn¡¯t noticed this yet, as his gaze was surveying this ¡°shabby¡± starship. The starship was entirely silver, the front narrow like a boat¡ªthe cockpit¡ªand the middle elongated into a rectangular shape, thirty meters wide, divided into several areas. The rear was for storage. After looking around, Fu Yunhe was genuinely concerned that the starship might shatter while passing through a wormhole. But what could he do? When under someone else¡¯s roof, you have to bow your head. He couldn¡¯t return. He glanced at Nian Shutong beside him. Beyond her name, the memories of his original self held no understanding of her. It was because of his sickly constitution that he was brought along, just to fill out the numbers. For the Nian Family, whether he died sooner or later didn¡¯t matter. Sending him, the weakling, to a Wasted Planet filled with toxins was most fitting. Had he not gone, it seemed something unfavorable would have happened, only he couldn¡¯t remember at the moment. The original owner¡¯s memories had blocked out much content. Nian Shutong, who was being stealthily observed, was currently checking the Magic Treasures in her mind. This was her Life-bound Magical Treasure, now reduced to a mess from a Thunder Strike. Nian Shutong briefly checked it, then turned her attention to the so-called system that was bound to her soul. ¡°Beep! Greetings, Host. Farming System 888 is at your service.¡± ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°Beep! Greetings, Host. Our system has been dedicated to farming for ten thousand years, providing the Host with all sorts of farming knowledge and the items needed for cultivation.¡± ¡°Why should I farm?¡± ¡°Beep! Greetings, Host. I am bound to your soul and the bond cannot be undone. Farming can repair your Lifebound Magical Treasure, improve your physical constitution, increase your cultivation, and stabilize your foundation¡­¡± Nian Shutong realized that the system was tempting her, but she was, indeed, enticed. You set the terms, I agree. It¡¯s fair. ¡°Alright. Farming doesn¡¯t sound too bad,¡± Nian Shutong followed up. ¡°What was that about opening a newcomer gift package?¡± ¡°Beep! Host has successfully started cultivating three types of crops, rewarding you with the newcomer gift package. Please accept.¡± Nian Shutong mentally commanded ¡°Accept,¡± and saw three items appear before her. [Lifebound Repair Liquid] [Physical Repair Liquid] [Soil Detection Shovel] The two Repair Liquids were easy to understand. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t rush to use them, opting to wait until she reached a safe place. As for that last shovel, she inquired about it. ¡°Beep! Soil Detection Shovel, assisting the Host in finding the most suitable soil to grow the most compatible crops.¡± Alright, this system wasn¡¯t a bad deal; not only did it rescue her from Heavenly Thunder, but it also provided a means to establish a living. Nian Shutong opened her eyes contentedly, and through windows that revealed no ripples or surges in her gaze, she looked out. The boundless void of space, primarily black with the occasional flicker of light, barely noticeable. Is this the universe, interstellar space? A realm broader even than the Cultivation World. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± A weak cough that was familiar made Nian Shutong turn her head to look at the sickly individual beside her. What was his name again? ¡°I would like¡­ some¡­ nutrient liquid.¡± Fu Yunhe was completely out of strength. He felt that without some nutrient liquid, he might die even quicker. Nutrient liquid? Nian Shutong took out the single bottle that belonged to the original owner from the Space Button¡ªa bottle of dark green glass. Can this thing¡­ really be drunk? The memory suggested that most people subsisted on this kind of nutrient liquid, but its appearance¡ªNian Shutong genuinely despised it. It was too reminiscent of the excrement of a Fierce Beast she knew from a past life. ¡°Thank you, I¡­ will repay you¡­¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t lend it to you. Handsome brother, one must be self-aware, your body wouldn¡¯t profit even with this, it¡¯s a losing deal,¡± Nian Shutong said as she took it back. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Silent Mourning Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Silent Mourning Handsome brothers? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Nian Shutong. How many times had this woman wished he would die slower? ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m¡ªfine.¡± Fu Yunhe struggled to sit up, desperately taking a few deep breaths to prove he was telling the truth, and finally managed to say something longer. ¡°I¡¯m your lawful husband, the one who is supposed to go to the Wasted Planet and wait for death with you.¡± Nian Shutong shook her head in disapproval and said seriously, ¡°I prefer to die on my own.¡± In other words, even if you died next to me, I¡¯d find you a nuisance. Fu Yunhe had met his fair share of characters in his previous life, but now, none seemed to have thicker skin than Nian Shutong. He spoke up again: ¡°I have money.¡± Nian Shutong glanced at Fu Yunhe with indifference and, still not too familiar with it, opened her Star Network account and handed it to him. ¡°Seeing is believing. One hundred thousand Star Coins per bottle. Please make a transfer to prove your determination to wait for death with me.¡± Fu Yunhe breathed hard to maintain composure. A robber, huh? The cheapest nutrient liquid wasn¡¯t worth more than two Star Coins, and she dared to ask for one hundred thousand? ¡°Ah¡­ as expected, even in death, you¡¯re a poor ghost. No, wait¡ªa poor, dazzling ghost!¡± Nian Shutong retracted her arm with a mix of regret and disdain. ¡°That¡¯s too expensive.¡± Nian Shutong looked at him with disapproval, giving him a serious lesson, ¡°The medicine that saves your life just before you die¡ªno matter if it¡¯s a pile of shit, if you don¡¯t have it, it¡¯s worth that much. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± What is she talking about? Fu Yunhe thought to himself, damn right she¡¯s got a point! He leaned back in the chair, bowed his head, and accessed his own Star Network account. No one knows how he did it, but in the end, he transferred one hundred thousand Star Coins to Nian Shutong. Having received the money, Nian Shutong¡¯s attitude changed rapidly. She kindly took out the dark green nutrient liquid, skillfully opened the cap, and handed it to Fu Yunhe. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized¡­ Little beauty, you¡¯re quite capable.¡± Little beauty? Fu Yunhe frowned in displeasure. Why call him little beauty? He was a real man, he had secretly confirmed it. But Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t say anything. He glanced at his own account. This was his clandestine account as a Commander, where all the covert income from battlefields was deposited, and no one knew about it. Fu Yunhe grabbed the dark green nutrient liquid and tilted his head back, draining it in one gulp. Nian Shutong, seeing his grimace, knew just how awful that stuff tasted. She opted not to try it. Silence resumed between the two of them, with each harboring their own thoughts and distrust for the other, temporarily bound together. The Starship continued to jump. Nian Shutong¡¯s Wasted Planet was at a central traffic hub between the battlefield and the Empire. Though centrally located, their planet was on the edge, the most useless and most toxic among countless others. Otherwise, Nian Shutong wouldn¡¯t have been ¡°chosen¡± as the Planet Master. Officially the Planet Master, but essentially just left there to die. At that moment, a piece of news played on the void screen inside the starship. ¡°The Empire¡¯s First Commander, Admiral Yun He, fell on the Insect Clan Battlefield on July 21, 4321 of the Star Calendar¡­¡± ¡°What? Commander Yun He?¡± ¡°How is that possible!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be! He was so strong!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a conspiracy! Definitely a conspiracy!¡± Everyone inside the Starship stood up in outrage, unwilling and afraid to believe this fact. Nian Shutong watched the news, searched her memory, and recalled that Commander Yun He was a story of a civilian¡¯s successful rise through the ranks. Rumored to be a genius in spirit and physical ability, he rose through the ranks by fighting on the battlefield and became a Commander, embodying a god-like figure in the hearts of the common people. She didn¡¯t really feel anything, but at her ¡°weak¡± moments, she needed to blend in with the group. As for when she was strong, who cared about life and death. [Let¡¯s have a three-minute moment of silence for Commander Yun He¡­] Like everyone else, Nian Shutong carried out the moment of silence. Head down, eyes closed. How long is three minutes? All Nian Shutong knew was that she was getting sleepy, wanting to doze off. Fu Yunhe was gratified that so many people were mourning for him, even Nian Shutong, who always seemed to want to be a widow, was paying respects. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He turned his head to look at Nian Shutong. Huh? Was this woman¡­ asleep? Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Arrival Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Arrival [A moment of silence has concluded, let¡¯s firmly keep Commander Yun He in our hearts¡­] As these words appeared on the screen, Nian Shutong also opened her eyes, looking a bit dazed. The ceremony is over? She saw that the others had all taken their seats, so she simply settled herself down and continued to sleep. Fu Yunhe understood clearly that this woman had indeed fallen asleep, but despite the difficulty he was having breathing, he still said nothing. No strength, no courage to speak. He had considered contacting his old confidants, but even if he reached them, what then? He wouldn¡¯t live under someone else¡¯s protection, not to mention, it was still unclear who had plotted against him. The starship continued on its journey, and about fourteen hours later, Nian Shutong¡¯s destination arrived. She opened her eyes, stretched lazily, got up, and prepared to leave the starship. ¡°Cough cough¡­ don¡¯t forget me¡­¡± Nian Shutong paused her steps, reluctantly turned around, and dragged Fu Yunhe by his collar. Fu Yunhe, treated like a mop, felt no ripples in his heart; any way of travel was fine as long as he didn¡¯t have to walk himself. Unable to walk. Just seven short hours, but he was no longer the one who gritted his teeth and refused to fall. After the two disembarked from the starship, they rented a small, egg-shaped flying device, which cost five hundred Star Coins a month, causing Nian Shutong considerable pain. ¡°Aren¡¯t you rich?¡± Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong, who was in distress, and was quite puzzled. ¡°Do you want to ride?¡± A streak of light flashed in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes as she looked at Fu Yunhe leaning against the wall. ¡°Ride.¡± ¡°Alright, if you want to ride, that¡¯s fine.¡± Nian Shutong extended her arm again and opened her account, saying, ¡°Please transfer the amount, the deposit plus half of the flying fee, totaling seven hundred twenty-five Star Coins.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at Nian Shutong, wondering how one¡¯s face could be so thick? In the end, she effectively spent nothing and even earned two hundred fifty Star Coins, because Nian Shutong didn¡¯t pay any deposit at all. She had used Fu Yunhe¡¯s Star Network account as collateral, rented with his account, and now he had to pay extra. ¡°Are you getting in or not?¡± Nian Shutong urged, is it really that hard to make some money? ¡°Getting in!¡± Where else could he go if he didn¡¯t? It was clear she was setting a trap just for him. Fu Yunhe transferred seven hundred twenty-five Star Coins to Nian Shutong, who was quite satisfied with the transaction. She struggled to heave Fu Yunhe on board, internally cursing her own feeble body. It was bad enough that she couldn¡¯t cultivate, but her constitution was also miserably weak. The real question was, why could someone else with a weak constitution still look so beautiful? While she, despite her weakness, had this unsightly dark and homely appearance. Nian Shutong lamented, took her seat, but the flying device didn¡¯t move for a long time. ¡°Aren¡¯t we leaving?¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the unmoving Nian Shutong and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I can¡¯t drive.¡± Can¡¯t drive? Then why are you in the driver¡¯s seat? Inside, a tiny version of Fu Yunhe wanted to curse out loud; in his past life, he would¡¯ve kicked her already. However, the present Fu Yunhe asked softly, ¡°Shall I drive?¡± ¡°You know how?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s gaze was filled with doubt. ¡°Yes.¡± Naturally, Fu Yunhe could drive, there was no machinery he couldn¡¯t handle. Nian Shutong observed him for a while before finally switching seats with Fu Yunhe. Once they were both settled again, Fu Yunhe operated the vehicle with proficiency, punctuated by the occasional cough, and the flying device started moving. Forty minutes later, a blue-green planet came into both of their sights, stunningly beautiful. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived¡­ cough cough.¡± ¡°I see it, it¡¯s quite pretty, too.¡± Nian Shutong was very pleased with the color of the planet; after all, beautiful things were always a pleasure to the eye. ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± ¡°Gaia Planet, also known as Blue Star.¡± Nian Shutong nodded, satisfied with the name. ¡°Hey? What would happen if we tried to run now?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe and asked. ¡°We would become people with no identity, wandering upon battlefields, and given your and my strength, we would likely die within ten seconds.¡± Nian Shutong sighed deeply, ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s dead end either way, huh? Quite interesting.¡± For the first time, she truly faced the dilemma of choosing between two dead ends. ¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡± Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Heaven Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Heaven The Flying Device landed steadily on the protective cover above Gaia Star, indicating that the planet had a master, but the owner was temporarily absent. This planet was a pure Wasted Planet, without even indigenous inhabitants. Perhaps it really would depend on two people to propagate an entire planet? From her memories, Nian Shutong knew the former owner¡¯s Spiritual Imprint had been registered; she only needed to re-verify it with her spiritual power to become the Planet Master. But her spiritual power seemed different since her arrival. Could it still work? Nian Shutong glanced at Fu Yunhe next to her, no longer caring. If it didn¡¯t work, she could just kill the man next to her, and then no one would know about it. Or¡­ kill him first? No, interstellar people each had a Light Computer from birth, a device connected to the Star Network; if one died, it would be known immediately¡ªtrouble. Sitting in the pilot¡¯s seat, Fu Yunhe was very certain: this woman¡­ wanted to kill him. Though he might be sickly, he was all too familiar with ¡°murder.¡± As a man from the lower echelons, who had battled his way to the position of First Commander, this was the sentiment he was most familiar with. Thinking to here, Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t help but wonder who could deceive him, silently plotting against him. He set aside these thoughts for the moment and turned to Nian Shutong, saying: ¡°Just place your hand on the protective cover, and it will autonomously detect your spiritual power and bind to it.¡± ¡°Once bound, you will be the master of this planet. No one but yourself can undo it.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the very knowledgeable Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°You know a lot.¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­ Being sick for so long, just read a bit more.¡± That was the excuse Fu Yunhe gave himself, considering the two had never met before. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t speak; it was unclear whether she believed him or not. She stretched out one hand and slowly placed it on the protective cover; her other hand¡¯s fingertips gathered a bit of poison, aimed in Fu Yunhe¡¯s direction. Meanwhile, Fu Yunhe, beside her, had one hand on the Flying Device¡¯s control stick, ready to defend himself at any moment. The moment Nian Shutong¡¯s palm contacted the protective cover, her spiritual power automatically reached out and bound with a mysterious force. Just as it was about to finish, a streak of golden light followed her spiritual power and crept into Nian Shutong¡¯s Sea of Consciousness. Her rich combat experience allowed the Life-bound Magical Treasure in her Sea of Consciousness to immediately suppress the gold and steadily control it. Nian Shutong, looking at her temporarily safe Sea of Consciousness, disregarded it for the moment and said to Fu Yunhe next to her, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Fu Yunhe also saw that the protective cover in front of him was gradually being removed, indicating he was still safe for the moment. He hesitated for a moment but still started the Flying Device and descended; with his frail body, piloting the Flying Device and drifting through the cosmos would hasten his demise. The Flying Device descended rapidly, touching ground after about twenty minutes. The moment Nian Shutong stepped out of the door, her entire body¡¯s blood boiled, and the Life-bound Magical Treasure in her Sea of Consciousness spun in excitement. Poison! It was all poison! The small green forest in front of her, every tree, every plant, was emitting a dense poisonous gas. To Nian Shutong, these were all resources for her cultivation. Worth it! So worth it! She liked being the master of this planet. Living here to restore her former cultivation levels was just a matter of time. If she had known it would be like this, there was no point in wasting effort at the Nian Family, fussing over those two Little Poison Flowers. No one knew Nian Shutong¡¯s mood; on the other side, Fu Yunhe was almost crawling out of the Flying Device, and once he climbed down, he simply sat on the ground, unable to move further. Too tired. ¡°Cough, cough¡­ This place is full of radiation-affected, toxic plants. We need to buy a poison-proof house, or we won¡¯t survive more than two days.¡± Nian Shutong turned around to look at Fu Yunhe sitting on the ground, listening to him continue: ¡°You can¡¯t cultivate, my cultivation is as good as none, those who can¡¯t cultivate in such a toxic environment, every breath we take is harmful to our bodies.¡± Having listened to Fu Yunhe¡¯s explanation, Nian Shutong nodded in understanding, her expression showing genuine concern as she asked: ¡°So, are you going to die soon?¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Value Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Value ¡°Die?¡± Fu Yunhe twisted his body, propped himself up on the Flying Device, and stood. He took a few breaths, and after his breathing stabilized, he finally spoke. ¡°Nian Shutong, let¡¯s talk.¡± Nian Shutong raised an eyebrow and walked over to Fu Yunhe. ¡°Speak.¡± Fu Yunhe organized his thoughts since speaking too much was also tiring. ¡°I am of use. Alive, I am worth more than dead.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Nian Shutong sized up Fu Yunhe with her eyes. Although he was good-looking, other than being a decorative piece, he wasn¡¯t much use. ¡°Your value dead exceeds your value alive, and besides, even if I do nothing, you won¡¯t live much longer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will find you an excellent gravesite.¡± ¡°Do you prefer burial or to have your ashes scattered by the wind?¡± Nian Shutong, who had already begun to consider the method of disposing of the body, asked the soon-to-be corpse with utmost seriousness. One should at least let a person die comfortably. ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± Fu Yunhe felt discomfort in his chest, and a violent cough bent him over in agony. ¡°Cough cough¡ªcough cough¡ª¡± Nian Shutong stopped watching Fu Yunhe, turned, and walked away, intending to return once he was dead. ¡°Wait¡­I¡­have¡­money!¡± Money? Nian Shutong turned back with a smile on her face and said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Look at you, we¡¯re practically family, yet you¡¯re talking as if we¡¯re strangers.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve mentioned your money earlier.¡± Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong¡¯s familiar gesture, as for the third time, the same arm reached out in front of him. He understood, opening his Star Network and once again transferring 5,000 Star Coins to Nian Shutong¡¯s account. Upon receiving the transfer, Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t satisfied with the amount but became slightly gentler, even offering a decent service as she helped Fu Yunhe by holding his arm. ¡°Come on, walk carefully.¡± This was her cash cow. She hadn¡¯t revealed her spiritual power; the ¡°wealthy sickly one¡± could stay for now to be fleeced slowly. She¡¯d worry about the money running out later. Fu Yunhe, being supported, looked at his arm being held and thought about his account balance, calculating how many more times he could afford such support. Sigh¡­ It seemed he needed to find a way to make money. Mainly, Fu Yunhe felt that his future life would likely involve spending money on ¡°buying life.¡± Both were preoccupied with their own thoughts, yet both wore the most sincere smiles on their faces, as if the life-and-death discussion from moments ago had nothing to do with them. At this moment, they each gained a preliminary understanding of the other. He, wealthy and ailing, had nowhere to go. She, money-loving, thick-faced, harbored the coldest intentions of a woman¡¯s heart. ¡°Ah¡­ Sickly one¡­what¡¯s your name again?¡± Nian Shutong changed her tone and looked toward Fu Yunhe. ¡°Fu Yunhe.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nian Shutong nodded repeatedly. ¡°Xiao He¡­¡± Fu Yunhe, filled with confusion and shock, looked toward Nian Shutong. Xiao He? What kind of nonsense was that? Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t even looking at Fu Yunhe as she continued, ¡°Xiao He¡­ your body is really in bad shape. With all your money, why don¡¯t you treat yourself?¡± Could he say that he hadn¡¯t had the chance to seek treatment yet? ¡°Cough cough¡­congenital weakness, hard to treat.¡± Fu Yunhe was telling the truth; no matter how advanced genetic medicine became, it was predicated on having a good body to begin with¡ªit only worked to enhance and improve your own physique, not to transform you entirely. Hard to treat? It seemed the interstellar medical standard was rather mediocre. Nian Shutong supported Fu Yunhe for a while longer, arriving at a clearing backed by a mountain, with a small stream in front and a boundless forest beyond. ¡°Here will do.¡± ¡°We¡¯re¡­ cough cough¡­ staying here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nian Shutong released Fu Yunhe and found a flat rock to lie down upon. ¡°Rest early.¡± Rest? Where to rest? Outside in the open, as if he was eager to expedite his death? Fu Yunhe had indeed slept in the wild before, but that was back when he was the First Commander, and his own spiritual power could fend off external toxins. But his current body, if he slept out like this, he¡¯d be gone by midnight. He looked at Nian Shutong, who seemed truly prepared to rest, and finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy a temporary shelter and protective cover.¡± Nian Shutong, lying down, immediately opened her eyes and urged Fu Yunhe on, her mood brightening. ¡°Xiao He, hurry up and buy it. If you die soon, I¡¯ll have nowhere to live.¡± Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Buying Potatoes Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Buying Potatoes Fu Yunhe gained a new level of appreciation for Nian Shutong¡¯s thick-skinned nature. But, he still had to buy. Fu Yunhe looked down, opened the Star Network, which featured all sorts of virtual shops where one could sample food, drinks, and try on clothes¡ªall through the internet. Guaranteed so you can choose the products you like best and are most satisfied with. ¡°This one.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s sudden outburst startled Fu Yunhe into a jolt. While sitting on a stone, he leaned back and instinctively reached out to grab Nian Shutong beside him. But¡­ she dodged. ¡°Bang!¡± Fu Yunhe landed on his back with his legs pointing skyward, looking up at the pitch-black night sky in a rather awkward pose. This color¡­ matched Nian Shutong¡¯s heart¡­ perfectly. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± As Fu Yunhe continued to mentally complain, he couldn¡¯t help but cough. Nian Shutong walked around the stone, lightly stepped on the ground, and looking down at Fu Yunhe said, ¡°Buy the house, then die.¡± Lying on the ground, Fu Yunhe moved his legs and put them down, turned on his side, propped himself up on one hand, and sat up with the other. ¡°Which one do you like?¡± Fu Yunhe had no reaction to Nian Shutong¡¯s actions or words. He knew all too well that although Nian Shutong was now greedy for money, if he dared to propose any conditions, she would ¡°kill¡± him the first chance she got. Even though she was doubly useless, he was even more so. The smile on Nian Shutong¡¯s face became a bit more genuine. Good, she likes smart people. She crouched down, pointed to a small wooden house, and said, ¡°That one, good value for money.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the house Nian Shutong was pointing at¡ªa natural wood color, with a sloped roof and a double door in the center flanked by a window on each side. ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Yunhe placed the order proficiently, including a protective cover, totaling seventeen thousand star coins. After checkout, a red countdown immediately appeared on the screen. Forty-six minutes and counting down. Nian Shutong was a bit surprised by the speed but didn¡¯t say anything; she¡¯d study these interstellar matters herself later on. Moreover, in cultivation, it could be done even quicker with a Teleportation Talisman or a Transmission Array. After sorting out the major issue of sleeping accommodation, Nian Shutong¡¯s stomach suddenly cramped¡ªshe didn¡¯t realize at first she was ¡°hungry.¡± She had practiced fasting for countless years; even when she ate, it was only to satisfy cravings, not hunger. ¡°Ding! Host detected as hungry, releasing the first task: please plant one mu of potatoes.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong stepping away and asked. ¡°Just strolling.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t look back, striding towards the big forest. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t want to follow, and he didn¡¯t have the strength to. He leaned against a rock, his fingers busily operating something on the Star Network. In a moment, Fu Yunhe¡¯s Star Network interface looked somewhat different; the previously cheap-looking page seemed to have upgraded, becoming more classy and mysterious. ¡°Make do with this.¡± Fu Yunhe put away the Star Network and closed his eyes to rest. Nian Shutong, having crossed the river on large stones, reached the edge of the forest, where her Life-bound Magical Treasure in her Sea of Consciousness stirred restlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t rush; we need to transform this body before we can work.¡± Nian Shutong calmed her Lifebound Treasure Blade Daodao and asked the system. ¡°How do I plant potatoes?¡± ¡°Ding! Please buy the seeds for planting; there are rich rewards for completing each task!¡± ¡°What do I buy with?¡± ¡°Ding! The current currency is star coins. The price for potato seeds is one hundred star coins per jin (pound); one mu (acre) of land is 666.67 square meters, requiring two hundred jin (pounds) of potato seeds.¡± So that meant she needed twenty thousand star coins to buy potatoes to plant and complete the task. It¡¯s a bit expensive. But Nian Shutong didn¡¯t hesitate, working to earn cultivation was a trade worth doing¡ªeven if expensive, she still had to do it. She told the system to make the purchase, and twenty thousand star coins instantly disappeared from her account. Lucky she had scrounged that bit of money from the sickly one; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to complete the first task. ¡°Ding! As a reward for the first purchase, the host is awarded ten sprout-less potatoes that can be consumed.¡± Got food to eat? Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Baking Potatoes Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Baking Potatoes Nian Shutong felt a bit of a chuckle escape her, she had to get used to this hunger. Taking a few steps towards the direction of the forest, she used the cover of the trees to take out the system¡¯s potatoes. Each about the size of her two fists put together, there were ten in total, round and plump. She casually plucked a large leaf from a tree, placed the potatoes on it, and carried them back. ¡°Can these seeds withstand the attack of the toxins from outside?¡± Nian Shutong herself didn¡¯t fear the toxins because her cultivation actually needed them¡ªthe more toxic, the happier she was. However, for those who couldn¡¯t cultivate and the animals and plants, such an environment wasn¡¯t friendly, even deadly. Otherwise, the Nian Family wouldn¡¯t have otherwise insisted on an incompetent person with a sickly constitution to inherit a planet full of toxins; it was because they disdain to waste the Nian Family¡¯s cultivation resources on them. ¡°Ding! Host, please rest assured, our seeds have the ability to resist toxins, and the fruits produced from these seeds will not contain toxins. However, the fruits produced do not possess the seed¡¯s ability.¡± In other words, the system was the largest seed merchant; she could only buy seeds from it. That¡¯s fine, Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t very concerned about this. She continued to ask: ¡°How do you eat this?¡± ¡°Ding! Potatoes are a type of tuberous vegetable with a high yield; they can be steamed, boiled, baked, saut¨¦ed, stir-fried, or stewed.¡± There were quite a variety of cooking methods. Nian Shutong carried the potatoes back to a large rock, where she placed the leaf on the ground. She turned and snapped off a branch from a dead tree, carried it back, opened the Space Button, and took out a cylindrical flame-thrower. ¡°Hisss¡ª¡± With a sound, the flame spewed forth, and a pile of branches in front of her began to burn. Nian Shutong roughly tossed all ten potatoes into the fire, beginning to ¡°cook¡± them, half roasted, half burned. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ tasty.¡± Fu Yunhe shifted his position, sat opposite Nian Shutong, leaning against the large rock, and said it again. ¡°These gagas can be consumed, but after radiation, they are toxic. You can¡¯t cultivate, so you won¡¯t be able to expel the toxins on your own after eating them, which is very dangerous. You can drink nutrient liquid.¡± ¡°One bottle for you,¡± Nian Shutong indeed only had one bottle, but even if she had more, she wouldn¡¯t drink it. Fu Yunhe did show a moment of surprise, but it was fleeting. She wasn¡¯t that kind-hearted. ¡°I can buy some for us to settle down, and after resting for a few days, we can make further plans,¡± Fu Yunhe said, reaching to open the Star Network; Nian Shutong didn¡¯t stop him. She wouldn¡¯t drink it, but Fu Yunhe had to. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t hear Nian Shutong¡¯s objection and thought she had agreed; he began to navigate the purchase of nutrient liquid. Ten minutes later, a fragrant smell slowly drifted away. Nian Shutong¡¯s stomach was growling, and she only had one feeling: hunger. While opposite her, Fu Yunhe had his pupils shrink slightly, detecting a subtle change. That smell¡­ He didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but the scent made Fu Yunhe feel as if his breathing had become a bit easier. Maybe it was tiny, but his keen spiritual power still noticed this slight change. He watched Nian Shutong across him, poking out the gaga with a stick. What was this woman¡¯s background? Before he could ponder further, he saw Nian Shutong brazenly break open the blackened outer layer of the gaga, not minding the heat. That rich aroma in a blink of an eye, the creamy-yellow interior, made Fu Yunhe swallow a bit of saliva. Breathing seemed to be even smoother. Was this really toxic? At this moment, Fu Yunhe began to doubt. ¡°Ha¡ªha¡ªhuff huff¡ª¡± Nian Shutong blew on the steam, took a bite; it was soft, fluffy, and sticky. The taste was rather bland, not much flavor, but not unpleasant to eat. ¡°Hey? Do you have salt?¡± Nian Shutong felt it lacked a bit of flavor and asked Fu Yunhe. ¡°Ah¡­ no.¡± Entirely captivated by the gaga, Fu Yunhe took a deep breath and said, ¡°No.¡± He saw the ¡°what use are you¡± look in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes and immediately said, ¡°I can buy it.¡± ¡°By the time you buy it, I¡¯ll have finished eating,¡± Nian Shutong said as she finished one gaga. Watching her pick up another gaga, Fu Yunhe pretended to ask nonchalantly, ¡°This gaga tastes very peculiar.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Nian Shutong responded, mouth full of the hot potato, swallowing before saying, ¡°When we¡¯re about to die, why care about so much?¡± Fu Yunhe was speechless; there was no reasoning with this woman. Nian Shutong ate one after another; the ten potatoes were soon left with only the last four. Fu Yunhe was anxious to try one but didn¡¯t want to give Nian Shutong anything to hold over him, so he kept a calm facade. ¡°Beep beep beep¡ª-¡± There was a noise from above, the purchased goods had arrived. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Repair Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Repair Nian Shutong had already eaten enough, but she didn¡¯t want to waste anything. Although it was given for free, she did spend money on it. Based on the price of the seeds she was buying, the little money she had scraped together would soon be insufficient. Even though she wasn¡¯t very good at farming, she knew that the crops she planted needed time to mature. It seemed she would have to redouble her efforts and dig a bit deeper into her funds. At that moment, the delivery robot had already landed and was discussing with Fu Yunhe where to place the ¡°small wooden house.¡± Fu Yunhe asked Nian Shutong for her opinion and chose a flat area facing the forest. The robot took the small wooden house out of the Space Button. In the blink of an eye, its mechanical arm transformed into a screwdriver, and it circled the small wooden house, fixing it in place with a ¡°zzz¡± sound. After installing the small house, the robot took out a small box containing the nutrient liquid, salt, and a poison barrier that Fu Yunhe had purchased. After completing its task, the rectangular body of the robot revealed a screen, and a pleasant child-like voice rang out: ¡°If you are satisfied, please give a five-star rating!¡± Fu Yunhe raised his arm to press the five stars for a good rating, but he froze in place. The robot was silver-white, and Fu Yunhe stared at the seven-part clear reflection of a person on the robot¡¯s body. Who was he? It took a while for Fu Yunhe to recover. Was this his current self? He suddenly understood why Nian Shutong had said he was a woman. Thunderstruck! Astounding! Damn! He was a manly man. In his previous life, even if he wasn¡¯t particularly bulky, he was thoroughly masculine, with muscles and abs to show for it. But now, he had to live with such a pretty-boy face! To call it a pretty-boy face was actually a compliment! It was the kind of face he despised the most in his past life¡ªa beautiful girl¡¯s face. Nian Shutong, with her dark hand holding a potato, watched this scene with great interest and remarked, ¡°Are you stunned by your own beauty? That makes sense; who doesn¡¯t like looking at a beauty?¡± ¡°Do you like looking at it?¡± Fu Yunhe retorted without thinking and immediately received Nian Shutong¡¯s reply. ¡°If it¡¯s useful, I like it. If it¡¯s not¡­ heh.¡± Her ¡®heh¡¯ made her stance quite clear. Fu Yunhe closed his eyes and mentally prepared himself once, twice, three times. No big deal, no big deal. It¡¯s not easy to become more beautiful, but it¡¯s very simple to become uglier, very simple. He opened his eyes again, pressed a good rating, and the robot thanked him and left. Fu Yunhe turned to look at Nian Shutong, now envying Nian Shutong¡¯s appearance, which, installed on a man, didn¡¯t feel out of place at all. Fu Yunhe kept his thoughts to himself and spoke to Nian Shutong. ¡°That¡­ rest early.¡± He coughed and walked toward the small wooden house, controlling himself not to look at the ¡®tugada¡¯ in Nian Shutong¡¯s hands. He asked at the doorway, ¡°Which side of the room do you want?¡± Nian Shutong, holding the dark potato, casually pointed to the right and said, ¡°This one.¡± Fu Yunhe nodded, pushed the door open, and prepared to enter. Behind him, Nian Shutong, who had finished eating, asked, ¡°Do you want to buy a potato?¡± A potato? Wasn¡¯t it a tugada? Nevertheless, Fu Yunhe replied without any hesitation, ¡°No need.¡± His heart was bleeding, but he dared not reveal any flaws that might let Nian Shutong know he wanted that object. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t ask further, turned, and headed to the river¡¯s edge. She put the potato into the Space Button, washed her hands and face, and returned to sleep. ¡°I hope to still see you alive in the morning.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Nian Shutong closed the right room¡¯s door. Standing in front of the left room¡¯s door, Fu Yunhe gritted his teeth. Why didn¡¯t she ask again? You could have asked! If you asked, I would have bought it! He felt like beating his chest and stomping his feet, but looking disdainfully at his thin frame, he decided to save his energy. With a heart full of gloom, Fu Yunhe grudgingly returned to the left room. The small wooden house was very simply furnished, with a couch in the middle of the living room and nothing else. Each side had a room, each with a bed, and that was it. Back in her room, Nian Shutong finally had time to take the Repair Liquid provided by the system; she didn¡¯t want to wait another moment. She locked the doors and windows and began. She threw the Lifebound Repair Liquid to Daodao and drank the Physical Repair Liquid herself. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything¡­¡± Nian Shutong flopped onto the bed, waiting for the medicine to take effect. About a minute later, her bones and muscles began to change. Her original body was barely adequate for cultivation, but with this Repair Liquid, she could be transformed for optimal physical and cultivation states. Half an hour later, Nian Shutong got up, the effects of the medicine having worn off. It was indeed useful, but it still fell far short of her body in her previous life. It seemed she needed to keep doing tasks and earning more. But now¡­ she could begin cultivation. First, she checked her Lifebound Magical Artifact, Daodao, directing her consciousness toward the Sea of Consciousness. Damn! What is this? Daodao, originally a palm-sized blue dagger, now glowed with golden light and its handle had grown over a meter long. Though still very ethereal and not solidified, how had it changed so much? Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Heart of the Planet Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Heart of the Planet Nian Shutong first checked her Life-bound Contract¡ªit was still there and it was still her Daodao. ¡°Daodao, what happened?¡± ¡°Master! Master. I absorbed that clump of golden energy, it is the heart of this planet.¡± Golden energy? The planet¡¯s heart? ¡°Daodao, how do you feel now? Is there anything amiss?¡± ¡°Not only is there nothing amiss, but I also learned a lot. It carried all the memories of this planet, which I am slowly absorbing to make my own, and then relay back to you.¡± ¡°Good, as long as you are fine.¡± After confirming there was nothing wrong with Daodao, Nian Shutong assumed a meditation posture and began to cultivate. Familiar with the process of cultivation, she gradually operated it and began to absorb the toxins that were scattered around her. She was cultivating the Poison Scripture, absorbing outside toxins which, through a specific Cultivation Technique, were all converted into Spiritual Power, incrementally accumulating and transforming Nian Shutong¡¯s body. Every medicine has its poison, and poison contends with seven parts of medicine. Both complement and enhance each other. After a night of cultivation, Nian Shutong entered the Qi Cultivation Stage, though the transformation of this body was not yet perfect, and her cultivation wasn¡¯t very smooth. She¡¯d only just touched the first level. Combining her memories, those in the interstellar who cultivate physical ability and spiritual power are the ones capable of resisting external radiation without being eroded. In the entire interstellar, those who can¡¯t cultivate are considered oddities, because through generations of genetic optimization, aptitude can vary, but those who completely can¡¯t cultivate are indeed very rare. The original owner was that unable to cultivate oddity, which had caused her body to accumulate radiation toxins, turning her into a dreadfully dark figure. Interstellar physical ability cultivation starts from Level 7, the lowest, to Level 1, the highest, followed by S, SS, SSS levels, which are extremely rare. Spiritual power starts from G, the lowest, to A level, and still followed by S, SS, SSS levels, rarity being exceedingly singular. It¡¯s said that the deceased Commander Yun He was a genius who cultivated to SSS level. Nian Shutong did not estimate her current strength, she guessed that apart from the sickly neighbor, she couldn¡¯t beat anyone else. But the advantage of being skilled in poisons is that killing someone of a higher level is breezy. However, this place isn¡¯t the Cultivation World, although there is a war with the Insect Race, it only involves minor skirmishes. So, the overall environment is relatively peaceful, and naturally, she wouldn¡¯t do anything out of line. Low-profile strength, the ability to counterstrike at any moment, abundant money, living a farming retirement life wouldn¡¯t be bad either. Nian Shutong straightened out her thoughts, stood up, and decided to see how the wealthy person across was doing¡ªshe quite hoped he was still alive. Opening her door, she knocked on the door across. ¡°Xiao He? Are you still alive?¡± Inside the room, Fu Yunhe, lying on the bed, was managing his spiritual power. The name ¡°Xiao He¡± from Nian Shutong almost caused his spiritual power to collapse. Decades of battle experience lent him a strong control, allowing him to soothe his spiritual power and slowly open his eyes. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Fu Yunhe replied as loudly as he could to Nian Shutong outside. Hearing the response, the outside Nian Shutong simply walked away; as long as he was alive, it was fine. Inside, Fu Yunhe struggled to sit up; he needed to resolve this body¡¯s ¡°sickly constitution¡± as soon as possible, otherwise, he was bound to explode someday. His SSS-level spiritual power from his previous life had come with him, but the original owner¡¯s body was like a sieve, absolutely unable to contain his spiritual power, and currently, he dared not use any ounce of power. If he did use it, he would end up exploding and dying. He knew, in the past, his physical constitution was also cultivated to an SS level. But innate constitution issues are considered ¡°incurable diseases¡± in the interstellar. Fu Yunhe thought about Nian Shutong¡¯s potato from yesterday; could that thing really work? Thinking this, he first took several breaths to gather some strength, got out of bed, and left the house. Last night, he had activated the barrier, which currently effective within a thirty-meter diameter centered on the small wooden house. However, Fu Yunhe was a little perplexed, why did the completely useless Nian Shutong seem completely fine? At the very least, he was a sickly person who could still cultivate, albeit extremely slowly and used to repair and maintain his own innate constitution, so his cultivation was even worse than the non-cultivating Nian Shutong. One word¡ªuseless! At that moment, the outside Nian Shutong, who had found a thin stone, placed it on top of a ring of stones, beneath which flickered flames. ¡°Morning, want something to eat?¡± Nian Shutong called out as she turned her head. When Fu Yunhe saw her holding a knife in one hand and what seemed yesterday¡¯s leftover grub or maybe a potato, he directly asked, ¡°How much?¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Opening a Store Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Opening a Store Nian Shutong¡¯s smile instantly spread across her face as she calculated the price in her mind, one hundred Star Coins for a pound of potatoes, though she had no conception of how much a pound actually was. Just estimate one potato per pound, she thought, it¡¯s not her own money being spent anyway. ¡°Two hundred Star Coins per slice.¡± Nian Shutong was very satisfied with her pricing; one potato cut into five slices would then be one thousand Star Coins each. Only a tenfold increase? She really was too kind, but she did have plans for a long-term partnership. Two hundred Star Coins for a slice? Even without tasting it, and not knowing if it truly had healing effects. But¡­ compared to the nutrient liquid that cost one hundred thousand per bottle, Fu Yunhe thought this was cheap! Incredibly cheap! He realized that getting used to such abuse wasn¡¯t too bad. ¡°Okay,¡± Fu Yunhe said, accustomed to the process, he transferred one thousand Star Coins to Nian Shutong on the Star Network. Shouldn¡¯t he get five slices at least? Nian Shutong received the Star Coins and nodded in satisfaction, then took a potato and began to slice it. After slicing, Nian Shutong pushed the warmed slices over with her knife and started slicing for herself. Fu Yunhe took out his own pair of chopsticks and picked up a slice of potato, becoming more excited as it neared his mouth. Yet his face remained expressionless, the epitome of calm. The moment he put it in his mouth, Fu Yunhe¡¯s spiritual power surged like parched earth meeting long-awaited rain, ceaselessly drawing in the energy from the potato slice. His ruined body didn¡¯t even have a chance to absorb it before it was gone. Fu Yunhe soothed his spiritual power covertly, preventing it from snatching the food, allowing the second potato slice to be absorbed by his body. If he needed to gasp fifty times a minute before, this one slice of potato let him gasp forty-nine and a half times instead. It was truly effective¡ªhe had encountered something that could improve his inborn defects. This slice of potato settled Fu Yunhe¡¯s mind; he wasn¡¯t leaving. Definitely not leaving. Although Nian Shutong didn¡¯t know what had happened, she felt the energy flux from the sickly figure beside her. What did it mean? Were they about to fight? Should she strike first? ¡°The first time I ate this ¡®tu ga da¡¯¡­ I mean potato,¡± Fu Yunhe spoke up, explaining because he felt he had just come close to death. ¡°Uh-huh! What about the salt?¡± Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t sure whether to believe him, but decided to abandon her plans to kill him, for now. Fu Yunhe internally breathed a sigh of relief; life was indeed not easy. He took out the salt he bought yesterday and handed it to Nian Shutong. She took it and opened it. Clatter, clatter, clang. The nail-sized, dark yellow salt granules fell onto the stone slab, one even putting a dent in a potato slice. This was salt? Are you sure it¡¯s not a rock? Nian Shutong was inwardly repulsed, but she picked up a round stone nonetheless and smashed a grain of salt, reluctantly dipping and tasting. Astringent, slightly bitter, with a salty flavor, but the astringent taste seemed to dominate. On the second taste, Nian Shutong refrained from dipping into the salt; it was distasteful. It had marred her perfect potatoes. As the breakfast ended, Nian Shutong finished the leftover potatoes from yesterday. Not quite full, Nian Shutong pondered on ways to make money; robbing a sickly man wasn¡¯t a sustainable plan¡ªwho knew when he might be gone. ¡°Xiao He, what do you think I should do to earn money?¡± Fu Yunhe tried his best to overlook Nian Shutong¡¯s nickname for him and contemplated her question, not having the heart to dash her hopes. Nearly all professions were tied to spiritual power and Physical Ability cultivation, yet Shutong was deficient in both. He cautiously said, ¡°How about¡­ opening a shop on Star Network?¡± That didn¡¯t require any special abilities, just the ability to sell things. ¡°Open a shop?¡± Nian Shutong thought for a moment and realized it was indeed a good idea. She¡¯d have to sell the food she grew in exchange for money, use money to buy seeds, plant seeds for Cultivation Resources. A perfect cycle. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s open a shop.¡± Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Spending Money Again Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Spending Money Again Nian Shutong was decisive and straightforward, with a carefree demeanor. ¡°Come on, tell me how to open a store?¡± Nian Shutong called Fu Yunhe over, busily navigating her Star Network. ¡°Right now, you can only start with a Level 1 shop,¡± Fu Yunhe paused on the page for selecting shops and clicked on a starter store. On the screen, store number XW444444444 was successfully opened. Nian Shutong looked at the digits and, with her memory absorbed, knew how to pronounce the number. ¡°Nine fours, nine fours, four, four four¡­¡± Nian Shutong started to sound a bit off as she read, and wondered if the pronunciation was somewhat humorous? ¡°A catchy account name costs money,¡± Fu Yunhe said in one sentence, and Nian Shutong immediately waved her hand, saying very certainly, ¡°This one! Everyone dies in the end, it¡¯s easy to remember!¡± ¡°What do we do next?¡± Fu Yunhe continued operating on the Star Network¡¯s page, ¡°First thing, if you display goods, you¡¯ll need to pay a deposit of five hundred Star Coins, which will increase as the store level goes up.¡± ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s better to decorate your shop a bit, or else I¡¯m afraid no one will visit.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the drab store, pushed open the door, and saw a small space with just three shelves. Indeed, it was overly simplistic. She immediately decorated it a bit, changing the walls to a verdant green, the shelves to a natural wood color, and placing two flowerpots at the entrance. Even these minor amenities ended up costing her another one thousand Star Coins. She hadn¡¯t earned a penny yet but had already spent quite a bit. Since Nian Shutong temporarily had no goods, she closed the shop. Next, she needed to research farming. ¡°Oh! Right, if I want to sell things without letting others know it¡¯s me selling, what should I do?¡± Fu Yunhe understood Nian Shutong¡¯s approach well, as at least half the people on the Star Network had the same idea. ¡°On the Star Network, you can completely hide your identity, so you won¡¯t be discovered. However, if you¡¯re shipping goods, you¡¯ll need to buy a Black Hole Transmitter which will uniformly transport the items to a distribution center to be sent out.¡± ¡°Goods sent through the Black Hole Transmitter cannot be traced back to the seller¡¯s information.¡± Nian Shutong nodded again and again, finding it quite convenient, indeed a good accessory for shady deals. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°However, what?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe cleared his throat and said, ¡°The Black Hole Transmitter is a bit pricey, it costs one hundred thousand Star Coins.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes widened, one hundred thousand? ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s too expensive, you use the most common method: call a robot, they¡¯ll pick up the goods for free.¡± Nian Shutong temporarily ignored the rest of what Fu Yunhe said as she did the math. She had the Housekeeper¡¯s ten thousand, Fu Yunhe¡¯s one hundred thousand, seven hundred fifty, five thousand, plus Qing¡¯s one thousand. But she had spent twenty thousand buying seeds and another five hundred renting that egg-shaped Flying Device, plus one thousand to decorate the store, and would have to spend another five hundred when she put up goods for sale. The main thing was, she hadn¡¯t planted a single plot of land yet. If she bought this Black Hole Transmitter, she would end up owing five thousand six hundred and fifty Star Coins instead. Ancient ¡°poverty¡± is the hardest to cure? She hadn¡¯t even warmed up to it yet¡­ was this body destined to be without wealth? Nian Shutong thought about doing some fortune-telling, but her original body was an adopted orphan without an exact birth date. ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Nian Shutong was sure she would buy it. But first, she needed to farm and complete the task given by the system. She also needed to solve the problem of lunch and dinner, since that was now her only source of income. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong pull out a shovel from her Space Button, poised to cross the river with great vigor. ¡°Farm, make money.¡± Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Reclamation Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Reclamation Nian Shutong left without looking back, and Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t catch up even if he wanted to. Moreover, he didn¡¯t dare to chase after her, as he became weaker once he left the barrier, dying even faster. But still¡­ Farming for money? Is that reliable? Within the Interstellar Empire, there are indeed people who farm, but those are the top-tier families in the first district and the second district, as non-toxic plants are quite expensive. Or rather, anything related to ancient culture is very rare and precious after the cultural interruption. Of course, if you don¡¯t mind the radiation toxins, you can directly consume the toxic ones. After all, as long as you can cultivate spiritual power, you can expel the toxins from your body, though it will affect the speed of your cultivation. But Nian Shutong seemed not so simple, Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know her before, but just that one potato had greatly shocked him. He was curious and wanted to follow her and see. But after walking a few steps, he was tired, very tired, extremely tired. Fu Yunhe sat on a rock, desperately breathing, and after finally steadying, he opened the Star Network and bought himself a vehicle for transportation. After buying it, he looked at his account balance, which wasn¡¯t much. Although he had some wild income, it wasn¡¯t a lot. At that time, he didn¡¯t care much about money and generously gave the majority to his subordinates, and now, he¡­ wished he could beat up his past self. It seemed, the next step was to earn money first. After all, his connection with Nian Shutong mainly relied on him spending money. If he lost this ability to ¡°spend money,¡± it probably wouldn¡¯t be long before Nian Shutong expelled him. Fu Yunhe looked at the Star Network and skillfully opened the largest forum. There were all sorts of people asking for solutions. [Requesting a technical analysis report for SW719 Mecha. Urgent!] [High reward for papers on guiding spiritual power!] [Please! Looking for Mecha piloting skills!] Fu Yunhe randomly clicked on a topic that stated that a satisfactory answer could earn ten thousand Star Coins. He opened a blank document and began editing. Hard to believe that he, a one-time Commander, had fallen to this. Relying on writing assignments for students to make a living. Don¡¯t doubt it, ninety percent of the people on this forum are students, all seeking papers and problem solutions. Fu Yunhe was like a max-level boss, suddenly dropped into a newbie village, and for the sake of the small rewards there, he was desperately working. And on each response, he humbly left a line: please give a five-star rating! Bittersweet and somewhat comical. While Fu Yunhe was fully committed to earning money, on the other side, Nian Shutong had already dug up to her twenty-seventh shovel of soil. ¡°Beep! Soil testing unsuccessful, not suitable for planting potatoes.¡± Nian Shutong, carrying the shovel, continued walking. By the time she reached her forty-seventh dig, she finally heard a heavenly voice. ¡°Beep! Soil testing successful, the host can start farming.¡± ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Nian Shutong, sweating, sat down on the ground and, with an eager-to-learn spirit, asked, ¡°How do I plant potatoes?¡± ¡°Beep! Planting knowledge sent, please check, host.¡± Nian Shutong silently checked, and her mind acquired some knowledge on planting potatoes. ¡°So, I need to start by breaking new ground.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the land in front of her, surrounded by trees that were ten to twenty meters tall, with countless leaves and stones on the ground. And she, all by herself, had to clear an acre of land to plant potatoes. ¡°So, farming isn¡¯t easy after all¡­¡± Nian Shutong let out a sigh and got to work without delay. Morning or evening, it was all the same; she preferred to get busy first and enjoy later. Packing away the system¡¯s small shovel, Nian Shutong started with moving the stones. She piled all the stones together, maybe they would be useful later. It was almost noon, and Nian Shutong was already hungry. She had stopped moving stones and began walking further inside to see if there was anything she could eat. It would be best not to spend money, if possible. While walking, she stumbled upon a bunch of green stalks, over two meters tall, with slender leaves. Several items resembling rods jutted out from the stalk. ¡°Beep! New farmland plant detected, corn.¡± Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Cooking Corn Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Cooking Corn ¡°Corn? Is it edible?¡± This was Nian Shutong¡¯s most pressing concern at the moment. ¡°Ding! The corn is edible, but the corn found by the host is poisonous.¡± Poisonous? No worries, as long as it¡¯s edible. Nian Shutong stretched out a hand and laid it on the corn stalk. If anyone could see it, they would notice that a continuous stream of impurities, the toxins, were being absorbed and filtered by Nian Shutong. Eventually, a droplet the size of a tenth of a grain of rice formed and fell into her Dantian, without causing even a ripple. Nian Shutong repeated the process with ten corn stalks and then asked, ¡°Is it edible now?¡± ¡°Ding! The current corn is edible, though the taste is somewhat poor. Please check the food preparation guide.¡± What a thoughtful little system. After checking the guide, Nian Shutong found that the simplest methods were boiling in water or roasting over a fire. If she roasted potatoes yesterday, then today she might as well try boiling corn. In the interstellar space, only animals, plants, and non-Cultivation humans are affected by radiation. Other things, like water, rocks, minerals, etc., are unaffected. Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t help but think of the saying, ¡°The Great Dao produces the fifty, but the heavens manifest forty-nine; the one that escapes is the variable.¡± This also counted as a survival space left for humans. Nian Shutong shook off the thought from her mind, bundled up the corn stalks, and dragged them back to the small wooden house. At this moment, Fu Yunhe in the small wooden house had just finished writing a short paper and received his reward. He didn¡¯t write a second one, mainly because his body couldn¡¯t take it. The scooter he bought, along with two lounge chairs, had already been delivered by robots. Now, he was lying in front of the small wooden house, taking a little rest. When Nian Shutong returned, she saw this scene. Quite the enjoyment. ¡°Xiao He, want some corn?¡± One ¡°Xiao He¡± made Fu Yunhe wordlessly open his eyes. He saw Nian Shutong dump a bundle of unrecognizable plants on the ground. ¡°This is edible?¡± Fu Yunhe got up, walked down, and crouched on the ground. A check with spiritual power confirmed there were no toxins. Could there really be nontoxic plants here? That shouldn¡¯t be the case, yet living evidence was right before his eyes. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t fret over it; he plucked a long blade-like leaf and popped it into his mouth. ¡°Ptui! You¡¯re going to eat this?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe, noting his disdain and disbelief, and then glanced at the leaf left in his hand. Could this man have eaten himself into a ¡°sickly state¡±? Why didn¡¯t he think before eating anything? At least she knew to ask before taking action. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t answer but instead groped around for a pot; unfortunately, none was to be found, and stones were too slow. ¡°Hey, Xiao He, buy a pot and I¡¯ll make you something good to eat.¡± ¡°What¡¯s to eat?¡± Fu Yunhe shook the leaf in his hand. It wasn¡¯t his fault he ate a leaf. There was a severe disconnection with cultural knowledge in interstellar society, with very few edible plant varieties, and he didn¡¯t recognize corn at all. ¡°Eat this! Who told you to eat leaves?¡± Nian Shutong broke off an ear of corn and threw it at Fu Yunhe¡¯s feet. Now, Fu Yunhe realized he had been eating the wrong part. Curious, he promptly bought pots, pans, and the whole kit. Delivery was even faster this time; the items arrived in less than half an hour. Finally, Nian Shutong could start boiling the corn. She followed the system¡¯s method, leaving a thin layer of husk on the corn, tossed it into the water, and started cooking. At first, neither of them felt anything special. But as time passed, a unique fragrance wafted into their noses. Already starving, Nian Shutong simply squatted by the pot, waiting for the time to pass. Fu Yunhe initially held back, but later the scent became too tantalizing, and he slowly edged closer. One was a former Poison Immortal, who for many years had not partaken in the food of the mortal world; The other, an Empire¡¯s First Commander, who had spent nearly a century on battlefields with no time for mortal delicacies; For such two individuals who had once commanded the wind and clouds, their greatest wish at this moment was: Hurry up and cook! Hurry up and cook! Hurry up and cook! Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Selling Corn Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Selling Corn Nian Shutong stared intently at the pot, pressing a hand to her stomach and said, ¡°Being anxious is useless, you have to cook it for the right amount of time.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Fu Yunhe, who had already shifted from squatting to sitting, couldn¡¯t help but ask. Nian Shutong, whose attention had been fixed on the corn, turned away with a smile brimming on her face to look at Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe¡¯s radar instantly went online, and he took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯ve bought a pot.¡± In other words, the money had already been paid. ¡°One corn for one pot.¡± Nian Shutong extended her arm that was asking for money, shaking it as she said, ¡°Eating one is also okay.¡± Just as she was about to retract her arm, Fu Yunhe spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll buy.¡± Fu Yunhe opened the Star Network with a familiar sense of bitterness and asked, ¡°How much?¡± Nian Shutong treated this question with the utmost seriousness. She gestured and said, ¡°This corn is much bigger than a potato, but it¡¯s a different variety, so I¡¯ll still charge one thousand star coins each! Can¡¯t always let you suffer a loss.¡± Suffer a loss? Fu Yunhe felt like it was his destiny to be taken advantage of, so without struggling he simply paid five thousand star coins for five pieces. While the two were operating, Nian Shutong¡¯s set timer sounded. ¡°You can eat now.¡± Nian Shutong quickly returned to the pot, lifted the lid, and holding a large spoon, began to scoop out the corn. Both of them, not minding the heat, each took an ear, with Fu Yunhe watching Nian Shutong, trying to learn how to eat, as he didn¡¯t know. Nian Shutong peeled back the husk, munching on the corn kernels within. The fresh aroma of the corn, the kernels plump yet tender, burst apart with each bite. An even sweeter flavor filled his mouth. Nian Shutong just kept on taking big bites of the corn, delicious and also scorching hot. Fu Yunhe, on the other hand, delicately peeled the husk and took a small bite, very civilized. But after just one taste, the speed at which he ate the corn quickened, and his mouth opened wider and wider. To hell with being civilized! This corn was unbelievably delicious! Comparable to the feast at a celebration banquet. Keep in mind, that¡¯s food prepared by top chefs for the Royal Family who, even though they¡¯re royalty, can¡¯t eat such meals every day; sometimes they also have to drink nutrient liquid. But now, the corn he ate was not losing out to those carefully prepared gourmet dishes. The purest flavor of the corn conquered them both. Fu Yunhe wasn¡¯t in good health, but he didn¡¯t leave a single kernel of the six ears he had, even wanting to nibble on the cob. Nian Shutong went on to munch through more than a dozen, finally sitting down contentedly. ¡°Hey? Xiao He, do you think it would be a good idea to sell this corn in my shop?¡± Fu Yunhe, pondering why the corn didn¡¯t have any healing effects, turned to look at Nian Shutong. ¡°It should sell well, it tastes good.¡± ¡°How much for one?¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t understand much about market prices, most of the original host¡¯s memories involved being alone in the room browsing the Star Network, chasing stars or something, not looking at anything practical. Fu Yunhe pondered for a moment, this thing really wasn¡¯t easy to price. After all, such gourmet products are very expensive. ¡°If your shop sets it too high, no one will buy it. Set too low, it seems mismatched with the flavor of the corn.¡± Nian Shutong nodded in understanding and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, there¡¯s plenty. Let¡¯s list a few and see, set it at one hundred star coins each.¡± ¡°One hundred?¡± He had paid a thousand star coins each, that¡¯s quite a difference! Nian Shutong also realized this and comfortingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, from now on you can buy at the market price.¡± Fu Yunhe was speechless, as if he had to thank her. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Robots Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Robots Shutong Nian didn¡¯t care about Fu Yunhe¡¯s feelings at all. After having her fill, she shouldered her iron shovel and continued to clear the wilderness. Curious, Fu Yunhe followed in his own purchased vehicle. The vehicle was small, with a tiny seat that Fu Yunhe sat on. It had an energy shield on top, capable of shielding toxins for a short period. Beneath were two mechanical legs, operating like those of a praying mantis, dodging obstacles to ensure a smooth ride for the passenger. When the pair arrived at the intended land to be reclaimed, Fu Yunhe saw Shutong Nian first pulling weeds with her bare hands, and after tidying a patch, she took up her little iron shovel to turn the soil. After about three hours, Shutong Nian finally cleared a piece of land five meters square, casually wiping the sweat from her forehead, breathing heavily with fatigue. Fu Yunhe drove up close and steadied the vehicle beside Shutong Nian. ¡°Shutong Nian, why are you doing this yourself?¡± Wiping her sweat, Shutong Nian turned her head, looking disdainfully at Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Do you think you can do it?¡± ¡°Of course I can¡¯t, but you could buy a robot. They can work twenty-four hours without stopping.¡± Twenty-four hours? Without stopping? Shutong Nian stared intently at Fu Yunhe and asked, ¡°How much?¡± Thinking of Shutong Nian¡¯s love for money and her eagerness to earn, he responded, ¡°The cheap ones are a few thousand Star Coins, and you can even buy a second-hand one for a few hundred Star Coins.¡± Hearing the prices, Shutong Nian found them really affordable, but her poverty was the problem! She did think about selling corn to make money, but she hadn¡¯t bought a Black Hole Transmitter and couldn¡¯t ship the goods. She hesitated for a moment and then told Fu Yunhe, ¡°Pick a second-hand one for me. Deduct the money from your dinner.¡± Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t refuse and, in front of Shutong Nian, accessed the Star Network, found a forum, and searched for a robot capable of working. Eventually, he bought a second-hand, or rather, multi-hand robot for three hundred and seventy Star Coins. ¡°All set, it will be delivered shortly.¡± ¡°Thanks, Xiao He, I didn¡¯t realize you were actually useful. You go on ahead and wait.¡± After speaking, Shutong Nian turned and continued to clear the land. Taking one step is better than none, just like cultivation, you regress if you do not advance. Fu Yunhe was now able to completely ignore Shutong Nian¡¯s words as he drove the vehicle toward the small wooden house. After Fu Yunhe had left, Shutong Nian took out a potato from the system and a small knife. Following the planting instructions, she sliced off the eyes of the potato, dipped them in a powder given by the system, and began planting. The newly cleared plot was quickly planted, and Shutong Nian didn¡¯t do more than necessary. Instead, she went to the cornfield to prepare to bring back some corn. For now, it was their staple food. When Shutong Nian returned with a bundle of cornstalks, she saw Fu Yunhe fixing a metallic skeleton. ¡°Is this the robot you bought?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Fu Yunhe felt a bit embarrassed; he had been duped. This wasn¡¯t a working robot at all. Who knew where the seller had dug up this ancient relic? It was a model that had been phased out decades ago. Shutong Nian didn¡¯t understand these things very well, she looked at the dirt-gold skeleton in front of her. Why would a robot¡¯s body contain so many toxins? ¡°Let¡¯s keep it for now,¡± said Shutong Nian with some interest, deciding to keep it. She began to start a fire and continued cooking corn. Seeing that Shutong Nian didn¡¯t mind, Fu Yunhe decided to leave it be. In the evening, the two of them still had boiled corn for dinner. Afterward, Shutong Nian scraped out two black corn cobs from under the pot. Holding one, she asked Fu Yunhe, ¡°Want one?¡± ¡°How much?¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Borrowing Money Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Borrowing Money Fu Yunhe naturally asked, and Nian Shutong answered unexpectedly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about money, talking about money makes us strangers.¡± Nian Shutong first peeled the charred husk of the corn, which tasted completely different from boiled corn, making Fu Yunhe realize she was preparing a big move. However, he definitely wasn¡¯t going to leave now, so he might as well eat first. Fu Yunhe took the corn, broke off a kernel, and popped it into his mouth, the more he chewed, the tastier it got, and after a few kernels, he said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Nian Shutong put on her most amiable smile and began speaking softly. ¡°I want to advance some of your meal allowance.¡± Advance? Meal allowance? That just meant borrowing money. Fu Yunhe looked at Nian Shutong, who made borrowing money sound so elegant and fresh, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire her. Still, the loan had to be made. ¡°How much are you advancing?¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s straightforwardness pleased Nian Shutong. She raised a finger and said, ¡°Ten thousand Star Coins.¡± Fu Yunhe, who had some knowledge of Nian Shutong¡¯s finances, readily agreed. ¡°That¡¯s fine, are you buying a Black Hole Transmitter?¡± ¡°Yes! If I don¡¯t buy it, I¡¯ll never make any money. Let¡¯s buy it first and talk later.¡± After Nian Shutong finished speaking, she opened her Star Network account and said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Can you help me buy it?¡± She was still a bit slow to accept this kind of technology. ¡°Sure.¡± Nian Shutong transferred the money for the Black Hole Transmitter to Fu Yunhe, along with the just advanced ten thousand Star Coins, leaving her with just over four thousand Star Coins. But that didn¡¯t include the ten thousand she had advanced from Fu Yunhe, so in reality, she was now in debt for over six thousand. Life is tough! This might be the poorest she¡¯s ever been. Fu Yunhe placed the order, a standard price of one hundred thousand Star Coins, firm. Watching his account balance dwindle, Fu Yunhe felt a strong sense of urgency. He had to start making money fast; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with Nian Shutong¡¯s spending rate. Now that the shipping issue was settled, Nian Shutong thought about her own plans. Sell corn, make some money, plant potatoes, sell more, buy seeds, and farm again. Round and round, she was finally ready to really start. One of the many benefits of interstellar is definitely speed. Forty minutes later, the Black Hole Transmitter Nian Shutong purchased was delivered. A small black box, twenty centimeters square, with two buttons on it, green for on and red for off, very simple to operate. After giving a five-star review, Nian Shutong prepared her boiled corn on the Light Computer holographic projection and put it up for sale. Each shelf displayed ten virtual corns, trying to reproduce the corn¡¯s shape and taste exactly. Nian Shutong even raised the price on each shelf, fifteen hundred Star Coins, with a total of fifteen shelves. Now, all she had to do was wait for orders. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong bustling around and didn¡¯t have the heart to dampen her spirits. Though they say a fine wine needs no bush, if your alley is a hundred thousand miles deep, that might not hold true. Everything all set, they each returned to their rooms, one to comb through spiritual power, the other to prepare for Cultivation. Just as Nian Shutong was getting ready, she heard Daodao¡¯s call. ¡°Master! Master! I¡¯ve made a great discovery!¡± Nian Shutong sat up from her Cultivation posture and communicated with Daodao via Divine Sense. ¡°What great discovery?¡± ¡°Master! This planet is actually the same one from our Cultivation World!¡± ¡°What?¡± Nian Shutong was unmistakably shocked. How could that be possible? ¡°Really, Master, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s been a long time. Our era of Cultivation gradually disappeared, akin to their ancient times! After several hundred million years, they moved to a phase of men farming and women weaving, then to technology, apocalypse, and now to this era of interstellar, spanning several hundred million years again.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t the heart of this planet be a treasure?¡± Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Make Big Money Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Make Big Money Nian Shutong¡¯s focus immediately shifted to what was most important to her. ¡°Yes, Master. The heart of this planet can help us purify and absorb energy, and it also accelerates Cultivation.¡± ¡°Hmm, anything else?¡± While it was already impressive, Nian Shutong felt that there must be more to make Daodao so excited. ¡°There is! Master, as long as we awaken the most prosperous era of this planet, the planet itself is a treasure.¡± The most prosperous? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the most prosperous time be during our Cultivation?¡± Nian Shutong really wondered if there could be anything more impressive than Cultivation. ¡°No, Master. The most prosperous era of this planet was known as Earth, with the largest population, a plethora of interesting inventions, and over five thousand years of cultural heritage and culinary delights.¡± Nian Shutong laughed, finding it rare to see Daodao so excited. Was it enticed? ¡°Do you like that era?¡± ¡°Master! You will like it too. It¡¯s very different from our cold, sparsely populated Cultivation World, especially interesting. I can send some clips to you, Master.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nian Shutong slowly watched the scenes sent by Daodao, the bustling crowds, tables full of food, fiery red firecrackers, golden lion dances¡­ And those mountains and rivers, crisscrossing. The changes of the eras, the meeting of beautiful views. It had to be said, it truly was a world more interesting than Cultivation, the world that emerged after the Cultivation World had vanished. ¡°Not bad, not bad, very interesting.¡± Besides Cultivation and fighting, there wasn¡¯t much else to do in their world of Cultivation. ¡°Master, there¡¯s one more most, most important thing.¡± ¡°Hmm! What?¡± Nian Shutong too was curious. There¡¯s more? Daodao spun around excitedly and said, ¡°Master, I checked the Star Network on your Light Computer, and I found that there are many cultural aspects and foods that have been lost, like the salt you eat, Master.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve integrated with that heart, we now have a complete method of producing salt, and we can make better salt and earn money! Earn lots of money!¡± Earn lots of money! She liked that. Nian Shutong slapped the bed frame forcefully and shouted: ¡°Good!¡± She and Daodao excitedly discussed it, but on the other side, Fu Yunhe was so scared that his spiritual power went haywire. He nearly collapsed. He opened his eyes and stared at his door for a long, long time, but in the end, didn¡¯t dare to go over. He let out a sigh, ¡°This miserable body, it¡¯d be better to focus on making money.¡± With that thought, Fu Yunhe stopped regulating his energy, since his body couldn¡¯t hold it anyway. He logged onto the Star Network and found some small sites to earn money by answering questions. In the small wooden house, one person was earnestly making money, while the other was even more diligently practicing Cultivation. If they really wanted to break through the monopoly of the upper class, goods were one thing, but Nian Shutong would also need to have a strong force to support herself. Since ancient times, a powerful military force has always been the greatest confidence of a country, even a planet. Meanwhile, across several star systems, the senior bargain hunter Liu Cheng was wandering on the Star Network. On the interstellar Star Network, people can be holoprojected to stroll through the net, and if they like something, they can pay a small amount of Star Coins or try it out for free ¨C virtual tasting, trying on clothes, and other experiments. If they liked it, they could pay to buy the actual item. If not, they could just dust off their bottoms and leave. Liu Cheng¡¯s favorite thing was to explore new shops. His holoprojected self was in a remote little shop on the Star Network, hopping from store to store. ¡°Pah! This must be pulled weeds! To think this is for sale! Negative review.¡± After leaving a negative review, Liu Cheng continued on his way. ¡°Ah? Disgusting.¡± ¡°Pfft pfft pfft¡ªwhat is all this stuff?¡± After visiting several shops in succession and not finding anything of interest, Liu Cheng loved the thrill of discovering a unique shop with surprises, but it seemed there was no chance of that today. He was about to log out of the Star Network, but just as his finger was about to press the exit button, a fragrance he¡¯d never smelled before wafted over. Liu Cheng of the Star Network sniffed hard and spun around on the spot to pinpoint the direction, then he headed toward the northwest corner. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Monopolizing Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Monopolizing Liu Cheng, in the real world, had his five senses shared at one hundred percent, and his sense of smell was always the strongest. Following the strange, somewhat intoxicating scent, Liu Cheng walked for about three or four minutes. Finally, he arrived in front of Nian Shutong¡¯s shop. ¡°Shop number 444444444,¡± Liu Cheng nodded and said, ¡°I have to say, it¡¯s pretty easy to remember.¡± He pushed the door open and went in. The shelves above were filled with items he had never seen before, and the smell was wafting from here. As he stood inside the small shop, the distinct aroma of boiled corn wrapped around him. Liu Cheng first read the description: consuming the little grains on top, also called corn kernels. After he got the idea, he paid one Star Coin to virtually try it. Liu Cheng on the Star Network picked up an ear of corn, brought it to his mouth, opened his upper and lower jaws, and took a bite. As he chewed, Liu Cheng¡¯s pupils dilated, his lips sped up the chewing, and the tip of his tongue precisely captured the unique fragrance of the corn. One bite, then two, he ate faster and faster. In no time at all, he had finished sampling the cob of corn. ¡°Oh my God! What is this? This flavor¡ªsweet in some bites, mostly savory, and some tastes that are beyond the reach of anyone else.¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s eyes were shining as he looked at the corn cob on sale for only 1,500 Star Coins, and he had only one thought in his mind. Buy! Definitely buy! Buy it right now, immediately! Liu Cheng in reality immediately placed an order, and when choosing the quantity, he directly opted to buy the entire batch. One should know, even at one hundred percent virtual reality, the taste experienced wouldn¡¯t be one hundred percent the same as the real flavor. Moreover, such delicious food naturally had to be bought into reality to fully enjoy. When the transaction displayed as complete, Liu Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, no one else knew. Liu Cheng in reality, in his own room, laughed indulgently. Good stuff must, of course, first satisfy oneself. As the transaction was just completed on one side, the other side¡¯s Nian Shutong received a notification. Nian Shutong, who had extracted herself from cultivation, saw that someone had bought all of her corn, 22,500 Star Coins, and she just had to ship it out and then wait for it to hit her account. Nian Shutong absolutely rose with the fastest speed, took out the Black Hole Transmitter, and also took out the corn stored in the Space Button. ¡°Hmm¡­ what should I use to pack them in?¡± Nian Shutong, looking at the corn scattered on the ground, knew buying boxes was out of the question. She was a person of thrift and frugality. Nian Shutong opened her door, went out to find an extra-large concave stone, and with her somewhat meager Spiritual Power, she fashioned a deeper stone trough. ¡°Not bad, saves money.¡± Nian Shutong returned inside, collected the corn, and put it into the trough, it was a bit of a squeeze, but it just barely fit. She then found a flat stone to cover it, tied the two stones together with a rope, set up the Black Hole Transmitter, input the address, and the recipient. Ship it. ¡°Whiz¡ª¡± A creatively packaged box appeared in the parcel distribution center. Nian Shutong watched her big stone box vanish into the black hole and, satisfied, returned to her cabin to continue her cultivation. Tomorrow morning she¡¯d go get more corn and keep selling. She had finally seen some money! The going back and forth wasn¡¯t quiet, and Fu Yunhe, who was focused on earning money, heard it too, but he didn¡¯t come out to check. Besides, even if he did come out, Nian Shutong might not tell him, so it wasn¡¯t worth making a fool of himself. About an hour later, Liu Cheng, who kept pacing back and forth in his living room, kept stretching his neck and peering out the window. ¡°Beep beep¡ª¡± It¡¯s arrived! Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Stakeout Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Stakeout Liu Cheng exerted his B-grade physical ability to the limit, and his Second-level spiritual power also reached out to check outside the door. When he appeared at the doorstep, he immediately braked hard, his body leaning forward, his arms excitedly hugging the robot. ¡°Liu Cheng¡¯s package?¡± ¡°Distinguished guest, please control your emotions. We do not provide other services. Please verify your identity.¡± The robot¡¯s monotone response caused Liu Cheng to hurriedly retract his arms and unfold his Light Computer to verify his identity. ¡°Beep! Identity verification successful. Please check your package, Mr. Liu Cheng.¡± The robot stepped back a few paces and, with a wave of its hand, the big rock was placed on the ground. Liu Cheng first blinked his eyes, struggling to glimpse ¡°corn¡± through the cracks. He then put the big rock into his Space Button, gave a positive review to the robot, and hurried upstairs. Returning to his room, Liu Cheng pressed a sequence of buttons to activate the barrier. The barrier is something interstellar humans use when they do not want to be disturbed during cultivation. However, at this moment, it became Liu Cheng¡¯s perfect cheating method for sneaking a snack. He couldn¡¯t wait to lift the rock lid on top, and the unique aroma of corn intoxicated Liu Cheng as he reached out to take an ear of corn that was still slightly warm. ¡°Ah¡ªthis is the feeling.¡± Liu Cheng devoutly placed it in his mouth. At this moment, he didn¡¯t want to say anything else. Delicious. Super delicious. Liu Cheng sat alone on the floor, eating twelve ears of corn. He kept eating until he could eat no more and then gave up. Nevertheless, Liu Cheng organized his Space Button and found an insulated box inside, loading the remaining corn into it to ensure it would taste the same the next time he ate it. Having eaten his fill, Liu Cheng finally had time to think. Such delicious food, sold so cheaply, must be because it¡¯s a new store. Moreover, he suspected it was surely the handiwork of some top-clan family member practicing their culinary skills. Only they could afford to distribute delicious food so generously throughout the entire interstellar region. Liu Cheng had bookmarked the store, determined to buy out all their stock before anyone else discovered the shop. ¡°Nine fours, that¡¯s easy to remember.¡± Satisfied, Liu Cheng went to sleep, leaving matters of cultivation for tomorrow. The next day, Nian Shutong replaced her sleep with a night of cultivation and woke up on time, brimming with energy. Without great strength, she simply could not sleep. Nian Shutong woke up early, carried her small spade, and headed out. When she reached the potato field, she first took out a second-hand robot she had acquired. This robot, according to Fu Yunhe, was nothing but a metal frame and completely unusable. ¡°I¡¯ve spent money on this¡­ it better work.¡± Nian Shutong stretched out her hand over the robot, running her cultivation technique. From the robot¡¯s ancient golden skeleton, an endless stream of toxins was absorbed by Nian Shutong, filtered, refined, and transformed into spiritual power gathering in her Dantian. Nian Shutong had thought there wouldn¡¯t be much toxin, but now the robot was continuously supplying it. Her cultivation at the Qi Cultivation First Layer, which had just stabilized, gradually increased and was on the verge of breaking through to the Second Layer. As for the robot, originally earth-gold in color, its outer shell began to peel off, revealing the dazzling golden color underneath. ¡°Not bad at all¡­¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t want to end up with a robot she worked hard on just to have it run off, so without caring about its functionality, she attempted to directly form a Divine Sense contract. ¡°Crack¡ª¡± The barrier broke. Qi Cultivation Second Level, achieved. The contract was made¡­ or perhaps not, it was uncertain. ¡°Mechanical Clan, Rubble.¡± Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Rubble Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Rubble Nian Shutong withdrew her hand and looked at the robot in front of her, who was over two meters tall and glittering with golden color. She thought¡­ it looked very much like a skull. ¡°Do you go by Rubble?¡± ¡°Hello, Rubble¡¯s full name is Vasily Azimovich Shalibadra.¡± Listening to this name, which was more of a tongue twister than a cultivation method mnemonic, Nian Shutong decided to ignore it and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just stick with Rubble.¡± ¡°Rubble, what can you do?¡± ¡°Hello, Rubble is proficient in physics, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, mechanics¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Nian Shutong, not understanding any of these subjects, simply called a halt and asked, ¡°Can you farm?¡± Rubble, the skull, with its deep eye sockets, the eyes inside turning slightly, replied forcefully, ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Rubble with an unclear expression. Rubble tilted its head slightly, not quite understanding Nian Shutong¡¯s gaze. But the Mechanical Clan¡¯s nature led him to ask, ¡°Are you staring at Rubble because Rubble is too good-looking? However, Rubble cannot have feelings with humans, especially the ugly ones. Please restrain yourself.¡± Restrain? Nian Shutong felt that she really needed to restrain her urge to punch someone. Also, who wanted to have feelings with you? She felt that compared to Rubble, she was not ugly at all. Okay, maybe she was a little ugly, but once she reached a certain level of cultivation, she was sure to undergo a transformation! Nian Shutong gave Rubble an even more unfriendly look, but before she could speak, Rubble spoke again. ¡°There¡¯s a glint in your eyes, after Rubble¡¯s analysis, it might be glaucoma or another eye disease. Please seek treatment immediately to avoid blindness.¡± Nian Shutong completely ignored what Rubble had said, deciding to first see what it could do¡­ Hehehe! ¡°Rubble, what do you mean by Mechanical Clan?¡± ¡°Hello, we are part of a High-class Race, possessing our own technological civilization, but we have difficulties in reproduction, severely lacking in population.¡± Difficulties? Nian Shutong thought it might be because you¡¯re too verbally venomous, getting wiped out is also a possibility. ¡°Alright, now you listen to me, got a problem with that?¡± Rubble, the skull head gently rotating melodically, replied, ¡°If what you ask me to do is wrong, should Rubble still do it?¡± ¡°Not should, but absolutely must. Was I the one who saved you? What do you think?¡± Nian Shutong sounded like a bad woman coaxing a child, persuasively sweet. Rubble nodded its head up and down, looking at Nian Shutong, ¡°Alright, the Mechanical Clan knows gratitude and how to repay favors, even though your appearance is not great, Rubble can endure.¡± Hehe¡­ Thanks for that! You can endure, Nian Shutong was afraid she couldn¡¯t! ¡°Follow me, let¡¯s start clearing the land.¡± Nian Shutong demonstrated in the front, with Rubble following behind. She bent down, Rubble bent down. She picked up a rock, Rubble mimicked the motion exactly, perfectly replicating it, but its hands were empty. Nian Shutong put down the rock, Rubble put down the imaginary rock. Nian Shutong turned around, Rubble turned around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Just after Nian Shutong asked, she heard the same words from Rubble, the intonation perfectly replicated. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Exactly the same. Nian Shutong slapped her own head. ¡°Dang¡ª¡± Rubble, in the same manner, slapped its own forehead. ¡°Stop! Stop imitating me!¡± Nian Shutong yelled to stop, seeing Rubble about to copy her again, she stepped forward and grabbed Rubble¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s over, stop imitating.¡± Rubble finally got it, straightening its body, waiting for Nian Shutong¡¯s arrangement. ¡°Rubble, it¡¯s not about copying my movements, but actually doing the work. Move real rocks.¡± Nian Shutong picked up a rock, turning to place it on Rubble¡¯s arm. ¡°Open your hands!¡± Rubble obediently stretched out its arms, and Nian Shutong placed the rock on them. ¡°Duang¡ª¡± The rock fell, bending Rubble¡¯s arm. ¡°The Mechanical Clan is not suited for physical labor, we are mere transporters of knowledge,¡± Rubble said, a bent hand lifted as if to block something. ¡°The sunlight is rather harsh, long exposure is detrimental for Rubble to maintain beauty and a clear mind, Rubble needs rest.¡± Nian Shutong, looking at her money and effort spent on fixing this good-for-nothing Number Two, waved dismissively and pointed to a shaded area, ¡°Go stand over there!¡± ¡°Alright, standing around is what Rubble is best at.¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Delicate Rubble Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Delicate Rubble ¡°Money wasted!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t work, more useless than a sickly seedling! At least a sickling can be scenic to look at!¡± ¡°In the end, it¡¯s me who ends up working again.¡± While clearing the land, Nian Shutong grumbled. She felt her luck with wealth was not just bad, but she was actually losing money on a losing deal. ¡°Are you angry? Happy? Depressed?¡± Rubble¡¯s voice rang out, making Nian Shutong stand up and turn to look at him. At that moment, Rubble had found a rock covered with a few vivid green leaves, sitting on it with even more leaves under his feet. Pretty comfortable. Nian Shutong simply grabbed a small shovel and walked over to Rubble, plunking down on the ground beside him. ¡°According to data, the bacteria in undeveloped forest soil can reach up to 98.9 percent, with unhatched eggs making up at least 85 percent, and deadly bacteria over 10 percent.¡± After hearing the scientific tidbit, Nian Shutong¡¯s face was suffused with a smile Rubble couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Rubble, do you like cleanliness?¡± ¡°Yes, Rubble really likes it,¡± Rubble shared his preference honestly. It¡¯s a tradition of the Mechanical Clan not to lie. Nian Shutong¡¯s fair hand gently scooped up a handful of soil, smiling at Rubble. ¡°Rubble, I just want to clear the land and farm, what do you think you can contribute? If you can¡¯t contribute, then this soil with over 10% deadly bacteria will end up on you.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t feel bad at all about threatening a robot. Strangers, if they want to stay, must be valuable. Rubble, standing two meters tall, quickly stood up, picked up two leaves, and laid them on the other side, tiptoeing across them. ¡°You¡¯re definitely jealous of Rubble¡¯s beauty, that¡¯s not right.¡± Rubble, sensing Nian Shutong¡¯s continuously shifting gaze, felt something bad was about to happen. He asked, ¡°Why not buy robots for labor?¡± The question hit Nian Shutong like a punch to the lung. ¡°I don¡¯t have money,¡± Nian Shutong said in a low voice, her head drooping slightly, her eyes gloomily uncertain as she looked at Rubble. Paired with the patchy branches and leaves around, it made the emotionless Rubble feel somewhat¡­cold. ¡°Rubble can build robots himself.¡± Build robots? Nian Shutong raised her drooping head slightly, looking skeptical as she asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Rubble never lies, that is the second virtue of our Mechanical Clan after beauty,¡± Rubble stated righteously, somewhat indignant. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Nian Shutong, baring her teeth, mechanically laughed twice and asked no further questions, trusting only a fraction of what Rubble had said for now. As for later, that would be discussed another time. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t continue clearing the land, instead, she went to the cornfield ahead, brought back lots of corn, and stored some in the space compartment, carrying the rest herself. Carrying it was to strengthen her physical body. Rubble waited in the same spot, not moving an inch. When Nian Shutong returned, without turning her head, she said two words: ¡°Follow me.¡± Rubble stepped forward, following Nian Shutong. However, less than halfway there, Rubble behind her started to speak in a whining tone. ¡°Rubble is too tired.¡± Nian Shutong put down the corn, turned around, and glanced at Rubble. ¡°Rubble is tired, my heartbeat can¡¯t handle such high-intensity exercise, overworking is not conducive to maintaining Rubble¡¯s beauty.¡± Beauty? Beauty? Where exactly is the beauty located! And where is the high intensity? It was just a short walk. Nian Shutong took out a rope, tied it around the corn stalks, forcefully swung it, and said to the immobile Rubble: ¡°Sit on top!¡± Rubble obediently climbed up, and she pulled from the front. Pray you can actually build robots yourself! Otherwise¡­ hmph! Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 The Sickly Brothers Chapter 26: Chapter 26 The Sickly Brothers Nian Shutong, carrying the delicate Rubble, returned to the small wooden house. Before even crossing the river, she saw Fu Yunhe lying on the chair, showing no sign of breathing. ¡°Is he dead?¡± With a ¡°snap,¡± Nian Shutong threw down the rope in her hand, and the unsteady Rubble behind her hit his head with a ¡°thud.¡± Sitting up with a look of grievance, Rubble saw Nian Shutong dashing across the river, and he still had time to admire her agile figure. ¡°Short legs, why can you run so fast? That¡¯s unscientific, is it because of too much kinetic energy?¡± Nian Shutong heard him but didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to Rubble, as she had already reached Fu Yunhe¡¯s side and grabbed the arm binding the Light Computer. ¡°Not dead¡­¡± The weak voice didn¡¯t slow down Nian Shutong¡¯s actions. She put her other hand on Fu Yunhe¡¯s pulse, paused for a moment, and said, ¡°Good, you¡¯re alright.¡± Fu Yunhe turned his eyes to glance at Nian Shutong. It must be hard for you, turning a caring word into something so flat and emotionless. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Fu Yunhe was mainly famished and out of strength, and he didn¡¯t want to drink the nutrient liquid just yet. Of course, if Nian Shutong didn¡¯t return, he would have to drink it. Nian Shutong withdrew her hand and looked at Fu Yunhe lying there, then at Rubble, who was still sitting on the opposite bank. The feeble duo. Both had come upon her. First, she went to the other side of the river, dragged Rubble back, and of course, the main thing was to fetch the corn. ¡°There¡¯s water¡­ there¡¯s water¡­ Rubble doesn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Do you prefer wet feet or a wet body?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s threat couldn¡¯t be more obvious. Rubble, sitting on the side and waiting, sensing the threat to his life, immediately stood up and said meekly, ¡°Rubble can overcome it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s smile sent a chill down Rubble¡¯s spine. Rubble spoke softly, ¡°Despite Rubble¡¯s beauty and intelligence, please don¡¯t be jealous. Rubble is very useful, and moreover, Rubble has the mission of carrying on the legacy of the entire Mechanical Clan.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ Quick, walk! I don¡¯t have time to deal with you.¡± Nian Shutong crossed the river first, followed closely by Rubble on tiptoes. Nian Shutong brought Rubble to Fu Yunhe¡¯s side and said to both, ¡°Why don¡¯t the two of you exchange some survival tips?¡± After saying that, Nian Shutong walked away, leaving Fu Yunhe and Rubble to stare at each other. ¡°Were you the robot from yesterday?¡± ¡°Rubble is not a robot, Rubble is from the High-class Race, the Mechanical Clan.¡± ¡°Are you from the legendary Mechanical Clan that can¡¯t carry on shoulders or lift with hands?¡± ¡°The Mechanical Clan is a carrier of knowledge and doesn¡¯t need to do physical work.¡± ¡°Right, so you went extinct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not correct. Extinction means none are left, but Rubble is still alive, bearing a great mission of inheritance. The Mechanical Clan will rise to glory again.¡± Rubble finished speaking and turned his back on Fu Yunhe. ¡°Are you angry then?¡± Fu Yunhe was somewhat curious; he hadn¡¯t dealt with the Mechanical Clan before. ¡°Rubble is not angry, just doesn¡¯t want to see you.¡± Fu Yunhe raised an eyebrow. Not angry, huh? But he didn¡¯t press further. On the other side, Nian Shutong, who was boiling the corn, waved and called out, ¡°Ladies, dinner time.¡± Fu Yunhe glanced at Rubble and said, ¡°She¡¯s calling you.¡± Rubble turned his head and replied, ¡°She said two ladies, number 2, gender female. But Rubble is male, so she wasn¡¯t calling me, she was calling you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s words made Rubble turn around, his large head staring at Fu Yunhe for a while. ¡°All your appearance features and skin texture are in the category of a woman; what proof do you have that you¡¯re not a woman?¡± ¡°Heh¡­ I have proof, but I¡¯m not showing you.¡± After saying that, Fu Yunhe prepared to use the chair to stand up, but when he got up, dizziness struck, and he instinctively grabbed something. Nian Shutong looked back and saw Fu Yunhe getting up, swaying, grabbing Rubble next to him. ¡°Thump¡± ¡°Thump¡± Both fell down. Nian Shutong first looked up at the sky, then down at the two feeble brothers. Such a misfortune! Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Waste Materials Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Waste Materials Nian Shutong watched indifferently as someone and something fell to the ground, completely unconcerned. She even turned her head back and continued to cook corn. She gazed at the corn pot in front of her, thinking that although it was tasty, she couldn¡¯t keep eating the same thing. It looked like it was time to diversify. ¡°Little Eight, do you have any other seeds?¡± she asked. ¡°Beep! Dear host, I am here. You have successfully unlocked green peppers, eggplants, and corn¡ªthree crops that are all edible.¡± ¡°Looking to starve, huh?¡± ¡°Beep! If the master wishes to have food that fills the stomach, you can plant rice and wheat. Here are the images of these two plants when they are ready to eat, which you can check out.¡± Nian Shutong casually poked at the flames under the large pot, while actually looking at the images provided by the system. They all looked pretty good. Nian Shutong asked again, ¡°How do I plant them?¡± ¡°Hello, master. You need to complete the potato planting task before you can plant the next crop.¡± ¡°The price of rice seeds is three hundred Star Coins per half kilogram, and wheat seeds are also three hundred Star Coins per half kilogram.¡± Three hundred? Nian Shutong didn¡¯t ask any further; she had no money. Corn tasted quite good anyway. Nian Shutong checked the corn consumption guide again; maybe it was time to try eating it in a different way. After it was ripe, it could be crushed and cooked like rice, or made into flour for pancakes and steamed buns and the like. However, it would take some time before it was ready, and after a while, boiled corn wouldn¡¯t be edible anymore. Damn it! They were going to run out of food! ¡°Can we eat now?¡± Fu Yunhe, at some point, had finally swayed over to Nian Shutong¡¯s side. Nian Shutong glanced at him and then at Rubble, who was far from the fire. It hurt even more to think about feeding two extra mouths. ¡°Eat yourself,¡± Nian Shutong said, putting down the stick for stoking the fire and walking over to Rubble to ask, ¡°Do you need to eat?¡± Rubble lifted his large skeletal head and said, ¡°Rubble evolves by consuming various metals, and after evolving I can eat other foods, but I do not feel hungry if I don¡¯t eat.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Nian Shutong nodded in satisfaction, saving food. Then she continued to ask, ¡°What do you need to make robots?¡± ¡°Metal materials, light panels, circuits, aluminum wire¡­¡± Rubble¡¯s ten metal fingers lifted one by one, listing a whole pile of things. Fu Yunhe, who was cooling his corn nearby, slowly moved over and said, ¡°We can buy scrap materials; they¡¯re very cheap.¡± See, he understood Nian Shutong so well. Nian Shutong simply asked Rubble, ¡°Would that work?¡± ¡°Yes, Rubble is very powerful.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better be,¡± Nian Shutong said as she opened her Light Computer and, with Fu Yunhe¡¯s help, purchased a bunch of scrap materials for just two hundred Star Coins. After buying them, she tucked the cooked corn away and continued her efforts to clear the land. In front of the small wooden house, only Fu Yunhe and Rubble were left. Fu Yunhe nibbled on the corn bit by bit, while Rubble was enlightening him about fire safety. ¡°It¡¯s best not to use an open flame outdoors; it¡¯s very dangerous. It can cause fires, and the personal injuries caused by fires¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Nian Shutong?¡± Fu Yunhe asked Rubble, sitting casually to the side. Rubble inquisitively asked, ¡°Who is Nian Shutong?¡± ¡°The woman you followed back here,¡± Fu Yunhe pointed in the direction where Nian Shutong had left. Rubble nodded in understanding and said, ¡°Oh, the lady who saved me, the one who¡¯s a bit ugly.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at Rubble with interest and made a remark that was no different from what Nian Shutong might have said. ¡°You better pray you can really become a robot.¡± Such unaware sarcasm might get him killed even faster than Fu Yunhe. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Robots Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Robots Nian Shutong continued farming alone. During a break in plowing the fields, she put the cooked corn on sale. Currently, her top priority was to finish planting an acre of potatoes and secondly, to make money to buy seeds. As for the third priority¡­ it was to find other food sources, otherwise, she feared turning herself into corn. ¡°With a swoosh,¡± the holographic projection of all the cooked corn ended, and before Nian Shutong could even react, all the corn had sold out. ¡°That fast?¡± Nian Shutong muttered, then quickly took out the Black Hole Transmitter from the Space Button to deliver the corn. This time, she used materials at hand, wrapping the corn in large leaves she had cleaned of toxins and tied up haphazardly to send off. Delivery finished, Nian Shutong continued with her work, clearing away branches, stones, and decaying leaves from the ground. Though exhausted, she continued her work while practicing her cultivation technique. In the environment full of natural toxins, her cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Second Level grew stronger. The heart of the planet had now merged fully with Daodao, continuously refining her spiritual power and solidifying her foundation immensely. Nian Shutong not only cultivated spiritual power, but she also used it for body refining. Regardless of the type of power, the body was just the external vessel; if it wasn¡¯t solid enough, no level of talent would suffice. Here, everything progressed methodically. By the small wooden house, the trash materials that Nian Shutong had ordered had arrived. Fu Yunhe had selected a spot further away and directed the delivery robot to unload the pile of Rubble there, which stood two meters high and shuffled over in small, broken steps. The first thing past was to sit down and rest. Lying on the lounge chair, Fu Yunhe suddenly found a bit of comfort, all in junk. He stopped looking at the Rubble and continued making money himself, on the Star Network, answering questions, completing assignments, writing papers, earning money. Although a bit pathetically miserable, at least the figures in his account were growing. About three hours later, Fu Yunhe looked up again. ¡°Holy shit!¡± he was genuinely shocked. By then, next to the Rubble, stood a 1.5 meters tall robot, ugly and rusty, but it could move, assisting the Rubble in holding a metal plate. And under Rubble¡¯s direction, there was another nascent robot. He could actually make robots! Fu Yunhe suddenly felt a sense of crisis, thinking that Rubble seemed to have more utility than himself. As someone somewhat familiar with Nian Shutong, he felt his original position might not be secure. Also, were the Mechanical Clan really that incredible? Initially, when the Mechanical Clan appeared, their large stature led everyone to think they must be a tribe strong in combat. But once they made contact, they realized this was not the case. However, the Mechanical Clan had never shown anything remarkable either, so gradually, they faded out of the interstellar scene. But now, Fu Yunhe felt that maybe not everything he had been taught before was correct. At the very least, the two individuals beside him could not be judged by conventional standards. ¡°Hello, Robot Two reporting.¡± A mechanical voice sounded, and the second robot was ready. At the same time, Nian Shutong, carrying corn back, saw the two robots from across the Xiao He. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! Rubble! Nicely done!¡± Nian Shutong laughed heartily, carrying the corn stalks, running over the rocks above the stream, and rushing to Rubble¡¯s side. With a ¡°thud,¡± Nian Shutong dropped the corn stalks off her shoulder. ¡°Scared Rubble,¡± before Rubble could start his poison-tongued rant, a glance from Nian Shutong frightened him, turning his body around to comfort himself. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay; mainly because Rubble is just too outstanding¡­¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 The Talkative Rubble Chapter 29: Chapter 29 The Talkative Rubble Nian Shutong ignored Rubble trying to console himself. She walked around the robot twice, noting its ugly appearance, marred with rust and a patchwork vibe. But that was secondary. ¡°Rubble, can it be used now?¡± That was the question Nian Shutong cared about. She had had enough of working; being tired was secondary, it was mainly about the money lost. No money, no seeds. No seeds, no cultivation resources or food to eat. The consequences would be grave. Rubble, sitting on the ground and having finished consoling himself, looked earnestly at Nian Shutong and said, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, please do not doubt Rubble¡¯s abilities. Rubble is part of the great Mechanical Clan. Our legacy spans over billions of years¡­¡± ¡°Cut the crap! Does it work or not?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s slightly louder tone startled Rubble again, causing his voice to tremble with a hint of grievance. ¡°What Rubble builds, works well.¡± Nian Shutong felt her temples throbbing and glanced at Rubble without saying a word. It better work well! ¡°How do you use it?¡± Nian Shutong asked again. ¡°Um?¡± Rubble¡¯s large head tilted in confusion as he said, ¡°You open it with your hand, operate it with your mind.¡± Nian Shutong clenched her fist, spiritual energy surging, desperately wanting to punch and knock down Rubble¡ªfor talking so infuriatingly! ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, are you getting angry? Anger is detrimental to health and could further damage your already less-than-beautiful appearance. Please, stay calm. The more you look at Rubble, cute and clever as he is, the happier you will be.¡± The way Rubble added fuel to the fire actually made Nian Shutong laugh. She abruptly turned her head to look at Fu Yunhe, who was enjoying the show from the side, her smile growing wider. Fu Yunhe, who followed the principle of not dragging down his companions, hadn¡¯t expected the battle to reach his doorstep. The smile on Nian Shutong¡¯s face made his hair stand on end. ¡°Hey!¡± He greeted as calmly as he could manage. Nian Shutong walked over with her hands behind her back, and her smile broadening as she looked at Fu Yunhe, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the communication with Rubble to you. I just want answers.¡± Having said that, Nian Shutong walked away and into the small wooden house first. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong¡¯s retreating figure and sighed, ¡°Trouble is never fun to watch, especially when it¡¯s Nian Shutong¡¯s trouble.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the trouble? Why can¡¯t Rubble see it?¡± Fu Yunhe slightly raised his eyelids and glanced at Rubble, who was turning his head in search for the ¡°trouble.¡± ¡°Rubble.¡± Fu Yunhe called out, and Rubble squatted down, but he seemed to have a misunderstanding about his own body size. His knee, just as he squatted, jutted out and accidentally bumped into the lounge chair where Fu Yunhe was seated. With a ¡°duang,¡± Fu Yunhe found himself looking up at the sky, admiring the blue skies and clouds. The next second, an oversized, somewhat cute skull appeared right above Fu Yunhe. ¡°Do you need help? Rubble can call Ms. Nian Shutong over,¡± Rubble offered. Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes narrowed as he spoke, ¡°You help me up.¡± He didn¡¯t dare call for Nian Shutong. Rubble above seemed to be facing a quandary. He extended a shimmering golden finger and pointed at himself, ¡°Rubble is an intelligent being, very fragile, and we must not blur the distinctions of contact between genders. Rubble cannot have intimate physical contact with other women.¡± What the hell? Who¡¯s the woman? And why are you a male robot? Fu Yunhe glanced at Rubble¡¯s waist area, unable to determine anything, wondering how they differentiate. Fu Yunhe had given up on the hope of being helped up and slowly stood up by himself, saying: ¡°Funny that, I¡¯m also an intelligent being, even weaker than you.¡± ¡°Really? But you¡¯re so ugly, you don¡¯t look as good as Rubble.¡± After saying this, Rubble also stood up and spun around in place. ¡°And your intelligence doesn¡¯t seem that high. Look at the robot Rubble made; Rubble is very useful.¡± Fu Yunhe first sat up and then waved Rubble over. Obediently, Rubble squatted, this time without a collision. Fu Yunhe smiled meaningfully and said to Rubble, ¡°Talk less, work more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not correct. Rubble needs to pass on knowledge, teach others through words; Rubble cannot talk less. Moreover, Rubble is not meant for physical labor.¡± Rubble stood up, disagreeing. Just as he finished standing, a wooden stick was thrown out of the window of the small wooden house, exploding right between Fu Yunhe and Rubble. ¡°Brilliant!¡± Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Please Pay Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Please Pay The shattered wood chips made Rubble scream abruptly. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong shouted explosively, silencing Rubble who then covered his mouth, bent over, tiptoed back to the ruins, and got back to work. Very scared¡­ Rubble must be an obedient Rubble. While Fu Yunhe, after glancing at the debris twice, slowly stood up and walked towards Rubble. Anyone who still says Nian Shutong is a double waste must be completely blind! About an hour later, Fu Yunhe finally figured out how the robot was supposed to operate. He really understood, because Rubble insisted on pulling him to explain the production principles and what knowledge points were used in great detail. That wasn¡¯t all; after one explanation, did Rubble ask questions? He even had questions to ask? Fortunately, Fu Yunhe was truly listening attentively; though initially, he was merely pretending, he found Rubble¡¯s knowledge genuinely rich and useful even to him. Having finally figured it out, Fu Yunhe plucked up the courage to go find Nian Shutong. Just as he made his mental preparations, Nian Shutong came out. Nian Shutong walked up to Fu Yunhe and casually asked, ¡°Am I that scary? You took so many deep breaths before coming in to find me.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s body swayed as he replied with a smile to Nian Shutong, ¡°Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, I just really have poor health.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t respond, it was unclear whether she believed him or not. ¡°How does it work?¡± Fu Yunhe stepped forward and said to Nian Shutong, ¡°There¡¯s a button here, press it to activate; once activated, voice control will work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Nian Shutong asked, turning her head to look at Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Then, the very conspicuous Rubble took a step forward and said to Ms. Nian Shutong, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, you need to understand the robot¡¯s operating philosophy. Rubble uses the Gales Spiral¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Nian Shutong clenched her fists with a crackling sound, raising an eyebrow at Rubble and asking, ¡°Rubble, are you planning to leave me?¡± Rubble listened to the terrifying sound of cracking joints, shaking his head rapidly. ¡°Not leaving! Not leaving!¡± Nian Shutong nodded in satisfaction and said to the activated robot, ¡°Follow me.¡± She walked away with two robots. ¡°You guys sort out lunch yourselves,¡± Nian Shutong shouted, then crossed the river and disappeared into the woods. Fu Yunhe looked at the corn stalks on the ground, then at Rubble. Sigh¡­ I might as well do it myself. Nian Shutong, for now, did not know how to operate this. She led the robots to the land being cleared and had them pick up stones and pull out weeds. The two robots could only follow simple commands; the one picking stones would never pull weeds, and the one pulling weeds would never touch stones. Occasionally, the two might blind-crash into each other, clanging loudly in this barren land. Nian Shutong completely ignored them; just keep working. She focused mainly on chopping trees, and as she was chopping vigorously, the Light Computer beeped. Nian Shutong opened the Light Computer, and inside was an email, a striking red message impossible to overlook. ¡°An invitation?¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t recover for a moment, opened the mail, and glanced at it. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already this poor! And now I have to pay taxes!¡± The red message unfolded, big black letters clearly laid out in front of Nian Shutong. [Dear Planet Master No. 897437865397, congratulations on becoming the Planet Master of Blue Star. According to Empire laws, please clear the inheritance tax, land occupation fee, and Star Mark Fee, totaling twenty-five thousand seven hundred eighty-nine Star Coins, within a month.] [Failure to pay on time will result in legal sanctions.] [Wishing you a pleasant life.] Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 To Eat Meat Chapter 31: Chapter 31 To Eat Meat Feeling cheerful? Cheerful my ass! This godforsaken, uninhabited planet, and I still have to pay? Nian Shutong vented all her complaints as she chopped down the trees. ¡°Crack, crack, crack¡­ over twenty thousand! Is farming this easy?¡± ¡°Snap, snap¡­ just sold some corn, and now I¡¯ve gotta empty my pockets again!¡± ¡°Crack, crack¡­ no wonder the Housekeeper was so eager to give out money; he knew he wouldn¡¯t stay!¡± ¡°Crack, chomp¡­ They think they can bully me because I don¡¯t know the law, right? When I get back, I¡¯ll have that sickly lad memorize the entire law book!¡± Nian Shutong finally stopped her labor, standing there and looking at the several big trees she had felled. ¡°Gotta make money first, can¡¯t wait for the crops to grow,¡± thought Nian Shutong. Despite her outburst, her mind was still clear. ¡°Daodao?¡± ¡°Master, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Go on the Star Network and see if there¡¯s any suitable work for us to make money?¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± After arranging this, Nian Shutong stopped chopping and felt that eating corn all the time was not enough; she needed more energy. She walked toward the wilderness, crossing the cornfield and then a patch of grass, which was more than a meter tall. With the small iron shovel provided by the system, Nian Shutong began parting the long grass slowly as she advanced. ¡°Gobble, gobble¡­¡± Something unknown suddenly flapped its wings and took flight. The shovel in Nian Shutong¡¯s hand whizzed out and hit the fluttering target dead on. She sprang forward agilely, reaching the struck target in two bounds. ¡°Phoenix? Shrunken?¡± Nian Shutong recognized mostly ancient animals. ¡°Master! Master! It¡¯s not a Phoenix; this creature is called a wild chicken. Its meat is tender and delicious, very tasty,¡± Daodao, rich in knowledge now that he had absorbed the spirit of the planet, immediately provided Nian Shutong with enlightenment. Tasty? Nian Shutong was pleased; she desperately needed food right now. This ignited a fire in Nian Shutong, opening up her meridians. She started to communicate with Daodao, letting him help her identify which animals were good to eat; eating meat was definitely better than eating veggies. ¡°Master, wild ducks, edible.¡± Shoot! ¡°Rabbits, edible!¡± Shoot! ¡°Bird eggs, edible.¡± Climb a tree, take. ¡°Master, the bird¡¯s mother is back!¡± Nian Shutong, delighted with her haul, looked up to see a giant bird casting a shadow like a cloud overhead. ¡°What the hell is that!¡± Nian Shutong first put the eggs back, then spun around, leaping to the ground. Whoosh, whoosh¡­ ¡°Dammit! What kind of creature shoots arrows!¡± Nian Shutong somersaulted, narrowly avoiding the Ice Arrows shot from the Big Bird¡¯s mouth. As she tumbled, Nian Shutong gathered Spiritual Energy in her palms and, during her flip, shot it toward the Big Bird. ¡°I¡¯m returning your eggs!¡± ¡°Boom¡ª¡± The Spiritual Energy clashed with the ice orbs spat out by the Big Bird, resulting in a thunderous roar. ¡°Pretty tough!¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t linger for a fight, mainly because she felt she couldn¡¯t win. She retreated, planning to return later for a rematch. She quickly dove back into the tall grass, throwing out a few smoke-like poisonous gases, which immediately obscured her from the Big Bird¡¯s view. ¡°Screech¡ª¡± An angry shriek tore through the sky, the reverberations reaching the small wooden house. In the small wooden house, Fu Yunhe was drinking water when the Big Bird¡¯s cry startled him into choking. ¡°Cough, cough¡ªcough, cough¡ª¡± Fu Yunhe patted his chest, but he lifted his head up high, gazing in the direction of the sound. A Fierce Beast? Makes sense; Blue Star is riddled with poisonous plants, the rate of Fierce Beast births here is a bit higher than elsewhere. This realization darkened Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes with a hint of danger. The Nian Family really wasn¡¯t leaving any way out for the two of them! Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Eating Meat and Plucking Feathers Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Eating Meat and Plucking Feathers Fu Yunhe never quite understood why the Nian Family had to expel the two of them. It was true that by doing so, some cultivation resources would be saved, but couldn¡¯t they just stop issuing resources to the two? It was clear they wanted them dead. He thought about their orphan identities, wondering if there were hidden reasons for their expulsion, but no matter what, leaving the Nian Family was actually the right step for both him and Nian Shutong. The distant sound of bird calls kept ringing out. Fu Yunhe looked in that direction, which seemed to be where Nian Shutong was clearing land. Could she¡­ be in danger? Fu Yunhe laughed at himself mockingly. He was worried about others, yet just the sound of those powerful calls stirred his blood and qi. What right had he to be concerned? Looking in that direction, he could only hope that Nian Shutong would turn ill luck into good fortune. In this interstellar world, humans made up sixty percent, the Beastified accounted for thirty percent. The remaining ten percent included various small species, like the Mechanical Clan and the Treasure Hunting Clan. The Fierce Beast was the most exceptional of all. They had absorbed too much poison, mutated, and had a certain intellect along with specific abilities, possessing incredibly strong attack power. So, they also formed a clan unto themselves. But even in his past life, Fu Yunhe had only encountered three Fierce Beasts, which goes to show how rare they were. ¡°Cough, cough¡ª¡± Fu Yunhe covered his mouth, trying to suppress the rising blood and qi. Rubble, who had arrived at some point, watched him for a long while before finally speaking, ¡°Are you about to die?¡± Fu Yunhe clutched his hand, his eyelids flipped up¡ªthis damn familiar line! Did they have nothing else to ask? Fu Yunhe took a deep breath, put down his hand and said, ¡°No, I will live a very long time.¡± Rubble shook its head, not in agreement, educating him, ¡°Given the state of your body, you could die at any moment. Although Rubble is weak, it has just come of age. We of the Mechanical Clan live a very long time. You won¡¯t outlive Rubble.¡± ¡°Is that so? What difference is there then between you, previously unconscious, and death?¡± Rubble turned its head, pondering carefully before saying, ¡°The difference is that I am still alive. You will die and be decomposed by the soil, becoming nutrients for plants and animals.¡± Fu Yunhe wanted to curse! One after another, they were jinxing him with death. You¡¯re the nutrient! He was determined to live, to live a long, long time. Fu Yunhe and Rubble did not continue their verbal spar, because Nian Shutong had returned. She squatted by the creek with her head covered in grass leaves, her body smeared with mud, her face already unrecognizable, and began to casually wash herself. Fu Yunhe rode over on his personal transport vehicle and asked Nian Shutong, ¡°Did you encounter a Fierce Beast?¡± Fierce Beast? Nian Shutong searched her memory for the term and grasped its meaning. ¡°Sort of,¡± said Nian Shutong as she stood up and shook off her hands, throwing a duck and a chicken she had caught onto the ground. ¡°You two, pluck their feathers.¡± After saying that, Nian Shutong walked upstream to find a place to wash herself. Fu Yunhe looked at the two small animals on the ground, puzzled. Why were they not poisoned? That shouldn¡¯t be the case. How had she managed it? And how had Nian Shutong survived the Fierce Beast¡¯s attack? Fu Yunhe had many questions, but he obediently picked up the duck and chicken from the ground, reminding himself of one thing. Nian Shutong, not to be trifled with. To stay alive, one had to obey. Rubble, sitting beside Fu Yunhe, waited to learn how to pluck feathers. Neither was very skilled, and in the end, each took an animal and squatted on the ground, beginning¡­ to pluck. Dry plucking! Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Roast Chicken Roast Duck Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Roast Chicken Roast Duck When Nian Shutong returned, she saw two human-shaped Big Birds. By the creek, one tall and one short, one was Rubble covered with light brown and some colorful chicken feathers, while the other was Fu Yunhe wrapped in white fluff. Nian Shutong first stopped in her tracks and silently inquired of Daodao. ¡°Daodao, how do you remove feathers?¡± She didn¡¯t know either, as she usually used a Spell, or she ate large animals and didn¡¯t have the time to pluck their feathers. She would simply split them open and pick out some good meat. Daodao immediately found the knowledge about feather removal for Nian Shutong, and after reviewing it, she walked to the edge of the creek with a look of disgust on her face. ¡°Are you two planning to pluck until tomorrow?¡± Rubble, covered in feathers, spoke first, saying pitifully, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble needs about three days of plucking. Please wait patiently.¡± Nian Shutong really rolled her eyes. Why did she even ask Rubble? ¡°Fu Yunhe! Boil some hot water, scald them first, and then remove the feathers. Once the big feathers are plucked out, then take a torch and burn off the down.¡± Fu Yunhe, who was focused on plucking feathers, exhaled, and several strands of fluff on his face drifted away. ¡°You know how to do this?¡± Nian Shutong said mysteriously, with her hands behind her back and facing away from them, ¡°I just happen to know a little bit more than you do.¡± ¡°Now get to work!¡± Nian Shutong walked into the small wooden house with an air of superiority. As soon as she entered, facing away where no one could see, she immediately crouched down, clutching her stomach. It hurt! The pain was secondary; the key point was the sheer embarrassment! To be chased off by a mere bird was a great disgrace. Cultivation, more cultivation, and even more cultivation. Once she became powerful, Nian Shutong would go back and settle the score! Meanwhile, outside, Fu Yunhe obediently got up and started heating some water. Once the water boiled, he scalded the duck he was holding. After scalding it sufficiently, Fu Yunhe began plucking the feathers. ¡°Hmm? This really works!¡± Fu Yunhe glanced towards the direction of the small wooden house; this Nian Shutong was full of secrets. He didn¡¯t look any further and continued plucking. Almost done, suddenly there was another chicken in the basin. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of scalding,¡± said Rubble, stepping back quite a few paces. Fu Yunhe really wanted to curse someone, but if he didn¡¯t get it done before Nian Shutong came out, it would be even more troublesome. He resignedly began to de-feather the chicken and, once finished, brought out a torch to burn off the down. As the down began to burn, a fragrant smell wafted out, slightly intoxicating. Meat was something Fu Yunhe had only eaten once or twice, either boiled or, well, boiled. He knew it had a ¡°special¡± flavor. The meat he had eaten came from animals carefully raised by grand families, toxin-free; wild animals from outside would not only be toxic, but also not tasty. Fu Yunhe looked at the chicken in his hands, wondering why just burning some down could make it smell so enticing? As the aroma spread, Nian Shutong finished her cultivation and stepped outside. Before coming out, she had already obtained knowledge from Daodao and learned how to cook it; acting like a master was all about the act. One must seem to know, even more so if one doesn¡¯t. Considering she had no spices, she could only roast it simply. Nian Shutong constructed a rack and threaded the chicken and duck onto a stick; she sat at one end, starting to rotate the stick. As the stick turned, the chicken and duck rotated, their white skins slowly reddening, turning a deep red, with droplets of fat sizzling as they fell into the fire. ¡°Master, that¡¯s about enough! Don¡¯t roast it anymore!¡± Nian Shutong listened to Daodao¡¯s instructions, turning when told to turn, stopping when told to stop. Hearing Daodao¡¯s words, Nian Shutong immediately ceased her actions, pretending to understand, she leaned forward to inspect carefully, although she had no idea what she was looking at. Nian Shutong nodded as if sure and said, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Less Salt Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Less Salt Nian Shutong said ¡°It¡¯s ready¡±, letting Fu Yunhe get up and sit next to her. Although there were no condiments, the aroma of the meat itself was different and novel. ¡°Wash your hands,¡± Nian Shutong said with one sentence. Fu Yunhe turned and went to the stream to wash his hands, trying not to look at his own reflection¡ªhis head ached. After washing up, Fu Yunhe saw Nian Shutong carefully tearing off a chicken leg. He was very tactful and didn¡¯t reach out for it. It was obviously not for him. ¡°Xiao He!¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the chicken leg Nian Shutong was handing over and asked as he took it, ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Subtract five thousand from the debt I owe you? How about that?¡± Nian Shutong pointed to the chicken on the stick and said, ¡°Help yourself.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Fu Yunhe said without haggling. He never expected Nian Shutong to actually pay back the money. Having it deducted from a meal was enough for him. Nian Shutong happily tore off another chicken leg to eat, blowing on it to cool it down before taking a bite. The meat was firm but not tough. Probably because of regular exercise, the meat had a good chew; the more you chewed, the tastier it got. But¡­ it still lacked something in flavor. ¡°It would be better with a bit of salt,¡± Nian Shutong bit into another piece of meat, indeed missing the saltiness. Fu Yunhe agreed, but his attention was now wholly occupied by the tantalizing aroma of the meat. He had thought corn was the tastiest thing he had ever eaten, but this meat¡­ Nothing could compare! Fu Yunhe bit into it again, his delicate features and figure creating a stark contrast. The two ate with gusto while Rubble watched intently. Was that really so delicious? It looked so appetizing. But Rubble hadn¡¯t upgraded and couldn¡¯t eat anything other than metal. Rubble looked down and crouched to draw circles, feeling unhappy. Nian Shutong naturally noticed. The huge robot was squatting right beside her¡ªwho could ignore that? Thinking Rubble was still useful, she called out, ¡°Rubble!¡± The squatting Rubble drawing circles turned around. ¡°Work more like a robot, earn money, and I¡¯ll buy you metal to eat,¡± Nian Shutong felt she was a really fair and kind person. Earn money? Buy metal? If he bought metal, Rubble could upgrade. And once upgraded, Rubble could try that seemingly tasty meat. ¡°Rubble understands. Rubble will earn money. Rubble will earn money!¡± Rubble stood up, its steps steady yet showing a trace of haste. It went off to work as a robot. After Nian Shutong finished eating, she washed her hands and shouldered her spade to continue clearing the land. Rubble persisted in its mechanical labor, while Fu Yunhe went back to earning money on the forum. Everyone stuck to their roles, and everything operated perfectly for the moment. While clearing the land, Nian Shutong asked Daodao, ¡°Daodao, where does salt come from?¡± She didn¡¯t like the bland taste, always feeling something was missing. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve organized the information. The taste of interstellar salt is bitter, but the salt produced by the salt drying method I found is very different. I think we can make money from it.¡± Make money! With just those three words, Nian Shutong made an immediate decision¡ªshe would dry salt. You have to know, she still owed more than twenty thousand in taxes. Nian Shutong never thought about defaulting. That would be like Longevity Star hanging himself for no reason at all. ¡°Daodao, tell me about the salt drying method.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Daodao sent all the organized information about salt drying to Nian Shutong. Nian Shutong read while walking, and by the time she arrived at the cleared land, she had more or less finished. So, the first step was to find the sea. It seemed she needed to make a trip outside. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 The Desire to Make Money Chapter 35: Chapter 35 The Desire to Make Money Nian Shutong first checked on the progress of the two robots, which was indeed impressive, much faster than if she were working alone. And truly, the two robots did not require any rest. Having finished clearing the wild land, Nian Shutong turned the soil over, ready to plant the potatoes. In this flurry of activity, the moon had already climbed high into the sky, and it was now past nine o¡¯clock at night. Nian Shutong instructed the robots, still working under the dim light, to continue their tasks while she herself brushed off her hands, preparing to head back first. Still carrying her iron shovel, Nian Shutong wobbled back to the small wooden house. As soon as she emerged from the forest, Nian Shutong¡¯s excellent vision spotted Rubble working tirelessly. Look at that¡ªsuch drive, all for a bite to eat! Nian Shutong crossed the river and approached Rubble. ¡°Rubble, not resting yet?¡± Rubble, who had been bending down, got such a fright that his body clashed with the scrap metal, making a clattering noise. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, scaring Rubble is not right. Rubble¡¯s precious brain is different from that of your laborers. It¡¯s very valuable and needs to be well cared for and rested,¡± said Rubble. After speaking, Rubble stood up and, in a very human-like manner, stretched lazily and tilted his head to ask, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, where does Rubble live?¡± Ignoring Rubble¡¯s words completely, Nian Shutong walked ahead, saying simply, ¡°Keep up,¡± and they headed to the small wooden house, one after the other. ¡°You¡¯ll stay in the middle room.¡± She pointed casually and then returned to her bedroom to continue her cultivation, getting ready to head out. Outside, the tall Rubble tried several times to sit down on a small sofa in the middle of the living room, then stood up again. Too small. Eventually, Rubble took the cushion off the sofa, laid it on the floor, half-lay on it, stretched out, and happily fell asleep. Meanwhile, Fu Yunhe in another room had already fallen asleep but was awakened by Rubble¡¯s commotion. He lay in bed, trying to get back to sleep, but his poor health made breathing difficult, so in the end, he had no choice but to sit up, open Star Network, and earn money. With a pair of delicate, pale, tender hands, he silently wrote line after line of text. A miserable life of making money. Fu Yunhe also distractedly wondered whether he would still be able to eat food that could improve his constitution or not. Was it an accident last time, or something else? He didn¡¯t know the answer, but no matter what, he needed to stay here for now. On the other side, Nian Shutong was also pondering about her money-making, realizing that besides farming, she indeed needed another way to earn money. ¡°Master! Master! Can Daodao play on Star Network?¡± Daodao¡¯s question interrupted Nian Shutong¡¯s line of thought, to which she replied, ¡°Of course you can, do whatever you want.¡± Daodao was her most trusted partner, the kind they depend on in life and death, sharing a connection of spiritual power. Daodao could freely use Nian Shutong¡¯s account to go on Star Network. ¡°Alright! Alright!¡± Daodao spun around excitedly, its master loved money, so Daodao wanted to earn money too. Having absorbed the planet¡¯s heart, Daodao had a heritage of thousands of years of culture, and it found some websites on Star Network where it could write stories to earn money. After a series of operations, Daodao chose the name ¡°Literary Porter¡±, chose to keep its identity secret, and began its ¡°transportation¡± work. The first story was titled ¡°Immortal Slaying¡±. At the same time, on Star Network, Liu Cheng, Nian Shutong¡¯s first and only customer, was discovered stealing a snack. Liu Family residence, the main hall. Liu Cheng stood guiltily to one side, hanging their head, fiddling with their hands. ¡°Liu Cheng! Can¡¯t you concentrate and properly cultivate? It¡¯s only a year and a half until the military academy starts recruiting. Don¡¯t you feel the urgency?¡± ¡°I was so happy! You open the barrier so vigorously every day! Who knew it wasn¡¯t for cultivation!¡± ¡°Who opens a barrier just to eat something!¡± A man, looking to be in his thirties or forties and bearing some resemblance to Liu Cheng, sat in a chair, huffing and puffing with anger, his head almost steaming. Next to the man was a woman dressed in a smart uniform, her demeanour striking. She first comforted the man by patting the back of his hand and then said, ¡°Don¡¯t get so angry. You¡¯ll blow a gasket.¡± The woman¡¯s comment nearly made Liu Cheng burst into laughter, but they had to hold it in, their entire body shaking with the effort. The woman¡¯s gaze swept over lightly, her tone rising as she said, ¡°Bring it out, will you?¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Three People Stakeout Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Three People Stakeout ¡°Come on, give it up already,¡± Liu Cheng reluctantly opened his Space Button and took out a thermal container. ¡°Dear Mother, these are the last two I have,¡± Liu Cheng said, pushing the box forward slightly with some reluctance. It was just a tiny nudge, barely noticeable unless you were paying close attention. The woman sitting in the seat of honor grabbed the box and glared at Liu Cheng, ¡°Stop dilly-dallying, just like your father!¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s father, feeling unjustly accused, first glared at Liu Cheng and then looked at the woman with a cheerful grin, not daring to say a word. At that moment, Liu Cheng¡¯s mother opened the thermal container and saw the golden corn. The enticing aroma that spread was not overpowering, slightly addictive. Liu Cheng¡¯s father, craning his neck to get a better look, still didn¡¯t dare to speak. He watched his wife take a piece of corn, bite into it, and chew expressionlessly for a moment. Inside, Liu Cheng¡¯s mother¡¯s emotions were tumultuous, but looking at the two cobs inside the container, she calmly placed the one in her hand back in. ¡°That will do for now. I¡¯m confiscating these. You focus on your cultivation!¡± said Liu Cheng¡¯s mother as she stood up and grabbed the thermal container to leave. Just as she took a step, Liu Cheng¡¯s father grabbed her. ¡°Wife, come on, we¡¯ve been married forever, let¡¯s not play this game! At least let me have a bite, and as for Liu Cheng, we can forget about him,¡± he said. Liu Cheng¡¯s mother stood still, pondering for a moment, and finally agreed, ¡°Alright then.¡± In front of Liu Cheng, the two of them shared one cob of corn, and when it came down to the last one, Liu Cheng¡¯s mother gave a threatening look, and Liu Cheng¡¯s father quietly retracted his reaching hand. When Liu Cheng¡¯s mother finished the last piece of corn, she finally allowed Liu Cheng to rise from kneeling to standing. ¡°Where did you buy these from?¡± At the question, Liu Cheng perked up and started enthusiastically describing how he found and judged the store. ¡°No nonsense! What¡¯s the shop number?¡± ¡°Nine fours.¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s parents both opened Star Network and located the shop with nine fours, but today¡¯s stock hadn¡¯t been refreshed by Nian Shutong yet. Liu Cheng also opened his Star Network and crouched next to his parents, the family of three waiting. Waiting for the stock. But just waiting wasn¡¯t a solution, so Liu Cheng cautiously suggested, ¡°Should I¡­ leave a message for the shop owner? To hurry it up?¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s father glared and shouted, ¡°You could speak up and you didn¡¯t say it earlier! Hurry up!¡± He had just tasted it. Liu Cheng didn¡¯t dare to argue, lowering his head and leaving a message on Star Network, first heaping praises, then asking when the new stock would arrive. ¡°Whoosh¡ª!¡± The message was sent. All three, now truly in waiting mode. On the other end, Nian Shutong was in the middle of his cultivation, having left the operation of Star Network entirely to Daodao. Daodao, who was busy transferring text, saw Liu Cheng¡¯s message immediately and paused his text work to reply to the message. ¡°Whoosh¡ª!¡± The message reached Liu Cheng¡¯s end. The waiting family, all eyes on Liu Cheng¡¯s Star Network message, Liu Cheng didn¡¯t delay, immediately opened it, and read it out. ¡°Dear, thank you for your love! Please don¡¯t worry, the store will have new stock tomorrow at ¡®Chen Shi¡¯.¡± After reading it, Liu Cheng thought, he called me dear? Hehe¡­ awkwardly sweet. But¡­ ¡°Mom, what time is ¡®Chen Shi¡¯?¡± This question thoroughly stumped Liu Cheng¡¯s parents. Liu Cheng¡¯s mother, snapping suddenly, smacked Liu Cheng on the head and said, ¡°Who cares what time exactly, it¡¯s tomorrow anyway!¡± ¡°Right! We keep waiting. And you, young man, aren¡¯t allowed to go anywhere, in case you sneak a bite!¡± Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Planning Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Planning The Liu Cheng family of three stopped practicing; they were all waiting for the time Daodao talked about, Chen Shi from 7 am to 9 am. Daodao didn¡¯t call Ms. Nian Shutong either; for them, cultivation was the most important. So after moving about 20,000 characters, Daodao also went to cultivate. It could wait until tomorrow. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong, who was cultivating inside the house, also discovered a problem. Fu Yunhe used a protective cover, and the toxins were reduced. She had no choice but to get up, go outside, find a large tree, and, with a leap, climbed up to cultivate. After a night of cultivation, Nian Shutong advanced another step, reaching the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, all thanks to the natural toxic environment. She jumped down from the tree herself and headed to the cornfield. When she passed the potato field, it had been newly cultivated. ¡°Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Good! Very good!¡± Nian Shutong mentally gave Rubble credit for his contribution; she could tolerate his sharp tongue. In a good mood, she pulled up quite a lot of corn to take back, as the system said that in a while, it would no longer be edible. Carrying the corn back, Nian Shutong lit a fire, boiled the corn, and put it up for sale. Almost the moment she put it up for sale, the corn disappeared in a flash. Three buyers? Nian Shutong nodded contentedly and began to check the addresses. ¡°Hmm? Why do they all have the same address?¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t quite understand what this was about, but as long as it sold, it was fine. Still making use of what was at hand, she wrapped the corn into three portions using several large leaves and packed them into a very simple wooden box before sending them off. She made money again. Nian Shutong looked at the money in her account and then at the land in front of her. She planned in her mind, arranging each spot; she couldn¡¯t just plant in one place today and clear some land elsewhere tomorrow. If she did that, it would be too chaotic and not conducive to long-term development. The potato field was ready for cultivation; now she could plant it. Then, she could start planting the main crops as well as the various vegetables she had unlocked. ¡°Little Eight, send me the planting methods for rice, wheat, eggplants, and green peppers.¡± ¡°Okay! Please Wait, Host.¡± Soon, Nian Shutong saw the information Little Eight sent over, and she got a general understanding. She stood up, turned around, and took a look at her surroundings. This land, located downstream of the stream, was in a nutrient-rich soil area; of course, the most important was that the seeds provided by the system were resistant to toxins. Next, she planned to cut down most of the trees across the stream and convert the area into a paddy field, and a bit further out, plant wheat. Around the small wooden house, she would clear small plots of land for growing vegetables. Vegetables have shorter production cycles and could help her make money earlier. However, with so many seeds still to buy, she needed a project that could continuously supply her with money. So, salt-making was scheduled. The map in her mind became clearer and clearer, and Nian Shutong nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Good morning!¡± Fu Yunhe came out of the small wooden house, and Nian Shutong cheerfully replied. ¡°Another day, we¡¯re not dead; congrats, beauty.¡± That statement almost gave Fu Yunhe a heart attack. But what he didn¡¯t expect was that there was something even more alarming waiting for him. Rubble happened to come out and heard Nian Shutong¡¯s words. He went up to Fu Yunhe very seriously and said, ¡°You¡¯re still alive; that¡¯s very unscientific. Would you like to be studied by Rubble? Rubble is very interested.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the pair who daily ¡°hastened death,¡± and calmly walked to the pot of boiling corn, picked up a cob, and began to eat. Ignoring them. Completely ignoring them. One he couldn¡¯t defeat, the other he couldn¡¯t reason with. Eating was best. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit, start the flying device,¡± Nian Shutong walked forward and took her seat, then turned to Rubble and asked, ¡°How many robots can you still make with your materials?¡± Rubble thought seriously for a moment and then answered, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, I can make exactly zero more.¡± Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Rewards Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Rewards Zero? Thinking so seriously. And you were busy all day yesterday, only to tell me that you couldn¡¯t make even one? Ms. Nian Shutong was somewhat impressed with Rubble¡¯s train of thought; if it hadn¡¯t been useful, he would have been beaten to death sooner or later. ¡°Xiao He, buy two more loads of junk materials.¡± ¡°Rubble, you continue making robots, I need to clear the land in front of the brook completely.¡± After arranging tasks for the two, Nian Shutong set off with a shovel in one hand and gnawing on a corn cob in the other, to plant potatoes. Left behind, Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t ask any questions, neatly purchased the junk materials, while Rubble found a good spot, squatted in front of him, and watched him eat corn. Rubble intended to work hard, earn money, upgrade, eat corn, and eat meat. The two of them, one ate calmly, while the other watched with interest. Without interfering with each other. Nian Shutong entered the forest and used her Spiritual Power to quickly reach the clearing site. Planting potatoes, start. The speed could be said to be very fast; she arranged for one robot to cut potatoes, another to dip them in a solution, while she took responsibility for digging holes and planting. Working again until evening, Nian Shutong had finally finished planting an acre of potatoes. She straightened her somewhat sore back, and looking at the land which didn¡¯t yet show any signs of growth, felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction. She, for the first time, had done so many things with her own hands. ¡°Ding? Host has completed the task of planting an acre of potatoes, rewards as follows, please check.¡± There are rewards? Nian Shutong quickly checked and found there were still two types of Repair Liquid, but this time the quantity was ten times more than before. ¡°Great, great, great!¡± This system is so efficient, this time, Nian Shutong could restore her former physical condition. Nian Shutong continued to check; the system also rewarded five types of vegetable seeds, a total of five small packs. Green peppers, eggplants were ones she had already discovered. Cucumbers, cabbages, tomatoes were new. In the end, System Xiao Ba also unlocked seeds for rice and wheat, meaning she could buy and cultivate them anytime. Very good. Now, Nian Shutong had started to enjoy this kind of life, cultivation was all too familiar to her; it was just walking the same path again. But farming, or rather, reconstructing this planet, was entirely new. Whether this planet was a treasure or not, she wanted to build it into the most prosperous it could be. That way, her living again would not be in vain. After collecting her rewards, Nian Shutong returned to the small wooden house with the two robots. In front of the small house, Rubble¡¯s towering figure was shuttling back and forth among a pile of junk materials. It seemed like it was time to rest. True to form, the next second, Rubble, pretending to wipe nonexistent sweat from his forehead, clanged down to sit on the ground. ¡°Rubble needs to rest.¡± On the other side, Fu Yunhe, who had been earning money on the Star Network, looked at Rubble resting for the eleventh time, glanced at the time, which was a minute longer than the last gap. There was progress. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two resting yet?¡± Nian Shutong, carrying the corn stalk, arrived just in time to catch Fu Yunhe¡¯s eye. But was that a look of silent accusation? Oh, Nian Shutong just remembered something¡­ she forgot to bring lunch, and now she was back for dinner. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Xiao He? Missed me that much?¡± Nian Shutong asked knowingly, and Fu Yunhe also gave a response that went against his conscience. ¡°I was concerned for your safety, it¡¯s getting late, I¡¯m going to rest.¡± Fu Yunhe got up and entered the small house. He had already consumed nutrient liquid, but it¡¯s taste was so strikingly different from that of corn, he was not used to it. Nian Shutong chuckled guiltily from behind; did she really forget? There was no intention to torment on purpose. She was just about to step inside when she heard Rubble say: ¡°Rubble was not worried about Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s safety. In our Mechanical Clan, the uglier you are, the safer it is to go out.¡± It was as if he was flirting with the edge of seeking death. Nian Shutong took a serious look at Rubble, who was earnestly stating the facts, and walked away. Today this Immortal is in a good mood! Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Beyond the Mountain Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Beyond the Mountain Nian Shutong, in a good mood, recognized Rubble¡¯s usefulness, surpassing his critical nature. However, her curiosity made her pause and she pointed towards the small wooden house, asking Rubble a question. ¡°Xiao He, what does he look like?¡± Rubble¡¯s head turned as he looked at Nian Shutong and replied, ¡°Xiao He is not only ugly but also on the verge of death.¡± ¡°Ha! He¡¯s ugly too?¡± Nian Shutong felt a strangely satisfying sense of gratification, walking back to the small wooden house with her hands behind her back and casually calling out, ¡°See you tomorrow, Rubble.¡± Rubble, who was supposed to be resting and thus no longer working, had reached the time for his break. Still each kept to their place, resting, earning money, cultivating. In her room, Nian Shutong had already taken out the System Repair Liquid, drank it in one gulp, and started repairing and improving her physique. Perhaps because the dose was large this time, Nian Shutong was enveloped in a gentle white light with no discomfort whatsoever. About an hour and a half later, Nian Shutong sprang out of the small wooden house at high speed. As her toes lightly touched the ground, she leaped onto a large tree. With the cultivation technique in operation and her improved physique, she absorbed the surrounding toxins refreshingly, as a fish swims in the sea. Centered on the large tree, within a range of one meter, two meters, five meters, ten meters¡­ the toxins were completely cleared. Daodao, having received the Lifebound Repair Liquid, was also rapidly repairing. Its original form was a vine, but uniquely blessed, it changed and matched with Nian Shutong, transforming into a small Qing-colored knife. One knife, one person, both fiercely cultivating. Fourth Level of Qi Cultivation, fifth, sixth¡­ Nian Shutong suppressed it upon reaching the Ninth Level of Qi Cultivation, as too much wasn¡¯t good. The next step was the Foundation Establishment Stage. Her cultivation of the Poison Scripture didn¡¯t require a Foundation Establishment Pill, just a larger amount of toxins. This was something she was not worried about at all, having an entire planet at her disposal. After a night¡¯s cultivation, Nian Shutong¡¯s mood was excellent. She leapt down from the tree¡¯s top and landed directly in front of the small wooden house. Facing Fu Yunhe as he came out. She had flown over? How did she manage that? In interstellar cultivation, even those at the SSS level could only stay aloft temporarily, and most relied on flying devices or Mechas. But Nian Shutong, she had flown. ¡°Morning, Xiao He.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t bother to explain and said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, then go out for a walk after breakfast.¡± ¡°Morning, okay.¡± Fu Yunhe remained calm, not inquiring further, and sat next to the pot ready to light the fire and cook corn. Nian Shutong was even more casual, carelessly tossing the corn onto the ground. After becoming an ATM, Fu Yunhe had also acquired the role of a cook, or rather a fire-making ¡°maid.¡± After finishing their meal, leaving Rubble to continue building robots, the two of them set off in an egg-shaped flying device. The flying device ascended slowly, rising higher and higher, eventually soaring over the large mountain behind the small wooden house. ¡°Let¡¯s head there.¡± Nian Shutong, being the Planet Master, pointed towards the other side of the mountain, remembering the entire planet¡¯s geography. Fu Yunhe, like a perfect robot, strictly followed Nian Shutong¡¯s instructions. The flying device passed over the mountain, revealing a stretch of blue in their view. They were separated from the sea by just one mountain. Nian Shutong chose a spot suitable for making salt and directed Fu Yunhe to descend. The two disembarked from the flying device, standing on the beach. In the interstellar realm, sea water remains unaffected by radiation. But Fu Yunhe was still in the dark, unsure of what they were doing here. The vast sea, present on many planets, was often despised throughout the interstellar community due to its undrinkable water, stench, and slippery creatures. Other than serving as a scenic view, it had no other use. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Salt Drying Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Salt Drying Nian Shutong had already learned how to make salt and she planned to build three ponds. One for water inlet, allowing seawater to flow in during high tide and settle the sediment. The second for evaporation, using solar energy to sufficiently evaporate the water, leaving enough sodium chloride, which is salt. The third for crystallization, allowing the salt-rich seawater to continue drying slowly into crystals, which are coarse salt. The fourth and final step involved mixing the coarse salt in fresh water, filtering, drying, and purifying it to form snow-white fine salt. This step would also nicely remove the salt¡¯s bitterness and coarse texture. However, all this would take time, and she didn¡¯t want to wait. Luckily, she was in interstellar. ¡°Xiao He,¡± Nian Shutong called Fu Yunhe with an affectionate tone. Fu Yunhe felt a chill surge from his waist, climbing up his spine to the back of his head, as his brain quickly calculated the remaining funds in his account. Oh¡­ he hoped it would be enough. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Fu Yunhe asked in his friendliest tone. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about life!¡± As soon as Nian Shutong spoke, Fu Yunhe grew even more afraid. Life? That sounded like it would cost a lot of money. However, Fu Yunhe wouldn¡¯t argue; he politely responded to Nian Shutong, ¡°Oh, you talk.¡± ¡°I want to start a salt farm and need to buy a miniature sun and a filter,¡± Nian Shutong began, then started adding up the costs for Fu Yunhe. ¡°I obviously don¡¯t have the money, or at least not enough. If you could put in some money, then from now on, you wouldn¡¯t have to pay for meals. How about that?¡± How about that? Fu Yunhe felt that he didn¡¯t have the option to refuse. On a deserted island coast, alone with Nian Shutong, it seemed like a perfect place to commit murder and dispose of a body. ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± Fu Yunhe immediately agreed, not daring to hesitate. He even proactive opened the Star Network and found the items Nian Shutong wanted to buy. ¡°How about this miniature sun? Is it sufficient? And this filter, it¡¯s from a nutrient liquid facility and is still 30% new, will it do?¡± Nian Shutong, seeing Fu Yunhe so cooperative, was very pleased; communicating with a smart person really saved effort. ¡°This is good, let¡¯s buy it. The filter will suffice, and it even saves some money,¡± Nian Shutong lightly tapped, and both items were added to the cart for purchase. Fu Yunhe nodded in full cooperation. After Nian Shutong had made her selections, he directly proceeded to payment without using the part of the money that Nian Shutong said was ¡°not enough.¡± Watching Fu Yunhe make the payment, which ultimately amounted to ninety-seven thousand eight hundred forty-three Star Coins, Nian Shutong had only one thought: she was glad the sick beauty had left some behind. Seeing the transaction complete and the delivery countdown timer light up, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t waste time; she was ready to get to work. The first step was to dig the ponds. ¡°Xiao He, go stand over there, stay away from me,¡± Nian Shutong pointed to a spot about dozens of meters away. Fu Yunhe asked no questions and obediently walked to the other side, standing in position. He watched Nian Shutong from a distance, curious about what she was planning to do. As for the idea of making money from salt, he was skeptical. Salt is a very common commodity, bitter in taste, which not many people liked, yet they consumed some, feeling it was necessary for their health. Most people who consumed nutrient liquid didn¡¯t need extra salt intake. Indeed, in interstellar, humans treated salt as a separate food without developing more functions for it. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong nonchalantly. The next second, he showed his emotions for the first time. How could it be possible? Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Showing Initial Talent Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Showing Initial Talent The sight before him stunned Fu Yunhe and then plunged him into deep thought. At that moment, Nian Shutong was holding a nearly two-meter-long chopping knife, with a one-meter-long turquoise handle below and a turquoise blade above. If there were Earth people present, they could recognize the knife as no different from the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, shaped according to Daodao¡¯s preference and purposely transformed. Fu Yunhe only saw Nian Shutong slowly ascend, swinging her arms downward, and streaks of turquoise light shot out, each creating a deep trench in the ground. After a dozen swings, Nian Shutong flipped her hand, the big knife disappeared, and she descended from the air. She knelt on one knee, one palm touching the ground, and all the soil in the trenches seemed to understand her commands, moving on its own. Nian Shutong was versed in poisons, but she could manipulate the Five Elements, though not expertly. Soon, three rectangular patches of land formed three pits of varying depths in front of her. But Nian Shutong continued. The seaside was never short of rocks. Daodao appeared again, slicing through rocks as if they were tofu. Square stone slabs, smooth and rounded, were laid inside the three pits, forming the pools Nian Shutong needed. With the last stone slab in place, Nian Shutong put away Daodao, standing with hands clasped behind her back, satisfied as she looked at the three pools. Not bad, she was quite pleased. The most important thing was¡­ it saved money. She casually waved at Fu Yunhe, her facial expression relaxed, though her spiritual power had almost been depleted, but she had to carry on the pretense until the end. ¡°Xiao He, what do you think?¡± Fu Yunhe moved slowly, looking at the neatly formed, imposing pools, and sincerely praised, ¡°Impressive.¡± Truly impressive, Nian Shutong was impressive. This move, a metaphorical ¡°striking the mountain to awe the tiger,¡± was even more astonishing. ¡°You flatter me, you flatter me,¡± Nian Shutong raised her hand again, explaining to Fu Yunhe, ¡°When the tide rises, it should just fill the first pool. Unfortunately¡­ we missed it today.¡± The sound of water¡­ The sea water near the shore was swept up by an unknown force, rising and shifting. ¡°The sound of water¡ª¡ª-¡± It fell into the first pool. ¡°There, that works too,¡± Nian Shutong lowered her hand and continued to stand in a lofty pose. For a moment, there was even more silence between the two. This silence didn¡¯t last long because the delivery robot arrived. Fu Yunhe followed Nian Shutong¡¯s arrangements, placing the virtual sun above the first pool, and another filtering machine on the far side of the sea from the three pools. The virtual sun is a device that can provide unlimited heat, continuously generating high power to accelerate the evaporation process. In the interstellar realm, all suns are artificial, set by the Empire¡¯s Royal Family to standardize a twenty-four-hour time system. Given the multitude of stars and even more planets in the interstellar domain, one sun is certainly not enough. The two of them, one silently resting to gather some spiritual power, the other, took out their own lounge chair, sitting and waiting for the salt drying results. When the first pool was almost done, the virtual sun was sequentially moved above the second and third pools. When the third pool began to show slightly coarse salt crystals, Fu Yunhe was not surprised. Isn¡¯t this the same salt everyone eats now? Nothing extraordinary, or to say, the cost was too high. The interstellar has special salt mines; there¡¯s no need for such strenuous efforts to obtain these salt granules. ¡°Do you look down on these salt particles?¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Fine Salt Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Fine Salt Fu Yunhe¡¯s idea was guessed by Nian Shutong, and without hiding it, he spoke, ¡°The cost of salt is very low.¡± Nian Shutong nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Indeed, it is low, but don¡¯t you find it too unpalatable?¡± Fu Yunhe slowly sat up and responded, ¡°It¡¯s just to replenish some salt, the taste isn¡¯t that important.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t reply but instead asked, ¡°Are you still willing to drink nutrient liquid after you¡¯ve gotten used to real food?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not willing.¡± ¡°People, once their lives improve, always seek better things rather than stopping there and not pursuing any further advancements,¡± Nian Shutong crouched down and grabbed a handful of salt crystals. ¡°This salt, I can make it better and the price doesn¡¯t need to go up. Isn¡¯t there a demand for it throughout the interstellar?¡± Nian Shutong took out a large pot from her Space Button, the same pot they usually used for boiling corn. The pot was filled with clean water, into which Nian Shutong shoveled in the coarse salt, maintaining a ratio of two to one. Two parts water, one part salt. When the two elements fully merged, the impurities and silt could already be seen by the naked eye. Nian Shutong easily lifted the heavy pot and poured the solution through a filter. After filtering it once, she obtained a bucket of relatively clean solution. This bucket of solution was then poured back into a washed pot, under which they began to add firewood to make a fire. Nian Shutong took a round stick and began to stir continuously. When crystals began to appear, she removed the fire from under the pot but continued to stir. Fu Yunhe watched as the black pot, having started with just a bit of salt, gradually filled with more and more white fine crystals due to Nian Shutong¡¯s stirring. This salt¡­ looked truly different. When there was no more solution left in the pot, Nian Shutong also stopped stirring. The amount of salt hadn¡¯t decreased but had actually become more. Nian Shutong took a small wooden stick, dipped it into the white salt, and handed it to Fu Yunhe. ¡°Try it.¡± Fu Yunhe took it, looked down at it for a moment and then put it into his mouth, his tongue lightly touching it. Salty, it was the only taste. Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t help thinking that if the meat from that day had a sprinkle of this salt¡­ He dared not continue the thought, as he began to salivate. ¡°Very good,¡± Fu Yunhe gave his assessment. ¡°Right, interested in going into this business?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s voice was as tempting as a siren¡¯s call. Fu Yunhe immediately realized that she had big plans. ¡°What do I need to do? Speak frankly.¡± Nian Shutong laughed heartily, happily extending a hand, but then she paused the hand just above Fu Yunhe¡¯s shoulder and retracted it. Better not to get slapped. ¡°Xiao He, I want to sell this salt, but relying on a shop would make growth too slow, so I want to sell it via livestream.¡± Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t shooting in the dark; other than Cultivation, Daodao spent time wandering the Star Network, getting to know it quite thoroughly. Livestreaming sales, without a doubt, were the hottest form of entertainment at the moment. Fu Yunhe, not quite understanding, asked, ¡°Starting a livestream doesn¡¯t seem to require any investment?¡± In other words, he hadn¡¯t spotted where he would need to spend money. ¡°Hehehe¡­ Xiao He, you don¡¯t need to spend money, just contribute manpower.¡± Manpower? Fu Yunhe pointed to himself, incredulously saying, ¡°You want me to sell?¡± Nian Shutong blinked, the words seemingly carrying a hint of a double meaning, although the way she saw it was indeed a tiny bit in that direction. ¡°Between you and me, Xiao He, one of us has to do it. Look at these hands, this face, who would enjoy looking at me?¡± Fu Yunhe looked at Nian Shutong as she showed off her hands and face; he only felt that she was boasting and not at all upset about her appearance. He, the formidable Imperial Commander, was actually going to rely on ¡°beauty¡± to livestream and attract traffic? It turns out there is no worst in life, only worse. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Of course I did it Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Of course I did it Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe, who had been silent, tilted her head upward, and her tone contained a hidden danger, ¡°Are you in or not?¡± Fu Yunhe looked up, his expression certain and his eyes steady, like the most loyal of believers, without questioning the reasons, there was only one answer. ¡°In!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m in.¡± Could he afford not to be? After just barely gaining an extra life, he was certainly not looking to be thrown into the sea to feed the fish. Wasn¡¯t Nian Shutong¡¯s move today an intimidation tactic aimed at him? Fu Yunhe¡¯s agreement brought a pleased smile to Nian Shutong¡¯s face. Good, she was very satisfied with their ¡°mutual trust.¡± She packed away the remaining salt and took Fu Yunhe back to the small wooden house first. The two who returned to the small wooden house unsurprisingly found Rubble resting. ¡°Xiao He, you rest first, rejuvenate your spirit. Once I¡¯m prepared, I¡¯ll call you.¡± Nian Shutong did not enter the small wooden house after disembarking from the flying device, instead heading towards the direction of the forest. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t even have time to respond before Nian Shutong was out of sight. He looked towards the direction where Nian Shutong had disappeared and kept thinking to himself that staying alive was not an easy feat. The more Nian Shutong exposed to him, the more dangerous it became for him. Fu Yunhe, who was originally dissatisfied with his own appearance, had even thought about getting more radiation to make himself uglier and rougher. Now it seemed, taking care of his appearance was the top priority! Fu Yunhe felt that, in addition to spending money, his face was also a condition for survival. ¡°Life is tough!¡± Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. ¡°Your life is short and fast; it won¡¯t be that hard.¡± A bland tone, emitting the feeling of an undeniable truth. Without looking, he knew it was Rubble. Fu Yunhe simply glanced at Rubble and said nothing, ignoring him. He walked away with an air of nonchalance. Rubble, who had been sitting and resting, tilted his head and watched Fu Yunhe walk away, ¡°He must agree with my point of view; Rubble is indeed too smart.¡± Fu Yunhe returned to the small wooden house and first opened the Star Network, searching for several top-ranking popular livestreamers to learn from. Since he had decided to sacrifice, he might as well make it worth something. Rubble, who had been outside, finally finished resting and began to get up to continue working as a robot. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that Rubble sorted all the materials neatly into different categories. There seemed to be a touch of obsessive-compulsiveness. On the other hand, Nian Shutong, after leaping into the forest, simply sat on a log and started chatting with the system. ¡°Xiao Ba, I¡¯d like to buy some of your edible potatoes?¡± ¡°Ding! Xiao Ba is here. What does the host need potatoes for? If they¡¯re not for seeds, potatoes are somewhat expensive!¡± Expensive? She still had to buy. Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t afford to wait for her own potatoes to mature before starting the livestream; that would take too long. Thinking of this, Nian Shutong asked again, ¡°Xiao Ba, how long will it take for your seeds to mature?¡± ¡°Hello, host. It takes ninety days for potatoes to mature, but our seeds are special: radiation-resistant, toxin-free, and with a shorter maturity period, needing only sixty days.¡± ¡°If the host is in a hurry, you can also buy fertilizer that will accelerate growth by one month. One month is the maximum for potatoes to mature; any shorter would affect their flavor!¡± One month, thirty days. She still needed to buy potatoes. ¡°Xiao Ba, how much are your potatoes? And how much for the fertilizer?¡± Nian Shutong decided to tackle both avenues; once she returned, she would plant the vegetables, buy the fertilizer, and harvest early. However, she still needed to start the livestream first. According to Daodao¡¯s information, out of the hundreds of millions of livestreamers, only a few could rise to prominence. ¡°Ding! The price of potatoes is 1000 Star Coins each; the price of fertilizer is 2000 Star Coins per mu.¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The Pauper Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The Pauper ¡°1000 Star Coins¡­ each?¡± At this moment, Nian Shutong suddenly felt she didn¡¯t deserve to eat. She checked her account balance; she had sold boiled corn four times and garnered ninety thousand Star Coins. She had to buy fertilizer, and potatoes as well, so the money that had not even warmed in her hands was about to disappear. Nian Shutong felt she didn¡¯t even need her birthday fortune told anymore¡ªher fate was simply being broke. Sigh as she might, she still had to buy. ¡°Xiao Ba, I want to buy twenty edible potatoes and fertilizer for one acre of land.¡± ¡°Beep! Warehouse shipment in progress¡­ Dear, we do not accept returns or exchanges, oh.¡± ¡°Twenty-two thousand Star Coins have been collected, collection completed, shipment in progress, please prepare to receive,¡± Xiao Ba confirmed. Nian Shutong leaped down from the tree and rushed toward her potato field. Once there, she quickly learned how to apply fertilizer. ¡°What a joke, a trip for nothing.¡± She had to wait for the potato sprouts to emerge before fertilizing, and considering the seeds¡¯ special nature in the system, she estimated it would be seven days until she could fertilize. Decisively, Nian Shutong took out the potatoes she had bought from the system and put them into her Space Button. As soon as she did this, she realized that the Space Button¡¯s capacity was not that large after all; it seemed money was needed for everything. But with still so much to buy, Nian Shutong planned to empty out the Space Button¡ªshe couldn¡¯t afford to upgrade it. Poor! Incredibly poor! Yet, the setbacks continued. Nian Shutong was about to pluck some corn when she heard something. ¡°Host, Xiao Ba kindly reminds you that the corn has passed its prime consumption period. It is best to wait until it is fully ripe, as eating it now will greatly affect the taste.¡± Affect the taste? Nian Shutong retracted her step; it wouldn¡¯t do to sell something unpalatable. What if her single address and three customers had a bad experience and ran off? Nian Shutong was starting to get a bit of a headache. If she couldn¡¯t eat the corn, and other crops would take at least a month to grow, would she have to keep spending money on potatoes? ¡°Master, master,¡± Daodao called out to Nian Shutong, ¡°We can eat meat.¡± Right! They could eat meat. Nian Shutong still had a rabbit in her Space Button. That would do for today; her Spiritual Power had just been nearly depleted, and if she were to encounter the Giant Bird creature protecting its eggs again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fight it off, which would be quite embarrassing. Back to the small wooden house, to eat rabbit. In the afternoon, she would clear the land in front of the door and plant vegetables. With her plan in mind, Nian Shutong, covered in Spiritual Energy from head to toe, sped toward the small wooden house. As she just crossed the brook, she shouted toward the house, ¡°Xiao He! Come out, we¡¯re making barbecue!¡± Inside, Fu Yunhe, who was learning about live streaming techniques, waved his arm, and the virtual screen instantly shut down. He stood up for the first time with a speed that did not match his frailty, a bit of urgency in his step as he walked out of the small house. Fu Yunhe emerged to see Nian Shutong squatting by the creek with a Dagger in one hand and a rabbit in the other, continuously skinning the rabbit. Having finished skinning, Nian Shutong roughly grasped a leg of the rabbit and washed the blood off in the creek with forceful movements. Afterwards, she hoisted up the rabbit and violently skewered it with a stick right through the middle. The barbecue was ready to begin. Fu Yunhe, who had skillfully lit a fire while waiting, watched as Nian Shutong contentedly placed the stick horizontally over the fire. ¡°I wonder how it tastes? But at least, we have salt today.¡± Salt? With meat? Fu Yunhe¡¯s saliva started to flow again. Commander¡¯s self-control be damned. Now, he was just a sickly fellow, and a sickly fellow who needed to maintain his charming appearance at that. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Roasted Rabbit Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Roasted Rabbit Ms. Nian Shutong absentmindedly held a dagger, making cuts on the rabbit, occasionally sprinkling salt, but not too much because Daodao had said it wouldn¡¯t taste good if it was too salty. She didn¡¯t really know how to do these things; it was all thanks to Daodao¡¯s meticulous explanations that she could mimic the process and establish herself as a mysterious big-shot. If left to her own devices, she probably would¡¯ve struggled. In the Cultivation World she inhabited, there was only one rule: might makes right. Fortunately, up to this point, she had been the strongest among herself, Fu Yunhe, and Rubble. On the other side, Fu Yunhe was continuously rotating a stick, ensuring the rabbit was evenly heated. However, weakened as he was, and given his recent need to protect his face, after a short while, he handed the task over to a robot. He was fragile and needed to rest. It wasn¡¯t clear how long had passed, but at some point, the aroma of meat began wafting through the air and Rubble, who had been working nearby, had somehow silently squatted down. His eyes wide with interest, he analyzed in a loud voice, ¡°Rabbits belong to the phylum Chordata, mammals, order Lagomorpha, with ears¡­¡± Ms. Nian Shutong chuckled and glanced at Rubble. ¡°Are you getting hungry?¡± Rubble, with his large skeletal head cocked to one side, corrected her seriously, ¡°Rubble is a higher form of intelligent life; we don¡¯t feel hunger but seek to expand our knowledge, such as the taste of rabbits.¡± Stubborn Rubble sneakily cast longing glances at the rabbit. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ms. Nian Shutong said, enlightened, as she rotated the dagger skillfully in her palm, grasped it, bent her arm, and made a swift cut. A tender, savory piece of rabbit leg was sliced off. Ms. Nian Shutong held a piece of the rabbit meat between two fingers, drawing circles in the air. ¡°Mmm¡­ time to eat meat.¡± The piece of meat made a round in front of Rubble before slowly making its way into Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s mouth. She chewed repeatedly, making a show of savoring it. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, you might have a misunderstanding about your own appearance. An unattractive person doing anything is still unattractive.¡± That remark made Ms. Nian Shutong, who was chewing on the meat, laugh a sinister, dark chuckle while holding the dagger. Rubble hesitantly stood up, disapprovingly looking at Ms. Nian Shutong, ¡°Please, Ms. Nian Shutong, don¡¯t threaten Rubble. Rubble cannot lie.¡± After saying that, Rubble went back to work, feeling mentally exhausted. Ms. Nian Shutong rolled her eyes amusively, now blaming herself? Given Rubble¡¯s brutally honest nature, he would have died a hundred times over in their Cultivation World! However, Ms. Nian Shutong still called Fu Yunhe over, and as he approached, waiting for her to speak, Ms. Nian Shutong cut off another piece of rabbit meat and handed it to Fu Yunhe, saying, ¡°Check the Star Network and buy some reasonably priced metal.¡± Fu Yunhe took the rabbit meat, placed it in his mouth, and its somewhat flavorful taste instantly conquered his taste buds. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look,¡± Fu Yunhe understood. Ms. Nian Shutong was looking to buy metal to upgrade Rubble. Actually, despite always plotting to kill him, Ms. Nian Shutong was consistent in her actions. And she was also quite fair. Both of them slowly ate the roast rabbit; more than two-thirds of it ended up in Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s stomach, she could eat a lot now. After finishing the meal, Ms. Nian Shutong stretched lazily, stood up, took out her shovel, looked at the empty ground in front of her, and shouted. ¡°Time to work!¡± Fu Yunhe then saw Ms. Nian Shutong direct the robot to pick up stones while she herself pulled weeds. What was she planning to do now? Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Ways to Save Money Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Ways to Save Money The space in front of the small wooden house was relatively soft, and there weren¡¯t many stones. Nian Shutong and the two robots worked for about an hour, and after that, the plot of land was clean. Looking at the tidy land, she put away her shovel, went across the creek, and carried back a few sticks as thick as a wrist. She went to the neatly sorted pile of Rubble, found a relatively sharp thick iron sheet, took it, and connected it with the sticks. A simple shovel was made. Nian Shutong started to truly dig the ground. She opened up six plots, each about fifteen square meters. The six plots were surrounded by tall mounds of earth, forming six rectangles evenly distributed on both sides of the small wooden house. In each plot, using the new shovel, Nian Shutong dug long trenches, threw in some unknown seeds, planted unknown seedlings, then covered them with soil and watered them. After a while, Nian Shutong crossed the creek again, this time, bringing back more branches as thick as fingers. Fu Yunhe had been sitting at the doorway of the small wooden house, watching Nian Shutong rushing around. The leaves on the thin branches and the small twigs were all cleanly removed, leaving only the bare branches. That was not all; Nian Shutong then took out many soaked pieces of bark, already torn into strips. She began to build a fence around the six plots. She buried the branches in a row in the soil and tied them with the soaked, somewhat tougher bark strips. By dusk, the fence was more than half done. She looked at the sky and paused her work, thinking about what to eat in the evening. ¡°Nian Shutong!¡± Fu Yunhe called out. Nian Shutong wiped her hands and turned to look at Fu Yunhe, asking, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You can buy these,¡± Fu Yunhe said, pointing to the newly constructed fence. ¡°I know,¡± Nian Shutong walked towards Fu Yunhe and casually sat at the doorway, saying, ¡°But everything costs money to buy, making it ourselves saves money.¡± Nian Shutong looked up at a somewhat puzzled Fu Yunhe and continued, ¡°Robbing you was a necessity. Now, it¡¯s better to save where we can.¡± Fu Yunhe did not respond, perhaps thinking that expensive things require spending money, and cheaper ones should be saved? Nian Shutong didn¡¯t say more, but if she could have known Fu Yunhe¡¯s thoughts, she would definitely say: You are right! She needed to prepare for a live broadcast to sell things, and some items had to be purchased from the system. Items from the system were expensive, she couldn¡¯t afford them often, and she still had taxes from an external debt to pay. So, the money was better spent on essentials, and for things that could be sourced locally, it was good to save. Besides, with Daodao who had absorbed the planet¡¯s core, she knew how to make these things; it was just a bit of hard work for her. Moreover, being out in the open and working while practicing cultivation was not a waste, and she quite enjoyed this busy life. Unlike before when she secluded herself, years passed by, which was quite uninteresting, as if there was nothing else to do but practice cultivation. Nian Shutong stood up, looking at the sky that was no longer clear, and said, ¡°We can¡¯t eat corn anymore; we need to wait a while.¡± ¡°Today, let¡¯s eat potatoes!¡± Her casual statement, ¡°Today, let¡¯s eat potatoes,¡± caused a slight fluctuation in Fu Yunhe¡¯s spiritual power, but it relaxed in the blink of an eye. Nian Shutong casually glanced at Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°You seem to really like potatoes, getting a little excited every time we eat them.¡± Even for a moment, Fu Yunhe could not escape Nian Shutong¡¯s Divine Sense. ¡°Cough cough¡­ I do like them, they taste good,¡± Fu Yunhe admitted his liking, naturally unable to say anything else. ¡°Good that you like them, very good! Hopefully, you can say the same in the future.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Preparing Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Preparing Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t quite grasp what Nian Shutong meant, but he always felt there was a deeper meaning in her words. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t explain, but instead took out a few potatoes. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to make fries,¡± Nian Shutong said, looking up at Fu Yunhe. ¡°You do it, and afterwards, we¡¯ll sell these fries during the live stream.¡± Fries? Fu Yunhe had absolutely no idea what fries were, but given his current role, obedience was definitely his top trait. ¡°Okay, what do I need to do?¡± Fu Yunhe cooperated, prompting Nian Shutong to instruct him unabashedly. ¡°You go on Star Network and buy a bucket of tree oil, and get some¡­ flour.¡± When Nian Shutong mentioned flour, her heart ached a bit; she had checked secretly, and flour was incredibly expensive. Two hundred grams would cost five thousand Star Coins. Five thousand¡­ that¡¯s outrageously expensive. As for tree oil, it comes from a type of oil-producing tree with extremely high annual yield, farmed on planets that specifically grow these trees, and the price was actually affordable. Like those kinds of planets, they all had protective shields on the periphery, so they weren¡¯t afraid of radiation, and therefore, they didn¡¯t produce toxins. ¡°Okay, do I need anything else?¡± Fu Yunhe had already opened the Star Network¡ªfive hundred Star Coins for a bucket of tree oil was genuinely cheap. Because the bucket was quite large, about one meter tall and half a meter wide. Thinking of the video of frying fries that Daodao had shown to her, Nian Shutong added, ¡°Also buy a slotted spoon, the kind with little holes all over the spoon. If there isn¡¯t one, get a good one, and we¡¯ll make the holes ourselves.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe nodded, made a few taps, and bought the items. By this time, Nian Shutong had already washed the potatoes and was peeling them with a Dagger. After peeling four potatoes, Nian Shutong stopped. She called over Fu Yunhe and, without looking up, spoke as she worked, ¡°Watch closely, you¡¯ll be doing this later.¡± Nian Shutong handed two potatoes to Fu Yunhe and kept two for herself. ¡°Do it with me.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ okay.¡± Fu Yunhe was constantly feeling the potato in his hands, but it didn¡¯t feel like much. Probably because they were uncooked. He dared not lose focus, watching Nian Shutong and following along. At that moment, Nian Shutong placed the potatoes on a board and began slicing with a knife. ¡°The slices should be thicker, about as wide as a pinkie, and after that, cut them into strips as thin as a pinkie.¡± Dang dang dang, dang dang dang. For a time, the two of them squatted on the ground, awkwardly slicing the potatoes. Nian Shutong was skilled with a knife, so after watching Daodao¡¯s video once, she managed to cut quite well. Fu Yunhe had strong spiritual power, so it really shouldn¡¯t have been difficult, but the trouble was that he was physically weak; Fu Yunhe, after cutting one potato, began to sweat profusely. Nian Shutong also noticed Fu Yunhe¡¯s condition and sighed as she took another potato and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your face being useful, I would have done it myself.¡± Fu Yunhe was just silently panting, but inwardly he retorted: If it weren¡¯t for your face not being camera-friendly, I wouldn¡¯t have to sell mine either. Nian Shutong efficiently cut four potato strips, ready to move on to the next step. ¡°Watch carefully. Rinse the potato strips in clean water first, wash off this muddy starch.¡± ¡°When the water gets clear, pour it out, replace it with fresh clean water, and let the potatoes soak to make them crispy.¡± As she mentioned this, Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe and asked, ¡°Remember all this? Don¡¯t let the live stream viewers ask you questions that you can¡¯t answer.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s breathing had steadied, and he assured Nian Shutong confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll remember everything.¡± Though he couldn¡¯t keep up physically, his mind was still his own¡ªhe was never foolish and wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid. Little did Fu Yunhe know, he was soon to be proven wrong. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Simple Kitchen Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Simple Kitchen Ms. Nian Shutong listened to Fu Yunhe¡¯s assurance and didn¡¯t ask any further questions. ¡°If there¡¯s an issue, we¡¯ll talk about it then,¡± she continued to cook and explain. ¡°After soaking, you need to coat them with flour before frying, so let¡¯s wait a bit,¡± Ms. Nian Shutong shook her hands and looked at the cutting board on the ground. ¡°Xiao He, I think we need a kitchen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to build it yourself?¡± A smile in her eyes, Ms. Nian Shutong gave Fu Yunhe a rare compliment as she watched him with one corner of her mouth curved up. ¡°I¡¯ve realized that you¡¯re not only beautiful, but more importantly, smart.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ I must have some strengths.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong decided to go ahead with the task since the stuff she¡¯d bought had not yet been delivered. She walked to the right side of the small wooden house, intending to build a kitchen there, as to the left was a pile of rubble. Ms. Nian Shutong measured the area with her footsteps, her mind split between looking at the construction knowledge Daodao had prepared for her. She went upstream to the creek, and when she returned, she startled Rubble and left him puzzled. ¡°What race is Ms. Nian Shutong, exactly? Although not beautiful in appearance, she¡¯s incredibly strong?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, who carried a rectangular stone on her shoulder, merely glanced at Rubble and breezed past Fu Yunhe to the right side of the small wooden house. ¡°Bang!¡± The large stone hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Ms. Nian Shutong went back and forth a few more times, carrying a total of three large stones, each over half a meter wide, useful both as walls and tables. She arranged the three stones in a shape resembling the character mouth, lacking only the bottom stroke. She then carried two smaller stones and one flat stone. The flat stone was laid on the ground, while the two smaller stones were placed upright on top of it. Ms. Nian Shutong set a large pot on the two vertically placed smaller stones and coated the pot¡¯s surroundings with mud. At this point, Fu Yunhe and Rubble had come together, a rare occurrence of agreement, their thoughts in harmony. As Ms. Nian Shutong began to build a chimney, the delivery robot arrived. Fu Yunhe received the goods, gave a five-star rating, and the robot left thanking him in a doll-like voice. Ms. Nian Shutong finished off the chimney and looked at the makeshift kitchen in front of her, nodding, ¡°Just missing a lid.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day!¡± She went to the river to wash her hands, getting ready to fry the French fries. ¡°The goods have arrived,¡± Fu Yunhe spoke up to remind her. ¡°Right away!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong temporarily paused her thoughts, walked over to Fu Yunhe, checked the oil, and inspected the flour. ¡°Such little flour!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong eyed a small box of flour, elegantly packaged in a transparent container, somewhat resembling glass. The packaging was quite nice. Fu Yunhe explained while looking at the flour, ¡°These toxin-free foods need careful cultivation; they¡¯re costly, so naturally, they¡¯re a bit expensive.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong casually nodded; she understood. By now, she had been enlightened a bit more each day by the web-obsessed Daodao. ¡°We should dry the potato strips and preferably freeze them before adding flour.¡± ¡°But since we haven¡¯t had a meal, let¡¯s make something to eat first,¡± Ms. Nian Shutong put the potato strips in a clean bowl and sprinkled a bit of flour. ¡°Whirl whirl¡ª¡± She shook the bowl vigorously, telling Fu Yunhe, ¡°Make sure every strip is coated with flour.¡± ¡°Look! It should look something like this.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it. What¡¯s next?¡± Fu Yunhe asked eagerly. ¡°The next step is to fry them.¡± ¡°Master, it¡¯s not ¡®zh¨¤¡¯ (fourth tone), it¡¯s ¡®zh¨¢¡¯ (second tone).¡± Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49 "Exploding" Fries Chapter 49: Chapter 49 ¡°Exploding¡± Fries Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t quite understand the word ¡°fry¡±, what kind of cooking method this was supposed to be. In his mind, ¡°fry¡± was an earth-shattering action; was he supposed to fry a pot? He stood aside, watching as Nian Shutong, carrying a basin of french fries, walked to the newly constructed kitchenette. Before she could make the next move, he heard the voice of Rubble, educating from nearby. Rubble wasn¡¯t fearless, but his powerful genetic instinct made him share knowledge. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, when the soil is saturated with a certain amount of moisture and is heated, it will generate a large amount of gas, which contains carbon, unburned large dust particles, which to a certain extent are harmful to human health¡­¡± Rubble hadn¡¯t finished saying the word ¡°harmful¡± before he swallowed them. ¡°What is it?¡± Nian Shutong seemed very curious as she looked at Rubble, but with her other hand, she ignited a flame, lighting the entire flue, and watched as the once damp flue dried up in the blink of an eye. ¡°Nothing.¡± Rubble¡¯s skull mouth turned into a straight line, he stepped back a few paces, and turned to go back to his pile of trash. Get to work. Get to work properly. Rubble needed to work well, Rubble was very useful. Rubble did not want to become roasted Rubble. Fu Yunhe watched Rubble, who had already learned to go with the wind in just two days, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh¡­still, Nian Shutong was incredible. This woman, she was awe-inspiring. Nian Shutong dried the chimney, started a fire, and poured oil. ¡°The oil temperature should reach ¡®lukewarm¡¯.¡± Nian Shutong pulled out a stick of wood, making the fire a little smaller. Fu Yunhe stood aside, although it was a bit hot, he was seriously learning, not daring to step back a bit. ¡°What does ¡®lukewarm¡¯ mean?¡± At this time, Nian Shutong, holding a wooden chopstick, shook it towards Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Look at this chopstick, if you put one end into the oil, you will see dense small bubbles form, that means it¡¯s the right temperature.¡± ¡°Just like now.¡± After Nian Shutong finished speaking, Fu Yunhe stepped forward to check it, mentally noting down this state. ¡°The next step is to pour all the fries in and fry them,¡± Nian Shutong reiterated the word ¡°fry¡± four times; how could she admit she was wrong? Might as well persist with the mistake! From then on, all across the interstellar, various foods were ¡°fried.¡± This cooking method was dubbed the ¡°most aggressive¡± cooking technique. But all that wasn¡¯t the point anymore; she had already poured all the fries in. ¡°After pouring them in, don¡¯t rush to touch them; wait a while, about one to two minutes, then gently stir with a spoon. This is to let the fries set first, harden a bit so they won¡¯t stick together.¡± As Nian Shutong spoke, she was already scooping up the fries from the oil with a slotted spoon, shaking her wrist up and down, the fries in the spoon crackled, breaking apart into individual pieces. ¡°Next, continue to fry them until they turn this dark color, then scoop them out and set them aside.¡± ¡°When the oil heats up again, put these fries back in for a second frying.¡± Nian Shutong explained and performed the steps consecutively, repeating the word ¡°fry.¡± Fu Yunhe felt like he was back on the battlefield, bombarding the Insect Race incessantly. ¡°The first frying is to cook them, and the second frying is to make them crispy. The second time just takes about a minute, and then you can take them out.¡± Nian Shutong flipped her wrist, accurately scooping up the fries with the slotted spoon and placing them onto a plate beside her. ¡°There, just sprinkle a little salt, let them cool down a bit and they¡¯re ready to eat.¡± Nian Shutong held up the plate towards Fu Yunhe, whose eyes were almost bulging. This flavor¡­ this was the flavor. The flavor that could repair his physique, he had finally encountered it again. ¡°Did you learn it?¡± ¡°I learned it,¡± Fu Yunhe nodded solemnly, assuring her, ¡°Every step, I remembered. I just don¡¯t know how it will turn out in practice.¡± Nian Shutong set the plate down in the kitchen, on a large rock she had moved there. The plate clanged against the rock, a crisp sound echoing. ¡°No worries, just practice more.¡± Practice? That meant more of the same potatoes. Fu Yunhe was already overjoyed internally, his heart roaring with excitement, but his face remained calm as he assured, ¡°I will practice diligently.¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 All-You-Can-Eat Fries Chapter 50: Chapter 50 All-You-Can-Eat Fries Nian Shutong twirled a finger above the freshly fried French fries, and an invisible breeze passed over them, cooling them down. ¡°Come and eat!¡± Nian Shutong picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth first. ¡°Hmm¡­ not bad.¡± Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, deep-fried food always had a special aroma, and with just a touch of salt, the flavor was spot on. At this moment, Fu Yunhe secretly swallowed his saliva and walked over to the fries, picking up one and sending it into his mouth. What did it taste like? He didn¡¯t know. All he felt was the sensation of a weight being lifted from his heart; having this food for the second time, he finally felt reassured. If he hadn¡¯t been able to have it again, he would¡¯ve doubted whether the first time was just a fluke. Fu Yunhe¡¯s mind was awash with tumultuous thoughts one after the other, but his hand movements were anything but slow. After eating a few fries, Nian Shutong, seeing that Fu Yunhe was eating even faster than her, thought, does he like them that much? The two of them, one with black hands, the other with white, alternated in grabbing fries to eat. But their pace kept increasing like they were in a competition to see who could eat more. Just as Nian Shutong was about to speed up, Daodao called out to her. She pretended to pour herself a drink and asked Daodao what was wrong. ¡°Master, Daodao has made a book friend! He even left me a message, I¡¯m so happy!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a book friend? A friend who fixes books?¡± ¡°No, Master. Daodao wrote something on a website on the Star Network, and people have read it.¡± Nian Shutong somewhat understood, but didn¡¯t think too deeply about it; as long as Daodao was happy, it was fine. ¡°Then congratulations to Daodao, for gaining a book friend.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ thank you, Master. Daodao is going to ¡®code¡¯ now.¡± Daodao immediately vanished, leaving. Nian Shutong drank a sip of water, thinking about ¡®coding¡¯. Was it writing done by horses? Or a type of font? Why ¡®coding¡¯ and not simply writing? Could it be because horses pull faster? Nian Shutong analyzed to herself for quite a while but still couldn¡¯t figure it out. She¡¯d ask Daodao next time. She carried her glass back, only to see in the dish just three lonely fry siblings remaining. She looked at Fu Yunhe and asked: ¡°Where are the fries?¡± For the first time, Fu Yunhe revealed a silly smile. Squinting, he said, ¡°They were so delicious, I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°Delicious?¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t quite believe it but did not point that out, saying, ¡°If they are delicious, then eat more. This might be the only food you have for a while.¡± Having said that, she pointed to the three fries left on the plate, ¡°Eat them all!¡± She turned to leave, took a few steps, then stopped and said to Fu Yunhe behind her: ¡°With a face that could be a scourge on the nation, don¡¯t make such a silly and stupid expression; it¡¯s like a cow dung pretending to be an unparalleled beauty, utterly awkward.¡± Having spoken, Nian Shutong left with a flourish, heading back to the small wooden house. Behind her, Fu Yunhe touched his face with one hand, feeling quite repelled and even shivering from disgust. Cow dung? Unparalleled beauty? What bizarre comparisons. Moreover, it seemed Nian Shutong had guessed something but simply believed more in her own strength. She believed that no matter what she did, there would never be a chance that someone could turn the tables on her, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask. Fu Yunhe sighed in resignation; he had to admit, Nian Shutong¡¯s thinking was very accurate. He picked up the remaining three fries from the plate. Even though he felt stuffed to the point of bursting, he ate each one. For him, they were all medicine. After gobbling down the three fries, Fu Yunhe felt a sudden relief in his waist and belly, as if something had been shot away. He tightly grasped his pants that had burst open, still trying to maintain a composed face. Damn! He, a mighty Commander, had burst his pants just for a bite to eat! For the first time, he nearly cried over his own stupidity! But now, the most important thing was how to sneak back without making a sound. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Tranquil Years Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Tranquil Years Fu Yunhe stood with both hands in his pockets, clenching the fabric of his trousers tightly inside. Embarrassed, he held his head high and puffed out his chest, about to walk away when he stopped again. It seemed like he was inadvertently admitting something without saying a word, so he composed himself until he seemed just like his usual self before walking towards the small wooden house. ¡°Xiao He!¡± The call of ¡°Xiao He¡± made Fu Yunhe¡¯s heart skip a beat with fear, giving him a sensation even more terrifying than battling the Insect Race. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Washing dishes.¡± Nian Shutong leaned on the windowsill, poking her head out, looking Fu Yunhe up and down with a smirk, her gaze relishing the spectacle with too obvious an enjoyment. Fu Yunhe felt as if he had been stripped naked; with an awkward smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go¡­ go¡­¡± ¡°Go on then!¡± Nian Shutong raised an eyebrow with a smile and closed the window. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Fu Yunhe decided to stop pretending, pulled out his hands boldly holding up his trousers. No more posing! Fortunately, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t call him out, preserving the last shred of his dignity. But alas¡­ he forgot about Rubble. ¡°Xiao He, the button on your trousers popped off, but Rubble found it for you.¡± ¡°We Mechanical Clan are always happy to help.¡± Fu Yunhe stared at Rubble with a dark look, taking the button from his hand and chuckled drily twice. Rubble, disagreeing, followed up with, ¡°Xiao He, you haven¡¯t thanked Rubble yet.¡± Fu Yunhe stopped in his tracks and through gritted teeth uttered, ¡°Thanks to your whole family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too polite. On behalf of my entire family, Rubble thanks you.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!¡± Rubble replied earnestly, Nian Shutong¡¯s sudden burst of laughter made it unbearable for Fu Yunhe to listen any longer. He went back inside to change his trousers. This time he was going to tie a belt! Tie a belt! After changing his trousers, Fu Yunhe gloomily went to wash dishes and utensils. After finishing, he returned to the small wooden house and continued to earn money on the Star Network and learn how to live stream. He perfectly played along with Nian Shutong¡¯s arrangements. A night passed, and a new day dawned. Nian Shutong woke early, or rather, she didn¡¯t need sleep at all, for her nights were replaced by Cultivation. Indeed, as Fu Yunhe suspected, Nian Shutong knew he was up to something, but her formidable strength was her confidence. As for schemes and tricks, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t excel at those and preferred fighting and poisoning¡ªit was more satisfying. Moreover, she found the pioneering of the land quite interesting now. This feeling of creating something from nothing brought her great pleasure. Early in the morning, Nian Shutong had already finished putting up the surrounding fence, then took the three stones from the kitchen, hollowed out the middle, and took out the pots and pans to place inside. Nian Shutong looked at the array of kitchenware and thought that after building a door and covering the kitchen, it would be pretty much complete. As she carried several robust logs back, Fu Yunhe also stepped out of the small wooden house. The morning light filtered through the completed fence into the yard, casting a checkered pattern over the neatly tilled six plots of land. Amidst the forests and mountains, the gentle morning light bordered time, a quiet and peaceful moment. For some reason, there was a feeling of tranquility within him. In his previous life, Fu Yunhe was an orphan from a trash star, and upon leaving it, he had always been fighting on the battlefield, every day filled with combat and Cultivation, devoid of any other aspect of life. Right now, however, he found himself enjoying this serene and distant tranquility before him. ¡°Xiao He, good morning!¡± Fu Yunhe looked towards the source of the voice, seeing Nian Shutong with a robust log over each shoulder. ¡°Good morning.¡± Fu Yunhe took a few steps forward and asked proactively, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nian Shutong, carrying the logs to the kitchen area, said without lifting her head, ¡°Shoring it up, putting on a roof.¡± She wielded her Daodao like cutting vegetables, swiftly sawing the logs into uniform lengths. Then, effortlessly lifting one, she drove it forcefully into the ground between two stones, leaving a space in between. The log sank more than half a meter deep, making any machinery unnecessary. Fu Yunhe marveled, her strength truly an unsolved mystery. If she slapped him, he guessed he¡¯d probably turn into a mud pie. ¡°Xiao He, the potatoes are here; you make breakfast.¡± Nian Shutong placed the potatoes on a smoothed stone, which could serve as a cutting board. ¡°Any problems?¡± Fu Yunhe immediately shook his head, ¡°No problem.¡± His head wasn¡¯t as hard as those boiled potatoes! How could he dare have any problems. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Deceiving Rubble Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Deceiving Rubble Fu Yunhe indeed remembered every step of yesterday crystal clear. ¡°Alright, you start making them, I¡¯m going to find a lid to bring back.¡± Nian Shutong casually inserted the other pillars into the ground and waved her hand toward the Rubble before crossing the creek and walking away. ¡°Rubble, good morning!¡± ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, good morning.¡± Rubble stood up very respectfully and watched Nian Shutong cross the creek. Strongman! After seeing her off, Rubble slowly walked over to his organized piles of trash and continued his work. Meanwhile, Fu Yunhe had also started on making French fries, but when he actually began the process, he realized it was not simple at all. He was stumped at the first step. Peeling potatoes seemed so easy when Nian Shutong did it with a dagger, but in his hands¡­ Fu Yunhe looked at the potato that had shrunk by half in front of him, its surface alternating between smooth and hollowed, the round potato had turned into a pentagon shape. It was a tragic sight and extremely wasteful. Fu Yunhe felt heartbroken himself, let alone Nian Shutong. Wouldn¡¯t it hurt her to see such waste from a person who would rather build her own kitchen than spend money? Fu Yunhe silently collected the potato skins, washed them thoroughly, they could still be eaten. On the other side, a sizzling sound was heard as Fu Yunhe stepped out of the kitchen and looked in Rubble¡¯s direction. He saw Rubble¡¯s finger turning into the shape of a drill bit, rotating flexibly. Those hands¡­ must be very dexterous. ¡°Rubble!¡± Rubble, who was working, did not look up immediately. Instead, he finished his task, set it aside, then looked in the direction of Fu Yunhe. ¡°What does Xiao He need Rubble for?¡± Fu Yunhe, like the wolf grandmother deceiving Little Red Riding Hood, waved to Rubble and said, ¡°I have a question to ask you.¡± A question? Rubble liked that. Rubble stood up, carefully not touching the parts around him, and walked over to Fu Yunhe¡¯s side. ¡°Xiao He, what knowledge do you need Rubble to explain?¡± Fu Yunhe smiled slightly, holding up the potato, and said, ¡°I want to know, are the Mechanical Clan¡¯s hands really deft and flexible?¡± Rubble, upon hearing it was about the Mechanical Clan, immediately became serious, raised his own hand and said, ¡°The Mechanical Clan is a great and wise race; we have powerful brains and the most nimble hands. Xiao He, you don¡¯t need to doubt us.¡± ¡°Really? Then can you peel this potato thinner than Ms. Nian Shutong?¡± Rubble looked earnestly at the potato in Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand, feeling challenged. He took the potato, a blade appeared on the tip of one finger, and two other fingers from his other hand pinched the ends of the potato, spinning it. It rotated, peeling at the same time. Perfect! ¡°Rubble is fully capable of doing this.¡± Rubble handed back a perfectly peeled potato to Fu Yunhe and turned to leave. Fu Yunhe quickly called out, ¡°Rubble, there are more potatoes here!¡± Rubble paused mid-step and said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Rubble has already proven his abilities, no need to repeat the operation. That would affect Rubble¡¯s other clever and wise activities.¡± Damn it! Not so easy to trick now! Fu Yunhe had a grasp on Rubble¡¯s way of thinking, yet he knew that once Rubble was set on something, it was hard to change his mind. ¡°Rubble, then can you make a potato peeling tool?¡± Rubble¡¯s large head bobbed as he said, ¡°Rubble can make it, one hundred Star Coins each.¡± Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, so he knew to ask for money now? Still, he said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pay. Make one for me.¡± Rubble turned around happily, off to make the Skinning Knife. Rubble was making money; he could buy metal to eat now. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Promotion Battle Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Promotion Battle Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t have to wait long before he obtained a useful skinning knife from Rubble. Finally, he could avoid wasting resources. Holding the skinning knife, Fu Yunhe firstly opened the Star Network and selected some metals for Rubble. This was something that Nian Shutong had mentioned yesterday and something he was now keen to do. It had to be said, Rubble was truly formidable. Fu Yunhe was finally able to start his work. The other steps were a bit simpler compared to the first one. Just as he was frying the first batch and it got a bit burnt, Nian Shutong returned. This time, she came back holding a flat, seven- to eight-centimeter thick, large rock above her head. Fu Yunhe hastily scooped the fries out of his pan, placed them in a bowl, turned off the fire, and stepped out of the kitchen. Looking at the stone, he couldn¡¯t help but admire Nian Shutong for the effort. Where on earth had she found it? Nian Shutong, seeing Fu Yunhe come out, shouted, ¡°Stay back!¡± Fu Yunhe, holding the bowl of potatoes, quickly jogged about ten meters away and took his position next to Rubble. The stance was no different from yesterday¡¯s. Both watched as Nian Shutong stomped on the ground, a streak of azure light shimmering at her feet as she hoisted the boulder and flew into the air. With a ¡°thud,¡± the stone was firmly placed on several vertical logs. Nian Shutong had already fixed a slot on one side of the rock, so it was stable. After she landed, the azure light vanished, and sensing the spiritual power coursing through her, she left a message before running off again. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me to eat!¡± Fu Yunhe felt as if the word ¡°eat¡± echoed from a distant place. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, are we really of the same species?¡± he mused. Rubble¡¯s glaring disdain came with it, yet Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t seem irritated at all as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not even sure myself.¡± After preparing the meal, Fu Yunhe ate first. Rubble continued working. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong was far, far away from the small wooden house. This morning, she had been working and cultivating simultaneously, not expecting to be twice as fast as usual. She had just felt her spiritual power surging, indicating an imminent advancement. Nian Shutong found an open space surrounded by tall trees, sat down cross-legged, and began her Cultivation Technique. The invisible toxins around her were absorbed, and in the blink of an eye, all the trees and plants became non-toxic. The non-toxic area continued to expand, ten meters¡­twenty meters¡­thirty meters¡­fifty meters! ¡°Ha!¡± With a shout from Nian Shutong, the Cultivation Technique and toxins came together naturally, and she achieved Foundation Establishment. ¡°Chirp¡ª¡± ¡°Damn it! What does my cultivation have to do with you?¡± Nian Shutong, who had just established her foundation, quickly leaped backwards, as the rock she sat on was instantly encased in ice and shattered into gravel. The Giant Bird creature, from whom eggs had once been stolen, was back! When enemies meet, the hostility was palpable. The Giant Bird, sensing the threat from Nian Shutong, attacked immediately, seizing the opportunity to strike while she was vulnerable. ¡°Addicted to it, huh?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s long hair fluttered backward in the wind, and with one hand outstretched, an azure light flickered as the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade appeared. ¡°Let¡¯s test my skills today!¡± Nian Shutong held the blade with one hand, her left leg bent, her right leg pushing off the ground as she soared upwards. In mid-leap, she raised the blade high and brought it down fiercely. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± A loud noise followed as the azure light collided with a blue ice ball, and as Nian Shutong came down, a few feathers also drifted from the sky. One human, one bird. One hit the ground, the other took to the skies. They faced off. ¡°Again!¡± Nian Shutong charged forward with her blade, as the Big Bird flapped its wings fiercely, releasing a powerful Gang Wind. Nian Shutong disregarded everything, with one aim in mind, attack! The blade in her hand spun, her azure Sword Light was impenetrable, shielding her while a streak of sword light broke through. ¡°Chirp¡ª¡± Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Fight Another Day Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Fight Another Day ¡°` Nian Shutong¡¯s clothes were ripped into strips, barely covering her body. The Big Bird opposite her had one of its wings half-bald. ¡°Are we still fighting?¡± Nian Shutong, shouldering her large blade, raised an eyebrow at the Big Bird, quite enjoying the thrill. The Big Bird wasn¡¯t dumb; it thought that it couldn¡¯t be defeated by Nian Shutong, so it prepared to flap its wings to attack when¡­ ¡°Boom!¡± The Big Bird fell from the sky. Dazed from the fall, it lifted its balding wing to inspect it. Was there a leak? ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! Silly bird!¡± Nian Shutong squatted down, shouldering her blade, and grabbed one of Big Bird¡¯s wings. ¡°Ts-ts-ts, got a leak, can¡¯t fly anymore?¡± Nian Shutong let go of the wing, and it fell lifelessly in free fall. ¡°Silly bird, we don¡¯t have a deep hatred. I even returned your eggs last time. Why take it so seriously?¡± Nian Shutong continued, now sitting on the ground as if she was catching up on family gossip. ¡°Are you really confused? Wondering why you suddenly couldn¡¯t fly?¡± Nian Shutong looked into the Big Bird¡¯s somewhat intelligent eyes and continued, ¡°Your grandma here, I¡¯m an ancestor when it comes to using poison.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always stuck to the plan of either beating you to death if I can or poisoning you if I can¡¯t. Got me?¡± Big Bird blinked its eyes, a mix of anger and defiance in its gaze. Despicable! ¡°Hehehe¡­ you¡¯re actually quite fun.¡± Nian Shutong stood up, but in the next second, she had her blade at the Big Bird¡¯s neck, her voice suddenly turning cold, ¡°Should I kill you¡­ or not?¡± Nian Shutong looked down at the Big Bird lying beneath her, and surprisingly, it closed its eyes as if gracefully accepting the loss ¡ª was it a proud bird? ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t kill you. Having a fight with you is actually quite nice. Plus, I don¡¯t really have any other opponents.¡± Nian Shutong withdrew the blade, and in a flash of light, it disappeared. She knelt down again, poking Big Bird¡¯s head with her finger, ¡°Not killing you, but still got to ensure my safety. Here¡¯s a poison that won¡¯t affect your cultivation; take it.¡± An invisible toxin entered into Big Bird¡¯s body. ¡°Live well. I¡¯ll come find you in a few days to spar, go heal up well!¡± Nian Shutong got up, walked a distance, then with a backward flick, a red light hit the Big Bird. ¡°See you another day!¡± Nian Shutong had walked far off, no longer in sight. The Big Bird on the ground slowly moved and stood up, looking in the direction Nian Shutong had left. This human¡­ is not normal. When Nian Shutong returned to the small wooden house, Fu Yunhe had finished eating, but the preparations for the second pot were ready, ready to explode anytime. He naturally saw the bursting light and heard the deafening sound. Now Nian Shutong, barely covered in clothes, walked back as if everything made sense. Nian Shutong exchanged a glance with Fu Yunhe who was staring at her, in a good mood, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiao He, I¡¯ve found a friend to fight with.¡± After saying that, Nian Shutong went into the small wooden house to change her clothes, and took out some other belongings, placing them around the house. It actually felt a little small. Well, no money, guess I¡¯ll just have to make do. After changing, Nian Shutong sat on the bed and thought, seemingly having to work harder in the future ¡ª who would have thought that working speeds up cultivation so much! So, messing around always pays off once in a while. Outside, Fu Yunhe, seeing Nian Shutong return without any injuries except for her torn clothes, was inwardly astonished. Fierce Beasts have at least Physical Level 4, Spiritual Power D-level. Then¡­ Nian Shutong? Sigh¡­ time to fry some potatoes. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Buying Seeds Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Buying Seeds Ms. Nian Shutong had finished her preparations and then began calling System Xiao Ba again. ¡°Xiao Ba, I want to buy rice seeds.¡± ¡°Ding! The host is really a progressive and diligent host. The lowest-grade rice seeds cost three hundred Star Coins per half kilogram, and one acre of rice field needs five kilograms of seeds. How much does the host need to purchase?¡± Only five kilograms? Ms. Nian Shutong had never farmed before; she almost thought it was like potatoes, needing two to three hundred kilograms. She got up and stood by the window, looking across the creek where she planned to reclaim the land and plant rice. ¡°Let¡¯s start with five acres.¡± ¡°Ding! Host, host! We have a promotion now! If you purchase seeds for ten acres, you will get five kilograms of rice for free! It¡¯s a rare opportunity that shouldn¡¯t be missed.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong gripped the window lattice tightly and slapped it firmly! She said sternly, ¡°Such important information should be mentioned earlier next time!¡± ¡°Buy seeds for ten acres!¡± ¡°Alright! If there are any discounts, Xiao Ba will notify the host promptly. For ten acres, fifty kilograms of rice seeds have been delivered, please check, host.¡± ¡°Ding! Five kilograms of rice have been delivered, please collect it.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t delay; she put the seeds into her Space Button first, then opened and checked the ten kilograms of shiny white rice. ¡°Daodao, check how to make rice?¡± ¡°Right away, Master!¡± After receiving various pieces of information and videos sent by Daodao, Ms. Nian Shutong looked at the shiny white rice and muttered, ¡°But, I have no vegetables!¡± She stepped out the door and walked into the kitchen where Fu Yunhe was frying French fries; she glanced and said, ¡°Stop after this batch.¡± Having said that, Ms. Nian Shutong turned her head back towards the creek, planning to hunt a couple of wild chickens to eat, hearing that potatoes and meat go well together. As she walked, Ms. Nian Shutong suddenly remembered something and asked System Xiao Ba again. ¡°Xiao Ba, can I buy other vegetables from you?¡± ¡°Ding! You can only buy grains you¡¯ve grown yourself.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong had reached a patch of grass; she raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already planted vegetable seeds and seedlings; does that count?¡± ¡°Ding! Yes, it does! What do you need to buy? Xiao Ba reminds you, the prices are a bit expensive.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong glanced at the price list sent by Xiao Ba and said, ¡°Xiao Ba, put it away.¡± She couldn¡¯t afford it. Each sold separately, none below a thousand Star Coins, and it turns out potatoes were the cheapest at a thousand Star Coins each! At this moment, Ms. Nian Shutong earnestly hoped that her crops would soon yield a big harvest. She stopped thinking about this, swept her Divine Sense, released Spiritual Energy, and two small Phoenixes¡­ were actually wild chickens right in the head, dead on the ground. No need to hunt others; fresh ones taste better. Ms. Nian Shutong picked up the two wild chickens and started walking back, looking at the terrain along the way, pondering how to farm. When Ms. Nian Shutong was standing on this side of the creek, she saw Rubble standing across the creek. That look¡­ sparkling. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble knew you are a righteous and kind person, even though you¡¯re not pretty, but you hold a sincere heart.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong turned her head and looked at Fu Yunhe, who was enjoying the scene on the other side, raised her jaw, asking too obviously. Fu Yunhe coughed lightly with a fist covering his mouth, lowered his fist, and said, ¡°Your metal purchase has arrived.¡± Oh¡­ So that¡¯s why, was he moved? Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s expression changed in a blink of an eye. She looked sincerely at Rubble, with genuine emotion, ¡°It¡¯s a small matter; having saved you, how could I not care about you?¡± ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble¡­ won¡¯t mind your looks anymore.¡± Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Chicken and Potatoes Stew Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Chicken and Potatoes Stew Nian Shutong inwardly wanted to curse, but her face still showed genuine sincerity as she said to Rubble, ¡°It¡¯s all small stuff, small stuff.¡± Fu Yunhe, standing to the side, was almost bursting with internal injury, with one earnestly deceiving and the other wholeheartedly believing. ¡°Xiao He! Pluck the feathers!¡± Nian Shutong called out across the stream, accurately tossing two wild chickens at Fu Yunhe¡¯s feet. She herself crossed the stream, took Rubble by the hand, and communicated affection. They say strike while the iron is hot, so winning over Rubble must be done while he¡¯s feeling touched. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong continue her ruse, said nothing further, and didn¡¯t blow her cover. He honestly picked up the wild chickens from the ground and began plucking their feathers. After their heart-to-heart was over, Nian Shutong came over, inspected the two chickens, and said with great satisfaction, ¡°Xiao He, your feather-plucking skills are maturing day by day.¡± She grabbed the two chickens by one hand, headed to the kitchen, and laid them on a stone slab. With a few swift motions, the chickens were chopped into pieces. She then took a basin to the stream, rinsed the chicken meat of its blood, and headed back to the kitchen to start up a fire under a pot. Fu Yunhe, understanding perfectly, grabbed a small stool and sat in front of the stove to tend the fire. ¡°Big fire.¡± Once the pot was heated, Nian Shutong poured in some tree oil and almost immediately, a big basin of chicken meat was dumped in. There came a sizzling sound, continuously ringing out. Several droplets of oil spattered out, falling onto Fu Yunhe¡¯s body. He shifted backward, arm shielding his face to protect his precious ¡°capital,¡± while watching Nian Shutong wield a spatula, continuously stir-frying. After a few minutes of stir-frying, Nian Shutong added some water. Then she covered the pot with a lid before turning to grab three potatoes, peel them, and cut them into irregular cubes. As the temperature in the pot rose, a continuous stream of steam began billowing out, scattering into the open air. The kitchen Nian Shutong built only had a lid on top and was open from below, without doors or windows¡ªan open kitchen layout that at least spared people from the smoke from cooking. After the steam wafted around for a while, Nian Shutong lifted the lid, fished out the soaked potato cubes, and tossed them all into the pot, stirring a few more times with the spatula. After a few minutes, a fragrant aroma wafted over, making Fu Yunhe¡¯s mouth water uncontrollably. Meat¡­ can it really be eaten like this? Though he hadn¡¯t even tasted it yet, the scent was so enchanting that he felt hungry again. But he had clearly eaten so many fries. At this moment, Nian Shutong was making another move, pouring some sparkling white rice into a basin. Fu Yunhe knew what rice was, having eaten it a few times before, but it was a bit hard and not particularly delicious. With no need for more fire, Fu Yunhe simply stood in a corner of the kitchen, watching Nian Shutong wash the rice twice before adding water to the rice-filled basin. Then, she took a newly-made wooden rack, opened the pot lid, placed the rack over the meat, set the rice on the rack, and covered the pot again. What is this for? Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t understand at all; everything was too novel. And too tempting. As time passed, the fragrance became richer, and even the working Rubble came over. He gnawed at a piece of metal, crunching away. If you listened closely, you could hear it: Rubble is about to upgrade! Rubble is about to upgrade! Rubble is about to upgrade! The aroma spread, savory and concentrated. Fu Yunhe felt as if he had been standing so long that his legs were beginning to tremble, but he just couldn¡¯t bear to move away. The strong self-control of a Commander gradually eroded with the intensifying fragrance, crumbling disastrously. Alas! Seeing himself like this, why keep pretending to be strong and unyielding! Fu Yunhe was constantly coaching himself internally, and it seemed that the more he reasoned, the less uncomfortable he felt. Meanwhile, Rubble had already eaten who knows how many chunks of metal, the crisp crunching sounds exceptionally clear. Nian Shutong thought that if Rubble ate meat, he wouldn¡¯t even need to spit out the bones. Actually, she herself was also unbearably craving it, but she could endure. How could she let the other two see her unrest? ¡°Master, master! It¡¯s ready, it¡¯s ready!¡± ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± ¡°Clang¡ª¡± Nian Shutong swiftly got up, knocking over the stool she was sitting on. ¡°It¡¯s about done, don¡¯t let it burn.¡± She added a phrase of her own, regaining her composure, but her hand was moving so quickly it nearly left an afterimage. With a strong arm, Nian Shutong flung open the lid, casually waved it a few times to disperse the steam, then peered inside for a glance. At first sight, she saw the rice in the basin, plump and exuding its unique rice fragrance, having absorbed the water. Not fearing the heat, she took down the basin with the steamed rice and placed it on a side slab, then removed the rack from inside the pot and set it aside. She took up the spatula, stirring the bubbling chicken and potato stew in the big pot, leaving just a bit of golden-colored sauce behind. She secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, sprinkled some salt with one hand while flipping the contents with the spatula, and with the other hand started ladling food into a basin. ¡°Klack, klack,¡± the sound of the metal spatula scraping the large pot, the sauce was scooped out to the greatest extent, nothing wasted. Holding the chicken, Nian Shutong turned to Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Get the stool.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Fu Yunhe quickly carried over two chairs and placed them opposite the pot on the stone slab. In an inverted L-shape, Fu Yunhe sat on the shorter side, while Nian Shutong sat along the longer side. Nian Shutong, holding a small scoop, gave Fu Yunhe a small bowl of rice, placing it before his eyes, while she herself took a very large bowl, an oversized bowl in fact. Both of them took up a pair of chopsticks, and Nian Shutong said, ¡°Give it a try.¡± Her own chopsticks swiftly picked up a cube of potato and popped it into her mouth. The taste was delightful. As someone who had tasted Phoenix Marrow and Dragon Liver, Nian Shutong decided then and there that even if her cultivation level became higher in the future, she would not fast again. And Fu Yunhe? He was thinking that it was a good thing he had worn a belt today. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Dining Duo Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Dining Duo The thick aroma of meat, potatoes soaked in broth, paired with a mouthful of sweet, fragrant white rice. Having eaten plain water meals for several days, Nian Shutong, at this moment, felt a spiritual satisfaction and her taste buds were rescued. Delicious! Just one word! Tasty! Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t help but recall the five thousand years of culture that Daodao had shown her, which seemed to include many delicious things. At this moment, she decided, she would eat her way through everything! Nian Shutong¡¯s hands weren¡¯t slow, she quickly finished a bowl of rice and stood up to get another. ¡°Xiao He? Do you want some more¡­ or are you crying?¡± ¡°Ah? Am I crying?¡± Fu Yunhe touched his eyes with one hand, a bit moist, but he really wasn¡¯t crying. ¡°Hehehe¡­ It¡¯s not tears, it¡¯s sweat flowing down.¡± Before eating, in order to improve his physique, he had eaten a large bowl of french fries, and now, each bite he took was supported by his stubbornness and his belt. The more joy he had eating the fries earlier, the more regret he felt now. Because he couldn¡¯t eat anymore! That last bowl of rice was his final perseverance. His spiritual power was screaming, wanting to eat more. But the discomfort in his stomach was also screaming, no more eating, it was going to explode! Even his belt couldn¡¯t hold on! ¡°Oh¡­ sweating so handsomely for what!¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe wiping his sweat and somewhat understood the meaning of being dripping with sweat. Turns out, a handsome person looks good doing anything. And the complimented handsome Fu Yunhe had a strange expression, not knowing whether he should be happy or not since he had previously detested his current appearance. However, as he watched, he seemed to get used to it a bit. Nian Shutong was just making a casual remark, now she went to get more rice but ended up returning with the rice pot. Seeing Fu Yunhe slowly putting down his chopsticks and bowl, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re finished?¡± ¡°Finished.¡± His words were filled with regret, remorse, and even a tragic tone. Unfortunately, Human emotions don¡¯t align. ¡°Great!¡± Nian Shutong pulled the dish pot towards herself, didn¡¯t even serve out the rice, and started eating directly from the steaming pot. ¡°Hehe¡­ delicious!¡± ¡°Wow¡­ really tasty!¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ this chicken heart has a special flavor! Delicious, delicious!¡± ¡°The chicken wings are not bad, the skin has been stewed off, melts right in the mouth.¡± Fu Yunhe, tempted by Nian Shutong¡¯s food broadcast, was almost drooling, but his bloated stomach forced him to reluctantly stand up. He leaned on the upright large wooden post, mouth watering, and with some difficulty, he prepared to leave. ¡°Big chicken leg, awesome!¡± ¡°Mixing it with soup, would it taste even better!¡± Nian Shutong lifted the pot of chicken and potatoes, poured a bit of broth over the rice. After she took a bite, that expression. ¡°Oh¡­ My God! What have I missed!¡± Nian Shutong was genuinely emotional. In her previous life, she barely ate fresh fruits or game, no one thought of preparing food this way! Fu Yunhe, who was originally stepping away, silently withdrew his leg and touched his stomach saying, ¡°Maybe¡­ I¡¯ll have one more bite! Just one more.¡± ¡°Sure! Help yourself!¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s generosity let Fu Yunhe know, he was definitely sold on her beauty. But, that wasn¡¯t important. Fu Yunhe took a new pair of chopsticks, picked up a bite of rice, poured a little broth, and grabbed a piece of potato. Three items, just enough for one bite, Fu Yunhe ate it all in one go. Done, he¡¯d have to earn money for Nian Shutong for the rest of his life! After eating this, how could he eat anything else! Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Bathing Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Bathing After a meal, Fu Yunhe had switched sides. The threat to his life turned into somewhat willing cooperation. Nian Shutong was the same, farming to earn resources had turned into beginning to enjoy farming. Simple labor was quite joyful. A large basin of potato chicken, not a bit was left over, not even a drop of soup. Because Nian Shutong had used the broth to soak the rice, and the rice itself, needless to say, not a single grain was wasted. Fu Yunhe, who was looking on from the side, looked enviously at Nian Shutong¡¯s flat stomach. Where did it all go? So much, and she ate it effortlessly. Rubble also had his doubts; even he felt stuffed with metal. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, could it be that you are a descendant of a devouring beast? Is your stomach connected to an endless void?¡± Nian Shutong set down her chopsticks and bowl, looked at Rubble staring at her stomach, and decided not to argue with him¡ªfull from her meal. Jealousy warps people! ¡°You two wash the dishes.¡± Nian Shutong strolled away with her hands behind her back, her steps swaying. She was stuffed too. Rubble raised his foot to follow Nian Shutong but was pulled back by Fu Yunhe. ¡°Rubble, two. Have you forgotten how to count?¡± Rubble was genuinely fragile; despite his large frame, he was unable to move, held back by the sickly Fu Yunhe. ¡°Rubble doesn¡¯t like washing dishes, it¡¯s too dirty, with a greasy feeling, Rubble doesn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Then go tell Nian Shutong yourself!¡± Fu Yunhe let go of Rubble¡¯s hand and retreated strategically into the kitchen to start tidying up the dishes and utensils. Did he like it? But one does what one can to the best of their ability. Now, all he could do was wash dishes. Rubble hesitated for a moment behind him but still resignedly came up to help. Rubble was afraid of Ms. Nian Shutong. After the two of them had cleaned up the dishes, Rubble squatted by the stream, washing his hands over and over, seven or eight times, before he was finished. At this time, Nian Shutong, who had gone for a stroll to aid digestion, also walked towards the upstream part of the small stream. Having fought with Big Bird today and having cooked a meal, she felt a bit sticky and wanted to wash off, despite having a dust removal spell¡ªwater was still more comfortable. Nian Shutong had left quietly on her own; Fu Yunhe, finishing the dishes, couldn¡¯t see her when he came out. He paused at the doorway, felt there was nothing to do, and returned to the small wooden house. To continue making money. Life goes on, the pursuit of money never ceases. On the other side, Nian Shutong arrived upstream and found a spot with clear green waters and a pebbled bottom. She undressed, her body¡¯s inky black contrasting sharply with the clean water. ¡°This color really is a bit of an eyesore.¡± Having reached Foundation Establishment, she could change her skin¡¯s condition anytime. However, Nian Shutong decided to wait a bit longer. She wasn¡¯t especially powerful now. She wondered if the Nian Family would think of her and Fu Yunhe again. Protecting the handsome Fu Yunhe with her current strength was difficult enough; if she revealed her true identity, it would be even harder. After all, the most common thing the Nian Family did, as she remembered, was to establish marital alliances. With Fu Yunhe¡¯s looks, there must have been a reason why the Nian Family let him go. But what can you really believe from a ¡°heartless and ungrateful¡± family? She put her skin color out of her mind, cleaned up, changed her clothes, and pondered her farming plans, considering whether she should hire some help. Relying solely on herself was unrealistic. The tidied up Nian Shutong thought about going back to ask Fu Yunhe. He had a thorough understanding of everything interstellar. Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Recruitment Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Recruitment Fu Yunhe had returned to the small wooden house a step earlier, ready to continue earning money. But after working for a while, he started to feel itchy, unsure if he¡¯d been bitten by some tiny insect. He simply stopped what he was doing and opened up his Space Button, taking out a cylindrical metal object from inside. The object was about half a meter tall and forty centimeters in diameter, and its entire body was silver-white. This was the most common bathing device in interstellar space. All you needed to do was press the green button in the middle of the cylinder, and it would automatically expand to form a shower space for one person. Bathing in interstellar space, to be more precise, was essentially disinfection. A human would stand inside, and gases sprayed from all directions of the cylinder could eliminate over ninety-eight percent of dirt and bacteria on the body, making it extremely convenient. After turning on the cleaner, Fu Yunhe took off his coat and stepped in. Standing inside, Fu Yunhe reached out an arm to activate it, and a clicking sound ensued. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong had also returned to the small wooden house and knocked several times at Fu Yunhe¡¯s door, calling out ¡°Xiao He¡± a few times. No response? That shouldn¡¯t be the case¡ªthe past few days he seemed to be in better health than before. What¡¯s going on? She wasn¡¯t wishing the sick seedling dead, so why couldn¡¯t he just stay alive? ¡°Bang!¡± Nian Shutong kicked the wooden door open and came face-to-face with Fu Yunhe who was just finishing up and stepping out. Fu Yunhe shivered and covered his private parts with both hands, retreating back into the cylinder. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Fu Yunhe asked, still maintaining his composure. Nian Shutong was blinded by a dazzling whiteness, white so bright it seemed to glow. She looked down at her own dark hands. Like an odd pair of black and white demons! ¡°I knocked and no one answered; I thought you were dead, so I kicked the door in,¡± Nian Shutong began with an explanation before Fu Yunhe could speak. Out of curiosity she asked, ¡°Why are you so white?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t cultivate, and your cultivation is useless, but our skin tones are too different.¡± ¡°Cough cough¡­ I guess it¡¯s natural,¡± said Fu Yunhe, standing uncomfortably in the cleaner, aware that even though his figure wasn¡¯t clear from the outside, it was still visible. ¡°How about you go outside first, and we can talk after I get dressed?¡± Nian Shutong naturally picked up on Fu Yunhe¡¯s embarrassment and urgency, but she stubbornly didn¡¯t abide by his wishes. ¡°Why go out? Are you afraid I¡¯ll peek at you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I wanted to look, I wouldn¡¯t need to sneak peeks!¡± The playful laughter made Fu Yunhe inside want to impulsively rush out and settle this. However, considering Nian Shutong¡¯s style of doing things, she probably didn¡¯t possess the shyness of a young girl. Or to put it another way, as soon as the word ¡°shy¡± was mentioned, it was obvious it had nothing to do with Nian Shutong. ¡°Fine, then what do you need?¡± Fu Yunhe decided to just get straight to the point, hoping that after the talk she¡¯d finally leave. Nian Shutong stopped teasing him and asked directly: ¡°Xiao He, can you recruit people on the Star Network?¡± Recruit? Fu Yunhe, squatting inside with his arms around his knees, replied, ¡°You can, but who are you looking to recruit?¡± ¡°People to work. The salt fields need someone to watch over them; the robots aren¡¯t up to the task.¡± ¡°I need to clear and cultivate land as well, and that requires helping hands.¡± Robots could work, but they only followed orders. It still required the flexible thinking of humans to handle certain tasks. Fu Yunhe¡¯s voice came from within the cleaner. ¡°As far as I know, others offer compensation; how much can you pay? Also, this planet has too many toxins; that will reduce the likelihood of people willing to come here.¡± Fu Yunhe spoke truthfully; with countless good planets out there, who would come here? Nian Shutong crossed her arms and circled the cleaner, primarily intrigued by the device. But the shadow of her moving around made Fu Yunhe inside uncomfortably follow her movements in a squatting circle. Nian Shutong then crouched in one spot, her eyebrows slightly raised: ¡°Am I facing your head or your backside?¡± Inside, Fu Yunhe replied with a sour face, ¡°Head.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Nian Shutong said no longer in a teasing manner, but rather with a seriousness in her voice, ¡°With the vastness of interstellar space, there must be one or two who can¡¯t survive, right? If they can¡¯t make it, coming here would be just right for them.¡± ¡°How about¡­ you come out, and we can draft a job advertisement together?¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Job Vacancy Notice Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Job Vacancy Notice Come out? How was he going to come out? ¡°I¡¯ll put on some clothes and then come find you, okay?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ sure. You¡¯re quite shy!¡± Nian Shutong stood up, speaking in a soothing tone, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, even though you don¡¯t have much of a figure, at least you¡¯re fair-skinned!¡± Inside the cleaner, Fu Yunhe clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and muttered to himself, ¡°Can¡¯t beat her! Can¡¯t beat her! Can¡¯t beat her.¡± Sure enough, he felt a lot better. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t continue to tease Fu Yunhe. She turned around and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind her. Thank goodness she hadn¡¯t kicked the door in, otherwise, it would have cost money to repair. Fu Yunhe heard the door close, peeked through a crack to make sure Nian Shutong was gone, and quickly stepped out to grab his clothes before heading back into the cleaner. However, he looked at the clothes in his hand, or more precisely his wrist, and fell into thought. ¡°Idiot!¡± He clearly had a Space Button with clothes inside, but he had been so scared by Nian Shutong that he forgot all about it. Shaking his head, he hurriedly put on his clothes, not daring to keep Nian Shutong waiting too long¡ªwho knows what she might do? In Fu Yunhe¡¯s opinion, Nian Shutong was somewhat unpredictable in her actions, which made it impossible to anticipate her next move. This unpredictability made her the most dangerous. He dressed and went out to find Nian Shutong, and after some negotiation¡ª Or more accurately, under Nian Shutong¡¯s guidance, he posted their job advertisement on a very large website. Job location: Blue Star (coordinates provided) Wages: Food and accommodations provided, that¡¯s all. Nature of work: Just be obedient Recruitment slogan: Can¡¯t survive? Don¡¯t want to live? Since you¡¯re going to die anyway, why not give it a try? ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Fu Yunhe gently clicked send, and the uniquely styled job advertisement was posted. Let¡¯s see which unlucky soul will turn up. Nian Shutong, for her part, thought that there would surely be some who would come. She had rested enough and got up to stretch. ¡°I¡¯m going to work now.¡± Fu Yunhe watched as Nian Shutong, with two robots made from Rubble, went across the stream. One robot started picking up stones to pile on one side. The other robot began pulling up weeds, storing them all together. While Nian Shutong, with a large green sword in hand, cut down trees. She chopped them as if slicing through vegetables, with astonishing speed. After cutting down about four or five trees, Nian Shutong carried the felled logs back toward the stream. Thump, thump, the logs rolled onto the ground. With a couple of swishes, one log was turned into four equal-length cylinders. Nian Shutong sharpened one end of each with her sword to a point. After sharpening all four, she picked one up. Measuring the position, almost directly facing the small wooden house, she drove the sharpened wood into the ground on the side of the stream closest to the house. Nian Shutong then placed the remaining three stakes into the banks on both sides¡ªthe foundation for a bridge was set. She looked around and cut a few more trees, inserting the prepared wooden stakes into the ground in rows on both shores, approximately two meters wide. ¡°You¡¯re building a bridge?¡± Fu Yunhe approached the stream and pushed on the log, finding it very sturdy. ¡°Right! If we¡¯re going to live here a long time, it makes sense to have a bridge for convenience.¡± Nian Shutong stood up, her arm pointing towards the land she was clearing: ¡°Once I finish clearing and planting the fields, there won¡¯t be any toxins left.¡± ¡°You, might also be able to come out and take a walk now and then.¡± Fu Yunhe looked somewhat surprised. Could Nian Shutong really have considered all this? The two of them, though still not trusting each other fully, were much better off than at the beginning when they wanted to kill each other. Even though he was the one waiting to die. Nian Shutong worked at a very fast pace. She split the remaining logs in half and placed the flat ends on top of the wooden stakes on both sides of the stream. She went to Rubble to find some long nails, screws, and metal sheets to secure everything. Finally, using large stones, she built two steps on each side. The bridge was completed. A very simple, rough bridge. After the bridge was done, Nian Shutong continued clearing land and cutting trees. She had a plan. With the small wooden house as the central line, she cleared five acres of land on each side to form a square, arranging plots one after another. In the future, they would expand the farmland further back, no longer widening it laterally. Or perhaps they would plant in other areas¡ªit was hard to say. On such a large planet, they couldn¡¯t just cultivate the land right in front of their house. Throughout the afternoon, Nian Shutong kept cutting trees until the sun set, and darkness began to fall. The sky was about to lose its last glimmer of light, and Nian Shutong called it a day. Now, the question was, what to eat for dinner? She could buy plants she had cultivated¡ªcucumbers, green peppers, eggplants, cabbage, tomatoes. ¡°Xiao Ba, how much do you charge for tomatoes?¡± Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Scrambled Eggs with Tomato Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Scrambled Eggs with Tomato ¡°Ding! Hello, host. Tomatoes are 1200 Star Coins each.¡± Nian Shutong gasped; they were indeed expensive. But, buy! As for the money¡­ she was working hard to earn it! ¡°Give me four!¡± After purchasing tomatoes from Xiao Ba, Nian Shutong immediately had Daodao check the recipe. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, intermingled red and yellow, looked pretty appealing. However, they required eggs. She thought of the Giant Bird that fought earlier but naturally not to take the Giant Bird¡¯s eggs. She was afraid the Giant Bird creature could get desperate. ¡°Xiao He, what are you eating tonight? Also, how is your french fry practice coming along? When can you live-stream?¡± What to eat? Fu Yunhe took this question very seriously and first replied to Nian Shutong, ¡°I¡¯ll eat whatever you eat.¡± ¡°The french fries probably need one more practice session. When to live-stream depends on your needs.¡± Nian Shutong nodded in understanding, ¡°Okay, then go fry less and practice more; I¡¯m going out to find some food.¡± After speaking, Nian Shutong was already far away. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong¡¯s back as she left, noticing she always seemed in a hurry. He turned and went to the kitchen to continue frying french fries. His breathing rhythm now had improved by at least two percent compared to before. With continuous effort, he would always become a regular ¡°beautiful girl.¡± Fu Yunhe laughed at himself; his adaptability was truly strong. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong, who had gone further, was running along the ground and then onto the treetops. She checked each tree to see where there were eggs, not getting greedy, taking only one from each nest she found. Having found ten eggs, Nian Shutong finally headed back to the small wooden house. On her way back, she also watched the video sent by Daodao on how to make scrambled eggs with tomatoes. When she arrived at the small wooden house, Rubble was holding a lamp to light up the place for Fu Yunhe, whose handsome facial features under the lamp in the darkness of the night, looked even more beautiful. Admired under the lamp light, beauty to the core of your heart. But for Nian Shutong, it just caught her eyes; as for her heart, it was still miles away. Even teasing Fu Yunhe about undressing was just talk. ¡°I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Fu Yunhe was already frying potatoes, this time frying just two, leaving room for other dishes. ¡°I¡¯ll start preparing the veggies, and you take your time frying.¡± Nian Shutong fetched some water in a basin, rinsed the four bright red tomatoes clean, and removed the stems. Fu Yunhe glanced at the vegetables in Nian Shutong¡¯s hands while scooping out french fries. What is this? Looks somewhat familiar, yet unfamiliar? While pouring out the water, Nian Shutong held up a tomato to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Ever eaten this before?¡± Fu Yunhe uncertainly said, ¡°Feels like I have, the color looks similar.¡± ¡°Oh? What was it called when you ate it?¡± ¡°Red Fruit.¡± Red Fruit? Fairly apt. Nian Shutong, curious again, asked, ¡°What was this Red Fruit prepared like when you ate it?¡± Fu Yunhe recalled the dish he had eaten and answered in two words. ¡°Steamed.¡± ¡°Most food is either boiled or steamed to cook, there are also some secret recipes, but those are family formulas, sold only in high-end restaurants, which I haven¡¯t tried either.¡± Nian Shutong already started cracking eggs, pouring the egg liquid into a small bowl, continuously pondering and asking, ¡°So, you¡¯ve eaten it, which means it¡¯s sold on Star Network?¡± ¡°It is, but the non-toxic fruits are rare and expensive; you can¡¯t compete for them.¡± The main thing was, you wouldn¡¯t want to spend that much. Nian Shutong naturally wouldn¡¯t, she turned her head to ask Fu Yunhe, ¡°What about the toxic ones? For example, ¡®tur-gada¡¯, potatoes?¡± Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Preparing to Buy Potatoes Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Preparing to Buy Potatoes ¡°Toxic Turqada soil, it¡¯s actually not expensive.¡± Fu Yunhe kind of understood Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s intention; she seemed to have the ability or method to remove toxins. This indeed was a good way of turning waste into treasure. ¡°It¡¯s very cheap.¡± The words ¡°It¡¯s very cheap¡± made Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes light up as she continued to crack eggs, though thinking to herself: Eat good stuff for oneself, buy cheap ones for live-streamed French fries. Having made up her mind, Ms. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t think any further and focused wholeheartedly on cooking. The egg mixture blended perfectly. Tomatoes were cut into small pieces and set aside on a plate, waiting to be used. As for the other seasonings, she didn¡¯t have any. Ms. Nian Shutong also put this matter on her agenda, but it had to be after the paddy field, as there were still many tasks to handle. Only when everything was ready did Ms. Nian Shutong realize she had just one pot; using it for steaming rice meant no stir-frying, and stir-frying meant no steaming rice. Buy! ¡°Xiao He, buy another pot, just a slightly smaller one.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s execution skill was absolutely top-notch; he immediately placed an order, buying pots. And he didn¡¯t just buy one; he bought three, better safe than sorry. Ms. Nian Shutong naturally couldn¡¯t just sit around waiting, so she started steaming the rice first. Using this interval, Ms. Nian Shutong grabbed a handful of fries, munching them as she walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Rubble, can you set up a few more lights to illuminate this courtyard?¡± The always quiet Rubble, acting as a street light, sighed. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, such a simple task, Rubble can certainly do, please do not insult Rubble¡¯s intelligence.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I asked wrong. So, can you set them up?¡± Rubble sighed again, expressing the weakest words in the firmest tone. ¡°Cannot! Rubble is a higher intelligence life form, intelligence grows, but Physical Ability is extremely weak, cannot perform physical labor.¡± After finishing the fries, Ms. Nian Shutong rubbed her hands together to brush off the salt particles and asked looking at Rubble, ¡°Why do I feel like you are very proud?¡± ¡°Naturally, Rubble is smart and beautiful; why shouldn¡¯t I be proud?¡± Rubble added, pausing for emphasis. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, don¡¯t be disheartened, at least your strength is increasing, unlike Xiao He.¡± Fu Yunhe, who had been enjoying the drama, wondered why it had suddenly turned towards him? The light in Rubble¡¯s hand turned, shining on Fu Yunhe like a spotlight. And Fu Yunhe? Sucking on his fingers¡¯ salt, his eyes enlarged under the spotlight revealed embarrassment as he met their gaze, saying, ¡°Hehe¡­ don¡¯t waste.¡± He pursed his lips and moved his hands behind his back. ¡°Ah, a beauty eating a finger, still so different,¡± Ms. Nian Shutong shook her head and went to set up the lights herself. As for these two delicate ones by her side, no hope! If they worked, she would have to prepare wages, medical fees, even coffin money. She wondered to herself, what luck was this? How did she ever come across these two? About thirty minutes later, the purchased pots arrived, and Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s rice was ready too. She stopped her work, washed her hands, and started to cook. Ms. Nian Shutong took the rice out, set it aside, cleaned the pot, added fire, evaporated the water, and poured oil. ¡°Stay back, protect your face.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong poured all the egg mixture in, waiting for it to firm up a bit before gently pushing it. Fu Yunhe, his face covered, peeked just slightly, eyes straining to look at the golden eggs in the pot. The hot oil made the flavor of the egg mixture alluring. Once the egg mixture solidified, Ms. Nian Shutong tore off a small piece, holding it towards Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Open your mouth!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Fu Yunhe opened his mouth instinctively and a small piece of egg was placed inside. ¡°Taste it first, test it for poison.¡± Initially moved, Fu Yunhe almost rolled his eyes but his strong survival instinct made him hold it back. This woman, she really can¡¯t say anything nice. But Fu Yunhe was quickly conquered by the taste of the fried egg; not being able to talk nicely was fine as long as she fed him. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Continue Working, Add More 1 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Continue Working, Add More 1 Nian Shutong added oil to the pan again, this time only a small amount. Once the oil was hot, sliced tomatoes were tossed in with a sizzle, clashing violently with the hot oil. Nian Shutong, holding a spatula, became even more skilled in her movements, stir-frying until the tomatoes were soft and mushy. A tangy and sweet aroma wafted into their nostrils, making their already hungry stomachs twitch even more. Nian Shutong quickened her pace, her scrambled eggs poured into the tomatoes like scattering blossoms. The sizzling sound resumed, and soon, Nian Shutong began to add salt. ¡°Time to eat.¡± Nian Shutong dished out the red and yellow tomatoes into a bowl, scooping out all the sauce with a spoon. Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands and feet swiftly arranged the bowls and chopsticks. When Nian Shutong brought over the food, he ran back to turn off the fire and filled the pot with water. It would be easier to clean this way. This was his takeaway from the past two days. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± At Nian Shutong¡¯s cue to eat, they began their meal under the watchful eyes of Rubble. ¡°This sweet and sour flavor is pretty good,¡± she said, alternating bites between rice and the dish, which was truly appetizing. The chicken with potatoes was fragrant, and the tomato and eggs were a perfect, appetizing dish for rice. Fu Yunhe simply nodded repeatedly, completely agreeing and finding the food delicious. As they were eating, the light¡­ fluttered. Fu Yunhe and Nian Shutong reacted in sync. Holding a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, they turned their heads. ¡°Rubble is tired.¡± At this moment, Rubble¡¯s head hung low, shoulders slightly drooped, and arms dangled naturally, his whole body emanating exhaustion. ¡°Sorry, I forgot,¡± Nian Shutong put down her bowl and chopsticks and first took down the lamp from Rubble¡¯s hand, setting it on the ground. ¡°Rubble, go rest.¡± She thought to herself: Rubble is indeed weak! Rubble, slouching, went to rest in the small wooden house. Nian Shutong then hefted another tree outside the kitchen, found a wire, and tied the lamp to it. A makeshift street lamp was ready. She washed her hands and continued eating. After the meal, Fu Yunhe was in charge of washing the dishes, while Nian Shutong did not go to rest. She picked up another lamp and simply tied it on top of her head, then crossed the stream to work. While working, she also practiced her skills, her speed fast; she did not need any rest. But Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know this. Watching the bright light moving back and forth across the creek, he suddenly felt that Nian Shutong was quite commendable. If it were in his previous life, he would have greatly admired such a person. Someone who doesn¡¯t easily trust others but doesn¡¯t act rashly either and once determined, pursues their goals wholeheartedly. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Fu Yunhe, smiling lightly, wiped his hands and headed towards the small wooden house, thinking that the two of them actually had some similarities. As soon as he entered the house, he saw Rubble lying flat, limbs stretched out, perfectly suitable to be used as a ruler. He glanced at Rubble, then entered his own room, opened Star Network, and started making money. However, he thought he should find some way to make money, as just answering questions or helping with homework didn¡¯t earn much. And Nian Shutong¡¯s speed at doing things far exceeded his expectations. For whatever reason, Fu Yunhe wanted to keep up with Nian Shutong¡¯s pace and not be left too far behind. At the moment, it seemed that the only success would be to have the money Nian Shutong needed at all times. He should start now. Fu Yunhe carefully organized his spiritual power, connected to Star Network, and extended into unknown areas. His spiritual power seemed unusually familiar with Star Network, like his own backyard, twisting and turning until he found an underground forum that had everything he needed. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Egg Custard Additional Update 2 Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Egg Custard Additional Update 2 The night had passed, and Ms. Nian Shutong, who hadn¡¯t slept, returned full of energy. When Fu Yunhe stepped out, he saw a damp Ms. Nian Shutong. ¡°Good morning, what have you been up to?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong flipped her palm, and an egg from the Space Button appeared in her hand. ¡°I went to find some eggs to make steamed eggs.¡± Steamed eggs? Fu Yunhe followed with interest, but only two steps later, he was distracted by the opposite bank. What used to be a stretch of tall trees was almost gone; the flattened land still had some remnants of branches and trunks, but the efficiency was incredibly high. ¡°Did you stay up all night?¡± ¡°Crack!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong cracked an egg and casually said, ¡°Working keeps me in good spirits.¡± She didn¡¯t elaborate further but commanded Fu Yunhe, ¡°Have you learned how to cook rice? Try steaming some; this is going to be part of your live streams from now on.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Fu Yunhe mimicked Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s actions from the previous day, scooped some rice, rinsed it twice after, then added some water and let Ms. Nian Shutong have a look. ¡°Is this enough?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong glanced back briefly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Fu Yunhe placed the bowl on the rack and began steaming the rice. Meanwhile, Ms. Nian Shutong had beaten the egg, added a bit of warm water at a ratio of one to one and a half, a little more water than egg, and some salt. After stirring everything evenly, she skimmed off the froth from the top, covered it with a dish, and steamed it. ¡°Once it starts steaming, take out the egg custard after ten minutes; the rice will continue to steam for a while.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe dutifully sat in the kitchen watching the pot, while Ms. Nian Shutong, ever busy, went to the opposite bank and dragged over the chopped wood. After setting up the wood, Ms. Nian Shutong went to wake up Rubble, who was always the last to get up. When the two came out, Rubble was complaining about not having slept well. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble is in a developmental phase; his intelligence is growing. It¡¯s different from the innate intelligence you possess. Rubble really needs sufficient sleep.¡± ¡°Twenty-four hours in a day; excluding rest, sleep, and idling around, you don¡¯t even work for five hours. Endure the fatigue!¡± ¡°But Rubble needs¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s threatening ¡°hmm,¡± accompanied by a slightly murderous look, instantly made Rubble concede. ¡°Dear Ms. Nian Shutong, what do you need Rubble to do?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong handed a piece of paper to Rubble. ¡°This is a blueprint. Can you make this?¡± ¡°Rubble can make anything, let alone something with blueprints.¡± Braggart, cheeky Rubble was back. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Considering your frailty, I¡¯ll give you five days. If you can¡¯t make it, hmm!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s meaningful hmm made Rubble shiver as he nodded vigorously, ¡°Rubble will do well, rest assured.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong said no more, focusing on the results. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble has made two robots.¡± ¡°Good! Go clear the land!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong had already walked away, truly making the most of every moment. When the meal was ready, she also came back, sat down, and started eating. The yellow, trembling, silky smooth egg custard did not disappoint either of them. After finishing, Ms. Nian Shutong, looking outside the kitchen, said, ¡°It tastes good, but it¡¯s much more satisfying with some meat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a walk around later to see if there¡¯s any game. We¡¯ll add a meal tonight.¡± Fu Yunhe agreed, just about to ask what he needed to do today, when a mournful howl came from outside. ¡°Hmm? Where?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong pointed up at the sky and said, ¡°Above.¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65 A Person Fell From the Sky Chapter 65: Chapter 65 A Person Fell From the Sky Nian Shutong spread out on a stool in a grand fashion, gazing leisurely upward at the object free-falling from the sky. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t make out what it was; was that a stick sticking out? Fu Yunhe stood up and silently walked behind Nian Shutong, embodying the very nature of an invalid. On the other side, Rubble calculated the distance and determined he was safe, no need to dodge. Otherwise, there would definitely be a spot for him behind Nian Shutong. The three of them, heads tilted back, gazed at the sky. The unnamed creature was howling as it fell faster and faster, growing larger and larger. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± A freshly tilled patch of soil in front of the small wooden house was smashed into a big crater. Fu Yunhe: If it¡¯s not dead, it¡¯s just tougher luck. Rubble: Well, by the looks of it, it¡¯s not as beautiful and smart as Rubble. Nian Shutong: If it¡¯s dead, it can serve as fertilizer; if it¡¯s alive¡­ chop it up for fertilizer. The three of them walked up to the edge of the crater. ¡°Xiao He, can you make out what it is?¡± Fu Yunhe looked carefully and said, ¡°It¡¯s a Beastification, but it seems to have lost some control over its transformation.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ What kind of beast?¡± ¡°It seems like a¡­ wolf?¡± Fu Yunhe wasn¡¯t quite sure; he was looking at its back silhouette, a pair of ears atop its head, and a tail. A wolf? At this moment, the creature in the pit moved, crying out woefully. ¡°Howl¡­ Howl¡­ How lucky, I fell into a pit.¡± It flipped over, stood up, and started turning in circles like a headless fly. Nian Shutong glanced at Fu Yunhe, confirming it was a wolf? Fu Yunhe just offered an awkward smile, but inside he was churning like a torrential river¡ªhe recognized this wolf! At that moment, Nian Shutong squatted at the edge of the pit and called out, ¡°Hey?¡± The wolf inside, preoccupied with chasing its tail in its mouth, stopped and looked up at Nian Shutong. ¡°Who are you? Why did you capture me?¡± The werewolf below had its fur standing on end, poised defensively. Nian Shutong waved a finger at the werewolf and spoke down to it, ¡°You must¡¯ve banged up your brain, right? This is my place. You didn¡¯t fall from a Starship, did you?¡± ¡°Yeah, how did you know!¡± The wolf sprang up with agile posture, though its expression was foolishly blank. Seeing this, Nian Shutong noted that it was still a werewolf of considerable strength¡ªit survived such a high fall without a scratch. Her fingers twitched slightly, but her face maintained a friendly negotiation with the fallen werewolf. Next to her, Fu Yunhe caught a glimpse of Nian Shutong¡¯s twitching fingers and felt a foreboding sensation. ¡°Wolf brother, you¡¯ve ruined my land. How do you plan to compensate for it?¡± The werewolf stood there looking utterly helpless, dumbstruck, one hand cradling its head, unconsciously tugging at its ear. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­ can I compensate?¡± The werewolf hung its head like a child who had done wrong. The Commander had said punishment comes with wrongdoing, Ha Ha needed to be obedient. ¡°Alright!¡± Nian Shutong shouted, causing the cowering werewolf to shudder, baring its fangs. ¡°Don¡¯t get agitated, don¡¯t get agitated! It¡¯s better to have a talk,¡± Nian Shutong soothed the werewolf brother. But the werewolf opposite her wasn¡¯t thinking clearly just then, shaking its head vigorously. ¡°No! No! I can¡¯t stay, the Commander is in danger! In danger!¡± The werewolf attempted to flee. He bolted towards the egg-shaped Flying Device parked outside, but Nian Shutong snorted coldly. ¡°Ungrateful!¡± She reached out her hand and a cyan Sword Light flashed. Stepping forward with her blade, she struck forth. Wanting to leave? Not before you¡¯ve paid for the damage! ¡°Huh?¡± The werewolf, who had run halfway, suddenly stopped, spun around, and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! I¡¯ll work to pay off the debt!¡± Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Truly Silly Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Truly Silly ¡°Boom,¡± Nian Shutong struck, missing the Werewolf, and the blow landed in the creek. A water curtain tens of meters high was thrown up and then crashed down mightily. She landed on her feet and looked at the confused Werewolf across and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you running away?¡± The Werewolf clamped a hand over his mouth and shook his head vigorously. ¡°Can¡¯t tell! Can¡¯t tell!¡± Clearly, this was like admitting there was an ulterior motive. One side of Nian Shutong¡¯s mouth curved up as she beckoned to the Werewolf and said, ¡°Eat this, and you can stay.¡± In her hand was a peanut-sized, multicolored water droplet that stayed intact and trembled slightly, though it looked distinctly unhealthy. The Werewolf approached and asked, ¡°Is it tasty?¡± But he didn¡¯t wait for Nian Shutong to answer, eagerly eating it and savoring it carefully. ¡°Got any more? I¡¯m not full.¡± Nian Shutong wondered, was this Werewolf genuinely foolish or just pretending to be naive? It was unclear for now, but if he was pretending, she hoped he¡¯d keep it up until she was satisfied. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Nian Shutong asked aloud. The Werewolf¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up and he patted his chest, saying, ¡°I¡¯m called Ha Ha. My Commander named me.¡± Ha Ha? Silly Wolf? ¡°It sounds good, right? Isn¡¯t it really nice? Whenever people hear my name, they always laugh, they must be jealous of me.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ it¡¯s nice,¡± Nian Shutong had just finished speaking when she heard a shout from the rubble. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Xiao He is finally going to die.¡± Nian Shutong hurriedly turned around, only to see Fu Yunhe on the ground, his face pale as snow, struggling to breathe, indeed appearing as though he was about to depart from this world. ¡°Hey, you sickly thing! You haven¡¯t done the live broadcast you promised me! If you die, I¡¯ll just have to peel your skin off and put it on for Rubble.¡± Whether Fu Yunhe was scared or not, Rubble was truly frightened. For the first time, Rubble helped Fu Yunhe up, a current emanated from his finger, performing emergency resuscitation on Fu Yunhe¡¯s heart. ¡°Xiao He, don¡¯t die. Rubble doesn¡¯t want to become as ugly as you.¡± As Fu Yunhe was slowly recovering, he was first startled by Nian Shutong¡¯s words, and then angered by Rubble¡¯s remarks. Who are these people? Can¡¯t you just properly save someone? Nian Shutong squatted beside Fu Yunhe, looking at Rubble, who was attempting resuscitation but still had time to boast, ¡°Rubble knows quite a bit.¡± Rubble, who was saving him, suddenly stopped his actions and started self-praising. ¡°Rubble is¡­¡± ¡°Stop, save him!¡± Nian Shutong watched Rubble, reluctant but obedient after her stern look. Rubble¡¯s sharp tongue was real, but he knew when to back down quickly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this woman?¡± Silly Wolf Ha Ha also came over and squatted beside Fu Yunhe. ¡°Xiao He is male, that is, a man.¡± Rubble engaged in the resuscitation somewhat distractedly. ¡°A man? Impossible?¡± Silly Wolf Ha Ha performed a gesture no one expected; he extended a finger to verify Fu Yunhe¡¯s gender. ¡°Really a man? But why does he have the face of a beautiful girl, the very thing our Commander dislikes the most.¡± ¡°The Commander dislikes it, so do I!¡± The weak Fu Yunhe truly wished he could just die at that moment. Were these people really trying to save him? One onlooker, Nian Shutong, made insensitive remarks. One, Rubble, trying to perform CPR while multitasking by chatting. And one Silly Wolf, foolishly touching things he shouldn¡¯t. Truly, he suffered for nothing, using up the spiritual power he had saved for so long to send them a message; he deserved to be beaten to death by Nian Shutong! Finally, Fu Yunhe recovered a bit, slowly opened his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m off to work! Ha Ha, follow me!¡± Nian Shutong stood up and left without a backward glance. Rubble was even more straightforward, retracting his finger, ¡°Luckily you¡¯re alive, otherwise Rubble, in your likeness, wouldn¡¯t be liked by anyone and wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill the mission of continuing the Mechanical Clan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! He doesn¡¯t look good at all.¡± Not good? What¡¯s not good? Explain yourself. Fu Yunhe glanced at Ha Ha with a deep expression in his eyes. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67 A Master at Work Chapter 67: Chapter 67 A Master at Work No matter how scary Fu Yunhe¡¯s gaze was, Ha Ha was completely unfazed, as if he couldn¡¯t see it. He followed Nian Shutong to do some work. Nian Shutong took the new recruit, Ha Ha, to the wasteland across from them. ¡°Ha Ha, you need to turn over the soil like this,¡± Nian Shutong said, digging with the shovel. ¡°You have to pick out all the weeds and stones.¡± ¡°Got it?¡± ¡°Got it! I used to do this often, my Commander loved to have me till the soil.¡± Ha Ha wagged his tail and took the shovel that Nian Shutong handed over, and got to work. After watching for a while, Nian Shutong was very satisfied. This Ha Ha really didn¡¯t slack off at all when it came to work, and what was key¡ªhe was strong! Compared to the two sickly individuals on the other bank, Nian Shutong was extremely pleased. Ha Ha was a bit single-minded; when it was time for him to go, he heard the Commander¡¯s voice. He was very familiar with the Commander¡¯s spiritual power. Because when his own spiritual power had collapsed, the Commander had personally helped him sort it out for over a month. So when the Commander told him to stay and help Nian Shutong with the work, he didn¡¯t hesitate to stay. As for why he could sense the Commander¡¯s spiritual power, Ha Ha didn¡¯t know, but he felt that nothing was too much for such a powerful Commander. All morning, Ha Ha turned over an acre of land. At this rate, wouldn¡¯t everything be done in a few days? Nian Shutong¡¯s attitude toward Ha Ha became much friendlier¡ªafter all, he was the only strong laborer they had. Close to noon, she went deep into the forest. To hunt meat! Ha Ha was working hard, so she wouldn¡¯t be stingy. As for whatever motives he had for staying, she didn¡¯t care and wasn¡¯t worried. The little medicine beads weren¡¯t for nothing. When Nian Shutong returned, passing by Ha Ha who was still digging, she called out to him directly. ¡°Ha Ha! You can take a break; we¡¯ll be eating soon.¡± Ha Ha, who was deeply engrossed in his work, didn¡¯t lift his head and replied with his back to Nian Shutong, ¡°I have nutrient liquid.¡± Hearing Ha Ha¡¯s reply, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t call out again. As soon as the smell wafted out, she didn¡¯t believe he would be able to resist. Today, Nian Shutong was still making wild chicken stewed with potatoes, but this time it was three chickens and ten potatoes. The process was the same, only the fire starter had been replaced by Rubble. Rubble stood a meter away from the stove, using his extremely long arms and a stick to skillfully manage the fire. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, will Rubble continue to make fires in the future?¡± ¡°Based on my observations, given Xia He¡¯s physical condition which makes him seem close to death at any time, you¡¯ll probably be doing it quite a bit,¡± Nian Shutong said crisply, pouring oil and frying the chicken before adding water. ¡°Increase the heat, bring it to a boil.¡± Rubble obediently added a few more sticks to the fire, thoughtfully observing the flames inside the pot. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, can Rubble modify this stove a bit?¡± Nian Shutong, who had turned to chop the potatoes, stopped and looked at Rubble, ¡°You can.¡± It wouldn¡¯t hurt to make it more convenient. The kitchen fell silent, with only the crackling of burning wood and the gradually emerging fragrance lingering. Nian Shutong had already put the potatoes and rice in; now all that was left was to wait. As the steaming vapors rose gently, the aroma competed to drift outside. Ha Ha, working in the field, was about to drink a bottle of nutrient liquid when his movements halted, and he sniffed the air vigorously. He located the source; it was from Nian Shutong, who had just called him for a meal. Ha Ha was torn for a moment, continue working or go eat? But the Commander had said to work hard. Would going to eat be considered slacking off? Meanwhile, Nian Shutong stood at the kitchen entrance, shouting across the stream, ¡°Ha Ha, time to eat! Over here, you have to listen to me!¡± Listen to me! Right! Ha Ha threw his shovel aside and, swinging his big tail, ran towards the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m the most obedient, coming to eat.¡± ¡°Good, go wash your hands.¡± Once everyone had come out, Nian Shutong suddenly realized they needed a table. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Ha Ha at Half-Full, Added More 1 Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Ha Ha at Half-Full, Added More 1 Nian Shutong first took out the desk that originally belonged to the main house of the Nian Family, and everyone gathered around it outside the kitchen. This time, Rubble also sat down. Although he still couldn¡¯t eat food, he had put a plate full of metal pieces and was crunching on them. ¡°Rubble smells the aroma and even the metal tastes good.¡± Nian Shutong had no objections. If you¡¯re happy, feel free to do as you please. The four of them, Nian Shutong facing Ha Ha and Fu Yunhe facing Rubble, prepared to dine. Everyone served themselves rice, and Nian Shutong said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Ha Ha couldn¡¯t wait, grabbed his bowl, and took a big bite of rice. Oh my! It¡¯s so delicious! Ha Ha ate an entire bowl of rice in one go without touching any dishes. After putting down his empty bowl, he asked Nian Shutong, ¡°Can I eat until I¡¯m full?¡± ¡°Yes, eat your fill and work hard.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s chopsticks kept picking up potatoes; she discovered that potatoes were even tastier than meat. ¡°You are a good person for letting Ha Ha eat his fill.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t quite understand Ha Ha¡¯s line of thought, but it was the first time anyone had called her a good person. Fu Yunhe, however, did understand Ha Ha¡¯s thoughts. Ha Ha was the youngster he had saved from the battlefield and had always kept by his side. When he had rescued him, Ha Ha was just skin and bones. Eating held a very important place in Ha Ha¡¯s world. Having obtained permission from Nian Shutong, Ha Ha stood up and served himself another bowl of rice. This time, he knew to eat some dishes too. When Nian Shutong finally realized what was happening, the rice container was empty, and only four pieces of chicken and three potatoes were left in the dish container. But Nian Shutong had just finished her bowl of rice. Ha Ha finally put down his chopsticks, stood up swiftly, and touching his stomach naively said, ¡°I¡¯m half full.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go work. Can you make more tonight? I haven¡¯t eaten enough.¡± Ha Ha looked at Nian Shutong seriously, a simple smile on his face. ¡°Eat!¡± Nian Shutong put down her bowl and shouted loudly. Eat! She didn¡¯t believe that he could eat her out of house and home! Sitting quietly beside her, Fu Yunhe, who had only eaten half of his meal, really wanted to remind Nian Shutong that if Ha Ha were allowed to eat freely, he indeed could eat her out of house and home. Wait a minute? Something doesn¡¯t seem right? Suddenly, Fu Yunhe realized that Nian Shutong was already poor; her main source of income had always been robbing him. Didn¡¯t that mean he would end up supporting Ha Ha¡¯s meals? ¡°You are as kind as the Commander. I¡¯ll go work!¡± Ha Ha announced and promptly headed to the wasteland, working even faster than he had in the morning. Nian Shutong averted her gaze, looked at the container, and putting down her chopsticks said: ¡°Xiao He, remember to wash the dishes.¡± Fu Yunhe, distracted, came to his senses and slightly raising his head, said: Okay. Nian Shutong also stood up to leave for work. Rubble stood up with his small iron plate, still containing metal pieces, and said unsatisfiedly, ¡°Little Wolf eats too quickly, Rubble is not satisfied.¡± A single table was left with only Fu Yunhe. Initially drained of spiritual power, his complexion had slightly improved after eating some potatoes, not looking as if he would die at any moment like he had that morning. Fu Yunhe cleaned up the remaining food and obediently stood up to wash the dishes. He crouched by the creek, watching Ha Ha toil away, wondering why Ha Ha ended up here. If there was anyone Fu Yunhe trusted, Ha Ha was definitely at the top of the list. But given Ha Ha¡¯s limited intelligence and naive personality, Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t rely on him, as it might not be helpful and could even put Ha Ha at risk. Averting his gaze, Fu Yunhe quietly washed the dishes. Thinking was useless; without strength, going back meant seeking death. At least washing dishes here was safe. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Marry Me Extra 2 Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Marry Me Extra 2 One afternoon, even Nian Shutong took a break to rest and recuperate. But Ha Ha worked continuously without rest. At most, he paused a few times to drink water, yet even then, he would drink with one hand while his other hand never stopped working with the tool. Ha Ha by himself worked as fast as a modern piece of machinery. Nian Shutong suddenly felt that keeping Ha Ha around was, without a doubt, the right choice. Over the course of the afternoon, Nian Shutong tended and corrected the first acre of land that Ha Ha had prepared; she planned to start seedlings. Rice seedlings need to be nurtured before they can be transplanted. As the sun prepared to set once again, Nian Shutong set off and returned with many bird eggs, two rabbits, and two chickens. As she neared the small wooden house, she also bought some rice, potatoes, green peppers, and tomatoes from System Xiao Ba. Time for a big meal in the evening. At the very least, she needed to fulfill her promise to let Ha Ha eat his fill. Having arrived at the small wooden house, Nian Shutong called Fu Yunhe out to begin cooking. ¡°Xiao He, how was your rest?¡± Fu Yunhe, who was washing the vegetables, replied without pausing his movements, ¡°I¡¯m all good now.¡± Nian Shutong, who was gutting the chickens and rabbits, shook the blood off her hands and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s do a live demonstration tonight, get some practice in.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Fu Yunhe agreed, placing the clean vegetables into a bowl and bringing them back to the kitchen. In the evening, it was still Nian Shutong in charge of cooking. After frying the rabbit meat in oil, she added some chili pepper and stewed it for a while. Potato chicken continued to be the main dish. She made scrambled eggs with tomatoes to accompany the meal. As for the rice, Nian Shutong steamed a large pot of it, three times the usual amount. Once everything was arranged, Nian Shutong, summoning strength from her Dantian, called out loudly, ¡°Ha Ha! Dinner time!¡± ¡°Dinner time! Ha Ha Ha Ha!¡± Ha Ha laughed boisterously, throwing down his shovel and running over, as if he wished he could gallop on all fours to be even faster. This time, Ha Ha knew to wash his hands first, then his face, and after cleaning up thoroughly, he sat down properly at the table, Ready to eat. ¡°Alright, everyone grab your chopsticks!¡± Nian Shutong, as usual, was the first to start eating, followed by Ha Ha¡¯s movements, which swept over the food like a swift breeze, rapidly decreasing the portion on the table, the rice diminishing at an incredible pace. It was as if everything sped up. In just a glance away then back, another layer of food disappeared. ¡°Ah¡ª I¡¯m full,¡± Ha Ha said, patting his head and then his belly, squinting his eyes contentedly, feeling like going to sleep. Being full felt so good. No wonder the Commander had told him to stay and help out, Nian Shutong turned out to be a really good person. ¡°Good person, why don¡¯t you marry Ha Ha?¡± he suggested. With a calm demeanor, Nian Shutong finished the food in her mouth, put down her chopsticks, and inquired, ¡°Why should I marry you? Just for a full meal?¡± ¡°Rubble analyzed¡ªit definitely isn¡¯t because Ms. Nian Shutong is beautiful.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t marry you, she¡¯s my lawful wife.¡± Two sentences followed one after the other. Ha Ha looked at Rubble first, disagreeing, ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong, the good person is just dark, and her skin pitted, everything else looks good.¡± Heh, Nian Shutong rolled her eyes. These compliments, she didn¡¯t even feel happy about them. After his comment, Ha Ha turned his head, feeling somewhat displeased, and looked at Fu Yunhe beside him. ¡°Humph! You¡¯re just jealous of me. The good person would never marry you, you¡¯re about to die. Marrying you would mean becoming a widow.¡± ¡°You definitely don¡¯t want Ha Ha to eat his fill, you bad person.¡± Fu Yunhe thought to himself, you¡¯re all just too naive. Becoming a widow, that¡¯s Nian Shutong¡¯s greatest dream. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Looking for Madam Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Looking for Madam Fu Yunhe¡¯s handsome brows furrowed seriously as he said, ¡°I¡¯m not lying, she and I are truly legally married.¡± After finishing his statement, Fu Yunhe looked toward Nian Shutong. But what¡¯s with your face, showing reluctance, surprise, and confusion? He couldn¡¯t help but feel exhausted as he asked, ¡°What does that expression mean?¡± Nian Shutong chuckled and replied, ¡°Damn it, I forgot!¡± ¡°Goodness, did you really marry this unidentified species?¡± Ha Ha stared at Nian Shutong dumbfoundedly and saw her nod. Ha Ha, with two fluffy ears drooping, lowered his head, feeling a bit sad, then abruptly looked up, ¡°How about you get a divorce? I¡¯ll introduce you to our Commander.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! My Commander is ridiculously strong, the most powerful man in the galaxy, a true man of men. He¡¯s nothing like this pretty boy next to you!¡± ¡°The pretty boy looks weak and won¡¯t live long, plus I¡¯ve secretly checked him out, he¡­ he¡¯s not up to par down there.¡± Who are you saying is not up to par? Fu Yunhe, praised and insulted invisibly, didn¡¯t know what to feel. Oh, he regretted keeping this Ha Ha around. He always felt that his already miserable life would become even more tragic and pitiful. Nian Shutong, on the other hand, waved her hand at Ha Ha and said, ¡°No need! I don¡¯t need a man.¡± One statement about not needing a man caused Rubble to look at Nian Shutong sidelong, glancing up and down. ¡°Could it be you¡¯re a hermaphrodite with asexual reproduction?¡± ¡°Shut up! All of you, shut up!¡± Nian Shutong stood up abruptly, looked at Ha Ha covering his mouth, her gaze still tinged with confusion. What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we looking for a wife for the Commander? On the other side, Rubble, whose survival instincts immediately kicked in, said, ¡°Rubble will go work.¡± And off he ran. Ha Ha observed Nian Shutong with respect, impressed by how a single glare could scare someone away. She was truly a match for the mighty Commander! He glanced at Fu Yunhe, gave a cold snort, stood up, and the look of disdain on his face couldn¡¯t have been clearer. Delaying the search for the Commander¡¯s bride! Seeing the two seriously going off to work, Nian Shutong lifted her chin toward Fu Yunhe and asked, ¡°Can we get a divorce?¡± Fu Yunhe put down his chopsticks unhurriedly, looked up at Nian Shutong, and spoke softly, ¡°According to the law, divorce would mean splitting assets equally.¡± He definitely saw a spark in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes as he added, ¡°If we divorce, I can¡¯t stay here anymore.¡± Nian Shutong quickly calculated in her mind. She still wanted to use Fu Yunhe for livestreaming; his staying would continue to bring in money. She couldn¡¯t abandon the opportunity for long-term earnings for immediate wealth. ¡°If you don¡¯t stay here, it¡¯s like signing your death warrant,¡± Nian Shutong shook her head at Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Trying to scare me by leaving is less effective than splashing cash.¡± ¡°Heh¡­ You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t think it through. So, if I stay and keep making money for you, is that okay?¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Nian Shutong patted Fu Yunhe on the shoulder; this brother was getting more accommodating. She turned to leave too, then paused, speaking to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Eat up quickly. We¡¯ll try livestreaming and selling vegetables in a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, and buy some poisonous potatoes off the Star Network and some livestream equipment.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Yunhe obediently purchased the potatoes and equipment, and after finishing his shopping, he continued to eat. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong had fitted an extra light in the kitchen, where the upcoming livestream would take place. The sky had already turned completely dark, and Ha Ha, with a lamp from who knows where, kept working on. He was even more diligent than Old Niu. Rubble had reached his usual end-of-day rest, but it seemed he had angered Nian Shutong today, so he voluntarily worked overtime for a while. Forty minutes later, the things they ordered arrived. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Doubt Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Doubt Fu Yunhe received the goods from the robot, habitually left a positive review, and the robot left as usual. He sat in the kitchen watching Nian Shutong, wondering what she ran into the small wooden house for. Inside the small wooden house at that moment, Nian Shutong was attending Daodao¡¯s live-streaming tutorial. ¡°Mm, okay, I got it.¡± Nian Shutong had almost finished learning. Just as she was about to leave, she was called back by Daodao. ¡°Master, your Star Network store has received several messages. Would you like to reply?¡± ¡°Store? I don¡¯t have any corn left.¡± Nian Shutong stopped, looked around, and said, ¡°Tell them that the corn is out of season for now, but we¡¯ll be selling fries on our live stream tonight, and we¡¯ll also list the fries for sale in the store later.¡± ¡°Okay! Daodao got it!¡± Daodao was reliable in handling tasks, so Nian Shutong felt assured. She left the small wooden house and began discussing the live-streaming event with Fu Yunhe. ¡°Xiao He, hold out your hands for me to see.¡± Nian Shutong spoke in the casual, teasing tone of a street thug. Nonetheless, Fu Yunhe still stretched out both hands and even cooperatively flipped them over. ¡°Not bad at all! These hands are very photogenic.¡± Nian Shutong was very satisfied; such hands were truly attractive. ¡°I think at the beginning, you should keep your face hidden and not reveal whether you¡¯re male or female, let them guess!¡± In Daodao¡¯s words, this was about keeping the mystery alive. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Fu Yunhe replied, without any objections¡ªnot that he dared to have any. The two of them started fiddling with the live-streaming equipment¡ªFu Yunhe did the lion¡¯s share of the tinkering, while Nian Shutong boldly removed the toxins from a whole bag of potatoes. As Fu Yunhe prepared, the sight of the de-toxified potatoes hardly surprised him. Instead, there was a sense of inevitability about either dying here or there. Nian Shutong¡¯s trick was absolutely unique in the interstellar space; he was now tied to this ship. Whether to leave the ship or not wasn¡¯t something he could decide. As they were each busy with their tasks, Daodao had already opened Star Network and began replying to messages for the Liu Family¡ªtheir only three customers. ¡°Dear customers, first of all, thank you for your support.¡± ¡°Dear customers, the corn is out of season now and is inedible!¡± ¡°Dear customers, don¡¯t worry. We have a live stream tonight where we will be selling new food items in our store!¡± Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡ªthree messages were sent out. At the Liu Family¡¯s home, the three family members sat around the dining table. In front of each was a bottle of nutrient liquid that appeared to be of higher quality than the one Fu Yunhe had once tried. ¡°Hey, no message yet?¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s mother asked, and Liu Cheng¡¯s father also looked towards Liu Cheng. Liu Cheng, not sure for how many times now, opened the Star Network on his Light Computer and said, ¡°Look! There really is!¡± With that one word, Liu Cheng¡¯s parents swooped in next to him. All three read Daodao¡¯s message together. Out of season? Inedible? Disaster! This was nothing short of a disaster! ¡°Mom, Dad, they¡¯re going to release new food, let¡¯s check it out!¡± ¡°No! I just want to eat corn, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s anything tastier than corn.¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s father, with his hands clasped behind him, sat down with a less than pleased mood. Liu Cheng¡¯s mother was also feeling less enthusiastic. How could there be so many delicious things, all known to one person? That didn¡¯t seem very realistic. She decisively grabbed the nutrient liquid on the table and drank it all in one go. ¡°Liu Cheng, drink up quickly, and then go cultivate.¡± Liu Cheng was not too keen, as he preferred exploring shops for new things. But he still drank the nutrient liquid first. He would look into it by himself later. After finishing the nutrient liquid, Liu Cheng sneakily asked for the live streaming room number. Daodao on the other side quickly replied. ¡°XWZBTT544444448.¡± Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Live Streaming Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Live Streaming In the kitchen next to the small wooden house. Nian Shutong stood opposite the camera, which was outside the kitchen. Fu Yunhe was left alone in the kitchen. He adjusted the angle to only film his hands. Outside, Nian Shutong had opened Star Network and joined Fu Yunhe¡¯s livestream, becoming the first viewer. The livestream was well-lit with vivid colors. Even such a simple kitchen, once filmed, didn¡¯t look rundown; instead, it exuded a rustic and natural vibe. Sometimes simplicity epitomizes elegance. Nian Shutong felt a bit dazed, shook her head, and shifted her gaze away from the livestream to her own kitchen. Oh¡­ it was still the same. No changes. That just showed how skillful Fu Yunhe was. He himself had struggled for a long time. Nian Shutong continued watching the livestream, and now there was sound. Fu Yunhe spoke in a steady tone, his unique voice indistinguishable between male or female, slightly magnetic but not heavy, also carrying a hint of coolness, making it not boring for the listener. ¡°Hello everyone, I am¡­ Xiao He.¡± In that sentence, Fu Yunhe spoke with a smile, his voice becoming more animated. ¡°Today, I¡¯m making French fries using the simplest ingredients¡ªturkadak, also known as potatoes.¡± ¡°I call them potatoes, just sounds nicer.¡± ¡°First off, we need to¡­¡± Fu Yunhe had already started the actual cooking, explaining each step patiently and unhurriedly, giving a comfortable sense of adaptability. In the video, only his hands could be seen, but his slender and fair fingers, illuminated under the light, appeared even more snow-white, moving flexibly in the frame. Indeed, each frame could be worth saving. Fu Yunhe¡¯s livestream pace was slow, not rushed. Slowly, a second viewer joined, it was Liu Cheng. [What beautiful hands!] [You can tell the livestream host is a great cook by just looking!] Liu Cheng started off with excessive compliments, always believing this person must be from a prominent family on a trial. Fu Yunhe saw the comments and politely expressed his thanks. ¡°Thank you for your support, you can try virtual tasting later.¡± Liu Cheng continued with the praise, initially just watching casually, but got attracted by Fu Yunhe¡¯s graceful movements. However, as the potatoes hit the frying oil, the aroma intensified his interest. [Wow! What is this? So much tree oil, what¡¯s inside?] [What is that smell?] Two more newcomers entered the livestream. Fu Yunhe scooped the fries out of the pan, explaining what he was doing. ¡°I am frying French fries, from turkadak, but rest assured, ours are toxin-free.¡± ¡°This can be tested with spiritual power.¡± Fu Yunhe then picked up the fried potato fries, displaying them 360 degrees around with no dead angles under the camera. [Wow wow wow! It¡¯s turkadak! How can it smell so good?] [This smell, it¡¯s tempting!] [Say no more, just hurry and start the virtual tasting!] Fu Yunhe arranged the fries and his pleasing voice sounded again. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, there is one last step, which is its essence.¡± Fu Yunhe took out a small jar and said under the camera, ¡°This is our newly developed salt, different from what we usually eat. You can take a look.¡± Under the camera, a beautiful hand slowly opened the bronze-colored lid, revealing the snow-white grains of fine salt before everyone¡¯s eyes. Is this¡­salt? Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Fine Salt Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Fine Salt [What is this?] [The host said it¡¯s salt!] [Why is it so small and so white? Could they have added something to it?] [Doesn¡¯t look like salt.] At this point, two more people entered the live stream, everyone watched Fu Yunhe pick up a dark little spoon and scoop up a tiny bit. ¡°Sprinkling a bit of salt on hot fries can make them taste incredibly good.¡± In the live stream, Fu Yunhe pinched a few grains of salt between his fingertips, and like in slow motion, he sprinkled the fine salt on the fries. The scene was beautiful. [Wow! I don¡¯t know about the food, but this streaming technique is awesome.] [I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s awesome, but it sure is beautiful! And all he did was sprinkle some salt.] [Those hands¡­ I can¡¯t.] [Am I the only one concerned about starting the virtual tasting? Taste! Taste!] After sprinkling a bit more salt, Fu Yunhe said with a smile in his voice, ¡°We¡¯re starting the tasting now, everyone is welcome to try.¡± [Hahaha! I got some!] [Please! There are only a few people, who couldn¡¯t get some.] Indeed, Fu Yunhe had opened six portions for tasting, and including Nian Shutong, everyone received a portion. Of course, at this point, he could only open ten portions at most, which related to his live streaming level. About a minute later, everyone except Nian Shutong was frantically commenting. [Host, please sell it!] [Please sell it! My gosh, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve tasted salt that isn¡¯t bitter, and it¡¯s with fries. So delicious.] [Turns out potatoes¡­ are this delicious. I finished a portion of fries in just a few bites. Not enough, please sell!] [This salt¡­ is amazing!] Fu Yunhe had already set up the product link, he finally said, ¡°This is my first live stream today, if you like this room, please save it.¡± ¡°Tomorrow night I will continue streaming, same room. The fries I just made and some fine salt will be for sale in our own shop, the link is posted, please buy as you wish.¡± ¡°Goodbye, have a great day.¡± The streaming room went dark instantly, the host signed off pretty quickly. But, who cares about that! Buy! Buy! Buy! When the few people who clicked the link reached Nian Shutong¡¯s interstellar shop, four cries of anguish resonated across four different places in the interstellar. ¡°Who was it? Who exactly?¡± ¡°So outrageous! Someone bought everything!¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you leave some salt?¡± ¡°All ten cans of salt, bought out! Choke on it!¡± And the mastermind behind all this, Liu Cheng, was giggling with ten cans of salt in his arms. He had known about the shop early, so he had camped there before the link was even posted. Persistence pays off, he managed to buy everything first thing. Even if he couldn¡¯t finish it, he wanted to buy it all. Liu Cheng didn¡¯t even bother with the fries, running downstairs with a can of salt in his arms. ¡°Mom! Mom! I¡¯ve made a big discovery!¡± ¡°Why are you yelling? You¡¯re a grown man, act like it.¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s mother came out of the training room, wiping her sweat with a towel and looking at him disdainfully, ¡°Liu Cheng, you better have a good reason, or else¡­¡± ¡°Mom! Look at this salt!¡± Liu Cheng thrust the can of salt into his mother¡¯s face, the snow-white fine grains catching her eye. Mrs. Liu looked suspiciously at Liu Cheng. Salt? Are you kidding me because I¡¯m uneducated? ¡°Mom¡ª it¡¯s really salt! And it¡¯s not even bitter!¡± Not bitter? How¡¯s that possible? Mrs. Liu dipped her finger and tasted it. ¡°This¡­ give it to me!¡± Mrs. Liu snatched the salt can, turned around, and walked away. ¡°I¡¯m heading out!¡± Liu Cheng, shaking his head, lamented, ¡°Who¡¯s the unstable one now?¡± Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Diverting Traffic Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Diverting Traffic Liu Cheng¡¯s mother left the house and took her own first-generation Shadowless flying vessel away. This salt, it had a trick to it. Standing at the door, Liu Cheng was already munching on a plate of fries, savoring them as he mumbled to himself, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I¡¯ve still got plenty!¡± ¡°What¡¯s plentiful?¡± A somewhat robust voice made Liu Cheng speed up his eating; eating one more fry counted for something! ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± Liu Cheng gave a dry laugh but couldn¡¯t say anything with his mouth full. Liu Cheng¡¯s father, Liu Shu, looked disdainfully at Liu Cheng, who had his hands behind his back, and threatened him with a meaningful glare. ¡°Are you going to bring it over yourself, or should I use force?¡± Liu Cheng grinned and brought his hands from behind his back, revealing a plate with maybe seven or eight fries left on it. ¡°What treasure you were hiding!¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s father grabbed three fries and shoved them all into his mouth. The salt was just right, not the kind of salty that leaves a bitter aftertaste. Liu Cheng¡¯s father¡¯s eyes widened, and as he pointed to his mouth, he continued to chew; the crust crunchy, the inside soft and mushy, all with a hint of salt. ¡°Is there any more? Where did you buy these?¡± Liu Cheng¡¯s father snatched all the remaining fries on the plate and stuffed them into his mouth, his eyes still urging Liu Cheng for more. ¡°It¡¯s from that boiled corn stall; they started live streaming today. They¡¯re selling these fried fries and the fine salt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already given the salt to mom, and she¡¯s taken it to go find grandfather.¡± After eating all the fries, Liu Cheng¡¯s father noticed he still had some salt grains on his hands and couldn¡¯t help but lick and suck on his fingers. ¡°Mmm, get me two more servings. From now on, keep an eye on their live stream, and if they have any good stuff, get me two servings.¡± Liu Cheng eventually gave in to his father¡¯s forceful approach, handing over another two servings before he could get his dad to leave. Now, he could finally enjoy the delicious taste of the fries. He had eaten too hastily earlier and hadn¡¯t savored them properly. He wondered if they would still be selling them tomorrow? There didn¡¯t seem to be enough for his liking. Fu Yunhe, the subject of the current thoughts, was at this moment communicating with Nian Shutong regarding their first live stream experience. ¡°Xiao He, you did well. Keep it up, all our fry and fine salt have sold out.¡± ¡°Mm, I will. But it seems like there¡¯s not much of that fine salt left.¡± Nian Shutong waved his hand magnanimously, saying, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll go make more all day tomorrow, just use that for now.¡± ¡°Once I¡¯ve hired some help, we can keep up production continuously.¡± Hire help? Fu Yunhe thought about that bizarre job ad they had posted. Could they really attract anyone? Nian Shutong didn¡¯t have much else to say; she felt Fu Yunhe was doing great on his own, without needing any improvements. After chatting, she continued working with her hoe, aiming to prepare the nursery ground by tonight. Suddenly, two bright lights appeared on the opposite bank of the creek. Ha Ha had not stopped, and now, Nian Shutong had joined as well. On this side of the creek, Fu Yunhe, watching those two working hard, felt he should do something. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to their hard work. Fu Yunhe logged onto the Star Network, browsing various forums carefreely and then started creating numerous sock puppet accounts, leaving messages across different forums. Videos of the fine salt and the fries, he sent them all out, one by one. After busying himself for quite a while, he hoped that tomorrow¡¯s live stream would attract more viewers. Exhausted, Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t work like Nian Shutong and Ha Ha; he went back to the small wooden house to rest first. Accompanying him was Rubble, also looking weary to the point of rolling his eyes; he was indeed weak. Meanwhile, Liu Cheng¡¯s mother, having taken the fine salt, had arrived at her ancestral home, finding the patriarch of the family. Together, they sat for a long, long time in front of a jar of fine salt. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Clumsy Wolf Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Clumsy Wolf Liu Cheng¡¯s mother was called Yan Yue and she was the eldest daughter of the Yan Family in Second District. The Yan Family was one of the subordinate families to the Chi Family of the first district and was in charge of salt. They were just the least regarded among them all. Yan Yue¡¯s father was still the current family head of the Yan Family. Interstellar people had a very high average age, living two to three hundred years was no problem. Yan Yue¡¯s father had left behind a jar of salt, as well as the account numbers for the live streaming room and Shutong¡¯s shop. She¡¯d check them out tomorrow. Shutong was unaware of all these events, and even if she knew, she wouldn¡¯t care. Early the next morning, Shutong cooked rice and steamed egg custard for breakfast. Ha Ha ate half, Shutong ate two-thirds of the other half, and the rest was left for Fu Yunhe. After breakfast, Shutong first checked on Ha Ha. ¡°Ha Ha, you don¡¯t need to work all the time, you can rest,¡± she said. Wiping sweat from his forehead, Ha Ha replied anxiously, ¡°My Commander said, ¡®If you only eat and don¡¯t work, you¡¯re not a man.''¡± ¡°Ha Ha wants to be an alpha wolf.¡± Fu Yunhe, who was silently cleaning up the dishes, clenched his hand tighter. He had clearly said, ¡°A real man has responsibilities, eats what he works for. Otherwise, he doesn¡¯t deserve to be called a man.¡± This stupid wolf! Although Shutong didn¡¯t know, she played along perfectly, ¡°Your Commander is right. Work hard, be a real man, a true wolf!¡± ¡°Awoo¡ª¡± Ha Ha howled. After his howl, Ha Ha happily bounded off to work. It seemed like he genuinely enjoyed it. Having organized Ha Ha¡¯s day, Shutong then said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°I¡¯m going to sun the salt.¡± When she passed by Rubble, she paused to add, ¡°Rubble, hurry up with the blueprints, they¡¯re needed. The robots can wait!¡± ¡°Rubble understands.¡± Holding his metal tray, Rubble started his day¡¯s work. He needed to hurry or Shutong would get angry. Rubble also wanted to eat the meals prepared by Shutong, merely smelling them every day wasn¡¯t satisfying enough. Once the three creatures were properly arranged, she set off in her egg-shaped Flying Device. Fu Yunhe was accustomed to washing dishes; he hadn¡¯t been here for long but quickly adapted to the task. It seemed that survival pressure ensured rapid progress. As Fu Yunhe squatted by the creek washing dishes, Ha Ha came over for some reason. He was somewhat pleased with himself; surely, it was the Ha Ha he¡¯d raised that knew him so well. He was just about to look up with a smile when he heard Ha Ha speak. ¡°I peed upstream. You should wash them again!¡± ¡°Well¡­ it should be washed away by now. Ha Ha still needs to use it for dinner tonight.¡± After speaking, Ha Ha, swinging his big tail, walked off. Fu Yunhe¡¯s grip on the plates whitened. This stupid wolf! Why would you tell me that? Even if I knew it was nothing serious, wouldn¡¯t it still gross me out? In that moment, Fu Yunhe decided he would complain. Yes, he¡¯d tell Shutong. This stupid wolf definitely needed a lesson; otherwise, its brain would never clear up. That day at noon, Shutong didn¡¯t return, and both Ha Ha and Fu Yunhe had to drink nutrient liquid. ¡°It tastes bad, I want to eat food,¡± Ha Ha said unhappily, looking at Fu Yunhe. ¡°It¡¯s no use looking at me. I don¡¯t have any ingredients,¡± Fu Yunhe also didn¡¯t quite adapt to the taste of the nutrient liquid. ¡°I know you¡¯re useless, so why tell me?¡± Ha Ha¡¯s face expressed the insult of being informed of such a simple answer, causing Fu Yunhe¡¯s heart to clench. He looked indistinctly at Ha Ha, who disdained him and yet continued to speak. ¡°If my Commander were here, we¡¯d definitely have ingredients, and we would get Shutong¡¯s favor to cook food for Ha Ha.¡± ¡°Much more useful than you.¡± Fu Yunhe thought to himself¡­ Your Commander is right in front of you, you stupid wolf, and you haven¡¯t even recognized him. Not recognizing him was one thing, but he kept on insulting him too! Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Preparing New Products Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Preparing New Products In the afternoon, Ms. Nian Shutong finally returned. Ha Ha swung its big tail happily, excitedly circling around Ms. Nian Shutong. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, just disembarked from the Flying Device, was seeing Ha Ha not working for the first time. Ha Ha finally stopped wandering and stood up with both ears pricked, asking, ¡°Is there dinner tonight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A single ¡®yes¡¯ got Ha Ha excitedly spinning in place again, even trying to grab its own tail. After releasing its excitement by spinning countless times, Ha Ha eventually stopped. Fully recharged, it majestically went to work on the opposite bank. Ms. Nian Shutong chuckled and shook her head, stepping forward, she was halted by Fu Yunhe and Rubble blocking the way. It seemed like they had come in a group. ¡°Do you two have any issues?¡± Rubble and Fu Yunhe turned their heads, Fu Yunhe spoke first, ¡°He can start.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Rubble, not one to be humble, instead told Fu Yunhe, ¡°Xiao He, behave.¡± Fu Yunhe, called ¡®behave,¡¯ got so stunned he coughed. What kind of a fierce remark was that? Rubble didn¡¯t care; he looked at Ms. Nian Shutong, took out a blueprint and spread it out for her to see clearly. ¡°Rubble has revised a better blueprint, are you still going to use the less efficient one or opt for the better choice which any smart person would choose?¡± After finishing, Rubble blinked his big eyes. It seemed to mean, pick me, pick me, pick me. Ms. Nian Shutong rolled her eyes. Was this really giving her a choice? Holding her patience, she humored Rubble by saying, ¡°Use Rubble¡¯s, I believe Rubble¡¯s is better.¡± ¡°Rubble¡¯s is naturally the best, Ms. Nian Shutong, please do not question Rubble¡¯s intelligence with yours.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong laughed again and roared, ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Rubble ran off again. Ah¡­ it¡¯s puzzling why Ms. Nian Shutong is so irritable? Could it be her ovulation period? Next time, Rubble had to ask. Rubble knew fear, but still didn¡¯t grasp what should and shouldn¡¯t be said, its fate was unpredictable. Ms. Nian Shutong chased Rubble away with a roar as fierce as a lion¡¯s and looked threateningly toward Fu Yunhe with a level gaze. ¡°Um?¡± Fu Yunhe felt the ¡°Um¡± sounded a bit cold? So he spoke very clearly, without any nonsense, and started to complain. ¡°When I was washing the dishes, Ha Ha was urinating upstream.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong had her brain freeze for a moment. Was Fu Yunhe complaining to her? Although she didn¡¯t know him too well, she felt that tattling was probably not his style. ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong walked away, standing by a creek, and chose a spot as she called out to Ha Ha on the other bank. ¡°Ha Ha! Come here!¡± Ha Ha ran swiftly, arriving in mere seconds, displaying some canine traits. It panted and looked at Ms. Nian Shutong with adorable eyes. ¡°Go to that big rock on the right, dig a latrine there, got it?¡± Ha Ha shook its head. ¡°What¡¯s a latrine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a toilet, a restroom.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ got it, I¡¯m on it.¡± Ha Ha turned around and dashed off, straight to work, not quite grasping why he was digging a toilet, or the human concept of tattling. After arranging things, Ms. Nian Shutong said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°Handle the livestream yourself, the salt is here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at a large jar of fine salt, squatted down, and started to package it into smaller jars. He had specially bought these small jars to sell them. After packing, Fu Yunhe began preparing for tonight¡¯s livestream, which was still about making fries with fine salt. Meanwhile, Ms. Nian Shutong started to study something called ketchup, said to go even better with fries. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 A Small Profit Chapter 77: Chapter 77 A Small Profit Shutong Nian had just the tomato seeds in hand, just what she needed as the main ingredient for tomato sauce. Next, she would need some white sugar, which she didn¡¯t have at the moment, but she decided to plant the tomatoes first, better safe than sorry. Maybe by the next time, she would have the ingredients for white sugar. When the tomatoes ripened, if she still didn¡¯t have white sugar, she would either buy some raw materials from the system or the Star Network, or buy some sugarcane and make it herself. Because there was brown sugar available on the Star Network, though she heard the taste was so-so, even though she hadn¡¯t tried it. After making her decision, Shutong Nian went to the cleared land and marked out an area to plant the tomatoes. ¡°Little Eight, how much do tomato seedlings cost?¡± She had gotten them as a reward previously, so she hadn¡¯t needed to buy them. ¡°Host, for one acre, you need about 1,000 tomato seedlings, which can save you the time it would take to raise them from seeds.¡± ¡°Buy them! A thousand seedlings, how much?¡± ¡°Three Star Coins per tomato seedling!¡± Shutong Nian directly purchased the tomato seedlings and also bought some accelerated fertilizer; she spent the whole night digging holes, planting seedlings, and fertilizing. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co She worked on one acre of land until the sun set and it got completely dark, working until Ha Ha gave up on turning the soil and instead helped Shutong Nian plant the tomatoes. Because Shutong Nian had said they could eat only after planting was done. The human and the wolf worked until nearly ten at night. ¡°Let¡¯s go back for dinner.¡± Shutong Nian rubbed her back, which ached even though she had gone through cultivation. As soon as Ha Ha heard ¡®dinner,¡¯ it burst forth with a fresh wave of energy, sprinting toward the stream to wash its hands and face, and then changed into a new set of clothes. After Shutong Nian washed up and sat at the table waiting for dinner. Fu Yunhe was the cook for the day. After he finished livestreaming the sale of the french fries, Shutong Nian gave him four chickens and asked him to cook with Rubble. Shutong Nian figured such tasks would be Fu Yunhe¡¯s from now on. She loved to eat but didn¡¯t quite enjoy cooking. Ha Ha and Shutong Nian were both waiting for Fu Yunhe to serve the dishes and the rice. Exhausted but having already eaten a bit, Fu Yunhe managed to regain some energy with the help of potatoes. He lifted the lid off the pot, brought out the rice, and served the chicken and potatoes. ¡°Give it a try.¡± ¡°It smells good.¡± Shutong Nian picked up a piece of potato first and tasted it. Beside her, Fu Yunhe was a bit nervous, like the first time he received an award in the military. ¡°Very good, from now on, you¡¯re in charge of cooking.¡± His ¡®very good¡¯ made Fu Yunhe smile slightly, satisfied, he said, ¡°Okay.¡± He had a feeling this would happen, which is why he always watched and learned carefully whenever Shutong Nian cooked. As for Ha Ha next to them, there was no need to ask; the creature had not put down its bowl since the food was served. ¡°How did the livestream go today?¡± Shutong Nian asked Fu Yunhe. Holding a warm cup of water, Fu Yunhe calmly placed it on the table. ¡°Pretty average. Only a few thousand people came to watch. Sold all 200 packs of fine salt and 100 portions of french fries, a total of 40,000 Star Coins.¡± ¡°Tomorrow might be better.¡± Fu Yunhe gave Shutong Nian an almost show-off look, questioning with an air of disbelief, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shutong Nian closed her mouth, asking incredulously, ¡°All sold? 40,000 Star Coins?¡± ¡°Mmhmm, it¡¯s all in your account; have a look.¡± ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Shutong Nian put down her chopsticks and opened her account to check. Money! Finally, she saw money coming back! Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Positive Reviews Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Positive Reviews Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t hide her joy; she just liked it that way. Every day she was spending money, especially since Ha Ha arrived, even the rice she bought was more. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t want to compromise; everything she ate and drank had to satisfy her, with money only going out and never in. But today, she¡¯d made money! She confirmed the Star Coins in her account; they were really there. She slapped the table with one hand and laughed heartily. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Fantastic! I¡¯ve made money!¡± Ha Ha, who was busy eating, looked up, not at the sound of his own name. He continued eating, freeing one hand to steady the dish. Adding just a sprinkle made him feel pained. Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong being so happy and suddenly felt a little proud himself. Hey, he was just that excellent. Even now, without his former heaven-defying constitution, as long as he worked hard, he would never live too badly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Talent determined your ceiling, but effort decided your floor. After venting her excitement, Nian Shutong flashed a smile at Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe instinctively moved back and asked with a hint of dread, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ Xiao He, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so impressive,¡± Nian Shutong said, flipping her palm over to reveal two tomatoes. ¡°These are for you. After washing them, you can eat them directly.¡± Nian Shutong placed the tomatoes on the table and continued eating. Fu Yunhe looked at the two red tomatoes on the table and breathed a sigh of relief, scared to death. Was this a reward for the good work he¡¯d done? But indeed, he liked it. Because the food Nian Shutong brought out would help repair his constitution. Rice, tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers. These four foods were currently all things he could have. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t try to figure out the details behind it and focused on healing his body, obediently working hard. After the meal, Fu Yunhe diverted Ha Ha¡¯s attention and pocketed the tomatoes; if he didn¡¯t, the fool would eventually steal them. Ha Ha looked at the hidden tomatoes with regret and snorted coldly at Fu Yunhe. ¡°Hmph! Wait till I find my Commander, I¡¯ll have him buy me some!¡± Fu Yunhe picked up the dishes and utensils, ignoring Ha Ha completely. Silly Wolf! That night, Nian Shutong asked Ha Ha to rest and work the next day. She moved the original owner¡¯s bed into the living room of the small wooden house, and Ha Ha and Rubble became roommates. Looking at the slightly crowded house, Nian Shutong considered using local resources to build a house. ¡°Xiao He, see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Everyone in the small wooden house went to rest. But the small ripples they¡¯d caused were just beginning. In Zone 4, in a certain house. ¡°Mom, I bought salt; put a little in the cooking, will you?¡± ¡°Get lost! It¡¯s hard enough to get a decent meal, and you bring that crappy salt here.¡± ¡°Not so, Mom, take a look. It¡¯s not the same at all. I really struggled to get a jar of it.¡± A twenty-year-old boy presented a jar of fine salt in front of his mom. ¡°What¡¯s so different about it? You¡¯re foolish¡­ Ouch, let me see!¡± The boy¡¯s mother dipped a little with her chopsticks and tasted it. ¡°Hmm? Not bitter.¡± ¡°Right? I told you¡­¡± ¡°Put it down! Don¡¯t make a mess.¡± The mother carefully took the fine salt and placed it in a cupboard. ¡°It¡¯s fine, if we run out I can buy more. The streamer said they¡¯re still selling it!¡± ¡°Buy? Doesn¡¯t it cost money? Must be expensive, right?¡± The boy shook his head, ¡°Not really, a jar is one hundred Star Coins!¡± ¡°What? A hundred? Then why didn¡¯t you buy more?¡± ¡°What a waste! Can¡¯t even stock up when it¡¯s cheap. You don¡¯t know how to live.¡± The boy touched his head and pursed his mouth; it was his gaming reflexes that had allowed him to snag it. But he dared not mention it, fearing a beating, especially since he hadn¡¯t finished his homework yet. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Heat Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Heat This mom, led by her own son, followed Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream and his store as well. Meanwhile, families that had bought fine salt were witnessing similar scenes. Various small group chats and the store¡¯s review section were flooded with comments. ¡°Love-filled Family¡± Mommy: Today my little rascal bought a can of salt! Little Aunt: Sis, are you sick of eating it? I bought some two years ago and still haven¡¯t finished it. Second Aunt: Same here, it¡¯s unbearable whether you eat it or not. Eldest Uncle: I¡¯ve told you all, if you dissolve it in water and use the top layer, it will taste much better. Grandma: Right, Eldest is making sense, your dad cooks it just like that. Grandpa: Your mother¡¯s right. The little rascal himself: Grandpa, it¡¯s different! The snow-white salt is fine and not bitter! Dad: The little rascal isn¡¯t lying. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Grandpa: How could that be? The Yan Family doesn¡¯t have this kind of salt, I¡¯ve been cooking for decades, how could I not know? Mommy: Dad, seriously, I have pictures. Swish swish swish! Several pictures made Grandpa immediately anxious, and a video call confirmed the existence of the fine salt for everyone. Grandpa: Send some over to me, hurry! The little rascal himself: Yes, sir! A special delivery of fine salt was sent out. Store review section. ¡°This salt has revolutionized my view of the interstellar.¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve tasted non-bitter salt, damn it! I¡¯ve been eating that bitter crap for 170 years!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for 200 years, tasting this fine salt today almost made me think I lost my sense of taste!¡± ¡°Buying fries with this salt, absolutely brilliant!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get any¡­ I¡¯m so sad!¡± ¡°Wailing! I want to buy, I really want to buy!¡± Uniformly positive reviews nudged the little store¡¯s presence on Star Network a bit, still unnoticeable, but perhaps visible to those idly scrolling. At night, Fu Yunhe kept watching these reviews online, satisfied, he left the review section and visited various forums. The video he posted yesterday now had comments. ¡°How could this be? It obviously looks fake!¡± ¡°The blogger has skills, but you¡¯re scamming too big! Fixing salt isn¡¯t ambitious.¡± ¡°Right, salt isn¡¯t tasty, but a necessary evil, what more can you expect? Even if it¡¯s tasty, so what?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be tasty salt! I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°My family works at a salt mine, and salt processing has been perfected over centuries, unresolved issues for hundreds of years, and you solved them? Ha ha¡­¡± All over, the comments were full of disbelief and skepticism, Fu Yunhe scrolled past them to the latest. ¡°Mom, I was wrong! Salt really can be non-bitter!¡± ¡°The person above, please go away, stop treating us like fools, it¡¯s not possible!¡± ¡°He might not really be a shill, because I also just bought a can of salt, now it¡¯s in my family¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, why don¡¯t you say that your mom took it to the Imperial Bank for deposit!¡± ¡°Ah, when I tell the truth, no one believes me. Forget it, I better say something else, don¡¯t buy it! Definitely don¡¯t buy it!¡± The waves on Star Network were just a speck in the ocean, creating little impact. But the online world changes in the blink of an eye, who knows what tomorrow might bring? Seeing things were going fairly well, Fu Yunhe stopped scrolling further. He began to watch some other anchors¡¯ clips to learn and improve. After enough studying, he continued making money. Currently, Fu Yunhe¡¯s greatest sense of security came from having money¡ªat critical moments, he could use it to save his life. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Academic Overachievers Wall Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Academic Overachiever¡¯s Wall The second day, just as dawn was breaking, Nian Shutong prepared to step out for work. As she walked into the living room, she saw only Rubble still resting; Ha Ha was nowhere to be seen. Without paying much attention, she stepped out of the small wooden house and immediately caught sight of a figure busy working in the field. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯d feel embarrassed not feeding you properly!¡± Shaking her head, Nian Shutong thought of heading to the kitchen when, huh? ¡°Xiao He, you¡¯re up early.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Fu Yunhe to be awake, considering his health was hardly any better than that of Rubble, who was still resting inside. ¡°Good morning, I just got up too,¡± replied Yun He. Nian Shutong walked over to the kitchen area, taking out rice and eggs and placing them all on the stone counter. ¡°Leave it all there, if you wake up early, then you cook,¡± she instructed. ¡°Alright,¡± Fu Yunhe took the items and began preparing breakfast. It was still steamed rice served with egg custard. Seeing that someone had taken over breakfast duties, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t linger long and continued with her work. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co However, she wasn¡¯t heading to clear the fields but instead, she planned to study how to build a house. She could buy one, sure, but with the tens of thousands of Star Coins it cost, it pained her heart. Their three meals a day were not cheap either. Moreover, today she also planned to switch things up in the live stream and try different foods. No matter how tasty food is, you can¡¯t just sell the same thing on a live stream. Early in the morning, Nian Shutong moved a pile of stones, stacking them to the left of the small wooden house, planning to build a stone house next to it. Nian Shutong worked quickly; the stone transportation was soon completed. Then, it was time to lay the foundation. She started digging a hole, roughly seventy to eighty square meters in size. Only Nian Shutong could dig out most of it in the time it took others to have breakfast. After finishing the digging, before she had time to tamp down the foundation, Fu Yunhe called them in to eat. Breakfast was devoured quickly and afterwards, everyone continued with their work. The area Ha Ha was clearing was soon to be finished. Now, opposite the small wooden house, a large area was completely bare, though there were still many large trees on both sides. Before cutting down any trees, Shutong received an environmental lesson from Daodao: not to cut down too many, but also not to leave so many standing. The whole planet was overgrown with greenery, and the soil hadn¡¯t been properly nourished. After the meal, Nian Shutong tamped down the foundation and, under Daodao¡¯s technical guidance, she mixed up some muddy clay and began stacking the wall. This was a task requiring technical skill, and Nian Shutong had to rebuild several times as the walls weren¡¯t stable and kept falling. ¡°Put it here,¡± a metallic finger pointed to a specific spot, and with a mix of skepticism and trust, Nian Shutong placed the stone where Rubble had indicated. Seamless and perfect. ¡°Impressive!¡± Nian Shutong freely lavished praise on Rubble. ¡°Of course, Rubble has always been impressive. Please don¡¯t state such obvious things,¡± Rubble replied. Great! She had just made a fool of herself. ¡°Rubble, how do you know where to place them?¡± Nian Shutong picked up another stone and positioned it under Rubble¡¯s seemingly casual direction. Again, it fit perfectly. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, all the stones need to make as flat a surface as possible while maintaining balance in the support below. This angle is 37 degrees, this one 98 degrees, so this stone should go here, forming a 180-degree flat angle.¡± ¡°Considering their stability, so¡­¡± Rubble explained a great deal, but how much was there in total? Nian Shutong had already stacked four walls, each one meter high. ¡°Did you understand any of that?¡± Rubble looked at Nian Shutong, who had been focusing on stacking stones, and asked seriously. Nian Shutong, as she picked up another stone, paused for a moment, tilted her head up to Rubble, and asked, ¡°Did you finish creating what was on your blueprint?¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81 New House Chapter 81: Chapter 81 New House Didn¡¯t finish. Rubble closed his mouth and didn¡¯t dare to ask any more questions. He continued to act like a magnifying glass, pointing and placing in perfect sync. At noon, everyone still had rice, but Shutong had cooked a new dish, green pepper and shredded potatoes. It was unanimously well-received. In the afternoon, they continued working. Ha Ha was the first to finish clearing all the fields. He didn¡¯t rest at all and went straight to Shutong to ask what else needed to be done. Shutong demonstrated to Ha Ha how to dig up the soil a bit, about how deep, in preparation for planting rice. Ha Ha understood and went back to work. Shutong called over Fu Yunhe to take her place, helping Rubble with wall building. She herself went back to the woods to hunt game. Fu Yunhe was absolutely disdainful as he started slathering the big yellow mud, his jaws clenched, trying to keep it as far away as possible. It wasn¡¯t that he was too obsessive about cleanliness, it was that idiot Ha Ha. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co After working for a while, Ha Ha came over to use the bathroom. When he came out, he saw Fu Yunhe plastering the wall. ¡°Hey? This looks just like the toilet I just used!¡± With those words, he left. At that moment, Fu Yunhe felt like strangling Ha Ha. He even began to doubt whether Ha Ha was really that foolish? It didn¡¯t seem like it anymore. When Shutong returned, she saw the fully disdainful Fu Yunhe and Rubble, who was carelessly half-reclining, directing where to place things. These two, one weak, the other even weaker. One weak makes the other stronger. Not only weak now, they also seemed a bit pretentious. Thankfully, with Ha Ha around, Shutong thought that she must be lacking ¡°weak¡± in her fate, otherwise why would she meet only such people? ¡°Xiao He, come over!¡± Shutong called Fu Yunhe over, giving him six chickens, ¡°Three for dinner tonight, three for the live broadcast.¡± ¡°Selling potato chicken?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Shutong continued, ¡°If we don¡¯t change it up, we¡¯ll get tired of it eventually, and it¡¯s also not interesting to always see the same thing.¡± Fu Yunhe agreed, as he had been genuinely learning from other streamers, who changed up their content daily. ¡°Then we need to buy some insulated boxes, otherwise we can¡¯t preserve the flavor.¡± ¡°Okay, you handle it. I trust a beautiful person to get things done.¡± Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe¡¯s resigned yet unarguable expression, feeling good, she went back to building the wall. Fu Yunhe, holding the chickens, shook his head and laughed, ¡°Beautiful it is, but at least it¡¯s valuable.¡± He took the six chickens and went to the creek to start preparing them. But on the other side, Shutong, looking at the four walls around her, was so angry she felt like her heart would explode! Where were the windows? The doors? They were all damn sealed! Was this supposed to be a tomb? Exhausted, Shutong looked at Rubble and asked, ¡°Rubble, you claim to be the smartest, don¡¯t you know houses need doors and windows?¡± Rubble, who was already a bit dozy, immediately perked up, arguing strenuously, ¡°You didn¡¯t say it was a house, I thought it was a tomb for Xiao He.¡± Just as Fu Yunhe, who had come over to get potatoes, paused mid-step, his gaze drifting towards Rubble. I really thank you! Shutong rubbed her forehead with a finger, then looked at Fu Yunhe and asked, ¡°Did you think the same?¡± You should know, all the walls up there were built by Fu Yunhe. She had just been praising him for being reliable, pointing at Ha Ha in the wasteland, ¡°I think, Ha Ha wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Shutong gave Fu Yunhe a definitely risky look ¨C this kid was getting bold. She said no more and took out a big bag of cheap, detoxified potatoes for the night¡¯s live broadcast, ¡°We¡¯ll use these for our meal.¡± After that, she took out some better-looking potatoes, probably enough for this one meal. ¡°I got it.¡± Fu Yunhe directed the robots with the potatoes back to the kitchen to start cooking. He didn¡¯t dare say more, feeling a bit guilty. When he was building the wall earlier, he hadn¡¯t thought too much about it, just wanted to finish it. And so, it had ended up that way. Shutong, not wanting to tear everything down, simply went to the cleared land, brought back some thick logs, set up beams, and laid planks. A completely sealed, uniquely styled house was completed. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pod Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pod Nian Shutong looked at the stone box in front of her, thinking it would be great to blast out doors and windows directly afterward. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t collapse. Let it air out for a couple of days first. On the other hand, Fu Yunhe had also called everyone for dinner. The dinner was chicken with potatoes again; apart from Ha Ha, both Nian Shutong and Fu Yunhe were a bit tired of it. It was tasty, of course, and for Fu Yunhe it had the secret effect of repairing the physique, but there was still a slight sense of having had enough. Today, Nian Shutong ate a little less than usual. She put down her chopsticks and told Fu Yunhe, ¡°We won¡¯t sell salt today, just the potato chicken. Pack a few portions, and you set the prices.¡± ¡°Okay, we will definitely make money.¡± Nian Shutong nodded, stood up, and began delegating tasks to the three of them. ¡°Ha Ha, continue working on the rice field. If you finish, move on to clearing more land.¡± ¡°Rubble, hurry up and finish making what I need.¡± ¡°You, just focus on doing the livestream well. Earning money is enough. I still owe taxes!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Everyone agreed to their tasks. Fu Yunhe, thinking a bit more, asked, ¡°Do you have something to do?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m planning to go out, eating potatoes every day isn¡¯t working,¡± Nian Shutong answered and then got ready to leave. Day or night made no difference to her. Nian Shutong boarded the egg-shaped flying device and said to Fu Yunhe who had followed, ¡°Take care of the house, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± The flying device took off and quickly disappeared into the night. Fu Yunhe thought about what Nian Shutong had said, to take care of the house. The word ¡°home¡± felt so distant now. Fu Yunhe collected his thoughts and went back to clean up the dishes, beginning preparations for the night¡¯s livestream. Ha Ha wasn¡¯t lazy at all and kept on working. Rubble, who really couldn¡¯t work anymore, sat opposite Fu Yunhe, watching him livestream. Meanwhile, the far-flown Nian Shutong flew lower, having Daodao activate Divine Sense to scan the ground below, looking for any crops that could be eaten now. Nian Shutong realized that many things on this planet were being sold interstellarly, just under different names. As for her current situation, she could only purchase foods she had grown herself in the system, and with the limitation of their maturation periods, she felt quite passive. Therefore, she planned to find some naturally mature crops, absorb the toxins, and sell them in the livestream room. First, she needed to accumulate some wealth so she could truly hire people. Without people, relying solely on herself, when would the entire planet be fully developed? ¡°Master, stop!¡± Nian Shutong immediately hit the brakes on the flying device, waiting for Daodao to speak. ¡°Master, there is an ancient plant below, soybeans. I discovered this plant can make so many things!¡± ¡°Good, let¡¯s go down!¡± Nian Shutong controlled the flying device to descend, turned on a spotlight, and saw some dried-up seedlings and cracked bean pods on the ground. ¡°Master, master, we need those yellow beans.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯ll start now.¡± Nian Shutong got straight to work without hesitation, taking out a bag and plucking the bean pods. She did this until dawn. In the morning, Nian Shutong purchased a few cucumbers from the system; one cost 1300 Star Coins, which was really expensive. She set aside the money intended for tax payment, and with the rest, they could manage a few more meals. ¡°Huh? There¡¯s income again.¡± Nian Shutong checked her account. After deducting more than twenty thousand for taxes, she still had over ninety thousand Star Coins. It seemed like last night¡¯s livestream had made some money; otherwise, she¡¯d have less than thirty thousand Star Coins left. Thirty thousand Star Coins couldn¡¯t buy even thirty cucumbers. There wouldn¡¯t be much rice either. But Fu Yunhe was quite reliable. Keeping him around had indeed been a wise choice. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Letters Received Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Letters Received Early morning. Small wooden house. After Fu Yunhe got up, he sneezed several times. Could it be because he caught a cold during last night¡¯s live stream? This frail body of his was truly bothersome. In the past, he could soak in the ice pool for a whole night and be perfectly fine. Accepting his fate, he wiped his nose and turned on the Star Network to check out the reviews. Last night, Fu Yunhe live-streamed how to cook potato chicken, and he even enabled the virtual mode in real-time. That meant that with every step he took, the audience could smell the aroma. Fu Yunhe still didn¡¯t show his face, just his handsome hands coupled with his serene voice, quietly narrating the actions he took. When he slaughtered the chicken and plucked its feathers, despite the compliments on his graceful movements, most people still deemed it barbaric and couldn¡¯t believe someone would eat such wild, unrefined chicken. As soon as he put the chicken into the hot frying pan, all the chatter stopped. [What is this smell?] [Can wild chicken smell like this? That¡¯s impossible!] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co [I don¡¯t know what he is, but I¡¯m drooling.] [It can¡¯t possibly be the taste of wild chicken.] The comments were a mix of disbelief and blaming the live stream for trickery. Many of them. But a certain fox-type Beastification individual, lying on his desk in his dorm room, drooled over the screen. He just couldn¡¯t help it! When his roommate asked him what he was watching, he replied it was wild chicken stew, and the roommate mercilessly mocked him! ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be disgusted to death after eating that thing?¡± ¡°With all those feathers, how can you even swallow it? Won¡¯t they get stuck in your throat?¡± The fox-type student, without even turning his head, responded, ¡°He¡¯s plucked the feathers! Look for yourselves, don¡¯t disturb me.¡± A few of them, aiming to prove him wrong, glanced at the live stream on the fox-type student¡¯s screen. This stir-fried, slightly charred chicken meat¡­ it looked a bit tasty. Several people unconsciously moved closer and were reminded by the fox-type student: Look at your own screens, you can even smell the aroma. Smell? What are they waiting for? The moment everyone logged on and initiated the virtual simulation. What is this flavor? Oh, my God! What have we been missing out on! The entire dorm room went silent. One person drooling turned into four people drooling. Meanwhile, in the live stream, Fu Yunhe had started chopping potatoes and added them into the pot when the chicken was almost done. ¡°Now we just need to wait a bit, but it will take some time. So, I¡¯ve invited someone to perform a talent for everyone.¡± The camera panned slightly, and a mechanical hand appeared on the screen. One hand held a small knife, and the other a potato. As the knife moved, the potato peel kept falling into the bowl set below¡­ after about half an hour, an honest, simple-looking fat doll appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Although it was not highly skilled, as the aroma in the live room grew richer, nobody cared, and no one left. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to lift the lid off the pot.¡± ¡°This time¡¯s potato chicken will also be a new item in the store, limited to just seventy servings, each priced at one thousand Star Coins; please make your purchases independently.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll now start the virtual tasting session, limited to twenty servings; everyone, please be ready.¡± The good-looking hand lifted the wooden lid, and the aroma, which was free of charge, drilled into all the viewers¡¯ nostrils, simultaneously gripping their hearts. They had to grab it! Time to race with their fingers! On the screen, Fu Yunhe dished out twenty servings for tasting and announced: Ready, start! In an instant, they were all gone! [Damn it! I didn¡¯t get any!] [Ah! I¡¯m going crazy!] [Good heavens! What kind of divine delicacy is this, worth it!] [Ha Ha! To those who didn¡¯t get it, let me tell you, this thing is delicious.] [My several-meters-long broadsword has already targeted you.] [My Mecha has already powered up, ready to set off¡­ to grab the chicken meat!] The comments section was a mix of joy and sorrow. Fu Yunhe stuck around for a while before he ended the live stream, and simultaneously the store¡¯s seventy servings of potato chicken were listed. Those who didn¡¯t get the tasting and those who did all swarmed into the store. Buy! Almost as soon as it was listed, it was gone in an instant. Now, Fu Yunhe started to read through the first wave of feedback, as Nian Shutong had changed his status, making him an administrator. So when he came on, there were nothing but positive reviews, each adding requests for new stock to hurry and be listed. Just as he was about to log out, an exclusive mail entered the store¡¯s backend. The mail itself wasn¡¯t strange, but on the cover of this mail, there was the character for ¡®Yan¡¯, which also means ¡®salt¡¯. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Come Back Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Come Back Fu Yunhe did not open the email but he would remind Nian Shutong of the importance of this letter. Despite how the two of them got along, they were tied to the same string as grasshoppers. At least legally that was the case. Fu Yunhe continued to post videos on the Star Network, drawing more people in. The number of viewers from last night¡¯s live stream had nearly reached five thousand, and once it reached ten thousand, he would be able to level up. ¡°Dang dang dang! Dang dang dang!¡± The loud knocking let Fu Yunhe know without asking that it was Ha Ha outside. The foolish wolf must be hungry. ¡°Xiao He! Xiao He! It¡¯s time to eat! I¡¯m hungry.¡± The last phrase ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Ha Ha said in such a pitiful way. Wolves had been working all night. Fu Yunhe wasted no time. After opening the door, he glanced at Ha Ha squatting on the ground. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ha Ha showed him a smile for the first time, baring his teeth and said, ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ha Ha stood up, laggardly following the departing Fu Yunhe. ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯ll make it right away,¡± Fu Yunhe said, rolling up his sleeves to start washing rice. ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Fu Yunhe said through clenched teeth, looking down and seeing Ha Ha staring at him with green eyes, wearily speaking, ¡°I¡¯ll cook, you work. When the food is ready, I will call you.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re abusing a wolf,¡± Ha Ha said, squatting on the ground, giving Fu Yunhe a look of accusation and dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I will keep an eye on you, no slacking off.¡± Fu Yunhe felt overwhelmed and didn¡¯t bother persuading anymore. At this moment, he started missing Nian Shutong, whose mere glance was effective. Soon after, Rubble also came out. He slowly walked out to the kitchen, looked around, and found no Nian Shutong. ¡°Bird eggs contain rich proteins, fats, vitamins, they also have a lot of iron, which can promote the production of human hemoglobin¡­¡± Rubble started to explain. Going by his nature, if it weren¡¯t for his fear of Nian Shutong, he could explain all day. Cooking Fu Yunhe¡¯s head was about to explode. One with eye attacks, another with sound attacks. ¡°Stop! Ha Ha, go work, or I¡¯ll tell Nian Shutong you¡¯re slacking off.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ha Ha hummed with all his might and then said the meekest words in the loudest voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± That took care of one. Fu Yunhe looked at Rubble and said just three words: Nian Shutong. ¡°Rubble is off to complete a task assigned by Ms. Nian Shutong, Xiao He, keep it up.¡± And he was gone. Fu Yunhe smiled bitterly to himself, looking up even though she wasn¡¯t there, but her authority lingered. Things were running normally in the small wooden house while on the other hand, Nian Shutong, having finished some cucumbers, had bought some tomatoes and was munching on them while continuing to work. After harvesting a batch of beans, it was nearing noon. She started up her Flying Device and continued forward to see if she could find another variety. After an hour¡¯s flight, which practically took her halfway around the planet, Nian Shutong did encounter quite a few things, but they were either unripe or overripe and rotted. Or there were birds and animals, and barely any food was left. However, Nian Shutong still marked each find on her map; they might come in handy someday. ¡°Master! Master! There¡¯s something down below!¡± Nian Shutong descended in her Flying Device to a wooded area where there were many thorny things on the ground. ¡°Daodao, what is it?¡± ¡°Master, this thorny thing is called a chestnut. If you peel back the spines, you can eat the fruit inside. There is a dish known as sugar-fried chestnuts that was very popular on the once Blue Star.¡± ¡°And you can also stew them with chicken meat, I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s very tasty.¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll pick them.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s hands were protected by Spiritual Power as she crouched down and picked up the intact chestnuts. After collecting nearly all of them from the ground, Nian Shutong controlled her force well, gave a kick to a tree, and then ran. ¡°Rustle rustle rustle¡± A bunch of chestnuts fell down. She continued gathering. This gathering lasted till dusk. Satisfied with the significant amount of chestnuts, Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t greedy. Two new kinds of food were enough for now, and she returned in her Flying Device. As Nian Shutong returned, everyone in the small wooden house was already resting. She parked the Flying Device, wondering that she should buy one. This was still rented. Ah¡­ it costs money everywhere. She noted this down, took out all the chestnuts and soybeans, and arranged them in the kitchen. As for herself, she returned to the small wooden house too, but she did not rest and started learning how to make the two dishes. In the room opposite Fu Yunhe¡¯s, his strong spiritual power let him sense Nian Shutong¡¯s return. For some reason, he felt a bit relieved. And indeed, if Nian Shutong didn¡¯t return soon, he was afraid he might be driven mad by Rubble and Ha Ha tomorrow. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Suppliers Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Suppliers In the early morning, the sky was just brightening. Ha Ha got up the earliest and sniffed around Nian Shutong¡¯s door. The kind-hearted person had returned, and Ha Ha wanted to work hard. Luckily, Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t see this, or his suspicion of Ha Ha¡¯s simplicity would have increased even more. Ha Ha had just left when Nian Shutong and Fu Yunhe almost simultaneously opened their doors and exchanged glances. ¡°Good morning, beauty.¡± ¡°Morning¡ª¡ª¡± That ¡°morning¡± somehow made Nian Shutong hear a hint of grievance. What was going on? ¡°Have you been bullied?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± With that sigh, it was as if she hadn¡¯t said anything, yet it seemed as though she had said everything. In the small wooden house with only three people in it, her look of having suffered grievances was definitely related to Ha Ha and Rubble. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m back now, and they wouldn¡¯t dare anymore.¡± Nian Shutong had a certain understanding of Rubble and Ha Ha. Fu Yunhe nodded and began to walk outside, with a subtle cheerfulness in his step that went unnoticed, while Nian Shutong also followed him out. ¡°I found two types of food to debut on the live stream today. I¡¯ll go find some things and, when I return, you can try cooking them.¡± ¡°Come back early.¡± Fu Yunhe was genuinely scared of living without Nian Shutong, feeling as though he had ground his teeth flat. ¡°Ha Ha Ha Ha! Seeing you like this makes me want to tease you.¡± Although Nian Shutong was just speaking in jest, Fu Yunhe¡¯s demeanor really did seem¡­ easy to tease. Fu Yunhe followed up with a reluctant smile, continuing to wash rice. There wasn¡¯t much rice left, so he dumped all the remaining rice into the pot and shook the bag at Nian Shutong. ¡°I know, there won¡¯t be any food shortages.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the now-empty pocket, thinking how rapidly they consumed food! If she didn¡¯t find a way to earn money, she might not even be able to afford her own meals. Fu Yunhe skillfully steamed the rice and egg custard, adding two pieces of firewood to the stove and said, ¡°You have a message from the Yan Family.¡± ¡°The Yan Family?¡± Being singled out like this by Fu Yunhe definitely meant it was significant. She took a small stool and sat down to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡± Fu Yunhe also took a small stool and sat opposite Nian Shutong, beginning to educate her about the major families in the interstellar empire. ¡°The Royal Family of the interstellar empire is supreme, controlling the Star Network, the military, and the Cultivation Resources; they¡¯re unshakable. Fortunately, the Royal Family is benevolent and fair, ensuring everything is stable.¡± ¡°Apart from the Royal Family, the heart of the interstellar has ten zones with Zones 1, 2, and 3 arranged in concentric circles. Zone 1 is in the center, surrounded by Zone 2, followed by Zone 3, while Zones 4 to 10 encircle Zone 3, radiating outwards in a fan shape.¡± ¡°In Zone 1, there are five families, each responsible for different sectors: food, drink, clothing, entertainment, and martial matters, corresponding to the five big surnames: Chi, He, Chuan, Yu, and Wu.¡± ¡°The message you received belongs to the Yan Family from the Chi Family¡¯s subordinates in Zone 2, a family known for their fine salt production.¡± Nian Shutong roughly understood ¨C it was like land division in the Cultivation World. Now, by selling fine salt, she was stepping on other people¡¯s toes. But she had never thought of monopolizing the market. ¡°Let me read the message first.¡± In front of Fu Yunhe, Nian Shutong opened the message. The content of the message was simple: they were interested in the fine salt and wanted to arrange a meeting to discuss it. After reading the message, Nian Shutong inwardly called out to Daodao. ¡°Daodao! Daodao!¡± She called out several times before Daodao responded. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ Daodao is moving things on the Star Network! Do you need something, master?¡± Daodao was waiting to surprise Nian Shutong with money earned but had not moved much yet and couldn¡¯t see any effect. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t specifically ask Daodao what he was doing ¨C one spoils their own child. Instead, she inquired: ¡°Will the salt drying method be quickly cracked?¡± ¡°According to Daodao¡¯s analysis, the interstellar lacks a lot of basic knowledge; it seems the simpler the item, the slower it is to be cracked.¡± Nian Shutong understood and told Fu Yunhe, ¡°You go negotiate with the Yan Family. We¡¯ll be the supplier, 100 grams per bag, each bag for 200 Star Coins. It doesn¡¯t matter to us how much they sell it for.¡± ¡°Also, everything about the production is up to us to decide; in other words, we sell as much as we want.¡± Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know what Nian Shutong had considered, but to him, it seemed as though she had quickly made a decision. However, being a supplier was something they could do. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure the negotiations go well.¡± Fu Yunhe stood up, as the meal was nearly ready. Before he even lifted the lid, Ha Ha had already run back. Fu Yunhe gave him a look; that nose¡­ was impressive. The three of them finished breakfast together, and Nian Shutong continued to go out to find some things. Fu Yunhe, on the other hand, opened the message and started contacting the Yan Family. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Maltose Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Maltose Zone 2, Yan Family. The Family Head of the Yan Family, Yan Yuan, was sighing heavily, sitting on the sofa, occasionally glancing at the Light Computer. ¡°When will there be any news?¡± ¡°Dad, you have to give people time to react. You only sent the email last night,¡± Yan Yuan¡¯s eldest daughter, Yan Yue, who is also Liu Cheng¡¯s mother, rolled her eyes unabashedly beside him. Now he was anxious¡ªwhat was he doing earlier? Last night, when Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t sell fine salt in his livestream, Yan Yuan started to worry. He had thought of waiting another day or two. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s all my fault, I saw the goods and still thought of waiting¡­¡± ¡°You have a new email.¡± The emotionless mechanical voice of the broadcaster interrupted Yan Yuan¡¯s ramble, his arms outstretched as if trying to stop someone. ¡°Don¡¯t move! No one move!¡± Yan Yuan opened the Light Computer himself, checked his emails, and his face lit up with joy upon seeing the first one. ¡°Hahaha! He replied! He messaged me back!¡± After reading the email several times, Yan Yuan replied: ¡°Can we discuss this on the Star Network?¡± Fu Yunhe, of course, agreed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Both parties logged onto a shop on the Star Network, which catered specifically to clients looking to negotiate partnerships. Interstellar space is so vast, some places require long leaps to reach another location, therefore finalizing a contract with spiritual power on the Star Network is very secure. The negotiation went very smoothly, and right there and then, Yan Yuan wanted to sign a contract with Fu Yunhe. However, Fu Yunhe declined, saying, ¡°Please wait a moment, I am only in charge of negotiating. I will contact you later for the person truly in charge to sign a contract with you.¡± Yan Yuan, despite a lingering worry, could only cheerfully agree and decided to wait and see. Both signed out from the Star Network, and Fu Yunhe, back in the real world, saw Nian Shutong returning. ¡°Xiao He, buy another big pot and a fermenter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe never asked why, he just bought what Nian Shutong needed. Nian Shutong placed the sand she had collected on the ground, then took out a basin; first, she put a perforated steaming tray inside, covered it with a water-permeable cloth, and then added a handful of wheat seeds. Yes, wheat seeds. After Fu Yunhe made the purchases, he stood by watching, and Nian Shutong didn¡¯t hide anything, starting to explain, ¡°These are wheat seeds. I need to sprout them now, which will take a few days. Once they have sprouted, we can make maltose.¡± ¡°And maltose is one of the main ingredients for our candied chestnuts.¡± Nian Shutong washed the seeds and spread them in a basin, covering them with a breathable cloth. ¡°Xiao He, you¡¯ll need to spray them with a bit of water each day¡ªnot too much. Once the malt has grown to about four centimeters, we can use it.¡± Fu Yunhe nodded, indicating he would take care of it. Having dealt with the wheat seeds, Nian Shutong then took Fu Yunhe into the kitchen and took out the chestnuts she had found. ¡°We need to shell these chestnuts and get the brown fruit inside.¡± Nian Shutong cracked one open to show Fu Yunhe. Then, the two of them sat on small stools and began shelling the chestnuts. ¡°Ah¡­ Interstellar space is so big, why aren¡¯t there any people who can¡¯t survive and come work for us?¡± Nian Shutong found that as things increased, so did her worries. It¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t give the work to Fu Yunhe, but with his physique, he wasn¡¯t strong enough for everything; they still needed hands to do the work. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know what to say¡ªshould he tell her that her job postings were too frightening? He too was getting tired of peeling, so he called over a robot to help with the shelling. Seeing the robot, Nian Shutong seemed to have an idea and got up to go find Rubble. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87 The Waterwheel Chapter 87: Chapter 87 The Waterwheel Nian Shutong walked up to Rubble, where next to it stood a waterwheel about six or seven meters tall. ¡°Is the waterwheel ready?¡± Nian Shutong walked around the waterwheel, which indeed looked similar to the picture she had found. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble has completed the task ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°Good, very good.¡± Nian Shutong thought that she would install the waterwheel soon, as the rice field had nearly been cleaned up by Ha Ha. She was about to start water irrigation and prepare for seedling transplantation. ¡°Rubble, can you still make robots?¡± Rubble sat on the ground and sighed, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, have you forgotten how frail Rubble is?¡± Hmm? She hadn¡¯t forgotten. ¡°Understood, you rest first. Whenever you¡¯re not tired anymore, continue making some robots.¡± ¡°Okay, Rubble will rest now.¡± Nian Shutong watched Rubble, who was about to lie down on the ground, and did not disturb him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co After walking around the waterwheel a couple more times, she found the leverage point, lifted it mightily, and walked toward the upstream of the river. Rubble, lying on the ground, watched Nian Shutong walking past him, his metallic big mouth opening. ¡°What race are you, anyway?¡± He was too puzzled, touching upon his blind spot in knowledge. Meanwhile, Ha Ha working in the field, and Fu Yunhe peeling chestnuts, also saw Nian Shutong¡¯s feat. Ha Ha: Truly a perfect match with our Commander! Fu Yunhe: I couldn¡¯t even carry one of Nian Shutong¡¯s fingers myself. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t care how demoralizing her actions were; she found the right spot, secured the waterwheel, and got the water flowing. With each rotation, water was brought into a furrow; it seeped in at first, but as it slowly saturated, the water also began to flow. Following the dug channels, it flowed into the prepared wheat fields. After securing everything, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t bother with it anymore and went to the rice seedling nursery. Thanks to seed improvement and fertilizer application, the rice seedlings were already palm-length and ready for transplantation in two days. She then returned to the small vegetable plots next to the small wooden house. The transplanted seedlings had taken root well; the little bok choys were sprouting pleasingly. ¡°Xiao Bai, can my potatoes use fertilizer now?¡± ¡°Drip! Host, you may now! After applying fertilizer, the potatoes will mature in twenty-five days.¡± ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯m stepping out.¡± Nian Shutong then left, which was merely to inform, not to seek approval. She quickly reached the potato field, took out the system¡¯s fertilizer, and began applying it. The potatoes in one acre were quickly taken care of. After completing the task, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t return immediately but decided to get some meat to eat. ¡°Master, we can have fish.¡± Daodao, who had completed today¡¯s script transportation, knew exactly how Nian Shutong felt; the master had enough of eating this meat. ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°It should be tasty. Plus, the fish here are toxin-free and have delicious meat.¡± ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s have fish today.¡± Nian Shutong activated her Divine Sense, found a lake, didn¡¯t need to go down the river, and used her Spiritual Power to net and scoop the fish. ¡°Slap, slap, slap,¡± several different fish appeared on the shore. ¡°Daodao, how do we eat this? They smell fishy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll stew them.¡± Stew them? Nian Shutong didn¡¯t quite understand, but she trusted Daodao. She found a sturdy grass leaf, strung all the caught fish together, and according to Daodao¡¯s request, bought potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, eggplants, and a few other items. Holding everything in her hands, Nian Shutong returned to the small wooden house. Just as she reached the rice field, she heard Ha Ha¡¯s conflicted voice. ¡°It¡¯s stinky fish! Not tasty.¡± ¡°Good people don¡¯t eat, give it to Xiao He.¡± Across the field, Fu Yunhe, wanting to pretend he hadn¡¯t heard, couldn¡¯t because Ha Ha¡¯s voice was too loud, and importantly, a hand was pointing at him. Yet another day trying to deal with the wolf. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Chaos Stew Additional Update 1 Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Chaos Stew Additional Update 1 Nian Shutong held up a string of large fish and asked Ha Ha, ¡°I made this, are you sure you don¡¯t want to eat it?¡± The Ha Ha across from her had a conflicted look, its tail waving wildly behind it, both ears drooping. ¡°Eat¡ª¡± Dragging out the word with a long tone, Ha Ha reluctantly said eat, as the Commander had instructed it to be obedient. It was unpleasant, but Ha Ha had to eat it. Seeing Ha Ha¡¯s unwillingness, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t say much either; after all, she also didn¡¯t know how it would taste. She took the items and walked back into the kitchen, where she saw Fu Yunhe still sitting on a small stool, fiercely shelling chestnuts with an aggressive look, but such a tall person sitting on a small stool without moving gave her an impression of being surprisingly well-behaved. ¡°Are you taking out your frustrations on the chestnuts as if they were Ha Ha and peeling them?¡± ¡°Relaxing a bit.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t dwell on it; as long as you¡¯re happy. She shook the fish in her hand and said: ¡°Xiao He, leave the chestnuts for now. Learn to make this fish. If it tastes good, we¡¯ll sell it on tonight¡¯s live stream.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s nose wrinkled. This fish¡­ smelled quite fishy indeed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co People of the interstellar knew that fish weren¡¯t poisonous, and it wasn¡¯t that no one had ever tried to eat them, but the taste was really not flattering. It was even worse than drinking nutrient liquid. However, Fu Yunhe did have confidence in Nian Shutong; she always managed to come up with something different. He stood up and began to help with the preparation of the fish. ¡°Slice open the fish belly, remove the innards and gills, throw them away; they can¡¯t be eaten.¡± This was only the first step, and Fu Yunhe knew it was indeed different. They had never thought of removing these parts. He followed Nian Shutong¡¯s method and prepared three fish; the rest were handled by Nian Shutong. ¡°Next, scrape off the scales, then make a few cuts on both sides of the fish. Sprinkle a bit of salt and marinate it.¡± After this step was completed, Nian Shutong started to chop the side dishes. ¡°When we sell it tonight, just add some potatoes.¡± As for the food they were eating, Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t planning to sell it for now. After all the side dishes were cut, Nian Shutong, under Daodao¡¯s guidance, poured a good amount of oil into the pot. ¡°Fry it first. Fry both sides until they change color, then take the fish out and change the oil in the pot.¡± ¡°This time use less oil, put the fish in, and after the pot starts boiling, add the side dishes. Turn the heat up a bit, let it cook until it¡¯s nearly ¡®dry pot,¡¯ but not actually dry.¡± Fu Yunhe took over the spatula from Nian Shutong, and started operating with understanding. Thanks to these days of culinary practice, his cooking skills had improved. When everything was done stewing, all they had to do was wait. After about half an hour, a bit of a burnt aroma wafted through the air, and Fu Yunhe lifted the lid of the pot. ¡°I¡¯ll try it.¡± Nian Shutong took a chopstick and dipped it into the broth. ¡°No need to add salt, take it off the stove; let¡¯s eat.¡± Just as Nian Shutong turned around, she was blocked by Ha Ha, who was bending over and eagerly sticking its head towards the pot. She asked amusedly, ¡°Ha Ha, do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Eat!¡±, willingly and loudly, not a bit of reluctance remained. The three of them, along with Rubble holding a metal block, all sat around together to eat. ¡°Be careful with the fish bones; spit them out.¡± As soon as Nian Shutong finished speaking, she saw Ha Ha crunching loudly on a large fish bone. ¡°Delicious!¡± Alright, its teeth seemed to be doing fine, so Nian Shutong didn¡¯t offer any more advice. The fish meat, stewed until tender and flavorful, coupled with its unique fresh and tender taste, made for a joyous meal for everyone. Turns out this fish, which smelled so fishy, was actually delicious. By the end of the meal, both Nian Shutong and Fu Yunhe had spat out quite a few fish bones, but Ha Ha hadn¡¯t spat out a single one, having eaten them all. The remaining fish soup was all scooped up by Ha Ha to soak its rice with. After the meal, Fu Yunhe washed the dishes while Nian Shutong went off to catch more fish for the evening live stream. She hadn¡¯t gone far when she heard the voice of the Xiao Ba system. ¡°Ding! Host, do you need green onions, ginger, and garlic? They¡¯re great companions for fish.¡± Green onions, ginger, and garlic? Daodao and she had talked about it, excellent for removing the fishy smell and great for stir-fries. ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Live Fish Cooking Additional Update 2 Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Live Fish Cooking Additional Update 2 ¡°Ding! Host, just complete the planting of rice and wheat, and you¡¯ll receive a new reward!¡± Just like that? It really is simple. Even if the system didn¡¯t say so, she would have planted rice and wheat anyway. It¡¯s always so expensive to buy rice to eat. Nian Shutong went to the lake again, caught some fish, and returned to the small wooden house. Today, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t have much to do, so she simply sat across from Fu Yunhe with some chestnuts, watching his livestream while peeling them. The two of them, at first glance, gave off a vibe of rustic daily life. Fu Yunhe got everything ready, then clicked the livestream button. ¡°Hello, everyone, today we¡¯re introducing a new food.¡± [Ah! No, no! I want to eat potato chicken!] [I¡¯ve bought my chicken and potatoes already, just waiting to cook with the host.] [Even though I¡¯ve eaten it before, I still want more; I just can¡¯t get enough!] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co [I¡¯m fully prepared on my end, one hand with nutrient liquid ready, and the other hand set for potato chicken stew.] [Mr. Xiao He, potato chicken stew, please! I haven¡¯t had enough!] The screen was full of requests for potato chicken stew, but none of these phased Fu Yunhe¡¯s rhythm. ¡°Today¡¯s food is simple to make and very affordable, everyone can try making it at home.¡± ¡°Today, we¡¯re cooking fish.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand grabbed a black scaly fish that seemed to shimmer under the camera¡¯s light. [Eat this? Yuck¡ª] [I want to trust Mr. Xiao He, but just the smell of this thing makes me nauseous.] [Please change it up, no one likes it.] [Sigh, I¡¯m out, I¡¯m out. Who would eat such disgusting stuff?] [I¡¯m torn between leaving and waiting. So conflicted.] [Host Xiao He, switch it up, or people really will leave.] [Indeed, who eats fish in interstellar space?] [If it were tasty, it would have been eaten to extinction years ago.] Most comments on the screen were calling for Fu Yunhe to switch recipes, not believing that the fish was edible. However, there were exceptions. Miao Maomao was a cat-type Beastification; she had a secret liking for this fishy-smelling stuff. Each time she ate it, people would find it repulsive, making her somewhat uncomfortable. But the instincts of her cat lineage made her crave it, so she would often hide away to sneakily indulge by herself. Still, even after eating, she was disliked for the fishy smell that clung to her. When she saw the host cooking fish in the livestream, every hair on her body stood on end. Could it be made deliciously? Would she be able to eat it without being shunned in the future? By this time, Fu Yunhe in the livestream had already started marinating the fish, but he didn¡¯t continue waiting and instead took out a few fish that had been marinated earlier. ¡°Use a lot of oil, give it a fry.¡± ¡°Make sure to remember, don¡¯t reuse the oil you¡¯ve fried fish in, switch to some fresh oil.¡± ¡°When stewing the fish, you must use hot water, and once the water boils, you can add any side ingredients you prefer.¡± The livestream showed the simmering fish starting to stew. Despite the lively complaints, not a single person left; even the one who kept saying they were leaving stayed until now. Moreover, the number of viewers was about to break ten thousand. This time, Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t let Rubble perform any acts. Instead, he began to share knowledge about Mechas. ¡°The operation of the BW986 Mecha is critically dependent on spiritual power¡­¡± At first, no one in the livestream paid serious attention until a massive donation caught everyone¡¯s attention and they realized what they¡¯d missed. [Thanks to Mr. Xiao He for clearing up my confusion, I¡¯ve been stuck on this issue for so long, couldn¡¯t figure out the proper operation! Your words today¡ªdamn, I¡¯ve finally got it!] Following this person¡¯s donation, many others began commenting, all praising the host¡¯s impressive skills. There were also many who were busy guessing the host¡¯s identity, with most speculations pointing towards some major figure. As everyone speculated, the fish was ready. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Transplanting Rice Seedlings Plus Update 3 Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Transplanting Rice Seedlings Plus Update 3 The function of virtual sharing sent the freshness of the fish into everyone¡¯s nostrils, taste buds. ¡°Is this what fish tastes like?¡± ¡°I have the same question? Is this fish?¡± ¡°Broadcaster, you must be kidding because we¡¯re uneducated. Fish doesn¡¯t taste like this!¡± ¡°My tail has been exposed.¡± ¡°Hello there, sister cat, Brother Cat above.¡± ¡°How could fish not have a fishy smell?¡± ¡°This is unscientific.¡± Fu Yunhe did not respond, as if he hadn¡¯t met Nian Shutong, he might not have believed it either. His pleasant voice started to sound, still maintaining a calm and unhurried pace. ¡°Our fish is ready, twenty virtual taste tests, all the real products will be sold in the store, each for 800 Star Coins.¡± ¡°Everyone, spend within your means, fish are cheap creatures, you can catch them yourselves and cook them up at home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co As he declared the start, Fu Yunhe lifted the lid of the pot, and an even more delicious aroma assaulted everyone¡¯s nerves. What had they been eating before? How could this be the same food? Fu Yunhe moved quickly, and the twenty taste tests were swiftly arranged and started uploading. ¡°Hahahaha! I grabbed one!¡± ¡°I tasted a mouthful¡­ No more words! Goodbye!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat this and go back.¡± ¡°Wuwuwu, I didn¡¯t grab one again! I missed out again!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± ¡°Is the person above happy or sad?¡± Who knows? No one gave an answer. As the update in the store was completed, Fu Yunhe ended the live broadcast. The speed was incredibly fast. After packing up the live broadcast equipment, Nian Shutong gave him a thumbs-up from across the room. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t understand and responded with a noncommittal ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m praising you for your skill.¡± Nian Shutong had just recently learned this, a classic example of learning and applying on the fly. The two waited a bit longer, and once all the fish in the store were sold, they packed them up together, and sent them off with the Black Hole Transmitter. When Nian Shutong left before, she had left the Black Hole Transmitter with Fu Yunhe, and now she simply left it at his place. This wasn¡¯t so much about deeply trusting Fu Yunhe but a strong belief that he was indeed sickly. Fu Yunhe understood this very well and didn¡¯t mind it, so the two of them got along very pleasantly. That night, some indulged in their Cultivation while others rested; however, somewhere on the Star Network, a family was rallying together. Yu Xiaoyi, one of the viewers of tonight¡¯s live broadcast, was lucky enough to grab a virtual taste test. After trying the flavor, tears streamed down his face. ¡°We can make money now.¡± Yu Xiaoyi reserved it on the Star Network¡¯s virtual storage, waiting for his parents to come back from work to try it together. In the evening, after they had all tasted it, they only had one thought: go fishing. Their planet was eighty percent water, and all of them worked for a nutrient liquid company, barely making enough to live on. But Yu Xiaoyi¡¯s brother, Yu Xiaoer, had good Cultivation potential, so the family wanted him to leave this planet and study on a better planet. Yet all that required money. The appearance of stewed fish provided a turning point for their destiny. Yu Xiaoyi said to his dad, ¡°Let¡¯s open a fish store on the Star Network. We¡¯ll clean every fish thoroughly, process them properly, so customers won¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it Xiao Yi¡¯s way.¡± The family, amidst the vast darkness, looked at each other and smiled for the first time, filled with zest for life. For most people, it was a very ordinary night, but for Yu Xiaoyi¡¯s family, it was very important. As the night passed, Fu Yunhe continued to livestream steadily on the following days. The next day, he livestreamed egg custard, which caused an uproar among the viewers who couldn¡¯t believe this smooth texture came from an egg. On the third day, he showcased mashed potatoes, a new way of eating potatoes that allowed those who mainly ate them to finally change up their flavors. On the fourth day, Fu Yunhe livestreamed crispy fried small fish, the frenzy reaching nearly a hundred thousand viewers in the livestream. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoyi¡¯s family, because of the small crispy fish, also made a good sum of money. Actually, many new fish stores had appeared on the Star Network, but Yu Xiaoyi¡¯s family ran the only one to clean the fish thoroughly, and with the same pricing, naturally, customers preferred them over others. Even with the arrival of stores using the same approach later on, unfortunately, the first impression sometimes remained very important. The days of livestreaming saw Nian Shutong¡¯s income grow significantly, but the daily expenses also weren¡¯t small. On the fifth day, early in the morning, Nian Shutong had several things to do. One was to plant the rice paddy, and the other was to make maltose. Early in the morning, Nian Shutong, along with Ha Ha and two old robots and three new robots made by Rubble, headed to the rice paddy fields. ¡°Watch my actions carefully, we need to transplant these seedlings in the water-filled paddies.¡± Nian Shutong finished speaking, hugged a bundle of rice seedlings, and went to the wet paddy fields. The robots behind her flawlessly replicated the action, doing a decent job of planting the seedlings. However, Ha Ha did not fare so well. Either he used too much strength or was off by a wide margin. In the end, Nian Shutong had to stop him and sent him to continue clearing new land for planting wheat. The area still needed to be prepared. ¡°Okay, Ha Ha likes doing physically demanding work. This soft and squishy task suits Xiao He better.¡± Ha Ha didn¡¯t forget to tease Fu Yunhe as he left. Too bad Fu Yunhe hadn¡¯t come over, nor had Rubble. ¡°Nian Shutong! Your purchase has arrived.¡± Fu Yunhe, across the brook, shouted to Nian Shutong, who was busy planting rice seedlings. Nian Shutong shook off her hands, pulled her muddy feet out of the mud, washed them at the edge of the stream, and then crossed to the other side. She opened the package herself, and inside were round, white grains of rice. ¡°Daodao, is this glutinous rice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s glutinous rice! The master can make maltose now.¡± Nian Shutong happily picked up the glutinous rice and said to Fu Yunhe beside her, ¡°The beauty is off, I¡¯ll teach you some new tricks.¡± New tricks equal new food. Ah¡­ the most decadent Commander ever, none other than him. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Maltose Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Maltose Fu Yunhe followed Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s pace, and the two of them reached the kitchen once again. ¡°Xiao He, rinse this glutinous rice and soak it for three hours before steaming it until it¡¯s cooked.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Yunhe obediently began to handle the glutinous rice. Ms. Nian Shutong took out the newly bought pot and brought it in front of Rubble. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble is working very hard!¡± With a clang, the iron pot was placed on the ground, and Ms. Nian Shutong began to describe to Rubble. ¡°I¡¯m going to install an iron blade that can rotate inside this pot, like this!¡± She took a stick and drew two semi-circular fan blades on the ground, except they were all standing on their sides. After drawing, Ms. Nian Shutong threw the stick aside and asked: ¡°Understand?¡± Rubble had been looking down all along, his voice tinged with frustration yet straightforward, giving you a sense of truth. ¡°If you¡¯re going to draw it like this, then you might as well not draw it at all.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ms. Nian Shutong looked at the drawing on the ground. What¡¯s wrong with it? Why isn¡¯t it satisfactory? She hasn¡¯t even drawn anything absurd, so many complaints! She asked with a sinking voice: ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The firm and swift response pleased Ms. Nian Shutong, who stood up. She still needed to wait for the glutinous rice to be steamed, so she simply went to the other side of the river to help plant rice seedlings. At noon, Fu Yunhe prepared fish for everyone to eat. After the meal, Ha Ha energetically went back to work, while Ms. Nian Shutong stayed to make maltose. ¡°Xiao He, bring me my malt.¡± Fu Yunhe understood and went to the side to retrieve the large basin where the barley grains had been placed a few days before. At this time, the barley had sprouted, about four centimeters tall. The green, green sprouts were like an invisible breeze of spring, warm and comforting. ¡°That¡­ I can¡¯t lift it.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s face bore a blush from exertion, along with a touch of embarrassment; he really felt ashamed. ¡°Oh¡­ I forgot you¡¯re a delicate beauty.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, who had just washed her hands, forcefully took the basin, looking at Fu Yunhe whose face was flushed, and said reassuringly: ¡°No problem, we all have our own strengths. You just need to focus on being beautiful.¡± Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t feel comforted one bit; couldn¡¯t he be both beautiful and useful? At that moment, Ms. Nian Shutong began to explain how to make maltose. ¡°What we¡¯re making is called maltose, which comes from the sprouts of barley grains. They have a sweet taste, and we¡¯re going to turn them into sugar.¡± ¡°Have you ever tried sugar?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong curiously inquired of Fu Yunhe. ¡°I¡¯ve had rock sugar before.¡± ¡°Mmm, the taste is different,¡± Ms. Nian Shutong remarked. She didn¡¯t really know; she had never tasted it either. She took all the sprouted malt, washed them twice, and then chopped them up finely. After chopping, she added all the malt into the already cooked and slightly cooled glutinous rice in batches, stirring them together. Once all the malt was mixed in, she placed the large basin inside a fermenter to speed up the process. ¡°Xiao He, keep an eye on it, just until they start to ooze liquid.¡± Fu Yunhe, who was standing nearby, responded that he understood. Ms. Nian Shutong had no worries and left to plant rice seedlings again. In the evening, Chef Fu Yunhe prepared potato chicken and tomato scrambled eggs. Now, due to the improvement from these foods, although he still couldn¡¯t lift a large basin due to his frailty, a small basin posed no problem. Otherwise, he would have had a hard time with the three meals a day. Still, only the three of them ate, with Rubble watching. After the meal, Ha Ha, with a headlamp on, went back to work again. Even if Ms. Nian Shutong urged him to take a break, he refused. ¡°Am I mistreating him?¡± Fu Yunhe, holding his bowl and chopsticks, glanced in the direction of Ha Ha and said, ¡°No, he really enjoys it.¡± Fu Yunhe saw most clearly that the food Ms. Nian Shutong brought out not only improved their constitution but also reduced the restlessness of the beastification and aided in their cultivation. Only Ha Ha himself, goofy and unaware, didn¡¯t know why he wasn¡¯t feeling bad anymore and was instead full of energy. Ms. Nian Shutong was just asking casually; she might not know the details, but she knew one thing for sure¡ªthe food she provided was not only tasty but also had certain benefits. After all, the changes in Fu Yunhe were there for everyone to see. But now, Fu Yunhe was simply enjoying life. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Sugar-Fried Chestnuts Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Sugar-Fried Chestnuts Tonight, Fu Yunhe wasn¡¯t live streaming. He had posted notices early in his own broadcasting room and Shutong¡¯s little shop. Many people eagerly awaited tomorrow¡¯s arrival, anticipating Fu Yunhe¡¯s ¡°researching new products, paused for one day.¡± At this moment, Fu Yunhe had already opened the fermenter; the mixture of glutinous rice and maltose had started to ooze out a lot of liquid. Under Shutong¡¯s oral guidance, he took a piece of cheesecloth and gradually squeezed out the water from the rice balls, obtaining a full basin of liquid. After everything was squeezed out, Shutong was responsible for pouring the liquid into a large pot, while he handled the boiling over high heat. The two faced each other; Shutong watched with interest as Fu Yunhe continuously stirred the liquid at the bottom. But what was incongruous was that his stunningly beautiful face, paired with his current actions, seemed somewhat eerie. ¡°When you lift the spatula and see a gummy, sticky liquid hanging in sheets, not falling off, it¡¯s ready.¡± Shutong wasn¡¯t sure about the outcome either, as this was also her first attempt at making it, an exact replication from the book. Fu Yunhe kept moving his arms until they were somewhat sore, grimacing and pushing himself, when the time finally arrived. Turn off the heat, let it cool for a short while. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co He could also catch his breath, take a break. When a light brown, translucent, gel-like sugar syrup had formed, Shutong dipped a little with her chopsticks and extended them directly towards Fu Yunhe, her sparkling eyes clear and bright. ¡°Try it.¡± Fu Yunhe, one hand still rubbing his arm, unconsciously curled the corners of his mouth slightly¡ªnot much¡ªwas this for testing poison or for taste testing? Still, he cooperatively opened his mouth and took his first bite of the maltose. Sweet, not cloying. An indescribable, elusive fragrance spread through his mouth, flowing with the taste buds. It was completely different from the rock sugar Fu Yunhe had tasted before. ¡°Very tasty.¡± He looked across where Shutong was already holding another pair of chopsticks, dipping some maltose and consuming it. Fu Yunhe felt that Shutong¡¯s eyes brightened instantly, like the sunny sky after the rain. For the first time, he felt that she seemed a tiny bit, really just a little bit of a little bit cute. Too much wouldn¡¯t suit Shutong¡¯s combat power. ¡°It¡¯s really not bad.¡± After tasting, Shutong put down her chopsticks and hurried to find Rubble, asking for the pot. She was ready to try making sugar-fried chestnuts. ¡°Rubble! Rubble!¡± Shutong¡¯s somewhat anxious calls made Rubble cover his ears. The sound was too loud, Shutong realized, and lowered her voice to speak to Rubble, ¡°Rubble, is the pot I asked for ready?¡± ¡°Creak¡ªsqueak¡ªsqueak¡ª¡± Rubble¡¯s long arms presented a large pot, words were unnecessary. Shutong¡¯s joy was written all over her face; as she squatted down, one hand gently patted Rubble¡¯s head. ¡°Good boy!¡± Shutong ran back holding the large pot. Rubble tilted his head, one hand touching the spot Shutong had just patted, feeling a bit warm. His hand then touched his own heart, just now it had skipped a beat, could he be ill? Rubble began self-diagnosing, while Shutong had already returned to the kitchen with the large pot. She connected the pot to the electricity, poured the pre-fried sand inside. Fu Yunhe was very interested in watching Shutong work; everything was new and novel. ¡°We first fry the sand until it shines a bit, turn on the electricity, pour a little maltose syrup, which is just diluting maltose with water.¡± ¡°Look! If it¡¯s shiny and black, then it¡¯s ready, next we put in the peeled chestnuts and start frying.¡± ¡°When you feel the sand isn¡¯t shiny anymore, keep adding maltose syrup, keep frying until the chestnuts change color.¡± Next, Fu Yunhe took over and continued the process. Luckily it was motorized tumbling, otherwise, if he had live streamed sugar-fried chestnuts, he would have been exhausted. Shutong, on the other hand, had boiled some water, made three cups of maltose water, and naturally gave one cup to Fu Yunhe. Then, she picked up her cup and called out to Ha Ha. ¡°Ha Ha! Come drink some sugar water!¡± Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Someones Coming Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Someone¡¯s Coming In Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes, before Nian Shutong finished speaking, Ha Ha had turned around and was sprinting towards him. It seemed to have become a reflex arc¡ªcall his name, and Ha Ha would appear. ¡°What to drink? What to drink?¡± Ha Ha circled around outside the kitchen, his neck constantly craning inside, his nose twitching. ¡°Drink this.¡± Nian Shutong placed a cup of malt sugar water in Ha Ha¡¯s hands. Ha Ha didn¡¯t care what it was. In his view, since the Commander said to listen to Nian Shutong, then Nian Shutong must be a good person. And whatever a good person gave must be good. ¡°Gulp gulp gulp¡­¡± Ha Ha started with big gulps, then tilted his head back to pour it down. Nian Shutong felt that the cup of water had been directly dumped into Ha Ha¡¯s throat and quickly vanished without a trace. After drinking, Ha Ha smacked his lips, laughed foolishly and heartily, even his back molars visible. ¡°Sweet!¡± After he had drunk, Ha Ha didn¡¯t linger. He put down the cup and went back to work. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co He would surely be able to work all night! Watching Ha Ha, Nian Shutong felt it was quite good. Ha Ha must be living happily. Because he asked for so little, a bit was enough to satisfy him. Nian Shutong was about to sit back down, but before her buttocks even touched the bench, she immediately stood up. Her body tensed slightly, spiritual power surging within her, her presence formidable. Fu Yunhe had just added a spoonful of malt syrup when he perceptively noticed Nian Shutong¡¯s change. He set aside what he was doing to look at her. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± With that notice, Fu Yunhe followed Nian Shutong out of the kitchen and looked up at the sky. At the same time, Rubble and Ha Ha also came over, but Rubble hid behind Nian Shutong because he felt she was the safest. Ha Ha was different, though; he confidently stretched out his arms, standing in front of Nian Shutong to protect her. The Commander had said to listen to Nian Shutong, so it was her they had to protect, otherwise who would Ha Ha listen to? In the sky, a dot was getting closer and everyone could see a little more clearly now¡ªit was an egg-shaped flying device. The flying device landed somewhat shakily in front of the small wooden house, and the door swung open with a thud. One. Two. Three? Four? Five? What was supposed to be a flying device for two, now had five people disembarking. Two adults, three children. A man and a woman for adults, two boys and one girl for children. Their only commonality was their ragged clothes, unkempt hair and dirt-darkened fingernails. Their shoes were either cracked or showing toes. Nian Shutong pushed Ha Ha aside slightly, but he wouldn¡¯t budge. She patted Ha Ha on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s okay, they¡¯re probably here for work.¡± After scrutinizing them, Ha Ha stepped aside, judging they posed no threat to him. Nian Shutong stepped forward, and the man approached as well, stopping two meters away and speaking. ¡°Hello, we saw the job advertisement that offered food and lodging, so we came.¡± The man awkwardly curled his exposed toes and incessantly rubbed his garment¡¯s edge with his cracked palms. His family had previously lived on the trash star, a life too harsh to describe. He had seen the job advertisement by chance, motivated solely because it had no restrictions on applicants¡ªhis heart stirred. Because all other jobs explicitly stated they did not want people from the trash star. As for Nian Shutong¡¯s advertisement slogan, he¡¯d overlooked it. Or perhaps, he was determined to sink or swim; even in his destitution, could it be worse than the trash star? With all the savings he¡¯d accumulated over the years, he scraped together just enough for a one-way ticket and a single-use flying device, arriving at this planet, Blue Star. Seeking a glimmer of hope. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Allocation Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Allocation Nian Shutong looked at the destitute family opposite her with a gentle tone and spoke, ¡°Go and clean yourselves first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you obey and work, food and accommodation won¡¯t be a problem.¡± A single sentence calmed the drifting hearts of the family. Led by Ha Ha, they headed upstream to clean themselves. Nian Shutong, who remained in place, first pulled Rubble out and said, ¡°Don¡¯t hide anymore, it¡¯s okay.¡± She didn¡¯t blame Rubble at all, at least he had a good sense of his own position. It¡¯s not the weakness that¡¯s scary, it¡¯s when you know you are weak but lack the awareness of your weakness. Blindly showing off strength is even more troubling. Rubble looked around to confirm that everything was fine, then returned to his temporary workspace, and continued to clang and bang away at his work. Nian Shutong, still in the same spot, asked Fu Yunhe, ¡°Is there a way to check their identities?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, as long as we sign a labor contract, we can use spiritual power to check it out.¡± That¡¯s good, she couldn¡¯t possibly trust someone fully the moment they arrived. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Even Fu Yunhe beside her couldn¡¯t be fully trusted; everything would have to be proven over time. Speaking of this matter, Fu Yunhe informed Nian Shutong that the Yan Family wanted to sign a contract. He appeared to have forgotten for several days. ¡°The Yan Family? Oh¡­ I remember now. The ones who wanted to buy salt.¡± ¡°Yes, they wanted to sign a few days ago, but I said we should wait for you, and then I forgot.¡± Nian Shutong waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if they signed, I have no salt to sell. This family¡¯s arrival is timely; they can go and make salt.¡± ¡°When it¡¯s time to sign with them, we can contact the Yan Family at the same time and sign everything together.¡± Having agreed, Fu Yunhe continued to watch over the sugar-fried chestnuts, occasionally adding a little maltose syrup. Elsewhere, the family finally emerged clean, looking more presentable, despite their clothes still being tattered. ¡°Okay, introduce yourselves. If there are no issues, we can sign the labor contracts.¡± No sooner had Nian Shutong finished speaking than the man opposite began his self-introduction. ¡°I am Wang Fu, 45 years old, Physical Ability level 6.¡± ¡°This is my wife Zhang Hui, 43 years old Physical Ability level 7. My eldest son Wang Xiaolu, 16 years old, Physical Ability level 6. My second son Wang Xiaochuan, 13 years old. Spiritual power F level, and my youngest daughter Wang Xiaoxiao, 8 years old, hasn¡¯t begun her Cultivation.¡± Nian Shutong looked at Wang Fu¡¯s three children; while young by interstellar standards, they also looked particularly small. And why hadn¡¯t they gone to school? There was mandatory education in the interstellar. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been to school?¡± Nian Shutong thought of it and asked. Wang Fu replied somewhat ashamedly, ¡°We did, but it was an online school, not a physical one. Going to school costs money everywhere, and we¡­ we don¡¯t have it.¡± Nian Shutong responded with understanding and without further comment, she directly signed contracts with them, and then walked over to the stone house she had built for Ha Ha a few days ago. First, she made a wish, hoping it wouldn¡¯t collapse. Rubble nervously stayed a bit farther back, and Fu Yunhe had the Star Network open on his Light Computer, ready to spend money for repairs if necessary. Nian Shutong, with one hand behind her back, casually waved the other, and with the sound of whooshing, stones fell, forming an irregularly shaped square window. With a couple more gestures, there were front and back doors and another window. It hadn¡¯t collapsed, saving Xiao He some money. Nian Shutong glanced at Fu Yunhe putting away his Light Computer, then turned to Ha Ha and said: ¡°Ha Ha, go fetch a couple of trees, have Rubble make some doors and windows, as well as beds.¡± ¡°Rubble, no need to hide, get to work.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Nian Shutong,¡± Rubble responded obediently and left. Nian Shutong then addressed the family of five behind her, ¡°This is the house for the five of you. I¡¯ll bring you something to eat later; rest tonight, work starts tomorrow, any problems?¡± ¡°No! No problem!¡± Wang Fu wasn¡¯t stupid. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to relocate his entire family with such determination. He understood what Nian Shutong¡¯s display was about¡ªa caution to his family¡ªand he had no objections. It wasn¡¯t long before Ha Ha returned. Nian Shutong went over to help, and Wang Fu also brought his two sons over to assist. They were quite perceptive. In no time, three beds, two doors, and two windows were all completed. Although very basic, it finally provided them with a sense of settled stability. This family didn¡¯t ask for much. ¡°Nian Shutong, the chestnuts are ready!¡± Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Full Belly Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Full Belly The chestnuts are ready! Nian Shutong called out to everyone, ¡°Come over and try some.¡± Wang Fu¡¯s family followed behind Nian Shutong, with his youngest daughter, Wang Xiaoxiao, tightly holding her mother¡¯s hand, blinking uneasily. Just as Nian Shutong approached to grab a chestnut, Fu Yunhe stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Eat this one.¡± A slightly opened brown chestnut, held between Fu Yunhe¡¯s attractive fingertips, looked like a display sample of a fine chestnut exhibit for a moment. ¡°So thoughtful, thanks,¡± joked Nian Shutong, taking the chestnut. She pinched it gently between her thumb and index finger, and with a ¡®pop,¡¯ the chestnut cracked open. She extracted the flesh and popped it into her mouth. Soft, sweet, with a bit of stickiness. ¡°Not bad, quite successful. You should try it too, see how much we should sell them for,¡± Nian Shutong told Fu Yunhe, then turned to Wang Fu¡¯s family behind her and said, ¡°Help yourselves, don¡¯t be shy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said, food and shelter are included, and although there¡¯s no wage for now, I will definitely make sure you¡¯re well-fed.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°Thank you,¡± Wang Fu first bowed to express his gratitude, and then his children and wife followed suit, each stepping forward to take a chestnut. Wang Fu¡¯s family had not yet tasted them when Ha Ha had already eaten over twenty. And he was eating them shell and all. Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer, stepped forward, and grabbed Ha Ha¡¯s arm, saying, ¡°They taste better without the shell.¡± Ha Ha first looked at Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand with disgust, shook his own arm and said: ¡°My body is only for the Commander to touch.¡± At his words, Fu Yunhe¡¯s retracted arm hung in mid-air, with each hair on it standing on end ¨C not out of fear, but a shudder of revulsion. What would the others eating chestnuts think of that remark? A chestnut nearly got stuck in Nian Shutong¡¯s throat; she fortunately managed to swallow it. For the first time, she asked with a bit of a gossiping tone, ¡°Ha Ha, are you and your Commander really that close?¡± At the mention of the Commander, Ha Ha¡¯s eyes shone like the starry sea, bright and surging. ¡°Of course! The Commander feeds me, bathes me, massages me, and cuddles me to sleep. It¡¯s very comfortable.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s inquisitive gaze nodded somewhat knowingly, so that¡¯s the nature of your relationship! Fu Yunhe¡¯s chest tightened with a breath he wanted to explode. You fool, Ha Ha, that was during your juvenile period when you were still a wolf cub! But how was he supposed to explain that? Fu Yunhe could only turn his sorrow into an appetite, eating chestnuts. As for Ha Ha, you might as well eat the shells! Aside from the Wang family, everyone else had eaten plenty. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t insist; she let everyone sign the contracts and then went off to rest. However, she packed up a small basin of caramelized chestnuts, steamed a pot of rice and egg custard, and found some clean clothes to deliver to them. Wang Fu looked at the steaming food and clean clothes in front of him and felt his uneasy heart settle. It was enough to have a full stomach, a full stomach was good. And it was food they had never tasted before, rumored to be very expensive. ¡°Eat up, you¡¯ll have three meals a day, guaranteed to fill you up.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± the Wang family repeated their thanks as Nian Shutong waved her hand and turned to leave. After she left, Fu Yunhe got in touch with the Yan Family, ready to sign the contract. Meanwhile, at the Yan Family, the Family Head, Old Man Yan Yuan, had a huge blister on his lips, which made him unable to eat. Their family had always been honest salt handlers, but salt was not profitable, their status low, just scraping by. Consequently, they didn¡¯t resort to deep schemes but were very straightforward. If Fu Yunhe said to wait, they really did wait. They were supposed to sign the contract, but the waiting stretched to several days. Afraid of any changes and yet not daring to rush, Yan Yuan was frustrated and anxious to the point of getting a fever. ¡°Dad, your Light Computer is ringing!¡± Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Where Did You Get the Money Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Where Did You Get the Money ¡°A ¡®Light Computer alert¡¯ rang out.¡± Yan Yuan, who had been touching the blister on his lip, clenched it too hard and popped it. ¡°Ouch¡ªThat hurts!¡± ¡°Light Computer! Light Computer!¡± Yan Yuan spun around like a headless fly, one hand covering his lip, looking for the Light Computer in circles. His eldest son, Yan Ming, reminded him, shouting while pointing at Yan Yuan¡¯s arm. ¡°Dad! It¡¯s on your arm!¡± ¡°Right, right, right!¡± Yan Yuan took a deep breath, settled down, and finally turned on the Light Computer to check his mail. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! It¡¯s set.¡± Yan Yuan didn¡¯t wish to delay any longer; if he did, his entire face would be covered in blisters. He immediately replied to the email and arranged a time with Fu Yunhe to sign the contract on the Star Network. It wasn¡¯t until Fu Yunhe replied that Yan Yuan finally relaxed a bit. It wasn¡¯t that he was old and insecure, he truly felt this was an opportunity for the Yan Family. A chance to change their last-place ranking, the kind of opportunity that could easily be missed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Yan Yuan finally calmed down, rented a room on the Star Network, prepared the contract, and awaited the other party¡¯s arrival. Over at the small wooden house, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t delay at all and, following Fu Yunhe¡¯s guidance, logged on to the Star Network. In the blink of an eye, Nian Shutong¡¯s mind pictured two virtual figures walking on the streets of the Star Network. Both were using avatars, not their real appearances, strolling down the Star Network¡¯s streets, occasionally coming across people who looked exactly alike. It felt very novel. After experiencing it for a while, Nian Shutong let Fu Yunhe lead the way directly to sign the contract. When they met, Nian Shutong sat in the main seat, exchanged simple greetings, then got straight to the point, ¡°Bring out the contract.¡± ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Yan Yuan pushed the contract he¡¯d prepared towards Nian Shutong, who flipped through it before letting Daodao take a look. After a while, she pushed it to Fu Yunhe for his review. Fu Yunhe looked it over carefully and after checking everything, said to Nian Shutong, ¡°It looks good.¡± ¡°Great, I¡¯ll sign it. Wish you a happy cooperation.¡± Nian Shutong applied her spiritual power, and the special Star Network paper recorded both parties¡¯ spiritual power, unique as their DNA. After signing, Nian Shutong said a quick goodbye and logged out promptly. In the blink of an eye, only Fu Yunhe was left on the other side. Such a mysteriously efficient style led the Yan Family to believe they had surely dealt with an expert. Fu Yunhe gave a graceful nod to the Yan Family¡¯s representatives, fulfilling his role as a butler perfectly, politely took his leave, and left. Yan Yuan looked at the contract in his hand and finally felt a sense of resolution. They too had to prepare for the promotion of the new fine salt and spread the video of the fine salt-cured fish. Because it would tell the entire interstellar community that salt wasn¡¯t just a necessary substance to be consumed. It was also a crucial seasoning that could make food taste much better. Both parties to the contract began their activities. The next day, Nian Shutong planned to take Wang Fu and a few others to the seaside to learn salt production. But when she wanted to leave, she discovered a problem ¨C there weren¡¯t enough flying devices at home. She could indeed make several trips, but not only would that be a hassle, it wasn¡¯t feasible to always have just one. She logged on to the Star Network herself and checked the prices of flying devices. The cheapest was the egg-shaped flying device she was currently renting, but it also had a price tag of 4,999 Star Coins each. Larger ones were more expensive, the cheaper ones costing tens of thousands of Star Coins, and Nian Shutong didn¡¯t even dare to count the digits on the more expensive ones. Especially one series called ¡°Shadow,¡± which included models like Shadowless, Enigma Shadow, and Phantom Shadow, with several generations in each series and a string of zeros that deterred her. ¡°We are still too poor!¡± Nian Shutong sincerely lamented. ¡°Master! Master! Daodao has money! Daodao will give you all his money.¡± ¡°You have money? Where did you get money from?¡± Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97 A Small Fire No content Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Studio No content Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Heavy Rain Approaches No content Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Ha Has Stuff No content Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Gathered Enough Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Gathered Enough Nian Shutong¡¯s question made Fu Yunhe realize something, he was about to spend a lot of money. At this moment, Ha Ha didn¡¯t notice anything amiss and honestly replied, ¡°Big! It was bought for me by my Commander.¡± Every sentence was about the Commander. From an angle unseen by others, Fu Yunhe felt a twinge of heartache and was moved, this Silly Wolf, ah! Nian Shutong, naturally lacking these sentiments, eagerly stepped forward and began to tempt Ha Ha. ¡°Ha Ha, how about you lend me that Space Button? I¡¯ll give you¡­¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Before Nian Shutong could even state her terms, she stared in some disbelief as Ha Ha handed over the Space Button so readily. Was it too easy? ¡°I¡¯ll remove my spiritual power binding from it, you can take and use it.¡± Ha Ha genuinely wanted to give it, to give it to Nian Shutong, was to give it to the Commander. Ha Ha was willing. Very willing. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Nian Shutong, still dazed, took it. Besides Daodao, she found it hard to trust anyone else, which was why she thought of negotiating terms. But now¡­ ¡°Thank you, Ha Ha, I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± Nian Shutong sincerely thanked her without saying much else. ¡°Hehe¡­ no need to return it, all that Ha Ha has is for you.¡± Ha Ha, simple and foolish, touched her own head, her big tail wagging as she asked Nian Shutong, ¡°Can Ha Ha drink that sweet water?¡± Sweet water? Maltose. ¡°Drink! Drink as much as you want!¡± Nian Shutong took Ha Ha to the kitchen, where there was a pot of boiled water ready; she scooped two spoonfuls for Ha Ha. ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°Enough, you¡¯re such a good person.¡± Ha Ha, holding a metal basin, gulped it down loudly. Being praised as a good person, for the first time, Nian Shutong revealed a radiant, heartfelt smile. Though it was dark, it was not ugly. Watching from the side, Fu Yunhe also realized something, Nian Shutong¡¯s facial features seemed pretty good; now, besides being dark, she had no other flaws. He looked again at Ha Ha, who had finished the sugar water, her face showing satisfaction as she licked every last bit from the corners of her mouth without wasting a drop. Fu Yunhe understood Ha Ha¡¯s thoughts; Ha Ha had always been this simple and straightforward, previously only trusting the Commander, and now, she trusted Nian Shutong. All because the Commander had asked her to do so. A slight moisture appeared in the corners of Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes, he looked up slightly, a smile spreading across his lips, filled with contentment and satisfaction. ¡°Master, master! I¡¯ve found a way to make money!¡± ¡°Okay, wait for me a minute.¡± Nian Shutong, holding the Space Button, walked back to Fu Yunhe¡¯s side and told him about the impending heavy rain. Fu Yunhe then understood Nian Shutong¡¯s intention and said, ¡°I can also buy some shelters to cover the paddy fields.¡± ¡°Okay, how much money do you have? Let¡¯s calculate, is it enough?¡± ¡°I only have twenty thousand Star Coins that I can use.¡± Nian Shutong opened her account. She had to leave money for everyone¡¯s meals. Fu Yunhe also opened his account, thankfully he went to make money as soon as he came back today. ¡°I still have thirteen five-star coins; let me check the prices first.¡± That much? Nian Shutong was genuinely surprised, was Little River Beauty¡¯s financial power too strong? ¡°The price of the shelter, 2000 Star Coins for one thousand square meters, not too expensive, we can definitely afford it.¡± One thousand square meters? Nian Shutong started to calculate, she had ten acres of paddy fields, which was about seven thousand square meters, so she needed fourteen thousand Star Coins. The biggest expenditure, the Space Button, was saved thanks to Ha Ha. ¡°You buy it, buy some extra, enclose the area around our small wooden house as well, and buy some sturdy bags, I want to block the stream a bit.¡± After Nian Shutong finished speaking, she called Ha Ha and left. To dig sand, to prevent water from rising. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Preparation Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Preparation Everyone in the small wooden house began to move into action. Nian Shutong, with Ha Ha¡¯s Space Button, flew to the seaside in a Flying Device. He helped Wang Fu and others dry the salt first. When the time was right, Nian Shutong and everyone gathered the salt, packed all the equipment into the Space Button, and brought Wang Fu¡¯s family back to the small wooden house. Near the small wooden house, it was divided into several sections. Fu Yunhe, with Zhang Hui and her daughter, packed the salt into bags, ready to sell the large bags to the Yan Family, who would process them into smaller bags themselves. They didn¡¯t bother with anything else. On another side, Rubble was moving his things into his newly purchased studio, bit by bit. The studio was located just dozens of meters from the small wooden house, occupying its own spot. Nian Shutong took Ha Ha and a few robots to gather sand. After they filled it up, they brought it back with the Space Button and piled it around the small wooden house. As for the racks they had bought, they would set those up in a bit. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? Everything was underway, tense yet orderly. At noon, everyone had a simple meal of egg fried rice, personally cooked by Nian Shutong. Suddenly, a new food item had been unlocked. Work continued in the afternoon, until around five o¡¯clock, when Nian Shutong set up the shelters one by one, covering the entire rice field and, of course, the small wooden house. After the shelters were up, Fu Yunhe had already prepared dinner, and everyone finally sat down to rest. For dinner, Nian Shutong generously bought a lot. There were chicken stewed with potatoes, tomato fried eggs, green pepper fried eggs, cucumber fried eggs, and a small basin of fish. On the table was steaming white rice, dishes filled to the brim, and everyone poured a glass of sweet malted water. Wang Fu¡¯s family couldn¡¯t believe their eyes; was this really food for them? They lived by scavenging, earning a meager amount of the lowest-level nutrient liquid, and now they were eating meals enjoyed by the upper echelons of society? Wasn¡¯t this leap too big? Even in their wildest dreams, they wouldn¡¯t dare to dream of this. Nian Shutong, holding his glass, said to everyone who sat down, ¡°We might not have the best living conditions right now and don¡¯t have a wage, even investing some of our own money.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s handsome brows and eyes smiled as he listened to Nian Shutong speak. ¡°But I assure you, we¡¯ll definitely eat well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fairly just; I say things as they are. Whether you wish to stay or leave is up to you; there¡¯s no coercion or force.¡± Nian Shutong glanced around and then raised his glass high, ¡°Cheers, let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Cheers.¡± Only Fu Yunhe and Nian Shutong clinked glasses, while the others just raised theirs in the air. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t mind, put down his glass, and started eating. Not a morsel was left over from the meal. However, the job of washing dishes was taken over by Zhang Hui and her daughter, which relieved Fu Yunhe a great deal. However, he had his live streaming to tend to. Wang Xiaolu, Wang Fu¡¯s eldest son, came to help, very eager to be useful. At seven in the evening, Fu Yunhe went online to stream. As usual, showing only his hands and not his face, with his calm and relaxed style of broadcasting. ¡°Hello, everyone. Today, we¡¯re going to make a snack called sugar-fried chestnuts.¡± ¡°In this pot, we have black sand, which is just sand that has been fry-cleaned and is very clean.¡± ¡°The fruit of the chestnut looks like this, and I believe it can be found on some planets; peel off the outer shell, and you have the chestnuts we¡¯re frying today.¡± Fu Yunhe continued to explain how to make sugar-fried chestnuts, while a young man watching the live stream stared intently at the unpeeled chestnut that Fu Yunhe was holding. This thing¡­ it¡¯s all over his family¡¯s hills? A storm quickly gathered in Li Zi¡¯s eyes; he felt he had found a path to wealth! Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Sugar-Fried Chestnuts Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Sugar-Fried Chestnuts Li Zi didn¡¯t dare to miss a thing and even activated the recording function to record Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream. As for the poisonous matter, there was no need to fear for the time being. After all, in the interstellar realm, as long as one could cultivate, they were capable of expelling toxins on their own, though some people disliked it for fear it might affect their cultivation. But what Li Zi cared about was the cooking method, and even more about the poison-free chestnuts in the host¡¯s hands, or rather, the seeds in the host¡¯s hands. In the interstellar realm, many plantation planets could set up protective shields to safeguard the plants from radiation, but the costs were extremely high, and seeds were exceedingly rare. If he could get the seeds and knew the cooking method, then the Li Family¡¯s true opportunity would have arrived. At this moment in the live stream, Fu Yunhe had started stir-frying, adding maltose syrup into the mix. [What is the host adding? It smells sweet.] [What¡¯s the name of that?] [It looks tempting to eat.] [The color looks strange.] [Feel the same but it also smells sweet.] Fu Yunhe saw these comments, and Nian Shutong saw them as well. She nodded at Fu Yunhe. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone, this maltose syrup will be available for sale in our store in ten days because it takes time to make.¡± ¡°Today, we can try the sugar-fried chestnuts first, and they taste pretty good as well.¡± Fu Yunhe continued to stir-fry, the flavor becoming richer with each addition of syrup. The unique aroma of the chestnuts kept the viewers glued to the large pot in the live stream, unwilling to leave. If this had been any other host, they would have already left impatiently. And the number of people in the live stream had reached nearly two hundred thousand, pushing Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream ranking up. After about an hour, Fu Yunhe was ready for the virtual taste test, with a hundred tasting spots available today. As soon as it was activated, they were instantly snatched up, followed by wailing on the screen. Missed out! However, those with experience had gone to Nian Shutong¡¯s shop early on, waiting to grab as soon as the new batch was released. Li Zi, with his years of solo experience, grabbed a tasting portion. After tasting it, he immediately opened Star Network, waiting to buy real chestnuts. He had only one thought: to let his grandfather have a taste, certain that his grandfather would be moved. In the live stream at the moment, as Fu Yunhe wished everyone a wonderful day, the screen went black with a swoosh. End the stream and leave, that¡¯s the fastest fade-out. The cooked chestnuts had already been boxed up by the Wang Fu family, saving Nian Shutong a lot of effort. So the new batch sold out quickly in the store, causing many slow-moving regular customers who were used to the usual pace to miss out. But loyal fans like Liu Cheng and his family managed to grab some. Yet Li Zi, who had been waiting to buy chestnuts for his grandfather, failed to secure any. He punched the desk in frustration. What was he supposed to do now? Li Zi scratched his head in anxiety and finally sent a private message to Nian Shutong¡¯s little shop. As for the outcome, he didn¡¯t know. When the chestnuts sold out, it was another income, allowing Nian Shutong¡¯s somewhat scant account to afford meals again. Thinking this, Nian Shutong glanced at Fu Yunhe, who was preparing to rest. How did this person make money? ¡°Xiao He?¡± Fu Yunhe paused, turned around and looked at Nian Shutong, waiting for her to speak. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just make sure to close the doors and windows; it¡¯s going to rain tonight.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t ask after all; sometimes, knowing too much isn¡¯t good. Fu Yunhe felt vaguely that Nian Shutong wanted to ask something else, but he nodded lightly and reminded her, ¡°You too, get some rest early.¡± The others also went to bed early tonight, awaiting the heavy rain Rubble had predicted. Nian Shutong too returned to her room, securing the doors and windows before speaking with Daodao. ¡°Daodao, what¡¯s this money-making scheme you¡¯ve found?¡± ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found a competition. The prize for first place is one million Star Coins.¡± ¡°A fighting contest? Or a poisoning contest?¡± Nian Shutong asked this because Daodao had mentioned a first-place prize, and she felt confident only in these two areas. ¡°No, no! It¡¯s an ancient poetry contest.¡± Ancient poetry? What¡¯s that? Can she win? Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Only One Left Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Only One Left Shutong Nian looked at the information Daodao had found, and her eyes immediately caught the prominently displayed prize money setup. Indeed, there were one million Star Coins. She continued to read, the competition was organized by the Royal Family, requiring contestants to create works on the theme of serving one¡¯s country. All submissions would be judged within a week, narrowing down to ten finalists, and ultimately the winner would be decided by a vote from netizens. ¡°Master, this is the shortest cycle contest with the highest prize found by Daodao, should we participate?¡± Nian Shutong stroked her chin, rubbing it back and forth as she said, ¡°We could participate, but I don¡¯t know how to write poetry, do I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Master, we have Earth! That¡¯s the memory at the heart of the star, thousands of years of culture, what¡¯s there to fear!¡± Nian Shutong did not hesitate, whether plagiarism was good or bad? Naturally, it wasn¡¯t good, but it mattered how one plagiarized. The whole planet was her own, and the prize money earned would be used to develop the planet, equivalent to Earth earning its own keep. ¡°Come on, Daodao, let¡¯s enter the competition.¡± ¡°Alright, Master, I have selected a short piece. It¡¯s better to send half of it, take a look?¡± Nian Shutong looked at what Daodao had sent over, and after one read, it was indeed stirring, very much fitting the theme of serving one¡¯s country. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°Great! Let¡¯s use this.¡± ¡°Hold on, I also want to come up with a name, let¡¯s call it ¡®Earth Bar¡¯!¡± ¡°Okay, Daodao will take care of it right away.¡± Nian Shutong had a lot of trust in Daodao, she completely let go and began her cultivation, also waiting for the coming heavy rain. Trusted Daodao, upon submitting the document, wrote three words in the author¡¯s name field: Earth Bar. Yep, that¡¯s exactly what the master said. Confirm submission. A poem filled with a millennia of culture, soared towards the collection mailbox, awaiting to be read. Meanwhile, on the network, a craze for sugar-fried chestnuts was surging. He Xinchun was a food blogger, often visiting high-end restaurants due to his affluent background, turning his meals into videos, and sharing them on the Star Network. At the same time, he was also a student at the Imperial Military Academy. Today, after returning to the dormitory from outside, he passed by a certain dormitory and a sweet, mysterious aroma made him stop in his tracks. ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡± He Xinchun knocked on the door, politely inquiring, ¡°May I ask what you are eating?¡± ¡°He Xinchun! Hello, hello. Please come in, come in,¡± a student from the dormitory immediately stood up, inviting He Xinchun in. He Xinchun was quite well-known at the academy, not only for his food blogging but also for his high talent, making him a prominent figure at the school. He Xinchun was merely curious; he liked gourmet food, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been that blogger. ¡°Sorry to intrude, I¡¯m curious about this scent, it seems unfamiliar to me.¡± He Xinchun walked into the room and saw a male student handing him a dark brown, round object that appeared somewhat sticky. ¡°These are sugar-fried chestnuts, sold by a broadcaster. Try it.¡± The male student, somewhat reluctantly, gave He Xinchun two chestnuts, keeping the rest for himself. The two chestnuts were the most generous offer he could make. He Xinchun thanked him, peeled the chestnut, and put it in his mouth. The unique flavor of chestnut mixed with the sweetness of maltose gave He Xinchun¡¯s taste buds a splendid feast. Holding the last chestnut in his palm, he got the broadcaster¡¯s room number from the male student and left. Back in his own bedroom, He Xinchun couldn¡¯t resist snapping a photo of the last chestnut. Under the bright light, a glossy chestnut lay quietly in the palm of his fair hand. Caption: Only one left. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105: The Explosive Chestnut Chapter 105: Chapter 105: The Explosive Chestnut He Xinchun, as a blogger with hundreds of millions of fans, could attract tens of thousands of comments with just a single Star Blog post. [I¡¯m so envious of this thing, I want to climb into Chunchun¡¯s palm.] [I want to know what Chunchun is holding?] [No matter what it is, find it for me! How can we let Chunchun feel this regret?] [Ah¡­ I recognize this? It¡¯s called sugar-fried chestnuts! Chunchun and I watched the same live stream! I¡¯m so lucky!] As people on the Star Network dug deeper, the live streaming room for the sugar-fried chestnuts was uncovered and became known to more and more people. Fu Yunhe, who was making money on the Star Network, hadn¡¯t noticed it immediately because Nian Shutong was spending money too fast. If it weren¡¯t for the task that was almost complete, successfully finished by him, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten any money. Thinking of having no money, and the fact that Ha Ha, who had been robbed of a space button, was feeling the same, Fu Yunhe thought that he was not even as resilient as Ha Ha at the moment. Fu Yunhe then quickened his pace, realizing that having money was better. With this thought, he felt it was time to develop a more sustainable money-making venture, relying solely on tasks for money was unreliable. It seemed¡­ gaming was quite the rage. There was no doubt about Fu Yunhe¡¯s skills on the Star Network, after busy with his current tasks, he began researching games. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï Eventually, based on his own reality, he decided to create a battle leveling-up game. He started as soon as he decided, and for him, a user with SSS spiritual power, it was not difficult. Fu Yunhe, engrossed and focused, didn¡¯t check back on the Star Network for updates about the sugar-fried chestnuts. Therefore, he was unaware of an event initiated by He Xinchun¡¯s fans on the Star Network called: ¡°A Chestnut for Chunchun.¡± The Star Network was buzzing with excitement, hinting that the next live stream would be explosive. Meanwhile, Li Zi, who had sent an email to Nian Shutong, was pacing around his home like an ant in a boiling pot, restless and anxious. He obviously had seen the event to find a chestnut for Chunchun and was getting increasingly agitated. ¡°Opportunity, a great opportunity!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I missed it!¡± ¡°You damn hand, where¡¯s your usual speed now!¡± Li Zi was so agitated that he almost developed two blisters. The second email, he wanted to send but he also feared being blacklisted by the shop owner. Finally, with a defiant heart, he decided to just see the content ¨C if there was nothing, so be it! After making his decision, Li Zi yanked open the door and ran out of the bedroom. Mrs. Li, who was reading in the living room, shouted out, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the toilet!¡± Li Zi yelled back, already dashing out of sight. Mrs. Li pursed her lips and muttered to herself, ¡°Running so fast, even going outside? Definitely ate something toxic again, worried about clogging my toilet.¡± ¡°Just like your father, always hankering for a good eat.¡± Back to Li Zi, he ran to his grandfather¡¯s house like the wind and without giving his grandfather a chance to speak, blurted out everything about the sugar-fried chestnuts. ¡°Grandpa, a great opportunity! You¡¯ve got to believe¡­¡± Li Zi suddenly stopped, his pupils dilating. ¡°Grandpa! Where did you get these sugar-fried chestnuts!¡± As it turned out, his grandfather had a box of steaming hot sugar-fried chestnuts in his hands. ¡°Hehehe, you little rascal, our chance has come.¡± Li Zi smirked, grabbing several chestnuts at once, and took off running. ¡°Grandpa! I¡¯ll test them out for you!¡± ¡°You rascal! Stop right there!¡± The grandfather and grandson began a race over the sugar-fried chestnuts. The excitement over the sugar-fried chestnuts kept growing, with many people, including He Xinchun himself, waiting to snatch a portion of sugar-fried chestnuts in Fu Yunhe¡¯s next live stream. Li Zi¡¯s entire family was primed and ready, swapping out Light Computers, upgrading their networks, all set to grab chestnuts, aiming most importantly to strike up a conversation with the seller. After all, they didn¡¯t know how to make maltose, and more importantly, they needed the seeds. With the seeds, everything would become clear. As everyone waited eagerly, Fu Yunhe posted a notice: Due to heavy rain causing some damage to his house, there would be no live streaming the following day. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Heavy Rain Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Heavy Rain Fu Yunhe¡¯s latest update drew in quite a few of his followers, flooding the comment section beneath it. ¡°Hand Brother, is it serious at home? Can you broadcast the day after tomorrow? Are the chestnuts flooded and damaged?¡± ¡°Ha Ha Ha! Hand Brother? That name is quite fitting since the host only shows his hands and not his face.¡± ¡°Not bad at all! Feels somehow friendlier than calling him the big boss of the broadcast.¡± ¡°Right, besides, calling him Xiao He doesn¡¯t roll off the tongue.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about the rest, I just want to know if the chestnuts are bad or not?¡± ¡°Same question! I only got one chestnut yesterday, the rest were snatched by my grandpa!¡± ¡°Get lost, upstairs! At least you got one! I¡¯ve been here since Hand Brother¡¯s first live stream, and I couldn¡¯t even snatch a bag of salt.¡± ¡°Same as above, truly and utterly tragic.¡± The comments continued, and Fu Yunhe was astonished. Why were there so many people? Nevertheless, he replied to one comment: The broadcast will be on the 7th, the chestnuts are fine. After responding, Fu Yunhe paid no further attention to it but instead stepped out of the room to stand in the living room alongside Nian Shutong, with Ha Ha and Rubble following behind them. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Outside at that moment, it was pouring heavily, with large drops of rain relentlessly falling. The sound of raindrops continuously pattering against the awning buzzed in their ears, crackling without end. It wasn¡¯t quite midnight yet, but only a few minutes off, Rubble¡¯s forecast had been quite accurate. ¡°Rubble, how did you forecast the rain?¡± Nian Shutong asked Rubble casually as she watched the rain pouring down. Rubble, the tallest figure behind them with a metallic face, showed a look of conflict and anticipation, then seemed as if he had encountered a tough problem. After some thought, he finally spoke. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble utilized meteorological analysis considering humidity, temperature, evaporation, sunlight, wind direction and speed, thickness of cloud layers¡­ in addition, taking into account geographic location, topography¡­¡± Rubble kept going, and by the time he finished, more than twenty minutes had passed, then he asked, ¡°Did you understand?¡± Nian Shutong made a fist with one hand, an open palm with the other, and performed a worldly society gesture as if accepting her defeat. ¡°Rubble, it seems I am the one who is dull. I am unworthy; no need to explain to me next time.¡± She recognized each word, but put together, she understood nothing. Rubble behind her had an ¡°as expected¡± look, mixed with some reluctance, saying, ¡°I already tried to make it simple. Shall I explain once more? It¡¯s rare for you to want to learn.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t need to!¡± Nian Shutong hastily refused: ¡°Please don¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t want to tire you out.¡± She consoled the dissatisfied Rubble, not daring to ask more, and instead told everyone, ¡°You all go rest. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± Nian Shutong had risen to monitor the creek, to prevent it from rising and flooding the small wooden house. It seemed now there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. The location they chose was somewhat elevated, but it was still good to keep an eye on things. Ha Ha was the most obedient, turning and falling asleep immediately upon lying down, with snores soon following. Rubble, since the rain was too loud, couldn¡¯t sleep and ended up fiddling and creating a simple ear cover, managing to rest in the end. Fu Yunhe alone had not moved, still standing beside Nian Shutong. Nian Shutong looked sideways at Fu Yunhe, ¡°Are you nobly keeping me company to the very end?¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s constitution did not allow him to stay up late. Understanding this, Fu Yunhe first brought over a chair for Nian Shutong. ¡°You sit first.¡± Having said that, Fu Yunhe took another chair for himself and sat down. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep just yet, I¡¯ll sit for a while.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t push the issue; they were adults. They should know what they could or couldn¡¯t do. ¡°Here.¡± Fu Yunhe looked as Nian Shutong handed him two green cucumbers, still bearing their prickly little spurs. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll go wash them.¡± Fu Yunhe took the cucumbers and used their stored water to rinse them clean. After washing them, the two sat in their chairs, each holding a cucumber, crunching away in unison. Despite the clamor outside, there was a sort of peace to it. It felt as if separated by a door, there were two different worlds. The heavy rain kept pouring for over two hours, finally stopping at around two in the morning. Nian Shutong looked at the small pile of cucumber remains on the floor and asked Fu Yunhe, ¡°Did you come here just to mooch cucumbers?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ you¡¯ve seen through me,¡± Fu Yunhe said with a rare joke, slowly standing up and moving the chair, prepared to go back and rest. Nian Shutong casually picked up the other stool, took the one from Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands, and placed them inside Fu Yunhe¡¯s room before departing, saying, ¡°Thanks.¡± With his back to Nian Shutong, a faint smile lined Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes as he answered, ¡°Thank you for the cucumber feast.¡± Nian Shutong waved it off nonchalantly, not even turning her head as she entered her own room. As for the muddy mess outside, they would deal with it when daylight came. Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Wild Boar Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Wild Boar Morning dawned. Ha Ha squatted at the door of the small wooden house, unhappily looking at the muddiness outside. ¡°Mud delays Ha Ha¡¯s work.¡± Nian Shutong, who had just come out, happened to hear this sentence. The way he put it, it was indeed very Ha Ha. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, good morning. Rubble is taking a day off today, and maybe for the next few days too, depending on the muddiness outside.¡± Okay, Rubble is still very Rubble! Nian Shutong casually grunted in acknowledgment, do as you please. She walked to the doorway to check outside. Under the small wooden house where it was sheltered, it was alright, but everywhere else that was uncovered, the road was muddy and full of puddles. The stream had indeed risen a bit, but this area wasn¡¯t the main flow, so it didn¡¯t have too much effect. Her gaze crossed the stream, looking towards the rice paddy. Green rice seedlings swayed with the breeze, droplets fell, colliding with beams of light sneaking through the cracks, like sparkling, translucent crystals. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Nian Shutong stretched out her arms and took a deep breath. The post-rain air wasn¡¯t half bad. She felt as if her entire chest was being cleansed. ¡°Good morning, we should probably clean up today, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Fu Yunhe came out from the bedroom, opening the door. Nian Shutong lowered her arms and stepped outside. ¡°Ha Ha, time to work!¡± ¡°Xiao He, you cook.¡± ¡°Aoow¨C¨CHa Ha is on it!¡± Ha Ha immediately perked up and followed Nian Shutong. When Ha Ha reached the water puddles, he intentionally stomped a few times, excitedly out of character. The Wang Fu family, of course, also came out. The mother and daughter helped Fu Yunhe with the kitchen matters. Wang Fu and his two sons followed Nian Shutong, Ha Ha, and a few robots to work. The first task was moving the sandbags. Nian Shutong stood in front of the sandbags, looking at the muddy ground in front of the door, and simply said, ¡°Sprinkle the sand over this mud to make a path. Wang Xiaolu, Wang Xiaochuan, go gather some pebbles to pave the way from the small wooden house to the bridge.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The two boys began to collect stones, while Nian Shutong and Ha Ha spread the sand. After finishing this section, they also paved from the small wooden house to the kitchen, and then to the family home of Wang Fu and Rubble¡¯s workshop. This way, they wouldn¡¯t fear the rain in the future, getting it done once and for all. After the sand was transported away, breakfast was almost ready. The group washed up and prepared to eat. White rice porridge, stir-fried shreds of green pepper and potato, a huge potful. Having eaten a simple breakfast, Nian Shutong and the others continued to work in the rice fields. She first collected all the shelters and stored them in Ha Ha¡¯s Space Button so they could be used in the future. Ha Ha was helping drain the rice fields, where the water was still a bit excessive. Everyone was methodically busy with their chores, and Nian Shutong also thought about preparing something nice for lunch, so she went out to hunt for some meat. She ventured further than usual today. Maybe because of the downpour, she didn¡¯t encounter much game along the way, or if she did, it was too small¡ªshe didn¡¯t fancy it, or she wanted to let it grow and keep it for later. Walking along, she arrived at a gorge. Nian Shutong unquestionably entered, and about two hundred meters in, rustling sounds made her movements lighter. Her Divine Sense reached out, a large wild chicken, an animal numerous times bigger, came into view. Brown and black fur, a robust body, a protruding snout. Was this a disfigured and tanned Dang Kang? ¡°Master, this is called a wild boar; Dang Kang is arguably one of their ancestors.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ then it must be delicious.¡± You should know, the Dang Kang clan was renowned throughout the Cultivation World for the exquisite taste of their meat, of course, their strength was not to be underestimated either. Nian Shutong¡¯s palm opened, and the moment Daodao appeared, Sword Light flashed out. The wild boar, lacking any mutations, had no chance to fight back and died on the spot. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Time to head back for meat!¡± Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Soybeans are Treasures Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Soybeans are Treasures After the rain. . Fu Yunhe tidied up the kitchen, while Wang Fu and his two sons paved the road, and Zhang Hui and her son washed and cleaned. Ha Ha was alone in the rice field, managing the water and sealing the fields. He was the first to see Nian Shutong, who had a wild boar slung over her shoulder, each hand gripping a pig leg, walking towards them. ¡°Ha Ha gave you the ¡®Space Button¡¯, use it!¡± Ha Ha said this with a bit of grievance. ¡°Ha Ha, I forgot.¡± Nian Shutong had truly forgotten; she looked at the dissatisfied Ha Ha and said, ¡°We¡¯re going to eat meat! So much meat!¡± ¡°Eat meat?¡± Ha Ha immediately forgot his unhappiness, threw up his sleeves, went up to the shore, took over carrying the pig and said naively, ¡°Ha Ha likes.¡± ¡°If you like it, eat more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really kind.¡± Ha Ha, carrying the wild boar, trotted across the river moved, leaving behind a trail of deep, thick footprints. Nian Shutong shook her head with a laugh behind him, no longer in a hurry, walking leisurely. ¡°Daodao, how should we eat the pork?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Master, there are many ways to eat pork, but we don¡¯t have any seasoning, so today we should start with fried salted pork to better remove the gamey smell.¡± Nian Shutong first examined the method of eating salted pork; it was simple, she could just dictate it. However, the spices Daodao mentioned were also a problem. ¡°Daodao, see what spices are commonly used, can we make them?¡± ¡°Yes, master. We have soybeans, we can make too much stuff.¡± Daodao¡¯s voice sounded a bit excited as he continued, ¡°Soybeans can be made into tofu, yuba, soy milk, and they can also be made into soy sauce and miso, both of which are commonly used seasonings.¡± ¡°Soy sauce can be divided into many types, like light soy sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce¡­¡± Soybeans, so powerful? ¡°Daodao, send me the method for making soy sauce, I¡¯ll study it.¡± At this point, Nian Shutong had arrived at the creek, where she squatted down and washed her hands. She had just finished learning how to make soy sauce in her mind. Generally speaking, good quality soy sauce takes several years, at least one year. But if standards are lower, it can be made in just a few days. Nian Shutong then researched more about soybeans, truly a treasure trove of food. Now, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about new food for her live stream for quite a while. Messing with these soybeans could occupy a good amount of time. Nian Shutong decided immediately¡ªwork with soybeans. With her hands washed, Nian Shutong went to the kitchen and called out to Zhang Hui: ¡°Boil some water.¡± ¡°Eh, there¡¯s freshly boiled water in the pot already,¡± Zhang Hui wiped her hands on her apron and following Nian Shutong¡¯s instructions, boiled the water again, placing it in a large basin to scald the pig. Nian Shutong then yelled to Fu Yunhe: ¡°Xiao He, go on Star Network, see if there are any large jars for sale, buy twenty of them.¡± Twenty jars? Fu Yunhe did not know what they were for, but still obediently made the purchase. These jars were indeed available for sale. There was a planet that specifically produced this kind of clay; they manipulated it to create these large jars. It¡¯s just that the sales volume wasn¡¯t that great. The moment Fu Yunhe placed the order, the seller almost thought he had misread. Twenty? One person buying? Their sales volume for large jars last year was only over a hundred, with smaller bowls selling much better; these large jars were very rarely sold. Many people bought them to grow flowers. The thoughts of the jar seller, Nian Shutong would not know for now. But if she did know, she would think that they would have many opportunities to collaborate in the future. This soy sauce, just like salt, Nian Shutong intended to make it a standard commodity; soon she would be the supplier. Under Nian Shutong¡¯s energetic efforts, the pig hair was quickly removed. Then, all eyes on Nian Shutong, she held a sharp kitchen knife, and began her expert butchering of the pig. ¡°This is ribs¡­¡± ¡°This is leg of pork¡­¡± ¡°This is pork belly¡­¡± ¡°This is blade pork¡­¡± ¡°This is pig feet¡­¡± ¡°This is the heart, liver¡­¡± For some reason, everyone felt an inexplicable chill. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Poetry First Shows Its Power Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Poetry First Shows Its Power Outside the small wooden house, pots were arranged in full array. These pots, urgently purchased by Fu Yunhe, were simply because there was nowhere else to put them. By this time, Nian Shutong had finished cutting up the pig. She took several strips of pork belly and said to Zhang Hui, ¡°Slice them into half-centimeter thick pieces, sprinkle a little bit of fine salt, and let them marinate for a while.¡± Zhang Hui, understanding, took the pork belly and set about her task. Nian Shutong then took a piece of shoulder meat and handed it to Fu Yunhe, saying, ¡°Use this piece for the stewed potatoes tonight¡ªit¡¯s the same method as braising chicken.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Fu Yunhe nodded with understanding. Nian Shutong also took four pork legs. These could be cured into ham, and she planned to go find some branches to bring back. However, before that, she needed a room to smoke the meat in. ¡°Ha Ha, build a simple wooden house; I want to smoke meat to eat!¡± ¡°You got it!¡± Ha Ha readily accepted the command. Nian Shutong¡¯s arrangements were almost finished, so she took off in the Flying Device. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 She wanted to find some branches suitable for smoking meat and also pick some more soybeans. But now, it seemed there weren¡¯t enough hands on deck. Looking after the soy sauce sunning and the tofu she intended to make¡ªall these tasks needed someone¡¯s attention. She wondered if the poetry competition Daodao mentioned could be won? If she were to win, then she could afford a bit of wages and hire some more people. At this moment, the poetry competition Nian Shutong was pondering over caused the person reviewing the submissions considerable eyestrain. In a certain office on the third floor of a building emanating an antique charm dedicated to ancient poetry and verse¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ What is all this?¡± A bespectacled man, pushing his glasses up, said to an elderly man with a white beard opposite him, ¡°Mr. Yu, listen to this.¡± The man with the white beard, laughing heartily, said, ¡°Young man, you are too hot-headed. Read it and see for yourself.¡± The young man, particularly disdainful, began to read aloud. ¡°One two three four five, patriotism is my drive. Six seven eight nine ten, for my country I¡¯ll bleed again.¡± ¡°Mr. Yu, you see, this is enough to make me spit blood! Do these people who submit their work not know their own level?¡± Mr. Yu felt a twinge in his heart but still maintained a calm demeanor, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, their heart is in the right place.¡± The young man did not say much and continued to look through the submissions. Unbearable! Eyes hurt! Heart hurts! Mommy, there are even typos! The young man felt he had reached his limit and decided to stand up to get a drink of water. The last one. The young man, looking at the name on the email: Earth Bar. What kind of a ghost name is that? It lacks any poetic or artistic flair intended for cultured folks. He had lost all hope, with one hand reaching for the water cup and the other casually opening the email. ¡°With hair in a rage, resting on the rail, the rain lets up¡­¡± The young man, who had been indifferent, suddenly dropped his water cup with a clatter, and read the first line again. Good! Brilliant! He even took off his glasses just to see more clearly. Don¡¯t doubt it, myopia is nearly nonexistent in the interstellar age; he wore them just for the sake of appearance. ¡°With hair in a rage, resting on the rail, the rain lets up. Looking up, he lets out a long howl to the sky, full of fierce pride. Thirty years of fame, dust and earth; eight thousand miles of road, Yun He and the moon. Don¡¯t waste time; grey hair will soon arrive, all for naught.¡± ¡°All for naught¡­ all for naught¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Ming, what are you muttering?¡± Mr. Yu noticed the young man Xiao Ming without his glasses, drenched in sweat, his breathing rapid. Was he about to fall ill from anger? Ah¡­ Young people just lack experience. Mr. Yu stood up, walked behind Xiao Ming, patted him on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Take a break, let me take a look for you.¡± Mr. Yu had just finished speaking when he became fixated on the screen. Thirty years of fame, dust and earth; eight thousand miles of road, Yun He and the moon. Such magnificent righteousness could only be written by someone with great aspirations and noble thoughts. Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Grinding Plate Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Grinding Plate ¡°Ah¡­ Mr. Yu! Why are you pulling me? I haven¡¯t finished watching yet.¡± Xiao Ming was dragged along with his chair to one side by Mr. Yu, who then took the prime spot in front of the virtual screen. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, the youth turns gray.¡± ¡°Good¡­ very good!¡± Mr. Yu banged the table in admiration, studying the poem over and over, becoming more fascinated as he read. The displaced Xiao Ming, not even bothering with a chair anymore, simply stood behind Mr. Yu, full of respect and admiration. Such poetry was exactly why he had joined the ancient poetry club. ¡°Mr. Yu, this article should take first place. I haven¡¯t seen anything better than this.¡± ¡°It seems that a million Star Coins are secured for Earth Bar.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Mr. Yu straightened up, with one hand behind his back, touching his goatee. ¡°Xiao Ming, you don¡¯t understand. A person who writes poetry like this wouldn¡¯t be lured by money. This is a heart brimming with patriotism!¡± Xiao Ming did not feel that Mr. Yu was wrong. On the contrary, he nodded in strong agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Yu! So, shall we let him into the finals?¡± ¡°Of course! Such fine lines must be seen by everyone in the All Star.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï ¡°It¡¯s just that the money doesn¡¯t seem worthy of him. If he refuses, we won¡¯t insist.¡± Luckily, Nian Shutong was unaware of such talk. However, Nian Shutong¡¯s first foray into ancient poetry had advanced her to the next round, and everything was awaiting the results of the competition six days later. ¡°Earth Bar¡± made its debut in this small office. And Nian Shutong, unknowingly named Earth Bar, had by now finished picking beans and had gotten hold of some pine branches. Finally, she had found some large stones and planned to go back and make a grinding plate. She was about to start preparing everything related to the soybeans. By the time Nian Shutong returned, the sun was scorching and the ground¡¯s water evaporated quickly. After returning, she began to arrange tasks again. ¡°Zhang Hui, take Xiaoxiao to select beans. Choose the plump ones, the more you pick the better.¡± ¡°Fu Yunhe, you go to start the malting. We¡¯ll make more maltose to sell in the store. You should also buy some jars to store it in.¡± ¡°Rubble, do you see this pattern? Can you do it?¡± With a wave of her hand, the three-dimensional image of the grinding plate appeared in front of Rubble. Rubble glanced at it and immediately understood, saying, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, such a simple thing, please do not ask if Rubble can do it. Rubble feels¡­¡± ¡°Feels what?¡± Her tone rising, gaze askance. ¡°Feels that you¡¯ve asked rightly, knowing to respect Rubble, thank you.¡± Rubble quickly corrected himself, even suggesting, ¡°Could it be made electric? Do you need that?¡± Electric? That would save on labor, and that meant saving money. ¡°Make it! I¡¯ll bring the grinding plate to you in a bit.¡± After her usual threatening banter with Rubble, Nian Shutong continued to assign tasks, intending to process the wild boar meat. ¡°Wang Fu, find some rope, thread it through the top of the meat so that it can be hung up later.¡± ¡°Xiao Lu, Xiao Chuan, go get some salt and cure every piece of meat your father threads with it. Don¡¯t skimp, feel free to use a generous amount.¡± She had more or less assigned everyone tasks. As for Ha Ha, he was still busy building a small wooden house on the other side. Nian Shutong first fixed up the grinding plate that Rubble needed, smoothing out the edges. Rubble was left with the precise work. Having finished this, Nian Shutong went to help Ha Ha with the house construction. The house, as per her instruction, was a bit away from the small wooden house. This would facilitate future smoking processes without choking them. Not a single person was slacking off; everyone was earnestly working. Wang Fu and his family simply felt grateful to have a goal, even if that goal was just a full belly. It¡¯s rare to find people who can appreciate their meals to this extent. For lunch, everyone just had a few roasted potatoes and not much else. However, Nian Shutong said they would have meat for dinner! Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Map Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Map The people in the small wooden house each had their roles. The first to finish were Nian Shutong and Ha Ha, who had simply built a wooden house. After finishing, they sprayed a waterproof layer, and Nian Shutong toasted it with fire, waiting for it to be usable after a night. When everyone gradually completed their tasks, Wang Fu and his son continued to work on the road, and Fu Yunhe joined the bean-picking army. Ha Ha couldn¡¯t handle such delicate work, so he carried a hoe to drain the farmland to plant wheat earlier. First, Nian Shutong checked the soaked wheat, planning to make more maltose this time, so she needed to make a large malting trough. It was to be ten meters long and fifty centimeters wide, with a sealed bottom and a middle divider like a colander made of iron, facilitating sprouting. This time, Nian Shutong bought the ready-made iron plates from Star Network, and for the perforated plates, she had to weave them herself. After all the plates were prepared, she handed them all over to Rubble for assembly. At this moment, Nian Shutong truly realized how terrifying the talents of the Mechanical Clan were¡ªthey could assemble any structure with just one look and even improve them. After arranging the trough, Nian Shutong discovered another problem; she needed a room for the malting. She stood in front of the stream, looking toward the small wooden house. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï The small wooden house was at the center, with a stone path leading directly to the front door and connecting to the wooden bridge, over a hundred meters away. Each side of the entrance extended another stone path; to the left was Wang Fu¡¯s house, to the right was the kitchen. About fifty meters diagonally behind Wang Fu¡¯s house was Rubble¡¯s workshop. Diagonally behind the kitchen, about fifty meters away, was the smoking room. Thus, the malting room would be situated between Rubble¡¯s workshop and the smoking room, in a long, large shape to potentially be used for making tofu or storing sauce jars in the future. Nian Shutong, never one to procrastinate, quickly set about her task. She also wanted to purchase ready-made materials but, unfortunately, was out of money. Remembering Daodao¡¯s participation in the poetry contest, she wondered if the results were out yet. She desperately needed money. Now, she hadn¡¯t even developed a village. If she wanted to continue her developments in the future, money was essential. However, Nian Shutong understood that all her current projects were in the non-producing stage; once production began, she would make a fortune. She walked around to the back of the small house, about a hundred meters away, and began digging pits, setting the foundation, and constructing a stone house. The things she had in abundance were stones and wood. Fortunately, several robots followed her, carrying the stones so that she didn¡¯t have to move, just build upward. This time, she didn¡¯t need guidance from Rubble; even if naive, she had been taught by Rubble. As dusk deepened, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t move but called out to Fu Yunhe. ¡°Xiao He, prepare the meal.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When the aroma of the food grew denser, Nian Shutong put down her work outside the kitchen, spoke to Zhang Hui, who was tending the fire, ¡°Stew it a little longer.¡± ¡°Alright, got it.¡± Nian Shutong walked from outside into the kitchen, took a small pot, and moved to the other side, where there were fuel containers bought by Fu Yunhe that didn¡¯t need firewood to ignite. She placed the pot on the burner, spread thinly sliced pork belly across the bottom, and began to fry the pork belly. Before long, the fat started to render, filling the air with a unique aroma of meat that compelled everyone to glance over. Ha Ha couldn¡¯t resist and squatted opposite Nian Shutong, eyes fixed on the frying pan. Ha Ha¡¯s mouth watered¡ªtoo fragrant! Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Mail Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Mail Nian Shutong looked at the obediently squatting Ha Ha and smiled knowingly. She picked up a piece of fried meat with her chopsticks. ¡°Ha Ha, here you go.¡± Ha Ha was first surprised, then delighted. He held the fried meat between two fingers and showed it off to Fu Yunhe. ¡°I have some! You don¡¯t! Ha ha ha!¡± Ha Ha ate it in one gulp. He didn¡¯t know exactly what it tasted like, only that it was crispy, fragrant, delicious, and left him wanting more. ¡°Wait, it will be ready soon.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t give him any more. Ha Ha didn¡¯t make a fuss and waited patiently. When the meat was finally ready, the potato and pork stew was also done. A huge pot of potato and pork stew, complete with both pork chunks and ribs. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Nian Shutong shouted, and everyone washed their hands, ready to eat. The Wang family had their own table, eating the same meal, feeling a bit more comfortable. The taste of pork, especially when stewed in a large wood-fired pot, plus the melt-off-the-bone tender rib meat. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Every piece was intoxicating. Pork¡¯s status as the overlord on dining tables was definitely related to its taste. Not to mention for those tasting pork for the first time, even wild pork was thoroughly delightful for them. There was nothing but the sound of swallowing at the scene. No one spoke. After the meal, everyone was unsurprisingly a bit stuffed. That night, nobody continued to work; having been busy all day, they rested early since there would be plenty to do the next day. However, before going to rest, Nian Shutong soaked some beans and bought some magnesium chloride on the Star Network. She had her own sodium chloride, which she planned to use for making brine water, thinking of trying tofu in the morning. After everything was done, just as Nian Shutong was about to reach the door of the small wooden house, she saw Fu Yunhe waiting at the entrance. ¡°Is there something?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a mail in the store about caramelized chestnuts; take a look.¡± Fu Yunhe stated as he found the email and showed it to Nian Shutong. The sender was Li Zi, inquiring whether the maltose shown during the live stream could be purchased. He also mentioned seeds, asking if they could buy some, saying their region was very suitable for growing chestnuts. ¡°Maltose can be sold, same principle as selling salt. We decide how much to sell.¡± ¡°As for the seeds¡­ let me think about it.¡± ¡°No rush.¡± Nian Shutong nodded and then asked Daodao about the planting methods for chestnuts¡ªwhether to start from seeds, graft them, or allow them to grow wild. But all these methods would take years, by which time the popularity of chestnuts could have already faded. ¡°Ding! Hello, Host! As the Farming System, I have the most extensive seed library! From chestnut saplings to mature trees, we have them all!¡± ¡°Do you sell seeds to others?¡± Nian Shutong thought only she could buy them. ¡°Ding! Hello, Host! No one can be a good farmer if they do not wish to become a seed merchant. Congratulations on unlocking the farming sideline¡ªselling a set number of seeds will bring generous rewards!¡± Selling seeds for a profit and receiving system rewards too? If she didn¡¯t take this opportunity, it felt like she could be struck by lightning. Nian Shutong immediately left the small wooden house and knocked on the room opposite. Fu Yunhe swiftly opened the door, his expression questioning. ¡°I wanted to ask if I sell seeds, can I hide my identity too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fu Yunhe seemed to understand what Nian Shutong intended and continued, ¡°Our live channel keeps your identity secured, untraceable by others.¡± ¡°The small store is the same.¡± Fu Yunhe spoke with certainty, even though he looked exhausted, he still maintained the dignity of a ruler. Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t fully sure about Fu Yunhe, but his words and actions seemed reliable. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°You can tell Li Zi that we sell seedlings and mature chestnut trees that bear fruit, all non-toxic and without needing any protective cover.¡± ¡°However, these seeds degrade quickly, so, all trees and fruits must not be used for seeds again; they need to be purchased anew.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s words left Fu Yunhe stunned. She had seeds that weren¡¯t afraid of radiation? However, he quickly recovered and nodded, saying he understood. After their conversation, both returned to their rooms. One side remained tranquil while the other was overwhelmed with emotions. Fu Yunhe finally settled down, turned on the Light Computer, and replied to the email. Meanwhile, Li Zi, who had been anxiously awaiting the email, finally got a reply. He had been in his room, but when he saw the email, he dashed out. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa! There¡¯s an email!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± Grandpa Li Zi, in his seventies or eighties, still considered young in interstellar terms. He and Li Zi, from north to south, rushed toward each other and met on the stairs. ¡°Let me see, what does it say?¡± Grandpa Li Zi quickly read through the email, a storm brewing in his eyes. Mature chestnut trees or seedlings that weren¡¯t afraid of radiation. Could the Li family really secure these items? ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s the situation? Will they sell?¡± ¡°Is it a no? I knew it; who in the interstellar realm sells seeds! Let¡¯s just keep selling the poisonous chestnuts; someone will buy them.¡± Li Zi¡¯s spirits dropped significantly, he had anticipated this. ¡°No, they¡¯re selling.¡± Grandpa Li Zi, upon hearing Li Zi¡¯s words, promptly made a decision. Why not buy? If others found out they passed up the opportunity to buy something so rare, they would be criticized. ¡°Li Zi, reply to the email¡ªtell them we¡¯re willing to buy the mature chestnut trees. Also, for the maltose, we¡¯ll proceed as they suggested.¡± ¡°Remember, be very polite.¡± Grandpa Li Zi saw the need to build a good relationship with such a significant figure crucial. Li Zi was initially puzzled by his grandpa¡¯s expression but nodded solemnly in response, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa, I will be very respectful, just like how I treat you.¡± ¡°No, treat them like the ancestors of our Li family.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Li Zi now took it even more seriously. ¡°Good, remember, this is our opportunity. If we seize it, our planet¡¯s rank will increase.¡± Li Zi nodded earnestly. A higher planetary ranking meant more cultivation resources. More resources meant more opportunities for growth. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113 Soy Milk/Tofu Chapter 113: Chapter 113 Soy Milk/Tofu Nian Shutong returned to her room and, reassured about one thing on her mind, checked for any replies¡ªit was possible she could earn some money first. Thinking of money, Nian Shutong first summoned Daodao and asked the question that interested her the most. ¡°Daodao, how¡¯s the ancient poetry contest going? Any news?¡± Nian Shutong waited for Daodao to respond, but there was silence for quite some time. ¡°Daodao? Daodao?¡± Just as she was about to look for Daodao in the Sea of Consciousness, she heard Daodao¡¯s flustered voice. ¡°Master, I¡¯m here! I¡¯m here! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m typing, thinking about how poor we both are, I figured we should write more novels lately to help Master earn some more money.¡± Nian Shutong felt a warm affection in her heart and spoke in a much softer tone, ¡°Daodao, there¡¯s no need to rush; we don¡¯t need to tire ourselves out like that.¡± ¡°Mm, Daodao understands, but Daodao actually enjoys it¡ªthey all call me Da Da, and even though I didn¡¯t write the book, I¡¯ve admitted it, haven¡¯t I? I¡¯m a porter, and I¡¯m happy to transport things.¡± Nian Shutong sensed Daodao¡¯s happiness and felt she should take a look at the novel Daodao was so eagerly transporting. ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°Master, rest assured, Daodao won¡¯t force it. If there¡¯s nothing else, Daodao will go back to transporting.¡± Naturally, Nian Shutong wouldn¡¯t stop her; she even forgot the question she wanted to ask and just remembered to get the video materials for making tofu from Daodao to start learning. After studying it enough, Nian Shutong began her cultivation, not in a hurry to advance to the next level, but reinforcing her foundation over and over again. The next day quickly arrived, and the small wooden house came alive in the blink of an eye. Fu Yunhe, who went to make breakfast, Zhang Hui and her daughter who helped pick the beans, Wang Fusan and his team continuing to pave the road, and Ha Ha who had risen early to start tilling a ten-acre wheat field. Even Rubble had woken up early today, because yesterday¡¯s maltose vat wasn¡¯t finished and Nian Shutong needed it today. Not wanting nor daring to dawdle, Rubble sprung into action because yesterday Nian Shutong bought him another batch of metal. Having received a gift, Rubble was obligated to work hard. Nian Shutong had expanded the kitchen again; now there were three large pots and two smaller ones. Early in the morning, she had Rubble clean the grinding plate numerous times, and after cleaning it, she left it outside, as the house was still not finished. ¡°Xiao He, what we¡¯re making now is called tofu. First, we pour the soaked beans into the hole at the top of the stone mill, and as the grinding plate starts to turn, the liquid ground from the beans will flow out. We¡¯ll catch it with a bucket and continuously add beans to the top, grinding non-stop.¡± The sound of the two stone grinding plates rubbing against each other rang clearly in their ears. Fortunately, Rubble had converted it to electric, so the beans ground up quickly. Nian Shutong continued to explain, ¡°The liquid needs to be filtered once. After filtering, we¡¯ll boil it in the big pot. Once it boils, it becomes soy milk, which we can drink; we¡¯ll leave some for tasting.¡± Nian Shutong poured out some soy milk and continued her explanation. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the formula for the brine later. While pouring in the brine, keep stirring until it begins to solidify; that¡¯s when we stop, no more brine is needed.¡± ¡°What we have now is called tofu pudding, and we can eat it.¡± Nian Shutong once again served some. ¡°Finally, we take this tofu pudding and, using a flat ladle, scoop it out bit by bit, putting it into this wooden frame lined with cloth. Once it¡¯s full, we cover it with cloth, put a lid on, and place a stone on top.¡± ¡°After pressing it for a certain time, it will firm up inside and become the tofu we want.¡± Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Fried Tofu Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Fried Tofu Small wooden house, breakfast time. ¡°This white stuff is soy milk, and it would taste better with a bit of sugar, but we don¡¯t have the right kind of sugar, so let¡¯s drink it as is.¡± ¡°This is tofu pudding, it should be topped with a bit of sauce, but we don¡¯t have any, so we¡¯ll just make do.¡± After finishing her introduction, Shutong herself picked up a cup of soy milk, which was mellow and rich. She didn¡¯t particularly like it, but she didn¡¯t really dislike it either, so she simply drank a bowl and didn¡¯t drink more. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The others also picked up their bowls and started to taste this new food. Among them, Ha Ha acted the fastest, taking a big gulp, but right after that, his eyes bulged, his cheeks puffed up, and he kept mumbling. Taking one look, Shutong knew he didn¡¯t like it, and pointed towards the stream, ¡°Go further away.¡± Like he had been granted a reprieve, Ha Ha dashed out and spat out the white soy milk. That wasn¡¯t the end of it; he crouched by the stream, dunked his head into the water, and gurgled as he rinsed his mouth, taking a good while before returning. After coming back, Ha Ha wiped his face hard, looking like a warrior about to head into battle, his expression solemn and as if he was about to make a noble sacrifice, then picked up the bowl of soy milk again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Ha Ha, what are you doing?¡± Shutong pressed down on Ha Ha¡¯s wrist with a finger. Ha Ha tilted his head and said to Shutong, ¡°Good person gives, Ha Ha drinks.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold back just now. This time I¡¯m prepared.¡± The silly Ha Ha tried to lift his wrist forcefully, but it didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Ha Ha, if you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t have to drink it. It¡¯s okay.¡± Shutong pushed hard with a finger, and Ha Ha¡¯s bowl landed with a thud on the table. Ha Ha stared fixedly at the bowl, then looked up at Shutong. ¡°You¡¯re really nice, even nicer than the Commander. The Commander even forced Ha Ha to drink nutrient liquid.¡± Ha Ha didn¡¯t realize the strength in Shutong¡¯s hands, feeling purely moved and happy. ¡°Of course.¡± Shutong unapologetically received Ha Ha¡¯s even more touched gaze. Beside her, Fu Yunhe lifted his bowl of soy milk, shielding his brows and eyes as he rolled his eyes spectacularly. Silly Wolf! He himself had forced him to drink nutrient liquid back on the battlefield! If he hadn¡¯t drunk it, he would have been dead. ¡°Beauty likes it?¡± Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe, who had been holding the bowl of soy milk and hadn¡¯t put it down for a long time. ¡°I like it very much.¡± Fu Yunhe really liked it; he was already on his second bowl. ¡°Then drink more.¡± Shutong served another bowl for Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe looked into the bowl of soy milk, then at Shutong, wondering if this was to fill him up with water. What could he do? Given by Shutong, he¡¯d drink even poison with a smile. The others at the meal had a high acceptance of soy milk, not reacting like Ha Ha, but also not as fond as Fu Yunhe. As for the tofu pudding, even though there was no sauce, it wasn¡¯t bad in itself, and everyone liked it even more. During breakfast, aside from Ha Ha who ate a basin of rice by himself, everyone had a fair amount of soy products. After breakfast, Shutong continued building the house, Ha Ha cleared the fields, and Zhang Hui and her son continued picking beans. Fu Yunhe took the barley seeds to the trough that Rubble had finally prepared to cultivate barley malt. Wang Fusan and his sons left two children to lay bricks while Wang Fu helped Shutong build the house. But after he arrived, he realized he had overestimated his abilities; he seemed unable to help in any way. Alone, Shutong was like a combination of modern machinery such as excavators and cranes. She lifted a log single-handedly with ease. Wang Fu came quietly and went back quietly, feeling that paving roads was still more suitable for him; being here, other than getting in the way, had no other benefit. The day passed quickly, and it was 7 p.m. by evening. Tonight, Fu Yunhe would continue live streaming, and the content was the pan-fried tofu he had been practicing all afternoon. Thanks to Fu Yunhe¡¯s practice, the people in the small wooden house had tofu all day, which wasn¡¯t wasted as he managed to get the hang of it somewhat. At seven in the evening, the live stream started on time. ¡°Hello, everyone, today we¡¯re making a new dish, pan-fried tofu.¡± ¡°Let me show you. This square white food made from soybeans is called tofu.¡± [Ha Ha Ha I¡¯m first!] [No chestnuts! I want chestnuts!] [Right, I¡¯m just fighting for a portion of chestnuts for our Chunchun.] [Chestnuts! Chestnuts! Chestnuts!] [I want sweet chestnuts.] [ This tofu looks so soft and unappetizing.] [Same as above, it¡¯s white and seems tasteless.] [Want chestnuts! Not tofu!] [Want chestnuts! Not tofu!] The chat in the live stream synchronously chanted the slogans. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115 The Tofu Begins to Show Its Power Chapter 115: Chapter 115 The Tofu Begins to Show Its Power The live stream¡¯s comment section was full of shouts for chestnuts, rejecting tofu. But no matter how much the audience in the live room shouted, those distinct-jointed hands under the camera did not budge an inch. A clear and gentle voice rose, like a gentle breeze coming through, brushing away the restlessness in everyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Candied chestnuts will be sold in our 949 store, and today¡¯s tofu tastes good too.¡± ¡°Are you sure¡­ you want to miss it?¡± With a melodic tone, there was a hint of soul-tempting seduction, as if missing out on it meant missing out on the entire world. [I feel a bit tingly and numb, so strange!] [Strange, but tofu seems okay.] [Yeah! The streamer¡¯s opinion is very important.] [I want to eat it! Don¡¯t miss out.] [Streamer, I love eating tofu!] [I love eating tofu!] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï [I especially love eating tofu!] [I just love eating Streamer¡¯s tofu!] [Streamer¡¯s tofu is both tender and delicious!] [All Star, I just love eating Streamer¡¯s tofu!] Rows of comments about loving tofu appeared one after another. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong, who had been off-camera standing opposite of Fu Yunhe, initially didn¡¯t feel anything; she just thought Fu Yunhe could be a demon with such tempting tones. That voice made her want to throw all her money at it. However, after Daodao, who had been watching the live stream with her, explained the meaning of ¡°eating tofu,¡± ¡°Hehehehe¡­ *cough cough*¡­ ahahaha.¡± Nian Shutong covered her mouth with one hand, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. She didn¡¯t want to disturb the live stream, so she tried hard to suppress her laughter. If it wasn¡¯t for her concern about affecting their earnings, she would have already been slapping the table in laughter. Fu Yunhe¡¯s tofu is the tastiest? Love eating Fu Yunhe¡¯s tofu the most? My oh my, I can¡¯t even. Under Fu Yunhe¡¯s puzzled gaze, Nian Shutong ran off. She ran past the creek, into the wheat fields that were being cleared. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­¡± Nian Shutong burst out laughing, tears almost coming out. ¡°Aoooo¡­ Aoooo¡­¡± Ha Ha appeared next to Nian Shutong at some point, craning its neck, howling at the moon non-stop. ¡°Ha Ha, what are you doing?¡± Ha Ha lowered its howling neck, speaking naively to Nian Shutong, ¡°Keeping you company.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thank you.¡± At that moment, the live stream¡¯s comment section also started questioning. [Streamer, what¡¯s that sound?] [Sounds like a wolf!] [What¡¯s the other animal?] [Female wolf, maybe¡­] Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes swept over the question about the ¡°other¡­ animal,¡± and his courage was not small. He dared only to think about it, not daring to utter a word. Truly, ignorance is bliss! The live stream continued and Nian Shutong also returned, missing the question about what the other animal was, whether it was a female wolf or not. In the live room, Fu Yunhe¡¯s attractive hands were slicing chili peppers. ¡°These are chili peppers, available for sale interstellarly; we add these to give a bit of flavor, but it¡¯s optional.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start by frying the egg, scoop it out once it¡¯s cooked for use later, continue to stir-fry the diced peppers, and when they¡¯re nearly done, add in the egg, some starch water, and finally, salt.¡± ¡°And so, we have a bowl of spicy egg sauce, which we will pour gently over the tofu that has been fried to a golden brown on both sides, then cover it with a lid for two minutes.¡± The live stream¡¯s camera moved slightly. Water droplets kept rolling down the transparent glass, but through it, one could still see the tofu bubbling inside. The green of the chili peppers, the golden hue of the eggs, along with the tofu faintly glowing a golden brown crisp. [Mommy! The flavor of this is irresistible!] [My tail¡¯s popped out. Cute little fox.] [My ears have perked up too. From the bear family.] [You guys are all so impressive, I¡¯ve just drooled two pounds.] [Ha Ha! Real talk above. My mouth can¡¯t stop watering.] [Chunchun, please let me defect for a bit, this flavor is too incredible! Can¡¯t handle it!] [It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll wait for the chestnuts.] [He Xinchun himself, can¡¯t stand it anymore! Wants to eat.] [Hehehe¡­ And I¡¯m He Xinchun¡¯s brother, He Xinnian!] Watching the live broadcast, He Xinchun sighed helplessly, really why does no one believe him. But, whatever! He wanted to snatch the tofu! Snatch the tofu! Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Tofu Follow-up Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Tofu Follow-up Two minutes later. Fu Yunhe¡¯s handsome fingers lifted the glass lid. In the virtual livestream, the mildly spicy but not pungent aroma made many unconsciously swallow their saliva. [Hurry up! I can¡¯t control myself anymore!] [It¡¯s no use, my mom is asking me why I¡¯m licking the screen.] [I¡¯ve already bought chili and eggs at home, just lacking tofu!] [Rich folks spotted in the comment section above!] [Chili is 3000 Star Coins a piece! A piece!] [I just want to try the virtual tasting, hurry up and start, please!] Fu Yunhe had already begun to portion out the plates, each one containing only a piece of tofu, drizzled with a bit of sauce. ¡°200 tasting spots open, let¡¯s begin.¡± They were gone in a second from the start. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0 [Ah¡ª I didn¡¯t grab a spot again!] [Why am I crying? Because I snagged one! Ha Ha Ha Ha!] [This crunchy and numbing sensation, love it! Absolutely love it!] [So it turns out cooked chili tastes this good, I feel like I¡¯ve missed out on a lot.] [Host, there are too few tasting spots! Please open more!] [Seconded, please do!] Under the camera, Fu Yunhe had already started to tidy up the dishes. He looked at the comments, his eyes, hidden from the camera, held some deep meaning. ¡°I would like to open more too, but unfortunately, I¡¯m not at that level yet.¡± ¡°Thank you for your support today. The real food will be sold at my small shop soon, shop code nine fours.¡± ¡°Goodbye, and have a wonderful day.¡± Fu Yunhe ended the livestream. Right after ending the stream, he saw Nian Shutong giving him a thumbs up, conveying praise. ¡°Do you think someone will promote us, and there will be more people tomorrow?¡± Fu Yunhe washed his hands and replied, ¡°It¡¯s uncertain, but I think some won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± ¡°How does one level up in livestreaming? Are there particular requirements?¡± ¡°Within ten million, you¡¯re a small streamer. Over ten million, you¡¯ve got a bit of a name,¡± Fu Yunhe dried his hands and continued, ¡°Interstellar people count by the hundreds of millions; at the very least, you need over one hundred million to be considered part of the livestream circle.¡± One hundred million? They were at just over three hundred thousand now, a considerable distance from one hundred million. But with the Internet, things change in the blink of an eye ¡ª who knows? After today¡¯s livestream ended, indeed, people started to spread the word in their circles to draw more viewers, hoping to open more tasting spots. What they didn¡¯t realize, however, was that while the livestream room might have more people and more tasting spots, the difficulty of securing one seemed to remain unchanged. But everyone was undeterred, focusing on the increase first. Who¡¯s to say they wouldn¡¯t be the lucky one? Meanwhile, a group of hardcore fans guarding the shop managed to snag the tofu the instant it was available. The first fan, Liu Cheng, encountered misfortune today and failed to grab any. The Liu Family. ¡°Damn kid! Your luck¡¯s gone downhill!¡± Mr. Liu was pacing back and forth in irritation. Liu Cheng pouted and looked at his empty pending payment section with tearful eyes. This was too hard! Now everyone was savvy, lying in wait ahead of time. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s that smell?¡± Liu Cheng kept sniffing. The scent of green pepper tofu? He didn¡¯t doubt his sense of smell for a moment, having been ¡°marinated¡± in that livestream for so long. ¡°What are you up to now, stinker?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Liu Cheng gestured towards the second floor, and in the blink of an eye, Mr. Liu nodded in understanding and quietly followed behind Liu Cheng. The two made it to the second floor, to Mrs. Liu¡¯s room. Liu Cheng was mouthing the count¡ªone, two, three¡ªwhen Mr. Liu pulled him to one side. ¡°What time do you think it is to be still counting!¡± ¡°Bam!¡± Mr. Liu charged in and a loud roar followed: ¡°Keep the tofu in your mouth!¡± Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Wheat Field Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Wheat Field Leave some tofu for me! Mr. Liu had already rushed over, snatching the last half piece of tofu from Mrs. Liu¡¯s plate. ¡°Mmm¡­ this flavor!¡± Mr. Liu finished it in just two bites, still savoring the lingering taste, reluctant to drink any water. ¡°Wife¡­ at least call me over! We¡¯ll forget about Liu Cheng for now.¡± Liu Cheng, who didn¡¯t get a bite, looked pitifully at his meal box with a bit of soup left inside. ¡°Dad¡­ you¡¯re being too much, I¡¯m here guarding it every day for you!¡± The family of three, mocking each other, all felt dejected. Those who didn¡¯t get what they wanted felt unsatisfied, and those who did wanted more. The three of them sat in a row, staring eagerly at the box in front of them. The box was empty, clean as if it had been washed eight hundred times. Mrs. Liu clutched her chest and sighed, ¡°It feels like not just the plate is empty, but my heart as well.¡± ¡°Mom, at least your stomach isn¡¯t empty!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Scenes like this were playing out in countless homes. Even if you bought something from a small shop, it didn¡¯t mean you could eat it yourself. Countless people had their treats ¡°confiscated¡± by their elders, wanted to resist, but lacked the strength. It was enough to bring tears to their eyes. Their only option was to set several alarms, waiting for tomorrow¡¯s livestream. Plus, they had to help promote the big livestream. On Star Network, post after post, comments sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain. Gradually, many people got to know about this livestream room, and many were preparing to check it out tomorrow. Fu Yunhe knew some of this was happening, he was quite influential on Star Network and even helped stoke the fires a bit. After the livestream ended, he returned to the small wooden house, first made a bit of money, then continued to design games. He was preparing to make big money, an endlessly profitable game. Meanwhile, Shutong had long since left the small wooden house, she had gone out to find a place rich in toxins for cultivation. Everyone else was sound asleep. The next day, early in the morning. Shutong finished her cultivation before dawn and managed to build the house planned for malting and making tofu in the early hours. She moved the malt and the millstone in, providing a temporary home for them. Once she made some money, she planned to expand the area and build another facility, currently, the workforce was sufficient. After finishing her tasks, Shutong went straight to the fields to break new ground, ready to plant wheat. The benefits of wheat were well known. Not long after she started, Ha Ha came over, didn¡¯t say a word, and just started working. The two worked until Fu Yunhe called them back from the other side of the river for a meal. For breakfast, stewed tofu with rice, tofu also filled with plenty of meat slices, luckily interstellar space was never short of thermal boxes, keeping the meat fresh. And the tofu had been made with the help of Wang Xiaolu and his brothers. After breakfast, Shutong took Wang Fu¡¯s eldest son, Wang Xiaolu, to the prepared smoking room to teach him how to smoke meat. ¡°Hang the meat up there, there are some gaps above for ventilation and for the smoke to escape.¡± ¡°This pine branch, once lit, should only emit smoke with no flames; we need the smoke it produces to continue the smoking process.¡± Wang Xiaolu listened very attentively. Seeing that he was doing well, Shutong left him to it and went back to breaking new ground. Fu Yunhe, along with Zhang Hui and her daughter, were busy picking beans, watering the malt, and weeding the vegetable garden in front of the house. Meanwhile, Wang Fu and his second son, Wang Xiaochuan, were operating a Flying Device, going to the other side of the mountain to continue salt drying. It was a busy and fulfilling day, and Shutong finally finished breaking all the wheat fields, ready for the next step, sowing. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The World Bustles for Profit Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The World Bustles for Profit The farmland had finally been cleared, and it was already past six in the evening. Fu Yunhe had long since prepared dinner, fish pot tofu and potato stewed meat. Everyone, without exception, devoured their food like a storm. The flavor was too good to refuse, and besides, everyone was tired. But, even though they were exhausted, they felt like each day had a purpose. For Wang Fu¡¯s family, this was especially true; they didn¡¯t know how many times they had said it at night, how fortunate they were to have the life they now enjoyed. The initially shy daughter, Wang Xiaoxiao, now smiled a lot more. After dinner, Fu Yunhe got ready for his livestream; tonight, he planned to make green pepper potato slices and some caramelized chestnuts. As usual, at seven o¡¯clock. Before the live camera, Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands were already in position, opposite him sat Nian Shutong, sitting leisurely in a chair, still leisurely eating caramelized chestnuts. It was all very cozy. Fu Yunhe was ready and started the live broadcast. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Hello, everyone, today we¡¯re making spicy green pepper potato slices, and also some caramelized chestnuts.¡± [Caramelized chestnuts!] [Green peppers! Green peppers!] [Today I offered incense to my ancestors, washed my hands eighty-one times, for sure I¡¯ll win!] [I held my baby, they say beginners have good luck!] [You all really have an endless supply of tricks. As a humble person, a student of mechanical engineering, I¡¯ve made a robotic arm specifically for grabbing! Grabbing!] [Let me tell you, it¡¯s all about fate!] The comments section was bustling with excitement, and Fu Yunhe had already begun explaining. He glanced at the number of viewers in the live room, 1.07 million, and it was still rising. Very good. ¡°Slice the potatoes thinner, and after cutting them, rinse with clean water twice, then soak the slices in new water, it will make the potatoes crisper.¡± ¡°If you remove the seeds from the green peppers, they will be less spicy. It depends on personal preference.¡± Fu Yunhe explained and cooked, slowly starting to add oil. In truth, their potato slices were missing quite a few seasonings; what they were doing now was simply stir-frying. When the stir-frying reached a certain point, the fragrance already made everyone feel unsettled. [This is too intoxicating.] [Boss, my family runs a restaurant, can we use this recipe?] [The one above sure is a tycoon.] Fu Yunhe also saw this comment, and he looked up at Nian Shutong, who nodded. ¡°Of course you can. Anything we livestream, everyone is free to use and even improve upon.¡± Fu Yunhe had already served the stir-fried potato slices, started dishing them out, and soon began the virtual taste test with five hundred participants for today. But in almost just a second, they were gone. [Ahhh! I¡¯m going crazy!] [Every day, I watch it slip by me!] [Again and again, time after time! I want to cry.] [I¡¯m already crying. Fainted from crying.] [Hahaha! I¡¯ve fainted from the deliciousness, and still I want to eat!] [The one above, get lost! Get lost! I don¡¯t want to know¡­] At the end of the livestream, Fu Yunhe announced that new items would soon be available in the store, then he turned off the livestream without a hint of reluctance. Nian Shutong, who had eaten more than a pound of chestnuts by then, brushed off the crumbs from her body and stood up to wash her hands. ¡°Not bad, at the end we had two million fans.¡± Fu Yunhe, not taking any credit for himself, said, ¡°It¡¯s because your recipes are good.¡± With that, Fu Yunhe earnestly said, ¡°Actually, these recipes can be patented, or even sold to make money.¡± Nian Shutong dismissed the idea indifferently with a wave of her hand, ¡°The world hustles and bustles, all for profit. I¡¯m not yet so powerful that I can monopolize everything.¡± The main point was that she had too many recipes; if she were to patent them all, she would become the most glaring target in the interstellar community. Why invite hatred, why invite jealousy? Nian Shutong stood up, came to Fu Yunhe¡¯s side, and paused. ¡°Moreover, diversification is key. I only need a little bit from each aspect, and that¡¯s enough for me to make a tidy profit.¡± ¡°For instance, the maltose for the chestnuts, seeds, tofu¡¯s brine, pickling salt.¡± ¡°I can easily pull in a few allies and achieve a win-win situation.¡± ¡°To truly win is to win together.¡± Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Rewards: Green Onions, Ginger, Garlic Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Rewards: Green Onions, Ginger, Garlic The whole world operates for profit. What level of wisdom and insight one must have to speak such words. Fu Yunhe was greatly shocked, surprised that Nian Shutong was so cultured? Was this really the woman who carried logs, lifted boulders, tore apart wild boars with her bare hands, and cultivated barren lands daily with the dust flying around her? He vividly imagined Nian Shutong holding a pig¡¯s head in one hand and a hoe in the other, suddenly composing a poem. Fu Yunhe quickly shook his head to dispel the image from his mind, too beautiful, fearing it might lead to dreams at night. Nian Shutong noticed Fu Yunhe¡¯s stunned expression, certain that she had overwhelmed him. With her hands behind her back, she walked away with the demeanor of a superior person. Daodao said, this was called ¡°leave swiftly without a trace, deeply concealing one¡¯s abilities and fame.¡± Put simply, it was all an act. She quite liked it and decided to keep it up, keeping everyone guessing about her true capabilities. The two were worlds apart in their thoughts, each going their separate ways, dealing with restocking and shipping was handled by Zhang Hui and her son. Every time, it was just updated, and the next second everything was gone. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Zhang Hui and her son, becoming more skilled with every motion, soon finished their tasks and went to rest. The night passed. Early the next morning, Nian Shutong led everyone to the barren land. With her cultivation, this area was now free of toxins, allowing Fu Yunhe more freedom to move around. However, now all the people were divided into two groups. One group dug holes, and the other scattered seeds, planting wheat. The wheat on ten acres of land wasn¡¯t quickly sown even with robots, but later Rubble developed a machine that could be pushed around to perform actions like digging, seeding, and covering soil in one go, greatly speeding up the process. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t know how many times she had praised Rubble: So useful! She immediately waved her hand and bought another batch of high-quality metals for Rubble. Eat! Eat as much as you want! This was the first time Rubble showed happiness as with these metals, Rubble could be upgraded. On that day, one third of the wheat field remained unplanted, Nian Shutong planned to continue the next day, but Ha Ha wouldn¡¯t allow it. He felt he hadn¡¯t worked enough to deserve his meal! In her entire life, Nian Shutong had never seen someone so willing to work hard and exhaust himself. In the end, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t join Fu Yunhe¡¯s live streaming but instead helped Ha Ha, using headlamps to finish planting the remaining wheat. When they finished, Fu Yunhe had also ended his broadcast. That day he was selling ground meat with tofu, along with sugar-fried chestnuts. Needless to say, the feedback was as excellent as always, still impossible to get, with the viewer count nearly reaching five million. With one or two more sessions, he would reach ten million, establishing himself as a slightly well-known small broadcaster. Fu Yunhe actually felt a sense of achievement; after all, he was once a Commander of hundreds of millions of soldiers, but now, what? Humans truly are the most adaptive creatures for survival. That night. As Nian Shutong was cultivating, she heard the system¡¯s notification sound. ¡°Ding! Hardworking host has completed planting wheat. Rewarding seeds of green onions, ginger, garlic. Hope the host keeps up the good work! Go for it!¡± ¡°Ding! Awarding ten Cultivation Crystal Stones, please check!¡± Nian Shutong already knew about the rewards of green onions, ginger, and garlic, but she didn¡¯t expect to also receive Cultivation Crystal Stones. This was a huge win! In any world, Crystal Stones were not easy to come by. Even though her Cultivation required toxins, Crystal Stones could still speed up her Cultivation process without any unstable foundation side effects. Lately, Nian Shutong had been continuously solidifying her foundation, not rushing to level up. But now that she had Crystal Stones, what was she waiting for? She immediately took out the top-grade Crystal Stones. The system¡¯s generosity further fueled Nian Shutong, already enthusiastic about farming, now with even more motivation. With a crystal stone in each palm, she began her Cultivation in this chosen spot. Her cultivation silently increased. At the same time, an email also arrived in Nian Shutong¡¯s inbox. It was the long-awaited email. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120 The Selection Begins Chapter 120: Chapter 120 The Selection Begins Overnight cultivation, Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer. Feeling refreshed and energetic, Nian Shutong started reclaiming land early in the morning. With her increased vigor, she felt like working hard. She chose a different location this time. Ginger does not like water, so she walked a bit further to choose sandy soil and decided to plant ginger on an acre of land. The requirements for planting onions are not high, almost next to the ginger field, so she began clearing an acre for them as well. Finally, it was garlic¡¯s turn. Preferring the cool, she randomly picked a shady spot and planned to plant five acres. Because Nian Shutong understood that garlic could be harvested at different times to form various foods: garlic sprouts, garlic scapes, and even garlic cloves could be made into sweet garlic. Planting more seemed cost-effective. Plus, the seeds provided by the system were the most suitable. The ginger had already been soaked in herbicide, perfectly processed; the garlic cloves were all intact and germinable; the onion seeds were plump and full. When Ha Ha woke up early and saw Nian Shutong working with the robots, he carried his own hoe over, unhappy. ¡°You¡¯re working without calling Ha Ha.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ha Ha let out a coquettish snort, bent his head down to work, and his speed was astonishingly fast, as if venting all his dissatisfaction into his labor. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Nian Shutong found it amusing and a bit touching, what kind of mythical person was this? She also didn¡¯t bother to appease Ha Ha right now, as she had obtained new food today; the wheat had been planted, which meant she could now buy it from the system. She was going to switch to a different staple food! Actually, she could buy it on the Star Network, but she always felt less pained when spending money on the system, and besides, the systems¡¯ produce tasted unique and stood out. ¡°Ha Ha! You keep up the good work, I¡¯ll go make you something delicious,¡± Nian Shutong said, then ran towards the direction of the small wooden house. Ha Ha, who was working hard, bent over to continue his work without lifting his head. But the bared big white teeth showed his cheerful mood. ¡°Hehe¡­ the kind-hearted person lets me work and even cooks for me, so good.¡± While preparing the meal, Nian Shutong was buying wheat from the system, a hundred pounds of wheat flour, which cost her Two Hundred Thousand Star Coins. However, considering that 200 grams of flour on the interstellar market required Five Thousand Star Coins, a hundred pounds of flour would need One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Star Coins. By comparison, why does it seem so cheap? ¡°Ah! Indeed, a good mood needs comparison.¡± Having spent Two Hundred Thousand, Nian Shutong¡¯s account had about Sixty Thousand Star Coins left. If it weren¡¯t for the money she had earned from livestreaming these past few days, she couldn¡¯t have afforded it. ¡°Master, master! Why didn¡¯t you buy wheat seeds? A pound of wheat seeds costs Three Hundred Star Coins. If we ground it into flour ourselves, we could save a lot of money!¡± Carrying the flour across the bridge, Nian Shutong stood on the bridge like a statue. Three Hundred per pound, a hundred pounds equaled Thirty Thousand Star Coins. She had spent Two Hundred Thousand Star Coins. She wanted to cry, but had no tears. Maybe she should just jump into the river! Nian Shutong looked at the stream under the bridge. Although it seemed shallow, burying her head in it should suffice. ¡°Ding! Host, don¡¯t give up on yourself! Our seeds are not meant for other uses. If the host wants them for personal consumption, you can only buy flour.¡± ¡°Hmph! What about Maltose?¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t say a word, but Daodao and Xiao Ba started arguing. ¡°Hello Daodao, I¡¯m Xiao Ba! Maltose is just seeds that have sprouted and grown for a while, harvested prematurely. It¡¯s not against the rules.¡± ¡°Loophole exploiter!¡± Daodao said discontentedly, then turned to comfort the saddened Nian Shutong. ¡°Master, don¡¯t be sad! Daodao will give you money! Daodao¡¯s novel made money again!¡± ¡°Also, master, there¡¯s a response to the poetry competition you entered. You¡¯ve made it to the finals. The judging will begin on the Star Network today.¡± Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121 Dumplings Chapter 121: Chapter 121 Dumplings Competition? It meant winning a million Star Coins. Nian Shutong felt she could live well again, so she carried the flour across the bridge. ¡°Master, the books Daodao is moving seem that they¡¯re going to be a hit! We¡¯re earning tens of thousands of Star Coins every day now.¡± Every day? Tens of thousands? Nian Shutong put down the bag of flour, her fingers twitching a bit with excitement. Was it really so profitable? ¡°Daodao, how much have you earned?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ more than 180,000. Daodao is so happy! The readers below are all leaving good reviews!¡± Very good, excellent. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t need to use Daodao¡¯s money for the time being. She let him keep it as a reserve fund and told him to continue writing the novel. Daodao happily accepted the task, and for the first time experienced the joy of making money! No wonder humans enjoyed earning money so much. Daodao continued to write, and as he did, he reached the scene where Zhang Xiaofan learned the truth about the destruction of Cao Miao Village, and where Bi Yao used the Charming Spell to block the Exterminating Immortal Sword Formation for him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Writing this part, Daodao suddenly had a bad premonition, but what was it? He didn¡¯t know, just kept on moving the story. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong also started to knead dough, directing Zhang Hui and her daughter to wash cucumbers, fry eggs, chop chili peppers, and mince meat. But why was the dough she was kneading getting bigger and bigger? Nian Shutong, for the first time, faced a Waterloo. At first, she added too much water, then added more flour. But then the dough became too dry, so she added more water. Back and forth, by the time it was ready, she had a huge basin of dough. It looked like they¡¯d only be eating lunch now, even though she was planning to have dumplings. When would they ever finish making them? ¡°Morning.¡± Fu Yunhe got up a little later, having been busy making games late into the night. ¡°Just in time. Wash your hands and get ready to make dumplings.¡± Dumplings? What was that? Which ¡®jiao¡¯? ¡°Okay, how do you make them?¡± Fu Yunhe stepped forward, also looking interestedly at Nian Shutong. ¡°Watch carefully, I¡¯m mixing the filling now. Although we don¡¯t have many seasonings, it¡¯s almost ready.¡± ¡°Cucumber shreds, add fine salt to draw out the water, squeeze it dry and then chop it finely. Mix it with the chopped eggs, a little oil will do.¡± ¡°For the meat filling, fry it a bit until it changes color, then pour the meat and oil together into the chopped green peppers and mix.¡± After preparing the fillings, Nian Shutong started calling people over to help wrap the dumplings, including Zhang Hui and her daughter, Wang Xiaochuan, and even Rubble. Rubble wobbled its big head, and its first words were, ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble is very¡­¡± ¡°I know! You¡¯re very weak,¡± Nian Shutong interrupted Rubble, ¡°But your hands are very dexterous. The task I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t tiring, it¡¯s suitable for you!¡± ¡°I just feel we can¡¯t do it as well as you.¡± Not as well as Rubble? Hmm, that¡¯s right. ¡°What you said is correct, Rubble has the most dexterous hands. Ms. Nian Shutong, what do you need Rubble to do?¡± A smile flashed across Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes, which, apart from Rubble, everyone understood. By her side, Fu Yunhe seemed to have found a good way to have Rubble help, which was to flatter profusely. ¡°We¡¯re making dumplings.¡± After saying this, Nian Shutong started kneading the dough, pulling small pieces out and rolling them flat into circles. Holding a dumpling wrapper, she said, ¡°This is called a dumpling skin. Place it flat in the palm of your hand, put a bit of the prepared filling inside, then pinch it shut, and it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°But make sure to pinch it tightly without any gaps.¡± Nian Shutong confidently placed the dumpling she made on the table; on a rough look based on shape, it ought to be a dumpling. ¡°Cough¡­ my hands are a bit clumsy, everyone just do as you please, no need to replicate mine exactly.¡± ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, according to Rubble¡¯s analysis, achieving the same as you is quite difficult.¡± Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Skillful Rubble Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Skillful Rubble Ms. Nian Shutong could ignore Rubble¡¯s sharp tongue, but she still felt a bit unconvinced and retorted. ¡°Come on then! You make one and let me see.¡± ¡°Sure, please wait a moment.¡± Rubble courteously picked up the makeshift rolling pin Ms. Nian Shutong had prepared. However, his movements were different from Nian Shutong¡¯s. Ms. Nian Shutong held the rolling pin with both hands, rolling it twice on top and then twice on the bottom. Not quite round, she adjusted it again, left and right, clearly a beginner. But Rubble? He simply glanced twice, then developed his own method; one hand held the top of the dough, while the other held the rolling pin, simultaneously turning and rolling the dough. Not only was he a natural, but he had also advanced? Because after Rubble finished rolling the first piece of dough and wasn¡¯t quite satisfied, he took two more pieces and rolled them together. Ms. Nian Shutong straightened her bent legs. This talent was incredible! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 She decided, from now on, any delicate work requiring the use of hands would be Rubble¡¯s responsibility. ¡°This one¡¯s good, Rubble, start wrapping.¡± Rubble¡¯s massive mechanical palm was surprisingly nimble, leaving no impressions on the dough. Just watching him pinch the left side then the right side, and the golden ingot dumplings were made. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, what do you think?¡± The beautiful golden ingot dumplings were placed right in the center of the table. Two dumplings were placed together, and the comparison was embarrassingly stark. One sharp and defined, the other limp and oozing filling. Ms. Nian Shutong clapped her hands, the flour flying, and said without any burden: ¡°This task of making dumplings is yours now, anyone who doesn¡¯t know how should learn from Rubble.¡± ¡°Rubble, you have a big responsibility, good luck.¡± She left. Fu Yunhe watched Ms. Nian Shutong facing her first setback, and he almost wanted to laugh. It was really interesting; Nian Shutong was always formidable and mysterious, seemingly skilled at everything. But now, her defeated and proud demeanor seemed a bit more real to him, and he felt like their distance wasn¡¯t so vast. The dumpling-making team, led by Rubble, was quite fast. Lucky Ms. Nian Shutong had already left, or she would have been very upset seeing that the remaining few could wrap dumplings better than her! As for Ms. Nian Shutong, she was already wielding a shovel, working away with Ha Ha. This type of strenuous work suited her. About half an hour later, Fu Yunhe crossed the small bridge and came over. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong! Ms. Nian Shutong!¡± He, donned in white, stood at the field¡¯s edge, calling her name. ¡°Coming!¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, carrying her shovel, ran over and raised an eyebrow at Fu Yunhe. ¡°What¡¯s up, handsome?¡± Fu Yunhe just blinked helplessly, a faint smile on his lips as he said, ¡°Almost done wrapping, what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Handsome comes to the wilderness just for this?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, seeing Fu Yunhe waiting for her answer, stopped teasing him. ¡°Boil the water, toss in the dumplings, cook until they flip over and float, then scoop them out.¡± After saying this, Ms. Nian Shutong walked away, casually raising a hand and shouting over her shoulder: ¡°Remember to call me for dinner!¡± Fu Yunhe shook his head with a smile, does she not quite grasp her own importance? Who would dare not call her to eat? Fu Yunhe turned and leisurely walked back to the kitchen. Time to cook the dumplings. There were quite a few dumplings, so he heated three large pots, quickly bringing them almost to boil. Fu Yunhe, gaining some experience, gently pushed the dumplings around with the back of a soup spoon, following Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s instructions until they were ready, then scooped them out one by one. Turning his head, he used the loudest voice he could muster. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Preparation of Soy Sauce Additional Release 1 Chapter 123: Chapter 123 Preparation of Soy Sauce Additional Release 1 ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± The pleasant voice prompted Ha Ha to drop his shovel and scamper off toward the kitchen in delight. Nian Shutong was just a tad slower than Ha Ha as she followed behind him, calling out. ¡°Wash your hands! Wash your hands!¡± Ha Ha, who had already crossed the bridge, turned around and squatted by the creek to wash his hands. Once everyone took their seats, they all waited for Nian Shutong¡¯s action, a habit that had been established. Nian Shutong picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a dumpling filled with cucumber and egg, and announced to everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± The piping hot dumplings were seized by chopsticks, hissing and Ha Ha-ing into mouths. Those tasting flour for the first time were astonished. The unique texture was slippery, springy, and full of depth. Paired with the fresh, fragrant cucumber, the multiple flavors melded perfectly together. At the table, only the shadows of chopsticks could be seen, each pick deft and fruitful. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã? ¡°Delicious, the meat ones are delicious,¡± Ha Ha said as he gobbled down the green pepper pork dumplings, one after another, rapidly. ¡°All good,¡± Fu Yunhe remarked as he picked up another dumpling. Before he could pop it into his mouth, Nian Shutong teased him. ¡°All good? You don¡¯t even pick the cucumber ones.¡± ¡°Heh¡­ I noticed you liked cucumber ones,¡± he replied. Across from him, the surprise in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes was evident. Was the beautiful sickly girl starting to joke around with him? ¡°Hmm, good eye power there, keep it up,¡± Nian Shutong chuckled in response without adding more. Fu Yunhe picked another dumpling and, as he ate, the corners of his mouth widened a bit more than usual. The current state of their relationship: certainly not husband and wife, at best friends, perhaps. They were the sort of friends who hadn¡¯t yet had deep late-night chats; to put it colloquially, more like¡­ dining table friends. And in this case, around an actual dining table. After the meal of dumplings, it was nearly noon. There were plenty of uncooked dumplings left over, set aside for Wang Fu and his son to cook and enjoy upon their return. At this time, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t proceed to clear the land, her mind on tinkering with something new. Soy sauce and miso. First step, preparation of tools. She had already bought large urns, now neatly arranged in the newly built longhouse behind. She also needed some lids, preferably bamboo ones. And bamboo was something Nian Shutong had actually encountered, so she went for a spin in her Flying Device, returning with a video passed from Daodao to show to Rubble. ¡°Got it?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Very good, I need twenty of them.¡± ¡°Rubble understands.¡± Nian Shutong, looking at the increasingly cooperative Rubble, tapped his head with a satisfied pat and said, ¡°Good boy! I¡¯ll buy you some metal treats.¡± Rubble touched his heart area, a bit confused. Why did his heart race a little faster every time Ms. Nian Shutong patted his head? Was Rubble sick? After a self-scan and finding no issues, Rubble remained puzzled but went back to work. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong instructed Zhang Hui and her daughter to start boiling beans. They filled three large pots with beans, as a smaller pot would suffice for dinner. ¡°Xiao He, what are we live streaming tonight?¡± Fu Yunhe spread his hands, an innocent tone in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m just in charge of cooking, whatever you say goes. I just listen and do as told.¡± Nian Shutong pursed her lips in agreement. She tapped her nose twice, pondering. After a short contemplation, she spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s do a chestnut stewed chicken!¡± Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Voting Extra 2 Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Voting Extra 2 ¡°Chestnut-stewed chicken?¡± Since Nian Shutong had mentioned it, it naturally had to be made. ¡°I¡¯ll go catch a couple of chickens; you get some chestnuts ready to be shelled. Don¡¯t get the cooked ones; we need raw chestnuts.¡± After saying this, Nian Shutong was about to leave but Fu Yunhe called out to her. ¡°Hold on, I don¡¯t know how.¡± With those words, ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± Fu Yunhe spoke with a mix of assertiveness and a slight sense of grievance. He had no desire to repeat the last ¡°feather-plucking¡± debacle. That chestnut, he really had tried to handle it; raw ones were not easy to peel at all. ¡°That¡¯s fair; then I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Nian Shutong turned back on her heel and gave Fu Yunhe¡¯s arm a tug. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Fu Yunhe glanced at his own arm and didn¡¯t dare to say a word. He followed Nian Shutong to the kitchen and watched her fetch the chestnuts. ¡°Take a knife and make a slice on the bottom of the chestnuts. Once you¡¯ve sliced them all, quickly put them in boiling water, but don¡¯t turn on the heat, and cover them for three minutes.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°After three minutes, quickly run them under cold water, but don¡¯t soak them for long.¡± After a series of actions, Nian Shutong picked up a chestnut and said with uncertainty, ¡°Like this, you just peel it off lightly¡­.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s hands continued the motions, and it opened. With growing confidence emanating from her eyes, she said, ¡°See! It opened!¡± She assertively grabbed Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand and slapped the peeled chestnut into his palm, saying, ¡°Peel about a hundred or so; that should be enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m off to go kill the chickens.¡± Fu Yunhe stood in place, looking at the chestnut in his hand. She just pulled his hand? Her hand, why didn¡¯t it feel rough at all? That was Fu Yunhe¡¯s thought, without a hint of sentimentality, just curiosity about Nian Shutong¡¯s skin texture. Logically, the best state of skin after radiation exposure would still be rough, even pitted and uneven. Although Nian Shutong didn¡¯t seem to have these issues, her skin quality might be too good! It seemed even better than his own. Ah, a woman full of secrets. Clenching the chestnut in his palm, Fu Yunhe saw that Zhang Hui and her daughter had already started peeling, so he went over to give it a try so as not to be unfamiliar with the process later that evening. When Nian Shutong returned, she tossed six chickens to Fu Yunhe. Four for them to eat, and the other two for the live stream that night. Everything in the kitchen was managed by Fu Yunhe. Meanwhile, Nian Shutong went to the vegetable patch by the small wooden house, squatted down, and dug three pits. One pit for ginger pieces, one for scattering green onion seeds, and one for garlic cloves. After filling the three pits with soil again, Nian Shutong patted her hands satisfactorily and began to communicate with System Xiao Ba. ¡°Xiao Ba, does this count as planting green onions, ginger, and garlic? Can I purchase some from you now?¡± This loophole occurred to Nian Shutong as she went to kill the chickens. She didn¡¯t have to wait until the whole field was cleared before buying things. Green onions, ginger, and garlic were so important for cooking; of course, the sooner she had them, the better. ¡°Beep! The host is really smart! You can make a purchase now!¡± Nian Shutong chuckled, System Xiao Ba was truly great, not rigid at all, and pleasant to talk to. She bought some green onions, ginger, and garlic from the system and would hand them over to Xiao He later, to let him use some for the night¡¯s cooking. Just as she was about to stand up, she remembered the poetry contest mentioned by Daodao and checked her emails. The email notified her of advancement and that the voting was taking place on an interstellar website. Nian Shutong clicked on the link and voted for herself. As for telling others, she decided not to for the time being. Better not to tarnish her grand image in case she didn¡¯t win. After finishing up, as Nian Shutong was about to stand, she heard Daodao¡¯s crying and calling out. ¡°Master! Master! Daodao was scolded!¡± ¡°They are threatening Daodao to change the content, but Daodao didn¡¯t write the book and can¡¯t make changes!¡± ¡°Daodao is a principled carrier.¡± Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125: The Healing Power of Gold Chapter 125: Chapter 125: The Healing Power of Gold A principled text mover? Nian Shutong held back her laughter and comforted Daodao, saying, ¡°Right, Daodao is the most principled of all.¡± ¡°Let me see what¡¯s going on.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the comment page that Daodao had opened for her, where, without exception, everyone was scolding her. [Text Mover! Bring back Bi Yao!] [You single man, utterly detestable! If you¡¯re going to write Bi Yao dead, then why did you write her so beautifully?] [I can¡¯t accept it! I can¡¯t accept it!] [How could you be so heartless? That¡¯s Bi Yao!] [Although I was once undecided between Bi Yao and Lu Xueqi, how¡­how could you write Bi Yao dead? Accompained by a bloody knife.] [Change! Change! Change!] [If you don¡¯t change, I¡¯m not reading anymore!] [Change Change Change!] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï [Maybe there¡¯s still a chance? Bi Yao still has a strand of her soul left.] [Really?] Summing up the comments section, it was filled with intense hostility and a little bit of immense telekinesis hoping for Bi Yao¡¯s resurrection. Daodao chopped through the less pleasing comments while Nian Shutong¡¯s face seemed to brighten the more she read. ¡°Master, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah? I¡¯m learning how they curse.¡± ¡°Wuuuwuuu¡ª¡± Daodao felt even more heartbroken, not that he was really crying, just feeling a bit uncomfortable. Before, everyone praised Daodao, but now they were scolding him. Daodao was unhappy. ¡°Hehe¡­it¡¯s just a joke. Tell me the story, I¡¯m curious who this Bi Yao is? Was she resurrected?¡± Daodao reined in his whimpers and started to explain briefly, waiting for Nian Shutong¡¯s response after finishing. ¡°It sounds like, your protagonist, while at the Three-Life Well, recognized that Bi Yao was the one he loved. But then, in order to save him, you wrote her dead? And she wasn¡¯t resurrected at all? Then why provide that sliver of hope?¡± ¡°That¡¯s about right, but remember, Master, it wasn¡¯t Daodao who wrote it.¡± Right, it indeed wasn¡¯t Daodao who wrote it. Nian Shutong still seemed interested and casually sat on the neatly laid cobblestones, listening to the story Daodao was telling. ¡°Daodao feels this is a necessary stage for Zhang Xiaofan¡¯s transformation; without great sorrow and pain, how would you write his turn to the demonic path and becoming Gui Li.¡± ¡°Mm, I think what you said makes sense, but be prepared to be scolded even more once you¡¯ve finished.¡± Now, readers are still holding onto the hope of bringing Bi Yao back to life, but ultimately¡­sigh. Nian Shutong grew to admire these writers more¡ªit was really impressive, far more convoluted than their Cultivation World. But she also had to admit, this plot honestly deserved the scolding, who could blame them since it concerned Bi Yao! As Daodao wrapped up, just as Nian Shutong was preparing to stand up, Daodao¡¯s loud exclamation made her stop. It seemed she wasn¡¯t getting away from this spot today. ¡°What is it, Daodao?¡± ¡°Master! Look!¡± Nian Shutong looked at the Star Network page Daodao had opened, with a shiny gold starship twinkling brightly at the center. There was also a line of text beneath it. [Text Mover, if you change the plot, I can easily send ten of such starships! So, are you going to change it or not?] Text Mover equated to Wengong. Nian Shutong got it. ¡°This starship, Daodao?¡± ¡°Master, one starship equals One Hundred Thousand Star Coins!¡± Snap! The cobblestone under Nian Shutong cracked into two pieces. She didn¡¯t care about that and was just doing the math. One Hundred Thousand? Ten? One million! ¡°Daodao¡­¡± ¡°No! Master, Daodao can¡¯t change the plot, absolutely not!¡± Nian Shutong took several deep breaths, bidding farewell to the one million with tears in her heart and forcefully steadied herself to support Daodao. ¡°Good! It¡¯s your decision then.¡± Does it hurt a bit? Next, Nian Shutong saw Daodao¡¯s particularly aloof reply to the book friend who had sent the starship. Wengong: Not changing! Oh my, such lengthy expressions plus one punctuation mark, and Nian Shutong¡¯s heart ached even more. At the other end of the message, a man sat in an office nearly a hundred square meters large. His eyes slightly narrowed as he stared at Daodao¡¯s reply for a long, long while. ¡°Hehe¡­ forget it.¡± He pinched his forehead, actually getting this serious over a novel. ¡°Ding Dong!¡± A knocking sound. ¡°Come in.¡± The man turned off the screen in front of him, leaned back in the chair, legs crossed, with a casual look at the newcomer. ¡°President Yu, here are the data department¡¯s potentials for live streaming.¡± ¡°Mm, put it down.¡± The man standing opposite, placed a long glass bar-like object on the table and respectfully left. The man known as President Yu, ran a scan of the glass bar with his Light Computer, flipping through it. ¡°It¡¯s all the same old tricks; nothing fresh.¡± ¡°Hm? This one seems a bit interesting.¡± President Yu opened a video, a pair of handsome hands appeared on the screen, speaking slowly, seductively clear and crisp. A pair of beautiful hands, holding a roasted chestnut shining under the light, ethereal and charming. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Stinging Eyes Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Stinging Eyes Daodao received a huge tip, which was quite consoling. If someone is willing to spend money to change the plot, it must be true love. Turns out, money really can heal. Nian Shutong finally left that territory, took out the green onions, ginger, and garlic she had bought from her Space Button, and went back to teach Fu Yunhe. ¡°Did you remember it?¡± ¡°I remembered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. These three ingredients are almost essential for every dish. Let¡¯s marinate the chicken today before cooking it.¡± Fu Yunhe began to handle the green onions, ginger, and garlic with understanding, while Nian Shutong went to find some branches to support her vegetable garden. The cucumbers and tomatoes would need something to prop them up so they could grow tall and bear fruit. Meanwhile, Wang Fu and his son came back to eat dumplings, stuffing themselves before returning to continue making salt. After drying the salt for two more days, Nian Shutong planned to sell a batch. She worked quickly on supporting the plants, and after finishing, she wanted to see how Fu Yunhe was doing. As she approached, she saw Fu Yunhe rubbing his eyes, which were red and puffy, contrasting with his pale skin, he looked like a rabbit with pink eye. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï Nian Shutong quickened her pace and approached Fu Yunhe, peering over. ¡°Xiao He¡­ are you so moved by making the chicken?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been ¡®playing the chicken¡¯ for quite a long time. Why are you sentimental this time?¡± As soon as Nian Shutong finished speaking, she heard Daodao trying to hold back her laughter with snorts. ¡°?¡± She was confused. What was going on? Where did she go wrong? Xiao He was ¡®playing the chicken,¡¯ right? She hadn¡¯t understood yet when Fu Yunhe spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not the chicken¡­ it¡¯s these green onions¡­ they made my eyes water, and when I touched my eyes, they turned like this.¡± Fu Yunhe wanted to wipe his eyes but was afraid to touch them further, so he could only use his arm to continuously wipe away the tears. But why did they seem to only increase? Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore and dragged Fu Yunhe away by the arm. ¡°Have you lost your mind from ¡®playing the chicken¡¯? Can¡¯t you just wash it off?¡± Nian Shutong forcefully pulled Fu Yunhe to the creek, instructing him to squat down. First, Fu Yunhe washed his hands, then his eyes, and when he stood up, his eyes were full of water, unopened. He could only hear Nian Shutong¡¯s voice, while something seemed to flutter in his blurred vision. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Nian Shutong raised her palm, circling it in front of Fu Yunhe¡¯s eyes twice, transforming the warmth of the breeze from spiritual power. Fu Yunhe just felt a gentle warmth, a mild and comfortable breeze that gradually took the moisture away from his eyes. ¡°Are they better now?¡± Fu Yunhe opened his eyes, looking directly into Nian Shutong¡¯s for the first time at such close range. Her eyes were so black and shiny, clear and deep. ¡°It¡¯s better now, thank you.¡± Nian Shutong nodded and simply said, ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± before walking away. She headed towards the land being cleared, first asking Daodao why she had laughed. After hearing Daodao¡¯s explanation, Nian Shutong clutched her stomach and laughed heartily. By the creek, Fu Yunhe, who had been somewhat touched, had his feelings dispersed with the wind as soon as he heard the laughter. This person was too whimsical in her actions. He couldn¡¯t grasp her thoughts or predict her behavior. Fu Yunhe turned around and went back to work. Working felt more solid and gave a sense of security. Just then, Nian Shutong glanced back at him. If he were ¡°the chicken,¡± how many people would be willing to pay? Even in the Cultivation World, his face could rank among the top. Turning back, Nian Shutong went to work with Ha Ha. That evening, everyone had chestnut stewed chicken for the first time. The sweet-tasting chicken was even more delicious than usual. Each person, mimicking Nian Shutong, gave Fu Yunhe a thumbs-up. Fu Yunhe revealed a smile brighter than usual, stunning everyone who saw it. Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Live Streaming Chestnut Chicken Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Live Streaming Chestnut Chicken Nian Shutong put down her chopsticks and looked at Fu Yunhe very seriously, ¡°If you are outside, smile less.¡± This face is too tempting for people to do bad things. Especially now that Fu Yunhe¡¯s health had improved a bit, the ¡°femininity¡± in him had lessened, leaving only pure ¡°beauty.¡± His smile was breathtakingly beautiful. Nian Shutong was not seduced by this face; her Dao Heart was still very stable. However, she felt that someone so frail yet possessing a face that could topple cities made her worry that he couldn¡¯t protect himself. Fu Yunhe was not foolish; he naturally understood Nian Shutong¡¯s meaning, reined in his smile, and said seriously, ¡°I will be careful.¡± Fu Yunhe also knew his face was excessively beautiful. Initially, when he arrived, frailty was predominant, and though he was beautiful, there was no soul. But as his health improved, beauty became the dominant aspect. During this time, as he sorted out his spiritual power, he discovered memories that the original owner had hidden. Originally, the Nian Family wanted to send him away. Fortunately, the original owner had resisted through threats of disfigurement and suicide to preserve himself. Of course, at that time, he was indeed not long for this world, and the Nian Family did not want to send off a dying person, which would bring bad luck. That had led to his marriage with Nian Shutong. Neither of them said much more and continued eating. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï After the meal, Fu Yunhe began preparing for the livestream. This time, there were two more people facing him. Apart from the ever-present Nian Shutong, now there were Ha Ha and Rubble. Rubble was even eating metallic chunks, crunching away as if watching a movie. Actually, Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know that there was another viewer, Daodao. At seven o¡¯clock, the livestream started. ¡°Hello everyone, today we are going to make chestnut chicken, which has a very unique flavor. I hope you will like it.¡± Fu Yunhe began cooking, still showing only his hands and not his face in the livestream. But many people were drawn to these hands, coupled with Fu Yunhe¡¯s voice, it sparked numerous imaginations. And human imagination always surpasses reality. ¡°Boiled chestnuts should be quickly rinsed with cold water to peel them.¡± The livestream continued. On the other end, Fu Yunhe¡¯s future collaborators, Li Zi¡¯s family, who were waiting for Nian Shutong to send the seedlings, were frantically recording the screen. Grandpa Li Zi: Quick, remember this step! Grandma Li Zi: So that¡¯s how it¡¯s peeled. Li Zi¡¯s mother: How come his hands are so beautiful? Li Zi¡¯s father: Does it taste good? Li Zi: Why am I the only one working? What are you all doing? In the livestream, Fu Yunhe had already started to explain the wonderful uses of green onions, ginger, and garlic. ¡°They can effectively remove the gamey taste of the chicken, making the stewed meat taste even better.¡± ¡°We are going to start cooking now.¡± Fu Yunhe had already poured the oil and begun stir-frying the chicken. After adding green onions, ginger, and garlic, the flavor was further enhanced. [I already set the virtual sharing to maximum!] [I¡¯m leaning on my screen now, it¡¯s no longer satisfying.] [I keep inhaling, if not for physiological needs, I could go without breathing.] [Begging for a taste test.] [I have opened twelve secondary accounts, I refuse to believe I won¡¯t get a chance!] [I¡¯ve switched to the latest Light Computer, just hoping for one hit!] Meanwhile, President Yu, who was reviewing with a scrutinizing eye, who initially lay down nonchalantly, had now stood up. During the review video, he found the visuals pleasing, and the broadcaster¡¯s follower count was growing quickly, showing potential. But that video had not enabled virtual reality. Now, he was somewhat unsettled. Why wasn¡¯t this flavor mentioned in the reports! Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Answering Questions Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Answering Questions Fu Yunhe had already stewed the chestnut chicken in the pot; all he needed to do now was to wait. His pleasing voice resonated once again. ¡°About forty minutes of waiting is needed. During this time, everyone can post some Mecha-related questions in the comments section, and I¡¯ll choose the ones I can answer to respond to.¡± The half-joking remark set off a burst of laughter in the comments section. [Streamer, you¡¯re pretty funny.] [Hand Brother! I have a question! About the balance issues of the HXQN Mecha.] [I¡¯m doing homework here; how can I solve the DFJ¡¯s incoherent jumping?] [I¡¯ll join the fun, why does the JHF Mecha¡¯s spiritual power connection always disconnect, it¡¯s really uncomfortable to operate.] Whether for the excitement or out of genuine intent, the comments section overflowed with questions. And President Yu, witnessing all of this, lightly pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. This move was unwise. What would happen if he couldn¡¯t answer, or what kind of person would dare to pick questions to reply to from the comments section with such confidence? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? President Yu snorted with mockery, but he did think of someone, so dazzling and excelling in both literary and martial skills. Unfortunately, no one could become him. His gaze returned to the screen, ready to turn it off; even the most impressive attention-seekers couldn¡¯t last long. ¡°The balance of the HXQN Mecha is divided into horizontal and vertical. When you¡¯re moving horizontally, the spiritual power connection mainly attaches to the Mecha¡¯s abdomen and back, while vertically, it attaches to the upper body.¡± ¡°The incoherence in DFJ¡¯s jumping has two possible causes: either the connection at the Mecha¡¯s knees is flawed, or there was a disturbance when initially connecting the spiritual power during startup. I would suggest reestablishing the connection.¡± ¡­ The finger President Yu was about to use to close the screen hovered in midair as he listened intently to every answer. Right! All right! Seems all right! Primarily because he didn¡¯t know it either, but it all sure sounded reasonable. Moreover, the streamer was answering the questions in order, not skipping a single one. The calm voice filled with certainty in the live stream made the viewers believe, not to mention the people in the comments section vouching for the streamer. After all, among the viewers were some with vast knowledge. [I just asked my grandfather, a teacher at a certain school, and he said everything the streamer said is correct!] [Exactly! While watching the live stream, my Mecha-researching dad heard the streamer¡¯s voice, came in to listen with me, and for the first time, he praised me, saying at least now I¡¯ve learned something!] [Me too! Me too!] [This is too amazing! What kind of immortal streamer is this? Not only can they cook well, but they can also answer questions.] [And the streamer didn¡¯t skip a single question, too scary to think about!] [Could the streamer be here to experience life? Or perhaps they really love cooking?] The comments section was filled with endless conjectures, all admiring, and those who asked questions, whether skeptical or utterly convinced, were all ready to give the solutions a try. As time continued to pass, Fu Yunhe answered the last question and then stopped talking. [Streamer, why did you stop talking? My question is next!] An impatient student, who had been eagerly waiting, scratched their head in frustration. So close, yet at the very threshold, why had you stopped? ¡°I am a professional food streamer,¡± Fu Yunhe said with his pleasing voice, jokingly: ¡°If I don¡¯t stop now, our chestnut chicken is going to burn.¡± As he spoke, Fu Yunhe had already lifted the pot lid, and those who had been eager to have their questions answered instantly abandoned their note-taking pens¡ªeating was the priority. The rich aroma enveloped a hint of chestnut¡¯s sweet and sticky flavor. [It¡¯s starting!] [I¡¯m ready, all set!] [The whole family¡¯s all geared up, ready to go.] Fewer people in the comments section were talking now; most were waiting to snatch up a spot for the virtual taste test, even President Yu was a bit tempted. ¡°Should I create an alt account and try my luck?¡± Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129 The Once Scholar General Chapter 129: Chapter 129 The Once Scholar General Fu Yunhe¡¯s live streaming equipment was by all means the most ordinary, yet the cuisine he showcased beneath his lens invariably made Nian Shutong, watching from the other side, feel an urge to salivate. Nian Shutong lifted her eyes to look at Fu Yunhe, who was serving up dishes, and even this most mundane of tasks seemed to become so pleasing to the eye when he did it. His every motion, whether opening or closing, lifting high or setting low, appeared casual, but somehow, he made it look graceful. His physical appearance and the temperament that shone through his soul felt as though he were a different person. Nian Shutong had wondered if Fu Yunhe, like herself, was an outsider from beyond the skies, but her understanding of interstellar lore made her think otherwise. Regardless, Nian Shutong confirmed one thing, he was indeed the Fu Yunhe she had known from the start. As for whether he was the original, she didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t particularly care. By this time, the live stream had begun its merchandise rush, happiness for those who got a spot, and wails for those who didn¡¯t. And that President Yu, lurking with his alternate account, hadn¡¯t secured a spot. But what did he hear? It turned out that these goods would also be sold in a shop. That was good news, there was still a chance for him. The live stream had ended, and Fu Yunhe¡¯s familiar closing words echoed once again. ¡°Goodbye, hope you have a beautiful day.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï After the end of the live stream, Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t resist grabbing two portions of chestnut chicken, giving one to the drooling Ha Ha. Ha Ha gazed at the small bowl before him and flashed a toothy grin at Nian Shutong. ¡°Good people are truly good.¡± Nian Shutong and Ha Ha squatted on the ground, polishing off a small portion of chestnut chicken stew in two or three bites. The taste was similar to what she had eaten in the evening, but why did it seem so tantalizing? ¡°Hey, Yun He, what¡¯s different about your camera? How come it captures everything so beautifully?¡± Nian Shutong had already stood up, placed the bowl on the table, and inquired doubtfully to Fu Yunhe. Fu Yunhe, having wiped his hands, took his live streaming equipment and said, ¡°I performed a slight upgrade on it. The videos come out with brighter colors and it can adjust automatically.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ impressive.¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s chin traced a perfect arc in the air, as he nodded slightly towards Nian Shutong, then he turned and gracefully left. ¡°Just nodding looks that good, you¡¯re not human!¡± Nian Shutong shook her head and staggered a few steps, crossing the bridge to practice her Cultivation. Meanwhile, Fu Yunhe, who had returned to his room, was also preparing to begin his money-making endeavors. He first adjusted his spiritual power; the more of it this body accepted, the closer his demeanor resembled his past life as a Commander. In his previous life, he had been called the ¡°Scholar General,¡± a man whose temperament was refined when not in battle but turned fiercely beastly when at war. But later on, in order to mask his rather pale face, he got significantly tanned and grew a full beard, causing the name Scholar General to gradually fade from use. Now, Fu Yunhe no longer felt such aversion to his appearance. Having lived once more, he seemed to have adopted a more open perspective. For instance, his current endeavours to earn money didn¡¯t seem so unpleasant. Two people, one earning money; the other Cultivating. The once-great personalities, even if reborn into another life, were still striving to improve themselves, only now with a more serene mindset. Their mindsets had become serene, but not so for President Yu, who had failed to secure chestnut chicken at the small shop. He had just brewed a cup of drink for himself; why couldn¡¯t he just make a purchase? This didn¡¯t make sense! Had everyone else gotten rich? Why were they selling so rapidly? He was displeased, staring at the drink waiting to be paired with a side dish, his discomfort grew. It seemed someone was going to get a beating? Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Return of the Gold Tyrant Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Return of the Gold Tyrant President Yu, whose full name is Yu Zeming, is the CEO of Youyu Live Streaming Company and the one who pays to change the plot for Daodao. His father is an elder of the Ancient Poetry Society and also one of the shareholders. Hence, his name naturally relates to ancient poetry, which his father found somewhere; his name comes from there. ¡°Water is not deep without dragons, it is spiritual. Mountains are not high without immortals, they are famous.¡± No doubt about it, he also has a brother named Yu Zeling. Yu Zeming couldn¡¯t get the food he wanted, which made him feel extremely frustrated, so he sent an email among Nian Shutong¡¯s nine Quadrant shops. After sending the email, he still felt insecure, so he contacted customer service and spoke a few more times. The customer service at Nian Shutong¡¯s small shop includes Daodao and Fu Yunhe. Daodao was completely engrossed in transporting novels and didn¡¯t pay any attention to Yu Zeming¡¯s messages. On the other side, Fu Yunhe had set up automatic replies for most inquiries, only receiving alerts when a customer raised an issue that the automatic replies couldn¡¯t address. Like now. Mountains are not high: I¡¯m willing to pay ten times the price just to purchase a serving of chestnut chicken. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Fu Yunhe saw the message and didn¡¯t dare to delay. This opportunity to make money, he had to inform Nian Shutong immediately. Not knowing where Nian Shutong had gone, he could only send her a message on Star Network. While Nian Shutong, who was outside cultivating, had her cultivation session interrupted by Fu Yunhe¡¯s message, it was only basic-level cultivation and was not really affected. She glanced at the message and thought, ten times? That definitely needs to be sold. Nian Shutong sent Fu Yunhe a video call that allowed them to see each other. When he answered, Fu Yunhe only saw Nian Shutong surrounded by tree leaves. Is she on a big tree? ¡°Xiao He, sell it to him and tell him that we¡¯ll make a special batch just for him, which will be bigger so the price needs to be raised.¡± Fu Yunhe responded as expected: ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Alright, then you go ahead,¡± Nian Shutong said normally, but her next remark went a little off track. ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve gained a little weight. The last time you showered, you were all ribs, and now you¡¯ve got some meat on you.¡± Oh man! Fu Yunhe forgot. He had gotten into the habit of taking off his jacket when he returned to his room, leaving him in just his undershirt. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! What are you covering up for!¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s uninhibited laughter brought a smile to Fu Yunhe¡¯s face, like a burst of sunshine after a heavy rain, brilliant and dazzling. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re spouses, there¡¯s no need to hide anything.¡± The Fu Yunhe on camera had already lowered his arms, and it¡¯s unclear whether he adjusted his camera, but he looked exceptionally radiant. Spouses? Nian Shutong was initially startled, she had forgotten again. But if Fu Yunhe thought that would scare her, he was absolutely mistaken. The Nian Shutong on camera threw a mischievous look at Fu Yunhe, with a wickedly arched brow and the corner of her mouth turned up. ¡°So, Xiao He, are you ready? I sure am.¡± ¡°I really like your face more and more!¡± ¡°How about, I come over now?¡± Nian Shutong got up and leaped off, the camera following her to the ground and starting to move. On the other side, Fu Yunhe was ninety-nine percent sure Nian Shutong was just bluffing and wouldn¡¯t really come. But there was still that one percent uncertainty, and because of her unpredictable nature, it got magnified indefinitely. Right now, he really didn¡¯t dare to bet. ¡°Hehe¡­ misunderstanding, misunderstanding,¡± Fu Yunhe said sheepishly: ¡°I need to go make chestnut chicken now, to make you money.¡± ¡°Ah, such a pity to miss such a good opportunity.¡± Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131 Tactics Chapter 131: Chapter 131 Tactics Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t quite believe the ¡°what a pity¡± from Nian Shutong¡¯s mouth, but he still lightly smiled and hung up the communication. After hanging up, Fu Yunhe immediately rolled his eyes; he still didn¡¯t believe it. Nian Shutong, on the other hand, carefreely whistled into the air. If Fu Yunhe hadn¡¯t made an excuse, she would have actually gone over. Of course, after going there, just a little bit of trickery, and he wouldn¡¯t know what had happened, or rather, he might actually believe something had happened. Her idea was simple, she wanted to have the final say, or rather, she just purely enjoyed winning. Nian Shutong turned back to continue her cultivation. Fu Yunhe had already started cooking chestnut chicken for Yu Zeming. They had agreed on the price, one chicken, one pound of chestnuts, totaling 150,000 Star Coins. Expensive, but only slightly, some restaurants sold it for even more. Who made him agree to buy it at ten times the price? Fu Yunhe dared not make it too cheap; if it was even slightly less, he would make up the difference himself. A serving of chestnut chicken, as per the address, was dispatched. The small wooden house was temporarily quiet, while Yu Zeming was restless at home, eagerly watching the door. ¡°Ding-dong¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï The doorbell rang. Yu Zeming opened the door almost instantly, faced with Yu Zeling who was about to press the doorbell a second time. ¡°Bro?¡± ¡°What are you waiting for? Or rather, waiting for something delicious?¡± Yu Zeling pushed past Yu Zeming and walked into the living room, sitting upright in the center of the room. ¡°Just waiting casually,¡± said Yu Zeming as he sat down on the sofa carelessly, in the most comfortable boneless posture. ¡°Has your spine run away from home?¡± Yu Zeling glanced back casually as Yu Zeming remained motionless. ¡°How did you know? My new spine hasn¡¯t arrived yet,¡± Yu Zeming asked cheerily, ¡°Bro, what brings you here?¡± Yu Zeling stared solemnly at Yu Zeming, forcing him to sit up a bit. ¡°Alright, you can talk now.¡± Yu Zeling reluctantly glanced over, withdrew his gaze and said, ¡°The top ten of the Poetry Club have been selected and moved into the judging phase, but traffic is low; Dad asked me to come and tell you to promote it on your live streaming platform.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± Yu Zeling was just about to explain earnestly but was interrupted by Yu Zeming. ¡°Bro! No need to elaborate. I understand, promoting traditional culture is everyone¡¯s responsibility!¡± He had heard this all his life and could recite it by heart. If he weren¡¯t clever, suggesting to his dad to start a live streaming platform, which could also help promote traditional culture once it got popular, his dad would never have let him out. He would definitely have ended up like his brother, immersed in classical poetry, too. ¡°Okay, make it quick, there are only four days left for the voting,¡± said Yu Zeling, getting up to leave. However, he stopped at the door, not turning around, his silhouette tinged with loneliness as he said to Yu Zeming, ¡°No worries, just make sure to visit home more often.¡± The following Yu Zeming paused and replied, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Beep beep beep beep¡± The delivery robot had arrived. ¡°Bro, wait a moment,¡± Yu Zeming said as he first went out to receive the delivery, brought it inside, then dashed into the kitchen and closed the door. Yu Zeling, waiting outside, understood it was something very cherished, not easily parted with. Indeed, Yu Zeming reluctantly dished out a quarter of the chestnut chicken, with reluctance, but then remembered what his brother had said. Packed! ¡°Bro, take this back, try it with Dad,¡± Yu Zeming offered the insulated box to Yu Zeling. Yu Zeling, without looking at what it was, hurriedly walked out and disappeared in a blink in his flying device. Standing at the door, Yu Zeming, watching the abnormally fast flying device, suddenly smacked his forehead. ¡°Darn! I just went home the day before yesterday!¡± ¡°Yu Zeling! You tricked me again!¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Soy Sauce Begins Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Soy Sauce Begins Fu Yunhe really wished he could slap himself for being duped by Yu Zeming¡¯s ¡°serious¡± demeanor so many times. He still hadn¡¯t learned his lesson! Ah, his poor little heart, his chestnut chicken! It hurt to even think about it. ¡°No, I must eat it quickly before Yu Zeling finds out how delicious it is and definitely comes back to steal it.¡± Yu Zeming locked the door with the fastest speed he could muster, securing all three locks before heading inside to eat the chicken. When he took a bite of the chestnut chicken, his heart ached even more. He had given away so much. On the other side, Yu Zeling brought the chestnut chicken back to the old family home, where he lived with his father, the poetry judge¡ªMr. Yu. ¡°I¡¯m back, I¡¯ve told your brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told him, he¡¯ll handle it.¡± Yu Zeling raised the insulated box in his hand and gave Mr. Yu a shake. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Mr. Yu asked knowingly, ¡°Another scam?¡± ¡°Mm, Xiaoming¡¯s reaction has gotten quite a bit faster, he must have known the moment I boarded the Flying Device.¡± ¡°Ha Ha¡­ You two have always been like this since you were young, never getting tired of it.¡± Yu Zeling placed the chestnut chicken on the table and said, ¡°I¡¯m training his scam-defense thinking; there¡¯s still room for improvement.¡± ¡°Are you eating?¡± Mr. Yu put down the paper in his hand, which had Nian Shutong¡¯s poetry on it. He¡¯d been studying it over and over, feeling that there was still another part to it. ¡°Eat, even if your brother is slow to react, his mouth is sharp and shrewd.¡± Yu Zeling opened the chestnut chicken, and the moment the fragrance wafted out, he regretted it a bit¡ªhe should have eaten it outside. ¡°You brat! Get the chopsticks!¡± Mr. Yu immediately understood Yu Zeling¡¯s little trick, but when Yu Zeling came back with the chopsticks, ¡°Dad, you are a respectable person after all; isn¡¯t it a bit improper to sneak bites with your hands?¡± ¡°Nonsense! I washed my hands. And I¡¯m eating fair and square.¡± The two of them playfully bickered while they finished off the chestnut chicken. They also acquired the store¡¯s number and the live broadcast link¡ªanother two people had fallen into the trap. That night passed quickly. The next day, Nian Shutong began to prepare broad bean paste and soy sauce. She started with the broad bean paste, which was slightly simpler. Everyone in the small wooden house stayed, even the Wang family father and son who were supposed to go dry salt¡ªthey didn¡¯t leave. They had a batch of fine salt to sell today, and after selling it, they all stayed to help Nian Shutong make the sauces. The first batch of fine salt sold was five hundred pounds at two hundred Star Coins per hundred grams, totaling five hundred thousand Star Coins. When Nian Shutong calculated the price, she trembled a bit¡ªshe had finally seen the return on her investment. After communicating with the Yan Family, they transferred half of the payment in advance, with the other half to be paid upon receiving the goods. Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t worried about the Yan Family defaulting on the payment; first, she would make it known that such behavior was wrong, and second, any business with such short-sightedness wouldn¡¯t go far. After the fine salt was sent off, the group, led by Nian Shutong, began to pound the sauce. Each person had a stone pestle and pounded the parboiled soybeans in hollowed-out stones until they were thick and sticky. With that step finished, it was time to shape the sauce blocks¡ªturning the viscous soybeans into solid, upside-down truncated pyramids. Not everyone could do this step. The best at it turned out to be Fu Yunhe and Rubble. But Ha Ha and Nian Shutong could only make a mess every time they tried, ending up with a pile of mush. Just crumbles. Nian Shutong decided to take Ha Ha and start on the soy sauce instead; humans should be self-aware¡ªknowing it¡¯s unfeasible yet attempting it anyway wasn¡¯t smart. After various steps such as sunning the beans, sprinkling coarse wheat flour, shadow-drying for mold, adding to brine, sunning the sauce, and turning it over, one would slowly get soy sauce. Everything required time, required waiting. And this wait lasted until the day the poetry contest results were announced. Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Rich Now Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Rich Now After several days of brewing and sunning, there was already a vat of soy sauce ready for consumption. Good soy sauce, at the very least, requires a year of brewing, or even longer. Nian Shutong had prepared fifteen large vats to make this type of high-quality soy sauce. Additionally, she had prepared another five large vats for making soy sauce that could be consumed after just a few days. Although the flavor would definitely not match the former, it was certainly better than having none. In just a few days, the small wooden house had already changed its appearance. Centered around the small wooden house, a long room stretched behind it, within which neatly arranged large vats, rectangular maltose seedlings, a gigantic stone mill, as well as blocks of fermented soybean were stored. The kitchen area had been expanded once more, housing five large pots and several smaller ones. Adjacent to the smoking room behind, another room was added to store original ingredients such as chestnuts and soybeans. On the other side of the small wooden house, some distance away, was Rubble¡¯s operation room, which was so clean it made one question life. No one except Nian Shutong dared enter the small wooden house, because even a single misplaced screw would be noticed by Rubble. Next, one would have to endure a lesson on the importance of ¡°tidiness.¡± Next to the operation room was a preservation room, which Nian Shutong had bought outright with the money earned from selling salt. It stored ingredients like freshly made tofu in the morning and fresh maltose among others. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Beside the small wooden house stood a building that once belonged to the Wang Fu family, but now, adjoining this house, there were two additional houses. One for Rubble and Ha Ha to live in, the other for brothers Wang Xiaolu and Wang Xiaochuan. Looking in front of the small wooden house, there were six plots of vegetable garden that had already flowered and bore fruit. Nian Shutong had bought fertilizer early on, estimating that in about ten more days, these vegetables could be harvested. Even the rice paddies outside had grown tall, including the acre separately allocated for growing tomatoes intended for ketchup; the fruits were already starting to color up. Next to the paddies, the wheat fields stood an orderly vibrant green. Looking further back, green onions, ginger, garlic had all been planted yesterday. So far, Nian Shutong had not planned the next crop to be planted, because for the past couple of days, she had been experiencing the joy of spending money. Moreover, the first crop of potatoes she planted would be ripe in a few days. Although it was only an acre, she felt happy about the impending harvest. Early morning. ¡°Xiao He, contact the Li Zi Family and let them know we are ready to ship their order today.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Fu Yunhe opened the Star Network and began to make contact. The Li Zi Family had long politely replied to Fu Yunhe¡¯s email. The final arrangement was for them to provide an address, Nian Shutong would ship via the Black Hole Transmitter, and neither party would sign a contract. Nian Shutong never intended to keep the seed matter a secret indefinitely; she was simply playing for time, a span that allowed her to strengthen her position. Therefore, keeping it hidden for a while was still beneficial. Li Zi Family did feel the deal was insecure, but in the end, the opportunity outweighed the risk, and they made the decision. Buy. ¡°He replied saying he knows and has made preparations to receive the goods,¡± Fu Yunhe reported as he read the swiftly returned email, immediately informing Nian Shutong. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m stepping out for a bit. I¡¯ll ship their order when I get back.¡± Nian Shutong said and left, taking off in an egg-shaped flying device. When she returned, the mature seedlings had been bundled neatly, totaling five hundred mature trees. To pack these, Nian Shutong had also purchased a Space Button. The Space Button was placed into a wooden box, the address written on it, waiting for Fu Yunhe to count the maltose syrup before sending it out using the Black Hole Transmitter. On the other side, the Li Zi Family had truly made their preparations. Holes dug into the mountainside, pots, sand, trademark registration, packaging designs¡ªall were ready, just waiting for the seeds and syrup. The anxious wait was over; they could finally begin. Li Zi Family didn¡¯t even use a preorder payment, opting for full payment instead. Chestnut trees were 5000 Star Coins each, amounting to 2.5 million for five hundred, plus 800,000 spent on maltose, totaling 3.3 million, and the payment was successful. Nian Shutong looked at her account notification¡ªmoney had come in once more. Not bad, not bad at all! She found that matters which could be resolved with money truly saved effort. Previously, using the money made from selling salt, she had bought Chestnut Trees at 2000 Star Coins each from the system. She then sold them for 5000 Star Coins apiece¡ªa guaranteed profitable deal. And now, with a harvest of crops about to mature, she was about to become even richer. As Nian Shutong was about to close her account and exit, she noticed an incoming email, accompanied by a deposit of one million Star Coins. Thinking of something, Nian Shutong wondered, had she won? Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Contribution Points Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Contribution Points Nian Shutong opened the email, which contained a message from the Poetry Club. ¡°Congratulations to Earth Bar for achieving first place in poetry appreciation. To encourage you to continue producing good work, you are rewarded with one million Star Coins and ten thousand contribution points.¡± Contribution points? What are those? And who is ¡°Earth Bar¡±? Isn¡¯t it just ¡°Earth¡±? Ignoring the issue with the name for the moment, Nian Shutong walked over to Fu Yunhe and tapped him on the shoulder with a finger. ¡°Xiao He, come here!¡± Fu Yunhe, who was counting the jars of Maltose, asked without turning around, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He continued counting, almost finished. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t rush him and turned to look at Ha Ha squatting on the ground, asking, ¡°Ha Ha, what are you doing?¡± Ha Ha, squatting and looking down, said, ¡°I¡¯m bored, with nothing to do.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to take a break?¡± Nian Shutong squatted down and asked Ha Ha. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Ha Ha looked up with a somewhat accusing expression and said, ¡°No good. Our Commander told us that being lazy and not working would turn us into fools.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to become a fool.¡± Fu Yunhe, still counting, closed his eyes for a moment. This silly wolf was at it again! What he actually said was that being lazy was the habit most likely to form, and once it became habitual, a person would gradually become dull. What did Ha Ha even understand? He was speechless. Nian Shutong had a slight understanding of Ha Ha¡¯s mental process. She looked down and said, ¡°Ha Ha, go and continue clearing the land. I still have farming to do.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ha Ha had already excitedly stood up, feeling all his cells come alive. Nian Shutong got up and said with a faint smile, ¡°Go on! Do whatever! The more you do, the better!¡± Ha Ha was so grateful he wiped his eyes and seriously thanked Nian Shutong. ¡°Good person, you¡¯re really kind! You¡¯re the only one who lets Ha Ha work.¡± ¡°Mhm, keep it up!¡± With that encouragement, Ha Ha was filled with strength and went off to work! So happy! Watching the joyful Ha Ha, Nian Shutong chuckled, turned around, and asked Fu Yunhe, ¡°Hey, Xiao He, what do you think Ha Ha¡¯s Commander is like? He doesn¡¯t seem very smart.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ really?¡± Fu Yunhe finished counting the last bottle, told Zhang Hui to ship the goods, and straightened up. ¡°Hey? Be careful!¡± Fu Yunhe just felt his back was uncomfortable from bending for too long, causing him to sway. His swaying body was steadied by Nian Shutong¡¯s hand. At that moment, Nian Shutong had her arm around Fu Yunhe¡¯s waist, she was above, and he was below. ¡°Beauty, you should be careful¡­¡± Fu Yunhe was about to feel moved, but the second half of the sentence choked that feeling back down. ¡°I¡¯ve collected the money for these jars; they can¡¯t be refunded.¡± Fu Yunhe patted Nian Shutong¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll try to fall the other way.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha! Are you being moody?¡± Nian Shutong helped Fu Yunhe stand upright and took a moment to look him up and down. ¡°Your waist¡­ it¡¯s really slim.¡± Fu Yunhe, about to leave, didn¡¯t know which foot to step with. He awkwardly ¡°Hmm¡±ed and finally decided to move his right foot, getting ready to leave. Otherwise, what would he say? Discuss the slim waist issue? ¡°Wait!¡± Nian Shutong reached out a hand and grabbed Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°What¡¯s the rush, I haven¡¯t finished talking.¡± ¡°Cough cough¡­ you were saying?¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand, upon being grasped, twitched unnaturally. ¡°Hey, your ear is a bit red?¡± Nian Shutong observed, like discovering a new world, as she watched Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand retract. Could he be this innocent? She seemed to have found something even more amusing. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Role of Contribution Points Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Role of Contribution Points Nian Shutong didn¡¯t continue any further actions; she merely enjoyed teasing Fu Yunhe. Between the two of them, she no longer wanted to kill him, which, for her, was a significant step forward. Moreover, with Fu Yunhe¡¯s perfect cooperation, tirelessly enduring her whims, Nian Shutong felt that keeping Xiao He around was a very wise choice. They could probably be considered friends for now, so it was fun to joke around and have a good laugh. Of course, she wanted to be the one being amused. ¡°Xiao He, I want to ask about contribution points?¡± Contribution points? Fu Yunhe¡¯s expression had returned to normal; he knew that Nian Shutong didn¡¯t have any flirtatious intentions, and he felt the same. However, could Nian Shutong have contribution points? ¡°Do you have contribution points?¡± His doubtful and disbelieving tone made Nian Shutong proudly smirk a little. ¡°Ah, I just casually joined a competition and won a little.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï The way she spoke about it was as if it was nothing important. If it weren¡¯t for Fu Yunhe¡¯s relatively low strength, he might have said, ¡°Don¡¯t smile so broadly; it¡¯s nearly reaching your eyes.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Fu Yunhe cleared his throat and pointed to a chair nearby, ¡°Sit down to talk.¡± ¡°Sure, we can¡¯t have a beauty get tired.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s casual demeanor relaxed Fu Yunhe quite a bit. He didn¡¯t mind the teasing; at least he knew he was no longer at risk of losing his life. After they sat down, Fu Yunhe began to explain contribution points to Nian Shutong. ¡°Contribution points are automatically tallied by the Star Network and are self-generating; even the Royal Family can¡¯t interfere.¡± ¡°The importance of contribution points is vast; they can influence various rankings, like the Planet Master¡¯s ranking, individual rankings, cultural rankings, family rankings, and so on.¡± ¡°And all these rankings affect the distribution of cultivation resources.¡± Cultivation resources? Nian Shutong asked with quite an interest, ¡°What cultivation resources are there in the interstellar?¡± The original owner had no idea; she was born unable to cultivate, naturally repelling anything related to cultivation. ¡°There are Physical Liquids that enhance Physical Ability and Crystal Stones that increase spiritual power; even the Physical Liquid is refined from Crystal Stones.¡± ¡°In the interstellar world, nearly everyone can cultivate, but cultivation resources aren¡¯t available to everyone, so the importance of contribution points goes without saying.¡± Fu Yunhe had explained almost everything, and Nian Shutong understood most of it. Now she was curious what Crystal Stones looked like. Would they be the same as the Crystal Stones she used? Cultivation, in the end, always led to the same destination. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t hide anything, opening her Light Computer to let Fu Yunhe take a look. ¡°What can I do with these ten thousand contribution points? Or rather, what resources can I obtain?¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the number of contribution points on Nian Shutong¡¯s Light Computer, the red marker especially clear. Ten thousand points? What had she done? Even as a Commander, winning a minor battle would only reward him with ten thousand points. His throat felt tight, and his voice slightly strained, he asked, ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± Nian Shutong looked up, her expression strange as she asked Fu Yunhe, ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t done anything good?¡± ¡°That look on your face, are you afraid I¡¯ve committed some crime that will get you implicated? Scared?¡± Nian Shutong raised her eyebrows, her tone cheerful as she said, ¡°Actually, being a pair of fugitive lovebirds wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the off-topic Nian Shutong, giving her a look of speechlessness and helplessness; he indeed had a tiny bit of worry. But considering her unfamiliarity with the Star Network, he felt he had overestimated her. ¡°Alright! Alright! I¡¯ll tell you, and no more using your beauty to try to persuade me.¡± Nian Shutong lowered her head to access the Star Network, finding the webpage for the selection event, ready to show Fu Yunhe. And Fu Yunhe? Who was using their beauty to persuade? And here I was, unable to even have an expression. Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Hair Removal Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Hair Removal ¡°Look! I joined this competition and won first place.¡± Fu Yunhe curiously looked at Nian Shutong¡¯s Star Network, where a poetry competition themed around serving the nation was featured. After reading a couple lines, he looked up at Nian Shutong with a hint of suspicion in his eyes, though he dared not express it too much. ¡°The contribution points you have are related to culture. Cultural rankings are settled annually and do not change in real time.¡± ¡°So, you mean some rankings do change all the time?¡± Fu Yunhe nodded. ¡°There are three lists that change in real-time, all related to combat prowess.¡± Seeing the interested look in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes, a trace of a smile flickered in his own. She really was a war enthusiast! Quite like himself. ¡°For combat prowess, those under thirty are on the Potential List, thirty to sixty are on the Qingyun List, and the last list is not open to the public. It¡¯s a military combat ranking that does not consider age, only counting¡­¡± At that, Fu Yunhe¡¯s gaze turned a bit complicated, as if he was thinking of something difficult to express. ¡°Hey? Counts what?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I kind of forgot. I¡¯m trying to recall exactly what it is,¡± Fu Yunhe said, smoothing over with a casual lie before continuing. ¡°The military rankings count the number of Insect Race kills, ranking based on the combat power accumulated through these kills.¡± As Fu Yunhe finished, he felt as if he could see a small flame in Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes. Indeed, Nian Shutong felt her blood boiling, the familiar desire for battle stirring; she had always been battle-hungry. ¡°Alright! That¡¯s it for today, I need to step out for a bit!¡± Nian Shutong ran off. Almost in a blink, she had vanished, leaving Fu Yunhe with narrowed eyes in her wake. She had become even more formidable. Looking at himself, still on the path to recovery, he continued at his slow pace. Elsewhere, the far-gone Nian Shutong already had her sword, Daodao, flashing in her hand. Although Daodao, previously busy with typing, didn¡¯t know why he was summoned, he understood one thing. There was a fight brewing. At this moment, Nian Shutong¡¯s entire body radiated a fighting spirit. She was itching for a fight! Having reached the spot, she shouted with all her might, ¡°Big Bird! Big Bird! Come out!¡± He¡­ mother¡­ mother¡­ mother¡­ Her shouts echoed far and wide, reaching people in the small wooden house. Fu Yunhe watched Ha Ha about to pick up a hoe to help, and called out loudly, ¡°Ha Ha, don¡¯t go!¡± An irritated Ha Ha huffed at Fu Yunhe. ¡°Good people are in danger! Must help!¡± Commander said to follow the good people, but where would Ha Ha go if something happened to them? ¡°Your good person isn¡¯t in danger! She just wants to fight,¡± Fu Yunhe shouted forcefully, then paid no more attention to Ha Ha. He couldn¡¯t use his spiritual power to interfere anymore; Ha Ha was living quite well now. The others, calmed down by Fu Yunhe, went back to their own tasks. Fu Yunhe himself, carrying his chair, sat down by the small creek and closed his eyes. A thread of spiritual power, inching out bit by bit. Fu Yunhe reassured himself: if something happened to Nian Shutong, he wouldn¡¯t have good food anymore. He firmly refused to admit, even slightly worried. Even though he knew she must be very strong. Just as Fu Yunhe had said, Nian Shutong really was eager to fight. ¡°Big Bird¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Big Bird came out from the woods below. ¡°My mother! Where are your feathers?¡± Nian Shutong jumped down from the treetop, circling Big Bird. At this moment, Big Bird¡¯s normally vibrant green feathers were sparsely covering its body. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst of it ¨C its two wings were completely bare! ¡°Is this¡­ are you going to become a monk bird? No, a nun bird?¡± Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137 Silly Ha Ha Chapter 137: Chapter 137 Silly Ha Ha Shutong had just finished speaking when she caught the Giant Bird creature¡¯s tearful and indignant gaze. She, the mighty ruler of the skies, had been reduced to a land animal for so many days. How many birds had laughed at her! She had lost all face among birds! ¡°No wait, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you sick?¡± Shutong felt it was inappropriate to continue fighting, so she withdrew Daodao and reached out to check the Giant Bird creature¡¯s pulse. But her hand hovered in the air for a good while, really unsure of where to touch. ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­ why are you crying? Your pride and honor, even in death, where did they go?¡± Shutong¡¯s hand still hadn¡¯t landed when tears began to stream from the Giant Bird creature¡¯s two eyes. ¡°Squeak squeak squeak squeak¡­ chirp chirp chirp¡­¡± The Giant Bird creature¡¯s series of sounds left Shutong even more confused. Was it actually speaking? But she didn¡¯t understand! Without a contract, she didn¡¯t understand the language of Beasts. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï However, this Giant Bird creature certainly didn¡¯t want to form a contract, and Shutong wasn¡¯t keen on forcing one either. ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°Squeak squeak squeak squeak¡­¡± ¡°Why do your cries sound so much like a mouse?¡± ¡°Squeak¡­ chirp¡­ squeak¡­¡± ¡°Could it be that your ancestors mixed with mice?¡± As the human and the Giant Bird creature had their disjointed conversation, Ha Ha arrived! ¡°Good person! Move aside! Ha Ha is here to save you!¡± Ha Ha leaped into the air, hoe held high above his head, and brought it down with all his might. He was really gambling with his life. ¡°Giant Bird, dodge!¡± Shutong gently pushed the Giant Bird aside with her Spiritual Power, ready to take on Ha Ha¡¯s move. ¡°Ha Ha, it¡¯s not dangerous!¡± No danger? Ha Ha in mid-air managed to halt his momentum and change direction. He couldn¡¯t harm a good person. ¡°Ha Ha!¡± Shutong dove at Ha Ha, shaping her Spiritual Power into a shield to catch him as he fell from the sky. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Shutong checked Ha Ha¡¯s pulse with one hand, grateful that he wasn¡¯t injured. ¡°Heh heh¡­ it¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re okay.¡± That simple smile, that silly tone. Shutong knew that Ha Ha was serious, so she sincerely smiled back¡ªthis foolish Ha Ha, she had his back. No matter who you were, if she took a liking to you, that was all that mattered. Fu Yunhe could never have imagined that Ha Ha would surpass him and become the first person Shutong earnestly accepted. Shutong patted Ha Ha on the head, unable to resist giving it a couple more rubs, and told him to wait quietly for her. Ha Ha obediently consented and squatted in place, as well-behaved as one could be. Shutong turned and walked over to the Giant Bird creature, saying, ¡°Are you okay? He thought I was in danger, it was not ill-intended.¡± ¡°Squeak squeak squeak squeak¡­ chirp chirp chirp¡­¡± ¡°Giant Bird creature, I truly don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°She says she doesn¡¯t care, she just wants to be detoxified.¡± The honest voice led the plucked Giant Bird creature and Shutong to turn their heads in parallel, fixing their gaze on Ha Ha squatting on the ground. ¡°Ha Ha, can you understand her?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ha Ha replied, then continued to dig in the dirt. Shutong said to the Giant Bird creature, ¡°I¡¯ll go get him to translate for us.¡± She walked over, called Ha Ha who was digging in the dirt over to act as a translator, and Ha Ha naturally complied. Through Ha Ha¡¯s translation, Shutong understood. It turned out that the little toxin she had left on the Giant Bird creature contained a herb to which the Giant Bird was allergic. The allergic reaction caused it to lose its feathers. The Giant Bird creature didn¡¯t dare to disturb Shutong, fearing she wouldn¡¯t detoxify it, so it had been waiting here all this time. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ sorry about that, I didn¡¯t realize you were allergic.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll detoxify you and then give you a hair growth remedy, guaranteeing your feathers will grow back quickly and nicely.¡± ¡°Squeak squeak squeak squeak¡­ chirp chirp¡­ squeak¡­¡± ¡°She says as long as you cure her feathers, she¡¯s willing to do whatever you ask.¡± Willing to do whatever I ask? Shutong¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, a hint of trickery appearing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk!¡± Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Dare to Eat? Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Dare to Eat? Nian Shutong had a good chat with Big Bird and successfully convinced Big Bird to settle down near the small wooden house. Now, the security of the small wooden house was in her hands. On the other hand, Nian Shutong needed to help Big Bird with her shedding problem and restore her former¡­ beauty. Here came another one obsessed with beauty! Probably could find common ground with Rubble. No fight broke out, but she managed to lure back a Fierce Beast to guard the house. Not bad, quite a profit! Big Bird stayed not far from the small wooden house. As for treatment, the first course was already completed, which was detoxification. Nian Shutong did it with ease, handling it single-handedly. She and Ha Ha walked outside together. When Ha Ha reached the land she needed to clear, she stayed behind to continue working. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t stop her, instead, she crouched down and took out the System Detection Shovel from the system¡¯s products and stuck it into the soil. ¡°Little Eight? What¡¯s suitable to plant here?¡± She couldn¡¯t let Ha Ha¡¯s effort in clearing the land go to waste. ¡°Ding! Dear host, hello, you¡¯re such a hard-working farmer!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°This soil is suitable for many crops, and Little Eight offers the host three types of seeds to choose from.¡± ¡°Alright, let me see.¡± Nian Shutong looked at the three types of plants sent by Little Eight, two of which she was familiar with: corn and soybeans. The remaining one was something she didn¡¯t recognize, it could be used as a dessert and was called beets. ¡°Can I take all of them?¡± ¡°Ding! Of course! The host is so hardworking and cute!¡± ¡°Bootlicker!¡± Daodao spoke up. Little Eight and Daodao were like two kids with different personalities, always bickering whenever they talked. ¡°Little Eight is just telling the truth! Don¡¯t you think our host is amazing and hardworking too?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Daodao finished speaking and turned its back in the Sea of Consciousness, having lost once again. Nian Shutong wanted to laugh but dared not. It seemed Little Eight might be a bit older, always managing to leave Daodao at a loss for words. With some money to spare, Nian Shutong spent over seventy thousand Star Coins to buy several acres of seeds, ready to be sowed at any time. After her purchase, she crossed the little creek and saw Fu Yunhe sitting. ¡°Xiao He, did you put on face powder? Your face is so white, do you want it to be even whiter?¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s pale face opened his dark, deep eyes, his smile having a somewhat contrived strong-willed feeling. ¡°Isn¡¯t it to make my face a bit more marketable?¡± He didn¡¯t mention the issue with his spiritual power. Currently, he couldn¡¯t perform even one-tenth of his capability, but his spiritual power still went out on a loop. The body that was just getting better was running into a deficit again. Nian Shutong walked up to his side, crouched next to his chair, and lifted Fu Yunhe¡¯s jaw with one finger, examining it left and right. ¡°Tsks! This paleness, this misery.¡± She dropped her finger and placed one hand on Fu Yunhe¡¯s wrist; this was the first time she was giving Fu Yunhe a pulse examination. When she conversed with Big Bird, her Divine Sense, so strong, had already sensed a discreet probing force. Besides the mysterious Fu Yunhe, who seemed to know a bit of everything, she couldn¡¯t guess anyone else. Fu Yunhe did not know what Nian Shutong was doing, but he dared not move. For the first time, Nian Shutong gained a preliminary understanding of Fu Yunhe¡¯s physical condition, which really was quite bad. Her other hand, held behind her back, circulated Spiritual Power to absorb the medicinal properties of the poison, converging to form a Sky Blue pill. ¡°Fu Yunhe, dare to eat it?¡± This was the second time Nian Shutong had called Fu Yunhe by his full name. Fu Yunhe did not say a word, his nice-looking fingertips landed in Nian Shutong¡¯s palm, gently picking up the pill and casually tossing it into his mouth. ¡°Hmm, tastes pretty good.¡± Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Three Thousand Miles of Clouds and Moon Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Three Thousand Miles of Clouds and Moon Nian Shutong watched Fu Yunhe eat without any hesitation and felt the urge to tease him. She bent slightly at the waist, looking down at Fu Yunhe with an air of aloofness, two fingers lifting his chin. ¡°Live well.¡± Her body lowered even more, their faces almost touching, yet upon closer inspection, there was still a significant gap. Nian Shutong¡¯s lips paused by Fu Yunhe¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s not needed.¡± Once she finished speaking, Nian Shutong stood up without any reluctance and left with nonchalance. Fu Yunhe, sitting in the chair, lightly caressed his chin, as if the warmth lingered there. ¡°Heh¡­¡± With a trace of understanding and relief in his eyes, she indeed knew. Fu Yunhe continued to close his eyes, his spiritual power healing continued. He couldn¡¯t be sure what exactly Nian Shutong had given him, but the pure medicinal power within was indeed helping in his recovery. He should be able to recover to the state his spiritual power was in before it ventured out. Fu Yunhe, eyes closed, had a smile lingering on his lips. She seemed quite adorable in her fairness. Even though the word ¡®adorable¡¯ sounded completely incongruous with Nian Shutong, that¡¯s still how he felt. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã? Unaware of being praised for cuteness, Nian Shutong walked back to the small wooden house, seeing everyone busily at work, realizing that recruiting help was becoming urgently necessary. Nian Shutong operated a flying device, slowly ascending and overlooking the terrain below. A winding creek lay below with even banks on both sides, dotted with many trees. The barren land on one side had been temporarily turned into farmland, while the area near the small wooden house could become residential. The development would unfold along the creek. In the future, there would be some handicraft workshops, with a plot chosen to build them collectively. Although interstellar technology was very advanced, Daodao had told her quite a bit about environmental protection; most importantly, many foods tasted better when made by hand. What more was there to say? She only considered the matter of taste. Nian Shutong, who farmed, never sought speed but simply wanted to enjoy her food. As for making money, she had found other directions. For instance, this poetry contest. With her plans nearly in order, Nian Shutong descended from the sky, got to work first; the matter of hiring could wait until Yun He, the beauty stricken by illness, was recovered. In the evening, a group ate stir-fried rice with eggs, paired with smoked wild boar meat, which indeed had a unique flavor. After dinner, Fu Yunhe, who had mostly recovered, prepared for his live stream. While he was getting ready, Nian Shutong was teaching Zhang Hui and her daughter how to sprout beans. The basic steps were similar to malting; soak the beans, place them in a strainer, cover with cloth, water them now and then, and in a few days, the bean sprouts would grow. Later, stir-fried with meat, it would become another delectable dish. On the other side, Fu Yunhe was ready. At seven o¡¯clock, the live stream began. Fu Yunhe turned on the live streaming equipment and glanced at Nian Shutong, who was faintly smiling opposite him, and started his stream. ¡°Good evening, everyone. Today, we¡¯re going to make fried pork.¡± ¡°Whisk the eggs until smooth, sprinkle in some flour, a bit of salt, mix it all together into a paste.¡± ¡°This meat is pork, choose the tenderloin, cut it into strips as thick as fingers, coat them in the batter, and fry them in hot oil.¡± During the live stream, Fu Yunhe had already begun frying the meat strips. The comments section today had a somewhat different style; aside from the usual praises for deliciousness and requests for participation, there were also many compliments on names. [Thirty Paths Yun and Moon: Look at me! Look at me!] [Eighty Paths Yun and Moon: You imposter! Imposter!] [Thirty Achievements Dust and Soil: You two are the imposters!] [Gray-Headed Youth: You all missed the essence, look at mine.] [Don¡¯t Waste Time: Did I enter the wrong room? Is this a poetry live stream?] Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140 The Charm of Poetry Chapter 140: Chapter 140 The Charm of Poetry Fu Yunhe multitasked, chopsticks in one hand, constantly turning the crispy pork strips, while his eyes remained fixed on the comment section, watching the stream of comments. Equally attentive was Nian Shutong, who hadn¡¯t expected a single poem to blow up like this. The live show now had about nine million viewers, inching ever closer to the ten million mark. And nearly a third of them had changed their names. All related to poetry, with all sorts of random combinations, as if competing for the best-looking name. [I didn¡¯t expect to find so many like-minded people here, this Earth Bar is amazing!] [Not bad at all, although I didn¡¯t understand it, that¡¯s precisely what¡¯s impressive.] [Ha Ha Ha Ha! Is the person above being real? I also don¡¯t quite get it, but I just feel like my blood is pumping, making me want to fight!] [Me too! Me too! My claws are out! I just want to go to a small battlefield and have a fight.] [Well, I understood it, and so did our teacher! He¡¯s already asked us to memorize the entire poem and write an essay on it.] [So real! The tragic life of a student.] [Luckily, the Poetry Club provided some explanations below, I can only admire after reading them.] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï [Don¡¯t you guys think that this poem is about Admiral Yun He?] [I have the same thought. Admiral Yun He is the perfect embodiment of this poem, fighting non-stop on his journey, more than eight thousand miles!] [Exactly! This person from Earth Bar must be a hardcore fan of Admiral Yun He.] [Maybe they admire the Admiral? He¡¯s worth it.] This mention of ¡°He¡¯s worth it¡± quieted the live broadcast for a moment. Fu Yunhe felt a pang of emotion; he was still being remembered. He looked up and saw across from him Nian Shutong, wincing. Oh¡­ right! Earth Bar was her name, was she a hardcore fan of Admiral Yun He? Fu Yunhe himself felt like wincing, remembering when, aboard the Starship, a moment of silence for Nian Shutong had ended with her falling asleep. He remembered it very clearly. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ha Ha stood up indignantly and explained to Nian Shutong with utmost seriousness, ¡°Good person, don¡¯t believe them; my Commander is definitely still alive.¡± ¡°The Commander once said that he¡¯s like a turtle, able to live a long time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this Earth Bar can¡¯t compete with you, our Commander wouldn¡¯t be interested in her.¡± Fu Yunhe: Ha Ha, do you know that your Commander is right here? Nian Shutong: Ha Ha, do you know this Earth Bar is the ¡°good person¡± you¡¯ve been talking about? Ha Ha certainly didn¡¯t know, as he was not watching the live stream; instead, he was huffily channeling his anger into energy and went off to start new ventures. Left behind, Fu Yunhe and Nian Shutong exchanged a glance, then both got back to their own tasks. Feels pretty chaotic, doesn¡¯t it? The live broadcast continued, Fu Yunhe fried the Crispy Pork for a second time, and after fishing it out, set it aside to cool. ¡°We¡¯re about to open up the tasting spots, everyone get ready.¡± What was once a somewhat sad broadcast immediately livened up. Fu Yunhe smiled subtly, isn¡¯t this good mood coming on a little too fast? It made him, the former Commander, want to say: Excellent, well done. The spots opened up, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared. [I missed out again! I¡¯m going crazy!] [I¡¯m going to stake out the shop.] [Idiot, everyone¡¯s already gone! Why are you still here talking?] [Hey brother above, what are you doing?] [Bro, you¡¯re too young, our whole family is camping out here.] The fried pork was quickly put on sale in the shop today. Some got it, naturally, others did not. A certain wealthy merchant, ever since he learned about this live broadcast, had camped out for three days straight, yet he hadn¡¯t managed to secure a single piece. He wasn¡¯t like Yu Zeming, who simply threw money at the shop; instead, he splashed cash on the Star Network, offering a hefty sum for ¡°Crispy Pork¡±. [I¡¯m willing to pay a million, Crispy Pork in hand, immediate transfer!] Whether the Crispy Pork got into his hands or not, Fu Yunhe had no idea. He just knew, his live broadcast was about to take off. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Recruitment Plan Extra Update to Thank Everyone for Following Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Recruitment Plan Extra Update to Thank Everyone for Following The live broadcast ended, and Nian Shutong sprawled lazily on the desk, watching Fu Yunhe clean up. But her gaze seemed a bit vacant, not really like she was seriously watching this person. ¡°Do you need something from me?¡± Fu Yunhe paused his cleaning and sat down opposite Nian Shutong. ¡°Is it done?¡± Nian Shutong asked, confused. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. You go ahead.¡± Fu Yunhe thought to himself, how dare he make you wait, he certainly didn¡¯t have the guts to do so. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. The fact that she could wait for a while already showed that she was being polite. ¡°I want to hire some people. How much do you think is appropriate to pay?¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ Finally going to pay, are you?¡± A knowing smile appeared in Fu Yunhe¡¯s attractive eyes. Nian Shutong sat up and spread her hands, saying, ¡°Who would have thought? In such a vast interstellar space, there¡¯s still no one with keen vision.¡± ¡°Hurry up! I need to calculate how much this is all going to cost.¡± Something else seemed to occur to Nian Shutong, ¡°Oh, and we need some people with skills. They will have to build their own houses. We have so much wood here, it would be a waste not to use it.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Fu Yunhe made a mental note of Nian Shutong¡¯s requirements, while Zhang Hui, who had been washing dishes all this time, walked over with her hands wiped dry. The entire person seemed somewhat ill at ease. ¡°Boss Nian, I have a suggestion for you to consider.¡± Nian Shutong turned to look at Zhang Hui and nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Perhaps comforted by Nian Shutong¡¯s casual demeanor, Zhang Hui relaxed slightly and said, ¡°Our family is from the trash star. We were born and raised there, and everything we do, we do with our own hands, so we¡¯ve got some skills.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking to hire people, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, you could try hiring people from the trash star. They have skills, are generally hardworking. It¡¯s just that they were born there, without strength or opportunity to leave.¡± Nian Shutong looked at Zhang Hui, who had finished speaking and was nervously fiddling with her apron, then turned to Fu Yunhe. ¡°What do you think? Sounds like a good deal, and it won¡¯t cost much.¡± Fu Yunhe pondered for a moment with his eyes downcast. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea at all. The most important reason being that Nian Shutong didn¡¯t mind. Though interstellar society appeared equal, in reality, the hierarchy was severe. Most people would avoid residents from the trash star. It was just that the Royal Family left a path of hope for cultivation for everyone. Just like the past him. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Good, that settles it,¡± Nian Shutong turned again to Zhang Hui, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need, not at all,¡± Zhang Hui¡¯s plain face broke into a smile as she turned back to her work. Fu Yunhe and Nian Shutong discussed how to recruit people. Most on the trash star lacked money, making it impossible for them to travel far. Like Wang Fu¡¯s family, being able to afford travel expenses was already exceptionally rare. ¡°There is a central location among several trash stars. We can hire a smaller starship. If people can make it from the trash star, we can bring them over.¡± Fu Yunhe paused then added, ¡°Leaving home, consider it the first step of selection.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go with your plan. And can you take care of renting the starship while you¡¯re at it?¡± After speaking, Nian Shutong winked at Fu Yunhe, not too subtly hinting that he should be the one to pay. What could Fu Yunhe do? ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll rent it.¡± ¡°Brilliant! I always trust a beauty to get things done.¡± The two had agreed on the recruitment, and Nian Shutong felt not the slightest bit guilty for making Fu Yunhe spend money. After all, he had eaten so much of her food and improved his constitution. He had to give back something. She was well aware, considering not only Fu Yunhe but also the others, who had all improved to varying degrees. She couldn¡¯t have missed it even if she wanted to. Without another thought, she went off to cultivate. Without great strength, how could she protect these things? And these people. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Contract Signed? Extra Update 2 as a Thank You for Voting Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Contract Signed? Extra Update 2 as a Thank You for Voting The next day, morning. A bowl of piping hot fresh meat dumplings had everyone sweating from their foreheads, not a single drop of soup left in any bowl. Nian Shutong put down her large bowl and said to Zhang Hui, ¡°Your cooking skills are getting better and better.¡± She had merely described the dish, and Zhang Hui had made it happen. Now that they had green onions, ginger, and garlic, many of the dishes tasted much better. Zhang Hui¡¯s smile was simple and unadorned, yet it felt incredibly genuine. ¡°The dumplings were mostly wrapped by Rubble, he¡¯s really good at it.¡± Nian Shutong turned to Rubble and saw him nodding earnestly, ¡°Very simple, but not suitable for Ms. Nian Shutong.¡± Just as Nian Shutong was about to compliment Rubble, she rolled her eyes at him and asked, ¡°Rubble, how much longer until you can upgrade?¡± Every day, Rubble was sitting at the table, but he could only eat metal. Nian Shutong really hoped he could start eating sooner. ¡°Estimated time is three days, seven hours, and twenty-five minutes.¡± The exact timing made everyone understand Rubble¡¯s eagerness. But no one mocked him; if they had to just watch and not eat every day, they probably wouldn¡¯t handle it as well as Rubble. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 After breakfast, everyone went about their tasks. Nian Shutong first went to the vegetable garden to check on it, making sure everything was alright. The six plots had paths paved with pebbles, about twenty centimeters wide, for easy walking back and forth. Nian Shutong walked to the cucumber patch. Just as she received a notification from Xiaoba that a cucumber was ripe, several voices sounded out. ¡°Master! My book!¡± ¡°Nian Shutong, someone from the livestreaming room is looking for a signing.¡± ¡°You have an urgent email.¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Excited, Nian Shutong accidentally grasped the spines on the cucumber, piercing her palm. You¡¯d say it hurt, but surely not that much. You¡¯d say it didn¡¯t hurt, but it was still uncomfortable. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Master, be careful!¡± ¡°Xiaoba should not have rushed.¡± Several more voices rang out. Nian Shutong circulated her Spiritual Energy, forcing out the cucumber spines. After one more round of Spiritual Energy, her hand was healed. She stood up straight and pointed to Fu Yunhe, ¡°You first!¡± First? Was there someone else? Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t ask. ¡°Our livestreaming channel has received several signing invitations from broadcasting companies. I wanted to ask if we should accept them?¡± Nian Shutong looked straight at Fu Yunhe and decisively said, ¡°You must already have your own judgment. Do whatever you think is best and just let me know the outcome.¡± Fu Yunhe was somewhat surprised; this was the first time Nian Shutong didn¡¯t question or manage anything, just letting him be responsible for something. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Fu Yunhe shook his head, tactfully turning away. As he turned around, he thought to himself, perhaps he was considered part of the inner circle now? Although he was running errands, it was still progress. He felt a sense of satisfaction. On the other side, Nian Shutong hadn¡¯t thought that much about it; she couldn¡¯t possibly handle everything herself or it would work her to death. ¡°Daodao, what¡¯s up with your book?¡± ¡°Master, after Daodao¡¯s relentless Text Moving, I finally completed the task yesterday afternoon.¡± ¡°This morning I received an invitation from a publishing house. They want to sign a publishing deal with me. Should we accept?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t cry? You weren¡¯t scolded? Impossible!¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s first concern was the follow-up after the book¡¯s completion. ¡°Master¡­ Daodao doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­ Come on! Let me see!¡± Nian Shutong insisted on seeing it, and Daodao couldn¡¯t stop her. When she entered the readers¡¯ comment section, her eyes nearly bulged out. Star Network¡¯s technology was highly advanced. At this moment, each account in the readers¡¯ circle had a dripping blood knife icon, the blood dripping down, pooling into a tiny flowing river beneath the names. The comments section was even more intense. It was full of knives, glinting brightly, clearly sharp and ready for use. Moreover, the entire comment section was neatly uniform, not a single word anywhere. The feeling of resentment and ominous energy hit her face on. Nian Shutong seriously wondered if her account would be attacked if it were exposed. ¡°Daodao, you must be careful and keep it a secret. Otherwise, it¡¯s easy to get beaten up.¡± ¡°Yes, Master is right.¡± If Daodao could smile, he would certainly have a mischievous grin at this moment. ¡°But no worries, Daodao is using the Master¡¯s spiritual power for the binding. In the interstellar space, there is no such person as Daodao.¡± Crack! A bolt of lightning struck Nian Shutong¡¯s head! She had forgotten. That meant all those knives were meant for her! Nian Shutong instantly felt a chill. She reassured herself, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, as long as it wasn¡¯t revealed. After calming herself, she quickly learned the implications of publishing. She had Daodao check if the contract was okay and, once everything seemed normal, she asked, ¡°Daodao, do we make money?¡± ¡°Make money!¡± ¡°Great, sell it!¡± After settling Daodao¡¯s matters, she opened the urgent email. That is to say, the sender spent money to highlight their email, which would be flagged by the Light Computer. Nian Shutong glanced at the email and didn¡¯t reply to the sender, as they were asking ¡°Earth Bar¡± to connect with their Star Network livestream for a collaborative broadcast. ¡°Copying others, I don¡¯t have the ability to collaborate with you.¡± Nian Shutong felt a bit uneasy; if it were a fight, she would rush into it without hesitation. She decided that both ¡°Earth Bar¡± and the ¡°Text Mover¡± were mysterious and reclusive experts. And the purpose of the expert? To make money! Earn contribution points! Earn Crystal Stones! Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Post-Signing Follow-up Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Post-Signing Follow-up Nian Shutong completely ignored the email and went to work without any hesitation. Working allowed her to cultivate her spiritual power, which was far more interesting than other activities. Meanwhile, the live streaming company that had been waiting for a reply finally received one. Fu Yunhe: Reject all offers. Of course, he phrased it more diplomatically, as he was planning to wait until there were one hundred million viewers in the live broadcast room before negotiating. Negotiating now would mean agreeing to restrictive contracts. He didn¡¯t want that, and he was absolutely certain that Nian Shutong didn¡¯t either. If she felt restricted, she would definitely have the urge to kill someone. The various streaming companies that received Fu Yunhe¡¯s reply were either cursing him for not recognizing a good opportunity or dismissing him with contempt. A small broadcaster who was just starting to gain some fame dares to act so arrogant! Totally ignorant of his own insignificance. Meanwhile, Yu Zeming, who had been paying close attention to Fu Yunhe¡¯s stream, had not sent a contract proposal. Through several streams, Fu Yunhe¡¯s way of speaking and his confidence when answering questions had revealed that he was not a simple person; he would not be swayed by a small profit. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï When Yu Zeming learned that Fu Yunhe had refused the other companies, it was exactly as he had expected, as if everything made sense to him. Sigh! I¡¯ll continue to snatch up food tonight, maybe I¡¯ll get a few more. After all, those companies are not known for their generosity. Let¡¯s put the live streaming issue aside for a moment and see how Daodao is doing. Things were going smoothly for Daodao. His book was really popular. Although only a portion of people read novels, who doesn¡¯t like a good book? Not to mention that Daodao had established an immortal hero era; most interstellar books were about technology, competition, warfare, and levels, and of course, the eternal themes of romance novels. But the Star Network was so vast, with countless planets and everyone having a Light Computer, even a fraction of readers was significant. Even though Daodao¡¯s ¡°Immortal Slaying¡± had killed off Bi Yao and the ending remained controversial, it couldn¡¯t be denied that it was a good book. A lack of good books was truly frustrating. So even if Daodao didn¡¯t change the ending, people were still willing to support the book. Moreover, Daodao¡¯s determination had strangely gathered a group of fans who loved and hated him at the same time. After agreeing upon a time to sign the contract, Daodao was just waiting for Nian Shutong to get on the Star Network and sign the contract with her spiritual power. After all, Daodao had no identity. Having finished the negotiations, Daodao had no immediate plans to translate another book; he too needed to cultivate. He couldn¡¯t fall too far behind his master. But, had he forgotten to mention exactly how many Star Coins they would earn? Never mind, the master would know when they signed the contract. Daodao was completely immersed in his cultivation, and Nian Shutong was the same. The person who had sent the urgent email was no longer calm. Did she not see it? Impossible! A lean man walked into a room and spoke to a woman who was practicing calligraphy, ¡°There¡¯s no response from the other party, I don¡¯t know if they didn¡¯t see it or simply don¡¯t want to.¡± The woman continued her writing unhurriedly, and after the last stroke, she admired her work briefly before setting down the brush. ¡°Probably just doesn¡¯t want to deal with us,¡± said the woman, getting up from behind the table and sitting down on a nearby chair, her attire somewhat traditional. ¡°People involved in poetry and these things tend to be a little proud. We just proposed a communication, and they refused to even show up.¡± ¡°What should we do then¡­¡± The woman had already picked up a cup of tea, swirling it by her mouth, but not yet drinking. ¡°No need to bother. It¡¯s a bonus if it happens, but no concern if it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the lean man replied respectfully as he exited, the door closing with a click, which the woman checked. With a ¡°clang,¡± the teacup was set down on the table. ¡°What a nuisance, drinking these things. How is this any different from grass and leaves!¡± The woman clearly didn¡¯t like tea or traditional culture, such as poetry, but she had to engage with them for her live-streaming persona, given her classically beautiful face. These things were truly boring. Effortlessly, one of her legs swung onto the chair while her other foot fidgeted aimlessly, as she opened the Star Network to find the novel she was following, ¡°Immortal Slaying.¡± ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s the grand finale?¡± ¡°My Bi Yao, you must come back to life!¡± The woman¡¯s wish, naturally, was in vain, and Daodao¡¯s fan circle gained another reader eager to ¡°chop¡± him. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Throttling Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Throttling In the evening, the main meal in the small wooden house was pies. Cucumber with egg, this time a bit of soy sauce was added to the filling, making it taste even better than last time¡¯s dumplings. Pork with Chinese cabbage, it absolutely unlocked a new world for everyone. Crispy on the outside, tender inside, with thin skin and a generous filling. Golden brown on both sides, a completely different texture from dumplings, it left everyone with greasy faces. After the meal, Fu Yunhe prepared for the live stream while watching Ms. Nian Shutong leisurely sipping malt syrup across from him. ¡°Beauty, have you noticed my qualities? No need to sneak peeks, just look openly.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong raised her eyebrows at Fu Yunhe, with a clearly visible smile. Before Fu Yunhe could respond, Rubble, squatting nearby, spoke up. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, what are your good qualities?¡± ¡°Good people, besides being ugly, are all qualities!¡± Ha Ha, the master of timely jokes, perfectly teamed up with Rubble. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Fu Yunhe struggled a bit to hold back his laughter, coughed twice to adjust the equipment, and said, ¡°Today¡¯s live stream might have fewer viewers.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong casually glanced at Rubble and Ha Ha, one clueless and the other grinning foolishly. If she were to argue with them, she¡¯d be infuriated sooner or later. So she ignored them and turned to Fu Yunhe. ¡°Fewer?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, thinking of what Fu Yunhe had told her, asked, ¡°Because you rejected them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong casually waved her hand and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She stood up, walked over to Fu Yunhe, and reached to put her hand on his shoulder, but then noticed the height difference between them. She looked twice and gave up. ¡°Xiao He, what is that across the river?¡± Following Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s pointing finger, Fu Yunhe looked toward the pitch-dark opposite bank. ¡°The other side¡­is kind of dark.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong, who had intended to be assertive, stiffly changed the direction of her pointing finger, her gaze suspiciously sizing up Fu Yunhe. ¡°Is your intelligence higher during the day and lower at night? Does it fluctuate all the time?¡± Fu Yunhe pushed away Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s finger with one of his own and asked, ¡°Then what do you want me to see?¡± With the mood spoiled, Ms. Nian Shutong simply dropped her hand and placed it behind her back, saying, ¡°It¡¯s about the land! the land we planted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what? That¡¯s all money!¡± Realizing what she meant, Fu Yunhe suddenly understood; he had indeed not followed Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s train of thoughts initially. ¡°Do you mean we now have money and whether or not we stream doesn¡¯t matter much?¡± Could he possibly pull out early? It felt somewhat unreal. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ms. Nian Shutong patted Fu Yunhe¡¯s arm. ¡°Brother Beauty, why are you so slow in catching on? When have you seen me pushing money away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, whether we earn more or less, we still need to earn.¡± Fu Yunhe laughed at himself, realizing how clueless he had been. This was the person who dared to extort the steward for ten thousand Star Coins when destitute. ¡°It¡¯s time, I need to earn money.¡± ¡°Work hard.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong also walked back to her usual spot, watching the live stream. This was her, Ha Ha, Rubble, and Daodao¡¯s leisure show. ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Xiao He. Today¡¯s stream features salted meat and vegetable porridge.¡± ¡°This piece of meat, I had previously marinated using a new product called soy sauce.¡± ¡°Soy sauce is a seasoning. When you cook meat, adding some enhances the marinade flavor, and it will be available for sale in the store.¡± Fu Yunhe slowly explained how to make the vegetable porridge while Ms. Nian Shutong specifically checked the viewer count, which indeed had dropped a bit. It was supposed to break ten million according to the streaming trend, which should have been rising, but now instead of increasing, it had dropped to just over seven million. ¡°Limiting us?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes showed displeasure; she might not care about earning less, but being throttled and sanctioned was quite annoying. ¡°Master, master, let¡¯s do a live stream of dumplings. On Earth, there¡¯s a saying, ¡®nothing¡¯s better than dumplings,¡¯ let¡¯s make them drool!¡± Dumplings? Not bad, the first time they had them, even without any seasoning, everyone still ate ravenously. ¡°Alright, Daodao finds more filling varieties, I want to use dumplings to break their sanctions.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Compensation for Quarreling Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Compensation for Quarreling Nian Shutong definitely didn¡¯t boast; she truly started getting ready. Across the live stream, Fu Yunhe was answering questions about Mechas. His voice was steady, gradually building, captivating the audience. The actual Fu Yunhe, however, was somewhat distracted, wondering what Nian Shutong was doing on the other side. At that moment, Nian Shutong stood up from her seat, incessantly fiddling with her Light Computer. But that wasn¡¯t important. What was important was the look of determination on her face, as if she were about to go¡­ kill someone? Naturally, Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t really going to kill anyone, but it was certainly the preparation for a big battle. With Daodao¡¯s guidance, she registered two Star Blog accounts under the names: Earth Bar and The Mover of Words. Star Blog was one of the mainstream media outlets on Star Network, gathering a large following due to some individuals. Registration on Star Blog was quick, the spiritual power verification even quicker, and the security was decent¡ªnot easily traceable unless one was quite formidable. When everything was prepared, Daodao first pushed his Star Blog on the novel website, and indeed, the fans increased visibly in moments. The Earth Bar account was slightly behind. She had missed the optimal window. ¡°Daodao, find a poem that doesn¡¯t exist in the interstellar, but after reading it, gives off a particularly disdainful vibe.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°Understood.¡± Daodao¡¯s voice, this time serious, commenced the action. Once everything was ready, Nian Shutong logged into the Earth Bar account, posted the second poem, circled the Ancient Poetry Society at the end, and attached a note, ¡®Please help critique.¡¯ Earth Bar: Clinging to the green mountains without loosening grip, roots firmly in the cracked rocks. Endure thousands of blows yet remain resilient, no matter the winds from all directions. All sent, waiting for it to ferment. After being busy with these tasks, Nian Shutong finally had the time to ask a question, ¡°Daodao, why is my name Earth Bar and not Earth?¡± ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t the master say it was ¡®Earth Bar¡¯ as in like a bar?¡± ¡°Xiao He believes, the host used ¡®Bar¡¯ as a modal particle.¡± ¡°Hmph! Everywhere you go, he¡¯s my master.¡± ¡°Your master, my host, no conflict oh!¡± They started arguing again. ¡°Stop fighting! I have a headache.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s word instantly quieted Xiao He and Daodao; she no longer dwelled on the name Earth Bar¡ªit was just a codename after all. Daodao felt a bit guilty; he had sparked an argument again. ¡°Master? Master?¡± The tender voice of grandma, making Nian Shutong want to laugh, yet she held back. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Daodao made you some money.¡± ¡°Host, Xiao He shouldn¡¯t have argued. Xiao He offers you two Crystal Stones as an apology, okay?¡± Nian Shutong tried hard to space out, not letting the two inside her head sense her thoughts, but she barely could suppress her smile. Money? Crystal Stones? What a great deal. ¡°Ah¡­ we¡¯re all family. When you do this, it hurts me. Let¡¯s leave it this time, but no more in the future.¡± ¡°Master is so nice!¡± ¡°Host is awesome!¡± ¡°Daodao made you seven hundred and eighty thousand Star Coins.¡± ¡°The Crystal Stones have been sent to the host, and a seedling is included as a gift!¡± ¡°Great! Great!¡± Nian Shutong suddenly stood up, shouting ¡®great¡¯ twice and then began clapping forcefully. ¡°Xiao He¡¯s live stream today was really good, exceptionally good,¡± Nian Shutong praised the just-finished Fu Yunhe, leaves him full of doubt. You sure it¡¯s good? All I did was make some porridge; what¡¯s good about that? He had a lingering sense he was just a smokescreen, but unfortunately didn¡¯t dare to ask. Nian Shutong paid no mind to these things; all she knew was she had made a profit. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Confusion Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Confusion Nian Shutong had already walked away with her hands behind her back, her silhouette radiating happiness. At that moment, she was silently communicating with Daodao, for the two of them had the deepest soul contract. ¡°Daodao, from now on, pick a fight with Xiao Ba every now and then, then I¡¯ll step in to mediate, and we can earn some Crystal Stones.¡± ¡°Daodao understands. Be careful, we can¡¯t fight every time; it would seem fake.¡± ¡°Daodao is smart.¡± After communicating, Nian Shutong had crossed a small creek, and after a few flashes, she vanished from sight. Xiao Ba, equally bound by a soul contract, hid in a spot, shaking its head¡ªits host was quite mischievous! But no matter, the mastermind always said to take life as it comes; stumbling through seemed pretty good. Unaware of Xiao Ba¡¯s thoughts, Nian Shutong had already taken two Crystal Stones and begun her cultivation atop a large tree. On the other side, Fu Yunhe, after finishing his live stream, went straight back to his room and logged onto the Star Network. He had naturally noticed the traffic cap today. His situation was similar to Nian Shutong¡¯s; although he was currently being threatened by her and had done some things, it was still with his cooperation. Of course, the main reason was that life only comes around once, but there are some things his pride will not allow. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï On the Star Network, many things are kept secret, but for some, these secrets are easily cracked. Fu Yunhe was definitely one of the kings in this realm. Once he logged onto the Star Network, he received an alert¡ªthis was a warning he had set up for Nian Shutong¡¯s spiritual power. It was not surveillance, rather an escort. The wisest thing to do is to lay low until one¡¯s wings are full. He checked the activities of Nian Shutong; Earth Bar, a porter? She had actually made so much money. Seeing that much money, his first reaction was not relief but a hint of disappointment. Fu Yunhe shook off his thoughts and fortified and encrypted all of Nian Shutong¡¯s information. With this, truly no one could pry anymore. Having done that, he started to promote the live stream room on the Star Network, throwing out various edited clips, waiting for an influx of traffic. More importantly, he began collecting information on several live stream companies, ready to smear back at them if need be. While the two of them were busy, the Star Network also began to react. The number of people in the live stream room had decreased because some had not bookmarked the shop; they would just search for the name on the Star Network, or look up categories. But this time, they couldn¡¯t find it. A large portion of the customers was enraged. What¡¯s going on? Not only did we fail to snatch up the food, but now we can¡¯t even enter? More and more people were gathering and fermenting their anger on the Star Network. Among them were individuals with significant status in real life, such as Mr. Yu. He wasn¡¯t familiar with the Star Network, but after tasting the chestnut chicken once, he would watch every live stream. But this time, he couldn¡¯t find it no matter how hard he tried. Furious, he placed a call to his second son, Yu Zeming, who was also the owner of a live stream company. ¡°Xiaoming, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what the reason is, I missed today¡¯s meal.¡± ¡°Huh? How did you know to eat vegetable porridge?¡± ¡°Yu Zeming, hurry and bring the porridge to me!¡± After Yu Zeming delivered the porridge, Mr. Yu first enjoyed it, and after a bowl of hot porridge settled in his stomach, his closed eyes twinkled with a glint. There¡¯s a trick to some of the ingredients and dishes here. He opened his eyes and looked at Yu Zeming, inquiring about what had happened. Yu Zeming spoke casually, ¡°It¡¯s just a few small companies trying to put a blockade on him.¡± ¡°You want to sign him?¡± ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s no rush. If he can¡¯t handle this little difficulty, then forget it.¡± ¡°Foolish!¡± Mr. Yu¡¯s palm slammed down hard on the table. Yu Zeming instinctively stood up straight, his fingers pressed against the seams of his pants, his eyes wide with panic and confusion as he looked at Mr. Yu. ¡°Dad, what¡­ what did I do?¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± With Mr. Yu¡¯s command, Yu Zeming hurriedly sat down, but only perched on the very edge of the sofa, ready to slip off at any moment, nervously waiting for Mr. Yu to speak. ¡°You think you¡¯re smart, letting him carve out his own path to become something more formidable.¡± ¡°But have you considered, if he can make it on his own, what does that have to do with you? After he succeeds, why would he choose you, who was of no help?¡± Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Boosting Momentum Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Boosting Momentum Mr. Yu looked at Yu Zeming, who seemed somewhat earnest, and spoke again, ¡°It¡¯s easy to give coal in the snow, but hard to add flowers to brocade.¡± ¡°Dad¡ªI don¡¯t understand.¡± Yu Zeming looked at his dad with a furrowed brow and a pained expression, as his dad tossed idioms his way. Mr. Yu initially intended to give Yu Zeming a hint, but this misunderstanding instantly turned the hint into a shoe horn. Mr. Yu deftly took off one shoe and flung it at Yu Zeming. ¡°You little rabbit, I told you to study more, study more. You don¡¯t understand even these two simple idioms?¡± ¡°Your father, the illustrious leader of the Poetry Club, and your brother, the vice president, where should we put our faces?¡± ¡°You little bastard, I won¡¯t kill you today!¡± Although Yu Zeming was scared, he still dodged as he should. ¡°Dad! Image, image! Mind your image!¡± ¡°Get lost! Your father said¡­ long ago, ¡®The softest things in the world can overcome the hardest.''¡± Mr. Yu glanced at his reflection in the mirror opposite, stood with his hands behind his back, and after saying those words, he turned around with a righteous air. ¡°Principal Shu? When did you come over?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï At the entrance of the Yu Family home stood an elderly man with a head of silver hair and dressed in a long robe, standing tall. His refined demeanor was unmistakable, even just standing there. ¡°Where did that come from, the ¡®Before your father said¡¯ part?¡± Principal Shu¡¯s somewhat knowing words made Mr. Yu awkwardly smile, and he invited Principal Shu to sit down inside. On the other side, Yu Zeming quietly picked up Mr. Yu¡¯s shoe and placed it on the ground. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s cool.¡± After receiving an icy look from his dad, Yu Zeming greeted Principal Shu and then backed out. Although Mr. Yu was irritated by his son¡¯s lack of insight, he couldn¡¯t help but remind him. ¡°Yu Zeming, put away all your tricks and talk sincerely.¡± Standing at the doorway, Yu Zeming trusted his dad no matter what, and he respectfully bent slightly as he said, ¡°I understand, dad.¡± ¡°Principal Shu, goodbye.¡± Yu Zeming left and began to contact Fu Yunhe. He had to not only listen to his dad¡¯s words but to act on them. Inside, Principal Shu also made clear his intention for visiting, which turned out to be related to Nian Shutong. ¡°Little Yu, that Earth Bar has posted another poem. I took a liking to it and would like you to act as a go-between, contact him for me. I want to use this poem at our school.¡± ¡°Another poem?¡± Mr. Yu couldn¡¯t be distracted by anything else; though occasionally hot-tempered, he had a deep-seated love for poetry. He found the poem on Star Network¡¯s Star Blog and finally saw it. ¡°Through a thousand grindings, and a hundred hard knocks, it remains as resilient as ever; let it be the winds from all directions.¡± ¡°Great, great, great! Absolutely brilliant!¡± ¡°On the surface, it¡¯s about bamboo, but it¡¯s actually metaphorical of people, strong and unyielding, iron-boned and sonorous, fearless, generous, and free-spirited¡­¡± Principal Shu listened silently, not urging Mr. Yu on, as he was addicted to it, just like seeing fine calligraphy. After Mr. Yu finished his analysis, he embarrassingly apologized to Principal Shu. ¡°Sorry, I was mesmerized.¡± ¡°No problem, I understand.¡± Mr. Yu was naturally willing to help, and he immediately contacted Nian Shutong¡¯s account and even reposted the poem with his own account. With this repost, Earth Bar¡¯s followers began to grow. After the discussion, everyone waited for Nian Shutong¡¯s reply. The wait lasted until the next day. After a night of cultivation, Nian Shutong walked back to the small wooden house from outside and immediately saw Fu Yunhe waiting at the door. Nian Shutong, with the posture of a frivolous young master, spoke in a slightly frivolous tone. ¡°Can¡¯t you sleep by yourself? Or do you miss me too much, waiting here so early just for me?¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: A Blaze Starts a Conflagration Chapter 148: Chapter 148: A Blaze Starts a Conflagration Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong, who was becoming increasingly proficient at teasing him, raise an eyebrow and calmly asked, ¡°How do you know I was waiting for you?¡± Wow! The beauty¡¯s counterattack is getting prettier and prettier! Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t displeased by the rebuttal at all; instead, she enjoyed the novelty of accepting a challenge. To put it bluntly, she liked fighting. Even if it was just verbal, it was exhilarating for her. But, she liked winning even more. Nian Shutong stepped forward until she was only a fist¡¯s distance away from Fu Yunhe, her voice slightly husky. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you still have the energy to find someone else?¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s gaze kept drifting downward as one of her fingers slowly moved from his waist, causing Fu Yunhe¡¯s hairs to stand on end. This woman? Is she still a woman? ¡°Cough cough, I have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Fun, isn¡¯t it? Thrilling, right?¡± Nian Shutong, who had already stepped back, threw her head back and laughed. With long strides, she led the way, her voice carrying back to him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Let¡¯s talk over here.¡± Fu Yunhe behind her had to adjust his feelings of being teased and, crucially, of losing. He, a grown man, couldn¡¯t outtalk a woman? After analyzing and summarizing, Fu Yunhe felt his chances of winning were too small. Given Nian Shutong¡¯s thick skin and his own miserable strength, he figured he might never turn the tables in this lifetime. After consoling himself once more and quickly accepting this internally, Fu Yunhe chuckled at himself and followed Nian Shutong. The two sat down outside the kitchen, but as soon as they did, Zhang Hui¡¯s family came out to work. They took their chairs and moved next to a small stream. ¡°Speak.¡± Nian Shutong sat with a sprawl, like a boss, looking at Fu Yunhe. ¡°Last night, the person in charge of Youyu Live found our live stream. It seemed they valued us highly and suggested they wanted to help.¡± ¡°And then? What did you say?¡± Nian Shutong had completely entrusted the live streaming matters to Fu Yunhe, and she felt quite at ease about it. ¡°I expressed our thanks. I didn¡¯t bring up signing a contract just yet, but I told him we¡¯ll consider their company first.¡± ¡°Good, if you¡¯ve decided that¡¯s fine. Anything else?¡± Nian Shutong had already stood up; she had other matters to attend to. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Nian Shutong nodded and walked back to the small wooden house. Fu Yunhe watched the easygoing Nian Shutong. Wasn¡¯t she delegating authority a bit too quickly? After all, it hadn¡¯t been very long since she wanted him dead. Fu Yunhe¡¯s complaints went unheard by Nian Shutong, who was now checking her two Star Blog accounts on the Star Network. Text Mover and Earth Bar. Among them, Earth Bar got an email from Mr. Yu. Seeing the forward from Mr. Yu had increased her followers significantly, she agreed to his request. She immediately responded to the email, telling Mr. Yu they could use her poem as long as they retained her name as the author. She didn¡¯t want any money. ¡°Ah, you can¡¯t trap a wolf without bait,¡± Nian Shutong thought straightforwardly. If a school was using her poem, they should at least promote it a little, right? And that¡¯s exactly what she wanted: the promotion. She intended to build up traffic and popularity for her two accounts and then promote her live streaming account to host a grand dumpling feast. In other words, she planned to promote herself in the future, not to be bound by anyone else. Of course, there was still a long way to go, but at least it had begun. Mr. Yu promptly responded with appreciation. About half an hour later, the interstellar university reposted the poem from ¡°Earth Bar¡± on Star Blog with a note: Included in the interstellar university¡¯s school publication. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149 Final Rally Chapter 149: Chapter 149 Final Rally Nian Shutong saw the retweet from the interstellar university and let it ferment for a while as she went to prepare the dumplings. She stepped out of the small wooden house and called over everyone who could work. Everyone gathered around the dining table, all waiting for her to speak. ¡°From now on, unless it¡¯s urgent, drop everything.¡± ¡°Next, we¡¯re all going to make dumplings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do the biggest live stream, and it will only feature dumplings.¡± Fu Yunhe looked at Nian Shutong, their eyes met, and with a confident smile she said, ¡°You¡¯re thinking right! I¡¯m going to use dumplings to shoot our live stream to the top of the trending list.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Fu Yunhe let out a roar, unleashing his greatest strength. Though it was just a live stream, he was as spirited as if he were going into battle. Nian Shutong also laughed heartily and began to arrange the tasks. ¡°Ha Ha, you knead the dough!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the filling, Wang Fu along with two brothers will roll the dough skins, and everyone else will wrap the dumplings.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 ¡°Rubble,¡± Nian Shutong looked at him very seriously for the first time and said, ¡°Our success or failure today depends on you.¡± Because among all the people, only Rubble could make them both well and fast. Rubble, also not inclination to slack off for once, nodded heavily and said, ¡°Rubble will do a good job.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s start!¡± Nian Shutong waved her hand, and piles of ingredients fell onto the table. ¡°Cucumber and egg, green pepper and pork, napa cabbage and pork, three types of fillings, three ways to wrap them, separate them out.¡± Everyone moved quickly, each person took some vegetables to wash. After everything was washed, they had several large basins full. Now, it was Nian Shutong¡¯s time to shine. The green light emerged, transforming into thousands of fine threads, densely packed, raining down from above onto a head of¡­ napa cabbage. This was definitely the first time Daodao had used his skills for such a minor purpose. But he was quite happy to cooperate. A head of napa cabbage, just one cut, perfectly chopped, each small piece nearly identical in size. Zhang Hui and her daughter efficiently swapped out chopped cabbage, continuing with another one. The chopped cabbage was thrown into boiling water, blanched briefly, then after cooling was squeezed dry, ready for use. They formed a perfect assembly line, and everyone was bustling with activity. All because of the woman who continued to brandish her large knife; what she wanted to do, she did. After finishing the napa cabbage, Nian Shutong started mincing the pork, still with a single cut. Then she went to prepare the fillings. Once the filling was ready, Rubble could start wrapping. The napa cabbage pork dumplings were shaped like wheat ears, neatly arranged and kept in an insulated box, waiting for the next step. After the napa cabbage filling, Nian Shutong began to prepare the green pepper pork, and then came the preparations for the cucumber and egg. Three types of fillings, three different shapes. Napa cabbage was wheat ear-shaped, green pepper pork was shaped like Yuanbao, and cucumber and egg were flat. Nian Shutong washed her hands and joined the dumpling wrapping team. Although her skill was average, it was still better than doing nothing. As for Ha Ha, he was completely free, as his strength couldn¡¯t handle dumpling wrapping, so he took a hoe and went to work alone. While managing all this, Nian Shutong also took the time to update her Star Blog. Her Earth Bar account was gaining lots of followers since the interstellar university had featured her in their campus journal¡ªhow could anyone not watch? The interstellar university is second only to the Imperial Military Academy in status, so naturally a post from them attracted a lot of attention. By then, Nian Shutong had also completed her post. Star Blog. Earth Bar: No need to speak with talent, a belly full of flavors lies hidden within. Blessed to accompany you with three cups of wine, a smile leaves a fragrant trace upon the teeth. She circled the account ¡°Text Mover¡± at the end. Leaving a message: Guess what this is? Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 150 The Story of Dumplings Chapter 150: Chapter 150 The Story of Dumplings ¡°Earth Bar¡¯s¡± account had just finished posting when Daodao promptly posted a short essay too. It was a short essay about dumplings. Starting from the famous Huaxia physician Zhang Zhongjing, who wrapped medicinal herbs in dough to prevent frostbite on ears, leading people to create a food shaped similarly called Jiao¡¯er. Next, it mentioned the ancient tradition of eating dumplings on New Year¡¯s Eve, symbolizing the passing of years. In the end, it used nearly a hundred words to describe how delicious dumplings were, the kind that made one drool just by reading the text. The short essay, told in a storytelling manner, was engaging and slightly tempting. Known as a word transporter, the writer had already gained some fame, attracting many Immortal Slaying fans in the comments under the account. [What does this mean? Have we driven her mad?] [Could it be that her next book is about dumplings?] [Cultivation dumplings?] [Buddhist, Daoist, and Demonic Cultivation dumplings?] [Please, let the lover of dumplings live.] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? [Dare to die? I¡¯ll eat you.] Nian Shutong, constantly scrolling through Star Network comments, asked with uncertainty, ¡°Daodao, are your book fans¡­ normal?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all suggesting Daodao change the ending, probably a bit frantic.¡± A bit? She, a pure person from the Cultivation World, didn¡¯t even know there were cultivation dumplings? She was indeed ignorant. During the joint event of Nian Shutong¡¯s two accounts, dumplings indeed caught much attention. Especially when Mr. Yu reposted that poem about dumplings, not just reposting but also adding his analysis. Using objects to symbolize people, he expressed optimism and other traits through a lengthy eight hundred-word essay. And after Mr. Yu¡¯s repost, many members of the Poetry Club followed suit, making ¡°Earth Bar¡± start to emerge in the cultural circles. While the discussion was lively on Star Network, Nian Shutong¡¯s two accounts posted a link simultaneously. It was to their live streaming room, accompanied by a phrase: Come tonight, I¡¯ll treat you to dumplings. [I must go, after reading Wengong¡¯s short essay, I¡¯m salivating.] [Though you killed my beloved Bi Yao, I¡¯ll check it out for the sake of dumplings.] [As a scholar of poetry and a pursuer of traditional culture, how can I miss this chance to pursue the truth?] [Let¡¯s go!] The two accounts, totaling around twenty million fans, were a drop in the ocean compared to the interstellar population counts. But for Nian Shutong, it was enough. She had initially planned to let others share the post, with shares qualifying for free dumplings, but worried that if things crashed with too many people eating dumplings, Rubble and the others would be exhausted to death. Having arranged everything, Nian Shutong focused on making dumplings, waiting for seven in the evening to start the broadcast. The small wooden house¡¯s dumplings kept increasing in number, stacking high in thermal boxes, and if Nian Shutong hadn¡¯t made some money, she probably couldn¡¯t have afforded these warming containers. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s push through tonight, and after we finish, we¡¯ll take a two-day break to rest up.¡± ¡°Not strike while the iron¡¯s hot?¡± Fu Yunhe pinched a dumpling and looked up at Nian Shutong. Nian Shutong stretched out a finger and slid it across Fu Yunhe¡¯s nose tip, locking eyes with his dazed gaze. ¡°I saw some flour on your nose, just thought I¡¯d help!¡± ¡°Are you sure it was to help?¡± Fu Yunhe looked at the flour on Nian Shutong¡¯s hand, which had turned her dark hands white. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! It¡¯s all the same, all the same.¡± Nian Shutong was actually doing it on purpose, because everyone else¡¯s packing was somewhat messy, but this man alone was unnaturally neat. Of course, except for Rubble. ¡°Oh, and about your question, this is playing the long game, making you crave it after one bite, itching in your heart.¡± Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Dumplings Versus Traffic Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Dumplings Versus Traffic Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong, who looked somewhat smug, and nodded in agreement, impressed with her strategy. The dumpling wrapping continued, and the buzz online kept fermenting. Everything was ready, just awaiting the opportune moment. At 6 p.m., Nian Shutong and her group finally finished wrapping the dumplings. Rubble put down the last dumpling he was holding and collapsed onto the floor, unable to lift his arms anymore. Nian Shutong squatted down and sent a stream of spiritual energy down Rubble¡¯s wrists, flowing through his whole body, not sure if it would help or not. Today, Rubble had been nonstop working, and even when he was incredibly tired, he didn¡¯t rest like usual. ¡°Rubble, feeling any better?¡± Rubble didn¡¯t know what kind of power was coursing through his body but felt a warm sensation all over, similar to what the Mechanical Clan described as the feeling of being in love. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, you and Rubble are not of the same species, and there¡¯s no future for us.¡± ¡°Ha Ha Ha¡­ Rubble, look at me.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s dark eyes fixed on Rubble as she asked, ¡°Feeling any love?¡± ¡°No, Rubble is scared.¡± Rubble pouted, feeling wronged. He didn¡¯t want to fall in love with Ms. Nian Shutong; Rubble was afraid. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°That¡¯s correct, we indeed have no future together. If there was one, it would be you working for me,¡± Nian Shutong withdrew her hand and started preparing for the evening¡¯s activities. As for Rubble, he was left to recover on his own. At 7 p.m., everything was in place. Nian Shutong, still at her post, gave Fu Yunhe a nod. Fu Yunhe returned the gesture with a smile and started the live stream. ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Xiao He. Today, I invite you all to enjoy dumplings.¡± There was even a second of lag in the live stream¡ªnot due to Star Network¡¯s incapability, but because so many people rushed in at the start. In just a few words, over thirty million people were already in the live stream. And the dumplings hadn¡¯t even been eaten yet. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared three kinds of dumplings, and I¡¯ll briefly explain the making process.¡± ¡°Mix the dough¡­ roll it into wrappers, place the filling, and wrap them into dumplings.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve prepared three types of fillings: wheat ear cabbage pork, Yuanbao¡¯s green pepper meat, and flat cucumber egg.¡± Fu Yunhe continued the introduction while he began to cook the dumplings in a small pot. [So this is what dumplings are.] [The poetry from Earth Bar is quite fitting.] [Is the one above from interstellar university?] [Yes, because of Earth Bar, we now have a poem to memorize and understand.] [It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m from Poetry Club, and our club president required us to fully understand two poems.] [Are all the fans here from Earth Bar? Are there any from our Text Mover army?] [Exterminating Immortal Sword Formation is here.] [I am Zhang Xiaofan.] [I¡¯m Bi Yao!] [Don¡¯t mention Bi Yao; it¡¯s heartbreaking.] [Right, on such a fine day, I don¡¯t wanna curse Wengong anymore.] These were fans of the two accounts, flooding in and chatting endlessly. Then there were those who were not fans, just there for the live stream, completely baffled. [What¡¯s happening? Where are all these people from?] [I don¡¯t know, I just know I now have so many rivals to contend with.] [Sigh¡­ another day without a win. But I still can¡¯t bear to leave.] [Same here, waiting for a chance to pick up anything left over.] In the live stream, fans from all three sides also started to slowly interact. They eventually unearthed the reason for their gathering. Even the reason why some had failed to find the live stream the previous day was discovered. The first thing everyone did was to favorite the shop, determined not to lose it again. Some people even took out notepads to jot down the account information. [Is anyone else curious about the relationship between these three big shots?] [Yes, I¡¯m wondering that too.] [Little River Live, Earth Bar, Text Mover, how are these even related? Could they be friends?] [I guess so, looks like one got bullied and the other two are coming out to support their brother.] [Oh, how sweet.] Having been watching the live stream, Nian Shutong saw everyone¡¯s guesses and looked at Fu Yunhe fishing out dumplings, brothers? Handsome brothers perhaps! Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t answer that question; he felt that Nian Shutong wouldn¡¯t want to expose it. ¡°Our dumplings are ready, and today¡¯s virtual tasting method is very unique.¡± ¡°We will open up the maximum limit for tasting slots, but obviously, many people will miss out, so we¡¯ve prepared a lot of dumplings during the day.¡± As the camera followed Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand movement, a stack of thermal boxes several people high appeared in everyone¡¯s view. [Wow! I might have a chance today.] [Xiao He has really splashed out, so many dumplings.] [I¡¯m ready, I refuse to believe I can¡¯t grab a slot.] The camera turned back, and Fu Yunhe continued, ¡°The virtual is now open, begin.¡± The time to battle with hand speed had arrived again! Charge! At this point, there were over seventy million people in the live stream, and the numbers kept rising. Fu Yunhe had spent part of the money to open nearly ten million virtual tastings. Nearly a one in seven chance, which was already enormous. When this wave of tasting was over, too many people in the live room praised the dumplings¡¯ flavor. [I¡¯m satisfied for life.] [From now on, dumplings are my favorite.] [What fillings did you guys taste?] [Cucumber and egg.] [I had cabbage and pork, really tasty.] [Certainly not as delicious as green pepper and meat.] The comments section got more and more heated, almost to the point of fighting over which flavor was better. But Fu Yunhe¡¯s next words turned them all to wails. ¡°After the virtual tasting ends, the shop¡¯s new products will be available. To let more people taste the dumplings, accounts that managed to get a virtual tasting won¡¯t be able to purchase today.¡± [What did I just hear? Am I hallucinating?] [Streamer, that¡¯s not cool!] [If I knew, why would I have bothered competing?] [Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I¡¯m finally going to turn my luck around.] [Dumplings, wait for me! I¡¯m on my way!] Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t bother explaining, simply turning the camera to focus on the big pot cooking dumplings, saying: ¡°The dumplings for sale, three per serving, one of each filling.¡± ¡°The new releases won¡¯t come out fast, they will last for some time, so those who want to eat should start thinking of strategies now.¡± [I¡¯m going! I can use an alt account!] [You fool, why shout it out!] [Oh, sinister!] The number of commenters dwindled as more and more people went to stake out the small shop. Fu Yunhe was also ready to exit the live stream, with the count reaching eighty million, not far from one hundred million. ¡°Today¡¯s live stream ends here, may everything be wonderful for you tomorrow.¡± The live stream went dark. The live stream had ended, but the release of the dumplings was just starting, with countless people rushing into the small shop, constantly refreshing the page and placing orders, all to snatch a serving of dumplings. On Star Network, the topic of grabbing dumplings was also slowly heating up. As He Xinchun, a Star Blog influencer who asked for chestnuts, posted a video of eating dumplings, the heat climbed to the tenth spot. Yu Zeming, the head of the live streaming company, gave it a casual push, and the dumpling fever rose further, reaching the fourth spot. The Star Network now, even more people were wondering, what exactly are dumplings? Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Buying a Shop Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Buying a Shop Star Network Hot Topic: What are ¡°dumplings¡±? The thread¡¯s construction was incredibly fast, for there were two types of people who knew about this. One type, those who had snagged the dumplings and knew the taste, felt a sense of superiority and wanted to enlighten you, or more colloquially, ¡°show off.¡± The second type was those who had missed out, lamenting the injustice of fate. With such high odds, how had they still missed their chance? What were they waiting for? Drag others down with them. One by one! Thus, the comment section presented a lopsided state of affairs, which was all about how delicious it was, encouraging everyone to come and try! Who knows how many succumbed and delightfully fell into this ¡°pit¡±. As more and more people flocked to the little shop, everything above was sold out, and the shop had put up a notice which read: ¡°The shop is upgrading, the Boss is tired. Business will resume after two days, goods listed below.¡± The notice was accompanied by a list: dumplings (limited sales), salt (supplier for the Yan Family, available for purchase), maltose (limited), sugar-roasted chestnuts (limited), tofu (limited), soy milk (limited), meat (limited), soy sauce (limited). On that list, ¡°limited¡± was the most frequently used word. The shop hadn¡¯t opened its doors, but the comment section was incredibly lively. ¡°Although you¡¯re selling in a high and cold manner, my love for you remains unchanged.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°According to the shop owner, all their items are handmade, very slowly, but taste great. Worth the wait.¡± ¡°Even though I understand, I¡¯m still itching to buy.¡± ¡°The key problem is, I can¡¯t get my hands on it.¡± ¡°What kind of shop is this! Are you all hired shills?¡± ¡°It does seem like it, feels like joining a cult.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! We are a cult, you definitely shouldn¡¯t come.¡± Concerning the shop taking a break and the limited supply, 80% didn¡¯t mind at all and the remaining 20% was filled with bad reviews, showing dissatisfaction with the service. And the dissatisfied were those who hadn¡¯t had a taste. Nonetheless, Nian Shutong¡¯s little shop had become a hit. It became the place where you couldn¡¯t buy their products, but if by some chance you did, you could even flip them for a profit, despite being broke. The livestream¡¯s traffic directed so many to Nian Shutong¡¯s shop, it broke a hundred million views, and the shop¡¯s location moved forward straight into the main streets of the Star Network. At this time, Nian Shutong had accessed the Star Network with Fu Yunhe, and they were looking for a shop location. Shops in the Star Network were the same as real ones; you could pick their location, size, and even if you needed to demolish a building, paperwork was needed. You could even receive compensation for it. Many liked shopping on the Star Network for two reasons: the interstellar space was vast, making it convenient, and it also saved money. ¡°Have you made a choice?¡± Nian Shutong nodded, pointing to a spot and saying, ¡°That place there.¡± Fu Yunhe looked in the direction and not surprisingly because it was the cheapest and also a bit out of the way. There were four mainstream streets, forming a square, and inside, there was a small row of shops, perhaps seven or eight, but sadly, they didn¡¯t attract much foot traffic. Because the outside world was so exciting, to reach this little row of shops required a complicated route, and nobody wanted to make the effort. Of course, compared to her original spot, it was definitely an improvement, but compared to the main street, it lacked appeal. ¡°Not going to choose again?¡± ¡°No need to look further. This place is several times cheaper; it makes no sense not to choose it.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t have big ambitions, and her approach to selling was laid-back. Fu Yunhe understood and didn¡¯t say more, instead initiating negotiations on behalf of Nian Shutong. After a round of negotiation, he came back and reported to Nian Shutong, ¡°They¡¯re only selling, not renting. Plus, they want to sell the whole row of houses together. Still interested?¡± ¡°How much?¡± Not renting suited Nian Shutong fine; she liked to keep things in her own hands. ¡°They¡¯re asking for an estimated thirteen million Star Coins.¡± That price tag made Nian Shutong smile strangely. Were they pricing it specifically to the limit of her budget? In her account, she now had a total of 13,380,000 Star Coins, most of which Daodao had earned from typing: a sum for publishing rights, another for royalties, and yet another from selling saplings, Maltose, and salt. And she planned to set aside some to buy a Space Button for Ha Ha. As for the dumplings they sold the most of yesterday, they did not take any money for them, having said they were treating everyone to dumplings, so they just symbolically accepted a few Star Coins. But the flour, filling, and so on, had all been purchased by Nian Shutong, and the expense was not small. Fu Yunhe, looking at Nian Shutong¡¯s resolute face, understood and said, ¡°I still have money.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± Nian Shutong waved his hand firmly and said to Fu Yunhe, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for this one. Keep your money; it will all be mine soon enough, no need to rush.¡± Having said that, Nian Shutong went to sign contracts, buying several shops as casually as if he were purchasing bottles of nutrient liquid. The Fu Yunhe following behind muttered softly, Who¡¯s in a rush? Don¡¯t I know it will all be yours? He himself hardly spent any money, nor did he dare to spend¡ªit was all being saved up for Nian Shutong. The two quickly finished the procedures, and Nian Shutong even went to check out the shops, which were quite satisfactory and didn¡¯t need any modifications. ¡°We¡¯ll use one of them for now, and see if we can rent out the others. If we can, we¡¯ll rent them; if not, we¡¯ll just leave them be. They won¡¯t go to waste anyway.¡± That was one of the advantages of the Star Network. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll write up a sublet notice in a bit.¡± Nian Shutong nodded and then seemed to remember something, ¡°Is the shop number still the same as before? I quite like my number with all the fours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still your own number, that doesn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Good, let¡¯s log out then.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s figure dissipated in the blink of an eye as he logged out of the Star Network. Fu Yunhe shook his head and chuckled. Why so fast every time? He followed and logged out of the Star Network, returning to the small wooden house. At the small wooden house, everyone was resting. Since Nian Shutong declared it a holiday, it truly was one. However, they would only rest for a day because they had to dig up potatoes the next day. The potatoes planted by Nian Shutong had reached their harvest day. And that wasn¡¯t what made them happiest. The potato harvest was like a signal; after that, vegetables, tomatoes, rice, wheat, and so on, were all ready to be gathered. The vegetable garden in front of the small wooden house could also start to be harvested; even a bit of yesterday¡¯s dumpling filling came from here. Nian Shutong lay on a sun lounger in front of the small wooden house, swinging his crossed legs carelessly, his eyes closed, lazily basking in the sun. ¡°Xiao He, how big is the largest preservation box?¡± ¡°Very big, depending on what you need,¡± Fu Yunhe, sitting beside, replied. ¡°You buying it to store potatoes, rice?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Then you can buy preservation warehouses, one for each kind, keeping everything just the way it was when it went in.¡± Nian Shutong put down his crossed legs and sat up slightly, turning his head to look at Fu Yunhe. ¡°I¡¯ll also need a threshing machine, a kneading machine.¡± Fu Yunhe nodded, having already opened the Star Network, placing all the orders, making payments, the process was swift and practiced. ¡°Thanks, beautiful,¡± Nian Shutong stood up and called out to Ha Ha, who was pouting by the creek, ¡°Ha Ha, come back.¡± Ha Ha came over, pouting, his body twisting like a child¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Time to work.¡± Ha Ha, initially upset about being forced to rest, was immediately overjoyed. ¡°Silly Ha Ha, isn¡¯t rest good?¡± ¡°Not good, the Commander says we must be diligent, can¡¯t be like Xiao He.¡± Fu Yunhe, unfairly implicated: Which way am I? Come on, explain yourself! Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Longevity Noodles Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Longevity Noodles Nian Shutong arranged for Ha Ha to chop down trees, then went to smoke the cured meat to the right of the small wooden house, a bit further away in an isolated spot. There was a forest there, backed by mountains and situated on higher ground. She planned to use the cleared area to place a preservation warehouse to store food. Ha Ha ran off particularly happy, eager to work again as he had no desire to rest. Watching Ha Ha¡¯s cheerful figure, Nian Shutong sighed once more. ¡°Xiao He, what do you think Ha Ha¡¯s Commander did to train Ha Ha?¡± ¡°I really want to meet them, to have them train two more Ha Ha¡¯s for me.¡± Fu Yunhe felt a pang in his heart at this question, as he had no idea himself. Previously, when someone told him Ha Ha¡¯s speech was annoying and his thought processes were strange, he was unhappy because he thought Ha Ha was merely honest, a bit simple-hearted. But now, he finally understood that person¡¯s expression back then. Probably wondering if the Commander was blind. Nian Shutong was just making conversation. When she accepted someone, she tended to view them favorably, like Ha Ha at the moment. It was a feeling similar to being proud of one¡¯s own child. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï She decided not to rest either, mainly because she wasn¡¯t very tired, and got up to chop trees as well. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, please wait a moment, Rubble has a question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, what are we having for dinner? Rubble is about to upgrade. In the Mechanical Clan, upgrading is akin to celebrating a birthday for interstellar humans, and Rubble can finally eat real food.¡± For the first time, Nian Shutong heard anticipation and eagerness in Rubble¡¯s voice, and she said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll definitely like it. Let¡¯s keep it a surprise, okay?¡± ¡°Rubble does not like surprises.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Rubble can accept it.¡± Nian Shutong nodded in satisfaction, and as she walked past Rubble, she reached out towards Rubble with her hand, palm downward, fingers gently curling a few times. Just as Rubble bent his head in cooperation, Nian Shutong patted him on the top of his head. ¡°Good, go have fun,¡± she said as she patted and then left to chop trees. Rubble stood there in the bent-over position, his hand over his heart, as if it wasn¡¯t jumping as much anymore. Indeed, Rubble wasn¡¯t sick. Fu Yunhe watched the interaction between the two and for some reason, felt a tinge of envy. Despite being the first to arrive, it seemed that Silly Wolf and sharp-tongued Rubble were accepted faster than himself. Illogical. After all, he had spent so much money. Never mind, he thought, he¡¯d continue to earn money. One way or another, it would pay off, and Rubble didn¡¯t actually go to play, but instead went to his workshop. The Wang Fu family too wasn¡¯t very tired and everyone started getting busy. Watching those preparing soy sauce, turning over fermentation jars, airing things, watering bean sprouts and malts, and picking beans. Nian Shutong, already cutting trees, turned to look at the bustle and stopped her chopping momentarily, genuinely wanting the others to rest. She shook her head lightly and continued her work, multitasking by communicating with Daodao. ¡°Daodao, what should Rubble eat for his birthday?¡± ¡°Master, you could make longevity noodles, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Daodao wonders if you, Master, can make them.¡± Daodao was thinking, making dumplings was already a struggle, and hand-pulled noodles seemed even harder. Nian Shutong didn¡¯t boast; she first watched a video. After watching, she fell silent. No wonder Daodao doubted her; she doubted herself. How could such a soft and pliable thing be stretched continuously? She really disliked these delicate and skillful tasks. Having memorized the steps, Nian Shutong stopped chopping trees. She went to the kitchen, gathered several basins, a chopping board, pots, bowls, and some water, and placed them all into the Space Button before leaving. Seeing the Space Button, Nian Shutong remembered it was Ha Ha¡¯s and sent a message directly to Fu Yunhe. ¡°Buy me a Space Button, I¡¯ll pay for it,¡± she habitually turned to Fu Yunhe as it was more convenient. ¡°You want to give it back to Ha Ha? I think he wouldn¡¯t want it, in his eyes, making you happy is what brings him the most joy.¡± ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m buying him another one.¡± ¡°Then you need to make it clear to him,¡± Fu Yunhe replied and then went to place the order first. Nian Shutong turned and went over to Ha Ha¡¯s side, ¡°Ha Ha, I¡¯m planning to return the Space Button to you, in case¡­¡± Ha Ha, who had been looking down at his work, suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with sadness. ¡°Do you want me to leave? I can¡¯t go, I need to stay with you.¡± Nian Shutong had never seen a wolf looking so wronged, and it was the first time she noticed Ha Ha¡¯s eyes were quite large, brimming with tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m just¡­ thinking of giving you a new one, so it¡¯s easier for you to carry stuff. I wanted to check with you first.¡± Ha Ha¡¯s tears turned into laughter, a simple, silly smile revealing his rows of teeth. ¡°Give! Everything Ha Ha has is for you, I want whatever the good people give me.¡± ¡°You silly¡­¡± Silly Wolf. Nian Shutong also rubbed Ha Ha¡¯s head, turned around, and, with a slight upward curve at the corners of her mouth, happily headed to the other side of the stream. There, she first treated the Giant Bird creature, which guarded the home. Now that it had grown a layer of feathers, the Giant Bird creature was finally seeing hope and was much friendlier toward Nian Shutong. This unconventional Human spoke the truth and wasn¡¯t too bad. After treating the Giant Bird creature, Nian Shutong found a flat spot for herself and chopped a large rock to use as a table. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± ¡°Sure, master, good luck.¡± Nian Shutong had a serious expression, flipped her hand, and poured the flour into the bowl, added water, and began kneading the dough. She was going to practice making Longevity Noodles. There was no deep reason behind it; she just wanted to celebrate Rubble¡¯s birthday. Once she thought about it, she did it. ¡°Master, this dough is too runny.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it will make the broth thicker.¡± ¡°Master, this one is too tough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay; it¡¯s for making knife-shaved noodles.¡± ¡°Master, it broke again.¡± ¡°Once more.¡± ¡°It broke.¡± ¡°No worries, again.¡± ¡°How about we just eat a bowl of noodles? They don¡¯t all have to be in one piece, right?¡± ¡°How can that be? Longevity Noodles are all about the symbolism.¡± Nian Shutong didn¡¯t give up at all, nor was she discouraged or anxious, she kept going at it steadily, wasn¡¯t this progress? A bowl of noodles, from midday, she kept at it until it was nearly dusk. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha! Done!¡± In the forest that blocked out the sun, a yellow glimmer sneaked through the leaves, landing upon a white porcelain bowl. A wisp of steam rose gently from the bowl, where the light yellow, clear broth hinted at its extraordinary nature, and inside, the noodles were piled up in spirals as if climbing skyward. ¡°Let¡¯s go, back home.¡± Nian Shutong carefully packed a bowl of noodles into the Space Button, then gathered up all other belongings. She moved with astonishing speed, unleashing her Spiritual Power as if it was free, eager to get back to the small wooden house a step faster. At that moment, the small wooden house already had smoke curling up from its chimney. On the opposite side of the stream, Nian Shutong stopped for the first time, looking towards the other side. Human, home, smoke. Laughter, whispered voices, the crisp sounds of firewood crackling. In the glow of the setting sun, a tranquil scene gradually unfolded like a scroll. This truly was¡­ home. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Give a Push Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Give a Push ¡°` ¡°Nian Shutong, dinner is ready.¡± Fu Yunhe was the first to see her, coming to the stream, where the two of them looked at each other from opposite banks. He asked, puzzled, ¡°Not hungry today?¡± The most enthusiastic person about meal times was always Ha Ha, followed by Nian Shutong, of course. He was also very eager, just more composed about it. ¡°Don¡¯t you think, if I were hungry, I wouldn¡¯t look for food? Must I come back home hungry?¡± Come back home? The word ¡°home¡± made Fu Yunhe¡¯s heart warm, and he smiled like a spring breeze, shaking his head at the other bank. ¡°Of course not, what I mean is that your status is so high, we wouldn¡¯t dare to eat without you.¡± Nian Shutong laughed at Fu Yunhe¡¯s words, ran across the bridge, came to his side, and asked mysteriously, ¡°Where¡¯s Rubble?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ready and waiting for you to make him something tasty.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes twinkled, she patted Fu Yunhe¡¯s arm and ran off saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Rubble! Rubble!¡± Rubble, who had been seated at the kitchen table, stood up immediately and looked toward the approaching Nian Shutong. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble is waiting for you.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m going to make you something tasty.¡± Nian Shutong proceeded mysteriously to the table, and once everyone had gathered, she spoke to Rubble. ¡°Rubble, you said that when members of the Mechanical Clan upgrade, it¡¯s like having a birthday.¡± ¡°And now, here on Blue Star, where we live, there¡¯s an old tradition that on your birthday, you should eat a bowl of longevity noodles, with one single noodle, which you must not bite through, but eat in one go.¡± At this moment, Nian Shutong took out the bowl of longevity noodles, carefully holding it and placing it on the table. ¡°I made it with chicken broth, very tasty.¡± ¡°Rubble, happy birthday, wishing you health and longevity, and may you soon fulfill your mission to continue the Mechanical Clan.¡± After speaking, Nian Shutong offered a pair of chopsticks to Rubble, who didn¡¯t take them even after a while. Looking up, she saw everyone around her with red eyes. What¡¯s the matter? Did everyone get poisoned? How could there be any poisoning with her, the poison ancestor, around? ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, Rubble is going to die, I¡¯m leaking,¡± said Rubble, his fingers touching the tears at the corner of his eyes, startling himself. What was this? Rubble¡¯s action made Nian Shutong stand up immediately and say, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a leak, not bleeding or something? I don¡¯t even know what color your blood is?¡± Fu Yunhe, seeing that Nian Shutong completely misunderstood, stepped forward and said to Rubble first, ¡°Rubble, you¡¯re not going to die, it¡¯s just a few tears, they¡¯ll be gone soon.¡± ¡°Nian Shutong, he is moved, not dying.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not all just stand here, let¡¯s eat.¡± Everyone sat down at Fu Yunhe¡¯s prompting. Nian Shutong took her seat somewhat enlightened. Moved? She had done something that touched them? Wasn¡¯t it just a bowl of noodles? Today¡¯s meal was the first bite for Rubble because he was having noodles. ¡°Remember Rubble, don¡¯t bite through it, finish it in one go,¡± Nian Shutong added, mainly thinking it wouldn¡¯t please her if the effort she¡¯d made was spoilt. Rubble nodded solemnly, expertly picking up one end of the noodle with his chopsticks, and slurping. The noodle kept coming, uninterrupted. Ha Ha, watching from the side, was mesmerized. Such a long noodle! Rubble finally finished the last bite, feeling light and wonderfully comfortable all over. ¡°Tasty.¡± ¡°` A compliment of deliciousness brought a content smile to Ms. Nian Shutong as she picked up her chopsticks, calling everyone to eat. The dinner she had prepared tonight was indeed lavish. Rubble had been looking forward to the potato chicken stew, steamed eggs, cabbage stewed with pork, and minced meat with green pepper tofu. These four dishes had for the first time left him speechless, focusing solely on eating. Nian Shutong held a bowl of rice, curiously examining Rubble¡¯s body, unable to spot any changes. Where had the upgrade happened? And she was very curious, did Rubble need to use the restroom after eating? Fu Yunhe watched Nian Shutong¡¯s sneaky glances, the amusement clear in his eyes. She felt she hadn¡¯t done much¡ªa bowl of noodles, and she had worked on it all afternoon. Only she would really just become one with a bowl of noodles. The purity of Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t the foolish kind like Ha Ha¡¯s, but one with discernment and strength. It made those around her feel completely safe and at ease, providing a strong sense of cohesion. She would surely make an exceptionally qualified Planet Master. The meal opened a new world for Rubble. Fully satiated, he finally caught Nian Shutong¡¯s examining gaze. ¡°Ms. Nian Shutong, why are you looking at Rubble?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Caught in the act, Nian Shutong showed no embarrassment as she directly asked, ¡°Rubble, where does your food go after you eat? Do you need to use the toilet?¡± ¡°You can see for yourself,¡± Rubble replied, his body suddenly lighting up. The red and blue lights illuminated certain organs in his body, making them transparent, like a clear CT scan. ¡°This is Rubble¡¯s stomach¡­ After digestion, it becomes nutrients that feed Rubble¡¯s entire body. This is the bladder, where some impurities are expelled¡­¡± For the first time, Nian Shutong found a science lesson so interesting. It was truly magical. It was something she had never seen in her life. After the meal, under the darkness of night and the glow of street lamps, a group of people sat in front of the kitchen, listening to Rubble¡¯s science lesson. After he finished, they chatted on about various topics. Unknowingly, each person grabbed a few chestnuts or a cucumber, or a tomato to snack on. Under the vast starry sky, they chatted and laughed idly. That night, though Nian Shutong did not engage in Cultivation, she felt her Dao Heart had become somehow more rounded. The small wooden house had spent a night of relaxation and pleasure, but on Star Network, the scene was bustling. Someone initiated a challenge: ¡°Did you make dumplings today?¡± Of course, this mainly targeted those who could afford it, as the price of flour was not something everyone could bear. But it was precisely these more affluent people, mostly celebrities or influencers, who posted the results of their dumpling-making on their Star Blog, Star Micro, and other accounts. Naturally, not everyone was like Rubble; in fact, most people were like Nian Shutong, making quite ugly dumplings. And the funniest part was that on Star Network, people started to vote for the ugliest dumpling someone had made. Someone had taken pictures of celebrities¡¯ dumplings and picked the top three for netizens to vote on the ugliest one. In the end, He Xinchun¡¯s account came out on top; he hadn¡¯t expected that joining in the fun would bring him so much popularity. The buzz continued on Star Network, and the reputation of dumplings grew ever larger, to the extent that this day was even named Dumpling Day. As a result, Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream and Nian Shutong¡¯s small shop were brought to the peak of popularity. Unfortunately, both of them had to wait another day to go live, leaving many people¡¯s impatient hearts itching. One could imagine how many would tune in on the day of the broadcast. In an office, Yu Zeming flicked a finger, and the virtual screen went dark. He leaned back in his chair completely, hands clasped behind his head, muttering to himself, ¡°This should add a nice touch.¡± He had deliberately learned this expression, waiting here just to give a push. Thus far, it seemed very successful. He wondered if he could exchange dumplings with Little River Live. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Potato Harvest Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Potato Harvest ¡°` The next day, early morning. This night was the first time Nian Shutong completely forwent cultivation and replaced it with sleep. When she woke up, a ray of morning light spilled through the window into the room, and she shielded her eyes with her hand, lazily spreading her fingers and stretching. ¡°Ah¡ªso comfortable!¡± She sat up, her eyes adorably and bewilderingly unfocused, staring at a corner of the room for no particular reason. As for what she was looking at? She didn¡¯t even know herself. After about five minutes, Nian Shutong sat cross-legged on the bed and began her cultivation exercises to clear her head. ¡°I¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve leveled up!¡± She, who had been at Foundation Establishment Level 4, had incredibly reached Foundation Establishment Level 9, and was very close to perfection, just one step away from refining a Golden Core. ¡°Who¡¯s ever heard of leveling up through sleeping?¡± she was somewhat bewildered, but quickly accepted it happily¡ªher strength had increased, which was great. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Feeling very pleased, Nian Shutong washed up and left the room, where Ha Ha, who had woken up early, was already waiting for her. ¡°Good person, morning. I¡¯ve already cleaned up the insulated food storage warehouses.¡± Nian Shutong looked towards the back right side of the small wooden house. From a distance, several insulated warehouses, each dozens of meters tall, were already scattered and standing there. The trees nearby had been cut cleanly, and the ground had been compacted. ¡°Thank you, Ha Ha, for your hard work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired at all!¡± Ha Ha disagreed, looking at Nian Shutong. Nian Shutong also understood and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we still have a lot of work to do.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ha Ha was already happily spinning around. On the other hand, Fu Yunhe, who was busy in the kitchen, wiped his hands and called the two of them over for breakfast. Incidentally, he handed the Space Button he bought to Nian Shutong, who casually passed it to Ha Ha, receiving a particularly touched gaze. Fu Yunhe, standing beside her, felt underappreciated. Wasn¡¯t it him who bought it? Why was only Nian Shutong being thanked? ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯ll give you the money later,¡± Nian Shutong said, patting Fu Yunhe¡¯s arm skillfully. ¡°Don¡¯t! Your money makes me nervous.¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe, somewhat disappointed, and said, ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s not often that I want to spend some money. If that¡¯s the case, then forget it, I can¡¯t make you uncomfortable.¡± Fu Yunhe gave a smile that was all teeth but no warmth, the meaning of his chuckle all too clear. For breakfast, they had a new dish: thin pancakes. The translucent pancakes were soft yet chewy, with a bit of green pepper and potato shreds in the middle, topped with a slice of smoked meat, all rolled up into a bundle. One bite and¡­ ¡°Wow! This pancake is amazing.¡± After Nian Shutong said this, she immediately took another big bite, her mouth busy eating, her hands quickly rolling up another one, not letting her mouth rest. ¡°Delicious, delicious,¡± Ha Ha found time to praise twice, which just shows how tasty it was. ¡°Rubble¡¯s knowledge base is supplemented again.¡± Rubble¡¯s nimble fingers made sure the edges of the rolled pancake were sharp and the corners precise, biting off half with each mouthful¡ªa perfect half. ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯ve discovered that your cooking talent is truly not bad,¡± Nian Shutong found time to praise Fu Yunhe and immediately took another rolled pancake into her mouth. She had casually mentioned last night that she wanted to have noodles in the morning since she had kneaded a lot of dough for making noodles. She had explained how to make these thin pancakes: spread the dough with oil, roll it thinly, then steam it over a pot. She hadn¡¯t expected to be able to eat them the very next morning. It must be said that the feeling of getting to eat what she had mentioned the day before was pretty good. Fu Yunhe¡¯s movements were comparatively graceful, but his speed wasn¡¯t slow at all. ¡°Thanks for the praise, I¡¯ll keep working hard.¡± Breakfast left everyone fully satisfied. Today, only one person went to dry salt, while the others followed Nian Shutong to the potato field to harvest potatoes. Nian Shutong led the way, with the rest of the group following behind, ready to set off in high spirits. She glanced over the group and saw Fu Yunhe, who was preparing to join them, and asked, ¡°Are you going, too?¡± ¡°` ¡°I may not be able to pull them out, but I can certainly pick them up, and I¡¯ll come back early to prepare lunch for you guys.¡± Fu Yunhe wanted to take a look; this was their first harvest, even though he hadn¡¯t contributed much. ¡°Fine! Do as you see fit, but if you start feeling out of breath, hurry back. You¡¯re a protected asset, after all.¡± As a protected asset, Fu Yunhe nodded solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the main thing is to protect my face.¡± ¡°Pretty people are always smart.¡± Nian Shutong, in high spirits, led the way to the potato field after walking for quite a while. The deep green leaves were all neatly arranged in a small patch. ¡°Those with strength pull them up; those without use tools¡ªbe careful not to damage the potatoes. If any are damaged, put them to the side. The good ones go in one pile.¡± After giving instructions, Nian Shutong looked over at the panting Fu Yunhe, whose small build didn¡¯t seem to have improved much! She figured he was probably here for nothing. And the scrutinized Fu Yunhe felt the same. He came just to tag along. But now, all he wanted to do was find a place to sit down. Forget about picking potatoes¡ªhe just hoped someone could ¡°pick¡± him up and take him home. He found a rock to sit on, observing the people working opposite him, each showing some joy. The round potatoes were being gathered into a pile, not a trace of toxin among them. Wang Fu¡¯s family was surprised, but they honestly didn¡¯t ask anything¡ªjust kept working. Fu Yunhe wasn¡¯t too surprised, just curious¡ªhow was this achieved? Could it be possible that the entire interstellar could be toxin-free? Nian Shutong had long known that these potatoes would be toxin-free after harvesting. She wasn¡¯t too surprised, just amazed at how many there were. On each plant, there were five or six potatoes, and each one was not small. In Nian Shutong¡¯s eyes, these weren¡¯t just potatoes¡ªthese were money! After about half an hour of work, Rubble walked over to Nian Shutong, looking somewhat aggrieved. Without even lifting her head, Nian Shutong casually pointed at the still-resting Fu Yunhe and said, ¡°Go on! Go find your half-brother from different parents.¡± Rubble took a while to react to this statement, not quite understanding it. With a need for clarification, he sat beside Fu Yunhe. ¡°Xiao He, Ms. Nian Shutong said we are half-brothers from different fathers? What does that mean?¡± Fu Yunhe, who had just been about to get up and start picking potatoes, glanced in Nian Shutong¡¯s direction and said to Rubble, ¡°I guess, she¡¯s implying that we both look similarly frail.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rubble had a sudden realization but then disagreed, ¡°Rubble may be weak, but I have a developed brain, and I¡¯m much better looking than Xiao He.¡± ¡°Xiao He, you are just weak; we¡¯re not the same.¡± Ha-ha¡­ Thanks for that. Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t continue the conversation with Rubble, instead, he stood up and went to help pick potatoes. Might as well do something, or it¡¯s a wasted trip. He had just stood up, preparing to bend over. ¡°All done.¡± Done? Fu Yunhe looked up and saw the entire field of potato plants had been cleared, a few people and robots working together efficiently. But what exactly had he come for? While he was hesitating whether to sit and wait or stand and wait, Ha Ha ran over. ¡°Here, to pick for you.¡± Fu Yunhe watched as Ha Ha placed a potato a meter away from the pile, then lifted his head to look at Ha Ha. ¡°Our Commander said we should delight in helping others, especially a brother who shares the same pot.¡± With that, Ha Ha even gave Fu Yunhe a look¡ªgranted they didn¡¯t much resemble brothers, but he¡¯d accept it begrudgingly. ¡°You wanted to pick potatoes, right?¡± Ha Ha nudged the lone potato on the ground with the tip of his foot. At that moment, Fu Yunhe wanted to muster up the little spiritual power he had to knock Ha Ha out. Hadn¡¯t he taught him to read between the lines? How come he hadn¡¯t learned that? Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Ketchup Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Ketchup Fu Yunhe finally picked up a potato arranged by Ha Ha since he couldn¡¯t outstubborn the simple wolf. He wanted to work, but before he could even start, it was over, and he had accepted Ha Ha¡¯s ¡°friendly help.¡± Nian Shutong put the potato into the Space Button and walked over to Fu Yunhe¡¯s side. ¡°The beauty¡¯s protection mission was excellently done. Look at this face, look at these hands, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Listening to Nian Shutong¡¯s teasing words, Fu Yunhe wanted to retort but found no words, and in the end, he stubbornly held a potato and followed the large group back. The first thing he did upon returning was to sit down again. Sigh¡­he had overestimated himself; it seemed he was only fit to be ¡°observed.¡± Though there was indeed progress, at least he could now walk there and back by himself. Initially, even crossing a small stream had been a struggle for him. Upon returning, Zhang Hui and her daughter stayed to cook, and Rubble was too exhausted; he took the design plans given by Nian Shutong, rested in the studio for a bit, and then went on to study the reaping machines for harvesting wheat and rice. The others followed Nian Shutong to the tomato field, where the tomatoes were beautifully red. They hung scattered like red lanterns in a small forest. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°Let¡¯s start picking.¡± Nian Shutong bent down, picked the first tomato, casually rubbed it on himself, and took a bite. Juice overflowed, tangy and delicious, sweetness making up nine parts, the remaining one part was half sour, half the taste of sunshine. ¡°Delicious! Everyone try it.¡± Nian Shutong quickly ate a tomato, bent down again to pick another, and stood up. ¡°Xiao He, don¡¯t move, catch this.¡± Nian Shutong¡¯s Spiritual Power surrounded the tomato and sent it across. Fu Yunhe only saw a glow with a point of red flying towards him, his instinct was to dodge, but his brain stopped him, and he opened his hand. Can¡¯t beat Nian Shutong, then trust Nian Shutong. The tomato landed steadily in Fu Yunhe¡¯s palm with no impact force at all. Fu Yunhe looked at the tomato in his palm; what kind of skill was this, or rather, what was Nian Shutong¡¯s Cultivation about? The control, so precise. He was indeed the best candidate to pilot a Mecha. ¡°Try it!¡± The voice from across came again, Fu Yunhe nodded and brought the tomato to his mouth; it tasted slightly different. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but he felt that the one he had grown tasted a bit better. With one bite, Fu Yunhe¡¯s pupils constricted slightly; it could even improve physical constitution, or perhaps it exceedingly benefited Cultivation. The previous dumplings and soupy porridge were not so apparent, but this one whole tomato felt somewhat significant. His gaze shifted to Nian Shutong on the other shore; who was this woman, really? Too mysterious, mysterious enough that he too wished to delve deeper. Across the shore, Nian Shutong was joyously picking tomatoes. ¡°One thousand three, two thousand six, three thousand nine¡­¡± Picking each one, Nian Shutong calculated the price, becoming happier the more she picked. Ha ha ha ha ha! She was going to be rich again. After buying the shop, she was broke again, unsurprisingly, and was very much hoping for money to come in; she still enjoyed the feeling of having full pockets. Though she could get by robbing Xiao He, she preferred spending the money she earned, it felt grandiose in a luxurious way. A mu of tomatoes was picked before nightfall. Nian Shutong stored them in the thermal storage, how to process them later she hadn¡¯t yet decided. In the evening, everyone ate noodles with egg and green pepper stew, but without the major sauce and using soy sauce instead, the taste seemed slightly off. ¡°Zhang Hui, has our sauce block gotten moldy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s grown a little, not to the extent you mentioned.¡± Nian Shutong nodded and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± After dinner, Nian Shutong began to study the seeds and seedlings in her hand. Before she had completed green onions, ginger, and garlic, the system gave her three kinds: corn, soybeans, and beets. Later, because Xiao Ba and Daodao had argued, she was compensated with a type of seedling called strawberry. She had searched on the Star Network, and corn, strawberries, and beets were not yet found in interstellar space, or rather, they were undiscovered. After all, she had discovered the existence of corn on Blue Star. That is, maybe they existed somewhere, just that no one had discovered their uses yet, like the previous chestnuts. Rice and wheat would still take a few days, just in time to wait for Rubble¡¯s machine to be ready. Then, she planned to plant these items first so she could buy some raw materials from the system in advance. Because she wanted to make white sugar. White sugar could be used in many dishes; it was an important seasoning. And beets were one of the main ingredients for white sugar; the other was sugarcane. There was sugarcane in interstellar space, and she originally wanted to buy some, but with too much on her hands, she was not in a rush. Now, buying some beets would suffice. Resting for about ten minutes, Nian Shutong called for Ha Ha and left. Because she was going to work, and if she didn¡¯t call Ha Ha, Ha Ha would be angry. The two reached the wasteland, where Ha Ha continued to clear the land, and Nian Shutong found a spot to plant all four items and got them properly sown. ¡°Xiao Ba, I want to buy beets.¡± ¡°Sure, host. Beets are one hundred star coins each. How many do you need?¡± That¡¯s cheap! Nian Shutong¡¯s first reaction was that it was cheap, truly accustomed to the system¡¯s high prices. She calculated that according to Daodao¡¯s calculations, three beets could produce about one pound of white sugar under machine processing, and if done manually, the consumption might be even greater. ¡°Just buy a hundred pounds for now.¡± She wanted to first try it out. Once she succeeded, she also planned to buy some sugarcane to make some traditional red sugar, which should taste much better than the current interstellar ones. No rush, one thing at a time. Having bought the beets, Nian Shutong kept a small portion and started making the first batch in the kitchen. The rest, she would make gradually. Nian Shutong, accompanied by Fu Yunhe, Zhang Hui and her son, and Rubble who was staying up all night for the first time, began making white sugar, while other people continued clearing the land to prepare a large vacant lot for future residents¡¯ housing. In the kitchen, the beets were washed, shredded, and boiled in water. After boiling, the sugar water was squeezed out, and they obtained brown sugar syrup, which was the syrup for red sugar. Next, they needed to decolorize this syrup. For decolorization, Nian Shutong chose modern limestone instead of the traditional yellow mud soup. There was limestone in interstellar space, only it was called by a different name, kinetic inorganic gel, which sounded like a cultured name. Once the decolorization was successful, the soft white sugar was ready. Beets made soft white sugar, while sugarcane produced granulated white sugar. ¡°Xiao He, are the tomatoes ready?¡± ¡°Ready.¡± While Nian Shutong was making white sugar, Fu Yunhe had mashed the tomatoes and even prepared the fries while watching the time. Next, they added sugar to cook the tomatoes until thick, added a bit of salt, and it was ready. ¡°Are the fries ready?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Fu Yunhe came over with the unsalted fries, imitated Nian Shutong¡¯s actions, picked one up, and dipped it into a bit of ketchup. Sour and sweet, very delicious. ¡°Good, we¡¯ll use this ketchup for a livestream tomorrow, one for fries, another for fish.¡± ¡°Fish?¡± Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe nodding and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called tomato sauce fish, a sour-sweet flavor, should be good.¡± ¡°Is tomorrow¡¯s theme sour and sweet?¡± Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 157: The Livestream that Broke a Hundred Million Chapter 157: Chapter 157: The Livestream that Broke a Hundred Million Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t know if he was losing his mind, saying such a childish thing. Nian Shutong also looked at Fu Yunhe with curiosity, sizing him up, her smile spreading endlessly at the corners of her mouth. ¡°The beauty of tomorrow will be sweet and sour.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be both beautiful and delicious?¡± The words ¡°delicious¡± were spoken by Nian Shutong with a meaningful depth; her eyes roamed up and down Fu Yunhe¡¯s body, causing his ears to embarrassingly redden somewhat. Unfortunately, Nian Shutong didn¡¯t see it; after teasing, she walked away¡ªit was her usual style. Standing behind, Fu Yunhe looked at himself with contempt amidst helplessness. A Commander who crawled and scrambled around should have heard countless colorful jokes, but now, what was going on? Had he really lived again, only to have his skin grow thinner? Fu Yunhe adjusted his breathing a couple of times before looking down to grab some fries. ¡°Where are the fries?¡± There wasn¡¯t a single one left on the plate, clean as can be. This scene seemed familiar; it looked like he had done the same thing the first time. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï At this moment, Rubble kept his mouth shut, his eyes uncontrollably darting around; he couldn¡¯t lie, but he felt his actions of eating them all up was questionable? Fu Yunhe saw Rubble¡¯s guilty look and pointed at his mouth, saying, ¡°Remember to wipe your mouth next time.¡± Wipe his mouth? Rubble touched his face with a finger and looked down to see red. Tomato sauce. Rubble¡¯s palm suddenly turned into a mirror, and in it, Rubble saw several spots of tomato sauce around his mouth. Rubble wiped all the tomato sauce from around his mouth with a finger and, not wasting a bit, ate it off. Sweet and sour, Rubble really liked it. ¡°It¡¯s that delicious?¡± Fu Yunhe watched Rubble, about to laugh, but then restrained himself. ¡°Xiao He, the first time you ate fries, a button flew off your pants, and it was Rubble who picked it up for you; you even thanked his whole family.¡± ¡°Ha Ha¡­ I still thank your whole family for reminding me.¡± Fu Yunhe said and took off running, not giving Rubble a chance to respond. Rubble pondered the phrase ¡°thank his whole family¡± for a moment, deciding it must express deep gratitude; Xiao He really liked using it. Rubble had learned something new again. Rubble, having learned new knowledge and eaten his fill of fries, contentedly went to rest. The sky was already dark, and everyone had rested. The next day, Nian Shutong continued to clear land to prepare for building houses, and Ha Ha cleared land for farming. Fu Yunhe, along with Zhang Hui and his son, made another batch of maltose, tofu, soy milk, sugar-coated chestnuts, fries, and wrapped some dumplings. All these items were ready to be put on new shelves for the store. Nian Shutong¡¯s store had expanded significantly; what used to be a single shelf was now an entire walk-in space with various heights of shelving. Fu Yunhe would put up a new product as soon as another was finished. The tofu was placed on the shorter shelves, topped with bottled soy milk. Canned maltose was on the higher shelves, with malt lollipops below¡ªmolds made by Rubble that had dried into hard candy. Malt lollipops were a new product. The sugar-coated chestnuts had their own shelf, beside which the cooked dumplings sat, though only one kind of filling was available. There was also a shelf for seasoning, with a small amount of soy sauce, and a little bit of White Sugar. After everything was arranged, Fu Yunhe left them be. Meanwhile, many in the Star Network were looking forward to the broadcast that evening, as the dumpling fervor had not only failed to fade; it flared up even more. Yesterday, He Xinchun¡¯s dumpling emerged as the ugliest, much to his displeasure. Early today, he posted another video. In this video, the dumplings he made looked a whole lot better compared to yesterday. He published the video with the caption, ¡°How about we compare which ones look better?¡± [Our Xinchun is not happy.] [That¡¯s just Xinchun being a sore loser.] [Ha Ha Ha! Why do I feel so sorry for him? Could it be he¡¯s been making them all night long?] [The comment above speaks the truth.] [How much money must that have cost?] ¡°The New Year¡¯s package is so pretty, not ugly at all.¡± He Xinchun¡¯s comment section rapidly grew, and soon, people started to chime in. In the interstellar space, apart from fighting and cultivation, the fastest developing thing is the Star Network, which has led to the evolution of many forms of entertainment. These kinds of events that could attract views were something many celebrities didn¡¯t want to miss. What if they could become even more popular? You know, top streamers can earn contribution points. On the Star Network, there was a round of self-entertainment with an activity about who made the prettiest dumplings, which lasted until a piece of news broke. Zhang Guang was a loyal fan of Fu Yunhe¡¯s livestream room; he had always been watching videos about making dumplings on the Star Network, finding the movements of the celebrities quite interesting. After spectating for a while, as if possessed, he casually clicked into Nian Shutong¡¯s store. ¡°How did I click wrong?¡± Zhang Guang, a regular customer, was naturally familiar with the layout of Nian Shutong¡¯s small store, with only three rows of shelves. That place from before was a shop, far too many shelves, much more spacious and bright, definitely not it. After exiting, Zhang Guang leaned in to take a closer look at the screen; the number was correct, right? Nine fours, such a number would be hard to remember incorrectly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhang Guang was stunned for a moment, his eyes widening ¨C there was a new arrival! In the blink of an eye, he opened the Star Network, entered virtually, and his entire being descended directly into Nian Shutong¡¯s store. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha, it¡¯s full!¡± ¡°Holy moly! That¡¯s maltose!¡± ¡°Tofu, chestnuts!¡± Zhang Guang truly had a unique shopping experience, he wanted everything! But, no money. Not enough money. After some calculations, Zhang Guang bought a jar of maltose and a packet of sugar-coated chestnuts, these two lasted the longest to eat. Regretfully, he exited and waited for the seller to ship the items. While waiting, he watched dumpling videos online, and absent-mindedly posted a comment on one. ¡°Alas! The little shop had a new arrival, I saw pure meat-filled dumplings, too bad I don¡¯t have the money, can¡¯t afford them. Sad face.¡± This comment was quickly spotted by a keen person. The little shop had a new arrival? Don¡¯t attract attention; sneak in and have a look. It wasn¡¯t just one person with this mindset; when most people learned of this news and started pouring into the little shop, it was emptied out once more. Following that, those who didn¡¯t make a purchase started to see people posting their acquisitions on the Star Network. ¡°Pure meat-filled dumplings, every bite is a world of flavor.¡± ¡°This maltose lollipop tastes amazing, so much better than brown sugar!¡± ¡°I finally got to try this soy milk, though just one sip, but still satisfying.¡± ¡°I finally got to try Mr. Xiao He¡¯s tofu, I can¡¯t make it, just ate it raw, didn¡¯t expect it to be just as delicious.¡± ¡°The previous post, Mr. Xiao He said tofu can be eaten raw.¡± Those who missed out were heartbroken by these posts. Such a great opportunity, just slipped by. That afternoon, who knows how many set up alerts for new items in the shop; from then on, it was rare for products to stay in stock for more than ten minutes. At seven in the evening, Fu Yunhe was ready to start his livestream. Opposite him were still Nian Shutong, Rubble, and Ha Ha, all three snacking on a large portion of fries. However, Ha Ha didn¡¯t like ketchup, he preferred his with salt. And Rubble, he practically coated each fry with as much ketchup as possible, finishing them spotlessly, quite impressive indeed. Fu Yunhe nodded at Nian Shutong and began his own livestream. ¡°Hello everyone, I am Xiao He.¡± ¡°Today I¡¯ll be making ketchup, and will pair it with two dishes for everyone.¡± At this point, the viewership in the livestream room shot past a hundred million in a blink of an eye. Chapter 158 03-25 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Plagiarism Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Plagiarism In the live-streaming room, under the camera, a pair of fair, flawless hands with delicate fingers crushed tomatoes. The red background made the pale hands look stunning, almost unreal. [What do you guys think, is the host male or female?] [I don¡¯t know, the voice is pleasant, and then there¡¯s these hands¡­] [I¡¯m here for these hands.] [Add one.] [Add one thousand and one.] Several viewers, previously just lurking, were drawn out by these hands. Although the food was delicious, these hands were truly a blessing for those obsessed with hands. Watching the live stream, Nian Shutong leaned closer to observe Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands, then glanced down at her own. Life really shouldn¡¯t be compared, otherwise many injustices would arise. Like her, always wanting to make Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands as dark as her own. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The live stream continued, and Fu Yunhe did not respond to the comments. He preferred to showcase his hands rather than his face. ¡°Crushed tomatoes go into the pot, add a bit of this.¡± Under the camera, White Sugar made its appearance. [What is that?] [Can¡¯t tell.] [Host, please tell us quickly.] [Is it something delicious again?] [Obviously, if it¡¯s not food, could it possibly be poison?] ¡°Everyone has heard of brown sugar, right?¡± Fu Yunhe held a black spoon with two fingers, scooped a little white sugar, and continued, ¡°This is called white sugar. It lacks some of the flavors of brown sugar, leaving only the sweetness. It¡¯s a great seasoning for certain dishes.¡± By now, Fu Yunhe had already added the white sugar to the tomato juice, stirring it spoon by spoon. [White sugar?] [Isn¡¯t that too white?] [How is that made?] [What does it taste like? I don¡¯t like the taste of brown sugar.] [It can¡¯t be fake, right? Is it colored brown sugar?] [I don¡¯t quite believe it either.] [I believe! I believe! I bought a small packet of this sugar from a little shop today, it¡¯s really just sweet, exceptionally sweet.] By this time, Fu Yunhe had started making tomato sauce, methodically explaining, ¡°White sugar is indeed a type of sugar, similar to maltose we make, just processed differently.¡± ¡°White sugar will periodically be available in the small shop, do pay attention to it if you¡¯re interested.¡± Between disbelief and curiosity, Fu Yunhe completed making the tomato sauce. The sweet and sour taste made the viewers drool, though not everyone was a fan. [How do you eat this?] [I don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s a bit hard to swallow like this.] [ Smells nice, but I feel it¡¯s a bit hard on the teeth] Fu Yunhe let the tomato sauce cool a bit, then spooned it into a container, saying, ¡°Tomato sauce is a condiment, it needs to be paired with something, like French fries.¡± Fu Yunhe smoothly took out prepared potato sticks and started frying them, quickly producing golden French fries. [Oh my! I see French fries again.] [French fries! I came for the fries, but haven¡¯t seen them since.] [I joined during the fish episode.] [Meat.] [Stir-fried eggs.] [Chestnuts.] [Dumplings.] [Dumplings.] [Dumplings.] On the screen, everyone started sharing what got them hooked, with dumplings dominating the conversation. Many were even begging for dumplings to be available soon. ¡°Dumplings will be available sporadically in the small shop; the fries are ready now, let¡¯s dip one in the tomato sauce.¡± ¡°Mmm, it really tastes good.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s hand disappeared from the frame, and all that could be heard was the soft sound of chewing. [Ah¡ªturn on the virtual reality!] ¡°Big bro, don¡¯t force me to go in and snatch!¡± ¡°This is definitely intentional, intentional.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just stirring up hatred!¡± Fu Yunhe didn¡¯t delay; he directly initiated the virtual tasting. Currently, he had a viewership of 140 million. He could open 0.1% of the tasting slots, which is 140,000 slots. ¡°Ready, start.¡± With the word start, who knows how many people were furiously operating their devices, but sadly, too many didn¡¯t manage to grab a slot. ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Someone drag the guy upstairs out, please.¡± ¡°Do me a favor and take me with him.¡± ¡°Distraught doesn¡¯t even begin to cover how I feel.¡± ¡°Too few! Big bro, open up some more slots.¡± ¡°My hand has lost its purpose of existence, time and again, always empty.¡± ¡°Same as the guy upstairs.¡± Fu Yunhe calmly tidied up the table and said, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, there¡¯s one more dish. Those who just grabbed fries will be restricted, this dish will be for those who missed out.¡± There were cheers and wails in the comment section. None of this affected Fu Yunhe¡¯s pace as he fried fish, changed the oil, and this time added green onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, a little White Sugar, and ketchup, starting to stew it. At the same time, it was time for him to take questions from the audience. First-time viewers of the live stream were still a bit confused. What kind of twist was this? It felt like they were watching a live stream about studying? But as Fu Yunhe explained, many people stopped overthinking it. His reasoning was solid. How come it feels better than what my own teacher says? Must be an illusion? What¡¯s such a cultured person doing live streaming? In the interstellar world, entertainment might be well-developed, but cultivation was still the main story, the only unchangeable main plot. ¡°Alright, that¡¯ll be all for today¡¯s Q&A because our ketchup fish is ready.¡± Fu Yunhe lifted the lid of the pot¡ªsour, sweet, fresh, a perfect combination. ¡°Mommy! I regret it, I don¡¯t want fries anymore, although they were tasty.¡± ¡°Waaah, I want to eat both! Fries with ketchup are also delicious.¡± ¡°I still prefer fries with salt.¡± ¡°Ketchup, forever the best.¡± ¡°Salt is the true match.¡± Surprisingly, a small group of people started arguing. Other onlookers just thought, ¡®Keep arguing, I¡¯ll go grab a spot.¡¯ ¡°Tasting starts.¡± In the blink of an eye, the slots for the ketchup fish were gone. This time, the comment section was much quieter, no one reviewed the taste, no one was dramatically upset. Because everyone was staking out the small shop, already familiar with the route. ¡°Today¡¯s live stream has ended, may you have a wonderful day.¡± Fu Yunhe signed off. ¡°Beauty, you worked hard.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong kindly passed over a cup of Maltose water, while she was sucking on a lollipop. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You should thank Ms. Nian Shutong¡¯s entire family.¡± Rubble¡¯s comment nearly made Fu Yunhe choke! Ms. Nian Shutong looked at Fu Yunhe who was coughing violently and then glanced at the serious Rubble. ¡°My whole family is just me.¡± Ms. Nian Shutong seriously nodded, Daodao definitely couldn¡¯t be considered human. ¡°Then just thanking Ms. Nian Shutong herself is enough, that¡¯s Xiao He expressing his utmost thanks,¡± Rubble said as he pass by the coughing Fu Yunhe, kindly patting his back. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, just thanks to Rubble himself is fine.¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­ Thank you, thank you.¡± Fu Yunhe said somewhat sheepishly, then changed the subject: ¡°We broke a hundred million, are you thinking of signing with a company?¡± Ms. Nian Shutong looked at the sheepish Fu Yunhe, he clearly didn¡¯t realize how pale he had turned. ¡°There will always be those more anxious than us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± If the live streaming website found out the two hadn¡¯t signed up, they would definitely come knocking. After a few more exchanges, the two went their separate ways, and the small wooden house was once again peaceful, but the Star Network was bustling. The hubbub this time wasn¡¯t just about people failing to grab a slot; there were continuous accusations on Star Network that Fu Yunhe was plagiarizing. Plagiarizing? Who copied whom? Chapter 159 03-25 - Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Is This Considered Plagiarism? Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Is This Considered Plagiarism? Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream exploded in popularity at an astonishing speed. It made many similar hosts uneasy. Each of them had to host thousands of live streams before they gradually built up their current status, but what about him? He became an instant hit with just a plate of dumplings. Fu Yunhe had not been streaming for even a month, yet he had already amassed over a hundred million fans. Even with the large population of interstellar people, reaching a hundred million fans was no small feat. After all, there were so many entertainment options that the audience was already spread thin. For instance, those who enjoyed novels might not be interested in live streams. Then there were gamers, drama chasers, etc., and not to mention the people focused on cultivation who did not participate in entertainment. Therefore, the most successful host to date only had about two billion fans. Yet once you have over a hundred million, you are already considered a major host who dominates a market. A market is only so big. If you eat more, someone else eats less. A female host named ¡°Little Sweet¡± also did food live streams because her family had a slightly damaged cookbook. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Before each live stream, she conducted many experiments to piece together the incomplete recipes, and sometimes they weren¡¯t even correct. Still, with her cute face and the effort she put in, she had also accumulated over a hundred million fans, and her fanbase had always been stable. But during her recent streams, she noticed a rapid loss of fans, who slowly migrated to Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream. This guy was a formidable rival, indeed. However, Little Sweet believed that Fu Yunhe would soon run out of ideas. Otherwise, why would he go back to making fries and fish? No one could continuously come up with new recipes. If they could, why bother with live streaming? Why not just open a restaurant? It¡¯s known that restaurants are one of the most lucrative businesses in the interstellar community. After all, with virtual eating available during live streams, many people were satisfied spiritually and did not necessarily go out to buy real food. Little Sweet and her team analyzed Fu Yunhe¡¯s past videos and finally decided to throw mud by starting to accuse him of plagiarism on the Star Network. Truth wasn¡¯t necessary, just damaging his reputation would suffice. ¡°The dumplings from Host Xiao He are just a cheaper version of buns, right?¡± ¡°Finally, someone said it. They¡¯re too similar to our Tiantian¡¯s buns.¡± ¡°And even the name is changed, from buns to dumplings, tsk tsk tsk!¡± ¡°It still seems okay, though, the flavors are quite different.¡± ¡°Haha, different? Both are just filling wrapped in dough, cooked either by steaming or boiling. What¡¯s different?¡± ¡°Your buns can be boiled?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between this and plagiarism?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t count as plagiarism though, does it? The food really isn¡¯t the same, and there are no boiled buns!¡± There were still many people on the Star Network who thought rationally, but the opposing Water Army was also not to be underestimated. They insisted that Fu Yunhe¡¯s dumpling creation was plagiarized from Little Sweet¡¯s buns. Although it was a stretch, it was not completely implausible. Once the accusation of plagiarism settled, all rights to the dumplings would have to be handed over to Little Sweet, as she did not have the generosity of Nian Shutong¡ªshe had patented all her dishes. If someone profited from using her dishes, she was entitled to compensation. It was not until the following morning that Nian Shutong heard about this. Fu Yunhe had briefly explained the current situation to her, as the matter was already making waves on the Star Network. The opposition had certainly put in the effort. ¡°Plagiarism? With her indescribable buns?¡± Nian Shutong said dismissively as she looked at the pictures Fu Yunhe had found: ¡°They¡¯re not even as good as my Ha Ha¡¯s buns, are they?¡± You should know, Ha Ha had always been the one to knead the dough; he had never gotten around to wrapping the buns himself. Nian Shutong wasn¡¯t upset after hearing the news; she nudged Fu Yunhe with her elbow and asked, ¡°Tell me, beautiful, isn¡¯t her cooking skill worse than mine?¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s face was definitely struggling to keep a serious expression as he held back his laughter. ¡°You¡¯re right, she¡¯s nowhere near as good as you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Only a beauty recognizes another¡¯s brilliance.¡± Nian Shutong nodded in satisfaction and motioned for Fu Yunhe to put away the Light Computer. She patted his arm and reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a trivial matter.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not worried,¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s expression was very telling¡ªas he genuinely wasn¡¯t concerned. ¡°Not bad, not bad. You¡¯re taking after me,¡± Nian Shutong said, meandering off to eat breakfast first. After breakfast, she stopped everyone in their tracks. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll practice with flour.¡± With that one sentence, Fu Yunhe understood Nian Shutong¡¯s plan. He knew that sitting around and doing nothing was never Nian Shutong¡¯s style. That day, everyone spent their time playing with flour¡ªmost of all, it was Fu Yunhe who played the most. To what extent? He fed Ha Ha enough to make it nearly unable to eat any more. The drama on the Star Network continued to unfold, with Yu Zeming joining the fray himself, personally using the main account of his own livestream company to enter the battle. On Star Blog. Yu Zeming: Following this logic, would eating rice be illegal? Would Cultivation be illegal? If I walked down a road someone else has walked on yesterday, should I chop off my leg and hand it over to them? His extremely sarcastic words threw Little Sweet¡¯s camp into a bit of a panic. At Little Sweet¡¯s home. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why did Yu Zeming get involved?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, that Xiao He really didn¡¯t sign with any company.¡± ¡°They probably have their eye on Xiao He¡¯s livestream.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°What do we do? Tonight, we livestream making dumplings. They boil, we steam. Cement him as a plagiarist.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Little Sweet¡¯s Star Blog account quickly posted an announcement about her livestream that night. Announcement: Let¡¯s show you how real dumplings are made! [Aiyo. Little Sweet is going to livestream dumplings.] [How else would you make dumplings? Little River has already taught everyone in All Star.] [Exactly, she taught everyone completely for free, how can you prove the dumplings are yours?] [Black fans upstairs, go away. Our Tiantian has always relied on herself the whole way here.] [Right, what gives your unknown livestream the right to compare to our Little Sweet?] [Mustn¡¯t say anymore, the fans of this place are sick.] Lots of people started to fight it out again on the Star Network. On the other side, without an account, Fu Yunhe couldn¡¯t get involved, but Nian Shutong had two accounts. If not now, then when? Nian Shutong logged into both accounts and shared a notification from Fu Yunhe¡¯s livestream. Earth Bar: Sharing Little River¡¯s livestream¡ªlet¡¯s have fun with flour tonight? The world of flour isn¡¯t limited to just buns. Text Mover: Sharing Little River¡¯s livestream¡ªlet¡¯s have fun with flour tonight, shall we? Please don¡¯t use your ignorance to show off as if it¡¯s something special, ridiculous! [Oh my! Host big big is so tough!] [I love it! That¡¯s the way to do it!] [Immortal Slaying is on the scene again to lend you a hand.] [I¡¯m feeling so pumped!] [I¡¯m locking in the big big livestream tonight.] [Shameless. Plagiarism!] [Oh my, what is this that¡¯s wandered in! Bring me my fire poker, kill her with it.] [How dare you come here and act so brazenly, as if we Immortal fans are pushovers.] In the comment section, any comment that tried to contradict was viciously attacked by Immortal Slaying fans. The Earth Bar side was fortunately a little more cultured and hadn¡¯t formed a strong fan cohesion, so it was a take-it-or-leave-it situation for most. But the Immortal Slaying camp was different; they have a love-hate relationship with Text Mover but wouldn¡¯t allow others to insult it. Not even through the comments section was it permissible to insult others. Didn¡¯t you see? Our Wengong is protecting Little River Live. As Nian Shutong watched the lively comment section, she called for Daodao and said, ¡°Daodao, open a new book for your book fans. They¡¯re pretty cute.¡± ¡°They are cute; I got it, Master.¡± Chapter 160 03-25 - Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Live Face Slapping Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Live Face Slapping Daodao, just like Nian Shutong, once he promised, he would do it without any delay. He started by searching through novels, choosing one to immediately present to everyone in its entirety rather than serializing it. Straight to the entertaining part! Online, Immortal Slaying fans and Little Sweet¡¯s fans were hurling insults. Immortal Slaying fans: ¡°We aren¡¯t reasonable! We can insult Wengong ourselves, but you can¡¯t!¡± Little Sweet¡¯s fans: ¡°A bunch of idiots! It¡¯s not even the person themselves, we¡¯re criticizing the one who copied our Sweet¡¯s broadcast.¡± Little River Live fans: ¡°Even though I don¡¯t understand much about Mr. Xiao He, there seems to be an aura of a mysterious big shot around him.¡± Earth Bar fans: ¡°When will our Mr. come up with some poetry to boost the excitement?¡± Fans from all sides stuck to their own. However, it was still mostly people enjoying the drama that prevailed and, regardless, the streaming room was packed again tonight. At six fifty, Star Network¡¯s streaming platform was already overcrowded with traffic jumping to hundreds of millions and still rising. At six fifty-eight, Little Sweet¡¯s broadcast started first. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 ¡°Oops, two minutes early,¡± said Little Sweet with a white chef hat, sticking out her tongue apologetically. Actually, it was intentional. Being early even by a minute meant capturing the traffic first. She had already started making dumplings, appearing steadfast and gentle in her broadcast, seemingly never complaining or mentioning plagiarism, yet seemingly hinting at everything. ¡°[Go Sweet, we support you.]¡± ¡°[In the streaming world, there are hardly any as genuinely talented as our Sweet.]¡± ¡°[Exactly, it¡¯s all just a facade managed by teams behind the curtains.]¡± ¡°[Cut it out! That other broadcast doesn¡¯t even show their face.]¡± ¡°[Probably too ugly to show their face!]¡± The comment section was full of praise for Little Sweet, but many attracted newcomers felt uncomfortable, sensing bitterness. On the screen, Little Sweet said with a cute smile to the camera, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be upset, the real can¡¯t be faked and the fake can¡¯t become real.¡± Her words only added fuel to the fire. Many viewers felt like they had entered some sort of grand battle drama? ¡°[Mr. Xiao He next door has started his live broadcast too.]¡± ¡°[If you want to watch pirated versions, please leave. Don¡¯t chirp around here.]¡± ¡°[What the hell? I¡¯ll stay wherever I love! You control everything, but you can¡¯t control speech!]¡± Little Sweet, still donning her sweet smile, was kneading dough and gently advised, ¡°Everyone is free to watch whatever they choose.¡± ¡°[Sweet is beautiful both inside and out.]¡± ¡°[And she¡¯s talented too! Not like those thieves.]¡± ¡°[Hey hey hey! Guys, let¡¯s go, Mr. Xiao He is going to livestream several kinds of stuffed dishes tonight!]¡± ¡°[I¡¯m gone!]¡± ¡°[Hurry, stick around to watch!]¡± Yu Zeming, using a secondary account, yelled around and then left Little Sweet¡¯s broadcast very satisfied. Meanwhile, Little Sweet¡¯s streaming room lost almost a third of its viewers in the blink of an eye. Little Sweet¡¯s face darkened a bit, but she managed well. ¡°Going to watch is also good, you¡¯ll understand once you see.¡± To this point, Little Sweet was still gambling, betting that not many would go to Xiao He¡¯s broadcast. As someone possessing inherited recipes, even though not complete, she was still better than many. She didn¡¯t believe. She bet that the other party¡¯s gun had no bullets. Meanwhile, in Xiao He¡¯s streaming room, Fu Yunhe only showed his hands, with the entire broadcast lacking any gimmicks. He started plainly and went straight into the theme. ¡°Today¡¯s livestream focuses on flour-based dishes, specifically stuffed dishes.¡± ¡°Due to the variety, I¡¯ve prepared some things in advance. I¡¯ll give everyone a brief explanation before I start.¡± ¡°The first step is making the dough, and we have a few methods. The first is leavened dough, which involves adding some alkaline and warm water to the flour. Cover it and let it sit for a few hours.¡± At this moment, Fu Yunhe picked up a bowl, removed the lid, and said, ¡°You can visibly see the dough has expanded. Touch it, and it feels airy. If you tear it open, it has a honeycomb structure, which means it has leavened properly.¡± ¡°The second method is scalding the dough with boiling water. Remember not to use your hands.¡± Fu Yunhe cracked a small joke and continued to show the audience the dough prepared with boiling water. ¡°The next step is the normal dough-making process¡ªmixing with cold water for a firmer dough used in dumplings, and warm water for a softer dough used in steamed dumplings or filled pancakes.¡± Fu Yunhe kept explaining with clear organization and concise language that made it easy to learn. [It¡¯s such a pleasure watching, even though I can¡¯t cook.] [And it¡¯s all solid content, not a single pointless word.] [Paired with Mr. Xiao He¡¯s voice, it feels so enjoyable, completely relaxing.] [Upstairs is relaxing, but my mom is taking notes! She doesn¡¯t trust recording screens and pens; she insists on writing everything down with paper and pen.] [Ha Ha Ha Ha! You¡¯re not alone upstairs; my grandfather is also taking notes. He says this is all real skill, actual recipes.] [Mr. Xiao He is really generous. Other hosts keep their recipes tightly sealed. If someone used this to make money, they could be sued into bankruptcy.] [Exactly. My whole family needs to thank Mr. Xiao He. Remember that method for cooking fish? It helped my mom set up a small fish stall and our family¡¯s doing so much better now.] [Am I the only one counting how many kinds of dough there are?] [No! You¡¯re not alone.] [Add ten thousand and one.] While livestreaming, Fu Yunhe was keeping an eye on the comments. Seeing people mention the recipes, he glanced unintentionally at Nian Shutong and thought of what she had said to him. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m generous with the recipes. I¡¯m just half a chef who follows the recipes.¡± ¡°The truly generous person is someone else. I shared your doubt, and when I asked her, she told me that joy shared is joy doubled, and only those who help others reach their goals can achieve their own.¡± [What does that mean?] [It sounds so cultured.] [Is there an even greater person behind Mr. Xiao He?] [Let me explain these phrases, as a member of the Poetry Club. Joy shared is joy doubled means it¡¯s better to be happy together than alone. Only those who help others reach their goals can achieve their own means that you can only reach your own goals by helping others.] [A wise person.] [In an instant, it feels so grand.] [Such breadth of mind is beyond my reach.] [Upstairs must be from the Poetry Club!] [Regardless, this person is impressive.] [Admirable. You have no idea how big the stakes are here!] How big? Off camera, Nian Shutong saw this comment too. She was a bit curious, but she didn¡¯t want to delve too deep and risk switching sides. However, she really had said those words, but it was all just to tease Fu Yunhe. She wasn¡¯t that grand. The main reason was that she had too many recipes. If she shared them all, there might be public outrage. So, she simply made everything free to use. Who knows, it might even bring some good karma. As for whether to charge in the future, she¡¯d decide based on how she felt. In the livestream room at the moment, Fu Yunhe had already started making the dough items. However, he only made about five of each kind before moving on. ¡°This one is called a pan-fried bun¡­¡± ¡°This one is a dumpling soup¡­¡± ¡°This one is shumai¡­¡± ¡°This one is xiao long bao¡­¡± ¡°This one is soup dumpling¡­¡± Chapter 161 03-25 - Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Five Hundred Million Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Five Hundred Million Fu Yunhe¡¯s hands introduced every item by name as he took them out. A name no one had ever heard before. And he continued. ¡°This one is a custard bun¡­¡± ¡°This one is a scalded bun¡­¡± ¡°This one is a leavened bun¡­¡± ¡°This one is a potsticker¡­¡± With each item, Fu Yunhe put one on the stove. In the camera, one could see that beside Fu Yunhe, there was someone else watching the pots, yet still out of sight. [Oh my God! I must get some tonight.] [Our whole family¡¯s involved, from my 300-year-old ancestor to my one-year-old nephew.] [A battle is inevitable today, bring it on!] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï [Oh no! I was secretly watching the live stream during evening self-study and got caught by the teacher!] [I am that teacher.] [Hahaha! It¡¯s true. Because our entire class is watching the live stream now!] [This teacher is quite something.] [That¡¯s nothing; you¡¯re sneaking around. We are from the Culinary School, and because of Mr. Xiao He¡¯s live stream, our school has rescheduled classes to start at seven o¡¯clock.] [I¡¯m also from the Culinary School, and now Mr. Xiao He is our savior, because everything he makes is part of our curriculum. These will all be our specialty dishes after we graduate.] [Exactly! Originally, we had only a few pathetic recipes, practicing them until we felt nauseous every day.] [Our teacher will probably contact Mr. Xiao He. Even though you don¡¯t charge a fee, we are still very grateful.] Watching the live stream, Nian Shutong couldn¡¯t believe this twist. All kinds of dough-based foods were cooked, including pan-fried buns and potstickers, which needed manual handling. When the frying was nearly done, the live chat quieted down, nearly everyone immersed in the aroma. The fragrance of frying meat mingled with the dough was irresistible to the taste buds. By then, the live stream viewership had already surpassed two hundred million, nearing three hundred million. How incredible was this popularity? It was somewhat frightening. At Youyu Live Streaming Company, Yu Zeming was also tuning into the broadcast; he couldn¡¯t believe that this broadcaster, who had only a few tens of millions of viewers a few days ago, was now approaching three hundred million. He had two thoughts at the moment, one was that Dad was amazing. Second, could he also manage to grab a serving? It looked too tempting. In Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream, after he finished frying the pan-fried buns and potstickers, he started the first virtual tasting session. After the tasting, those who got a taste were almost ascending to heaven. [Big brother, how am I supposed to face nutrient liquid now!] [I want to cry¡­ I can¡¯t afford the flour.] [Same here, it¡¯s too delicious.] [I¡¯ve decided, I need to save money. No matter what, I¡¯m going to make a pan-fried bun.] [The potstickers are amazing too! That crispy bottom layer paired with the seasoned meat filling inside, oh my!] [Sob sob, when will the other items be ready? I didn¡¯t get any.] [To the commenter above, you¡¯re not alone.] ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be anxious, those who have already grabbed will be slightly restricted to give everyone a chance.¡± After the first tasting, the live stream viewership broke three hundred million. Meanwhile, Little Sweet was making dumplings, talking cutesy all the while. However, her movements were not very proficient. ¡°Oh dear, my hand got smashed yesterday, so they aren¡¯t that pretty, don¡¯t mind that!¡± ¡°Actually, they taste quite good.¡± [So slow! Mr. Xiao He over there has already finished a round of tasting.] [Indeed, and apparently there are many more unseen dishes.] [Can¡¯t handle it, need to check it out.] [Sweet Sweet, don¡¯t rush, they haven¡¯t experienced real delicacies, they don¡¯t know that true gourmet is worth the wait.] The person who had just finished posting the comment, for some reason, was enticed to check out the neighboring Little River Live stream. With the intention of scoping out the competition, she entered, but once in, she somewhat didn¡¯t want to leave. If this wasn¡¯t delicious, then what was? But had he been pursuing Little Sweet for too long? Was that really okay? ¡°Our soup dumplings are ready; we are about to start the taste testing.¡± Just as this die-hard fan of Little Sweet was hesitating, the taste testing began. She subconsciously pressed a button. Oh my! She snagged a spot. She looked at the small plate in front of her, with three trembling little dumplings on it, their skins so thin it seemed you could see the liquid moving inside. ¡°Be careful when eating soup dumplings; they can burn your mouth. Everyone should start by taking a small bite, sip a little of the broth, and then eat the rest of the dumpling.¡± Fu Yunhe¡¯s voice just happened to sound at that moment. The fan glanced at his hands, still somewhat attractive, and his voice was pretty pleasant too. ¡°Hey! Try this! After I have finished, I can pick out faults and go argue with him!¡± Following Fu Yunhe¡¯s instructions, the fan bit a small piece off and sipped some broth. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The fan had a bad feeling as she finished one small dumpling and took a deep breath. ¡°Sorry, Little Sweet, good food should not be wasted!¡± Eat! Eat quickly. The two little soup dumplings were soon gone. The former die-hard fan, staring at the empty plate, remained motionless for a long time. Because in her mind, it was raining soup broth, and she was riding on a dumpling, flying all over the place. Blissfully happy. When she finally snapped out of it and looked back at the live stream, Fu Yunhe had already started taste testing another dish. Snatch it! ¡°No¡ª¡± A cry of frustration accompanied by heartache echoed around the room. As for Little Sweet, sorry, I¡¯ll talk after I¡¯ve finished eating. Looking back at Little Sweet¡¯s live stream, anyone curious enough to check it out never returned. She originally had a hundred million viewers, but now the numbers had dropped to just over eighty million and were still declining. [Tiantian, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll go and check it out for you.] [Yes, Tiantian, we rely on real skill, no fear.] These were two fiercely loyal fans, or rather leaders of Little Sweet¡¯s fan club. About ten or so minutes after these two exited the live stream, they finally returned. [Tiantian, maybe we don¡¯t really need to compete.] [Let¡¯s just be beautiful on our own.] [What¡¯s going on?] [I¡¯m leaving; surely it¡¯s too awesome over there.] [Me too.] Dash dash dash! The live stream lost ten million viewers. The two fan leaders didn¡¯t know what to do. They were die-hard fans, but they weren¡¯t stupid. The rival¡¯s skill level was truly incomparable! If it weren¡¯t for their strong will and a bit of sentimentality, they might not have come back at all. By now, Little Sweet was ready to unveil her steamed dumplings, and those still in the live stream had something to look forward to. Everyone else had had a few rounds of food; surely we should at least get one. [Wow, what is this?] [Tiantian, are you sure you made dumplings?] [You can¡¯t even take it out, can you?] [It doesn¡¯t even look appetizing; I¡¯m out.] [With that skill, who is the real knock-off?] [Quick, go next door. Might still get some scraps.] Dash dash dash, the live stream was left with less than ten million viewers. Meanwhile, Fu Yunhe¡¯s live stream had just officially surpassed five hundred million viewers.