While everyone was busily eating, Lu Mingming quietly picked up the bowl of potato stewed pork ribs she had saved for Shi Yi from beside the iron pot and walked towards a certain direction.
Shi Yi was still in a weakened state these past few days and couldn't watch the live stream. Moreover, Shi Yi had no contact with the outside world's optical computers, so she probably didn't even know what Lu Mingming was planning to do tonight.
With a mix of apprehension and excitement, Lu Mingming gently knocked on the door and called out, "Shi Yi, I've brought you food."
"It's Mingming! Come in."
Shi Yi's voice sounded robust, much better than a few days ago when she was too weak to even speak.
Lu Mingming pushed open the wooden door upon receiving permission—
Shi Yi was sitting up in bed, using a newly learned method to pass the time by knitting red yarn with two long wooden needles.
Lu Mingming placed the bowl on the table and asked curiously, "Shi Yi, what are you doing? Is it too cold lately? I can buy you some warmer clothes."
Shi Yi stopped knitting, placed the yarn by the bedside, and briskly came to sit by the dining table.
She leaned in to sniff the potato stewed pork ribs in the bowl, her expression lighting up. A flicker of pleasant surprise flashed in her eyes, and she quickly prepared to eat, not forgetting to explain to Lu Mingming:
"This is for you. Seeing your small frame, I expect you'll be busy from now on. Spring is coming soon, and I can knit you a light scarf and a thin knitted sweater to keep you warm."
Lu Mingming was taken aback, not expecting it to be a gift from Shi Yi. In that instant, a thousand thoughts swirled through her mind.
In the quiet atmosphere, Lu Mingming's eyes turned slightly red, and clear tears began to well up.
She pursed her lips tightly. Although spring hadn't arrived, a warm spring breeze gently brushed against her heart, bringing a wave of warmth.
Lu Mingming's nose felt a little sore. She looked at Shi Yi's dry, chapped hands, remaining silent.
Shi Yi finished the meal in the quiet environment. Perhaps due to the deep impression Lu Mingming's cooking had made on her in the Sin City, her expression wasn't overly surprised, making Lu Mingming wonder if her cooking wasn't good enough.
"How is it?"
Shi Yi wiped the oil from the corner of her lips and said without any fuss, "Because it's you, I feel that no matter how great the surprise, it's within my expectations. Mingming, you are a remarkable person."
Praise made Lu Mingming blush inexplicably.
She took out the necklace Shi Yi had given her and was about to speak when Shi Yi, mistaking her intention for another refusal, quickly became stern, "What is this for? Are you going to do that again?"
Lu Mingming hurriedly interrupted, "I wanted to ask if you would be my godmother. I have many friends and many cubs in this world, but no parents by blood."
Lu Mingming spoke earnestly.
Having experienced the pain of losing a daughter, Shi Yi couldn't control her emotions. Tears fell from her eyes, one by one, tracing a winding line down her cheeks.
The tears that reached her lips were not salty but sweet.
Shi Yi suddenly smiled, wiping away her tears with her fingers, and playfully scolded, "You little girl, are you trying to make Shi Yi pay for your dowry later?"
Lu Mingming instinctively waved her hands to retort, but Shi Yi continued, "Since you consider me your godmother, naturally I consider you my own daughter! If anything happens to you in the future, your godmother will be the first to stand up for you. The care you receive from me will not be any less."
Shi Yi's domineering demeanor, her words like those of a queen, and the underlying concern Lu Mingming felt completely.
They looked at each other and smiled, experiencing each other's love amidst the glistening tears.
After Shi Yi finished eating, Lu Mingming cleared the bowls and chopsticks and went to the open space to check on everyone.
Despite having just eaten, they were milling around like starved ghosts. The empty bowls were devoid of any oil, as if they hadn't eaten at all.
That pot was indeed cleaner than a person's face, scraped countless times with spoons.
As soon as everyone saw Lu Mingming arrive, they looked at her as if she were their savior.
A little cub rushed directly to Lu Mingming's leg and hugged it tightly, widening its round eyes and pouting cutely, "Sister, is there any more potato stewed pork ribs? I ate one bowl, and I still don't think it's enough."
Hearing this, the bald man glared at the young boy, "You ate one bowl and it wasn't enough, so who will compensate me? All the rewards were snatched away by you wolves and tigers, you utterly wicked space pirates!"
Mentioning this, the bald man felt resentment in his heart.
His rewards! His stewed pork ribs!
Lu Mingming covered her mouth and chuckled, "What's so difficult about that? If you want to eat, I'll make it again tomorrow. Everyone just needs to prepare the ingredients."
Lu Mingming's promise elicited cheers from everyone. An outsider might think that the new chief of Blue Star had been chosen.
They all expressed:
"I'll go dig for potatoes tomorrow!! Can I have an extra bowl?"
"Then I'll go get the seasonings tomorrow, no one can fight me for it!"
"I'll take care of the firewood tomorrow, my family has plenty of firewood!"
Everyone scrambled to the front for a chance at tomorrow's pot of potato stewed pork ribs, having seen that the bald man today could get a bowl as a reward.
The chief smiled, "You've worked hard, Mingming. If you need anything on Blue Star, just say the word."
As soon as the words fell, she mysteriously leaned closer and whispered into Lu Mingming's ear, "Remember to save a bowl for me. I didn't eat enough tonight either."
Lu Mingming was almost speechless, "It's not hard work. I want Blue Star to develop better and better, and for more people to experience life in space."
She began to tidy up the scattered tables and chairs with the others without delay.
"Chief, have you thought about how to develop Blue Star? My strength alone is still too small."
Lu Mingming seriously discussed with the chief.
She had seen a few scattered viewers in the comments asking for Blue Star's coordinates, all very interested in visiting, perhaps finding a way to promote Blue Star.
The chief shook her head and sighed, "I don't know how to do it for now. You say we need to develop production, but we have too few local people. If we need to trade, we don't even have optical computers. In terms of energy, we do have some rare resources, but most of their uses are still being tested. I heard about the tea-making method from Boss Lu Yan, and Boss Lu Yan said you discovered it. It's really difficult! The main problem is that we are too far from other planets, and there is a notorious fierce city nearby. People in space probably won't want to come here."
After the chief's explanation, the path to Blue Star's development was fraught with difficulties.
Lu Mingming pondered for a moment and made a decision, "How about this, I think developing the tourism industry is more feasible. Blue Star has too many undeveloped areas. I am familiar with this region, and I will definitely be able to help you."
Lu Mingming was full of confidence. She recalled that in ancient times, just one country had occupied diverse terrains from east to west. Nothing could be more worthwhile than building a tourism industry. Although Blue Star might not have the dazzling scenery of space, it possessed a rich natural ecological beauty that could offer a fresh experience to tourists tired of similar landscapes. Moreover, Blue Star's ancient plants and crops held great promise for the future. Lu Mingming believed that many of Blue Star's basic resources had not yet had their true potential realized.
The chief hesitated, "Can this... really work?"
Lu Mingming gripped the chief's arm to encourage her, her eyes filled with sincerity, "Believe me, Blue Star is incredibly vast. If there's not enough land, we'll dig for more. If the scenery isn't good, we'll search everywhere. At worst, we can open a food hall! Our spiritual power is strong, and with the help of good brothers and sisters, we won't make mistakes."
"Then I'll take you to a nearby area tomorrow... that's the territory of wild boars. We can occasionally hunt one, but we can't conquer the entire clan's territory. Only after passing the wild boar tribe can we expand outwards."
The chief finally made up her mind and agreed to Lu Mingming's proposal.
Lu Mingming nodded, full of hope for Blue Star's future. She believed that with long-term live stream promotion and sales, Blue Star would eventually build its own reputation!