The arrival of the Interstellar Expeditionary Force (advance troops) signified Earth's official connection with the interstellar realm. Long before receiving the first batch of modification agents, Wen Qing had already informed the people of Earth about the existence of the interstellar beings. Therefore, the arrival of Castro and his team did not cause panic among them. On the contrary, they held a favorable view of the interstellar beings. After all, the other party had extended a helping hand to Earth during the apocalypse, gifting them with modification agents that helped them survive the crisis.
Wen Qing didn't feel the need to explain this further. She didn't care about fake names or titles. The fact remained that the interstellar beings had indeed offered their assistance, and the people of Earth had benefited from it. Regardless of her role in it, this outcome couldn't be changed. So why should she bother being a villain for no reason?
Both sides were satisfied, and it was a happy ending. That was good enough.
With the involvement of the interstellar beings, the zombie crisis failed to make any significant impact. Even the post-disaster reconstruction became easier.
According to experts' analysis, Earth's doomsday crisis was not only related to an unknown substance but also to severe ecological destruction on Earth. As a result, after experiencing the apocalypse, the people of Earth had come to realize the consequences of environmental damage and developed a deeper understanding of environmental conservation. During the process of rebuilding Earth, they placed more emphasis on maintaining ecological balance.
Moreover, the heavy industry*, electronic, and technological sectors from before the apocalypse had lost their relevance. No matter how much research they conducted, they couldn't catch up to the current technological level of the interstellar beings. It was better to study interstellar technology and start from a higher starting point.
*collective term for mining, iron industry and steel industry
Consequently, Earth had transformed into a tourist planet that combined food, leisure, and entertainment. It had become a culinary paradise revered by the interstellar foodies. Each year, Earth received billions of interstellar tourists, to the extent that Earth had to implement policies to restrict the number of visitors. As a result, it became extremely difficult to obtain tickets to Earth.
In the 57,698th year of the Interstellar Calendar, in the month of August, Ke En had been monitoring the Star Network for three consecutive months and finally managed to snatch two tickets to Blue Star. Just as he was engulfed in joy, he received a video call from his girlfriend. Ke En was excited to share this happiness with her because he knew she had always wanted to travel to Blue Star. He hadn't told her about his ticket-grabbing efforts, intending to surprise her.
However, before he could say anything, she spoke first, "Let's break up. I don't want to be with a repairman anymore. You don't have money to buy me gifts, and you don't have time to spend with me. You have no taste in fashion, and my friends are all mocking me for being with a country bumpkin..."
Caught off guard, Ke En's face froze in disbelief, and without thinking, he blurted out the words he had been contemplating in his heart, "I have two tickets to Blue Star..."
The girl on the screen went from an expression of arrogance to disbelief, then to a smiling face filled with reproach, "I was just joking earlier. I wanted to test how deeply you felt for me, and you have passed my test now."
Ke En was dumbfounded by the lightning-fast change of events. He had thought that online jokes were all just kidding around, but now he had encountered a real-life version!
In the end, Ke En broke up with his girlfriend. Someone who only stayed with him for the sake of his Blue Star ticket couldn't possibly truly love him.
Heartbroken, Ke En decided to travel to Blue Star alone. As he was leaving, he ran into his goddess from his school days. The goddess was being pursued by two men. One said, "I own seven mines, three private planets, and countless properties..."
The other said, "My father is the Minister of Finance, my uncle is an Admiral in the Alliance, and my mother is a diplomat..."
Seeing the goddess looking troubled, as Ke En walked by, he blurted out unconsciously, "I have a ticket to Blue Star. Care to join me?"
The goddess's eyes brightened when she saw him and nodded in agreement, saying, "Sure!"
As they boarded the spacecraft headed for Blue Star, Ke En felt like he was in a dream, unable to believe his luck as he gazed at the goddess beside him.
The goddess turned her head and smiled gently at him. "What's the matter?"
Ke En's heart fluttered, feeling like he was floating on cloud nine. "Nothing, really."
Meanwhile, the video of the three men pursuing the goddess and her rejecting the wealthy handsome men in favor of the person with a ticket to Blue Star went viral online. This once again fueled the discussion about the scarcity of Blue Star tickets. Creative netizens even compiled various jokes based on this.
Having arrived on Earth, Ke En and the goddess were exploring this mysterious sanctuary in awe. The clean and orderly streets, vibrant crowds, and beautiful houses exuding a distinct Blue Star vibe overwhelmed their senses. But most importantly, there was a wide variety of food here! It was real, not just pictures!
Delicious food could be found everywhere, and the air itself carried a captivating aroma. Merchants dressed in traditional Blue Star attire warmly welcomed their guests. Kind-hearted locals informed them that the nearby street was a food paradise, and purchasing a ticket allowed unlimited indulgence.
Ke En joyfully bought two tickets and pulled the goddess into the embrace of culinary delights.
The first shop they encountered at the entrance was selling grilled lamb skewers. The owner immediately exclaimed, "Young man, is this your first time here? Let me tell you, the grilled meat here has been personally taught by the Food Queen. One bite, and you won't be able to forget it!"
Ke En knew who they were referring to as the Food Queen. She was even more famous in the interstellar community and could be said to be known throughout the entire galaxy. She was the first person to introduce Blue Star cuisine to the interstellar realm. Yes, it was none other than their former host!
When Blue Star's culinary industry was just getting started, the host traveled around, imparting cooking techniques to many people. But as the culinary scene on Earth flourished, she gradually disappeared, seldom appearing in public. Nevertheless, even if she didn't show herself now, she was still widely recognized as the number one culinary master in the interstellar and Blue Star realms!
So when the shop owner mentioned that his grilled meat had been guided by the Food Queen, both Ke En and his companion immediately became interested and ordered a skewer each.
The owner grinned and said, "You can tell you've done your homework. Unlike some people who just eat recklessly because they think my food is good, only to get stuffed and miss out on other things. Even when something is delicious, it's better to savor it lightly and leave room in your stomach to try more... Here you go, young man, you're so lucky. Your girlfriend is really beautiful!"
"Huh? She's not..." Ke En blushed and awkwardly looked at the person next to him. Seeing that the goddess wasn't angry, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The two continued walking, tasting whatever they came across—sugar-coated chestnuts, grilled squid, pan-fried buns, marshmallows, grilled scallops, stinky tofu... They hadn't even covered a quarter of the distance when they were already too full to eat.
Determined to share the pain of seeing, smelling, and touching but not being able to taste, they started taking selfies with various foods and posted them on their social media, creating a frenzy of stomach-churning envy! They naturally received a wave of envy, jealousy, and hatred in response.
"What's that? It looks beautiful," Xueya pointed to a spot and said.
Following her gaze, Ke En saw a small inconspicuous shop. The counter was filled with transparent objects skewered on bamboo sticks, each with a unique and beautiful shape. They walked in, and there was only a young woman working, her head lowered.
She had a pair of beautiful hands, fair and slender. With her ten fingers dancing, she quickly crafted a lovely and naive sculpture of a little boy. Immediately after, she drew a little girl next to the boy. The boy was dressed in a suit, and the girl wore a wedding gown. They were holding hands, leaning against each other, exuding a sweet and affectionate vibe.
"For you," she said as she finished, picking it up and handing it to Xueya.
Xueya exclaimed in surprise, "For me?"
"Yeah."
Xueya carefully took it, afraid of breaking it because it looked fragile. Ke En also leaned over, "Hey? These two dolls really look like us!"
Xueya took a closer look. "You're right!" The two cartoonish figures looked just like the two of them.
After the surprise settled, the two suddenly thought of something and simultaneously blushed, lowering their heads.
"This is called Tangren*, a traditional Chinese handicraft." A voice suddenly broke the ambiguity between the two. They both raised their heads to look at her, and with just one glance, they were both pleasantly surprised.
*Tángrén (or Sugar figurine) is a traditional Chinese form of folk art using hot, liquid sugar to create three-dimensional figures.
"You're the host, right?"
Being recognized, Wen Qing didn't mind and smiled as she admitted, "Yes, it's me. Nice to meet you."
"Oh my god! You're really the host! I'm so happy! I've been following your livestreams since the beginning, never missing a single one! Oh my god, I actually met you in person!" Xueya's excitement made her words incoherent. Ke En was slightly better but equally overwhelmed, barely stopping himself from kissing Wen Qing.
After a while, the two calmed down and marveled at Wen Qing's craftsmanship. "Host, this Tangren you made is so beautiful. I don't even want to eat it. But I also really want to know how it tastes because you made it with your own hands!"
Wen Qing laughed and said, "Then enjoy looking at it a bit longer before eating."
"That's true, haha."
When the two reluctantly left, Wen Qing said to them, "Do not waste both food and love. I wish you all the best."
Wen Qing could tell that the two had feelings for each other, but the boy had an ordinary appearance and seemed to have some insecurities, hesitating to make a move. So she gave them a helping hand.
After all, she had nothing better to do. Earth was bustling, and the mortal realm was peaceful. She enjoyed this moment of bliss. Traveling around, relaxing, occasionally opening a small shop and making things she liked. This kind of life was probably what everyone dreamed of.
In the year 57699 of the Star Calendar, Ke En and Xueya got married. The story of how they fell in love on Blue Star through food also resonated with many people. The phrase "Do not waste both food and love" added a touch of romance to the mystery of Blue Star.
It was a romantic place with both delicious food and stories.
After returning to the endless space, Wen Qing bid farewell to Lin Wenqing and welcomed her next client. She glanced at the Stone of Rebirth with her spiritual sense and couldn't help but smile. This world seemed quite interesting.
When Wen Qing opened her eyes again, she found herself sitting in a car, feeling slightly dizzy. Beside her was a well-dressed and elegant lady, who was speaking to her.
"... handsome and capable. I heard that when he was studying in the United States, he started several companies on his own without relying on his family's influence. Now that he's back in the country, he was supposed to be the next successor firmly in line for the family business. But he insisted that he still lacked experience and needed further training, and even Mr. Gu agreed. Now, as you can see, he casually establishes a company like a game, and it becomes one of the leading renowned enterprises in the country..."
"Although he may appear a bit aloof, he's a decent person, very principled. I haven't heard of him having any entanglements with women. Your mother* was attracted to his identity and his clean reputation. Among the other eligible suitors, they either keep mistresses or have messy personal lives. Even if you were willing, I wouldn't let you marry them! You're my biological daughter, could a mother push you into a pit of fire?"
*The mother's use of referring to herself in the third person suggests that she either has a personal preference for such a manner of speaking or she is intentionally emphasizing her role as the daughter's mother, aiming to establish authority or provide guidance in the conversation.
Within such a short period of time, Wen Qing had already sorted out her thoughts and understood what the woman next to her was talking about. Gu Qingcheng was certainly good, after all, he was the male lead. But not just anyone could handle the male lead.
If someone who wasn't the designated partner provoked the male lead, they would only end up as cannon fodder. And this time, the client, Su Wenqing, was that cannon fodder.
The Su family and the Gu family were of similar backgrounds, considered a suitable match. Su Wenqing was also around the same age as Gu Qingcheng, so their families had arranged their engagement. Therefore, Su Wenqing was the so-called cannon fodder fiancée in all those wealthy romance novels.
When the male lead encountered his destined love interest, this cannon fodder became a nuisance and even went out of their way to contribute to the male lead's love story, ultimately leading them to love each other more deeply.
That's how the original story went. The only difference was that the other protagonist was not a woman.
Yes, this was a danmei* novel, with Jiang Xiaoman as the main character and Gu Qingcheng as the so-called Gong*. And Jiang Xiaoman was a cross-dressing* expert who obtained a dimensional trading device*!
*Danmei - romantic/erotic genre between boys in China
*In the context of danmei novels, Gong refers to a character who takes on the dominant or active role in a romantic or sexual relationship. It is often used in the context of same-sex relationships, particularly in the genre of boys' love or BL. Gong in danmei is like the "seme" character in yaoi.
*Cross-Dressing refers to the act of wearing clothing typically associated with a gender different from one's own. It means that Jiang Xiaoman, who is assigned male at birth, dresses and presents himself as a female.
*A Dimensional Trading Device enables users to engage in trades with individuals from various dimensions. The author provides an explanation of this concept in the 4th chapter of this arc.