"Sister, the roast duck is almost ready. I made it according to your method."
The little boy squatted by the grill, his soft, tender face illuminated by the firelight in an orange-red glow, eagerly awaiting Lu Mingming's praise.
After a long period of getting along, the once arrogant and stubborn little cub had become Lu Mingming's most devoted fan, obeying her every word like an adorable younger brother.
Lu Mingming's heart softened, and she found the joy of raising a cub again.
Indeed, well-behaved and obedient children were the most likable!
"Go rest, my dear. You did a great job. I'll secretly reward you with a big chicken leg later."
Lu Mingming squatted down and whispered playfully.
Hearing about food, the little boy's face lit up with a smile, but he didn't wander far, still waiting nearby to offer help.
Guided by Lu Mingming, the roast duck was thoroughly "taken care of." Its skin was a vibrant, agate-like color, with a caramelized hue on the wings and legs, gleaming with oil.
A gentle poke with chopsticks yielded a crispy yet tender texture, the meat soft and tender, with a rich honey aroma wafting through, mingled with the sweet and sour scent of fruit.
At this moment, the duck's oily fragrance and meaty aroma merged, its crispy exterior and tender interior making it look incredibly appetizing.
The lean meat was not dry, the fatty meat not greasy, and the skin had a good chew, truly a masterpiece of roast duck.
Lu Mingming put on oven mitts, placed the roast duck on a cutting board, and sliced it into pieces, arranging them on a plate for wrapping in pancakes with sauce.
The Beijing roast duck was complete, and the livestream viewers hadn't had their fill.
[ILoveMyGirl: Streamer, will there be a giveaway tonight? My disobedient nephew never sent me what I won last time!]
[SouthWind: I was lucky enough to win last time... I can tell everyone that the streamer's giveaways are very worthwhile, definitely no worse than a five-star chef...]
[WorkTomorrow: Please don't scam money from pitiful workers like me. I'll take it seriously.]
Lu Mingming scanned the comments, deliberately skipping malicious ones, and answered her viewers' questions.
[There will be no giveaway tonight. Look forward to the next one. Today is to welcome a friend who traveled a long distance, which was not easy.]
[CactusBall: I remember that the streamer's remote asteroid doesn't even have a GPS. I guess the friend isn't very rich, so it was indeed hard to find.]
Lu Mingming covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes involuntarily glancing at Morian, who was standing just outside the camera's view.
Reuniting with an old friend, Morian was dressed slightly differently than usual.
He wore a warm, long cashmere cardigan and light-colored trousers, adding a touch of approachability and scholarly air. His straight posture indicated rigorous etiquette.
At a glance, his aura was distinctly different from that of ordinary people.
Lu Mingming recalled that during the day, many young girls on Blue Star had secretly inquired about Morian's identity and name.
As the dean of the research institute, he must have received various preferential treatments and countless income each year...
Perhaps she had been staring for too long, but when she snapped back to attention, she found herself looking directly into Morian's eyes.
He still wore a gentle smile, his eyes hidden behind his glasses revealing no specific emotion.
Lu Mingming immediately pretended nothing was amiss, withdrew her gaze, and decided to stop thinking about personal matters, waving goodbye to the camera.
[That's all for today's livestream, everyone. The method of eating will also be posted in the comments section. See you next time!]
After ending the livestream, she retreated backstage to check the data, her expression complex.
Lu Mingming was honored to ride the coattails of her main account's popularity. After this livestream, she received a notification from the official system.
[Tianhe Livestream Official: Congratulations on ranking fourth on the newcomer leaderboard! If you continue until next year, you will qualify for the Conservationist Competition. Please keep up the good work, and we look forward to your outstanding performance in the future!]
She glanced at it briefly.
Participate again? That would mean being a newcomer for two years.
On the backend data, her follower count had directly surpassed ten thousand. Skimming through the list, three out of every ten people were anti-purebloods.
While Lu Mingming found it both amusing and exasperating, she felt a pang of complex emotion when they spent a fortune telling her to surpass "Lu Mingming."
In an instant, another large group of people began to criticize Lu Mingming's alternate account for using tricks to maintain popularity, their fighting spirit no less than those who supported her alternate account's onward march.
"Ah, let them squabble!"
She had decided not to interfere anymore. After all, she wouldn't expose the identical IP address of her main and alternate accounts in this minor scuffle, would she!
Turning off the livestream, Lu Mingming picked up the roast duck and headed towards the dining table.
Everyone had an empty bowl in front of them, sitting upright and respectfully, awaiting the arrival of the roast duck.
"This is how you eat roast duck..."
Lu Mingming directly pulled off a duck leg dripping with honey glaze and demonstrated the method.
The plump duck leg meat was wrapped in a thin pancake, with cucumber strips and fine scallions added, followed by a generous spoonful of sweet bean sauce, then rolled into a wrap.
Others followed Lu Mingming's actions, and even the clumsiest person could easily learn.
Naturally, Morian, for whom the welcome party was held, took the first bite.
The translucent pancake encased the rich, tender duck meat. With one bite, the duck was crispy and flavorful, accompanied by the refreshing crispness of cucumber and the sharp tang of scallions.
The freshly made sweet bean sauce was rich and very palatable, its sweetness seeping into the slightly quivering duck meat. The steaming heat mixed with the roast duck, its unique flavor stimulating the taste buds.
Morian savored his first bite slowly, his expression unreadable.
"What does it taste like? Tell us, or I'm going to dig in!"
The bald man was so impatient he wished he could shove the roast duck into Morian's mouth.
The others, though unsaid, shared the same sentiment.
Only Morian calmly wiped his mouth, sped up his hands to wrap another, and took a second bite before anyone could react.
"Sister's cheating!"
The little boy cried out aggrievedly.
They had agreed to evaluate each piece, but now the rules were thrown aside, and it had become a competition to snatch the roast duck.
Lu Mingming, to comfort him, offered him a duck wrap she had personally made, drawing cautious and jealous glances from all sides.
Among them, the bald man, a notorious pirate with an arrogant demeanor, was the main force. Not only did he snatch for himself, but he also wanted to present it to his boss, effectively devouring most of the roast duck.
The meal was a display of everyone's skills, with the most aggressive diner, the bald man, left to clean up and wash the dishes.
"Washing dishes? It's no big deal. Call me next time there's good food!"
The bald man contentedly picked his teeth as he turned on the faucet.
Aunt Shi tidied the table leisurely, muttering, "She just learned to give gifts and then turned off the livestream..."
Wang Tianhai, still dazed even while eating, mumbled something Lu Mingming couldn't understand.
"So much money... I'll have to work for lifetimes... Is it too late to apply to be a stepfather..."
...
Evolutionary energy procured the first batch over a long period, with everything proceeding according to the original plan.
Morian chose a small planet that was difficult to discover and began setting up the auction house.
As the most prestigious interstellar group, Star Luo Chessboard quietly spread news about the auction.
The Alliance's official internal team kept a close watch on several wealthy and needy merchants from the opposing side, preparing to make them bleed a lot.
Through the concerted efforts of all parties, whispers about evolutionary energy filled the underground forums.
Time slipped away quietly, and soon it was the day the auction house was scheduled to open.
People from all corners of the galaxy arrived at Xue Zhu Star.
Those with grandiosity chose to travel in noble and luxurious spacecraft, while those who preferred discretion blended into the crowds or hitched rides on others' transportation.
Of course, there were also those who were extremely arrogant...
Li Dachuan, a notorious murderer with a fat head, big ears, a face full of flesh, and a bloody aura, stormed towards the entrance, carrying a large saber.
The surrounding people recognized him but didn't intervene too much. They saw it as an opportunity to test the auction house's capabilities.
If they allowed people to cause trouble so easily, perhaps they wouldn't refuse a little theft...?
Li Dachuan glared, "Hand over everything you have now, and I'll spare your lives!"
He took out a recently born beastman cub from his embrace and sneered coldly, exuding a strong killing intent.
"Otherwise, this will be your fate!"
The cub let out a tragic scream, its face gradually turning purple as Li Dachuan's massive palm tightened.
"No one's going to stop this show of force? What cowards!"
Seeing no one coming out of the auction house to intervene, those with a modicum of conscience suppressed their anger and cursed softly.
Time ticked by, and Li Dachuan watched the near-death beastman cub with enjoyment.
Just then, a small, cloaked figure rapidly appeared within his field of vision.
"I thought you all were..." dead
Before he could finish, a glacial wind laced with lightning struck like a myriad of sharp arrows.
Li Dachuan's pupils constricted, and he dropped the cub, retreating rapidly in a pathetic manner.
However, the attack seemed to have eyes, following him relentlessly, making it impossible to dodge.
"Who are you? State your name!"
Successfully catching the little one, Lu Mingming's eyes filled with ferocity, her intentionally distorted low voice rumbling from her throat.
"I am your ancestor. Die."