Scoring was nearly the same as the end of the competition, leaving the remaining time for other anchors who hadn't been graded yet.
Before Hua Hua could get close to Lu Mingming, she was led away by a staff member.
The child's innocent voice finally left a promise hanging in the air, "Don't forget our agreement."
In response, Lu Mingming simply acknowledged with a smile and waved goodbye.
Not wanting to linger in the competition hall, Lu Mingming walked to the family seating area and sat down quietly. A staff member handed her a cup of warm water to quench her thirst.
A few scattered media outlets wanted to conduct interviews with her, and available staff members discreetly asked for her contact information, but Lu Mingming refused them all.
Lu Mingming isolated herself in a small world, while people outside the world pressed against the walls, desperately wanting to discuss her. Inside her small world, she happily let her thoughts roam free.
The little white tiger witnessed the judges arbitrarily awarding scores, and the anger in its eyes had not yet subsided.
Seeing Lu Mingming remain silent, a hint of heartache appeared in its ice-blue eyes.
It nudged closer, rubbing its fluffy body against Lu Mingming's waist and arms to comfort her.
The little creature had been with Lu Mingming since she left the nursing home, and its fur had unknowingly picked up a unique lavender scent, exuding a comforting and warm feeling that calmed her mood.
After nuzzling for a while, the little white tiger automatically lay down on Lu Mingming's lap, revealing its soft belly, showing comfort and closeness.
Fortunately, that parrot didn't come along.
The little white tiger thought.
Otherwise, when it was comfortable, it might not have been able to control its feline instincts and could have casually played with a paw, leaving someone half-crippled.
Lu Mingming's mood was significantly healed, and she gently scratched the little white tiger's chin with her fingertips.
Her slender fingers traced from its neck to its belly, creating a small jolt of electricity that made her scalp tingle with comfort, as if she had suddenly turned into soft candy, or was lying in fluffy cotton.
She kindly comforted the little cub on her lap, rubbing its warm belly with her palm:
"It's okay, my total score can still hold steady."
As Lu Mingming had said, she achieved a world-high score of 9.1 in the first round and a middle score of 7.1 in the second, totaling 16.2, which was likely far higher than most anchors.
Therefore, the third round of the competition was now more important.
If the score in the third round remained at the top, and Cheng Shiqin had no intention of climbing higher, then Lu Mingming could compete for a spot.
However, Lu Mingming was more worried that Oscar might play dirty in the third round.
Lu Mingming was lost in thought, completely unaware that after the competition ended, the Star Governor slowly walked up to her.
A voice like a spring breeze sounded above Lu Mingming.
"Are you still sad?"
Lu Mingming suddenly came back to her senses and instinctively looked up, her gaze following the other person.
The Star Governor lowered her eyes, revealing her long, thick eyelashes. With her slender hands, she swept her long, curly hair to the back and gracefully sat on a soft stool beside Lu Mingming, tilting her head and smiling at her.
"No, no, I was daydreaming."
Lu Mingming felt inexplicably nervous and unconsciously squeezed the little white tiger's paw to ease the awkward atmosphere.
"Such a cute and innocent child."
The Star Governor's smile deepened, and she handed Lu Mingming a piece of chocolate.
The chocolate was about the size of a knuckle, wrapped in gold foil, revealing a bumpy surface.
It looked like something worthless, coated in a shiny shell.
"I made this myself. I hope it will cheer you up a little."
Lu Mingming felt a warmth in her heart and thanked her.
The Star Governor took out a ladies' cigarette from her personal space.
The tip of the cigarette ignited without a flame, and the woman elegantly brought the mouthpiece to her red lips:
"You don't need to. From a planetary perspective, I am the Star Governor of Xingfu Star, and I should be responsible for you. From the audience's perspective, I've watched your interviews and livestreams, and you're doing very well."
Lu Mingming didn't know how many influential people Sasha's interview had attracted, but the fact that it had attracted the Star Governor surprised her greatly.
After another thank you, Lu Mingming became more reserved, unconsciously fiddling with the edge of her clothes.
The cigarette burned down segment by segment, turning into fruity smoke that swirled around them, the thin white mist seeming to blur even the Star Governor's face.
The woman paused for a moment before speaking again:
"I've already reprimanded Oscar. He might have some connection with the Nine-Tailed Fox to have acted like that. He's actually an excellent anchor in the parenting section."
"Xingfu Star has become increasingly difficult over the years. Being able to nurture three childcare specialists who can enroll in intermediate programs is already our limit.
But you are different. I see the future hope of Xingfu Star in you."
The last sentence was too presumptuous. The annoyance she felt from Oscar's unfair judgment was quickly soothed by the other person's words, and a hint of apprehension subconsciously emerged.
Lu Mingming's expression changed slightly, and she quickly waved her hands, intending to deny it.
But when she met the Star Governor's eyes, the sincerity and complexity in the woman's gaze did not seem fake, and Lu Mingming no longer dared to say anything discouraging.
The Star Governor turned her head, her expression becoming a little more serious.
"I came here to tell you two things."
"First, the accomplice of the Nine-Tailed Fox has very strong spiritual power, capable of escaping my capture without anyone noticing. They are still at large."
To become a Star Governor, the primary requirement is to possess B+ level spiritual power. In other words, anyone who can escape the spiritual power of a Star Governor must have an extraordinary identity.
The Star Governor did not understand where the Nine-Tailed Fox had obtained that mysterious cub, and even the Nine-Tailed Fox itself did not understand, only stating that it was arranged by the company.
However, during the interrogation, the company stated that the person had inexplicably appeared on the list, and they also did not know the truth.
She had consulted experts skilled in psychological negotiation, and all the results indicated that no one was lying.
Considering this, the Star Governor proactively approached Lu Mingming to offer goodwill.
If the escaped criminal wanted to seek revenge on Lu Mingming, it was highly unlikely that Lu Mingming would be harmed, especially since the man from last time was lurking around her. It was better to do her a favor.
"In short, you must be very careful."
Lu Mingming understood the gravity of the situation and responded with a deep voice.
The little white tiger rolled over on Lu Mingming's lap and expressionlessly licked its little paws with its pink tongue.
Once the fur on each paw was licked clean, it stretched out again, becoming a long, white cat-worm, appearing completely uninterested.
A witch, if she wants to come, let her come and go as she pleases.
At worst, she could play with Morian and drive people mad.
The Star Governor dared not make definitive statements. The cigarette in her fingers was almost burned to the end: "The second thing is that I am asking you on behalf of Xingfu Star..."
The woman stood up from her seat and knelt down, making a half-kneeling posture, speaking earnestly: "I hope you can compete with all your might.
At least if we reach the top 16 on the main planet, one of the rewards for the top 16 will be an upgrade for Xingfu Star to a Level 3 civilization."
Lu Mingming's first reaction was to quickly move the little white tiger in her arms to a soft stool beside her, supporting it with her palm under its elbow.
The little white tiger was bewildered by its sudden change of position and quietly stared at the woman in front of it, curious about what show she was about to put on.
"Star Governor, you are truly humbling me..."
Lu Mingming felt unprecedented panic.
With so many people still in the competition hall, wouldn't this move by the Star Governor be all over the headlines tomorrow?!
"Don't worry, I've set up a barrier with my mental power, they won't be able to see."
The Star Governor saw the anxiety on Lu Mingming's face and gently reminded her.
That's good, Lu Mingming almost had a heart attack.
"If you successfully enter the top 16, I guarantee on behalf of the Star Governor that I can arrange housing for you on the capital planet, provide you with SVIP service treatment, and even make you a national treasure childcare specialist of Xingfu Star, with your cubs attending the best schools."
The negotiation terms offered sincerely by the Star Governor, each one deeply resonated with Lu Mingming.
Lu Mingming calmed down and seriously considered the other person's words.
She had taken one step at a time, from being a lowest-ranking pure-blood human from the nursing home to reaching the national competition today, all through perseverance and effort.
Here, she had adopted two cubs, had a long-term stable residence, and had met a large number of loyal fans who supported her. Compared to having nothing, her current life made Lu Mingming feel very happy.
With this thought, Lu Mingming firmly made a vow:
"Don't worry, whether it's for my future or to repay the nursing home for their guidance over the past two years, I will compete with all my might and strive not to disappoint you."
After receiving the assurance, the Star Governor nodded, and a warm smile gradually bloomed on her face, further enhancing her elegant aura.
Lu Mingming was momentarily captivated but quickly regained her composure.
She secretly thought that in the future, she wanted to become someone as solid and reliable for her cubs as the Star Governor.
"If that's the case, after the third round of competition, you will be arranged for academy training. Once the data extraction is complete, you will then be assessed for childcare specialist levels."
The Star Governor stood up, the sorrow on her face quickly disappearing, replaced by a smiling demeanor, like a fox that had successfully set a trap.
Lu Mingming, on the other hand, felt as if she had inadvertently stepped into a trap.
"Huh?"
The little white tiger, having watched enough of the show, calmly turned its head back and closed its eyes to rest.
She was still inexperienced in dealing with these old political tricksters and needed more practice.
We'll fight again next time.