"I've scared them off for now, but we need to think of some ways to keep them away for good. Tomorrow, I'll have Chengtian arrange for someone to handle it. Let's go back. You should rest early; these days have been exhausting for you."
"I'm fine. With so many people helping and you thinking of everything, thank you, Ah Mo."
"Didn't you say you'd call me Bro Ah Mo GeGe when no one's around?"
"Just wanted to call you brother like that? Okay then, from now on, let's be the closest siblings, Bro Ah Mo."
"No, no, who wants to be your sibling? Just call me Ah Mo, Ah Mo is fine." Chengmo didn't expect that calling himself Bro Ah Mo would be interpreted like this; he didn't dare to respond.
"Ah Mo GeGe, I won't tease you anymore. No matter what, you're Ah Mo in my heart. Tomorrow, I'll also give you a gift." Chengmo felt as if she had drunk a whole bowl of honey wine.
She staggered back to the house, thinking that the night of waiting for the gift would be long and torturous. However, it wasn't. She woke up from a sweet dream to see the dawn breaking on the horizon.
Xiangbei's night was naturally spent busy in the space for six or seven days. Since she had the centrifuge and the double-axis egg extractor, Xiangbei had become adept at processing fresh milk. Pearl milk tea went without saying, and she prepared plenty of it. She also made butter, condensed milk, and whipped cream that could be used for piping. Xiangbei even made some cheese and let it sunbathe. Honestly, she was craving pizza a bit.
Thinking of the simple-minded Big Fool, who hadn't been allowed to join the dinner, Xiangbei felt a bit sorry for him. She went to the oasis and collected some bird eggs. Separating the egg whites and yolks, she used an eggbeater to whip the egg whites into stiff peaks, then gradually added an equal amount of flour and mixed it in one direction with a long bamboo spatula. Since she didn't have a cake mold, she brushed a thin layer of oil in a small round copper basin and poured the beaten egg batter into it, then put it in the adobe oven to try.
When she opened the oven door, a rich and familiar cake aroma wafted out. Xiangbei put on asbestos gloves and brought out the golden brown cake, which was clearly twice the height of the batter.
She deeply, deeply inhaled the aroma, which her mother had taught her how to make on her fifteenth birthday. "Mom, do you know that Xiangbei fell into this strange world? Here, we can't find any traces of our past life together, but Mom, Xiangbei has made more friends here and has a bigger family. Xiangbei wants to slowly recreate the food we used to make, let everyone in this world taste Mom's flavors." With these thoughts in mind, she hummed some familiar tunes, even ones she didn't recognize, and started decorating the cake with cream. "Mom was right; I'm like a cockroach, resilient no matter the environment, an indestructible fossil." She drew a big smiley face and a flying cockroach with brown sugar syrup. The first slice of cake was a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the cockroach.
Today, she wanted to catch Big Fool before he arrived at the Great Courtyard. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain the origin of the cake to Tongxi. So Xiangbei moved the cake to a tea tray on the table, then went behind the screen into the space to bathe and tidy up.
There was something unusual when she entered the space this time. Energy waves were emanating from the Jade Snowflake Cave, and near the central dry pit, misty vortexes continuously dropped raindrops of pure white milk. The dry pit was no longer dry; the liquid level had risen above her calves. Perhaps it could be used as a bathtub later on. Xiangbei chuckled at her own joke.
In her mind's eye, two water buffalo were giving birth. No wonder the energy field was so active; this was the first time large wild animals had given birth in the space. Maybe she should take the opportunity to bring in some fierce beasts? On second thought, maybe not. It wouldn't be fun if she became their food as soon as she entered.
As Xiangbei emerged, she saw someone sitting at the table, staring at the cake in silence.
"You think you're some kind of gentleman sneaking into a lady's chamber at this hour? Be careful, I'll report you to the authorities," Xiangbei secretly rejoiced, thankful that she had always been subconsciously wary of Chengmo's mysterious and unpredictable appearances. She always made sure to enter and exit the space behind the screen, otherwise, facing such unexpected surprises directly would be embarrassing.