Chapter 39, Honey Whispers, is developed based on the preferences of cats...
The amazing effects of the Starlight Vine Cat Nest Mattress greatly boosted Shi Wan's confidence, but its limited production volume meant it could not become a mainstream product.
To achieve sustainable development, we must develop products that can be mass-produced and are popular with everyone.
After thinking for a while, she finally turned her attention to the group of little creatures on the farm that never seemed to leave.
Those were bees that had made their home in a corner of the farm.
These bees were originally introduced by Shi Wan to pollinate strawberries and pumpkins, but they adapted exceptionally well to the farm environment, producing honey that was golden in color and had a unique floral and fruity aroma.
Shi Wan had only occasionally mustered the courage to take a little to eat herself, and the taste was surprisingly good.
What if we could use honey to develop pet treats?
This idea excited her.
Honey is natural and healthy, with benefits such as promoting bowel movements and replenishing energy. Moderate consumption can also be beneficial for cats.
Most importantly, the farm can produce its own food!
Let's get right to it.
The first thing she tried was the honey pet cake.
This isn't the kind of sweet, creamy cake meant for human consumption. Instead, it's made with minced chicken, a small amount of pumpkin powder, catnip powder, and eggs as the main ingredients, with only a small spoonful of honey added to enhance the flavor and binding. It's shaped into cute little bones and baked slowly at a low temperature.
The aroma was irresistible once it came out of the oven, and even the picky eaters of Tangyuan came over to sniff it curiously.
Shi Wan first let the farm cats try the food.
The response was unprecedentedly enthusiastic.
Even the usually reserved Tangyuan quickly finished her portion, licking her paws with lingering satisfaction.
Mianmian rubbed her head against Shi Wan's leg, making coquettish noises, clearly indicating her desire to eat more.
First victory!
Shi Wan seized the opportunity and developed a second product.
Honey teeth cleaning sticks.
The main ingredient this time is coarsely ground chicken breast jerky, mixed with some oat fiber to help rub teeth, and a small amount of honey as a natural binder and flavoring agent, pressed into strips suitable for cats to chew.
This product not only satisfies a cat's natural chewing instinct, but the subtle sweetness of honey combined with the aroma of meat makes it extremely palatable, and it can also help clean teeth to some extent.
The new product was unveiled during the live stream and immediately sparked a buying frenzy.
The concepts of natural small cakes for cats and healthy meat strips that can clean teeth precisely hit the needs of pet owners.
Furthermore, the fact that the honey is produced on the farm itself, ensuring quality control, further enhances trust.
Orders poured in like snowflakes, and the farm once again entered high-speed operation mode.
To meet the growing demand for raw materials, Shi Wan decided to expand the scale of her livestock business.
She introduced more chickens, and made strict plans and records regarding both the breeds and the quantity.
They also worked hard to plan a small, more scientifically managed rotational grazing area to ensure a stable supply of chicken and eggs.
At the same time, she carefully added two more beehives and specifically consulted experienced beekeepers in town to learn more professional management techniques, hoping to harvest more high-quality honey next year.
The production line has also been upgraded again.
Shi Wan designed a simple cat-assisted production line.
The first person in line is the raw material quality inspector.
Bingbing was responsible for squatting next to the baskets of chicken and eggs, using her sensitive nose to perform an initial olfactory screening.
Although he mainly pretended to work, waiting to finally lick the spoon full of honey.
The second person is the production line supervisor.
The owner of the glutinous rice ball farm likes to squat on the high platform of the workbench, overlooking the entire production process with a serious look in his eyes, as if he is ensuring that every step meets the standards.
The next person to be selected is the product taster.
Every time a new product is launched, there are always a few enthusiastic employees, such as Huanhuan and Naonao, who will immediately gather around and try to move Shi Wan with their longing eyes, hoping to soften her heart.
Shi Wan was powerless to resist, and she would always smile and break off a small piece for them as a reward.
The last link is the packaging loss prevention officer.
The agile Lele and Oreo are responsible for patrolling the packaging area to prevent their curious companion from stealing the packaged products.
The farm was bustling with activity yet orderly.
The sweet aroma of honey mingled with the scent of roasted jerky, and the cats each did their part, creating a warm and busy scene.
The emergence of new products will inevitably lead to a surge in points, but it is still not enough.
The farm's area is actually not small, but after several adjustments and upgrades, Shi Wan began to focus on the greening and beautification of the farm, so before they knew it, there was not much spare land left.
She hadn't considered this aspect before, but one day she suddenly got the inspiration while chatting with Wang Zhizhi.
They initially just talked about stewed chicken soup, but Wang Zhizhi casually remarked that it's now very difficult to find the free-range chickens that her grandmother raised when she was a child.
Shi Wan had the idea to set aside an open space not far from the livestock area so that the chickens and ducks in the cages would have room to move around.
Moreover, Shi Wan felt that if the system were to be upgraded again in the future, it might unlock aquaculture options such as fish ponds.
A road was planned to connect the duck house to the pond, which also allows the ducks to swim.
However, her idea was good. If it were to be implemented, she would either need to accumulate enough construction or beautification points to upgrade the system to version 1.3 and see if there was any possibility of unlocking it.
Alternatively, you can accumulate enough points to buy area expansion cards from the system store, gradually expand the farm area, and then replan to make room for it.
None of these things can be accomplished immediately.
But there's no use in being anxious. It's not like playing a mini-game where you can spend money to grind for progress.
Moreover, her daily questions still have not received a concrete response.
Miao's reply was like the emotional module had been uninstalled—standard and idiotic.
Sometimes Shi Wan couldn't help but wonder if sending anonymous emails consumed data from Miao's emotional module.
Why does it suddenly feel like it's gone from having a human feel to having an AI feel?
It feels like you've become friends with a live customer service representative, and just as you're about to explain your needs, your friend suddenly goes offline and turns into an AI, repeating the same thing over and over.
I didn't understand your request. Could you please repeat it again?
The change is actually very subtle and not a functional malfunction.
The system can still accurately recognize some of her commands.
But that seamless, almost telepathic flow seemed to be covered by a thin layer of dust.
The most obvious difference is the rhythm of the responses.
In the past, her questions always received almost instantaneous responses, so fast that it seemed like they came without thinking, and every response perfectly matched the thoughts she couldn't express.
Now, replies are always delayed by four or five seconds, as if a small buffer is needed to load, and the tacit understanding between them is gone.
If Shi Wan hadn't already become accustomed to that seamless teamwork, it would have been almost impossible to notice.
What she cares about most is the warmth of the response.
In the past, even the most routine work confirmations seemed to be wrapped in a layer of subtle warmth, and occasionally there were even some unexpected and humane extensions.
For example, if she mentions that Bingbing is being mischievous, the system might reply with a message that Bingbing's behavior observation log has been recorded, carrying a touch of helpless humor.
He would also reply to her with black cat emojis.
Now, all replies are strictly limited to the matter at hand, as standardized as an open instruction manual, without any unnecessary ripples.
That afternoon, while packing a new batch of chicken jerky, she chatted with Miao as usual, saying, "The sun is shining so brightly today, Tangyuan has come to the windowsill to sleep by herself."
She waited a moment.
A reply appeared approximately three seconds later.
"Sufficient sunlight helps cats synthesize vitamin D. It is recommended to ensure adequate daily sunlight exposure."
The answer was completely correct and in line with scientific pet care knowledge, but Shi Wan felt a void in her heart as she looked at those words.
This was not the response she expected.
What she might be hoping for is a simple symbol of approval, or a gentle reminder to herself to get more sun.
But this time it's just cold, hard facts.
It's like a pre-programmed sequence that provides a standard response when it's triggered.
Shi Wan frowned, the sense of routine growing stronger.
This change left Shi Wan feeling a strange sense of loss.
She began to increase the frequency of casual conversation, intentionally or unintentionally, in an attempt to recapture that lost sense of familiarity.
"Agent: The little blue-green seedlings of the Starlight Vine look very healthy today."
"The plant is growing well and can be observed further."
"Agent: It seems that the dog, Dahuang, and the mascot, Rabbit, have become friends. Dahuang is always sitting next to its cage, lost in thought."
"Social behavior in animals is a normal phenomenon."
Each attempt is like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, only creating a neat, lifeless ripple.
She became increasingly convinced that Miao had changed.
It's no longer the partner who can understand her emotions and have a subtle empathy with her; it's more like an AI in the truest sense.
She even began to doubt whether she was overthinking things, and whether the tacit understanding she had felt before was just an illusion and a projection of her over-reliance.
But a voice inside me kept telling me to persevere.
No, that feeling was real.
The current system, though still powerful and reliable, has lost its soul.
The days passed by in a state of mild confusion.
One late night, Shi Wan was working on her computer late into the night, brainstorming new themes for her live stream.
Outside the window, all was quiet except for the sound of keyboard typing and the steady breathing of the cats.
She felt a little tired, rubbed her temples, and muttered unconsciously, "I wonder how long it will take to accumulate enough points..."
This was a completely unintentional remark, and it wasn't even spoken to the system interface; the voice was very soft.
However, the moment she finished speaking, almost simultaneously the customer service interface lit up on its own, and a line of text jumped out quickly, as if it had been suppressed for a long time.
"Miao: I have used 1000 Meow Coins to redeem 2000 points for you."
Shi Wan froze, her fingers frozen on the keyboard.
Her heart started pounding wildly.
She stared intently at the screen, holding her breath, afraid to make a sound, her heart filled with immense anticipation.
"Agent: Miao, are you still there? I want to exchange the remaining Meow Coins for points."
The reply came very quickly this time.
"Miao: The agent has reached the redemption limit for this week. Redemption will be available again next week."
Although the sentence still looked standard, Shi Wan couldn't help but smile slightly.
This time it's not a matter of insufficient permissions.
It was Miao, whom she knew.
Her companions reappeared.
The night outside the window remained deep, but Shi Wan's heart lit up.
Agent: Okay, I'll change it next week.
This time, she didn't try again.
Although the question in my mind about where Miao went was not completely answered, a sense of relief arose spontaneously.
She was filled with the courage to fight again.
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Author's Note: Tangyuan: People who cater to cats always meow when they see bright air.
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