Chapter 134 A Warm Dinner: Chen Xi's organized dinner and raw meat and bone trial...
It was the silhouette of a pure white lion cat and a black kitten snuggling together, their tails even curled up affectionately, looking up at the night sky.
“This is…” Shi Wan was stunned.
“It’s Tangyuan and Motuan,” Lin Yao said softly. “When I was discussing the specific details with Teacher Xinglin, I couldn’t help but ask a few more questions. Teacher Xinglin mentioned that the kitten he used to raise is no longer with us, but I felt that it could continue to exist here. So, in this little corner, I selfishly let them reunite.”
The living room fell silent for a moment.
Shi Wan looked at the small pattern and her nose suddenly felt a little sore.
Xing Lin reached out and gently touched the little black cat on the design with her fingertips. Her voice was very soft. "Thank you, Lin Yao. I believe Mo Tuan will like it too."
Lin Yao's eyes were a little red, but she quickly smiled, "Alright, alright, don't be so sad. Let's talk about something happy. The farm's merchandise pre-orders are booming again! The leopard cat keychain is truly the new top seller; the pre-order link is almost sold out. The factory is working overnight to keep up with demand!"
The news eased the somber atmosphere.
Shi Wan couldn't help but laugh. "If Jin Dian knew, he'd probably feel wronged again. He's so imposing and agile, but everyone only likes him when he looks wronged."
"That's the charm of contrast!" Lin Yao said with a grin. "By the way, I also drew a new comic strip based on the story of Jin Dian and Rou Rou. Remember to post it on the farm account. Netizens are all urging me to update it, wanting to know when Leopard Cat Dad will finally be officially recognized."
As she spoke, her gaze swept between Shi Wan and Xing Lin, hinting meaningfully, "Speaking of pursuing a wife, I'm a little curious..."
"Stop!" Shi Wan sensed something was wrong and quickly interrupted her.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more," Lin Yao raised her hands in surrender, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. "So, is the design finalized like this? If there are no problems, I'll contact the factory tomorrow to make a sample."
"No problem." Shi Wan nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work at all. I'm happy working on the farm!" Lin Yao packed her things and turned back before leaving. "Oh, right, Sister Chen Xi said she's treating us to dinner tonight at the new restaurant in Zone 2. It's 6:30, so don't be late!"
After Lin Yao left, the living room became quiet again.
Shi Wan sat on the sofa, looking at the exquisite design drafts on the coffee table, and suddenly said softly, "Xing Lin, how far do you think the farm can go?"
Xinglin sat down next to her, at a comfortable social distance that was neither too close nor too far.
“You can go wherever you want.” He said earnestly, “You have the ability, vision, resilience, and a group of people who are willing to follow you forward. The Birth Project is just the beginning. There will be more possibilities in the future, such as pet medical care, behavior training, and even pet-friendly communities. As long as you want it, you can achieve it.”
His voice was calm and resolute, carrying a wisdom born from experience.
Shi Wan turned her head to look at him, "And what about you? Will you always be here?"
She felt a little uneasy when she asked the question.
But Xinglin answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Yes. As long as you’re here, as long as the farm needs me, I will always be here.” He paused, his voice becoming even softer, “Even if one day you no longer need me, I will be there, in a place you can’t see, protecting you and everything here.”
These words were so harsh that Shi Wan didn't know how to respond.
She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edges of the design draft.
"Don't feel guilty. I just want to be honest with you about everything. This is just how I feel," Xinglin replied gently. "I've said it before, no matter how long it takes, I will be there."
The sunlight moved slowly through the room, and time flowed quietly by.
Tangyuan jumped onto the sofa, squeezed between the two of them in a carefree manner, and curled up comfortably into a ball, starting to gurgle.
Golden Spot was scratching at the fence again outside the window, its bright green eyes gazing longingly at the chubby cat and kitten in the playroom.
Everything seemed normal, yet something was subtly changing.
At six o'clock in the evening, Shi Wan and Xing Lin walked together toward the new restaurant in Zone 2.
It was recently renovated at Su Qing's suggestion. It was originally an old warehouse, but now it has been transformed into a cozy dining space.
The tables and chairs are made of natural wood, the lights are warm yellow, photos of the farm in all four seasons hang on the wall, and green plants and cat-shaped decorations are placed on the windowsill.
Chen Xi was already waiting at the door.
She changed into casual clothes today, a light blue shirt and jeans, and her short hair was neat and tidy, making her look much gentler than usual.
"Mr. Shi, Mr. Xinglin, welcome," she said, leading the two into the restaurant. "The restaurant just started its trial operation this week, mainly serving visiting partners and guests during weekend events. We invited you here today, firstly to thank Chef Xinglin for the dinner he personally cooked, and secondly to let you taste our new chef's signature dishes."
Several people were already seated in the restaurant; they were all familiar faces.
Everyone smiled when they saw Shi Wan, and Shi Wan responded to each one, which warmed their hearts.
This is her farm, her home.
Su Qing and Isabella sat by the window, while Lin Yao arrived a little later, still holding a newly printed comic strip manuscript in her arms.
"Come, come, sit here!" Su Qing waved. "Chen Xi specially chose this big table; it's spacious and has a great view."
Dinner was plentiful.
The new chef was recruited by Chen Xi from the city; he specializes in fusion cuisine.
It has both the simplicity of farm-style dishes and the ingenuity of fine cuisine.
The braised pork trotters were stewed until tender and flavorful, the steamed fish was fresh and delicious, the stir-fried vegetables were crisp and green, and there was also a special mushroom soup that was so delicious that you would want to swallow your tongue.
The atmosphere at the dinner was relaxed and pleasant.
Su Qing talked about the interesting things that had happened in the second district recently. The new intern was afraid of dogs and was chased all over the yard by Xiao Dong and Xiao Xi. Isabella shared her experiences and first-hand information from the pet exhibition in Shanghai. Lin Yao focused on showing the enthusiastic response from netizens to the comic strip and the factory's progress. Chen Xi reported on the progress of the farm's infrastructure improvement.
Shi Wan looked left and right, and couldn't help but laugh.
A meal has slowly turned into a work report meeting.
This group of workaholics is terrifying.
Xinglin listened quietly most of the time, occasionally handing Shiwan a tissue or refilling her tea when needed.
Halfway through dinner, Chen Xi suddenly raised her glass and said, "President Shi, I'd like to toast you. Thank you for giving Shanfeng and me such a warm home."
She spoke solemnly, and Shi Wan quickly raised her glass, "Why thank me? You and Shanfeng are both diligent and conscientious in your work, and the security and logistics of the farm are excellent. You deserve it, there's nothing to thank me for."
“It’s different,” Chen Xi said solemnly.
If this place wasn't good, she and Shanfeng wouldn't have stayed.
This is the result of their joint efforts, and of course we should thank them.
"Me too!" Lin Yao also raised her juice. "President Shi, thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to participate in the design of new products. Although I have been in this industry for several years, to be honest, I haven't achieved anything remarkable. It's just enough to support myself and Jin Dian. But now I feel incredibly happy and honored. My work and hobbies have come together to make me who I am. You gave me this opportunity!"
“Me too,” Su Qing said with a smile, raising her glass. “Looking back now, resigning from my job at a foreign company and returning to China was actually the best decision I ever made.”
Isabella also raised her glass to join in the fun, "Wanwan, it's a pleasure to meet you, and a pleasure to work with you."
Looking at the smiling faces in front of her, Shi Wan felt a mix of happiness and tears.
She thought for a moment, then raised her glass and said earnestly, "Thank you everyone, thank you for choosing to stay here and build this farm with me. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today. So, this glass is a toast to all of us."
The wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Under the warm yellow light, everyone's face was filled with a warm smile.
After dinner, everyone left one by one.
Shi Wan and Xing Lin were the last to leave the restaurant.
Night had fallen, and the farm was lit up with warm lights, like stars scattered across the fields.
The two walked side by side on the path back to the main house.
The night breeze was cool, carrying the scent of grass and earth.
"By the way, now that the system account has no shortage of cat coins and points, I'm not planning to schedule shifts for the farm's cats anymore. They can go for a stroll in the planting area when they feel like it, but otherwise they can just be idle little cats." Shi Wan remembered what she had been wanting to say but had forgotten when she passed by the planting area.
Xinglin nodded. "Furthermore, Supervisor Chen Xi mainly operates in Zone 1. I suggest that the factories in Zone 1 can keep only the existing ones specifically for producing for Meow Star, and move the other categories to Zone 2. Zone 1 will mainly be your living area and raw material area. What do you think?"
Shi Wan thought so too, so the two of them briefly discussed the details and put the matter on the agenda.
In the distance came the faint chirping of insects, and the light footsteps of Big Yellow patrolling with his puppies.
"I'm very happy today," Shi Wan said softly.
"Mm," Xing Lin replied, her voice tinged with amusement. "I'm very happy to be able to eat and chat with you and everyone else like this."
When she reached the entrance of the main house, Shi Wan stopped and turned to look at Xing Lin.
Under the moonlight, his eyes shone as if filled with a galaxy.
“Starfall,” she said earnestly, “Although I still need time, I want to tell you that your presence makes me feel very at ease.”
Xinglin smiled gently. "I'm honored. That's enough. Goodnight, Shiwan."
"good evening."
Shi Wan turned and walked into the main house. This time, she felt no panic, only a warm and reassuring peace.
She knew that some things take time, but she also knew that some warmth had already quietly taken root.
It was another hectic workday morning, and all the employees were on high alert in the farm's standardized factory building.
Shi Wan stood in front of the huge glass window in the control room, watching the technicians on the production line perform the final equipment checks.
Today marks the production of the first batch of trial products for the raw meat and bone project. A week has passed since the last meeting, and the entire farm has been like a high-speed machine during this week.
Chen Xi stood beside her, holding a checklist and checking each item one by one. "The raw materials were put into storage at three o'clock in the morning. The quarantine report is complete. The storage temperature was controlled at minus eighteen degrees throughout the process. The equipment has completed three no-load tests. All parameters are within the normal range."
Shi Wan nodded, her gaze falling on Xing Lin in front of the control panel.
He was wearing a dark blue work shirt today, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and was intently staring at three side-by-side monitors.
One screen displays real-time monitoring of the production line, another shows the operational status of the data system, and yet another displays dynamic updates of raw material traceability information.
"Are you nervous?" Su Qing walked over at some point and handed Shi Wan a cup of hot coffee.
“A little.” Shi Wan took the coffee, her fingertips able to feel the warmth of the paper cup. “This batch of prototypes needs to be sent for third-party testing, and also given to several high-end clients Isabella has contacted for trials. If the feedback is not good…”
"Relax, there won't be any problems," Su Qing patted her shoulder. "The raw materials are safe meat from the farm, the processing standards are the latest research results that Isabella brought back from Europe, and the data system was built by Xinglin himself. This configuration is top-of-the-line even internationally."
Shi Wan took a sip of coffee, then her gaze drifted towards Xing Lin.
He seemed to notice her gaze, turned around, and smiled slightly at her through the glass window.
The smile was gentle yet reassuring, as if saying, "Don't worry."
"Attention all departments," Engineer Li's voice came through the walkie-talkie, "The first batch of materials will be fed in three minutes. Please check the equipment status at your posts."
The atmosphere in the control room suddenly became tense.
Shi Wan took a deep breath and walked to Xing Lin's side. "Is the system ready?"
“Anytime is fine,” Xinglin brought up an interface, “The raw material batch number has been entered, and the production plan parameters have been loaded.”
“Look here,” he said, pointing to the dynamic flowchart on the screen. “From raw material thawing to finished product packaging, data acquisition devices are set up at twelve key control points. If any abnormality occurs in any link, the system will immediately sound an alarm and automatically record the deviation data.”
On the screen, a green flowchart begins to flow, simulating the entire production process.
Looking at the fluctuating data and smooth animations, Shi Wan felt a little more at ease.
"Mr. Shi, Mr. Xinglin, everything is ready. We can start the machine now," Engineer Li's voice rang out again.
Shi Wan picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "All departments, proceed according to plan and begin production."
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