"2569, could you lend a hand!"
"...Beep?"
A few minutes later, Mo Ying, who was resting with her eyes closed on the sofa, felt that the sounds coming from the kitchen were somewhat strange. She quietly walked over and peeked through the slightly ajar door, witnessing an amusing scene inside.
She saw Du Xixi wielding a large knife, slicing a giant cabbage into pieces, washing them clean, and placing them in a large basin.
After putting down the knife, Du Xixi seemed to say something, and the round, chubby robot butler rolled over to take the basin. As a bit of smoke appeared from the electronic pot, it dumped all the cabbage inside with a "bang."
Du Xixi... Du Xixi did not make a move; instead, it was the robot butler obediently holding a spatula, following Du Xixi's commands and starting to stir-fry.
"Be careful; each leaf needs to be fully cooked!"
"Yes, madam!"
"It's getting a bit burned here; speed up!"
"Yes, madam!"
"Hmm, very well done. Keep it up!"
"Yes... madam."
Mo Ying chuckled softly and sat back down. She didn't feel that Du Xixi was being lazy; after all, Du Xixi was known for her poor health, so it would be challenging for her to stir that huge pot of cabbage leaves.
Before coming here, she thought that a woman who could marry Ke Lian would either be a quiet and elegant lady sipping tea gracefully or a strong woman on par with Ke Lian.
Now it seemed that Du Xixi's elegance was uncertain, but at the very least, Du Xixi was quite an interesting woman.
Mo Ying recalled 2569's words to her before she entered, and she smiled again. That housekeeper robot named 2569 was quite amusing.
...
With the help of 2569, Du Xixi's cooking efficiency increased significantly, and in no time, three dishes were ready. The giant rice cooker, too, was simmering with white rice, thanks to 2569's assistance.
2569, in a rare display of human-like expression, showed a mixed smile on the screen, shook its mechanical arms, and said intermittently, "Madam, 2569 is so tired!"
"Hmm, you've worked hard, 2569. Have a few extra Energy Stones later!" Du Xixi gently patted 2569's head, showing a warm smile.
Energy Stones are an essential energy source in the Star Era, necessary for powering mechas and robots. Although the supply of Energy Stones is substantial, the demand has been increasing with technological advancements, driving up their price.
For a classic butler robot like 2569, only a fingernail-sized Energy Stone is needed to keep it running for four months.
Du Xixi herself inherited her parents' billion-dollar fortune, and Ke Lian, as a renowned Marshal, has considerable wealth too. Feeding 2569 a mountain of Energy Stones every day would last it for hundreds of years.
"Wow! Madam is the best! 2569 wants to eat purple Energy Stones; they taste good!" 2569 immediately shook off its tired demeanor and circled Du Xixi several times. Despite its mechanical tone, it made Du Xixi laugh.
But... Do Energy Stones also have flavors?
Du Xixi's expression turned solemn for a moment. She had only heard of the different colors of Energy Stones but never heard of their colors representing flavors...
At this moment, 2569 seemed less like a robot butler and more like a child who hasn't grown up yet. It hugged Du Xixi's leg, who was wearing thin pants, with its mechanical arms and gently shook them, "Madam! Could you pick them for 2569?"
Du Xixi snapped back to reality, temporarily set aside the matter of Energy Stone flavors, and smiled lightly, "Okay, first help me bring the dishes to the dining table, and I'll pick them for you later!"
"Yay! Madam is the best!" 2569 slid over to the sink to carry the dishes, and seeing this, Du Xixi's smile deepened. She walked to the nearby storeroom, which housed not only miscellaneous items but also the Energy Stones needed by 2569.
Following her memory, Du Xixi opened a cabinet to find it packed full of Energy Stones, and she was taken aback. Why did these Energy Stones look like diamonds?
Du Xixi picked up a purely transparent Energy Stone and held it up to her eyes, finding it clean and flawless, resembling the expensive diamonds of Blue Star more closely the more she looked at it.
Shaking her head, Du Xixi didn't think much of it. Seeing that the Energy Stones were roughly the same size, she casually picked out a few purple ones, closed the cabinet, and walked out.
As Du Xixi stepped out of the storeroom and closed the door, the Energy Stones in the cabinet seemed to light up, emitting their own glow, yet it quickly dissipated as if sending a signal somewhere.