142: The taste of reunion

"Hmm, we will break down the test flight data one by one for research, because this is a short-range test flight. To be ready for round trips between Earth and the Moon, we must analyze all the data thoroughly before preparing," Niu De said seriously.

Science is science, there can be no falsehood. If we don't research according to the test flight data, it will be troublesome if wanderer one, carrying a large number of tourists, encounters problems in Space.

As the saying goes, "Haste makes waste." Successfully developing wanderer one within three months is not a groundbreaking feat; truly bringing ordinary tourists to the Moon is the great feat!

And this feat uses ironclad facts to tell people that whether it's New Hope or Wanderer, they are private enterprises!

Liu Xiaolin naturally understood these principles, so he was not in a hurry to immediately launch the Xingji Travel Group. Everything had to wait until the test flight data results were available.

But during this time, Liu Xiaolin planned to discuss the pricing of the travel group with senior staff.

You know, the Xingji Travel Group from Earth to the Moon is a global first, so the price definitely cannot be too low.

Firstly, various costs are very high; even today's test flight consumed nearly five million in funds. The average distance from Earth to the Moon is 384,000 kilometers, which is sixty times the radius of Earth. If the Space shuttle reaches a speed of 30,000 kilometers per hour, it will take about thirteen hours to fly. The various costs incurred during this period are astonishing. Whether it's the costs incurred during the flight or the maintenance costs after returning, they are huge expenses. This doesn't even include the related costs incurred by the tour group members for food, drink, and waste disposal on the Space shuttle. In short, a detailed budget is needed to determine the price for joining the tour group.

After Liu Xiaolin finished thinking, he called Zhang Weichen to his office.

"Zhang Weichen, you've been following Engineer Niu for research and production during this period, so you should be quite familiar with the costs incurred during the flight. I'm entrusting this budgeting work to you." Liu Xiaolin's first choice for budgeting work was Zhang Weichen.

"General Manager Liu, let someone else do this job. I want to research the test flight data." Zhang Weichen was reluctant to do the budgeting, thinking the work was not important, and he was clearly more interested in researching the test flight data.

"Budgeting work is very important. Don't underestimate this job. I wouldn't feel comfortable giving this work to others; only by giving it to you can I feel at ease." Liu Xiaolin naturally didn't want to entrust this important task to others.

Seeing that Liu Xiaolin had made up his mind, Zhang Weichen knew he couldn't refuse and could only nod in agreement: "Then I will finish the budget as soon as possible, and then I can still participate in the later data analysis."

Liu Xiaolin smiled when he saw that this science enthusiast, upon receiving an important task, didn't forget to participate in the later work: "Okay, after you finish the budgeting work, you can continue working with Engineer Niu on the test flight data."

After Liu Xiaolin finished arranging the work, he planned to go home for a visit. He had been very busy recently, running back and forth between the drone and Space shuttle companies, and usually felt like calling home was his only rest.

Now that the Space shuttle's development work had reached a phase, he told himself he must seize the time to go home and see his Mom and sister.

Returning to New Hope from Wanderer Aerospace, Liu Xiaolin said hello to Shen Zhiyong and then set off on his journey home.

It was already late autumn now, feeling like winter was just a step away. From leaving in summer clothes to returning home in a leather jacket, too many things had happened in just these few short months.

After a moment of reflection, Liu Xiaolin called his Mom and said he would be home in five hours.

Hao Xiuhua was overjoyed. She had also watched the test flight of wanderer one in the live stream. When she saw the massive object slowly descending, she was also very excited. She originally wanted to call her son but knew he was too busy, so she held back. She didn't expect to receive a call from her son at noon saying he would be home in five hours.

At that moment, she was still eating lunch at the Jiangnan Machinery Factory canteen. She hurriedly finished her meal in a few bites, said something to Wang Shengjun, and went home.

She first went to the vegetable market to buy groceries. In late autumn, the freshest lotus root was already available, so she bought some lotus root to stew with pork ribs soup, which was both delicious and warming. She also bought some pig trotters, which were a must-have every time, for braising. And then some more... Hao Xiuhua bought so many vegetables that Xiao Wang, the driver, couldn't even carry them all.

"General Manager Hao, General Manager Liu is only coming back for one or two days at most. You won't be able to finish buying so much," Xiao Wang muttered while struggling to carry the vegetables.

"I'll make a little bit of everything so he can taste it all." Hao Xiuhua was also carrying quite a few vegetables in her hands: "That's enough, I won't buy anymore, let's go home."

Xiao Wang left after taking Hao Xiuhua home. Hao Xiuhua asked him to stay for dinner, but he declined: "General Manager Liu has finally come home, you should spend time with him. Next time, you can cook something delicious just for me."

Hao Xiuhua smiled looking at this clever young man: "Okay, next time I'll cook something delicious just for you."

After Hao Xiuhua sent Xiao Wang off, she started getting busy: stewing soup, braising pig trotters, sweet and sour pork ribs, fried lotus root patties, braised fish. As the aroma of each dish slowly filled the entire kitchen, Liu Xiaolin arrived home.

"Come in quickly, come in quickly, Mom hasn't seen you for a long time." Hao Xiuhua welcomed her son into the house with a beaming smile, looked him up and down, and said: "Son, you've grown much stronger. It seems you can still grow even without eating Mom's cooking."

"Mom, I got stronger from running back and forth. I still like Mom's cooking; Mom's cooking is the most delicious in the world," Liu Xiaolin said, holding his Mom's hand, as if he was no longer the imposing company CEO, but a child snuggling with his mother.

Hao Xiuhua was amused by what her son said: "Your mouth is really sweet. Quick, try the braised pig trotters that just came out of the pot."

She picked up a piece of pig trotter and put it into her son's mouth.

Liu Xiaolin naturally opened his mouth wide and ate: "It's too delicious, still the original taste, I love eating it."

At six o'clock, Liu Xiaoman also arrived home. She rushed into her brother's arms and wouldn't come out: "Big Brother, I missed you so much, especially so much."

Hao Xiuhua pulled her daughter over: "Stop clinging to your brother, hurry up and eat."

The family of three finally had a reunion dinner. At the dinner table, they ate and chatted. Hao Xiuhua talked about her work at the Jiangnan Machinery Factory, Liu Xiaolin talked about his work with drones and Space shuttles, and Liu Xiaoman talked about school matters. The long-lost feeling of warmth filled the entire home.

"Big Brother, I also go to your live stream to watch wanderer one when I'm free. I'm also one of the 'cloud supervisors,' and many of my classmates are 'cloud supervisors' too," Liu Xiaoman said excitedly.