【Nivertar Survival Rule Two: The human body is exceptionally fragile and demands sufficient nightly rest to eliminate all accumulated fatigue.】

  After satisfying their hunger and thirst,

  As dusk began to settle,

  Biuiao returned to his current headquarters—an unfinished building structure. The immediate surroundings were not entirely desolate; there was an urban village nearby, and a casual snack stall stood not far off.

  He occupied the second floor.

  "I lack identification papers, so securing formal employment is impossible. I can only manage occasional odd jobs offering daily pay. Renting even a basic room is out of the question; I don't possess that amount of capital."

  Mei surveyed Biuiao's living space.

  Spotless.

  Immaculate.

  He carefully laid down a sturdy piece of cardboard on the floor, retrieved a sizable wad of currency from a snakeskin bag tucked in the corner, pulled out two bills, and hurried downstairs, instructing Mei to wait.

  It remained unclear whether this stemmed from a genuine lack of social awareness or profound trust in Mei.

  A moment later,

  Biuiao returned, clutching a newly purchased blanket, and presented it to Mei: "Please accept this as a small gesture of thanks for inviting me to share a meal today. This blanket is a modest token of my appreciation."

  "Okay."

  The gesture felt somewhat peculiar.

  If Mei were sleeping alone in that setup, it would suggest a mysterious background. But adding a solid piece of cardboard and a blanket made the scene look intensely impoverished.

  That evening,

  Biuiao gazed up at the sky, remarking with a distinct note of wistfulness: "The Aurora galaxy is impossibly distant. The light from its stars is obscured by intervening celestial bodies during its travel, making it impossible to glimpse my home planet from here."

  Although he claimed to be an alien from the Aurora Civilization, he possessed virtually no special attributes apart from his speed; even his digestion was notoriously weak.

  As a person without fixed residence, this young man was not only fastidious about cleanliness but also incredibly selective about food. Yet, his underlying mindset was excellent; he always appeared relentlessly optimistic and positive.

  Mei reminded him: "It is not entirely secure to keep that much currency here."

  "I am aware."

  Biuiao responded: "I spend it all during the day, anyway."

  The following day,

  He took out the several thousand Euns he had saved in the snakeskin bag and immediately purchased gold with the entire sum at the jeweler's. He smugly tucked the precious metal into his pocket, completely content.

  One step nearer to home.

  The gold jewelry was priced slightly higher than the international gold rate. Biuiao spent 3,600 Euns but only acquired 6 grams of gold. He obsessively monitored the gold market.

  "Gold prices have dipped a little recently. Otherwise, I should have purchased it sooner. It's just that the international situation was somewhat unstable previously, causing gold prices to skyrocket. It wasn't a very advantageous time to buy then."

  Returning to the unfinished building,

  Mei observed a mature woman ascending to the second floor, carrying a plastic bag. The woman seemed surprised to see Mei and Biuiao conversing so easily.

  This woman, Fanin, was a volunteer social worker, dedicated to assisting vulnerable societal groups and regularly providing provisions to homeless vagrants.

  "His mental state isn't very sound; don't take everything he says too seriously."

  Fanin pointed towards her head, explaining to Mei, "When we found him two years ago, he was completely disoriented, unable to even recall his own name. He constantly insisted he needed to go home. Later, I took him to the local institution, but he persistently ran away in secret. It happened so many times that eventually, I had no choice but to occasionally bring him food."

  Evidently,

  Biuiao had repeated those words to many individuals, yet everyone dismissed him as mentally unstable. Since he couldn't earn wages at the facility, his departure was naturally inevitable.

  He needed to accumulate currency to purchase gold.

  Gathering 500 tons of gold, he believed, would allow him to repair his spacecraft and finally return home.

  "Fanin told you I'm mentally unstable, didn't she? I try to tell everyone I'm not lying, but they simply won't believe me. I can't help it."

  Fortunately, this time Fanin was not there to forcibly retrieve him. Otherwise, Biuiao would have been forced to flee yet again.

  Mei smiled: "They would be abnormal if they believed you."

  "That’s true."

  Biuiao carefully transferred the gold from his pocket into his snakeskin bag for safekeeping. He couldn't bring himself to spend the money earned from his odd jobs; every last bit went toward acquiring gold. This constituted his entire tangible fortune.

  He refrained from using the internet.

  Nor did he possess a mobile phone.

  Consequently, he experienced profound boredom after dark.

  Biuiao had utilized the internet previously. He documented his plight online, hoping to solicit funds and gold necessary for his journey home.

  The result was that netizens treated him like a complete fool.

  Following that incident, he lost the motivation to go online entirely.

  He asked Mei, "Aren't you heading home eventually? You've been wandering around with me for several days now."

  "No."

  "Friends?"

  "Not in this location."

  Biuiao suddenly realized: "That explains things. Does that imply you are also a vagrant, like me? Then you must have traveled to many places. You certainly don't seem like a local."

  "Hmm."

  "Since that is the case, once I secure 500 tons of gold, would you consider visiting my home planet?"

  "Certainly."

  Biuiao genuinely seemed incapable of deception. His thoughts were remarkably direct: good was good, bad was bad—he spoke precisely what he meant. He rarely concealed anything.

  One couldn't detect any underlying manipulative intent from him.

  Kind.

  Sincere.

  Optimistic.

  Anyone who spent time with him would perceive him this way. Perhaps this sincerity was why Fanin always showed him such special care. He was too guileless to navigate the complexities of human society effectively.

  To claim he had never encountered deceit or mistreatment would be absolutely false. His inherent disposition would easily attract the attention of swindlers.

  But after two years,

  Biuiao remained unchanged.

  Perhaps it was due to his self-proclaimed firm moral code as an Aurora native, or perhaps he had questioned and wavered in his own initial naiveté and sincerity.

  Only he truly knew.

  At night,

  Biuiao went to the rooftop. He had a guitar stashed in the stairwell; two strings were broken, but he played it without a care.

  Mei remembered him mentioning his knowledge of music, yet she inwardly forgave herself for being unable to offer praise. Biuiao's musical artistry was truly agonizing to the ear, essentially equivalent to a screaming banshee.

  Was this the high art of the Aurora Civilization?

  Mei couldn't grasp it, but she was deeply struck by the experience.

  The unfinished building in the urban village was pitch dark. Only faint lights from residential structures dotted the surrounding area. From the rooftop, looking into the distance, one could see the bustling traffic on the main road.

  Headlights traced curved pathways on the street, creating brilliant streaks of light. The ceaseless rush of traffic sounded like heavy rain, occasionally punctuated by sharp car horns.

  Biuiao remarked: "If there was another alien on Nivertar, that would be fantastic. Even better if they were from my home planet. We'd probably have a wealth of shared experiences and could certainly become close companions."

  Mei nodded.

  "Probably."

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  "Hey, let's get some rest. We have bricks to move tomorrow."

  Biuiao brushed the dust off his backside, casually placing his worn-out guitar back in the corner of the stairwell. No matter how inherently optimistic he was, being utterly alone in a foreign land brought a profound sense of isolation.

  After all,

  He did not belong here.

  The ultimate goal of 500 tons of gold seemed impossibly distant, but Biuiao felt the distance didn't matter. Slowly, painstakingly, he would gather it. One day, he would accumulate enough.

  ...

  【Nivertar Survival Rule Zero: Under no circumstances shall one interfere with the progress of any planetary civilization. The potential inherent in civilization is sacred. Arbitrary interference constitutes the arrogance and presumption of a self-proclaimed advanced species. To stifle the potential of a civilization is to stifle the future of the universe. Aurora must remain humble and inclusive.】

  Biuiao often stated this principle.

  Therefore,

  He would refuse to utilize any knowledge or technology originating outside of Nivertar to gain an advantage for himself. Its application would inevitably interfere with and contaminate Nivertar's native civilization.

  One Aurora Civilization was enough.

  The Nivertar Civilization possessed its own inherent potential.

  Biuiao had shared this conviction with many people. Each time others demanded proof, he would reply similarly, leading to him invariably being ridiculed.

  Others mocking him was entirely normal.

  Biuiao understood this quite well.

  After his arrival on Nivertar, he had struggled for a long period simply to adapt to and comprehend the environment here. The issue of sustenance was relatively easy to resolve.

  The true difficulty lay in the fact that humans were remarkably skilled at masking their true intentions and thoughts. Frequently, what they voiced was not what they genuinely meant beneath the surface.

  Biuiao, operating without deception, did not initially grasp this phenomenon.

  Later,

  After a period of difficult adaptation, he slowly became accustomed to this human condition. He also understood that when others laughed and claimed to believe him, they were, in fact, being highly sarcastic.

  Humans were truly complex beings.

  The sun shone brightly.

  Biuiao, under the scorching heat, moved bricks at the construction site. It was grueling labor, but the remuneration earned was genuinely swift and substantial. He was a familiar face there.

  "Biuiao, your wages!"

  "Coming!"

  After half a day of busy work, Biuiao, covered in dust, smugly tucked 200 Euns into his pocket. He then squatted by the roadside outside the construction site, eating his lunchbox.

  Mei handed him a bottle of water.

  "Thanks."

  Biuiao wiped the sweat from his forehead, gulping down his food as he spoke: "I'm very familiar with the crew at this construction site. I can basically always find work here. Compared to other places, working here yields the best profit."

  He planned to use some of his accumulated gold to establish a small enterprise. That way, he might be able to earn even greater wealth to purchase more gold.

  Biuiao's life generally followed the rhythms of natural necessity. When work was available, he took on odd jobs. When it wasn't, he collected discarded bottles, and on schedule, he waited for the bakery’s day-old bread.

  He conserved where he could.

  Mei proposed a solution.

  "You could try livestreaming."

  "Livestream?"

  Biuiao had no prior experience: "Do you think that would be effective?"

  "I believe it is worth testing."

  "Then I'll give it a shot later."

  Dusk settled.

  As the two returned to the unfinished building, a vehicle pulled up close behind them. Mei glanced out the window; "Rescue Station" was brightly illuminated on the side of the car.

  "The Rescue Station personnel are here."

  Instantly,

  Biuiao jumped, nimbly snatched his snakeskin bag, and bolted: "Run! The last few times they caught me, they sent me straight to the orphanage!"

  Mei kept pace.

  Biuiao expertly climbed down the exterior wall of the second floor, then fled like a man possessed, vanishing without a trace. Through past experience, he had long been prepared for this maneuver.

  He finally stopped a significant distance away, standing by the roadside, panting heavily.

  "I heard Kuouyao is organizing some kind of sports festival recently, and many vagrants are being routed to rescue stations and welfare centers. I absolutely don't want to go back."

  How would he earn money if he were confined?

  Setting aside all other concerns,

  This kid was incredibly fast.

  "Biuiao?"

  A voice called out from the roadside. A girl with dyed blonde hair, strikingly resembling a golden-maned lion, stared in surprise at the gasping Biuiao. Her expression was one of genuine astonishment.

  "It really is you!"

  Biuiao looked back toward the sound.

  "Huh?"

  Boom!

  The girl rode a locomotive, twisting the throttle with a resounding roar. Seeing the two looking as if they were fleeing pursuers, she stylishly shook her blonde hair off her forehead.

  "Get on!"

  Then,

  The throttle roared, and the locomotive sped off in a cloud of dust.

  "Biuiao, procure me some minced garlic."

  "Here you go."

  "What is that?"

  "Daikon slices."

  "Toss them in together. This concoction needs to simmer a bit longer..."

  Whoosh!

  Bang!!

  In the night sky, a streak of fire soared, then exploded, scattering into countless fiery stars. Orange starlight illuminated a large section of the heavens, dazzling intensely.

  "Huh?"

  Biuiao, biting on an enoki mushroom, was surprised: "There's a firework display tonight!"

  As his words finished,

  Another streak of fire shot into the sky and burst outward. Red flames filled their vision, casting light on the steam rising from the hotpot. Immediately following, successive streaks of fire ascended.

  Bang!

  Bang!

  Bang!

  Biuiao stared, utterly mesmerized by the magnificent pyrotechnics.

  Niros suggested,

  "Perfect! How about we all capture a picture?"

  "Great idea."

  Click!

  In the darkness of the night.

  Dazzling, colorful fireworks exploded overhead. The trio huddled close around the hotpot, which still emitted warm steam. Mei held a faint, gentle smile on her face.

  Niros looked towards Biuiao.

  Biuiao, with half his attention on the hotpot, distractedly made a gesture toward the phone camera.

  Bang!

  Another firework bloomed in the night sky.

  "..."

  "Ugh—"

  After they finished eating,

  The group lay silently on the grass, too content to move. Biuiao let out a long burp, feeling an overwhelming impulse to simply sleep right where they were.

  The firework show concluded.

  The night sky returned to silence, marked only by faint, shimmering stars.

  Mei recalled Biuiao’s comment from earlier on the rooftop: "You were mistaken before. You can actually observe the Aurora galaxy from this location."

  "Huh?"

  Biuiao hadn't registered the implication yet.

  Mei prompted,

  "Gravitational lensing effect."

  At that prompt,

  Biuiao instantly recognized his previous oversight. Light in the cosmos doesn't always travel in perfectly straight lines. Massive celestial bodies warp spacetime, bending light as it propagates, as if curving it around the obstructing body.

  "That's right!"

  He suddenly shot up to his feet.

  His post-meal lethargy completely vanished. He whispered something to Mei, discussing matters unknown to Niros. Niros, listening nearby, felt as though she was listening to utter gibberish.

  The more she listened, the more bewildered she became.

  What nonsensical jargon were these two exchanging?

  She couldn't fathom Biuiao's sudden mental instability, nor why Mei would join in such chaotic discourse. Or perhaps Mei’s own mental state wasn't entirely stable? Highly probable!

  Niros's thoughts drifted.

  Even if they knew they could observe the Aurora galaxy from here, it wasn't something easily visible to the naked eye. Biuiao was already contemplating when he could acquire a telescope.

  Niros inquired,

  "Didn't you mention wanting to start a livestream?"

  "Almost forgot."

  A moment later,

  Niros opened the application and carefully set her phone on the grass. Mei blinked, and somehow produced a guitar, joining the growing commotion.

  "I'll play accompaniment for you."

  "Okay."

  "Huh? What are they doing?"

  "Looks like they're starting a livestream."

  When passersby noticed someone setting up to livestream, they immediately gathered around. Biuiao coughed twice to clear his throat. Just as everyone expected him to start singing,

  Biuiao acted immediately.

  "Greetings, everyone. I am Biuiao from the Aurora galaxy, 37,000 light-years away. Due to a critical malfunction with my vessel, I was forced to make an emergency landing on this planet. I urgently require 500 tons of gold to serve as the energy source to restart my ship and return to my home world. If I manage to return, I shall never forget your generosity. I promise to repay every one of you tenfold the amount of gold I gather..."

  "..."

  "..."

  The scene immediately fell silent. The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Niros had intended to interject, but Biuiao executed his speech so quickly that she hadn't even been given a chance to speak.

  "Thank you all!"

  Following his incredibly serious and sincere introduction, Biuiao turned to Mei and inquired, "Do you know how to play that song?"

  "I can."

  Mei gave an "OK" gesture. As long as Biuiao needed it, she could provide guitar accompaniment; her innate talent was incredibly powerful.

  Biuiao knew that his own civilization's preferred artistic style wouldn't mesh well with the current local trends. Mei had offered him a suggestion: the trendier it sounds, the better; the more relatable, the better. That's how they would keep the audience engaged.

  Taking this as his cue,

  Biuiao immediately conceived an idea.

  "Alright then, next, I will perform a composition titled 'Wind Dance Nine Days' for everyone. Thank you!"

  "..."

  Niros covered her face in exasperation.

  This was certainly both trendy and relatable, but she was absolutely certain that Mei’s definition of trendy and relatable was drastically different from Biuiao’s interpretation.

  The very next second,

  The sound erupted—an ear-splitting musical blast!

  Mei, this individual, played the guitar with maniacal energy, channeling a raw electric guitar vibe. This "Wind Dance Nine Days" had even been adapted into a DJ version.

  What was even more astonishing was that Biuiao actually sang the foreign language song flawlessly. Niros had assumed this kid was as uncultured as herself. She couldn't fathom if he had intentionally practiced this foreign piece.

  It felt as if these two were igniting fireworks right there on the spot.

  The atmosphere instantly ignited with energy.

  It was raw, perhaps crude, but undeniably authentic.

  Extremely captivating.

  Whether the livestream's viewer count soared was uncertain, but the grandmothers in the park certainly rose to their feet and began dancing. The crowd of onlookers steadily grew larger and larger.

  Watching the duo perform before them,

  Niros let out a strained gasp, a sound that seemed to emanate from nowhere. Biuiao himself was already an extreme character, and now he had managed to discover another equally eccentric talent from some obscure corner.

  And they had converged at this exact moment.

  Perfectly paired!

  After the conclusion of one song,

  Biuiao felt thoroughly energized. He chuckled, turned to Mei, and gave a thumbs-up, marveling, "Your guitar accompaniment is amazing! How can you make it sound like a DJ setup?"

  "Amazing."

  Mei returned a thumbs-up.

  "I can even lay down harmonies for you."

  "Awesome!"

  The onlookers, however, remained unsatisfied.

  "Kid, one more song!"

  "That was fantastic!"

  "Alright, coming right up!"

  Biuiao eagerly rushed over to his phone to check the comments. The number of viewers had rapidly climbed from just one or two initially. Now, the livestream showed over a hundred participants.

  【Where did this come from? Is this a spontaneous cultural revival?】

  【Village style, classic village gathering!】

  【Village assembly, cement included!】

  【Where did he just say he was from? Aurora galaxy?】

  【Probably an absolute fool, right?】

  【Fool, play another song!】

  There were plenty of supportive comments, but also no shortage of mocking ones. This was mainly because Biuiao's opening declaration was easily ridiculed. Biuiao himself didn't seem to mind the insults.

  Seeing that some viewers had sent gifts, he was immediately lifted in spirits. He beamed a smile towards the livestream feed, announcing he would be right back with the next track. He was genuinely happy.

  Niros, however, was incensed.

  Mute and block.

  Mute and block.

  She directly muted and blocked those who spoke disrespectfully. Biuiao didn't care about the slander, but she certainly couldn't tolerate it. Biuiao happily prepared for the following song.

  "Yes, my friends supporting me on the livestream, all the gifts you reward me with will be converted into funds to purchase gold. When I return to my home planet, I will repay you ten times the value in gold. Thank you for your continued support!"

  He spoke with absolute sincerity.

  The next second,

  The livestream was abruptly banned.

  The official reason cited involvement in illegal fundraising and financial fraud.

  "Huh?!"

  Biuiao was stunned silent.

  Just like that, his plan to accumulate travel funds via livestreaming was instantly terminated, and a livestream account was wasted. But it didn't matter; Mei and Biuiao happily sang all night regardless.

  Primarily, the supporting friends in the park truly cheered them on. After the livestream account was shut down, everyone pooled their money, and the duo serenaded the night until it grew very late.

  They ended up spending the night on a park bench.

  The next day,

  Biuiao counted the money earned from busking in the park the previous night. He divided it into three equal portions: "The total is 2358 Euns, which averages out to exactly 786 Euns per person."

  He was notably frugal but strongly disliked taking advantage of others. Although it wasn't a vast fortune, Mei and Niros understood Biuiao's character and didn't refuse the share politely.

  Earning such a sum of money for the first time, Biuiao was exceptionally delighted.

  "Breakfast is on me. What do you feel like eating?"

  Mei considered it briefly.

  "Soup dumplings. I haven't had soup dumplings in ages."

  "No problem, let's go then!"