I, on the Starry Sky Railway, change everything

"I personally recommend that you log in to Huanyu Jiapin to browse. Of course, you can also try other shopping platforms and experience the advantages and disadvantages of different websites firsthand."

"Understood, I will complete the tasks assigned by the station manager!"

Not only is Hua Yi talented in scientific research, but he is also very proper in his words and actions when communicating with others. He is serious when he should be serious and humorous when he should be humorous, which always makes Aista feel relaxed and keeps the smile on her face for a long time.

The girl nodded and said no more, giving Hua Yi free rein to do as he pleased, so as not to put any pressure on him.

The stationmaster's office fell silent, with only the faint sounds of people taking documents and operating terminals during their work.

In the past, this noise had only one source, Aistar, but now it also comes from Hua Yi.

The doubled sound source did not make the room noisy; on the contrary, it created a strangely vibrant experience. Her thoughts seemed to flow more nimbly, and the girl buried herself in her work, quickly entering a state of focused absorption.

Chapter 19 Little Rich Woman

"Hello, your meal has been served. Enjoy your meal."

The station manager's office is clearly a special location in the backend database. The food delivery robot skips the facial recognition process and delivers the meal ordered by Aistar directly to the office.

"Ah."

The station manager, focused on her work, responded softly, her eyes fixed on the documents in her hands, seemingly forgetting that there was another person in the office. She habitually gestured to the robot to put the tray aside.

Freshly cooked food is often very hot. Eating it hastily may burn your mouth and esophagus. Letting it cool down can actually speed up the eating process and save more office time.

Estella had been so focused on her work that she forgot to eat several times, causing her food to get cold. If she had less work to do, she could reheat it, but if she was very busy that day, she could only eat the cold food hastily to fill her stomach.

After all, if he failed to perform his duties as station manager properly, he would have to go home and inherit the family business.

That was not a good thing for Estádio.

She heard light footsteps beside her, but she subconsciously ignored them until several more minutes passed before Hua Yi finally spoke.

"Miss Stationmaster, breakfast is ready."

"what?"

Looking up, Estella noticed that Hua Yi had already tidied up the side of his desk and placed the plates on it.

He somehow managed to distinguish the importance of the documents, equipment, and various miscellaneous items on the table, and cleared out a space for eating.

It was very accurate; the girl's neatly categorized completed and incomplete documents were not mixed up, nor were any precision instruments moved without permission. Even the arrangement of the miscellaneous items placed next to her was carefully considered and pleasing to the eye.

Hua Yi's organization was so meticulous that the stationmaster's desk, in comparison, appeared slightly messy.

"..."

Estella had lost count of how many times she had been surprised by Hua Yi; she gradually got used to it and put the documents in her hand aside.

"Thank you."

"Shouldn't I be thanking the stationmaster for treating us? This whole table of food is delicious and looks beautiful. I won't stand on ceremony!"

"Yes! Make sure you eat plenty. If you're still hungry, I'll have the robot bring you some more."

The girl was also hungry. She had heard early this morning that the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department had activated an emergency agreement, requiring the Defense Department to protect a laboratory. Then, all five departments gathered in front of Hua Yi's dormitory. She rushed over without having time to eat anything.

Even though her taste buds were giving her a pleasant sensation and her stomach was starting to move with satisfaction, Aistar was still thinking about work. Her eyes kept glancing at her office equipment, which displayed various interfaces, and then she remembered the work she had assigned to Huayi.

"So, have you browsed the Global Best Products website yet?"

"Yes. This shopping website seems to operate on an invitation-only membership system. Individual users cannot register an account without permission, but I successfully logged in. Could it be that the site administrator has invitation privileges?"

"Because I've bought quite a few things on it—is there anything you'd like to buy? Let's add each other as friends, and I'll clear your shopping cart as a small personal gift."

Está did not proactively ask Hua Yi whether a suitable supplier had been found according to the space station's equipment requirements list.

From the very beginning, she never intended to treat it as a mandatory task to be assigned. She simply hoped that the super rookie in front of her could familiarize himself with the space station's online shopping model so that he could purchase anything he needed from the interstellar peace network if the space station lacked the necessary reserves.

But Hua Yi had already completed the extra work.

"Originally, I was thinking of letting the station manager focus on eating and avoid mentioning work-related matters. However, since we've already come up with this—look, I've compared multiple shopping platforms and manufacturers and formulated the following procurement plan based on the equipment list. Most of the products are from Huanyu Jiapin, but a few are from other shopping websites. I found that several stores have the same shipping location and logistics company, which means they are secondary distributors. So I simply contacted the original manufacturer directly."

A newly completed procurement report was presented to Aista, which listed the procurement targets for the equipment needed for the space station in a clear and organized manner, with illustrations and text, comparing the differences between the platform and the vendor, and finally drawing conclusions.

Even the reasons why some of the devices were from manufacturers with higher prices were explained, including price fraud on the homepage, unreliable logistics, and certain supplementary terms that were not very noticeable in the details.

Including those products with relatively high sales volume due to low prices, buyer reviews were hundreds of words long, praising the goods excessively, which seemed like fake positive reviews. Negative reviews, which were only two or three lines long, all accused the equipment of quality problems. These were also screenshotted by Huayi as a basis for selecting another store with more authentic user feedback.

Aista's mouth was slightly open, her gaze shifting back and forth between Hua Yi and the monitor he was holding.

"Wow, so detailed! Wait, why is the scroll bar next to the document like this? So much content—you've completed the entire procurement requirements for the list?!"

"I can only say that it is roughly completed. During this period, I used my Level IV staff member privileges to check the transaction records between Applied Physics and these manufacturers in order to understand their historical credit, but I discovered another problem: why are there so few equipment purchase records in Applied Physics' database? The number is abnormally small and does not match the number of scrapped and replaced equipment."

"This...this..."

For some reason, seeing Hua Yi's serious expression made Aista feel inexplicably nervous.

"I purchased the equipment myself, bypassing the Applied Physics Department's procedures. I thought it would save money for the space station and get the equipment faster, so there shouldn't be any major problems, right?"

"There's a big problem. Even if the station chief is a wealthy woman and her act of paying out of her own pocket is out of good intentions, it shouldn't continue. This will not only cause you personal financial losses, but it will also be detrimental to the long-term development of the space station."

The new staff member is pointing out problems with the space station director, and even refers to her as "little rich woman" instead of "rich lady," which is truly a reversal of the proper order.

However, Estelle's first reaction was not annoyance at having her authority challenged.

Hua Yi's talent and wisdom were convincing. The gentle and kind girl scratched her cheek, not noticing that her fingertips were still covered in bread grease, and her tone became more inquiring.

"I didn't spend much money, so it's not a financial loss... Why should it involve the future development of the space station? I can keep paying for equipment and maintain it for a long time."

Chapter 20: No questioning the stationmaster's decisions!

"If the space station were in its early stages of construction, or if it were to encounter a sudden change and become difficult to maintain, the station commander would naturally have no problem turning the tide. But now that the space station has been established for many years, if it cannot even achieve a balance between income and expenditure, it can only mean that there is a problem with its operating model."

I don't know who the station manager is now and who the newbie is, but Aista has become the one listening to the "senior" share management experience.

"As far as the space station is concerned, if the researchers here spend far more money than the academic results they produce, they will lose their competitiveness. Strip away the glamorous title of the Black Tower Space Station, and these people are just fledgling eagles protected in a safe haven, who have not yet truly spread their wings and fly. As for the station commander himself, even if his wallet is full enough, once he gets sick or goes on vacation and is temporarily unable to focus on management work, the space station's cash flow will become extremely fragile."

"Is it that serious...?"

"Of course, the above is an extreme statement."

Hua Yi changed the subject, operated his terminal for a while, and used his Level IV staff member privileges to access the income and expenditure of the Universal Applications Department.

"Wen Huai-ren, the former president of the Department of Applied Physics, had a keen eye and calculated the origin and destination of every credit point very clearly. He must have discovered that the station chief was personally funding the construction of the space station. Therefore, he did not simply increase research investment as the department's funds became more abundant. Although his personal character also played a part, in this way, the generous young lady and the shrewd department leaders formed a balance."

However, this artificially maintained balance is unhealthy and quite fragile.

Even though Hua Yi said things hadn't gone too far, Estella, reminded of the situation, still realized the problem.

If the young woman takes a few days off and goes on a trip aboard an interstellar ship, failing to keep track of the space station's dynamics in real time, the equipment she is responsible for replacing and replenishing will be left unattended, thus affecting the research in the relevant departments.

This is just a vacation.

If Wen Huai-ren's son, Wen Ming-de, is allowed to manage the Applied Physics Department, the department's style will change, and the current head of the department, unaware of the inside story, will create a superficial balance of income and expenditure, which will make the situation even more serious.

"However, from another perspective, Station Master Está's importance has also been elevated to a higher level because of her status as an angel investor. With a little publicity, her personal prestige can be significantly enhanced. Appropriately mentioning this to Ms. Black Tower can solidify the station master's position. Even if Ms. Black Tower's attention to the space station is very limited now, she will not forget your role in the future."

"I didn't think about those things. I used my pocket money to buy equipment, and essentially I just wanted to make the space station better."

Estella quickly waved her hand to stop her.

She suspected that if she let Hua Yi continue, the conversation would become very dangerous.

It seems this will extend to proving to the experts and scholars on the space station who is truly shouldering the responsibilities of the five major research departments and four major support departments, who is the real spokesperson for Ms. Black Tower, and who is the supporter of scientific research and the pillar of the space station.

The opportunity to control everything seemed so close, and the girl stared in disbelief, but she was not tempted.

Not only was she grateful to Ms. Black Tower for taking her away from her family and hoping to help her manage the space station well, but she also had no intention of seizing more power or benefits. Furthermore, Hua Yi's proposals had gradually risen to another level; greater power meant greater responsibility. Estella did not believe that she could carry out sweeping reforms and guide the entire space station in the right direction.

Her role is more of a protector than a pioneer.

"Ms. Black Tower's vision is indeed genius-level, and Miss Está is the most suitable person to be the stationmaster of the entire space station."

Hua Yi changed her self-reference several times, sometimes calling herself "Station Master," sometimes "Little Rich Woman," and sometimes "Generous Young Lady."

Thinking about it carefully, his tone just now didn't sound like that of an ambitious young man encouraging his superiors to seize more power so that he could benefit from it; instead, it sounded like he was joking.

Hua Yi had guessed the choice he would make from the very beginning.

Such behavior strongly suggests that a subordinate is teasing their superior!

Having figured out the intricacies of the situation, Estella spoke, half jokingly and half seriously.

"Actually, the process of me becoming the stationmaster was quite simple. Being able to create high-level secret instruments related to intelligence, and in a short period of time, you have captivated the attention of five major departments. You can also say those words that are enough to make the entire space station move because of you. Perhaps you are the more suitable person."

“I think the stationmaster is just not greedy for fame and fortune, which is why he has never thought about how to consolidate his personal prestige. As for me being more suitable—you are the most suitable person to be the stationmaster in the entire space station, Miss Estád, I am not lying.”

"why?"

"Because the Black Tower Space Station remains neutral in all actions involving the Star Gods."

An unexpected answer, but the quick-witted Estelle almost immediately understood Hua Yi's meaning from his reply.

This bright and promising new cadet held different views on the space station's guidelines, or rather, Hua Yi himself would not remain neutral or a mere spectator when he was involved in the Star God incident.

As the stationmaster, the young woman should have strictly emphasized the absolute nature of the space station's regulations and upheld the will of Lady Black Tower.

However, recalling that some staff members on the space station had encountered the antimatter legion on their way home, or even that their home planets had been destroyed by the legion, and that the space station could only stand by and watch, unable to forcibly intervene in the forces related to the [Destruction] Star God, Estella felt that she could completely understand Hua Yi's thinking.

Their eyes met, their gazes locked, and the stationmaster became even more certain of this.

The kind-hearted girl sensed his kindness.

Estella's expression softened unconsciously, and Hua Yi handed her a tissue.

"You have oil stains on this side of your face. It's from when you lightly scratched your cheek with your fingers after you picked up the bread."

"Huh? Oh...thank you."

So, from that time on, I used the image of a little kitten to talk to him so seriously?

Recalling her own fluctuating moods during the conversation, from serious to solemn, and the changes in her expression accordingly, Estella almost wanted to disappear into the ground.

"you--"

Why didn't you remind me sooner?

What's wrong with a space station commander losing his temper with his subordinates in a fit of embarrassment? Even if it's just an ordinary girl criticizing a wicked boy who's been watching the show for ages, deliberately controlling his expression and never revealing his true intentions, then there's nothing wrong with that.

However, Estella was different.

"Alright, you can go back now. There are probably many people waiting for your news. I will also give you a bonus for this purchase list as extra work you did."

"Paying out of his own pocket again?"

"No questioning the stationmaster's decision is allowed now!"

Chapter 21 Loyal Ministers

"'Left [hunting], right [harmony], [wisdom] in the heart, [protection] in the chest' -- What beautiful characters! I never imagined that Hua Yi's calligraphy was so outstanding."

In the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department, Hua Yi's workstation was crowded with senior executives from various departments. Although Station Chief Estella had asked them to return to their posts, she hadn't said they couldn't leave after finishing their work.

By temporarily handing over his work to his colleagues, he could bring the hopes of the entire department to the Guangyuan Secret Examination Papers Department and continue to extend an olive branch to Hua Yi.

So a group of experts and scholars, who are considered leading figures in academia, gathered around Hua Yi's workstation and examined it carefully, without touching or rummaging around. They simply observed it from left to right and from top to bottom.

"More than that, the content itself is also profound, reflecting the author's homesickness... no, it reflects Hua Yi's reverence for the Star God."

"That's how it is with geography majors, all talk nonsense and talk about homesickness, have they done too many reading comprehension exercises?"

"Hey, you guys in the Applied Physics Department sitting in offices, how dare you provoke us, the group who go deep into the universe and do research by hand? Want to fight?"

"All right."

Gunn, the founder of the Law and Politics Department, gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"No matter how much we argue here, the decision is still made by Hua Yi and Station Master Aista. Let's just wait for the notification."

The ordinary office of the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department now presents an extremely unusual scene.

Several high-ranking officials from the five research departments stood around Hua Yi's empty workstation, surrounded by another group of senior executives, with ordinary staff members on the outermost perimeter.

Some people were simply there to watch the spectacle, while others hoped that Hua Yi would transfer to their department.

Emily from the Secret Documents Department had a tense face. She knew that people from other departments were trying to take Hua Yi away, but she couldn't raise her voice to rebuke them. As a lowly Level II staff member, she had no say in this situation.

A look of anticipation flashed in Wen Shiling's eyes as she looked forward to working with her idol.

Lamina from the World Seeds Department pursed her lips, deep in thought. She hoped that Hua Yi would transfer to her department, so that she could perhaps volunteer to be her assistant and make some achievements on the space station, thus repaying her sister's sacrifices.