"Since some of Daughter Star's industries can migrate to Jiangye Star, they can also migrate to Birong Star," Fu Qiuyan ventured.
"Jiangye Star, Daughter Star, and Birong Star are all very far apart," Jiang Ye said. "In that case, the markets won't conflict, and the cake will simply be divided into three."
The waiter, having cleared the empty plates, brought new dishes, including date cakes shaped like small top hats.
Jiang Ye picked up a small silver knife, then put it down, pushing the plate of date cakes and the knife towards Fu Qiuyan.
"Please, cut the cake," Jiang Ye said.
Fu Qiuyan pondered for a moment, then stood up and made the cut. The sharp blade quickly sliced through the date cake's crust, scattering some crumbs.
The entire cake was divided in half, fifty percent each.
"Please, choose," Fu Qiuyan smiled.
Jiang Ye blinked, took an empty plate, and forked one half of the cake onto it. "This portion is for the populace and industrial development. I wish to enrich the people."
"Please, cut the cake," Jiang Ye said, gesturing to the remaining half on the plate.
Fu Qiuyan's eyes, however, were fixed on the portion that had just been taken. "Daughter Star has many people, while Jiangye Star has few. How should this be divided?"
"It belongs neither to Jiangye Star nor to Daughter Star, but solely to Birong Star," Jiang Ye said, looking surprised, as if to ask why she would even ask such a question.
Fu Qiuyan fell into thought.
After a long pause, her gaze shifted back to the other half of the cake waiting to be cut.
She made another cut, dividing it in half.
This time, she did not let Jiang Ye choose. She forked one half, which was a quarter of the entire cake, onto her own plate.
"My appetite is rather large; any less and I wouldn't be full," she said, looking up at Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye nodded. "Then I will eat what's left. However, besides industries, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you."
"Please, sit," Fu Qiuyan smiled.
Both sat down, and the waiter came to remove the wine and replace it with barley tea.
Cen Yemeng breathed a sigh of relief. Since the tea had been changed, the signal from the other party indicated a shift to calm and normal discussion.
"What Jiangye Star lacks most isn't money or industries, but population," Jiang Ye said. "Once Birong Star begins development, the population shortage will only worsen."
"Daughter Star recognizes dual citizenship, provided the planets have established diplomatic relations," Fu Qiuyan said immediately. "Many second and third generations are willing to leave Daughter Star."
"Second and third generations?" Jiang Ye asked, confused. "You mean the second and third generation rich?"
"No, I mean the second and third generation immigrants, and even more fourth, fifth, and sixth generations," Fu Qiuyan said. "Daughter Star is a very special case; immigrant populations constitute the vast majority. Last year, fifty million people applied to immigrate, but only ten million were approved. I don't know how much you understand about our planet; the founding of this planet is inspired by the 'Land of Women' from Journey to the West. Those willing to immigrate are people who wish to live their lives without seeing or interacting with men."
"Because they were bullied by men?" Jiang Ye asked. "Their career advancement was blocked by men in the workplace, they experienced domestic violence, encountered various forms of gender discrimination, and couldn't tolerate the patriarchal atmosphere of some planets, so they wanted to switch to an all-female environment?"
"What you've described is only a part, and perhaps not even the majority," Fu Qiuyan shook her head.
Jiang Ye listened intently.
"Women who immigrate here have diverse reasons, perhaps a thousand reasons, many of which have nothing to do with men," Fu Qiuyan said. "For example, Daughter Star has a strong economy and prosperous citizens. Many people want to come and live a wealthy life. After all, compared to immense wealth, villas, and fine wine, men don't seem like a necessity."
Jiang Ye nodded, finding that completely understandable. How good was lots of money?
"Furthermore, some planets suffer from war and natural disasters, leaving their populations destitute. Many women cannot obtain immigration quotas for other planets, but Daughter Star is easier to apply to, so they come to escape conflict."
Jiang Ye nodded.
"I've also met people who immigrated because of natural scenery, sexual orientation, art, or recommendations from friends or relatives. Some don't even care where they live and just happen to draw Daughter Star in a lottery. In short, the reasons are varied, possibly up to a thousand," Fu Qiuyan said. "The first generation of immigrants, about 85% will live out their lives on this planet, while 15% come to work for a few years, earn quick money, and leave, much like people from small towns going to big cities to work for a few years before returning home."
"I understand now, so that's how it is," Jiang Ye nodded. "In summary, the first generation immigrants are people who can accept a life where they completely do not see or interact with men. That's their only commonality; otherwise, they are all different."
"Yes, that's precisely it," Fu Qiuyan smiled. "However, the situation is different for the daughters born to the first generation immigrants on Daughter Star."
"These second generations have never seen beings called men since childhood, so they have no understanding of whether they like a world where men exist," Cen Yemeng interjected. "They are completely different from their mothers on this issue."
"Exactly, that's the case," Fu Qiuyan nodded.
"A group of people, unable to tolerate numerous mosquitoes, migrated from a tropical rainforest to live in a desert, deciding to become desert dwellers," Jiang Ye said. "The desert dwellers had children, but these children might not necessarily like the desert. They might find the desert too dry and too hot, preferring to return to the humid and cool rainforest."
"Precisely, your understanding is entirely correct. In society, there's often a difference in choices between parent and child generations. For example, parents who fought tooth and nail in society might end up with stable, low-paying jobs and wish for their children to also be stable. But the children detest the uneventful stability and instead want to fight tooth and nail in society. Parents are science majors, but their children are interested in liberal arts. Parents prefer salty food, but their children want to eat sweet food," Fu Qiuyan said. "The second and third generations on Daughter Star generally exhibit this kind of rebellion. Many are curious about men, so millions of people leave Daughter Star every year to live on other planets. Some find husbands and get married, and of course, some return."
"Your planet doesn't restrict this kind of departure?" Jiang Ye understood.
"I must correct your phrasing; this is not an 'escape.' Daughter Star and other human planets have no wars or hostile relations, nor a history of hostility. They are all planets under the Galactic Empire. They are simply leaving to live elsewhere."
"I apologize for my rudeness and improper wording. I am sorry," Jiang Ye said immediately.
"The ideal behind the founding of Daughter Star was to provide a choice for women in the galaxy. They can choose to come, and of course, they can choose to leave. In the vast universe, with so many occupied planets, there should be such a planet for them to choose from. If they are forcibly prevented from leaving, the nature of the planet completely changes, which goes against our planet's social ideals," Fu Qiuyan said. "Having explained all this, you should understand that our planet has both a large inflow and outflow of population, and the outflowing population can be guided in certain directions."
"As long as Jiangye Star and Birong Star can provide a good environment and treatment, and suitable job opportunities, I can sign decrees to promote Jiangye Star and Birong Star, and simultaneously provide subsidies to those who wish to immigrate to your planet," Fu Qiuyan said. "Conservatively estimated, we can provide you with millions of people annually, primarily from the middle class and above. If Jiangye Star and Birong Star develop well in the future, this number will certainly continue to climb."