A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

The word gently rippled through her mind.

During her years in Nitsunetei, Okunoda Miyo witnessed countless festivals held in the Human Village, brightly lit and filled with laughter.

As a zashiki-warashi (a type of spirit servant) attached to the Minamoto-tei, she was like a spirit bound to the earth, unable to leave the shop for long, and never personally participated in the festivities.

Ibuki Suika, who had been focused on drinking, quietly perked up her ears and a drunken smile crept onto her lips.

Miyo Okunoda was struggling internally.

The invitation from the Hakurei Shrine Maiden was tempting, but as her gaze swept over the familiar shop, counter, and every table and chair, she ultimately shook her head gently.

With a hint of regret in her smile, Okunoda Miyo said, "I'm sorry, Reimu-san, I still have to look after Minato-tei, and I can't go too far away from here."

Then she asked with some curiosity, "But, judging from Reimu's tone just now, did you already know about me?"

"Ugh--"

Upon being rejected, Reimu Hakurei's eyes instantly lost their light. She slammed her elbow on the table like a salted fish that had lost its dreams, radiating an aura of shattered aspirations.

She sighed deeply and gave Okunoda Miyo a regretful look.

It's such a pity, such a real pity.

If the other party hadn't been Natsumi's friend, Reimu Hakurei would have wanted to capture the Pokémon... her shikigami.

Just then, that old woman, Yukari Yakumo, stole her food, so she brought back a Zashiki-warashi to make up for it.

“It’s Natsumi,” Reimu Hakurei mumbled, biting into half a fish cake. “I heard it from him. Oh, by the way, just call me Reimu.”

"Xia Xun".

Hearing this name, Miyo Okunoda felt a slight warmth in her heart.

So he had mentioned himself to his friends.

This realization brought a sweet feeling to her heart, and she couldn't help but ask softly, "Miss Reimu, will Natsume also be attending the festival?"

“Yes, I invited him.” Reimu Hakurei nodded and picked up another piece of radish.

At that moment, Miyo Okunoda was completely smitten.

She wanted to say yes, to stroll with Natsumi under the festival lights, to see the cherry blossoms fluttering in the night at the shrine, and to experience the excitement of truly participating in it.

However, as the zashiki-warashi of the Minamoto-tei, she could not leave this place she depended on.

This conflicting feeling lingered with her until both guests had finished eating and drinking and left.

With a slight blush on her cheeks, Reimu Hakurei stood up, patted her belly contentedly, and walked out of the store. She glanced back at the Minato-tei, which was quietly lit with warm light in the dead of night, and nodded to herself.

Tonight, I originally intended to investigate who dared to open a shop catering to monsters late at night in the human realm. If it was a troublemaker, I would definitely deal with them directly.

But after seeing the shop with her own eyes and tasting Misaki's cooking, Reimu Hakurei decided to turn a blind eye.

After all, if such a delicious restaurant closes down, where will she go for a late-night snack?

"Let's leave it at that as long as we don't cause any trouble."

Watching Reimu Hakurei's figure fly into the night sky, Miyo Okunoda leaned against the door and sighed softly.

"Hehe, Miyo, you actually really want to go to the festival, don't you?"

Ibuki Suika's voice suddenly came from beside her, startling Okunoda Miyo.

"Miss Cui, Cuixiang!? You haven't left yet?" She clearly remembered that the other person had just staggered away.

"You haven't answered my question yet." Suika Ibuki looked up, her eyes, which were always tinged with drunkenness, were now clear and focused, revealing a seriousness that did not match her youthful appearance.

Under such gazes, Okunoda Miyo felt that her thoughts were exposed, so she could only nod and say, "Yeah, I want to go."

Suika Ibuki's serious expression melted instantly, returning to her playful smile: "Because you want to go to the festival with Natsumi, right?"

“Um, I want to be with Natsu…!” Miyo Okunoda blurted out, then realized what she had said, her face turning bright red. “Ms. Suika!”

"Hahaha! What's there to be ashamed of? Liking someone isn't something shameful." Ibuki Suika laughed heartily, picked up her sake gourd, and took a big gulp.

"However, that kid is someone I've got my eye on too. If you want to compete for him, you'll have to show some guts!"

She patted Okunoda Miyo's arm, looking very loyal: "Of course, after all, it's Miyo, so even if you don't win in the end, I'll still generously leave you a bite~ Hahaha!"

Looking at the oni king girl laughing heartily in front of her, Okunoda Miyo opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak.

As the signboard girl of the Minoton Pavilion, she considered herself to be quite good at reading people's expressions.

Over the course of their time together, it seems that Natsume doesn't treat Ms. Ibuki Suika as a normal woman.

At least, she never caught that kind of gaze that occasionally fell on her when Xia Xun looked at Miss Cuixiang.

Ibuki Suika was clearly unaware of Okunoda Miyo's subtle gaze, and instead waved the sake gourd in her hand at her.

"Miyo, you can stay here. I will take you to the banquet."

Upon hearing this, Okunoda Miyo's eyes lit up, and she bowed gratefully to Ibuki Suika, saying, "Thank you, Miss Suika."

"I will do my best to make the most delicious food to repay your kindness for this festival." Okunoda Miyo said excitedly, bending her arms. "Oh, right, I also need to tell Reimu that I promised to prepare the banquet. I have to go to the shrine to inform her first thing tomorrow morning."

Since this is my first time being invited to a banquet, I must make a good impression on everyone.

Then, I'll invite Natsumi to go to the festival together.

Chapter Sixty-Four: A Routine Morning

【Spring 3.8】

Fishing level 3 → 4 unlocks: Recycling Machine, Spinning Bait

At six o'clock in the morning of a new day, Xia Xun, who had been practicing magic until two o'clock in the morning after returning home last night, woke up.

He stretched his body and got out of bed to check the changes brought about by the upgrade.

First is the blessing of the water. As the fishing level increases to level four, the blessing also upgrades. Xia Xun can clearly feel that the water element is more approachable.

Raise your palm, and a stream of water is generated as you chant. Then, under the control of water manipulation, it changes shape continuously, easily transforming into water spheres, water ropes, and other simple forms.

Feeling the water flow under his control becoming more and more effortless, Xia Xun concentrated his mind and tried to compress the water flow into a blade. Immediately, the crystal-clear water flow began to ripple continuously as if boiling.

Finally, it exploded into a splash of water with a bang.

"Well, it's really difficult to achieve miracles simply by relying on affinity and strength. We need to study the arrangement of the elements in the technique."

Somewhat disappointed, Xia Xun wiped the water droplets that had splashed all over her face, then made a grasping motion with her palm, and the water droplets that had splashed all over her body quickly condensed into a ball and returned to her palm.

He tossed the water ball in his palm into the air, and it exploded into a clump of water, which then quickly condensed into a light drizzle.

"However, the rainmaking technique that I accidentally mastered yesterday can now actually be used to replace the sprinkler."

Xia Xun looked at the clouds and rain in the courtyard, which she controlled with her mind, and couldn't help but smile.

Squeak.

"Wow, what are you doing so early in the morning?"

Reimu Hakurei was caught off guard by the rain as she pushed open the door. Her red and white shrine maiden outfit was soaked and clung to her skin, revealing glimpses of her fair curves.

"Sorry, sorry, I was practicing the new magic I just learned."

Seeing this, Xia Xun quickly withdrew his magic, and the magic in the sky rapidly dispersed. Then he grabbed at Hakurei Reimu.

The moisture that had soaked through the shrine maiden's clothes was immediately drawn away, and Reimu Hakurei, who had been feeling a little uncomfortable, instantly felt better.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to be so talented." Reimu Hakurei looked at Xia Xun's series of actions with some surprise.

"No, no." Xia Xun smiled happily upon hearing this.

He then said with some surprise, "But I didn't expect that Reimu would actually arrive at six o'clock in the morning. There's absolutely no reason for me to deduct your wages."

"Hmph, dream on." Reimu Hakurei snorted softly upon hearing this, then held out her hand to him: "Give me breakfast, I'm hungry."

"We agreed on three meals a day yesterday, and if I work overtime, I need a late-night snack too. I won't do it without it!"

"You rascal." Xia Xun looked speechlessly at the red and white shrine maiden reaching out for food, and said helplessly, "Why don't you wash me and eat me instead? Can't you see I just got up a little while ago?"

“I know,” Reimu Hakurei nodded, arms crossed, and said indignantly, “But you know you just woke up at this hour, so why did you make me come at this time?”

"Can't you wait half an hour until you've made breakfast, and then let me do it?"

“In this way, you can make breakfast and I can sleep for an extra half hour, which is the best of both worlds.”

"I think you're dreaming!" Xia Xun glared at Hakurei Reimu, who was daydreaming, and rolled her eyes. "Alright, stop being so cheeky, or the boss will dock your pay."

"Let's go buy yesterday's catch first, and then go fishing."

"Oh, you're going fishing?" Reimu Hakurei exclaimed in surprise.

The Nest-Swallowing Pavilion.

With Hakurei Reimu in tow, Natsumi arrived carrying a fishing box.

I had barely raised my hand to knock twice when the door was flung open.

"Good morning, Natsumi." Miyo Okunoda greeted Natsumi happily, her gaze falling on the wooden box in his hand as she smiled, "I knew you'd come to deliver the catch this morning. How was yesterday's harvest?"

"Good morning, Miyo." Xia Xun replied with a smile, giving Okunoda Miyo a proud thumbs up: "You've had a fantastic day."

"That's wonderful!" Miyo Okunoda said with a smile, congratulating Natsumi.

Beside her, Reimu Hakurei, seeing the two ignoring her and exchanging words, couldn't help but speak up.

"Can you two go inside the store to talk?"

"Eh, Reimu-san!" Miyo Okunoda looked at Reimu Hakurei in surprise, completely unexpected that she would appear so early in the morning.

Her pretty face immediately flushed red, and she quickly bowed to her before making way for the two of them to enter.

After asking the two to sit down, Okunoda Miyo quickly ran to the kitchen and brought out a pot of steaming hot fish porridge.

"Reimu, please have breakfast first. Xia Xun and I will finish our work soon. Then, I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

With a brisk and efficient manner, Okunoda Miyo served Hakurei Reimu a large bowl of fish porridge, and then pulled Natsumi aside to a place that had been prepared in advance to start counting the catch.

Staring blankly at the fish porridge in her hand, Reimu Hakurei then looked at Miyo Okunoda, who was working tirelessly with a gentle smile on her face, while holding Natsumi's hand.

A strange sense of frustration arose in her heart.

Somewhat unwillingly, she picked up the ladle and scooped up a full spoonful of fish porridge, then stuffed it into her mouth.

The slightly hot fish porridge made her mouth feel a little burning, and Reimu Hakurei couldn't help but open her mouth and exhale in small breaths, but she couldn't bear to spit out the delicious food in her mouth.

The strange sense of frustration she felt was also thrown to the back of her mind at that moment.

A large bowl of fish porridge was quickly devoured by Reimu Hakurei.

Xia Xun and Okunoda Miyo also completed the inventory and settlement work this morning.

Yesterday's catch included 24 fish of average quality, 9 crucian carp, 7 carp, 3 grass carp, and 5 smallmouth bass.

37 silver starfish, 14 crucian carp, 8 carp, 3 catfish, 5 largemouth bass, and 7 smallmouth bass.

Smallmouth sea bass and catfish are new varieties. The common price is 26 yuan/jin for smallmouth sea bass and 18 yuan/jin for catfish.

Therefore, the total catch yesterday was 5082 coins.

Seeing the huge pile of coins that Miyo Okunoda handed to Natsumi, Reimu Hakurei's mouth dropped open: "Fishing can be so profitable?!"

At that moment, the idea of ​​making a living by fishing suddenly popped into her mind.

“That’s because Xia Xun is very capable.” Okunoda Miyo couldn’t help but speak up upon hearing this: “In fact, the average fisherman earns about the same amount of money in a week or two.”

"Xia Xun's catch is valuable because it contains many high-quality fish."

After explaining the situation to Reimu Hakurei, Miyo Okunoda turned to Natsumi and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Natsumi, this catch is enough for the shop's business for two days. We won't be able to buy any more fish tomorrow."

"It's okay, Meixiao, you've already helped me a lot." Xia Xun quickly shook her head and said gratefully.

"As for tomorrow's catch, I plan to go to Kourindo to buy seeds tomorrow, and then I can sell the catch to Manager Morichika."

When Miyo Okunoda heard that Natsumi's catch had a market, she couldn't help but smile with relief.

After having breakfast at the shop provided by Okunoda Miyo, Natsumi and Hakurei Reimu said goodbye again and embarked on their day trip to Yanagi no Yoru.

Before leaving, Miyo Okunoda stopped Reimu Hakurei and explained her decision to go to Hakurei Shrine three days later in the evening to help prepare for the festival.

Upon hearing this, Reimu Hakurei's face lit up with joy, and she began to imagine the blissful scene of enjoying delicious food to her heart's content on the day of the festival.

Chapter 65 Go, grab two people for me (Bonus chapter for average subscribers)