A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

The pages were slightly yellowed, and traces of childish drawings could be seen at the corners: stars, mushrooms, and crooked, childish words, clearly left by Marisa when she was a child.

He casually flipped through a few pages. Although the content was basic, it was arranged clearly and easy to understand, explaining the basic concepts of magic, methods of perception, and several of the simplest elemental runes with illustrations.

The book also contains pencil notes in the blank spaces, with the handwriting gradually becoming neat and tidy, recording Marisa's doubts and insights.

“These notes might be helpful to you,” Morichika Rinnosuke pointed to the writing on the edge of the page. “Although Marisa is unconventional, she is indeed gifted in magic. You may also encounter the same problems she had when she was young.”

Xia Xun nodded gratefully and carefully put the book away.

All the items were neatly arranged at the shop entrance: a large bag of potato seeds, several small cloth bags containing other seeds, and the three books.

Just as Morichika Rinnosuke was about to ask if he needed to borrow a stroller, he saw Natsumi suddenly take out two things and put them down. Then, with a wave of his hand, the heaviest bag of potatoes and the stack of books disappeared instantly, while the remaining seeds were easily put into the shopping bag he was carrying.

Marisa Kirisame, who had just emerged from between the shelves with a few shimmering crystals in her hand, widened her eyes upon seeing this scene: "Wow! Natsumi, you have this ability?"

Morichika Rinnosuke also pushed up his glasses, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes behind the lenses.

Xia Xun smiled and explained simply, "It's a little ability I was born with; it allows me to store things."

Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance but did not delve into the matter further.

Gensokyo is full of the unbelievable, and people with special abilities are not uncommon. Marisa Kirisame can fly around on a broom, and Rinnosuke Morichika can identify the nature of various unknown objects. In comparison, the ability to store things in a space, while convenient, is not too rare.

“However, this ability is really convenient.” Morichika Rinnosuke’s tone revealed a hint of envy. “If I had this ability when I went to Muyuuzuka to ‘buy goods,’ I could bring back a lot more good stuff at once.”

Marisa Kirisame came over and curiously poked Natsumi's shopping bag: "How much stuff can you put in it? Can you put living things in it? Won't they suffocate?"

Xia Xun was taken aback by the question, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "I haven't tried putting living things in it before, but it should be possible, although the space can only store a limited number of items."

"That's amazing!" Marisa patted his shoulder and grinned. "Let's work together to borrow things from now on, and we'll definitely be able to get rid of everything we're interested in!"

Amidst laughter and conversation, the three returned to the shop's front hall. Mori Chika Rinnosuke carefully counted the copper coins, put them into the wooden box under the counter, and then wrote a simple receipt and handed it to Natsumi.

After saying goodbye to Rinnosuke Mori, Natsumi boarded Marisa Kirisame's broom, and the two quickly returned to the Human Village.

Marisa flew steadily, but at a considerable speed. The wind blew Natsumi's hair back, forcing him to grip the broom handle tightly.

"Hold on tight! We're landing!" Marisa shouted cheerfully. With a swift descent, the broom landed steadily near the entrance to the Human Village. Several farmers working in the fields looked up, saw it was Marisa, and then lowered their heads to continue working, clearly already used to the magician's comings and goings.

To express his gratitude, Xia Xun treated Marisa to lunch at a small street-side shop. Two bowls of steaming hot udon noodles, along with a few slices of grilled fish and vegetables, cost seventy-six mon.

Marisa ate with great relish, slurping her noodles while mumbling about the interesting things that happened in the Enchanted Forest: glowing mushrooms, mischievous fairies, the strange fog that occasionally appeared...

After the meal, Marisa wiped her mouth and patted Natsumi's shoulder: "You can look at the magic book first. If you don't understand anything, you can come to the Magic Forest to find me. I live in a slightly old house deep in the forest. There's a sign that says 'Misty Rain Magic Shop' on the door, although I'm out running around most of the time."

She blinked and added, "But you'll definitely have no problem with this kind of content that I understood when I was six! I'll come and check on your progress when you finish reading the book."

Xia Xun was amused by her and nodded in agreement.

Watching Marisa Kirisame walk away, Natsumi prepared to continue working in the fields.

Looking at the balance of 586, he felt deeply impoverished.

Hurry up and finish planting your crops, then go fishing or foraging in the wild – that's the proper way to make money in Stardew Valley during the spring.

Chapter Nine: First Large-Scale Sowing

In the afternoon, Xia Xun first went to the fishing tackle shop in the Human Village.

The shop was small, with several strings of dried fish hanging at the entrance. The owner was an old fisherman with dark skin and rough fingers.

Xia Xun spent 135 coins to buy a sturdy-looking bamboo fishing rod, a roll of hemp line, several iron hooks, a small jar of bait made from a mixture of rice bran and insects, and some earthworms. The old fisherman also kindly taught him a few simple ways to tie the hooks and casting techniques.

Next, he stopped at a roadside general store and bought a sturdy ceramic cup and three rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves for 55 coins. The rice balls had a faint aroma of salt and plum, making them an affordable way to replenish his energy.

Back in the cabin, Xia Xun filled his new water cup with cooled boiled water, then packed his fishing rod, bait, rice balls, and water cup into his system backpack. After tidying everything up, he set off again for his land.

The midday sun was already quite scorching.

As Xia Xun passed by Liu Zhiyao, he casually folded a few supple willow branches. With nimble fingers, a simple yet practical straw hat took shape in his hands. Wearing the straw hat, he immediately felt much of the heat on his head subside.

Upon reaching the field, he tallied the existing seeds: 100 portions of potatoes, 20 portions of garlic, 40 portions of mung beans, and 10 portions of strawberries, plus 21 portions of mixed seeds he had obtained while weeding. As these seeds were put into his backpack, the corresponding information automatically appeared:

Potatoes: 18-day growth cycle.

Garlic: 12-day growth cycle.

Mung beans: The growth cycle is 30 days, and they can be harvested again every 9 days after maturity.

Strawberries: The growth cycle is 24 days, and they can be harvested again every 12 days after ripening.

Mixed seeds: In spring, parsnips, potatoes, or cauliflower may grow, with the specific cycle being random.

"A total of 191 square meters of farmland needs to be reclaimed." Xia Xun calculated, took a deep breath, and gripped the hoe tightly in his hand.

He continued to push forward along the edge of the twenty square meters of land that had been cleared the day before.

Unlike the ease of harvesting large areas of weeds, tilling new land is a much more arduous task.

The hoe needed to cut deeper into the compacted soil, pry open the underground network of intertwined grass roots, and then break up and rake the large clods of soil. Fortunately, his hoe struck hard and then turned over, and all the work was completed.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., it took Xia Xun two whole hours to finally finish turning over almost half an acre of land. Sweat had already soaked through his coarse cloth clothes, leaving dark marks on his back.

He straightened his aching back, walked to the edge of the field, and gulped down most of a cup of water before feeling some relief from the thirst in his throat.

After a short rest, not daring to delay, Xia Xun began sowing the seeds.

Following the instructions in his backpack, he sowed the different seeds onto the corresponding clods of soil, gradually becoming more skilled with each sow.

After sowing, it is time to water.

Carrying a full watering can, he moved between the paddy fields, evenly irrigating each newly sown plot. The clear water seeped into the soft soil and soaked the dry land.

After the last plot of land was watered, another hour and a half had passed.

The sun was already beginning to set in the west, casting a long shadow over him.

Xia Xun, carrying a watering can, was panting heavily. Glistening beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped into the soil beneath his feet.

But when he raised his head and looked at the land that belonged to him, a strong sense of satisfaction welled up amidst his exhaustion.

What was once a wild field overgrown with weeds has now been partially covered by neat ridges. The brown soil gleams with an oily sheen in the setting sun, and rows of tender green seedlings are interspersed with clods of soil where seeds have just been sown, giving the beginnings of a well-organized farm.

"Finally something cool." Xia Xun couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

However, his gaze fell upon the trees of the magical forest not far away.

At the start of the Stardew Valley game, besides farming, another crucial thing is to collect resources, especially wood, to make storage boxes!

He only realized he'd forgotten to make boxes today when he was collecting seeds at Xianglintang.

Just do it.

Xia Xun washed his hands in the river, took out two rice balls from his backpack, ate them in a few bites, and drank several large mouthfuls of water. Feeling that his strength had recovered a bit, he gripped the axe from the system and headed towards the Magic Forest.

He dared not venture too far, and only stayed in the outer areas where the trees were relatively sparse and sunlight could still penetrate.

Soon, Xia Xun selected a tree that was about seven or eight meters tall, with a straight trunk and a diameter of about twenty centimeters.

When it was his first time chopping down a tree, Xia Xun was a little at a loss. Recalling the clips he had seen in videos, he tried to swing the axe at an angle from a lower position on the side of the trunk facing the field.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The axe blade is exceptionally sharp, and it cuts into the wood with a solid and smooth feel.

He gradually found his rhythm, first cutting a "V" shaped notch about one-third the depth of the trunk in front, then moving to the back of the tree and starting to cut horizontally from a position slightly higher than the notch in front.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

After a dozen or so blows, the cut behind connected with the "V" shaped gap in front. The tree groaned as it groaned under the weight and began to slowly tilt. Xia Xun quickly ran back a distance.

"Boom!"

The tree fell precisely in the direction he had predicted, away from the interior of the forest, raising a cloud of dust and fallen leaves.

"Success! Looks like those videos weren't a waste of time." Xia Xun patted the dust off his hands with a hint of pride and strode forward. He reached out and touched the fallen tree trunk, a thought suddenly forming in his mind.

The entire tree vanished instantly, and at the same time, a system notification appeared in my mind: [Wood +14].

"This is so convenient!" Xia Xun was once again amazed by the power of the system.

In reality, cutting down, pruning, trimming, moving, and folding a single tree would take countless days and efforts, but here, standardized timber resources that can be used directly are obtained instantly.

Their enthusiasm was further stimulated.

Xia Xun, carrying an axe, walked towards another tree of similar size nearby.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The rhythmic sound of logging echoed along the edge of the forest.

Time flew by as he focused on his work. He could knock down a tree about every twenty minutes. Sweat poured down his face, and his arms began to ache, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.

When the sixth tree turned into timber and was put into his backpack, Xia Xun obtained a total of 87 pieces of timber, which was enough for him to synthesize a standard wooden box in the system.

He glanced at the sky; the setting sun had painted the horizon a brilliant orange-red, and it was nearly 5:30 in the afternoon.

"Oh no, I need to hurry up and go fishing!" Xia Xun remembered his plan.

At dusk, the fish are at their most active.

He didn't bother to rest, dragging his tired but excited body, he hurried towards Liu Zhiying.

"If I get back here before 6:30, I can fish for another hour." He calculated in his mind and quickened his pace.

Chapter Ten: Fishing

Liu Zhiyaoyin

A wide river flows from Lake Mist, its clear waters shimmering with golden light in the setting sun. Like a gentle silver serpent, it meanders down through the human world, nourishing this land and its farmland.

Xia Xun's farmland is located at the intersection of Liu Zhi and Jian Mu Yin Jian. One tributary flows smoothly towards the center of the village, while the other flows quietly along the outer perimeter of the village towards the distant Youkai Tanuki Forest, which is said to be inhabited by Tanuki demons.

Arriving at the riverbank, Xia Xun carefully searched for a suitable fishing spot based on his limited fishing experience and the various fishing videos he had watched online.

He quickly located a bend in the river where the current was gentle.

According to the bits and pieces of knowledge he learned from various "masters," this kind of place, where the water flow slows down because it is blocked by the bend, will settle a lot of the food that has been washed in, making it a favorite foraging area for fish.

He crouched down and carefully observed the water. The river was clear, and he could see the emerald green water plants swaying gently at the bottom. Many small fish fry were nimbly swimming and foraging in the upper water.

"There's fish." Xia Xun felt certain; this was a good omen.

He took out the fishing rod he had bought that afternoon from his system backpack.

This is a fishing rod made of high-quality old bamboo with even bamboo joints. It feels quite heavy in the hand. It is paired with sturdy hemp line, a polished wooden float, and a sharpened iron hook. Although it is not fancy, it exudes a solid and reliable feeling.

The bait consisted of two things: a small jar of basic fish bait made from a mixture of rice bran and insects, and a clump of still-wriggling red earthworms.

Xia Xun didn't rush to cast his line.

He first found some moist soil by the river, carefully crushed and kneaded it with his hands, then mixed it with powdered grain feed, added water and stirred, repeatedly kneading it into several fist-sized, firm, and unbreakable mud balls.

“This should be how you make a burrow.” He recalled the steps in the video and forcefully threw the mud ball into the chosen bend in the water.

Thump, thump.

The mud clump entered the water and slowly sank, spreading out into a misty area that attracts fish.

After doing all this, Xia Xun took out a lively earthworm and carefully threaded it onto the fish hook.

He cast his line and hook near the fishing spot, watching the float stand upright on the water. Then, based on the float's rise and fall, he continuously adjusted its position on the line until the float achieved the desired posture in the water.

"About five and a half meters deep..." Xia Xun estimated the water depth and finally adjusted it to his satisfaction.

He found a flat rock on the shore, sat down, rested his fishing rod on a tree branch he had picked up, and kept his eyes fixed on the red float on the water.

The evening breeze, carrying the dampness of the river and the scent of grass, brushed against my cheeks. In the distance, the faint smell of smoke rose from the village. The surroundings gradually quieted down, with only the gurgling of water and the occasional chirping of insects.

While waiting, his thoughts drifted.

After the experiment he conducted with earthworms that afternoon, he was able to confirm that the rules of the backpack space provided by the Stardew Valley system were almost identical to those in the game. Living creatures could be collected, and time inside seemed to be frozen.

What you put in, you take out; it remains the same.

"In other words, the fish I catch will definitely be in the freshest condition." Xia Xun thought to himself, "Fresh, live fish are much more expensive than dead fish, which is a good way to make money."

Just then, as the fishing rod entered the water, a semi-transparent rectangular frame quietly popped up at the edge of the field of vision. Inside the frame was a simplified picture of the water, with a small fishhook icon suspended in the water, and below it was a deep gray-black sea, simulating the underwater terrain.

This was the familiar interface of the "fishing game".

Five or six minutes after the hook was in the water, the float on the surface suddenly made a sound.

First, it twitched slightly and tentatively twice, and then the float suddenly sank down and disappeared under the water in an instant!