A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

"We'll definitely win next time!"

Seeing her adorable expression of trying to maintain her composure even though she had clearly lost, Xia Xun couldn't help but laugh out loud. She really had the typical temperament of a child, stubborn yet innocent.

"Now that I've caught you, you're going to be punished!"

Xia Xun wore a sly smile, deliberately drawing out her words as she raised her hand as if to punish them, her fingers curling threateningly.

The three little devils were so frightened that they huddled together, trembling with fear.

dong dong dong.

Three crisp flicks landed one after another on their smooth foreheads, leaving clear red marks.

"Waaah—!"

"it hurts!"

The little fairies cried out in unison, their voices echoing through the forest and startling several birds perched on the branches.

Sunny covered her reddened forehead, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. Mustering her courage, she shouted at Xia Xun in a tearful yet forceful tone:

"Humans, you big bad guys!"

"I'm just punishing you for your prank," Xia Xun retorted righteously, though she couldn't hide the smile on her lips. "Who told you to steal my potatoes first, and then try to throw them at me?"

Sunny was speechless, and could only glare at him angrily, her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment and grievance, like two ripe apples.

But the next moment, her angry glare, along with the timid gazes of Luna and Stare beside her, froze instantly.

A bright red strawberry, about the size of an egg, suddenly appeared before them.

The strawberries glistened enticingly in the sunlight, their tiny seeds clearly visible on the skin. A rich, sweet aroma, unlike anything they had ever smelled before, wafted over and filled the nostrils of the three little ones.

"Gudong."

Clear swallowing sounds came from the three small mouths at the same time.

Luna's eyes widened, Star's wings flapped rapidly involuntarily, and Sunny, who had just been sulking, now had a trickle of drool uncontrollably dripping from the corner of her mouth.

"Then, now is the gift for the good child."

Xia Xun shook the precious Silver Star Strawberry in her hand, watching the three little fairies' eyes follow the strawberry closely, not even daring to blink, and found it extremely amusing.

“Tell me, are you good children?” he asked deliberately slowly.

"Yeah! We are good kids!" The three little goblins immediately nodded their heads like chickens pecking at rice, and their six eyes were fixed on the strawberry, as if it was the most important thing in the world.

"Then am I still a big bad guy?" Xia Xun asked again, the corners of her mouth curving into a deeper smile.

"No! No!" The three fairies shook their heads quickly, speaking in unison, their voices crisp and urgent: "Human, you are a great person! You are a good friend of the fairies!"

They looked so eager, as if they were afraid the strawberries would fly away if they were even a second late.

"Then remember my name," Xia Xun smiled with satisfaction. "My name is Xia Xun. From now on, we're friends. Come visit me more often when you have time."

After saying that, he stopped teasing them, handed them the silver star strawberries in his hand, and took out two more strawberries of the same quality from his backpack, giving one to each of the little fairies.

"Wow--!"

Three cheers of surprise rang out simultaneously.

The little ones couldn't wait to stuff the strawberries into their mouths, their cheeks instantly puffing up round and plump, like three little squirrels desperately hoarding food.

They squinted their eyes, their little faces beaming with happiness, chewing slowly, not even bothering to wipe the red juice from the corners of their mouths.

Xia Xun's heart melted as she watched them eat so heartily, and she couldn't help but reach out and gently pat each of their little heads.

The hair is soft and smooth, with the scent of sunshine and grass, and feels so good that you don't want to let go.

At that moment, he felt all the fatigue and stress of the past few days were cured, and even his breathing became much easier.

Seeing that they were enjoying their meal, Xia Xun himself became a little envious. He took out a Silver Star strawberry and examined it carefully.

After successfully condensing the seed of magic last night, his senses became much sharper.

Looking closely, the strawberry did indeed radiate a faint silvery light in his eyes, a soft and pure glow that seemed to have life flowing within it.

"Is this the vitality inherent in high-quality crops?" he murmured to himself.

Take a bite.

The plump pulp bursts between your teeth, and the sweet juice instantly fills your entire mouth.

It was a sweet flavor he had never experienced before, rich in layers, not just the taste of strawberries themselves, but also the fragrance of sunshine, dew and earth essence, and even a faint, refreshing coolness.

"It's so delicious!"

Xia Xun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

He finally understood why the three little fairies couldn't take their eyes off the Silver Star Strawberry.

Fairies are naturally sensitive to natural energy, and what they perceive is far more intense than what he, a novice human, could sense.

Even more remarkably, as the fruit pulp slides into the stomach, a gentle warm current rises from the abdomen and slowly spreads to the limbs and bones.

The muscle soreness caused by the morning's work, as well as the energy consumed by running and chasing the goblins in the forest, disappeared quickly in this warm current.

After eating a whole strawberry the size of an egg, Xia Xun was surprised to find that she felt half full.

You have to understand, he's only eighteen years old now, with a vigorous metabolism. Plus, he'd been doing farm work all morning and playing hide-and-seek with those energetic little devils for almost an hour. Logically, he should have been starving by now.

"Great stuff, absolutely great stuff!" Xia Xun's eyes lit up.

High-quality agricultural products not only taste amazing and can quickly replenish energy, but more importantly, they contain more abundant natural energy and vitality.

This was undoubtedly an excellent aid for his nascent magical training.

If Silver Star quality strawberries have such effects, what about the even higher-grade Gold Star? And the legendary highest quality Iridium Star? What would they taste like, and how much benefit would they bring?

Thinking of all this, when Xia Xun looked at the three little fairies who were still happily licking the juice off their fingers, he felt that they were shining brightly all over, not only in the literal sense of the light reflected from their fairy wings, but also in the light of "lucky stars".

Here you go, there's more if that's not enough.

In a great mood, Xia Xun took out three more Silver Star strawberries and handed them to them.

"Huh? Are you really giving it back to us?" The three little fairies looked up at the same time, their eyes wide open, their faces filled with surprise and disbelief.

After Xia Xun nodded in affirmation, they cheered in unison:

"Thank you! Xia Xun is a really good person!"

This time, the joy and sincerity in her voice were much more genuine than the flattering words she uttered for the sake of strawberries.

Sunny even flapped her wings and flew up, joining Xia Xun happily circling him once. Then, as if she were shy, she immediately flew back to her companions and giggled with Luna and Star. Their crisp laughter echoed through the forest like wind chimes.

Xia Xun looked at the three little devils hugging strawberries, their eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

In this unfamiliar fantasy world, he made new friends.

Although they are mischievous and playful fairies.

But this seems like a good idea too.

Chapter Seventeen: A Wild Gathering in the Magic Forest

After finishing the strawberries, the three little devils licked the remaining juice off their fingers with satisfaction.

"Xia Xun, we're going home now, bye-bye!" The three little fairies waved to Xia Xun and prepared to fly back to their home deep in the magic forest.

"Wait!" Xia Xun quickly called out to them.

The three little fairies stopped in mid-air, turned their heads in unison, and looked at him curiously.

“I want to go to the Enchanted Forest with you,” Xia Xun explained, “to gather some wild plants.”

His original plan was to inspect the farm in the morning, then go to Liuzhiyaoyu to use the money from selling fish to buy more seeds and continue to expand his cultivation.

But the unexpected bountiful harvest brought by the three fairies of light completely changed the plan. The farmland produced crops, and high-quality ones at that, which gave him a new idea.

In the game Stardew Valley, giving gifts to villagers is an important way to increase your relationship with them and an indispensable part of the game experience.

Just like now, after playing hide-and-seek with the three little fairies all morning and giving them precious silver star strawberries as gifts, the column representing the three fairies' favorability on the semi-transparent character panel in his consciousness had quietly changed from blank to a real star.

As for the other acquaintances, Reimu, Akyuu, Marisa, and others, although their names have appeared on the panel, they are still followed by zero stars, remaining only at the level of "acquaintance".

Now that he had a harvest, he should naturally visit the teacher who taught him magic and present him with a thank-you gift.

Moreover, the Magic Forest itself is a natural treasure trove and a great place for wild gathering.

He had previously been hesitant to venture deeper due to concerns about danger, but now, with three indigenous goblins guiding him, his safety had greatly improved.

After hearing Xia Xun's request, the three little fairies exchanged a glance in the air and then nodded in unison.

"No problem!" Sunny was the first to pat her chest, her orange eyes shining with confidence. "With us here, Xia Xun, you can rest assured!"

"Yes, yes!" Luna mustered her courage, her voice still soft but her tone firm, "We will protect you!"

Starp flapped its wings and flew to Xia Xun, tilted its head and thought for a moment, then added, "We know the forest very well. We know where there's good food and where to be careful."

Looking at the three earnest and adorable little faces, Xia Xun felt a warm glow in her heart and said with a smile, "Then thank you."

"Hehe, you're welcome!" the three little ones said in unison. Being thanked made them very happy, and they flapped their wings a little faster.

Stepping into the magic forest is like entering another world.

The bright midday sun, fragmented by layers of dense canopy, dappled sunlight, sparsely sprinkled the thick layer of humus, instantly making the air moist and cool, carrying the scent of mud and moss.

Beneath your feet lies a layer of soft humus, accumulated year after year, which feels like walking on a thick carpet.

Xia Xun secretly rejoiced that it hadn't rained recently; if it had, this land would probably have become muddy and impassable.

Ahead, three little sprites were happily flying and playing, sometimes diving into a cluster of glowing mushrooms, sometimes chasing a phosphorescent flying insect. Their silvery laughter echoed through the forest, adding a touch of life to this tranquil woodland.

Watching their light and free figures, Xia Xun felt a surge of envy.

If only he could fly, he could explore this vast forest more easily and reach his desired destination much faster.

"I must work hard to improve my magic," he resolved. "The first thing I must do is learn to fly!"

After walking a few steps, Xia Xun's gaze was drawn to a plant—a dandelion hidden among the grass.

In Xia Xun's field of vision, it emitted a faint glow, as if it were highlighted, making it particularly eye-catching in the slightly dim forest environment.

"This must be one of the effects of 'Blessing of Plants'," Xia Xun thought to himself.

This special ability, gained after upgrading his gathering skill, gave him a more acute perception of plants.

He took two steps forward, squatted down, and easily uprooted the mature dandelion. With a thought, the dandelion disappeared into his palm and was stored in the system backpack.

Dandelion +1

Almost simultaneously, Sunny, who was flying ahead, seemed to have discovered something. Her small figure suddenly accelerated and "whoosh" darted into a clump of dense bushes not far away.

The bushes shook violently a few times, their leaves rustling.

A dozen seconds later, Sunny emerged from the bushes with a bright green leaf on her head. She struggled to carry a bunch of bright red berries in her two small hands and wobbled over to Xia Xun, her face slightly flushed from the effort.

"Xia Xun, try this!" Sunny held the berry up to Xia Xun's eyes, her eyes sparkling. "This kind of big berry is so delicious, sweet with a little bit of tartness, it's my favorite!"

Xia Xun took the bunch of berries.

The fruits were plump and round, each about the size of a fingernail, covered with a layer of natural white frost. He picked one and carefully put it in his mouth.

With a gentle bite, the thin peel cracks open, and a burst of sweet and sour juice instantly fills the mouth. The sweetness is refreshing and natural, while the sourness perfectly enhances the flavor profile, making it truly delicious.

“It’s really delicious,” Xia Xun said to Sunny with a smile. “Thank you, Sunny.”

"Hehe, you're welcome!" Sunny was overjoyed to receive the affirmation. She flapped her wings rapidly and spun around in the air. "I'll go find you some other delicious food!"

After saying that, she flew energetically to another grove of trees to begin a new round of searching.

Seeing this, Luna and Starr, not to be outdone, joined in as well.

"I...I also know where there are delicious mushrooms!" Luna whispered, flying off in another direction.

“I know of a kind of leaf that glows, and it smells wonderful when steeped in water!” Sta also enthusiastically joined the treasure hunt team.

Seeing the three little fairies' enthusiasm, Xia Xun was touched, but quickly called out to them, "Wait a minute, Sunny, Luna, Star!"

The three little fairies stopped at the same time and looked back at him in confusion.

“Um, thank you so much for helping me find them,” Xia Xun said carefully, “but I’d like to pick these plants myself, is that alright?”

The three little fairies blinked their big eyes, their faces showing confusion.

In their view, it is the most natural thing to find good things for a friend and give them to him.