There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

After finishing his work, his eyes unconsciously glanced at the drawer, as if there was something shameful inside, making his deepest emotions tense.

"I hope they're alright."

I echoed that sentiment, but I still felt things weren't that simple.

After calculating the spoils, I realized I had enough meat, and the two police leopards began their feast ahead of schedule. The giant spiders could fill their bellies with the gelatinous substance in the mine, so I stored the supplies where the freezer was located.

So what's left is the food that the herbivores and chicks need.

As the saying goes, you rely on your neighbors whether you're at home or away from home. The Hua Nong Brothers have been able to get by this day thanks to the contributions from their neighbors, haven't they? So, for animal feed, they still have to rely on their neighbors.

I arrived at Old Man Muqi's ranch in the rain and saw You running out of the house, holding a small red umbrella and splashing through the water, followed by Mei with a flowery umbrella.

The little girl skipped and hopped out, but spotted me first at the corner.

"Big brother! You're here!"

The little girl Mei ran quickly to my side, and struggled to hold up her little flower umbrella, trying to shield me from the rain since I didn't have one.

Touched, I picked her up, but she stubbornly held onto the umbrella herself and refused to give it to me, insisting on holding it herself.

Old man Muqi said gratefully to me from the doorway, "Marcus, thank you!"

Oh? Does Old Man Muqi know that I'm going to teach the children?

I can certainly accept this thanks, no problem.

I said modestly, "It's nothing, it's all I should do. I haven't been able to help much usually. By the way, I was thinking of buying some animal feed today..."

Old Man Muqi laughed heartily, "Come and take as much as you want today! It's all thanks to you, my old bones are finally saved!"

Is taking care of a granddaughter really that tiring? Okay, I haven't taken care of other children, so I don't know, but Mei Mingming in my arms is very well-behaved.

"It's not that exaggerated. Mei Mingming is very sensible and eager to learn. It's my honor to teach them. There's plenty of space in the ranch, enough to fit a quiet desk."

But when old man Muqi heard me say that, he laughed even more happily, "What? You're going to teach them! That's wonderful! I'll give you a little lamb! Please accept it!"

This time it was my turn to be confused. "Huh? Then what were you thanking me for just now?"

Old man Muqi walked over, leaning on his cane, and patted my back forcefully. "After the news of the insect infestation on Mount Mades, I couldn't go up the mountain. Now that you've solved the infestation, this old man can finally go up and soak in the hot springs! Hahaha!"

Hmm... You're so happy about the hot springs? Are you kidding me?

Chapter 557 The Cat's Life Has Reached Its Peak

The pool, shrouded in white mist, appeared hazy and indistinct. The mist was blown away and deformed by the exhaled air, taking on various shapes.

Old Man Muqi was very dismissive of my nonchalant attitude, as if disregarding the hot spring was a great insult to him, so he angrily grabbed me and rushed up the mountain.

Given this old man's extraordinary stamina, I now suspect that he is not at all in need of a cane, and that the cane in his hand is actually a unique weapon.

An old man? A stick? With his granddaughter? Living in anonymity?

...Old Master Sun, the Master of Heavenly Secrets?

Could it be that this outsider, Yi You, who is pestering someone else's granddaughter, is A Fei?

Forget it, judging by age, I'm the most likely to become the unfortunate Little Li Xunhuan. For a bare-handed archer-class knight to get himself into this mess is truly remarkable.

What? You're saying unarmed soldiers don't count as archers?

Why is Gilgamesh, with his ability to randomly throw things out of his treasure vault, considered an Archer? He should have a separate class called Thrower!

But with this unit, wouldn't someone like Sebala, who specializes in "making a fool of himself," be selected even after death? Would he then go around slapping his face everywhere until he becomes invincible?

So after passing by the old hot spring house countless times, I finally went in to give it a try at the urging of old man Muqi.

"Oh dear, as you get older, all your bones ache, especially on rainy days like this."

Old man Muqi excitedly wrapped himself in a bath towel and plunged into the steaming pool. His old face instantly turned red from the steam, and he wore a satisfied expression, as if he were in paradise.

The hot spring was likely formed by a porous, water-bearing rock layer nearby. The water was heated by underground heat and, after boiling in the rock layer, it emerged as a sulfate spring from a hole in the rock.

The faint sulfur smell is slightly pungent, but it has a unique, refreshing effect.

Since we're already here, why not give it a try?

The hot spring has a very high initial temperature, which is neutralized by a tributary flowing into it from the lagoon halfway up the mountain, thus regulating the temperature of the pool.

If I rashly walk into that hot water area, I'll be a ghost of Yangcheng Lake (the battle-dead version) when I emerge from the water.

So I decisively chose a spot near the cold pool inlet to soak in, avoiding the hot water.

"Phew...this is truly paradise on earth..."

Soaking in the warm water, feeling utterly exhausted, I felt like ants were crawling on my skin, a slight electric current surging through my body and up to my scalp. The slippery water, close to my body temperature, allowed me to lie in the water and relax without any pressure, and I wished I could submerge myself completely.

Material and spiritual matters are interconnected; spiritual exhaustion can be healed by material comforts.

I submerged half my head in the water, blowing bubbles, and even the dark clouds in the sky seemed to transform into a beautiful scene. Cool raindrops dripped onto the hot spring, making the scene appear hazy and indistinct, and even the old man Muqi across from me seemed as if he were separated by distant mountains.

The incessant sound of flowing water became a hypnotic white noise, making my drowsy eyelids grow heavier. I stretched out my hands and rested them on the pool wall, my head about to droop and drift into a deep sleep...

“Young man, if you fall asleep here, I, with my old bones, won’t be able to get you to the hospital.”

Old Man Muqi's voice seemed to come through the water, hazy and indistinct, yet it effectively woke me from my sleep.

"Ah... I'm sorry, I've been too tired lately... I'm severely sleep-deprived. To be honest, if I had known this place was so nice, I would have come here to soak in the hot springs every day."

I exclaimed from the bottom of my heart.

Old man Muqi's long white beard trembled as he let out a hearty laugh, "Hahaha, I knew it!"

The old man's voice was exceptionally magnetic due to the relaxation of his vocal cords, and his breath was more abundant than that of ordinary elderly people, so when he laughed, the hot spring hummed loudly, and he was composed despite his old age.

He scooped up water and poured it on his bald head. "It's true that young people should strive, but they also need to pay attention to safety and ensure they get enough rest."

I leaned back to keep myself from falling asleep again. "That's true, but there's nothing I can do... There are so many things to do, what else can I do but race against time..."

The vast majority of elderly people are different from energetic young people.

If I were a young, argumentative person, after hearing what I said, they would probably immediately say, "What do you mean? Aren't sanitation workers and construction workers hard-working?" or "If you think working 996 is too hard, you can quit."

If I were to argue at this point, saying, "I'm only saying that I've worked hard, it has nothing to do with others and I'm not making comparisons,"...

Then the nitpicker will definitely start their performance: "I'm discussing the hardships with you, why can't I compare myself to others? How can your thinking be so narrow-minded?"

...Okay, the more I think about it, the more exhausted I get.

Old man Muqi was clearly a worldly-wise and experienced man. He didn't resist my negative energy; he just shared his methods.

Old man Muqi glanced at me with his small eyes, his gaze full of the world-weariness unique to the elderly. He didn't dwell on the details with me. "When I first started running Yudel Ranch, I was also very tired every day. Fortunately, this hot spring helped me wash away my fatigue..."

I nodded vigorously. "Yes, I'll definitely come again next time."

“Marcus,” said old man Mouchi, “I’ll teach you another way. Put a vase in your room and fill it with a bunch of fresh flowers from Mount Mads every day. I guarantee you’ll feel exceptionally refreshed every time you wake up!”

I have some reservations about this approach.

"Will this method really work? What if I get a pollen allergy if I put fresh flowers in the house?"

Old Man Muqi soaked in the hot water area for a while, his wrinkled face glowing, and slowly moved towards the warm water where I was. "Of course it works, you'll see once you try it. By the way, you must use flowers from this mountain, otherwise they won't be fresh and won't be as invigorating."

I thought to myself, this isn't about the flowers at all, but rather the magical effect of Mount Maders, isn't it?

I soaked in this hot spring for a while and felt incredibly healthy. I could totally participate in the Wild Man Triathlon and win first prize, become the hippopotamus fighting gold medalist, and the champion of the bicycle-eating contest.

...Why is my mouth watering just talking about the bicycle-eating contest?

Do I have hidden Cybertronian blood?

Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly heard a gurgling sound coming from the water.

I looked up and saw that Mu Qi's old face was red. "Hahaha... This hot spring can aid digestion and stimulate appetite. You'll see results after soaking for a while..."

"It's okay... as long as it wasn't a fart..." I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.

Old Man Muqi reached out and magically pulled out a few eggs from a bundle on the shore. He then threw them into the hot spring outlet, letting the bubbling hot water directly wash over the eggs. Miraculously, the eggs hovered on the surface of the water, frolicking and rolling like playful birds.

"It's ready to eat!"

As Old Man Muqi chuckled, he picked up an egg, skillfully cracked its shell, and handed it to me.

I took it, and the outside of the egg was very hot when I held it in my hand. When I cracked it open, the egg white inside had solidified. It was actually cooked in a very short time!

The egg white of the onsen egg was completely solidified, and most of the yolk was also basically formed, except for a little bit of translucent gel in the middle.

The yolk is light yellow on the outside and dark yellow in the middle. When you eat it, it is not only soft and tender with a rich egg flavor, but the warm and moist yolk is also beneficial for the body to absorb nutrients.

I wolfed down the first one because I was so hungry. It disappeared before my taste buds could even taste it anymore, so for the second one, I first used the tip of my tongue to lift a little bit of the soft center, pressed it against the roof of my mouth, and gently rubbed it to savor it...

"it is good!"

The method of boiling eggs is simple, but without years of experience, it's impossible to achieve such mastery of the heat. At this point, a bowl of rice and a dish of soy sauce would be enough to fill me up.

Old Man Muqi ate the two eggs with a smile and then happily went back into the water.

"Even on the toughest days, you must leave yourself time to rest, young man."

Muqi patted my shoulder and said, while reaching out to pick a small flower from the corner of the hot spring house.

"What is this?" I asked.

On the upright stems of the slender, hairy grass, a cluster of small, purple-patterned flowers atop them. The bell-like blossoms are dotted with purple spots, blooming quietly and inconspicuously like weeds, yet swaying sparsely against the wall, displaying their delicate, smiling faces.

Isn't this the flower I threw into the water yesterday? I hadn't noticed it before, but now that I look closely, it's everywhere in the valley, its delicate fragrance wafting through the Maders Mountains.

Old Man Muqi said with great expression, "This is a wonderful thing. If you put a bunch of it in the house in the summer, the house will have a refreshing fragrance, and you'll feel especially refreshed when you wake up the next day..."

Suddenly, a beautiful image of a bald old man picking flowers on a mountain in the early morning light flashed into my mind, and I couldn't help but shiver even though I was in a hot spring.

This image is so creepy; it reminds me of a certain white-bearded high school girl and a muscular, bearded sailor in a uniform...

"I miss those days so much. Back then, the cattle and sheep breeds had just been introduced, and the ranch was in dire need of rebuilding. I worked tirelessly here all by myself, and I would fall asleep from exhaustion after dinner. But every day when I woke up, I would see a bouquet of flowers like this in the house..."

Mu Qi said with a sigh.

I wiped the cold sweat from my brow. "Oh, you didn't pick those flowers yourself..."

Old man Muqi unconsciously patted his body to relieve the aches and pains in his aged joints. "She's my daughter. She was only ten years old when she came to the island with me. She was incredibly excited about the countryside and jumped around every day, just like Mei is now..."

As they talked, the old man fell into an inexplicable silence.

I asked hesitantly, "Your daughter..."

Upon hearing this, I noticed that old man Muqi's expression, lost in his memories, was like a tablecloth with spilled paint. His gloom and anger grew stronger, making his usually kind and cheerful face look incredibly ugly, with every wrinkle seemingly filled with rage.