Wrong, my props refresh every day

Following Mia's mother's list, she carefully selected potatoes, onions and meat, occasionally bargaining with the stall owner.

(…So ordinary.)

Liu blinked, feeling somewhat disappointed. She'd expected to see something special, but Xingjian was just... doing her usual grocery shopping.

He picked up a cabbage, tapped it gently, confirmed its freshness and put it in the basket.

(…So he picks vegetables like this.)

Xingjian walked to the fish stall and carefully checked the color of the fish gills. Only after making sure that they were fresh did she ask the owner to pack them up.

(…Unexpectedly attentive.)

Liu stared at his profile unconsciously, and seeing his focused expression, a sense of warmth inexplicably arose in his heart.

(…He’s just an ordinary human, why…)

At this moment, Xingjian suddenly turned around and looked straight in her direction.

Liu was so frightened that he squatted down suddenly, accidentally bumping into the shelf behind him.

"Crack-!"

A bag of dried mushrooms hit her on the head, followed by a second bag, a third bag...

"Customer?! Are you okay?!" the stall owner shouted in panic.

Liu crawled out of the pile of mushrooms in a panic, with a few pieces of dried mushroom crumbs stuck on his golden hair. He raised his head and met Xingjian's puzzled gaze.

"...Ms. Liu?"

"..."

The air froze for a second.

"I, I just..." Liu's mind was working frantically, "I came to buy some mushrooms! Yes! The tavern is out of mushrooms!"

Xingjian looked at her empty basket, then at the dried mushrooms scattered on the ground, her expression subtle.

"That's it."

Liu's face was so red that it almost bled, and he wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

(What the hell am I doing…)

In front of the spice stall in the distance, Xier was watching the scene with a smile and sighed softly.

"You're so clumsy, Ryu-chan~"

………………

When Xingjian and Xier returned to the "Hostes of Bounty" with the purchased ingredients, the aroma of lunch was already wafting through the tavern.

However, before they could put the basket down, an orange figure suddenly pounced over...

"Meow! Master Xingjian!" Anya hung on Xingjian like a spoiled kitten, her golden cat eyes sparkling. "Aniya wants to eat fish, meow~"

“Yes.”

Liu took out a fresh sea bass from the basket with an expressionless face, his tone inexplicably cold.

"Woo..." Anya's ears drooped, and she twisted her body hesitantly, "B-but Anya wants to eat freshly caught fish... Master Xingjian, can you accompany me to go fishing?"

Before Xingjian could answer, Anya had already stuffed the shopping basket into Xier's hands and dragged him out by the arm.

"Come on, let's go! We still have time to get to the river, meow!"

"Wait, wait a minute..."

Xingjian was a little helpless, but was still pulled out of the tavern by the energetic cat girl.

Liu stood there, the sea bass in his hand still dripping with water.

(……here we go again.)

The green-haired elf stared at Xingjian's back as he was dragged away by Anya, and his brows unconsciously frowned.

Xier chuckled, put the shopping basket on the table, and gave Liu a meaningful look: "Not going?"

"..."

Liu was silent for a second, then put down the fish and followed with a blank expression, explaining:

"I'll supervise them to prevent Anya from taking Mr. Hoshimi to strange places again."

Xier blinked and smiled even more deeply:

"Yes, yes, be careful on the road."

………………

By the small river outside Orario, Anya was happily fiddling with her fishing rod, while Xingjian sat beside her, watching her frantically.

"Master Xingjian! How do I hang the bait?"

“…You’ll prick yourself if you do that.”

"Wow! I really got pricked! It hurts, meow~"

Xingjian sighed, took the fishing rod and helped her adjust it. Anya came very close, her cat tail wagging happily, almost wrapping around his arm.

(…Too close.)

Liu, hiding behind a tree, clenched his fists, feeling inexplicably irritated.

(He's just a greedy cat person...how can he do it so naturally...)

Liu was thinking, when he suddenly slipped.

"Pfft!"

"Huh? What's that sound?" Xingjian turned around vigilantly.

Anya's ears perked up: "Meow? It seems like the sound of water splashing, meow?"

The two looked at the river and saw a few ripples slowly spreading out, and on the shore... there was a set of wet footprints, extending all the way into the bushes.

Xingjian: “…”

Anya tilted her head and said, "Master Xingjian, did someone fall into the river just now?"

Xingjian was silent for a while, and finally sighed: "Probably fish."

Behind the bushes, Liu, who was soaking wet, squatted on the ground, his golden hair dripping with water and his face flushed red.

(…What the hell am I doing…)

At this moment, Liu's stomach suddenly growled.

(I’m hungry…).

Liu hugged his knees in frustration and began to seriously think about what happened to his series of actions today.

(…Lady Astraea, I seem to be… acting strange…)

………………

The afterglow of dusk gilded the cobblestone streets of Orario with a warm golden hue. Xingjian and Anya returned to the door of the "Mistress of Plenty" carrying heavy bamboo baskets.

From time to time, the sound of splashing water could be heard in the bamboo basket, and a few silver-scaled trout were gleaming in the setting sun.

"Mama Mia~ We can have a fish feast tonight, meow!"

Anya was shaking her wet cat tail, with a few crystal water droplets hanging on the ends of her hair. She was about to push open the oak door, but the door was gently pulled open from the inside.

Amid stood at the door gracefully, her long silver hair fluttering gently in the evening breeze.

"What a coincidence, Mr. Hoshimi. I'm in need of a reliable adventurer to accompany me in gathering medicinal herbs."

Ahmed looked at Xingjian and smiled gently.

"What's the exact location?" Xingjian handed the bamboo basket to the jumping Anya and asked.

Amid unfolded a yellowed parchment scroll, on which was detailed the topography of the caves on the fifteenth floor of the dungeon, and lightly tapped the glowing marks on the drawing with his fingertips.

"The fluorescent mushrooms newly discovered in the eastern cave are rare ingredients for making advanced healing potions."

"Chloe is going too, meow~"

With a sweet voice, the black cat girl suddenly appeared from behind Hoshimi, and her furry ears rubbed against his neck. "I will protect Master Hoshimi and Miss Armid, meow~"

As Xingjian took the scroll, a flash of emerald green hair flashed behind a distant stone pillar. Ahmid's lips curled up slightly, and Chloe's tail had already quietly wrapped around Xingjian's wrist, the tip of the tail raised proudly.

"If we leave now, we should be able to make it back before curfew."

Xingjian handed the fishing gear to Anya, and the three of them quickly got ready in front of the tavern.

The setting sun stretched their shadows very long, casting them in the direction leading to the underground city.

In an unnoticed corner, a pair of pointed ears were trembling slightly. The elf girl tightly grasped the dagger at her waist, and complex emotions flashed in her emerald eyes.

(Again, are you going to follow me again?...)

Hiding in the shadows of the street corner, Liu unconsciously crushed a corner of the wall brick, and the gravel fell from between his fingers. His lake-blue eyes stared at the three people who were walking away, and his fingertips dug deeply into his palms.

(But it's too dangerous to let them go to the dungeon... Yes, I'm just making sure they're safe!)

Liu quickly changed into light adventurer's clothes at a roadside store, put on his hood, and followed stealthily.

Fourteenth floor. East cave.

The blue glow of the dungeon illuminated the damp rock walls. Xingjian walked in front holding a torch. Amid carefully searched for medicinal herbs, while Chloe stuck close to his side, grabbing Xingjian's arm out of "fear" from time to time.

(You're clearly a Level 4 assassin, why are you pretending to be scared?!)

Hiding behind the rock pillar, Liu thought with gritted teeth.

"found it!"

Amid suddenly cheered softly, a cluster of glowing mycelium clamped on the tip of the tweezers.

"The purity of this batch of fluorescent mushrooms is very high."

The three of them gathered together to collect herbs. But Roy accidentally stepped on some moss and suddenly threw herself into Xingjian's arms: "Ah! I almost slipped, meow~"

(Definitely intentional!!)

Liu punched the rock wall, and the muffled sound was particularly clear in the cave.

"What's that sound?" Xingjian turned around immediately, and the torch illuminated the stone pillar where Liu was hiding.

Liu held his breath instantly and curled up into a small ball.

(If you are caught following me all day, everything will be over...)

Chloe's ears twitched, and she suddenly revealed a sly smile: "Master Hoshimi~ It might be a monster~ It's safer if we get closer~"

Chloe's cat ears twitched sharply, and she suddenly revealed a devilish smile, taking the opportunity to bury her face in Hoshimi's chest.

"It might be a lone monster~ I'm so scared~"

(This, this shameless cat——!)

Liu was trembling with anger, and could only grab the mushrooms at his feet and crush them to vent his anger. The light blue fluorescent juice covered his hands, which was very similar to someone's distorted expression at that moment.

………………

After the collection was complete, the three returned safely to the surface. Chloe contentedly hugged Xingjian's arm, while Amid counted the herbs with a bountiful harvest.

And Liu...

She followed silently behind, her green hair under her hood covered with moss fragments, and a bitter taste of plants lingering in her mouth.

(There is absolutely no room for intervention...)

As he passed by the fountain, Liu looked at his own reflection in the water. That sneaky, disheveled stalker, where was the majesty of one of the strongest adventurers he once was?

"Is this the so-called blond loser that Goddess Astraea mentioned..."

Ryu squatted by the fountain, drawing circles in autism. Chloe's cheerful voice came from afar:

"Master Hoshimi, let's go on adventures together tomorrow~"

(Tomorrow I must...)

Liu clenched his fists, then loosened them weakly.

(But how can I join naturally?)