Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

"It's okay, it's okay, I'll help you!" Marisa quickly reassured her.

Then she looked up and glanced at Akina Zeya, who had walked up to her with a helpless expression, and a smile appeared on her face.

"Master Akina, let's search together."

"it is good......"

There are priorities in everything. Since we've run into them, there's no reason not to help. Qiu Mingze, who originally wanted to go back to his stall, nodded in agreement.

......

On the theater stage, surrounded by a large audience, Alice skillfully manipulated the puppets with her ten fingers.

The puppets from Shanghai, Penglai, and other models performed a well-choreographed puppet show together.

Arm swing, leg retraction, fencing, and falling—the series of movements were executed seamlessly. The puppet's performance was indistinguishable from that of a real person, except that it was much smaller.

The audience was captivated by the wonderful performance, but Alice on stage was now somewhat disappointed.

Alice glanced around the area below the stage but couldn't find Marisa.

This new storyline was clearly prepared for you...

Suddenly, the dejected Alice noticed out of the corner of her eye that Marisa's tall hat appeared at the back of the crowd.

Marisa is still here!

The disappointment on her face vanished, and Alice happily focused even more intently on the doll in her hands, striving to make it as perfect as possible and present the most flawless scene.

After completing a difficult move, Alice looked up, a smile seeking approval in her eyes, and glanced in that direction, but...

At the back of the crowd, Marisa's face was beaming with joy, but not at her; rather, it was at Akina Zeya beside her.

Cheerful, proactive, positive...

Alice watched them hand a little girl to a mother who kept bowing and apologizing, then they left, chatting and laughing...

Throughout the entire process, Marisa didn't glance at the stage even once...

Alice felt a lump in her throat, and her fingers, which were manipulating the puppets, trembled slightly, causing a series of puppet movements on stage to malfunction.

A child sitting near the front of the audience asked in confusion, "Huh? Did Alice make a mistake?"

"No way! How could Alice possibly make a mistake!" the little fan sitting next to him immediately retorted.

"Oh." The child who had raised the question dismissed it and continued to happily watch the puppet show on stage.

Yes... I still have my audience.

"Whoo~"

Turning around, Alice took a deep breath, suppressed the emotions in her mind, smiled, and cleverly turned the performance mistake into a deliberate act, thus resolving the error.

Facing the children, Alice smiled faintly. Her face was as white as jade, her eyebrows curved, and her smile remained elegant, yet a lingering sadness was hidden deep within.

......

Chapter 104 A Curious Girl

The puppets joined hands and bowed to the audience, amidst applause and praise.

Alice stood up from backstage, half-lifted her skirt in a bow, and led the puppets off the stage.

There is no doubt that the puppet show was a great success, as evidenced by the loud applause from the audience.

Logically, Alice should be in a good mood right now, since her practice over the past few days has been recognized. However, she has a blank expression, is not happy, and is even somewhat bored.

With her main performer absent and the stage even ignored, Alice lost confidence in her performance style.

The dolls surrounded the delicate blonde girl, but their mouths were sewn shut, and the only way they could speak was through Alice's ventriloquism. However, if Alice herself did not wish to speak, they could not speak either.

After tidying up all the props, Alice felt a wave of frustration wash over her as she recalled the scene behind the crowd...

"Alice, I've come to bring you crepes."

Just as she was feeling down, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Marisa?" Alice turned around and looked back, her eyes full of surprise. Marisa actually gave her something to eat, and it was even a crepe!

The gloom in her heart was swept away, but Alice still couldn't quite believe it. She stretched out her slender fingers and then withdrew them, asking weakly:

"Is it really for me?"

“Of course, here you go.” Marisa shoved the crepe into Alice’s hand.

"Eat? Why aren't you eating? Otherwise it will be a waste."

Seeing Alice staring at the crepe in her hand, hesitant to take a bite, Marisa urged her on.

"it is good."

Alice nodded, her pink lips gently biting off a corner of the crepe, her eyebrows slightly raised as she savored it.

If this is the result of today's performance, then Alice feels it was all worthwhile.

"Hehe, Master Akina is right, Alice, you are indeed hungry."

Marisa laughed from the side.

Upon hearing this, Alice felt a sudden sense of foreboding. She clenched the oiled paper tightly and asked in confusion:

Why bring him up?

“This crepe was bought by Master Akina.” Marisa scratched the back of her head and said with a silly smile, “When we passed by the crepe stall before, Master Akina said he would buy one for you. I even said, Alice, that you don’t know how to eat crepes. I didn’t expect you to like them too.”

"..."

The sweet, cloying food in her mouth instantly lost its flavor. Alice looked at Marisa, who was still smiling, then glanced down at the now-unappealing crepe in her hand. She silently opened her mouth and took a bite, mumbling indistinctly:

Yes, I like it...

......

On the other side, Akina Ze also wrapped up the few remaining potatoes on the table and carried them on his back, then wrapped a stack of copper coins next to him into a cloth.

The puppet show had just ended, and groups of people were leaving in twos and threes, passing by here. They bought almost all the potatoes from the stall in no time.

Therefore, business after school is generally easier than business during the morning rush hour, since there is no time constraint or sense of urgency.

After weighing the cloth in his hand, Akina Ze looked towards the market at the other end of the street. He planned to use the money to buy some good ingredients to prepare for a big lunch.

The market wasn't far away; it only took Akina Sawa a short walk to get there.

However, it is currently winter, and the most commonly sold ingredients in the market are things that are easy to preserve, such as salted fish and cured meat, which have a high salt content. Fresh vegetables and fruits are almost nowhere to be seen, and even if they are, they are very expensive.

Green vegetables are only affordable for the wealthy during this season, while bean sprouts are the only other option as they have low growth requirements.

To be frank, it is undeniable that bean sprouts were indeed a special supply for the poor.

However, Akina Ze wasn't bothered by the vegetables. He was currently looking at the cured meat on the stall in front of him, hesitating. The smoked black skin and the deep red fat that oozed oil when pressed indicated that it was a good piece of meat.

"Akina Sawa?"

Just then, a voice came from not far away.

Akina Sawa looked over in confusion and saw Motoori Kosuki standing there prettily, holding a basket in her hand.

Seeing that Akina Sawa was also looking over, she smiled and waved, even though her dark orange hair was already quite eye-catching.

"Why haven't I seen you reading at Suzunaan lately?" Motoori Kosu asked familiarly as she walked up to her.

There are very few people in the village who like to read. Akina Sawa used to come to Suzunaan to read often, which added to its popularity. But since winter began, Motoori Suzu has rarely seen him. Now that we've run into each other, I might as well ask him.

"I've been quite busy lately, but I'll definitely go see it when I have time," Akina Ze replied, scratching his head.

He wasn't lying; he'd been dealing with one problem after another lately, and he simply didn't have time to relax and read at Suzuna-an.

And there's still a promise underground that hasn't been fulfilled...

"Really?" Motoori Kosuzu looked up with a suspicious expression, her twin ponytails with bells jingling as they collided. "Don't lie to me. I know it's the off-season for farming now, and you can't farm. You won't be short of time."

"Then was then, and the present is now."

Resisting the urge to reach out and stroke Motoori Korin's upturned little head, Akina Sawa smiled and explained, "I built a greenhouse in the yard, so even in winter, it doesn't stop me from farming."

"greenhouse!?"

Upon hearing this word, Motoori Kosuzu's mouth involuntarily opened, her pupils widened slightly, and she asked in surprise, "Are you talking about that greenhouse called a greenhouse shed?"

“If I remember correctly, that should be it,” Akina Sawa replied.

Although their greenhouse was built crookedly and they used magical props, it still had all the functions that a greenhouse should have.

"That's something recorded in a book! You actually made it?!"

The shock on Kosuzu Motoori's face had not subsided.

She had never heard of greenhouses existing in the Human Village before, and always thought that such things only existed in books, but she never expected that someone would actually make one.

"Why would I lie to you? It's in my house, and I built it myself, piece by piece, moving the logs one by one." Qiu Mingze raised an eyebrow and said, "If you don't believe me, I can take you to my house to see."

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that it's really too incredible!"

Fantasy becomes reality. Motoori Kosuzu excitedly grabbed Akina Sawaya's arm and said, "Come on, take me to see it!"

"Not now, I still need to buy groceries," Qiu Mingze replied, pulling his arm away.

What ingredients do you want? I'll help you choose, and I guarantee they'll all be the best quality!

Once Motoori Kosuzu's curiosity is ignited, she will absolutely not give up until it is satisfied.

......

Chapter 105 Not necessarily

Motoori Kosuka, wearing black mid-calf boots, skipped and hopped across the snow on her way to the Akina residence, the two pairs of rattles in her twin ponytails shimmering in the sunlight.

He looks short, like a large elementary school student.

Akina Ze also casually thought to himself.

Noticing the gaze beside her, Motoori Kosuzu turned her head, her chubby cheeks puffed out as she glared at Akina Sawaya.

"I feel like your gaze is a bit rude."

"Not really."

Akina Sawa also turned his head away to look at the bare trees on the other side, avoiding eye contact.

It's best not to say things like Motoori Kosuzu is like an elementary school student.

"You must have been thinking something weird just now!" Motoori Kosuzu pressed.

Some girls are very sensitive to how others perceive them, especially about things they care about. She is one of them; Motoori Kosuzu is quite concerned about her height.

The puffed-up little buns are indeed cute, but it wouldn't be good if they got hurt by the steam leaking out.

"..."

After turning a corner, he could just see the fence of his own yard through the sparse woods, and Akina Ze quickly looked away and said:

"We're almost home. The greenhouse you wanted to see is inside!"

"Humph!"

Honju Kotori gave a soft hum, no longer dwelling on it. Looking towards the courtyard ahead, she quickened her pace, eager to see the greenhouse as soon as possible.

Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Akina Ze breathed a sigh of relief and followed her home.

......

Upon arriving in the courtyard, Motoori Kosuzu was not as excited as Akina Sawa had expected. Instead, she carefully observed the external structure of the greenhouse.

She approached the greenhouse and knocked on the partition, which produced a crisp sound.

Hearing this voice, Motoori Kosuzu asked in confusion:

"Can wooden boards of this thickness really keep things warm?"

"I guess it's possible..." Akina Ze replied guiltily.

Logically speaking, thin wooden boards shouldn't actually provide any insulation. But this one is different. Although it looks like a thin wooden board, it has been enhanced by the system. Without this enhancement, it's hard to say whether it could even provide insulation.

"Oh~"