Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Page 188

It is said that even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice, and this huge Hakurei Shrine has not had any meat ingredients at all.

Even if Qiu Mingze makes radish and bean sprouts into flowers, they are still just radish and bean sprouts, and they taste bland.

At this moment, Qiu Mingze also developed a sense of respect for Hakurei Reimu, who did the same thing every day, year after year.

How has she managed to endure such boring and tasteless lunches and dinners until now?

No wonder she always tries to find ways to come to our house for meals.

It's somewhat disheartening.

That being said, Qiu Mingze is not one to compromise easily.

After barely managing to survive a few days of simple meals, Qiu Mingze decided to find his own ingredients.

It was winter, and the small animals that used to line both sides of the imperial road had disappeared, as had the usual weed monster, Maoyu.

Otherwise, Qiu Mingze could still catch a few hairy jades to have a treat.

With no other option, Qiu Mingze decided to return to his old profession.

As the saying goes, those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water. But now that mountains are no longer reliable, water is all that's left.

Picking up his fishing rod, Qiu Mingze went down the mountain alone. Although he wanted to go fishing with the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Reimu, who was sealed by the kotatsu, couldn't be pulled up no matter what. Her face was pressed against the hot table as if it had taken root. So he had no choice but to go fishing alone.

Fortunately, there is a winding stream at the foot of the mountain where Hakurei Shrine is located.

The stream is not rushing and there is no sign of ice forming on the surface, making it a good spot for fishing.

Stepping through the shallow snow, Qiu Mingze arrived at the stream and observed the terrain on both banks.

Before long, he found an excellent spot, hidden in a recessed area on the bank under the branches.

This place is quite secluded, with trees blocking the view, and apart from the sound of the babbling brook, there is no disturbance. It is an excellent location.

After choosing a good spot, Qiu Mingze began fishing.

With practiced ease, Qiu Mingze baited the hook and cast the line and hook out with a flick of his wrist.

"Thump!" The sound of a fishhook hitting the water.

Upon hearing the sound, Qiu Mingze stuck the end of his fishing rod into the mud and then took out a small stool from his backpack and sat down.

The most important thing about fishing is perseverance.

This matter cannot be rushed.

It's a pity I didn't bring tea this time. If I had filled a pot with tea, I could have drunk it while waiting for the fish to bite, and it wouldn't have been so boring.

The tea must be good; if it's tea from the Hakurei Shrine, you might as well just drink plain water.

After sitting for a while, Qiu Mingze moved the stool under his bottom and leaned against the tree trunk behind him. He leaned against it and looked at the constantly flowing water in front of him. For a moment, he became a little sleepy.

Qiu Mingze also half-closed his eyes, and in his dazed state, he heard the sound of wings flapping.

"Ze Ye? Ze Ye?"

The voice coming from beside him was not very clear, and Qiu Mingze assumed he was still dreaming and ignored it.

Suddenly, a sound pierced the air.

"Snap!" A soft tapping sound.

Feeling the force coming from above his head, Qiu Mingze also woke up abruptly.

He first glanced at the buoy floating in the river to confirm that everything was normal before Qiu Mingze looked around with relief.

Red wooden clogs, and snow-white thighs still exposed in winter, and above that, a camera hanging at the waist and a round fan held in the hand.

Alright, here comes Aya Shameimaru.

Upon realizing who it was, Qiu Mingze immediately felt uneasy. He wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to hide.

He hadn't figured out how to face the reporter yet.

It's a strange emotion—shock, joy, and anxiety.

But Aya Shameimaru is not a pretentious person.

She took a step forward and said bluntly, "You kissed me that night, so tell me, what were your thoughts?"

Sure enough, that's why she came.

Qiu Mingze understood as well. He pursed his lips, as if the lingering sensation still remained on them.

It's unbelievable now that I think about it; when did he ever dare to do something like that?

A half-moon, a soft body in my arms, a faint fragrance, rosy lips...

Ultimately, he couldn't resist the temptation and, by chance, did something outrageous.

Now that the person in question has come knocking, there's no reason for us to refuse.

However, Qiu Mingze still wanted to offer a small rebuttal to prove that he wasn't the only one who thought this way.

So he said.

"You didn't push me away back then either..."

As soon as Akira Tsuru spoke, Aya Shameimaru's cheeks instantly turned bright red.

"Wow!!! What, what do you mean I didn't push you away?!" she retorted. "You! Don't you dare slander me, I'm a reporter!"

As he spoke, Aya Shameimaru raised the camera at her waist and waved it as if to prove his point.

"But you really didn't move, I'm not lying," Qiu Mingze said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.

"I won't listen! I won't listen! You're lying!"

Not only Qiu Mingze recalled the scene from that night, but even Shameimaru Aya's ears turned red at that moment.

She also recalled some scenes, some things that she had deliberately ignored or forgotten afterward.

This situation has put Aya Shameimaru in a dilemma.

I came here to settle accounts, but I ended up finding out that the debts were owed to each other, and no one owed anyone else anything.

Aya Shameimaru felt a little dizzy, but it was understandable. This was the first time she had ever encountered something like this since birth, and the first time she had ever been... Her subconscious reaction to forget and escape was instinctive.

Wisps of steam rose from Aya Shameimaru's flushed face; she was extremely embarrassed.

As the rising steam increased, Aya Shameimaru sensed that something was amiss.

Although he was still a little flustered, Qiu Mingze managed to calm down.

After all, this is the riverbank, a place for fishing.

So he said.

"Which one? How about we go fishing together first?"

Qiu Mingze also took out a fishing rod and a small stool from his backpack.

Upon hearing this, Aya Shameimaru abruptly turned her head and glared fiercely at Akira Akira.

He did take the things from Qiu Mingze's hands, and after casting the lever, he plopped down next to Qiu Mingze.

The stream flowed gently, its sound empty and without any unusual noise.

Qiu Mingze sat there calmly, but his mind was in turmoil.

I was just casually saying it to change the subject, but I didn't expect Aya Shameimaru to actually agree.

Now they've shot themselves in the foot.

A delicate, youthful fragrance wafted from nearby, and Qiu Mingze himself began to feel restless.

A ripple stirred within me, like a buoy bobbing on water...

Chapter Thirty-One Pulling and Twisting

There might have been some ripples just now, but the float on the river became more and more stable.

Qiu Mingze's restless heart gradually calmed down.

It's just that a pretty girl is sitting next to me, nothing special.

Furthermore, it was said that even if a fish looks good, it can't be eaten, so it's better to catch a fish that can be braised or steamed.

Several images of fish dishes flashed through Qiu Mingze's mind.

Although it was a fantasy, the scent lingered around my nose as if it were real.

In this way, Akihiro gradually ignored the presence of Aya Shameimaru beside him, focusing on the fishing rod in his hand and feeling the slight impact of the water flowing over the rod.

Indeed, fishing is one of the great pleasures of life.

Qiu Mingze gradually became calm and composed.

Even the faint fragrance emanating from his side could not disturb his peace of mind.

It's time to confront the triggers.

Qiu Mingze also looked in the direction from which the fragrance was coming.

Less than ten centimeters away, the reporter from Tenguyama, Aya Shameimaru, was sitting there.

She gripped a bamboo fishing rod tightly with both hands, her usually bright eyes fixed on the spot where the float had fallen into the water.

The float bobbed freely on the river surface, waiting for the greedy fish to take the bait.

The celestial dog looks at the fish, while the human looks at the celestial dog. Who is the mantis and who is the sparrow?

However, Aya Shameimaru seemed to be a complete novice.

"Miss Wenwen, have you never fished before?"

Qiu Mingze asked with some curiosity.

"Fishing? No, I don't." Aya Shameimaru replied, "Because fishing is too inefficient. I just use the wind to blow the fish in the water into the fish basket."

Ok?

How exactly does the wind blow the fish out of the river?

Qiu Mingze was also somewhat shocked upon hearing this. An image of Aya Shameimaru fanning the water surface flashed into his mind.

Even in his imagination, Akiaki never imagined that Aya Shameimaru could blow fish out of the water.

After all, rivers are continuous; even if water is blown away for a moment, it will return the next second.

I have some doubts.

"How did you do that? Did you really just blow the fish out with the wind?"

Qiu Mingze asked, puzzled.

"Pfft~"

Aya Shameimaru suddenly laughed.

"You don't think I just blew the water away like that, do you?"

As if demonstrating, Aya Shameimaru took out the fan from his waist, grabbed it in his hand, and waved it across the river.