Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Wow! You said you wouldn't tell anyone, but you figured it out on the first try!

However, Qiu Mingze was already speechless.

He should have known that these tengu reporters were all the same; in this peaceful and uneventful Gensokyo, even such a small incident was newsworthy.

Oh well, it's not like they're going to write his name down anyway, so let it be.

Shaking his head, Qiu Mingze looked at Ji Haitangguo and said, "Let's leave my business aside for now and talk about your problem."

When faced with serious matters, Ji Haitang's expression immediately became solemn.

"I'm actually here to ask about something."

"Do you need to see Miss Wenwen?"

"No, I'm not looking for Aya Shameimaru."

"If it's not to see Miss Wenwen, then why?" Qiu Mingze scratched his head as well.

"Something related to her, but probably... probably not very related?"

Ji Haitang rubbed her hands together and said.

"Could you explain more clearly...?"

Qiu Mingze was also confused.

"Alright." Ji Haitang sighed, "Please tell me why Wenwen's news reading is more popular than my Huaguo's!"

How would I know!

This was Qiu Mingze's first thought upon hearing this, but he didn't say it aloud and instead let Ji Haitangguo continue.

"I know that I used to obtain information through my telepathic abilities, so it's normal that people don't like to read it."

"But now, I've picked up a camera too, and the time it takes to gather footage is about the same, but why...?"

"Why are there so many fewer people who read the newspaper aloud than those who read the news?"

"They're all reporting the same thing! Why! Why! It's outrageous!"

"Stop! Stop! Stop it first!"

Seeing that Ji Haitangguo's long-buried resentment was growing more intense, Qiu Mingze, as a listener, quickly tried to comfort her.

Do you think my reading of the newspaper is pleasant?

Ji Haitang looked up at Qiu Mingze.

"Yes, it looks good, it looks really good!"

Immediately, all sorts of words of praise came out of Qiu Mingze's mouth.

"Hmph, you've never subscribed to my newspaper, how did you know?"

"This...this..." Qiu Mingze was also covered in sweat.

"Pfft!"

Seeing Qiu Mingze looking like this, Ji Haitang suddenly laughed.

"Alright, I'll take it as you read the newspaper. I'm not that petty."

Qiu Mingze remained silent, afraid of triggering the lightning bolt of the tengu with pigtails in front of him again.

Now Qiu Mingze also realized that even among the reporters from the Heavenly Dog, there are differences.

The stimulation just now caused some sweat to break out on my forehead.

Qiu Mingze also took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead.

I never expected that the seemingly gentle and quiet Begonia fruit would actually be a landmine-type...

Chapter Thirty-Six: Not a Lie

As the saying goes, the right medicine is the right remedy.

After reading a copy of the newspaper from Ji Haitangguo, Qiu Mingze silently closed the newspaper in his hand.

He originally wanted to find out why the newspaper sold poorly, but unexpectedly, the content itself didn't have many flaws.

If no symptoms are found, how should medication be administered?

Judging from the content of the newspaper, Qiu Mingze felt that it was almost identical to Wenwen News, with no major flaws.

In other words, he felt the two newspapers were similar, which was strange.

Why do two newspapers of the same quality sell so differently?

"Strange, strange, it's not bad at all." Qiu Mingze also looked puzzled.

"Hehe, right? I think my writing is pretty good too~"

Qiu Mingze also glanced at Ji Haitang, who was happily gloating to herself, and thought to herself.

Since I feel comfortable with this, why am I even here? I just want to relax and slack off in peace...

Of course, such words cannot be said out loud.

Euphemism, tact, it has to be tactful.

After thinking for a moment, Qiu Mingze stroked his chin and said, "In my opinion, Miss Ji Haitang, there isn't much difference between your reading of the news and Miss Wenwen's reading of the news."

Under Ji Haitang's piercing gaze, Qiu Mingze continued, "However, there are still some differences."

"Putting the content of the article aside, take a look here."

Qiu Mingze also pointed to the title of the article and indicated Ji Haitangguo.

"Your report, 'The Celestials' Clothes Were Taken by Humans,' mentions names at the beginning and contains all the necessary information, but it has one problem."

Looking at the article title, Ji Haitangguo asked in confusion, "What's the problem? Shouldn't it be written like this?"

“Logically speaking, it could be written that way, but it’s not very appealing as a headline for a news report,” Qiu Mingze explained.

"Attraction? Why?" Ji Haitang tilted her head, her puzzled expression still lingering.

In other words, it's about whether it grabs people's attention.

To better support his claim, Qiu Mingze also took out a pen and wrote another line next to the headline of the newspaper.

"Look at what I wrote, and see how it differs from your original title."

He handed the article with the rewritten title to Ji Haitangguo.

"A forgotten feathered robe? A naked celestial being? A trap or a snare?"

Ji Haitang read aloud the line that Qiu Mingze had also written, word by word.

"Would that make it attractive?"

Ji Haitang was still puzzled. She didn't understand what was so eye-catching about this line of text, and wasn't it even more incomprehensible?

Why make simple things so complicated?

Qiu Mingze nodded and said, "Probably. For an ordinary person like me, a title like the one below would attract my attention."

"Are you an ordinary person? I didn't realize that." Ji Haitang put away the newspaper article she had read.

Although she didn't quite understand the purpose of writing it this way, she felt she could do it if it was just a matter of imitation. It was just adding a few question marks, right? Ji Haitang was full of confidence at this moment.

Qiu Mingze also turned his head and touched his nose, "Probably, probably."

"In that case, I'll take my leave! Look forward to my new work!"

Having gotten the answer she wanted, Ji Haitang left quickly. At this moment, her mind was probably full of inspiration, and she couldn't wait to write it down.

Watching Ji Haitangguo's departing figure, Qiu Mingze kicked a stone into the pond and then turned and left.

I've been slacking off for a while now. Oh well, I'm not getting paid anyway, so what's the rush?

After thinking it over, Qiu Mingze slowly walked back.

When Akihiro returned to the Wenwen Newspaper Office, Aya Shameimaru, who had gone down the mountain to buy ink, was already sitting in front of the printing press.

Seeing Akira enter, Aya Shameimaru greeted him.

"came back?"

After glancing at Aya Shameimaru sitting upright in her seat, Akira nodded in response, "Yes, I'm back."

After a brief conversation, Qiu Mingze sat back down at his desk, picked up his pen, and stared at the blank paper, his thoughts wandering off somewhere—a state commonly known as daydreaming.

Not long after, Aya Shameimaru, without looking up, abruptly asked:

"What does Ji Haitangguo want with you?"

Wait, how did Miss Wenwen know that?

Qiu Mingze blinked as well, sensing an indescribable atmosphere permeating the small space.

The clock on the wall is still ticking; silence is not an option.

Qiu Mingze licked his lower lip and said, "When I went out to relax, I happened to see Miss Ji Haitang, so I invited her to come along."

The best way to describe something you want to hide is to tell the truth, but selectively.

"Oh, is that so?" Aya Shameimaru replied calmly.

After he finished speaking, the newspaper office fell silent once again.

Bang!

Suddenly, a piercing knock broke the silence.

Qiu Mingze also looked up and saw that the ink bottle that Shameimaru Aya had just bought had accidentally bumped into the printing press casing, making a screeching sound, and the ink had also spilled out of the container.

The ink inlet of the Kappa-made printing press was separate, and if it was bumped, it would easily bend and need to be straightened. This problem has been fixed in the new version of the printing press.

Putting down his pen, Qiu Mingze went over to help straighten the inlet, while Shameimaru Aya poured the ink in through the inlet.

After all the ink was poured in, Aya Shameimaru casually wiped her face, leaving a noticeable ink stain on her fair skin.

Qiu Mingze also looked down.

"Pfft!" He couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Aya Shameimaru seemed to realize it too. She looked at her ink-stained palms and then at Akira Akira, who was trying not to laugh.

Remembering his bluffing words, she suddenly became wicked and, with her hands shaped like cat claws, pressed them down on Qiu Mingze's cheeks.

"I'll make you laugh, I'll make you laugh!"

"Hey, no! I just changed my clothes!"

......

After the bickering, both Akira and Aya Shameimaru sat down on the sofa, looking tired.

Ink stains were everywhere—on his upper body, lower body, arms, and face.

Looking at their clothes stained with ink, the two exchanged a smile.

After resting for a while, Aya Shameimaru looked up into the eyes of Akina Sawaya and said seriously, "Akina-kun, no, Sawaya, I know where you went, but what I want to say is that my newspaper is definitely better than Himekaidouka's."

"Yes, I know," Qiu Mingze replied truthfully.

This is not a selective statement of the truth.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Dead Fish

As dusk fell, Akira returned to the Hakurei Shrine after declining Aya Shameimaru's offer to stay.

The Hakurei Shrine remained largely unchanged from when he left, though the setting sun cast a dim, yellowish glow over the eaves.

Qiu Mingze also took off his dusty shoes and stepped onto the shrine floor, making a "creak, creak" sound.

The shrine floor was clean and dust-free, although Reimu Hakurei didn't clean it often, perhaps because few people came here.

Pushing open the door, a strong smell of alcohol hit him, making Qiu Mingze frown.

Peeking over, sure enough, Ibuki Suika was sitting cross-legged on the tatami mat at the head of the table, which was the windward position.

"Guru Guru~"