After consulting with Yurine and Jashin-chan, they decided on a simple breakfast. Boiled corn, boiled eggs, and hot milk, with a side of fruit for whoever wanted some. Soon, they were all seated at the dining table.

"So sweet!"

"And the texture is amazing, so soft and chewy!"

"A simple ear of boiled corn is so nice once in a while!"

Jashin-chan, holding a steaming, glowing ear of corn, was ecstatic. She happily gnawed on it, a single kernel stuck to the corner of her mouth.

"The kernels are so plump and golden!" the self-proclaimed food critic Jashin-chan began her review. "The moment you bite down, the soft, juicy kernels just burst in your mouth with a slight springiness, as if they're dancing on your tongue! The sweet juice fills your senses, along with a rich, grain-like fragrance. It's impossible to stop eating!"

"This boiled egg is no simple thing, either," Ryohei said, holding up the remaining half of his own egg. "The flavor is just… natural, savory, and rich. The white is smooth and tender with a light fragrance, and the yolk is creamy and sweet. The overall flavor profile is so much more complex. It's a level of deliciousness a normal free-range egg could never achieve." He had cooked normal eggs before, and there was simply no comparison. The quality of these Stardew Valley products was on another level.

Yurine sat beside him, holding her own ear of corn speared on a chopstick. Listening to their commentary made everything seem even more delicious. She took a graceful bite, then took a sip of her hot milk. Even diluted with a bit of water, the fresh milk was still incredibly rich and thick, with a natural sweetness and the fresh scent of grass. The texture was silky smooth.

Even Yurine couldn't help but offer her own praise. "This milk is so much better than the fresh milk from the supermarket. The flavor is richer, the texture is silkier. Every sip feels like you're tasting the original, pure essence of milk. The sweetness is perfect, and it leaves a pleasant aftertaste."

"Totally! The quality is amazing!" Jashin-chan agreed with a grin.

As they happily enjoyed their breakfast, Ryohei felt as if he had been transported through time and space to a rustic paradise. A gentle, red-roofed wooden farmhouse stood peacefully in a field, under a vast blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. Beside the house stood a familiar mailbox and a large shipping container. In front of the house, neat plots of farmland were laid out, the corn stalks standing tall, their green leaves rustling in the breeze. A sparkling pond lay on one side, and on the other, several fruit trees were heavy with ripe fruit. In the distance, a coop and a barn stood quietly, with black-and-white cows and plump brown chickens leisurely pecking at the grass. Time itself seemed to slow down. For a moment, Ryohei felt like he had truly returned to Stardew Valley.

After breakfast, they cleaned up and headed out the door. They had packed a gift basket of the produce, planning to make a detour to drop it off at Yurine's uncle's place. Yurine would take some to her own family later. It was only the second day of their relationship; showing up at her parents' house already seemed a bit too fast. Both he and Yurine had a tacit understanding on this. Visiting an uncle, however, was much less pressure.

Jashin-chan pushed the trolley, on which the gift basket was placed. She squinted at the couple walking ahead of her, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, radiating an aura so sweet it could give you a toothache. She felt like a third wheel, and an uncomfortable, prickly feeling began to bubble up inside her. She felt the sudden, irresistible urge to cause some trouble.

As if on cue, Yurine let go of Ryohei's hand to check a message on her phone, walking as she typed.

Perfect chance—!

Jashin-chan's eyes lit up. In the next instant, her expression changed. Her bangs cast a shadow over her face, the corners of her mouth stretched into a wicked grin, revealing her two sharp fangs. Her eyes curved into mischievous crescents.

She quietly pushed the trolley forward and slipped her own small hand into Ryohei's.

Once his hand had closed around hers, she puffed out her cheeks, trying to suppress a laugh, and looked back at Yurine.

Yurine, having finished her message, looked up and saw them. She froze, her face a mask of utter confusion. What are you doing?

Get jealous, Yurine! Get jealous! Jashin-chan thought, and then proceeded to stick her tongue out, roll her eyes, and make all sorts of provocative faces at her.

Yurine just laughed, She didn't say anything, simply crossing her arms and continuing to walk, wanting to see how long it would take Ryohei to realize the person whose hand he was holding was not her.

It didn't take long.

Although the hand was just as small and soft, the pleasant, familiar fragrance was gone. He turned his head.

"Wait, why is it you?" Ryohei asked, completely bewildered. He immediately dropped her hand and looked back at Yurine, who was watching them with an amused expression.

"Ahahaha—!" Seeing his dumbfounded face, Jashin-chan couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out into joyous, unrestrained laughter, her whole body shaking. "Surprised you, didn't I?" she cackled, sidling up to him and nudging him with her elbow. "So? Are my hands soft? How do they compare to Yurine's?"

"Yurine, quick, lend me your handkerchief! I need to wipe my hand!" Ryohei exclaimed, and ran over to her side.

"Baka—!" For a split second, Jashin-chan had the overwhelming urge to leap up and deliver a Jashin-chan Dropkick straight into his wide-open back. He was so infuriating!