Chapter 319 Rome Stories March 2 New Share |
Noticing Leon’s surprised gaze fixed on the rice topped with chicken, Gus chuckled and explained, “Leon, try one of my old specialties—Grampton Orange Chicken. It’s Sophia’s favorite dish.”
“Oh?!”
Hearing this, Leon finally understood why Gus had prepared a chicken dish—so it was for Sophia.
It seemed Gus truly cared for her, treating her like his own daughter. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone out of his way to cook poultry, which he personally disliked.
Sophia’s expression changed the moment she saw the Grampton Orange Chicken. A clear smile spread across her face.
“Thank you, Uncle Gus. I haven’t eaten your orange chicken in ages.”
“Haha, as long as you’re happy. If you ever want more, just come find me—I’ll make it for you anytime,” Gus promised warmly.
“How nice, Sophia. Even after all this time away from Stardew Valley, your Uncle Gus hasn’t forgotten you,” Robin teased from the side, her tone suggesting she had a close relationship with Sophia too.
“Of course. I remember Uncle Gus’s favorites, and yours too, Robin—spaghetti, right?” Sophia replied with a nod.
“It’s good you’re back. Everyone in town missed you, Sophia,” Lewis added.
“Mm.” Sophia’s response to Lewis was far less warm than to Robin, making it clear their relationship wasn’t particularly close.
Lewis didn’t seem to mind and instead urged everyone, “Let’s eat while it’s hot. Don’t waste Gus’s hard work—or the food.”
At his prompting, the group finally began eating.
As Leon enjoyed his meal, he observed the others. Gus barely touched his own plate, focusing all his attention on Sophia, his eyes full of affection and concern. Robin ate heartily, occasionally clinking glasses with Lewis, who struggled to keep up with her drinking and barely had time to eat. Sophia was the quietest, savoring only the orange chicken, sampling other dishes with little interest.
Leon, on the other hand, was the main force in clearing the table. He wasn’t picky, and Gus’s cooking was dependable, so he never stopped eating.
“By the way, your name is Leon, right?” Sophia suddenly asked softly, just as Leon swallowed a bite.
“Yes, why?” Leon replied.
“Nothing, just confirming your name,” she said with a shake of her head.
Leon thought she would fall silent again, but instead she continued, “In the newspaper, you said you planned to make wine in the future. But you also looked down on grape wine. Don’t you think that’s contradictory?”
“Uh—” Leon was briefly stunned, then repeated the same explanation he had given Gus earlier.
Realizing she had misunderstood, Sophia looked slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, I think I misinterpreted.”
“It’s fine. Maybe I didn’t explain clearly. And I meant what I said—your grape wine is excellent. I’ve tasted it, so I know I can’t compete with you in that field,” Leon reassured her with a smile.
“What kind of fruit are you planning to use for your wine?” Sophia asked, now intrigued. If possible, she might even share winemaking tips in return for his compliment.
“My initial plan is starfruit wine. Later, I might try ancient fruit wine,” Leon said.
“Starfruit? What’s that?” Sophia asked curiously.
“You don’t know starfruit? It’s a summer fruit shaped like a five-pointed star—sweet and tangy,” Leon said, puzzled.
“I’ve never seen it in the market. If I had, I’d remember such a uniquely shaped fruit,” Sophia shook her head.
Her answer surprised Leon, but Gus explained, “Starfruit is rare. It doesn’t originate in the Fengil Republic—it’s a specialty from Ginger Island. That’s why it’s hardly seen here.”
“I see,” Leon said, realizing that Sandy’s seeds must be from non-local crops—otherwise Pierre would have them too.
“No one grows starfruit here?” Leon asked.
“They do,” Gus replied, “but because of differences in soil, climate, and temperature, most locally grown starfruit turns out incredibly sour. It never sold well, so people stopped trying. The best starfruit is still imported from Ginger Island.”
“Then yours won’t be that sour, will it? If so, the wine might taste awful,” Sophia cautioned.
“It shouldn’t be that bad,” Leon said confidently. Red Star Farm had given him more than enough reason to believe he could grow it successfully. If he could cultivate ancient fruit, starfruit would be no problem.
“Of course not. That’s the best farm in Stardew Valley,” Lewis interjected, clearly happy to join in on a topic that let him dodge Robin’s toasts.
“I think Blue Moon Vineyard is better,” Sophia muttered under her breath.
“I agree with Lewis,” Robin said. “My husband, Demetrius, is a geologist. He’s studied all the soils in Stardew Valley, and Red Star Farm’s land is the best.”
She quickly added, “Of course, it was just a survey. He didn’t take any samples or damage the land, Leon, so you don’t have to worry.”
“I never cared about that,” Leon replied helplessly.
“Hahaha, good. I just didn’t want you to think Demetrius was being rude if you ever found out later,” Robin said cheerfully.
“No problem,” Leon waved it off.
“Did Demetrius ever study the soil at Blue Moon Vineyard?” Sophia asked, unwilling to let the matter drop. “How was it?”
“Yes, and it’s probably pretty good too. After all, this is Stardew Valley—aside from Pelican Town’s area, most of the land is fertile,” Robin replied, trying to soothe her.
“How much worse is it compared to Leon’s farm?” Sophia pressed.
“Uh… probably just a little,” Robin said after a pause, choosing the safest answer.
Just how big that “little” difference was, only she knew.
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