Chapter 18:Gaming Bonding

As Zhou Mingrui gazed at the purple-haired Abigail in the grocery store, he couldn't help but reflect on the fixed dialogues in "Stardew Valley," even as he felt a pang of amusement.

Abigail's cheerful voice greeted him, "Hey, how did you know I was hungry? This looks delicious!" She looked at the quartz he had just gifted her, her eyes lighting up with genuine appreciation.

Zhou Mingrui found himself chuckling at the absurdity of it all.

His thoughts drifted to the myriad conversations he'd had with villagers and the endless cycle of gift-giving and friendship-building. "Girl, you have really good teeth…" he muttered, a playful grin tugging at his lips. It was a familiar refrain, one he'd seen countless times while playing, but it still amused him.

With a resigned sigh, he controlled his character to leave the grocery store. He mounted his beloved pony, its reins clinking as he set off towards the next location to deliver gifts to the villagers. The landscape of Pelican Town stretched out before him, bathed in the soft hues of autumn.

The favorability system in Stardew Valley was both a delight and a challenge. Zhou Mingrui had invested significant effort into building relationships with the villagers, aiming to reach the coveted ten hearts with each of them.

He knew that as friendship deepened, the villagers' conversations would grow warmer, and special events would be triggered, potentially leading to romantic cutscenes.

Among the twelve NPCs that could be pursued romantically—six men and six women—he was particularly focused on those who intrigued him the most. Each relationship could be deepened through thoughtful gift-giving and engaging in meaningful interactions.

The limit for ordinary villagers was ten hearts, but for the romanceable NPCs, the limit was set at eight hearts. After reaching eight hearts, a bouquet of flowers could solidify a romantic relationship, and a mermaid pendant could lead to marriage.

The friendship limit could extend to fourteen hearts, a testament to the game's intricate social dynamics.

Zhou Mingrui reflected on the unique nature of Stardew Valley, often referred to humorously as "Cuckold Valley" due to the extensive modding possibilities.

The game allowed for a wide range of relationships, including same-sex marriages and even unconventional pairings, like marrying Mayor Lewis.

The freedom to break traditional boundaries was part of the game's charm, showcasing the creativity and flexibility that modding brought to the experience.

As he rode through the picturesque scenery, he couldn't help but appreciate the depth of the game's social system.

Talking to villagers every day and giving gifts twice a week were essential for increasing their favorability. His efforts had paid off, raising the favorability of all Pelican Town's villagers to over six hearts each.

Autumn had arrived in the game, and Zhou Mingrui was deep into his seasonal routine. Despite his initial reluctance, Meng Xian had eventually set aside her Extreme Challenge land reclamation plan.

They had divided the tasks: Zhou Mingrui handled farming and foraging, occasionally fishing to supplement their income, while Meng Xian delved into the mines, mining, battling monsters, and gathering fibers.

As Zhou Mingrui passed the Community Center, he paused to pick wild berries and blackberries.

He glanced at Meng Xian's screen, watching as she continued her relentless mining and monster-hunting. Her dedication was unwavering, a stark contrast to his more leisurely pursuits.

Zhou Mingrui's thoughts drifted back to Meng Xian as he rode home. He had often wondered about Meng Xian's fascination with the mines. Her commitment to mining and monster-fighting wasn't driven by enjoyment but by a deeper, more personal drive.

When Zhou Mingrui had asked her about it, Meng Xian had explained her motivation with a calm intensity. "It's not about enjoying it," she had said. "It's about setting a goal, working tirelessly towards it, and the satisfaction of getting closer to that goal. It's a process I find fulfilling."

On the fifth day of spring, a significant event occurred in the game. The large rock blocking the wooden bridge in the mountains was cleared, granting access to the mine. This mine was 120 floors deep, with an elevator providing access every five floors.

While Zhou Mingrui was busy watering cabbages and planting spring seeds, Meng Xian, equipped with the Forest Sword, tackled the mine with relentless vigor.

She breezed through the 100th floor and called Zhou Mingrui over to witness a special Easter egg. The moment was significant, as it linked to the game's deeper mechanics.

When Zhou Mingrui took the elevator to the 100th floor and opened the treasure chest, he found a mysterious star fruit.

Consuming it triggered a unique Easter egg message on the screen: "You found a star fruit! You feel an unshakable connection with Stardew Valley." The message was a testament to the game's ability to surprise and engage players with hidden elements and rewards.

In mid-spring, Zhou Mingrui had managed to raise Caroline's favorability to the second level, unlocking a love event and obtaining the recipe for tea seedlings.

The recipe required both spring seeds and a substantial amount of fiber. Meng Xian's continuous mining and monster-hunting efforts were crucial in gathering the necessary fibers.

As summer unfurled in Stardew Valley, Zhou Mingrui found himself knee-deep in the routine of farm life. Each day began with the comforting rituals of animal care—milking cows, shearing sheep, and collecting eggs from the chickens and ducks.

These tasks, though repetitive, held a quiet satisfaction for him. The gentle clucking of hens and the warm, soft wool of sheep had become the backdrop of his days.

Meanwhile, Meng Xian had been busily selling a large number of tea seedlings, which she had managed to cultivate and nurture.

The proceeds from her diligent work had amassed a significant amount of cash, allowing them to meet the financial requirements for the vault collection package in the community center. This accomplishment opened up a new opportunity: access to the desert area, a place of intrigue and potential.

One fateful day, with the TV fortune-teller predicting an iridium luck day, Zhou Mingrui prepared for an ambitious venture.

He packed Venus cheese, triple espresso, and crab cakes—items that would enhance his performance in the mines. The desert mine, with its promise of rare ores and treasures, awaited. He mounted his pony, a trusted companion, and made his way to the desert.

Meng Xian had already made significant strides in the desert mine, utilizing her amassed ores to craft over a hundred bombs and super bombs.

The explosive power of these tools was formidable, and she had set out to blast through the mine's depths, searching for valuable resources and hidden secrets. Her work was meticulous and precise.

The first time Meng Xian detonated a bomb in the desert mine, the result was spectacular. Precious colorful fragments burst forth, creating a dazzling display of colors. She made her way to the three totems in the desert, where she sacrificed the colorful fragments and obtained the Galaxy Sword, one of the most powerful weapons available in the game.

This weapon, priced at 50,000 gold in the weapon shop, was now in her hands, a testament to her dedication and skill.

As dusk settled over the farm, Zhou Mingrui closed the doors of the chicken coop and the barn, ensuring the safety of his animals.

With the evening calm and his farm chores completed, he took a moment to observe Meng Xian's adept maneuvers in the mine from his screen. Her skillful operations were a pleasure to watch—each move calculated, each swing of the sword precise.

Meng Xian took the elevator to the 80th floor of the mine and descended the stairs to the 81st floor.

The moment her feet touched the ground, a magma slime, its body glowing with molten light, leapt towards her. With a swift, practiced motion, Meng Xian raised the Galaxy Sword and cleaved the slime in two strokes.

The creature's remnants glowed faintly as they dissolved into a puddle of gel.

Seeing Meng Xian's prowess stirred a sense of excitement in Zhou Mingrui. He decided he wanted to join her in the mine, so he retrieved the Obsidian Blade from his storage box—a weapon he had acquired from a treasure chest on the 90th floor of the mine.

He mounted his pony once more and headed to the bus stop, eager to teleport to the mine.

However, as Zhou Mingrui prepared to enter the mine, he was met with an unexpected cutscene. He was momentarily stunned, unsure of what was happening.

Opening the Stardew Valley Wikipedia interface, he quickly realized that the conditions for the cutscene had been met: entering the mountain area between 9 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. on a sunny day triggered Maru's six-heart event.

Maru, one of the twelve NPCs available for romance in Stardew Valley, was the daughter of Robin, the town's carpenter, and Demetrius, a scientist. She had always been fascinated by machinery and inventions, her interest a reflection of her family's background.

Despite being less popular than her half-brother Sebastian, Maru held a special place in the game's intricate social fabric.

The scene unfolded under a sky speckled with stars. Maru stood in her yard, observing the night sky through an astronomical telescope.

The tranquility of the moment was palpable, and when Zhou Mingrui's character appeared, Maru was initially surprised.

"I didn't expect to see you here so late at night," she said, her voice gentle and warm. "The night sky is so beautiful right now."

Maru beckoned Zhou Mingrui's character to the telescope, inviting him to share in the beauty of the starlit sky. As he approached the telescope and looked up, the vast expanse of the universe unfolded before him.

Maru stood quietly beside him, her gaze soft and introspective. "What did you see?" she asked, her voice a soothing murmur in the stillness of the night.

On the screen, two options appeared:

● A beautiful planet

● A dark abyss

Zhou Mingrui felt a moment of hesitation. He glanced over at Meng Xian, who had returned to the surface and was now watching the scene unfold with a curious expression.

Meng Xian, ever perceptive, noticed his indecision and offered a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about me," she said calmly. "You can choose either one. The favorability added by these two options is the same."

Zhou Mingrui took a deep breath, allowing himself to be immersed in the beauty of the moment.

The night sky, with its infinite expanse, seemed to whisper secrets of the universe. He selected the option, "A beautiful planet," and watched as Maru's face lit up with delight.

Maru stood beside her telescope, her gaze fixed on the boundless night sky. The stars above were scattered like diamonds across a velvet canvas, their distant light a testament to the universe's vastness.

A few meteors streaked across the sky, their fiery trails burning brightly before vanishing into the darkness.

Maru turned to Zhou Mingrui, her eyes reflecting the starlight. She smiled softly, a hint of melancholy in her expression. "By the time people are able to reach those stars, you and I will no longer be alive..." She sighed, her voice carrying a weight of bittersweet resignation. "I guess this is the bad thing about being human, right?"

There was a pause, a moment of silent reflection. Maru seemed to contemplate the depth of her own words, the transient nature of human life against the backdrop of the eternal cosmos.

Her gaze wandered back to the stars, and she shook her head as if to dispel the heaviness of her thoughts. "Forget it," she said softly, turning her attention back to Zhou Mingrui. "Come, I'll show you the Twin Star Systems."

The camera began to shift, slowly ascending to capture the grandeur of the night sky. Stars glittered in the distance, forming constellations that told stories of ancient times.

A few shooting stars blazed across the heavens, their trails a fleeting burst of brilliance that quickly faded away. The scene was both humbling and awe-inspiring, a reminder of the vastness of the universe and the fleeting nature of their own lives.

As the cutscene came to an end, Meng Xian, now back on the ground and observing the scene, stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Have you decided who to marry?" she asked, her tone casual but tinged with curiosity.

Zhou Mingrui looked thoughtful, his expression tinged with uncertainty. "From a personality perspective, I admire Abigail the most. She's spirited and adventurous, but…

well, she's a bit young for my taste. I lean towards, um, more mature women…"

Zhou mingrui eyes twinkled with curiosity. "And what about you, Meng Xian? Aren't you considering marriage? I've noticed you haven't put much effort into improving your impressions with the NPCs."

Meng Xian shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "No, not really. Since you haven't made up your mind about a marriage partner yet, when your favorability reaches 8 hearts, are you planning to give flowers to one of the NPCs you can court?"

Zhou Mingrui considered this for a moment, his brow furrowing. "Well, let's not rush into it. Even though it's a bit uncomfortable to have the favorability stuck at 8 hearts, I recall someone once said that dating without the intent of marriage is just hooliganism."

Meng Xian's face softened with a touch of regret. "What a pity."

Zhou Mingrui, intrigued, asked, "What do you mean?"

Meng Xian sighed. "Some NPCs have fascinating ten-heart events. For example, Maru creates a robot with self-awareness.

After expressing gratitude for its creation, the robot seeks freedom and goes on a quest into the universe to find other artificial life."

Zhou Mingrui's eyes widened in surprise. "How does it go to the sky?"

Meng Xian's gaze was playful. "How did rockets go to the sky?"

Zhou Mingrui mulled over this for a moment before responding with a chuckle, "The world owes Maru two Nobel Prizes in Physics: one for creating true artificial intelligence and another for her skill in handcrafting rockets."

Meng Xian laughed, and the two shared a lighthearted moment, their conversation drifting away from the digital world and into the realm of playful speculation. Time in the game continued to flow, and before long, it was past midnight.

The two of them were teleported back to the bus station via the mine cart, their digital adventure coming to a close for the night.

The once-bustling farm was now quiet, bathed in the gentle glow of moonlight. They made their way back to their respective cabins, ready to rest and prepare for the new day ahead.

Zhou Mingrui's cabin was a cozy retreat from the night's activities. The warm flicker of the fireplace cast a soft, orange-yellow light across the room.

The gentle glow danced on the walls and illuminated the space with a comforting ambiance. On the plush carpet in front of the bed, Starlight, his adopted black cat, was curled up in a tight, contented ball.

The cat's rhythmic breathing was a soothing counterpoint to the stillness of the night.

As Zhou Mingrui approached the bed, his gaze softened with a quiet affection. The simple act of clicking the bed with the mouse felt like a small but significant ritual—a transition from the day's adventures to the peace of sleep.

The system prompt appeared, asking, "Are you going to bed?"

With a decisive click on "Yes," Zhou Mingrui settled into the bed, the screen fading to darkness as the soothing lull of the game's nighttime music enveloped him.

Meng Xian let out a long yawn as she stretched her arms, her body arching gracefully as she tried to shake off the remnants of sleepiness.

Her movements were slow and deliberate, but fatigue was evident in the way her shoulders drooped and her eyes blinked wearily. It had become a familiar sight over the past weeks.

Zhou Mingrui noticed the change in Meng Xian's energy. He had been playing alongside her for hours, but now, as he observed her, he couldn't ignore the signs of her tiredness.

With a concerned furrow in his brow, he shifted his attention from the game and focused on her. "Maybe we should play next time," he suggested gently. "You look sleepy already. Are you sure you're okay?"

Meng Xian shook her head, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips despite her evident weariness. "I'm fine, don't worry," she replied, though another yawn escaped her lips, betraying her fatigue. "I guess we can play next time…" She tried to maintain a cheerful tone, but it was clear that the effort was taking a toll on her.

Zhou Mingrui's concern deepened as he watched her. Even though Meng Xian insisted she was alright, her tiredness was hard to ignore. Over the past few weeks, her repeated yawns and lack of energy had become a regular part of their interactions.

At first, Zhou Mingrui had brushed it off, attributing it to the occasional late-night gaming. But as days turned into weeks, his worry grew.

Meng Xian's habit of staying up late reading books—something she often cited as her reason for sleep deprivation—felt like a cover for something more troubling. Zhou Mingrui sensed that there was more to her late nights than she let on.

"Zhou, Zhou, Zhou?" Meng Xian's voice cut through his thoughts, and Zhou Mingrui was jolted from his reverie. He blinked, surprised to find Meng Xian standing so close, her face just inches from his.

A blush crept up his cheeks as he stumbled back slightly, caught off guard by her proximity.

"Yes?" he managed to reply, his voice slightly flustered as he took a step back. His heart raced from the sudden closeness, and he tried to steady his breathing.

Meng Xian tilted her head slightly, her eyes showing a mix of concern and frustration.

"You weren't responding. I've called you several times. Maybe you should go to bed too. You look tired."

Zhou Mingrui chuckled softly, his embarrassment fading into a warm smile as he watched Meng Xian. "I guess so," he agreed, feeling a pang of guilt for not noticing her exhaustion sooner.

He watched as Meng Xian rubbed her eyes, another yawn escaping her lips. Her sleepy gestures only made her appear more endearing to him, despite his growing concern.

"Cute," he thought, a smile tugging at his lips as he observed her. It was both heartwarming and unsettling to see her so vulnerable, and he felt a surge of protectiveness.

Meng Xian straightened up, stifling another yawn. "I have to go now, Zhou," she said, her voice tinged with both reluctance and fatigue. "Good night."

Zhou Mingrui nodded, his smile widening as he replied, "Goodnight, Meng. Sleep well."

Once Meng Xian was out of sight, Zhou it leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting to the ceiling. His thoughts were a whirlwind of concern and unresolved feelings.

He muttered to himself "Damn…" he murmured softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.