novelraw Chapter 140: The Scheming Old Man
Chapter 140: The Scheming Old Man
“Good morning, Leon. It’s going to rain today, so you don’t need to water your crops. Feels like a weight off your shoulders, doesn’t it?”
Leon had just arrived in Pelican Town when he spotted Lewis standing under a tree at the edge of the square, greeting him.
“Yeah,” Leon replied. “Lewis, what are you doing here?”
“Every Friday morning, I like to stand here and watch the smiles of people passing by,” Lewis explained. “Once most of the shops are open, I head out to visit each household, checking up on Pelican Town’s economy.”
“It’s Friday today?” Leon asked, puzzled.
“You’ve been so busy on the farm that you’ve lost track of the days. You need to remember to balance work and rest,” Lewis said with a hint of exasperation.
“Well, now that I don’t have to work for someone else and punch in on time, I just do whatever I want. Whether it’s a rest day, or what date it is, it doesn’t really matter to me,” Leon explained.
His life now was full and relaxed. No more counting down to holidays, no more racing the clock to get to a suffocating office. Dates didn’t mean much anymore.
“But you still have to pay attention to the calendar. Imagine missing a friend’s birthday or one of the town’s festivals—it’d be a shame,” Lewis said.
“Ah… I don’t even know when people’s birthdays are, and I’ve never asked. As for festivals, I don’t really know when Pelican Town celebrates them,” Leon admitted awkwardly.If the world followed the game’s calendar—four months a year, each with 28 days—Leon could recite every birthday and festival date in town by heart. But in reality, with twelve months, some long, some short, and leap years to boot, he had no idea about the exact dates for everyone’s birthdays and events.
“I send a letter to everyone in town two days before any important festival, so you don’t have to worry about that. As for birthdays, I can help you,” Lewis said, motioning Leon to come closer.
When Leon leaned in, Lewis lowered his voice. “I remember everyone’s birthday in town. If you want, I can mark them on a calendar for you—but you’ll have to buy the calendar yourself.”
“Where can I get one?”
“Pierre’s General Store, Robin’s Carpenter Shop, or Joja Mart,” Lewis replied.
“Alright, wait for me. You’ve got a pen, right?” Leon asked.
“Of course. It’s part of my job. Go on, I’ll be here,” Lewis said, patting his shirt pocket. But there was a suspicious look on his face, as if he were holding back a laugh.
Leon was a bit suspicious, but he still hopped on his bike and headed to the nearest place—Pierre’s General Store. When he got there, he found the door locked, with a sign posted clearly beside it:
“Open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.”
That was earlier and longer than the game’s 9-to-5 schedule. Considering most townsfolk liked to buy fresh ingredients early, Leon figured it made sense. If Pierre really opened at nine, Joja Mart would have crushed him already—same prices or higher, and opening later? People wouldn’t put up with it.
The problem was, it was only 6:30. Leon stared at the locked door, recalling the smirk Lewis had been holding back. So that old man knew exactly what was going to happen and deliberately didn’t warn him, just so he could enjoy the show.
Leon could already picture himself returning empty-handed, only for Lewis to burst out laughing.
He was debating whether to just ditch the old man and go fishing instead when he felt a drop of water on his head.
“Is it raining already?” He looked up. The sky was heavy with clouds, but no rain was falling. Still, his head was damp. The drip wasn’t his imagination.
Leon narrowed his eyes, pretending not to notice, then looked down again while keeping his gaze tilted upward. Soon, the real culprit appeared. Just as another drop fell, Leon stepped back and looked up to see a purple-haired girl who hadn’t yet ducked away.
“Abigail, what are you doing?”
Hearing his question, Abigail didn’t bother hiding. She leaned casually over the second-floor balcony railing of Pierre’s and said, “I didn’t mean to. I was just watering the flowers up here. How was I supposed to know you were standing underneath?”
“And the second time?” Leon pointed to the wet stone slab where he’d just stepped away from.
“Okay, that one’s on me. Next time I’ll quit while I’m ahead,” Abigail said, sticking out her tongue in a way that felt more like teasing than apologizing.
“Forget it. Actually, I need a favor. Could you get me a calendar from the store? Tell me how much it is and I’ll throw the money up to you,” Leon asked.
“A calendar? Hang on.” Abigail disappeared inside, then soon called out, “Catch! If it hits you in the head, I’m not apologizing.”
She tossed a desk calendar down from the balcony. Leon caught it easily. “Thanks. How much?”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ve got plenty at home, and nobody buys them anyway,” Abigail said dismissively.
“If your dad finds out, he’ll call you wasteful,” Leon teased.
“He’s stingy, but not that stingy. It’s fine,” she replied.
“Abigail! I can hear you! Sorry about that, Leon. The calendar’s free—it’s not worth much anyway,” Pierre’s voice rang out as he appeared on the balcony beside her, glaring at his daughter before looking apologetically at Leon.
“Then I appreciate your generosity, Mr. Pierre. Wishing you good business,” Leon said with a wave, then turned away, leaving Abigail to face her father’s scolding. He rode back the way he came to Lewis.
When Lewis saw the brand-new calendar in Leon’s hands, he smacked his lips and said with some regret, “Alright then. Since you got it, I’ll help you mark most of the townsfolk’s birthdays.”