novelraw Chapter 32: Is That Not What It Means?
Chapter 32: Is That Not What It Means?
Saying yes might only deepen the misunderstanding, but saying no could easily offend someone—especially since Leon noticed Emily at the bar was also glancing his way.
So after hesitating for a long while, Leon finally said, “Let’s just go with Willy’s suggestion. No need to trouble Emily, she’s got plenty of other customers to tend to.”
“Fair enough.” Gus didn’t think anything was wrong with that. In fact, he felt a bit touched by Leon’s thoughtfulness toward Emily. “You’re a good young man. I’ve got high hopes for you.”
With that, Gus left with a smile. Leon just stared speechlessly at his back, wondering what exactly Gus had “high hopes” about.
Willy, however, leaned in once Gus was gone and said, “Emily’s a fine young lady. Comes from a good family too. Don’t be fooled just because she works here—it’s only to keep herself from getting bored. You should put in some effort.”
“And why exactly do you all think I’m interested in Emily? We’re just around the same age and get along well. I can’t exactly sit here in silence and eat alone, can I? That would make me look like some kind of recluse.” Leon looked helplessly at Willy’s gossip-hungry expression.
“That so?” Willy looked a bit disappointed, clearly bummed at missing out on a juicy rumor.
Leon just shook his head, wondering if people automatically became nosy about these things with age. Gus was like that, and so was Willy. Good thing he and Emily didn’t have much contact, or the whole town would probably think he was pursuing her in a few days.
Truth be told, Emily was great—both her looks and her personality were first-rate, and in the game she was one of the bachelorettes you could woo. But right now, Leon’s priority was still the farm.
Money was king. Wasting prime earning time chasing romance was something only love-struck fools did.And besides, Emily wasn’t the only single girl in Pelican Town. If he were really looking for a wife, he’d want to see what the others were like in real life too. A man shouldn’t hang himself from just one tree, right?
While waiting for the food, Leon and Willy chatted about fishing. Willy held nothing back, filling in the gaps in Leon’s fishing knowledge with detailed explanations. Time passed quickly.
“Here’s today’s special—Seafood Dish. Enjoy.”
Emily arrived just as Willy was explaining how to use fake bait to lure catfish during spring rains. She set down two big plates and introduced the dish.
“Thanks.” Leon looked up and nodded to her in thanks. Willy just closed his mouth and watched them with an amused, almost motherly smile.
“No need to thank me—it’s my job,” Emily replied, then noticed the beer in front of Willy and the empty space before Leon. “How about a peach juice? My treat.”
“Uh… no need.” Leon declined instinctively. He’d already had water before coming and wasn’t thirsty. Honestly, he’d had peach juice twice already, and the novelty had worn off. To him, it was just too sweet.
But the moment he spoke, he noticed a flicker of disappointment on Emily’s face, which puzzled him.
If Emily were some kind of bar scam artist, that disappointment would make sense. But since she’d offered to treat him, there was no money involved. Why would she look like that?
It made him feel like he was the one being dense. A sudden thought struck him—could it be that Emily, the subject of all this gossip, actually thought he liked her?
With that in mind, Leon quickly added, “Thanks for the offer, Emily, but I drank a lot of water earlier. I’ll be lucky to finish all this food as it is. Adding juice would just waste it.”
He watched her closely after saying that. When he saw her relax and smile again, his heart skipped a beat. He felt like he’d guessed right.
“All right, next time then. Oh, and I brought that daffodil you gave me home. It’s blooming beautifully in my room. You should come by and see it sometime.” With that, Emily ran off blushing.
Willy, who had been watching the whole time, said with a perfectly straight face, “Old Willy may not have married, but I did chase girls when I was young. I can tell Emily likes you. No way you two have just had ‘simple conversations.’”
“Cut it out. I’m completely confused now.” Leon covered his face. “And how can you tell she likes me?”
“Instinct. And this is the first time I’ve ever heard Emily invite a man to her home. She lives with her sister, so she’s never invited any man over before—you’re the first.”
“It’s just to see a flower,” Leon stressed.
“A daffodil, right? Do you even know the flower’s meaning?” Willy asked.
“Sure. Daffodils symbolize respect and mystery,” Leon replied.
“What? I thought it was rekindled love, eternal beauty, that sort of thing?” Willy blinked in surprise.
“Is that what it means?” Leon was just as baffled. Flowers could have multiple meanings, after all.
Willy looked at Leon, then glanced toward the busy Emily at the bar, and patted Leon’s shoulder with a suppressed grin. “Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding. But in Stardew Valley, giving a daffodil to someone your age usually hints at romantic interest. Think about it.”
Leon rolled his eyes. “I gave her the daffodil, and I told her my understanding of its meaning. She shouldn’t misunderstand.”
“Maybe. But don’t ignore your own strengths. You’re polite, considerate, and not bad-looking. From how Gus talked to you earlier, I can tell you’re good at seeing things from others’ perspectives. Do you have any idea how attractive that is to women?”
Willy sighed. “If I’d had your qualities when I was young, I wouldn’t still be stuck doing all the housework alone.”
“Just eat, you old bachelor. Spare me the pointless analysis. Coming from you, it’s got zero credibility,” Leon shot back.
But Willy wasn’t offended. In fact, he chuckled. “What’s wrong with being an old bachelor? I was young once too. This is hard-earned experience—you should listen.”