novelraw Chapter 34: There’s Even a Law for That
Chapter 34: There’s Even a Law for That
With Penny leading the way, Leon followed behind, carrying the older woman on his back.
To be honest, the woman’s weight was no joke. Even for Leon, it was a bit of a strain. Fortunately, he was fit enough that it was more of a workout than an impossible task.
Luckily, Penny’s home wasn’t far from the saloon—just a little over two hundred meters away, by the riverbank. Calling it a “home” was generous; it was an old, wheel-less trailer converted into a cramped living space.
Leon wasn’t surprised. From the moment Penny had introduced herself, he’d already guessed the identities of this mother and daughter.
In the game, they were both well-known residents. Penny was the town’s only teacher—a self-conscious yet kindhearted and strong young woman. Her mother, Pam, was a foul-tempered, heavy-drinking, stout woman.
It was Pam who had once totaled the bus to Calico Desert while driving drunk.
The two were complete opposites. Most players disliked Pam at first sight, while Penny was far more popular—after all, she was a romanceable single girl.
When they arrived at the trailer, Penny seemed to realize that her shabby home had been exposed to Leon. She lowered her head even further, but still unlocked the door.
“Mr. Leon, you can just set my mother down at the door. I can take care of the rest. The space inside is too small and messy for me to properly invite you in.”
“Haha, don’t worry about it. Your place is way bigger than my cabin.”From the outside, the converted trailer definitely had more space than his refurbished old farmhouse.
With that, Leon carried Pam inside. While Penny stood frozen, unsure of what to do, he set Pam down on an old sofa with a deep indentation that perfectly matched Pam’s figure—clearly her usual spot.
Once Pam was settled, Leon exhaled, stretched his stiff back, and waved to Penny. “Alright, she’s safe and sound. You’ll have to handle the rest. I’ll get going.”
“Would you like a glass of water?” Penny asked awkwardly. “Sorry, that’s all I can offer.”
“No need. You’ve got things to do.” Leon shook his head with a smile and left before she could say anything more.
Penny watched him leave, then glanced at the pile of unwashed clothes and empty bottles scattered on the floor. She muttered in distress, “Did he leave so quickly because he thought the place was too dirty?”
But the next second, Leon reappeared at the door. He didn’t come inside, just spoke from the doorway before leaving again.
“This trailer conversion is pretty cool. Maybe I could do something similar with my farmhouse. I’ll have to pick your brain about it sometime. But for now, you should focus on your mother. I’ll visit again another day.”
His words swept away the nervousness in her heart. Remembering how Leon had appeared out of nowhere when she’d felt most helpless, how he’d helped her without hesitation, his smile, and his strong arms… Penny’s heart began to race.
“Leon, the new farmer… What a special person. Will we really meet again?”
Leon, of course, had no idea what Penny was thinking. He had his own problem now.
On his way back, he spotted Lewis by the river, smoking in the dark. That alone wasn’t an issue. The problem was the woman standing beside him—Marnie.
Leon already knew their relationship went beyond friendship, but seeing it in real life was awkward. Thankfully, they hadn’t noticed him. He slipped away quietly, avoiding the awkwardness of being caught witnessing their rendezvous.
After that, the trip back was uneventful. Once at the farm, Leon took a moonlit stroll around the fields, then returned to his cabin, watched a bit of TV, and went to bed.
At dawn, his well-trained internal clock woke him. After washing up, he grabbed his watering can and began tending to his crops.
The three rounds of farmland expansion had filled his farm nicely, but the sheer number of plants made watering a long, tedious job. By the time he finished, it was past nine in the morning.
He had been up before seven. Two hours just to water plants—proof of how time-consuming the work could be.
Still, Leon didn’t mind. Compared to the endless grind and office politics of his old job, two hours of watering was nothing.
And once the watering was done, the rest of the day was his to spend as he pleased.
Even though he’d just earned a tidy sum yesterday, he wasn’t planning to expand the fields again anytime soon. A larger farm would mean bigger harvests and more profit, but the extra labor and time weren’t worth it to him.
He had come to Stardew Valley for a freer life. With yesterday’s fishing profits easing his expenses, he felt it was time to do something for himself.
Maybe visit town and meet new people. Or go foraging in the northern mountains. Chop some wood. Or join Willy for some fishing down by the beach.
There were plenty of things he could do—and should do. He didn’t want his entire life to revolve around the farm.
As he was considering his options, a timid voice called from a distance.
“Mr. Leon, may I come onto your farm?”
“Oh, of course! You can just come right in, no need to ask,” Leon called back when he saw it was Penny.
With his permission, Penny stepped inside and explained, “The Fanjier Republic has a law protecting private farms. If someone enters without the owner’s permission, it’s considered illegal trespassing.”
“There’s even a law for that?”
Leon was stunned. He had no idea such a rule existed.