“No wonder this guy told to avoid opening gifts in front of others.”
Holding the pearl in her hand, Haley brought it close to her eyes for a careful inspection. She now understood why Leon had made that special request.
After admiring it for a mont, Haley ca back to her senses. She gently placed the pearl into the drawer under her vanity, found a small jewelry box to store it, locked the drawer, and only then left the room.
The mont she stepped out, she saw Leon chatting with Emily and Jodi. The three of them were smiling non-stop, clearly enjoying the conversation.
“What are you talking about?” Haley asked casually as she sat down next to Emily.
“We were talking about how Vincent’s egg from the Egg Festival two days ago got accidentally stepped on by Sam,” Emily replied.
“That kept busy,” Jodi added. “I had just mopped the floor, and then I had to mop it again.” Although she spoke in a complaining tone, her smile didn’t match the words—it looked more like she was boasting. “But Sam offered to help clean up, which saved a lot of trouble.”
“Will Sam and Vincent be coming today?” Haley asked.
Since Jodi’s ho on Willow Lane was the only neighbor Emily and Haley had, their families were close. Naturally, Jodi’s whole family was invited to the birthday party.
“Vincent will co, but Sam’s going to Zuzu City with Sebastian for a trial session. I think it’s for their band’s debut preparations, so he probably can’t make it. But he’ll have Vincent bring his gift over,” Jodi explained.
“That’s fine. Work cos first—it’s their dream, after all.” Haley showed an understanding smile.
Leon joined the conversation. “Aside from Jodi’s family, who else did you invite?”
“Quite a few. Robin, Caroline and Abigail, Lewis, Marnie and Jas… oh, and Gus,” Emily listed, as the organizer of the birthday party.
“Gus is coming? Then I guess I showed up too early. I was planning to help you make lunch, but with Gus here, I’ll just be an extra pair of hands,” Jodi said, surprised to hear the guest list.
“Gus is here as a guest. I don’t want him working as a chef—he should relax and enjoy the party. You don’t have to help either, Jodi. I can handle it,” Emily reassured her.
“But you’ll be swamped with all these people,” Jodi reminded her.
“It’s fine. I’ve prepared most of the food ahead of ti. The busiest part will be short, and I can handle it,” Emily said with a smile.
“Knowing Gus, if he’s agreed to co, he’s probably ready to head into the kitchen,” Leon remarked. “Of course, I’ll help too, so you really don’t need to worry, Jodi.”
“Ha! Is that so? Leon, I’m surprised you can cook,” Jodi teased. “Most households in Stardew Valley have won running the kitchen. A man who can cook is rare.”
“As far as I know, plenty of n here can cook—Gus, Lewis, Clint, Willy, even Robin’s husband Detrius,” Leon replied.
“But haven’t you noticed? Except for Detrius, the rest are all old bachelors,” Jodi countered. “No woman at ho, so they had to learn.”
“Ah, I get it now. But this is Haley’s birthday party—probably not the best ti to talk about this,” Leon said, realizing Jodi was hinting he should find a girlfriend.
Honestly, why was Jodi so invested in his love life? She didn’t even have an unmarried daughter. What was she after?
Jodi, a little disappointed by his evasive answer, muttered, “Fine. Next ti, I’ll invite you over for dinner and we’ll talk alone.”
“Next ti, for sure,” Leon said with a dry chuckle. He nudged Emily and, when she turned to look, asked, “Emily, can you show the kitchen? I want to see what you’ve prepared.”
“Sure.”
Emily didn’t know why Leon suddenly wanted to go to the kitchen—it was clearly too early to start lunch. But she was smart enough to guess he had sothing else to say in private, so she agreed.
When they reached the kitchen, Emily closed the door and leaned against the counter. “What’s up?”
“Nothing, really. I just felt awkward being cornered by Jodi about getting a girlfriend, so I wanted to take a breather,” Leon said helplessly.
“I see. You can’t bla Jodi. She’s the community coordinator of Pelican Town and the best matchmaker here. Many couples got together with her help—including Robin and Detrius.”
“This is her side job?” Leon asked, surprised.
“No, it’s just a hobby. She’s never charged for it,” Emily said.
“Community coordinator plus professional matchmaker… no wonder,” Leon muttered. At least now he understood her enthusiasm for pushing him into a relationship.
Seeing his thoughtful expression, Emily hesitated before asking, “Leon, are you against marriage?”
“Huh? No,” Leon replied quickly, shaking his head. “I just have… so concerns.”
“What kind of concerns?” Emily asked curiously.
“Not sothing I can share right now,” Leon said, scratching his nose awkwardly. If he told her the truth, he suspected she’d throw him out on the spot.
“That’s fine. I was just asking,” Emily said, letting it drop—though she was still dying to know.
Leon didn’t say more, and silence settled over the kitchen.
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