Farming Games are All About Grinding

After kneading the dough and letting it rest, he packed the thoroughly cooked Monkey Wine ingredients into mason jars.

[Estimated brewing time: 5 days]

"That fast?" Han Qiwu noted down the time in his little notebook.

He had initially thought brewing wine would take ten or twenty days.

Once he finished with the Monkey Wine, the dough had rested long enough. He returned to the kitchen to start making Oil-Poured Noodles.

To ensure adequate protein intake, Han Qiwu also quickly pan-fried some eel fillets.

All set.

Time to eat.

Just as he finished eating, the phone rang.

"Had dinner yet? What're you up to?" Tang Qingying's slightly languid voice came through the line.

Han Qiwu smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair to relax as he replied, "Just finished eating. Had Oil-Poured Noodles. Now taking a break."

Having just returned to her dorm from the lab, Tang Qingying was munching on strawberries. Hearing this, she chuckled and teased, "Oil-Poured Noodles? So simple? That's not your usual style. How's the thesis coming along? The department head mentioned the midterm review is next week; you better start prepping."

"Midterm review?" Han Qiwu responded.

"Yep, the midterm review counts for 30%. You need to prepare properly. As for what to prepare, you know what I mean." Tang Qingying's voice carried a playful hint.

Han Qiwu immediately understood and, grinning, asked, "Prepare properly, huh? So is it a unified departmental review or reporting directly to the advisor?"

Tang Qingying pursed her lips. She brought up the department head to rattle Han Qiwu a little, hoping to see him nervous. But this guy caught onto the key point right away.

Feigning seriousness, Tang Qingying replied, "Does it matter? Han Qiwu, my good student, would reporting to the advisor mean slacking in preparation?"

Han Qiwu chuckled and replied, "It does matter. If it's a departmental review, I'll just bring my thesis. If it's with the advisor, I'd bring Braised Pork, Grilled Fish, Salted Duck Eggs, Cheese, Strawberries, and Oil-Poured Noodles as well."

Listening to this, Tang Qingying instinctively swallowed hard.

"Hahahahaha." Hearing the swallowing sound, Han Qiwu couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Only then did Tang Qingying realize what happened, her face flushed red. She exasperatedly declared, "I hereby pronounce your midterm review results unqualified. Reflect on the reasons for that yourself."

"Such grand authority from Mr. Tang," Han Qiwu joked. "Alright, alright. I'll bring you something tasty next week."

"Hmph." Tang Qingying crossed her fair legs, shifting to a more comfortable position before saying, "Recently, the cinemas are showing a nostalgic animated film, *Leaping Frog Finds Mom*. Do you want to go watch it?"

"Isn't the mom just the big Leaping Frog?" Han Qiwu reflexively muttered and immediately realized.

Wait, was this an invitation from Mr. Tang to watch a movie?

Catching himself, he quickly added, "I think the mom might also be the Hopping Frog. It's quite a mystery. Shall we go check it out together?"

This response caught Tang Qingying off guard, making her momentarily swallow the sarcastic remark she had on the tip of her tongue.

"Mystery, huh? Not quite. I'll get the tickets then. Are you free next Tuesday?" she asked.

Han Qiwu thought about it. Monday was Qingming Festival, so he'd visit his hometown for ancestor worship. That would take just one day. Tuesday was clear, so he agreed.

After chatting a bit more, Tang Qingying felt hungry. She urged him not to forget and darted off to the cafeteria.

Hanging up the phone, Han Qiwu carried his bowl to the sink, washing it as a smile gradually appeared on his face.

Much later.

Under the moonlight, a figure rehearsed "Youthful Vitality" over and over, drenched in sweat.

After practicing for over an hour straight, Han Qiwu grabbed a towel and wiped off his sweat.

[Tea Leaf Roasting Machine completed]

"Just perfect, I'm thirsty. Time for some hot tea."

The tea leaf roasting machine was somewhat reminiscent of an oven in appearance, but its internal structure was more complex, and its size was notably larger.

Thanks to the Flame Iron Ingot used in crafting, the outer shell had a dark reddish hue and emanated a gentle warmth.

[Please insert [Any Tea Leaves] ×5, [Coal] ×1]

[Due to Flame Iron Ingot usage in forging, coal consumption per roast -1]

Seeing the prompt, Han Qiwu smiled faintly.

As expected.

Looks like he'll have to remake all the furnaces at home eventually. From now on, any tool requiring heat can use Flame Iron Ingots to replace regular iron ingots.

He added five portions of Bamboo Leaf Green tea leaves and one piece of coal. A ten-minute countdown appeared on the display.

Han Qiwu boiled some water and headed off for a quick shower.

Ten minutes later, he opened the tea leaf roasting machine door.

Instantly, the rich aroma of Bamboo Leaf Green greeted him, refreshing and invigorating.

[Premium Bamboo Leaf Green (Silver Star Quality ☆☆)]

[Stamina +80]

[Health +100]

[Special Effect - Heat Relief: Bamboo Leaf Green quenches thirst, clears heat, and dispels hot weather fatigue]

[Note: For optimal enjoyment, serve Bamboo Leaf Green in a glass vessel]

A single portion of Premium Bamboo Leaf Green consisted of roughly 30 delicate, jade-green leaves, beautifully unfurled. This showed just how rare the tea was, given that five servings of Bamboo Leaf Green buds were required to produce one serving of Premium Bamboo Leaf Green.

Following the note's suggestion, Han Qiwu grabbed the transparent glass jar he had previously crafted using the mayonnaise machine.

Though a bit oversized, its clarity was far superior to any store-bought glassware.

Well, bigger means more tea, right?

He pinched ten pieces of Bamboo Leaf Green into the glass jar and poured in hot water from the kettle.

The water had cooled slightly, measuring around 80 to 90 degrees—perfect for brewing Bamboo Leaf Green.

This time, he used the mid-pouring technique, which involves adding tea first followed by water. Bamboo Leaf Green can also be brewed using the top-pouring method, where water comes first before tea. Each has its merits.

Once the hot water was added, the tea leaves floated gently like tiny boats, releasing a mesmerizing fragrance. The tea's color was a subtle yellow-green, crystal-clear and radiant.

No wonder the note suggested glass vessels—watching the Bamboo Leaf Green leaves slowly unfurl was a unique visual delight. The leaves' occasional floating and sinking mirrored life's ebbs and flows.

After letting it cool slightly, Han Qiwu took a sip. The flavor was crisp, smooth, with a lingering sweetness, leaving him wanting more.

"This tea's amazing. I'll bring some back for Dad later—and for Mr. Tang too." Han Qiwu leaned against the chair, sipping tea while pulling out Uncle Ma's book.

Ah, life is just so cozy.

Half an hour later, Little Prince and Little Shui came back.

Entering the yard, Little Shui deftly loosened the waterweed net on Little Prince's back, dumping the fish into the Hospital River. He then washed his paws and climbed up Han Qiwu's trousers, comfortably curling up on his lap with a soft "Ying-ying-ying."

Han Qiwu chuckled, ruffling Little Shui's furry head before handing him a Mist Fruit to eat.

Witnessing this, Little Electric sulked.

Hmph, what's so special about "ying-ying-ying"?

I can even speak Eagle language!