Chapter 159: Moon's Feast

The off-white exterior walls shimmered with a pearly hue under the twilight glow; the columns extended to support the house's crisp, simple dome. The wrought-iron railing of the terrace reflected the faint light, while clusters of unknown climbing vines reached upward, adding a touch of verdant green to the building itself.

"This is your home?"

Drawing his gaze back from the exquisite three-story Western-style house before him, Xia Nan turned his head to look at Jeff beside him, his expression one of surprise.

In his impression, this honest and frugal caravan leader had always worn a coarse hemp outfit faded by wear and washing, and when eating or lodging on the road, he saved whenever possible.

He presented an image of unparalleled thriftiness.

Therefore, he had never associated words like "wealthy" or "luxurious" with the other man.

He only thought his life was difficult, and the income from his travels barely filled the bellies of his family members.

It was hard to refuse such hospitality; although they said they had prepared an empty room for him, Xia Nan, before arriving, had already prepared to sleep in the living room.

He had even drafted a speech in his mind, thinking about how he should tactfully refuse without hurting their dignity when Jeff and his wife tried to force their bedroom on him.

But unexpectedly.

After closing the tailor shop's door, he followed Jeff all the way home.

The distance between buildings on both sides gradually widened, the attire of passersby became increasingly clean and tidy, and even the frequency of guards appearing to patrol increased considerably.

The meat stalls surrounded by flies emitting a fishy stench, and the brothels with pink-lit signs and ambiguous atmospheres, had vanished.

In their place were bookshops and high-end clothing stores, which had been barely visible before.

He even saw a few people dressed in gold and silver, followed by servants, looking like nobles.

Clearly, they were approaching the direction of the city center.

And then, there was this building before his eyes, a exquisite Western-style house whose expensive cost could be felt at a single glance.

"It's been some years; I remember when I bought it, Lilina had only just started school not long ago."

"In the blink of an eye, she has already graduated; time waits for no one..."

Jeff stood by the roadside, hands on his hips, his tone filled with emotion.

Xia Nan's expression remained unchanged, yet a trace of envy inevitably revealed itself in the depths of his eyes.

Niumu is one of the most important core cities in the Pan Yun Xing Sheng of the Servia Kingdom.

In his previous life, it would have been almost equivalent to a provincial capital; it was definitely a second or third-tier city.

To own a house like this in this location...

One could only say that even he, who had struggled for many years in a major internet company in his previous life, could never have achieved this.

Now, upon careful reflection, he realized he had been somewhat taking things for granted.

Seeing Jeff's frugal style in daily life, he assumed his life must not be very wealthy.

Actually, Xia Nan should have known.

In this world, any industry related to "Adventurers" would see its risk index and income level increase geometrically.

Before retiring, Jeff was a caravan leader who could regularly hire Adventurers as guards.

He had a certain reputation in River Valley Town and was an old acquaintance of Ba En of Rock Hammer.

Having worked for so many years, and being so frugal himself, saving up a sum sufficient for retirement was very easy.

In a sense, if one had to say it, describing the other man as a "winner in life" was not an exaggeration.

His wife had accompanied him from before he became prosperous; he had both a son and a daughter; even though one leg was lame, he had already retired steadily in his forties or fifties, with a well-maintained three-story small building, a tailor shop, and enough savings for retirement.

Even in his technologically advanced previous life, this was the elderly life dreamed of by the vast majority of ordinary people.

"Squeak."

The door of the Western-style house was gently opened, and the three of them walked inside.

"Mom, come out quickly, see who has arrived!"

Back at home, Lilina was no longer as restrained and cautious as in the shop; she appeared exceptionally lively.

She ran in a small trot toward the kitchen, calling out in a cheerful tone.

A moment later, a middle-aged woman of similar age, with obvious crow's feet visible at the corners of her eyes and a slightly stout figure, was pulled out of the kitchen by Lilina, wearing an apron.

Seeing Xia Nan at the door, one could see her freeze for a moment, her puzzled gaze sweeping over his face and equipment.

She clearly did not recognize the other person.

This was very normal, after all, the two had not met before.

But her face still maintained a polite and gentle smile.

Her eyes shifted, looking toward Jeff on the side.

"Xia Nan." Jeff did not introduce him in detail as before, but simply said the name with a smile.

Then, Xia Nan clearly saw the woman's eyes suddenly brighten.

The faint aloofness originally in her smile vanished completely, replaced by boundless enthusiasm.

"Oh my, you have finally arrived."

"Sit quickly! Sit quickly! Just treat it as your own home."

"Our Jeff complains every day about when he can see you again; since you have come this time, rest well for a few days and recover your health."

He had saved the life of the family's pillar.

Clearly, for the name "Xia Nan," Jeff's entire family was already extremely familiar; they just had not seen the person himself and could not match the name to the face.

Now that Jeff mentioned it slightly, his wife instantly reacted.

Xia Nan had just walked through the main door, his body not yet steady, when the other person pulled him and pressed him onto the living room sofa, showering him with questions about his health and well-being.

The fruits and snacks on the coffee table in front of him were stuffed into his arms as if they cost nothing.

The overflowing enthusiasm was almost too much for Xia Nan to handle.

"Alright, Daisy, let him rest for a while."

Seeing Xia Nan's predicament, Jeff spoke up to break the tension.

"I'll go tidy up the empty guest room upstairs. Since it's still early, you should prepare a few more good dishes too; don't shortchange our guests."

"Don't worry!" Daisy handed the steaming teacup to Xia Nan, her smile unchanged. "Jamie is returning from the academy today as well; let him get to know this gentleman properly."

Too enthusiastic.

Until the clear sound of a spatula clashing against a wok rang out from the kitchen once more.

Xia Nan rubbed his face, which had grown stiff from smiling, and let out a sigh of relief.

He was not particularly resistant in his heart.

For he could sense that Jeff's wife, this lady named 'Daisy', was not feigning friendliness merely because he was a guest.

Rather, she was genuinely welcoming and grateful for his arrival.

It was only just now, as Xia Nan was hosted to the living room sofa, accepting the teacup from her hands and gazing at her face brimming with a warm smile,

that he truly realized what kind of impact his actions had produced on this world.

If on that night in Kalanfur, he had not broken into Jeff's room to save the man due to the warning emitted by the 【Green Pine】 Wooden Sword, but instead allowed the cultists to take the honest man's life,

then months later today, when he arrived in Niumu due to an Association mission and, by a twist of fate, reached this place,

what he would have seen would likely have been nothing but a crumbling family on the verge of collapse.

The Ge Yu Tailor Shop might still have remained open for business, but facing threats from hooligans, Lilina, having no power to resist, would have had no choice but to submit, paying a monthly protection fee steep enough to wipe out her income.

And Daisy, supporting the family alone, would have needed to exercise extreme caution, wary of the countless greedy gazes from the outside world coveting her husband's legacy.

Xia Nan's power was not particularly great.

Yet with a mere casual act, he had allowed a tiny family thousands of kilometers away to live on with hope, smiling.

Night fell.

Xia Nan sat by the dining table, the surface before him laden with a feast.

And it was clearly visible that, to cater to him, the dishes made from relatively expensive ingredients had all been concentrated and placed before him.

His gaze swept over dish after dish, lingering on none.

Until a plate of creamy white soup, emitting a milky aroma with mushroom fragments faintly visible within, came into view.

Only then did Xia Nan's gaze finally stop.

Holding a spoon, he reached out, scooped lightly, and brought it to his mouth.

Hmm...

Unlike the fresh, sweet, and rich flavor in the Baishanque Tavern, Lady Daisy's Cream Mushroom Soup was slightly saltier, seemingly with more pepper added.

There were more mushroom slices in the broth; the overall texture was not quite as viscous and silky, yet it left a lingering aftertaste on the tip of the tongue.

Compared to the Baishanque, it was a novel sensation, subtly similar yet with obvious variations in the finer details.

While carefully savoring the housewife's cooking, Jeff and Daisy across the table were speaking in low voices.

"The Moon Feast is approaching; we will hold the ritual at home this year. Don't forget to prepare in advance."

"Don't worry; I bought everything two months ago. The items are stored in the basement; once the time comes, we can take them out and use them."

"Hmm, that's good."

"Originally, a Priest from the Moon God Church was distributing lamps today, but I arrived too late to receive one; it's a pity."

"May the Nv Shen bless us..."

He had no intention of eavesdropping, but since the two were sitting directly opposite, and with Xia Nan's current physical constitution, even the lowest voices sounded incredibly clear as they reached his ears.

"Moon Feast," "Moon God Church"...

Several key words drifted into his ears with the air, and Xia Nan's thoughts began to swirl.

The Moon Feast is one of the important festivals on the Aifala Dalu.

The time is the "Decaying Moon (Wuta)" near the end of the year, that is, before winter.

On this day, people across the continent hold various rituals to commemorate their ancestors and pray for the deceased.

Before departure, the general store in River Valley Town had already stocked many ritual supplies.

Now that the time is approaching, the festive atmosphere in Niumu Cheng is becoming even more intense.

Even the ragged, skeletal beggars on the streets were enjoying a few full meals for the first time in ages.

As for the "Moon God Church" mentioned by Daisy, it most likely refers to the church of 【Silver Mother】, the 【Moon Goddess】 "Selene".

Even Kalanfur, a small town located on the kingdom's frontier, has a magnificent Sun God Church built within it.

Niumu, a large city of such scale, naturally is no exception.

Indeed, because of its excessively massive size and the countless residents living within the city,

there exist numerous churches belonging to different deities within this city.

It is merely that due to differences in the deities' own personalities, divine functions, and target audiences, their influence varies.

In the West District where Xia Nan currently is, the most influential is the "Moon Goddess" Selene, whom Jeff and the other mentioned.

Regarding this, he had no particular thoughts.

After all, deities and churches are too common in this world; even he has gradually grown accustomed to them.

Yet in his heart, due to his previous experiences in Kalanfur, there was a vague sense of resistance.

He did not wish to actively contact related matters.

"Creak."

As he pondered, the sound of a door opening suddenly reached the living room.

"It should be Jamie; judging by the time, he should be home by now."

Daisy helped serve a large chunk of stewed meat into Xia Nan's bowl and said.

As the second son of the house, Jamie has not yet graduated and is currently furthering his studies at the academy within Niumu Cheng.

He usually ate and slept at school, returning home only once a week on his day off.

Accompanied by a light footstep, a young man with glasses and a slender build came into view.

Seeing the unfamiliar face of Xia Nan in the living room, he couldn't help but pause in surprise.

Only after Daisy introduced them did he react, offering a rather shy bow.

He had good upbringing, just like his older sister.

However, he did not stay in the living room for very long.

He had already eaten dinner at school, and the tutor seemed to have left him some task.

Sitting by the dining table and exchanging a few pleasantries, Jamie spoke up to take his leave, intending to return to his room to handle his homework.

But perhaps because he had walked too quickly, his foot tripped on the rug on the floor; he stumbled several steps, and the cloth bag he was carrying fell to the ground.

"Thud."

A dull sound echoed through the air.

Xia Nan's gaze instinctively turned toward it.

He froze instantly, his pupils contracting sharply!

Even the spoon in his hand, which had been stirring the mushroom soup, stopped in mid-air.

Noticing the change in Xia Nan's expression, Jeff leaned forward and asked with concern:

"What's wrong?"

There was no reply.

Xia Nan simply stared straight ahead at the ground, where a gray-black object had rolled out from the cloth bag upon impact.

It looked like a sheep and a deer, stood upright on two legs like a human, with a pair of curved horns winding upward and vanishing at the tips.

It seemed to be precisely that Sheep-Deer Statue, the one that swallowed thoughts and attention, making him sense an indescribable eeriness.

The next second, he reacted instantly, sharply averting his gaze, daring not to look again.

Immediately afterward, a strange feeling inexplicably surged from the depths of his heart.

He had only glanced at it hurriedly, without looking closely.

Yet, as if by instinct, he had perceived extremely subtle differences in the wooden statue's grain and a distinct overall impression.

It was like living with a pair of twins for a long time; even with just a casual glance, one could distinguish between the two.

The wooden statue before him was not the one he had seen on the shelf at "Fairy Wind" before he set out.

His mind couldn't help but recall the words of the general store owner, Fali Lue, when he introduced it at that time:

"From Niumu," "allegedly the work of a certain carving master," "very popular among Nobles recently"...

Frowning tightly, he glanced at Jeff and Daisy, who were looking at him with concern, and couldn't help but feel a headache.

Realizing the potential hidden danger, he paid no heed to whether it might be offensive.

Looking at Jamie, whose expression was one of surprise, he pointed at the statue on the floor and spoke in a serious tone:

"Where did that wooden statue come from?"

(End of this chapter)