Farming Games are All About Grinding

After the baking was complete, Han Qiwu opened the oven and took out the pie from the tray.

Having high fire resistance sure is different.

It didn't burn his hands at all.

After placing the pie down, Han Qiwu finally noticed that a faint golden glow was enveloping the pie.

"A dish of golden-star quality? My first attempt, and I got this lucky?" Han Qiwu excitedly gazed at the pie.

[Floral Caramel Pine Nut Pie (Golden-Star Quality)]

[Stamina +400]

[Health +300]

[Special Effect – Sleep Aid: Enjoy five days of high-quality sleep after consumption]

[Special Effect – Recovery: Significantly alleviates bodily fatigue after consumption]

[Special Effect – Energetic: Sharpens thinking and quickens reflexes after consumption]

[Shelf Life: Five days at room temperature]

[Note: A lovingly crafted sweet pie!]

The golden-star quality pie not only had high restorative attributes but also inherited some of the special effects from the pine nuts, while its shelf life extended by two days as well.

Absolutely delightful.

The freshly baked Floral Caramel Pine Nut Pie emanated a rich composite aroma from the moment it was taken out, including the floral scent of gardenias, the sweetness of caramel, the fragrance of honey, the nuttiness of pine nuts, and the maltiness of baked flour.

It was amazing!

"Let's have Mr. Tang try it first. What if she doesn't find it tasty?" Han Qiwu justified to himself as he cut a piece to taste it.

"Crunch!"

The freshly baked pie was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The caramel-coated pine nuts on top were fragrant and sweet, creating a particularly satisfying crunch. The soft, chewy texture of the inner pastry was enhanced further by the addition of gardenia petals, elevating the flavor with every bite.

Chewing a single bite for forty to fifty seconds posed no issue at all.

The flavor was absolutely intense.

After finishing one bite, Han Qiwu could distinctly feel the fatigue in his arms and waist, caused by making the pie, being relieved.

"This will definitely help Mr. Tang get a good night's sleep." Han Qiwu chuckled, picked up a knife, and cut the pie into bite-sized pieces. He then used a fan to cool them down before placing them into an insulated container.

This way, it could prevent the pie from becoming soggy and losing its crispy texture.

Just then, the stewed dwarf deer meat had also reached perfection. Han Qiwu carefully transferred it into a thermal jar and, along with the insulated container, packed them into a bag, calling a local courier to deliver them.

After watching the courier leave, Han Qiwu took out his phone and sent a message to Mr. Tang.

Originally, he had planned to call, but considering the possibility that Tang Qingying might be taking a nap, he decided against disturbing her beauty sleep.

For girls, beauty sleep is essential!

After handling this matter, Han Qiwu let out a long sigh of relief and rested for a while.

"The little merchant should still be waiting in the woods now, but there's no need to go so early. I'll check on the kettle first." Han Qiwu had already calculated everything in his mind.

Primarily because the little merchant always had too many tempting items, and Han Qiwu would end up spending almost all his money during each visit. Delaying the trip might help him save a bit more.

Who knows? Perhaps he might even earn some money from fishing in the meantime.

No matter that he currently had tens of thousands in his pocket; if he encountered something truly valuable, it still might not be enough.

When he arrived at the blacksmith's shop, Han Qiwu casually retrieved five frozen crystal spheres he had amicably obtained from the Ice Rock Hermit Crabs and knocked on the door before entering. He lined the crystal spheres neatly on the counter and declared confidently, "Master, how's my kettle coming along?"

"It needs another half hour of heating. Oh, you brought so many frozen crystal spheres this time? Did you find a nest of them?" Master Shuzi lifted the curtain, hammers in hand, as he walked out.

"Just lucky, I guess. Since you have some free time, why not open these spheres now?" The moment Han Qiwu saw those giant hammers, he instantly became obedient.

"Why not." Master Shuzi tapped the five frozen crystal spheres lightly with a smaller hammer, sending them floating into the air. Then, his larger hammer danced mid-air, striking six consecutive times.

After hovering for two seconds, the five frozen crystal spheres suddenly cracked open, revealing the glowing items inside.

Han Qiwu quickly scanned through them, instinctively reaching out to catch them.

Please don't let anything break!

"No rush." Master Shuzi smiled faintly, flicked his wrist, and sent the five glowing items onto the counter. Miraculously, they landed precisely in the center and remained completely still.

The sheer precision left Han Qiwu wide-eyed in admiration.

"If only I could learn this skill of Master Shuzi's—it'd definitely be handy for potion-making."

Regathering his thoughts, Han Qiwu carefully examined the five glowing items in front of him.

[Hermit Crab Eggs]×2

[Lapis Lazuli]×2

[Old Ice]×1

Among the five glowing items, Han Qiwu had previously collected six pieces of lapis lazuli but had yet to find a suitable use for them.

As for the other two items, they seemed quite rare.

[Hermit Crab Eggs]

[Hatching Method: Place in high-quality water to hatch]

[Maturity Period: At least 5 days]

[Animal Product: Hermit Crab]

[Note: Hermit crabs fetch a good price]

The hermit crab eggs were small and entirely blue, likely the offspring of the Ice Rock Hermit Crabs.

"So, essentially, they're like seeds. Raise them up and sell them for a profit." Han Qiwu put them away, planning to throw them into the Hospital River, along with some crab shells, later.

[Old Ice: Ice that melts very slowly, suitable for use with other ice-related items]

"Old Ice? Is this for cocktails or what? Melts really slowly?" Han Qiwu furrowed his brows as he couldn't immediately think of any creative way to use it. For now, he placed it into his storage space.

If nothing else, he could toss it in a future cellar and create an icehouse just for fun.

What he didn't expect was that Master Shuzi, upon seeing the lapis lazuli, immediately grabbed one and asked urgently, "Do you want this lapis lazuli? If we integrate it into the kettle, it might produce special effects. Should we fuse it in now?"

"Can I say no?" Han Qiwu said helplessly. From the look on Master Shuzi's face, it seemed like he couldn't wait to rush into the forging room right then and there.

"No, but if you agree to the fusion, the fee for cracking the crystal spheres will be waived," Master Shuzi said with a sly smile.

"Fine, fuse it. Can I watch the process?" Han Qiwu waved his hand. Anyway, he had six more of these at home, and he was just teasing Master Shuzi earlier.

Hearing Han Qiwu's agreement, Master Shuzi bolted off. "Sure, put on the air-conditioned suit and come on in."

A few minutes later, Han Qiwu stood beside the forging table, carefully watching Master Shuzi's every move.

He first used a hammer to reforge the lapis lazuli, eliminating as many impurities as possible.

It was clear from here that lapis lazuli had excellent malleability, resembling gold in appearance.

Once reforged, Master Shuzi hammered the lapis lazuli into a thin sheet before using a hook to remove the kettle's prototype from the forge. He then meticulously affixed the sheet to the inner wall of the kettle.

Such meticulous craftsmanship.