Chapter 77: Backpack Expansion
After his conversation with Sandy, Leon took the chance to buy a batch of rhubarb, starfruit, and beet seeds. Although starfruit and beets could only be planted in summer and autumn respectively, it would’ve been a shame not to get some while he was here.
Of course, the main reason was that this was their first meeting, and Sandy seemed to have taken a liking to Leon. As a result, she offered him a discount on her seeds.
Take starfruit, for example. Normally, a packet cost four hundred gold, but after the discount, it was only two hundred and eighty. Leon went ahead and bought ten packets, enough to grow a hundred starfruit plants.
On Earth, starfruit grew on small evergreen trees, with long growth cycles but multiple harvests per planting, yielding an impressive number of fruits.
In Stardew Valley, however, starfruit plants only grew to about one and a half meters tall, and each plant withered immediately after bearing fruit. Worse still, each produced only a single starfruit. The upside was that they matured in just thirty days.
Sandy had been the one to explain all this to Leon. She also offered him a kind reminder: don’t rush to sell the fruit when harvested. Instead, prepare enough kegs beforehand so he could ferment the starfruit into wine right after picking. That way, profits could be maximized.
This advice wasn’t for free. In exchange, Sandy asked Leon to bring her a bottle of starfruit wine once he had brewed it.
After that, just as Sandy suggested, the four of them set up an indoor grill in the Oasis Store. Using charcoal and beef Sandy had provided, they enjoyed a delicious barbecue feast. When the banquet was over, they returned to Stardew Valley together.
Leon drove on the way back, while Emily and Abigail rested in the back seat. They arrived at the Stardew Valley bus stop without incident and parted ways there.