“Thanks.”
What else could Leon say? Drop an f-bomb? That would just make him seem uncultured.
Maru’s water pump really stunned him. It looked plain on the outside, but inside it was pure cutting-edge tech—pumping both water and air, working on land or underwater, with remote control and solar charging as extras.
Was this really sothing she made from just the small amount of materials he gave her? Leon almost felt guilty accepting it.
And she had designed it specifically for his needs—even for things he hadn’t voiced. Leon was deeply touched, so much so that he half-joked to himself about wanting to taste what chocolate might be like.
After all, aside from his good looks and healthy body, he didn’t have much else to repay Maru with.
Given her level of tech, she was probably not hurting for money.
In terms of knowledge, Leon would be completely crushed by her, so that avenue was a dead end.
In the end, the only “repaynt” he could think of was giving her a child.
Unfortunately, Maru clearly had no such thought. After attaching the hose and high-pressure nozzle, she suggested, “Want to give it a try? I noticed you left so crops unwatered.”
“Sure.” Leon snapped out of his thoughts, picked up the pump, flipped the power switch, and gently lowered it into the small pond at the edge of his field.
He straightened out the hose, took the control button Maru handed him, gripped the nozzle, and pressed.
The mont it received the command, the pump started up. The once-limp hose instantly swelled as water surged through it. A pressurized spray of clear water burst from the nozzle, turning into a fine, silky curtain.
Like gentle rain, the droplets fell evenly across the slightly dry soil, quickly moistening the surface and making the dirt sticky. Excess drops were greedily absorbed into the loose earth, nourishing the crops’ roots.
“Technology really does change life.” Leon watched as, in just over ten seconds, he’d watered a patch of about twenty plants. He pressed the button to stop—too much water could drown them.
With a watering can, it would have taken him at least three minutes to finish this patch. He almost regretted being so diligent in the morning and watering most of his fields already.
“Looks like it works really well,” Maru said, watching from the side.
“It’s your skill that’s impressive.” Leon grinned. “With this pump, my work just got a whole lot easier.”
“As long as it helps you, I’m happy.” Maru smiled.
“I’m done for the day. If you’re free, you could stay for lunch,” Leon offered, pulling the pump from the pond and setting it aside.
“I probably shouldn’t. I didn’t tell my family I’d be out long. If I don’t go back for lunch, they might worry,” Maru explained.
“That’s fine. I have a phone here—you can call Robin and let her know. I also have a few things I want to ask you,” Leon said.
“…Alright.” Hearing she could call ho, Maru agreed.
Leon led her into his cabin. After phoning Robin to say she’d be eating at Leon’s, Maru quickly slipped out of the house.
“What’s wrong?” Leon followed, puzzled by her sudden escape. His cabin might be small, but it didn’t sll bad.
“Nothing. I just… it’s my first ti in a guy’s room. Felt a little shy,” Maru said, head lowered.
But she didn’t ntion the real reason: she had spotted a pair of n’s underwear on his bed. That was why she bolted.
Don’t think only n have weird thoughts about won’s underwear—won could be the sa.
“Oh, I see.” Leon suddenly understood. Plenty of people had been in his place before, but apparently Maru was the only one aware of such boundaries.
Robin and Lewis didn’t count. As for Abigail, she had no such concerns—she’d even napped in his bed without a second thought. She didn’t see Leon as a man, which was exactly why Leon saw her as a brother.
“Didn’t you say you had questions for ?” Maru clearly wanted to change the subject. Her skin tone hid her blush well, but her face was hot enough to fry an egg.
“Yes. It’s about the cave renovation. The mushroom cultivation boxes are fine, but the fruit bats… even though they’ve moved in, they haven’t brought
a single fruit.”
“I’ll go check with you,” Maru offered.
Leon didn’t hesitate. They headed to the cave together.
Inside, Maru first examined the mushroom boxes, confirming nothing was wrong, then looked up at the fruit bats roosting on the rock ledges, as well as so devices attached to the cave walls.
“No issues with the setup. The bats look healthy. Maybe they just need ti to settle in. Give it a while,” she concluded.
“I see. Got it.” With her analysis, Leon wasn’t in such a rush to see gifts from the bats. Professionals were worth trusting.
Patience, then.
“By the way, have you dealt with that teorite yet?” Leaving the cave, Maru searched for a topic and rembered the Iridium-star teorite on Leon’s farm.
“Nope. Too hard—I can’t break it,” Leon admitted.
“Not surprising. It’s high in iridium content and made of special material. Normal tools can’t do much. If it weren’t so big, I might be able to help you crack it,” Maru mused.
“No rush. It’s not going anywhere. Once I upgrade my pickaxe, breaking it will be no problem.” Leon waved it off. He was far more concerned with asking Maru what she wanted for lunch. Depending on her answer, he’d decide whether to cook or head over to Gus’s.
The pump had helped him so much that he had to thank her properly. As for giving her a child—just a joke. In reality, he worried that a certain father might abandon promising land research for chemistry, just to figure out how to abduct him.
At lunch, the cafeteria had beef. Leon thought the boss was treating everyone, but no—it was just because a partner company was visiting.
Which ant he’d have to work overti again tonight. Great.
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