Lunar New Year's Eve.
Starlight City was full of holiday cheer. Red lanterns and paper streamers hung everywhere, and the sound of firecrackers never seemed to stop.
Jacob lay lazily on the sofa in shorts and a vest, eating fruit and sipping a drink while he watched TV.
In the kitchen, Julia was cheerfully helping Zoe and two other aunties cook the day's lunch and dinner.
"Julia, can you handle spicy food? I'll make a few dishes just the way you like them."
"Auntie, I can eat a little spice," Julia answered with a smile.
"Jacob, get over here and put up the spring couplets!" Rory frowned at his lazy son. "Look how hard-working Julia is. And you're just lying on the sofa. Come on, help me hang these up."
"Coming," Jacob said, dragging himself up with a sigh.
Here I am, the great "Giovanni," and I still have to play the dutiful son the moment I come home.
Night fell.
The Xia household buzzed with festive warmth, and Julia's face glowed with happiness. Spending New Year's at the Xia family home felt completely different from anything she had known before.
The whole family sat together around the round table, everyone smiling and enjoying the evening.
Rory sat at the head of the table, raised his glass, and looked around at everyone. "It's New Year's, and it's rare for our whole family to be together like this. Last year Jacob couldn't make it home because of the High School Cup tournament. This year, everyone is finally here."
"A lot happened in our family this year. First, Jacob's hard work paid off. After half a year of training in the Secret Realm, he won the High School Cup and got into the university he wanted."
"Asher became a father, and our family welcomed a new member."
"The Bug and Grass Secret Realm keeps growing stronger, too..."
Rory went on to mention a few more highlights from the year, then changed his tone. "Whatever happened, this year is nearly behind us now. Next year, I hope everyone keeps working hard and finds new success, while staying happy along the way. Most of all, I hope we all stay healthy. Now, let's eat."
Hearing this, everyone's smiles grew even brighter.
"Ah, and of course, tonight we have a special guest with us. Welcome, Julia." Rory turned to Julia and pulled a small red envelope from his bag. "Julia, since this is your first New Year's with our family, I prepared this for you."
Everyone understood what it meant for a girl to spend New Year's at a boy's family home.
Since it was Julia's first time, the elders wanted to welcome her properly, so Rory had prepared a gift ahead of time.
Beside him, Jacob's mother pretended to be annoyed. "What are you saying? Julia isn't a guest. If she's spending New Year's with our family, then she's family. Isn't that right, Julia?"
At his mother's pointed words, Jacob lowered his head without a word, while Julia blushed and gave a small nod.
"But your uncle is right about one thing — since this is your first time, we all prepared something for you." Jacob's mother took a small box from her bag and handed it to Julia. "This is from me."
Following Rory and his wife's lead, Asher and his sister-in-law also brought out gifts they had prepared and gave them to Julia.
Once everyone had given their gifts, Jacob realized he was the only one who hadn't prepared anything. And no one had even told him he was supposed to!
"Er... right." Jacob glanced at his mother and the others, his mind racing, then turned to Julia. "Julia, um, here — go ahead and take it. Don't be shy, we're all family here."
He pulled a deep blue stone from his bag.
An S-rank Water Stone.
Jacob had picked up many S-rank items inside Dragonspiral Tower. The S-rank Silver Powder and S-rank Light Clay had proven useful to him, but this S-rank Water Stone wasn't something he needed.
So he decided to give it to Julia as a New Year's gift instead.
"Julia, this is for you."
"This is..." Julia stared at the Water Stone in his hand, surprise flickering across her face.
Its quality was extraordinary. Just by looking at it, she could tell it was far better than any Water Stone she had ever seen. It had to be an S-rank Water Stone — and not an ordinary one, either.
Where in the world had Jacob gotten something this rare?
"Jacob..."
"I'm giving it to you, so just take it. It's New Year's — don't argue."
Jacob tried to sound stern, but before he could finish, his mother swatted the back of his head.
"Watch how you talk to her."
The whole family shared New Year's Eve dinner, then watched the Spring Festival Gala together late into the night before finally heading to bed.
Back in his room, Jacob finally had a chance to check his phone. Nina, Raya, Amelia, and several others had sent him New Year's messages. He replied to each one, then opened his social media app to post a short Happy New Year video before drifting off to sleep.
Next door, Julia tossed and turned, unable to sleep, a small smile creeping onto her face every so often.
Three in the morning.
Above Starlight City, four Flying-type Pokémon slipped through the dark night sky, carrying their riders into the city unseen.
"So this is Starlight City." A blond man wearing a golden Yamask mask looked down over the rooftops. "The Xia family lives here."
The mask was engraved with the number 10. Behind it stood Huxley — Jacob's old rival, and the president of the Dawn Society.
The other three riders also wore Yamask masks — one gold, two silver.
Gods Coffin-4, Shrine Guardian-4 Reserve, and Gods Coffin-10 Reserve.
"Today is China's Spring Festival — like your Christmas back home. Jacob should be at home tonight," Huxley said quietly, turning to Gods Coffin-4 beside him. "Are you certain you want to make your move here, in China?"
"We need someone with Jacob's talent for research." Gods Coffin-4's voice carried a cold, dangerous edge. "And if we can't take him alive, then we destroy him."
"Fine," Huxley said, spreading his hands. "It's your operation."
Gods Coffin-4 nodded. "Our goal tonight is to capture Jacob if we can. And stay alert — he has a Pokémon with him that fights like an Alakazam. Our own Priest-12 fell into his hands once already."
… … …