Chapter 146: Disguised Egg Rice Bowl
Summer Quan and the receptionist stared at the monitor, utterly dumbfounded.
"You've got to be kidding," Summer muttered, swallowing nervously.
"This was somewhat expected," the receptionist said with a wry smile. "Didn't Mr. Lu sweep Tang Hui's team last time?"
"But still…"
"Hauunter?" (What are you two whispering about?) Haunter floated over with an air of authority, suspiciously eyeing the two of them.
They exchanged a glance before quickly bowing. "Take care! And be careful on the steps, Mr. Lu!"
Lu Ye froze. They weren't this friendly last time…
Haunter, acting serious, gave a firm nod before floating off, clutching two bottles of cola in its hands.
As they exited the training club, Erika's face flushed slightly. She tiptoed closer and whispered near Lu Ye's ear, "Teacher Lu, is there a restaurant nearby?"
The faint fragrance of her voice drifted over, but Lu Ye maintained his composure and nodded. They'd been busy all day—it was no surprise they were both hungry.
Lu Ye felt a spark of joy. Finally, an opportunity to cash in! "I'll cook dinner," he declared, clenching his fist. "Card, cash, or mobile payment all work!"
As the sun set, Erika walked gracefully in her kimono. Meanwhile, Lu Ye was deep in thought. Summarizing his day, he had first been outwitted by Erika with her Energy Ball TM, then somehow landed a 3-million-per-year teaching position...
While 3 million barely made a dent in his debt, spending a year gaining experience could help expand his gaming audience overseas. Not to mention, being closer to Sinnoh meant more opportunities to visit Cynthia.
"Not that it's the main reason," Lu Ye muttered to himself. "The real draw is experiencing Kanto's local culture."
"What do you want to eat?" Lu Ye asked upon arriving home.
Erika rested her cheek on her hand, thinking for a moment. "I'm fine with anything."
"Then I'll get creative," Lu Ye said, rolling up his sleeves as he headed to the kitchen.
In the living room, Haunter held the notebook for Energy Ball and sought Erika's guidance. "Hauunter?" it pointed at a line of text with a serious expression.
Erika was momentarily stunned. How… could Lu Ye's Pokémon train themselves? Even Red's Pokémon don't seem to have this kind of talent. Could it be some kind of exclusive training method?
Seeing Haunter's studious demeanor, Erika, as a teacher, became intrigued. "Well, Energy Ball is somewhat similar to Shadow Ball in principle," she explained, and began teaching with great detail.
In the kitchen, Lu Ye felt a sudden chill. This is Danger Sense!
Resisting the urge to burst into the living room, he forced a nervous laugh. "Haha, Erika's dependable. Haunter won't master it that quickly…"
CRACK! The sound of shattering walls echoed. Lu Ye flinched, nearly dropping his spatula.
Erika's voice called out in surprise, "Such astonishing progress!"
"Hauunter! Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ"
Eevee lounged on the sofa, watching the cracks spiderweb across the wall with interest. Maybe I can ask Haunter for tips on Shadow Ball too…
"What's going on out here?" Lu Ye asked nervously, holding a bowl as he stepped out of the kitchen. Seeing the web of cracks on the wall, he gasped.
Erika's cheeks still had a faint blush as she coughed lightly and said, "Haunter's talent is truly exceptional. Among my students, it's rare to find one like this. I merely asked it to try gathering energy, and I didn't expect it to progress so quickly!"
"Hauunter! (*≧▽≦)"
Lu Ye wore a strange expression. I know how talented you are, but do you have to scare me every few days?
"I apologize for the oversight," Erika said, standing to bow before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Wait a minute… You're laughing, aren't you?" Lu Ye muttered, bewildered.
"My apologies," Erika said, face slightly red. "It's just… teaching such gifted students is truly invigorating!"
Lu Ye studied her intently and sighed. You're definitely happy because my house is falling apart, aren't you? Gym Leaders from Celadon City—rotten to the core!
He pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. "Yes, same villa as last time. Please start repairs again. Thank you…"
After hanging up, he noticed Erika smiling. "If you use rare berries," she suggested, "Haunter's Energy Ball training will progress even faster."
His eyes lit up. Berries? Those can be exchanged through the system! "Not bad. You're finally saying something useful," he remarked.
Erika wrote a list of berries, and Lu Ye nodded frequently. Grass-types truly were budget-friendly allies—much cheaper than training for Shadow Ball.
"Vee…" Eevee suddenly jumped onto Lu Ye's shoulder, giving a pitiful whine.
"What now? You can't learn Energy Ball. What are you whining about?" Lu Ye said flatly.
"But Eevee can learn Shadow Ball," Erika chimed in. "It could train alongside Haunter."
"Vee! (≧ω≦)/" Eevee adorably nodded its little head.
Lu Ye and Squirtle froze simultaneously.
Squirtle: If they're learning new moves, when will I ever get to stand tall?
Lu Ye slumped into regret. "Why did I even pick up Erika from the airport?" He glanced at Squirtle, whose eyes glistened with tears. "You understand me, don't you, Squirtle?"
"Squirtle!" Squirtle nodded tearfully.
Lu Ye's eyes moistened. "In the end, it's just you and me left slacking, Squirtle!"
…
Dinner was Oyakodon—a Disguised Egg Rice Bowl. Rich chicken broth jelly melted over steaming pearl rice, blending with fluffy scrambled eggs. It was irresistibly appetizing.
"I'm starting!" Erika clasped her hands together elegantly, picking up her chopsticks. And then the bowl never left her face. As the savory broth coated her tongue, the eggs provided a meaty satisfaction.
Lu Ye coughed lightly to snap her out of her trance. "That'll be 50 yuan per bowl."
Startled, Erika placed her bowl down, wiped a grain of rice from her lips with her tongue, and blushed furiously. She held out her empty bowl with both hands and said shyly, "Another bowl, please!"
"Gladly," Lu Ye replied with a determined nod, hiding his dejection. Another 50 yuan earned… One step closer to clearing my debt!
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]