Chapter 44: Mr. Lu's Late Night Canteen
Within 10 minutes of Teacher Lu's new video going live, the comment section exploded.
"Grandpa, your favorite content creator uploaded a new video!"
"Off-topic series from the UP creator again??"
"Holy shit, late-night sabotage!"
"Posting a food video at this hour? Have some humanity!"
"No way, does this food actually glow?!"
Fans who had metaphorically "moved into" Bilibili spotted Teacher Lu's new video immediately. They clicked on it with mixed feelings, expecting another one of his cheeky antics, secretly hoping he was okay. But no one expected what they saw: Teacher Lu… had pivoted to being a food vlogger?!
Switching careers was surprising enough, but who uploads at 1 a.m.? And the food? It looked shockingly legit. Golden roasted meat paired with thick, rich broth, accentuated by a gentle filter and soothing background music.
"Holy shit, I can't take this hunger!"
"Why did I think it was a good idea to watch this at night?"
"Teacher Lu, you're bankrupting us!"
Beyond the irresistible plating of the roast, Gastly's eating spree became a major highlight. Its ravenous behavior had viewers gulping involuntarily as the fragrant steam seemed to waft out of the screen. As Gastly devoured the meal, viewers endured 5 full minutes of torment, only for Teacher Lu to bring out another portion for himself.
"I have never seen such shamelessness in my life!"
"Rename the video to: Torture Rewind."
"Okay, but seriously, Teacher Lu's cooking skills look legit."
From a professional angle, no one could critique his cooking techniques. For a gaming streamer, his culinary prowess blew fans away.
This also marked Teacher Lu's first on-camera appearance in one of his videos. Long fingers, a focused side profile while cooking, accompanied by the soft, comforting BGM…
"Why am I suddenly emotional watching this?"
"Wait, who is this handsome guy? Bring the streamer back!"
From the cooking tutorial to the videography and editing, the video was flawless. Adopting a style reminiscent of the alternate-world show Midnight Diner, it avoided flashy gimmicks in favor of a magnetic voice-over. Predictably, this approach would spark a wave of food vlogging imitators in Bilibili's lifestyle section.
The biggest surprise, however, came in the video's final segment. As Gastly licked the plate clean with a look of pure satisfaction, it suddenly evolved!
Food that could trigger Pokémon evolution? Was this a new breakthrough in evolution studies?
"Bro, I'm speechless. There's this kind of evolution?"
"Could Teacher Lu secretly be a Pokémon Breeder?!"
In the Pokémon World, certain chefs among Breeders were known to use food to nurture Pokémon, such as Sinnoh's Poffins or Galar's Max Soup and curry. Culinary nurturing was a documented fact. But… wasn't Teacher Lu a tactics master? How did he end up as a Breeder?!
"So this is what it's like to be extraordinary, huh?"
"Good looks aside, he can cook too?"
"Teacher Lu, you're amazing, love you!"
Pewter City, Gray Badge Gym
After putting his younger siblings to bed, it was late into the night. The sturdy-faced man stretched and smiled at his younger brother.
"Good work tonight, Jirō. Go get some rest."
Jirō, who bore a 70% resemblance to Brock, nodded and walked toward the door but stopped, turning back to say earnestly, "You too, Brother."
"Don't be silly." Brock chuckled, patting Jirō's head. "This is my duty, after all."
Despite his Gym Leader recognition within the Kanto League, Brock's salary barely covered the needs of his 9 siblings. In addition to being a Gym Leader, he worked as a security guard at Pewter City Museum, where he also acquired his Kabutops. On top of everything else, Brock was a skilled Pokémon Breeder.
Sitting at his computer, Brock resumed his nightly study of breeding techniques but was distracted by a trending video.
"Midnight Diner? Is this a cooking video?" Brock muttered, clicking out of curiosity. The "Breeder" tag caught his attention.
"Using food to nurture Pokémon?"
Breeders, also known as Caretakers, encompassed various roles, including egg hatching, grooming, and cooking. Even trainers like Gold, Green, and Diamond from Sinnoh were considered Breeders in their own ways.
With his usual seriousness, Brock focused on the video's cooking process. While the techniques seemed slightly amateurish, they were fundamentally flawless. The final scene, where Gastly evolved, widened Brock's eyes.
"Attention-seeking gimmick?"
"No, Gastly did evolve from the food."
Brock stroked his chin in thought.
"Was it the emotion imbued in the meal, or some other nurturing method?"
In this world, emotional energy was a mystical yet real phenomenon. Powers like Viridian Force and Bond Energy stemmed from this source. Gastly's high closeness to its trainer, paired with the trainer's handmade dish, seemed to have catalyzed its evolution.
"What an… outstanding Breeder," Brock murmured with a faint smile.
A true Breeder possessed a deep love for Pokémon, and this video alone earned Brock's respect for Teacher Lu.
Straightening his posture, Brock clenched his fists, his face serious. This was a mutual recognition between two men, two Breeders. After careful deliberation, Brock composed a private message to Teacher Lu.
Rock-Solid: Hello.
After half an hour of silence…
Lu Ye, having just finished his instant noodles, returned to find he'd lost over 30,000 followers.
"Damn, that's harsh!" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought the video turned out pretty well!"
Thankfully, the follower count was slowly climbing again. Completely unbothered, Lu Ye compulsively checked his inbox to clear all the unread notifications. One particular username stood out: Rock-Solid.
The profile's badge was a gray, octagonal design—Pewter City's Rock-type Gym insignia.
Lu Ye twitched at the sight of the muscular, squinty-eyed man in the profile picture.
"One more weirdo in my life won't hurt." Lu Ye sighed, typing back.
Teacher Lu: Yo. Join the group!