Chapter 75: Today's meal at Mr. Lu's house
The base ingredient was just a simple Oran Berry, yet the resulting Pokéblock was so perfect. Even someone like Cynthia had only seen such craftsmanship in the hands of Wallace, the champion of the Contest Hall. There was no need to discuss the quality—Garchomp was the best proof.
Cynthia unconsciously glanced at Lu Ye beside her. "You… made this yourself?"
Lu Ye glanced at the Oran Berry in Cynthia's hand, not hiding anything. "Yeah. It's been stored for a while; otherwise, the quality could've been even better."
Lucario, who was busy munching on a Pokéblock, suddenly stopped, looking stunned.
It could be… even tastier?
"Gengarr! (¯﹃¯)"
Haunter, remembering the freshly made Pokéblock, wiped away some drool.
"You used that machine to make it?" Cynthia raised an eyebrow, pointing at the old berry blender in the living room.
"Any issues with it?"
"No…"
Cynthia shook her head gently, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "I'm just… a bit surprised."
With such an old machine, Lu Ye could produce Pokéblocks of this quality. She had to admit—it was astonishing.
"Is it not suitable for your Pokémon?" Lu Ye's expression faltered. "When I tasted it—wait, I mean, when Haunter tasted it, he said it was great!"
Cynthia smiled softly. "On the contrary, it's too suitable."
Even specially tailored Pokéblocks hadn't satisfied Garchomp this well. Cynthia figured she understood why Teacher Lu was so frugal—or rather, poor. Crafting high-quality Pokéblocks was undoubtedly a massive expense.
Instead of spending money on luxury, Teacher Lu likely invested heavily in honing his craft. It was like Mr. Steel, a master of Apricorn crafting. Despite having world-class skills, his home was incredibly modest. For people like them, spending on things that truly mattered was the priority.
Simple food, simple living, and joy unchanged.
"Your Pokémon… are lucky to have such a good Trainer." Cynthia smiled.
"Don't call me a Trainer. I'm just their cook." Lu Ye sighed. "Have you eaten yet? I can make you some noodles."
The flight had landed at 10 in the morning, so Cynthia likely hadn't had lunch yet. If it were just Lu Ye, he'd make do with a Pecha Berry Pokéblock. But with a guest, proper hospitality was necessary.
Cynthia glanced around, noticing her Pokémon quietly enjoying the Pokéblocks with satisfaction. She nodded. "That would be great."
"Card or cash?"
"Hmm?"
"Just kidding." Lu Ye muttered under his breath, "But if you want to pay, I won't stop you…"
…
Cynthia's Glaceon stood gracefully by the windowsill. Haunter chuckled and floated over to say hello, but a cold glare from Glaceon sent him scurrying away.
The brash little Eevee hesitated upon seeing Glaceon…
She was too beautiful.
Eevee felt a pang of self-consciousness. Back in the mountains, Eevee never cared about such things. But since meeting Lu Ye and seeing the outside world, Eevee grew fearful.
Fearful of waking up one day and not seeing Lu Ye, or that Lu Ye might capture another Eevee. Eevee didn't have to worry about these things before. But once captured, there was always the risk of tears.
Eevee bared its teeth and glared fiercely at Glaceon by the windowsill. "Bui!"
Glaceon turned gracefully, her deep, icy-blue eyes calmly watching the timid Eevee. Then, she stepped closer, backing Eevee into a corner.
"B-Bui?"
Glaceon gently licked Eevee's fur, then smiled warmly.
"Bui!"
Blushing, Eevee bolted into the next room in a flash.
…
In the living room, Cynthia examined the large characters on a banner: "Master of Gynecology."
She cross-referenced the Wiki explanation and nodded, only half-understanding.
"Alright, time to eat!"
Lu Ye shouted while removing his apron. Garchomp, Lucario, Haunter, and the others immediately crowded around, their eyes fierce.
"Not you guys." Lu Ye chuckled awkwardly. "I'll make more Pokéblocks tonight. Don't worry!"
Hearing this, Cynthia's Pokémon nodded in satisfaction.
"Haunter! Why are you blending in with them?!"
"Gengarr?! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
What?! You noticed even this?!
Cynthia, arms crossed, walked over and asked curiously: "What does 'Master of Gynecology' mean?"
Lu Ye nearly spat out his water. But to maintain his image, he coughed and said, "W-What's that?"
"That banner… it seems important to you."
"Oh… I have some expertise in massage therapy, especially for women," Lu Ye fibbed.
Cynthia blinked. "I thought massage therapists were usually women."
"This is authentic Hong Kong-style acupressure—passed from father to son."
"Oh…" Cynthia nodded, though something felt off.
Maybe she should ask him for a massage? No, as a guest, that would be too much trouble.
She turned to the fragrant soba noodles on the table and blinked. "You made this?"
"Of course."
"You seem to know how to do everything."
"More or less… My uncle and I learned in Alola."
The authentic tempura soba combined dashi, mirin, and soy sauce, garnished with bonito flakes and kombu, and topped with golden, crispy shrimp tempura and chopped green onions. The rich aroma and crispy shrimp were irresistible.
Even Cynthia bit her lip slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her delicate face.
It looked… really delicious.
Lu Ye analyzed the data on his retina and nodded.
Yep, my cooking has leveled up again—no way I'll mess this up!
[Cooking Lv3: Improves your culinary skills, including knife work, ingredient selection, and heat control. (You're just one step away from being a Totsuki Elite Ten!)]
Garchomp and Lucario flanked Lu Ye's soba noodles, both gulping audibly.
Cynthia sat down gracefully, clasped her hands together, and said reverently, "Thank you for the meal."
Compared to ramen, soba broth was lighter, making flavor infusion more challenging. Cynthia gently sipped the broth with a spoon. Her eyes narrowed as a smile crept onto her lips.
The taste… was so familiar. Even better than her grandmother's cooking.
Crunch!
The crispy shrimp exploded with happiness, perfectly complementing the sake-infused broth. This was undoubtedly chef-level cuisine!
"This is delicious." Cynthia smiled.
Lu Ye guarded his soba from the drooling Haunter, fully focused on his meal. Lu Ye sighed in contentment.
This soba I made… is just too good!