"Pikachu, are you all right?"
Lu Sheng saw all the Pokémon that had fallen into the water being brought up.
Pikachu shook the water off its body and chirped a few times, indicating that all of them had been rescued.
"Da nah~"
Bulbasaur comforted the Pokémon that had fallen into the water. It now had the demeanor of an elder brother.
After all, every Pokémon listened to it, not just because Bulbasaur was very strong, but mainly because it always cared about the Pokémon living in Pokémon Village.
"Mission complete: Resolve the crisis in Pokémon Village and prevent persecution by Team Rockets!"
"Mission Reward: Xiao Cui's favorability increased, Bulbasaur's favorability increased!"
Killing two birds with one stone, the system's prompt sounded in Lu Sheng's mind.
"Lu Sheng, are you okay?" Xiao Xia looked at the somewhat dazed Lu Sheng, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, scanning his entire body.
"My swimming skills were learned from you all, so what could be wrong?"
"That's true!"
"Mainly, it's because you four teachers taught so well."
"Ha, not at all, it's just that you have good talent and learn everything quickly!"
"I hope to have deeper exchanges with the four teachers in the future!"
Lu Sheng and Xiao Xia exchanged some polite flattery.
At this moment, Xiao Cui, having changed into a simple outfit, emerged from the wooden house.
Her features were delicate and pretty, a smile played on her lips, and her sparkling eyes were very lively.
She was dressed very simply and neatly, no longer in the overalls from before, but in a women's shirt, the hem tucked into her waistband, outlining her slender waist and full chest.
"Your clothes are wet too, go inside and change!"
Xiao Cui's face still held a hint of redness. She glanced at Lu Sheng's clothes, which were damp and clinging tightly to his body.
Lu Sheng was strong and muscular, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt that clung to his body, revealing his smooth and firm muscle lines.
She also noticed Lu Sheng's 'focus point' and, recalling her earlier embarrassment, her face flushed even more. She spoke to Lu Sheng in a soft voice.
"She's gotten shy!"
Hearing Xiao Cui's soft voice, Lu Sheng glanced at her, but Xiao Cui, meeting his gaze, quickly looked away, too embarrassed to make eye contact with Lu Sheng.
Lu Sheng entered the wooden house with his backpack.
Seeing many things related to Pokémon, such as Pokémon food and medical supplies, Lu Sheng admired Xiao Cui. A girl like her could take care of so many Pokémon, and those Pokémon were even abandoned by others. She treated all Pokémon equally.
How could those three guys from Team Rockets have the nerve to bully such a kind girl?
Lu Sheng fiercely disdained the Team Rocket Trio. He decided to protect Xiao Cui well and help her manage Pokémon Village.
After quickly changing his clothes, Lu Sheng walked out of the wooden house.
Xiao Cui and the Pokémon had already cleaned up the surrounding mess, while Xiao Xia, having finished her tasks, was now eyeing the iron pot where food was being cooked.
"Don't!"
Lu Sheng grabbed Xiao Xia's wrist.
Xiao Xia looked at him in confusion.
"You are the future Gym Leader of Cerulean Gym, how can I let you do things like cooking?"
"Hmm... I want to try!"
Although Lu Sheng made a good point, Xiao Xia was still a little interested in cooking.
"Be good, let's not try!"
"Trying means dying..." Lu Sheng inwardly grumbled. Xiao Xia's cooking was notoriously terrible; anyone who dared to let her try would surely die!
Even Lu Sheng, with his super physique, was filled with dread at Xiao Xia's dark cuisine. He couldn't withstand the magical damage.
"Are you looking down on my cooking skills?"
Xiao Xia puffed out her cheeks, looking at the sincere-faced Lu Sheng.
"No!" Lu Sheng absolutely denied it.
Xiao Xia huffed, then walked over to talk to Oddish.
"Lu... Lu Sheng, let me do it later!"
Xiao Cui said softly, her face red.
"It's okay, my cooking is quite good."
Lu Sheng had learned from Delia. He and Delia learned in the kitchen, and although the learning process was a bit exhausting, his cooking skills naturally improved a lot under Delia's diligent guidance.
Did they really think he wasn't studious?
Seeing this, Xiao Cui helped bandage the Pokémon's wounds.
Pikachu also went to help.
Traveling with Xiao Xia, Lu Sheng always did the cooking, and his culinary skills had even conquered Xiao Xia.
Bulbasaur watched Lu Sheng cook, and occasionally fed Pikachu and Oddish. Its eyes gleamed with a strange light. Just now, he had driven away those bad guys and even jumped into the river to save Xiao Cui. Now, they were helping to cook and bandage their companions' wounds.
After much thought, unknowingly, Lu Sheng's image in its heart gradually grew taller.
The wariness it had felt towards Lu Sheng earlier was gone, replaced by a good deal of favorability.
Soon, dinner was ready.
All the Pokémon gathered around, eating dinner together.
Pikachu's food always had an extra serving of ketchup, making it happily squint its eyes as it ate.
"It's delicious, Lu Sheng, your cooking is excellent!" Xiao Cui took a bite, her sparkling eyes showing a hint of surprise as she praised him repeatedly.
"Just average, just average!" Lu Sheng was a humble person.
Then he felt Bulbasaur's gaze, looked over, and asked, "What's wrong? Is the taste not right?"
"Da nah!"
Bulbasaur turned its head and quietly ate its food.
Meanwhile, Xiao Cui, chatting with Xiao Xia, learned that Lu Sheng wanted to catch Bulbasaur. She had been with Bulbasaur for so long that she generally knew its situation: it felt Lu Sheng was very good and was willing to become Lu Sheng's Pokémon, but wouldn't actively say so.
She decided to help.
"Lu Sheng, you can take Bulbasaur with you. It sacrificed itself to help the weak Pokémon here, but if it continues to stay, it will become a frog in a well. It won't help it, nor will it grow. Since you want Bulbasaur, I hope you can take it out of here to see the outside world!"
Xiao Cui walked over to Bulbasaur, gently stroking the seed on its back, her voice soft.
"I'd really like to, but I don't know if Bulbasaur is willing to come with me?" Lu Sheng smiled, looking at Bulbasaur.
"Da nah, da nah da nah!"
Bulbasaur glanced at Lu Sheng and spoke to Xiao Cui.
"It says it can go with you, but you have to defeat it first!"
Xiao Cui understood Bulbasaur's words.
"No problem!"
Full and satisfied, time for battle!
The battle between Pikachu and Bulbasaur, which hadn't ended earlier, resumed.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
Pikachu charged first, dodged Bulbasaur's Vine Whip, and head-butted it back a short distance.
"Da nah!"
Bulbasaur then used Razor Leaf, and Pikachu countered with Thunderbolt, hitting Bulbasaur in the process.
Snap!
Bulbasaur withstood the Thunderbolt, extended its Vine Whip, grabbed Pikachu, and tried to pull Pikachu in.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Bulbasaur just like that!"
Using the pulling force from Bulbasaur, Pikachu swung its tail and struck Bulbasaur.
Bang!
Bulbasaur flew out, losing its ability to battle.
Now!
Lu Sheng threw out a Poké Ball.