“She’s my friend,” Hinoa explained casually.
“Your friend?” Yomogi looked at Hinoa with an expression that clearly said she understood everything.
“Stop teasing me. Bring out your best Rabbit Dango. I’m treating someone to dinner today.” Hinoa rubbed Yomogi’s head and said helplessly.
“Got it, Sister Hinoa.” Yomogi covered her mouth with a giggle before running off.
“Have a seat, Zhang Tian.” Hinoa led Zhang Tian to a table inside the shop.
“Zhang Tian, thank you for the game console.”
“You have no idea how boring my job can be. Normally, aside from staring into space, there’s practically nothing for me to do.”
“But now that I have the game console, I finally have something to pass the time.”
Hinoa spoke with genuine gratitude.
“You don’t have to thank me so much, Hinoa.”
“Aren’t you treating me to dinner too?” Zhang Tian smiled and waved his hand dismissively.
“That’s different.”
Hinoa shook her head and took a flower chain from her clothes before handing it to Zhang Tian.
“I made this flower chain myself. If you encounter a Firebird during a hunt, it will temporarily increase your strength.”
“I hope it will be useful to you.” Hinoa smiled.
“Now this is something good. Thanks, Hinoa.”
Zhang Tian nodded, accepted the flower chain, and put it around his left wrist.
“You don’t have to thank me. Even if I hadn’t given it to you, the Village Chief would have found an opportunity to give you another flower chain. After all, you’re a resident Hunter.”
“Sister Hinoa! Sister Hinoa’s boyfriend! Your Rabbit Dango are here!”
Yomogi came over carrying a large tray of food, grinning as she spoke.
“He’s not my boyfriend yet!” Hinoa’s face turned slightly red, and she looked embarrassed.
“Not yet? So that means he will be your boyfriend in the future?”
“Haha!”
With a mischievous smile, Yomogi placed the food on the table.
“Big Brother, do you like Sister Hinoa?”
Yomogi looked at Zhang Tian and blinked playfully.
At her question, Hinoa’s face became even redder.
“Of course I do. There’s an old saying from my hometown: ‘A fine girl is a gentleman’s desire.'”
“Hinoa is beautiful, she has a wonderful personality, and she’s strong too. Someone as outstanding as her is naturally someone I like.”
Zhang Tian laughed heartily and openly expressed his thoughts.
“That’s right! Good for you! If you like someone, you should just say it boldly!”
Yomogi clapped her hands excitedly.
“Enough. Let’s eat.”
Hinoa lowered her head, her ears bright red.
“She didn’t run away or get angry. Looks like she doesn’t dislike me. There’s still a chance.”
Looking at Hinoa, Zhang Tian silently thought to himself.
Zhang Tian smiled at her.
“Of course!”
Yomogi nodded and turned to leave.
There was a limit to how much teasing was appropriate, so Zhang Tian deliberately gave Yomogi a small excuse to leave, giving Hinoa a chance to recover from her embarrassment.
“All right, Hinoa. Let’s eat.”
Zhang Tian looked at Hinoa as he spoke.
He picked up one of the Dango with a bamboo skewer and popped it into his mouth.
It had an apple flavor and was wonderfully sweet.
“Delicious.”
Zhang Tian chewed thoughtfully before nodding in satisfaction.
Seeing him start eating, Hinoa let out a quiet sigh of relief before picking up a Dango of her own.
With the delicious food taking her mind off things, Hinoa gradually relaxed and was no longer as nervous as before.
“Zhang Tian, were you injured when you hunted the Tetranadon today?”
Hinoa picked up a Dango and looked at him.
“I wasn’t injured. There was just a little incident. I ran into a Blood Orange Bishaten, but things turned out well in the end. I managed to subdue it.”
Zhang Tian shook his head slightly.
“That’s amazing. You actually managed to subdue a Blood Orange Bishaten.”
“With your current strength, you’re already comparable to a mid-level Hunter.”
“The ecological position of a Blood Orange Bishaten is no lower than that of a Rathian. I have quite a few Rathian quests here. Would you like to take one?”
Hinoa chewed her Dango, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she asked.
“Not for now. I want to rest for a few days.”
Zhang Tian shook his head and declined.
He would be taking his exam in five days.
Where would he find the time to hunt a Rathian?
Besides, the Tetranadon meat he had brought back would be enough to eat for more than ten days, so there was no need to rush.
Develop quietly and don’t take unnecessary risks.
He hadn’t forgotten that principle.
“Your drinks are here!”
Yomogi came walking over with the drinks and placed one in front of Zhang Tian and another in front of Hinoa.
“Sister Hinoa, Sister Hinoa’s boyfriend, please enjoy yourselves. I’ll take my leave first.”
Yomogi apologized with a smile, gave them a small bow, and then ran off.
“Another customer just arrived. Yomogi really is busy.”
Zhang Tian looked toward a Hunter who had just entered the shop and couldn’t help but comment.
“Yomogi’s Rabbit Dango are very famous. So whether they’re Hunters from other places or local Hunters, everyone likes coming here to have a serving.”
Then she looked at Zhang Tian somewhat shyly, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.
“Um… you haven’t finished the story about Hou Yi Shooting the Suns yet. Could you continue it?”
“Of course!”
Zhang Tian nodded.
He hadn’t expected Hinoa to enjoy listening to stories this much.
Nothing like this had ever been mentioned in the game’s setting.
Apparently, no matter how detailed a game was, it still couldn’t describe everything about the reality of its world.
“I’m stuffed! Today was really fun!”
After eating her fill and listening to several more stories, Hinoa left Yomogi’s Dango Shop completely satisfied.
“See you later, Zhang Tian.”
“I’m heading home. My younger sister is still waiting for me.”
Hinoa turned around and waved goodbye to Zhang Tian.
“See you next time. Next time, I’ll treat you to some specialties from my hometown.”
Zhang Tian nodded and waved back.
“Time to go home.”
Zhang Tian stretched lazily before heading toward his own house.
…
Five days later, 6:00 a.m.
Zhang Tian climbed out of bed and began getting ready.
Today was the day of his exam, so he had gotten up early to prepare.
Normally, he would have slept until at least eight o’clock.
After five days of training, both Zhang Tian and his Pokémon had grown stronger.
Zhang Tian, Vigorwasp, Pidgeot, and Great Izuchi had all reached Level 39.
Meanwhile, Tobi-Kadachi and Arzuros had reached Level 40, officially stepping into Gym Leader Class.
As for Blood Orange Bishaten, its level remained unchanged at Level 47, although it was already close to breaking through to Level 48.
After finishing his preparations, Zhang Tian locked the door tightly and activated his travel ability.
He appeared in the living room of his old countryside home.
“Traveling Trainer, here I come!”
Zhang Tian pumped his fist excitedly before walking out of the living room and into the yard.
“Pidgeot, let’s go.”
Zhang Tian threw a Poké Ball, and Pidgeot appeared in response.
Zhang Tian immediately jumped up and landed on Pidgeot’s back.
“Squawk!”
With a loud cry, Pidgeot carried Zhang Tian into the sky and flew toward the school.
“Pidgeot!”
A middle-school student walking along the road looked up at the Pidgeot streaking across the sky, his face filled with envy.