"Thank you for the hospitality. The food is very delicious."
Lillie put down the bowls and chopsticks with a satisfied look on her face. She did not expect that Xingye was not inferior to Mallow in terms of cooking. This was really surprising.
"Go back after eating. I have to repair the door later. Remember to take Vulpix with you."
Xingye scratched his hair. He no longer knew how many times his door had been broken, and it seemed that it was the guys downstairs who did it every time...
Several Pokémons had eaten and drank enough, but the Vulpix still didn't want to leave Lillie's side, which made her a little confused about what to do.
"Woo~"
"..."
Looking at the Venonat that kept rubbing against him intimately, Lillie pursed his lips, restrained himself from jumping away subconsciously, raised his head and looked at the opposite Xingye, and asked, "Can I ask you a favor?"
"Huh? Tell me."
"I want to foster this Vulpix with Odd Jobs, because as I am now... it's impossible to be its trainer, but I will come over and see it every day, so... is that okay?"
"..."
Xingye glanced at them and did not refuse. He nodded and agreed, "Then let's adapt slowly and cultivate feelings. I'm not here to help you, but more to help this child."
"Yeah!"
Lillie became happy again, then looked at Vulpix, ready to say goodbye.
She had to go back and prepare, and she also had to help with Odd Jobs Website's publicity matters.
Perhaps knowing that she was about to leave, Vulpix grabbed the corner of her skirt and made a "woohoo~" sound.
"... Don't worry, I will come again tomorrow. Just be obedient here."
"Woo..."
"I feel like I'm almost in kindergarten now."
Xingye saw this, shook his head, and then sent Lillie away from here with Cyclizar.
After arriving at the bus stop, to be on the safe side, he mentioned it again. "Don't just come here alone. When you come to Odd Jobs, send me a message and I will pick him up."
"Well, I'll trouble you then."
Lillie bent down slightly, nodded gratefully, and then said, "I can handle the website matter soon, Vulpix will leave it to you for now."
"Don't worry."
Xingye responded with a smile, and then watched the other party leave. Unexpectedly, he had experienced a lot today, but it was a good start for Odd Jobs.
"Let's go, let's go back too."
"Cyclizar~"
Things have stabilized like this. Although there is another Uproar guy in the family, under the care of Lillie who catches the first bus every day, he has gradually become familiar with everyone.
Vulpix can already move and eat normally without help from others, but it will only let down all its guard when it is around Lillie.
Xingye has already told Jenny about it, and the other party happily agreed after learning the situation.
However, Tandemaus needs to wait until the Chinese New Year before sending Paldea Region back. Those Pokémon who were rescued at the beginning will be sent back, and there are still some things that need to be investigated.
After Lillie learned about it, they were very reluctant to leave, but they had no choice. Moreover, Tandemaus also wanted to go back to their hometown, and they themselves were captured. Mousy also lived in a group, and there were many companions at Paldea waiting for them to go back.
But these are all things after the new year, and the end of the year has already arrived in the blink of an eye.
During this period of time, apart from helping two guests in the izakaya solve some minor troubles, I had no other commissions, but Odd Jobs's reputation finally gained some luster.
Occasionally, I can hear guests at the izakaya chatting about Odd Jobs, and some Pokémon passing by on the street will also look curiously at the Odd Jobs sign hanging on the second floor.
On the last day of the year, after many days, it started snowing again to suit the environment. Lillie did not come over today. It is said that she went home. She was just staying at Professor Burnet's house.
Vulpix was sitting on the guardrail in front of Odd Jobs, looking at the falling snowflakes in the sky. It was waiting for someone to appear, but it didn't arrive for a long time.
"Woo..."
Xingye appeared from behind, picked it up and said, "Okay, she said she would be back tomorrow afternoon. Today is the New Year, so be happy."
"Gengar~"
Gengar quietly appeared next to Vulpix, then smiled and took out his Last Resort gadget, handed it over, and comforted the other person by sharing it.
Seeing this, Vulpix turned around, jumped off the guardrail, and ran into the house. Gengar immediately followed behind and started chasing and fighting in the living room.
"You guys, please be quiet."
Xingye shouted with a smile, then grabbed the guardrail and looked sideways towards the street.
In the past few days, Kabukicho can clearly see that Pokémon has decreased a lot, and many stores have also suspended operations. Everyone has gone back to celebrate the New Year.
But these have nothing to do with the people who live in Kabukicho. They spend the Chinese New Year here and don't need to go anywhere else.
I never expected that such a lively day during the Chinese New Year would be the most deserted time of Kabukicho. It was really an indescribable feeling.
"It's deserted outside, we can just be lively by ourselves. After all, I'm not alone."
Xingye smiled lightly and was about to turn around and go back to the house when Delphox suddenly walked out from the stairs and approached with a smile.
"Huohu~"
"Huh?"
Xingye was slightly startled, not understanding what the other party was saying, but Slowking also appeared from behind and explained, "It wants lucky money from you, don't tell me you're not ready."
"What the hell?"
Xingye is even more confused, New Year's money? Is this a new word? I obviously know every word, but why can't I understand it when they are combined together?
"It's pocket money given by elders to younger ones. You've never received it, right? (laughs)"
As he said that, Slowking suddenly took out a handful of red envelopes and walked into the house. Xingye was stunned for a while, followed immediately, then looked at each other and stuffed one for each Pokémon.
"Cyclizar?"
Cyclizar opened the red envelope with a puzzled look on his face. Unexpectedly, there were a lot of bills inside. It suddenly became excited. Now Kabukicho can wait a few days for it to become lively again and go buy food.
Gengar, Vulpix, and Tandemaus all had their share. There were indeed a lot of money in the red envelope, which made Xingye a little jealous. He immediately turned around and asked, "Where's mine? I must have some too, right?"
"Don't worry, it's not a red envelope, but something else. I'll raise the rent for you, be happy."
"???"
"By the way, as the boss of Odd Jobs, your business is so good, so you must give more red envelopes to your employees and children than me. Don't hide it and pack one for Delphox."
"Huohu~"
Xingye:"???"
Where the hell did I get my business from? I couldn't even dream of finding any good material for my business, and no one told me that I would be given lucky money during the Chinese New Year. Can someone please give me one? I am also a child now!
After hearing Slowking's words, Cyclizar and the others looked over at the same time, with expectant faces, waiting for the big red envelope.
Feeling so many eyes on him, Xingye, who was completely unprepared, forced a smile, scratched his hair, and responded, "Then... is there any need to say that? Haha! It's definitely bigger than the red envelope you gave me!"
... This big guy has rarely learned how to save money, and he is going to fight all of them after this wave. But looking at the expectant eyes of these Pokémon, he can't refuse. If you don't have it, you must have it.
Seeing his appearance, Slowking nodded with great satisfaction. "It seems that I have indeed made a lot of money. Raising your rent is indeed the right decision."
"..."
Xingye I finally figured it out. This guy came here to make a comment on purpose. He must have been shot in the tail by an arrow a few days ago and is still thinking about it.
But at this moment, Slowking suddenly took out another red envelope and threw it to him, then turned around and walked outside, and said slowly, "You must work hard to earn rent for me in the coming year."
"..."
Looking at the red envelope that he suddenly got, Xingye was a little distracted for a moment. He didn't expect that he actually had it. When he opened it, he saw that it was the same as Cyclizar's. This was the first time in his life that he had received lucky money.
"If you want to give it, give it early. If you beat around the bush, I have to pay more than this... forget it, who made me the boss of this Odd Jobs? It's only right to give these guys some New Year's money."
In the evening, the snow in Hau'oli City got a little heavier, and the whole city was enveloped in the lively atmosphere of the New Year. Iki Town on the mountain was even more lively, holding the New Year's Eve Courtney party.
Kabukicho is relatively deserted, but what should be hung is also hung. The atmosphere of the New Year can also be seen here.
In Odd Jobs, Xingye and Pokémon are staying in the living room, eating hot pot and various dishes he carefully prepared. At the same time, they can also admire Snowscape outside the window through the drawn blinds.
Nae-chan came over in the afternoon, and stuffed a red envelope into all of them, and also gave some ingredients before leaving, which are just in use now.
Xingye found a good monitor screen in the second-hand market and hung it in the living room. When eating, you can use your mobile phone to cast the screen and watch videos.
At this moment, New Year's party programs from various regions are being played on the screen, and some even invite some very powerful trainers to participate.
For example, at the New Year's party in the Kanto area, I invited the World Championships champion Red, who was held at Galar this year, and then watched the other party on the stage without saying a word and only responded with "." It was an awkward silence.
Gengar and Cyclizar in front of the screen laughed when they saw this. Xingye didn't hold back. Tandemaus didn't understand what it was, but he also laughed.
Only Vulpix was among them, as if he had something on his mind. Then Xingye gently touched his head and comforted him, "Be happy, she definitely doesn't want to see you like this."
"Woo..."
At the same time, Alola is on an artificial island in the sea that is still under expansion.
The innermost luxurious mansion is illuminated by many lights and looks full of New Year atmosphere, but it seems unusually quiet...