Go for It, Single Guy

When Hu Bin and Vulpix arrived at the mall, they stared at the bustling crowds, a little dazed. Morning really was the busiest time for working folks!

Before long, Hu Bin's two friends finally arrived with their Pokémon. Almost immediately, however, their eyes shifted away from Hu Bin's face and landed on the white, cotton-candy-like Vulpix beside him.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! Binbin, you've got some serious connections! You actually got your hands on a Pokémon as precious as Vulpix! They're practically unheard of around here!" The speaker was one of Hu Bin's friends, Wu Jin. He looked skinny and frail, but he was an athlete through and through.

"Yeah, seriously! I'm so jealous!" That was Hu Bin's other friend, Liu Yi. His family was fairly well-off, making him something of a rich kid, but he was also a lazybones. He spent almost every day either eating or lying around, so he was a little on the chubby side.

Hearing his friends praise his little darling, Hu Bin looked even smugger. "Oh, it's nothing, really. After all, Pokémon take after their owners!"

Wu Jin and Liu Yi gave him looks of utter disdain. "Pfft!"

Ignoring their disdain, Hu Bin looked straight past them at the Pokémon behind them. Wu Jin had a sturdy-looking Machop, while Liu Yi had a rather lazy-looking Munchlax.

Hu Bin sighed inwardly. Pokémon really did take after their owners!

Wu Jin and Liu Yi introduced their Pokémon, and both Machop and Munchlax greeted Hu Bin and Vulpix warmly.

When it was Vulpix's turn to be introduced, Wu Jin, Liu Yi, Machop, and Munchlax all practically had hearts in their eyes. They were clearly head over heels for Vulpix. Frightened, Vulpix hurried behind Hu Bin and peeked out timidly.

Hu Bin hastily scooped Vulpix into his arms as well, shielding the little Pokémon from his friends and their Pokémon's gazes.

"Stop looking at Vulpix like you're up to no good!" Hu Bin snapped. "You're scaring my little darling!"

At his words, Wu Jin, Liu Yi, Machop, and Munchlax all scratched their heads sheepishly.

Soon, Hu Bin and his friends headed into the mall, ready for a shopping spree.

An hour later, Hu Bin and the others were carrying armfuls of their spoils. Even Machop and Munchlax had several large bags in their hands.

Seeing Machop and the others helping their owners carry things, Vulpix refused to be left out and pestered Hu Bin, wanting to help him too.

"Vul, vul!" Master, I want to help too! I want to carry things!

With Vulpix insisting so stubbornly, Hu Bin could only hand over a relatively light bag to carry between those little jaws. Only then was Vulpix satisfied.

Vulpix followed behind him, happily wagging those little tails.

Soon, they brought everything over to Liu Yi's house. Since they would be relying on Liu Yi to drive them to the campsite tomorrow, Hu Bin and the others decided to leave their purchases at his place first.

The moment they arrived, Hu Bin and Wu Jin were overcome with envy. Liu Yi lived in a huge villa, and there was even a battle court in the courtyard outside. The lives of the rich really were hard to imagine!

Once they entered Liu Yi's house, a butler sorted their purchases and served them tea and exquisite-looking desserts. There were treats for the Pokémon too.

Hu Bin was positively green with envy now. A life like this—tsk, tsk. How could anyone live so comfortably?

Then Hu Bin, Wu Jin, and Liu Yi began their little tea party, chatting about amusing things that had happened lately.

Machop and Munchlax also ran over to little Vulpix, hoping to get acquainted. Unfortunately, the little foodie had no self-control around delicious food and had no time to spare for them.

Meanwhile, the boys' chat got underway.

"Binbin! Our high school days are almost over, and we'll be heading off to college soon. Then we can... heh heh!" Liu Yi's grin was a little sleazy, and Wu Jin started laughing beside him too.

"College is college. What's with that creepy grin?" Seeing his friends like this made Hu Bin's hair stand on end.

Wu Jin grew impatient. "Binbin! You're missing the point! Think about it. What's the first thing we should do once we get to college?"

"Join the college team and compete in Pokémon tournaments, of course!" Hu Bin declared enthusiastically.

Liu Yi and Wu Jin were instantly speechless. They stared at Hu Bin, at a complete loss for words.

Their expressions left Hu Bin puzzled. "Was I wrong?"

Refusing to give up, Wu Jin asked, "Then, besides that, what else should we do?"

Hu Bin thought for a moment before answering, "Catch more Pokémon!"

Liu Yi and Wu Jin rubbed their foreheads and sighed.

Wu Jin slapped his thigh and said loudly, "Hu Bin, you really don't get it! College is such a wonderful place. There'll obviously be loads of pretty girls! Wouldn't it be great to find yourself a girlfriend?"

Liu Yi immediately chimed in. "Exactly! A girlfriend! Don't you want one, Pokémon Trainer? A Pokémon Trainer needs both training and a home, and that home needs a girlfriend too!"

Looking at his two increasingly worked-up friends, Hu Bin admitted he was getting a little nervous!

"Uh, it's summer already. Spring is long gone, so why are you two suddenly in heat?"

Wu Jin and Liu Yi pointed at Hu Bin and said miserably, "For people like us, who've been single since birth for eighteen whole years, every day is spring! Watching our classmates pair up makes us want a sweet romance too."

His friends' words struck Hu Bin right in the heart, and he instantly joined them in their gloom.

Yeah, we've lived this long, and never mind girlfriends—we barely even have female friends. We're going to be Pokémon Trainers, not drivers. We don't need cars and our own hands. I want to know what it feels like to have a girlfriend and Pokémon by my side too.

The three silently looked at one another, a blazing fire now burning in their hearts. They had finally settled on their goals for college.

Hu Bin thought to himself, My college goals are to join the college team, catch Pokémon, win championships, and get a cute girlfriend!!! At that last part, he began wildly waving flags and cheering in his mind.

"Ding! The host's dedication to his goals has deeply moved the system. The system has unlocked a chain quest for the host, with plentiful rewards upon completion. The objectives are the very goals the host just set in his heart. Completing any one of them will earn a reward! Go for it, single guy!"

Hu Bin's face darkened when he heard the system. "You're the single guy! Why are you such a jerk? And why are you handing out quests so casually?"