During dinner, Erika and the five sisters chatted softly, and the atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful.
Xia You paid no attention to what they were discussing. He simply concentrated on the food before him, neither looking up nor joining their conversation, using this to avoid Xiaoyu's gaze.
The others, unaware of what had happened, noticed nothing unusual about his behavior. They simply assumed that was his personality and that he disliked this sort of socializing.
Then Sakura, the youngest sister sitting beside him, suddenly remembered something and asked the two of them, "Oh, right, Mr. Xia You, Miss Erika, since you're both from Kanto too, do you happen to know Ash and Misty?"
"Of course we do." Hearing those familiar names, Xia You could no longer pretend to be indifferent. He smiled. "They're both like younger siblings I'm very close to. Do you know them too?"
Sakura nodded. "We met at a pastry shop before. They came to our tea party with Brock, and afterward, we defeated Team Rocket together. All three of them are easy to get along with, and we became friends. Oh, right, I also remember Misty saying she seemed to have an older sister with the same name as me!"
Xia You was not surprised that Ash and his friends were on good terms with the Ecruteak Five too.
After all, with their personalities and plot armor, plus Team Rocket's help, they could make friends with anyone.
"That's true." Xia You smiled. "And the Miss Sakura I know isn't just a Gym Leader. She's also skilled at Water Ballet performances. Their shows are very popular in Cerulean City. If I had to make a comparison, they're loved by the locals just like you are!"
Xiaojuan and the others exchanged glances, a hint of surprise in their