When Ash and the others returned to the dormitory lobby, everyone was smiling. What surprised Xia You, however, was that the contestant named Xiao Meng was with them too.
Huh?
What was going on?
Xia You quickly pulled Misty aside and quietly asked her why. Only then did he learn that after they parted that morning, Ash had already met and gotten acquainted with his opponent, Xiao Meng, before entering the arena.
Xiao Meng had come to provoke him, wanting to see before the match whether Ash was worthy of being her opponent.
As luck would have it, the Team Rocket Trio attacked just then, and through a coincidence, they captured Ash's Pikachu and Xiao Meng's Vulpix. Fortunately, Ash used his other Pokémon to defeat the Team Rocket Trio and rescued both Pikachu and Vulpix.
That act had undoubtedly won Xiao Meng's heart outright.
Even after Ash defeated her in their match, she bore him no resentment whatsoever. Instead, she admired him even more, which was why she kept clinging to him like this!
"So that's it." Hearing this, Xia You couldn't help laughing. "Looks like Ash is starting to have some luck with the ladies too!"
When he and Misty returned to the others, Xia You politely greeted Xiao Meng. Only then did Xiao Meng learn that Ash and Xia You were good friends.
With her right beside them, though, Xia You couldn't very well congratulate Ash, so he merely exchanged a few casual remarks.
In the end, when her clinging became too much to handle, Misty used a trip to the restroom as an excuse to lead Xiao Meng away, finally giving Xia You and Ash some breathing room.
"This is just too..." Xia You shook his head with a wry smile, leaving the rest unsaid. Instead, he