In the residential quarters behind the Driftveil Gym.
The kitchen bustled with activity, filled with the sounds of sizzling, stir-frying, cooking, and deep-frying.
The atmosphere in the living room was strange. No one spoke.
Clay sat on the main sofa with his arms crossed, his unfriendly gaze shifting between his gentle, adorable daughter and the handsome boy he had just met.
Krookodile stood behind him like a bodyguard, lending an even more imposing air to the stern father's presence.
Xia Chi, the "punk" caught red-handed, remained perfectly calm and composed.
He had done nothing wrong. Acting guilty now would only make him look suspicious.
Still, he held back from saying anything quite as provocative as, "Hey, old man, I parked my Miraidon outside your Driftveil Gym!"
He might have been in the right, but there was no need to go looking for trouble, was there?
So, once the tension had eased a little, Xia Chi spoke first. "Uncle Clay, sorry for the trouble. This is my first visit, and I didn't let you know beforehand."
Clay's real name was not public information-or rather, Xia Chi had not specifically researched that before coming.
He could only address him according to Donghuang custom. It was better than not calling him anything.
Polite, but only just.
Clay still looked stern, but he finally spoke, sounding annoyed. "Clay isn't my surname. My name is Marlon."
Xia Chi readily corrected himself. "Sorry. Hello, Uncle Mar."
Seeing that Clay's gaze remained unfriendly, he seemed to finally catch on. "Uh, hello, Uncle Marlon!"
"Pfft."
Lacey could not help letting out a soft laugh beside him.
Xia Chi glanced at her.
Seriously, Lacey, is that really all it takes to make you laugh?
Clay gave his daughter a rather helpless look, finally unable to maintain his deliberately stern