Coming downstairs, Fang Yan saw Shauna and Petilil and the others leaning over the counter, staring motionlessly at the flowers in the vase.
"What's wrong?"
Fang Yan walked over and asked.
Shauna looked away from the flowers and turned to Fang Yan.
"Uncle, do you like flowers?"
Fang Yan was a little puzzled. Then he looked at the flowers Shauna had given him and nodded.
"I do."
Shauna thought for a moment after hearing that, then asked:
"Then... Uncle, can I plant some flowers in the backyard? Just a tiny patch will do."
Shauna made a tiny gesture with her tiny hands.
Seeing her gesture so carefully with her little hands, Fang Yan couldn't help laughing.
"All right, then. Pick a spot, and I'll plant them with you."
"No!"
Shauna refused on the spot.
Fang Yan froze, his eyes widening. "Wh... why?"
"Because I want to do it myself. That way, I can give the flowers I grow to the people and Pokémon I like."
Shauna's little face was serious as she said, "When the flowers grow, I want to give them to Mommy and Daddy, you, Sister Cynthia, Sister Xiaoye, Sister Xiaoshui, Sister Xia Lan, and Gengar and the others."
"That's why I want to do it myself. Please, Uncle?"
Shauna tilted her head up, holding Fang Yan's hand in both of hers and shaking it back and forth.
How could Fang Yan refuse her like that? Still, he said, "Then you have to let Gengar and the others help. Otherwise, I can't agree."
Shauna thought for a moment, then nodded and agreed in a clear, bright voice.
"Okay."
Afterward, he took Shauna to the backyard and marked off a patch according to her wishes. It happened to be not far from the afternoon tea area.
According to her, she planned to border a patch with stones, then plant pretty flowers inside it.
Hearing that stones would need to be moved, Fang Yan looked at Gengar and the others before nodding.
Although she wouldn't let him help, there probably wouldn't be much trouble with Gengar and the others around.
Then Fang Yan used something to mark out the patch, so Shauna could get to work herself when the time came.
Once everything was settled, he played with Shauna for a while. Seeing that no customers were coming, he closed the Pokémon Day Care and began preparing dinner.
After dinner, once Shauna had bathed on her own and put her clothes in the washing machine herself, Fang Yan took out a hair dryer and dried her hair, then let her play with Chingling and the others in her room.
This time, though, Chingling, Petilil, Mime Jr., and Vulpix were in her room. They would sleep with Shauna tonight.
Once again, only Fang Yan and Gengar remained in his room.
Lying in bed, Fang Yan opened the chat.
Fang Yan: You were so cool today!
Cynthia: I'm the Champion.
Fang Yan: All right, Champion Cynthia.
Cynthia: Cynthia.
Fang Yan: All right, Champion Cynthia.
After chatting a little longer, Fang Yan stopped disturbing Cynthia at work and opened his phone to scroll through short videos.
"Gengar?"
Gengar poked half his body out of the ceiling and looked into the distance through the balcony.
"What's wrong, Gengar?"
Fang Yan followed Gengar's gaze. The distant sky was a vivid, fiery red.
"What's this?"
Looking at the distant sky, Fang Yan stepped onto the balcony.
"Ves!!"
Vespiquen's cry rang throughout the Pokémon Day Care's backyard.
Dali and the others rushed over immediately.
Fang Yan hurried to Shauna's room and knocked on her door.
As soon as Shauna opened it, Fang Yan said to her solemnly:
"Shauna, stay hidden in your room for now. Stay in here with Chingling, Petilil, and the others. Something's happened outside, and I'm going to take a look. Remember, don't open the door unless you hear my voice, understand?"
Seeing Fang Yan's serious expression, Shauna nodded obediently.
As Fang Yan turned to leave, Shauna called after him, "Uncle, be careful."
Fang Yan turned back and smiled, then took Gengar downstairs and ran toward Vespiquen.
He had just spotted people breaking into the Pokémon Day Care's backyard from the balcony.
By the forest area, two uniformed men were directing Golbat to engage Vespiquen, while Dali and the others were tied up fighting Skuntank and Toxicroak.
Vespiquen was struggling to hold out against the two Golbat.
Dali punched the Toxicroak in front of him back, only to take a surprise Wing Attack from a Golbat head-on and cry out in pain.
"Vespiquen, dodge, then use Air Slash."
Vespiquen dodged the Fire Fang coming at her, then fired an Air Slash at Golbat.
With lightning speed, Gengar inflicted Will-O-Wisp on Skuntank and Toxicroak.
After the brief exchange, Vespiquen and the others gathered in front of Fang Yan, watching the two men opposite them intently.
The two men frowned when they saw Fang Yan, too.
"Are you the owner here?"
One of the men called out to Fang Yan.
Fang Yan didn't answer. He stared intently at the two of them, taking in their familiar outfits.
"Pokémon Hunters."
An organization that took commissions to capture Pokémon for sale.
Now he knew what the glass dome that had fallen from the sky last night was: equipment they used to imprison Pokémon.
He looked toward the distant forest. The fire was beginning to spread.
"Did you start that fire?"
Hearing Fang Yan's question, the two exchanged a glance, then immediately ordered their Pokémon to attack.
Dali and the others met them head-on.
Watching the flames grow larger and larger, Fang Yan cursed loudly in his heart.
You shitty cheat, would it kill you to spell things out?
Staravia flew over from the distance.
"Staravia, give me a hand! Brave Bird!"
Staravia climbed higher, then, covered in light, plunged straight toward Toxicroak at tremendous speed. With the boost from Reckless, Toxicroak was knocked out outright.
The remaining Skuntank was also defeated by Dali and the others.
Fang Yan gave Gengar a look, and Gengar vanished.
As the two Pokémon Hunters fled, Gengar appeared in front of them, his eyes glowing with a strange light.
A point-blank Hypnosis-a perfect hit.
The two Pokémon Hunters collapsed on the spot, falling fast asleep.
Fang Yan took out the thick rope his cheat had given him, tied them to a tree, and took all their Poké Balls. Once he had finished, he looked toward the distant forest.
The fire blazed fiercely.
He felt his pockets. He hadn't brought his phone. After asking San Li to return to the Pokémon Day Care, Fang Yan gritted his teeth.
"Gengar, let's go take a look."
Then he ran toward the forest area with Gengar and the others.
In Shauna's room at the Pokémon Day Care, Shauna sat at the head of her bed, holding Petilil and trembling.
"Ching-ching~"
Shauna turned toward Chingling. Chingling opened the door for San Li, who was holding Fang Yan's phone.
Shauna's eyes lit up. She took Fang Yan's phone and dialed Officer Jenny's number.
Meanwhile, at the forest entrance, Fang Yan stared in stunned surprise at the woman riding a Salamence in the air.
"Surely I can't be this unlucky?"
Glasses, a Salamence mount, and short silver hair.
Pokémon Hunters J.