Yushu led the way to the cabin. The kitchen was fairly well equipped.
The stove was an old-fashioned gas model. There were some vegetables and eggs in the fridge, noodles in the cupboard, and a few basic seasonings, all brought over by Zongping.
Thank you, Uncle Zongping!
Yushu tied on an apron and started cooking. Something simple would do.
Tomato and egg noodles.
An essential skill for any single corporate slave: simple, quick, delicious, and requiring very little cookware or seasoning.
Yushu deftly washed the tomatoes, scored a cross into the top of each one, put them in a bowl, and poured boiling water over them.
The scalding water seeped beneath the skins through the cuts, making the tomato skins curl slightly.
After waiting a few seconds, he gently pulled at the curled edges, and the skins peeled off whole, revealing the bright red flesh.
"Star?" Staraptor crouched in the kitchen doorway, tilting his head as he watched him chop vegetables.
"Pay attention. You'll have to cook for yourselves when I'm not home."
Yushu didn't even turn around.
"Star!" Staraptor drew his neck back in refusal.
He was only responsible for eating, not cooking.
Yushu ignored him, heated a little cooking oil in the pot, added the chopped tomatoes, and pressed and stirred them with a spatula until they released a thick red juice.
He had a habit: in tomato and egg noodles, he only liked eating the eggs coated in tomato juice, not the chunks of tomato.
So every time, he cooked the tomatoes until they completely broke down and dissolved into the soup, leaving only a vivid red broth without a single intact piece of tomato.
That way, it tasted great.
Soon, a sweet-and-tart aroma filled the entire kitchen.
Apart from Torterra, who couldn't fit inside, the other Pokémon gradually gathered at the kitchen doorway, all craning their necks to look in.
"Rotom!" Rotom floated highest, hovering above the stove and curiously watching the bubbling pot.
Yushu nudged Rotom aside. "I'm cooking here. Keep your distance, you little rascal."
"Rotom..."
Rotom backed away a little.
Come on, it wasn't like he was going to possess the pot.
Then Yushu poured in some water, instantly diluting the juices in the pot into a bright red soup base.
Once the water boiled, he added the noodles, stirring them apart with chopsticks to keep them from sticking, and cooked them until they turned translucent and soft.
Finally, he cracked in an egg to poach, scattered in a handful of chopped scallions, turned off the heat, and served it up.
All in one smooth sequence.
The whole process took no more than fifteen minutes.
Meanwhile, the Pokémon food had warmed up too.
"Dinner's ready."
Yushu carried his bowl of noodles to the dining table, then divided the Pokémon food among six bowls and lined them up.
The six Pokémon gathered around and began enjoying their dinner.
Only Staraptor stood in front of his bowl without taking a bite.
He gazed at the steaming bowl of food, a complicated emotion in his eyes.
This wasn't his last meal, was it?
"Staraptor, make sure you eat properly."
Yushu sat down at the table with his bowl of noodles. Seeing Staraptor still standing there in a daze, he spoke up.
"It's your favorite spicy flavor."
Staraptor looked up at him, then lowered his head again and pecked up a mouthful.
The spicy flavor burst across his tongue. It really was his favorite.
But as he ate, his nose suddenly began to sting.
If his trainer stopped battling, what else could he do?
Staraptor tearfully took a second bite.
Trainer, I'll miss you.
Yushu knew nothing of the drama playing out in Staraptor's head. He was busy eating his noodles.
The noodles were springy, and the broth was rich.
The poached egg was cooked just right too, its yolk still runny. The moment he bit into it, the golden yolk mixed with the broth. The flavor was simply incredible.
He slurped away, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Sure enough, no matter which world he was in, a steaming bowl of tomato and egg noodles was always the best comfort. There was nothing a bowl of noodles couldn't fix.
And if there was, just add an egg.
After dinner, Yushu washed up the bowl and chopsticks.
He walked out into the yard. Dusk had gradually settled over the ranch, and the setting sun had dyed the clouds on the horizon orange-red, like a huge oil painting spread across the sky.
The six Pokémon stood in a row before him, waiting for him to speak.
Yushu looked at them and gave a:
"Thank you all for your hard work during our travels."
"Starting today, our journey is officially over, and we're beginning a new life on this ranch!"
"I'll be counting on all of you from now on too!"
"Mooo!"
"Torterra!"
"Roar!"
"Rotom!"
"Bzzz!"
"Star!!"
The Pokémon all responded, and Staraptor suddenly spread his wings and let out a ringing cry.
He wasn't going to be unemployed!
Awesome!
The next morning.
The morning air carried the damp scent of grass and trees. The sun had just crested the distant mountains, gilding the ranch's outline in gold.
Yushu was crouching by the door, munching on an apple, when his phone suddenly vibrated.
He took it out and saw a message from a certain resourceful lady.
"A-Yu, your dad was pretty reliable this time. He went to pick them himself and said he chose the best few. They look quite lively to me too. I'll have your dad bring them over afterward. Tell Mom anytime if there's a problem."
"Oh, and I had your dad load up the feed too. It should last you a while."
"And make sure you eat properly. Don't just make do all the time. You have to eat breakfast, and you can't skimp on lunch..."
Looking at the long string of messages, Yushu could practically picture Anna frantically tapping away at her screen.
With the apple held between his teeth, he typed a reply:
"Love you, dearest Mother~"
He hit send.
The reply came almost instantly.
"Enough of that! Remember to eat!"
Yushu smiled, stuffed his phone back into his pocket, and finished the rest of the apple in a few bites before tossing the core into a pit in the far corner of the yard.
The apple core traced a parabola through the air and landed squarely in the pit.
Nothing but net. Three points.
He nodded in satisfaction. He still had the touch.
All right, business first.
To get the ranch going, the first step wasn't planting anything. It was tending the soil.
Although he had been a corporate slave in his previous life, he was also something of an armchair farmer. He had watched plenty of agricultural creators on short-video platforms, constantly going on about how anything you planted would be a waste if you didn't take care of the soil.
Things like clearing out all the weeds, loosening the soil, and applying enough fertilizer.
Back then, he had watched with great interest, feeling he had already grasped the essence of farming.
Now that it was time to actually do it, he realized he was a king in theory but bronze in practice.
If he really had to shoulder a hoe and turn over two mu of land, he would probably be flat on his back within half an hour.
But that was fine!
He had Pokémon!!
At that thought, Yushu stood right in the middle of the yard and hollered:
"Everyone! Gather round!!"
His voice carried far across the open ranch.
Luxray reacted first, bounding up to Yushu in a few long strides, his movements agile and a trace of confusion in his eyes.
A gathering this early in the morning?
Hadn't he said there would be no more training?
"Star~"
Staraptor flew down from the roof and patted Luxray on the shoulder with his wing.
Little brother, you're still too young.
Yushu came up with a different idea every day. You just had to get used to it.
Yesterday, he said there would be no more training. Today, he wanted everyone to gather. Tomorrow, he might announce they were heading off to challenge the League.
As Pokémon, they had to learn to adapt.
Luxray glanced at him without responding.
He found a clean patch of ground and lay down, resting his chin on his forepaws and lazily swishing his tail.
Whatever. He was fine either way.
The other Pokémon gradually gathered too, lining up before Yushu.
Their formation was neat, their spirits high.
Although they still had no idea what they were going to do, they had to get into formation first.
That was called professionalism.