The sun had already set, and most of the Grass-type Pokemon in the Botanical Garden were resting.
Chen Kai and Applin lay panting on the lawn.
They had dug holes for several hours that afternoon, and when evening came and he thought they were done, Ye Gai told him to carry a pile of saplings and put them in the holes.
So he was planting trees!
Bai Yuchun, smiling, handed him a bottle of water from the side: "Oh, thank you, Xiao Kai! It's been years, and you've gotten so much stronger! Do you have a girlfriend? If not, Chun Jie can introduce you to a few."
"You shouldn't be making sarcastic remarks over there. Your brother came, so you're relaxed and don't have to work, but I've been working until it's dark," said the girl who was with Bai Yuchun.
"I don't know what crazy idea the teacher had today, I'm exhausted."
This girl's name was Sun Qian, and she was Bai Yuchun's classmate. She and her Pokemon, Quilladin, had also worked all afternoon and were now lying on the side, unable to move.
"But it's a good thing your brother is really strong. He carried a 50-pound tree by himself; all I had to do was bury the soil."
Bai Yuchun, while teasing Servine, said, "That's right, Xiao Kai, are you working out? A young man like you is very popular with rich women!"
Chen Kai drank his water, not wanting to bother with them.
But he also wondered why he was so strong. Was it because of Taijing Energy?
Would he become a 'Super Pallet Towner' in the future?
"Alright, I'll treat you to dinner," Bai Yuchun said with a smile when Chen Kai didn't respond to her.
"Does that include dinner for the Pokemon?" Chen Kai sat up and asked.
Bai Yuchun gave a thumbs-up and said, "It does!"
"Great!" Chen Kai jumped up.
Miraidon was too embarrassed to eat freely at his grandfather's house at noon and wasn't full at all, so he would have to eat more at his cousin's place tonight.
However, what Chen Kai didn't expect was that Bai Yuchun took them to a buffet.
Bai Yuchun slyly said, "I'm not stupid. You can work so much, your appetite must be huge. If we ate anything else, wouldn't I go bankrupt?"
Chen Kai ate and asked, "Chun Jie, what kind of event is the Bai Family competition? Grandfather told me to ask you."
"Oh, it's an old tradition between the Bai Family and the Dragon Family. Both families are Dragon-type Pokemon families, and they've been competing for first place for many years. However, the Bai Family has always had the upper hand over the Dragon Family; the Dragon-type Gym Leaders and the Four Heavenly Kings positions are all held by the Bai Family.
But I heard that the Dragon Family recently produced a genius, who is said to possess Dragon Power. So, they came to the capital and challenged the Bai Family to a youth competition.
The older generation lost face and wants to rely on the younger generation to regain some ground."
Bai Yuchun also continued to complain while eating.
"Although I was called, it doesn't really have much to do with us. I'm considered a collateral branch of the Bai Family, and you don't even have the surname Bai, so you're probably a collateral branch of a collateral branch.
Our main goal is just to participate. Anyway, when is there ever a good thing for us? It's always a lot of trouble."
Chen Kai was a bit confused: "Why do you say that? My grandfather said there's a chance to get a honey apple."
Bai Yuchun smiled: "A honey apple? There is a chance, indeed. If you spend some money to smooth things over and win one or two matches against the Dragon Family members, the Bai Family Main House might give it to you.
However, the probability is not high. The Bai Family Main House keeps a very tight hold on such Dragon-type exclusive items and won't let them flow out easily."
Upon hearing about money, Chen Kai wondered how much it would be. If it was too much, he would just borrow some and slowly pay it back by picking berries in Area Zero.
However, defeating Dragon Family trainers gave Chen Kai a headache. Applin hadn't evolved yet and had no combat power.
He thought for a moment and decided to understand the opponent's strength first.
"Sister, how strong are the Dragon Family's trainers?"
"Oh, it's not a big deal for you to win a few matches. They're just a bunch of little kids with those pseudo-legendary Dragon-type Pokemon. They're still in the beginner stage; what combat power could they have?
The ones I fought, who are about to enter their senior year of high school, are the annoying ones. Those pseudo-legendary Pokemon that evolve quickly, at Elite Level (level 30+), have already evolved once.
They constantly throw in medicines, items, and TM-like things as if they were free.
They don't care if their stomachs explode from overeating, or about skill proficiency. In battle, it's just a wild barrage of attacks, so annoying."
Chen Kai was still a bit uncertain and continued to ask, "But my Applin is also an unevolved Dragon-type Pokemon, and it doesn't have any combat power either."
Bai Yuchun waved her hand: "I thought you were worrying about something big. So it's just this? Don't you still have a Flaaffy? Just let it go!"
"Isn't it a Dragon Power family competition? Is it okay to not have Dragon-type Pokemon?"
"Oh, I don't have a Dragon-type Pokemon either. There's no strict requirement. It's just that a few old stubborn people might say a few extra words, but it's harmless."
Chen Kai said, "Then I'm relieved."
The meal continued intermittently.
Why intermittently?
Because Miraidon ate for over an hour without stopping. Chen Kai and the others just continued to eat the buffet and chat.
During this time, Bai Yuchun kept complaining to Chen Kai about how annoying it was to be a collateral branch of the Bai Family.
As a trainer, many people will assume that because your surname is Bai, you should be a Dragon-type Pokemon trainer. What's wrong with my Pokemon being Servine? They keep asking and asking, it's very annoying.
And everyone will think you are from a prominent family and must be very strong, placing great expectations on you, making every battle incredibly stressful.
Please, there are no more aristocratic families in Dragon Country! It's simply that they all have the surname Bai and are on the same family tree!
Judging people by their appearance is wrong, let alone by their surname!
And once you stop being a trainer, there are many people who badmouth you, always thinking you did something wrong, that the Bai Family doesn't allow you to own Pokemon.
What era is this? How can they still have such thoughts? This is a society ruled by law, hello!
Especially the Bai Family Main House, it's truly unbelievable. Whether you train Dragon-type Pokemon, other types, or even if you don't become a trainer at all, some people will always have an opinion.
They haven't eaten their family's rice, so why are they so nosy? They're truly sick.
Chen Kai took another bite of meat and nodded continuously.
It seems his cousin suffered deeply from this surname. His mother also had the surname Bai, and her Pokemon were all Psychic-type. She was probably often troubled by this surname too, no wonder she never mentioned 'the Bai Family'.
"Ahem, cough, cough, cough..." At this moment, a restaurant manager walked over and coughed a few times.
Bai Yuchun was feeling annoyed and asked impatiently, "What's wrong with you?"
The manager leaned in and whispered, "Guests, the last portion of Pokemon food in our small establishment has been eaten by your Cyclizar. You see..."
Bai Yuchun and Sun Qian looked at Miraidon in shock.
At this moment, Miraidon was still pulling at a portion of Pokemon food.
Chen Kai awkwardly patted Miraidon and transmitted, "Stop eating."
Miraidon looked up, a bit confused: "What's wrong?"
"You ate too much, and the restaurant manager came over."
Miraidon was a bit surprised: "Huh? Isn't it unlimited, all you can eat?"
Chen Kai was a bit speechless: "But you can't eat all of it! We're not paying for this meal; someone else is treating us."
"Oh, oh, oh!" Miraidon quickly stopped.
Chen Kai felt a bit embarrassed and said to Bai Yuchun, "How about I pay for this meal?"
Bai Yuchun waved her hand and said, "No need. I said I'd treat you. I can still afford to treat you to a buffet."
The restaurant manager then said, "Ladies and gentlemen, our boss said that our small establishment will treat you to this meal."
He leaned in closer, handed over a few pieces of paper, and whispered, "We just hope that next time, the three of you can go to the buffet across the street. These are discount coupons for that place."