Chapter 39: So Addictive
The rice was ready very quickly.
With Li Wei deep-frying the chicken legs one last time and drizzling the prepared sauce from the pot over them, and taking the tableware that had just been scalded with boiling water from Dragonair’s tail, the pleasurable plating and serving stage began.
This was Eevee’s favorite part.
Distributing the curry and rice evenly on both sides of the plate, Eevee, who might have early-stage OCD, even adjusted the positions of the carrot chunks and various berry chunks in the plate.
If Li Wei wasn’t a bit hungry himself, he might have taken out two separate plates of curry to carefully count whether the number of berry and potato chunks in the curry was also evenly distributed.
For some reason, the more Li Wei looked at the several portions of rice in front of him, the more they resembled “manga rice,” neatly identical, even the steam rising from them was the same style.
“The rice grains probably aren’t all the same too, right·······???”
Looking at Eevee’s smug expression (*￣ω￣), Li Wei felt that his Eevee might have awakened some strange fetish without him knowing.
But with “guest” Mo Jiu present, Li Wei had no way to “pause” the scene to count the rice grains.
Considering the plates were a bit hot and Eevee’s fur on top of her head, Li Wei didn’t let Eevee carry them on her head to help share the task. Worried that Riolu’s martial arts-trained paws weren’t thick enough yet and afraid her paw pads would get burned, he didn’t let Riolu help either.
Sending the group of older kids led by Dragonair to the dining table, Li Wei carried the tray and brought all the food to the table in three trips.
“Do you all want some?” Li Wei asked, holding up the Jolly Water he had taken from the refrigerator toward everyone.
“Cheep!!!”
【Drink!!!】
Seeing the little mouse suddenly stand up with eyes gleaming, Li Wei silently took out another bottle of Pokémon-drinkable Jolly Water from the side.
As everyone knows, Jolly Water pairs perfectly with lemon and ice cubes.
Li Wei and Mo Jiu’s cups had ice cubes and lemon slices, while the four little Pokémon’s cups had ice cubes and Oran Berry slices.
Before starting to eat, Li Wei and Mo Jiu put on the Pokémon eating small gloves produced by this world’s crooked tech tree for Eevee and Morpeko, whose paws don’t have separated toes.
The small gloves aren’t big, there are many sizes, and they can be used just by slipping them on the paws.
The gloves come with a spoon, and by injecting just a little attribute energy, they can flexibly control the spoon to achieve the same eating-with-a-spoon effect as other Pokémon.
This was still the first time Li Wei had put this on Eevee, since she used to eat things like energy cubes and berries, and even roasted meat was in small chunks, very convenient, never needing hands.
But······today they were eating curry after all.
No way to let Eevee stick her head in to eat again.
Leaving aside whether it’s “elegant,” just that mouth full of curry sauce was hard for Li Wei to accept.
There would always be some inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Just like the Husky raised by the neighbor in the old community.
Happily running back with a smiling face.
Mouth all dirty black and sticky.
“Master~ I ate poop and came back~”
······
Coincidentally, they were eating curry this time. If his own Eevee gave Li Wei the same smile, he felt he would probably open the window and yeet Eevee into the trash bin with a high-altitude toss.
Once everything was ready, after a collective “Itadakimasu,” everyone picked up their spoons and started eating.
This was Li Wei’s first time eating a meal he cooked himself since coming to this world, with a mix of human ingredients and Pokémon ingredients.
How to put it, the taste of Pokémon berries is really great, even a bit addictive.
The flavor is very rich, and paired with rice and curry, there’s no sense of incongruity at all.
Just like how he once heard that curry can have chocolate added.
Initially thought it was absurd, but after actually trying it, “it hits different.”
The berries are no exception; the sweet curry isn’t “truly sweet” as imagined. It adds a fragrant richness, and the Cheri Berry’s rich texture gives the curry a slight spicy kick.
The flavor changes in the mouth are richer, very delicious.
And the Eevee and Riolu sitting next to him had their eyes sparkling when eating this meal.
“Bu Yi Bu Yi!!”
【Delicious!!】
“Ruu~~”
Even the usually reserved Riolu had an obvious satisfied expression on her face.
Have to say, little Pokémon have their advantages.
At least this extremely easy-to-satisfy state gave Li Wei a huge boost to his self-esteem.
This rice, he made it!!
Accepting the adoring gazes from the table of little Pokémon, Li Wei felt this meal was extra fragrant.
A small issue arose when eating the fried chicken.
Regarding Riolu and Eevee’s paws.
The paw shapes were frustrating; the gloves wouldn’t fit, and Li Wei didn’t want them clawing at it. They also didn’t have Dragonair’s trick of swallowing it whole and spitting out just a few bones.
So Li Wei once again acted as the stay-at-home dad, tearing off the chicken meat, wrapping it in sauce, and feeding it to their mouths.
What’s interesting is.
After Dragonair contentedly finished two chicken legs and saw the preferential treatment of the two little Pokémon next to him, he silently stared at the remaining chicken leg in his plate in contemplation for a bit, then poked Li Wei with his tail tip and pointed at the chicken leg in the plate, indicating he wanted the same.
······
Guilty Li Wei ultimately didn’t bonk Dragonair on the big head with a spoon, silently sighed, and deboned the meat for Dragonair too.
“Sigh.”
Finally handling the nearby cubs’ matters, Li Wei turned to eat the rice in his own plate.
“I’ve given too much, too much for this family.”
After such emotion, Li Wei shook his head and immersed himself in this inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Taking care of others, being taken care of, such a feeling is wonderful.
Once rewarded, life feels incredibly wonderful.
Li Wei was currently in such a wonderful state, even a bit addicted.
It felt like his previously cold and empty life suddenly gained a lot of “human warmth” with the presence of the little Pokémon.
At this moment, he suddenly felt that the days of eating alone while staring blankly at the computer screen were so dull and lonely.
Such a sunny, cheerful, giggling day seemed very busy, but at least in the days without companionship, he had Pokémon.
It seemed······not as lonely as before.
Mood inexplicably good, eating very proactively, so he got up and refilled himself a bowl of rice.
Oh, and incidentally refilled a portion for everyone except Mo Jiu.
Luckily he made a lot.
“Thanks for the feast.”
After finishing the meal, Mo Jiu held Morpeko and expressed gratitude to Li Wei once again.
“No problem, no problem, we’re all teammates, basically friends, no need to thank so many times for this little thing.”
Li Wei waved his hand, saying casually to Mo Jiu.
He felt this usually taciturn girl was now a bit overly reserved and polite.
“Mm·····since you insist, I won’t say it.”
Mo Jiu silently turned her head away, awkwardly said this, then suddenly turned back when pushing the door to leave, as if remembering something, and said to Li Wei.
“Oh right, Xiao Ke says your rice is delicious.”
With that, she pushed the door open and ran off.
Wow······
How to put it.
That instant just now mentioned Li Wei.
Whether it was the girl’s pursed lips and slightly flushed cheeks, or Morpeko’s very helpless “why me again” expression, both poked Li Wei’s tender teenage heart.
“This is too cute, right??”
“Bu Yi Bu Yi.”
Full and satisfied, back on her throne, Eevee patted the top of Li Wei’s head in agreement.
Another benefit of the crooked tech tree is the complete kitchen facilities and food waste processing system.
Rinse, flush the remaining food into the sink, press the switch, then send the plates into the dishwasher.
The rest had nothing to do with Li Wei.
He just needed to pick up the disinfected, clean dishes tomorrow morning.
Packing the trash produced while cooking into black trash bags, strolling down the stairs like a walk, throwing the trash bags into the food waste bin, looking up at the dim but starry sky, Li Wei felt he didn’t really want to go back to the dormitory right now.
“Hey, shall we go play?”
Li Wei asked.
“Bu Yi?”
【Play what?】
“Um······frisbee??”
“Woo!!”
【Yes!!】
As if afraid Li Wei would back out, Dragonair hooked the house key from Li Wei’s pants pocket with his little tail, twisted his waist, and shot into the air.
Through the still-open kitchen window to the sixth floor, opened the door, took the frisbee he brought from the cabinet, then rushed back.
Carrying a gust of wind, Dragonair returned with his beloved little frisbee.
=v=
“Woo?”
【Where are we playing?】
······
“Then let’s go play at the training ground?”
“Woo!”
“Bu Yi!”
()
“Ruu!”
【Charge!】
Still cubs, all at the playful age, after Li Wei’s “let’s go,” even the usually lazy Eevee jumped down from her throne, using Quick Attack to follow behind the sprinting Riolu toward the training ground.
Though Li Wei might forget Dragonair, Dragonair didn’t forget Li Wei.
Tail coiled, hooked Li Wei, then the little wings on the sides of his head spread, and he carried Li Wei into the air.
Very wonderful, even at the high speed dashing through the air, the oncoming wind pressure wasn’t as strong as Li Wei imagined.
Looking at Dragonair’s different flight posture up front, Li Wei thought it might be some special flight technique.
Silently noting it down to give “conscience” Dragonair an extra meal tomorrow morning, before Li Wei could admire the view overlooking the training ground, they arrived at the training ground.
It was already eight o’clock at night.
The people still training in the training ground weren’t as many as during the day, but definitely not few.
Most trainers were special training various skills with their Pokémon on the training ground, some even doing various special training with their Pokémon.
The sweat of hard work and the effort on the Pokémon’s faces made people can’t help but exclaim “this is the charm of the Pokémon World!”
Li Wei and the others chose a remote spot, did some simple warm-up, and began the traditional Li family frisbee battle.
Both people and Pokémon were very excited, but tragedies from overexcitement were common.
Still remember Mime Jr. back then, furious at the pothole-riddled lawn when going out.
At this time, the head repair craftsman and a group of transport little craftsmen were surrounding a group of instructors inspecting the grounds, letting the head instructor check their field repair results, when dust flew from the innermost side of the field with occasional terrifying “boom” “boom” sounds.
Originally thought it was some once-in-decades digger Pokémon that dug its way out and was rampaging.
But after everyone ran over and looked closely, oh roar, it was that newbie called Li Wei and his Pokémon.
The field at this time was far from its previous smooth and clean state.
Once again torn apart, once again full of holes······
Seeing this, the head repair craftsman angrily slammed the two concrete strips in his hands to the ground, ready to beat these “bratty kids” with his bare hands.
When can’t you wreck the field? Why during inspection?
If you wrecked it later, I wouldn’t have to repair it again tonight??
Rubbing fists, hysterically grinding teeth, the actions were seen clearly by the head instructor.
Helplessly reaching out to stop the irritable old craftsman, the head instructor personally stepped forward and released his signature Pokémon, a Glalie nearly at professional level strength.
One hand of irritable icicle crash stopped Dragonair’s frisbee throw, another Icy Wind blocked the charging Eevee and Riolu.
Ah this······
Seeing the sudden uninvited guest in the field, Li Wei turned his head, looked at the messy state of the field, and realized things were bad.
In the end, the instructor and head repair craftsman gave Li Wei and his Pokémon a profound reprimand for destroying the field.
After submitting four more statements of apology, the matter was considered settled.
“Li Wei, next time if you want to take your Pokémon for training······er, to stretch their legs, go to zone 12. I’ll specially note it for you, give you a flight permit, let your Dragonair take you.”
“This field, considering newbie Pokémon might not dig well, wasn’t made very sturdy, can’t withstand your wrecking·····”
“Er, got it, won’t happen next time·····”
Li Wei twitched his mouth, looking at the collapsed expressions of the head instructor and head repair craftsman, helplessly nodded.
“What time do you usually train?”
“Er, five in the morning.”
“Good, tomorrow morning I’ll wait for you downstairs at your dorm, I’ll take you to familiarize with the field.”
“Okay·····”
After that, Li Wei was released from the instruction room.
Felt like he was quite pitiful, but getting zone 12 access with a bit of privilege?
“Sigh.”
The four little ones coming out of the instruction room silently looked up and sighed, glanced at each other, then felt like laughing.
“Let’s go, home to sleep.”
Dragonair coiled onto Li Wei’s body, Eevee returned to her throne, Riolu silently grabbed Li Wei’s sleeve, the group leisurely blew the evening breeze, preparing to go back for baths and sleep.
Ate happily today, played happily, though scolded at the end, but everyone was punished together, so the imagined resentment wasn’t big, overall a pretty good day.
After bathing, Li Wei turned off the room lights, lay on the bed preparing to sleep.
Clearly a large double bed, but now inexplicably crowded.
Eevee lying on top with her tail over his neck, Riolu lying neatly next to him covered with a little quilt, Dragonair pillowing on the pillow extending from head to foot of the bed, bending his tail to “wrap” everyone, mercilessly filling the bed.
Not bad, with AC on, not too hot.
Can endure.
Tugging the quilt from under Dragonair’s body, Li Wei closed his eyes.
“Good night.”
￥￥￥￥￥￥
Today’s py: 《I Give Soldiers Some Points》, on an otherworld island, leading a bunch of subhumans in revolution.
If you like, get the link from author’s notes
Timo’s Flop Diary
【July 11, 830 votes, no extra chapter】
Feels like it’s cooled off~~~~
Letting loose.jpg
Today before dinner, confidently refused the feeding vote, then around eight I got hungry.
Then what to do?
Nothing at home except a pack of ramen, very bad?
So I used all my lifetime skills, made a bowl with tin foil and preservative bag, then a spoon with tin foil and bottle cap.
Wow, I’m simply a genius.
Ate so happily hahahahaha.
I think this operation deserves full marks hahahaha
I was even impressed by myself.
