The third day of the trip to Cheng City had a relatively relaxed schedule, with only a morning visit to the museum.
The museum was filled with a dazzling array of cultural relics, including pottery, jade, and various other treasures. Under the guide's lead, everyone gained a deep understanding of the stories behind many of the artifacts. However, Chen Kai's thoughts had already drifted far away to the deep mountains in France.
At noon, the visit concluded, and the students boarded the bus for their return journey.
In the evening, everyone safely returned to Zi Ning Town High School.
As the afterglow of the setting sun poured down, Teacher Xu announced the start of the weekend holiday for the students.
It was a rare trip out without any mishaps, so Chen Kai rode on Miraidon's back, rushing home like the wind.
As soon as he entered the house, he dashed into his room in a hurry, beginning to pack his luggage.
Just as he was busy with his packing, Chen Ma returned from work to prepare dinner.
As soon as Chen Ma walked into the house, she saw Chen Kai's room in a mess, with clothes and shoes scattered everywhere, and his suitcase lying open on the floor. She frowned slightly, full of doubt, and quickly walked to the door of Chen Kai's room, asking:
"Xiao Kai, what are you doing?"
Chen Kai stopped what he was doing, looked up, and after a moment of hesitation, still told her truthfully: "Mom, I plan to go to France in Western Europe."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ma's eyes instantly widened, her face filled with an expression of disbelief.
She walked into the room, sat on the bed, and looked at Chen Kai with a serious expression, asking: "Go to France? Are you going alone? How long will it take you to come back?"
Chen Kai scratched his head. It seemed his mom was not very willing to let him travel far. He thought for a moment about how to make his mom accept it a little more, and replied:
"Currently, I'm going alone, but Miraidon and Xiao Mei will accompany me. And it won't be too long; I estimate I should be back in about a week."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ma immediately became angry. She stood up, put her hands on her hips, and raised her voice, saying:
"Chen Kai, you are a second-year high school student now, in a crucial stage of your studies. How can you skip classes and go traveling? Western Europe is so far away; how can I feel at ease with you going alone?"
Chen Kai looked at his mother's angry expression, feeling anxious, and tried to explain: "Mom, I know studying is important, but the methods for raising Pokemon that I can learn at school are limited. I feel like I can't learn anything more at school now. And I'm not going there to play; this time is truly crucial, it concerns Miraidon's physical recovery."
Chen Ma listened to Chen Kai's explanation but was not appeased. She shook her head and said earnestly: "Is this news about Miraidon's recovery reliable? Even if it's really important, you can wait until the holiday!"
Chen Kai said helplessly: "The next holiday is only New Year's Day, but New Year's Day is only one extra day! After that, it's the winter holiday, and I'm worried it will be too late then, and the thing that can heal Miraidon will be gone."
...
The mother and son argued for a long time. Chen Ma consistently believed that Chen Kai should not abandon his studies to go to Western Europe. Chen Kai repeatedly explained the importance of the matter, also emphasizing that he had grown up and that the Pokemon he had raised also possessed a certain level of combat power, so there wouldn't be too many problems.
In the end, the two parted unhappily.
Miraidon originally wanted to persuade Chen Kai that he could go later, but Chen Kai waved his hand to refuse.
"You've been accompanying me to school recently. It's not easy to finally get a clue. I'm just skipping a few days of class. We need to go as soon as possible. What if the legendary seasoning is taken by someone else first? That would be troublesome."
Seeing Chen Kai's insistence, Miraidon didn't say anything more.
Until dinner time, the atmosphere at the dinner table was exceptionally heavy.
The family of three and several Pokemon were all silent, with only the occasional clinking of bowls and chopsticks breaking the quiet.
After Chen Ba returned home and generally understood the situation, he looked at his wife and son, cleared his throat, and broke the silence:
"Stop being so sullen, let's have a good talk. Xiao Kai, I understand your desire to go to Europe. You have a talent for raising Pokemon, and going out to broaden your horizons might be beneficial for your development in this area. And finding a way for Miraidon to recover its body is indeed urgent. But your mom's concern for your safety and studies is also reasonable."
Chen Kai lowered his head and said softly: "I know, I have it under control, and it won't delay my studies.
Going to Europe will allow me to learn more Pokemon-related knowledge, which will also be helpful for the future. And Miraidon is my partner; I must help it recover."
Chen Ma frowned, still a little angry, and said: "That's true, but if you go abroad alone, what if something happens?"
"Can't you call a few more people?"
Chen Ba took over: "Wife, the child has grown up and has his own pursuits. We can't constantly obstruct him. Xiao Kai's results in raising Pokemon are usually good. Look, Xiao Mei has already reached Senior-level (Level 40). They possess a certain level of self-preservation ability. This trip to Europe can be seen as a special learning and training opportunity, and he will definitely cherish it."
Xiao Mei heard Chen Ba mention her, looked up, and said confidently:
"Dragon~" (I will protect my master.)
"Mi!" (Me too!) Big Boss also immediately expressed agreement.
Grovyle, Exeggcute, and the new Horsea all actively expressed their support.
Seeing this, Chen Ma hesitated for a moment, still a little worried, and said: "I'm just afraid you'll get too caught up in having fun and won't be able to focus."
Chen Ba took Chen Ma's hand and said: "Let's trust the child this one time. He has his own dreams, and we should support him."
Chen Ma was silent for a long time, then finally nodded slowly, saying: "Alright then, I'll agree to it this time. But you must keep your word."
A joyful smile appeared on Chen Kai's face, and he quickly said: "Mom, don't worry."
His mom got up and walked into the room. A moment later, she came out with a small bag of Potion and some common items, which she handed to Chen Kai, saying: "Mom knows you have some money in your pocket, but still take these with you. When you're out, it's better to be safe than sorry."
Chen Kai took the bag, his eyes slightly moist, and whispered: "Mom, thank you."
At this point, Chen Ba reminded him: "Have you bought the plane ticket? Since you've decided to go, don't be too hasty.
Remember to ask for leave from school and make sure everything is arranged properly before you leave. It's not too late, and a day or two won't make a difference."
"Okay, I'll go to school to ask for leave." Chen Ba's words also reminded Chen Kai that he still needed to go to Area Zero to tell Iron Leaves and the others, and also to fully recharge the energy of the shuttle device.
So, that evening, Chen Kai bought a plane ticket to France for Sunday. Since he couldn't buy a ticket in Da City, he bought one departing from Mountain City instead.
Although the provincial capital of Sichuan Province is Cheng City, Qu County is actually closer to Mountain City.