The pendulum of the old clock on the wall seemed to be hindered by the stuffy and viscous air in the kitchen, each swing appearing exceptionally sluggish and heavy.
It laboriously moved the two hands, slowly climbing towards the bright red number “9”.
The dim yellow light weakly spilled onto the dining table; the dishes on the plates had long since lost their warmth, and the congealed oil on the surface resembled cooled amber.
Grandpa, Grandma, and Chen Kai sat around the table, facing the untouched cold meal, with only the monotonous and stubborn “tick-tock” of the pendulum remaining in the air, like a dull saw repeatedly tugging at everyone’s taut nerves.
Bored, the three of them each started playing on their phones.
Chen Kai was chatting with Huang Mao and learned that there would be a class exchange match between their class and Qu County No. 1 High School soon.
Although called an exchange match, it was actually because the other party was not convinced and wanted to compete for the qualification to participate in Rongcheng, so they came to Taunt.
As a result, Huang Mao beat up several people, and Yelena alone defeated the third-year students of No. 1 High School with no ability to fight back, almost leaving them with psychological trauma.
In summary, Huang Mao conveyed five words to Chen Kai: Kai, the school is safe, don't worry.
Grandpa's mouth remained upturned, his smile hard to conceal.
He sent the video of Chen Kai and Lu Yang's sparring from the afternoon to some relatives and friends, and also posted it in the family group chat.
The video footage was a bit shaky, but the explosive red beads at Mega Ampharos's tail and Espeon's pink spear of light piercing through the energy turbulence were still stunning, even in the shaky footage.
Most of Grandpa's friends liked Dragon-type Pokemon, and Grandpa's relatives were naturally members of the Bai family. As a family of Dragon Masters, almost ninety percent of the older generation in the Bai family were fond of Dragon-type Pokemon.
Upon seeing the Mega Ampharos video posted by Grandpa, accompanied by the caption: “Family, look at my grandson’s Mega Ampharos, a brand new Dragon-type Pokemon.”
Immediately, Grandpa’s messaging app exploded with notifications.
“Holy cow! Mega Evolution?! I’ve lived long enough to see this!”
“Does this Ampharos have so many beads on its tail? Awesome!”
However, a few elderly members of the Bai family from remote areas also voiced dissenting opinions below:
“Can something with 'Dragon' in its name count as a Dragon?”
“Isn’t it just a pure Electric sheep! At most, its fur grows longer after evolving. How can it be considered a Dragon-type?”
“Heh heh, if Ampharos can be considered a Dragon, then side branches are just making a fool of themselves.”
Grandpa slammed the chopsticks in his hand onto the table with a crisp “clack,” making the bowls and plates tremble.
He took out the file Bai Zhaoxing had sent him; this information was not confidential.
Immediately after, his fingers quickly tapped on the screen:
Bai Weimin: 【Pokemon Official Database Mega Ampharos Attributes Screenshot.jpg】
Bai Weimin: 【Open your eyes and look closely! Electric + Dragon! Black and white! Alliance certified!】
Bai Weimin: 【The video is recorded! Didn't you see Xiao Mei screaming in pain after taking that Dazzling Gleam? If it weren't for this being a Dragon-type weakness, would it have suffered such a huge loss? Use your brain! You don't even understand battle common sense!】
Subsequently, these few people fell silent, and one even retracted their statement.
However, more people were consulting Grandpa for information, with notification sounds rising and falling, and Grandpa's phone screen was instantly flooded with new messages.
“Uncle! Where did you get that Mega Evolution ite? For us family members, can you get me one too?”
“Brother-in-law! My dear brother-in-law! Is there a way to get this ite? How much? I’ll sell everything I have!”
“Great-uncle! I want a Mega ite too! I want a pink one! To match my Gardevoir!”
“His uncle, my grandson’s birthday is coming up…”
“Old Bai, can Bai Zhaoxing get them?”
“Brother, help me ask around, if there's no Ampharos Mega ite, Charizard's would be fine too!”
Grandpa held the instantly hot phone, staring in astonishment.
Messages scrolled down the screen like a waterfall, avatars popping up one after another, all asking about Mega ite!
His finger hovered above the screen, wanting to type an explanation, but as soon as he replied, “My grandson Xiao Kai got it himself,” more than a dozen new messages immediately scrolled up below.
Seeing that he wasn't replying, the relatives started furiously @-ing him, and some even launched a private chat bombardment, making the phone buzz incessantly on the table.
“These people… do they think ite are potatoes wholesaled at the market?” Grandpa didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he simply tossed his phone onto the sofa, out of sight, out of mind.
Grandma didn't say anything, she just picked up her chopsticks, then gently put them down, idly sliding her fingertip across her phone screen.
Chen Kai looked up and spoke to Grandma: “Is Uncle usually like this?”
“Usually?” Grandpa said uninterestingly, “Ever since he became section chief, we don't even see him once a week.”
“Alas, he's busy with work. I heard he's had eight meetings in a row these past two days,” Grandma explained, then said with concern, “I don't even know if he's been eating properly.”
The living room, however, presented a different scene.
Chen Kai’s Pokemon were not patient enough to just wait.
Xiao Mei and Chimecho were happily watching TV, and now Seadra was also slightly more willing to be with everyone.
Miraidon was holding a stylus, playing on the internet by itself.
Swablu, meanwhile, huddled trembling to the side, looking at Xiao Mei, Hydrapple, Grovyle, and Horsea, muttering to itself: “Is this still my beautiful and cozy home? Why are there so many powerful Dragon-type Pokemon here? When are you all leaving?!”
Grandma let out a soft sigh.
This sigh was like a feather, seemingly falling gently, yet it seemed to crush the last shred of lingering hope.
“Let’s eat first, we won’t wait for Bai Zhaoxing.”
She reached out, preparing to pick up the food in front of her to reheat it.
The cold touch of the bowl spread from her fingertips, all the way to her heart.
Just as the bowl was about to be lifted from the table—
“Click!”
A crisp metallic scraping sound abruptly broke the stifling silence in the house. The sound came from the entrance, clear and unmistakable: it was the sound of a key being inserted into the lock and then forcefully turned!
This sudden sound was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond.
Grandpa stopped his hand from replying to messages again, Grandma's lips couldn't help but curve upwards, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes crinkled with a smile, a smile of relief and joy that said, “He’s finally back.”
“Oh! You’re back!” she called out with a smile, her voice full of delight.
Chen Kai was also very happy; finally, they could eat, and he had something important to discuss with his uncle.
The door creaked open, and a shadow, elongated by the outdoor light, projected inward first. Then, the door opened, and a cool night breeze rushed in, revealing his uncle’s familiar figure at the doorway, his face filled with the fatigue of work.
Grandpa loudly called out, “You’re back?”
Grandma had already quickly walked to the kitchen doorway, her face beaming: “It’s good that you’re back! You must be starving, right? Come, come, sit down, the food will be hot and ready to eat in a moment!”
Her voice was both warm and eager.
His uncle stood at the doorway, looking at the scene inside the house that had instantly become lively—Grandma’s smiling face welcoming him, Grandpa’s barely concealed joyous “complaint,” and Chen Kai’s shining eyes. The fatigue on his face seemed to dissipate somewhat.
He tugged at his tie, which had been tight all day, revealing an apologetic smile: “Dad, Mom, Xiao Kai, I’m sorry, there have been too many meetings lately, and I’m back late again…”