Chapter 115: Then We Are Accomplices

After regaining a bit of strength, Tang Yi slowly crouched down to meet Lalulas’s gaze at eye level, but this only made the girl’s expression appear more flustered.

Staring at the increasingly delicate and fair face before him, Tang Yi’s emotions were complex, yet he still smiled and said, “If I neither want to be a scoundrel nor end up getting thrown inside, then what should I do?”

“You—you want to back out of your promise.”

“Hehe, you’ve known me for a while now; surely you know I have a thick skin.”

“You kissed me! That’s a fact!” Lalulas gritted her teeth, determined to make this an undeniable truth.

“That was just an accident.”

“But it’s still unfair!”

Tang Yi fell silent for a moment before suddenly saying, “I kissed you, causing you such trouble, yet I don’t want to be a scoundrel or get locked up. Actually, there’s another way to settle this.”

“What way?”

“There’s a saying: ‘an eye for an eye.’ Have you heard of it?”

“What does it mean?” Lalulas hadn’t fully learned all the idioms yet.

“It means to bite back with teeth when someone bites you. Whatever method someone uses against you, you strike back in the same way. So, if you think that kiss was a mistake, you can respond using the same method. Don’t worry, I won’t dodge.”

Tang Yi struck a pose of righteous sacrifice, as if a hero offering himself.

Lalulas widened her eyes in disbelief. She wanted to say something but was silenced by Tang Yi’s shameless words.

After a pause, Tang Yi exhaled softly. He had a vague idea of what Lalulas might say next, though perhaps it was just his wild guess.

Nonetheless, his rational mind deemed it a terrible idea, so he deliberately joked to make Lalulas’s somewhat irrational mind regain some composure.

Tang Yi chuckled lightly, “So, it’s pointless for us to keep dwelling on unrealistic issues. That kiss was just an accident during training. If you want compensation, I can offer it in other ways…”

Before he could finish, Lalulas’s face pressed close again, but this time it was her initiative—without hesitation or doubt. Her eyes could only be described as resolute, as if she were embracing death.

Tang Yi was stunned on the spot. For a brief moment, he had a chance to pull away.

But who knows why—perhaps Lalulas’s uncharacteristic boldness shocked him, or maybe he was suddenly possessed by a spirit.

Tang Yi personally leaned toward the latter possibility. In any case, inexplicably, he did not dodge. Instead, he watched with wide eyes as Lalulas’s face drew near and their lips met again.

Soft. Sweet.

Indeed, the sensation was no illusion. But this time, the contact was much briefer, merely a fleeting brush, and Lalulas quickly recoiled as if struck by an electric shock.

An awkward silence followed.

In the quiet study, it felt as if only the pounding of their hearts remained.

Lalulas’s heartbeat raced. Summoning all her courage, she had done something reckless. Her mind was overwhelmed by a single thought: How absurd! How absurd! I actually kissed my trainer—utterly absurd!

Tang Yi slightly raised his head to gaze at the stark white light on the ceiling, his expression mixed with happiness and a hint of sighing. “Lalulas, you’re playing with fire.”

“Y-you’re misunderstanding! It was your idea—this way we’re even!”

Lalulas tried to make her voice sound more confident, though it still trembled noticeably.

“Alright then, it’s all my fault.” Tang Yi knew he had to take the blame and couldn’t help but chuckle. “But if that’s the case, we’re partners in crime.”

“Partners in crime?”

Tang Yi’s voice grew soft and playful. “Exactly. If I broke the rules, then you did too. If I’m a scoundrel, then you’re a scoundrel as well. And remember, this was also my first kiss.”

Lalulas pondered carefully, finding the reasoning increasingly convincing. Her eyes brightened as if enlightenment had dawned. “Yes, we are partners in crime now. This is our little secret—we absolutely can’t tell anyone!”

“Agreed, no telling.”

“Well, I have another question.”

“What’s that?”

Lalulas’s gaze wandered slightly, her tone uncertain. “You said just now—that really was your first kiss?”

Tang Yi snapped angrily, “Are you insulting the purity of this lonely dog?”

Ptooey!

Lalulas shyly lowered her head, hiding the faint happiness flashing in her eyes from Tang Yi’s view. Even she couldn’t explain why she suddenly felt so pleased.

After a long moment, Lalulas said, “Then, I’ll reluctantly forgive you.”

“Hmm, I’ll reluctantly forgive you too.”

The two partners in crime exchanged a smile. The awkwardness gradually melted away, and things seemed to return to how they were before.

Yet both Tang Yi and Lalulas vaguely sensed that after this night’s absurdity, their relationship could never fully revert to its previous state.

……

As usual on the weekend, Tang Yi went to Fang Tianze’s house. The enthusiastic Butterfree busied herself serving tea, but as she placed Tang Yi’s cup down, a hint of puzzlement flickered through her smile as she glanced at him.

“Has something happened between you and Lalulas recently? Things feel a bit strange.”

“No!”

“No!”

The two answered almost in unison.

Lalulas sounded less confident and somewhat guilty, while Tang Yi’s face was as thick-skinned as ever, showing no sign of abnormality.

“Lalulas, did he bully you? Don’t be afraid; we all have your back!” Eevee, eager to stir up trouble, jumped at the chance.

Smack!

Nine tails’s tail came down as if on cue.

“No, no, he’s actually quite nice to me. He wouldn’t bully me.” Lalulas failed to detect Eevee’s teasing and explained earnestly.

Butterfree and the others exchanged glances.

Tang Yi could only sigh and cover his face.

In the past, faced with such questions, Lalulas would have immediately accused Tang Yi of being a big bad guy who constantly bullied her.

Today’s answer was clearly different, and anyone who knew them well would instantly recognize the change. No wonder Butterfree had asked so suddenly.

Lalulas, determined to be a law-abiding and virtuous Pokémon, was still not very good at lying.

Fortunately, the topic was soon diverted by Fang Tianze, who pulled out a report and tossed it to Tang Yi. “Here’s the latest statistics I’ve compiled. Four Skiploom have evolved into Jumpluff, and one Jumpluff has evolved into Skiploom’s next form. You can chat with them later.”

“You helped them evolve?” Tang Yi asked in surprise.

“Not entirely. They already had the ability to evolve. I just helped guide that ability out. This is something you need to learn as well.”