Chapter Seventy-One: Ralts Finds New Motivation

“In any case, what we can do is limited. To truly overcome inferiority, it takes a long time. I believe that once Feebas settles into the welfare home and gradually adapts to the environment, things will improve,” Tang Yi said. Though his words were partly consolation, he meant what he said. Along the way, he hadn’t heard laughter from the elf girls, but the elves living here, at least most of them, seemed happy.

Ralts pressed her lips together, still hesitant to speak. Tang Yi had noticed from the moment they saw Feebas that the girl wanted to say something.

Tang Yi, feeling helpless and not wanting to see Ralts holding back, decided to finish her sentence for her. “You’ve been thinking, haven’t you, that I could adopt Feebas myself, right?”

“Is it possible?” Ralts tilted her head at a forty-five degree angle, her big eyes blinking, her voice soft as cotton.

How adorable!

Tang Yi quickly looked away, fearing he might be bewitched. “Being cute won’t help you. Besides, why do you think I’d be able to help Feebas overcome her inferiority? What I said today was just offhand; whether it will work is anyone’s guess.”

Ralts, however, was confident. “Judging by how you usually handle me, I believe you can do it.”

Uh.

That sounded a bit off.

Tang Yi protested, “I don’t have any tricks for handling you!”

Ralts was silent for a moment, then smiled with pursed lips. “You’re too modest.”

Tang Yi was speechless.

After a long pause, Tang Yi rubbed his forehead. “Let’s not talk about this for now. You need to understand that I don’t have the eligibility to adopt another elf at the moment. Unless I wait until I go to college, I can’t have a second elf.”

He roughly explained to Ralts the elf quota in this world. He’d never shared this information with her before, mainly because it hadn’t been relevant.

“I see,” Ralts sighed in frustration, realizing she hadn’t thought it through.

“So, let’s focus on preparing for the second round of the selection tournament. That’s the most important thing right now,” Tang Yi patiently advised.

“Alright, I’ll work hard—work hard to help you get into college!” Ralts clenched her fists, as if making a secret vow.

She wasn’t unreasonable; once she understood that it was impossible, she wouldn’t insist.

Tang Yi had intended to earn some prize money through the tournament, but now he had another reason to take it seriously. This new motivation made Ralts’s fighting spirit soar.

“Let’s hurry home; we can’t waste any more time!” Having made up her mind, Ralts began urging him to return, feeling that lingering here was practically a crime.

Tang Yi couldn’t help laughing.

He analyzed it in his mind. Ralts’s unusual concern for Feebas probably stemmed from the time when her own emotions were most unstable; the pitiful Feebas girl had appeared before her, leaving a deep impression.

Sometimes, that’s how it is. Someone who seems like a silent passerby unexpectedly becomes unforgettable.

That’s why Ralts cared so much about Feebas.

As for Tang Yi himself, he didn’t mind. In his heart, Ralts would always come first.

No matter what, he was glad that Ralts had such kindness.

Tang Yi left a message on WeChat for Officer Wang, whom he’d recently added as a friend, saying he was heading home, and then left the welfare home with Ralts.

As a student about to face the college entrance exam, he still had plenty of exercise books to work through.

...

Beside a patch of grass at the welfare home, a middle-aged man slowly walked out from the shade, gazing at the receding figures at the end of the path, a bit puzzled. “That young man looks familiar—where have I seen him before?”

A mature Butterfree woman gave him a sidelong glance. “We ran into him once while walking in the park on South Street.”

The Ninetales girl swayed her orange tails and laughed lightly. “Last time, someone said that he looked just like their younger self. It hasn’t been long, and you’ve already forgotten?”

The middle-aged man slapped his forehead in sudden realization. “I remember now! Haha, I really liked what he said—he’s got the style I had when I was young.”

“Which part?” The Eevee girl tilted her head in curiosity.

“He said, ‘How can you rule the world if your chest isn’t broad enough?’ I think that’s how it went. Judging someone by the size of their chest is truly shallow. I like what he said; he really reminds me of myself when I was young.”

The Butterfree woman was a bit flustered. “He said so much, and that’s the only thing you remember?”

The middle-aged man replied righteously, “Well, I’m not that familiar with him. Why eavesdrop on people? That’s not a good habit.”

A brief silence descended.

The gaze of the three girls—mature or cute—was intense.

The middle-aged man finally surrendered, raising his hands in defeat. “Alright, alright, you win. I know the principal well enough. When I have time, I’ll ask him personally about this Feebas situation, okay?”

Butterfree smiled sweetly. “Thank you. This welfare home was my childhood, so all the children here are like sisters to me. It’s rare for me to return and visit; if I can help a sister, I’ll be happy.”

...

The weekend visit to the welfare home only took half a day. Under Ralts’s urging, they even managed to return home before lunch.

With new motivation, Ralts had greater enthusiasm for training and studying; her energetic spirit was so intense that Tang Yi found it a bit odd.

But perhaps it was a good thing?

Before, Tang Yi had racked his brains trying to guide her gently into training, helping her increase her psychic strength without overworking her.

Now, there was no need.

To earn money, she needed to win prizes. To get into college, she needed extra points from the tournament.

Everything revolved around the selection tournament; Tang Yi didn’t need to guide her anymore. Ralts was now full of motivation, and—not only that—she was urging Tang Yi to work hard as well.

After all, the written exam for the college entrance required the trainer’s own effort.

After lunch, on this rare weekend, Tang Yi had planned to nap, but after just twenty minutes of rest, a strange tickling on the soles of his feet jolted him awake.

He turned his head.

Sure enough, Ralts was using psychic power to control the tip of a pen, scratching his soles.

Tang Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry. “What are you doing?”

Ralts turned away, speaking seriously. “I looked it up online. If you nap too long at noon, you’ll be dizzy in the afternoon, and it’ll affect your efficiency reading and doing exercises. So you can’t sleep anymore. Get up and review!”

“But—but it’s the weekend,” Tang Yi protested. That’s why he’d wanted to sleep longer. A nap on a sunny spring afternoon was simply too enjoyable.