My Pokémon Story of Seasons

Chapter 81 Signature Dessert

"Yes, thanks to everyone's help." Tong Hua smiled and patted the head of the foam squirrel beside her. "Life on the ranch is busy, but very fulfilling."

Jessica flipped off the fiery horse, her boots making a crisp sound as they stepped onto the newly paved cement road.

She looked around at the newly renovated fairytale ranch, her gaze quickly drawn to the signs hanging on the platform.

"Happiness Dessert Shop?" She raised an eyebrow. "Xiao Tong, what brings you to a side business?"

Tong Hua scratched her head sheepishly: "I tried making some baofen (a type of pastry) a few days ago, and the response was unexpectedly good. So I thought I might as well open a small shop and sell some of my homemade pastries."

"Baofen?" Old Jack's eyes lit up, his white beard trembling slightly with his smile. "This old man loves sweets the most!"

Can I try some?

"sure!"

Tong Hua quickly invited the two into the house, while the Flaming Horse and the Heavy Mud Horse were led to the backyard to play with the Forest Turtle and the others.

A short while later, Tong Hua brought out a beautifully decorated plate of Baofen from the kitchen.

Slimy and Bubblegum followed behind him, each Pokémon carrying a fragrant cup of tea.

"Please enjoy!" Tong Hua placed Bao Fen on the table. "It's fresh out of the oven and still a little hot."

Old Jack eagerly picked one up, and as soon as he took a bite, his eyes narrowed into slits, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.

Mmm! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet but not cloying—

tasty."

This was the first time Tong Hua had ever seen the village chief make such an expression. In her memory, he had always been a tough guy, like an old cowboy who had stepped out of a Western movie. She never expected him to be so powerless against sweets.

Jessica also picked up a Baofen (a type of pastry), and knowing Tong Hua's craftsmanship, she was not at all surprised by her grandfather's evaluation.

The various sweet flavors blend together harmoniously, and the sweet taste whets the customer's appetite.

The additional effects are an unexpected surprise!

Tong Hua stood to the side, smiling as she watched the village chief and Jessica savor Bao Fen's food, a warm feeling welling up inside her.

"As expected, Xiaotong's cooking is as delicious as ever!" Jessica finished one, then picked up two more.

They ate with great relish.

Village elder Jack couldn't resist eating a few more. "If I had known you had this skill, I would have sent you to town to be an apprentice back then."

The village chief jokingly said with a smile, "Maybe in a few years he'll be a famous chef."

"The village chief is joking. I'm just a small rancher."

She just happens to be a really good cook.

Tong Hua spoke modestly, but the village chief's expression suddenly turned serious.

"I'm not kidding. When the town was hiring a chef a few weeks ago, I really wanted to give you this opportunity."

Although I hadn't tasted your cooking at the time, I knew the benefits of working in a big city. I thought that instead of letting you run the ranch alone day and night, it would be better to save the money and develop in a big city.

But now it seems I was short-sighted.

Old Jack looked out the window and saw the babbling brooks, the beautiful fields, and the bustling orchards and meadows in the distance, all filled with Pokémon. This thriving scene deeply moved him.

"Letting you take over this ranch was the best decision I ever made."

Tong Hua was caught off guard by the village chief's sudden outpouring of emotion, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Just as he was about to say something, the foam squirrel suddenly jumped onto his shoulder and gently patted his face with its little paws.

"Thumbs up!" The little guy proudly puffed out his chest, as if he were the one being praised.

Sweet Wuni also came over, her twin ponytails swaying happily, emitting a faint sweet fragrance.

Watching this, Jessica couldn't help but laugh, "Grandpa, what you said makes me blush. But—"

She turned to Tong Hua, her eyes becoming serious. "Little Tong is really amazing. I was here not long ago, and the ranch seems much more lively than last time."

Upon hearing this, Tong Hua walked to the window and looked outside. The changes in the ranch were indeed quite moving.

The once dilapidated fences and facilities are now neat and sturdy, the abandoned fields are now full of crops, and even the air is filled with a vibrant atmosphere.

"This is the result of everyone's hard work."

Tong Hua crouched down and gently stroked the two Pokémon that came closer. "Without everyone's help, I couldn't have done this well by myself."

Just then, the voices of a young man and woman suddenly came from outside the door.

"We've finally arrived."

"I wonder if Mr. Tong Hua is here."

"It doesn't matter, today is the last day of the holiday anyway. I have to go back to school after I drop off the clothes."

When Tong Hua went outside, she saw that they were indeed students from the patrol school, Lu Mei and Huang Yao.

The two looked to have complicated expressions, which is normal; who isn't like that on the last day before returning to school after the holidays?

Tong Hua greeted them with a smile: "Isn't this Lu Mei and Huang Yao? How was your holiday?"

Huang Yao forced a smile and waved the package in his hand: "We're here to return the clothes—we're going back to school tomorrow."

"Oh my!" Sweet Wuni skipped over, curiously observing the two's dejected expressions.

Old Jack also came out of the house, squinting his eyes and saying, "Young man, why do you look like it's the end of the world? Is school really that scary?"

Huang Yao sighed: "It's not that school is scary—it's just that the thought of having to get up early every day for training again—"

"And the food in the cafeteria isn't good—" Ritsumi couldn't help but interject, "especially when we go back to eat there after a holiday."

There are always two or three days when I can't eat anything—

"That's easy." Jessica came out with Bofan in her hand, muttering to herself.

"Why don't you take something home to eat? The school can't possibly ban outside food, can it?"

After Jessica finished speaking, she winked and gave Tong Hua a series of hints.

Tong Hua immediately realized what was happening and smiled as she spoke to the two of them.

"How about this: if you still want to eat the baofen I made last time, I'll make some more and give them to you."

"We can't accept this!" Ritsumi and Koyo said in unison.

"Oh, don't be so polite!" Tong Hua waved her hand with a smile, "Take these back to school, they can also help me promote it."

He turned and walked toward the kitchen, and the foam squirrel immediately jumped onto his shoulder, with Sweetie following along.

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the sounds of clanging and jingling, and a tempting sweet aroma wafted out.

Old Jack, watching the two students clinging to the kitchen doorframe, tugged at his beard and chuckled, "These two kids, they say they're sorry, but their actions speak louder than words."

Jessica sat to the side, took a bite of her Baofen, and sipped her tea: "Grandpa, weren't you enjoying your food just now? Why are you pretending to be serious now?"

"Ahem—" Old Jack blushed, "Keep joking around, but don't forget the important business later."

As they were talking, Tong Hua came out carrying a basket.

The basket was piled with dozens of colorful Poffins, including the pink Happy Poffin and many other flavors made with combinations of other tree fruits.

Without exception, they all tend to be sweet.

"You can try a few now, and let me know what you think, and which color is the best."

Ritsumi and Hwangyo exchanged a glance and immediately began to excitedly choose from the gifts, just like unwrapping presents.

Each one looked so delicious, but after tasting them carefully, the two of them became conflicted.

"Every single one is delicious!"

"It's hard to say which one is the best."

Finally, the two reached a consensus.

"The pink Bo Fun I tried for the first time was definitely the best."

This could be considered one of their signature desserts.

"I see—" Tong Hua noted down the two people's comments, and Lu Mei and Huang Yao then took their leave.

After the two students left, Old Jack suddenly stopped Tong Hua and started talking about serious matters.

"Actually, we have another important matter to discuss today." Old Jack took out an envelope from his pocket and solemnly handed it to Tong Hua.

"Tomorrow is the village's spring festival. Although Fairy Tale Ranch has only been open for two weeks, we are eligible to attend."

Tong Hua opened the envelope, inside which was an invitation letter outlining the ceremony's procedures.

"There are many fun activities at the festival, children should come and participate too."

Jessica chimed in, her bright green eyes sparkling: "There are so many fun things, like sports meets, competitions, ring toss games, and equestrian shows—it's impossible to count them all."

"Me and the Flaming Horse will also be participating, Little Tong, come cheer us on!"

After hearing Jessica's description, Tong Hua and the Pokémon around her immediately became excited: "That sounds really exciting! I'll definitely go!"

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