I opened a restaurant in the Pokémon world.

The meal was a great success, with everyone enjoying themselves. Mr. Officer J.S. was very happy, as was Mr. Heath's mentor, Mr. Takeki. The other old comrades were also in good spirits, as tomorrow was the New Year, and having a meal with their old friends was a particularly meaningful experience.

Heath didn't go to eat, since he was only there to cook. Although Lord Officer Jenny had invited Heath to eat with them, Heath politely declined with a smile. Heath had more important things to do than eat, which was to hurry back and check what the reward for his mission was.

After finishing the Moonlight Beef, Heath received the special mission reward, which was quite straightforward: a unique item. When Heath first saw it, he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he quickly realized that he really had been given this strange thing.

[You have completed a special mission and received a special reward: Summer Cicadas Cannot Discuss Ice]

[Summer Cicadas Cannot Discuss Ice: After using this item, you will gain a piece of advanced thinking. It can only be used once and will disappear after use.]

It was a very direct and very simple effect, but Heath was somewhat bewildered. What did "advanced thinking" mean? Heath found it very puzzling, as this "advanced thinking" seemed rather strange. Heath could understand things like a song or a game console, but this "advanced thinking"...?

"You can't talk about ice with a cicada in summer," is a proverb that means someone with limited knowledge can't understand profound things. Heath remembered that it came from a classic literary work, but he couldn't remember which one. If we look at it from this perspective, wouldn't Heath himself become that cicada in summer?

Curious, Heath pulled a small box out of his pocket. It was the same box Heath had just received. The box was very light, seemingly weightless. Heath opened it and saw a cicada made of ice inside. It looked exquisite and didn't seem like it was made of ice at all. Heath thought it could be made into a work of art.

"It's so beautiful! But what exactly does this so-called advanced thinking mean?" Heath fell into deep thought, but then he noticed something: the cicada had suddenly transformed, or even vaporized, leaving Heath stunned. At that moment, a strange thought inexplicably popped into Heath's mind.

"The recipe for Moonlight Beef seems to need improvement. I should be able to..." It was a strange thought. Heath hadn't originally considered Moonlight Beef; he was currently preoccupied with the magical item. But this idea suddenly came to him, and Heath felt that he could indeed improve the recipe for Moonlight Beef to make it taste even better. This was an idea Heath hadn't had before.

“I understand, the so-called ‘cannot talk about ice with a cicada in summer’ is actually…” Heath stroked his chin. He first wrote down this idea, after all, he was worried that he might forget it by accident, and if he forgot it, it would be a real loss.

The saying "You can't talk about ice with a cicada in summer" actually means that you need to make your thinking ahead of the times. For example, a long time ago, when Bitcoin was just a concept and people weren't very familiar with it, and the price of Bitcoin was very cheap, if you took out five thousand yuan to buy Bitcoin and stored it, you might become a millionaire in a few years.

But would a normal person think this way? No, why should they have to use real money to buy electronic virtual currency? But if someone has a forward-thinking mindset and realizes that Bitcoin may appreciate in value in the future, and then buys it in advance, wouldn't they be able to make a fortune? Although this is just an analogy, Heath thinks it's roughly the same idea.

So Heath hurriedly said goodbye and returned to his food truck. He then eagerly redeemed a kilogram of Moonbeam Beef. Heath then began to study the idea he had just come up with. After looking at it, Heath found that the biggest change was in the recipe. Some spices had been added and some seasonings had been removed, but the blanching time remained unchanged at three seconds.

"Master is really amazing. Three seconds should be the perfect time for Moonlight Beef. I wonder how much effort Master spent figuring this out." Heath stroked his chin. Three seconds, no more, no less. It seems simple, but creating something from scratch is the hardest part. Just like an unknown industry is the most difficult, but once someone breaks through and sets the rules, it will be easier for others.

Heath decided to give it a try, and this time, she found that the Moonbeam tasted even better. She made another dish of braised beef with potatoes, while Zoroark remained silent, constantly eating. Heath couldn't help but laugh; it seemed that the Moonbeam was indeed quite delicious.

Moreover, the potato and beef stew made with Moonlight Beef tastes excellent. The taste of this potato and beef stew can be described as impeccable. Heath thinks it may also be related to the secret seasoning he added. The broth of this potato and beef stew is an unparalleled delicacy when poured over rice.

"Trainer, how do you make this?" Farfetch'd looked at Heath with surprise and asked in an urgent tone. Heath could understand, after all, it was beef stew with potatoes. Heath had made it himself and taught Farfetch'd how to make it, so Farfetch'd naturally knew how to make it too. But Farfetch'd's beef stew with potatoes was not like this. It didn't glow and the taste wasn't as good.

"It's actually very simple. You need to use a very expensive type of beef, Moonbeam beef, and you also need to pay attention to the seasonings." Heath patiently explained. Since the system hadn't given any task prompts, it meant that this wasn't a task yet, so Heath didn't have to worry about having to teach Farfetch'd the problem.

Moreover, if we were to actually go on a mission, it would be a waste of time. The current scallion duck can be described as very simple to make these dishes. Although moonlight beef looks complicated and cumbersome, it is actually just that simple. The only difficulty is that it requires three seconds of timing control.

Chapter 727 It's almost New Year's!

Histo sat on a chair in the dining car, chin in hand, looking out at the night view. The city of Kuye was already very quiet; the streets were deserted. Although it wasn't New Year's yet, the festive atmosphere was already there. Histo could even see fireworks rising and blooming in the night sky. Heto couldn't help but smile. "Big cities, oh big cities," he thought, "the bigger the city, the fewer people there tend to be during the New Year. Normally bustling commercial streets might be deserted during the New Year because everyone is going home for the holidays."

At this time, small towns and cities are often more lively, like Changqing City. Changqing City is like that, it is particularly lively. During the New Year, it is very lively. Officer Julva's team will receive many gifts from citizens. It has to be said that although there are some annoying people in this world, there are also many good people.

It was quite unexpected for Heath to find that the Pokémon world had this custom of celebrating the New Year so similar to his previous life. Heath had thought that this world might not have the New Year celebrations he remembered, but after arriving in this world and experiencing his first New Year, he realized that he was wrong. This world did have the New Year celebrations from his previous life, although there were some differences, they were still very similar.

There are even customs like giving red envelopes during the Lunar New Year, which is something Heath never expected. However, Evergreen City's customs are more unique. According to Evergreen City's customs, young people, especially those who have started working, need to give red envelopes to the elderly for the New Year. Heath doesn't know what the customs are like in Leaf City. It is said that each place has different customs.

Previously, Hiss had asked Cynthia about this, and Cynthia told Hiss that in the Sinnoh region, there is generally a custom of setting off firecrackers on New Year's Day, which is said to drive away evil Pokémon, but now everyone just does it for fun.

"I wonder what Sister Feng and the others are doing now? Maybe they're still working overtime?" Heath pondered for a moment. He figured that, given Sister Feng's personality, she would definitely be busy with official business first, and then go back to deal with other things, such as the various problems that are likely to arise during the New Year. It has to be said that this is a guess that fits Sister Feng's personality. Sister Feng is the kind of person who can't sit still, and Heath is already used to it.

Things were a bit better in Evergreen City, since there really wasn't much to do there, and even if there was, it was mostly just putting out fires or something like that. But it was different in Konoha City; there was a lot more to do there.

After all, it's a big city. Although it's said that it will be a bit quieter during the Lunar New Year, there are still quite a few people. Setting off fireworks is also a test. There are rules about where to set them off, where not to set them off, and what restrictions apply to fireworks in different areas. Some people used to complain about too many restrictions, but the documentary made by the alliance silenced them.

The Lunar New Year is the busiest time for Officer Jenny of the fire department. Although the league makes regulations and restrictions every year, some people still set off fireworks secretly. Then, the fireworks accidentally ignite something, and then there is a huge fire. It is dangerous and even life-threatening.

In the Pokémon world, investigating the source of a fire is very easy. Officer Jenny can investigate first, and if they still can't find out, they can ask Psychic Pokémon to follow up on the clues.

Heath yawned and glanced at his phone. In this world, there was also a tradition of keeping vigil during the New Year, but it wasn't New Year yet, so Heath didn't need to think about that. But thinking about this, Heath couldn't help but think of other things. Heath looked at Ralts, who was watching a movie with Zoroark. To be precise, Zoroark shamelessly dragged Ralts to watch a movie with him, and it was a horror movie.

Ralts originally intended to continue knitting scarves for herself.

The scarf that Hiss had given him, the one Ralts had given him, was more like a handkerchief than a scarf. So when Ralts returned, the first thing she did was rush over, blushing, and take the handkerchief back from Hiss. His face was bright red, so Hiss could only pretend not to see it and let Ralts take it back. He was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of scarf Ralts would give him in the end.

"Trainer, is this the New Year as you humans call it?" A faint voice. Heath didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. After all, among all Pokémon, only Snorlax would speak to him in this way. Snorlax's voice is very loud, and if Snorlax didn't control itself, Heath would probably get a complaint for disturbing the peace.

"Not yet, it'll be tomorrow. What's wrong?" Hiss looked at Snorlax curiously, then noticed that Snorlax sheepishly pulled out a piece of paper. Hiss took it and glanced at it.

[Entering the New Year's Singing Contest in Konoha City...]

Heath understood, but it also seemed like he didn't quite grasp it. He even looked at it again to make sure, and then he nodded. He was right; Snorlax was indeed planning to participate.

"Sure, I'll take you tomorrow." Hiss patted Snorlax's big belly happily. He wasn't worried that Snorlax wouldn't participate, but he was worried that Snorlax wouldn't have the confidence. Having confidence was a good thing, but before going, Hiss still planned to listen to it himself first, otherwise it wouldn't be a good thing for Snorlax if it embarrassed itself.

Snorlax was very happy and even wanted to hug Hiss, but Hiss politely declined. Snorlax's belly was too cold. After all, he was an Ice Snorlax, so hugging Snorlax was like hugging a block of ice. Although it would be quite suitable in the summer, since the weather was too hot in the summer, being next to Snorlax was like being in air conditioning.

Hiss stretched, looked at the night outside, checked his phone, and then slipped into his bedroom amidst Zoroark's terrified screams, Ralts's helpless sighs, Farfetch'd's chuckles, and Charizard's huffing and puffing as it exercised, before turning off the lights.

"Sleep, sleep! When I wake up, it will be New Year's Day tomorrow." Heath yawned, while thinking about what to make for the New Year's Eve dinner. However, with Chef Wu Gui's large pot dishes recipe, Heath felt that cooking this time would be very convenient.

It's almost New Year's!

Chapter 728 New Year's Eve

"Does the New Year start today?" The next morning, Hiss was brushing her teeth and yawning when Zoroark asked curiously. This was her first time celebrating the so-called New Year. Before, when she was with her companions, Zoroark had no impression or feeling about the New Year. After all, for Pokémon, every day is just another day and has no special meaning.

However, after Zoroark started reading novels and becoming active, she learned the meaning of the word "New Year," so she was quite looking forward to her first real New Year in this world.

“Strictly speaking, today isn’t actually New Year’s Day, but it’s practically the same as New Year’s Day. At this time, people usually just have a New Year’s Eve dinner or something.” Heath spat out the toothpaste in his mouth, rinsed his mouth, and then answered Zoroark’s question.

Is today New Year's Day? Strictly speaking, no, today isn't New Year's Day. It's just the last day. Tomorrow is the real New Year's Day. Today should be Lunar New Year's Eve. However, according to the way it's celebrated in the Pokémon world, today is actually New Year's Day, so there's no difference. Heath plans to celebrate the New Year with Maple and the others, have New Year's Eve dinner, so naturally, she doesn't need to open for business. But that doesn't mean Heath can just sit back and do nothing.

At the very least, Heath would have to clean up and start preparing all the ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner. If Heath were eating alone with Sister Feng and the others, it wouldn't be so troublesome. But based on Heath's understanding of Sister Feng, Sister Feng would probably make her cook for the entire Officer Jenny team. This wasn't about exploiting her, but rather for Heath's own good. After all, the more people she knew, the easier it would be to get things done in the future.

And it's not just about cleaning. The New Year in this world is quite interesting. It's important not to throw anything away on the first day of the New Year, so Heath also has to sort out the trash, get a haircut, and change into new clothes.

Although there are many people in Vermilion City this time, the number of Officer Jenny is much larger than that in Evergreen City, so preparing New Year's Eve dinner for so many people is quite a challenge.

Moreover, this wasn't the first time Heath had done something like this. He'd done it before, back when he was in Evergreen City. And this time, with Chef Takeki's recipe, Heath was even more confident. Back in Evergreen City, Heath even had to cook New Year's Eve dinner for Mr. Sakaki. Every year, Sakaki would buy Heath a New Year's Eve dinner, and the dishes he asked for were different each year. Last time, Sakaki asked Heath for a fish, symbolizing abundance year after year. But now that Heath wasn't in Evergreen City, Boss Sakaki probably wouldn't be buying groceries from Heath anymore.

"New Year? I know that, it's a holiday that you humans really like." Mew interjected. It had already finished washing up. Mew was washing up very quickly. Now Mew was playing Gomoku with Ralts, but this Gomoku was a bit more unique. Ralts had to use its psychic powers to condense a black piece and place it on the board. Mew said that this was a way to train psychic powers, so Heath didn't stop it.

Meanwhile, Ralts was also engrossed in playing the game, but she brushed her teeth and washed her face first. Ralts was very focused when brushing her teeth and washing her face, showing no signs of distraction. It's clear that Ralts enjoys brushing her teeth and washing her face. Perhaps it was a regret for her that she couldn't participate in Hiss and the others' daily routine of brushing their teeth before.

"It's alright, I used to like it quite a bit." Heath shrugged. Heath used to be happiest during Chinese New Year because he could get red envelopes. Sister Feng and the others knew what Heath was up to, so they always gave him a lot of red envelopes every year. Heath could always pay back a large sum of money every year. But not this year. Starting this year, Heath will no longer accept red envelopes. In the future, he may have to give red envelopes to others. Xiao Zhi and Xiao Gang had already wished Heath a Happy New Year before. Fortunately, Heath is not much older than them.

"Don't you like it now?" Mew looked over curiously, then casually placed a white piece down, forming a four-in-a-row. Ralts quickly conjured a black piece to block the white pieces from forming a five-in-a-row.

“Of course I like it, why wouldn’t I? Chinese New Year is a lot of fun, but this year in Kuye City, it just feels like something’s missing.” Heath washed his face and then hung the towel aside.

Before he knew it, Heath had come to regard Evergreen City as his home. Although strictly speaking, Lavender Town was his home, since Heath had a house there, Heath felt more at ease in Evergreen City. Heath knew most of the people in Evergreen City, was familiar with the streets, and was also familiar with the forests there.

Just as Heath was about to go out to buy some New Year's Eve groceries, he heard a knock on the door. This made Heath a little curious. Who would knock on his door in Kuroba City? It was probably Ms. Musashi or Kojiro and the others. If it was Maple, she probably called him directly.

"Who is it?" Heath opened the door and saw a serious-looking man in black casual clothes. The man's expression was very serious, but he showed a sincere smile when he saw Heath.

"Happy New Year, Heath." Giovanni smiled at Heath, cupped his hands in greeting, and Heath was dumbfounded. He really hadn't expected that it would be Giovanni who came this time. This was Giovanni, after all! Coming all the way from Viridian City to this place, could it be to buy New Year's Eve groceries with him? Impossible, absolutely impossible. Heath thought that Giovanni must have come to meet the other Team Rocket members. Who would travel to another city just to buy groceries?

……

"So, Mr. Sakaki, you've come here to buy New Year's Eve groceries?" Heath's expression turned strange. He really hadn't expected that Boss Sakaki would actually be planning to buy New Year's Eve groceries from him. This made Heath feel a little amused and exasperated. He originally thought that Boss Sakaki would choose to stay in Evergreen City. Even if he did come to Kureha City, it would only be to deal with the matters in Kureha City. He didn't expect that he would actually come to him to buy New Year's Eve groceries.

“Yes, the same as always, one New Year’s Eve dish, but different from the usual.” Boss Sakaki smiled. Heath’s lips twitched, but he still nodded. Making New Year’s Eve dishes was not a problem for Heath. He could just make one now. As for what to make, Heath had already thought it through.

Chapter 729 The market is overflowing with people!

There are many kinds of dishes for Chinese New Year's Eve, and the dishes vary from place to place. The dish Heath made this time was a very traditional one - steamed pork with rice flour.

Steamed pork with rice flour is a very traditional dish with a certain history. Although it cannot be said to be a dish exclusively for New Year's Eve, since it can be eaten even outside of the New Year, the biggest advantage of steamed pork with rice flour is that it has a unique flavor and a very refreshing taste. It is fine to eat even outside of the New Year, and it is certainly qualified to be served as a New Year's Eve dish during the New Year. Moreover, Heath had never made it for Boss Sakaki before.

So now Heath plans to make a large batch of steamed pork with rice flour. Although it's not on Chef Takeki's recipe, you can make a lot of steamed pork with rice flour. That's what Heath plans to do too. He'll make a large batch of steamed pork with rice flour, give some to Boss Sakaki, and keep the rest for New Year's Eve dinner.

Although Maple didn't say how many Officer Jennys there were in Vermilion City, Heath knew for sure. He had estimated the number of Officer Jennys in Vermilion City, so he prepared quite a lot. Although this might still not be enough to feed everyone in the city, Heath could only say that he had done his best.

As for handing over the recipe to other chefs to make? That really won't do. Steamed pork with rice flour doesn't exist in this world, but it tastes excellent. If he were to teach it to others, Heath couldn't guarantee that everyone would be a good person and would keep the secret. So Heath planned to keep it to himself. Besides, he didn't have any apprentices to learn from him. Otherwise, once Heath was sure of the other person's character, he wouldn't mind passing the recipe on to his apprentices.

Secret recipes and novel ways of eating are different. Just like the rotating hot pot that Heath made in Sinnoh, anyone with a discerning eye can see how it's made. It's not complicated at all, so Heath naturally doesn't mind selling it for that amount of money. After all, this way of eating can't be patented, so there's no guarantee of its quality. Heath also doesn't plan to make the rotating hot pot a big business.

But the secret recipes are different. It's not that Heath is bragging, but unless he reveals his secret recipes himself, no one else can taste them. So if someone wants to get Heath's secret recipes, they'll probably have to pay a price that Heath can't refuse. And if they want to become his apprentice, they'll have to be a kitchen helper for a few years before they can think about anything else.

This is a skill that allows you to make a living.

"What are you making?" Boss Sakaki became interested and curiously examined the ingredients in Heath's hands. Heath had chosen pork, but it had both lean and fatty parts, and even two kinds: pure lean and pure fat. This made Sakaki very curious about what kind of New Year's Eve dish Heath was planning to make.

"Steamed pork with rice flour... now we just need to wait for it to cook." Heath clapped his hands. He had finished his preparations and there was nothing else to do. The only thing he needed to do was wait for the steamed pork to cook. There was nothing else to do. Heath still needed to buy other New Year's Eve dishes than Ning. Although Heath had quite a few in his storage room, if he wanted to supply Officer Jenny of Fallen Leaf City, then too little would not be enough.

Boss Sakaki nodded as if he understood, and planned to try it himself later to see how the steamed pork with rice flour that Heath had made tasted, and then see if he could deduce the specific recipe. Sakaki planned to take it back and have dinner with his subordinates. This was also a small trick of Sakaki's to win people's hearts. Although it was very ordinary and common, as long as it was effective, that was fine.

Heath cooked quickly, and the steamed pork was ready in no time. Heath made a portion for Boss Sakaki, and after receiving payment, Boss Sakaki left. Of course, his trip to Kureha City wasn't just to buy Heath's New Year's Eve dinner; he also had some things to take care of, so he was in a bit of a rush. His washing up was understandable. After wishing Boss Sakaki a Happy New Year and good fortune, Heath also received a red envelope from Boss Sakaki.

It wasn't much, just 500 Alliance Coins, but it was a token of appreciation. After all, Hiss had already started earning money, and receiving a red envelope was quite unexpected.

Just as Heath was about to go buy New Year's Eve groceries, her phone rang. Heath opened her phone and saw it was a message from Sister Feng. After seeing Sister Feng's message, Heath couldn't help but touch her chin. If what Sister Feng said was true, then Heath felt that she should be able to relax a little.

"Is one main dish enough? It seems the customs in Kureha City are quite different." Heath clicked her tongue. According to Sister Feng, in Kureha City, each family contributes one New Year's Eve dish, which is then combined and eaten by everyone at once. According to this, one serving of steamed pork with rice flour would be enough for Heath.

However, Heath still planned to make another dish of pork with tofu skin. The method was basically the same as that of steamed pork with rice flour, except that the ingredients were different. She needed to use pickled vegetables, and the taste was more sweet and sour. As for the pork, Heath planned to choose a meat with a good balance of fat and lean meat, which would be perfect for making pork with tofu skin.

With that in mind, Heath drove his food truck to the Vermilion City market. However, he regretted it as soon as he arrived. He felt that he should have not come at all, because the Vermilion City market was already packed with people and cars could not squeeze in. Heath simply found a parking lot, parked his car, and then took his Pokémon downstairs.

"Snorlax, your singing competition is nearby. I'll take you there later. Are you ready?" Heath glanced at the Poké Ball on his waist. Snorlax was too big to come with him and had to stay in the Poké Ball.

"Hmm!" Snorlax sounded a little nervous, which was normal, since it was its first time participating in such a competition. Vermilion City was really interesting, having such an event.

Heath stroked his chin, looked at the crowded people in front of him, and silently put his phone and wallet close to his body. The city of Kurenai was big, but there were bound to be thieves there. Holidays were when thieves were most active, and Heath didn't want to be forced to go to Officer Jenny's to deal with the matter because his wallet was stolen.

Heath touched his wallet; he didn't have much money with him, only two or three thousand Alliance coins in his wallet.

“…Zoroark, keep an eye on things.” Hiss said to Zoroark.

Chapter 730 Happy New Year!

Heath covered his face. He was so stupid, really.

Knowing full well that thieves are rampant during the New Year period, and that Vermilion City is a large metropolis where there are naturally even more thieves, and that the New Year's market is packed with people, even Pokémon crammed together, Heath still never expected that his wallet, which he kept close to his body, would still be stolen. The barely noticeable tear on Heath's clothes was practically mocking his stupidity. Heath had just spotted a pretty good half of a cow and was about to take out his money to buy it when, while his phone was still there, his wallet was gone.

Heath thought the reason his phone was still there was because it happened to be in the other side of his bag, not in the same spot as his wallet. Otherwise, he might have lost both his phone and wallet. But even losing just his wallet was a huge problem for Heath. His wallet contained his identification information, his bank cards, and his trainer's certificate—all very important items. What made it even more of a headache was that it was New Year's Day, and Officer Jenny was on holiday.

Therefore, there is really no way for Heath to get back the things he lost in a short period of time. Thinking about this, Heath felt his scalp tingle. He really did not expect to encounter such a situation.

"Thankfully, my password isn't my birthday..." Heath breathed a sigh of relief. Most people set passwords related to their birthdate, and most passwords are the same. This is to make them easier to remember. After all, anyone who has been through it knows that if you set your passwords to be too complicated or too troublesome, then remembering the passwords for too many accounts is a headache.

However, Heath did not set his password to his birthday. Heath was referring to the world's birthday, and he set it to his past birthday. So unless the thief was extremely lucky, it would be absolutely impossible for him to figure out the password.

Heath had no choice but to report the incident to the police. However, before doing so, Heath took Snorlax to the New Year's Concert venue that Snorlax wanted to attend and helped it complete the registration process. Only then did Heath call the police, and Officer Jenny arrived quickly.

"Huh? Aren't you Captain Feng's younger brother?" Heath covered her face. Oh no, this was an old acquaintance! This was so embarrassing! Heath wanted to find a hole to crawl into. It was truly horrifying. Heath had actually received training from Sister Feng, using the same methods she used on Officer Jenny, so anti-pickpocketing was naturally part of her training. But now, Heath had been robbed.