I caught a Pokémon

Xia You turned her head and saw that it was Li Jia.

After a long time, Rika was still as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a kimono, and her demeanor was dignified. She looked reserved and gentle, and stood there quietly, exuding the charm of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

Walking up to her, Xia You greeted her first, then looked at the dojo and asked, puzzled, "Was there a big fire here? When did it happen? Why haven't you mentioned it?"

“It’s been a long time.” Rika thought for a moment. “It should be around a few days after you were still in Kanto, right after you challenged my gym, and we teamed up with Interpol to raid Team Rocket’s base.”

Back then...

After being reminded by her, Xia You thought for a moment and then remembered that there seemed to be a related plot in the animation, which did happen a long time ago.

He asked knowingly, "It wasn't something that happened when Ash challenged this place, was it?"

"Huh? You know Ash too?" Rika nodded. "When Ash came to challenge the gym, it happened to be during Team Rocket's attack. Strangely enough, it was a strange combination of two humans and a talking Meowth. They were the ones who set the fire and burned the gym to the ground. Luckily, Ash and his friends were there and helped a lot to prevent the fire from spreading."

Is it really?

Xia You grinned, secretly finding it amusing.

Two humans plus a meowth—that's Team Rocket's trio, no doubt.

Only they would be so tirelessly and persistent in pestering Xiaozhi.

However… if we look at it from a cause-and-effect perspective, if Ash hadn’t been there, Team Rocket might never have followed him to the Rainbow City Gym, and if they hadn’t gone to the Rainbow City Gym, they wouldn’t have launched the attack, and that fire wouldn’t have happened.

This is entirely because of Ash!

Wisely, Xia You didn't say this aloud. Instead, she asked with a puzzled look, "Since it was a fire that happened a long time ago, why has it been delayed until now to deal with it?"

“There’s nothing we can do about it.” Lijia shook her head and said with a wry smile, “The day after the fire, I reported the situation to the League, but because the League was short of funds at the time and required approvals at all levels, it took so long. Fortunately, the money finally came through a few days ago, so I was able to start construction and plan to further expand the gym!”

No wonder I had time to go to Johto to catch Pokémon; it turns out the gyms were temporarily closed...

At this moment, Xia You suddenly remembered the greenhouse in the gym that had left a deep impression on him, and couldn't help but ask, "By the way, are the greenhouse and the Pokémon inside alright?"

Lika nodded: "Thanks to the Pokémon working together and putting out the fire in time, we were able to escape unscathed and the greenhouse was spared. It was a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune."

At this point, Lijia suddenly thanked Xia You, saying, "Speaking of which, I should also thank you for the oranges you mailed. Those oranges are different from the ones in Guandu; they're really delicious. After we ate them, we planted their seeds in the flowerbed, and now they've grown into saplings!"

In fact, if it weren't for those oranges that made Rika realize that there are indeed huge differences between regions and that each place has its own unique customs and culture, she wouldn't have suddenly thought of going to Johto to catch the Pokémon there while the gym was being repaired.

Xia You had completely forgotten about it, but when she heard her mention it, she breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that they can grow. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to sprout or adapt to the climate here!"

Suddenly, Lijia looked behind her and began searching around.

"That's strange, where's Miss Naz? Weren't you traveling with her?"

"Don't even mention it..." Xia You waved her hand. "The League has been urging her to come back and guard the gym, and Sabrina couldn't refuse, so I came back this time to send her back to the Goldenrod Gym!"

"Ah? I see..."

Rika was somewhat surprised, after all, she had never heard of the League interfering with the gym leader's actions!

The thought flashed through her mind, and seeing Xia You still standing there, Li Jia suddenly came to her senses: "Oh, I'm so sorry, I've been standing here talking to you and forgot to invite you in. You must be tired after traveling for so long. Please come in and have a cup of hot tea!"

Xia You was indeed thirsty, so she didn't refuse and followed behind Li Jia into a huge temporary wooden house built behind her.

Inside the cabin, besides Rika, there were some female staff members that Xia You had seen at the dojo. When they saw Xia You, they covered their mouths and chuckled, and stared at him with fiery and bold eyes!

Xia You couldn't stand their stares, so she hurriedly nodded to them as a greeting, and then followed Li Jia to a small reception room at the very back of the cabin.

Upon entering the room, Xia You first smelled a faint perfume scent mixed with floral fragrance. Although the scent was pleasant, it still made his nose feel a little itchy.

Looking at the environment, although it is a temporary building, this reception room is still decorated in an exquisite and elegant manner.

Most importantly, perhaps because of her personality and hobbies, or perhaps because Lijia loves nature, there are green plants and trimmed flowers everywhere here, which makes Xia You feel a very warm feeling!

only……

The overly strong girlish atmosphere made Xia You feel a little uncomfortable, and for some reason, she even felt a dry mouth!

Rika didn't notice Xia You's strange behavior. She knelt on the other side of the tatami and brewed a pot of hot tea for the two of them.

"Please forgive me." Lijia handed the teacup to Xia You and, seeing him looking around, smiled and said, "This wooden house is a temporary venue for the dojo, used to handle some of the dojo's daily affairs. It's just that because we can't battle, it's been built a bit simply."

"This is already very good." Xia You took a sip of tea, adjusting her mindset while also flattering, "A house like this is the kind of home that someone like me, who wanders from place to place, dreams of owning!"

After being praised by Xia You, Li Jia covered her mouth and chuckled, feeling much happier.

She had fought against Xia You and witnessed his strength. They had also fought side by side against Team Rocket. Xia You had protected her several times at Team Rocket's base. Although she didn't say anything, she had long regarded Xia You as a friend in her heart!

Being praised by a friend is undoubtedly a very happy thing!

Lika's smile is infectious, which greatly enhances her charm and gives her a gentle aura that is completely different from Naz's!

A woman with such a radiant complexion is undoubtedly very attractive!

Xia You only glanced at it twice before looking away, quickly shifting his gaze. He coughed lightly and, to avoid overthinking, steered the conversation to the main topic.

"You mentioned before that you wanted to go to Johto to catch Grass-type Pokémon. Do you have any specific goals in mind? That way, I can give you some recommendations based on your needs!"

Chapter 352 Traveling with Rika

"Goal?" Seeing Xia You bring up the matter, Li Jia also said with a serious expression, "No, there isn't one. After all, going to the capital was a decision I made on a whim recently, and I didn't have any specific ideas."

"I see..." Xia You stroked her chin. "Alright, then I'll tell you about the distribution of some Pokémon I've encountered along the way. Although my time traveling in Johto is still short and I haven't covered the entire region, I can at least give you a general idea."

As he spoke, he took out his Pokédex from his pocket and opened his phone's map app, using both devices simultaneously. He then described to Rika in detail the Grass-type Pokémon he had collected and the places he had visited.

The lecture lasted for five or six minutes until Xia You felt a little thirsty. She then took a short break, picked up her teacup, and drank some tea to moisten her throat.

During this break, Lijia served him a plate of tea and refreshments and refilled his teacup.

It must be said that as a traditional woman, Lijia comes from a prestigious family, is well-educated and polite, not only skillful but also proficient in cooking and flower arranging, and she is very meticulous in everything she does.

Being with her, you don't need to say a word or worry about what to do next; she always takes care of everything.

She's beautiful and capable; she's practically the perfect woman!

After thanking her, Xia You ate another piece of tea snack.

The dim sum was exquisitely presented, and its soft, fluffy texture melted in your mouth – truly both beautiful and delicious!

This also reminded Xia You of the time when she and Xiao Chun went to the Quartz Conference and met Rika in the wild.

At that time, Lijia also brought tea and snacks made by her own hands, which left a deep impression on him!

Even now, the same taste remains unforgettable!

After eating several pieces, Xia You continued to speak, and Li Jia listened very carefully, occasionally chiming in. With Xia You's introduction, they quickly gained a general understanding of the city.

Finally, after Xia You put away her Pokédex and phone, Rika sighed softly.

"It sounds like we'll have to go to quite a few places if we want to collect more Grass-type Pokémon."

"It's not as complicated as you think," Xia You said with a smile. "Transportation is very convenient now. You can get to the capital city quickly by plane, and the distance between cities is also very short. You basically don't need to camp in the wild. It's as easy as hiking. By the way, when do you plan to set off?"

Lijia thought for a moment: "It should be in the next day or two, but before I leave, I need to pack my luggage and make some arrangements."

Xia You nodded knowingly.

After all, she wasn't like me, completely unburdened by worldly affairs, able to take a trip whenever she wanted.

Besides being a museum owner, Lijia is also the owner of a perfume shop and a florist. With a large business, she has many things to handle personally every day.

“It’s clear that your life is filled with all sorts of things. If that’s the case, then you should take a good rest and relax.” Xia You offered her suggestion. “This is a rare opportunity. Since the gym is still under construction, you can take the chance to stay outside for a few more days. While catching Pokémon, you can also visit some famous attractions in the Johto region. Consider it a long vacation for yourself.”

Speaking of which, out of politeness, Xia You casually added, "I have to head back to Chengdu tomorrow. Be sure to contact me when you get there, or you can just come with me to Chengdu tomorrow!"

"this…"

Lijia hesitated for a moment.

Go to the capital with him?

Having someone to travel with would be ideal, but...

She couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

After all, when Naz was around, although he and Naz were only acquaintances and didn't have much of a relationship, he didn't think much of it since they were both women. But now that Naz has left, wouldn't it be a bit strange for a man and a woman to travel together alone?

Looking at Xia You, seeing his clear eyes and remembering how he had helped her many times, Li Jia's heart softened. She felt that she shouldn't look at Xia You with such vulgar eyes, nor should she compare him to ordinary men!

He already has a girlfriend, and besides, she's just a travel companion, so what's the big deal? I shouldn't overthink it.

With that thought in mind, she had already made her decision!

On the other hand, as soon as the words left his mouth, Xia You regretted it a little. After all, he and Li Jia were just ordinary friends at best. It was too presumptuous to suggest that they travel together, and it would inevitably make people think that he had ulterior motives!

But I only spoke subconsciously, and now it's too late to take it back!

To avoid Rika overthinking, he could only explain, "Well... it's mainly because you're a girl, and you're bound to encounter some inconvenient situations when you're out and about. If you're together, you can take care of each other. Of course, if you don't want to, you can go on your own. Just pretend I didn't say anything."

This explanation was inevitably somewhat weak, but just when Xia You thought Li Jia would refuse, she unexpectedly nodded and agreed!

"Okay, I'll get ready tonight, and we'll set off together tomorrow!"

what?

This time, it was Xia You's turn to be astonished.

They actually agreed?

He swears to God that he just blurted it out without any ulterior motives!

He forced a smile and said, "Uh... okay... of course no problem... let's go together tomorrow..."

Lijia didn't notice Xia You's feigned composure. She stood up and nodded to him, "Alright, I'll make the arrangements now. By the way, are you staying here tonight? There are a few spare rooms. We can set off after breakfast tomorrow."

"No need." Xia You quickly shook her head. "I can stay at the Pokémon Center for one night. Let's meet at the gym entrance first thing tomorrow morning."

After leaving the Celadon Gym, Xia You arrived at the Pokémon Center in Celadon City and stayed there.

That night, lying in bed, he felt that something was amiss.

After much deliberation, he felt he should first talk to Naz to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, but after much thought, he still didn't dare tell Naz about it.

Given her personality, if I were to offend her, I'd be in big trouble!

Who knows, she might suddenly appear in front of you and turn you into a doll!

It's best to keep it a secret for now!

Fortunately, Rika is only traveling with us for a short time. After she finishes subduing the monsters, she will naturally return to Kanto. At that time, as long as I don't ask her anything, it will be completely unnoticed!

Chapter 353 Returning to the Capital

The next morning, Xia You had breakfast at the Pokémon Center and then went to the Rainbow Gym again.

Since it was still early, the construction workers had not yet started work, and the doors of the temporary wooden houses were still locked. Seeing this, Xia You was not in a hurry. Instead, she found a sunny spot and stood there quietly waiting.

The morning breeze felt slightly chilly. Before long, Lijia walked over from a distance, accompanied by several pretty girls.

She was still dressed in a kimono today, but compared to her usual more elaborate style, this outfit was clearly more suitable for travel. It was not only more form-fitting, but also had thin ropes tied around the sleeves and trouser legs for a tighter fit.

It has to be said that every time I saw Rika, she was wearing a different style of kimono. I don't know if it was a family rule or if she really liked this style of dress.

Approaching Xia You, she bowed slightly and said apologetically, "I'm sorry I'm late. Did I keep you waiting?"

"No, no," Xia You said with a smile. "I just arrived too. Hmm... are you all ready? If there are no problems, let's set off now!"

Nodding, Lijia took the backpack from a girl and waved to them.

"You can go back now. That's enough. From now on, the dojo and the shop are yours to manage!"

The girls, their eyes brimming with tears, surrounded Lijia, clearly reluctant to part with her.

"Sister Lijia! Please take good care of yourself!"

"Sister Lijia, you must come back soon!"

"Sister Lijia..."

For a moment, Xia You was surrounded by the chattering of girls. Although each girl's voice sounded pleasant on its own, when they were all together, it was just a chaotic mess that gave him a headache!

"You guys..." Seeing their expressions, Lijia smiled and shook her head, gently comforting them, "There's no need to be so sad. It's not like it's a matter of life and death. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

This also shows that although Rika is their boss and employee, their relationship is very harmonious. Xia You even remembers that when she first came to the perfume shop and Yuhong Dojo, the atmosphere there was very relaxed and harmonious, which shows how approachable Rika is.

After bidding farewell to the girls who were reluctant to leave, Rika turned around and walked out of the gym area with Natsumi into the street, until they could no longer see them.

"It's clear they really don't want you to leave."

Hearing this, Lijia couldn't help but show a look of reminiscence: "After all, I've known them for a long time, and some of them I've known since I was little. Over time, we've become very good friends!"