radicalducati Chapter 267 Father, Daughter, and Research Assistant
Chapter 267 Father, Daughter, and Research Assistant
Ironically, after the two uninvited guests, Orchid and Officer Jenny, the one who came to the Forest Mansion was still not the so-called "real guest" that Meidan had mentioned.
With a series of somewhat disordered footsteps, a Machamp and a Twintail were seen carrying large and small bags of supplies, entering the second floor of the mansion from the rooftop.
Behind the two Pokémon, another young couple, chatting and laughing, followed closely behind. The maid, Zina, followed behind them, respectfully closing the cover that connected to the roof.
Before they even reached the bottom of the stairs, the woman following behind the Twin-Tailed Hand immediately abandoned her companion, leaned over the second-floor railing above the hall, waved excitedly at Mei Dan, and shouted with great enthusiasm—
"Hey! Dad, long time no see! How's that shady research of yours coming along?"
The woman had short, neat hair and was gesturing animatedly, appearing exceptionally energetic, yet she wore a pair of refined silver-rimmed glasses. In her other hand, she carried shopping bags, and she wore a smart and fashionable winter outfit, some items still with tags on, clearly the result of a recent shopping spree at the mall.
Before Meidan could answer, she continued talking incessantly—
"This time, our research project just finished, and I want to get together with my friends in Baidai City. Well, I can stay here at home for at least half a month. Anyway, with Crobat and the others around, transportation won't be a problem. Staying here also means I can get some free meals from Ms. Zina, it's really a great deal, hehe... Oh dear, are we having guests over today?"
Zhu Lan and Officer Jenny, who had been facing away from the hall, turned around at the same time after hearing the noise and met the eyes of the two guests.
Everyone was silent for half a second, then—
"champion!"
"Bamboo Orchid Champion!?"
The young man and the woman exclaimed in surprise at the same time.
There was no way around it; although Cynthia was dressed casually this time and wasn't wearing her black coat, which was almost as iconic as the Champion's cape, everyone in the Sinnoh region recognized her. Even though the second floor of the Forest Mansion and the reception room were quite a distance apart, she was still instantly recognizable.
Seeing this, Miss Champion shook her head helplessly: "These two shouldn't be the founders of Haige Pharmaceuticals, right? It seems I might have to go through this kind of greeting again today."
Officer Jenny shrugged: "I think the main problem is the eerie atmosphere of this mansion. Anyone who sees you, the Sinnoh champion, here would be quite surprised. The contrast is too great, like suddenly seeing a Relicanthus that should be diving deep into the ocean in the middle of the desert."
"..."
Zhu Lan clearly didn't appreciate the analogy and ignored Officer Jenny, while Mei Dan, sitting opposite her, couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
"Heh, sometimes fame produces some useless things, doesn't it?"
Before Double-Tailed Hand and Mighty could even put down their luggage, the woman had already come running down from the second floor, jumped in front of Professor Medan, and started lecturing him in a serious tone.
"Dad, you're talking nonsense again with that sarcastic tone! How many times have I told you not to add laughter before you speak? It makes you look like a stupid villain on TV!"
The mansion owner's harsh expression froze on his face, becoming incredibly stiff. It took him a long time to manage a forced, stiff reply—
"Anyway...anyway, this is how I talk. It's been a habit for decades, and I can't change it now. Take it or leave it."
"Hey, get this straight. This is our Sinnoh's most famous Cynthia Champion! The strongest Pokémon battler! And a mythology scholar too!"
A woman, seemingly Mr. Mei Dan's daughter, stood with her hands on her hips, confronting the mansion's owner with an aggressive air. This made Zhu Lan, who had been praised, somewhat uneasy.
"Didn't you yourself say that mythological research is finally on the right track and that we should find people to exchange ideas with if we have the chance? Now that such a famous scholar has come to our house, you are still making sarcastic remarks to provoke him."
"Huh? We were just having a very friendly academic exchange, okay? It was you who came and ruined the atmosphere."
Mei Dan's face turned red as she continued to try her best to defend herself.
"Your atmosphere was so cold it felt like it was going to snow!" The woman in winter clothes waved her hands. "I can tell just by looking at it, Dad must have said something rude and stupid again!"
Officer Jenny gently shook her head, sensing a discrepancy between the mansion owner's perception of the world and her own. She wondered whether Medan's explanation was merely a momentary excuse or his true feelings. If it was the latter, she could only sigh that the retired professor was truly unsuitable for this kind of hypocritical and arrogant persona.
Zhu Lan, however, took the initiative to stand up and gracefully smoothed things over: "We were indeed discussing some issues with Mr. Mei Dan just now. Although it was a short time, we gained a lot. And your father really didn't do anything particularly offensive."
"Oh, don't try to speak well of the old man. I know what kind of person Dad is, but..."
“Venish!” Medan finally couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted at her daughter, taking advantage of the pause in her speech to retaliate—
"Speaking of a fruitful shopping trip, I see you came back with a lot of high-end brands. I wonder if your salary from the research institute this month will be enough?"
As if a sore spot had been hit, the short-haired woman instantly fell silent.
"Stay at home for more than half a month? Haha, why make it sound so nice to go home and sponge off your parents? You didn't even leave yourself any money for food this month, did you?"
Vinnie's face began to flush red, and even her attempts to defend herself became choked in her throat.
Officer Jenny was amazed; the rhythm of this offensive and defensive reversal was at least at the level of a league champion. It would be impossible for them to put on such a brilliant verbal sparring match if they didn't know each other inside and out.
She looked expectantly at the brown-haired youth who had just come down from the second floor and hadn't yet made a sound, wondering if he was also a master.
The young man ignored the father and daughter who were exchanging glares and went straight to Zhu Lan, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.
“Bamboo... Bamboo Orchid Champion, my name is Neil, and I am Mr. Meidan’s research assistant.”
"Yes, hello, Neil."
Zhu Lan nodded. Just like how people could instantly recognize her identity upon seeing her, she was also very familiar with this pattern of behavior.
Nervous, excited, and with eyes full of anticipation, his dominant hand unconsciously reached for the Poké Ball on his belt...
"Please battle me! I've always dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Trainer!"
"Tch, boring." Officer Jenny scoffed, regretting that a third master of verbal sparring hadn't appeared.