Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

Shredded pork with garlic sauce is a simple yet delicious home-style dish.

She placed the freshly cut shredded meat in a bowl, added cooking wine, light soy sauce, and cornstarch one by one, and then carefully mixed it well.

Perhaps out of curiosity or a desire to help, Eevee also reached out its little hand, dipped it in, and began stirring, just like the other girl.

"Thanks, Ibrahimovic."

Perhaps this had little effect on the mixing, but this gesture alone was enough to warm Nan Yin's heart and bring a slight smile to her lips.

Using her mental power, she coated her and Eevee's fingertips with a thin film, not wanting their skin to get sticky and uncomfortable from the sauce.

As for Scorpios, while they were marinating and preparing the ingredients, they would secretly pick up the remaining tenderloin from the side and savor it in small bites.

When the girl's gaze met his, her satisfied expression and chewing motion instantly froze on her face.

"Snap..."

Lowering its head, Scorpion timidly pulled the already chewed minced meat from its mouth and placed it in the sink, waiting for it to be rinsed with clean water before attempting to put it back in the dish.

"Pfft."

What is this? Is it just burying one's head in the sand, deceiving oneself?

Before the little beast could loosen its claws, a nimble finger flick landed on its forehead.

"Alright, alright, it's okay. This was originally meant for you and your master. But remember, if you're hungry in the future, be sure to tell me."

It was both funny and heartbreaking. Nan Yin stopped stirring for a moment, took out a portion of it, and handed it to the other person.

"This was originally yours."

Upon receiving this gift, Scorpio instantly became energetic again.

But one shouldn't just be swayed by the child's adorable clumsiness. The girl returned to the table and began preparing the radishes and green peppers she had prepared.

The preparation of fish-fragrant sauce is relatively complicated and requires the addition of many auxiliary ingredients. However, after living for so many years, Nanyin has long since found substitutes for most of the seasonings from her previous life.

Heat oil in a wok, add shredded pork and stir-fry quickly. At the same time, she also starts another stove to stir-fry ginger and garlic.

Without any frantic activity, her heightened senses, amplified by her mental power, allowed her to clearly perceive the heat, detect the color of the food, and ensure even heating.

Add the side dishes, pour on the savory sauce, wait a moment, and then a spicy aroma will follow. This beautifully colored meat dish is now ready to serve.

It's unclear when exactly, but the old man had moved to the side, carefully observing the young woman's stir-frying technique.

What is the name of this dish?

Feeling curious, as a long-time judge of the Carlos Chef Competition, he had tasted countless delicacies but had never seen this exquisite dish before.

"Fish-flavored shredded pork".

"Fish-flavored? Based on my observation just now, you shouldn't have added any fish meat."

This is a question that remains unanswered.

"Yes, but by using a variety of seasonings, this dish can achieve a similar flavor to fish-fragrant sauce; this is also a cooking process."

"Oh?"

He was intrigued again, but not in a hurry. He waited patiently for the temperature to be just right before picking up his chopsticks.

However, while the old man could wait, the little beast couldn't. Unlike the reserved Eevee, the Scorpion, who had little experience with human food, couldn't resist the craving and was eager to try.

Helplessly, she reached out her fingertips again and gently stroked the scorpion beast's forehead, softly comforting it.

"Don't rush, little one, it's still too hot."

Eating food that is too hot can damage the stomach and esophagus, which is not a good habit.

After turning off the stove and tightening the gas, she placed the bowls and plates one by one in front of the two little animals.

As everyone picked up their chopsticks, words of emotion spontaneously escaped the old man's lips.

"Fresh and fragrant, with both sweet and sour flavors, it's flavorful without being greasy. Nanyin, you've really put your heart into this dish."

"It's just simple home-cooked food, I'm glad you like it, Uncle Fu."

That was the only exchange; after that, all that remained were the snoring of a full stomach and the grease on the corners of their lips.

The leisurely afternoon passed slowly in this tranquil moment spent together.

Chapter Fourteen: A Success in One Go

"The most important thing in making energy cubes is to grasp the timing and coordinate your hands and eyes."

As mentioned earlier, Nan Yin is currently focusing her energy and attention on the movements in her hands.

This was the main content of her second lesson.

Compared to the enigmatic process of hatching and genetics, raising sprites is what most people associate with breeders. And both internally and externally, crafting and refining nutrient-rich energy cubes, and tailoring them to individual needs, are the hallmarks and hallmarks of this profession.

While ordinary tree fruits and food can satisfy a Pokémon's appetite, if it wants to grow further, it must be trained specifically or stimulated with external substances.

Similar to fitness, physical training is one aspect, but dietary planning is equally important.

Even though current industrial technology can produce energy cubes in a standardized way, the finished products created by top breeders still reach a level that machines cannot reach.

This is not just about differences in manufacturing processes, but also about breeders adjusting the formula according to the current state of different Pokémon to achieve the best fit.

This is precisely why these custom-made energy cubes are highly sought after among elite trainers. The high price is secondary; the main reasons are the high observation cost and long production time.

Even top masters need several days of research and experimentation.

Without verbal guidance, Master Fu only taught her the most basic steps of Nanyin music, and the details could only be understood through her own practice.

With your thumb pressed against the back of the knife, apply force gently and smoothly to cut off the entire circle of fruit peel.

This is the first step in the handmade process.

Raise the knife again and make a vertical cut along the midline of the blackberry, revealing the pit and allowing a little juice to seep out from inside.

Peeling and pitting the fruit was something Nan Yin had tried before, and she had gotten her fingers all wet. But now, simply by concentrating, she could make this simplest of tasks incredibly meticulous.

Even though the smooth flesh of the fruit appears to be resting in the palm of a young girl's hand when she spreads out her fingers, it actually maintains a tiny distance from her skin.

This is the result of the power of thought.

Although she didn't consciously use this ability, it still sharpened Nan Yin's senses, making her knife-wielding movements more precise without the slightest tremor.

"good."

Even though he remained calm on the surface and only said that things were alright, a huge uproar had already taken place in Master Fu's heart.

Peeling without removing the flesh—even he couldn't maintain that level of knife skill throughout the entire process. The average person has limited energy; almost no one can maintain such a high level of focus at every moment.

Glancing at the girl who was hunched over her desk again, and seeing that she showed no unusual expression, the old man knew that the child had probably gotten used to it.

This is not about skillful technique, but simply about being single-minded and focused.

An unpaid favor, a chance encounter—could it be that he really struck gold?

Unswayed by external factors, Nan Yin maintained her rhythm.

Arrange the aromatic mushrooms, cut them horizontally along their distinct textures to remove the tops, leaving intact columnar shapes.

Without pausing her fingertips or taking a short rest, she used a stone mortar to thoroughly grind it into even powder.

Once the main ingredients are prepared, the second furnace is started, followed by high-temperature condensation and freezing to shape.

The girl didn't find the process of turning the items tedious at all; in fact, as the quality improved, her focus increased, and she felt a slight sense of accomplishment.

Perhaps this is why the Pokédex determines that she possesses the attributes of [Serious] and [Positive Thinking].

Maintain the heat and wait for the broth to reduce to the desired level before adding the large root vegetables to soften and smooth them, then pour on a sweet and seasoned sauce.

She didn't rush to turn off the fire. In the available time, she prepared the molds and placed the strainer, taking care of everything.

There was almost no error; after the sudden change in temperature, the crystal-clear, blocky object had spread its sweet aroma and appeared before my eyes.

"Master Fu".

The girl addressed her teacher by name without making a fuss or showing off; she simply wanted to ask for his opinion and perspective.

Without an immediate response, the old man, trembling slightly, picked up the crystal and examined it closely in the sunlight.

After a long while, he finally spoke with deep emotion, reciting a poem from the bottom of his heart.

"A perfect finish, of excellent quality. Nan Yin, you are truly talented in this area; even I, an old man, am ashamed of my own abilities."

There is no order of precedence in learning; those who are accomplished are teachers. Although there is still a gap in knowledge, in the field of handicrafts, he is already inferior to the young girl.

He was also generous with his praise, knowing that Nan Yin would not become arrogant or haughty because of her words.

He felt both delighted and somewhat disappointed.

I am delighted that my family is fortunate enough to have preserved our skills, but saddened that I am now old and can no longer live as I once was.

Patting the girl on the shoulder, the old man took out a book from the bookshelf that he intended to give to her at a later time.

"This contains my life's work, a collection of various recipes for energy cubes. Please accept it."

"Master Fu..."

Without reaching out to take it, Nan Yin simply bowed deeply.

She knew what this meant to her; the old man truly regarded her, whom he had only recently met, as his successor.

"Alright, alright, don't make it so formal. It's just normal instruction."

Although he was very pleased with the girl's feedback, Master Fu did not want Nan Yin to have too much of a burden.

However, after speaking, seeing that the other party remained unmoved and stood bent over, he had no choice but to raise his voice in desperation.

"What are you still doing here? It's getting late. Go back and study hard. I'll be testing you tomorrow."

This child is good in every way, except that he is too reserved and takes gratitude too seriously.

"Yes, Master."

After sincerely addressing her with the honorific title, Nan Yin picked up the small beast and went out in response.

As the footsteps faded into the distance and the figure disappeared, the old man carefully picked up the remaining energy cube from the table.

What a little monster! It has already reached the level of a top breeder's craftsmanship on its very first attempt.

Perhaps, letting her follow my path was a mistake from the very beginning.

Incubation and genetics require far too much time and numerous cases; even a generation, or even until their hair turns white, cannot expect the correct result.

With such talent, Nanyin will likely soon match or even surpass her in other fields.

If, by that time...

Without thinking any further, Grandpa Fu pushed open the wooden door to the inner room, walked past the many displayed items, and went straight to a huge elf egg.

Stroking the scaly patterns covering the eggshell and feeling the vibrant life force within, after some hesitation, he finally made up his mind.

P.S.: ...so, I'd like to ask for some free votes and comments.

Chapter Fifteen: The Giant Dragon Egg

The next morning, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

Taking out her small leather shoes from the low table, Nan Yin half-lifted her slender legs and stood in the entryway, contemplating what to wear.

But without hesitation, she followed her fingertips to lift the edge of the shoe, hooked it over her heel, and then landed on the floor with a light tap, perfectly filling the gap.

"Ibrahimovic."

Summon your pet animal, push open the door and step into the street, where the morning breeze dispels your weariness.

In the past, it would have taken a little time to get to the gym in Wing City, but things are different now.

"Big food flower."

"Mmm."

The flower-shaped beast, with its body nearly shaped like a hood and sharp teeth half-exposed on its forehead, leaped down from a high place and lay down in front of the girl.