Gardevoir teleported next to the humans, sitting quietly as if she had accepted Li Yuan's presence. However, her eyes were locked onto her daughter, waiting for the perfect moment to snatch her back.
Li Yuan knew exactly what she was thinking. If she grabbed Ralts now, she would teleport away instantly, ruining his "Bad Uncle with Candy" plan. Even if she was going to leave, Ralts had to finish this meal first. The little one needed to fall in love with his food.
So, Li Yuan didn't give Gardevoir a chance. He held the little loli tightly with one arm, while his other hand grabbed a Psychic-type Energy Cube he had prepared beforehand. Under Ralts's expectant gaze, he held it up to her small mouth.
"You must be starving, little one. Come, try big brother's snack." Li Yuan urged her to eat.
"Ralts! (Thank you, big brother!)" The innocent Ralts didn't suspect a thing. She only knew she was hungry, and the snack smelled amazing. If she didn't eat it, she might just die of longing.
Without caring if her mother approved, she snatched the cube and popped it into her mouth, chewing happily.
As her small teeth bit down, the gelatinous Energy Cube burst open. A rich, concentrated aroma and energy flooded her mouth. The fragrance was intoxicating, and the taste was like sweet nectar raining down on her taste buds. The unprecedented happiness made Ralts squint her eyes in pure ecstasy.
Compared to the sour, astringent wild berries her mother found, this was heaven. It was like a caveman used to eating raw meat suddenly tasting a perfectly grilled, seasoned steak. It was a flavor bomb that shattered her understanding of food.
Ralts held her cheeks, swaying her head in delight. She couldn't believe such a taste existed in the world. It was soooooo good!!!
"Ralts! Ralts! (So yummy! Big brother, what is this?)" Ralts grabbed Li Yuan's thumb, her eyes sparkling with stars.
"This is an Energy Cube. It's a special nutritional supplement made just for Pokémon. Eat more so you can grow up faster~," Li Yuan said, petting her head indulgently.
"Ralts! Ralts! (I want more! Can I have a little bit more, big brother?)" Ralts was conquered. Thinking about the sweet taste made her drool. She held his finger, begging.
"Of course. Big brother has plenty. You can eat as much as you want, and take the rest home for later," Li Yuan smiled, satisfied with her reaction. Kidnapping this loli was going to be easy.
He pushed the entire box of cubes toward her. Ralts eagerly used her psychic power to lift the cubes, popping them into her mouth one by one. The ultimate flavor made her hum a happy tune as she swayed back and forth.
It was clear the little girl loved the food. But the happier her daughter was, the more anxious Gardevoir became. Is this girl really going to be bought off with a single meal?
People usually prepare a house, a car, and a dowry to marry a wife. Are you really that cheap? Taken down by one meal?
No! I can't let her eat anymore! Gardevoir seriously suspected the cubes were drugged. Why else would her daughter look so stupidly happy? Food was just for filling the belly; taste was secondary. How could anything be that good?
She had to stop her daughter from being scammed!
"Mrs. Gardevoir, you should eat some too. Resources are scarce around here; you probably haven't eaten well in days, right?" Li Yuan sensed Gardevoir's gaze turning cold and spoke up before she could express her dissatisfaction.
He pushed a box of cubes toward her, politely inviting her to dine. He needed Gardevoir to realize just how inferior her wild berries were compared to his Energy Cubes—not just in taste, but in nutritional value. Only when she understood that she couldn't provide the best life for her daughter would her stubbornness begin to crack.
"What are you plotting? I warn you, do not harbor any improper thoughts about my daughter," Gardevoir refused his offer, not even looking at the cubes. She sent a telepathic warning straight to his mind.
Although the smell made her mouth water, compared to her daughter's safety, the temptation of food was nothing.
"Why would you think that? I was just passing by. Who knew you lived here? Besides, your daughter jumped into my arms herself. Is that my fault?" Li Yuan replied helplessly.
"Hmph! Whether you were passing by is something only you know. Don't think I don't know the filthy thoughts humans have. If I catch you trying anything with my daughter, I'll drag you down with me even if it costs my life," Gardevoir threatened viciously. This proved she had never seen him as a savior.
Her words were filled with distrust for the entire human race. Even though Li Yuan wasn't the one who hurt her, her bias was set. Not attacking him immediately was already her limit; she would never let him touch her daughter freely.
"Sigh, how can you say that? If I wanted to hurt you two, why did I let you go yesterday?" Li Yuan argued in his defense.
"Who knows what schemes you have," Gardevoir couldn't answer that, so she forced her distrust. She hadn't lived in human society, so she didn't know about "playing hard to get."
Logically, he made sense. If he wanted them, he could have taken them by force yesterday. Why release them? It was a loss born of ignorance~.
"Alright, alright. I know humans were wrong first, so I don't blame you for not trusting me. I won't ask you to forgive humanity, but I hope when you meet other humans, you won't retaliate blindly. There are good people who spend their lives trying to save weak Pokémon," Li Yuan retreated to advance, establishing his image as a righteous person.
He genuinely understood her resentment. She had been living a good, wealthy life in her home, only to have it destroyed by someone who forced her into a starving, 996 lifestyle. Who wouldn't be angry?
"Are you saying you are one of those people?" Gardevoir looked at him coldly. She wasn't a gullible loli like Ralts; she wouldn't believe his words alone.
"I'm not one yet, but my dream is to become one. I'm working hard toward that goal right now," Li Yuan smiled, lying without batting an eye.
With his Aura masking his true emotions and projecting a friendly vibe, he wasn't worried about Gardevoir reading his lustful thoughts. No matter how hard she tried, she would only feel a gentle breeze. It almost made her believe his nonsense.
"Hmph. Good luck. Now, give Ralts back," Gardevoir's tone softened slightly. If his dream was real, it was touching. Based on what she read, it seemed likely to be true. Gardevoir trusted her ability.
"Sigh~ Little Ralts is so cute. Can't I hold her a bit longer?" Li Yuan stalled, using the opportunity to show his affection for the child. Who doesn't want their little treasure to be loved?
"Aha! You said you had no designs on my baby, but now you've exposed yourself!" Gardevoir narrowed her eyes.
"What are you thinking? This is clearly a case of 'loving the house and its crow' (loving someone and everything connected to them)," Li Yuan rolled his eyes.
"What does that mean?" Gardevoir didn't understand the idiom.
"It means... compared to liking Ralts, the one I like more is you~."
"Huh?"
Gardevoir froze, her eyes widening.
What does that mean? Is this human... confessing to me???
Are you sick?!