July 13th.

  To Ethan Greenwood’s surprise, after just one night, some of the Cheri Berries in the plantation had ripened, their skins now glowing a vibrant red.

  Even more interestingly, once the berries matured, they stopped absorbing nutrients, simply hanging on the branches instead.

  This greatly extended their shelf life.

  However, they still needed to be harvested promptly.

  Each Cheri Berry bush didn’t just produce a single batch of fruit; if the ripe berries weren’t picked, the next batch would weigh down the branches, potentially causing them to break—a situation Ethan didn’t want to see.

  [Grade-E Ingredient – Cheri Berry: Grown from ordinary seeds, this Grade-E ingredient is rich in trace elements. It is delicious and, when consumed regularly, enhances physical health.]

  Ethan picked a few Cheri Berries, handing one to Snivy at his side while casually tossing another into the irrigation pond.

  With a graceful splash, the berry was swallowed in one bite by Milotic, which had been swimming nearby.

  The last Cheri Berry, Ethan took for himself, biting into it with gusto.

  As the fresh, crimson flesh released its juices, his eyes lit up involuntarily.

  This wasn’t just any fruit—it was of a quality high enough to be used for crafting Energy Blocks, making it valuable not just as food but also as a Pokémon breeding resource.

  "I spoke with the company yesterday. They said they’d come by this morning to check the quality of the produce."

  After harvesting the ripened fruits and vegetables, Ethan neatly piled them together and stored them in his capsule. With Snivy by his side, he headed toward the outskirts of the town.

  "Time to make my first paycheck!"

  Looking at the “harvest” he was about to sell, Ethan felt a rush of excitement.

  Once the plantation’s production stabilized, he could move on to his next big plan: establishing the reputation of his breeding house!

  He envisioned placing a Neighbor’s Breeding House logo on every single piece of produce he sold, turning them into a brand.

  Of course, he needed to discuss everything with the supplier first.

  Ring, ring.

  The phone’s sudden ring snapped Ethan out of his thoughts. Seeing the caller ID, his spirits lifted immediately. He quickly picked up the call.

  “You’ve arrived at the town entrance? I’m on my way!”

  At the town entrance.

  If the plantation marked the far end of the town where it bordered the forest and wild zones, then the town entrance was the sole road connecting Wutong Town to Wutong City.

  From here, a half-hour bus ride along the highway would take you straight into the city.

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  When Ethan arrived, a van was already parked at the roadside. He approached cautiously and knocked on the driver’s window.

  But when the buyer stepped out of the vehicle, Ethan froze for a moment.

  Isn’t that Charles?

  It had been seven or eight years since they’d last seen each other, and now, standing in front of him, Charles Shaw looked significantly taller and older than Ethan remembered.

  Charles took a moment to register the young man standing before him.

  “Ethan? Is that you?”

  Snapping out of his surprise, Ethan smiled warmly. “Yeah, it’s me, Charles.”

  When Ethan was a kid, Charles often came to the plantation in this very van to collect goods. It was a sight Ethan remembered well.

  "Wow, you’ve grown so tall—and so handsome, too!" Charles exclaimed with a grin.

  At that moment, a graceful woman stepped out from the passenger seat. Seeing Ethan, she looked pleasantly surprised and walked over, rising on tiptoes to pat him on the head.

  Ethan was indeed quite tall—standing at 178cm with a clean, delicate face that carried a timeless charm, the kind that drew attention at first glance and only became more appealing the longer you looked.

  Ethan didn’t resist but instead greeted politely, "Hello, Melody."

  This was Charles’s wife, Melody Huang. A warm and gentle woman, she had held Ethan as a child. Back when his parents were still around, the couple had been family friends.

  "Is this your Pokémon? A Snivy? Not bad!" Charles asked casually as he eyed the Pokémon by Ethan’s side.

  "Snivy~!"

  Snivy stepped forward of its own accord, nodding as if to confirm that it was indeed Ethan’s Pokémon.

  "Smart little one, huh?" Charles remarked, visibly impressed.

  In the early stages, obedient Pokémon weren’t uncommon, but one that displayed such intelligence and awareness was certainly a rare find.

  "Breeders can still pursue specialized breeding programs at university!"

  "Alright, let’s focus on business for now." Melody interrupted her husband before turning to Ethan. "But Ethan, why didn’t you choose to go to college? Instead, you decided to become a Breeder?"

  "Before my college entrance exams, I didn’t have my first Pokémon, so I couldn’t take the Trainer Battle Exam. Then… I figured I’d become a Breeder instead," Ethan explained with a calm smile.

  Melody seemed puzzled. "Well, that makes sense, but…"

  But what’s the point of university if you’re already a Legendary Breeder?

  Would he be going to gain knowledge? Or perhaps… to teach those so-called professors and experts?

  Honestly, it just wasn’t necessary.

  "Mainly, I wanted to preserve my parents’ plantation," Ethan added with a lighthearted grin.

  Shifting the conversation back to business, he quickly retrieved a vibrant Cheri Berry from his storage capsule. "Let’s talk about the deal. This is one of the vegetables from my plantation. Take a look, Charles."

  "Hmm… Hmm? Such a bright color? And not a single sign of pest damage?"

  Once the discussion turned serious, Charles immediately grew focused. It wasn’t long before his eyes widened with surprise.

  This single Cheri Berry was a marvel. In all his years of business, Charles had rarely encountered a fruit so flawless in both shape and color.

  "Did you grow this yourself?" he asked, his disbelief evident.

  "Yes, though most of the credit goes to this little one." Ethan wasted no time shifting the spotlight to Snivy. "Its Grassy Terrain seems to have a special effect on plant growth."

  Charles furrowed his brow. "A first-stage starter Pokémon using Grassy Terrain couldn’t possibly produce Cheri Berries like this. It seems you’re no less skilled at cultivation than your father was."

  His words were filled with admiration. Then, without hesitation, he took a bite of the Cheri Berry.

  The moment he bit into it, Charles froze.

  This was a perfectly ripened Cheri Berry, where the dominant flavor was a bold spiciness, balanced with subtle notes of sweetness and tanginess.

  What truly astonished Charles, though, was the invigorating effect it had. As the berry’s flavors burst in his mouth, he felt his entire energy and spirit surge as if reinvigorated.

  This wasn’t just an ordinary fruit with a beautiful appearance.

  It had unique properties.

  Could it be that these Cheri Berries transcended the realm of regular produce?

  After wolfing down the entire berry in a few bites, Charles asked eagerly, "Is this just one exceptional berry, or are all the Cheri Berries like this?"

  "Of course, they’re all like that! Take a look—here’s the entire harvest from this batch," Ethan said with a confident grin, handing over his storage capsule.

  "It includes eggplants, Cheri Berries, and Rue Greens… they should all be of similar quality."

  Charles took the capsule with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Upon opening it and seeing the produce inside, his eyes widened, and he instinctively rubbed them as if doubting his sight.

  Then, a look of pure joy burst forth on his face.

  "This… this is …"