Finding a suitable owner

"Squirtle~" Squirtle gazed up at Hu Tianyi, his eyes brimming with confusion and sadness, tears welling up but not quite falling. Hu Tianyi's face remained impassive, his voice cold and detached as he repeated firmly, "I'm not your trainer anymore. Just go," and then he turned to walk away.

"Squirtle," Squirtle murmured softly, his hesitation palpable as he tentatively followed Hu Tianyi.

Hu Tianyi, without turning back, shouted, "Get out!" He shooed Squirtle away with an agitated wave of his hand before breaking into a run, gradually disappearing from Squirtle's sight.

"Squirt~ Squirt~ Squirtle~" Squirtle's tears finally began to fall as he watched Hu Tianyi vanish into the distance.

Floyd, observing this poignant moment, approached Squirtle. "Squirtle, come with me. Staying with that guy will only bring you suffering. I'll find you a suitable trainer who will treat you kindly," he offered gently.

"Squirtle~" Squirtle looked up at Floyd, a mixture of confusion and curiosity in his eyes.

Floyd sighed, a sense of relief washing over him. It wasn't too late; Squirtle and Hu Tianyi hadn't formed a deep bond yet.

'It's a little sad, but in a few days, you'll move past this,' he thought, confident that Squirtle would soon forget Hu Tianyi.

"Follow me," Floyd said, patting Squirtle's head before walking towards the clinic.

As they walked, Floyd encountered Jonathan and Xiao Yun, who seemed on the verge of a Pokémon battle. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Floyd interrupted, "Jonathan, there's something I want to ask you."

"Oh, it's you, Floyd. We were just about to have a battle. I'm determined to defeat this nasty guy," Jonathan replied, eyeing Xiao Yun's Growlithe, Metapod, and Squirtle disdainfully.

"Hmph, as if you could beat me," Xiao Yun scoffed, directing his Squirtle to prepare for the fight.

"Squirtle~" Squirtle responded, ready for action.

"Wait, Jonathan, would you be interested in taking this Squirtle?" Floyd interjected, gesturing towards Squirtle.

"Oh, a Squirtle? Sorry, but I'm not interested. I prefer larger Pokémon," Jonathan replied dismissively, adding, "I'm only interested in big ones."

Floyd, trying to understand Jonathan's preference, asked, "Is Blastoise not big enough for you?"

Jonathan appeared unimpressed. "Blastoise? It's just average in size as far as I'm concerned," he replied nonchalantly.

Floyd, attempting to point out a contradiction, noted, "But your Geodude, even if it evolves into Graveler, isn't particularly large either."

Jonathan, unfazed, retorted confidently, "What do you know about it? Just because Graveler isn't towering, it doesn't mean it can't evolve further. Like Ursaring, Graveler might have a third evolution that's much larger."

Floyd raised an eyebrow, surprised by Jonathan's speculation. He wondered if Jonathan had some insider knowledge about Graveler's evolutionary line or if it was merely a hopeful guess. "Is he onto something, or is it just wishful thinking?" Floyd thought to himself.

Shifting his attention, Floyd then turned to Xiao Yun with the same offer. "Brother Xiao, would you be interested in this Squirtle?"

Xiao Yun, considering the proposition, eventually declined, "Youngest, while the offer is appealing, I prefer not to have duplicates."

Floyd let out a sigh, somewhat taken aback by the lack of interest in the starter Pokémon. He pondered, Do they not realize the value of a starter? He thought.

If he didn't have Game Panel or Dragon power, he would gladly take even six duplicates of a starter like Squirtle.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your battle, Jonathan. Just don't come to regret this decision. Brother Xiao's Squirtle has the upper hand against yours," Floyd said, offering a piece of advice before he departed.

Jonathan, unfazed, confidently retorted, "It doesn't matter. Reverse attribute? Hmph, it's easy for me."

Xiao Yun, visibly irked by Jonathan's dismissive attitude, responded heatedly, "You're underestimating me. Come on, Squirtle, let's prove him wrong!" The air between them crackled with competitive tension as they prepared to battle.

Continuing his walk, Floyd soon came across a group of seven women gathered together, engaged in hushed conversations. Phuong, with a mischievous glint in her eye, was whispering something to Bianca while casting glances in Floyd's direction.

Bianca's face flushed a deep crimson, extending from her cheeks to her ears and neck. Overwhelmed, she avoided Floyd's gaze. Nearby, Xin Yuexin nudged Chen Xin, gesturing towards Floyd and Bianca, which caused Chen Xin to frown slightly.

"Bianca! I'm glad you're here. I need your help with something," Floyd called out to her.

Hearing Floyd's voice, Bianca's embarrassment intensified. She felt as if she was under the scrutiny of the surrounding group of women, her face growing even redder. In a fluster, she quickly excused herself and hurriedly ran away.

Floyd stood there, speechless at Bianca's hasty departure. He blushed, realizing there might have been a misunderstanding. "I just wanted to ask her a favor regarding Squirtle," he thought, feeling awkward about how the situation unfolded.

Linh, unable to contain her amusement, chuckled. "Oh, Youngest, look at the scene you've caused. You've made her run off in embarrassment," she teased, patting Floyd on the shoulder.

Linh then leaned in closer, her voice playful yet inquisitive. "To be honest, Youngest, is there something going on between you and Bianca?" she asked, linking her index fingers together in a suggestive gesture.

Floyd's face turned a deeper shade of red. He quickly waved his hand, trying to dismiss the insinuation. "Sister Linh, what are you talking about? There's nothing like that between Bianca and me," he stammered, clearly flustered by the suggestion.

Linh's smile widened as she turned to Phuong, "Right, Phuong? There are already rumors flying around about Floyd and Bianca. You've heard them too, haven't you?"

Phuong, joining in the teasing, smiled slyly at Floyd. "Oh yes, the rumors about you two have been the talk of the town. Didn't you know?"

Floyd, caught off guard by the revelation of the rumors, felt a wave of surprise wash over him. "What? Really? I had no idea," he stammered, his face turning a deeper shade of red. The idea that such gossip had spread so quickly left him visibly embarrassed.

"Everyone, please believe me, Bianca and I really have nothing between us," he implored, trying to dispel the rumors.

Choi Yerin, unable to resist joining in on the teasing, added with a playful smile, "If there's nothing, then why are you blushing like that?"

Floyd, at a loss for words, managed only a stuttered response, "I, I'm not..." His embarrassment was palpable, and he wished he could escape the spotlight.

Phuong chuckled at his discomfort. "Hoho, what a shy boy," she teased, enjoying the moment.

Linh, seeing Floyd's distress, decided to steer the conversation back to a more comfortable topic. "Okay, let's give him a break. But Floyd, you mentioned needing a favor?"

Floyd, grateful for the change in topic, nodded. "Yes, actually, I was hoping to find someone to take care of Squirtle. I asked Jonathan and Brother Xiao earlier, but they both declined. I was about to ask Bianca the same thing when she hurried off," he explained with a wistful smile, still slightly flustered from the earlier conversation.

Xin Yuexin, seizing the chance to get involved, queried with interest, "Squirtle? Are you talking about the one that belonged to Hu Tianyi?" She pulled a still-embarrassed Chen Xin closer to join the discussion.

"Yes, exactly," Floyd confirmed. "I'm trying to find a suitable owner for Squirtle, someone who can take care of him."