"Alright, ma'am. From now on, I'll come check on you every day. As for the hospital, you should stay here for the time being."
The reason Lin Feng said this was simple.
He also wanted to continuously observe the effects of the Peach Berry Wine.
"Lin Feng, don't leave just yet. Wait for Mallow. She'll be here soon."
"You flew all the way from the Eastern Region, so I'm sure you don't have any local currency with you, just like last time."
"So let's do things the same way as before."
"The room I prepared for you last time hasn't even been cleaned yet."
Seeing that Lin Feng was about to leave, the woman quickly tried to persuade him to stay.
Just then, someone knocked on the hospital room door.
Knock. Knock.
Mallow entered carrying a dinner box.
The moment she stepped inside, she immediately sensed that something in the room felt different.
Looking at Lin Feng in surprise, she exclaimed,
"Mr. Lin Feng? You're here already?"
"I happened to be free when I received your call."
Lin Feng smiled before turning back to her mother.
"Then... I'll trouble you again."
After all, she was right.
He really didn't have any money with him.
Besides, Alola was different from the Eastern Region.
There was no Pokémon League governing the region, making it surprisingly difficult to find somewhere to exchange currency.
He had no idea how long it would take to find a place to stay.
And unlike the Eastern Region, public offices in Alola, apart from security departments, tended to have much more relaxed working hours.
By now...
Most government offices were probably already closed.
"Alright, alright."
"It's getting late."
"The doctors will be changing shifts soon, so it's time for all of you to head home."
"Mallow, you've worked hard today."
"Thanks to Lin Feng's treatment, I'm already feeling much better."
"You should take Mr. Lin Feng home so he can rest."
Once dinner had been delivered, the hospital's night staff would take over.
There was no need for family members to remain overnight.
Now that there was real hope of recovery, Mallow's mother was in an exceptionally good mood.
She couldn't help urging everyone to leave.
"Huh?"
Mallow still had no idea what had happened while she was away.
When she heard that Lin Feng had already treated her mother, she instinctively looked toward the hospital bed.
The moment she noticed how much healthier her mother's complexion had become, her eyes widened in astonishment.
"Mom...?"
She could hardly believe it.
She had only been gone for such a short time.
Yet somehow...
Lin Feng had already begun treating her mother's illness.
"Go on now."
"Don't stay here worrying about me."
The woman gently shooed them away once more, though there was still a trace of sadness hidden in her heart.
For the past several days, she had been carrying a secret.
Because...
What the doctor had told her was completely different from what he had told her daughter.
To her...
The doctor had admitted that the chances of successful treatment were only about fifty percent.
But after she pleaded with him...
He reassured Mallow that the chances of recovery were very high.
She had been terrified.
If the treatment failed...
If she passed away...
What would happen to her daughter?
Who would take care of the family restaurant?
But now...
She truly believed that her chances of recovery had become incredibly high.
And all of it...
Had started because Mallow had once offered help to a Trainer from the distant Eastern Region.
Life really was full of unexpected miracles.
Watching Mallow leave the room with Lin Feng, Lillie, and Lana after hesitating for a moment, the woman smiled softly.
...
"How's my mom?"
Not long after leaving the hospital room, Mallow finally couldn't hold back her question.
"She's alright."
"It's nothing too serious."
"She'll recover."
Lin Feng answered with a reassuring smile.
In truth...
He had sensed that something wasn't quite right.
When he examined her earlier, he had clearly felt that Mallow's mother's life force was slowly draining away.
He couldn't identify the disease itself.
But he could certainly recognize the signs of failing health.
There was a good chance the doctor had lied to both of them.
That wasn't uncommon.
For patients, maintaining hope and a positive mindset was often just as important as the treatment itself.
Fortunately...
It wasn't a major issue anymore.
"Mallow, you didn't see it!"
Lana immediately jumped into the conversation.
"Mr. Lin Feng just placed his fingers on your mom's wrist, then gave her a bottle of medicinal wine."
"Right after she drank it, her complexion immediately improved!"
She was still amazed by everything she had witnessed.
Lillie nodded enthusiastically beside her.
"Mr. Lin Feng's medical skills are truly incredible..."
"Ahem..."
Lin Feng coughed awkwardly.
Back in the Eastern Region, people praised him because his Pokéblocks tasted amazing...
Or because they produced incredible results...
Or because his Pokémon were exceptionally strong.
Those compliments were fair.
His cooking really was outstanding.
But...
His medical skills?
He honestly knew almost nothing about medicine.
Being praised for them made him feel extremely embarrassed.
Especially when the praise was coming from two children.
"Alright, alright."
"Please stop praising me."
"I can't take it anymore."
"And you two..."
"Don't keep calling me 'Mister.'"
"I'm not that old."
Looking at two of the anime's main characters standing before him, Lin Feng couldn't help laughing.
"If we don't call you 'Mister,' then what should we call you?"
Lillie asked curiously.
"Mr. Lin Feng seems surprisingly shy..."
Lana muttered quietly.
The relaxed conversation naturally brought everyone a little closer.
Lin Feng also realized something.
The children in Alola seemed noticeably different from those back in the Eastern Region.
Most ten-year-olds in the Eastern Region were still attending school.
Every day they thought about what games to play after class...
Or showing off in front of classmates...
Or loudly proclaiming that one day they would set off on a journey to become powerful Pokémon Trainers.
Qin Shu had been exactly like that before starting her adventure.
Compared to them...
The children here felt much more mature.
Whether in personality or in the way they handled situations, they seemed older than their years.
"How about this?"
"I'm only a few years older than all of you."
"You can just call me 'Big Brother.'"
Lin Feng scratched his head before suddenly reconsidering.
"...Or you can simply call me Lin Feng."
"You tell us to call you 'Big Brother,' then immediately say we should call you by your name."
"You're kind of strange."
Lana commented in her usual blunt manner.
The corner of Lin Feng's mouth twitched.
Looking at Lana, he muttered,
"Seriously... I ought to sew that sharp little mouth of yours shut."
Her tongue was even sharper than he had imagined.
"Alright..."
"Lin Feng... Big Brother?"
Lillie said naturally after a moment's hesitation.
Mallow still looked a little distracted.
Although she had heard that her mother's condition had improved dramatically, she wouldn't truly relax until she saw the final results for herself.
Still...
Following Lillie's lead, she smiled softly.
"Big Brother Lin Feng."
Amid the warm and cheerful atmosphere...
The four of them walked out of the hospital together.
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