Pokémon Simulator: Stealing Opportunities from the Destiny Child

When Ethan returned, Elena had just hung up her phone call.

He didn't pay much attention to it.

The two of them spent over an hour enjoying their meal. Since Elena had to return to work in the afternoon, they decided to head back together.

"You wait for me at the store for a bit. I'll be right back," Elena said before hurrying off.

Ethan watched her back thoughtfully.

However, as he arrived at the store, he saw a middle-aged man in a suit with slicked-back hair, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, standing confidently at the entrance of the TM store.

Despite the curious glances from passersby, the man remained composed.

Ethan noticed the man exchange a few words with the store staff before stepping aside to wait quietly.

The employees sighed helplessly.

Given how beautiful their manager was, it wasn't surprising she attracted many admirers.

The man standing there was among the most persistent of them.

He had already been rejected by Elena at least twenty times, yet he still refused to give up.

The middle-aged man believed firmly that with persistence and sincerity, he would eventually win Elena's heart.

Inside the store, the ponytailed staff member noticed Ethan through the window and hurried over.

"Ethan, you're back! Wait—where's Manager Elena?"

Seeing that Ethan wasn't with Elena, she paused in confusion.

"She went out for a bit. She'll be back soon," Ethan replied, glancing at the middle-aged man. "Did something happen?"

The ponytailed girl hesitated, then lowered her voice. "That guy's one of Manager Elena's admirers. He's been rejected dozens of times but still comes by every few days."

Given the tension when love rivals meet, no one could guarantee how the middle-aged man would react if he saw Elena suddenly had a boyfriend.

So, the ponytailed staff member had rushed over to warn Ethan, hoping he would lay low until Elena returned.

"Oh! So that's the 'clingy pest' Elena told me about?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, then chuckled.

The ponytailed girl nodded like a pecking chicken.

Then she watched as Ethan, still smiling, walked directly toward the man.

The onlookers inside the store were stunned.

Could it be...

Was Elena's rumored boyfriend about to defend his sovereignty and make the first move?

Ethan walked up to the man and casually offered him a cigarette. "Hey, want one?"

"Sorry, I don't smoke," the man replied politely, slightly taken aback by Ethan's friendly demeanor.

"No worries. I don't like smoking either. Just thought I'd ask," Ethan said, slipping the cigarette back into his pocket as he sat beside the man.

The middle-aged man blinked in confusion.

If you don't smoke, why carry cigarettes at all?

"As for why I have them, well, I picked up the habit after going through a lot," Ethan explained, as if reading the man's thoughts.

"You don't look that old," the man said, eyeing Ethan curiously.

Ethan looked quite young—seventeen or eighteen at most. His sharp features and refined aura made him stand out, blending arrogance and laziness in a way that created a unique charm. Combined with his expensive-looking attire, even the middle-aged man couldn't help feeling a little inferior.

"By the way, don't call me 'uncle.' I'm only 25. Just call me Gideon," the man said.

"What? You're only 25?" Ethan was visibly surprised, his mouth twitching slightly. "Well, you sure don't look it... Gideon, you've had a hard life, huh?"

If Gideon hadn't mentioned his age, Ethan would have assumed he was in his thirties.

Gideon gave a bitter smile, lowering his guard. "What about you, young man? Where do you work?"

Despite Ethan's youthful appearance, his calm and mature demeanor didn't match that of a typical teenager, leaving Gideon unsure of his identity.

"Me? I'm unemployed. My wife supports me," Ethan said proudly.

What?

Gideon was stunned. The sheer absurdity of the statement left him momentarily speechless.

Seeing Ethan's smug and shameless expression, Gideon was utterly dumbfounded.

His initial favorable impression of Ethan plummeted.

In today's society, "unemployed" wasn't exactly a badge of honor.

Relying on your wife for everything while doing nothing yourself? How shameless could you be?

Gideon initially considered giving Ethan some advice, but after thinking it over, he realized there was no point.

They barely knew each other. Why bother?

He decided it was better not to involve himself with someone like Ethan.

With his interest in further conversation gone, Gideon's enthusiasm quickly faded.