Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

In the following days, Nanami organized the archaeological team's data at the research institute. Jiang Chuan also frequently visited the institute, and the two had many opportunities to meet. Sometimes they bumped into each other in the corridor, sometimes they looked at materials together in the data room, and sometimes they ate at the same table in the cafeteria.

Nanami discovered that Jiangchuan was more talkative than she had imagined.

He was neither dull nor rigid; when discussing research, his thinking was very flexible, and he often brought up angles she hadn't considered. But his approach wasn't flamboyant or extroverted; rather, it was steady, measured, and always kept to the point.

Their interactions gradually transitioned from polite formality to a more natural flow. When discussing data, their bodies would unconsciously move closer. When Nanami pointed to the charts on the screen, her elbow would occasionally brush against Jiang Chuan's arm. When Jiang Chuan handed her documents, his fingers would sometimes brush against her fingertips.

Each time this contact occurred, Nanami would stiffen slightly, then quickly return to normal and continue talking. But the sensation would linger on that small patch of skin that had been touched for a long time.

She began to notice some of her own reactions.

When Jiang Chuan stood behind her looking at the screen, she could feel his breath on the skin behind her ear, making that small area slightly warm. She needed to concentrate a lot to keep staring at the data on the screen.

When Jiang Chuan walked past her, she could smell a faint, wild scent on him, something she couldn't quite place—whether it was grass or sunshine, but it was very clean. That scent would make her momentarily lose herself in thought.

One time, the two of them were organizing data in the data room until very late. Nanami stood up to get a reference book from the bookshelf. The bookshelf was very high, and she had to stand on tiptoe to reach the top shelf.

As she reached out her hand halfway, another hand reached out from the side and grabbed the book before she could.

Jiang Chuan lowered his head and handed her the book.

The two were very close. Nanami stood in front of the bookshelf, and Jiang Chuan stood slightly behind and to her side, handing her a book over her shoulder. Her shoulder was almost touching his chest.

In that instant, Nanami could feel the body temperature coming from behind her.

The two were pressed so close together that Nanami had a fleeting illusion that she seemed to feel…

However, it must be an illusion, because Nanami doesn't have such outrageous data in her mind.

Just like the giant Steelix I saw last time, how could there be such a huge Steelix!

Even so, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost dropped the book in her hand.

"Thanks."

She spoke quickly, picked up the book, and walked towards the table, her steps a little faster than usual.

After sitting down, she flipped through the pages of the book, unable to concentrate on a single word. Her mind was filled with the sensations of those few seconds—his arm passing over her shoulder, his chest less than an inch from her back, his clean scent so close it felt like it was directly on her hair.

She gripped the corner of the book and cursed herself inwardly.

Nanami, you're here to do research.

Despite her outbursts of anger, that night, back in her room, lying in bed, those images kept resurfacing in her mind.

Especially when her hand accidentally touches certain parts of her body.

She turned over and buried her face in the pillow.

Sleep, sleep, take it slow, take it slow!

Fine herbs must be savored slowly and carefully; they cannot be swallowed whole!

Nanami repeatedly murmured some calming words in her mind before slowly falling asleep.

...............................................................

The main team of the archaeological expedition arrived in Pallet Town on a clear morning.

Nanami returned to Pallet Town ahead of schedule and met up with Egawa. The two met at the entrance of the research institute.

Nanami wore a dark outdoor jacket today, zipped up to her chest, paired with slim-fit cargo pants and mid-top trail boots. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, revealing her clean forehead and ears. It was completely different from her usual pencil skirt look at the research institute, but equally beautiful, with an added touch of competence and neatness.

She was driving an SUV, dark green in color, with large tires, a high chassis, and several equipment boxes strapped to the roof.

"Get in the car."

She waved to Jiang Chuan, then opened the car door and got into the driver's seat.

Jiang Chuan tossed his backpack into the back seat, opened the passenger door, and sat down. The seats were made of dark leather and felt very soft. A faint fragrance filled the car, much like the scent on Nanami.

The SUV started, and the low growl of the engine came from under the vehicle, causing the body to vibrate slightly.

Nanami stepped on the gas, and the car smoothly drove out of the research institute's yard and onto the main road leading to the outskirts of Pallet Town.

"It's about a half-hour drive." Nanami held the steering wheel with one hand and adjusted the air conditioning with the other. "You can rest for a while first."

Jiang Chuan leaned back in his chair, not resting, and turned to look at the fields rushing past the window.

The two chatted casually, talking about the archaeological team's progress, the size of the quarry, and recent discoveries. The atmosphere was relaxed, much more natural than when they were at the research institute a few days ago.

Half an hour later, the off-road vehicle turned off the main road and onto a more secluded mountain road. At the end of the road was a wide, open hilly area, with no trees, only large areas of rocks and bare soil. Several tents had already been pitched at the edge of the site, and several off-road vehicles of the same model were parked nearby. Several people dressed in outdoor clothing were busy in the area.

Nanami turned off the engine, opened the car door, and jumped out.

Jiang Chuan got out of the car, his feet crunching on the gravel. The air was filled with a dry, mineral-smelling dust.

The head of the archaeological team was a middle-aged man in his fifties, wearing round-framed glasses, with gray hair, but in good spirits. He came forward, shook hands with Nanami, and then looked at Jiangchuan.

"Is this the trainer you were talking about?"

"Yes." Nanami nodded. "Jiangchuan, my grandfather, was recommended by Professor Oak. He has a deep interest in the study of fossil Pokémon."

The person in charge glanced at Jiang Chuan, nodded, and without asking any further questions, led the two of them into the site and began to explain the situation of the quarry.

This quarry is vast, covering an area the size of several football fields. The ground is uneven, with huge rocks and piles of rubble everywhere. In some areas, the rock surfaces show obvious signs of human chisel work, likely uncovered by the archaeological team over the past few days. In the center of the site is a particularly large rock wall, carved with some blurry patterns and symbols that look like some kind of ancient script.

After the person in charge finished their introduction, Jiang Chuan took the initiative to walk to the center of the venue and unleashed his waveguide power.

An invisible wave of perception emanated from him, covering the entire quarry and extending into more distant areas. At the same time, he added a layer of superpower enhancement, making his perception even more refined.

His consciousness spread across the entire area like a thin layer of water. The rock structure, cavity distribution, and energy reactions within a range of tens of meters underground all flooded into his mind.

"What's wrong? Did you make some new discovery as soon as you arrived?" Nanami stood next to him, holding a notebook in her hand, looking at him curiously.

"We haven't found anything special yet," Jiang Chuan shook his head. "There are some common wild Pokémon underground, like Geodude and Onix. But there's no ancient energy reaction."

Nanami nodded, not disappointed.

"That's normal. We've only just begun. This quarry is quite large; we need to check it bit by bit."

Over the next few days, Jiang Chuan and Nanami developed a tacit division of labor.

Nanami led the archaeological team to conduct surface surveys, recording the inscriptions on the rock walls and analyzing the age and composition of the rock strata. Jiangchuan, on the other hand, walked back and forth around the quarry, using his aura to probe for underground energy reactions, while also clearing away some wild Pokémon that were burrowing out of the ground and disturbing the survey.

During the day, everyone is busy with their own things, and they meet back at the camp in the evening to exchange their discoveries of the day. Occasionally, they sit together while eating at the camp and chat about the day's events. Sometimes, when they bump into each other at the edge of the site, Nanami will call out to him and show him a newly discovered rock sample.

Overall, however, the ambiguous relationship between the two has been put on hold for the past few days.

Jiang Chuan was indeed focused on searching for traces of the ancient Pokémon. Those three ancient Pokémon were far too destructive; if they were truly dormant near this quarry, the consequences of their awakening would be unimaginable. Therefore, he devoted most of his energy to Aura Detection, naturally reducing his interaction with Nanami.

Nanami sensed this.

A few days ago at the research institute, the two of them were constantly exchanging flirtatious glances. Although there wasn't much physical contact, each instance left a lasting impression on her. That sense of distance, neither too close nor too distant, only intensified her anticipation.

Then suddenly, Jiang Chuan got into work mode, and their interactions cooled down considerably. They were both busy with their own things during the day, and their evening conversations were all about business. This contrast left Nanami feeling a huge emptiness inside.

She found herself unconsciously glancing towards Jiang Chuan while surveying the area. He stood alone in the distance, eyes closed, activating his wave-guiding power, like a silent statue. The wind ruffled his clothes, but he remained motionless.

She would stare for a long time until someone called her from the side, and then she would come back to her senses.

Back in her tent that night, she lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The ambiguous scenes from the research institute a few days ago kept replaying in her mind: the way he pressed against her chest when he handed her the book, his breath on her ear when he was behind her, the sensation of his fingers brushing against her fingertips.

These memories seemed magnified, playing repeatedly in her mind.

Then her body will get hot.

She would turn over, tucking the blanket between her legs, her hand unconsciously resting on her lower abdomen. She knew what she was thinking, and she knew what her body was expecting. That expectation was so strong that she would sometimes sigh softly in the tent.

She told herself that once this archaeological excavation was over and she returned home, she would definitely find an opportunity.

But the opportunity came sooner than she expected.

On the evening of the fourth day at the quarry, Jiang Chuan, as usual, scouted outside until dark before returning to camp. When he entered the camp, he saw Nanami standing outside the tent area, having just finished speaking with the person in charge. Seeing him return, a very obvious smile appeared on Nanami's face.

That smile was even brighter than it had been a few days ago.

She walked towards him, her steps quick, almost a jog. Her ponytail swayed gently behind her, and her jacket wasn't fully zipped up, revealing a close-fitting white short-sleeved shirt underneath, with a small patch of skin showing at the collarbone.

"Jiangchuan."

When she called his name, there was a light, undisguised joy in her voice.

"Today's excavation has made good progress."

Jiang Chuan stopped and looked at her.

"What's the progress?"

Nanami stopped in front of him, slightly out of breath, her face flushed with the rosy glow typical of someone who has received good news.

"The excavation team unearthed a strange object. It has special runes written on it, and paleographers are studying and deciphering it."

She raised her hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat from her forehead, leaving a faint gray mark on the side of her face.

"I'll let you know as soon as I have the results."

She paused, then changed the subject, her tone becoming more relaxed.

"Come on, come on! We've had a great day, everyone should relax a bit. Let's unwind, there's a barbecue over there, let's go get some meat, and there's wine too!"

After she finished speaking, she reached out and grabbed Jiang Chuan's wrist.

Her fingers were clenched tightly, as if afraid he would refuse.

Jiang Chuan glanced down at the hand she was holding, then looked up at her.

Nanami didn't let go, but simply tilted her head and gestured towards the campfire in the camp.

"Let's go."

Her voice carried a hint of undeniable authority, but her tone was soft.

Jiang Chuan looked into her eyes. Those eyes shone brightly in the firelight, filled with expectation, invitation, and something else she couldn't express, but Jiang Chuan could sense.

He glanced back at the campsite. A campfire was already burning, its orange glow reflecting off the surrounding rocks and tents. Several figures moved around the fire, and laughter mingled with the aroma of roasting meat.

There are no unusual waveguides in the vicinity.

This afternoon's investigation still yielded no trace of ancient energy activity. The area around the quarry is safe.

Jiang Chuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Nanami.

"it is good."

Nanami's eyes crinkled, and the corners of her mouth widened in a sudden arc.

"Walk."

She didn't let go, holding his wrist as they walked together towards the bonfire party. She walked half a step ahead of him, her ponytail swaying gently in front of him. The firelight shone from the side, bathing her profile and neck in a warm orange glow, making her exposed collarbone stand out prominently.

Jiang Chuan followed behind her, his gaze lingering for a moment on the hand she was holding, then shifting to her retreating figure.

The trail running boots crunched on the gravel, their sound mingling with the crackling of the campfire in the distance.

Neither of them spoke again.

But the hand holding her wrist never let go.

The campfire was getting closer. The aroma of the roasting meat grew stronger. Someone was calling Nanami's name over there.

She glanced back at Jiang Chuan, a smile playing on her lips.

There was a sense of certainty in that smile, as if a decision had been made and there was no intention to turn back.

Jiang Chuan met her gaze.

The night was deep, the campfire was bright, and no one knew what would happen next.

But he could sense that something had begun to move!

Anyway, the quarry is safe for now, so tonight we can explore Nanami's area further...