What should I do if my pet loves watching anime?

Watching Gu Beiri disappear into the night and head towards the Elf Center, Chen Xing's professional smile slowly faded, replaced by a deep weariness.

He rubbed his tight temples and let out a long, somewhat powerless breath.

A gentle evening breeze brought the coolness of early autumn.

Chen Xing did not immediately return to the arena office, nor did he go to his usual bar for a drink.

He walked straight to the parking lot, drove his ordinary family car, which was eight years old, fairly well maintained but with a slightly outdated interior, and merged into the traffic flow of Linhai City at night.

Neon lights flickered outside the car window, and the high-rise commercial district was gradually being replaced by more residential areas that were also older and more lived-in.

The car eventually entered a residential area that was over twenty years old. Parking was scarce, and he had to circle around twice before finding a spot that he could barely squeeze in.

My home is on the third floor, and there is no elevator.

The motion-activated lights in the hallway flickered on and off, and various small "GG" signs for unclogging pipes and unlocking locks were pasted on the walls.

I took out my key and opened the door, and a mixture of the lingering smell of food and a certain indescribable stuffiness hit me.

"You're back?"

His wife, Wang Hui, spoke from the living room, her voice somewhat cold. Her eyes were fixed on the family drama playing on TV, and she was knitting something with knitting needles in her hand.

"Um."

Chen Xing responded and bent down to change his shoes. He noticed several unopened express delivery boxes piled up next to the shoe cabinet, and the children's toys and snack wrappers were scattered on the coffee table in the living room.

The food left for him on the dining table, covered with a fly screen, looked completely cold.

"Is Linlin asleep?" he asked, walking towards the dining table.

"Go to bed early. You have school tomorrow." Wang Hui didn't even look up. "Heat up your own food. The kindergarten teacher called again today, saying that Linlin made a mess of paint everywhere during art class and almost fought with another child over a toy."

"How many times have I told you to pay more attention to the kids and stop focusing on those money-losing contracts? Do you know how tiring it is for me to do housework and take care of the kids every day?"

Chen Xing paused for a moment, then silently carried the food into the kitchen and put it in the microwave.

He was already used to the incessant chatter.

The humming sound of the heater was particularly clear in the quiet house.

"This month's mortgage payment, and my mom said she spent another 3,000 yuan on medical treatment, so I transferred the money over first."

Have you received your arena prize money for this month?

Wang Hui's voice came again, and the topic shifted to more practical issues.

The microwave oven made a "ding".

Chen Xing took out the food, sat down at the table, and ate without tasting it.

"That's it. None of the newly signed employees have made any progress, and wasn't the basic salary deposited into my account the day before yesterday?"

"What can you do with that little bit of money?"

Wang Hui finally turned her head, her brows furrowed.

"Linlin is about to enroll in extracurricular classes, painting and dance, which will cost more than 8,000 yuan per semester."

Also, the bathroom in this house is leaking. I've told the property management several times, but it's still not completely fixed. I'm thinking of just hiring someone to fix it ourselves, but that will probably cost us more money..."

As Chen Xing listened, his chewing motions slowed down.

Mortgage payments, children's education, elderly people's medical care, household repairs...

These things, like invisible spider webs, entangled him, making him feel a heavy pressure with every breath.

He dreamed of becoming a top trainer when he was young, but he realized early on that his talent was limited and took a backseat to become a talent scout.

He thought he could make a name for himself with his talent and connections, but more than ten years later, he is still just a mediocre "senior manager" with only the title and the same salary as ordinary talent scouts.

He has only trained a handful of trainers, none of whom are stars. He spends most of his time dealing with trivial matters, discovering new talent, and then watching promising trainees either get signed by others or fade into obscurity.

Li Zemin's conservatism and skepticism today are like a thorn stuck in his already somewhat anxious heart.

It's not that he doesn't understand risk assessment, but he just feels that Gu Beiri is different.

That look in their eyes, that tactical creativity, the potential shown by that fluffy sheep and the scyther...

He seemed to see the person he had dreamed of when he was young, and he saw an opportunity that could break the mold and bring huge rewards.

If Gu Beiri is signed, Chen Xing believes he will definitely achieve great results and the current predicament will be swept away!

However, they couldn't convince those above.

E-level contract...

Chen Xing felt exhausted and powerless.

"I'm talking to you!" Wang Hui raised her voice. "What are you thinking about now? Have you set your sights on another money-losing contract?"

Chen Xing snapped out of his reverie and wearily wiped his face. "No, I was thinking about work. There's a new guy... who's really good."

"What's the use of being good? Can it be turned into money immediately?"

Wang Hui's tone was sharp, and her voice sounded hoarse and strained.

"Chen Xing, we're not young anymore. Linlin is getting older and there are more and more things to spend money on. Can't you be more realistic?"

Stop dreaming of getting rich quick by relying on a newcomer!

There are plenty of strong trainers in the arena, why should it be your turn?

On what grounds?

These words struck Chen Xing's heart like a small hammer.

Yeah, why should we?

With his dedication of more than a decade, he has been stationed at various competition venues, rookie tournaments, and even outdoor training areas.

Based on his stacks of recommendation reports filled with analysis, yet frequently rejected?

Or is it because of his receding hairline and increasingly dark circles under his eyes?

He put down his chopsticks, having lost all appetite.

"I'm full. I'm going to take a shower first." He got up and walked towards the bathroom, escaping from continuing this suffocating conversation.

The warm water washed over my body, but it couldn't wash away the restlessness and helplessness in my heart.

The bathroom mirror reflected the face of a middle-aged man. Fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his gaze no longer held the same vigor as when he was young, only weariness and a deep-seated resentment remained.

After silently finishing his shower, Chen Xing turned off the tap, dried himself off, and looked at himself in the mirror.

He recalled that when he first entered the industry, he was also full of passion and believed that vision and hard work could change everything.

But reality has repeatedly tested him, teaching him to compromise, to follow the rules, and to use risk assessment to protect his meager job and salary.

However... Gu Beiri's appearance was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, stirring up ripples in the depths of his heart that had been almost forgotten.

That child possessed something—a relentless drive to climb upwards, and a calm composure that clearly knew what he wanted and meticulously planned for it.

This was unlike many of the newcomers he had met.

Perhaps Li Zemin is right; being a Pokémon trainer is very risky.

What if this trainer is Gu Beiri?

As for whether to sign Gu Beiri, Chen Xing didn't even need to think about it; there was only one answer.

But what truly confuses him now is whether to maintain the status quo or to throw out all his resources and bet everything to change the future.

This was a very difficult decision.

His life is fragile and cannot withstand too much hardship.