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Jacob settled into the worn chair, engaging in pleasant conversation with Ruby’s mother. His warm demeanor and genuine interest in their family situation kept a gentle smile on the woman’s tired face. Time seemed to slip away unnoticed as they talked.

After about half an hour of comfortable conversation, Jacob found the perfect moment to broach the topic he had come to discuss. “Auntie,” he began carefully, “Davis mentioned that your daughter Ruby is currently studying at City First High School, is that correct?”

At the mention of her younger daughter, Ruby’s mother’s entire face lit up with unmistakable pride. Unlike her son Davis, who often worried her with his reckless behavior, Ruby was her true source of joy and hope. “Yes, that’s right,” she replied, her voice filled with maternal warmth. “Ruby is indeed attending First High School. The academic pressure there is absolutely tremendous, but she manages to keep up with everything.”

Jacob nodded appreciatively, recognizing the perfect opportunity to offer his praise. “City First High School has the reputation of being the finest academic institution in all of Pidgeot City. For Ruby to gain admission there, her grades must be truly exceptional. You should be incredibly proud of her achievements.”

The sincere compliment struck directly at Ruby’s mother’s heart, causing her smile to grow even brighter and more radiant. “Ruby has always been able to focus completely on her studies,” she said with evident satisfaction. “She shows much more promise and dedication than her older brother ever has.”

“Davis has mentioned his sister’s outstanding academic performance to me on several occasions,” Jacob continued smoothly, setting up his next point. “He always speaks about how excellent her grades are, quite different from himself – he claims he gets terrible headaches just from looking at textbooks.” Jacob paused deliberately before adding, “Actually, besides coming here to visit you today, Davis also asked me to help him with something important.”

The middle-aged woman’s expression shifted to one of curious concern as she looked directly at Jacob. “What kind of favor did he ask you for?” she inquired, clearly puzzled about what her son might need assistance with.

Jacob took a deep breath before explaining the situation. “Davis specifically requested that I help you find and rent a new house for your family,” he said earnestly. “The current place you’re living in really isn’t providing the best environment, and more importantly, it’s located so far away from City First High School. You and Ruby are spending two to three hours every single day just traveling back and forth. Davis asked me to find you a rental property much closer to the school, somewhere that would make Ruby’s daily commute much easier and give her more time to focus on her studies.”

Ruby’s mother immediately began shaking her head and waving her hands dismissively. “No, no, that’s completely unnecessary,” she protested with a forced smile. “This place we’re living in now is perfectly fine for our needs. I’ve grown quite accustomed to it over the years.” The truth was that rental properties in school districts commanded extremely high prices – tens of thousands of Pokédollars annually – and their family simply didn’t have access to that kind of money.

Jacob had anticipated this exact response and was prepared with his counter-argument. “Please don’t worry yourself about the financial aspect at all,” he said reassuringly. “Davis and I have developed a very strong friendship over time, so I’m more than happy to cover all the expenses involved.” He could see the concern about money written clearly across her face. “I’m genuinely thinking about what’s best for Ruby’s education and future. We can postpone or delay many things in life, but a child’s education should never be one of them. Auntie, why don’t you start gathering your belongings? We could arrange the move for today if you’re willing.”

“Please, I really couldn’t accept such generosity,” Ruby’s mother replied, though Jacob could detect the temptation in her voice. The offer was incredibly appealing, but she struggled with accepting such an expensive gift. “This current place really is quite suitable for our living situation.”

Jacob leaned forward slightly, his expression becoming even more earnest and sincere. “I hope you won’t feel the need to be so formal with me, Auntie. Davis and I share a genuine friendship, and you are Davis’s family.” He paused for emphasis before continuing, “That means you are my family too, in every way that matters.”

The conversation continued for several more minutes, with Jacob patiently addressing each of her concerns and objections. His genuine care for the family’s wellbeing, combined with his practical arguments about Ruby’s education, gradually wore down her resistance. Finally, after much internal debate, Ruby’s mother found herself agreeing to accept his generous offer.

The actual moving process proved to be remarkably straightforward and efficient. Ruby and her mother had accumulated very few possessions over the years, making the relocation much simpler than it might have been. Jacob contacted a professional moving service that employed trained Machamp for heavy lifting, and the powerful Fighting-type Pokémon managed to transport everything in a single trip.

Without any hesitation or negotiation, Jacob secured a spacious three-bedroom apartment in the most prestigious school district near City First High School. He paid two full years of rent upfront, treating the substantial expense as if it were pocket change. For someone with Jacob’s financial resources, the rental cost truly was insignificant.

After spending the entire afternoon helping Ruby and her mother settle into their new home, Jacob left them with additional money for immediate expenses and household necessities. He then departed Silkridge City without making any attempt to meet Davis’s sister Ruby, preferring to let the family adjust to their new circumstances privately.

Several hours later, as the golden hues of sunset painted the sky, Ruby emerged from the imposing gates of City First High School. Her school day had finally ended, and normally she would need to make her way to the bus station for the long journey home to their cramped apartment across the city.

“Hey Ruby,” called out one of her male classmates as he jogged to catch up with her. “A group of us are planning to try out this new barbecue restaurant that just opened downtown. Would you like to join us for dinner? My treat, of course.”

Ruby politely shook her head, maintaining her usual reserved demeanor. “Thank you for the invitation, but I really need to get home,” she replied. Due to her family’s limited financial circumstances, she rarely participated in social gatherings with her classmates. She also felt uncomfortable accepting money from others, even for something as simple as a shared meal.

After declining her classmate’s well-intentioned invitation, Ruby began walking toward what she assumed would be her usual route to the bus station. However, she was surprised to spot a familiar figure standing near the school entrance, waiting patiently.

“Mom?” Ruby called out in surprise, quickening her pace to reach her mother. “What are you doing here?” Her mind immediately began racing with possibilities. Her mother rarely came to the school to meet her, and when she did, it usually meant something significant had occurred. A small knot of anxiety began forming in her stomach.

Ruby’s mother’s face was absolutely glowing with excitement and joy, her usual pale complexion showing a healthy rosiness that Ruby hadn’t seen in months. It was as if her chronic lung condition had suddenly improved dramatically. “Ruby, dear, let’s go home together,” she said with barely contained enthusiasm. “I have something incredible to tell you. We encountered a true benefactor today, and your brother has finally achieved real success in his life.”

Ruby felt her frown deepen as she gently took her mother’s hand, noticing how animated and excited she appeared. “Mom, please try to calm down and speak slowly,” she said with concern, gently patting her mother’s hand in a soothing gesture. “What kind of benefactor did you meet today? And what do you mean when you say my brother has become successful?”

“Just come with me, sweetheart,” her mother replied mysteriously. “I have prepared a wonderful surprise that I know you’re going to love.”

Ruby glanced around in confusion, pointing toward their usual route. “Mom, the bus station is in that direction. You’re walking the wrong way entirely.”

Her mother simply smiled knowingly. “Don’t worry, dear. I know exactly where we’re going.”

With growing bewilderment, Ruby allowed her mother to guide her by the hand down the street. They walked approximately one to two hundred meters before stopping in front of an elegant, high-end residential complex located very close to City First High School. To Ruby’s complete astonishment, her mother produced an access card from her purse and confidently swiped it at the security gate, which immediately opened for them.

Ruby’s eyes widened in shock as they entered the complex. “Mom, where on earth did you get that access card?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

Her mother was clearly delighted by her daughter’s surprised reaction. She held up both the access card and a set of keys, waving them proudly in front of Ruby’s face. “Look carefully at what I’m holding in my hands,” she said with obvious pleasure.

Reaching into her purse, Ruby’s mother retrieved a complete set of keys and access cards. “Here, take these,” she said, pressing one access card and one key into Ruby’s palm. “These belong to our brand new rental home.”

Ruby stood frozen, staring down at the keys resting in her hand with complete numbness. She understood their family’s financial situation all too well – they absolutely could not afford to rent any property in this expensive area.

“Mom, where could you possibly have gotten enough money for this?” Ruby asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Let’s go inside first,” her mother replied with a mysterious smile. “Once we’re settled, I’ll explain everything that happened today.”

Following her mother through the complex and into their new apartment, Ruby felt increasingly overwhelmed. The spacious, brightly lit rooms were unlike anything she had ever experienced. This was her first time living in such an upscale residential community.

Once they were comfortably seated in the new living room, Ruby’s mother began recounting the day’s extraordinary events with infectious enthusiasm. “Ruby, let me tell you about the most amazing thing that happened today. A young man came to our old apartment, and he introduced himself as your brother’s close friend…”

She proceeded to describe every single detail of her encounter with Jacob, from his polite introduction to his generous offer to help their family. Her excitement was palpable as she relived each moment of their conversation. Toward the end of her story, she even retrieved a substantial stack of cash from her purse. “This is the money Jacob left with us before he departed,” she explained. “He also made phone calls to arrange for furniture and appliances to be delivered tomorrow morning.”

“Wait just a moment,” Ruby interrupted, her mind suddenly focusing on something specific. The name Jacob had triggered a vague but persistent sense of familiarity in her memory. She couldn’t help but think of the famous research prodigy who had been making headlines recently. “Mom, what was that person’s name again?”

“Jacob,” her mother repeated clearly. “He was incredibly handsome, quite tall, and obviously a brilliant young man with real talent.”

Ruby felt her pulse quicken as she pressed for more details. “How tall would you estimate he was?”

“At least one hundred and eighty centimeters, though I would guess he was closer to one hundred and ninety centimeters,” her mother replied thoughtfully. “His height was definitely one of his most noticeable features.”

As Ruby listened to this description, her heart began beating faster. She had seen Jacob’s photographs on her classmates’ phones numerous times, and the physical description matched perfectly.

Jacob had become something of a celebrity recently, particularly in their region. While he might not be as well-known in other provinces, within Frosthollow Province he was undoubtedly the most popular competitor in this year’s High School Cup tournament.

His combination of research brilliance, Starlight City Championship title, and remarkably striking appearance had earned him a devoted following of female fans. Many of Ruby’s classmates had become enthusiastic supporters, even purchasing tickets online for Jacob’s High School Cup provincial matches so they could cheer for him in person.

Ruby distinctly remembered reading that Jacob stood exactly one hundred and ninety centimeters tall. With the matching name and nearly identical height, she felt almost certain that the Jacob who had helped her family today was indeed the famous trainer and researcher.

“What’s wrong, dear?” her mother asked, noticing the strange expression on her daughter’s face. “Do you perhaps know this Jacob person?”

“Just wait one moment,” Ruby said, reaching for the television remote control. She powered on the device and quickly navigated to the Frosthollow TV channel, which was currently showing replays of recent tournament matches.

After a few moments of searching, she found footage from the Starlight City finals tournament. When Jacob’s image appeared clearly on the screen, Ruby immediately pressed the pause button and turned to face her mother.

“Mom, please look at the screen carefully,” she said, pointing at the frozen image. “Is this the same person who visited you today?”

Ruby’s mother leaned forward, studying the television screen intently for several seconds. Her eyes widened with recognition and amazement.

“Oh my goodness, it really is him!” she exclaimed in wonder.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep