His second grandfather insisted on giving him the rent money, but Akimichi refused. However, his second grandfather, not taking no for an answer, suggested that they split the money in half. Akimichi, not wanting to argue, reluctantly accepted half of the rent money. It wasn't much—just 5,000 yuan.
After all, it was a simple, rural house in the countryside. Given the local rental prices, it might not bring in more than 2,000 yuan over three months. However, the production team of Longing for Life was willing to pay much more for the use of the house. The crew, planning to make major renovations, generously offered 10,000 yuan in rent, despite the property being someone else's.
In addition to the house, Akimichi's two properties were also rented by his second grandfather to the Longing for Life team for filming purposes. It was a stroke of luck, really. Akimichi's two properties were next to each other, making it convenient for the program to film there. This arrangement worked perfectly for him.
For Akimichi, having his house featured in Longing for Life was a good opportunity to promote his Pokémon. His Pikachu, with its cuteness, was bound to steal the spotlight. While good things often sell themselves, a little extra publicity never hurts, especially when it comes to Pikachu. It was possible that the Longing for Life team would invite Pikachu to appear on their show, potentially earning Akimichi a hefty appearance fee. It was a win-win situation—he could promote his Pokémon and make money at the same time.
Later, Akimichi led the crew to the Mushroom House, and along the way, he explained that the young man they were meeting was, in fact, their landlord. During the journey, Helbert, who had been electrocuted by Pikachu earlier, woke up. Akimichi naturally approached him to apologize and offer compensation.
Helbert, being generous and understanding, immediately waved off the offer, explaining that it was his own fault for trying to touch Pikachu first. Pikachu had merely reacted out of stress, and since he wasn't hurt, he didn't need any compensation. Akimichi, grateful that Helbert wasn't demanding anything, felt relieved. After all, he was currently penniless and unable to afford any compensation, especially not for a big celebrity like Helbert.
As they continued along the bumpy road, Pikachu sat contentedly on Akimichi's shoulder. The crew couldn't help but steal glances at the adorable Pikachu, their hearts filled with envy. It was clear that everyone wanted to own a Pikachu. Even Helbert, who had been shocked by Pikachu earlier, couldn't help but gaze longingly at it, clearly not learning his lesson.
Noticing the attention Pikachu was getting, Akimichi had an idea. He appreciated how generous and understanding Helbert was about the shock incident, so he decided to offer a small gesture of kindness. He stopped and turned toward the crew, then asked Helbert, "Do you want to hold Pikachu?"
Everyone stopped in their tracks, and Helbert was momentarily stunned. Then, his face lit up with excitement, and he exclaimed, "Really?! Can I? Of course, I want to hold it!" He hesitated for a moment, then added, "But it won't shock me again, will it?"
Akimichi smiled, knowing that Pikachu was a friendly Pokémon, and turned to Pikachu, who was still sitting on his shoulder. He spoke gently, "Pikachu, do you mind if this brother holds you?"
Pikachu glanced at Helbert, who was excitedly awaiting the chance to hold it. After a moment's pause, Pikachu turned to Akimichi and nodded in agreement. "Pikachu~"
Akimichi smiled, knowing that Pikachu was willing. He waved at Helbert, saying, "Alright, come here! Pikachu said it's okay to hold him. Don't worry, he won't shock you."
"Really?" Helbert asked, his voice full of disbelief. He eagerly approached Akimichi and knelt down to look at Pikachu, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Pikachu was quick to act. With a playful leap, it jumped from Akimichi's shoulder and into Helbert's waiting arms. The moment Helbert held Pikachu, his face turned bright red, overwhelmed with joy. His entire body trembled with excitement as he looked down at Pikachu. Pikachu's big, shiny eyes stared up at him, and Helbert couldn't help but feel that this was the happiest moment of his life.
The rest of the crew stood around, gazing at Helbert, envious and perhaps a little jealous. They wished they could be the ones holding Pikachu, but none of them dared to take it from him—after all, Pikachu had the ability to discharge electricity, and no one knew if it would react in the same way it had with Helbert.
As Helbert continued to hold Pikachu in his arms, the others—May, Red, Tierno, and Steven Stone—gathered around him. They couldn't help but shower the little Pokémon with love and adoration. "So cute!" "So good!" "I want to hold him too!"
Pikachu, overwhelmed by the attention, tucked its head into Helbert's arms, a little shy. It curled up, pressing its little body against him. This adorable behavior only made Helbert feel more protective. He tightened his grip around Pikachu, then turned to shield it from the others, not wanting them to stare too much.
The sight of Pikachu in Helbert's arms was enough to melt the hearts of May, Red, Tierno, and Steven Stone. They all cooed at the Pokémon, admiring its cuteness from afar.
May, never one to miss a chance to get close to Pikachu, asked eagerly, "Akimichi, can I hold Pikachu too? Please! I want to hold him so badly!"
Hearing this, the rest of the crew turned to Akimichi, hopeful that they might get a turn. Akimichi, smiling at their enthusiasm, nodded and said, "It's fine as long as Pikachu is willing. Don't worry; Pikachu's comfortable with you all now, so it won't shock you."
The crew exchanged excited glances, and everyone—especially Tierno—immediately surrounded Akimichi and Pikachu, eager to share in the adorable moment.