Actually, for Jacob, as long as Eleanor was involved in this kidnapping case, his goal had already been achieved.
Because people wouldn't care if she was an accomplice with Giovanni from the beginning or joined halfway—none of that mattered.
People would only care that she, or rather the Chi family behind her, was with Giovanni.
As long as the Chi family was involved, Eleanor would no longer be in charge.
Walking to Nina's apartment door, Jacob took a deep breath, a smile appearing on his face, and opened the door.
Hearing the sound, Whimsicott poked its head out and happily pounced into Jacob's arms. At the same time, Nina's voice rang out. "You're back?"
"Mm." Jacob nodded, taking off his shoes, changing into slippers, and walking toward the living room.
On the TV in the living room, a youth drama was playing, and Nina was lazily lying on the sofa, holding Whimsicott while watching the show.
"You're still busy so late?" Nina turned to look at Jacob and asked, a hint of concern in her eyes.
"No choice—there are always urgent matters to deal with," Jacob said. "Oh, by the way, Nina, there's something I want to talk to you about."
"What is it?" Nina looked at Jacob curiously, then picked up the remote control, lowered the volume, and looked at Jacob seriously.
"I plan to buy a house," Jacob said, looking at Nina seriously. "Although this apartment is big enough, there's too little space for Pokémon. I want to buy a new one. Preferably one with a large enough training ground, and it would be even better if it had a mountain forest in the suburbs. That way, there will be enough space for Pokémon to move around. Do you have any good properties to recommend?"
"Buy a house?" Nina looked at Jacob.
"Mm. Help me look when you have time. After all, you'll be moving in with me then," Jacob said with a smile.
"Who said I'm moving in with you?" Nina said stubbornly, her face flushed.
"You don't have a choice. Who told you you're my girlfriend?" Jacob looked at Nina's blushing face, immediately sat beside her, and embraced her. "Besides, aren't we already living together?"
"Hooligan!"
For the next two days, Jacob's life was very regular, spent daily in classes, training Pokémon, and sleeping. This three-point routine was a rare period of peace for the increasingly busy Jacob.
Of course, it would have been even better if he hadn't received a call from Eleanor during these two days.
On Friday afternoon, Jacob's peaceful life was once again broken by a call from Eleanor. "Hello, Jacob."
"What is it?" Jacob's voice was slightly cold as he spoke. He now found it extremely annoying just seeing Eleanor's call.
"Tomorrow is the weekend. When do you plan to start the new research you mentioned last time?" Eleanor, sitting in front of her computer, spoke on the phone while seriously browsing the data on her computer and taking notes.
"This matter can't be rushed for now," Jacob thought for a moment and said. "It needs to be put off for a while. We have to wait until Giovanni... until the impact of those previous events has weakened. We need to wait—there's no rush."
Listening to Jacob's words, a smile appeared on Eleanor's lips, and her glasses, resting on her nose, reflected the light. Her tone seemed to reveal a hint of joy. "Jacob, actually, I have a way. I can help you perfectly solve the problem of the new experiment."
"What way?" Jacob asked, frowning.
"It's not convenient to talk about it over the phone. Let's meet," Eleanor's tone suddenly changed. "Where are you now? Are you at school?"
"No," Jacob replied with a frown. He really wasn't at school right now. These past few days, he had been busy training his Pokémon at Purple Mountain Villa—he had no time to go to school.
"You're skipping class again?" Eleanor said with a frown. "Forget it, come to my lab right now."
Jacob felt a little annoyed by Eleanor's tone and said coldly, "I don't have time now. I'll come find you after dinner."
Perhaps hearing the coldness in Jacob's tone, Eleanor also frowned slightly and said to Jacob, "Jacob, come right now. This matter is very important—this might be the best method! I'm helping you."
"No time, I'm very busy." Jacob was also getting a bit annoyed by Eleanor, but after thinking about it, he still suppressed his anger and said, "Tonight, I have to have dinner with Nina, so I'm busy. I'll come find you after dinner."
"You..."
Eleanor was about to say a few more words, but hearing the beep sound from the phone, her brows furrowed tightly. She gripped the phone firmly, her knuckles turning white, and her chest heaved.
After hanging up the phone, Jacob didn't dwell on Eleanor's matter but continued to seriously train his Pokémon.
Through these past few days of interaction, he had somewhat figured out Eleanor. Although she kept threatening him, she had never exposed him.
Therefore, Jacob had just hung up the phone to further test Eleanor's limits.
By gradually probing Eleanor, constantly making more outrageous demands, he would ultimately firmly grasp the initiative in his own hands.
For example, at first, as soon as Eleanor was slightly dissatisfied, she would angrily threaten to expose Jacob's secret. But now, Jacob could directly refuse or even hang up on her.
This was the result of being changed step by step.
People are always changed, especially those with insufficient willpower and mental strength—they are most easily changed by others. They are constantly changed by parents, friends, lovers, and society.
Of course, this change can be positive, such as being encouraged to become an excellent, optimistic, and ambitious person, but it can also be negative.
Especially those who are irritable, easily angered, self-centered, reclusive, lacking emotional support, and have weak self-awareness are most easily influenced by others.
As night fell, it wasn't until nine o'clock, after dinner and a walk with Nina, that Jacob arrived at Capital University and walked toward Eleanor's laboratory.
Although Eleanor was young, she had already published many important papers in some core Pokémon journals. She could truly be called a rising star in the scientific community—otherwise, she wouldn't have been hired as a professor by Capital University.
Apparently, Sylvia was currently Eleanor's student. She often talked about Eleanor to Jacob when she returned home. It was clear that even with her family's academic background and inheriting her father's experimental notes, Sylvia greatly admired Eleanor's talent.
Even though it was already night, the lights in the lab were still on. Jacob frowned, took out his ID card, swiped it, and unlocked it with an iris scan, then walked into the lab.
Jacob walked toward Eleanor's office. As soon as he knocked and entered her office, he saw Eleanor sitting in front of her computer.
Eleanor also saw Jacob walk in. Her face was gloomy as she stood up, crossed her arms, and looked at Jacob.
"It's 9:13 PM now, Jacob!" Eleanor was clearly very angry, her chest heaving continuously. "Do you really think I wouldn't dare to report you?"
"Alright, stop bringing up reporting all the time. I've already agreed to the Gigantamax Pokémon matter," Jacob waved his hand, trying to keep the initiative in the conversation. "Besides, I was very busy tonight. I had already told Nina that I'd spend time with her, but I was afraid you'd wait too long, so I rushed over in the middle of my time with Nina."
Jacob said righteously.
The same thing, phrased differently, would give people a completely different feeling.
For example, now, Jacob clearly came after his time with Nina, but he deliberately said that he rushed over in the middle so Eleanor wouldn't wait too long.
This made Eleanor, who stood beside him, feel much better.
This was the power of language—this was the smooth talk of a charmer.