Genius Club

Lin Xian coughed twice:

"I just... huh? Cough cough, my throat?"

He rubbed his throat, feeling like it wasn't his own voice.

"Ah, why is your voice hoarse."

CC jumped off the sofa and poured a glass of water to hand over to Lin Xian:

"Drink some water to soothe your throat."

Lin Xian took the glass and gulped it down:

"Looks like I really am having a sore throat."

He tested his voice, but it still hadn't recovered, remaining hoarse and broken:

"This sore throat feels terrible... every word I say breaks."

"Sore throat?"

CC asked in confusion:

"Your voice is hoarse, why do you say it's on fire? How can a throat catch fire."

"Not on fire, [sore throat]."

Lin Xian explained with a very uncomfortable voice:

"Sore throat... it's a saying in Chinese medicine; strictly speaking... not even Chinese medicine, but a Dragon Country saying, usually caused by food and weather... cough cough."

Talking for such a long stretch, Lin Xian felt like his throat was being rubbed with sandpaper.

Needless to say.

It's definitely because the food these past few days was too unhealthy.

Hot dogs, cheese, burgers, fries, steak, popcorn, cola...

Thinking about this diet now feels terrifying.

"Can you understand me when I speak with this throat?"

Lin Xian looked at CC and asked:

"Feels like I'm constantly breaking my voice, like a worn-out blower."

"Hahaha, it does sound a bit like that!"

CC was amused by Lin Xian's description:

"But your hoarse voice is not bad, it sounds a bit like an Irish accent, making your English pronunciation sound more standard."

"Really?"

"Yes."

CC said with a smile:

"Your previous English pronunciation made it obvious you were Dragon Country people, speaking with such rhythm it was like singing; now with a hoarse voice, you don't dare to speak loudly, it even sounds like a [European man]."

"Proper English is supposed to be pronounced like this, your broken voice just makes you speak English better, it's a blessing in disguise... ah, but I didn't say your previous voice wasn't nice, it was quite magnetic."

"I understand."

Lin Xian nodded.

So, this hoarse sore throat changed his voice, making it sound more like a [foreigner]:

"But that's not good news, it's very uncomfortable for me."

He went to the phone, picked up the receiver:

"I must order some light, cooling dishes to eat, it's either snacks or high-calorie foods every day, if I keep eating like this, I'll really become mute."

Turning the phone dial, he called the hotel kitchen:

"Hello, can you make some green bean soup, millet porridge, that kind of thin porridge."

The chef on the phone was taken aback:

"What is that? Can't do it."

"How about seaweed egg drop soup?" Lin Xian asked again.

"What's that?"

The chef still had no clue:

"No seaweed."

Lin Xian sighed:

"Okay then, send up two raw eggs."

"Raw eggs?!"

The chef's voice on the other end raised:

"Sir, are you sure?"

"Yes, raw ones, hurry up."

After a while.

The waiter brought up two raw eggs, and CC curiously followed Lin Xian, wondering what kind of magical Eastern Magic he was going to perform:

"Are you a wild man? Eating raw eggs."

"It's a folk remedy for sore throat."

Lin Xian said.

He cracked a raw egg into a soup bowl, then immediately poured in boiling hot water, stirring quickly with a spoon.

Instantly.

The egg white and yolk broke up, solidifying into egg flowers swirling in the hot water, floating in the bowl.

"Boiled egg flower."

Lin Xian scooped a spoonful and introduced to CC.

Then, with a shocked expression on CC's face, he drank the entire bowl of this "dark cuisine" clean:

"Ah, much more comfortable."

CC frowned:

"But... your voice hasn't improved, it's still as hoarse as before."

"Did you really think this was magic?"

Lin Xian chuckled, but then started coughing again from speaking too fast:

"Sore throat didn't happen in a day, getting better is the same, it takes time."

He picked up the other egg:

"Do you want a bowl?"

CC stepped back, shaking their head like a rattle.

...

At night, the two strolled on the street.

The lights of shops along the street were gradually turning eerie, with scary pumpkin lanterns and horror dolls set outside, and plastic models dressed as vampires, blood-soaked.

Seeing these uniquely styled toys and decorations, Lin Xian suddenly realized:

"It's Halloween today!"

"Tomorrow is."

CC explained:

"November 1st is Halloween, today October 31st is Halloween Eve...but you wouldn't be wrong to say tonight is Halloween since the most bustling time is the eve, with costume parties and parades."

Cultural differences.

Lin Xian was still very unfamiliar with Halloween.

In the country, people sometimes celebrated Christmas, but Halloween... it doesn't quite fit the culture, and isn't widely spread.

But in Mi Country, Halloween is a big deal.

"How did you use to spend Halloween?" Lin Xian asked.

"Go play ghost and ask for candies~"

CC giggled, eyes forming pretty little crescents:

"Halloween is the holiday kids look forward to the most, on par with Christmas, but... once you grow up you can't play ghost anymore, after leaving the orphanage and wandering the streets, naturally I haven't participated much."

"After all, I don't have the money to join a costume party? Even to join a parade, at least I have to dress up a bit."