#17 - Play mahjong?

"I heard that wizards used to go to school in their own ways. Some rode flying broomsticks, and some went directly to Hogsmeade via Floo Powder. However, since the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was implemented in 1692, they were forced to stop because too many wizards were being exposed to Muggles, which increased the Ministry of Magic's burden." Charles McKinnon seemed to know this history well and began to talk about it incessantly.

So that's how it is. But how do you pass the time wasting several hours on the road? Reading? Anduin looked at his two companions and felt that it would be impolite to keep his head down reading and ignore them.

"Hey, since we're going to spend so much time on the road anyway, how about I teach you guys a game?" Anduin suggested to the two.

"Sure, we're just idle anyway. What do you want to play, Wizard's Chess or Gobstones?" Although Charles initially seemed cynical, he revealed his childish nature when he heard about playing games.

"This is a game from the mysterious East. It's originally for four players, but it can actually be played with three. I'll teach you." Anduin took out mahjong tiles from his luggage and began to promote them to the two.

Anduin believed that they would not be able to resist the charm of mahjong.

But now, what to do about the lack of a table? His Transfiguration skills were very average, and he couldn't conjure up a table.

"Got it." Anduin looked at the side table in front of the window and cast an Engorgement Charm after pulling out his wand.

The small table at the edge of the compartment instantly extended a section.

"Okay, this will do." The mahjong Anduin carried with him was a small set, about the size of Japanese mahjong, so a smaller table could barely work.

The three of them sat around the table, and Anduin began teaching. Because Anduin had personally taught his friends in the orphanage how to play mahjong, he was very experienced in teaching the two of them, and he explained the rules clearly in a few words. These mahjong tiles were previously used to play with foreigners, and he was worried that they would not understand Chinese, so he bought internationally common mahjong, and even the edges of the wan tiles were marked with Arabic numerals, so there would be no problem of not understanding the content.

"The rules are roughly like this. It's okay, let's play two rounds first, and I'll teach you as we play."

"Sounds so complicated. Is it fun to play with these little squares?" Vivian felt a headache after listening to Anduin's explanation and couldn't help but complain.

"Anyway, we have a lot of time, let's try it," Charles felt it was interesting and persuaded Vivian.

Charles found a suitcase about the same height as the chair and sat in the middle of the aisle, facing the table. Anduin and Vivian sat on the chairs on both sides, and the three of them began to play mahjong under Anduin's guidance.

Under Anduin's guidance, the two basically understood the basic gameplay of mahjong. In half an hour, Vivian had won two hands, and Charles had also won one. Anduin also intentionally let them win to deepen their understanding of mahjong.

"Haha, I won again. This game is so interesting." Vivian said happily while pushing her tiles, with no trace of her initial distressed look.

"How about this, let's have a competition. When the snack vendor comes by later, whoever has the lowest score at the end will treat." Charles was also having a great time and cheered on the side.

That's how kids are, playing together slowly builds trust and familiarity.

"Okay, okay, I feel like I'm on a roll right now." Vivian also echoed.

Anduin smiled inwardly. He had been letting them win just now, and now their tails were starting to wag. He would educate them and let them taste the beatdown of society.

Then the three of them re-stacked the tiles and started a new round.

After a while.

"Knock knock." There was a knock on the door. The three turned around and saw a middle-aged woman selling snacks, asking them.

At this time, Anduin's face was a little ugly, because he had been losing almost all the time for the past two rounds.

It was really weird. Were these two really playing mahjong for the first time? How could they be so fierce? Could it be that I'm too bad at it? Anduin couldn't help but slander in his heart.

Especially Vivian, she was like she had suddenly opened the door to a new world, winning hands like crazy, and often catching Anduin's discards, which made Anduin a little regretful for teaching them how to play.

"Haha, Anduin, hurry up, you lost the most, quickly treat us to snacks." Vivian's eyes narrowed into two crescents, and she called to Anduin with a smile.

"I know, damn it, how is your luck so good." Anduin reluctantly took out his wallet and bought every kind of snack.

Then the three began to feast in the carriage.

"Try this Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, they have all kinds of different flavors." Charles grabbed a handful of candy for Anduin while biting on a licorice wand.

"Ew." Anduin almost threw up after taking a bite. He tasted an earwax flavor.

As for how to determine that it was earwax flavor, don't ask, just guess.

Vivian and Charles laughed heartlessly at the sight.

Anduin didn't have the courage to try this kind of candy again and started eating Chocolate Frogs on the side.

Among all the snacks, he could accept this kind of Chocolate Frog the most. The others were either too sweet or had strange flavors, like that Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

There was also a card inside, which introduced some famous wizards and their achievements. The one in Anduin's hand was a picture of 'Hengist of Woodcroft', who was said to be the founder of Hogsmeade, the only all-wizarding village in Britain.

Anduin looked at the card and out the window, and couldn't help but look forward to the magical world even more.

The three ate snacks and started chatting and joking again.

Vivian was still talking nonsense, and still couldn't go three sentences without mentioning how her family was, how the people in her family were. Anduin's ears were almost calloused from listening, but he still had to face it with a smile.

Really, for a girl like Vivian, in Anduin's view, people with high EQ would describe her as energetic, and people with low EQ would probably just call her a busybody.

After becoming familiar with the two, Charles gradually opened up. In addition to the resentment towards the Death Eaters being everywhere, the most he talked about was Quidditch. After learning that Anduin and Vivian were not very familiar with the wizarding sport of Quidditch, he began to frequently introduce the rules of Quidditch to the two, and he could recite the Quidditch teams and players of various countries like a treasure.

Anduin couldn't really understand why there would be barbaric sports like Quidditch in the magical world. Listening to Charles's introduction of various Quidditch fouls, and who was killed or crippled by the Bludger in that game, he always felt that this magical world had some kind of inexplicable sense of division, on the one hand, the convenient application of magic, and on the other hand, all kinds of primitive and barbaric things.