Chapter 457: Hello, Oriental
Chapter 457: Hello, Oriental
"It's really strange. I've looked up a lot of information about the Chinese Magic World, but all the records are very vague. It's as if the entire Oriental Wizarding World outside of Japan is shrouded in a thick fog. The books say that only a small number of foreign wizards are allowed into China. The records left by those who have visited China are scattered and lack coherence. I'm really curious about what the Magic World over there is like", Hermione said to Liam as they sat in the waiting area at Heathrow Airport, recounting her preparations.
"The incomplete records might be due to cultural differences, making it difficult for outsiders to understand certain aspects of that land. They probably had to rely on their own interpretations to write down what they saw. However, I think we have a chance to truly see the Chinese Wizarding World and experience its local customs and traditions firsthand", Liam said with a smile, mentioning his grandfather's connection to the Oriental Magic World. Hermione was very excited about the opportunity to explore this mysterious Magic World.
In addition to these preparations, Liam also managed to bring out a memory infusion device from Radiant World Academy and used it to impart a language package to Hermione, preparing her for the trip to China.
In the fanfiction of his previous life, Liam had seen various ways to travel to China. Some wizards flew on brooms, others on flying carpets, some were carried by phoenixes, and the most impressive method was Apparition. Traveling by plane like ordinary people was probably the least glamorous way to go.
However, fortunately, the Chinese Magic World Hermione had been talking about all the way was successfully encountered as soon as they set foot on Chinese soil.
As the plane landed at Jade Pearl Airport and they went through customs, Liam felt a very faint magical scan pass over his body at the security checkpoint. He easily identified that this scan was to detect the magic resonance of those passing through the security gate.
Although Liam and Hermione could easily hide their magic from such a check, they weren't there to cause trouble. So they didn't obstruct the scan. Liam guessed that this was to correctly identify and mark foreign wizards arriving in China for easier management.
Sure enough, as soon as they passed through customs, two uniformed staff members stopped them. These staff members looked no different from the customs officers, but Liam and Hermione noticed that they wore a badge with a red background and golden letters, which read "Chinese Magic Association."
Clearly, this badge was visible only to wizards. Liam's parents, who looked a bit nervous, thought something was wrong.
"Don't worry, they are wizards from China", Liam reassured the parents and walked forward with Hermione to greet the two Chinese wizards.
"Hello, welcome to China", the wizards said in fluent English, their tone friendly. "You must be young wizards traveling with your Muggle parents?"
"Yes, as you can see, our parents are Muggles", Liam and Hermione nodded. "However, we are not here for tourism. Our parents are here on business, so we may visit this country multiple times in the future."
"As long as you don't break the law, we welcome your visits from other countries. The legal restrictions here are much more lenient compared to the wizarding laws in Britain. For you, the most important thing is that the restrictions on underage wizards casting spells are more relaxed. As long as there are no Muggles around and you are accompanied by an adult wizard, underage wizards are allowed to use magic. If you want to cast spells independently, you will need to apply for a permit", the short-haired, sharp-featured young witch explained.
"Also, the nearest wizarding commercial district is at the City God Temple in Jade Pearl City. Just tap one of the two stone lions at the temple's entrance with your wand to find the entrance to the commercial street. That place also has the examination site for independent casting permits and can exchange our currency", the slightly older male wizard added.
"Finally, I wish you a memorable journey in China." After saying this, the two China Wizards bid farewell to Liam and the others.
"They seem quite friendly, what a great start." After the two China Wizards left, Hermione happily told Liam. She really hadn't expected the local Wizards to be so welcoming to foreign Wizards. "I thought they might be hard to deal with before I came."
"That was just a misunderstanding caused by a lack of understanding." Liam's face broke into a smile. "The people here are generally friendly. When enemies invade, they will mercilessly eliminate them. But when it comes to friendly visitors, they are absolutely warm and hospitable. I think we'll feel this warmth throughout our journey."
Both families' businesses were located near Qiantang, so their parents quickly returned there by car. As the managers and founders of emerging enterprises, they had many things waiting for them.
Liam and Hermione, however, stayed in Jade Pearl City to start their own journey. As Mr. Lambert, Liam's father, had said, "Since you've decided to become engaged, we can treat you as adults. I'm sure you can take care of yourselves." He also reminded Liam to meet up with them in a week to visit their grandparents.
"Don't worry, no problem." After making a firm promise, they saw the parents off. As first-time visitors to China, the two of them naturally wanted to explore this bustling city.
It was the summer of 1996, and the streets weren't as crowded as they would be in the future. There weren't many vehicles, and the traffic was far from the gridlock that would come later. However, it was clear that life here was good: people on the streets were busy and vibrant, and their clothing was no less stylish than in London.
"This is a place full of vitality", Liam said to Hermione on the bus to Pudong. "I believe that in just 20 years, this place will be even more prosperous than London."
Seeing Hermione's "Are you kidding me?" expression, Liam couldn't help but laugh. No one in this era could believe how rapidly this land would develop over the next 20 years.
After visiting the newly built History Museum and the Oriental Pearl Tower, Liam took Hermione to the City God Temple the next morning. Naturally, they went there on an empty stomach; it would be a shame not to try the local specialties.
The best thing about southern snacks is that each portion is small, so you can try a variety of dishes. The steamed buns and soup dumplings at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop were indeed delicious, and Liam and Hermione both ate quite a bit. The only strange thing was that customers in the dining hall kept glancing at them.
"Is there something wrong with how we're dressed or something?" Hermione asked, puzzled by the attention.
"Maybe it's because we're eating a lot", Liam said, unable to explain that even in Jade Pearl City, foreign romantic relationships were still rare, especially with a European woman. So, their public displays of affection had naturally drawn attention.
After a hearty breakfast, they hurried to the entrance of the City God Temple. Liam clearly felt the faint magical traces on the two stone lions at the entrance. He followed the method a China Wizard had told him at the airport and tapped the base of the stone lion with his wand, which he kept hidden in his sleeve.
As Liam put away his wand, he saw a red archway slowly emerging between the two buildings, just like Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Sirius Black's home. Once the large, crimson archway fully appeared between the buildings, Liam led Hermione to it.
In the center of the archway was a blue sign with the golden words "Songjiang Market" written in large characters. It seemed this was a commercial district for China Wizards.
"It feels even busier than Diagon Alley", Hermione said, surprised, as she looked at the bustling crowd on the street beyond the archway.
"Considering the population here is 20 times that of Britain, it would be strange if it weren't this busy", Liam shrugged, then led Hermione into Songjiang Market.
(End of Chapter)
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