The two girls played all morning, and it was now time for lunch.
The variety of food in the Amusement Park was not large, and for convenience, it was mostly fast food.
They each ordered a meal set. Taking advantage of her parents' absence, Hermione specifically ordered two cups of cola for herself and Lynn to fully indulge.
Having parents who were both Dentists was inconvenient in this regard; she rarely had the chance to drink soda because it was too sweet and bad for her teeth.
Even the pastries frequently made at the Granger Residence were sugar-free.
Therefore, even now, what Hermione looked forward to most was every Christmas, when she could drink soda without restriction.
But since her parents weren't here today, she could drink soda without restriction!
Looking at the two large cups of cola placed in front of her, Lynn remained calm, but honestly, she didn't recognize what the gurgling, bubbling black liquid was.
The "drinks" she had consumed were limited to boiled tap water and the pumpkin juice she had after arriving at Hogwarts.
As for drinks like cola, Orange Juice, and so on, she only knew their history and general concept.
But if a cup of soda was placed right in front of her, she still wouldn't recognize it.
Turning to look at Hermione, Hermione was eagerly picking up the cup of cola in front of her and immediately took a large gulp.
Her expression was momentarily contorted, then relaxed, and a look of contentment bloomed on her face.
Lynn tilted her head and asked in a flat tone, "Hermione, what is this?"
Hermione, who was about to take a second sip, paused. She looked at the cola in her hand and gestured uncertainly.
"Are you asking about... this?"
"Mhm." Lynn nodded affirmatively.
"This is cola," Hermione replied. "It's a carbonated drink. It tastes great, but it's not very healthy."
"Oh." Lynn nodded. When Hermione said it was cola, Lynn was able to match the drink with the concept in her mind.
Hermione pursed her lips, put down the cup of cola in her hand, and raised her hand to gently pat Lynn's back.
She had overthought it... Lynn's parents wouldn't even let her eat properly, so how could they possibly let her drink soda?
"Try it. It tastes really good, and it cools you down after drinking it."
Lynn nodded blankly, reached for the cola in front of her, brought it to her mouth, and began gulping it down her throat.
Hermione's eyes widened instantly upon seeing this. She quickly patted Lynn's arm to stop her. "Stop, stop! Merlin's beard! This cola is iced, and the carbonation is very harsh. Drinking it like that will hurt your throat!"
Hearing this, Lynn stopped drinking and put down the cup. The stinging sensation of the carbonation exploded wildly in her mouth and throat.
But not a single trace of discomfort could be seen on her face. Hermione watched her nervously, constantly scrutinizing her. "Are you... feeling alright in your throat?"
Lynn felt the stinging sensation gradually dissipate inside her throat and shook her head. "No."
"That's good..." Hermione sighed in relief, gently patting her chest. "You scared me to death. Don't drink soda like that."
"No, you shouldn't even drink water that fast. If the water was a bit hot or a bit cold, wouldn't your throat be ruined?!"
"No," Lynn shook her head affirmatively. "It will only hurt for about a week, and my voice will be very hoarse."
Hermione's brow twitched violently, and her other hand, resting on the table, subconsciously gripped the tray holding her burger and fries.
"What do you mean? Don't tell me... you've always drunk water like that before?" Please no! Hermione's grip on the tray tightened.
Unfortunately, things were contrary to her wishes. Lynn's calm face even showed a hint of matter-of-factness. "Yes. Drinking as much as possible at once, and drinking quickly, saves more time for studying."
"I..." Hermione looked at Lynn in front of her and forcibly swallowed the words she had been about to say.
"Fine," Hermione took a deep breath and placed both hands on Lynn's shoulders. "Listen up. Starting today, you must eat and drink slowly, okay?"
"Put your body first. As for that damn important studying, you put that second."
Listening to Hermione's words, a clash between two sets of ideas occurred in Lynn's mind once again.
Body first? But studying should be the priority, the ingrained knowledge in Lynn's mind told her.
Yet, deep within her mind, another voice was shouting alongside Hermione, "No! That's not right! Your body should be ranked first! Health is the capital of revolution!"
The two thoughts clashed, and Lynn fell into a slight "lag," but then she saw Hermione's earnest face.
Lynn heard her own voice tremble slightly as she spoke, "Okay, I've noted that."
Hermione smiled, relieved, and ruffled Lynn's hair. "Hurry up and eat."
"Mhm." Lynn nodded, reached for her burger, and took a large bite.
Taking a sip of the cola beside her, Hermione looked at Lynn with complex emotions. The more she understood, the more tragedies she realized lay behind Lynn.
It was a continuous chain where one tragedy linked to the next, forming a string of misfortunes that trapped Lynn inside.
She could feel herself slowly cutting the links and gently pulling Lynn out.
Gently putting down the cola and taking a large bite of her burger, Hermione chewed fiercely. Lynn, don't worry, I will definitely pull you out completely!
After finishing lunch, both girls slumped in their seats, constantly burping.
Without Mr. and Mrs. Granger supervising, after downing two cups of cola and a large meal set each, both Hermione and Lynn were bloated.
They were so full that they were paralyzed for half an hour before they could stand up and leave.
"Hic," Hermione covered her mouth and let out a little burp. "I don't think I'll want to drink cola again for at least a month."
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