Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

As soon as Jiang Chuan and his companion opened the door, they saw Hanako walking over from the other end of the corridor.

Hanako wore a clean dress and her hair was tied in a low ponytail, making her look refreshing and gentle. She was carrying a tray with three steaming cups on it, which looked like complimentary tea provided by the inn.

She was taken aback when she saw Jiang Chuan and Xiaoxia come out of the same room.

Then the corners of her mouth slowly turned up, revealing a meaningful smile.

"oops."

Hanako looked at the two of them with a smile.

"Xiaoxia, oh Xiaoxia."

She walked over, switched the tray to her other hand, and used the free hand to gently poke Xiaoxia's forehead.

"You always say Jiang Chuan is bad, that Jiang Chuan bullies you, but look, as soon as you get to the city, you stick to Jiang Chuan and want to sleep in the same room with him."

Xiaoxia's face turned bright red, down to her ears.

She clutched the hem of her clothes, head bowed, her voice both urgent and shy.

"Oh, it's not what you think! It was just too noisy last night and I couldn't sleep. That rascal Jiang Chuan said he had a way to help me sleep, so I, cough cough..."

As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Hanako nodded with a knowing smile.

"Mmm, I know about sleep aids."

She deliberately emphasized the words "sleep aid methods".

Xiaoxia was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground.

Hanako was laughing when she suddenly frowned slightly.

She moved closer to Xiaoxia, examined Xiaoxia's neck carefully, and listened to Xiaoxia's voice.

"Xiaoxia, what's wrong with your throat?"

Hanako's tone was concerned.

"Your voice is a little hoarse."

Xiaoxia's face was already red enough, but upon hearing this, it turned even redder, almost to the point of bleeding.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but didn't know how to say it.

In the end, all she could do was give Jiang Chuan a coquettish glare.

His eyes held anger, shyness, and a hint of something else that was hard to define.

"Oh... this..."

Xiaoxia cleared her throat; her voice was indeed a little hoarse, with a raspy quality.

She coughed lightly and then said, "This Neon Town is so dry, it's close to the desert, and last night it was that bastard Jiang Chuan again... so my voice is a little hoarse!"

As she spoke the last word, Xiaoxia suddenly turned around, swung her arm, and gave Jiang Chuan a light elbow strike.

"You big bad guy!"

Her movements looked forceful, but they actually felt light and airy on Jiang Chuan, like a tickle.

Jiang Chuan didn't dodge, and just chuckled as he took the hit.

He reached out and touched Xiaoxia's messy head, gently rubbing her scalp with his palm.

"Okay, okay."

Jiang Chuan's voice was tinged with laughter.

"I'll take responsibility, I'll take responsibility."

Xiaoxia looked up at him, her cheeks puffed out in anger.

"How will you take responsibility?"

Jiang Chuan's fingers slid from her hair to her ear and gently pinched her earlobe.

"Let's go, have a simple breakfast, and then I'll take you to get your throat treated. I'll make sure you're completely healed!"

Xiaoxia looked at him with a mixture of belief and doubt.

"Really?"

"When have you ever seen me lie to you?"

Xiaoxia thought about it and realized that there really wasn't one.

Although Jiang Chuan is bad, he has never broken his promises.

"Alright, then I'll trust you one more time."

Hanako watched the interaction between the two, her smile never fading.

The three of them went downstairs together and had a simple breakfast in the hotel's small restaurant.

It's called breakfast, but it's almost lunch.

The hotel provided very simple food: a few slices of toast, some jam, and three cups of hot tea.

Xiaoxia kept clearing her throat while eating, and it took her several sips of water to swallow the bread.

Hanako looked at her like this, then glanced at Jiangchuan.

Jiang Chuan was eating bread with his head down, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

Hanako shook her head, sighing inwardly.

This Xia, she always complains about Jiang Chuan, but she's the one who always ends up in his room. Last night she said she couldn't sleep because of the noise, but who knows if that was just an excuse.

However, she didn't point it out and just quietly ate her breakfast.

After breakfast, the three of them left the hotel.

Neon Town is completely different during the day and at night.

The brightly colored neon lights were all turned off, and the streets looked ordinary, even a bit dilapidated. The signs of the nightclubs looked cheap and tacky in the sunlight, and the garbage on the roadside hadn't been swept away and was being blown around by the wind.

There weren't many people on the street, and occasionally a few yawning citizens walked by, all looking listless.

"Do these people never sleep at night?"

Xiaoxia looked at the tired passersby and couldn't help but complain.

Jiang Chuan didn't say anything, and led the two of them towards the east side of Neon Town.

Neon Town is not big; it took about ten minutes to walk to the edge of town.

There is a forest there.

It's called a forest, but it's more like a large oasis. The trees aren't particularly tall, but they're dense and lush, a stark contrast to the drab little town behind them.

As you enter the forest, the air immediately becomes moist and fresh.

Xiaoxia took a deep breath and felt the dryness in her throat ease a little.

"I feel much better."

She turned to look at Jiang Chuan.

"The method you're talking about for treating your sore throat, you wouldn't happen to just come to the forest and breathe fresh air, would you?"

Jiang Chuan smiled but did not answer.

He wandered around the forest, looking left and right, his eyes scanning among the various trees.

Hanako and Kasumi followed behind him, wondering what he was looking for.

After walking for about ten minutes, Jiang Chuan suddenly stopped in front of a tree.

It was a tree that wasn't very tall, with a thick trunk, a wide canopy, and dense foliage. Some bright yellow fruits hung from the branches, shaped somewhat like pears, but smaller, with smooth skin that gleamed faintly in the sunlight.

Jiang Chuan reached out and picked two fruits, wiped them on his clothes, and handed them to Xiaoxia.

"Here, eating this will make your throat feel much better."

Xiaoxia took the fruit and looked at Jiang Chuan with a puzzled expression.

"What kind of fruit is this? Is it edible?"

Hanako also came over to take a look, her face showing the same puzzled expression.

"Jiang Chuan, you also know anything about medicine?"

Hanako blinked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

Jiang Chuan waved his hand and explained with a smile, "I don't know anything about medicine. It was just that when I was training Paras with Qingmei earlier, I overheard her talking about some things about tree fruits."

He pointed to the fruit in Xiaoxia's hand.

"This tree fruit is a specialty of the forest area near Neon Town."

"Qingmei said that this fruit contains special components that are good for the throat, soothe the throat and relieve coughs, and can also alleviate hoarseness. Locals in Neon Town often soak this fruit in water to drink."

Hearing this, Xiaoxia looked at the fruit in her hand again with some skepticism.

"Really?"

Hanako also picked a fruit and examined it carefully in her palm.

She thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

"Oh, I know that too."

Hanako nodded, a look of agreement on her face.

"This tree fruit is quite common in feed formulations; I've studied this."

She examined the fruit from all angles before continuing.

"The fruit of this tree is usually high in water content, and the pulp contains natural pectin and various vitamins, especially components that have a repairing effect on the mucous membranes of the throat."

"In some towns in the Kanto region, locals dry these fruits, grind them into powder, and add them to Pokémon food."

"Some Pokémon with sensitive throats, such as Jigglypuff and Meloetta, will have clearer voices after eating food made from this berry."

Hanako couldn't stop talking about her expertise in animal feed.

"Moreover, this fruit has a very high water content, about 80% or more, and tastes very refreshing and not too sweet."

She then pointed to the bottom of the fruit.

"The bottom of a ripe fruit will turn slightly yellow, and it's best to pick it and eat it at this time. If the bottom is still green, it means it's not fully ripe and will taste a bit astringent."

Xiaoxia was stunned.

"Hanako-nee, you know so much!"

Hanako smiled and returned the fruit to Kasumi.

"I want to make more delicious dishes with Hakron, and I've learned more about tree fruits."

She looked at Jiang Chuan with a hint of approval in her eyes.

"Miss Kiyomi knows more; no wonder she comes from a family of pharmacologists."

After listening to Hua Zi's long list of professional knowledge, Xiao Xia finally felt relieved.

She picked up a fruit, brought it to her lips, and hesitated for a moment.

"Then I'll eat it."

Jiang Chuan gestured for him to proceed.

Xiaoxia took a deep breath and took a bite.

The flesh is very soft and juicy; with one bite, the sweet juice immediately fills your mouth.

It's neither like a pear nor an apple; it has a unique, refreshing fragrance.

When you swallow the fruit, you can feel a cool sensation sliding down your throat.

That feeling.

It felt as if something was gently enveloping my throat.

Xiaoxia's eyes lit up.

"Hey, this is delicious."

She finished the first fruit in just a few bites.

Then, without waiting, he picked up the second one and took a big bite.

After eating the second fruit, Xiaoxia took a deep breath.

Then she tried to say a few words.

"Ah—ah—ah—"

She tried a few notes.

Then a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Ah, that feels so much better."

Xiaoxia's voice was noticeably clearer than before; the raspy, hoarse quality had disappeared, replaced by her original crisp voice.

She touched her throat, both surprised and delighted.

"This fruit is amazing!"

Xiaoxia turned to look at Jiang Chuan, her eyes filled with surprise, admiration, and a little bit of embarrassment.

"Oh, you big bad guy!"

She reached out and poked Jiang Chuan's arm.

"Although he's a bit bad, wow, he knows quite a lot."

She snorted, crossed her arms, and gave him a look of utter mercy, as if she were a young lady who had just forgiven him.

"I'll forgive you for bullying me last night!"

Jiang Chuan raised an eyebrow.

"Should I thank you?"

"Of course!"

Xiaoxia raised her chin, looking smug.

Hanako watched the two bickering from the side, then shook her head with a smile.

She clapped her hands and said, "Alright, alright, my throat's healed. Shouldn't we head back to town? We still have a long way to go today."

Xiaoxia nodded and was about to turn around and walk back.

Jiang Chuan reached out and stopped the two of them.

"Wait a moment."

Hanako and Kasumi both looked at him at the same time.

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Chuan's gaze drifted deeper into the forest.

"Walk further in."

Hanako asked疑惑地问道, "Is there anything else you're looking for?"

Jiang Chuan's lips curled into a mysterious smile.

"I also need to find an adorable little devil."

A cute little devil?

Hanako and Kasumi exchanged a glance, both looking completely bewildered.

The words "cute" and "little devil" don't seem like they can be used together to describe the same thing.

What does "cute little devil" mean?

Xiaoxia frowned, thinking for a long time but still couldn't figure out what it was.

"Is it a Pokémon? Or something else?"

Jiang Chuan smiled mysteriously and did not answer.

"You'll find out when you come with me."

After he finished speaking, he took the lead and walked into the depths of the forest.

Hanako and Kasumi, though full of doubts, followed after them.

As Jiang Chuan walked, he unleashed his waveguide power.

The power of waveguides was like an invisible net, spreading outwards from him as the center.

Everything around us was clearly perceived by the waveguide.

The Bug-type Pokémon on the tree is eating the leaves.

The walking grass in the bushes is basking in the sun.

In the distance, a rattata is foraging for food with several baby rattatas.

Another Arbok snake was coiled on a branch, flicking its tongue and sizing up the three people passing by.

But these are not what Jiang Chuan is looking for.

He focused his mind and directed the wave to extend further.

The waveguide force passed through layers of trees and swept across clumps of bushes.

Suddenly, a pink, round figure appeared within his perception range.

Less than two hundred meters ahead, under a big tree.

found it.

Jiang Chuan's lips curled up slightly.

"Over here."

He quickened his pace, leading the two women through a thicket of bushes.

Xiaoxia complained as she pushed aside the branches blocking her way.

"Jiang Chuan, what exactly are you looking for? There seem to be a lot of bugs in this forest..."

Hanako also looked ahead curiously, trying to see something through the gaps in the trees.

After walking for about two or three minutes, Jiang Chuan stopped in front of a big tree.

He pointed to the small pink figure under the tree.

"Found it."

Xiaoxia looked in the direction Jiang Chuan was pointing.

When she saw the pink, round, chubby little guy, her eyes lit up.

It's the kind of light that shines in your eyes when you see something incredibly cute.

"oops!"

Xiaoxia let out a delighted scream.

"Is it Jigglypuff?"

She ran over excitedly, not even caring that the branches had scratched her clothes.

Hearing the noise, Fatty looked up, his big, watery eyes staring at Xia who was running towards him.

Xiaoxia squatted down in front of Pangding, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

"So cute!"

She turned to look at Jiang Chuan.

"Is this the pink little devil you're looking for? How can you call it a devil?"

Xiaoxia's tone was clearly reproachful.

"I've heard that Jigglypuff is a Pokémon with a sweet singing voice, how can you call it a little devil?"

"Come on, Jigglypuff, sing a song for your sister, okay?"

Fatty blinked his big, watery eyes at Xia, and became excited when he heard that someone wanted to hear a song.

Then it opened its mouth.

Ee-ee-ya-ya.

The sound came from Fatty's mouth.

Well, how should I put it?

If Xiaoxia's hoarse voice was a level 100 for being unpleasant, then Pangding's voice was at least a level 90.

It was rough and dull, like the sound of sandpaper rubbing against an iron plate.

And he was off-key.

It ran extremely fast.

Every note landed precisely in a position that no normal person could imagine.

Xiaoxia squatted down in front of Pangding, her smile slowly freezing, turning her to stone.

Her lips twitched slightly.

"well……"

"Why is that voice so rough and unpleasant?"

"Isn't Jigglypuff supposed to be a Pokémon with a beautiful singing voice?"

"Have I been fooled by rumors again?"