What It's Like Being a Vampire

Chapter 102: What’s Today?

After examining his own blood under a 2000x microscope, Xiang Kun compared it with videos and photos he found online and noticed a difference.

His red blood cells seemed to be “fatter” and clustered together closely at the same magnifications.

If he were to compare other people’s red blood cells to persimmons, then his cells were more like basketballs. Moreover, his cells carried an authoritative aura. Why was this?

He examined his samples carefully but was unable to find any white blood cells or platelets. Maybe it was due to the lack of staining?

Suddenly, all the red blood cells appeared to receive the same command, their cell membranes ruptured rapidly, and their internal structures connected. Then they kept changing, coagulating, and forming into numerous fine granules, all of equal size and with smooth exteriors.

Soon, there were no red blood cells left in his originally dense and crowded sample. Everything had turned into the tightly packed or scattered granules.

Xiang Kun exclaimed in surprise as he glanced at the time on his laptop, then checked the time on his phone. Although he had not timed his observation precisely, he knew it took less time than usual. From taking his blood sample to watching all his red blood cells turning into small particles, it seemed to take less than 10 minutes.

From his previous experiments, be it blood or other body tissues, their changes didn’t happen this quickly. The process usually took about 15 minutes.

What was happening? Was the speed of decomposition of lost cells now changing over time? But he hadn’t seen this change in his many previous tests.

Xiang Kun decided not to think too much about it and performed his experiment again.

He divided his blood sample into two parts; one for observation and the other placed aside. He started timing the moment he drew the blood.

“What the hell is going on!?”

Looking at his laptop’s screen displaying the view from the microscope, he saw the red blood cells rapidly changing into tiny particles again, while the other portion of the blood that was separated into another dish didn’t show the same change. Xiang Kun was baffled.

The timer on his phone now showed 00:08:37.

Why did his blood sample decompose much faster when observed under a microscope? It was an optical microscope, not supposed to cause a reaction, right? Could it be the LED light source it came with?

14 minutes and a little over 50 seconds later, the part that had not been observed also turned into gray powder.

Xiang Kun then took another blood sample and set it on the glass slide, moved the objective lens away, and just placed it on the light source.

This time, the blood normally took around 15 minutes to completely turn into grey powder.

“Is it really related to observation?” Xiang Kun found it hard to believe.

He continued his experiment, but under his observation, the plump red blood cells once again sped up their decomposition. In just over seven minutes, they had completely turned into tiny granules.

Xiang Kun didn’t give up. He switched to observing oral and skin cells, but the results were all the same. As long as he was observing, the decomposition sped up considerably.

However, if he just watched with his eyes without using a microscope, the decomposition speed did not change.

He tried recording his observations and not watching them in real time. He walked away and checked the recording after 15 minutes had passed.

He discovered that when he wasn’t watching them in real time, the decomposition of tissue cells returned to normal speed. Damn it – do my tissue cells know that I am watching them?!

Xiang Kun felt confused…

In his head, he pictured a bunch of anthropomorphized plump red blood cells shouting “Retreat! Retreat!” and detonating themselves upon realizing they were being observed by him through a microscope…

But he quickly shook his head, ruling out this guess.

He guessed that perhaps when he was able to see the microscopic structure of these body tissues, his subconscious mind might have had some impact on these tissues, which belonged to him and caused them to decompose ahead of time?

Considering his ability to establish special connections and sense various objects, as well as his ability to influence the same kind of living beings around him by his own emotional changes, this possibility can’t be ruled out.

However, he couldn’t figure out why this should happen and what the purpose of speeding up the decomposition of out-of-body tissues would be?

At two in the afternoon, Yang Zhen’er and Tang Baona came to pick him up and drove him to Xia Libing’s house.

Since he would be cooking dinner, he wanted to go early to prepare and process the ingredients.

Although he knew Xia Libing, Yang Zhen’er, and Tang Baona were all well-to-do, when he stepped into Xia Libing’s house, Xiang Kun was still impressed.

He wouldn’t say that he was someone without any experience… Well, a property like this one with such a prime location, large space, open views, and a mix of classical luxury and modern technology in its design, was something he had not seen before. The most impressive house he had ever seen was his previous boss’, however in terms of location, view, size, and decorations, it paled in comparison to this one.

If he had seen this house earlier, the dream home he had imagined for himself over the past few years would have been this one instead of a detached villa.

However, Xiang Kun was no longer fixated on houses.

He was preparing to go to the kitchen to process the ingredients, he had already planned what dishes he would make that night and had asked Xia and the others to buy the necessary ingredients.

He didn’t plan to make anything new — in fact, he hadn’t had time to develop any recipes. He would stick to his “signature dishes” from before. However, after observing how the three ladies behaved while eating during their last visit to his house, he understood their tastes better. Thus, he believed that even the same dishes could taste better with some minor adjustments.

However, Tang Baona stopped him before he could get to the kitchen.

“Xiang Kun, do you know what day it is today?” Tang Baona asked with her eyes wide open and full of smiles.

Just like Tang Baona, Xia Libing and Yang Zhen’er were also looking at him, waiting for his answer.

What day is it today? After thinking for a moment, Xiang Kun quickly calculated the Chinese lunar and solar dates. Suddenly, he realized: “Ah? Is it already the Mid-Autumn Festival today?”

“Not just the Mid-Autumn Festival, think again.” Tang Baona said with a mysterious smile.

Not just the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Xiang Kun’s mind was racing, it was 2019 , the Year of the Pig, or specifically… the Year of Ji Hai, in the Month of Gui You… Gui Chou Day, well, it doesn’t matter if you look at the days… but what special day is it today?

September 13? A piece of news that he had unintentionally read a long time ago flashed across his mind. September 13 seemed to be the Programmer’s Day in Russia? Apparently, because it was the 256th day of the year… well, that’s even less likely! How could Tang Baona possibly know about Programmer’s Day, especially the Russian one!”

Seeing Xiang Kun in a daze and seeming to be racking his brain in search of an answer, Tang Baona slapped her forehead, and said, “Ah, I forgot, it’s not today, it’s tomorrow. You can’t possibly forget what day it is tomorrow, right?”

Seeing Xiang Kun in a daze and seeming to be racking his brain in search of an answer, Tang Baona slapped her forehead, and said, “Ah, I forgot, it’s not today, it’s tomorrow. You can’t possibly forget what day it is tomorrow, right?”

September 14th? Xiang Kun widened his eyes and subconsciously started thinking… Establishment Day of OPEC? Uh, that could not be related to us at all, it couldn’t be this.

Seeing that Xiang Kun still looked confused, Tang Baona exclaimed: “No way, Xiang Kun, it’s September 14th — your birthday! You can’t possibly forget your own birthday, right?”

September 14th is my birthday? Why don’t I know about this? Xiang Kun looked puzzled..