After uncovering the secret of the campus lake, Su Liyun resolved to explore other unwritten rules of the school. After classes ended, students chattered their way out of the campus gates—Su Liyun and Jiang Ruotang were no exception. Since dismissal had come early today, Su Liyun decided to take a look around the area near the school. However, she didn't want Jiang Ruotang to know about her secret plan just yet, so she made up an excuse to send her off. After three in the afternoon, Su Liyun cautiously scanned the surroundings with a nervous heart, alert for any strange occurrences. Suddenly, all the lights in the campus—including the four buildings like the teaching block—went out. Even in daylight, under the rain-laden clouds, Splendor Academy plunged into pitch darkness in an instant. Even the shops across from the school turned off their lights, except for one corner store that remained illuminated. This scene startled Su Liyun, but the four characters on the shop's signboard deeply captivated her—Su Ling Stationery. With a nervous heart, she walked toward the shop. At the shop entrance, Su Liyun halted. Peering through the dust-covered window, she saw the interior filled with peculiar objects: ancient compasses, crystal balls glowing with an eerie light, and various old, unidentifiable tools and antiques. Strangely, though the sign proclaimed it a stationery store, she spotted no stationery or stationery-related items. She tried to get closer to the signboard for a better look. A thick layer of dust covered it, making Su Liyun sneeze. "Ah... Achoo!" "Who's there?! Who's at the door?" A deep voice suddenly echoed from within the shop. Su Liyun flinched, turning nervously toward the entrance. Simultaneously, the shop's aged wooden door creaked open. A head peered through the crack—a kindly-faced uncle. He glanced around, noticing Su Liyun standing beside the signboard. "Young lady, I'm closing up shop. If you need anything, please come back tomorrow." Su Liyun was puzzled. How could it be closing time already in the afternoon? Moreover, the voice she'd heard inside earlier had been sharp, cautious, and tinged with a hint of edge—yet this uncle's voice was so gentle. With her confusion lingering, she stepped forward and asked, "Wait a moment, Uncle. Does your shop close this early? Also... are you alone...?" Before Su Liyun could finish, the man cut her off. "Oh dear, you should go back now. You're from the academy across the street, right? Don't you know the rules? Go back. Go on, go on." As the words fell, the wooden door slammed shut with a bang, leaving Su Liyun alone in the wind.
That evening, Su Liyun returned to her lodgings and shared dinner with her host family. After supper, she went back to her room, reviewing her studies while mentally replaying the scene at that peculiar shop. "Knock knock knock." A series of knocks interrupted her thoughts. Su Liyun set down her pen, rose, and opened the door. It was her host mother. "Liyun, if studying tires you, come rest in the living room and have some fruit." Su Liyun smiled and replied, "Alright, I'll be right there." She then returned to her books. A while later, Su Liyun glanced at the clock and realized it was getting late. She decided to tell her foster mother she'd been so absorbed in her studies that she'd forgotten to join them for fruit, and to say goodnight. Stepping out of her room, she looked toward the living room and saw only her foster father sitting on the sofa watching TV. Noticing her, he said, "Everyone else has gone to bed. Is something wrong at this hour?" "Nothing. You should get some rest too. Good night." Su Liyun gave a shy smile and turned to head back to her room. As she turned, she habitually glanced toward the foster father's study. Her gaze swept over it unintentionally, then suddenly froze. She thought she saw something very familiar—a crystal ball! It bore a striking resemblance to that glowing crystal ball. Fearing her foster father might notice something amiss, Su Liyun quickened her pace back to her room.
Once inside, Su Liyun's mind refused to settle. Why would an identical crystal ball—one without the eerie glow—appear in her foster father's study? Could he be connected to that mysterious shop? Tossing and turning, utterly sleepless, Su Liyun resolved to sneak into the study under cover of night to uncover the truth. She sat by the desk, waiting for her foster father to retire for the night. The second hand of the clock ticked steadily, and though Su Liyun felt utterly exhausted, sleep eluded her. Finally, at midnight, she saw him return to his room. Then, tiptoeing out, she approached the study door. Slowly, she turned the knob. With a creak, the door opened a crack. The room was pitch-black. She pulled out a small flashlight, casting a faint beam. The space seemed unremarkable at first glance—bookshelves lined the walls, and her foster father's desk stood in the center, the crystal ball resting on its corner. Su Liyun approached cautiously and examined it closely. It was indeed identical to the one in the shop, except it lacked the eerie glow. Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps behind her. Startled, she turned to find her foster father standing in the doorway. His eyes held a hint of coldness, seeming different from his usual self. "Child, why haven't you gone to bed yet at this hour?" Su Liyun replied in a slightly trembling voice, "I... I'll go to bed now. Good night, Uncle." With that, she hurried past the foster father and returned to her room. Still unsettled, Su Liyun slipped under the covers.
The next morning, Su Liyun headed to school as usual. On the bus, she ran into Jiang Ruotang, who noticed Su Liyun's pale complexion and asked, "Liyun, are you okay? Didn't sleep well last night?" Su Liyun shook her head. "I'm fine, just a little tired." Seeing this, Jiang Ruotang didn't press further. At the school gate, Su Liyun glanced once more toward the shop. Jiang Ruotang noticed the direction of her gaze. "You're looking at that shop? Let me tell you, that place is really strange. Stay away from it." As if suddenly awakened, Su Liyun widened her eyes and asked Jiang Ruotang, "You know about that shop?! Tell me everything!" Jiang Ruotang took a half-step back, startled. "Ah... I... Ouch! I don't know all the details myself, just heard bits and pieces. We're going to be late for class. I'll tell you during lunch break."
Finally, lunchtime arrived. Su Liyun rushed over to Jiang Ruotang, flustered. "Ruotang! Hurry up and tell me about that shop!" Jiang Ruotang paused briefly before replying, "Okay, okay, don't rush. Let me tell you slowly. That shop around the corner—legend has it it used to be a stationery store. The strange thing is, it's run by two men, but everyone who's been there says they only ever saw one person inside. And in recent years, the stationery supplies have been dwindling, while all sorts of strange, ancient objects have been piling up. So everyone thinks that shop is weird and avoids it. That's all I know." After listening, Su Liyun seemed to have grasped something, yet also looked as if she hadn't gained anything at all.