After school that day, Su Liyun dragged her weary body back to the host family's house as usual. She plopped down on her bed, ready to relax, when her phone rang. Seeing "Mom" on the screen surprised her—since studying abroad, her mother rarely called her first.
Answering the call, Su Liyun heard her mother's familiar, "warm" voice: "Liyun, how's life and school over there? Have you encountered any difficulties?" Su Liyun quickly replied, "Mom, everything... everything's fine. I'm adjusting well. Don't worry."
However, when her mother spoke next, Su Liyun's heart sank. Her mother said, "Oh, right. There's actually something else I need to tell you. Your father and I have discussed it. We plan to visit you during the New Year's holiday."
Su Liyun froze. She hadn't anticipated her parents' plans at all. According to her original schedule, she had intended to return home during this break to thoroughly research that longevity lock. After all, the origins of this lock and the secrets it held could be crucial to uncovering the mysteries behind the Su clan...
"Mom, why so sudden?" Su Liyun forced herself to calm her panic, her voice tinged with urgency. "Well, your sister can't make it back for New Year's, and your brother has school activities. So your dad and I thought we'd take the opportunity to travel. We hadn't decided where exactly, but your dad suggested visiting you." Hearing her mother's explanation, Su Liyun reluctantly agreed.
After hanging up, Su Liyun felt deeply unsettled. Her plans to return home had been disrupted, making it much harder to obtain the longevity lock. She suddenly felt as if her journey had ended before it even began, but for now, she could only take things one step at a time.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through thin clouds, gently falling on Su Liyun's face and waking her from her dreams. She brushed her teeth, got dressed, packed her backpack... everything proceeded as usual, orderly and methodical.
After breakfast, Su Liyun headed to school with a heavy heart. Along the way, her mood was complicated, her mind seemingly filled with trivial matters.
At school, Su Liyun attended classes as usual, yet one thought lingered in her mind—waiting for the library administrator's response regarding her access request. Finally, the bell rang, and she eagerly pulled out her phone to check her messages. As expected, a notification from the library administrator appeared: "Congratulations! Your request has been approved! According to regulations, the school's ancient text collection will be open to the public every Monday and Friday." Reading this, Su Liyun's heart pounded with excitement, knowing that her quest to uncover her family's secrets could finally move forward.
Following this schedule, this Friday Su Liyun would be able to visit the school's ancient book collection to review relevant materials and further pursue the clues hidden within those ancient texts. Thinking of this, her curiosity about the Su clan's secrets grew even stronger, and she silently resolved to seize this rare opportunity to uncover the story behind her family.
During a break, Su Liyun told Jiang Ruotang everything about her plan to apply for access to the ancient texts at the library. Jiang Ruotang was stunned at first, then genuinely happy for Su Liyun, though a hint of worry crept in. "Liyun, you're so brave! I heard the school's archives are in a very secluded spot and heavily guarded. Should I go with you?" Su Liyun instantly felt a surge of reassurance. "Yes, I'd feel much safer with you there."
After briefly discussing their plans for Friday, the class bell rang again. Su Liyun returned to her seat, her previously scattered thoughts finally anchored. She opened her textbook, but her gaze drifted involuntarily to the window. Her mind kept replaying the clues she might uncover on Friday—would there be any records about the Su Clan's life-lock? Could the connection between the ceramic jar and the Su Clan be found in the ancient texts?
But this anticipation didn't last long. The news of her parents' impending visit felt like a boulder crushing her heart once more. The more she thought about it, the more off it seemed. Mom had said they'd decided to travel last minute because "your sister couldn't come back, and your brother had school activities." But when her sister had called earlier, she'd clearly been probing about the longevity lock. Was this sudden visit really just a coincidence?
That evening back at the residence, Su Liyun informed her host father about her parents' impending visit. He responded with a calm expression: "Your mother mentioned this to me a few days ago. We'll need to give them a proper welcome when they arrive." Su Liyun frowned, a hint of unease flickering in her eyes. Noticing her distracted state, the host father asked, "What's wrong? Worried they'll find out about what you're investigating?" "Ah... I... I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I'll head back to my room now." With that, Su Liyun retreated to her room.
Once back in her room, she locked the door and once again took out the ceramic bottle. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on the bottle. The character "Su" seemed to shimmer faintly in the moonlight, appearing clearer than before. She gently traced the bottle's surface with her fingertips. As her fingers moved, the image of that mysterious shop involuntarily surfaced in her mind. The faded yet still distinct sign beside the shop—the four characters "Su Ling Stationery"—were etched into her mind like a brand. Especially the character "Su" on the sign, paired with the inscription on the ceramic bottle. Though one was bold and the other delicate, they shared an inexplicable harmony. "Su Ling Stationery... the Su clan..." she murmured, her brow furrowed. "Could these two 'Su' characters truly be mere coincidence?" Might they somehow connect to the longevity lock? She placed the bottle gently on the table, staring at it as she sank into deep thought. She feared that mysterious shadow might reappear, and worried even more that complications might arise before her parents returned.