Chapter 8: The Truth Behind the Longevity Lock (Part 2)
The following days dragged on for Su Liyun like an eternity. On one hand, she eagerly anticipated Friday's arrival; on the other, she worried that her parents' visit might disrupt her quest for the truth.
Finally, Friday arrived.
That morning, Su Liyun rose unusually early. She slipped into a coat that allowed for easy movement, carefully wrapped the ceramic bottle, and tucked it deep inside her backpack. After breakfast, she hurried off to school.
Upon arriving at school, Su Liyun spotted Jiang Ruotang already waiting at the gate. They had both taken leave from their teachers in advance to visit the Ancient Text Collection Hall. Seeing Su Liyun approach, Jiang Ruotang stepped forward and whispered, "I asked a senior student. The Ancient Text Collection Hall is in that most mysterious building tucked away in the corner of campus. It's the last one built, the fourth building. It has no name and is filled with restricted zones and peculiar rules—like only administrators being allowed on the fourth floor, no electronic devices permitted inside, and the building closing at 2 PM sharp. Anyone still inside after that hour faces consequences at their own risk." Su Liyun felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this, but driven by her quest to uncover the truth behind the longevity lock and her family's history, she steeled herself to investigate.
"Got it. Let's go."
They traversed the campus's winding paths. Passing the artificial lake, Su Liyun felt a strange sensation, though she dismissed it. Finally, they reached the building's entrance. Pushing open the heavy doors, they found dim lighting and an empty, echoing lobby—like an abandoned space. Without giving it much thought, they headed straight for the third floor where the collection hall was located. The third floor was much quieter than the lower levels, and the lighting was even dimmer. They made their way toward the ancient texts collection hall at the far end, where a stern-faced custodian stood at the entrance.
"Hello, we're here to consult the ancient texts." The custodian gave them a serious look. "Please present your library access permit." Su Liyun pulled a paper from her bag—an Ancient Text Research Permit. The attendant took it and scanned it with a nearby machine. "Alright, you may enter."
Su Liyun and Jiang Ruotang stepped inside the collection hall. Neither large nor small, it held row upon row of bookshelves densely packed with yellowed, thread-bound volumes. Dim light filtered through a small window, casting mottled shadows on the floor, lending the space an air of solemnity. Su Liyun took a deep breath. She was tasked with finding records about longevity locks and ceramic bottles, while Jiang Ruotang helped search for books related to the Su clan.
Minute after minute passed as Su Liyun and Jiang Ruotang weaved between the shelves, flipping through one record after another. Most, however, only documented local history. Su Liyun grew impatient, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Just as she was about to give up, a mysterious box at the bottom of a shelf tucked away in a corner of the collection room caught her eye. She walked over, crouched down, and tried to open it, but it was secured with a combination lock. She decided to ask the collection room attendant for help. As she stood up to head toward the door, a dark shadow flashed before her eyes, and that familiar voice sounded again, "Three-Five-One-Six." Su Liyun froze in place. Jiang Ruotang, who had been browsing ancient texts on the adjacent bookshelf, noticed her stunned expression. Approaching with a puzzled look, she asked, "Liyun, are you okay? What happened?"
"I'm fine." With that, Su Liyun returned to the box and tried the combination the mysterious voice had just whispered. Sure enough, the box opened. Inside lay a thick stack of documents and a bound book. The book's cover was still damaged, and the papers were covered in a thick layer of dust. Jiang Ruotang nearly dropped her jaw at the sight. "Su Liyun! How did you know the combination? What is this box?" Su Liyun immediately rose and covered Jiang Ruotang's mouth. "Shh! Keep your voice down. I'll explain everything once we're outside. Let's look for clues here first."
Jiang Ruotang struggled to suppress her shock. They examined several documents first. Almost all the text was written in an ancient script that was difficult to decipher. One sheet, however, appeared newer than the others, only slightly yellowed. It contained just a short sentence: "The longevity lock symbolizes long life. Legend says it originated a thousand years ago, a heirloom passed down through generations... But it wasn't always like this. Where is the true one? Does it truly hold that meaning...? I don't understand, but I must find it." " The sentence seemed oddly out of place, as if someone had left it there. They then turned to the book. Though its cover was worn and tattered, a large character faintly visible on it read "Su." Nearly every page contained several black-and-white photographs, some resembling family portraits. Yet Su Liyun recognized almost none of the people or objects in the pictures, and the text within the book was equally difficult to decipher. Flipping a few pages further, a ceramic bottle in one photograph deeply captivated Su Liyun. She stared at the image, unable to look away. She then pulled the ceramic bottle from her bag and compared it carefully. It was indeed the same bottle she held. Yet, the string of text beneath the photograph was difficult to decipher.
Su Liyun desperately wanted to record all the information—it was crucial for uncovering the story behind the Su clan—but unfortunately, electronic devices were prohibited in the collection hall. With time limited, they resorted to copying key details by hand into notebooks they carried in their backpacks.
Before they knew it, afternoon had arrived. Packing up their belongings, they hurriedly left the collection hall.
At the entrance, Jiang Ruotang suddenly stopped. "Liyun, can you tell me now? About that box..."
"Ah... Oh, it's just that lately I've occasionally seen strange shadows flitting before my eyes, and there's always this odd voice talking to me. The combination for that box was actually what that voice told me. Truthfully, I've encountered similar strange occurrences before—during a math class a while back and by that artificial lake. I never told you because I couldn't find the right moment, and I was afraid you wouldn't believe me." Su Liyun confessed everything to Jiang Ruotang, looking guilty.
"I see. It's true that things like this are hard to believe, but happening to you... I don't find it strange at all." Su Liyun looked puzzled upon hearing this. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"To be honest, from the moment I first saw you, I sensed you'd experience many extraordinary events at this school. I can't explain why I felt that way, but after witnessing your peculiar behavior by the artificial lake and the shopkeeper's attitude toward you, it only strengthened my conviction. But don't worry—I'm willing to explore the secrets behind all this with you. After all, I quite enjoy experiencing these so-called 'extraordinary' things." Su Liyun felt a wave of warmth wash over her after hearing Jiang Ruotang's words. "Thank you, senior."
The two chatted as they walked back to the academic building.
After school, Su Liyun and Jiang Ruotang walked home together, discussing their discoveries from today's ancient texts. They had uncovered some truths about the longevity lock—an heirloom from a thousand years ago, though its authenticity remained unconfirmed. Then there was the ceramic bottle in that black-and-white photograph, and the question of what was written beneath it. As some pieces slowly came into focus, more questions seemed to spring up within Su Liyun.
Upon arriving home, Su Liyun received another call from her mother. "Liyun, we've already set off. We should be at your place around tomorrow evening." Su Liyun froze upon hearing this. Her parents were coming earlier than expected, yet she hadn't prepared much. Everything felt so sudden and unexpected...