Ever since Wen Chuyan quit her job and went back home to open a grocery store with her grandfather's generous sponsorship, she noticed that the treasure basin, which her grandfather claimed to be a family heirloom, was getting brighter and brighter.
The grocery store was carefully chosen by Wen Chuyan in Qinghe Station. She had inspected more than a dozen properties before finally making up her mind.
This southern town was constantly shrouded in misty rain, hazy and mysterious.
The two - story building, which had cost her most of her savings, was a charming sight.
With its blue bricks and white tiles, surrounded by the gentle southern dialect and the continuous rain, Wen Chuyan felt her mind relax involuntarily.
She carefully planned the layout of the building.
The first floor would be the grocery store, and the second floor would be her living quarters.
At the front stall, there would be skewers, fish balls, and oden for sale. On the right side, in front of the glass window, there was a long wooden counter with three stools, where people could grab a quick bite.
Inside the store, there were rows of shelves filled with not only various snacks but also small handicrafts and daily necessities.
From the second floor, one could see the bluestone - paved roads, the distant hills, and the gurgling streams.
This was the laid - back life Wen Chuyan had always wanted, and she couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Finally! I can live the life I've always dreamed of since childhood!"
In a family full of industry elites and under the disapproving looks of her relatives and friends, Wen Chuyan still firmly opened the store.
However, when her grandfather heard the news, he couldn't stop smiling.
He tightly held Wen Chuyan's hand.
"Child, our Wen family ancestors made their fortune by running a general store."
"Grandpa has something good for you!"
Amid the voices of her relatives saying things like "The old man is daydreaming again", "Just humor the old man", and "Xiaoyan has worked for a few years and it's time for her to relax", Wen Chuyan struggled to carry a huge mahogany box and all the equipment sponsored by her family.
But unexpectedly, on the night before the store's opening, Wen Chuyan was lying in the rocking chair in her bedroom, looking at the stars and the moon in the distance, and enjoying a bowl of delicious snail noodles when there came a "dong - dong" sound at the door.
The glass door was pushed open, and a child in a long Hanfu robe of the Wei and Jin dynasties timidly stood at the door.
He looked only five or six years old.
His whole body was covered in dust. Although his clothes were dirty, one could still faintly make out some patterns on them, perhaps pearl - linked patterns embroidered with silver thread, but they were obscured by dirt and mud, making him look as if he had been rolling in a mud puddle. He was completely dirty from head to toe.
His long hair was tied up with a few ribbons, forming two little tufts on his head. There was confusion and fear on his face, but his stomach kept growling.
This town was carefully selected by Wen Chuyan. It was located in a medium - sized county, and the people around were very kind.
Was this child doing a cosplay? Had he gotten separated from his mother or friends?
The child's voice was a bit constrained. He looked up at Wen Chuyan with a pleading tone.
"Sister, can you give me something to eat? I'm so hungry."
"I'll pay you when my family comes."
Wen Chuyan watched the timid child standing at the door.
In the store, where the goods were not fully stocked yet, there were only instant foods like instant noodles, ham, and bread.
She was a bit troubled, but seeing such a polite child standing in front of her store with a pitiful look, just wanting something to eat, Wen Chuyan really couldn't bear it.
She squatted down and looked at the child.
"Little friend, there are only some instant foods in my store. I'll take them all out for you to choose from, okay?"
It was no wonder that Wen Chuyan was so cautious. After all, today's children were so prone to allergies.
She remembered that when she was tutoring in college, she had to tutor several children in a row. In the middle, she was so hungry that she secretly ate a cookie. When her student saw it, the child insisted on having some. Who would have thought that the child was allergic to gluten! Fortunately, the parents were reasonable and didn't ask her to compensate.
The child politely crossed his hands and bowed to her.
Wen Chuyan couldn't help but admire the child's determination to stay in character. He was really strong - willed.
Wen Chuyan brought out some bread, ham, and a bowl of steaming instant noodles with chicken and mushrooms. The strong aroma filled the whole store.
The child's eyes immediately lit up. He stared intently at Wen Chuyan's movements until the bowl of noodles was placed in front of him. Then he wolfed it down.
As for the ham and bread beside him, the child didn't even look at them.
Wen Chuyan had never seen such a well - behaved child.
The children she had met all needed their parents to chase after them to feed them.
When they saw ham and bread in front of them, they would open them and eat without hesitation.
Wen Chuyan picked up the soft, fragrant bread sprinkled with chocolate powder and filled with cream, opened it, and placed it in front of the child.
"Little friend, don't you like this bread?"
The child hesitated for a moment when he looked at the bread.
It looked dark on the outside but emitted a sweet aroma. The warm smell made him a bit hesitant.
The child looked up, his bright eyes fixed on Wen Chuyan.
"Sister, what is this?"
"I've never eaten anything so delicious."
A look of pity flashed across Wen Chuyan's eyes.
Looking at the child's black - sooty face and dirty robe, Wen Chuyan got angry!
She took out her phone and was about to call the police, but when she turned it on, there was no signal at all.
Not only was there no internet, but there was also no phone service.
Wen Chuyan got up in disbelief and walked outside the door, only to find that she seemed to be blocked by a thin film and couldn't even get out of the door.
She reached out her hand and seemed to touch something soft, very resilient yet indestructible.
The child thought Wen Chuyan was going to drive him away when he saw her actions.
He rummaged through his clothes but found nothing.
Wen Chuyan patted the thin film with her hand.
The child shivered in fear at her actions.
He gritted his teeth and took off his robe, standing in the store in his white inner garment. His voice trembled.
"Sister, I'm sorry. My clothes are worth a hundred wen. Consider it the payment for this meal."
"Don't call anyone to beat me."
"If this money is not enough, I'll send someone to pay you when I get home."
"I know such food is rare in the world. I'll pay you."
Then he turned around and ran away.
Wen Chuyan stood there, stunned, watching the child freely enter and exit the store.
She looked at the door in shock.
No wonder this well - located house, with a KFC and a McDonald's nearby, was bought by the previous owner at a lower price than other houses in the same location!
This house was so unusual!
Wen Chuyan put on a headlamp, held up a portrait of the Three Pure Ones in one hand, hung a cross around her neck, and carried a portrait of the Buddha. She carefully inspected the house.
There was nothing abnormal.
Everything returned to normal after the child ran out.
Wen Chuyan thought for a moment.
Finally, she had a strange thought.
Could it be that her arrival had disturbed the house's cultivation?
Although Confucius said not to talk about strange and supernatural things, this was really too absurd.
Wen Chuyan thought for a while and found a picture of the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China.
She lit three incense sticks in front of the house.
Just as she was struggling whether she should bow or do something else, a beam of light suddenly flashed from the storage room.
Wen Chuyan stared in disbelief as the beam of light flew straight into her mind.
Then she closed her eyes and felt as if nothing had happened.