Shapeshifters

We ended the interview in a relaxed atmosphere. Ruan Xiwen indeed differed from typical archaeologists. Perhaps his archaeological knowledge came more from personal experience rather than from books, so unlike others who often pepper their speech with obscure terms, he would occasionally present his hypotheses and deductions in a straightforward manner, making him very talkative and humorous. As mentioned before, I’m not the most diligent journalist, often finishing the day’s interviews on the same day, even if it means pushing myself late into the night. However, according to Ruan Xiwen, I was the only journalist to interview him, and few people knew about him. Given his nature, even if he were interviewed multiple times, he wouldn’t repeat the same content. So, this was my exclusive report, and I could afford to delay it for half a day.
So, I went straight back to Zhidan Garden, planning to head to the newspaper office the next day to finish my article. By the time I reached Zhidan Garden, it was already past nine. I realized I often frequented this place at night, having become quite familiar with its nocturnal landscape. The construction site nearby had just stopped work, and many lights were on in the residential area, yet the streets were eerily silent. I subconsciously looked around for any sign of the black cat that had been bothering me, but even after scanning the area thoroughly, I found nothing. “Naduo!” A crisp voice startled me. Looking up, I saw Su Ying peering out from a second-floor window, her expression a mix of amusement and mischief, her hair cascading down. “Just got off work? Want to come up for a chat?” Since I had just obtained some exclusive information, I was in a pretty good mood and, of course, accepted her invitation with enthusiasm.