That evening, back at my new place, which I was still getting used to, I thought about the vast collection of books left by the previous owner. I pulled open a drawer where Shu Sheng hid his adult films, took out a stack, and threw them on the table, curious about his taste. I picked one and started watching. However, just a few minutes in, before reaching the climax, there was a knock at the door. Startled, I thought perhaps the volume was too loud, disturbing the neighbors, which would be embarrassing and damage Shu Sheng’s reputation. What if they thought there were two people here… I hurriedly turned off the DVD player, pretending to be busy as I opened the door. To my surprise, it was Su Ying. She flashed a charming smile: “I saw your light was on, and since I had nothing to do, I thought I’d come by for a chat. Are you free?” I was about to agree, but then remembered the pile of adult films and magazines on my table, which could ruin my reputation if seen. I hesitated, my face showing my indecision. Su Ying noticed and said calmly, “Are you busy? I won’t disturb you then.” It was rare for a beautiful woman to seek me out for a chat; I couldn’t just refuse. “You’ve got it all wrong. My place is just too messy since I just moved in. It’s not fit for a lady.” “Why don’t we go upstairs to your place then?” I suggested.
And so, we ended up in Su Ying’s room. Right at the entrance was a large aquarium filled with colorful saltwater fish swimming freely. Their colors were a testament to nature’s artistic mastery, something no painter could replicate. Maintaining such an aquarium requires patience and attention to detail like water temperature and pH, leading me to conclude that Su Ying was a patient person. We sat facing each other on the sofa, and she casually turned on the TV. Soon, we were chatting away, covering a wide range of topics. Perhaps because she had been in a few advertisements, her exposure to society was broader than most university students her age, and she was well-versed in media-related matters, making the conversation feel effortless.
Moreover, when she talked, she would jump from advertising to religion, then suddenly to idol issues, her thoughts leaping quite dramatically. I mustered my energy to respond to whatever she was talking about, but she always held the conversational reins, and I soon felt overwhelmed, feeling a premature sense of aging and sorrow. Finally, she seemed to tire of talking, laughing and saying, “I’ll go get some drinks,” before heading into the kitchen. I exhaled in relief, looking around, contemplating whether I should find an excuse to leave as this was mentally taxing. At that moment, my gaze was drawn to the books on Su Ying’s shelves. I thought these were definitely not the kind of books you’d find on an ordinary girl’s shelf. Typically, a girl’s bookshelf would be filled with romantic novels or classics, even if she were the type with over 1,000 degrees of myopia… “Do you particularly like books about mysterious events?” I asked Su Ying, who was emerging from the kitchen with a can of cola. Following my finger, one could see books like “The 49 Greatest Mysteries of the World,” “Crop Circles,” and “Bermuda Anecdotes.” “Yes!” Su Ying seemed excited, “I’ve loved these kinds of books since I was a child, especially those about the sea.” Looking further, there were huge volumes like “Encyclopedia of Ocean Knowledge,” “Marine Life Atlas,” etc. Books about the sea took up the majority of the space; some were popular science, introducing giant squids, deep-sea creatures, shark behaviors, jellyfish classifications, while others were purely legends and anecdotes, including myths like sea monsters, mermaids, giant sea snakes, ghost ships, and the like. “Impressive,” I praised, “I didn’t know you were somewhat of an oceanographer.” “Not really,” Su Ying shook her head, pulling out a book titled “The Lost Atlantis” and flipping through it, “In today’s terms, I’d just be considered an ocean fan. In my opinion, no one can truly be called an oceanographer who fully understands the sea. What humanity knows now is just a small part.” “Oh,” I was somewhat skeptical of her claims but had to admit that the sea was indeed full of mysteries, still a symbol of the unknown to mankind. “Do you know about the sunken Atlantis?” she looked up and asked me. “Yes,” I omitted the second half of my sentence, “I’ve seen the animated movie.” “Do you believe in this theory? Actually, the residents of Atlantis are still living well under the sea. They’ve evolved into true underwater people.” (Part 2: The Beauty Living Upstairs)
