Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• A sudden, intense thunderstorm hits Huixiang, causing a city-wide power outage and flooding.
• The protagonist and a police officer are temporarily deafened by the thunder.
• The protagonist follows the police to the forensic department in the police station basement.
• The protagonist encounters a young ghost, who reveals he's from a powerful local family and provides information about Huixiang's history.
• An earthquake occurs, and the young ghost dissipates. Later, it's discovered that Ku Fen Ling mountain has collapsed.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates resilience and determination in the face of the storm and supernatural events.
• The young ghost shows gratitude towards the protagonist and reveals his family's history, hinting at a deeper connection to Huixiang's past.
• The local police officers are depicted as superstitious and fearful of the supernatural, contrasting with the protagonist's calm demeanor.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural and its intersection with the human world.
• The power of nature and its indifference to human life.
• The importance of history and its influence on the present.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and the police officer struggle to communicate due to their temporary deafness, highlighting their shared humanity and vulnerability.
• The protagonist's interaction with the young ghost reveals his empathetic nature and willingness to help the supernatural.
• The local police officers' reaction to the supernatural event emphasizes their cultural beliefs and fear of the unknown.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Lu Qiaolan, and Zhuang Huai visit Cry-Grave Ridge the day after the disaster.
• They find the ridge flattened, with no signs of Yin energy or strange phenomena.
• Zhuang Huai discovers inscribed stones from destroyed graves, bearing the character "Grave" and a surname, possibly "Zhou".
• The protagonist learns from villagers that no one knows who the graves belong to, and they have no information about the deities worshipped in the City God Temple.

Character Developments

• Lu Qiaolan is still traumatized and dazed from the recent events.
• Zhuang Huai demonstrates his keen investigative skills by finding the inscribed stones.
• The protagonist shows determination to follow any lead to find Chen Xiaoqiu and the missing children.

Significant Themes

• The power and influence of local deities and historical figures.
• The struggle to find answers and hope amidst chaos and destruction.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qiaolan, Zhuang Huai, and the protagonist work together to investigate Cry-Grave Ridge.
• The protagonist interacts with villagers, trying to gather information about the graves and deities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist suspects the Guide is behind the recent events.
• They visit the Huixiang archives to find information about Ku Fen Ling.
• The archives' doorman is reluctant to help and tries to deter them.
• Zhuang Huai intimidates the doorman into giving them the keys to the underground storage.
• A mysterious creature attacks the doorman.

Character Developments

• The protagonist's suspicion of the Guide grows.
• Zhuang Huai demonstrates his authority and determination in investigating the case.
• The doorman reveals his reluctance to cooperate and his awareness of the recent police operations.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and bureaucracy, as seen in the doorman's reluctance to help and his awareness of the higher-ups' attitudes.
• The power dynamics between different characters, with Zhuang Huai asserting his authority over the doorman.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist, Zhuang Huai, and Lü Qiaolan interact with the archives' doorman, trying to persuade him to help them access the archives.
• The protagonist prevents Zhuang Huai from taking the keys, recalling Ye Qing's instructions.
• The doorman and the mysterious creature interact, with the creature attacking the doorman.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group encounters a ghost in a restaurant, disguised as an old man.
• The protagonist uses an amulet to force the ghost into a mirror, but they are tricked and end up in the restaurant's restroom.
• They realize they've been deceived by the ghost and leave the restaurant.
• They decide to proceed to the archives to investigate Huixiang's history and the guide's identity.

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes more wary of ghosts and their tricks.
• Lü Qiaolan shows concern for the protagonist's safety and offers him her protective charm.
• Zhuang Huai expresses worry about his brother's situation.

Significant Themes

• The deceptive nature of ghosts.
• The importance of caution and vigilance.
• The power of protective charms and amulets.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Zhuang Huai share a cigarette, bonding over their shared experience and determination to continue their mission.
• Lü Qiaolan offers her protective charm to the protagonist, showing she cares for his safety.
• The protagonist and Zhuang Huai discuss their next course of action, deciding to go to the archives together.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group arrives at the archive building, finding it old and dilapidated.
• They encounter an old man who is an employee of the archive and his son.
• The old man initially refuses to let them in, claiming the archive is dealing with an emergency due to flooding.
• They eventually gain entry and find the archive flooded, with historical materials in the basement.
• The old man agrees to let them help sort the historical materials.

Character Developments

• Lü Qiaolan: She accepts Zhuang Huai's decision to refuse her help without any visible reaction.
• Zhuang Huai: He remains determined to find information about Huixiang's history despite the challenges.
• The Old Man (Archive Employee): He is initially hostile but later accepts help from Zhuang Huai and the others. His behavior suggests he has a bad temper and is set in his ways.

Significant Themes

• Persistence: Zhuang Huai's determination to find information about Huixiang despite obstacles.
• Change and Adaptation: The archive's old and dilapidated state contrasts with the modern city, reflecting the theme of change and adaptation.
• Family Dynamics: The relationship between the old man and his son highlights the theme of family dynamics and intergenerational conflict.

Character Interactions

• Zhuang Huai and Lü Qiaolan: Their interaction is brief, with Lü Qiaolan accepting Zhuang Huai's decision without argument.
• Zhuang Huai and the Old Man: Initially hostile, their interaction improves as Zhuang Huai shows determination and willingness to help.
• The Old Man and His Son: Their interaction reveals a tense relationship, with the old man being stubborn and critical, and his son trying to placate him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The three protagonists are tasked by an old man to help organize and search through old archives in the basement of the Huixiang archive.
• They discover damaged paper archives, some dating back to ancient times, with content in classical Chinese.
• Lü Qiaolan finds an archive mentioning a great wealthy merchant who donated money during a disaster relief effort and another mentioning a burial incident on Caotou Road.
• The protagonists learn about Mr. Zhou, a scholar who returned to Huixiang to find his roots and organized the archives before his death. His belongings, including a valuable fountain pen, are mentioned but cannot be found.

Character Developments

• The protagonists demonstrate their willingness to help and their curiosity about the town's history.
• Lü Qiaolan shows her ability to read and understand classical Chinese.
• The old man and the elder reveal their knowledge of Mr. Zhou and his past.

Significant Themes

• The importance of preserving history and the consequences of neglecting it.
• The search for one's roots and identity, as exemplified by Mr. Zhou.
• The passage of time and the loss of personal belongings and memories.

Character Interactions

• The protagonists work together to search through the archives, showing teamwork and mutual support.
• The old man and the elder share information about Mr. Zhou, highlighting their knowledge and experience.
• The middle-aged man tries to persuade the old man and the elder to rest, showing concern for their health.
• Zhuang Huai expresses his intention to investigate Mr. Zhou's room further, indicating his determination to uncover the truth.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group discovers a file about Mute Village, which shares similarities with Twisted Neck Village, but no mention of haunting.
• The protagonist goes to the second floor restroom and finds a hidden room with a mirror showing a scene from the past.
• The protagonist sees a ghost (Mr. Zhou) in the mirror, who dies of an illness in the reflection.
• The protagonist realizes the blood on the mirror is real and flowing outwards.
• A chilling scream echoes from downstairs, and a ghost (Erzi) appears in the room, blocking the protagonist's exit.

Character Developments

• The protagonist demonstrates courage and curiosity in exploring the archive alone.
• Zhuang Huai shows concern for the protagonist's safety.
• Lü Qiaolan exhibits worry for the protagonist's well-being.
• Erzi, revealed to be a ghost, shows grief and anger.

Significant Themes

• Karma and retribution, as seen in the Mute Village story and possibly in the archive's haunting.
• The consequences of past actions, as reflected in the mirror's scene and the ghosts' appearances.
• The protagonist's ability to interact with ghosts and their world.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Zhuang Huai work together to investigate the archive, with Zhuang Huai stalling the old man while the protagonist explores upstairs.
• The protagonist shares their findings about Mute Village with the group.
• The protagonist encounters ghosts (Mr. Zhou and Erzi) separately, with Erzi blocking the protagonist's path at the end of the chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The guide emerges from the mirror, injured and aggressive.
• Er Zi (Wang Qian) recognizes the guide as the person who caused his brother's death and stabs him with a steel pen.
• Mr. Zhou's figure appears, gets stabbed, and vanishes.
• Er Zi starts to dissipate.
• The guide and the protagonist make eye contact, and the protagonist sees himself reflected in the guide's pupils.
• The protagonist experiences a vision of Mr. Zhou's past, revealing his affair with a student and the birth of Er Zi's brother.
• The protagonist snaps out of the vision and realizes he is not Zhou Yusheng.

Character Developments

• The guide's true nature is revealed as malevolent and dangerous.
• Er Zi's (Wang Qian's) past trauma and resentment towards Mr. Zhou are exposed.
• Mr. Zhou's past actions and their consequences are revealed, showing his cowardice and lack of responsibility.
• The protagonist experiences a shift in perspective and identity, leading to self-realization.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-discovery
• Consequences of one's actions
• The destructive power of resentment and hatred
• The blurring of lines between the living and the dead

Character Interactions

• The guide and the protagonist share a intense, disorienting eye contact.
• Er Zi (Wang Qian) confronts and attacks the guide, expressing his long-held resentment.
• Mr. Zhou's ghostly figure appears briefly, reliving his past actions.
• The protagonist experiences a vision from Mr. Zhou's perspective, gaining insight into his past.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The narrator wakes up from a dream, finding Zhou Yusheng's corpse and the Guide in the room. He follows the Guide into a mirror, witnessing Wang Qian's failed suicide attempt and Zhou Yusheng's death.
• The narrator observes Wang Qian moving into Zhou Yusheng's office and the Guide's behavior, which changes after Wang Qian covers a mirror.
• In the dream, the Guide lures outsiders using ghosts or his own abilities. The narrator decides not to interfere with earlier victims but wants to rescue recent ones.

Character Developments

• The narrator: Becomes more aware of the Guide's powers and his own limitations. He decides to focus on rescuing recent victims.
• The Guide: Shows contempt for Wang Qian's cowardice and fear. His behavior changes after Wang Qian covers a mirror, suggesting a connection between them.
• Wang Qian: Struggles with guilt and fear after Zhou Yusheng's death, eventually moving into Zhou Yusheng's office and covering a mirror, which seems to affect the Guide.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and its consequences (Wang Qian's attempted suicide and later actions).
• Power dynamics (the Guide's manipulation of ghosts and outsiders, the narrator's struggle to intervene).
• The passage of time and its effects (the dream skipping time, the Guide's changing behavior).

Character Interactions

• The narrator and the Guide: The narrator follows the Guide, learning about his abilities and witnessing his actions. The narrator decides not to confront the Guide directly.
• Wang Qian and the Guide: Wang Qian's actions seem to affect the Guide, suggesting a connection between them. The Guide shows contempt for Wang Qian's cowardice.
• Wang Qian and Zhou Yusheng: Wang Qian's guilt over Zhou Yusheng's death drives his actions. Zhou Yusheng's spirit is unaware of Wang Qian's presence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The dream takes place after the protagonist entered the cave, suggesting he has altered the entrance to another dimension.
• The protagonist follows the Guide through a vine-covered entrance into a dark, narrow passage leading to a flat area.
• The protagonist sees their own body glowing in the darkness, indicating a new sense or ability.
• The Guide laughs maniacally, reminiscent of a released prisoner, before police officers enter the cave.
• The cave is filled with white bones, implying many deaths occurred there.
• The dream jumps to the Guide emerging from a mirror in Wang Qian's house during a heavy rain.
• Zhou Yusheng's ghost appears, controlled by the Guide, and lures Wang Qian into the mirror.
• The protagonist suspects the Guide is snatching living people to fill an alternate dimension in Huixiang to prevent its deterioration.

Character Developments

• The Guide's behavior suggests he's been imprisoned or trapped for a long time, and he's now free.
• The Guide demonstrates the ability to control ghosts and create illusions.
• Wang Qian shows fear and confusion upon seeing Zhou Yusheng's ghost and is eventually lured into the mirror.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for freedom and the consequences of being trapped.
• The power of illusion and perception manipulation.
• The connection between the living world and the afterlife.

Character Interactions

• The Guide and the protagonist share a connection, allowing the protagonist to perceive the Guide's existence.
• The Guide controls Zhou Yusheng's ghost to lure Wang Qian into the mirror.
• The protagonist struggles with whether to intervene in the events unfolding in the dream.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yusheng, Wang Qian, and the guide ascend Cry-Grave Ridge in the rain.
• Wang Qian struggles due to an unseen burden and abnormal rain effects.
• Zhou Yusheng and Wang Qian exhibit strange behavior.
• The guide reveals his long-planned scheme to eliminate the Zhou family.
• The protagonist feels a powerful, awe-inspiring force from the land.
• Wang Qian is attacked by the land's power, and the guide revels in his suffering.
• The protagonist intervenes, touching the guide's eyes and activating his ability.

Character Developments

• The guide's true intentions are revealed, showing his ruthlessness and cunning.
• Wang Qian's physical and mental state deteriorates due to the land's influence.
• The protagonist experiences a new sensation, feeling the land's power and will.

Significant Themes

• The power and will of the land, similar to the case handled by Qing Ye and the others.
• The guide's scheme highlights the theme of long-planned revenge and its consequences.

Character Interactions

• The guide's interaction with Wang Qian reveals his sadistic pleasure in Wang Qian's suffering.
• The protagonist's intervention shows his growing understanding and connection with the land's power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist's ability to reverse time goes out of control upon touching the Guide's eyes.
• He witnesses the Guide's past actions, including manipulating rumors and expanding influence in Huixiang.
• The protagonist is then transported to a desolate, eerie wilderness, where he observes a procession of ghostly figures, reminiscent of the Yellow Springs Road.
• The scene shifts to a construction site, where the Guide interacts with a girl who seems to be acting unnaturally.
• The girl's face splits open, revealing a wolf-like creature that attacks the Guide.

Character Developments

• The protagonist struggles with controlling his ability and understanding the visions he's experiencing.
• The Guide is revealed to be a ghost who may have escaped the Yellow Springs Road.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for control: The protagonist's inability to control his ability mirrors his struggle to understand and navigate the strange world he's in.
• The nature of reality: The blurring line between the protagonist's reality and the visions he experiences raises questions about the nature of truth and perception.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and the Guide: Their interaction triggers the out-of-control ability, leading to the visions.
• The Guide and the girl: Their exchange is tense and suspicious, with the girl's true nature revealed to be a threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The guide uses a blinding light to escape a massive, wolf-like monster in an abandoned construction area.
• The guide hides in a stairwell of an unfinished building, evading the monster.
• A gaunt ghost attacks the guide, fearing sunlight and causing the guide to flee.
• The guide and the ghost run through the unfinished buildings as dawn approaches.
• The guide wakes up in a desolate forest, having returned to his body, and finds a hanged ghost.

Character Developments

• The guide demonstrates quick thinking and resourcefulness in evading the monster.
• The guide's fear of the gaunt ghost suggests a past encounter or knowledge about it.
• The hanged ghost's unusual behavior hints at a complex backstory.

Significant Themes

• Survival: The guide's struggle to evade the monster and the gaunt ghost emphasizes the theme of survival.
• Uncertainty: The mysterious nature of the monster, the gaunt ghost, and the hanged ghost adds an element of uncertainty.
• Fear of the Unknown: The guide's fear of the gaunt ghost and the hanged ghost's unnatural behavior highlights the fear of the unknown.

Character Interactions

• The guide interacts with the monster, the gaunt ghost, and the hanged ghost, demonstrating his ability to evade and adapt to dangerous situations.
• The gaunt ghost's pursuit of the guide reveals a power dynamic between them, with the guide being the pursued and the gaunt ghost the pursuer.
• The hanged ghost's interaction with the guide, though brief, suggests a potential threat or mystery.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The guide encounters a hanged ghost and devours it, absorbing its Yin energy.
• The guide discovers a dead tree with a hollow trunk containing shattered mirrors.
• A small, deformed figure emerges from the tree trunk, stabs the guide's eyes with mirror shards, and tries to escape.
• The guide pursues the figure, enduring pain and injury, until he reaches a flat, endless road (Yellow Springs Road).
• The guide's body disintegrates, and mirror fragments fall into the soil.
• Lin Qi wakes up in the archive room, finding the large mirror shattered and no longer supernatural.

Character Developments

• The guide reveals his ability to devour ghosts and absorb their Yin energy.
• The small, deformed figure is revealed to be a non-human, ugly species resembling humans, with incredible strength.
• Lin Qi experiences the guide's pain and sees his vision distorted by shattered mirrors.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between the guide and the deformed figure highlights the theme of survival and self-preservation.
• The guide's ability to devour ghosts and the figure's strength emphasize the supernatural elements in the story.

Character Interactions

• The guide and the hanged ghost: The guide devours the ghost, absorbing its Yin energy.
• The guide and the deformed figure: The figure stabs the guide's eyes with mirror shards, causing him immense pain.
• Lin Qi and Lu Qiaolan, Zhuang Huai: They find Lin Qi unconscious in the archive room after the events with the guide and the figure.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi has a strange dream where he sees the Guide's past actions and his own involvement in the Guide's death.
• He learns that the Guide's timeline is reversed, indicating he died in modern times but arrived in Huixiang centuries ago.
• Lin Qi consults Gu Mo about encountering someone with the same ability, leading to a discussion about similar abilities and possibilities like inheritance, reincarnation, or coincidence.
• Lin Qi concludes that the Guide's ability was similar to his, involving time and space traversal, and that the Guide is truly dead.
• Zhuang Huai informs Lin Qi that bodies, including his friends', have been found at the collapsed Grave-Wailing Ridge.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi struggles with his abilities, feeling panicked and out of control in his dream. He also experiences frustration and helplessness in his search for his friends.
• Gu Mo shows concern for Lin Qi's well-being but maintains a casual and smug demeanor throughout their conversation.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Lin Qi's inability to control his abilities and the dream highlights the theme of power and control, both in his personal life and in his search for his friends.
• Time and Reality: The reversed timeline of the Guide's death raises questions about the nature of reality and time, reflecting Lin Qi's struggle to understand and accept his abilities.
• Luck and Fate: The search for Lin Qi's friends becomes a matter of luck, emphasizing the theme of fate and chance in their rescue.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi interacts with Lü Qiaolan, who shows concern for his well-being, and Zhuang Huai, who provides crucial information about the discovery of the bodies.
• Lin Qi's conversation with Gu Mo reveals more about their relationship, with Gu Mo acting as a mentor figure while maintaining a casual and somewhat dismissive attitude towards Lin Qi's situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Cry-Grave Ridge collapses, leading to a rescue operation that finds survivors and bodies, including Zhuang Tao, Minister Xu, and others who had gone missing.
• Chen Xiaoqiu, Director Chen, and others are in critical condition at the hospital, having been starved and weakened.
• The protagonist discovers that the collapse of the Cry-Grave Ridge and the rescue of survivors are due to changes he caused in a dream, where he killed the guide.

Character Developments

• The protagonist realizes that his soul might be split, allowing him to remember the situation before and after the dream change.
• Zhuang Huai shows concern for the protagonist and Lü Qiaolan, helping them navigate the situation at the hospital.

Significant Themes

• The impact of the protagonist's actions on reality and the consequences of changing the past.
• The instability of the protagonist's soul and its connection to his abilities.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with Zhuang Huai and Lü Qiaolan at the hospital, discussing the situation and seeking information.
• The protagonist calls Gu Mo to discuss his theory about his split soul and its connection to his abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Mo, the old man, is disrespectful and uncooperative during their conversation.
• The identities of two victims, Chen Li and Zhang Qiong, are confirmed. They were beaten to death.
• Xiangzi's uncle, a regular at the underground casino, is found almost drowned.
• Chen Xiaoqiu and other survivors wake up, with Chen Xiaoqiu recovering quickly.
• Chen Yihan and Chen Xiaoqiu are discharged from the hospital and return to Minqing.
• Chen Xiaoqiu and I visit Cry-Grave Ridge, now guarded and inaccessible.
• I drive Chen Xiaoqiu to Gongnong Sixth Village and ask her about her conversation with Ye Qing during Chinese New Year.

Character Developments

• Chen Xiaoqiu: Recovers quickly from her ordeal, showing resilience. She remains silent and secretive about her past experiences.
• Chen Yihan: Also recovers quickly, showing no significant psychological scars. He continues to handle police work in the area.
• Xiangzi: Reluctantly helps his aunt, revealing that his uncle is a regular at the underground casino and might have useful information.
• Me: I become more assertive and direct in seeking answers from Chen Xiaoqiu.

Significant Themes

• Secrets and Truths: The incident has uncovered many secrets, and characters are increasingly seeking truth and answers.
• Recovery and Resilience: Survivors are shown recovering at different paces, highlighting their individual resilience.
• Family and Connections: The importance of family and connections is emphasized, with characters helping each other and seeking understanding.

Character Interactions

• Me and Chen Xiaoqiu: Our relationship becomes more tense as I demand answers from her about her past.
• Chen Xiaoqiu and Chen Yihan: They share their experiences but maintain a formal, almost distant, relationship.
• Chen Xiaoqiu and Chen Zi'an: Chen Zi'an's departure is mentioned, showing a lack of interaction or closure between them and Chen Xiaoqiu.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xiaoqiu discovers a wooden wind chime, which she believes can summon souls, is on her person.
• The wind chime was originally in Chen Xiaoqiu's house and disappeared before reappearing now.
• Lin Wei suspects the wind chime might summon dangerous ghosts and wants to remove it.
• They go to the office to find Ye Qing, who gave Chen Xiaoqiu the wind chime.
• Lin Wei finds a door at the end of the office corridor, with Daoist Fa Lian's bell hanging above it, ringing continuously.
• Ye Qing reveals the bell is used to suppress evil and tells Lin Wei to leave.
• Lin Wei learns that Chen Xiaoqiu might have supernatural experiences in her past, which she plans to investigate with her family.

Character Developments

• Lin Wei becomes more protective of Chen Xiaoqiu and is concerned about the wind chime's influence.
• Chen Xiaoqiu shows curiosity and determination to find out about her past experiences.
• Ye Qing displays his power and knowledge about the supernatural, hinting at a hidden secret.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural and its influence on daily life.
• The consequences of past actions and debts from past lives.
• Trust and suspicion within relationships.

Character Interactions

• Lin Wei and Chen Xiaoqiu grow closer as they face the supernatural together.
• Lin Wei's relationship with Ye Qing remains tense, with Lin Wei questioning Ye Qing's motives.
• Chen Xiaoqiu plans to investigate her past with her family, potentially revealing hidden secrets.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist's sister finishes her college entrance exams and awaits results.
• The protagonist returns to work after his leave in Huixiang.
• A colleague, Jiang You, is hospitalized due to food poisoning from spoiled zongzi.
• The protagonist's sister goes for an independent admissions interview at Minqing University.

Character Developments

• The protagonist's sister appears confident and proud after her exams.
• The protagonist feels relieved and relaxed after returning to the demolition office.
• Jiang You's hospitalization is mentioned, but his character isn't developed further.

Significant Themes

• The stress and uncertainty of waiting for exam results.
• The importance of careful eating habits, as seen in Jiang You's food poisoning incident.
• The competitive nature of college admissions, as seen in the protagonist's sister's interview.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with his sister, showing concern and support for her exam results and interview.
• The protagonist and his colleagues discuss Jiang You's hospitalization and the ongoing issues in Gongnong Sixth Village.
• The protagonist's sister interacts with her friends, showing confidence and determination before her interview.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group explores the oldest section of Minqing University, appreciating its historical architecture and greenery.
• They visit the School History Exhibition Hall, learning about the university's past and notable alumni.
• They witness a wedding photoshoot near the exhibition hall and overhear nearby aunties discussing a wedding.
• They meet Xue Jingyue at the main entrance and wait for the protagonist's sister to finish her interview.
• Police cars and ambulances arrive on campus, causing unease among those waiting.
• They decide to have lunch at the snack street near the university.

Character Developments

• The protagonist's sister shows curiosity about the ambulance and discusses her interview experience with Skinny and Guo Yujie.
• Fatty expresses his interest in marrying Yueyue but admits they haven't been dating long.
• Xue Jingyue shows affection towards Fatty and asks about her sister's interview.

Significant Themes

• The passage of time and change, as seen in the university's history and architecture.
• The contrast between old and new, traditional and modern, as seen in the campus layout and the wedding photoshoot.
• The anticipation and uncertainty of the future, reflected in the protagonist's sister's interview and the mysterious incident on campus.

Character Interactions

• The group interacts with each other, discussing their experiences and opinions.
• The protagonist's sister bonds with Skinny and Guo Yujie over their shared experience of the interview.
• Fatty and Xue Jingyue display affection towards each other.
• The group overhears nearby aunties discussing a wedding, providing a glimpse into the lives of others.