The Company

Chapter 55: Tang Tri-color Pottery

The sky seemed to have sprung a massive leak, with raindrops as large as beans pouring down relentlessly. Occasional flashes of lightning pierced through the gloomy clouds, followed by distant rumbles of thunder.

As soon as the medical vehicle came to a stop, the Doctor pulled open the door and unfurled his umbrella. Turning back, he shielded Tang Yuan who jumped down from the vehicle, quickly guiding him indoors.

Entering the lobby, the Doctor folded the umbrella, slipped a plastic bag over it, and hung it from his wrist. After checking that young Tang Yuan hadn't gotten too wet and finding the situation acceptable, he instructed the boy to wait obediently in the reception area while he turned to arrange accommodations for the team.

They had been invited to Mingde University to conduct student health examinations - an annual undertaking for their hospital, particularly during the enrollment season. Though Mingde University had its own medical facilities that eliminated the need to transport equipment, its suburban location required the hospital team to stay overnight beforehand, making many staff reluctant to take on this assignment.

As the assigned team leader based on seniority, the Doctor couldn't refuse the task. Learning that bringing children along was permitted when necessary, he had brought Tang Yuan with him.

After the troublemaker had gotten lost once before at night, the Doctor absolutely didn't dare leave the rascal home alone. Last time they'd been fortunate to encounter the kind Curator, but what if something happened again?

Though... when exactly had the boy gotten acquainted with the museum curator?

Holding the name list, the Doctor momentarily spaced out, unable to recall no matter how hard he tried. But hearing the Curator's familiar tone suggesting long-standing acquaintance, he hadn't dared ask at the time, fearing the older man might whack him with that walking stick.

"Senior? Senior?" a gentle voice called beside him.

Snapping back to reality, the Doctor smiled apologetically. "Sorry, here's your room card, Xiao Ye." Ye Qianqian was his junior from university and considered the hospital belle. True to her name, she possessed a delicate freshness, like tender leaves that pleased the eye. Chun Ge hadn't been assigned to this trip, remaining on hospital duty instead - much to his prolonged complaint.

"Single rooms this time! And I heard they're antique-style suites with private courtyards. How lucky!" Ye Qianqian flicked her room card with a fingernail, her smile blooming like a flower.

The Doctor returned the smile, though not because of the beauty beside him, but from anticipating having his own room where he could sleep straight through the night. Tang Yuan was still young, after all - none of those bad habits like teeth grinding, snoring, or sleep-talking.

It was precisely because of the good accommodations that he could bring Tang Yuan along without worrying about inconveniencing others.

"But Mingde University certainly flaunts its wealth," the Doctor commented while distributing room cards. The campus guesthouse rivaled five-star hotels, furnished with classical elegance where the polished blue bricks underfoot reflected like mirrors, making walking a slipping hazard. Since entering the campus, his eyes couldn't take in everything fast enough - all teaching buildings and structures followed antique architecture, with some students occasionally seen wearing historical costumes, creating an illusion of time travel."Actually... I think I also graduated from this university..." Ye Qianqian coughed lightly, speaking with some unease.

The Doctor completely lost his composure upon hearing this.

Mingde University was a legendary institution whose founding date had long been lost to history, rumored to have taken initial form during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The name "Mingde" was derived from The Great Learning's phrase: "The way of great learning lies in manifesting virtue." Over thousands of years, countless famous figures had emerged from Mingde University, yet the institution remained largely unknown to the world until the advent of the internet age.

In the information society, almost no secrets could be kept, and the moment Mingde University was exposed, it became a magnet for countless aspiring students.

The current Mingde University offered only a two-year program, admitting just twenty students per cohort. Some were outstanding high school graduates recommended by various prestigious schools, selected through multiple written exams and interviews. The number of candidates qualified to take the entrance exams was extremely small, let alone those who ultimately stood out to gain admission. Of course, Mingde University also accepted students with special talents—descendants of previous graduates, those jointly recommended by board members, or relatives of donors, among others.

One former president of Mingde University had openly stated: "Both talent and wealth are what Mingde University needs. Why avoid discussing wealth and only talk about talent?"

Mingde University's two-year curriculum focused primarily on Chinese traditional studies, such as calligraphy, traditional painting, guqin, tea ceremony, incense art, and flower arrangement. Other courses included studies of various philosophical schools, military strategy, mathematics, technical arts, poetry, and more—all aimed at analyzing modern sociology, business management, historical causes of success and failure, and so on, using ancient wisdom as a mirror to learn about Chinese civilization. All courses followed a credit system, and campus activities adhered to ancient rituals, such as coming-of-age ceremonies for women (jīlǐ) and men (guānlǐ), Mid-Autumn moon worship ceremonies, and others.

To be precise, Mingde University functioned as a preparatory college, immersing students in classical Chinese studies to cultivate their temperament. Graduates would transfer to renowned universities domestically or abroad for further studies, often becoming leaders in their respective fields. Membership in the Mingde University alumni association was virtually a diamond-level pass into high society. Thus, aside from genuinely gifted recommended students, wealthy scions with connections fiercely competed for the limited spots. Unfortunately, merely donating large sums was reportedly insufficient—sponsored students still had to pass interviews. While Mingde University didn't reject wealthy students, it reserved the right to be selective.

All faculty members were renowned professors or scholars, combined with a dreamlike campus environment and golden reputation, making this university the dream of teenagers nationwide and even worldwide. And this junior beside him was actually a graduate of such an institution? The Doctor's gaze toward Ye Qianqian instantly changed. Having reviewed her file, he knew her parents were unknown and she had grown up in an orphanage. Without any background, she must have been a top student. Coupled with her exceptional surgical skills and rapid learning ability in clinical surgery..."Ahem, senior, I'm actually not too sure why I got into that university either. But that university was like an interest class—after staying for two years, I transferred to the medical school I liked." Ye Qianqian flushed bright red with embarrassment; she knew she'd be met with strange looks. Honestly, if she weren't afraid of running into familiar teachers who might spill the beans, she would never have confessed.

To compare such an elite university to an interest class... Doctor rubbed his slightly aching temples, feeling that he truly didn't understand the world of top students.

But this did explain why Ye Qianqian's overall demeanor was different from other girls. Perhaps it was because she had been immersed in that top-tier university for two years—even just standing there, she made the ordinary white lab coat look extraordinary. Paired with the rain curtain cascading like a waterfall behind her, she resembled a pleasing portrait of a beauty. Moreover, she was openly bare-faced; it was rare to see women nowadays who didn't wear any makeup at all when going out. Ye Qianqian looked to be in her twenties, yet her skin was as flawless as a teenage girl's.

Doctor instinctively glanced a few more times at this beautiful junior beside him, but he felt none of the heart-pounding sensation Chun Ge had described. Instead, he was subconsciously somewhat guarded.

This feeling baffled Doctor, yet he couldn't quite put it into words. If he had to describe it, seeing Ye Qianqian was like seeing the little white snake that Tang Yuan kept—it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end...

To compare a beauty to a snake—surely he must be suffering from neurotic anxiety, Doctor silently grumbled to himself.

"Senior, isn't it inconvenient for you to hold the umbrella? Should I help you put it away for now?" Seeing that Doctor's attitude toward her had changed drastically because of her alma mater, Ye Qianqian awkwardly changed the subject and reached out to take the umbrella.

Doctor reflexively took a large step back, his face showing an expression he himself didn't understand, then he forced an awkward smile and explained, "N-no, it's fine. After handing out the room keys, I still need to check the equipment at the school hospital next door. Xiao Ye, you... you should go put your luggage away first."

Stammering through his words, Doctor didn't dare look at Ye Qianqian's expression. He quickly turned around, finished distributing his colleagues' room keys, instructed Tang Yuan to wait for him in the hostel lobby, and hurried off with his umbrella.

Ye Qianqian stepped out of the hostel's main door and stood gracefully under the eaves. Through the water curtain dripping from the roof, she gazed intently as Doctor entered the school hospital next door, her eyes profound.

"Big sister, what are you looking at?"

Ye Qianqian looked down and found that the child brought by her senior had somehow approached her side and was looking up at her with an innocent expression. Ye Qianqian often interacted with children at the hospital, so she bent down slightly to meet the child's clear, bright eyes and pointed at the eaves, saying softly, "I'm looking at the architecture of this hostel. See how high the corners of this building curve upward? In ancient times, this was called 'water-raised ridges.'"

Actually, Ye Qianqian had suddenly recalled someone telling her this during her studies and mentioned it offhand. She chuckled to herself after speaking—a ten-year-old child definitely wouldn't understand such things.But unexpectedly, the child glanced at the winged corner and seriously shook his head, saying, "Big sister, you're mistaken! This type of winged corner's upward angle isn't a water-raised corner, but a tender-raised corner. It's formed by inserting a tender-raiser diagonally upward at the end of the old raiser." (Dumb Shop trivia: Qiang, meaning raised corner. Both water-raised and tender-raised corners are methods for handling building winged corners in southern China. Tender-raised corners use a sub-corner beam to lift the eave corner, allowing for higher elevation, commonly seen in pavilions with pyramidal roofs. Water-raised corners don't use sub-corner beams, relying solely on ridge lifting at the eave corner, resembling an elephant's trunk.)

Ye Qianqian was dumbfounded.

The child seemed to have opened the floodgates of conversation and continued pouring out criticisms: "This building is simply bizarre. From a distance, it appears to imitate Tang-style architecture with peripheral corridors surrounding it. The main hall follows the golden-box-and-bottom-trough style popular during the Tang and Song dynasties. Yet the tender-raised corners of the winged eaves actually emerged in the Qing dynasty, not to mention the Ming-style glazed facing bricks and glazed tiles... Well, it's certainly an eclectic mix." (Dumb Shop trivia: Peripheral corridors refer to a surrounding veranda around the pagoda or main hall. The golden-box-and-bottom-trough style features an inner ring of columns and bracket sets within the main hall, dividing the space into inner and outer layers with the outer layer encircling the inner one.)

Ye Qianqian was completely speechless, and then she understood why this child was following her senior instead of attending school on weekdays. With such intelligence and emotional intelligence, probably no school would accept him!

Should she find time to write him a recommendation letter? Mingde University would likely welcome such an unusual talent with open arms.

Ah, but wait—wasn't the real point that someone had been showing off their knowledge to her while being wrong?

Hmm... who was that someone again... Why couldn't she remember at all?

Just as Ye Qianqian straightened up and lost herself in random thoughts, Tang Yuan reached up to press down on the little white snake twisting and turning around his neck.

Since this little ancestor had been sleeping earlier but suddenly became restless—was it because of this unexpected heavy rain? Or because of... this somewhat peculiar Ye Qianqian beside him?

The child Tang Yuan's eyes shifted thoughtfully.

Doctor and his team had arrived at Mingde University in the morning. After settling everyone in, he went to check the equipment at the hospital next to the guesthouse.

In fact, the resident doctor here was reportedly a famous senior professor who had previously served as the head of cardiothoracic surgery at Doctor's hospital—a nationally renowned figure. After retirement, he had been rehired to oversee operations here. If the physical examinations didn't require many assistants, their hospital wouldn't have been assigned to send personnel at all.

Doctor respectfully consulted the senior professor about all arrangements, and the latter was quite satisfied with his attitude. At noon, the professor generously treated their entire group to a decent lunch at the guesthouse restaurant. In the afternoon, after some preparations, they began conducting the physical examinations.Working in the busiest and most prestigious department of the hospital—cardiothoracic surgery—the Doctor had never actually participated in external assignments to serve as a physical examination physician for students. But why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Well, it could still be done. The Doctor quickly organized everything in perfect order. However, when he saw Ye Qianqian chatting happily with the resident senior professor, it dawned on him that she must have known the professor during her student days. Perhaps this was even the reason she had chosen to become a surgeon.

Blood and urine tests required fasting, so they were scheduled for early the next morning. In the afternoon, only routine examinations were conducted. When the Doctor first saw the equipment, he felt as if his eyes were deceiving him. What was the point of an orbital ultrasound? Were teenagers these days already at risk of presbyopia or glaucoma? Was a cerebral blood flow detector really necessary? Not to mention cardiac ultrasounds and bone density scans... He recalled the behemoth he had just seen in one of the consultation rooms. If he wasn’t mistaken, that quietly stationed machine was a Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography scanner, commonly known as a PET-CT! He couldn’t help but shudder. This thing was an absolute marvel—capable of detecting malignant tumors in the human body at an early stage! There were only about a hundred of them in the entire country, each costing at least eight figures! Expensive was an understatement!

The equipment was on par with that of a top-tier hospital! And it was free! No need to register or queue!

Just thinking about it was mind-boggling...

Of course, this was one of the benefits of Mingde University. Due to the absolute privacy, many alumni also came to the university for check-ups on this day, though most wouldn’t waste a night here and would arrive the next morning instead. So, the attendees were mainly second-year students and first-year freshmen reporting for the first time.

Having witnessed the incredible PET-CT scanner, the Doctor was no longer surprised by the machine in front of him, which could automatically perform a full-body holographic scan—including height, weight, and measurements—as soon as someone stood on it. The entire physical examination process was paperless and fully electronic. Every piece of equipment had a recorder in front of it; students simply scanned their ID cards, and the data was automatically logged into the computer.

The more the Doctor observed, the more he felt there was nothing for them to do. They were probably here just to maintain order. But there were only forty students in the school—what order was there to maintain? Moreover, these students were either top academic achievers or incredibly wealthy, all highly disciplined. It was also clear that the second-year students were at the front, with the first-years lined up behind.

Bored, the Doctor counted the students and found only thirty-nine, no matter how many times he tallied. Curious, he inquired and learned that one freshman’s flight had been delayed, so they would arrive the next morning for the physical examination.

"You might actually see quite a few celebrities tomorrow!" Ye Qianqian, noticing the Doctor’s boredom, leaned over to share some gossip. Her assigned equipment was the blood glucose monitor next door, which only required students to press a fingertip against a needle to draw a small blood sample for testing. The machine even automatically replaced the needles, so she, like the Doctor, had little to do but stand and watch. This blood glucose test wasn’t a one-time thing—today’s reading was taken two hours after a meal, and another would be done the next morning. The two sets of data would be compared to comprehensively assess each person’s blood sugar levels."I'm not particularly interested in celebrities," the Doctor curled his lips disdainfully. What use were celebrities anyway? Having worked at the hospital for several years, he'd encountered his share of famous figures. No one's success fell from the sky like manna from heaven—without exception, they were all extraordinarily driven individuals who maintained completely irregular lifestyles while constantly enduring immense pressure. When facing illness, all they could do was spend more money than ordinary people to access advanced medical equipment and medications. But this money came from overdrawing life they had previously overdrafted—those with good luck might continue living, while those with bad luck could only resign themselves to fate. Whether it was worth it was truly hard to say.

No one could stop the Grim Reaper's scythe from falling.

Ye Qianqian's eyebrows twitched slightly as she decided to change the subject, pointing at the holographic scanner in front of the Doctor. "Speaking of this instrument recording data, it's for making uniforms for students. Not just freshmen—even second-year students get completely new sets of uniforms each year due to changes in height, weight, and body shape."

"Completely new sets?" The Doctor blinked, sensing these words didn't mean what he normally understood them to mean.

"Yes, seasonal uniforms divided into spring, summer, autumn, and winter styles. These include Mao Suits, Hanfu, riding attire, swimwear, evening gowns... even matching shoes numbering over ten pairs, plus hats, bags, jewelry, accessories and so on..." Ye Qianqian's eyes sparkled as if recalling her own time at Mingde University. No woman could resist clothing, jewelry, and accessories.

The Doctor thought back to his own athletic-style school uniforms and silently felt waves of envy and resentment.

After showing off, Ye Qianqian realized she might have said something inappropriate and regretfully tapped her head with her hand, feeling her social skills were practically nonexistent.

The two of them somewhat gloomily completed physical examinations for thirty-nine students, after which the examination room's purpose was fulfilled. Seeing the last student leave, the Doctor curiously stepped onto the holographic scanner to check his own body measurements. Hmm, had he gained some weight recently?

"Senior, why don't you check your blood sugar while you're at it?" Ye Qianqian smiled, firmly taking the Doctor's wrist and pressing it against the glucose meter.

The fingertip blood draw felt no worse than an insect bite, so the Doctor paid it no mind. Instead, he stared at the screen while rubbing his stomach. He must have eaten too much at lunch—his blood sugar reading was slightly high. "Leaf, do you want to check yours too?"

"No need. Let's go check out the other examination rooms since we're done here."

"Alright."

The departing Doctor didn't notice how, after the screen flickered, a line of small text suddenly appeared.

[Body data and blood collection completed. Preparing to begin production...] After dinner, Tang Yuan stayed in his room reading on an iPad, though he barely absorbed any content as most of his energy was spent trying to soothe the endlessly restless Little White Snake.

Eventually Tang Yuan realized this little ancestor had probably sensed something unusual on Mingde University's campus and couldn't resist going out to absorb spiritual energy. But with the rain still pouring outside, how could he find an excuse to wander out? Even if the rain stopped, Tang Yuan felt he wouldn't be able to slip away. Ever since the Sky Light Market incident, the Doctor had been watching him like a hawk monitoring a prisoner.While still pondering how to handle this matter, Tang Yuan suddenly heard movement in the living room of the outer suite. He hastily threw down his iPad and pattered out. He saw that the Doctor, who should have been surfing the internet on his laptop, had put on his coat and looked like he was going out.

Tang Yuan blinked his big eyes and said nothing, only giving an innocent and well-behaved smile.

Seeing him like this actually made the Doctor more uneasy. After staring at young Tang Yuan for a moment, he beckoned to him and said, "Put on your shoes and come out with me."

"Uncle, do you have something to do? Is it convenient to bring me along? I'll stay in the room and be very good!" Tang Yuan quickly patted his chest to show his loyalty.

The more he said that, the less convincing it sounded! The Doctor didn’t say anything more and simply pulled Tang Yuan’s little leather shoes out of the shoe cabinet, gesturing with his eyes for the boy to hurry up.

Tang Yuan dawdled as he bent down to put on his shoes, actually trying to hide the laughter in his eyes.

Yes! Successfully out the door!

It wasn’t until he followed the Doctor, who was holding an umbrella, out of their small courtyard and saw the woman clearly waiting for them at the gate that Tang Yuan could barely contain the secret smile on his face. His eyes kept darting back and forth between Ye Qianqian and the Doctor.

“What’s with that weird look?” The Doctor, worried Tang Yuan might say something strange, pressed a hand on the boy’s head threateningly.

Tang Yuan, however, giggled softly and whispered, “Uncle, I didn’t expect you to have such good luck with the ladies! This girl must have a crush on you!”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” The Doctor showed no sign of embarrassment. In fact, he would rather keep his distance from Ye Qianqian, especially on a rainy night like this. Vague, indistinct images flashed through his mind, and he felt strangely relieved that he had brought Tang Yuan along—at least he wouldn’t have to share an umbrella with Ye Qianqian. The sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella only added to his restlessness. He didn’t know when it had started, but he had developed a particular aversion to rainy days. If the rain wasn’t too heavy, he wouldn’t even bother using an umbrella.

This dazed state of his lasted for a long time, until Ye Qianqian couldn’t help but ask directly, “Senior, are you okay?”

“Oh… it’s nothing. I just feel like this scene is somewhat familiar.” The Doctor muttered unconsciously, as a shadowy figure flashed through his mind—too quickly for him to grasp, leaving only a faint, winding crimson silhouette.

“Déjà-vu phenomenon.” Tang Yuan shrugged, pronouncing the French term fluently, and launched into a rambling critique. “Also known as the ‘feeling of having seen it before,’ where something you’ve never experienced feels like it happened sometime, somewhere. But honestly, it’s as cliché as saying, ‘Miss, have we met before?’ Uncle, I have to say, your flirting skills are a bit lame.”

The Doctor’s face darkened, his only thought being to toss this kid back into his room.

Ye Qianqian blushed slightly at Tang Yuan’s words but still spoke up in the Doctor’s defense. “It’s a common psychological phenomenon, the opposite of the jamais-vu phenomenon. I often experience it too.” She paused, then couldn’t resist adding, “You know what jamais-vu is, right?” Her French pronunciation was just as precise.

The Doctor inwardly groaned. He didn’t know! But he was too embarrassed to ask! He was just an ordinary surgeon, with no deep knowledge of psychology! He had nothing in common with these academic prodigies! Damn it!

Fortunately, the ever-reliable little Tang Yuan nodded calmly and said, “Of course I know. It refers to the feeling of seeing something familiar but being unable to recall anything about it for a moment." He also paused, pursed his little lips, and decided to continue his complaints without holding back. “Actually, even healthy brains can experience these two psychological phenomena. But if you frequently experience both, big sister, it means there’s something wrong with your brain.”The doctor’s eyes had turned into dead fish eyes. Was it really appropriate to point at the girl and say she had something wrong with her head? Should he be wary of his junior sister pulling out a scalpel the next second to dissect and slice them all up?

Surprisingly, Ye Qianqian showed no signs of anger. Instead, her beautiful eyes lit up, and she eagerly pressed further, “What if I frequently think of a person or a series of scenes? What does that mean?”

“There are too few factors. I need to ask for more specific and detailed information.” Tang Yuan also became serious, firing off a rapid series of careful questions.

If not for the responsibility of holding an umbrella for Young Master Tang Yuan, the doctor would have turned and left on the spot. Fortunately, Ye Qianqian had a good temper and actually humored the child’s antics. However, the more the doctor listened to their questions and answers, the more solemn his expression became. Because he realized he had every single symptom Ye Qianqian described.

After asking the questions he wanted to know, Tang Yuan pondered for a long moment before speaking slowly, “After ruling out factors like a vivid imagination, dreaming, episodic memory, unconscious memory, visual illusions, and visual memory, I think there’s one likely reason for your situation, big sister.”

“What reason?” Perhaps it was Tang Yuan’s childish voice speaking so seriously that made Ye Qianqian instinctively treat it with gravity, wiping the ever-present smile from her face.

The doctor couldn’t help but hold his breath.

“It’s probably that your brain has blocked out a certain memory for some reason.” Tang Yuan spread his hands. “I suggest you go see a professional psychologist for hypnosis. Really.”

Hearing this, the doctor rolled his eyes, feeling that he had been too naive to believe in Young Tang Yuan even for a second.

But Ye Qianqian’s expression did not lighten; instead, she became thoughtful.

As the three of them walked and chatted, the awkward atmosphere from when only the two adults were together earlier dissipated. From a distance, they even seemed to be enjoying their conversation. Tang Yuan stroked the Little White Snake slithering around his wrist and, as they turned a corner, subtly glanced toward a certain spot behind them.

Tsk, if you’re going to stalk someone, at least do it professionally, pal!

The night sky was layered with dark clouds, and a fine drizzle fell like broken strings of beads, pattering softly against the umbrella before sliding down its slanted surface.

Palace-style streetlights cast a dim yellow glow in the rainy night. Through the curtain of rain, the campus’s imitation ancient architecture was visible—the massive bracket sets and soaring eaves exuding an ancient, dreamlike beauty. Walking alongside an ethereally beautiful woman, each holding an umbrella as they strolled in the rain, occasionally exchanging smiles—this was surely a scene most men would dream of.

But the doctor felt an inexplicable discomfort, and it wasn’t because of the third wheel, Young Tang Yuan. Instead, he was troubled by an indescribable unease. “Ye Zi, where exactly are we going?”

Ye Qianqian smiled gently and explained apologetically, “The campus is indeed quite large. It’s just ahead.”The doctor nodded, suppressing the restlessness in his heart. As the leader responsible for this off-campus health check-up, it was only natural for him to ensure everyone's safety. So when he unintentionally heard that Ye Qianqian was going out at night, he decided to accompany her. After all, Mingde University covered a vast area and was sparsely populated. It felt extremely empty during the day, let alone at night.

Sure enough, after walking for less than ten minutes along a small path, they reached the end and saw a three-story classical building emerge from behind the shadows of the trees. The building seemed to have once been a residential villa, but its courtyard walls and iron gate were now entangled with ivy, and some of the windows were broken, making it appear particularly eerie in the dark, rainy night.

Standing outside the iron gate, the doctor felt cold sweat trickling down his back, yet he managed to put on a gentlemanly smile and said, "We'll wait for you here." He thought that this might be a place Ye Qianqian had visited during her student days, and perhaps she wanted to retrieve something, like a time capsule buried under a tree. Girls, after all, tended to be sentimental and nostalgic.

"Let's go in together. The doors probably aren't locked," Ye Qianqian said, gently pushing the rusted iron gate, which creaked open with a loud, grating sound. The noise echoed faintly in the silent, rainy night, carrying far into the distance.

The atmosphere felt straight out of a horror movie... But he couldn't possibly be more timid than a girl, could he? Steeling himself, the doctor followed Ye Qianqian into the courtyard. The sudden flapping sound above his head and the rustling of leaves made his tense nerves jump, but when he looked up and realized it was just a startled crow, he patted his chest to calm his racing heart and continued forward, gripping Tang Yuan's hand tightly.

At that moment, the doctor felt immensely grateful for bringing Tang Yuan along—at least he had someone to bolster his courage.

Tang Yuan pouted, feeling utterly put upon. One of his hands was being held so tightly it was almost sweaty, while the other had to soothe his restless little ancestor, who was on the verge of causing trouble. He had to keep it under control! Otherwise, given the current situation, it might have dashed out and bitten that crow to death!

The main door of the building wasn't locked either. Ye Qianqian hesitated for a moment in front of it before pushing it open and stepping inside. Seeing this, the doctor hurriedly followed.

As soon as they entered, a musty smell assaulted their senses. The doctor closed his umbrella and left it in the entrance hall, then took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. But in that brief moment, Ye Qianqian had already disappeared from sight.

The doctor was stunned, sweeping his phone's light back and forth. The furnishings inside the building still hinted at their former luxury, but years of neglect had left them covered in dust and cobwebs. Just as he was about to call out Ye Qianqian's name, young Tang Yuan broke free from his grip and swaggered off toward the depths of the building.

"Hey! Tang Yuan! Where do you think you're going?" the doctor exclaimed in frustration, but he had no choice but to chase after him.

The entire series of events tonight had been so bizarre and surreal that when the doctor felt as if he had triggered some mechanism, stepped into empty space, and fallen to the basement level, he actually felt a sense of relief—like, "Ah! Finally, something happened!"

The dust was thick. Coughing a few times, the doctor didn't rush to get up. Instead, he moved his limbs to make sure he hadn't injured any bones or muscles before standing and retrieving his phone, which had fallen nearby.Fortunately, the screen wasn't shattered, otherwise the loss would have been significant. Doctor breathed a sigh of relief and raised his phone to illuminate the surroundings. The sight that met his eyes nearly made him drop the phone in terror, as fear shot up from his heels to the back of his head like a venomous snake.

He found himself in a roughly one-hundred-square-meter sealed room, surrounded by densely packed figures standing silently all around him.

To be precise, they were life-sized pottery figurines with vivid, lifelike colors.

Why did this scene feel so familiar...

Doctor's mind wavered momentarily. He had never been to Xi'an—how could he have seen the Terracotta Army? Let alone jumped into a burial pit—he definitely didn't have that privilege!

Perhaps venting had eased some of his fear, as Doctor miraculously calmed down. He shone his light upward but found no trace of the passage he'd fallen through, so he could only move forward. Tiptoeing past these pottery figurines, he wondered which dynasty's art style these brightly colored brushstrokes imitated. Ah, it must be the flamboyant Tang Dynasty. Could this have been Mingde University's art workshop? Or a storage room? A warehouse?

But commissioning these human-shaped pottery figurines—the aesthetic taste of Mingde University's management back then was truly baffling...

While internally ranting, Doctor nearly tripped over debris underfoot and bumped into a nearby figurine. His phone's light wavered, accidentally illuminating another area.

"Ye Qianqian! You're here!" Doctor exclaimed angrily, his tone unusually stern.

But there was no response as expected.

Frowning, Doctor raised his phone again.

The phone clattered to the ground once more, the screen emitting a crisp cracking sound.

An inexplicable chill wind swept through the empty basement, nearly making Doctor collapse in fright.

Because right beside him stood a pottery figurine that looked exactly like Ye Qianqian!

The phone's flashlight happened to point upward, casting a ghastly white light from below onto the figurine. Even with its beautiful face, the effect was equally terrifying.

After taking several rapid deep breaths and confirming nothing unusual was happening, Doctor tremblingly picked up his phone again, muttering to bolster his courage: "What kind of nightmare is this? Some kind of haunted house?"

"It's really not a haunted house."

A voice came from another direction in the basement. Doctor's hand shook, almost dropping the poor phone again, but he quickly aimed the light toward the source. A small figure emerged from behind one of the pottery figurines.

"Tang Yuan! I told you not to run off!" All previous fear transformed into rage—Doctor's anger meter was maxed out.

Tang Yuan scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. He had arrived slightly earlier and had considered hiding to scare Doctor, but seeing how pale the man became at the slightest movement, he decided it was better to surrender voluntarily.

At least having company—even if it was just a kid who only reached his waist—helped Doctor force himself to regain composure. After all, he was the adult who should be taking care of the child. Steeling himself and suppressing his creeping dread, he used his phone to scan the surrounding Tang Tri-color Pottery figurines.That's when I realized why these Tang Tri-color Pottery figures felt so unsettling - because these human-shaped pottery figures were actually carved wearing modern clothing, and every one of them appeared young, looking like teenagers. The more Doctor looked at them, the more horrified he became.

Beside him, Tang Yuan clicked his tongue in amazement: "How extravagant! Are these Tang Tri-color Pottery figures all modeled after Mingde University students? But why are the body measurements so precise? This big sister's measurements are practically no different from a real person!" As he spoke, Tang Yuan ran over to the pottery figure that resembled Ye Qianqian, gesturing and measuring with his hands.

Doctor thought of the holographic body scanning equipment used during today's physical examination. What if it wasn't for making school uniforms, but for creating Tang Tri-color Pottery figures? Doctor felt chills down his spine. No one would make these Tang Tri-color pieces without reason. What could be the purpose?

Just as Doctor was letting his imagination run wild and scaring himself, he suddenly noticed that the usually chatty Tang Yuan had fallen silent, his small face pale, pacing back and forth around the pottery figure that resembled Ye Qianqian.

"What's wrong?" Doctor's voice trembled slightly.

"Nothing, probably I'm overthinking it..." Tang Yuan gave him a weak smile, "But... but I remember Sister Ye was wearing this exact white dress today..."

Doctor felt goosebumps all over his body. Did Tang Yuan mean that Ye Qianqian had been turned into Tang Tri-color Pottery? Were these pottery figures originally living people?!

He wanted to refute the idea, but the more he looked, the more the white dress on the pottery figure resembled the one Ye Qianqian was wearing tonight...

So... Ye Qianqian didn't disappear, but was turned into a pottery figure?!

Just as Doctor's heart was about to leap out of his throat, a derisive laugh broke the silence in the room.

"Pfft... Uncle, you didn't actually believe that, did you?" Tang Yuan pursed his lips, pulling out the children's phone Doctor bought him from his small pocket, also switching it to flashlight mode to examine the surrounding pottery figures one by one. "Look at this Tang Tri-color piece - this face is quite recognizable, right? It's a famous stock trader who often appears on financial channels. And this person - I just saw him representing some government department on TV the day before yesterday. And this girl seems to have played a white lotus supporting role in some TV drama..."

Amid Tang Yuan's chattering, Doctor finally calmed down properly. He looked down at the phone in his hand - though the screen was cracked, it could still make calls, but perhaps because they were in the basement, there was no signal at all, making it impossible to contact Ye Qianqian. Just as he was trying to hold the phone up high to search for signal, Tang Yuan made another surprised sound nearby. "What now?" Doctor asked impatiently.

"Hey... Uncle, come take a look at this. This pottery figure actually has cracks," Tang Yuan called out from his spot.

Isn't it normal to have cracks? This is pottery, not diamond.

Though mentally complaining, the Doctor still walked over, but frowned when he saw the pottery figure.

Indeed, the cracks were unusual. The entire pottery figure looked as if it had been shattered by great force, with cracks spreading outward from the left chest as the source point, covering the whole body like spiderwebs. Strangely, even cracked like this, the pottery figure hadn't shattered but remained standing stubbornly."Uncle, this person... we seem to have seen him before..." Tang Yuan pointed at the pottery figurine's face, signaling the Doctor to take a closer look.

The Doctor's face, which had just regained some color, turned deathly pale again upon seeing it.

This pottery figurine was extremely thin, with a sickly yet handsome face—it was none other than Cheng Xiao, whom the nurses had affectionately nicknamed "Cheng Pole"! The Doctor had once handled his surgical case, and the man had been in and out of the hospital for ten years. How could the Doctor not recognize his face!

"This Cheng Xiao... isn't dead yet?" Tang Yuan scratched his head in confusion. The Little White Snake had clearly eaten the Silver Fish Talisman he used to steal others' lifespans—how could he still be alive?

"...He never woke up after the emergency surgery." The Doctor wiped his face, his hand coming away cold with sweat. Why did this brat look like he was questioning why the guy hadn't kicked the bucket? Was he doubting his medical skills?

"Oh..." Tang Yuan curled his lips slightly, drawing out the sound meaningfully.

"Stop with the 'oh'!" The Doctor tapped the brat's head and sighed helplessly. "Just say what's on your mind. Your uncle's heart is sturdier than Cheng Pole's—it can take it."

"Oh, then I'll speak up!" Tang Yuan immediately raised his eyebrows, clasped his small hands behind his back, and declared with great seriousness, "Uncle, do you know what Tang Tri-color Pottery is?"

"It's a type of pottery from the Tang Dynasty." The Doctor instinctively reached for his phone to look it up, but seeing the cracked screen and no signal, he gave up in frustration.

"Tang Tri-color Pottery is a type of low-temperature lead-glazed pottery. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, because Tang Tri-color Pottery has a brittle body and poor waterproofing, its practicality is far inferior to the celadon and white porcelain that had already appeared at the time. So it was never meant for daily use." Tang Yuan tilted his head and chuckled. "Uncle, have you ever seen Tang Tri-color plates, bowls, or basins?"

"Very few. Most of the Tang Tri-color pieces I've seen are human or animal figurines." The Doctor recalled, surprised by how many images flooded his mind despite thinking he hadn't seen many antiquities.

"Right, that's because Tang Tri-color Pottery was actually used as burial objects, for accompanying the dead." Tang Yuan said with a smile.

The Doctor gasped. Tang Yuan's clear, childish voice should have been pleasant to hear, but in this context, it sent a bone-chilling cold through him. "You're saying... these Tang Tri-color figurines were made by someone as burial objects?"

"The arrangement of these Tang Tri-color figurines also has meaning. They seem chaotic, facing different directions, but they're actually arranged according to a hidden Formation."

"Speak plainly."

"This Formation is powerful. I haven't studied it.The Doctor looked at the annoyed Tang Yuan and instead laughed. "We're focusing on the wrong thing! We shouldn't be studying Tang Tri-color Pottery—we should be figuring out how to get out of here."

"Cheng Xiao probably had a physical exam at this school's hospital."Tang Yuan was unwilling to stop analyzing."

"Possibly. After all, this school's hospital has their senior professor in charge. The old man can't perform surgeries anymore due to age and shaky hands, but his insight and experience are still there." The Doctor paused here because he suddenly remembered that he had also recklessly gotten a check-up today.

But... haha, he must be worrying over nothing! The Doctor comforted himself."Uncle, if I push over this pottery figure, will Cheng Xiao die instantly?" Tang Yuan mused whimsically.

"Don't be ridiculous!" The Doctor quickly pulled Tang Yuan away from Cheng Xiao's Tang Tri-color Pottery figure.

"Haha, I was just joking!" Tang Yuan laughed heartily.

Crack—

A distinct sound of pottery breaking echoed through the air, and Tang Yuan's laughter abruptly ceased.

The doctor and Tang Yuan stared in stunned silence as Cheng Xiao's pottery figurine crumbled into dust without anyone touching it.

"It wasn't me!" Tang Yuan shuddered, immediately raising his hands to declare his innocence. But his voice carried a hint of guilt, for ever since entering this small building, the Little White Snake in his pocket had vanished without a trace.

"Of course I know it wasn't you—unless you've mastered word magic." The doctor shot him a glare, ending the conversation as he focused on finding an exit in the basement.

Tang Yuan felt a pang of fear, though not because of these eerie Tang Tri-color Pottery figurines. What truly scared him was being abandoned by the doctor. Despite the doctor's strictness, his care was meticulous and heartfelt—the best treatment Tang Yuan had received since leaving his master.

So when he spotted a Tang Tri-color Pottery piece distinctly different from the others in glaze sheen, color, and form, he hesitated and kept silent. Its surface shimmered with a thin silver glow, as if bathed in moonlight, emitting a faint silvery halo. This was lead efflorescence on the glaze—a phenomenon where silver spots form over centuries, gradually expanding into larger silver patches through time. The fact that this piece glowed entirely silver indicated its extreme antiquity.

Overcome by curiosity, Tang Yuan instinctively moved closer to examine it, but the moment he lifted his foot, a large hand clamped firmly onto him.

"You troublemaker, wandering off again? I found the exit—this way." Without another word, the doctor dragged Tang Yuan toward the discovered passage.

They navigated a long, hidden tunnel until finally pushing open a door to find themselves back in the entrance hall. There, Ye Qianqian was pacing anxiously, phone in hand.

"Where have you two been? I just went upstairs to grab something, and when I turned around, you'd vanished! Do you know how terrifying that was? I even called the police!" Ye Qianqian's anger was palpable as she unleashed a torrent of scolding, then called campus security to cancel the alert since they'd been found.

A cool sensation brushed Tang Yuan's wrist as a slippery little snake deftly coiled around it, contentedly nuzzling its head against his hand.

"Anyway, where did you actually go?" Now calmer with everyone accounted for, Ye Qianqian's tone dropped to normal.

"We..." The doctor and Tang Yuan exchanged glances, both minds foggy, "just... wandered around inside, I think..."

Ye Qianqian's delicate brows furrowed, suspicion growing that this pair had deliberately scared her, her expression darkening.

Seeing this, the doctor knew his junior had misunderstood and rushed to explain, but his phone chimed with a notification.

Checking it, his heart sank.

"Damn! When did my screen crack? This is a brand new iPhone 6 Plus!" the doctor wailed.

"Serves you right," Ye Qianqian smirked, relishing his misfortune.

But Tang Yuan remained grim-faced, inwardly seething. He must have encountered something supernatural—his memories after entering the building were completely blank! Asking the Little White Snake was pointless; that troublemaker had bolted faster than anyone the moment they stepped inside!The doctor managed to read the WeChat message from Chun Ge on the shattered screen, his expression immediately turning despondent.

Cheng Xiao, the patient suffering from restrictive cardiomyopathy, had finally been declared brain dead.

Having witnessed countless cycles of life and death over the years, the doctor had long anticipated this outcome for Cheng Xiao, yet he couldn't help feeling a sense of frustration.

No one could escape the scythe of death.

"Let's go." Seeing that the doctor didn't even offer an explanation, Ye Qianqian's delicate eyebrows furrowed in anger. She threw out the words stiffly before turning to leave.

"Ah? Ah, right." The doctor hurried to catch up.

Hmm... seems like I've forgotten something... Never mind, not worth dwelling on.

At that very moment, in the basement beneath their feet.

Amidst the shattered fragments of Cheng Xiao's terracotta figurine, a new terracotta statue identical to the doctor was slowly taking form in the darkness...

Mini Theater:

One day, the doctor received several packages from Mingde University. Upon opening them, he found them filled with various outfits.

There were Mao suits, Hanfu, riding attire, tailcoats, military uniforms... Even matching shoes numbered over a dozen pairs...

An enclosed note read:

"Since these uniforms were already tailored to your measurements, we're giving them all to you for free!

#No explanation needed for such extravagance!#

(End of Chapter)