Chapter 1: The Tower of Ten Thousand Books (Wan Shu Lou / 万书楼)

A sense of unease lingered in the air as I alighted at the bus stop right at the entrance of the village. Spurting out thick exhaust fumes, the bus continued on its route and the passengers who had alighted went about their separate ways. Once more, I read the directions I had saved into my phone.

There was an old train station in this remote village some distance away from the city. The housekeeper at Ji Kai's house said that this landmark would not show up on the satellite map on my phone. Along this route, there were only two trains left running from the past century.

It would be faster to get to this village by car, but I was still a high school student and my parents must never find out that I had snuck out of the city to a village in the middle of nowhere. I told them that my friend had invited a few of us classmates to her grandparents' home for a short getaway during our summer vacation break.

The truth was that I was on my way to deliver school assignments to my classmate who had been by my side since childhood. In reality, we were not that close, but I could not simply sit back and ignore someone like Ji Kai when he required help. When the form teacher requested for someone to deliver the holiday assignments to him, I, as one of Ji Kai's few friends, was naturally expected to volunteer. But when I went to his house, his housekeeper said that he was not in, handed me a train ticket, and told me to catch a train at "this other address". Following her instructions, I bought a ticket at the bus interchange and took the next bus out of the city before finally arriving at the entrance of a village.

After alighting from the bus, I should head in the opposite direction of the village by following the sign that pointed to a train station. Looking to my right, there was indeed a signage with the characters for a train station and the distance I had to my destination. The cool evening breeze signalled to me that I had to hurry or else the sun would soon set and I would be enveloped in darkness. I felt around my pockets for the train ticket and once I was assured that it was still there, I hugged my gym bag close to my body and started running in the direction of the train station.

As night began to fall and the sparse lamp posts along the road lit up, a tall gateway[1] with traditional Chinese architecture came into view. My rapidly pumping heart could finally get some relief. Two old men sat outside a small wooden ticketing booth chatting and having some snacks. I pulled out the slightly crumpled train ticket from my uniform and walked towards them slowly.

One of them noticed me and lowered the mug in his hand. "Old Jiang, you have business coming."

The other old man stood up gingerly while he brushed crumbs off his pants. "Young lady, are you here to take the train?"

I nodded and waved the ticket in my hand. He walked to the ticketing booth to grab his glasses before squinting at my ticket.

"You—are you sure about taking this journey?" The old man turned to frown at me as he lowered his glasses.

"What do you mean, grandpa?" I asked with slight confusion.

Lowering his volume, he pointed to the words on the ticket. "I won't ask you where you got this ticket from, but I have to make sure that you know that this is a one-way ticket to the Willow Gardens. The trains along this route used to go both ways, but not anymore. This means that you won't be able to return using the same way you get there. I hope you've prepared an alternate way of getting back."

"Don't worry." I smiled as I recalled what the Ji family's housekeeper had said. "I know where I am going and I have other means of getting back."

The old man's concerned expression softened and he gave a satisfied nod. "That's good. Hurry along now, the train should be arriving soon. Take care!"

Thanking him, I hurried past the entrance to the train station. Standing at the empty platform, my gym bag grew heavy in my hand. Faintly, a train whistled some distance away, like a forlorn call in the night.

The light night breeze carried a sweet fragrance but threatened to snatch away the thin piece of paper from my trembling hands. The wind picked up its speed, as a train rattled into the station. My ponytail whipped violently behind my neck. As I untied my hair, I realised that it was a mistake.

The wind died down and I combed my fingers through my messy hair.

The doors slid open and I stepped on board carefully, minding the platform gap. A large gloved hand blocked me from advancing.

"Ticket please."

Handing over the shimmery ticket, I simultaneously gave a small bow to the train conductor. He grunted and used a ticket punch to punch a circular hole in the middle of the paper. My heart ached a little when I saw the hole but I paid little attention to it. He stepped aside, and I took it as my cue to move into the carriage.

I slumped into a cushioned bench, placing my gym bag at my feet. Craning my neck to look around the train, I suddenly realised that the train conductor was wearing an unfamiliar uniform. Was this train service operated by a private company? The colour of his uniform seemed to belong to those of the last century. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I sat stiffly against the side of the train carriage. The carriage was empty but for one or two other passengers who were thankfully dressed in modern clothing, albeit slightly out of fashion. Bags and luggages were strapped down securely in the overhead compartment above them. Were they also on a one-way trip?

Before I had realised it, the train had already moved far away from the station. It was the total opposite of what I had expected. The exterior of the train looked vintage, but I seemed to be travelling on a bullet train.

I looked out of the window to distract myself from my erratically beating heart. I could barely see a thing. The train was moving too fast. My anxious breathing betrayed my peaceful state of mind. Through the clear glass, a vast ocean came into view. Goodness, I must be seeing things.

How did they build the railway tracks across such a large body of water in the last century? What kind of train ride was I on? How long until I get to where Ji Kai was? What kind of person was Ji Kai that I have to go on this journey to meet him? What was there to him that I did not know?

Ji Kai was someone whom everyone described as 'perfect'. It was well-known that his family was wealthy and had aristocratic ancestors. His good looks had all the girls in school idolising him, his excellence at sporting events had attracted the envy of many boys, and his undefeated status as the top student had made me upset for many years. He was always polite and courteous to others. As the school's poster boy, many teachers in school always praised him for being a model student who respected his elders and loved the young.[2] However, it would be more accurate to say that he was almost perfect. If he was less cold, more sociable and would reciprocate the feelings of any one of my good friends, that would make him perfect.

He had always been someone special to me. For a long time, I had noticed that there was a mysterious side to him. For the past seven years, without fail, he would be absent from school once a month for two days. Without fail, he would give me the same reason that he was poor in health and had to attend regular check-ups at the hospital; but his glowing appearance did not give me the impression that he was frail and sickly. Once, I looked up his name on the internet and found that he had won a few martial arts competition championships. Although they were only competitions at the provincial level, there was no doubt that behind his artistic and elegant demeanour laid a strong and powerful fighter. As one private and elusive individual would easily recognise another of the same species, I had always felt that he was hiding a secret.

Last week, just before summer vacation began, Ji Kai took his monthly leave of absence from school. However, this time he did not return after two days—he did not return to school at all. When I tried contacting him, there was no reply. A couple of times I had considered visiting his house to check up on him but I decided against appearing on his doorsteps uninvited. In what capacity would I have shown up? I was neither the class monitor nor someone he considered a friend. I was merely someone who had fallen out of favour with him.

The ride seemed to go on and on as the train zipped across the crystal blue waters, around lush mountains, through dark and long tunnels and past brightly lit yet deserted stations. Moon Valley Station, Crescent Tower Station, Clear Dusk Station.

Finally, the train slowed down, chugging to a stop. "We have arrived at the Willow Gardens Train Station. Passengers who do not wish to continue their journey to the Forest of Peach Blossoms Train Station, please alight at this station."

For some strange reason, the names of all the train stations along this route seemed to be poetic or ethereal. Ji Kai's housekeeper had mentioned that I had to be prepared to face something that was out of this world. After assuring me that I was not going to encounter ghosts or evil spirits, she said that after arriving at the Garden, I should follow the stone path.

Without a second reminder, I stood up with my gym bag, straightened my uniform and exited the carriage the instant the train doors opened. The sweet scent of flowers greeted me upon my arrival at the Willows Gardens Train Station. The train rattled off behind me, into the distance, finally leaving me in serene tranquility.

Seeing a narrow stone path, I stepped forward with my phone's flashlight turned on. Inhaling deeply to calm my nerves, I found myself enjoying the sweet fragrance of nature. This was something rare in the city. Wandering deeper into the Garden, rock formations and pavilions came into view. The dim glow from the lampposts along the winding path revealed an ancient landscape. Just as I was entranced by the beautiful view before me, the crunching of gravel hit my ears from behind.

"I hope I didn't startle you," said a teenager dressed in traditional Han clothing who carried a handheld lantern, "you must be Miss Li Yan of the House of Clear River?"

"No, no. I'm not who you are looking for. I'm here to look for Ji Kai. As his classmate," I said quickly, emphasising on my relationship with him. It would not be good for others to misunderstand, especially when I was a young lady who showed up alone at a boy's house at night.

"You're not?" The girl raised her voice in alarm. She lifted the lantern and its glow illuminated my face. "Then who are you? How did you get here?"

It seemed like I was an unexpected guest. To be safe, I should appear to be on closer terms with Ji Kai. "I took a train here... and I'm Ji Kai's friend."

"Young Master's friend?" She repeated curiously.

Her questioning expression did not sit well with me. Who was she even? Why would she refer to Ji Kai as "Young Master"?

"My name is Fang Yuhan. If you relay that to Young Master Ji, he would know who I am. I have some assignments from school to deliver to him." I unzipped my gym bag and pulled out a plastic file full of paper. This would prove to her that I was no trespasser.

"Yo-you..." she stuttered anxiously, "wait here and don't move."

"OK..." I murmured softly as I watched her sprint off immediately in the direction of a house. Her lantern swung dangerously beside her. Would the paper lining its wooden frame catch fire from the flickering flame within?

The moment she entered the house, I heard her muffled shouts. The agitation in her voice got me curious and perturbed. What was going on that she seemed so frightened upon seeing me?

A chilly wind blew across my face. It carried a scent of wet grass and earth. A low rumble in the skies confirmed my thoughts that it was going to rain. The wind picked up, causing the bushes in the garden to tremble. If it was going to rain, I was not going to be a fool and stand still only to be drenched by rain.

Quickly, I followed the path that the strange young lady took to get to the house. As I got nearer, I noticed light spilling through the glass windows of the wooden doors. As I had suspected, the whole building had an ancient architectural design but with some modifications. That meant that I had not time travelled, assuming that was possible. Coming on this journey, I had prepared myself mentally for all the strange things that I may experience.

I climbed up the steps leading up to the house slowly and carefully. A whole chunk of uneven rock formation in the shape of steps was placed at the doorway in lieu of normal stairs made of wood or stone slabs. Peering through the glass window, I took a brief glance at the interior of the house. There was a room with red sandalwood chairs arranged in a particular formation, with the seat of honour facing the entrance and a couple of chairs placed on both sides of it. Standing some distance away was the girl from earlier, who was speaking while gesturing to an older lady who was also wearing traditional Chinese clothing. Except, hers seemed to be from a different dynasty period. Based on the type of coat and pleated skirt she was wearing, it seemed to be from the Ming dynasty.

A loud clap of thunder reminded me of why I defied the girl's instructions to stay put. Just as I was about to knock on the window, the older lady looked out of the window at the sound of the changing weather. I ducked quickly upon making eye contact.

She definitely saw me. But why should I hide? I should not be afraid that I was trespassing or intruding. I came here after receiving a train ticket and some directions.

The doors swung open inwards as a calm and mature voice rang out. "Miss Fang?"

Sheepishly, I straightened myself and gave a little wave to the older woman in front of me. She wore a plain dark green cross-collared robe, matched with a long brown skirt. Her clothes were plain with no embroidery. Her hair was up in a simple bun with no other accessories but for a wooden pin. She looked about forty years of age. Although the corner of her eyes wrinkled as she forced a smile at me, her face was rigid with tension.

Seeing that I said nothing, she invited me in and led me to sit on a chair which was usually reserved for guests.

"Xiao Lan, bring some tea for our guest." She instructed the girl, who was hiding behind her and glancing nervously at me.

Turning back to me, she apologised, "sorry we had to let you wait out there in the garden. There was some confusion. It seems like another of our guest would not be coming after all."

"It's fine, I didn't wait that long. I'm really here to deliver something Ji Kai." I brought out the plastic folder once again.

She looked at me, then at the folder, and back at me again. "You arrived here by train?"

I nodded slowly, watching her face pale upon observing my response. She rocked back on her heels, clasping her hands tightly in front of her stomach.

"Ji Kai's housekeeper just gave me a train ticket and told me that I could look for him here," I explained my presence. My face grew warm at the embarrassing thought that I might be an unwanted guest. "Are you perhaps his relative?"

"I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Wu-guanjia or Wu-momo. I'm the housekeeper of this residence and the caretaker of the garden."

"Nice to meet you. In that case, I should leave this with you." I placed the file on the table next to me. "You can help me pass it to Ji Kai. Tell him that it contains school assignments. Would you happen to know how I can leave this place? I was told that—"

"Miss Fang," Wu-momo interrupted me urgently, "I'm sorry, but we need your help to save Young Master."

"Save?" I repeated, pulling my lips taut. "Did something happen to him?"

"It's a long story and you may not believe it..." she trailed off as she studied my reaction.

Seeing that I was only slightly shaken but still calm, she continued, "The Ji family has owned a library for many generations. But this library is not at all a normal library. The Tower of Ten Thousand Books exists in a different kind of world. This world is where you are right now."

"It's not something like the afterlife, right?" I asked, standing up slowly.

Wu-momo laughed nervously as she shook her head. "No, no. You are still alive. And the people you see here, we are not ghosts. We are people who have served the Ji family for generations, both workers in the Garden and in the Tower. Time for us have stopped when we came here after leaving our pasts behind."

"Every heir of the Ji family would become the Librarian of the tower and it is his or her job to manage it. What is special about this library is that its fiction books contain thousands of other worlds. The Librarian has the power to enter the worlds in these books to ensure peace and stability. The current Librarian is Ji Kai, and he has entered one of these worlds to solve a problem. However, he went missing a few days ago and has been unable to exit. We requested help from another Librarian but somehow you showed up instead."

"You mean a young lady from the House of Clear Rivers?" I tried to analyse the whole situation I had experienced, starting from the moment I was given a train ticket.

"Yes," she nodded and paused. "The one and only train ticket was given to you by the Ji household in the outside world instead of Miss Li Yan. It would take a longer route, but you will still be able to help Ji Kai even if you are not a Librarian."

"Give me a moment to think about it." I dropped my gaze to the ground, not wanting to meet her pleading eyes.

Soft footsteps resounded through the silent hall as Xiao Lan carried a tray with a porcelain cup. After placing the cup of tea gently on the table, she pulled the steward aside. Their hushed conversation some distance away allowed me some room to think.

It was unlikely that I would be able to exit this strange realm without Ji Kai's help. I would need to first save him. After saving him, he would owe me a favour and I could extort something out of him. Perhaps some academic help, or money, or even for him to go on a date with any one of my good friends who had crushes on him.

"Wu-momo?" I plastered a smile to my face and took a calculated breath. "As Ji Kai's best childhood friend, I think I have a duty to find him and bring him back."

Both ladies went silent and stared at me in surprise. But Wu-momo recovered quickly and clasped her hands together excitedly.

"Thank you, Miss Fang, for agreeing to this! We'll talk more in the morning. For now, I'll take you to your room, where you can stay for the next few months."

Months?

Shocked, my jaw dropped and I opened my mouth to make a clarification. But Xiao Lan had already picked up my belongings and was hurrying away down a dim corridor.

*** ***

Author's Note: 

万书楼 (wan4 shu1 lou2): Literally translated to "Tower of Ten Thousand Books"; 万 (wan4) means 10,000 in Mandarin.

[1]: Refers to a paifang 牌坊, a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure.

[2]: 尊老爱幼 (zun1 lao3 ai4 you4]; 'Respecting elders and loving the young' is a Chinese idiomatic expression meaning "respect all the elders like one would respect one's own grandparents, and love all the young ones like one would love own's own children". The longer version is a proverb which goes: 老吾老，以及人之老，幼吾幼，以及人之幼。

Thanks for reading! :-)