When The Snow Falls In Autumn Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The closing bell of the library is a long and monotonous electronic sound, echoing over and over in the silent space filled with books, like a reminder.The students in the reading area began to pack their things slowly, and the sound of zippers, book pages closing, and chair legs scraping against the ground were heard.The overhead lights were extinguished one by one, leaving only a few rows of dim corridor lights, making people’s shadows as thin and elongated as ghosts.

Ye Qiulan’s pen hasn’t stopped yet.The postscript about the clues to “Yiyun Pavilion” was spread out in front of her. She had revised it several times. She always felt that the logical connection in some places was not smooth enough. The wording of the “Chenghua Huguang General Chronicle” quoted seemed to be more precise.Ling Xueqing was very demanding, and she didn’t want to hand over something defective.

The seat opposite was empty.Ling Xueqing came over in the afternoon, put down two photocopies of the collection documents she needed, and left in a hurry, saying that her tutor was looking for her temporarily.Before leaving, she just said, “Finish it before closing.” Her tone was normal, and her eyes stayed on her manuscript paper for a moment without making any further comments.

Now, it’s closed.She has to go.

She took a deep breath, finished writing the last line, carefully checked the page numbers and markings, then gathered the scattered manuscript papers, folded them in order, and put them into a hard-shell folder.I checked the pencil case, water cup, and the photocopy of “Yongzhou Prefecture Chronicles” for reference again.It’s all here.She stood up and gently pushed the chair back under the table.

There are not many people in the reading area anymore.The administrator was holding a large bunch of keys and stood far away by the exit passage, looking around impatiently.Ye Qiulan quickened his pace, holding the folder and a few books, and walked over there.

As she passed the row of dark brown oak cabinets in the temporary storage area of ​​the Ancient Book Restoration Department, she glanced at them out of habit.Several map films and special collection photocopies that she and Ling Xueqing had borrowed frequently in the past few days should have been returned.The cabinet door is closed tightly, with the dull luster of old wood.

Her steps suddenly stopped.

The cabinet door on the farthest side seemed not to be completely closed, revealing a tiny gap less than a finger wide.In the dark cracks, it is vaguely visible that there are not neatly stacked file boxes, but… some messy shadows.

My heart skipped a beat for no reason.The cabinets in the Restoration Department are strictly managed, and each access must be registered. The keys are kept by the assistant on duty and must be locked when the door is closed.She also saw the assistant teacher locked it in the afternoon.

Maybe some teacher put things away temporarily and didn’t close them tightly in a hurry?

She hesitated and took a step over.The closer you are, the better you can see.In the gap, in the shadow near the bottom of the cabinet door, there seemed to be a few pieces of…paper?The color is grayish-yellow and very thin, not like modern paper.

A bad premonition ran coldly down my spine.She looked back at the exit. The administrator was gone, probably turning off other lights.She was the only one left in the empty reading area, and a few more overhead lights went out, making the light even darker.

She bit her lower lip, gently placed the folders and books in her arms on a table next to her, and then walked to the cabinet door.Holding his breath, he stretched out his fingers and touched the edge of the cabinet door very lightly.

The door, following the little force from her fingertips, silently slid open through a wider gap.

A smell of old paper, dust, and a hint of… unfamiliar glue escaped.Through the dim light of the distant corridor lamp, she could see clearly what was going on inside——

One of the several special storage boxes for ancient books that should have been placed neatly was pulled open and tilted.Next to the box, there are some gray-yellow pieces of paper of different sizes scattered, as well as a few very thin, dark brown threads, like silk thread for binding.In the shadows deeper in the storage box, it was hard to see clearly, but it was obviously not in an orderly state.

Her scalp numbed instantly, and the blood seemed to rush to the top of her head, only to freeze the next second.She recognized the color and texture of those pieces of paper. They were ancient papers used in ancient books, so fragile that they could break if touched.As for the opened storage box, if she remembered correctly, it contained the fragments of Qing Dynasty county chronicles that they had focused on reviewing in the past few days, involving the “Yiyun Pavilion” and the Guixi River Basin. The paper in one of them was in a particularly unstable state due to moisture adhesion. Teacher Zhao also specifically warned to be careful when handling it.

Someone has tampered with this cabinet.Moreover, he moved very roughly.

“Why haven’t you left yet?” A slightly serious voice sounded behind him.

Ye Qiulan’s whole body trembled and he turned around suddenly.It was the teacher on duty in the library that night, named Liu. He wore black-rimmed glasses and held a registration book in his hand. He was looking at her with a frown, and then looked at the open cabinet door behind her.

“Teacher Liu,” Ye Qiulan’s voice was a little tight, and she turned aside to get out of sight, “This cabinet… the door doesn’t seem to be locked properly, and the inside… is a bit messy.”

Teacher Liu’s expression changed immediately.She quickly stepped forward and opened the cabinet door completely.The dim light shone in, and the mess inside became clearer.The scattered pieces of paper were not only the ones at the door, but also around the storage box. Some of the papers seemed to have clear signs of tearing.The opened storage box was even more empty, and the remaining volumes that were supposed to be carefully secured with acid-free paper partitions were missing.

“What…what’s going on?!” Teacher Liu’s voice was high-pitched, filled with shock and anger.She immediately took out her walkie-talkie and hurriedly called the security guard and administrator. Then she turned to Ye Qiulan and asked sternly: “When did you find out? Did you see anyone just now?”

Ye Qiulan’s face turned pale and he shook his head: “I… I was just about to leave when I saw that the door was not closed tightly… I didn’t see anyone else.” Her mind was buzzing with the fragments… the important circumstantial evidence of their report, the possible location clues of Liu Zongyuan’s lost poems… and the films and photocopies that Ling Xueqing had painstakingly applied for access to…

The sound of rapid footsteps was heard, and the security guard and two other teachers on duty arrived.The beam of the flashlight cut through the darkness and shined directly into the cabinet, illuminating the scattered brittle pieces of paper and traces of tears.Several people exclaimed in low voices, their expressions ugly.

“Change the surveillance immediately!” Teacher Liu ordered with a livid face, “Seal this area! Xiao Chen, go check today’s access records!” She turned her head and looked at Ye Qiulan sharply, “This student, please don’t leave yet. I need your cooperation to explain the situation.”

Ye Qiulan nodded stiffly, his fingers were cold and he unconsciously clenched the corners of his clothes.She could feel the scrutiny and doubtful glances around her.She was the last person to leave the reading area, and it was she who discovered the anomaly… Although no one said it clearly, the atmosphere had already made her feel like a light on her back.

The scene was chaotic.Security guards set up a temporary cordon to prevent others from approaching.The teacher on duty nervously checked the records and talked in a low voice with an anxious tone.The flashlight light swayed back and forth, casting the figure between the tall bookshelves, shaking like a ghost.

Ye Qiulan was invited to wait at the service desk not far away.She leaned against the cold countertop and looked at the hustle and bustle over there. Her stomach began to feel a dull pain again. The effects of the medicine in the afternoon seemed to have long passed.She took out her phone and the screen lit up without any new messages.She wanted to send a message to Ling Xueqing, but her fingers were hovering on the screen, but she didn’t know what to say.There may be something wrong with the core evidence of the report… What will Ling Xueqing think when she finds out?

At this moment, there was a burst of hasty footsteps at the entrance.Ye Qiulan raised his head.

Ling Xueqing appeared at the dimly lit passageway.She probably ran over, her breathing was a little unsteady, there was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheeks.She was still wearing the light blue pinstriped shirt she had worn during the day, with her sleeves rolled up, and she was holding a dark folder in her hand.Her eyes quickly swept across the messy scene, past the cordoned-off cordon and the solemn-faced teacher’s security guard, and finally settled on Ye Qiulan, who was standing alone by the service desk.

Her steps paused for a moment, then quickened, walking straight towards Ye Qiulan.The pace was fast, bringing with it a small flow of air.

Ye Qiulan watched her approach, his throat tightened, and he wanted to speak, but no sound came out.

Ling Xueqing stood still in front of her, very close to her.Her eyes quickly scanned Ye Qiulan from head to toe, as if to confirm whether she was okay, and then she asked in a low voice: “What’s going on?” Her voice was very low, with a trace of imperceptible tension.

“The cabinet… was opened by someone,” Ye Qiulan’s voice was dry. “It was very messy inside, and there were pieces of paper scattered… It seemed like… the fragments of the papers we were looking at…” She paused, and then added with more difficulty, “It seems like… one was missing.”

Ling Xueqing’s pupils shrank almost imperceptibly.She didn’t speak immediately, but just turned her head to look at the surrounded oak cabinet over there, her eyes were heavy and her jawline was slightly tense.The light of a distant flashlight occasionally passed over her profile, reflecting her unusually cold outline.

“Did you find it?” she asked, still looking over there.

“Yes.” Ye Qiulan nodded, “When the library was closed, I saw that the door was not closed properly…”

Ling Xueqing turned back and looked at her, his eyes deep and sharp, as if he wanted to penetrate the panic on her surface and see what was underneath.”Did anyone see that? Yourself?” she asked more specifically.

Ye Qiulan shook his head: “No…it’s just me.”

Ling Xueqing was silent for a few seconds.In the distance, Teacher Liu was talking fiercely to the security guard, and words such as “monitoring”, “reporting”, and “responsibility” were vaguely heard.The sound was amplified in the empty and silent library, making it particularly harsh.

“Don’t panic.” Ling Xueqing said suddenly, her voice still low, but with a strange, quiet power.Her eyes fell on Ye Qiulan’s slightly trembling fingers, “Tell the teacher truthfully what you know. The rest will be investigated.”

Her words were concise and direct, without any unnecessary comfort, but they were like a ballast stone, making Ye Qiulan’s panicked mood slightly calmer.Ye Qiulan took a deep breath and nodded.

Ling Xueqing stopped looking at her, turned and walked towards Teacher Liu.With her back straight and her steps steady, she walked towards the center of the chaos.Ye Qiulan watched her walk up to Teacher Liu, stop, nod slightly, and then start talking in a low voice.I couldn’t hear the specific content clearly, but I could only see Ling Xueqing’s face turned sideways, with a calm expression and a steady speech. Occasionally, she raised her hand to gesture and pointed in the direction of the cabinet.

Teacher Liu looked stern at first, but as Ling Xueqing narrated, his brows gradually furrowed, and then slowly relaxed, and his eyes glanced at Ye Qiulan from time to time, with complicated scrutiny.

Ye Qiulan leaned against the service desk and watched from a distance.Ling Xueqing stood there, with a slim but tall figure. Among the chaotic and anxious adults, she had a calmness beyond her age and a presence that could not be ignored.The way she spoke was clear and logical, neither arrogant nor arrogant. She objectively stated the process and time when Ye Qiulan discovered the abnormality in the cabinet door, and the situation in the reading area at that time. She also mentioned their recent frequent access to relevant documents due to group reports, suggesting that this may not be an isolated incident.

She didn’t try to excuse Ye Qiulan, she just stated the facts with strict logic.But it is this objectivity that is more powerful than any excuse.

After a while, Teacher Liu nodded, said a few words to Ling Xueqing, and then waved to Ye Qiulan.

Ye Qiulan walked over.Ling Xueqing stepped aside and stood diagonally behind her, very close but without physical contact.Ye Qiulan could smell the faint scent of cedar on her body, mixed with a little bit of hot sweat after running, which strangely made her pounding heart slowly return to its true state.

Teacher Liu’s tone has softened a lot, but is still serious: “Student Ye Qiulan, based on what classmate Ling Xueqing said and your statement just now, we initially judge that you may have accidentally discovered an abnormality after closing and clearing the hall. For the specific situation, we need to retrieve the surveillance video for further verification. You will go back tonight.Go and keep the communication open.I may need your cooperation in the future. In addition,” she glanced at Ling Xueqing, “the information involved in your team’s report, especially the parts that may be missing, should not be disseminated to the public for the time being.We will inform you of the processing plan as soon as possible until the library investigates clearly.”

“Understood.” Ye Qiulan whispered.

“Okay, then you can go first. We still have to deal with it here.”

When I left the library, it was already dark.The sultry heat of the day was blown away by the night breeze, and the air was slightly cooler.The street lights made the shadows of the two people grow and shrink.

Along the way, neither of them spoke.Ling Xueqing walked beside Ye Qiulan, neither fast nor slow, silent.Ye Qiulan held his folders and books with his fingers so hard that his knuckles turned white.She had many things to ask, such as how Ling Xueqing knew something had happened and rushed over, what to do if the report really lost the fragmentary papers, what the library would do…but her throat seemed to be blocked, and she couldn’t ask a single word.

Ling Xueqing didn’t stop until she reached the fork in the road leading to the dormitory area.

“The lost fragment,” she suddenly said, her voice very clear in the silent night, “the main content is the Ming Dynasty farmland records of several villages in the Guixi River Basin. Although it involves the geography near the ‘Yiyun Pavilion’, it is not an isolated document. The core records quoted in our report are from the Chenghua Huguang Tongzhi, which is a complete photocopy of the collection and is not affected.”

Ye Qiulan looked up at her blankly.Ling Xueqing’s face looked a little pale under the street lights, but her eyes were calm, as if she was analyzing an academic problem.

“So,” Ling Xueqing paused and looked at Ye Qiulan’s face, “the main argument of the report will not collapse because of the loss of this fragment. As for the investigation,” she looked away and looked at the dark outline of the dormitory building in the distance, “that is a matter for the library and the school. You just need to cooperate and don’t think too much.”

Her words were still concise and rational, breaking down an accident that might cause panic and responsibility into manageable parts.The heavy boulder in Ye Qiulan’s heart seemed to be loosened by her few words.

“You…” Ye Qiulan finally found his voice, with a subtle tremor, “How did you know… something happened?”

Ling Xueqing was silent for a moment.”Passing by,” she said in a calm tone, “I saw the lights were still on, there were many people.”

This explanation is too simple and even perfunctory.But Ye Qiulan did not ask further questions.She looked at Ling Xueqing’s side face lines that looked particularly clear under the light, and her slightly pursed, bloodless lips, and suddenly realized that Ling Xueqing’s calmness when she faced the teacher in the library just now might not be as relaxed as it seemed.Her fingertips were unconsciously and repeatedly rubbing the rough edges of the dark folder in her hand. A small movement revealed some inner tension.

“Thank you.” Ye Qiulan whispered.

Ling Xueqing stopped rubbing the folder.She didn’t look at Ye Qiulan, but shook her head very slightly, so small that it was almost invisible.”Go back,” she said, “and cover yourself with a quilt at night.”

After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the graduate student apartment.The silhouette quickly merged into the night, and only the sound of footsteps gradually faded away and eventually disappeared.

Ye Qiulan stood there, the night wind blowing with a coolness.She hugged the folder in her arms tightly, which contained the repeatedly revised postscript and the first draft of the report that they had not yet had time to formally connect.In the distance, the lights were still on in the corner of the library, figures were shaking, and the investigation continued.

The dull pain in my stomach had disappeared without knowing when, leaving only a kind of empty fatigue, and the slow pulsing in the chest, mixed with fear, slight warmth, and deeper and unspeakable emotions.Ling Xueqing’s words were still echoing in her ears, rational and clear, drawing a temporarily safe boundary for her.

But what about beyond that border?What happened to the fragile fragment that disappeared inexplicably?Who opened the cabinet door?What’s the purpose?

The night wind is cooler.She shrunk her shoulders, turned around, and walked towards the warm and sparse lights of her dormitory building.In the darkness behind him, the lights of the library were still eye-catching, like a silent, unfinished question mark, hanging at the end of this ordinary yet unusual night.