The next day, when Bai Youwei woke, she was still somewhat disoriented.

The attic light had been on the whole time; rain had been falling outside the whole time. She had no way to gauge how long she’d slept. It wasn’t until Yan Qingwen said it was seven thirty-five that she understood she’d gotten roughly four hours of sleep.

Li Li and Lu Ang had rested overnight and both looked considerably better. Zhu Shu, however, had flushed cheeks and appeared to be running a fever.

Su Man tidied the bedding and muttered under her breath, “If you’re running a fever, say something — holding it in and suffering in silence, who are you trying to impress? Deliberately fishing for someone’s sympathy, aren’t you…”

Zhu Shu felt dizzy and awful from the fever, and said nothing, just leaning against the wall.

Li Li, having recovered his energy today, fired back without hesitation, “So what if she got sick? Zhu Shu’s last injury had barely healed, and yesterday she went underwater several times in a row — isn’t getting sick the most natural thing in the world? Do you think everyone is like you, built like an ox?”

Su Man glared at him, her chest heaving, furious beyond words. She twisted around and unloaded everything on Zhu Shu: “Happy now?! You’ve got a man playing the gallant protector for you! Are you satisfied, you little troublemaker?!”

Zhu Shu: “…”

Li Li stepped forward and placed himself between the two women, pointing at Su Man’s nose and yelling, “I’m telling you, you’re the troublemaker here! If she had said she was sick, you’d call her a drama queen — now that she’s staying quiet, you’re calling her a schemer! Tell me then — what exactly does she have to do to satisfy you?”

Zhu Shu opened her mouth, wanting to say something to defuse it, but then she thought of Su Man’s temperament, and closed it again.

She couldn’t speak right now. The more she said, the worse it would get.

If she spoke, Su Man would definitely resent her even more, thinking her a sanctimonious white lotus putting on an act.

“Li Li! You bastard!!!” Su Man’s eyes were red with rage.

Lu Ang chimed in from the side: “Yeah, Li Li, you’re going a bit too far here… You’re a guy, cut her some slack…”

“Are you kidding me!” Li Li was indignant. “Haven’t I already cut her more than enough slack? All my life, I don’t know how many times I’ve let her have her way! Ask her — how many times did I take the blame for her as a kid? How many beatings did I take?”

Su Man was so angry and worked up she wanted to fling herself at him and start swinging!

The only thing that stopped her was the bandage around Li Li’s chest, reminding her: he was still an injured patient.

Otherwise, she probably would have already pounced!

Lu Ang spoke in the tone of a seasoned older brother: “Li Li, you’re a man — don’t go dredging up old grievances. Let’s all calm down. We’re not even sure we can get out of here yet…”

Su Man was a mix of agony and rage, her eyes red as she shouted, “Who knows what kind of spell that little white lotus cast on him?! These days all I hear from him is nonsense!!!”

Zhu Shu pressed a hand to her forehead: “…”

Yan Qingwen looked around at everyone and said mildly, “Since everyone seems so full of energy, shall we discuss how to entertain our guest?”

The air fell instantly silent.

The two quarreling people stopped mid-sentence.

Shen Mo swept his gaze over the group and said calmly, “I’ll go.”

Bai Youwei raised her eyelids slightly, watching him.

Yan Qingwen looked over as well. “…If it succeeds, summer will pass. If it fails, the floodwater will swallow the second floor.”

He paused for two seconds, then turned to look at everyone. “If no one has any other suggestions, let’s try these beads for the second attempt at receiving our guest.”

The beads in the bottle gave off a faint, ethereal glow.

They were larger and more rounded than pearls, shimmering with a warm amber hue under the lamplight — like the glass marbles of childhood.

Yan Qingwen lowered his gaze to check his wristwatch and said, “One final hour to prepare. Everyone, put on the dollhouse clothes.”

He and Shen Mo went downstairs together.

The quarreling Li Li and Su Man glanced at each other, set aside their conflict for the moment, and headed downstairs as well.

Teacher Cheng, Tan Xiao, and Pan Xiaoxin followed in turn.

Only Bai Youwei, Lu Ang, and Zhu Shu remained in the attic.

Zhu Shu pressed a hand to her burning forehead and came to sit beside Bai Youwei. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Do you think… how likely is it that it’s the beads?”

Bai Youwei frowned, looking at Zhu Shu.

“Since yesterday, you’ve hardly said a word…” Zhu Shu probed carefully. “Is the answer… those beads?”

—