Chapter 267 - 266: Looking for a Needle in a Haystack

Chapter 267: Chapter 266: Looking for a Needle in a Haystack

After dinner, Gu Qingyin contacted Zhang Qiuyan and set a time to go to the Book Collection Pavilion the next day. Afterward, she had a video call with Huo Xingchen.

The child on the screen was as adorable as a porcelain doll, so handsome that Gu Qingyin felt her heart melting.

Huo Xingchen, however, wasn’t very happy. "Mom, when can I come home?"

"What’s wrong? Are you unhappy at Grandma Sheng’s house?" Gu Qingyin asked with concern.

Huo Xingchen shook his head. "It’s not that. I just want to be with you."

Gu Qingyin sighed. "You’ll have to stay at Grandma Sheng’s for the next few days. Your dad and I are busy with some things and don’t have time to look after you."

"I can take care of myself!" He glanced around and whispered, "I still have my paper figures!"

Gu Qingyin frowned, hesitating. ’It’s impossible for him to come with me to the Association. They’d never let someone casually bring a child into such an important place. And with Huo Yunjing... that’s too dangerous.’

"It’s fine." Huo Yunjing walked over from the side. "I’ll take him with me. He’ll be safe."

Huo Xingchen nodded repeatedly. "Mom, you can’t keep treating me like a child and not let me do anything."

Gu Qingyin finally relented. "Alright."

Huo Xingchen’s face lit up, and he looked at Huo Yunjing.

A slight smile touched Huo Yunjing’s lips. "Pack your things. I’ll pick you up later."

"Okay! I’ll go tell Grandma Sheng right now!" Huo Xingchen turned and scampered off in a flurry, forgetting to even hang up the call.

Gu Qingyin smiled and shook her head. After ending the call, she opened her mouth to speak but let out a yawn instead.

Huo Yunjing ruffled her hair. "Go get some sleep. I’m heading out."

Gu Qingyin got up and gave a lazy wave. "Stay safe. And especially, keep my son safe."

Huo Yunjing clicked his tongue. "I know."

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. The next day, Gu Qingyin woke up early and arrived at the entrance to the Association at 7:30 a.m. sharp.

Zhang Qiuyan was already there waiting for her, holding a bag of breakfast. "Have you eaten yet? I bought a little extra."

Gu Qingyin accepted it with a smile and thanked her.

As they walked, Zhang Qiuyan explained, "The Book Collection Pavilion is cleared out at ten p.m. sharp, so keep an eye on the time. If you stay past the deadline, the Guardian Array will eject you, and it can be a bit... undignified."

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.

Zhang Qiuyan noticed and advised, "Don’t be too curious. Trust me, you’ll die of embarrassment."

Gu Qingyin took two steps closer and asked in a low voice, "Has it happened to anyone before? Give me the details."

Zhang Qiuyan glanced around before lowering her voice. "One of the Association’s elders. He’s a total bookworm, and he got so absorbed that he lost track of time. The Array warned him three times, but he still didn’t come out. In the end, the Array ejected him, launching him into the air and dropping him into a pond."

"It was summer, so the pond was full of lotus flowers and thick mud. The elder fell in and got covered in filth. When he finally managed to crawl out, his arch-rival saw him. He was mercilessly mocked in front of a growing crowd of onlookers. He lost every shred of his dignity."

"He was barely seen around the Association for years after that."

Gu Qingyin sighed at the tale. She summed up the lesson in her head. ’The main problem was the elder’s terrible landing spot and rotten luck. I can’t possibly be that unlucky. It should be fine as long as I leave right when the Array gives its warning.’

The Book Collection Pavilion was situated near the Association’s office building, so if anything were to happen, the Heavenly Masters inside could rush over in an instant. Because of this, aside from the Guardian Array, the pavilion wasn’t assigned any dedicated personnel to watch over it.

There was only a single librarian, responsible for the daily cleaning and organizing of the bookshelves.

As they entered, they happened to run into said librarian, so Zhang Qiuyan made introductions, telling Gu Qingyin to find Li Tianshi if she had any questions.

Li Tianshi was quite thin, a little over 1.7 meters tall, but impeccably groomed. His hair was styled with gel, he wore cologne, and a closer look revealed his eyebrows were perfectly shaped. He must have been wearing lip balm, as his lips had a slight sheen that wasn’t at all greasy.

Gu Qingyin subconsciously touched her own natural, untweezed eyebrows. For a rare moment, she found herself reflecting. ’Am I living too crudely? I’m less put-together than this man.’

"Hello, Master Gu." Li Tianshi’s eyes were sparkling, his face wreathed in a smile. "I just love interacting with beautiful people. If you run into any problems, feel free to find me anytime. I’d be more than happy to help."

Gu Qingyin smiled and thanked him, at a loss for what else to say.

This did nothing to dampen Li Tianshi’s enthusiasm. "Books related to Arrays are all on the sixth floor. You can use the computers on each floor to search for any titles you can’t find." He held up a cup of coffee. "Would you like a cup? I brewed it myself."

Without waiting for a response, he added, "But you can’t take drinks near the bookshelves. You have to finish them in the designated area."

Gu Qingyin could only thank him again and politely decline his kind offer.

Li Tianshi gave her an expression that clearly said, "Your loss."

After they parted ways with him, Zhang Qiuyan led Gu Qingyin upstairs before whispering, "He’s just like that with good-looking people, men and women alike. Don’t feel awkward about it; you get used to him."

Gu Qingyin replied helplessly, "He’s a little... forward." ’I’m not normally an introvert, but I suddenly became one standing next to Li Tianshi. I guess there are no absolute introverts and extroverts in this world; it all depends on who you’re comparing yourself to.’

Zhang Qiuyan didn’t leave after leading her to the floor. Instead, she started browsing alongside Gu Qingyin. Whenever she came across a potentially useful book, she would note the title for Gu Qingyin to look at later when she had more time.

Time flies when you’re focused. By the time Gu Qingyin looked up from a stack of books, the sky had already darkened, and her stomach was rumbling audibly.

It was already past eight p.m. After a full day of reading, her head felt fuzzy, but she had very little to show for it and was no closer to finding a solution.

Gu Qingyin sat cross-legged on the floor, pinching the bridge of her nose. Even though she knew it wouldn’t be easy, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration.

"Sigh..."

"What’s wrong? Is there anything I can help with?" Li Tianshi’s energetic voice rang out.

Gu Qingyin looked up, only then realizing that Zhang Qiuyan had left at some unknown point.

She gave a polite smile. "It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired from reading all day." She stood up. "I should be going."

Li Tianshi seemed surprised. "You’re not going to read anymore?"

Gu Qingyin shook her head. "I’ll be back tomorrow." She had intended to make use of every last minute, but after starting, she realized this search was like finding a needle in a haystack—it was mostly up to luck.

Hearing this, Li Tianshi nodded. "The higher-ups approved three visits, so there’s no need to rush. You haven’t had anything to eat or drink all day. Why don’t you go down to the first floor to get something and rest for a bit?"

This time, Gu Qingyin didn’t refuse. "Alright."

Downstairs, there was a lounge area that served coffee and simple meals. The prices were a bit higher than outside, mainly to provide lunch and dinner options for Heavenly Masters who wanted to make the most of their time.

Gu Qingyin only ordered a cup of coffee. She took out her phone to pay, but Li Tianshi stopped her. He smiled and said, "I said it was my treat. You can’t make me go back on my word, can you?"

Gu Qingyin smiled graciously. "Thank you. We should get dinner together sometime when we have the chance."

Li Tianshi’s smile grew even wider.