The rain poured down in heavy sheets, beating against the sidewalks of the bustling city. Li Wei pulled his thin jacket tighter around himself, hunching his shoulders against the downpour. His steps were weary and slow, his thoughts weighed down by the familiar burdens that had plagued him for years.
His mind wandered back to his sister, Mei, lying in a hospital bed, her face pale and her breathing shallow. She had been diagnosed with a mysterious illness years ago, and since then, his family's life had been consumed by hospital visits and medical bills. His father had lost his job trying to keep up with her care, and his mother had aged years in mere months, her once bright eyes now dim with worry. Li Wei had given up his dreams of pursuing mystical studies at the academy, taking up multiple part-time jobs to support his family.
As Li Wei trudged along the rain-soaked streets, he glanced up to see an old, weathered bookstore he had never noticed before. The windows were fogged over, but a dim light glowed from inside. Drawn by a strange impulse, he pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside.
A small bell chimed softly above his head as he entered. The shop was cluttered, filled with towering bookshelves and stacks of old tomes piled haphazardly on the floor. The scent of aged paper and incense filled the air, creating a strange, almost mystical atmosphere.
"Looking for something specific?" a voice croaked from behind a counter.
Li Wei turned to see an elderly man with a long, wispy beard and deep-set eyes that seemed to peer into his very soul. He stood behind the counter, his gaze fixed intently on Li Wei.
"I... I'm just looking," Li Wei replied hesitantly, unsure of why he had even entered the shop in the first place.
The old man nodded slowly, a knowing smile curling his lips. "Sometimes, we don't know what we're looking for until it finds us."
Li Wei continued to browse the shelves, running his fingers over the spines of countless books. Many were in languages he couldn't read, and some appeared to be hand-written scrolls bound in leather. As he reached the back of the store, a faint glow caught his eye. There, nestled between two thick volumes, was an ancient book bound in faded black leather. The cover was embossed with a title in intricate golden script: *The Path of the Eternal Soul*.
His heart began to race as he reached out and carefully pulled the book from the shelf. The moment his fingers touched the leather, he felt a strange warmth spread through his hand, and an inexplicable feeling of familiarity washed over him.
"That book..." the old man's voice came from behind him, making Li Wei jump. "It has a peculiar way of finding those it deems worthy. Many have seen it, but few have chosen it."
"What do you mean?" Li Wei asked, clutching the book tightly to his chest.
The old man's eyes seemed to twinkle with some hidden knowledge. "That book is said to reveal itself only to those with a strong soul or a unique spiritual awareness. It's been here for as long as I can remember, and yet, it's never been sold. Perhaps, it has chosen you."
Li Wei looked down at the book, his curiosity piqued. He opened the cover and flipped through the pages, which were filled with strange symbols and diagrams, alongside passages written in a language he couldn't decipher. But at the very center of the book, a page stood out. Unlike the rest, this one was written in Chinese, and it detailed a meditation technique that promised to unlock the soul's potential.
"Can I buy it?" Li Wei asked, feeling an inexplicable pull toward the book.
The old man nodded. "Take it, and may it guide you on your journey."
Li Wei reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet, but the old man waved his hand dismissively. "No charge. Just promise me you'll treat it with care. Books like that are more valuable than gold to the right person."
Li Wei thanked him and hurried out of the store, clutching the book tightly under his jacket to keep it dry from the rain. As he made his way back home, his thoughts were consumed by the book and the strange encounter with the old man.
By the time he reached his small apartment, the rain had finally stopped. He closed the door behind him and quickly shrugged off his wet jacket, tossing it aside. The apartment was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the clock on the wall. His parents were still at the hospital with Mei, and the emptiness of the place only heightened his sense of loneliness.
He sat down at his desk and placed the book in front of him. The strange warmth he had felt earlier returned as he opened it to the page with the meditation technique. The instructions were simple: clear your mind, focus on your breathing, and visualize a white light at the center of your being.