Section 1
"Miss Wu, I'll speak frankly with you..."
"My surname is Wu, with the first tone."
"I'm sorry, Miss Wu," the real estate agent replied with an apologetic smile. "Which Wu are you?"
"The Wu of crow."
"That's a rather uncommon surname."
"Please continue with what you were saying."
The agent's slender face momentarily lost focus. "Where was I?"
Luna Wu lifted her gaze to the old spiral staircase. "You mentioned wanting to be honest with me."
"Ah, yes, honesty... Well, this building was constructed in the 1990s on reclaimed land, making it one of the first of its kind in the city. The infrastructure is sound; the only issue is that it's coastal, which can be a bit humid."
As they ascended to the sixth floor, the apartment they sought was on the right side of the staircase. The agent stepped forward to unlock the iron door.
"You mentioned that the only issue with the property is its age and the need to climb stairs, which implies there are more than just a single problem, doesn't it?" Luna Wu remarked.
"Old buildings can be a bit tricky, but this batch from the reclamation era isn't too bad. They were cautious about building height, so none exceed eight stories." The agent opened the second wooden door and guided Luna Wu inside. A musty scent of damp dust greeted them; the apartment had been uninhabited for some time.
The agent strode to the window and flung it open.
The layout was simple: two bedrooms and a living room, with good airflow from south to north. The living room was spacious, furnished entirely with mahogany.
With the window open, the agent found the key to the room on the left as they entered. "Miss Wu, take a look; this is the second bedroom available for rent. The monthly rent is $2,500. Given the location in Shenzhen, it's truly fortunate to find such a bright apartment."
Luna Wu no longer trusted the agent's "honesty" and began to inspect the room on her own.
This south-facing bedroom appeared to be nearly 200 square feet. To the left of the door was a full-height wardrobe, with an air conditioner beside the southern window. A queen-sized bed centered the room, flanked by a dressing table and nightstands, all crafted from mahogany.
The furnishings were simple yet complete, and Luna Wu felt satisfied. However, she wanted to test the agent's lowest offer, so she casually opened the wardrobe door, searching for leverage in negotiations.
What she found inside stunned her.
The agent seemed equally surprised. "Is that... an ancient sword?"
"Let's take it out and see."
"Wait!" The agent quickly pressed Luna Wu's hand back, a smile plastered on his face. "I forgot to mention, the owner requested not to disturb their belongings."
Aside from the upright ancient sword, there was a rectangular wooden box beneath it, the contents of which were hidden from view.
"Does this house have a bit of a dark side?" Luna Wu deliberately provoked.
"How could it be sinister? Miss Wu, don't overthink it," the agent replied cheerfully, though internally he was worried. This was a last-minute assignment from a colleague, and Luna Wu was his first client, so he was unfamiliar with the property's specifics. His years of experience in real estate led him to suspect that the sword and box were significant—perhaps even protective charms left by the owner. It was unusual for someone like this young woman to show no fear and even touch them.
"Why is this place empty then? The layer of dust indicates it hasn't been lived in for at least three years."
"The landlord initially had no plans to rent it out," the agent explained. "Perhaps they've recently found themselves in a tight spot—hence, your good fortune, Miss Wu!"
"If they're in a tight spot, why only rent out a single bedroom?"
"They say it's a house inherited from their parents, and they're not allowed to sell it. As for why just one room, the landlord mentioned they might return to stay for a while."
"The landlord might come back?" Luna Wu questioned.
"That's still uncertain. Earlier, I asked if you would mind sharing with a male tenant, and you said you were fine with it—"
"You didn't mention that the tenant would be the landlord."
"Well, Miss Wu, you might want to reconsider. If you aren't satisfied with this place, I can help you find another suitable option." The agent attempted to be conciliatory. "However, in this area, a high-value property like this one is hard to come by."
Born inland, Luna Wu had always longed for the sea. As a graduate student preparing for a teaching position, she applied for numerous coastal roles and ultimately secured a teaching position at a vocational school in Shenzhen. Since her school-provided accommodation was temporarily unavailable, she turned to the agent for help.
Seeing the opportunity to negotiate, Luna Wu dropped the pretense and directly expressed her wish for a lower rent. The agent didn't refuse outright, promising to discuss it further with the landlord and provide a quick response.
After concluding their discussion on the first floor, the agent rushed off to attend to other business. Luna Wu took a few steps forward but suddenly paused, glancing back at the apartment she had just seen. The second bedroom had large windows; although it faced the sea, the view was obstructed by tall buildings, making it impossible to see the ocean. Yet, as the sea breeze brushed against her, she felt as if she could almost see the water.
That night, the agent informed Luna Wu that the landlord was willing to reduce the rent by another $300.
The school offered a monthly housing subsidy of $2,000, making the $2,500 rent comfortably within Luna Wu's budget. However, she still wished to save more. After some negotiation, she presented a seemingly reluctant acceptance of the new price, suggesting the landlord move any personal items before her move-in.
Finalizing the rental was swift; within a couple of days, the agent arranged for Luna Wu to sign the lease.
"Miss Wu, if you decide to move out early, just let the landlord know. You can find a new tenant yourself or leave it to me, and the agency fee will be half of one month's rent." As he spoke, the agent slid a triplicate rental agreement across the table to her. "You can review the contract carefully. Regarding your earlier concern about when the landlord might return, I've spoken with them. Once the contract is signed, you can communicate directly via WeChat."
Luna Wu examined the contract closely, flipping to the signature page where the landlord had already signed with beautiful script: Leo Lee.
Section 2
Before officially moving in, Luna Wu's mother specifically inquired about the location and orientation of the new residence. Those of the older generation held a deep belief in feng shui, and her mother sent her an item, claiming it was a treasured possession blessed by a skilled practitioner to help mitigate dampness in the room.
"The entire city of Shenzhen is surrounded by water. Although you are of a water element, how can a small stream withstand a mighty river? You need to temper it," Mia Wu advised.
Luna Wu believed her mother was speaking nonsense but couldn't bring herself to dismiss her good intentions.
Two days later, Luna Wu received a package, with Mia Wu teasing her on the phone without revealing what it contained. Upon opening the box, she discovered a white silk scarf. In the sweltering heat of August, as she pulled the scarf from the box, a refreshing coolness enveloped her. After examining it closely for some time, she found nothing particularly special about it.
Worried that the package might have been sent to the wrong address, she promptly called Mia Wu to inquire about the item.
Mia Wu, preoccupied with a game of mahjong, replied, "It's a good item, just remember to wear it."
Assuming it to be an accessory, Luna Wu naturally thought the package was likely misplaced. "I received a silk scarf; how can I wear it?"
"Why not? You can drape it around your neck."
"The temperature in Shenzhen has been over thirty degrees. A silk scarf?"
"Just wear it. If not around your neck, place it in your room. Trust me; it will be beneficial."
Luna Wu wanted to ask further questions, but Mia Wu was eager to win her hand and hastily ended the call.
Confirming that the package was indeed correct, Luna Wu felt a temporary relief. As for whether the scarf was truly a blessed treasure or had any special purpose, she gave it little thought, busy as she was with the move. She simply tossed the scarf into her suitcase.
The night before her move, the agent sent a WeChat message to Luna Wu, informing her that the landlord would be collecting some items from the room soon and requested that she refrain from touching a particular cabinet.
Luna Wu responded with five question marks.
The agent forwarded the landlord's WeChat contact, saying, "You two can discuss it."
Previously, the agent had briefly introduced the landlord as Leo Lee, a male who was currently away from Shenzhen. The coastal apartment had been purchased as a welfare housing unit by his parents many years ago and had remained vacant for three to four years.
According to the agent, the building was constructed in the 1990s, allowing Luna Wu to roughly estimate the landlord's age. Upon opening the agent's business card, she noticed the ID: 勰xié. It struck her as an unexpected, dry humor to see someone annotate their ID with pinyin, prompting her to send a friend request.
The landlord quickly accepted her request. In their first message, Luna Wu politely introduced herself and mentioned her moving date.
The landlord did not reply.
Perplexed, Luna Wu wondered why he had added her so promptly yet failed to respond. She reviewed her message for any potential impropriety. Subsequently, she sent a second message: "When will you come to collect the items from the wardrobe?"
The landlord replied: "Not for a while."
Luna Wu: "If it's inconvenient for you to come, I can help send them."
Landlord: "The room has two double-door wardrobes, five small cabinets, and five drawers available."
Luna Wu paused, unable to decipher his meaning, and pulled in her friend Lindy Qiu for assistance, asking, "Is he implying I'm being meddlesome?"
Lindy Qiu read the messages and nodded, saying, "That's the implication."
Luna Wu replied to the landlord: "OK."
She added: "Please let me know before you come to collect them, as I will be residing in the room."
The landlord did not respond further.
After conversing with the landlord, Luna Wu found him quite mysterious, while Lindy Qiu grew wary. "Why not look for another place? If it doesn't work out, you could stay with me until the school dormitory opens up," she suggested sincerely.
Luna Wu felt too embarrassed to accept. Having stayed with Lindy for over a week, she was conscious of the disruption her presence caused during her friend's early morning routines.
"I've signed the lease and paid the deposit; I'd incur a penalty for breaking the contract," Luna Wu explained gently.
"But that room has an ancient sword and an eccentric landlord," Lindy Qiu expressed concern. "Aren't you scared?"
"It's just a sword; there's nothing to fear," Luna Wu replied nonchalantly. "Besides, I've checked the area; that building is close to a bank, and there's a community police station nearby, making it quite safe."
Lindy Qiu intended to continue her advice, but upon seeing Luna Wu's resolute demeanor and a hint of excitement she couldn't quite articulate, she ultimately decided against saying more.