After lunch, Scholar Song headed over to the nearby rental bookstore to indulge in some reading.
He loved to "borrow" books, but it wasn't just about saving a few bucks on rentals—this was his personal hobby. Scholar Song felt an unmatched thrill when he nestled in a corner of the bookstore among the towering shelves, losing himself in the pages of a book.
Of course, to avoid annoying the owner, he always ended up renting a book or two after spending half the day browsing. After all, one mustn't take things too far; it's all about maintaining a good relationship and ensuring a steady flow of goodwill. This way, he wouldn't end up on the owner's blacklist, and he could continue enjoying the cozy atmosphere of this rare gem of a bookstore.
It was hard to come by a rental store like this one, which offered an extensive selection beyond just novels—there were all kinds of books here. If he were blacklisted, he might find it nearly impossible to discover a better bookstore around Jiangnan University Town.
They say a person's name is crucial, and true to his name, Scholar Song adored reading and welcomed any book that came his way. Whether it was novels, literary works, classical texts, or even those dense theoretical tomes that made one's head spin, he was all in.
Recently, he had been focusing on picking up some tips on driving and road safety. With his freshman courses being relatively light, he planned to get his driver's license. After all, applying for a license at school costs seven to eight thousand yuan less than going outside.
...
Time always flew when he was immersed in a book.
Before he knew it, it was around three in the afternoon.
"Wow, that went by fast... I need to head back soon. I still have to stop by the supermarket to grab some snacks for tonight. It's Saturday night, time for an all-nighter!" Scholar Song chuckled to himself.
With that thought, he casually pulled a book off the shelf and made his way to the counter to handle the rental procedures.
The counter was at the exit of the bookstore, and today, the awning outside was broken, so the owner was tucked away in a shaded corner, trying to avoid the scorching sun.
"The sun is blazing; it already feels like summer," he remarked, shielding his eyes with one hand as he gazed up at the clear blue sky. He handed the book he wanted to rent to the owner.
The owner was a typical Jiangnan beauty, graceful and as fluid as water.
She shared his love for reading, often found with a book in hand, lost for hours. Her attire indicated a comfortable lifestyle; running this rental store was merely a hobby for her.
When she sat quietly reading, the owner was a sight to behold, a true pleasure to the eyes. Many young men frequented the store just to catch a glimpse of her, often transforming their interests from aimless pursuits into literary appreciations thanks to her captivating presence.
However, it was said that this picturesque side of the owner was merely her peaceful mode...
With a peaceful mode, there had to be a PK mode or a berserk mode lurking somewhere. But in the half a year Scholar Song had been coming here, he had yet to witness it.
"Alright, remember to return it within two days. Keep it an extra day, and it's an extra buck," the owner said, completing the rental transaction and waving him off.
Even though they had only interacted for half a semester, this book-borrowing young man had left a strong impression on her. If he hadn't been considerate enough to rent a couple of books after hogging the place for hours, she would have long since chased him away with a broom.
"Hehe," Scholar Song grinned as he accepted the book and stepped over the threshold of the bookstore.
Boom!!!
At that moment, a deafening explosion echoed like thunder, startling everyone in the rental store. Scholar Song almost lost his balance, nearly tumbling face-first to the ground!
"Damn!"
"Whoa, what the heck?!"
"Is it a thunderstorm out of nowhere?"
"That scared me." Voices of shock filled the bookstore.
Scholar Song glanced up at the sky and noticed that the previously clear expanse had begun to change. A patch of ominous dark clouds gathered ominously at the horizon, swiftly cloaking the sky and hinting at an impending storm.
"Looks like it might rain soon? Tsk, they say weather forecasts were unreliable years ago, and you should always carry an umbrella when they predict sunny weather. I thought after all this time, forecasts would have improved, but it seems they're still hit or miss," Scholar Song mused to himself.
It was nothing like before; back then, all he had to do was read the weather forecast upside down. Now, it felt like a gamble to see if they would actually get it right!
As he lost himself in thought, he clutched the rented book, preparing to hurry back to his dorm before the rain began.
Just as Scholar Song was about to take his second step...
Boom...
Another thunderous roar erupted, ringing in his ears.
His lifted leg retracted back down.
At the horizon, the area filled with dark clouds twisted eerily. Lightning shot out from the clouds, rumbling ominously, forming a chaotic web of thunder.
Scholar Song had seen thunderstorms before, but he had never encountered lightning this concentrated—it looked like the end of the world. Instead of isolated strikes, the sky was ablaze with an overwhelming barrage of electricity.
The sound of thunder was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Previously, the thunderclaps in Jiangnan would be a single loud bang followed by a rolling echo. Now, the thunder sounded like firecrackers packed with explosives. Boom, crackle, boom—loud, raucous, drowning out any echoes.
If this was the result of someone's misdeeds being punished by lightning, what kind of sin would warrant such a violent response?
Moreover, what caught Scholar Song's attention was that the dark thunderclouds weren't spreading; they remained tightly contained at the horizon, crashing and booming without showing any signs of dispersing.
The booming thunder continued for about ten breaths, relentless and unyielding.
It gave the impression that a storm was about to descend with even more ferocity.
"Unlucky me!" Scholar Song sighed, thinking to himself, "Should I just read a bit more?"
Generally, even if a thunderstorm hits, it arrives quickly and leaves just as fast. If the rain lingered a little longer, he might even be able to sneak in another book.
With that in mind, he turned back toward the bookstore, ready to settle in for a little longer.
It seemed like the heavens were playing a prank on Scholar Song.
As he turned to step back into the bookstore, the booming noise abruptly ceased!
The dark clouds and furious lightning simultaneously dissipated! It was as if an unseen hand had been painting the sky and, dissatisfied with the outcome, casually wiped away the clouds and lightning.
The sky reverted to its clear, sunny state, bathing the world in bright light! It was as if the explosive thunder and the chaotic lightning had never existed, merely figments of his imagination.
Inside the rental store, someone murmured, "What just happened?"
"Could it be that someone really got struck by lightning?"
"Come on, that's superstitious! Thunder and lightning are just natural phenomena..."
At that moment, a little kid next to Scholar Song looked up, holding a comic book in one hand and raised his other hand dramatically toward the sky, loudly proclaiming, "Ah, I want this sky to never cover my eyes again! I want this earth to never bury my heart! I want these dark clouds to vanish without a trace!"
Scholar Song couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. He was certain that when this kid grew up, looking back on today's scene would make him cringe so hard he might roll on the ground in embarrassment. Such a memory would haunt him for life, and just when he thought he had buried it, it would resurface in his mind, making him wish he could travel back in time and give his younger self a good smack for being so foolish.
He could relate all too well.
Yet, for some reason, seeing this amusing little kid reminded Scholar Song of the group of overly dramatic friends from the Ninefold Land chat group.
'H City, crossing the Third Heavenly Tribulation.'
The chat records flashed in his mind.
He quickly estimated the position of the horizon and realized that the thunderstorm area seemed to correspond with… H City?
Even with Scholar Song's steady heart, he felt his pulse quicken.
No way... could it be real?
The weather forecast had said it would be sunny, yet suddenly, a bizarre storm had erupted.
"Hahahaha, no way! How could something like a heavenly tribulation exist in this world? It must be a coincidence!" Scholar Song thought to himself.
But as the thought crossed his mind, it refused to dissipate: could there truly be such a coincidence? The lightning was so strange that it didn't seem like a natural event.
H City, crossing tribulation—these words echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Scholar Song shook his head vigorously, trying to dismiss this possibility.
His eighteen years of life had taught him to believe in science and reject superstition; that thundercloud was merely an odd natural phenomenon, not some heavenly tribulation!
------------
**To be continued...**