Chapter 16 13

Blake Ann sat in the professor's office full of books, lost in thought. He reflected on all he knew, while his mother sat on the arm of the sofa, talking lively about her work.She seemed to be in a strangely good mood, as if everything was back to normal, and Blake wondered privately: What would still be the same? I don't see your office changing at all.she said idly to Dorion, playing with Dako's hat brim.She then explained to the two children that she had received individual instruction from the professor in this room many years ago. Blake looked at Mom curiously, glad to hear she seemed so relaxed and happy, but not sure what had caused the change.

The mother caught Blake staring at her and snapped her fingers. I remember, she said, reaching into the front pocket of her briefcase, I bought this for you on the way here. She handed Blake a small plastic bag with big white letters on it: LIVE YOUR LIFE TO BUY BOOKS.Inside was a thick paperback book. Hope you like it, said mother, this book is about a boy's amazing adventure in Oxford.It was recommended by the bookstore clerk.I think that way you'll be less likely to get into trouble by yourself. Blake's fingers caressed the cover, page by page, immersed in the unique smell of dry paper of a new book.His eyes fell randomly on different passages.The sentences in the book aroused his imagination almost immediately, drawing him into the world of the book.

He didn't know what to say.Mom actually apologized first, which surprised him. I'm sorry I made you feel bad last night, she said, I panicked if I didn't see you at the dinner party.Just because I spend a lot of time at work doesn't mean I don't see you.Understand? Blake nodded with a mischievous, grateful smile on his face. Mother laughed, just promise me not to act Missing again, okay?As she spoke, she pressed a coffee-flavored kiss on his forehead. Okay, I promise, he said without thinking, thank you for giving me the book. You're welcome. Dako opened her eyes wide to read the cover, but when Blake showed it to her, she stuck out her tongue again.I've read it, she said, and I can tell the ending spoils your mood.

Meanwhile their mother was talking to Dourion about her time in the library.I thought Oxford had progressed enough to enter the 21st century, she said coldly, but I found that if you really want to read a book, it still takes many days for the book to come to your hands from the shelf.Fortunately, there are already CDs in the reading room, so you can send and receive emails. According to her, the Badri Library is like a huge labyrinth of books.Built hundreds of years ago, the library contains millions of volumes, many on shelves that stretch for miles underground.Blake could imagine tunnels slithering like tree roots beneath the streets of the city, each one stuffed with rare, dusty books.

Can we go down there one day and have a look?He asked excitedly, I would like to see where these books are hidden. Absolutely not, my mother replied in a stern tone. If you enter the library without permission, the library will be very angry.Especially a little boy who doesn't even have a library card (Annotation: different from a library card in a general library), who is strictly forbidden to enter. She glanced at Blake, who gave her a coy smile back.Things really seemed to be back to normal: not just back to before last night, but back to before my parents had a big fight.Mom hasn't looked so relaxed, so young, in a long time.

For a moment, Blake forgot about the Ultimate Book and yawned.The jaw opened and snapped shut like a rubber band. Blake was caught off guard and thought of his mother and Bosper.Ma Xiong's date suddenly felt anxious and suspicious.Is this why she is in a good mood? Da Ke was in a hurry to leave, her legs were swinging back and forth like a pendulum.Mother noticed, looking at her watch. Well, I think it's time to go back, she said goodbye, Dorion, thank you again for looking after them.I know they can be tricky. Where, where, the professor said, we have fun together.gain much. Da Ke got up quickly and hurried downstairs, while Zhuo Leon stretched out a hand, patted Blake on the shoulder and said goodbye: a silent communication, Blake understood it very well.It was an invitation to return to the old library for help if he needed it.He's not alone in facing that mystery.

He nodded tacitly in response. Before leaving St. Jerome's, my mother went to the office to print out the article she was writing, "The Faustian Conspiracy".The printer kept spitting out paper, and Blake took the opportunity to send an e-mail to his father.He wasn't quite sure what to write in the letter.There are not enough words to describe what has happened so far.It's all about the mind.Finally he wrote: It went well.Mom bought me a book.I miss me getting her love again, I miss you.Will write again soon. love you blake He felt his mother reading the letter behind his back, and his fingers stiffened.He was considering whether to mention Endymion.Spring, maybe Dad has heard of this person, but he still decided to keep the secret in his heart for the time being.

It's a guess, not bad.Mom pointed it out and corrected his typo. I know.He lied, and pressed the key to go back and change the word.While annoyed, Blake considered adding a few words to Titibosper.Ma Xiong was a man, but he was rejected in the end.Nobody likes a whistleblower. As soon as his mother turned her back, he hurriedly added a postscript: I hope you can be here. This letter is no better than a postcard, but at least Dad will know that his son is thinking of him.Blake pressed the transmission icon, imagining that the message would enter the computer screen thousands of miles away almost at the same time.Somehow, this seems to make the distance between the two places appear even further.

Once back in Millstone Lane, Blake saw the reason for his mother's good mood.The university has approved her application and allowed her to extend the research trip.She could stay at Oxford for an extra term after Christmas. Now that I can complete the research for the book in hand, she said excitedly, it will greatly help my career. Blake didn't respond.He ran upstairs, slammed the door shut, shut himself in, and sat on the bed with his back pressed against the wall.He stared at the bars of the cell.What will happen to him now?Should he go back to his father, or stay in England with his mother?

The word home doesn't seem to have any meaning anymore. He didn't know what Da Ke thought, and Da Ke also hid in his room as soon as he entered the house.Maybe she was throwing a tantrum, because Blake got a present.Well, let her sulk, he thought.Now the book looked like a bribe, a ruse, an attempt to make him stop thinking about Dad.He doesn't want to read that book.He tossed the book relentlessly across the room, watching it slam down near the trash can.The cover was folded back like a broken wing, and several pages were crumpled together.He stared tearfully at the book. How could he be so stupid?I should have known that I couldn't trust my mother.She only cares about one thing: her job.

Everything is back to normal. For two nights, Blake couldn't sleep.Sitting on the bed with arms folded, meditating. Outside, with rain beating hard on the window, he watched the trees sway in the wind, tossed about, and threatened by storms.Every gust of wind dropped a great bagful of leaves across the street.Huge, angry shadows swept across the walls of his room, across the ceiling, occasionally hitting him in the face.Tears rolled down her cheeks. The time is past midnight.An hour ago, he had heard his mother walk quietly along the landing to Dako's door, open it once, and then quietly walk to his door.Blake mentally charted her course of action.You could feel her standing just outside the door, only a few feet away, but a whole world away. go away!He wanted to yell, wishing she wouldn't come in, but at the same time, he hoped that she would come to round the room, comfort him, and help him pull the quilt, as if he were a little child.At last she withdrew to her bedroom, leaving him lonelier and more miserable than before. This has only happened once before.It was the day my parents had a big fight.It was a Friday, the beginning of a long weekend, and Blake had planned to have a good time and do nothing; instead, Mom and Dad got home hours before him, and the two of them were standing in the kitchen, glaring at each other.He felt a wordless hostility in the air between them, like a storm was about to hit. Then, out of the blue, it started. Mother let out a yell, snarled at Father, uttered obscenities that Blake had never heard her say before, and her mouth fell open.All kinds of accusations flew through the room like bullets, bounced off the walls, and fell on the furniture.He and Dako ducked for cover.The air seems so fragile, like glass.fragile. Blake had friends with single-parent families, and for a while he wondered if that was what single-parenthood was all about: combat-assault days between parents.He plugged his fingers into his ears, trying to exclude the possibility.He couldn't imagine the word: divorce, it sounded like doomsday, fatal, death. Then there was that eerie period of silence, when nothing was said between his parents.They moved about the room with red and swollen eyes as if they were fighting, but it was Blake who felt bruised and bruised. Finally, the phone rang and exploded in the silence.It was at that time that Da Ke ran to get the raincoat, and never took it off after putting it on. Lying in his dark Oxford bedroom, he glanced at the door.He should go see his mother.He couldn't remember the last time he had asked her how she felt.Maybe she fell asleep and didn't realize the world was falling apart? Out of the corner of his eye, Blake spotted the origami dragon on the bedside table, where he kept it for safekeeping.He almost forgot about it.But there it was: reminding Blake of his mission.He must find Endymion.Spring. But really, he didn't know where to start. Again he felt the urge to tear apart the dragon to see if there were any secret messages hidden within.But it was too cute for Blake to ruin it.Besides, he was so tired.His eyes were barely open.His head was clouded, and none of his thoughts made sense. He stretched out his heavy hand, turned off the bedside light, and then slowly lay back on the bed.The storm, beating against the outside window, began to drive him to sleep. Blake stared at the window with half-closed eyes.He heard the raindrops hitting the glass like disobedient fingers, and saw a tree under the yard swinging rhythmically in the wind.He watched it for a while, bewitched by its movements.The leaves are gilded by the street lamps, trembling and shimmering, like a golden dragon sorting out its scales in the wind. He smiled to himself.Yes, there might be a dragon in that tree, he thought drowsily, his eyes narrowing even more.He saw it begin to take shape: pointed ears shaped like leaves, a horned snout, strong black wings folded like branches.Every leaf is a scale, and that black space, right there, is the eye.There was even a thin, gilded tail hanging down from the lowest branch like an ivy branch. Yeah, there might be a dragon in that tree, ready to spread its wings and fly away.It stretches, rolls, grooms itself in the wind.It may spit out a mouthful of anger at any time and fly away But before he could be sure, he fell asleep.