Grotesqueries of the Old Domain

Chapter 34: Inquiry

Zhang Wenda had spent this day’s classes in a daze.

The conversation with the Rabbit had felt like tearing open a corner of this bizarre world, yet what lay within was even more incomprehensible.

“In this world, are all adults monsters? That is to say, is everyone like this?”

Holding a pen in his hand, Zhang Wenda stared blankly at the blackboard in the distance. “What on earth is going on in this world? If all adults are monsters, then how does the whole world even function?”

With a “thump,” Zhang Wenda was bumped into by someone and staggered to the left, followed immediately by Pan Dongzi’s excited voice in his ear, “Mouse, come on! School’s over!”

Glancing at the other students heading out together, Zhang Wenda pulled his backpack out of the drawer. “You guys go on ahead. I have something to talk to Teacher Ouyang about.”

“Wow, you didn’t even finish your homework and you still dare to mess with her? That’s brave.”

Zhang Wenda let out a slight sigh as he looked at the innocent expression on the other’s face. Sometimes he really envied this simple Little Fatty.

He didn’t have to worry about anything—just believed whatever the teachers or parents said, and could calmly accept even the strangest things.

Would he live more freely if he could become as carefree as him?

But Zhang Wenda knew it was impossible. After all, he had only physically returned to childhood—inside, he was still an adult.

“You guys go. No need to wait for me.” Zhang Wenda slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out of the classroom.

When he arrived at the teachers’ office again, for some reason, that massive monstrous door now looked much more normal.

Knock knock knock. “Come in.”

Zhang Wenda pushed open the door and saw Teacher Ouyang holding an aluminum lunchbox and eating. The dishes inside were scrambled eggs with yellow chives and pork lard dregs stir-fried with chili peppers.

“It’s Wenda? What’s the matter?” Teacher Ouyang, whose head was now normal-sized, put down the lunchbox.

With a serious expression, Zhang Wenda looked at her. After a moment of deliberation, he spoke. “Teacher Rabbit said you could help me—can you really help me with anything?”

“‘Anything’ is a bit too broad. Why don’t you tell me first? If I can help, I’ll do my best.” She pulled out a White Rabbit candy again, her face showing a hint of encouragement, as if she already knew what he wanted to ask.

“I was attacked—by a very special kind of rule.” Zhang Wenda calmly told Ouyang everything he had experienced.

If adult matters were too far away to grasp, then the troubles with the rules were right in front of him. No matter what, he had to deal with the rule affecting him first.

Since the Rabbit had said Ouyang could help him, he had no reason not to try.

After finishing everything, Zhang Wenda quietly waited for her response.

He tried to analyze her emotions through her facial expression, but that porcelain-like smile rendered all his corporate-droning skills completely useless.

“I can’t help you.” That single sentence from her made Zhang Wenda’s heart sink. He couldn’t say he was very disappointed—just felt a bit regretful.

“Then, Teacher, can you tell me why this is happening?” Zhang Wenda asked again, a bit unwilling to let it go.

Even if she couldn’t resolve the rule for him, if he could at least understand why it existed, then maybe he could find a way to deal with it—just like he did with the Youth Center.

“No matter how strange this world is, it should still follow some logic, right? Why would it attack me? What did I do wrong? Why am I the only one suffering like this, while others aren’t?”

At Zhang Wenda’s questioning, the smile on Teacher Ouyang’s face vanished, and she sat there like a statue.

“Why won’t you answer me? Is it because of the adult’s rules again?” With a trace of disappointment on his face, Zhang Wenda turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Hearing the voice behind him, Zhang Wenda responded without turning back. “I know what you’re going to say. You won’t tell me because it’s for my own good. That once I grow up, I’ll naturally understand. I’ve heard all of that already.”

Just as his hand was about to grab the door handle, Ouyang’s next words made him pause.

“Even though I can’t help you, if you want to learn about the rule itself, I can tell you where to look.”

“Where?” Zhang Wenda turned around in surprise.

What came next was a completely unexpected name. “The library.”

“The library?”

“Yes. There, you can find the explanation to everything in the world.”

“That’s great! Where is it?” Zhang Wenda quickly walked back, asking urgently.

“It’s right here in this school. As long as you go looking for it with the intention to find it, you will find it.”

Though this trigger condition was a little strange, Zhang Wenda was already getting used to it. He certainly didn’t believe that this so-called library was just an ordinary library. His attention was already elsewhere.

“Is that place dangerous?”

“There is a certain level of danger. Although you can find all the knowledge you want there, I advise you to only seek what you need. Don’t go poking around randomly, otherwise, you might easily turn into an adult.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda’s heart tightened. From what she was implying, could he also turn into one of those monsters?

The moment he thought of that place being dangerous, Zhang Wenda immediately began thinking about how to avoid the risks. With such a powerful figure in front of him, how could he not cling to her?

“Hmm... alright, thank you. Um, if it’s convenient for you, could you take me there?”

With an adult by his side, it would be much safer in case of trouble in a place like that.

“I can’t.”

Ouyang’s response caught Zhang Wenda by surprise. “Why not?”

“Because I can’t see it.”

“Can’t see it?” Zhang Wenda was stunned.

“There are some things that adults can’t even see, or sense. Only children like you can see them. For example, the library, and also the Youth Center.”

As she spoke, Ouyang reached out her hand and gently touched Zhang Wenda’s head. Her hand was cold and as hard as porcelain, yet Zhang Wenda didn’t feel any aversion.

“I really wish I could tell you more, but...” There was a trace of hesitation in Ouyang’s voice. “But there are some things I can’t quite remember. I think I’ve been there, but I’ve forgotten what happened there and what I encountered.”

“Is it... because of the library? Or because you’re an adult?” Zhang Wenda asked.

Ouyang remained silent for a long time, then finally shook her head. “I really don’t remember. But becoming an adult does require forgetting a lot of unnecessary things.”