Su Liyun was born different, and this might be inextricably linked to her "unique" family—the Su household. On the surface, the Su family appeared ordinary, the most typical of families, yet it concealed countless secrets that could never be revealed.
Hailing from Husheng City, the Su family comprised three children: eldest daughter Su Mingyue, second daughter Su Liyun, and youngest son Su Linsheng. Each sibling was exactly three years apart. Su Liyun grew up in a household seemingly brimming with love. Her classmates, friends, relatives, and even strangers believed the entire Su family showered her with endless affection...
That year, Su Linsheng had just started middle school, Su Mingyue had been accepted into university and left alone to study elsewhere, while Su Liyun was sent abroad by her parents to attend high school—and later university—without her knowledge. She had no choice, for her parents told her this was the one opportunity they had chosen to give her to see the world. Upon learning this, Su Liyun felt utterly helpless and overwhelmed, yet powerless to resist. In truth, she had scarcely ever defied her parents' wishes throughout her life—including this time—so compliance remained her only path. As for why she never rebelled and always appeared as an obedient daughter without her own opinions, perhaps only the Su family knew the answer...
Before long, the day of departure arrived. Su's parents busied themselves packing her sister's luggage and preparing her brother's enrollment documents for school. Only for Su Liyun did they claim the overseas semester started later, promising they would assist her later and see her off at the airport. Days passed, and the morning of her sister's departure arrived. Father and mother drove her to the station early. Coincidentally, it was also the day her brother had to register for school, so her parents specifically reminded Li Yun not to oversleep when taking him. Obediently, Li Yun completed her "task" and successfully delivered her brother to school.
A week later, the day arrived for Su Liyun to depart for her overseas studies. Her father drove her to the airport. The absence of her mother at this farewell moment left Liyun with a hint of regret, but she could only console herself, thinking perhaps her mother declined to see her off due to work commitments. Carrying this regret, Li Yun boarded the plane bound for a foreign land. Throughout the journey, she felt regret, confusion, and a touch of reluctance, but more than anything, she felt a sense of ease and freedom. It was as if she had broken free from shackles—shackles no one knew existed.
The plane touched down in an unfamiliar foreign city. Su Li Yun dragged her suitcase through the bustling airport terminal, feeling like a parcel shipped off with a clear destination but no knowledge of the recipient or what awaited her. Her parents' voices echoed in her ears: "Li Yun, we've done our utmost to secure the best opportunities for you. Go out and see the world. Don't get 'trapped' in this small place like we did." Their words were gentle, yet their eyes held complex emotions she couldn't decipher—a hint of reluctance, but more a sense of relief, even... finality?
Stepping outside the airport meant entering a new land. With both anticipation for her new life and a touch of unease, Su Liyun arrived at the place she would call home for the next few years—a host family. Since high schools in this country didn't offer on-campus housing, she had no choice but to accept the homestay arranged by the school. To her, it was simply a stranger's home. This intense discomfort with the unfamiliar made it hard for her to settle into this "home." But... did the place she'd lived for eighteen years really feel like home?! This question offered Su Liyun a sliver of comfort, and she steeled herself to stay.
The day before school started, Su Liyun visited the school with her host parents. The campus wasn't particularly close or far from their residence, taking about thirty minutes by bus. Yet the surroundings and atmosphere left Liyun puzzled. This didn't feel like a typical school district. Instead of bustling convenience stores or stationery shops nearby, there were odd little shops. Upon entering the school gates, a massive bulletin board filled with school rules caught her eye. Some were odd, some were normal, and others were downright bizarre. For a moment, Su Liyun wondered if her parents had deliberately chosen such an unusual school for her. But then she remembered that her parents had only arranged for her to study abroad; the specific school seemed to have been assigned by the local education bureau. So she dismissed the thought.
The next day, Su Liyun stepped through the school gates with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. As it was the first day of school, the principal had gathered all students and teachers at the school stadium early in the morning. A grand yet familiar opening ceremony commenced as the nine o'clock bell tolled.
The principal took the podium and addressed the crowd: "Welcome to Splendor Academy, freshmen! And welcome back to our upperclassmen! As is tradition on this first day, I shall outline our school regulations—forty rules in total. Each must be strictly adhered to; failure to comply will result in consequences for which you alone will be responsible.
Rule One: Do not arrive at school or linger near campus before 8:00 AM. All students must leave the premises by 4:00 PM.
Second: Library access is prohibited after 3 PM.
Third: Access to the fourth floor of the academic building is forbidden.
Fourth: On rainy days, do not approach or enter the campus "artificial lake."
Fifth...
..."
After rattling off the lengthy list of rules, the principal wrapped up her speech with a few casual remarks. Most freshmen were puzzled by these peculiar regulations, including Su Liyun. She felt a chill creeping up her spine, but she forced herself to calm her nerves. Soon, the opening ceremony concluded, and everyone headed back to the academic building for their first classes.
The first class was history. The teacher introduced herself: "Hello, students. My name is Subin Genevieve. You may call me Ms.Subin. I will be leading your history studies this semester..."
Everything in the classroom seemed normal, except for Su Liyun, sitting by the window, who remained distracted. The bizarre rules from the opening ceremony kept swirling in her mind. After class, she couldn't resist asking her senior classmate about the school. The senior replied, "This school isn't simple. I've been here for two years, and so far I've only heard about those strange things—never actually experienced them myself. From what I know, the school holds a very deep secret, seemingly tied to some ancient family mysteries. But I don't know the details either. Anyway, based on my experience, as long as you don't break the school rules, nothing major will happen." Su Liyun listened to her senior's explanation with a puzzled expression.
And so, Su Liyun completed her first day of classes. After returning home that afternoon, she racked her brain trying to understand why her parents had sent her to such a strange school. That night, as Su Liyun drifted off to sleep, she seemed to glimpse a shadow. This shadow appeared to be trying to pull her back into the unknown mysteries surrounding the Su family.