Chapter 1: The Invitation That Didn't Exist
Lin Mengyu turned the gold-embossed invitation over and over three times, rubbing the signature with her fingertips. The three characters "Jia Baoyu" were written in cinnabar, looking like three streaks of blood beneath the library's harsh white lights.
"The Grand View Garden Cultural Preservation Zone cordially invites Dr. Lin Mengyu, an expert on Dream of the Red Chamber, to participate in a three-day cultural study tour." She read the first line softly, her brows drawing tighter and tighter. The youngest Dream of the Red Chamber scholar in the country, she had never heard of any "Grand View Garden Cultural Preservation Zone." Outside, rain poured in torrents. Mengyu glanced at her watch. It was 22:3
