Name

The think tank wasn’t idle, either.

Pure Water’s voice came from Chen Miemie’s blood: “I think this mailbox is about to break down.”

Loop hurriedly fetched The Five-Light Mailbox Guide from the shop and rapidly flipped through it.

“Found it! There was a scholar who proposed a possibility: the more lights on a stamp, the longer the cooling period. The reason is that the mailbox bears a heavier load.

“According to his observations, the mailbox was already operating beyond capacity when a four-light stamp was used, which would accelerate its deterioration. He speculated that if a five-light stamp were used, the mailbox would soon be destroyed.”

Chen Miemie furrowed his brow. “All these words like ‘speculated’ and ‘possibly’ fall under the category of guesswork, don’t they? Besides, how long is ‘soon’?”

“That scholar actually made a more specific guess. He concluded that with a five-light stamp, the mailbox’s maximum lifespan would be five uses. One trip there and back counts as one use, so if you count each leg separately, that makes ten uses in total.”

Chen Miemie began counting on his fingers.

“I contacted my pen pal three times before. That round trip used six times. Chunhua used it once, and [Bridge Princess] used it once to call for help. The letter I just put in was the ninth use. According to this scholar’s calculations, doesn’t that mean receiving this reply will be the mailbox’s final use?”

During the brief moment he spent flipping through the book, the mailbox began shaking violently again.

“The letter’s here!”

The reply was on apricot-colored paper.

Chen Miemie quickly reached out. Before the letter had fully emerged, he pulled it free and immediately began reading.

Mysterious Friend,

It’s been two years since your last letter. Receiving this one made me happy for the first time in ages.

So many things have happened over the past few years. To be honest, I’ve gone from being a somewhat naïve girl to a seasoned “adult.”

Let me tell you what’s been happening on my side first.

At Big Sis Orange’s insistence and mine, we made the decision to accept our new neighbors’ invitation and join their different houses by dispersing ourselves among them.

Before long, we had all sorts of conflicts with the original owners of those houses. In the worst cases, large-scale bloodshed broke out. We suffered heavy losses and are now weaker than ever.

When I was little, I thought bleeding was the most serious thing in the world. I would cry out in pain and burst into tears. Now that I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that tears can actually hurt more than blood.

In my youth, I began to understand how complicated people are in this world.

In some houses, people are full of kindness—sincere and warmhearted. In others, they harbor malice, are calculating, and can be ruthless.

It’s difficult to judge a complicated group along a single axis. Simple labels like good and bad can’t fully describe a person. Even the same person can change over time.

When I think they’re terrible, they may suddenly move me. When I believe they’re decent, I may end up being stabbed in the back.

I’m not saying that we were the victims in every conflict. There are major problems within our own ranks as well. Sometimes, what makes it difficult for us to move forward doesn’t just come from outside—it also comes from within.

As one of the decision-makers, I often can’t account for everything. I make mistakes, disappoint some of our companions, and sometimes let down the sincerity of others.

Recently, we gathered our scattered people together, concentrating them in a few new houses. Just as I was feeling lost about the road ahead, I received your letter. It came at exactly the right time.

I saw the good news you sent.

While I was still hesitating and wondering whether the two sides could truly be integrated, you managed to merge three great families into one. That’s incredible.

So it really is possible. Someone really has done it already.

This gave me tremendous encouragement and showed me that the road ahead is viable. My confusion vanished.

All at once, I saw things clearly, as if I had returned to my youngest, earliest self.

That’s why I believe that, apart from life and death, every binary opposition in this world must have a third solution.

I will walk the path of mutual integration with unwavering determination.

Once our convictions are firm, I have faith that the strongest version of us is about to make its debut—just when we appear to be at our weakest.

That’s all for what’s been happening on my side. There is one strange matter, though.

The mailbox that receives my letters has suddenly developed a great many cracks. I feel as if it could break down at any moment.

We’ve been longtime pen pals. To prevent our correspondence from being cut off if the mailbox breaks, perhaps we could add each other as friends on our wristwatches.

Also, how about coming to visit me? I’ll provide room and board! My home isn’t very large, but it has three rooms.

The study is in the middle, with a bedroom on either side. I live in the room on the right. The one on the left is empty, so all I need to do is prepare a little bed for you, and it’ll be ready for a guest.

I’m really looking forward to your next letter, but I’m also worried that too much time might pass before then. By that time, I may no longer be in this city.

If it’s convenient, leave me your address and your wristwatch name. From now on, I’ll be traveling all over the world to achieve the grand integration of all the houses. Who knows? One day, I might suddenly pass by your home.

Chen Miemie had just finished reading the letter when Qinghua, who had been keeping a constant eye on the mailbox, cried out, “The mailbox! The mailbox is starting to crack!”

“Pen and paper!” Chen Miemie shouted.

Loop had already prepared them and promptly handed them over.

Chen Miemie hurriedly scribbled:

My name is Chen Miemie. It is now the first year of the Eighth Era. My address is 19 Fairy-Tale Road, [Sealed Library]. I will find you.

After hastily finishing those few lines in messy handwriting, he folded the letter, took the stamp Loop handed him, stuck it on, and shoved the letter into the mailbox’s slot.

According to the rules of the five-light mailbox, after sending a letter, one had to wait a long time for it to cool down. Before the cooling period was complete, an invisible wall of air would appear in the crack of the slot, preventing anything from being inserted.

Previously, Chen Miemie had always waited for the cooling period to end.

But this time, there was no time to wait.

The mailbox had already begun shedding fragments, and it looked as if it were about to disintegrate.

“Everyone, attack together! Focus your strength on the slot and force it open!” Chen Miemie ordered.

Water blades sliced, spiderwebs pulled, Loop’s needle-like legs stabbed, Origami compressed space…

At the invisible gap, a sharp scraping sound rang out.

Because of the monsters’ forceful assault, the five-light mailbox began breaking apart even faster.

“It’s working!” The tip of Loop’s foot successfully pierced through the wall of air.

Following the opening she had torn, the other monsters combined their powers and forcibly widened it into a thin slit.

“Chen Miemie, hurry! Put the letter in!” Pure Water shouted.

There was no need to remind him. Chen Miemie had already shoved the letter inside.

After that, everyone stood quietly in front of the mailbox, watching it slowly disintegrate into pieces.

“Do you think my letter actually made it through?” Chen Miemie asked.

Everyone shook their heads, indicating that they didn’t know.

Crack!

The upper half of the mailbox completely shattered, exploding into fragments that scattered across the ground.

Next came the middle section, which likewise broke into pieces.

Finally, only the very bottom of the mailbox remained.

“Miemie, the letter! The letter! There seems to be a piece of stationery inside the bottom! It’s apricot-colored!” Qinghua’s eyes were remarkably sharp.

Chen Miemie reacted with lightning speed, snatching the letter from the bottom of the mailbox just before it crumbled away.

He opened it eagerly.

There were only two brief lines on the apricot-colored paper, the handwriting equally rushed.

I live at No. 19 too, but this road doesn’t have a name yet. “Fairy Tale Road” is a lovely name, so I’ve given the road outside my door the same name.

My name is Chen Miaomiao. It is now the 35th year of the Seventh Era, and this is No. 19, Fairy Tale Road, [Grand Library]. I’ll wait for you.