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As night fell, Edinburgh displayed a different hue under the night sky. The clock tower, illuminated by orange-red lights, combined with the headlights of passing vehicles, gave Bai Yujing a unique feeling. In this moment, Bai Yujing even recalled home, where many nightscapes were also beautiful. However, at that time, there was no mood to appreciate them; the pace of life in the city was particularly fast, and everyone was unable to slow down. If one could relax their mind, they might discover different beautiful scenes.
Sometimes it felt like the moon abroad was particularly round for this reason. The scenery at home was not bad, but the pressure of life was too great. Only when one’s mood completely relaxed could they have the perspective and mindset to view their surroundings differently.
Bai Yujing was able to find the correct route thanks to a power bank. At that moment, the power bank was in her backpack, with a cord pulled out and connected to her phone. Bai Yujing looked at the map and slowly walked back toward the hotel without rushing or caring about when she would reach her destination, simply enjoying the beautiful scenery along the street at a leisurely pace.
On the way, Bai Yujing discovered the popular Elephant Cafe, where J.K. Rowling had once written the Harry Potter series. Later, Rowling's fame brought great renown to Elephant Cafe. Bai Yujing initially thought it would be on a main street but unexpectedly found this famous café on a somewhat secluded street.
However, the café was very busy with many people in line. Through the window, she could see inside: photos of Rowling adorned the walls, and many travelers were relaxing inside with coffee cups in hand, savoring snacks. As Bai Yujing looked inside, she noticed that some customers were facing the window and saw her as well. There wasn’t much else notable about it; since the line was long and Bai Yujing had grown tired of waiting these past two days, she decided not to go in.
"Ding ding ding!" As Bai Yujing walked along, a sudden cheerful sound rang out in her mind. She paused and realized that the Exotic Creature Hunter System in her mind had issued an alarm; it turned out that the Radar had detected a target.
"No way!" Bai Yujing initially thought it would be a difficult and massive task; surely there would be no results without running around Edinburgh for a while. She didn’t expect to have a lead on her first day.
Bai Yujing headed toward the target indicated by Radar. After passing through two alleys and narrow streets, she discovered a lively little path that felt like Alice's mysterious tunnel in Wonderland—suddenly stepping from a quiet area into a mysterious place.
The path was bustling with people, lined with stalls selling various handicrafts. She could see an array of exotic items: traditional Scottish fabrics and clothing. Bai Yujing also spotted bagpipes used by street performers earlier. In addition to various mysterious books and notebooks, there were T-shirts printed with British patterns and leather shoulder bags. There were many strange items whose names she couldn’t recall and some old objects that looked aged but whether they were antiques remained unclear.
Bai Yujing stood in front of one stall where an elderly lady wearing a hat was selling items that appeared to be second-hand goods—not antiques but rather dolls, stuffed toys, music boxes, and old books that looked like they belonged in a thrift market.
Bai Yujing crouched down and asked the elderly lady, "Can I pick this up to take a look?"
"Of course! Don't be shy; feel free to look around. These are all very ordinary items used by locals—souvenirs you can take home," the elderly lady replied with a strong voice and cheerful demeanor that made her feel warm and welcoming.
The alarm sound came from the stall itself. Bai Yujing glanced around and picked up a notebook with cracked leather covers; as the alarm rang repeatedly, she confirmed that this must be what she needed.
Bai Yujing then looked again and chose an antique-looking music box shaped like a car. After winding it up, figures on top of the car moved along with it while playing beautiful music; Bai Yujing liked it very much.
"I want these two; how much do they cost?"
"Together they are 23 pounds!"
Bai Yujing paid and then stuffed both items into his backpack, but inadvertently discovered something else that piqued his interest: a keychain with a small backpack charm the size of a thumb. This little backpack was exquisitely made, instantly capturing Bai Yujing's attention.
"How much is this?" Bai Yujing asked as he picked up the keychain, not realizing that the alarm in his mind went off again; this was also an item related to the Leprechaun. The previous alarm was not just about the notebook but also connected to this.
"This is a gift for you!" The old lady grinned, seemingly very happy and generous. Bai Yujing expressed his gratitude and then took another look at the items on the stall, confirming that he hadn't missed anything before leaving.
The small street was not long but very lively. As Bai Yujing walked ahead, he noticed a performance troupe entertaining a crowd. People were gathered in circles, making it hard to see what was happening inside, but from the sounds and cheers around him, he could tell it was quite lively.
Bai Yujing felt restless and circled around until he found a good spot to squeeze in. To his surprise, it was a Chinese performance troupe doing the Lion Dance. This not only caught him off guard but also filled him with pride and warmth; Chinese culture had made its way abroad!
Bai Yujing pushed to the front, watching as the performers held up the lion head and tail, jumping and dancing continuously. He joined in with the crowd's cheers. After the Lion Dance concluded, there were other acrobatic performances, including fire breathing and fire hoops, which delighted everyone.
By the time Bai Yujing felt satisfied, it was already ten o'clock at night. Since arriving this morning and getting off the plane, he had spent the entire day exploring Edinburgh. He felt exhausted all over, especially in his legs; it must be said that walking in Edinburgh was truly challenging.
Bai Yujing then realized that this small street was located in the heart of the LC district, right next to Prince Street and Royal Mile. It wasn't far from the hotel where he was staying. After running around all day, he finally returned to his room and let out a sigh of relief.
His stomach growled a bit; he didn't even think about going downstairs for dinner. Instead, he turned on the TV, instantly bringing life to the room. Not bothering to watch, he just wanted to hear some noise while placing his notebook on the desk by the window and setting aside the keychain he had just bought to look at later.
He ordered dinner from the hotel for delivery to his room while taking a shower in the bathroom. After sweating quite a bit today, a hot shower washed away all his fatigue and soreness.
Dressed in a bathrobe, Bai Yujing opened the window to see outside. He could view Edinburgh Castle at night but obviously couldn't see the Military Tattoo performance happening in the square below. He immediately thought of Emma, wondering if she was somewhere experiencing the festive performances and joyful atmosphere.
"Ding dong!"
That must be dinner arriving. Bai Yujing opened the door to find a waiter pushing a food cart. The meal package he ordered only included free breakfast; dinner had to be paid for separately.
Bai Yujing ordered Scottish Haggis, Fried Herring, and whiskey—all local specialties from Scotland that he hadn't tried at lunch but wanted to sample now.
Sitting by the window, Bai Yujing ate his dinner while flipping open the notebook where he found clues about Leprechauns. Upon opening it, he discovered it was a diary that looked quite old; its dates seemed to be from last century—around the 1960s—which meant this diary had been around for at least fifty years.
The diary belonged to a boy named Will Hackman; his name was written on the cover, although it had become quite faded over time. Bai Yujing flipped through it, hoping to find clues that would lead him to what he sought.
"Hey, this meat roll is really good!" Bai Yujing said while taking a bite of the meat roll. His mouth was filled with tender beef, with no hint of toughness at all. There was a subtle spiciness to it, with flavors of chili, garlic, and a hint of herbs. Bai Yujing couldn't identify any other flavors, but he continued to take big bites, enjoying the hearty taste. This Scottish Haggis was just to his liking.
He took a sip of whiskey, which was different from the beer he usually drank; it had a unique aroma and was much stronger in alcohol content.
As Bai Yujing enjoyed the food, he flipped through his diary. A gentle breeze flowed through the open window, causing the curtains to sway continuously. As he turned the pages of the diary, he finally discovered the clues he had been looking for.
On August 26, 1965, I seemed to have found a little person at home, one no bigger than my thumb. He was stealing something; he was really tiny, but his speed was incredible. When I noticed him, he was hiding behind a bottle in the cupboard, thinking I hadn't seen him.
"He? From this perspective, it seems like I discovered a male Leprechaun," Bai Yujing immediately realized the significance of the term.
Looking further back, on September 12, I discovered their traces again. It seemed there was more than one little person. They were very cautious and only appeared at night. They were trying to open a jar of honey together. They were wearing clothes; my goodness, they were intelligent beings.
On September 23, I found out they seemed to live in the attic on the second floor. Should I tell my mom? I think I shouldn't; they haven't harmed us. If I tell my mom, she will definitely chase them away, and then they would lose their home. I can't do that.
On September 30, it seemed like they noticed me watching them. I heard them talking in a language I couldn't understand.
On October 9, it seemed I hadn't seen them again. Did they move away?
On October 12, there were still no signs of the Leprechauns. Are they afraid of me? Why? I just wanted to be friends with them.
On October 31, I went up to the attic on the second floor. I opened the wooden boards and discovered their home; unfortunately, there was nothing inside. It seems they really have moved away.
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