The sun begins at zero degrees ecliptic longitude, and the time experienced for every 15 degrees it travels along the ecliptic is called "one solar term." It travels 360 degrees each year, experiencing a total of 24 solar terms, 2 per month.
Among them, the first solar term of each month is the "Jieqi" , namely:
Lichun (Start of Spring), Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects), Qingming (Pure Brightness), Lixia (Start of Summer), Mangzhong (Grain in Ear), Xiaoshu (Minor Heat), Liqiu (Start of Autumn), Bailu (White Dew), Hanlu (Cold Dew), Lidong (Start of Winter), Daxue (Major Snow), and Xiaohan (Minor Cold).
The second solar term of each month is the "Zhongqi" , namely:
Yushui (Rain Water), Chunfen (Spring Equinox), Guyu (Grain Rain), Xiaoman (Grain Full), Xiazhi (Summer Solstice), Dashu (Major Heat), Chushu (End of Heat), Qiufen (Autumn Equinox), Shuangjiang (Frost's Descent), Xiaoxue (Minor Snow), Dongzhi (Winter Solstice), and Dahan (Major Cold).
"Jieqi" and "Zhongqi" appear alternately, each lasting 15 days. Nowadays, people generally refer to both "Jieqi" and "Zhongqi" collectively as "Jieqi" (Solar Terms).
— Such rough knowledge about the solar terms swirled and murmured in Ma En's mind. He wasn't hearing specific voices; it was just that this content would pop up from time to time as he fell asleep, truly proving the common saying: what one thinks about by day, one dreams about by night. He slept very lightly the entire night, not feeling like he had woken up when he did, just feeling as if he hadn't slept at all. He could instantly recall which books he had read the previous night, and the numerous knowledge points within the books. But these things he had deeply memorized didn't make him feel much smarter than yesterday.
While washing up, Ma En was still thinking that yesterday's research yielded absolutely no results. Although he learned more theories and various folk tales about the 24 Solar Terms, this knowledge failed to activate the inspiration he most needed, nor could he find any clues about "Seven Revolutions Cave Profound Secret Record." It was as if the association generated from those twenty-four peculiar characters wasn't as correct as he felt. Was relying solely on intuition and imagination ultimately unsustainable? This was indeed both troubling and delightful. Troubled by the lack of progress, delighted by its unknown nature.
Ma En wrung out the towel and forcefully rubbed his face.
He returned to the wardrobe, took out a dark suit and a dark red tie, tidied his attire in front of the mirror, meticulously adjusting the cuffs, collar, and hem, smoothing out areas with slight wrinkles. The wardrobe was full of jackets and inner shirts of the same style; he had bought four sets in total, and ever since starting work, although he updated his clothes annually, he almost never changed the style.
His elementary school uniform was four sets of the same style, same for junior high, same for high school. University had no uniform, but he only wore casual clothes of the same style. After starting work, he merely switched to suits of the same style. This dressing style drew quite some criticism from almost all his friends, but for him, it was the most relaxing and ideal lifestyle.
He would carefully fold his quilt, just as the drill instructor required during military training. When cleaning, he wouldn't overlook any single crevice. He arranged items neatly, just as if long planned, leaving no sense of randomness. He considered himself not having OCD, but if something could achieve what he considered completeness, he would strive not to leave anything out.
Many times, his relatives and friends were unwilling to visit his home, the reason always being: they would feel pressured, because every visit, they dared not casually fiddle with things in the house, fearing they would break the rules. Ma En actually didn't mind; whether it got dirty, messy, or broken, he never thought of blaming anyone. He himself would tidy up afterwards; he knew how to handle it and believed he could handle it well. Even so, many people would feel an insurmountable mental barrier. He considered himself not a serious person; even if others joked, he could listen attentively and respond with a smile, but others always thought he was a serious person.
Even in terms of details in many behaviors and attitudes, even his parents didn't know who influenced him. There was no similar person in their family; he always seemed a bit special among all the relatives.
For so many years past, Ma En lived like this. Now was the first day after arriving in Japan, and he remained the same.
Yesterday he moved into the new residence, tidied up for an entire evening, then researched late into the night. Waking up and looking around the new residence, it still felt very unfamiliar; he somewhat missed the days in his motherland. The change in lifestyle was not just changes in details, but also a change in living atmosphere; he could no longer smell those familiar scents.
News about the new job probably wouldn't arrive today, but Ma En still set a schedule for today according to habit. Firstly, he needed to familiarize himself with the surroundings of the residence.
If possible, he wanted to get to know the new neighbors. He had already read the materials Ueshima Kousuke brought him about the deaths in this unit, but he should still be able to hear more localized news from nearby residents. There were many things to confirm, all requiring familiarity with local life before they could be gradually understood. Firstly, he needed to buy breakfast outside.
It is said that Japanese noodles have unique characteristics. Ma En planned to try them, see how they differed from the noodles of his motherland.
The rough plan was already recorded in his mind last night. He took the large black umbrella from the entrance hall and went out the door.
This day was not a rest day. When Ma En went out, it was already 9 AM. Looking left and right in the corridor, it was very deserted, looking like no one would come out; perhaps the homes were already empty. Ma En heard that many married women in Japan were full-time housewives, specializing in managing household affairs, but he didn't know the specific situation too well. However, in his motherland, if the married man was an ordinary worker, one person's salary was very difficult to support a family; the wife also had to work.
He entered the elevator. Before the elevator doors closed, he saw a neighbor's door open hastily. A woman, looking like an office worker, wearing a brown-red skirt suit uniform, hopped out with small steps, seemingly in a great hurry. She glanced at the elevator at once, shouting loudly: "Wait! Don't close the door!"
Ma En unhurriedly held the door-open button. He saw this female office worker had already closed her door and was jogging towards here. She rushed into the elevator, continuously thanking Ma En. Ma En released his hand, the elevator doors slowly closed, and only then did he nod to the female office worker with a warm smile. The other party looked like she was just in her early twenties, very young. Of course, strictly speaking, Ma En himself also counted as being in his early twenties.
"Good morning. You live here?" she asked this, appearing less hurried at this moment.
"Yes, my name is Ma En, just moved in today," Ma En said. "Unit number four on the same floor."
"Ah, nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Hirota Masami." She quickly said, paused, seemingly noticing the accent issue, then asked again: "Excuse me, where is Ma-san from?"
"I'm from the mainland, just arrived in Japan yesterday," Ma En replied in a calm tone.
"I see. Your Japanese is very standard..." Hirota Masami said this, then hesitated slightly: "Actually, sometimes we don't speak so standardly." Her tone was very tactful, but Ma En immediately understood her underlying meaning; probably like back in the motherland, if one used formal written language in everyday chat, although not incorrect, it would also feel strange.
"Haha, it's my first time in Japan, and I usually don't have much environment for conversation," Ma En smiled frankly. "However, I found a job in Japan and will be living here for a long time, so naturally I will adapt."
"I see," Hirota Masami said with an enlightened tone, her intonation feeling a bit exaggerated to Ma En, but perhaps Japanese people just spoke like that. "What kind of work does Ma-san plan to do?"
"It should be administrative work in a new school," Ma En didn't hide it. "Need to see the specific situation, but it's nine out of ten like this."
"Are you going for an interview?"
"No, it was arranged through a friend's connection, so it should be fine," Ma En confessed.
"I see," Hirota Masami said this again, but her expression turned envious. She wanted to ask something else, seeming very curious about Ma En, but the elevator had already arrived. She immediately realized she still had things to do, and as the elevator doors opened, she walked out first, saying to Ma En while walking: "Sorry, Ma-san, I still have work. Let's chat properly next time we meet."
"Okay, take care," Ma En nodded, also exiting the elevator.
Hirota Masami wore high heels but walked very fast, disappearing from Ma En's sight in the blink of an eye. By the time Ma En exited the apartment's security main gate, the other party was already gone. Traffic flowed endlessly on the road; the deserted impression of the apartment interior was instantly washed away by the city's prosperity. Ma En walked straight along the road, passing several residential buildings. Many shops also opened on this road. After walking for less than ten minutes, he could see more and more tall buildings and large billboards; the atmosphere of a commercial street immediately rushed towards him.
The weather was very good, sunlight warm, sky blue and open. Ma En, holding a large black umbrella in such weather, inevitably attracted glances from passersby, but he didn't mind at all. Even if not in Japan, back in the motherland, people would look at him like this too.
The reason Ma En always carried this large black umbrella was not to deliberately project a maverick image, but because he was already used to doing so. This habit formed in junior high; at that time, he had already been pursuing peculiar things for quite a while, encountered some dangerous situations, and being still young, he used this large black umbrella to drive away the danger. In the following days, the large black umbrella underwent multiple modifications, already becoming a multi-functional self-defense weapon.
Just as written in novels: A swordsman should never be separated from his sword. For Ma En, the large black umbrella never leaving his side was the norm.
Walking along, Ma En saw a total of ten ramen shops. Some looked like fast-food restaurants, others were private small shops. Some storefronts were exquisitely done, pleasing to the eye; others had ordinary storefronts, but were similarly crowded, with sounds occasionally coming from inside. Ma En walked through a total of three streets, randomly walking into a ramen shop called "Ichiraku."
There were customers in the shop, but still one-third of the seats were empty. Perhaps due to lack of space, no separate dining tables were set up; all customers sat eating noodles at one long counter. The cooking master was a middle-aged man; the kitchen helper was a girl who looked even younger than Hirota Masami, appearing only sixteen or seventeen by face. If she was truly this age, shouldn't she still be in school? Ma En wasn't sure.
Both were busy, sweating profusely. The man wiped his face with the towel around his neck, greeted Ma En loudly: "Welcome."
"One bowl of ramen... does the shop have a recommendation?" Ma En asked. The customers at the same table all looked over uniformly; Ma En felt it was again because his spoken language was incorrect.
"One portion of pork bone ramen!" The ramen master didn't seem to mind much, shouting cheerfully, and started making the noodles. The young female kitchen helper beside him was busy washing bowls, occasionally glancing at Ma En.
"Where is the customer from?" the ramen master asked.
"From the mainland, just arrived yesterday," Ma En said. "It's my first time in Japan; I heard the ramen here is very distinctive."
The customers who hadn't left yet all seemed to be attentively listening to the two converse.
"There are only two countries in this world that can make the most delicious noodles: Japan and the mainland. Customer, your coming here to eat my ramen will absolutely not be a wasted trip," the ramen master said this, already starting to fill the bowl.
"Little brother, are you here for tourism?" a middle-aged customer beside him asked.
"No, I'm here for work, going to settle for a long time," Ma En said.
"Coming from the mainland to work in Japan? Over here, are you going to be a teacher?" the middle-aged man asked this.
Ma En received the large bowl of ramen from over the counter, while replying: "A friend helped make contact. I'll be doing administrative management work in a new technology school, might possibly be a teacher too, the specific position isn't clear."
"New technology school? Hey, have you guys heard of any newly opened technology schools?" the person pressed further.
"The most heavily promoted recently is Mr. Katsura Masakazu's computer technology school, right? Heard it hasn't even started classes yet, but enrollment is already full," an informed person nearby said.
"Yes, Mr. Katsura Masakazu's computer school," Ma En said. "But whether it'll happen or not is still uncertain; I haven't interviewed yet."
"If it's a computer technology school, then having good computer skills should be fine, right?" someone else said. "How are your computer skills? Heard computer hackers and such are very rampant recently, did a big case in America."
Other customers also started chatting animatedly, but to Ma En's ears, it was all just hearsay about computer technology. These customers didn't actually know much about computers; they seemed to rarely use them. Perhaps it was due to their age. However, it was the first time Ma En knew that customers in a ramen shop were so friendly and familiar with each other. Perhaps the atmosphere of this shop was just like this, an exception, he thought. However, he didn't dislike such an atmosphere. In this unfamiliar country, being treated so warmly by strangers made him feel much closer to this country all at once.
"It's alright," Ma En said. "I also did computer technology related work back in the mainland. Government departments are now advocating using computers for office work too, but computer office work is still a novelty; many people aren't even familiar with typing."
"Sounds very fashionable. How expensive is one computer?" someone asked.
"Around ten thousand yuan back in the mainland; I'm not too clear about over here," Ma En replied this, while slurping noodles, making 'hua hua' sounds. He still wasn't quite used to the taste of Japanese ramen, always feeling it was a bit bland, though the flavor of the ingredients was very rich. He was more accustomed to using heavier seasonings to suppress the taste of the ingredients. Even so, Ma En still gave the ramen master a bright smile, "Very delicious."
"Glad the customer likes it," a proud smile also appeared on the ramen master's face.
At this time, the customers nearby had already started chatting about novel things like "internet cafes." Ma En heard them say there were comics, coffee, and computers there. It sounded like a different type of thing from the "internet cafes" back in the motherland, making him unable to help but recall the suggestion Ueshima Kousuke made to him yesterday: learn about Japan's anime industry.
"I recently wanted to learn about anime. Heard the anime industry over here is very prosperous?" Ma En said.
"Manga? I've read some too," the ramen master smiled, tilting his chin towards the female kitchen helper. "However, Asuka knows more about this stuff; she's currently preparing to submit to a magazine, maybe she'll suddenly become a manga artist."
The female kitchen helper seemed flustered by these words, the bowls and dishes in her hands immediately dropping into the sink. Blushing, she said loudly: "That's not true."
"What are you flustered about, already such a big person. Being a manga artist is quite good too; heard manga artists can earn 100 million a year," the ramen master scolded laughingly.
"You don't even know how hard it is to become a manga artist," the kitchen helper girl, Asuka, muttered.
"When Asuka's manga gets published in a magazine, you must notify us old customers!" Everyone burst into laughter together. Unknown whether out of shyness or anger, Asuka lowered her head, scrubbing the bowls forcefully, as if wanting to crush them.
"You guys just wait, I'll go submit later!" Although she said this, her voice was as small as a mosquito's buzz.
"Excuse me, what genre is your manga?" Although Ma En didn't know much about anime/manga, he knew it shared some attributes with literature, film, and television; much knowledge was common.
Asuka raised her head, glanced at Ma En, and said in a low voice: "Ghost stories (Kaidan)."
"Urban legends (Toshi Kaidan)?" Ma En became somewhat interested. Urban legends had always been classic content in Japanese folklore; although mostly fabricated, some people felt that peculiar things had truly appeared within their truths.
"Mm," Asuka seemed unwilling to say more, but glanced at Ma En again, then continued: "It's just a new adaptation of an old story. There's a high-end apartment nearby with very potent rumors; I adapted it based on those rumors."
Ma En sharply caught the keywords.
"Apartment nearby?" He stated the name of the apartment where he currently resided: "Kojima Apartments? Unit number four on the thirteenth floor?"
"You know?" Asuka revealed a surprised expression, because Ma En had just said earlier that he only arrived in Japan yesterday. And the conversation between the two also clearly attracted others; everyone looked over towards them.
"Mm, I live there now. It's very cheap. Heard from a friend about the reason for the cheapness," Ma En said. "Reportedly, eight people died in twenty years."
"It's nine. I heard someone died soon after moving out too," a customer immediately interjected.
"How come I heard it was ten," someone else said this, sounding like the number of deaths kept rising.
"I heard a total of thirteen people have to die... young man, you'd best be careful, don't be greedy for this bit of cheapness. The previous tenants already moved out, right? Must be because of this rumor," a well-meaning customer advised.
Asuka's eyes, however, were shining brightly, seemingly becoming interested: "It's all just rumors, not that scary. Weren't the causes of death all accidents and illnesses?"
"The problem is the date and location of death are the same, all in unit number four," the ramen master forcefully interrupted Asuka. "Don't you go running over there." Saying this, he also smiled apologetically at Ma En; he knew saying this in front of a customer wasn't good.
"No problem, I don't really believe these things," Ma En smiled. "Right now, cheapness is quite important to me."
"Ai, it's the same everywhere, life isn't easy," the ramen master sighed knowingly.
Asuka didn't speak, but her dismissive expression was seen by Ma En. He felt that perhaps one day, this girl would come running over.
"You draw ghost stories; do you have books on this topic? I also want to learn more about the matter of unit four," Ma En said this to her.
"Oh..." Asuka glanced at the ramen master, cautiously replying: "If you come to the shop a few more times, I can bring some materials over."
"Then I'll trouble you," Ma En said with a smile.