There were two self-service ticket machines placed at the entrance of the theater, with several security guards standing nearby.

I bought a ticket for exactly 12 o'clock noon.

The front of the ticket was printed with a row of "Watching Guidelines," and the back was pasted with a dark yellow talisman with strange patterns drawn on it.

I looked around and saw that the lobby was very small, with the restroom directly facing the entrance.

The sign on the left passage read: "Entrance for watching the show, please enter the venue."

The sign on the right passage read: "Shadow Puppet backstage, audience members please refrain."

I glanced at the time and realized there was still half an hour before the show started. Taking advantage of the few people around, I quickly searched for clues.

I first turned into the restroom.

There was a sign posted on the upper right corner of the door, filled with densely packed small characters.

I leaned closer to take a look and barely made out the words.

Restroom usage rules-

Congratulations, you have found a very important sign.

Please be sure to follow the instructions, or else, you will bear the consequences.

[1. This theater is very old, and the signal for communication devices is extremely poor. If your phone receives a call, do not answer it, absolutely do not answer it.]

[2. Since the restroom is cleaned only once a week, the hygiene is extremely poor. You will see live maggots, dried bloodstains, and rotten garbage. These are normal occurrences.]

[3. If you encounter a puppeteer wearing ancient theatrical costumes, tear off the talisman on the back of the ticket and stick it on its forehead.]

[4. Do not trust the words of the security guards. They are not here to protect you.]

[5. This restroom is unisex. When entering a cubicle, please lock the wooden door and pay attention to your own safety.]

[6. Always remember, you should live actively, optimistically, and positively.]

I read them carefully once, then took out my ticket and compared it with the "Watching Guidelines," and found several contradictory rules.

Which one is true? Which one is false?

I had to test them out myself.

I pushed open the restroom door, but there was no foul smell as I had imagined. The scent that entered my nostrils was like the smell of paint used for drawing shadow puppets.

Gathering my courage, I looked at the toilet.

It was clean, without wriggling maggots or the filthy blood I had expected. It didn't match the rules on the sign.

While I was still puzzled, my phone rang.

Ding ding ding-

The crisp ringtone was particularly eerie in the dead silence of the restroom.

I looked at the screen and was instantly stunned.

The caller was actually my ex-girlfriend.

She was my first love, Xiao Ting, and also my university classmate.

She graduated last month and wanted to return to her hometown for a blind date with a wealthy second-generation, so she proposed a breakup.

I pleaded with her countless times, promising to put her name on my salary card, house, and car, and even offering a dowry of a hundred thousand. But she remained unmoved.

The words Xiao Ting said before leaving still deeply resonated with me.

"Qiangzi, my husband's villa is something your family can't afford for three generations. Not to mention my in-laws who also have luxury cars, savings, and stocks. Can your earning speed keep up with the housing prices?"

I looked at her indifferent appearance and realized for the first time that the gap between people was immense.

Now, one month after the breakup, I had never forgotten about her.

Did Xiao Ting call me on her own initiative? Was she regretting it? Did she want to reconcile with me?

I hesitated as I held the phone in my hand.

I remembered clearly that the rules on the restroom door clearly stated, "Mobile phones cannot be used properly."

I came to the Shadow Puppet Theater to find out the truth about my parents' "mental disorder."

I would deal with Xiao Ting's matter later.

I sighed and pressed the hang-up button.

Buzz buzz-

The phone vibrated again.

I opened it and sawa message from Xiao Ting:

"Qiangzi, I'm sorry for calling you out of the blue. I know we haven't spoken since the breakup, but I really need your help. I'm in trouble, and I don't know who else to turn to."

My heart wavered. Despite the strange circumstances, Xiao Ting's plea for help tugged at my heartstrings.

I quickly texted back, "What happened? Are you okay?"

The response came almost immediately:

"I'm trapped in the theater. It's a long story, but I need you to come and find me. Please, Qiangzi, I don't know who else to trust."

My mind was in chaos. My initial purpose for coming to the theater was to uncover the truth about my parents, but now my ex-girlfriend, who had rejected me just a month ago, was calling for help.

Suddenly, I remembered the rules on the restroom sign, which stated, "If you encounter a puppeteer wearing ancient theatrical costumes, tear off the talisman on the back of the ticket and stick it on its forehead."

Could Xiao Ting's predicament be related to these rules? Was there a connection between her being trapped and the strange talisman on the back of my theater ticket?

I had to make a decision. Should I prioritize my search for the truth about my parents, or should I go and rescue Xiao Ting?

My mind raced as I weighed the options, trying to determine the best course of action.