Netizen 2: [Runes are part of our intangible cultural heritage; should foreigners really partake?]
Netizen 3: [Is it cool? If not, I'm up next. I'm dying to snag a quick-fortune charm!]
Sensing the skepticism, DreamingHomeward quickly explained, "I'm Bruce Kim, and my great-grandfather went abroad last century."
Realizing he was straying from the point, I gently reminded him.
"Please, tell me what troubles you."
Bruce found his focus and shared his tale.
"Simply put, since my great-grandfather's time, my family has been frail, none living past 40. We've sought answers across the globe, but it's futile. Now, three months from my fortieth birthday, I weaken by the day."
After listening to his narratives, I sensed something odd about the situation. But what I didn't anticipate was the sudden influx of savvy individuals flooding the comment section.
Netizen 1: [Oh my god! You and your family are cursed? It sounds like a storyline plucked right from the pages of "Lantern of the Lost Spirits."]
Netizen 2: [The Under-40 Curse? In your case, you really ought to seek out the Quadragenarian Liberation Pearl!]
Netizen 3: [I know where the pearl is. Elysian Vale! Head there now!]
I, however, was puzzled.
Bruce clarified, "Everyone, I've read the book 'Lantern of the Lost Spirits,' but seriously, I'm not some heir to the hero! Can my situation be fixed?"
I took a moment to think before inquiring, "Do you have any family photos?"
"Family photos? Yes!" Bruce responded.
"Send me three, ensuring all four generations are included," I requested.
Bruce complied.
I opened the private message and examined each of the three photos in turn.
I asked, "Is the porcelain bell-shaped flowerpot from the first photo still in your possession?"
"You have keen eyes! It was my great-grandfather's favorite, passed down through generations, now in my care," Bruce replied.
"Was a white peony ever planted in this pot?" I probed.
After hearing my question, he responded with doubt, "Can you see this?"
After a brief shock, Bruce shared what he knew.
"That must've been a century ago. I saw it in some old photos belonging to my great-grandfather. My dad said that my great-grandfather adored flowers, but for the sake of portability, he had to part with the white peony in the pot and left it behind in the backyard of our old house."