Trap in a Book

Chapter 1

"Xiaomei?" holler someone. A hard-working young lady with glasses in a high bun looks up from her desk. "Yes," she answered back.
"Have you finished today's assignments?" Her manager questioned.
"Umm, yes!" She said and hurriedly gave a stack of paperwork to her manager.
"Good. Can you also edit these too?" Her manager hands her a pile of paper. She gracefully accepted it, as she couldn't possibly deny it, while she awkwardly smiled before going back to her desk. Before she started, her co-worker rolled over to her.
"Another load?" Her co-worker said and leaned on his chair.
"Yup...," Xiaomei said, exhausted, "why does he always ask me?" She complained and started typing.
"Come on, you never refuse him when he asks you, and he knows you will always do it," her co-worker teases. Xiaomei let out a sigh before placing her head on her desk as if she had given up.
"Here, give me some so you can get off on time, and maybe we can go get dinner together," her co-worker said while splitting the pile.
"Thank you. You are a life-saver. It will be my treat today," Xiaomei said, proudly.
"You said it," her co-worker said and rolled back to his desk.

Soon after they headed to dinner, and Xiaomei paid. They were walking to their cars.
"Have you read this new historical action novel that has a bit of romance, because there's this nice bookstore that I know that is close by and can help you entertain yourself, especially when you like to read before going to bed," Xiaomei's coworker said.
"Oh really? What's it called, so I can read it online," Xiaomei asks, pulling out her phone from her back pocket and unlocking it.
"I'm not sure if they have it online yet... but it's called unforgettable war," her coworker said. Xiaomei looked it up and didn't find it on the website she goes to, "Aww... it's not online."
"Don't worry, the bookstore that I was talking about is just around the corner," the coworker said. Xiaomei thought for a bit and was deciding if she should get it or not. "Trust me, it's a good book. I know you would like it," Xiaomei's coworker added. "It will be on me," he persuaded. Xiaomei could only agree and followed her coworker to the quiet and small but nice bookstore.
Her coworker was buying the book he had told Xiaomei while Xiaomei was exploring the little shop until a tall man was passing by and brushed against her causing her to bump into the table and drop a book off the table. The man didn't mind and continued as Xiaomei glanced back at the man who didn't seem to notice. She bent down to pick up the book and realized this was her all-time favorite book back in the day and couldn't seem to find it anywhere now. Instead of putting it away, she headed to the register.
"Hello, did you find everything okay?" The cashier asked."Yes," Xiaomei replied and handed the book to the cashier. "Okay, it will be $5.39," said the cashier. Xiaomei pulled out her card and paid for the book. She was leaving the shop, and her coworker handed her the book he bought for her. " Thank you, Jianyu," Xiaomei said to her coworker as she headed to her car.

Xiaomei enters her apartment and into her bedroom, and she drops her books on her lampstand before taking off her purse and coat. "What a long day...," she muttered to herself and entered the bathroom.
Once she got out, she was in her pajamas and was ready for bed. She scooted into bed and got herself comfortable, and she reached for the books before deciding which one to read. She was tired today and thought she would just read a bit, so she opened her all-time favorite book to find her favorite parts while she was flipping through the pages. "Ouch," she said as she paper cut herself. Soon blood was showing and slowly rolling down her pointer finger to her wrist. Before Xiaomei grabbed a napkin, a drip of her blood fell onto the pages. She wrapped her finger and set aside the open book, and headed to the bathroom. As she was in the bathroom, finding a bandaid and cleaning the cut, her blood was drying up in the book. Xiaomei was applying a bandaid before her sight went black.

"My lady? My lady!" A voice holler over her. " I told you not to take that potion," a concerned voice continued. Xiaomei slowly opened her eyes to see a pure and timid young lady in traditional Chinese clothes. Xiaomei looked around to find herself in a small shabby room, as it was completely dirty and dusty. The walls were stained yellow and smelled rusty and moldy wood.
"Where.... am I?" Xiaomei's voice was hurting and strained. Her throat was burning. She saw her hand, holding a black bottle as her body was in tremendous pain.