"Why isn't there anything suitable?! This is discrimination! Discrimination, bare! naked! Discrimination!"
The commotion interrupted Zheng Qing's thoughts.
He turned his head and saw the fat man who had just squeezed into the shop waving his short, thick arms, shouting hoarsely: "I want to complain! I want to complain to the Four Seasons Square Management Committee! I want to accuse the Public Security Bureau!"
"But even the largest Yun Mu in the store can't take your measurements completely," the old woman said helplessly, spitting out a string of huge block characters: "I'm really sorry, customer."
Zheng Qing looked at the fat man in front of him, who had three chins, a bald head like an ostrich egg, and a body like a small mountain, and couldn't help but chuckle.
Two sword-like gazes shot over viciously: "What are you laughing at?!"
Zheng Qing's face turned red, feeling a bit flustered.
"They just said you're a Publicly Funded Student?" The fat man puffed out his big belly and moved with heavy steps in front of Zheng Qing, looking down at him.
At least two meters tall, Zheng Qing estimated in his mind. Clouds in the shop floated over in twos and threes.
"A Publicly Funded Student from First University?" The fat man pressed on.
Zheng Qing nodded, taking a small sip of qing feng'er.
This drink was very fitting for its name. Its color was a jade-like green, it was cool on the tongue with a bee-sting-like burning sensation, but when it slid into the stomach, it felt warm and very comfortable.
It tasted like a very light wine.
"Just because he's a Publicly Funded Student, he can look down on people! He can mock others?!" The fat man's cries of injustice echoed to the heavens.
Zheng Qing cautiously took a step back; he felt his ears were about to be deafened.
"Does a Publicly Funded Student have the privilege to eat in the store?" The fat man tried hard to widen his small eyes, glaring at Zheng Qing.
Zheng Qing had a mouthful of qing feng'er, and hearing this, he suddenly didn't know whether to swallow or spit it out.
The bee-sting's burning sensation fermented in his mouth, making his eyes slightly red.
"Draw out your spell book and let a Spell wash away my humiliation!" The fat man took a stance, chanting like he was singing, and pulled out a thick, bulging, yellowish soft-cover book from his greasy satchel, shaking it in his hand with a rustling sound. Strange low murmurs and flickering light faintly emanated from the pages, revealing a hint of danger.
"What is a spell book?!" Zheng Qing hastily swallowed the mouthful of qing feng'er and shouted: "What does a spell book do?!"
The fat man's three chins trembled for a long time, and the small eyes on his fat face almost squeezed into a slit, making a "ho ho" sound in his throat, but he didn't say a word for a long time.
Zheng Qing held the qing feng'er, looking bewildered.
The soft-cover book was eventually stuffed back into the satchel.
Zheng Qing let out a sigh of relief in his heart and drank the remaining half cup of qing feng'er in one gulp.
The intense stimulation made him blink hard.
"I'll come back later, and I hope there will be suitable cloud clothes by then, otherwise, I will definitely complain to the University and to Four Seasons Square!" The fat man turned around and expressed his dissatisfaction to Yun Mu beside him.
Several dark clouds politely invited him out.
"These young fellows are becoming more and more impolite now," a pure white cloud floated in front of Zheng Qing, forming Yun Mu's worried face, blowing out a ring of air, and spitting out a string of words: "Unacceptable! More and more unacceptable! Their upbringing is unacceptable, and their figure is even more unacceptable… Young man, this is your school robe."
A large tote bag was handed to Zheng Qing. Zheng Qing opened it and counted: inside were his two academy robes, one cloak, and seven pairs of deerskin gloves.
"Thank you for the drink, you've been a great help." He returned the cup, took the clothes bag, and gave Yun Mu a bright smile.
"Welcome back next time." Yun Mu smiled and saw him out of the shop.
On the street, Thomas was holding two cups of greenish-blue drinks and waving to him.
"I just drank this in the store." Zheng Qing took the cup, took another sip of the pale green liquid, savoring the stimulating taste of 'qing feng'er', and couldn't help but ask: "How do I feel that 'Yunxiangyi' has some extra benefits for Publicly Funded Students?"
"It's not a feeling, it's a fact." Thomas flipped through the clothes bag Zheng Qing brought out, also took a sip of qing feng'er, smacked his lips, and said: "Being a Publicly Funded Student means your potential is very great, so great that the University is willing to train you for free. The merchants of Four Seasons Square also like to add icing to the cake, giving you some beneficial yet inexpensive privileges... This is your toolbox."
With that, he handed Zheng Qing a yellow wooden box, two feet long and one foot high.
"Thank you." Zheng Qing nodded, took the box, and continued to ask: "I've been meaning to ask, why are those school robes made of such strange materials?"
"School robes woven from cold silkworm silk can help you maintain a clear mind during normal times, and a clear mind is most important when doing experiments. As for gloves, they are mainly to isolate some toxic and harmful substances in experiments. Your deerskin gloves are sufficient for University use. Of course, Dragon skin ones are better, and can also insulate heat, they can be used in some Advanced level experiments, but they are more expensive. If you encounter such an experiment, you can apply for the University's public gloves."
"What is an evil Dragon?" Zheng Qing opened the box, buried his head in it, and asked casually.
"It's the Western Dragon, the Dragon race, the kind that looks like a lizard but has wings... distinct from the Eastern flood Dragon, you should know these."
"Why are there also things like electronic scales? I mean, do we still have to learn how to repair machinery?" Zheng Qing, who was squatting, looked up, holding something that looked like a screwdriver, and looked at Thomas in confusion.
"Technology is also a kind of ability. Many Cultivators are great scientists," Thomas answered concisely.
"Then I won't have to worry about not finding a job when I graduate." Zheng Qing finally felt a little more at ease, put away the box, and said with some excitement: "I always thought it was difficult for Cultivators to find suitable jobs."
"What is a Cultivator?" Thomas asked in return.
This was indeed a big question.
"You said before that Cultivators, priests, super-powered individuals, even Vampires, and werewolves, are all considered Cultivators." Zheng Qing frowned, thought carefully, and slowly replied: "Just like astronomers, geographers, chemists, and mathematicians are all considered scientists."
"If a scientist is someone who discovers problems and then uses logic and knowledge to solve them. Then a Cultivator should be someone who discovers problems and then uses extraordinary abilities to solve them."
"A bit narrow in scope, but the analogy is quite apt." Thomas nodded approvingly: "As you said, since a Cultivator can solve problems, will you still worry about not finding a suitable job?"
Zheng Qing was speechless.
The shops in Four Seasons Square were all set up around huge stone pillars. The shops under each pillar operated similar businesses.
Next to Yunxiangyi were two other clothing stores.
One was called Green Xi Spinning, and the other was called Fudi Chui.
Under another stone pillar not far from this one was a stationery store, with four large characters written on the plaque at the entrance—"Pen and Ink Chill."
To the left and right of the stationery store were bookstores.
The one on the left was called Sanwei Bookstore.
The one on the right was San You Bookstore.