“Most of our family members studied at First University, but they usually went to Alpha Academy. This year, my Li Meng's Older Cousin and I unexpectedly got into Nine Provinces College, which scared the wits out of the old fuddy-duddies in our family.” Li Meng excitedly counted on her fingers: “My acceptance letter was delivered by my Li Meng's Older Cousin. She’s also a new student at Nine Provinces College this year, so the University gave both our letters to her to pass on to me.”
Let her take care of you at the University, Zheng Qing silently grumbled in his heart.
“My sister ranked third among the new students this year. Later, I’ll have her look out for you guys. With me around, you’re all set!” The little loli patted her chest, brimming with heroic spirit.
Xiao Xiao looked up at Zheng Qing.
“I woke up this morning and found the acceptance letter on my bedside table. To be honest, this suddenly appearing strange thing scared me quite a bit; I almost replaced all the talismans in my house.” Zheng Qing couldn't help but laugh as he recalled the morning he received his acceptance letter.
“What about you? Watermelon Head.” Li Meng looked at Xiao Xiao impolitely.
“Me?” Xiao Xiao glanced at her, then put away the brush in his hand: “I was specially recruited, so I didn’t receive an acceptance letter.”
Zheng Qing didn't immediately ask Xiao Xiao what special recruitment meant.
He was cautiously covering his hair, looking nervously at a Little Elves floating in front of him.
This Little Elves was wearing a crisp uniform identical to a flight attendant’s, emitting a light green glow. The fine antennae on its head trembled slightly, and it stared with a pair of pitch-black eyes, chirping incessantly.
“What do they want to do?!” he cried out, a bit nervous.
“Just offering some drinks, why are you so nervous?” Li Meng poked her own cheek with her index finger and stuck out her tongue: “Shame on you! You’re already a University student, yet you’re still afraid of Little Elves!”
Zheng Qing’s face immediately flushed red. He noticed that the Little Elves was dragging a huge glass bottle under its thin arm, and the orange-yellow drink inside was bubbling.
“I wasn’t scared. It’s just that I’ve been attacked by these little things before, so I feel the need to be careful.” He lowered his hand from his hair and emphasized: “Haven’t you two ever been attacked by these little things?”
His magical experience at Shangyuan Bookshop’s Alchemy Workshop was unforgettable. Whether it was the old book artisan’s crude Blood Alchemy magic or the strange way those Little Elves pulled his hair, it was all still fresh in his memory.
“In the magical creature kingdom, Alchemy creature phylum, Elves class, winged order, Little Elves family, plant genus, green Little Elves species.” Xiao Xiao stared at the Little Elves floating in mid-air and quickly said: “This is an extremely gentle magical creature, with almost no active attacking behavior towards humans. In the Wizard Alliance’s ‘Illustrated Guide to Magical Creatures,’ it is listed as a completely harmless creature, with a danger level even lower than that of a slug.”
Zheng Qing blinked. He basically only understood the last sentence: this kind of Little Elves is a harmless creature.
“Holy cow, a scholar!” Li Meng looked at Xiao Xiao in shock, letting out an expletive unsuitable for her identity and age: “Just now you said you were specially recruited, is that what you meant? Are you Nine Provinces College’s top new student this year? What was your score on the Global Wizards Higher Education Unified Exam? How old are you this year?”
The little girl squirmed in her seat, trying hard to attract Xiao Xiao’s attention. The pigeon, Xiaobai, flapped its wings, cooing along with her. Poseidon, napping in Zheng Qing’s arms, was awakened by the noise and let out dissatisfied squeaks. The Little Elves floating in mid-air looked terrified, the drink bottle it was dragging swayed back and forth as if it would fall to the ground at any moment, making Zheng Qing’s heart pound.
Xiao Xiao didn't speak, he merely adjusted his black-framed glasses and glanced at Zheng Qing.
Zheng Qing hadn't recovered from the shock of ‘harmless creature.’ His mind was entirely occupied with wondering how he had offended these little guys.
Seeing Xiao Xiao’s gaze, he immediately cried out: “I really didn’t provoke them, they attacked me first!”
“Magical creatures do have some natural instability, but any outbreak of instability has its cause.” Xiao Xiao took a transparent glass from the nearby dining cart and placed it on the small table.
The Little Elves, pulling the huge drink bottle, chirped and filled his cup with the orange-yellow drink.
“Don’t you want some?” He raised his cup to Zheng Qing and Li Meng: “Sugar-free orange juice, it’s good for your health.”
“I want qing feng’er!” Li Meng raised her hand enthusiastically, calling out.
“Minors cannot drink alcoholic beverages.” Xiao Xiao shook his head and handed her a glass of orange juice.
Li Meng mumbled, pouting, and took it.
“Clear water is fine for me.” Zheng Qing sighed, looking at Xiao Xiao.
“Are you twelve this year?” Xiao Xiao raised his eyebrows.
Zheng Qing dejectedly went to find a cup for himself.
After the Little Elves delivering drinks left, the conversation in the compartment unknowingly returned to the acceptance letter.
Every time Zheng Qing thought of his acceptance letter, he felt an urge to complain: “Don’t you think this method of delivering acceptance letters is a bit, well, a bit impolite?”
“Impolite?” Xiao Xiao put down the drink in his hand and curiously opened his black-covered notebook.
“It’s just not very considerate of people’s privacy. The University could totally just put this thing in a mailbox and mail it to us.” Zheng Qing complained: “Or make a phone call to notify us. At least it wouldn’t scare someone into having a heart attack.”
“For Wizards, only the soul is recognized as private.” Xiao Xiao was very dismissive, writing rapidly in his notebook: “As for the University’s method of delivering acceptance letters, I do know a bit about it. This delivery method and the University’s student selection method both belong to certain ancient formations of First University and are not controlled by the Wizards of the University. So, it’s natural for them to be a bit abrupt and presumptuous.”
Zheng Qing recalled what Thomas had said and somewhat understood Xiao Xiao’s meaning.
“But I still think such a habit is not good.” Zheng Qing still insisted on his view.
“The power of habit is necessary and deeply ingrained in any place, any force. Or rather, habit creates tradition, and tradition maintains society. First University is no exception; it is also a society constructed by various habits and traditions.” Xiao Xiao led the conversation to a deeper level.
“Hmm, that makes sense.” Zheng Qing felt that their conversation was getting a bit abstruse: “It’s just that while treating tradition as tradition is understandable, necessary development and improvement during the process of inheritance are also essential. So, I still think there’s room for improvement in the University’s method of delivering acceptance letters.”
“Tradition is not immutable.” Xiao Xiao’s face showed a hint of seriousness: “But no matter what, the current traditions are still continuing, and we can only accept them.”
Lan Que tilted his head and silently stared at his little ferret.
Shi Yuan quietly counted his prayer beads.
Li Meng blinked, looking blankly at the two people in conversation.
A sense of solemnity naturally rose in Zheng Qing’s heart.