Chapter 30

Chapter 30: So Cangcheng Is Gone

Only, little Jingliu's satisfaction didn't last long at all. She hadn't even made it to the kitchen doorway — hadn't even had time to let that little bubble of he-really-was-home-all-afternoon form into a smile at the corner of her lips — before the courtyard gate was rapped with a polite knock-knock-knock.

Polite. That word, like a fine needle, pricked the tiny bubble Jingliu's heart had just begun to inflate, reminding her of a certain bad woman.

Her small face tightened. Expression indignant, she stomped to the door and yanked it open.

"You...!"

The aggressive opening died in her throat the instant she saw who was standing outside.

"Good evening, Teacher."

Jingliu's pretty crimson eyes widened slightly, then quickly dropped. Her small hands fidgeted, not knowing where to go, as she shuffled to the side, her voice shrinking to a mosquito's whisper.

This is bad!

Two consecutive days of skipping class. She was done for!

"Jingliu, is there something on your mind that's keeping you from school?"

The teacher was aware of her student's family background and skipped the pleasantries, instead casting a glance past little Jingliu at the warmly lit rooms beyond — assessing the girl's behavioral tendencies.

Probably a child with an active imagination.

"I... I..."

Jingliu stammered, fingers twisting at her clothes. Was dating the kind of thing you could tell a teacher?

She hadn't passed the coming-of-age certification... Actually, forget the certification — she was only eighteen. In a nation where everything moved at a glacial pace, that was embarrassingly young.

Wangshu's voice arrived right on time: "I'm sorry, Teacher. We've had some things going on at home these past two afternoons. I was so busy I forgot to notify you."

He naturally took his place beside little Jingliu, subtly shielding her behind him. Little Jingliu dropped her guard instantly, shrinking behind Wangshu with only half her face and one eye peeking out at the teacher.

The home visit was a little sudden, yet... entirely expected.

"And you are?"

Wangshu glanced at Jingliu. Her head was down — the innate authority teachers wielded over students was simply too strong.

"Her brother."

He'd been about to say boyfriend, but the Xianzhou was the kind of place that referred to short-life species as Outworlders, where Yingxing had been marginalized and bullied throughout his apprenticeship. If they started asking questions, things could get awkward.

He might even face regional discrimination.

What backwater planet are you from? And you think you can marry one of our Xianzhou girls?

"Her brother?"

The teacher repeated it. Long-life species generally had excellent features — typically fair-skinned, with a quality that was hard to alter. Clean bone structure, well-proportioned faces. They also seemed to love long hair — every woman appeared to have flowing locks.

"Yes. I'm currently preparing to enlist with the Cloud Knights."

Wangshu brushed aside the slightly damp hair at his forehead. The support flying swords that had been hanging by the window answered with a clear ring, transforming into streaks of light that fell into orderly orbit around him, rotating in slow, measured patterns.

The teacher was convinced.

"I'm Li Xin, Jingliu's homeroom teacher."

She extended her hand, though her gaze lingered on the support flying swords behind the young man.

By the Cloud Knight Combat Manual's standards, commanding six flying swords in a single breath placed you among the elite of the Cloud Knights. She'd heard Jingliu's father had been a vanguard... So this brother was probably genuine.

Her tone was measured: "Are you aware that Jingliu's family records list her as an orphan with no guardian?"

This wasn't a serious issue, of course — Jingliu hadn't applied for any subsidies. It was merely a paperwork discrepancy.

Jingliu's head dipped even lower. She really was an orphan.

Wangshu had prepared for this. His face carried a touch of guilt: "My sister and I... didn't have the best relationship before. I... couldn't move past what happened. I even let my swordsmanship go to waste for a time. We've only recently started to reconcile."

He paused, looking at the crown of Jingliu's head beside him, his voice softening: "Thankfully, little Jingliu was willing to give this worthless brother another chance. So these past couple of days, we may have gotten a bit carried away."

Jingliu sneaked a peek at little Wangshu. As expected — it wasn't just pretty girls who lied. Pretty boys could lie with a straight face too. Little Wangshu didn't even blush when he fibbed?

Teacher Li Xin was quiet for a moment and didn't pursue the topic. Losing both parents was an immense tragedy even for long-life species — all the more so when she was merely a teacher.

"The academy's foundational curriculum is nearly finished. Have you thought about what little Jingliu will do afterward? Or will she just stay home for a while?"

Li Xin shifted to a more practical subject.

Staying home between jobs was an extremely common phenomenon in Cangcheng — and across the entire long-life species civilization, for that matter. Their lifespans were simply too long.

"Stay home for a few years, then join the Cloud Knights like me. I'm fairly confident in my swordsmanship — I should be able to look after her properly by then."

Wangshu had his reasoning prepared. A home visit didn't offer much to discuss beyond dream universities, future plans, or schoolyard issues.

He'd never been through one himself, but he'd seen enough to know the script.

He thought his answer was solid — until the teacher calmly shook her head.

"I wouldn't recommend that path. Even though you've moved past it, I still wouldn't recommend the battlefield. Finding a stable job right here in Cangcheng would be much better."

"Cangcheng has no active fronts. By the time you first see combat, it'll likely be reinforcing another Xianzhou mired in a grueling campaign. The enemies you'll face won't be rookies."

"Of course, I know finding stable work in Cangcheng is hard — the competition here is brutal. But I hope you'll seriously consider little Jingliu's academic future. Even becoming the lowest-ranked diviner at the Divination Commission would guarantee her a worry-free life in Cangcheng — no need to face the edge of a blade."

Wangshu: ...

Was the Cloud Knights really this poorly regarded as a career path in Cangcheng?

"Even the Yaoqing hasn't had a new campaign recently. Perhaps peace has truly arrived. I hope you can look at the past rationally and not let resentment lead you down a path that may not suit you."

"Jingliu can be a handful, but she's genuinely talented. She's not stupid."

Jingliu: ...

"Please consider a more stable career direction. Here in Cangcheng, having a steady job is worth more than anything."

Li Xin went on to ask about various academic details and Jingliu's self-study situation at home.

Little Jingliu gradually relaxed. Whenever the teacher called her a handful, she couldn't help stealing a glance at little Wangshu's expression.

As the conversation deepened, the initial stiffness melted away. They saw Teacher Li Xin off, closed the courtyard gate, and the house returned to quiet — only the soft bubbling of a pot from the kitchen.

"We made up!"

Jingliu stuck out her hand.

Wangshu smiled and took it, though a question had been lingering in his eyes.

【Bright Future Chat Group】

Wangshu: "@Jingliu, Senior — had the war really wound down by Star Calendar Year 6299?"

Jingliu: "How could it have? What are you thinking?"

Wangshu: "Then why does it feel like Cangcheng, from top to bottom, has almost zero sense of wartime urgency?"

Wangshu: "So far, little Jingliu — who actually reads textbooks — is more vigilant than most of the adults I've met."

Jingliu: "..."