Moonlight Hotel

By evening, when the streetlights came on and their soft glow fell over him, Wang Xiaofeng finally realized that he had not even found a place to stay!

He hurriedly looked along the street for a suitable hotel.

Emmm, just hearing the name Rose Hotel told him it was for couples. Why would a single guy like me go join in the fun? Not going!

Green Tea Hotel... one look at the name told him it was no respectable establishment. Pass!

After searching for a while, Wang Xiaofeng finally spotted a rather distinctive hotel at the end of the street.

The hotel stood three stories high. Though it was not particularly large, its exterior was entirely silver white. The whole building had an elegant, understated style that somehow became more pleasing the longer one looked at it.

"Moonlight Hotel. Nice name. This hotel and I were fated to meet."

When Wang Xiaofeng entered the Moonlight Hotel, the first thing he noticed was a faint floral fragrance. The refreshing scent soothed both body and mind.

"This is... the scent of evening primrose."

"Not bad. I didn't expect someone your age to know so much about floral scents." A sweet voice came from behind Wang Xiaofeng.

Wang Xiaofeng turned around and saw a young girl.

Her simple purple dress gave her a clean, fresh appearance. Her long black hair draped over her shoulders, and she was about half a head shorter than Wang Xiaofeng. Her skin was exceptionally fair and delicate, while her lively, sparkling eyes were impossible to overlook.

It was the first time Wang Xiaofeng had seen such a beautiful girl, and he could not help rubbing his eyes with both hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the girl asked prettily, a trace of mischief in her eyes.

"Ah... ha... haha, nothing." Wang Xiaofeng gave an awkward laugh. Staring stupidly at someone like that was really pathetic.

"My mother likes flowers, and we planted some evening primrose around our home. I've smelled this scent ever since I was little." Wang Xiaofeng touched his nose and unconsciously looked aside. "Do you still have any vacant rooms?"

"Oh? How did you know this hotel belongs to me?" This person actually did not dare look at her! The girl's lively eyes shifted, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Wang Xiaofeng pointed at the empty front desk. "There's no one at the counter, and you took the initiative to speak to me. You're either the person in charge or the owner of the hotel."

"Why couldn't I be a waitress?"

"What waitress could possibly be this pretty?"

"Then you're wrong. I am a waitress. Thank you for your patronage. Five Gold Soul Coins!"

How could Wang Xiaofeng not understand? The girl in front of him was just teasing him.

"Hmph, five Gold Soul Coins! Keep the room for yourself." Wang Xiaofeng did not even have two hundred Gold Soul Coins to his name, yet she wanted five the moment she opened her mouth. You think being pretty makes you so special? Dream on.

Wang Xiaofeng turned to leave in a huff. Suddenly, he caught sight of the girl tossing something at him from the corner of his eye. Without thinking, he caught it.

"This is... a key!"

When Wang Xiaofeng opened his hand, he found a bright silver key with a string of numbers engraved on it.

"You're really interesting. The room is yours." Smiling, the girl pointed at the key, then skipped away. Her crisp laughter echoed through the lobby.

Wang Xiaofeng held the key helplessly. He had not expected that staying at a hotel would not only get him teased, but also openly kept by someone! I've been completely wrapped around her finger. My whole reputation is ruined.

At the innermost end of the hotel's top floor, Wang Xiaofeng found the room matching the number on the key. He unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing a spacious room before him.

The room was enormous. The living room alone covered more than fifty square meters. Every piece of furniture inside was silver, carved with exquisite patterns. The pale purple carpet was covered in raised evening primrose designs. What shocked him most was the huge evening primrose in the center of the room, built from thousands of Amethysts. The rich fragrance of evening primrose filled every corner of the room.

When he entered the bedroom, Wang Xiaofeng was stunned again. As expected, there was only one bed, but this enormous bed, which occupied nearly half the room, was shaped like a heart. Pale purple gauze curtains hung from the ceiling, veiling the space above the heart-shaped bed and creating a dreamlike beauty.

A room this good would be a waste not to stay in. At worst, he would leave early tomorrow morning. If I can't afford to provoke her, can't I at least avoid her?

Before dawn the next day, Wang Xiaofeng hurriedly returned the key at the front desk. The receptionist put it away, then watched in confusion as Wang Xiaofeng fled the hotel in a panic. She was so startled that she thought the hotel was haunted.

As Wang Xiaofeng ran away in embarrassment, he seemed to hear a silvery laugh behind him. Instinctively using his Soul Power, he ran out of Suotuo City in less than five minutes.

"Sigh, I didn't even get breakfast. I hope Shrek Academy will provide food and lodging since I'm an applicant."

Wang Xiaofeng declared that he would not be returning to Suotuo City anytime soon. This was not cowardice; he was merely following his heart.

After leaving Suotuo City and following the road south, he found vast farmland stretching along both sides of the Official Road. Suotuo City truly deserved its reputation as the Granary Capital of the Balak Kingdom.

My god, the dean clearly said Shrek was not far from the south gate. But apart from endless farmland, there wasn't a single building resembling an academy as far as the eye could see. Was he messing with me?

Wang Xiaofeng had no choice. He could not return to Suotuo City, so all he could do was keep moving forward.

After walking for nearly half an hour, with the sun beginning to rise, Wang Xiaofeng finally saw what seemed to be a village ahead.

"Breakfast, here I come!"

Wang Xiaofeng shouted excitedly and used his Soul Power to run toward the village.

The entire village was much smaller than Calabash Village, with perhaps only around a hundred households. A wooden fence surrounded its perimeter, seemingly meant to keep out wild beasts.

A somewhat battered signboard hung from the wooden archway at the Village Entrance. Five simple words were carved upon it: Shrek Academy. Before those words was a green emblem resembling the head of a humanoid monster. It was green and rather cute. That was probably Shrek Academy's school emblem.

This was Shrek Academy? Wang Xiaofeng felt cheated. Could such a rundown academy really have a Soul Saint?

The villagers had risen early to work. Seeing Wang Xiaofeng standing foolishly at the Village Entrance, they could tell what he was here for from his age.

"Kid, are you here to enroll at Shrek?" a Middle-aged Man who was about to head out to plow the fields called to Wang Xiaofeng. He showed none of the usual respect ordinary people had for Soul Masters. (A Soul Saint still owes me money. Am I proud of that?)

Wang Xiaofeng had grown used to such things in his previous life, and he had spent this life living in academies, so he did not find anything strange about it. Snapping back to his senses, he smiled and said, "Yes, Uncle. Is there a restaurant around here? I haven't had breakfast yet."

A strange gleam flashed through the Middle-aged Man's eyes. He beckoned Wang Xiaofeng over. "Didn't you say you wanted to eat? Come with me."