Too Full

Dengke Tower stood on the East Water Riverbank in the city, near an ancient Imperial Examination Hall.

The Imperial Examination Hall was where the Provincial Examination was held. It was generally located in provincial capitals, and passing it made one a juren. In ancient times, it was a major marker of commoners crossing social classes. The folk saying, "Poor xiucai, golden juren, silver jinshi," was the best reflection of this.

In Wenren Sheng's previous life, such ancient buildings had become rare, with only a few places preserving them. But in this world, there had been no great upheavals, so many historical sites remained intact.

Near this Imperial Examination Hall was the fixed testing site for every Otherworldly Qualification Exam, rich in symbolism.

The three got out nearby and arrived before the tower.

It was an antique-style six-story wooden building, elegant and old-fashioned. It belonged to a major local restaurant group and was not open to the public. To hold a gathering here, one had to have membership qualifications.

Thus, although it was Saturday and crowds flowed outside, this place remained tranquil.

Several people had long been waiting in front of the building. As soon as Wenren Sheng approached, they came forward to greet him.

The moment the leading man spoke, Wenren Sheng knew he was Feng Youlin, the man who had called last night.

"You must be Mr. Wenren. A pleasure, a pleasure."

The speaker was a man in his forties. His voice was as deep as it had been over the phone. He had upright features and a square face, and there was indeed some resemblance between his brows and Feng Jingjing's.

Wenren Sheng immediately understood. He stepped forward and said, "You must be Mister Feng. The pleasure is mutual."

"Haha, you're too polite, sir. Please, follow me." As he spoke, he led the three into the wooden tower.

However, Wenren Sheng noticed that the others behind Feng Youlin did not follow.

"Are there other guests attending?" Wenren Sheng asked casually as they walked.

"Yes, a few senior elders. They're all experts on Otherworldly Users." There was a trace of boastfulness in Feng Youlin's tone.

"It seems Mister Feng has quite considerable influence," Wenren Sheng said meaningfully.

"You flatter me, sir. It's all thanks to President Xu's standing." Feng Youlin clasped his hands and led the three inside.

Before them was a quiet little hall, with screens dividing it into private sections. Some people were already seated inside, speaking in low voices.

At the far end stood a wooden staircase leading upstairs.

Feng Youlin stopped in the small hall and asked Wu Shanshan and the other, "May I ask how these two should be addressed?"

"This is my driver, Brother Li," Wenren Sheng introduced naturally. "And this is my girlfriend, Wu Shanshan."

Li Shuangyue merely gave a slight nod without expression. Wu Shanshan seemed somewhat surprised and excited, and quickly said, "Hello, Mister Feng."

"Wonderful. You two are truly a heavenly pair, a perfect match. How enviable," Feng Youlin praised sincerely.

"Not at all," Wu Shanshan replied sweetly, without a trace of her earlier boldness.

After the introductions, Feng Youlin said, "Mr. Wenren, the senior elders here today are somewhat old-fashioned. We will take good care of your two companions in the small hall. Would you please come to the second floor with me alone?"

Wenren Sheng frowned.

But Wu Shanshan spoke first. "Wenren, go upstairs with Mister Feng. Brother Li and I can sit downstairs."

Only then did Wenren Sheng come to his senses.

So that was it. In his previous life, it had been perfectly normal for men to bring female companions to banquets. Bringing one's family to a company executives' dinner, for instance, was proper etiquette.

But this world was different. Precisely because it had not gone through great rises and falls and had avoided many tragedies, there were advantages and disadvantages alike. Much of the dross had not been swept away either.

Many old people still held deeply rooted old-fashioned notions. Hierarchical thinking had never disappeared. With the emergence of Otherworldly Users, it had even become more rigid and entrenched.

He looked seriously at Feng Youlin and suddenly extended his right hand.

"Mr. Wenren, what do you mean by this?" Feng Youlin asked in surprise.

"I mean the latest outline for the examiner exam. Our gathering is over now, so give me the outline. I need to go back and prepare immediately. Time is precious, after all," Wenren Sheng said solemnly. "The ancients said, 'An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time.'"

Li Shuangyue showed no surprise and remained unmoved. Wu Shanshan's expression changed, and her gaze grew complicated.

"Haha, Youlin, invite all three upstairs. I told you long ago that Mr. Wenren is young. Young people generally prefer the relaxed freedom of Western fashion, not the rules of old Eastern antiques." A broad, hearty laugh came down from the second floor.

"Of course, President Xu." Feng Youlin smiled awkwardly and gestured. "Please, the three of you, follow me."

Wenren Sheng nodded and finally followed.

It was not that he could not adapt to local customs, nor did he harbor any grand ambition of reforming this world's customs and promoting equality.

It was simply that he could see Feng Youlin's outward respect and courtesy concealed an attempt to arrange things for him, to make him unknowingly follow the other man's wishes. It was a way of influencing people's minds.

They were all experts in the Mysterious Realm. If they could cater to the old men's feelings, why could they not cater to his?

Before coming, he had clearly said he would bring people along. Yet they had said nothing until he reached the door. This was a test—a test of whether he was someone easily manipulated by his surroundings and others.

Of course he could not simply go with the flow. He was a man who needed to maintain an air of mystery... If he could be influenced so easily, would that not let others see right through him?

After the group reached the second floor, they found several round tables arranged there. A few people were already seated at one of them.

A man over fifty personally came forward to greet them, and the others rose as well.

The flesh on this man's face had begun to sag, but his eyes were still fairly sharp. His hair was meticulously groomed. He was apparently the so-called President Xu.

"Mr. Wenren, I am Xu Qingshu, president of Five Colors Group. I have long admired your great name. Now that I see you in person, you truly are a young and outstanding talent, enough to inspire awe at first glance." Xu Qingshu wore a warm smile as he extended his hand.

Wenren Sheng shook his hand and said calmly, "A little reputation amounts to nothing. It is all thanks to the contrast provided by my peers."

Xu Qingshu froze. It sounded rather reasonable... and it matched some of the rumors he had heard. But was it really appropriate to say that?

He could only force himself to continue, "Please sit over here, sir. Would it be all right to arrange your two companions at that table?"

"Fine. A guest should follow the host's arrangements," Wenren Sheng said noncommittally.

Feng Youlin felt disgruntled. If that was truly the case, why had Wenren Sheng not listened to him earlier?

But he said nothing. After excusing himself and arranging seats for Li Shuangyue and Wu Shanshan, he went downstairs again to greet more guests.

Wenren Sheng followed Xu Qingshu past several tables to a round table by the window. It was empty and had an excellent view—the best seat in the room.

Xu Qingshu then accompanied Wenren Sheng and made casual conversation.

Wenren Sheng responded offhandedly, occasionally looking around. He soon noticed the table where several people had already been seated.

Those people appeared to be business elites in their thirties and forties. They looked somewhat displeased but said nothing, only occasionally lowering their heads to look at their phones.

Wenren Sheng's eyesight was now extraordinarily sharp. They were less than ten meters apart, and he could see every grain in the wooden table across from him with perfect clarity.

Those people seemed to be chatting on their phones, and their messages naturally entered his sight.

"That guy is really arrogant. President Xu is being so polite, yet he still has so many demands."

"What can we do? He's an Otherworldly Expert, young and accomplished, more valuable than an Academy of Sciences academician. Academicians only have a head full of knowledge, while these people possess all kinds of Mysterious Power. How could President Xu not treat him like royalty?"

"Exactly. Doesn't the group set aside a huge consulting budget every year to keep those dying old experts alive? What value can they create? They're just freeloaders. They're not even as useful as the most useless employee under me."

"Hmph. In my opinion, Otherworldly seeds should never have existed. They've made people far too unequal."

"Exactly. We have money and power, but no Otherworldly seeds, so we can only lower our heads before people like them."

"That's right. Some people are born with this thing, while others can never get it no matter what they do. Unlike money—if everyone works hard and lives frugally, anyone can earn it. Money is far more equal."

"Enough. It's rude to play on our phones in front of President Xu."

Wenren Sheng remained expressionless after reading their messages.

Their conversation seemed reasonable enough. If he had not lived through his previous life, he might truly have believed them.

These people only saw things from their own position. Since they themselves did not have Otherworldly seeds, they thought it would be best if no one had them.

Yet the history of his previous life had taught him that these people were simply too full.