Shrek Enrollment Preparations

Time flies like an arrow, and the sun and moon move like a shuttle; it is once again time for the annual Shrek Academy recruitment.

"Do you think our Academy will be able to recruit any new students this year?"

Oscar asked Le Bai while moving chairs: "We've been here for almost eight years now, and so far, it's just you, me, Hongjun, and Boss Dai—four students in total. We don't even have a single girl. I've even been thinking about going to other academies lately just to meet some young ladies."

"If you want to go, I won't stop you."

Le Bai carried a table with one hand and, as usual, gave a casual spoiler: "Not only will the Academy recruit new students this year, but we'll get four of them. And among these four, three will be very beautiful girls."

"Getting one would be nice enough, let alone four!"

Oscar didn't believe it at all: "But seriously, if a pretty girl really does get recruited, I'm definitely going to pursue her!"

"What if you take a liking to someone, but she doesn't take a liking to you?"

Le Bai reminded Oscar: "Look at that beard on your face, paired with those clothes of yours; it wouldn't be strange if people mistook you for a middle-aged man."

"Mid..."

Oscar felt like he had been choked: "I-I don't think it's that bad... I'm the most handsome one in our Academy, after all!"

"That's assuming people can see your face clearly."

Le Bai reminded him again: "First impressions are very important. Besides, haven't you noticed that when we're training lately, the girls in the village are all looking at Boss Dai? Back before you grew that beard, they were all looking at you."

"Tsk!"

Oscar rubbed his beard in annoyance: "Once I'm done moving these things, I'm going to shave it off!"

"And change into some new clothes while you're at it. Speaking of which, I've given you new clothes every year for the past few years, you should actually take them out and wear them! New clothes won't breed little new clothes just by sitting there."

Le Bai reminded him for the third time: "Look at Boss Dai; he wears new clothes almost every day."

"Does he?"

Oscar recalled: "Why do I remember Boss Dai wearing the same set of clothes for seven or eight days in a row?"

"That's because he has seven or eight identical sets."

Le Bai pointed to his own clothes: "Do you think I've been wearing this set for half a month? Don't be silly. With our training intensity, if we don't change for a day, we'd start to stink. I change every day; the styles are just the same. Come to think of it, Boss Dai actually learned that from me. By the way, Hongjun does the same thing."

Oscar: "???"

What is wrong with you guys? How come you didn't tell me about this? Does this mean I'm the only slob here?

"I've reminded you many times."

Le Bai said helplessly: "You always say you know, but you never actually do it."

"Stop talking!"

Oscar looked remorseful: "Once I finish moving these, I'll go back and wash up!"

"That's more like it."

Le Bai nodded, walked a few steps, and then asked: "When recruitment starts the day after tomorrow, are you planning on selling sausages like last year?"

"Uh, yeah, how did you know?"

Oscar complained: "I'm not like you—I can't forge iron or craft Soul Tools. Right now, I'm just scraping by on the ten Gold Soul Coins issued by Martial Soul Hall every month."

"Don't make it sound like ten Gold Soul Coins isn't much!"

Le Bai felt something was off: "Where does all the allowance you receive every month go?"

"This..."

Oscar's eyes began to drift: "I buy some things, eat some food, and it's pretty much gone!"

"Student Os, car~"

Le Bai looked kind: "Please look me in the eye and say it again: where exactly have you been spending the Gold Soul Coins you receive from Martial Soul Hall every month?"

"Ah, I'll tell you, I'll tell you everything!"

Oscar couldn't handle being stared at by Le Bai like that: "I gave it to my dad! Every month when I get the money, I keep one Gold Soul Coin and send the rest back to him through someone!"

"Your dad?"

Le Bai asked curiously: "After I started making money from forging, I would have someone bring the extra money back to the village for him every month. The money from these past few years should be enough for him to be the richest man in the village. Didn't he tell you?"

"Eh..."

Oscar's expression went blank: "What did you say?"

Seeing Oscar's expression, Le Bai roughly understood what had happened and patted Oscar on the shoulder with one hand: "He is your father, after all, so it's not exactly a waste."

It wasn't until Le Bai had walked more than ten meters away that an angry roar came from behind him: "You rotten--old--man--!!"

At the same time, thousands of miles away in Meat Fragrance Village, Oscar's father, who had been living an incredibly comfortable life relying on the Gold Soul Coins his two sons sent back every month, suddenly sneezed.

"Dear, what's wrong? Did you catch a cold?"

"It's nothing, nothing! It must be the two kids thinking of me!"

"They've been gone for quite a few years now; why do they only send money and never come back to see you?"

"Who's to say? Leaving me all alone, sigh..."

"My dear, at least you still have me!"

"That's right! You're the best!"

"You're here. Le Bai, just leave the table by the entrance, and make sure not to block the way."

The gate of Shrek Academy was the first hurdle of enrollment, and this year it was guarded by Teacher Li Yusong: "Oscar, put the chair behind the table, and put the other one to the side."

Le Bai and Oscar set up the table and chairs.

"All done."

Oscar clapped his hands: "Le Bai, I'll leave the rest to you. I'm going back to the Dormitory to tidy up first!"

"Go on, go on."

Le Bai waved his hand, and once Oscar had run off, he asked Li Yusong: "Teacher Li, did the Dean have any other instructions?"

"He did."

Li Yusong thought for a moment, then pulled a slip of paper from his pocket: "The beds and sheets used in our Academy's Dormitory have become old over the last two years. The Dean said he planned to replace them with better ones this year, but we don't have enough money, so he asked the Rose Hotel in Suotuo City for some of their discarded second-hand items; they're still better than what we're using now. I originally intended to have Mubai make the trip, but since you asked, I'll leave it to you."

Just as Le Bai reached out to take the list, Dai Mubai arrived: "Teacher Li, sorry to keep you waiting! Oh, Le Bai is here too!"

"Mubai, you're here!"

Li Yusong looked at Dai Mubai and then at Le Bai: "How about you two go together?"

"No need, Teacher Li!"

Dai Mubai understood the situation instantly and patted his chest: "It's just a small matter, I can handle it! We agreed from the start that I would go, didn't we!"

"Boss Dai, it's no trouble."

Le Bai said with a smile: "I happen to have business in Suotuo City anyway, so we can go together."

"Fine."

Dai Mubai stopped refusing: "Since you put it that way. Do you know the exact location of the Rose Hotel? I've never been there, so I'm not very familiar with it."

"Hold on, I have a vague memory of it."

Le Bai recalled it briefly: "I remember now, it's a hotel for couples. It's quite famous in Suotuo City, and the facilities are said to be very good. I imagine they change their sheets and such quite frequently. Come to think of it, it's understandable why the Dean would ask them for second-hand goods."

Dai Mubai's expression stiffened: "Le Bai, when we get there, how about the two of us don't go in together?"

Le Bai nodded: "I was just about to suggest the same thing."