Yu Xiaogang walked into the office.
The room was small and simply furnished.
There was an old desk, several chairs, a bookshelf, and some ledgers and files piled in the corner.
An oil lamp burned on the desk, its flame flickering and casting shifting shadows across the room.
The air was thick with the smell of old paper and dust.
Flender pulled over a chair. "Sit, sit, sit! I'll pour you some water!"
He turned to fetch the kettle, only to find it empty.
"Uh... wait a moment. I'll go get some water." Flender looked a little embarrassed.
Yu Xiaogang waved a hand. "No need. I'm not thirsty."
He sat down and swept his gaze around the room.
"This place of yours..." Yu Xiaogang adjusted his glasses. His tone was calm, though it carried a faint, barely perceptible scrutiny.
"It's even more spartan than I imagined."
Flender gave a dry laugh, rubbing his hands together as he sat in the creaking old wooden chair.
"The academy has only just started out. We save wherever we can." Flender made it sound perfectly reasonable, though a shrewd gleam flashed through his small eyes.
"You know how costly a Soul Master Academy is to run. There aren't many students either. It's already good enough that we can keep it going."
Yu Xiaogang did not respond. He merely looked quietly at Flender.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Growing uncomfortable under his gaze, Flender coughed and took the initiative. "Xiaogang, you suddenly came here this time. Is something the matter? Did you quit your job in Notting City?"
Yu Xiaogang slowly leaned back in his chair, his hands folded over his knees. His posture was relaxed, yet he possessed the steady composure unique to a scholar.
"I resigned," he said calmly. "I came