Getting a Room

The lobby fell silent.

Broken porcelain littered the floor. A snapped pothos plant leaned crookedly in the corner. A huge hole gaped in the revolving door's wooden frame, and wind poured through it, setting the chandelier swaying gently.

The attendant huddled behind the counter, both hands clapped over her mouth, her legs still shaking.

Xiao Wu jumped down from Lin Yuan and brushed off her skirt. She turned to Tang San.

"Tang San, go look somewhere else first. See if there's anywhere we can rest."

Then she moved back to Lin Yuan's side and looked up at him. "Where have you been all these years? Not a word from you."

Tang San watched them.

Behind his back, his hand slowly curled into a fist.

Then it relaxed.

He turned and pushed through the half-broken revolving door. Wood splinters crunched beneath his feet.

Behind him came Xiao Wu's voice as she drew Lin Yuan into conversation, chattering away in a tone nothing like the one she had used to send him looking for a place to stay.

Tang San's steps faltered.

Then he kept walking.

Lin Yuan glanced at the hole in the door, then at Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. Splinters were still falling from the revolving door.

"Let's look around too. Maybe we can find somewhere to rest."

The words had barely left his mouth when the attendant peeked out, her voice still trembling.

"Honored... honored guests, this is the only hotel nearby. You'd have to walk a long way to find another, and they're probably fully booked too."

She swallowed.

"Right now, there's... there's only one room left."

Lin Yuan looked at Xiao Wu.

Then at Zhu Zhuqing.

"How about you two stay here? I'll go somewhere else—"

"No!"

Xiao Wu blurted it out.

Her ears reddened slightly, and her fingers twisted the hem of her skirt without her noticing.

"Besides, back at Nuoding Academy, didn't we always sleep in beds right next to each other?"

Zhu Zhuqing turned her face away.

Her ears were faintly red, but her expression remained as cool as ever.

"You've traveled so far. Rest here for a while."

"We'll take the room," Xiao Wu said.

The attendant hurriedly flipped through the register. The pen slipped from her hand twice before she finally finished writing.

The room was on the third floor.

They pushed the door open. A large bed stood by the window, covered in snow-white sheets. Against the wall sat a long sofa upholstered in dark brown velvet. Sunlight slanted through the window, spreading a layer of warm gold across the floor.

Xiao Wu pulled Lin Yuan down onto the sofa beside her.

"Where did you go?"

Lin Yuan leaned back against the sofa.

"The milk tea shop got too popular, and the lord of Nuoding City set his sights on the recipe. He sent people to hunt me down, so I had no choice but to flee to the Star Luo Empire. I spent five years there."

Xiao Wu's brows knitted together.

"Hunt you down?" She waved a fist. "I knew it! When you vanished so suddenly, I knew something was wrong!"

The more she spoke, the angrier she grew, her cheeks puffing out.

"That bastard city lord—I'm going to settle the score with him right now!"

She made for the door.

Lin Yuan caught her arm.

"No need. I settled that old grudge on my way back. He escaped as a cloud of blood mist."

Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then snorted.

"He got off easy."

Only then did she notice several more Gugas in the corner of the room.

"Huh?"

She looked around.

Guga hopped over first, her little arms planted on her hips. She had waited ages for her turn to speak, and now she waved her little arms excitedly.

"That's Starry Guga! That's Xuanwu Guga! That's Little Moon Guga!"

Starry Guga waved, her tone gentle.

"My name's Sky Star. Hello, Guga."

Xuanwu Guga tilted her head.

"...Hello, Guga."

Xiao Wu couldn't resist reaching out to stroke her head. Xuanwu Guga didn't dodge, obediently letting Xiao Wu pet her. Only after a long while did she sway her head dazedly, finally realizing someone was touching her.

Little Moon teleported in front of Xiao Wu and bobbed her head.

"Hello! I'm Little Moon Guga."

Her voice was bright, with a mischievous lilt. Xiao Wu grew interested and reached out to squeeze her cheeks.

Little Moon teleported away.

She appeared at the other end of the sofa.

"Can't catch me, Guga."

Xiao Wu's eyes went wide.

"You can teleport?!"

Little Moon tilted her head, looking smug. Unwilling to give up, Xiao Wu reached for her again. Her fingers had barely brushed Little Moon when she teleported away once more, appearing on the bedside table.

"Almost, Guga."

Xiao Wu laughed despite her frustration.

She lunged. Little Moon teleported again, this time onto the chandelier.

Xiao Wu missed and tumbled into the sofa.

Little Moon sat on the chandelier, swinging her legs.

"Too slow, Guga."

Xiao Wu climbed off the sofa, several strands of hair loose and sticking out.

"You little rascal—"

Lin Yuan leaned against the sofa and watched them play.

Little Moon swung her legs from the chandelier, smug as could be.

"Come down!"

"No, Guga."

Lin Yuan chuckled.

Then he looked at Zhu Zhuqing, who stood by the window.

"I haven't introduced you." He tipped his head toward her. "Zhu Zhuqing."

Xiao Wu got up from the sofa and waved with a smile.

"I'm Xiao Wu! Wu as in dancing!"

Zhu Zhuqing turned and nodded.

"Mm."

Her expression remained cool. Xiao Wu didn't mind. She took another look at her—shoulder-length black hair, delicate, distant features. But was that figure for real? It was outrageous.

Little Moon dropped from the chandelier and teleported into Lin Yuan's arms, curling into a ball.

"What brought you to Shrek?"

Xiao Wu swung her legs and stared at the ceiling for a while.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go. After graduating from Nuoding Academy, I didn't know what to do. Then Tang San said he was coming to apply to Shrek, so I figured—since I had nothing better to do, I might as well come take a look."

She paused and stole a glance at Lin Yuan.

"I never thought I'd run into you."

She pouted.

"Nuoding Academy hasn't been much fun these past few years. After you left, all I could do was go chat with Sisi."

"I was bored to death. Stifled to death."

"And Su Yuntao kept talking about you." Xiao Wu swung her legs, then suddenly glared at him. "Wait. You wrote letters to Su Yuntao, but not to me?"

Looking awkward, Lin Yuan changed the subject. "Let's rest for a bit. We still have to go register later."

Afternoon came.

The sunlight slipping through the curtains had retreated to the corner of the wall. Street vendors' cries drifted in from outside.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes on the sofa. Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing were awake on the large bed too.

Xiao Wu yawned, a tuft of hair sticking up from sleep. She rubbed her face and sat up, still groggy for a good while.

Zhu Zhuqing sat up, her hair sliding over her shoulder.

Little Moon was still curled up in his arms, refusing to move.

"Time to get up," Lin Yuan said.

Little Moon buried her face against his chest.

"...Don't want to, Guga."

"We're going to Shrek."

Little Moon rolled over.

"To register, Guga?"

"Mm."

Little Moon sat up in his arms and teleported to the door.

Guga jumped down from the bed and pattered over on her short legs.

The group left the hotel.

The afternoon sun beat down on Suotuo City, and the streets were a little less crowded than at noon.

Xiao Wu led the way, bouncing along with her ponytail swishing behind her head. Every so often, she turned back to hurry them along.

"Come on, come on! Registration will close if we're late!"

Guga bounced along behind her. Little Moon teleported ahead in bursts, waiting between each jump and swinging her legs in the sunlight.

Zhu Zhuqing walked beside Lin Yuan, her pace steady.

They passed through Suotuo City's west gate. Fields of wheat stretched along both sides of the main road, and the wind sent waves rolling through them, one after another, into the distance.

Lin Yuan walked at the rear.

There wasn't much reason to go to Shrek.

But Yang Wudi and the others wouldn't arrive for another month.

He had nothing better to do in the meantime. He could get a taste of academy life and snatch the Eight Spider Lances before anyone else.

He looked at the others walking ahead.

Xiao Wu bounced along, her ponytail flying high. Zhu Zhuqing's steps were light. Several Gugas followed beside them, chattering away.

The sunlight stretched their shadows long across the road.