"Is it good?" Chen Shu asked.
"It's delicious," Teacher Shi Qian said.
"Better than any I've eaten in the past few years, even the ones people gave me." Attendant He pulled over a tissue and wiped his sticky hands, then handed one to Shi Qian.
"I don't like eating zongzi. I only do it to go along with tradition," Chen Shu said. Especially in this world, where there had been no Qu Yuan or Wu Zixu, people only knew they were supposed to eat zongzi on this day, not why. But that was fine. Festivals with food tended to survive, while the reasons they had begun became less important.
"My wife loves them." Attendant He finished wiping his hands and turned serious again. "I don't know whether Senior Brother Shi Qian has told you already, but I'd better go over a few things in detail so nothing gets missed."
"Okay."
Chen Shu settled in to listen.
"Senior Brother Shi Qian noticed you a long time ago. The rest of us noticed you last semester. We've watched you for half a year, and we're quite satisfied with both your talents and your character. When you join the sect, you'll go straight into the inner sect.
"The main difference between the inner and outer sects lies in their obligations. It's not like ancient times, when everything depended on talent.
"Of course, talent still matters today.
"But it doesn't decide everything.
"You need enough talent to qualify for the inner sect, but some people who qualify would rather stay in the outer sect. In modern terms, the main difference is the level of contract. Oh, and you do have to sign a contract to enter the Spirit Sect. Don't find that strange; people often signed agreements in ancient times too, especially outer disciples.