The Official Notice

The official notice for Wen Ning's Heavenly Court civil service exam, which he had been waiting on for several days, finally arrived.

That afternoon, just after he finished posting a rental listing for a client, his phone screen lit up and a message popped up.

It wasn't WeChat. It was that same number beginning with a string of zeros.

The message was brief: Fellow Daoist Wen Ning, please report to the Heavenly Court's Thunder Department Celestial Registry at midnight tonight. Your reporting location is the Bing-Class Reception Platform at the Southern Heavenly Gate, where someone will receive you.—Issued by the Heavenly Court Personnel Department

Wen Ning stared at the message for quite a while, then happily paced back and forth around his shop several times. The notice was finally here.

He was about to take a screenshot and send it to the group when the group chat popped up first.

Lu Ming's messages came bursting in.

Lu Ming: Brothers and sisters, I got my notice! Midnight tonight, report to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Yours truly has finally landed a secure job!

Lu Ming: Starting today, I'm no longer a deer roaming wild. I'm a Heavenly Official with a permanent government post. A permanent post! I'm going places!

Lu Ming: I know some of you might be jealous, but that's all right. I'm a generous guy. If you ever need help, just ask. As a Heavenly Official with a permanent post, looking after my juniors is my duty.

Wen Ning looked at Lu Ming's message announcing that he had passed too.

He immediately typed a few words and sent them: Lu Ming, you celebrated too soon. I got my notice too. I report today.

Lu Ming went quiet for a moment, then sent three exclamation marks.

Lu Ming: You're reporting today too? That's great, Wen Ning! We can meet at the Southern Heavenly Gate tonight. I know my way around the Heavenly Court. I'll look out for you.

Wen Ning was about to say that it remained to be seen who would be looking out for whom when Bai Lu's profile picture suddenly lit up.

She sent just one sentence: I'm reporting today too. This girl has landed a secure job as well.

The group fell silent for a moment, then Lu Ming's messages exploded again.

Lu Ming: Bai Lu, you got your notice too?

Bai Lu: Yep.

In the end, Lu Ming squeezed out one sentence: Then let's meet at the Southern Heavenly Gate. Be there or be square!

Wen Ning smiled at the messages in the group and slipped his phone into his pocket.

It suddenly struck him that, with a little goofball like Lu Ming around, the days ahead were bound to be fun.

Happy as he was, a very practical question soon surfaced in Wen Ning's mind: I'm reporting tonight. Surely I can't show up to see my godfather empty-handed?

Although he had barely worked a regular job in his life, he still understood the basic etiquette of bringing gifts to his elders on holidays.

Last time, he had been dragged up there for the interview without knowing what was going on, so arriving empty-handed was excusable. This time, he was officially reporting for duty. Turning up with nothing again would be a little hard to justify.

He rummaged around the shop for a good while and dug out a carton of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor.

He had bought the cigarettes for himself last month and hadn't opened them yet. They were Liqun, twenty-odd yuan a pack—not fancy, but not too shabby either.

The liquor had been a gift from a client: two bottles of baijiu in a fairly presentable gift box. Wen Ning didn't recognize the brand, but it certainly looked impressive.

He found an old newspaper, wrapped the cigarettes and liquor together, and put them in a plastic bag. He hefted it in his hand. The weight felt decent, and he looked suitably equipped for a visit to a relative.

He had no idea whether the Heavenly Court accepted mortal cigarettes and liquor, but bringing something was better than bringing nothing. After all, no one resented an extra gift.

That evening, Wen Ning made a point of cleaning the shop. He put a fresh stick of incense on the offering table, wiped down the deity statue, and even mopped the floor.

When he lay down on the folding bed, all sorts of thoughts about reporting that night ran through his head. Should I wear a suit? When I see my godfather, should I call him Godfather or Heavenly Venerable? How should I hand over the cigarettes and liquor? Cigarettes first, or liquor first?

As he kept thinking, his consciousness began to grow heavy. The sensation was familiar, exactly like what he had felt before his last interview.

His body slowly began to lose all sensation, but his mind remained keenly alert. He could clearly feel his soul rising out of his body.

As his soul slowly took flight, wind howled past his ears. First, all he could see was a vast white haze of clouds. Then the clouds parted, and heavenly light burst through.

His feet touched solid ground. Wen Ning looked down and saw that familiar expanse of white cloud beneath him.

An exceedingly faint scent of sandalwood hung in the air.

The plastic bag was still in his hand. The carton of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor had come up with his soul too. Good—his preparations hadn't been wasted.

The Southern Heavenly Gate.

This time, rather than being swept through by a crowd, he stood in the Reception Plaza outside the gate.

Directly ahead stood the towering Southern Heavenly Gate. Its gatehouse rose so high that he couldn't see the top even when he craned his neck. A row of heavenly soldiers and generals stood on each side, holding long halberds without moving a muscle.

"Wen Ning!"

A familiar voice came from his left.

Wen Ning had barely turned before a dark blur slammed straight into him. Lu Ming's antlers nearly jabbed his chin.

The little deer had changed into a brand-new blue-green robe today, and the bell on his antlers had been polished until it gleamed.

It jingled with particular vigor whenever he walked.

He grabbed Wen Ning by the shoulders, grinning so broadly that he couldn't close his mouth.

"Look at my robe!"

Lu Ming stepped back twice, spread his arms, and spun around.

"New clothes! I begged my ancestor for ages before he finally agreed to get me a new outfit."

Wen Ning reached out and felt it. The fabric really was good.

Lu Ming grew even more pleased with himself. He leaned close and lowered his voice.

"Well? This outfit was woven from thousand-year golden silkworm silk. You can't buy it anywhere in the mortal world."

"Nice. Very classy."

Wen Ning looked him up and down, his gaze finally landing on the bell hanging from his antlers.

"But could you take that bell off? It jingles every time you walk. Anyone who didn't know better would think somebody's cow had escaped."

Lu Ming immediately covered the bell on his antlers, looking distinctly nervous.

"No! My ancestor hung this bell on me himself! Taking it off would be bad luck! Besides, it's good stuff—a magical treasure my ancestor gave me."

As he spoke, Lu Ming's gaze shifted. Noticing the plastic bag in Wen Ning's hand, he craned his head over curiously.

"What are you carrying? What's this, cigarettes? Liquor? Why did you bring those up here?"

"They're for my godfather." Wen Ning moved the plastic bag behind his back.

Lu Ming froze, then his expression changed as though he had missed something important.

"Oh, come on, why didn't you tell me sooner? I never thought of that! I'm showing up for my first day without bringing anything. The boss won't make life difficult for me, will he?"

"What's the problem? Didn't your ancestor tell you about this?"

Lu Ming opened his mouth. He couldn't exactly tell Wen Ning that his ancestor had brought it up and even prepared two thousand-year spirit lingzhi mushrooms, only for him to get greedy and eat them both.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.

Bai Lu walked out of the clouds, carrying a bag as well.

"What are you carrying?"

Bai Lu asked the question as soon as she saw the bag in Wen Ning's hand.

Before Wen Ning could answer, Lu Ming let out another anguished cry.

"Ah! Bai Lu, you brought something too? Am I seriously the only one of us who didn't bring a gift?"

Bai Lu fell silent for two seconds and offered no comment.

Those two seconds of silence hurt more than anything she could have said. Lu Ming completely fell apart.

Wen Ning patted Lu Ming's shoulder and spoke earnestly, in the tone of someone who had been through it all.

"Little deer, you're still young. You don't understand how the world works. I suggest you resign right now. Otherwise, watch out—they might send you straight to a posting in America as soon as you report today. I hear they love tender little deer like you over there."

After hearing Wen Ning's words, Lu Ming was on the verge of tears, but he still stubbornly insisted, "I don't believe you. Heavenly Venerable Wen is an upright man."

Bai Lu rolled her eyes at Wen Ning.

"Stop scaring him. This little deer can't take a joke. Careful, or he'll burst into tears."

Then Wen Ning and Bai Lu looked at Lu Ming and burst out laughing.