Scholarship Students Can't Afford Pets

Zheng Qing stood before Sanyou Bookstore, a look of bewilderment on his face.

Having practiced calligraphy with his teacher since he was eight, Zheng Qing had spent his childhood and adolescence, and now his youth, at Sanyou Bookstore. Ten years could make one forget many things, and also remember many things.

For example, the bookstore's name, its layout, its scent.

This Sanyou Bookstore before him was identical to the shop his teacher ran, from its name to its layout, with only a slight difference in scent.

Because this bookstore was closed, it had an air of neglect.

The bookstore's entrance was shut tight. A thick layer of dust covered the eaves and window frames; it looked like no one had been there for a long time.

Zheng Qing leaned closer, peering through the dim glass into the bookstore. It was pitch black inside.

Faintly, he saw one or two green specks of light.

He wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"You buy textbooks at Sanwei Bookstore," Thomas called from not far away. "This way!"

Zheng Qing brushed the dust off his hands and listlessly moved away from the window.

Inside the building, a calico cat blinked, sneezed, and stirred up a cloud of dust.

Across the stationery shop, the situations of the two bookstores were diametrically opposed.

Sanwei Bookstore had many customers, and most of them were young people coming and going.

According to Thomas's introduction, this shop, like Yunxiangyi, was a partner merchant of First University. Many of the school's procurement requirements followed their standardized formats.

"First University, freshman compulsory textbooks. Scholarship students," Thomas said concisely and clearly to the clerk behind the counter.

"Please wait a moment." The clerk offered a professional, standard smile, then scribbled something down, crumpled the paper, and tossed it away.

The paper ball floated into the air, transforming into a paper crane. It flew along the aisle and gracefully disappeared into the back of the shop.

"Why is the bookstore next door closed?" Zheng Qing asked casually, admiring the paper crane. "These two bookstores have such similar names; are they owned by the same person?"

His intuition told him that the closed Sanyou Bookstore next door was the one owned by his teacher.

But why his teacher had left this place and lived in seclusion in his ordinary residential community was worth pondering.

Countless plots of conspiracy, love, hate, and revenge from martial arts stories swirled in Zheng Qing's mind.

He could only proceed cautiously, probing indirectly, afraid of causing trouble for his teacher.

The clerk at Sanwei Bookstore's stiff smile remained unchanged. He stared straight ahead, showing no reaction to Zheng Qing's question.

Thomas glanced at him and replied slowly, "It's just that the owner has something to attend to. There are so many closed shops in the market; if you have time to worry about this, you should focus on what else on the list still needs to be bought. I have to travel thousands of miles tonight and file a report."

Zheng Qing felt a deep meaning in Thomas's gaze and quickly abandoned the idea of asking further questions.

"Here are your items, please take them." The paper crane returned to the counter with a paper box. The clerk, with a mechanical smile, opened the wooden box and pushed it towards Thomas.

"Hmm." Thomas glanced over, then pulled Zheng Qing towards the box. "Let's check the list."

Zheng Qing took out the list filled with book titles and began counting them.

"Yao Xiaomi's Standard Spells, Emma's Astronomy, Zhang-Sima's Basic Talismans, Li Qihuang's Potions, Yi Jiazi's Divination, Great History, Karl's Philosophy of Magic... What is this?" Counting to the end, Zheng Qing held up a book with very simple binding and asked, "This book isn't on the list; did they give us the wrong one?"

"This is the school's admission guide for you. Every year, new students get lost on campus or accidentally injure the Kappa in Zhonglin Lake. So, the senior students in the student union compiled this book to help you avoid detours on campus," Thomas sighed. "Although this book is poorly bound, the content inside is worth reading."

Zheng Qing nodded and placed the book, "Entering First University," into the paper box.

"Give the list to the clerk," Thomas instructed.

Zheng Qing handed the slightly faded list to the clerk with the stiff expression.

The clerk raised the paper close to his eyes, his eyes widening, his eyeballs bulging and shooting out two beams of golden light, scanning the list several times.

When the list returned to his hand, Zheng Qing noticed that the rows of book titles on it had disappeared. The vanished names were now safely residing in the boxes next to him.

"You don't have space equipment?" Thomas asked curiously, watching Zheng Qing prepare to carry the boxes.

"Ah, you mean that? I do," Zheng Qing couldn't help but look around, his face slightly flushed. "My teacher didn't allow me to use it casually outside before."

Saying this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a palm-sized gray cloth bag embroidered with golden runes. He shook the opening of the bag towards the stacked boxes.

The boxes instantly turned into a stream of light and disappeared into the bag.

"A very beautiful bag," the clerk with the stiff face suddenly said from the side, startling Zheng Qing.

He had always thought these clerks only performed mechanical tasks in a programmed manner.

Before leaving the bookstore, Zheng Qing looked back at the Sanyou Bookstore next door again.

Its desolate entrance stood out uniquely amidst the bustling Four Seasons Market.

He decided he would find his teacher as soon as possible after returning home to ask for a clear explanation.

Thomas walked slowly ahead, frowning, seemingly deep in thought.

The two fell into a peculiar silence for a moment.

It wasn't until they passed several pet shops that the noisy chirping of small animals in cages outside the shops broke the silence between them again.

A falcon stood on the eaves, surveying its surroundings with imposing majesty, looking down upon all beings with arrogance.

In a mud nest under the eaves, several swallows poked their heads out, looking around; on the mortise and tenon frame next to it, several napping black bats hung.

On the wall, two lizards extended their slender claws, leisurely strolling around, occasionally flicking out their scarlet tongues to intimidate the buzzing flies.

In the open space in front of the shop, three kittens were beating a plump big rat, while a rabbit nearby held its carrot and watched with great interest.

"These little guys are so interesting!" Zheng Qing grinned, looking at the poor big rat, and mumbled.

"Indeed!" Thomas came back to his senses, a satisfied smile on his face. "The biggest difference between us wizards and ordinary people is our reverence and love for nature, as well as our good friendship with these companions of nature. As a wizard, you might not like spells, but you won't dislike these little animals."

"Then can I buy one?" Zheng Qing's spirits lifted upon hearing this, and he quickly looked up, a hint of longing in his eyes.

"No," Thomas shook his head decisively. "You are a scholarship student at the school, and your scholarship is only enough to prepare your study materials. You have to figure out your living expenses yourself, let alone a pet."