Birthday?
Presents?
On hearing the first word, the Black Gemstone Cat instinctively thought of the second. A dazed look appeared on his round feline face, and even his true body, sleeping far away in Dormitory 403, mumbled uneasily and rolled over in bed.
He felt as though he had not heard that word in a very long time.
When had his last birthday been?
In theory, it had been last year, only three hundred and sixty-five days ago. But so much had happened in that year that it felt like a lifetime ago—no, not merely like a lifetime ago. He really had crossed into "other worlds." Whether it was his adventures in the Dreamlands, the outbreak of the Black Prison Incident, or venturing beyond First University to truly explore other corners of the Wizarding World, each had been another journey into an "alternate world" for him.
As for presents.
Last year, his teacher had given him a class schedule and taught him what "the three paths of a gentleman" meant—"the benevolent are free from worry, the wise from doubt, and the brave from fear." Through three lessons, he had given Zheng Qing a deep understanding of the relationship between wizards and demons, taught him how to navigate relations between wizards and the Moon Clan, and weighed whether he could bear the truth about demons.
Although only a year had passed, he already felt that he had gained immensely from this gift. His intuition also told him that, even in the distant future, its value would remain beyond measure.
"My class schedule is already packed this year."
Hearing "happy birthday" touched the Black Gemstone Cat, but he could not help twitching the tip of his tail and muttering under his breath. He was very worried that his teacher would throw another