Giving him the key seemed to have been nothing more than a casual gesture on Professor Monteria's part.
Only after standing at Linzhong Lakefront for several minutes did he unhurriedly lead the boy toward his office. To make up for the minutes they had wasted earlier, however, he chose a shortcut.
For most students, classes had already ended for the day. The lakeside lawns and forest paths were full of young couples embracing one another. Zheng Qing followed behind the professor without looking around, watching him startle one pair of lovebirds after another. For no reason at all, Zheng Qing began to suspect that the professor had deliberately lingered by the lake for those extra minutes.
Before long, the trees ahead began to thin, and sunlight spilled down once more.
"The weather's nice."
The professor glanced up at the setting sun and sighed softly.
Zheng Qing was not very good at responding to such small talk, so he remained silent. By the time they entered the Office Building, it was the busiest time of day inside. Students came and went, professors who had not yet left work passed by, and teaching assistants bustled about. As both a teaching assistant and a student, Zheng Qing ran into quite a few acquaintances along the way and exchanged many greetings.
Professor Monteria's office was at the end of the fourth-floor corridor. There were already very few people on this floor. Unlike Professor Yao, Professor Monteria had no Door Gods on his door. Instead, like his laboratory, it was fitted with a Door-ring Beast.
The moment they entered, the light suddenly dimmed.
Zheng Qing stood at the doorway for quite a while before his eyes gradually adjusted. Looking around, he was surprised to find the room unexpectedly sparse. It was as though its owner