A pigeon cooed warily as it watched the fluffy Little Fox before it.
The pigeon was snow-white from head to toe, without a single stray color. Its eyes were bright black, its claws tender yellow, and it looked exceptionally clean. The Little Fox across from it also had snowy fur, though faint blue patterns ran through its coat.
At that moment, the Little Fox rubbed its paws, swished its big tail, and brazenly reached out to touch the white dove's head.
The white dove was the pet of the little girl in pink. After its owner took her seat, it flew over from who knew where, landed on the girl's shoulder, and cooed incessantly. The fox was Poseidon. Exhausted from the journey, Poseidon had originally seemed listless, but upon seeing the newly arrived white bird beside it, it somehow perked up again.
The pigeon spread its wings slightly, held its head high, and stared at the restless Little Fox before it, making rapid, threatening coos deep in its throat. This white dove had not had its beak trimmed. Its beak was sharp, and its translucent keratin layer gleamed orange-yellow in the sunlight.
The Little Fox carefully withdrew its outstretched paw, glanced at Zheng Qing, whimpered aggrievedly a few times, then curled up its tail again and wilted.
Zheng Qing smiled awkwardly.
He had yet to recover from his earlier shock.
Turning his head, he looked the little girl over again and finally could not help asking, "Are you really going to First University? A first-year student?"
The little girl puffed out her cheeks and did not answer, looking exactly like the white dove on her shoulder.
"Sorry, I was just a little shocked." Realizing he had been somewhat abrupt, Zheng Qing apologized honestly. He took out a snack box from the Gray Bag, opened it, and offered it to the little girl. "Want something to eat?"
The box contained pine nuts, hazelnuts, figs, peas, peanuts, and other dried snacks. Zheng Qing had bought them at Huizi Market. They were all shelled, making them very convenient to eat.
Before the little girl could reply, the white dove on her shoulder eagerly hopped onto Zheng Qing's wrist, stretched out its neck to pick up a sunflower seed kernel, then tilted its head back and swallowed it.
Now it was the little girl's turn to feel awkward.
"My name is Li Meng. I was admitted to First University Jiuyou Academy. This is my admission notice." The little girl pulled a stiff-covered notice from her small backpack and showed it to Zheng Qing.
There was a Triangular Prism enclosed in a circle on the notice. It was the emblem of First University.
"I'm in Jiuyou Academy too, Astronomy Class 08-1. Zheng Qing." Grinning, he stuffed the snack box into Li Meng's arms and clicked his tongue in admiration. "You're incredible! I thought the school only admitted students over eighteen. I really never expected this."
"I'm in Astronomy Class 08-1 too." Li Meng picked out a pecan and chewed as she spoke excitedly. "I fell asleep during evening self-study and got pulled into First University's examination hall. My interviewer told me I'm basically the youngest candidate First University has had in nearly a century!"
The little girl looked at Zheng Qing with a proud expression that practically screamed for praise.
"That's amazing!" Zheng Qing smiled and praised her, but he could not resist asking, "Why did you say 'basically the youngest candidate in nearly a century'? Is there someone younger than you?"
Li Meng pursed her lips and shook her head, indicating that she did not know.
"Because another twelve-year-old freshman is enrolling this year. He's the youngest student admitted to First University in nearly a century." The boy with the Watermelon Head beside them joined their conversation.
"Twelve?!" Zheng Qing was utterly stunned. "Which academy is he in? The school allows students that young to enroll?"
"I'm twelve too!" Li Meng cried indignantly. "Why is he considered the youngest?"
The round-faced boy with the Watermelon Head glanced at the box of dried snacks in Li Meng's arms.
"Sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves. What should I call you?" Zheng Qing obediently took out another box of dried snacks and offered it to the Watermelon Head. "Try these. They're dried snacks roasted by Granny Song at Huizi Market. They're delicious."
"Huizi Market?" The Watermelon Head gave Zheng Qing a careful look, then silently picked up a walnut and put it in his mouth.
Beside them, the white dove and Poseidon had already tumbled together. Both nestled in Li Meng's arms, docilely waiting for the little girl to choose tasty dried snacks for them. Li Meng smiled as she rubbed Poseidon's fluffy fur and occasionally scratched behind its large ears.
Zheng Qing glanced at that comfortable little bastard and curled his lip.
"Xiao Xiao. Xiao as in bleak, Xiao as in laugh." After finishing the dried snack in his hand, the Watermelon Head boy clapped his hands and reopened the thick black notebook on his tray table. As he flipped through it, he spoke rapidly. "I'm also a freshman at Jiuyou Academy. Or rather, all the freshmen in this cabin are from Jiuyou Academy."
"This year, First University has two very young entrants, both twelve years old. One is a girl—this little girl beside us. The other is a boy named Lin Guo, who enrolled in Alpha Academy." Xiao Xiao glanced at Li Meng and adjusted his Black Frame Glasses. "As for why he ranks ahead of you, Lin Guo was admitted without an exam. In fact, he could have enrolled when he was ten, but the school delayed his admission because of his age."
"Don't call me little girl. Call me a college student!" Li Meng shouted indignantly.
Xiao Xiao did not reply. He merely lowered his head and tugged at his pant leg.
Zheng Qing saw a palm-sized turtle with a withered yellow shell crawl out from beneath Xiao Xiao's seat. It bit onto his trouser cuff, stretched out its neck, and pulled hard.
Xiao Xiao sighed, picked up the turtle, set it on his knee, and asked Zheng Qing for some pine nut kernels.
The turtle looked very old. Its eyes were clouded, white film grew at the corners of its eyes, and its rough skin was packed with tiny wrinkles. Its withered yellow shell appeared to have suffered a violent impact, leaving it covered in cracks.
Poseidon seemed to have discovered a new toy. It broke free from Li Meng's arms, leaped into Xiao Xiao's lap, raised both front paws, and pressed hard on the old turtle.
The old turtle ate one pine nut kernel at a time, slowly and leisurely, completely ignoring the little thing bouncing around on its back. Only when Poseidon tried to bite its head did it shake its head, showing a hint of impatience.
"Poseidon, come back!" Zheng Qing felt somewhat embarrassed. He leaned over, grabbed the struggling Little Fox back into his arms, and gently pinched its cheeks. "Behave yourself!"
Poseidon whimpered, its big tail flailing everywhere as it stubbornly refused to cooperate.
"Poseidon! What a powerful name." Li Meng groomed her white dove's feathers and looked up enviously. "Not like my Xiao Bai. I picked such a simple name at first, and later I couldn't change it even when I wanted to."
Zheng Qing's mouth twitched. He looked at the white dove, which stood with its head held high and an expression full of pride.
It was very satisfied with its name.
Before you continue