Wu Changkong led the two of them to the door of Long Hengxu's office, the grade director's office.
Before pushing the door open, he gave Qing Linyun and Gu Yue a look, signaling for them to wait outside.
Gu Yue nodded and leaned gracefully against the wall like a young lady of high standing. Of course, he still glanced toward the training grounds from time to time, perhaps pondering the Golden Dragon King Bloodline.
Qing Linyun had no objections either. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking around.
Tsk, I need to find a way to stay here at Eastsea Academy.
That was what Qing Linyun was thinking.
Only then did Wu Changkong push the door open and enter.
Inside the office, Long Hengxu was holding a cup of tea and drinking from it.
When he looked up and saw Wu Changkong, his brows furrowed.
It wasn't that he disliked him; it was simply an instinctive reaction.
Wu Changkong was said to have come from Shrek Academy, and he was ridiculously strong. When he came to teach at Eastsea Academy, the old academy director had personally invited him.
But he was extremely difficult to control. In his eyes, Long Hengxu, the grade director, might as well have been air. Long Hengxu simply couldn't rein him in.
Being grade director had been a rather frustrating job for Long Hengxu.
But when Wu Changkong came in today, he didn't simply stand there without saying a word, as he usually did.
He walked up to Long Hengxu's desk and stopped.
Then... he lowered his head slightly.
"Director Long."
Long Hengxu nearly sprayed the tea from his mouth.
He narrowed his eyes and studied Wu Changkong from head to toe for quite a while, as if meeting him for the first time.
...Did the sun rise in the west?
Wu Changkong?
Admitting he was wrong?
This guy has no business acting like a teacher. He beat up every senior student and refused to apologize.
What's gotten into him today?
Could it be that I, Long Hengxu, have such irresistible personal charm that Wu Changkong recognized his mistakes and sincerely repented?
Long Hengxu pondered it, growing more puzzled the more he thought about it. The look he gave Wu Changkong grew strange as well.
Wu Changkong paid no attention to Long Hengxu's ghost-seeing expression and spoke in a flat tone.
"I was wrong about what happened before. I've reflected on it."
Long Hengxu: "..."
Holding his teacup, he stared blankly for a long while before slowly saying, "Oh."
All right, then.
Since the man had admitted he was wrong, Long Hengxu couldn't keep harping on it.
Seeing that he had done enough for appearances, Wu Changkong straightened up and returned to his usual cold demeanor.
He took Gu Yue's admission recommendation letter from inside his clothes and set it on Long Hengxu's desk.
"Help me process this student's admission application."
Long Hengxu nearly dropped the teacup he had just picked up.
He froze for a moment, then, with a "pfft," sprayed out all the tea he had just drunk.
It went all over the desk, covering it with tea. His wrinkled old face twitched twice without his realizing it.
Long Hengxu didn't even bother wiping it up. He just stared at Wu Changkong, speechless.
Wu Changkong stood there, calm and perfectly self-assured.
The two of them stared at each other.
One was thinking, So you only admitted you were wrong just now to pull this stunt, huh?
The other was thinking, Are you going to do it or not? If you won't, I'll do it myself.
The standoff lasted about half a minute.
In the end, Long Hengxu conceded defeat.
He sighed, picked up the recommendation letter, and waved a hand. "All right, all right, I'll handle it for you."
He really had no way of dealing with a teacher like Wu Changkong.
Though he was a thousand times unwilling, Wu Changkong's standing in the academy was there for all to see, and he really couldn't argue him down.
The admission procedures were completed in less time than it took to drink a cup of tea. Efficiency was the name of the game.
Wu Changkong took the documents, gave Long Hengxu a slight nod, and turned to leave.
From beginning to end, he didn't say a single extra word.
Long Hengxu watched him leave, teacup in hand, the corner of his mouth twitching.
...What was all that about?
In the corridor.
Qing Linyun and Gu Yue stood side by side.
The two were sizing each other up.
Looking at Qing Linyun, Gu Yue felt that everything about him gave off an unreliable air.
Looking at Gu Yue, Qing Linyun felt that this girl was putting on quite a convincing act. A One-Ring Soul Master? Who would believe that?
After a while, Gu Yue was the first to crack.
"Hey," she said irritably.
"Hmm?" Qing Linyun turned his head to look at her.
"Are you staying here?"
Gu Yue pointed into the academy, her tone less than pleasant. "At Eastsea Academy?"
Qing Linyun nodded. "Probably."
Gu Yue: "..."
She knew it.
There was no way this guy would just leave.
"Why?" Gu Yue frowned. "Didn't you come looking for your senior brother? Now that you've found him, why don't you hurry up and leave?"
"What's the rush?" Qing Linyun smiled. "Senior Brother doesn't look like he's planning to leave anytime soon. Why should I be in a hurry?"
Of course, he couldn't reveal his real purpose.
On the surface, he had come on Ya Li's orders to persuade Wu Changkong to return to Shrek.
But behind the scenes?
Who had he really come to Eastsea City to get close to?
Gu Yue.
Tang Wulin.
He had finally managed to make the trip. How could he leave after only meeting them in passing?
Gu Yue's teeth itched with anger at his carefree attitude.
She shot Qing Linyun a glare.
Qing Linyun looked at her, baffled.
...What's wrong with this silly girl now?
He hadn't even done anything, had he?
Just as the two were glaring at each other, the office door creaked open.
Wu Changkong came out.
He glanced at the two people beside him who were glaring back and forth.
In perfect unspoken agreement, both turned their heads away at the same time.
One looked at the sky.
The other looked at the ground.
Wu Changkong: "..."
He pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly.
What was all this?
He handed the admission documents to Gu Yue. "Your dormitory number and admission information are all on there. Report in tomorrow. You can head back now."
Gu Yue took the documents and nodded.
Before leaving, she gave Qing Linyun another fierce glare.
Only then did she turn and leave.
Qing Linyun rubbed his nose.
...She glared at him again.
How exactly had he offended her?
He could never have imagined the crazy thought rising in Gu Yue's mind at that moment.
Hmph, just you wait. I might call Di Tian over and sink both you and your senior brother in the East Sea.
Wu Changkong glanced after Gu Yue, then looked at Qing Linyun beside him.
Qing Linyun immediately put on a smile, looking utterly harmless.
Wu Changkong gave a noncommittal "mm," signaling for him to follow.
Wu Changkong's dormitory was in the academy's teachers' quarters.
It wasn't large, but it was very tidy.
After entering, Qing Linyun didn't rush to sit down. He first looked around.
The furnishings were simple, even plain.
A bed, a table, a wardrobe, and two chairs.
A pot of some unknown variety of plant sat on the windowsill, lush and green.
But what drew the eye most was a portrait hanging on the wall opposite the door.
The portrait depicted a young man with long lake-blue hair and a cold, stern face, though he was much younger than the present Wu Changkong.
Beside the young man stood a young woman.
She was beautiful, on the same level as Ye Lingling. Her brows and eyes were gentle, and a faint smile graced her lips. Hmm, seen like this, she looked a little gentler than Ye Lingling.
Qing Linyun's gaze lingered on the portrait for two seconds.
Long Bing. Wu Changkong's deceased lover.
He repeated the name in his mind but said nothing.
Wu Changkong seemed to notice his gaze, but offered no explanation.
He merely pointed to the sofa. "Have a seat."
Qing Linyun didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down.
"What would you like to drink?" Wu Changkong asked.
"Cola."
Wu Changkong: "..."
He froze for two seconds, then silently put back the tea leaves he had just picked up.
He turned and walked over to the refrigerator, pulled the door open, and took out two bottles of cola, tossing one to Qing Linyun.