Celestial Silver Spoon - Chapter 25

“You must have been sent by Madam, right?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Please follow me.”

The waiter led them to a room on the second floor and opened the door. Liu Zixu and Xie Wan were already seated at the table. When Liu Zixu saw the crowd outside the door, she was initially surprised and then asked Ye Chen, “You…”

“Madam, these are my junior brothers.”

“Junior brothers? … Are they from Gangjiu Mountain?” Liu Zixu pondered and asked.

“Yes, indeed.” Liu Zixu had quite a good memory, remembering that Ye Chen was a disciple of Jiushan Yun Temple.

“Please, come in and have a seat!” Liu Zixu stood up to greet them, luckily the table was large enough to accommodate so many people. Xike and the others felt a bit shy upon seeing Xie Wan.

The table had just enough space for twenty people, what a coincidence.

“You all came from Jiushan Yun Temple, right? How is Master Zifu doing?” Once everyone was seated, Liu Zixu inquired, looking at the unfamiliar faces.

“Our master has… he has passed away.” Xike replied.

“Master Zifu has passed away? This is…” Liu Zixu took a deep breath, unable to believe that the benevolent Master Zifu from three years ago had passed away.

“Perhaps you don’t know, my father had a very deep friendship with Master Zifu, and I have also met him. Sigh… let’s not talk about it… everyone, let’s eat.” Liu Zixu said, her voice slightly choking, as she took out a stack of tissues and held them to her nose.

“By the way, Xiang Tengfei, how is the preparation for the launch of Shengze Mysteries on June 1st going?” Liu Zixu asked.

“Madam, it will definitely be published on June 1st.” Xiang Tengfei replied, setting down his chopsticks.

“That’s good. Oh, by the way, aren’t any of you having some wine? Your master really enjoyed drinking,” Liu Zixu said to Xike and the others.

“Sure, sure!…” Xiliang was pinched by Xike, who said, “Thank you, Madam, for your generosity. Our senior uncle specifically instructed us not to drink when we’re out.” Xike’s calmness and politeness in conversation, as well as his quick ability to gather information from others, were clearly evident. He indeed lived up to being their senior brother.

“You’re referring to Senior Uncle Zichen, right? Is it true that he has even more pigeons than before?” Liu Zixu asked with a smile.

“Madam knows this? Senior Uncle Zichen is extremely fond of pigeons, and now the rooftops of the entire temple are filled with them. Oh, right, when we were coming, our senior uncle mentioned a girl at Shengze College named Xiao Xu. Could it be…”

“I’m honored that he still remembers me. Yes, he was talking about me,” Liu Zixu responded.

Who would have thought, they started as strangers but within a few exchanges, they seemed like old friends.

At this point, a child-like innocent smile appeared on Liu Zixu’s face-she must have recalled something nostalgic. It was the first time seeing her smile so genuinely relaxed. Xie Wan, Ye Chen, and the others found it a little peculiar.

Until then, Ye Chen and his junior brothers had been eating conservatively, but realizing they were among familiar faces, their chopsticks began moving more swiftly.

“May 30th marks the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Shengze College. I have a feeling that something might go wrong, so please alert the students in advance and ask them to be extra cautious. We certainly can’t have the police overseeing our celebration; that would not look good if it airs on TV,” Liu Zixu said to Ye Chen.

“Don’t worry, Madam, leave it to me. Besides, with a dozen of my junior brothers here, they can definitely help out,” Ye Chen replied.

“Yes, Madam, these people are sure to be helpful, right everyone?” Xie Wan said, turning her gaze to Xike and the others.

“Ms. Xie, I apologize if my junior brothers were disrespectful to you earlier,” Ye Chen said, remembering the earlier incident and apologizing to Xie Wan. Hearing this, Liu Zixu was puzzled and just stared at Xie Wan.

“It’s nothing, nothing at all. Your junior brothers are quite skilled…” Xie Wan responded.

“Ms. Xie, I sincerely apologize for any offense earlier,” Xike said, wishing he had a cup of wine in hand.

After the meal, Liu Zixu slowly said, “Isn’t there an empty floor in your dormitory building? Let them stay there temporarily. We’ll need you all again later, and I’ll arrange everything.”

“Alright, understood,” Ye Chen responded.

Ye Chen and the others certainly knew that Liu Zixu was referring to the eighteenth floor of Zone N dormitory building. However, the mysterious legends about the eighteenth floor have already been debunked, so they wouldn’t feel anxious hearing about it anymore. Xiang Tengfei, of course, was also aware of this; otherwise, he might have lost his wits.

As they were about to leave, Liu Zixu seemed about to ask something but didn’t. Judging by her gaze on the Shengze school uniforms that Xike and the others wore, she might have wanted to ask why they were wearing them. Perhaps she assumed that Xike and the others had arrived earlier. Xie Wan hadn’t mentioned the earlier fight to Liu Zixu.

Upon reaching the dormitory building, Cai Erman asked the building manager for the key to the eighteenth floor, surprising him. The eighteenth floor was still deemed mysterious and frightening by others.

Ye Chen and Mingzi accompanied Xike and the others to the eighteenth floor, while Yixuan and Zina went to the seventeenth floor.

“By the way, where did you get those school uniforms?” Cai Erman asked once they reached the eighteenth floor.

“Well…well…” Xiliang stammered.

“Oh, we arrived yesterday afternoon, but the security guard wouldn’t let us in. I noticed that those in uniforms could get in, so…”

“Senior brother, let me take it from here. So, last night, we went into a place called ‘Shengze Bath,’ took about a dozen uniforms, went back to the hotel, and wore them to get in,” Xiliang continued from Xike.

“Oh, you’ve got such hobbies, huh? We’re staying on the 13th floor, Room 1301. Call on us if you need anything,” Cai Erman said.

After exchanging a few words with Xike, Ye Chen headed downstairs.

No wonder someone didn’t attend class this morning. Could it be that after taking a bath last night, they couldn’t find their clothes and ended up spending the night in the bathhouse? The thought alone is daunting.

“Zina, there’s something I want to ask you. Who lived here before I came? I haven’t seen her around,” Yixuan asked Zina after they arrived at the dormitory.

“It’s been more than half a month, and you’re only asking now, sis? That girl moved to the sixteenth floor, in Room 1606. Only two people live there, and her sister is there too. Since you arrived, she moved there, so it doesn’t affect either of you,” Zina replied.

“Oh, I see.”

“What did you think happened?”

“Oh, nothing, just curious.”

Yixuan noticed that Zina’s mood had been steadily improving recently, prompting her to ask. Zina used to barely speak a word, and Yixuan wouldn’t have known how to comfort her, let alone ask questions.

“Sis, I have to head to class now. See you in the afternoon.”

“Off you go.”

After Xike and the others divided the rooms on the eighteenth floor, Xike called for his junior brother Xile, and they headed downstairs, walking towards the gate.

Xike and Xile entered a hotel not far from the north gate of Shengze. A few minutes later, they emerged, each carrying two large bags, presumably filled with clothes and toiletries.

“Xiang Tengfei, you said the foreword needs to be under a thousand words, right?” Ye Chen asked Xiang Tengfei.

“That’s right.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll finish it this afternoon. Come by after class to take a look.”

No wonder Xiang Tengfei hurried to Room 1301 with a pile of documents after dinner; he was waiting for this confirmation. But why did he have to carry such a large stack of documents? Could it really be, as Zina suggested, to showcase his vast knowledge and learning? Is it possible someone like that still exists in this world?

Once everyone had gone to class, Ye Chen turned on his computer and wrote a piece titled “Transparent Longing”:

“The chirping of insects, the songs of birds, the bees clinging to petals, dew drops bathed in moonlight alone on the balcony, unable to escape the sadness that comes as everything changes.

No longer in the air is your laughter and chatter; your tenderness slowly slips away between my fingers. The heart in my embrace now only leaves a void. Has the string connecting our hearts truly broken?

Under streetlights we held hands, and I remember the lines etched in your palm. A lakeside kiss at dusk-who, passing by now, feels the pang of sorrow and regret?

As the moon shifts and flower shadows climb the railing, do you know you’ve taken away half my night?

Softly speaking solitude to the night, walking the paths by the lake, I hope you’ll still be there, yet I find my heartbeat is like fleeting bubbles of time.

The stars fill the sky yet seem so distant. The moonlit lake surface, who released that heavy cold mist? The blurred vision is made salty by the wind-who offers me a handkerchief?

I grab fleeting scenes of warmth with my hands. I can’t discard them or hide from them; I can only secretly reminisce, secretly reminisce…

Not long ago, you were just on the other side of the wall-a wall no thicker than the journey of a row of ants. As the ants crawled, they stretched the time of my longing. Could you hear their footsteps?

Walking alone on streets we once strolled together, I look back at the gleaming lights, yet I cannot see you. Was it all a dream? Have I missed the chance? Or did the heavens deceive me with sweet words?

Back in the room, your music no longer plays, and outside the window, your lights are gone. The wall between us has become my transparent longing.”

After classes ended in the afternoon, Xiang Tengfei was the first to rush into the dormitory Room 1301. After reading “Transparent Longing” by Ye Chen, he praised it profusely.

“This is it! It’s beautiful!” Xiang Tengfei exclaimed, unusually excited.

Watching Xiang Tengfei’s reaction, Ye Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed, and it was now May 30, 2010, marking the thirtieth anniversary of Shengze College. The entire school was festively decorated, and everyone wore a joyful expression. The grounds, walls, flower beds, and streetlights were all spotless.

The weather seemed to cooperate perfectly, with the sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing, suggesting that this grand event would unfold flawlessly.

Coincidentally, it was a weekend, giving students the opportunity to go out and buy some snacks for entertainment since the celebration wouldn’t start until 5 PM. However, by 3 PM, all students needed to gather in the meeting room because the celebration wasn’t just about performances; there would be speeches from the leadership as well. Of course, the students were more interested in the evening show.

At this time, five SUVs drove up to the school gate, carrying top domestic bomb disposal experts and the world’s most advanced bomb-proof equipment. Just five minutes later, a small truck arrived carrying a wireless signal jamming system, making it look like they were preparing for a battle.

The Shengze College celebration occurs once every five years, and participating in such a grand event was a source of pride and honor for the students.

Shengze College clearly took the celebration seriously; otherwise, there would be no need to go to such lengths to bring in bomb disposal experts. It’s said that for this celebration, Shengze College invited numerous celebrities, including Zhou Migeng, a music king known throughout Southeast Asia, and Yang Yuhong, who rose to fame with the hit song “Three Kingdoms Love.”

The program for Shengze College’s celebration is always kept a secret until the day of the event. This ensures better protection for the stars involved and piques media curiosity, attracting more media attention. The media’s keen interest in Shengze’s celebration is undoubtedly linked to the caliber of celebrities invited to previous events.