“Good morning, students. Welcome aboard Wizard Union-Lunar Airlines’ direct flight to First University. I am your flight attendant, Su Qijun, and it’s a pleasure to serve you. This flight is expected to take five hours and thirty-five minutes. We have prepared a delicious lunch for you during the journey; students who wish to eat may proceed to the self-service restaurant after the plane takes off. If you require any other assistance, please press the red button above your head, and our flight attendants will be happy to assist you.”
“Our plane is about to take off. Flight attendants will conduct routine safety checks. Please return to your seats, stow your tray tables, fasten your seatbelts, and hold your pets in your arms.”
“Thank you for your cooperation. We wish you a pleasant journey.”
“Su Qijun!” Li Meng shrieked. “What’s her relationship with Su Shijun? Should I ask her for an autograph and a photo?”
“They’re both from the Qingqiu Su Clan, of the same generation. You can tell by their names,” Xiao Xiao said, putting away his notebook, holding his old tortoise in his arms, and sitting up straight. “But she’s not Su Shijun, so what’s the point of taking a photo with her?”
“Who is Su Shijun?” Zheng Qing asked, stowing his tray table.
“The youngest Upper Council Member of the Moonlight Council, the designated heir of the Qingqiu Su Family, rumored to have reached the Five-Tailed Realm, and currently undergoing assessment by the Great Wizard Conference. She’s the most beautiful woman in the Wizarding World,” Xiao Xiao answered quickly without blinking. “No, she should be called a goddess. The goddess of all Male Wizards in the Wizarding World.”
“A goddess,” Zheng Qing murmured, stroking Poseidon in his arms, and peered down the aisle.
A flight attendant in a crisp uniform was bending over, smiling, and speaking softly to a student in the front row. Her taut uniform perfectly outlined her graceful figure, and her long legs further enhanced this visual impact.
Zheng Qing swallowed, quickly averting his gaze.
See no evil, see no evil, see no evil.
He silently recited the proverb three times in his heart, but the graceful curves he had just seen kept appearing in his mind.
Young people have a lot of energy, he consoled himself, changing his posture and pulling an almond from a box to chew on with a crunch.
“Student, the plane is about to take off. For your safety and that of others, please stow your tray table.”
A pleasant voice sounded not far away. Zheng Qing turned his head; the flight attendant was gently calling out to the student with the wine-red wavy hair who was sleeping across the aisle.
Across the aisle, in the two seats, one was occupied by a young monk in a grey robe, while the other passenger had been sleeping with their head on the tray table. The young monk had put away his scriptures and was meditating with his eyes closed. As for the wine-red wavy hair opposite him, she had been sleeping ever since Zheng Qing boarded the plane.
After repeated calls from the flight attendant, the passenger with the wine-red wavy hair shook her head, lifted it, revealing a delicate face.
Without makeup, she was still stunning. Zheng Qing praised inwardly. Compared to the flight attendant beside her, she was in no way inferior.
Lazily stretching her arms and yawning, the wine-red wavy hair narrowed her eyes, stowed her tray table, then pulled an eye mask from her handbag, put it on, and leaned back in the spacious seat to continue sleeping soundly.
This left Zheng Qing quite disappointed.
“What are you holding? Do you need to put it away?” Li Meng asked, looking at the passenger opposite her. “What’s your name, and which class are you in at Nine Provinces College?”
Opposite Li Meng was a student with a delicate face. His long black hair was tied at the root and tucked into the wide hood of his white robe. A purple scarf was casually draped over his shoulders, and his hands held a long, wrapped bundle in his arms as he silently gazed out the window.
Zheng Qing rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on.
Five minutes ago, the little loli was still timid, but as soon as she got a little familiar, she started chattering non-stop.
Perhaps she shouldn't have a pigeon, but rather a sparrow.
“Your scarf is so pretty! What’s it made of?”
Turning his head, Zheng Qing saw Li Meng leaning forward to touch the purple scarf, and she patted it.
“Wow, it feels so good!” Li Meng exclaimed.
“Caw caw…” A fuzzy purple mink head poked out from the wide hood behind the scarf’s owner, a threatening sound coming from its throat. The purple scarf twitched a few times, then suddenly retracted into the hood, startling even Zheng Qing.
It turned out that wasn't a scarf; it was a sable's tail.
Li Meng froze, pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes, and her eye rims began to turn red.
“My name is Lan Que, and this is a sword.” The sable’s owner finally spoke. His gaze returned from the window, and he pointed to the long, wrapped bundle in his arms, awkwardly comforting her, “Don’t cry.”
It was a male voice, Zheng Qing finally confirmed.
Li Meng, with red eyes, sniffled and then broke into a brilliant smile: “I’m not crying, I’m a University student!”
The little purple mink seemed very pleased. Its two front paws climbed onto Lan Que’s left shoulder, it stretched, yawned leisurely, and revealed a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Poseidon glanced at the little mink with great interest, flicking his large tail.
The pigeon on Li Meng’s shoulder cooed angrily, flapping its wings to menace the purple mink opposite.
“Students, please hold your pets in your arms. Our plane is about to take off.” The pleasant voice of the flight attendant came to his ears. Zheng Qing quickly turned his head, putting on a serious expression.
A refreshing fragrance drifted over with the click-clack of high heels.
The graceful curves once again appeared before Zheng Qing’s eyes, and so close. The flight attendant leaned over to push up the window’s sunshade. At the same time, she bent down to check the seatbelts around their waists.
Zheng Qing’s nostrils were filled with an intoxicating scent.
He tensed his body nervously, not daring to move. Poseidon, squeezed in his arms, stuck out his little tongue and squeaked.
“What a cute little thing.” The flight attendant smiled, scratching Poseidon’s ear. Zheng Qing could clearly see the flight attendant’s nostrils rapidly flaring.
He looked up and saw a pair of dark red, large eyes.
Her clear gaze was like two hot springs, captivating him beyond escape.
When he came to his senses, the plane was already flying smoothly. The people around him were discussing something lively, and even the young monk across the aisle had joined their conversation.
“How did you all get your admission notices?” Xiao Xiao’s tray table was down again, and he was writing something in his black notebook.
“Amitabha, this humble monk found his admission notice in the pages of the Diamond Sutra while transcribing scriptures in the Scripture Pavilion,” the young monk beside him said, clicking his prayer beads. “After reporting to the abbot, the abbot gave this humble monk a verse: ‘All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and like lightning. You should contemplate them as such.’ So, this humble monk came.”
“I hunted a Wild Demon in Qilian Mountains and dug out the admission notice from its belly,” Lan Que said, still speaking as little as possible.
Zheng Qing clicked his tongue, suddenly feeling that his way of getting the admission notice was a bit too simple.