Chapter 51: Climbing Through the Window
Three days later.
Guide Academy Office Building.
“I can’t believe it’s been almost two months already. The first batch of students I’ve taught are about to graduate,” Xu Mengwei said with emotion, taking a sip of hot water.
Besides the teacup in his hand, there was another cup of hot water on the table, with white steam constantly rising from it, blurring this small area.
“Class 1 is the class I’ve been with from their lower grades since I joined. After getting along for a few years, I’m a little reluctant to see them go. I hope everyone can find a good place after graduation.”
The Poseidon Era was not a peaceful era with abundant resources. Even the safest Imperial Capital had limited positions. The academy treated all students equally, letting everyone live and train together every day, but it didn’t mean that their paths after leaving school would be the same.
Not everyone had lofty ambitions, wanting to join a remote outpost to guard a region, or form a support squad with partners and wander around. Staying in the Imperial Capital was the choice deep down in most people’s hearts. Besides, if you weren’t a genius and had no connections, you wouldn’t be able to change your class after going out, and you might even die outside.
The Cataclysm had lasted for fourteen years. The sharp edges of some people had been worn away, and they felt that it was not bad to just get by.
Reaching out to feel the heat from the teacup, Xu Xunyue said, “At this point… I remember that most of them have already decided where they’re going. It’s just that the official notice hasn’t come down yet.”
The campus life of the graduating class was coming to an end. If a Guide or a Sentinel had completed all the graduation requirements, they didn’t have to stay at the White Tower every day and could go out to plan for their future.
“Yeah,” Xu Mengwei exhaled. “When Yu Yuan talked to me, she said she had decided to go out and gain experience.”
“Yu Yuan? It’s not strange that she has this idea.” Xu Xunyue thought for a moment and was not surprised by Xu Mengwei’s words.
This Class 1 class president was somewhat similar to a young Guide he had led in his early years. She was not from a noble family, her family conditions were upper-middle class, and she had relatives with a high reputation. She was the type of graduate who had the connections to 100% stay and work in the Imperial Capital.
The young Guide from back then, Qiu Shuang, Qiu Ye’s niece, had joined his team before she graduated, similar in nature to the squad Zhu Hui had formed before.
After Xu Xunyue retired, his squad naturally disbanded. Qiu Shuang had just graduated and chose to be a physician in the palace—that is, a dedicated mental soother for the royal family. On his wedding night, Xu Xunyue had even run into her at the banquet hosted by Luo Mingxu and had chatted with her for a few words.
“I don’t know if it’s because of your influence, senior, but it seems that after you graduated, more people in the academy wanted to go to the Undeveloped Zones to provide support than before,” Xu Mengwei said in a casual tone, but a not-so-natural smile appeared on his face. “I heard that in recent years, the outposts in the Undeveloped Zones are not so short-staffed anymore. I sometimes think that I shouldn’t have stayed at the White Tower after graduation.”
“Everyone has their own circumstances. I can’t judge. At least you chose it yourself back then.”
“I used to always feel that it was too easy for things to happen there. Since I could stay in the Imperial Capital, why not stay? And I was doing what I could while staying in the Imperial Capital, not squandering resources… but now…”
Halfway through his sentence, Xu Mengwei suddenly sat up straight and said with a bitter smile:
“I’m sorry, I was emotionally unstable. I shouldn’t have talked about this.”
Xu Xunyue shook his head, indicating that there was no need to apologize.
“You just miss your family.”
Because of Yu Yuan’s choice, he thought of Xu Yan’an, who was of a similar age to Yu Yuan.
The Xu family was a fallen noble family. In Xu Mengwei’s generation, there were only two people. Now that Xu Yan’an was gone, he was the only one left. Even if Xu Mengwei regretted it and changed his mind, how could his elders dare to let him, a Guide, go out again?
“So senior saw through it long ago.”
Perhaps because he felt he had lost his composure a little, Xu Mengwei supported his forehead, paused, and then said, “Student Zhu came to find me as soon as he arrived in the Imperial Capital from the Diamond Sea and told me he was very sorry. I heard that he found all the family members, and even the orphanage that had raised one of the children. He told them all he was sorry, but what does that have to do with him?”
“…A cataclysm zone has always been like this. We know we can’t blame him. They were all so young. I remember Yan’an’s teammates were all about his age.”
Xu Xunyue listened quietly as Xu Mengwei mentioned his Sentinel’s name.
He didn’t express any opinion, still sitting opposite Xu Mengwei, looking at the speaker through the steam rising from the teacup.
This was the posture of a good listener.
“Yan’an was always restless and couldn’t sit still since he was a child. When he wanted to join the army, he pestered his family for a long time, but they didn’t agree. So he simply acted first and reported later, submitted his application form, and ran to my little house to live, afraid of getting a beating from his parents. I also thought, should I have helped my family stop him back then?”
“Regarding the Diamond Sea matter, my family had someone inquire about it. When Student Zhu came to find me, I also asked, but I always felt it was very strange.”
As he spoke, a certain meaning in Xu Mengwei’s eyes gradually became clear.
“Yi Chengli caused a commotion at the Sentinel Academy a month ago. You also know about this. I ran into him at the gate when I came to the White Tower yesterday. He was back to pack his things and prepare for graduation. And the accident in the Endless Snow, the Sentinel students were suspected of being controlled by some invisible force and losing control… Senior, you came out of the Endless Snow. Do you know more news from the past year?”
Here it comes.
In Xu Xunyue’s impression, Xu Mengwei had always had a rather laid-back personality. The Xu family’s actions had become more and more low-key year by year. For him to ask such a question, he must have been thinking about it for a long time.
If he could win over an old noble family that still had a deep foundation despite its dwindling fresh blood, he would undoubtedly have more security when facing the Emperor.
Xu Xunyue’s expression did not change. He said calmly, “Your question, is it from Xu Mengwei, or from the future head of the Xu family?”
Inside a building used for banquets for officials and nobles by the White Tower.
This was a banquet organized by the Minister of Intelligence, Lu Si. The hall was filled with people, and there were so many expensive and gorgeous clothes that one couldn’t take them all in. The long banquet table was laden with delicacies and wine that the residents of the Undeveloped Zones couldn’t even dream of, but they had hardly been touched.
The Minister of Intelligence himself was a high-level Sentinel. This banquet not only invited nobles and officials, but also many famous young Sentinels from the military.
Compared to food, people were more inclined to socialize. Especially those who were not married. In the eyes of the nobles, they were all potential stocks and hot commodities. And these “hot commodities” were not without their own little thoughts. They might be secretly observing which family was more suitable for them.
In the Empire, when one reached a certain height, marriage would become a means.
However, there were always a few who appeared indifferent.
A certain Sentinel in a black semi-formal evening dress sat in a position very close to the door, seriously tasting the dishes suitable for Sentinels in front of him. His short hair was neat but with a bit of messiness, and he hadn’t even taken off the half-fingered combat gloves on his hands.
Ding-a-ling…
The wind blew, and the handmade wind chime hanging at the door tinkled.
I really want to go home.
Zhu Hui glanced at the snow outside the small window and thought to himself that he should have refused this banquet invitation, which was used for nobles and officials to connect with each other. He wasn’t even familiar with Lu Si.
Sitting here and eating, he could only eat one-tenth or two-tenths of the food. It was better to sit in his brother’s office and wait for his brother to work. So boring.
He drank a mouthful of a colorful-looking drink without any preparation. The liquid touched the tip of his tongue, and a strange and extreme taste exploded. Zhu Hui’s face stiffened slightly, and he put the cup back in its original place with a slow movement.
So bad… how can there be something so bad and stimulating in the world…
As expected, only the beautiful drinks made by brother are drinkable.
His unhappiness increased. Zhu Hui prepared to stay for a little longer, give Lu Si some face, and then leave directly. Anyway, he was not the main target of the nobles’ wooing.
Just then, he heard the conversation of a group of young people in the distance.
Strictly speaking, the hall on the first floor was only so big. Even without turning on his auditory super-sense, Zhu Hui could hear the conversation in any corner, but he hadn’t been listening before.
A Sentinel’s sensory overload, mental stress, and other problems were mostly caused by the five senses being too sharp. He wouldn’t go looking for trouble for himself.
But just now, he had heard his brother’s name.
That group of people was discussing his brother.
The keyword engraved in his central nervous system was triggered. Zhu Hui frowned slightly, mobilized his hearing to gather at the place where the group of people was talking, and filtered out other noises.
“If Zhu Hui weren’t married, many nobles would probably be looking to chat with him.”
“Definitely. That marriage contract came so suddenly, without any warning. I bet a lot of people who originally wanted to win him over were stunned.”
“He married… that person. Does that mean he’s in the Emperor’s faction, so it’s useless for other parties to try to win him over?”
“Hey, hey, hey, you can’t say that. This is a banquet hosted by Lord Lu Si, and you dare to talk about this.”
“Exactly. But I heard from my friend’s partner’s cousin’s sister—she studies at the White Tower—that their relationship is actually quite good.”
“Really? I’ve been busy with the year-end assessment of the Imperial Capital Guard recently, so I haven’t paid much attention to this kind of gossip.”
“Who knows? I’ve been busy recently too. The things in the White Tower are only known to those who stay in the White Tower all day.”
The lines on Zhu Hui’s brow softened a little.
So they were discussing me, and then they mentioned brother’s name by the way.
As long as they didn’t say anything bad about brother.
As for whether their relationship is good or not?
Hmph, brother talked to me about his recent schedule last night. We’ve already arranged to go to the relevant department offline tomorrow to get our paper marriage certificate.
At that time, who in the entire Imperial Capital wouldn’t know? I’m afraid they’ll just go crazy with their own imaginations…
Nothing worth listening to. I can go now.
Zhu Hui prepared to get up.
But that group of young people suddenly changed the subject.
“Huh? Isn’t that Yi Chengli? What’s he doing?”
“Why is he walking toward the door?”
“What’s wrong with him? He doesn’t look so good.”
“You don’t even know this! Let me tell you, ever since he lost control for no reason last time, the Yi family has reduced the resources they give him… Of course, the Yi family is big, so they certainly won’t ignore him, but now it seems they’re shifting the focus of the family’s training.”
…Walking toward the door?
Zhu Hui seemed to have sensed something and looked in a certain direction.
A handsome Sentinel with a somewhat pale face was walking toward the door—or rather, toward his position. Who else could it be but Yi Chengli?
“Is there something you need?”
Zhu Hui stood up.
Yi Chengli stopped a few meters in front of him.
“…I’m about to graduate.”
Zhu Hui glanced at his face.
“Seeing as you’re not fully recovered, I’ll give you one chance to talk nonsense.” Which meant that he would pretend he hadn’t heard the nonsense just now, and if he had something to say, he shouldn’t dawdle.
Yi Chengli exhaled, gritted his teeth, and said directly, “Will you be forming a team in the future? If you do, can you add me?”
Zhu Hui: “??”
Zhu Hui: “Young Master, did you take the wrong medicine?”
Probably choked by him, Yi Chengli coughed violently. After a long while, he said, “No, I really think so. Anyway, the decision is in your hands… If you think it’s okay, then contact me on my personal terminal.”
The Sentinel Academy required all classmates in the same class to add each other’s contact information. Zhu Hui had indeed added Yi Chengli as a friend when he first entered the White Tower to study, but the friend was a friend in name only. He hadn’t used it at all in the past few years.
…It wasn’t that he hadn’t used it at all. In his early years, before he joined the army, Yi Chengli had sent him a challenge message through his terminal, the kind of very immature challenge letter.
It was just that the challenged had read it and not replied.
“I’ll think about it.”
He had originally been preparing to leave, but now he had inexplicably had this conversation with Yi Chengli. Seeing the gazes, both obvious and subtle, gathering around them, Zhu Hui directly slipped away, and he even had an excuse to run.
This was Lu Si’s banquet, after all. There were many people and many eyes.
If there was something, he would talk about it when he got home. He had to tell his brother about this.
…
An hour later.
Using the fastest speed to reach the manor where he had been living for a month, before Zhu Hui even entered the main gate, he saw the warm light on the second floor of the small house.
It was snowing outside, and there was light in the house. This scene was very similar to what he had seen outside on his wedding night.
But now, Zhu Hui knew that the room with the light on was the study. He had been there many times and had also read the books inside.
Time passed so quickly. Happy days passed even faster.
Thinking this, the corners of his lips lifted.
The manor gate was not locked, clearly waiting for him. Zhu Hui entered the gate and locked it from the inside, then looked up, watching that room as he walked, not at all afraid of bumping his head on a tree.
It was unknown if it had sensed his gaze, but the curtain of the window that was letting out light was suddenly drawn open.
With a whoosh.
The owner of the manor had walked to the window.
Xu Xunyue looked at his Sentinel, who was walking while looking up, and found it a little amusing in his heart. He also smiled openly on his face.
A Guide’s close-range senses of a Sentinel were very strong. He of course knew that Zhu Hui was approaching, and even knew that Zhu Hui had been staring at this window all along.
He had originally wanted to continue sitting, but after sensing it for a long time, he still got up and opened the curtain.
The smile on his lips had not yet begun to fade when Xu Xunyue suddenly found that the Sentinel in the courtyard had started to run.
He ran very fast, leaving an afterimage on the snow. It didn’t take him two seconds to reach the window.
Then he showed off his agile skills and climbed up to the second floor in a few moves.
Xu Xunyue: “…”
He opened the window, hugged the Sentinel who had suddenly decided not to use the main door into his arms, stroked the snowflakes on his short hair, and asked with a smile:
“Why did you suddenly climb through the window to come home?”
“I felt it would be faster,” Zhu Hui smiled and nuzzled into his arms, then turned his head to kiss his jaw. “When I saw brother smiling at me from the window, I couldn’t help but climb through the window to come in.”
