High-level martial arts: Long spear with black flames to suppress demons.

Just as Li Xiwan was secretly laughing, the office door was suddenly kicked open with great force.

"ha--!"

With a menacing hiss, a slender figure burst in like a cannonball, pouncing directly on Shen Chang'an on the sofa without a word.

Bai Yin nimbly climbed onto Shen Chang'an's shoulders, her two shapely and straight legs clamping tightly around his head, shaking him frantically like a crazed plush toy.

"You'll see, you're so fickle! I'll bite you to death!"

Faced with this cat-like headlock attack, Shen Chang'an remained as steady as a mountain.

He completely ignored Bai Yin's crazed antics above him and turned to look at Zhao Changfeng behind the desk:

"Old Zhao, now that we've decided on a school, what are the next steps for the paperwork?"

"Once I submit your application forms to the provincial department, we'll expedite the special recruitment approval process, and it should be approved quickly. Then someone will take over the affairs of Qingzhou District."

Hearing this, Bai Yin, who was grinding her teeth while hanging on Shen Chang'an's neck, stopped. She poked her fluffy head out, her face full of curiosity: "What were you two talking about just now?"

Li Xiwan quickly stood up, took the grumpy cat off the male lead, and explained softly, "We were talking about choosing a school, and I was just about to tell you in the group chat."

Bai Yin pounced and nestled comfortably into Li Xiwan's soft embrace, snuggling against her for a moment before tilting her head back proudly and saying, "Our Xiwan is the best!"

Then, she turned and asked, "So, where did you actually choose?"

"Shanghai University"

"What a coincidence!"

Bai Yin's eyes lit up, and she immediately raised her hand.

"I've decided to go there too!"

Seeing that everything was settled, Shen Chang'an stood up and stretched: "Okay, it's settled then. I'll head back now."

An hour later, at Guanlan Prefecture.

Shen Chang'an pushed open the door and saw Aunt Li Yue sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV.

"Chang'an is back."

When Li Yue saw him enter, she immediately greeted him with a smile.

Has the matter of the specially recruited schools been finalized?

"Okay, it's settled."

Shen Chang'an changed his shoes and walked into the living room.

"I chose Shanghai University."

"Universities in Shanghai are great; they're in a big city, and you can broaden your horizons."

Li Yue nodded, then her eyes lit up, and she said with a hint of anticipation.

"Now that you're going to Shanghai, I'm thinking of having Qingqing apply to Shanghai University too. If you two go to the same school, you can look out for each other later. What do you think?"

"OK."

Shen Chang'an nodded without hesitation.

He glanced towards the second floor and asked, "Is Qingqing upstairs? I'll go tell her."

"I'm here. I just took a nap. Go ahead." Li Yue smiled broadly.

On the second floor, outside Zhang Qingqing's bedroom door.

"Knock knock".

Shen Chang'an knocked on the door twice casually.

"They're here..."

The sound of slippers scraping the floor came from inside the door.

The door opened, and Zhang Qingqing had clearly just woken up. She was wearing a slightly oversized cotton loungewear set, the neckline slightly askew, revealing a small section of her delicate collarbone.

Her long hair, which she usually kept meticulously styled, was now loosely draped over her shoulders.

However, when she rubbed her eyes and saw that it was Shen Chang'an standing outside the door, she froze instantly, and the sleepiness in her eyes vanished.

"Is...what's the matter?"

Zhang Qingqing instinctively gripped the doorknob tightly.

Shen Chang'an didn't notice her stiffness, put his hands in his pockets, and went straight to the point: "I applied to Shanghai University. Aunt Li said you should apply to it too, so we can go together. Do you want to come?"

Zhang Qingqing was stunned for a moment.

She looked up, then nodded vigorously: "Okay... I'll go with you."

After agreeing, the atmosphere fell into a brief awkward silence. To break the tension, Zhang Qingqing, trying to make conversation, asked in a low voice, "Um, what...maybe you chose?"

"major?"

Shen Chang'an was stunned by the question.

He hadn't really thought about this. The special recruitment list sent by the General Administration just now didn't mention anything about professional skills, except for the money and contribution points.

"I don't know, it should be arranged by the company."

Shen Chang'an stroked his chin and said very frankly.

"After all, my profession is rather unique, so going to school is just a formality. I feel like no matter what major I choose, I'll just end up wasting my time."

Looking at his self-righteous and nonchalant attitude towards life, Zhang Qingqing's tense nerves inexplicably relaxed a little, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.

She nodded obediently: "Okay, I understand. Then... I'll go register on the computer first."

a few days later.

July 3rd.

In the lobby on the first floor of Guanlan Mansion, a boring midday news was playing on the television.

Shen Chang'an sprawled on the sofa without any regard for his image when his phone screen suddenly lit up with a WeChat message from Lao Zhao.

Old Zhao: "Shanghai University, Class of 2026, Major: Business Administration. The admission process is complete."

Immediately afterwards, Lao Zhao sent a voice message that lasted thirty seconds.

Shen Chang'an clicked on it.

"I specifically negotiated with the Shanghai branch of the Public Security Bureau to arrange this major! I arranged for you all to be in the humanities, mainly to make it easy to coast through life. You don't need to spend time in the lab or do any of that lousy research. You can just cram for the final exams and pass. Anyway, we, the students, don't rely on this worthless diploma to find a job. As long as we can slack off, that's fine."

Shen Chang'an agreed with the arrangement and casually typed: OK.

"Oh, right, there's something I need to tell you in advance."

Messages from Lao Zhao kept popping up.

"The situation at Shanghai University is rather unique. This year's freshman enrollment is 8342. Do you know how many of them are related to the cultivation world?"

"There are 1431 young core members of the Zhenye Division dispatched from all over the country. There are 3214 other folk practitioners and disciples of sects."

Looking at the numbers on the screen, Shen Chang'an raised an eyebrow.

This means that more than half of the freshmen at Shanghai University this year are cultivators.

"Don't be surprised. As one of the top universities in the country, Shanghai University naturally recruits the most elite students. It's normal for ordinary people to come into contact with the cultivation world when they reach that level. However, Shanghai is a big melting pot, with various forces intertwined. Don't try to blend in like you're in an ordinary school when you get there."

Shen Chang'an nodded.

"There's something else."

Old Zhao changed the subject.

"The person from the provincial department who will take over the Qingzhou District will not arrive until September. So before school starts in September, you guys will have to stay in Qingzhou District and keep an eye on things."

"Take advantage of these two months of free time to quickly settle all your mundane affairs. Go get your driver's license, or ask that girl you had a crush on in high school out and confess your feelings to her."

Looking at the last message, Shen Chang'an was speechless.

Unrequited love?

He's usually exhausted, either at work or on his way to work. How could he possibly have time for a crush? Do you really think everyone is a lazy, good-for-nothing manager with a thermos full of goji berries?

However, when it comes to high school...

Shen Chang'an casually opened the class group chat.

The group chat was buzzing with discussion about the "graduation dinner" after the admission notices arrived in mid-July.

He touched his chin.

After all, I've spent three years in high school, which can be considered the end of a chapter in my life.

He clicked on Li Xiwan's profile picture and sent her a message:

Are you going to the class graduation dinner in mid-July?

"If you're going, we can go together. I'll come and get a free meal."

My phone vibrated, and Li Xiwan quickly replied to my message.

Li Xiwan: "No problem, I'll just go and join in the fun."

At this moment, in the high school class group chat, the homeroom teacher, Lao Liu, was frantically spamming the chat with messages:

"Classmates, we're having a gathering at Fushan Manor soon! Everyone who can come, please come! This might be the last time in your lives that you all get together like this! After all these years, you'll be scattered all over the country, and it'll be hard to get a table together again!"