NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18: Entrance Exam
"I guess he's not so bad after all," said old man Shen after tasting the food.
"He handled your order perfectly. This was why I refrained from hiring just anybody… it takes time to find people like this."
Old man Shen couldn't help bragging.
"I agree. How did you find someone this good?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, it happened suddenly. We'll discuss it later. Go on, eat up"
Yan Qincheng already gobbled up the next spoonful of food before old man Shen could say another word. The two then discussed for a long time after she was done with her food. The employees understood how close those two were and didn't interrupt their conversation.
"This is the best Lanzhou I've ever had," said Yan Qincheng as she rubbed her belly.
"Are you saying mine is inferior?"
"Ah, that is… debatable. But I'd say yours is a bit… boring."
"Can you hear yourself? How does food taste boring?"
"I can't explain these things. I just said the first word I thought of…"
Old man Shen then rolled his eyes. Yan Qincheng tried to pacify the old man,
"But I have to admit, your restaurant is unusually packed with customers…"
"Unusually?"
"You know what I mean,"
"You know you're not saying all the right words today, but…"
Old man Shen surveyed the restaurant before speaking up again.
"It is impossible to avoid eating in a place where the food tastes this good," bragged the old man.
It was Yan Qincheng's turn to roll her eyes. She then suddenly spoke up solemnly.
"You know, since what happened to me, I've been thinking a lot about what my life has been like. It hasn't entirely been fantastic but at least I met some decent people… like you. And my job… I love my job so much… I love teaching my students and watching them improve…"
Hearing this, old man Shen smiled warmly,
"It's only because you did all you could to attend college."
"But I wouldn't have made it through without your help, despite the troubles it caused you."
"At least my efforts weren't in vain."
Yan Qincheng reminisced about her college years and how meeting old man Shen changed her life. But then, her mood got a lot more solemn again.
"What's wrong?" Old man Shen asked.
"I know everyone can't have all they want and be happy. But what I think makes dying difficult to accept is the regret left behind… not doing what you wanted to do, or not getting the opportunity to plan your life the way you wanted. It's a scary world we live in, and no one knows what anyone is thinking. I just feel sorry for people who have ended up like me if I hadn't met you…"
Old man Shen silently watched as Yan Qincheng fell into deep thoughts and spoke up.
"Qincheng, you've always had a habit of overthinking little things, and I fear it has worsened after what happened to you… it has gotten creepier."
Yan Qincheng seemed to have woken into reality and laughed awkwardly.
"I guess you're right. Thinking about these things never helps."
However, old man Shen unconsciously pondered on it. Although he reprimanded her for overthinking, old man Shen always valued her line of thought, as naïve as they may appear.
The two discussed some more before Yan Qincheng finally went home.
Meanwhile, Zhi Luan slaved away in the kitchen. The orders were heaped, but he was capable of handling them. As though struck by lightning, old man Shen remembered he had promised to lend a hand in the kitchen, and quickly rushed into the kitchen.
Zhi Luan was done cleaning the kitchen and was about to retire for the night when,
"Say Zhi Luan…"
Old man Shen called out to him.
"How old are you?" He asked.
Zhi Luan was stumped. The question struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him momentarily speechless and wondering if he had misheard. It caught him off guard and unsure how to react. He paused to think.
Due to constant interaction with Qi and Ryu, cultivators live long lives full of youthful vitality that could last over a hundred years. This was a result of the rejuvenation qualities possessed by these energies. As a result, cultivators paid little to no attention to their age.
"23."
Zhi Luan answered after much thought.
In Zhi Luan's case, his dormant energy caused him to reverse age, and after much contemplation based on his appearance, the age he called out was in sync with his current appearance.
"I suspected you were young, but I didn't think you were this young," old man Shen muttered, before speaking up again.
"You're 23, which means you should either be in your last years or graduated. Which one is it?"
Again, Zhi Luan was stumped. He couldn't understand what the old man was trying to tell him.
"Why do you look so surprised?"
Old man Shen asked and spoke up again.
"Since you're 23, you should either be in your last days of college or have graduated. Which one is it?"
"College?"
Zhi Luan unconsciously repeated.
"Yes, college. A University, a learning school. Didn't you have that where you came from?"
"No, we did not."
"So, what is your highest level of education?"
"Oh, I see. I just know the basics."
"What basics? What are you talking about?" Old man Shen was about to flip out.
"You know… the basics… of… learning… education…"
Zhi Luan tried hard to sound smart but confused the old man more.
"Shut up for a moment. I'm going to ask a question, and I only need a 'Yes' or a 'No' for an answer. Do you know what a university is?"
"No."
Old man Shen smacked his lips in disappointment.
"You said your village was remote, no wonder you don't know anything about a university, or maybe you dropped out of one."
"No," replied Zhi Luan blatantly.
Old man Shen smacked his lips again in disappointment. He rubbed his forehead as he sat down.
"That's all for today. You're dismissed."
Zhi Luan couldn't understand why the old man asked those questions, but then again, he wasn't worried about it and retired for the night.
Yan Qincheng dropped by the restaurant after work. She was just about to settle down and order, when old man Shen appeared and inquired.
"The College Entrance exam… when is it happening?"