Zhang Yan nodded and uttered a single word: "Yes."
Immediately, Mu Anxiao recalled the days she had spent cleaning outhouses at Old Master Zhang's place. Her heart sank, and she asked, "Can I get a different job?"
"This is the only job I have available right now. If you're not willing to do it, you might have to wait a while longer."
"Then I'll wait," Mu Anxiao said, and lay back down.
"Are you just going to lie there like this?" Zhang Yan asked, looking down at Mu Anxiao as she reclined.
Mu Anxiao gazed up at the ceiling, hummed in affirmation, and said, "I don't have anything to do right now, so I just want to rest. But, remember to call me for meals."
"Then rest yourself," Zhang Yan said, turning and leaving the room.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath, couldn't help but think of Feng Qishi's current state, and then of the once steady Shen Yan. She felt only disappointment.
"Are you very disappointed?"
Hearing the voice, Mu Anxiao looked down at the gourd that had rolled out of her pocket, glowing with green light. She whispered fiercely, "Shut up." With that, she forcefully patted the gourd.
Inside the gourd, the wolf demon swayed its body and looked up at the opening of the gourd, saying, "Let me out, and I'll go teach him a lesson for you, how about that?"
"You don't need to concern yourself with my affairs," Mu Anxiao said coldly.
"Benefactor, he's not Shen Yan anymore, he's just Feng Qishi."
"He is Shen Yan's reincarnation, and you are not allowed to call me Benefactor," Mu Anxiao said, picking up the gourd and shaking it vigorously in front of her face.
The wolf demon inside the gourd swayed back and forth with the movement and said, "Benefactor, please continue. Shake it a few more times, and maybe I can get out."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao stopped her actions, placed the gourd beside her, and closed her eyes.
The school bell for dismissal rang, and Feng Qishi arrived at the male homeroom teacher's office as arranged. "Teacher, the test paper."
The male homeroom teacher took out a test paper from his drawer and handed it to Feng Qishi. "Do your best. I'm going to eat, and I'll bring something back for you."
"Thank you, Teacher, but no need. I just ate a bread," Feng Qishi said as he took the test paper. He walked forward and sat at an empty desk nearby, taking out a prepared pen from his pocket to start working on the problems.
The male homeroom teacher smiled with satisfaction and left.
Forty minutes later... Feng Qishi finished the test paper.
"Teacher, I'm done," he said, sitting at the desk and turning to look at the male homeroom teacher who was reading a book after finishing his meal.
The male homeroom teacher took the test paper and smiled. "Well done. Go and rest."
"Um..." Feng Qishi stood up, hesitated, and said, "Teacher, I'd like to ask for leave."
Seeing Feng Qishi's demeanor, the male homeroom teacher's expression changed, and he asked anxiously, "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
"Yes, I want to go back and rest for a bit. But please don't tell my mother. I don't want her to worry," Feng Qishi said deliberately.
The male homeroom teacher understood Feng Qishi's filial piety and said, "Alright, Teacher agrees to your request."
"Thank you, Teacher. I'll be going now."
"Okay, be careful on your way," the male homeroom teacher said, waving goodbye to Feng Qishi with a smile.
Feng Qishi nodded, holding his pen, and left the office, heading directly towards his Uncle Chen's office.
In an instant, he arrived outside Uncle Chen's office. "Uncle Chen, are you in?" he asked, gently knocking on the office door.
Uncle Chen, seated at his desk, trembled slightly upon hearing Feng Qishi's voice. He cupped his throat and called out in a strained voice, "Teacher Chen is not here."
Hearing this, Feng Qishi frowned, pushed the door open, and looked in, seeing Uncle Chen with his hand clutching his throat. He said angrily, "Uncle Chen, what do you mean by this?" As he spoke, he closed the door behind him with his back.