Chapter 8: The Principal

Chapter 8: The Principal

"We'll step out then," He Zhi seemed quite intimidated by him.

Cao Bin nodded, and He Zhi signaled Lu Xiu, leading him out of the office and closing the door.

"Would you like something to drink?" Cao Bin asked, "How about whiskey on the rocks?"

"No, no," Jiang Hong hurriedly said, "I don't drink much."

"How about a chilled plum drink?" Cao Bin offered, "It's refreshing."

Jiang Hong nodded, watching Cao Bin go to pour the drink, feeling as though this office was the safest place in the world.

"I've been at the Exorcist Committee in Lingjing Alley these past few days," Cao Bin said, "I just returned to the school after receiving He Zhi's call, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Cao Bin handed the drink to Jiang Hong and poured himself a glass of whiskey with ice, gesturing a toast with a smile. His smile was very handsome, making Jiang Hong feel reassured again.

"We shouldn't drink during work hours," Cao Bin said, "But since it's still summer vacation, let's overlook the school rules for now."

Jiang Hong also raised his glass towards him.

Cao Bin said, "I understand your concerns. Not wanting to enroll as an exorcist is fine; you're the first case since the school's establishment. But, we have an emergency plan for such special circumstances."

Jiang Hong asked, "How long has the school been open?"

"Not very long, less than ten years," Cao Bin replied. "They acquired this school from another place. I wasn't the first principal; I've only been in this position for just over three years."

Jiang Hong nodded, then hesitated, prompting Cao Bin to raise his eyebrows inquiringly.

"What's the matter?" Cao Bin asked, "Did you think I would persuade you to stay?"

Jiang Hong said, "I thought... um... yes, I didn't expect..."

He didn't expect that the vice chancellor, though seemingly stern, would be unexpectedly amiable.

Cao Bin said, "As an exorcist, one needs the wisdom to respect facts. This wisdom lies in asking ourselves 'What are the facts? What truth do they support?' when faced with difficulties and choices. Facts don't change based on what you 'feel should be' or 'hope to become.'"

Jiang Hong said, "Yes, that's true."

"Your heart has already made a decision, that's the fact. Trying to persuade you otherwise is pointless," Cao Bin said. "We respect others' decisions, as well as the facts themselves."

Jiang Hong felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

"However, the reset process will take a bit of time," Cao Bin added. "Once you're ready, you can sign here."

"What is this reset process?" Jiang Hong asked, feeling a bit frightened, as if it was something akin to an existential erasure.

"The existence of exorcists, demons, devils, and many supernatural phenomena," Cao Bin said seriously, "must be kept confidential, as I'm sure you understand."

"Right, right," Jiang Hong quickly said, "I grew up without ever seeing ghosts or demons, which shows the confidentiality has been well maintained."

Cao Bin explained, "Not exactly. There are occasional leaks, but that's not important now. If you decide to return to your own life, we'll use a little trick to make you forget this brief period of your memory, starting from the moment you received the admission letter from Cangqiong University, until you return to your doorstep."

"Ah??" Jiang Hong was somewhat bewildered, saying, "Can't I just not forget these things? I promise I won’t tell anyone."

Cao Bin spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, saying, "It's not just for the school, but for your sake as well."

Jiang Hong said, "I could sign a confidentiality agreement or something..."

Cao Bin spoke earnestly, "You don't have to say anything, but our enemies might use unconventional methods to extract information about the school from you. You wouldn't want to be targeted, right?"

"Oh, is that so?" Jiang Hong thought to himself, enemies? Could they be some evil spirits? Honestly, he was a bit curious. In a school supposed to train exorcists, where were the demons? Are there really so many demons and ghosts in China that they need to maintain peace?

But these things were no longer of much concern to him.

"Alright," Jiang Hong felt a bit regretful, but he accepted the situation.

"The school will arrange for a senior to escort you home," Cao Bin said. "Once you sign the document, you can prepare to head home. The Exorcist Committee will take over the aftermath and weave a memory for you, essentially that you failed to get into your preferred college in the entrance exams and decided to retake the year, spending the summer vacation touring Xi'an. This memory will be implanted in your family and close friends as well."

"Okay." Jiang Hong wondered if this committee really had such extensive powers to modify memories.

"Read the informed consent form carefully," Cao Bin said, taking another sip of his drink and joking, "Make sure you understand it this time."

The consent form essentially stated that Jiang Hong voluntarily chose to drop out and retake the exams in his hometown. It included what Cao Bin had mentioned about using failing the exams as a reason to clear his mind, and a compensation clause — as a remedy for the admission office’s oversight, after Jiang Hong retook and passed the college entrance exam, Cangqiong University would communicate with his new school to grant him a targeted scholarship under a joint research program, totaling sixty thousand yuan over four years.

Of course, by then, Jiang Hong would probably have no idea why this was happening and just consider it a stroke of unexpected luck.

"No need for the money," Jiang Hong hurriedly said, taking responsibility, "It's my fault too for not understanding the situation clearly."

Cao Bin responded, "It's okay, it's a small gesture. We've wasted so much of your time and hindered your chance at a better school."

Jiang Hong pondered for a moment before asking, "If I choose to go home, does that mean I’ll forget my roommates and Senior Lu Xiu?"

"Yes," Cao Bin replied politely. "You are from two different worlds. It’s best not to intersect. Although it’s against the rules, it’s possible they might visit you later under a different identity. After all, your family and Lu Xiu have a long-standing connection, and he came to repay a favor."

"Huh?!" Jiang Hong was signing his name, startled by the remark, and said, "When did this happen? I had no idea!"

Cao Bin said, "Maybe you weren't even born yet? After death, souls transmigrate and reincarnate between heaven and earth. Who can clearly say if someone is the same person from a past life? Coming and going, all are but memories…"

Jiang Hong looked at Cao Bin, who held a whiskey glass and gazed out the window. At dusk, a magnificent rainbow appeared in the sky, like a ribbon stretching across the heavens, touching the earth.

"In the end, what we call bonds are nothing more than obsessions."

Cao Bin turned, locked eyes with Jiang Hong, came over to shake his hand, and said, "I wish you all the best in the future."

Jiang Hong nodded and replied, "Thank... thank you."

After signing, Jiang Hong left the office to find Lu Xiu waiting for him.

Xuan Hezhi nodded at Jiang Hong and then went back inside.

Lu Xiu said, "I'll take you home, seeing things through from start to finish. Do you have anything you need to pack?"

Suddenly, Jiang Hong said, "I'd like to visit my roommates from military training, is that okay?"

Lu Xiu pondered for a moment, then nodded. Jiang Hong added, "Sorry, am I being a bit melodramatic?"

"Not at all," Lu Xiu replied, leading Jiang Hong downstairs to retrieve his helmet.

"Are you taking me on your motorcycle?" Jiang Hong asked in surprise.

"Didn't you want to ride?" Lu Xiu mounted the motorcycle and gestured for him to get on. "You might not get another chance, come on."

So, Jiang Hong got on and held onto Lu Xiu's waist. As Lu Xiu accelerated, the motorcycle roared into motion.

In the vice principal's office, Cao Bin looked helplessly at Xuan Hezhi.

Xuan Hezhi said, "I really didn't expect this. Meeting the enrollment target this year was already tough enough..."

"I don't blame you for the haphazard recruitment," Cao Bin said. "But had you paid more attention, asked and clarified in advance, it wouldn't have come to this. How could you not make things clear in such a situation?"

Xuan Hezhi stood in front of the desk, meekly taking the scolding.

"It's a pity for that kid," Cao Bin sighed, "He was a promising one. Look at what you've done; even recruiting a student can lead to a teaching disaster!" Cao Bin, holding a stack of documents, felt like thrashing Xuan Hezhi, who hastily dodged.

"How's the investigation into the earth's veins going?" Xuan Hezhi asked again.

"No progress," Cao Bin exhaled deeply, loosened his tie, and sank back into his chair, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Ah—" The wind blew wildly as Jiang Hong sat on the motorcycle, spreading his arms as if riding a roller coaster.

Lu Xiu sped recklessly, as if venting something, pushing the Kawasaki H2 to 200 mph. Jiang Hong, terrified at the back, saw everything in a blur, clinging tightly to Lu Xiu, shouting, "Slow down, slow down! Senior, slow down!"

The motorcycle was speeding on a mountain road, a slight mishap could send them flying into the river. Jiang Hong, pressed against Lu Xiu's back, felt their heartbeats almost synchronizing.

"Huff—huff—" Arriving at the military camp's entrance, the sky nearly dark, Lu Xiu still wore an expressionless face, sitting on the motorcycle, waiting for Jiang Hong to say goodbye.

Lu Xiu had informed the counselor in advance, and the three roommates from Dorm 903 gathered at the fence, looking at him.

"Are you okay?" He Jian asked worriedly. "Thanks to you, everyone says the intensity of the military training is too much, driving the freshmen to a nervous breakdown. Today, the instructor let us watch TV in an air-conditioned room, all day long."

Jiang Hong: "..."

Zhang Xiting seemed to guess something, observing Jiang Hong for a moment.

Jin asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Hmm..." Jiang Hong thought for a while, not mentioning his decision to drop out. He had only known his roommates for three days. Although their bond wasn’t deep, he thought everyone was kind... well, kind spirits. They had never bullied him, and suddenly, he felt strangely reluctant to leave.

"There's some issue at home," Jiang Hong said, "I need to go back and deal with it."

Jin asked, "Do you need help with it?"

Jiang Hong quickly waved his hand to indicate it was fine, and Jin then said, "If there’s anything, just contact me on WeChat."

"Alright," Jiang Hong nodded.

A whistle blew in the barracks, signaling them to hurry up and shower. Jin, clearly not taking it seriously, left first with He Jian, leaving Zhang Xiting and Jiang Hong exchanging glances.

"Let me guess," said Zhang Xiting, "They got the wrong person, didn’t they? You're a mortal? How did you get in here?"

Zhang Xiting’s guess was astonishingly accurate, almost hitting the nail on the head.

Lu Xiu, riding on his motorcycle by the roadside, turned his head and gave him a look that seemed like a warning.

"Not exactly, but close," Jiang Hong whispered back. "I didn’t understand anything at first and was really scared."

"You should go back," Zhang Xiting said, "It's better for you to live your own life. I'll visit you when I'm free, though you might not remember me by then."

Jiang Hong felt a bit sad at his words, but Zhang Xiting laughed, "We can still become friends again, see you."

"See you." Jiang Hong cheered up hearing this and high-fived Zhang Xiting through the fence. Zhang Xiting waved casually and returned to the barracks.

On this moonlit night, Jiang Hong felt profoundly desolate.

He slowly walked back to Lu Xiu and climbed onto the motorcycle. On the way back, Lu Xiu drove slowly as if to let him enjoy the moonlit rivers, magnificent mountains, and the world bathed in silver white. Every leaf shimmered under the moonlight, like countless waves in a vast sea of spiritual energy.

The next day, Jiang Hong, with his luggage in tow, waited at the Xianyang airport with Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu started checking his phone, deleting all contacts related to the school and clearing the browsing history of school websites.

After leaving the military camp last night, Lu Xiu had hardly spoken.

"Senior," Jiang Hong said, "How much was the plane ticket? I'll transfer the money to you."

"The school will reimburse it," Lu Xiu, wearing sunglasses, sat idly in the business class seat.

Jiang Hong couldn’t help but look at him sideways, feeling a bit guilty towards Lu Xiu and recalling what Cao Bin had said, he asked, "Senior?"

Lu Xiu: "?"

Lu Xiu slightly turned his head and took off his sunglasses, indicating that Jiang Hong should speak.

"Our families..." Jiang Hong asked again, "Are they old acquaintances?"

"Who told you? The principal? Why are you asking these questions?" Lu Xiu replied casually and put his sunglasses back on.

Jiang Hong: "Right, I'll forget it later anyway."

Lu Xiu continued to look distant. Jiang Hong said, "But I still want to know."

Lu Xiu ignored him. Jiang Hong suddenly had a thought and whispered, "Senior, you're a... spirit, right?"

Lu Xiu took off his sunglasses again and asked, "Do you want to see?"

"No, no, no," Jiang Hong hastily declined, fearing Lu Xiu might reveal something startling again. Strangely enough, he always had an inkling that Lu Xiu was a spirit, but for some reason, he wasn't scared of him at all. Instead, he saw Lu Xiu as the most trustworthy person.

"How old are you?" Jiang Hong asked. "Do you know my ancestors?"

"If I tell you," Lu Xiu said again, "would you come back to the school?"

Jiang Hong pondered for a moment, then refrained from asking further.

As the plane landed in Chongqing, the closer he got to home, the more Jiang Hong felt an inexplicable reluctance.

"Will you come to see me in the future?" Jiang Hong asked again.

"No," Lu Xiu hailed a taxi, placed Jiang Hong's luggage in it, and sat with him in the back seat.

"Hmm," Jiang Hong said.

Lu Xiu's fingers touched as he looked out the window, then after a moment, he added, "If I fly over Chongqing and it's on my way, I might check on you, but you won’t be able to find me."

Jiang Hong smiled sadly and said, "Alright then."

"Go back and aim for a better university," Lu Xiu said indifferently, "there will be other seniors to take care of you."

Jiang Hong scratched his head; the taxi arrived at the gate of his residential complex, and it was evening again - everything was so familiar.

"I'm sorry, senior," Jiang Hong, dragging his suitcase, suddenly turned back and said to Lu Xiu, "for causing you so much trouble."

Lu Xiu took off his sunglasses, silently bowed his head slightly, and looked at him.

Standing on the road, Jiang Hong walked back slowly, seemingly slowing down to spend a bit more time with Lu Xiu.

"One hundred and sixty years ago," Lu Xiu suddenly said, "on the shores of Yamdrok Lake, there was someone who recognized my true form for me."

Jiang Hong: "?"

Jiang Hong turned his head, looking at Lu Xiu with a questioning expression.

"Do you know what 'recognizing the true form' means?" Lu Xiu asked.

"What is that?" Jiang Hong was completely unaware.

"In this world, when a demon cultivates to perfection, they acquire the ability to ascend to another realm," Lu Xiu explained. "Some turn into humans, others into different forms. But at the moment of breaking through, they need external support for that final push."

Jiang Hong stopped in his tracks, nodded blankly, not really understanding what Lu Xiu was talking about.

"Humans, as the most enlightened of all creatures, are the only ones capable of 'bestowing true form' onto others," Lu Xiu explained. "Just like naming, only humans name things, and by giving a name, whether to living or non-living things, it endows them with a preliminary 'spirit'. All things in the world grow and transform within the realm of human cognition."

"Oh," Jiang Hong suddenly realized and said, "So, did my ancestor meet you because of this?"

Lu Xiu didn't answer directly but explained, "A creature, after years of cultivation, finally took on the form of a dragon. But if it doesn't receive 'recognition of its true form' at the last moment during the heavenly tribulation, it will be shattered to pieces, turning back into a 'serpent' in the mire, having to endure the arduous cultivation all over again."

"Ah," Jiang Hong nodded sympathetically, "That sounds tough."

"One hundred and sixty years ago, by the Yamdrok Lake, there was such a creature," Lu Xiu said. "It had reached the end of its cultivation. That night, the heavenly tribulation struck, and under the ferocious thunder, no one was around for miles as the herders had all taken shelter."

Jiang Hong listened quietly, while Lu Xiu looked at him, his clear eyes reflecting Jiang Hong's handsome face.

"...But there was a young boy from a local chieftain's family, a fool since childhood. He was only fourteen that year. For some reason, he was right by the lake. Watching the Jiao in the tribulation, he kept laughing and uttered the word in Tibetan, 'Kuru'."

Jiang Hong: "Does it mean 'dragon'?"

"Yes," Lu Xiu said. "Though he was a fool, his eyes were clear. Wearing a Tibetan robe, he shouted 'Kuru, Kuru, Kuru!' towards the sky."

Jiang Hong asked, "So, did that creature succeed in the end?"

"It did," Lu Xiu replied. "But the fool caught a severe illness after being drenched in the rain and died three days later."

Jiang Hong thought, but my ancestors... all my ancestors were Han Chinese. Wait, are you talking about yourself, senior?! What are you? Are you...?!

Lu Xiu continued, "In life, we have three souls and seven spirits. After death, memories scatter, but the life soul returns to the heavenly vein, entering the next reincarnation. The dragon searched everywhere and, after one hundred and sixty years, finally found him. It's better this way, Jiang Hong, live well... Life is but a brief journey against the eternal sadness of the world."

As he spoke, Lu Xiu flicked his fingers against Jiang Hong's forehead.

"Wait, senior, you are actually..."

"All that passes is but emptiness."

As Lu Xiu's words faded, a gust of wind swept up in front of him, and Jiang Hong vaguely sensed a figure appearing and then vanishing.

Jiang Hong: "???"

Jiang Hong turned around, talking to himself, "What am I doing? Strange, ah! It's already seven o'clock!"

Dragging his luggage, Jiang Hong entered the residential area and returned to his long-missed home.

The table was set with steaming dishes, and his parents were at home.

"You're back?" asked Jiang's mother. "Did you have fun?"

"It was okay," Jiang Hong replied. "I'm exhausted—wow, Mom, what delicious dish have you made?"

His father, looking at his phone by the table, said, "I've checked out a few repeat-study classes for you. You've had your fun and cleared your mind. Starting tomorrow, prepare to battle again!"

Agreeing with a nod, Jiang Hong went to wash his hands and eat, returning to his life.