High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 938: Chapter 286: Before Departure

After returning to his seat with a throbbing forehead, Zheng Qing began to fill out those annoying application materials.

Meanwhile, Old Yao continuously called different students forward, assigning them various tasks based on their individual circumstances.

The meeting was about to end in the blink of an eye.

Before leaving, Old Yao, while packing up materials from the lecture desk and looking around, said, ”If there are no other issues, then this semester is officially over now... Have a happy winter break, and an early happy New Year to everyone!”

”Happy winter break, Professor!”

”And a happy New Year to you, Professor!”

The classroom immediately erupted into a messy chorus of greetings.

Amidst it all, a student loudly asked, ”Professor, when will the final exam grades be out?”

”The final grades will be delivered by your pets on Lantern Festival day, the week before the next semester starts,” Old Yao chuckled and waved his hand, beginning to walk out of the classroom, ”So after you go on break, make sure to be nice to your animal companions, lest they get angry and eat your report cards.”

”I actually wish my report card would get eaten... I think I might not score above ninety in Magic Script Class,” Xin Fat Man said despondently, rubbing his chin, ”Too bad I don’t have a pet.”

”Ask quickly?!” Zheng Qing immediately grabbed Fat Man’s arm and lifted it, shouting at the professor, ”Professor, what about those who don’t have pets?”

”The school will arrange for other small animals to deliver them to your homes, so don’t worry about it,” the professor pressed his hand down, signaling Zheng Qing to put Fat Man’s arm down.

”Professor, I’m going to miss you!” Fat Man theatrically bawled out.

The classroom burst into laughter.

Old Yao was also amused by Fat Man’s words.

He stopped his footsteps, about to exit the classroom, turned around, and looked at Xin Fat Man, ”I’ll miss you too... especially when grading your papers.”

With that, he said no more, waved his hand for the last time, and turned to leave.

The noise in the classroom grew even louder.

...

...

After the final meeting ended, winter break was theoretically here.

However, since the meeting took place in the evening, most students would still spend one more night at the school before heading home the next day. Zheng Qing, however, didn’t plan to stay the extra night.

He had already applied to leave tonight, and the school had approved his request, scheduling his departure for 9:45 PM.

Unlike arriving at the school by charter flight, going home for the winter break involved the school arranging a personalized ”Clock Passageway” to send people home.

This arrangement was partly due to the school’s Protect Legal Formation restrictions, which did not allow opening the island to charter flights more than once a year, and partly because only a minority of students go home for the spring festival, reducing pressure on the school’s transport facilities, allowing them to choose a faster method.

Just like in Dorm 403.

Only Zheng Qing had plans to go home for winter break—Dylan and Xin, needless to say, did not observe the Spring Festival tradition, and they chose not to go home as Dylan was occupied with family matters and Xin was helping at a potion professor’s laboratory during that time.

The reason Xiao Xiao chose not to go home seemed somewhat feeble by comparison.

”My family is all busy, and even if I went back, I would be celebrating the festival alone,” said Watermelon Head, his face gloomy as he sat on his bed, somewhat perfunctorily responding to Zheng Qing’s question. ”Besides, my travel budget isn’t sufficient.”

Zheng Qing, thinking back to what Xiao Xiao had vaguely mentioned about his strained father-son relationship and his previously shabby clothes, actually believed the doctor’s explanation.

But Xin Fat Man was skeptical of Xiao Xiao’s explanation.

”I heard Mister Sima isn’t going home for the winter break either,” he ’lowered’ his voice, whispering so loudly that everyone in the dorm could hear, to Tuan Tuan who was lying on his lap: ”...so, the doctor’s reason for not going home is quite sufficient.”

Zheng Qing struggled to suppress the laughter he wanted to express.

Worried that the doctor and Fat Man would start bickering again, the young state-sponsored student quickly turned his head to Xin, asking, ”Aren’t you supposed to finish the survey report of North Beita Town? Why are you going to help in that professor’s laboratory again?”

”Professor Dolag Barton,” Xin Fat Man corrected Zheng Qing’s expression, reminding him, ”He is the director of the Magical Creatures Research Institute at First University, an almost Big Wizard, and an honorary member of the Wizard Council... You should have heard of that name, right?”

Zheng Qing wracked his brain but finally shrugged his shoulders, indicating no recollection whatsoever.

”Well,” Fat Man looked slightly disappointed but soon perked up, explaining, ”Professor Barton has been raising a batch of caudal snakes, and recently, he needed some potions to promote growth and prevent diseases, so he called a few students to help... because it’s all very simple work. Senior Linda knew about it and recommended that I go help.”

Linda is the editor-in-chief of the Campus Newspaper and also Xin Fat Man’s direct superior. Zheng Qing heard her name from Fat Man about once or twice a week, making the young state-sponsored student highly suspicious of something fishy going on between them.

However, these suspicions always remained fermenting and were never confirmed.

”...The part-time job at Professor Barton’s place only needs two weeks, starting from tomorrow until the first of February.” At this point, Fat Man paused, looked up at Zheng Qing, asking, ”I remember you’re coming back on February second?”

”That’s right,” Zheng Qing nodded: ”The school has arranged the ’Clock Passageway’ for February second at four forty-five PM... If all goes well, by five o’clock in the evening, I should be back in the dorm.”

”Hmm, that’s good to hear... I have a day off on the second, you come back on the second, and then we can finish my survey report in the North District on the third.” Fat Man nodded in satisfaction: ”If there’s any paperwork you need handled, I can push things along during this time.”

The paperwork he referred to was Zheng Qing’s application to the School Works Committee to complete a public service project in North Beita Town.

”It’s already finished,” Zheng Qing stuffed the last roll of bedding into his Grey Cloth Bag, and then put on a somewhat clumsy overcoat, patting his bulging pockets, his tone filled with the lightness and joy of going home: ”Hearing that I planned to go to the North District to complete a public service project, the committee members were thrilled... It took only five minutes to get the paperwork done.”

”You won’t be able to return to this dorm on February second,” Xiao Xiao suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation: ”The dormitory was changed.”

Zheng Qing was stunned for a few seconds.

”Oh, shit.” He couldn’t help but curse.

With Xiao Xiao’s reminder, he realized that all students staying on campus were required to move temporarily to a designated dormitory per the school’s instructions until the beginning of next term.

Considering this, he couldn’t help but take out his pocket watch to check the time, which was already half-past eight in the evening.

”Have a safe trip home, I’ll handle those applications for you,” Xiao Xiao surprisingly took the initiative for once: ”Besides, there’s not much going on at D&K’s shop, so I can handle it meanwhile.”