Chapter 971: Chapter 969: Scholar Returns Chapter 971: Chapter 969: Scholar Returns The meeting with the Gulad Clan, represented by Tyler, ended in an excruciatingly awkward scene due to fans who sought him out.

Of course, such details didn’t matter. Despite the brevity of the encounter, both parties had exchanged opinions amicably and reached a consensus to let bygones be bygones.

It seemed that Tyler was already well-versed in the life hacks provided by Fu Qian, daring not to question their effectiveness even without having personally verified them.

In the end, amidst the spectators, he whispered a thank you then broke away and fled.

“Sigh, what is the meaning of love in this world!”

Faced with this unexpected interlude, Fu Qian could only chuckle in amazement, then casually opened the shop door wide and hung up the “Open for Business” sign.

The fun came to an abrupt halt, leaving the onlooking crowd suddenly bereft of a target, wallowing in a sense of loss.

Now faced with the open door of the shop, although many were not keen on studying, they subconsciously looked for something to do, resulting in a frighteningly high conversion rate of visitors to customers.

Naturally, they were soon treated to generous hospitality.

“The store’s closed.”

Amidst grumbling, Fu Qian, content having weathered another storm in the business world, chased the last few persistently tough-minded customers out the door.

Then, taking a couple of minutes to get his gear together, he locked up and set off on his journey–er, I mean, his return trip.

Yours truly is a legitimate Academy Instructor, the favored aide of Chief Yuan of the Heaven’s Commencement Institute, and a covert operative of the Punishment Department.

Aside from a minor criminal record, I’m more than qualified to be nominated as one of the Academy’s Top Ten Inspiring Figures.

Not to mention that surrendering this time was also out of a genuine love for learning.

“Oops, sorry!”

Just minutes after settling into his somewhat cramped seat, Fu Qian was nudged by a soft body amidst the faint scent of perfume, followed by an insincere apology.

Compared to Ye Island, the Academy was much too far from Shangjing, and the sea route was a detour, so this time Fu Qian chose a different mode of travel.

The design of this world’s aircraft was quite standard, although much smaller in size, and even though they were expensive, the space was cramped. It was normal to accidentally bump into someone, but this voice…

Looking over at the short-haired lady who had conveniently sat down next to him and then glancing at the middle-aged man with graying temples a short distance away, the scene felt strikingly familiar.

Fu Qian did a quick search through his memory and recalled a name.

“Xiao Zhi?”

Indeed, these two were the Night Watchman duo that had previously wanted to arrest him as a suspected criminal on the way to Bee Monkey City.

Of course, he had ultimately sacrificed Chief Yuan’s reputation to gain their trust.

Fu Qian had a good impression of them; they were dedicated and professional.

But considering that today he was an upstanding citizen and had left identifiable equipment like “Mercy” in storage, what kind of weapon could she possibly find on him now?

“Hey, remember us?”

Fortunately, Xiao Zhi quickly cleared up Fu Qian’s confusion, her eyes twinkling as she pointed to herself and her colleague.

“Of course, such a delightful surprise isn’t common.”

Fu Qian nodded, motioning to the spot she had nudged him earlier.

“It really is a coincidence! I even mentioned you to Uncle Mo when I said I’d be passing through Shangjing.”

Her indirect compliment clearly had an effect; even with her tough demeanor, Xiao Zhi covered her mouth and laughed, quite pleased.

“It’s really nice to meet you again. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”

While she spoke cheerily, she didn’t forget to whisper in Fu Qian’s ear, her voice full of sincerity.

Could it be that they came specially for this? These two are really down-to-earth!

“Alright, I’ll remember that.”

Fu Qian nodded slightly, making no fuss.

“Everything went smoothly after?”

The middle-aged man, who had been attentively following the conversation, seemed relieved as well, greeting him with a smile.

“Richly rewarding.”

Fu Qian answered honestly.

“Is this trip for personal reasons or official business?”

Xiao Zhi clearly had a deep impression of what Fu Qian had said before and, seeing his unexpectedly amiable behavior, casually inquired further.

…This was a bit hard to explain, but luckily, he already had experience in such matters.

“Shangjing has had a busy fall recently, and Chief Yuan has been working his fingers to the bone.”

The next moment, Fu Qian sighed and shook his head deeply.

“There are some things I just have to do.”

With two unrelated sentences, he managed to put Chief Yuan on the spot once again, and both members of the Night Watchman duo wisely chose not to probe further.

The rest of the journey was quite enjoyable, and upon arriving at their destination, they wished each other well before parting ways.

After several more hours, Fu Qian finally reached his destination in the evening glow.

He didn’t rush straight to the Academy but casually chose a lively place to dine, and after enjoying his meal, he followed the crowd, leisurely admiring the city’s nighttime scenery.

Needless to say, before doing all this, he had reverted to his true appearance and voice–that of Academy Instructor Fu Qian.

…

Not everyone is always afraid of the dark. In the tranquil depths of the night, there often lies a restlessness and vitality that the day lacks.

Even around the Academy, one could hardly sense an academic atmosphere, only men and women, intentionally or not, setting their selves free.

Fu Qian had already received more than one fiery and bold gaze along the way, and even some icy, captivating ones…

“Professor Lanaya.”

Brown hair and blue eyes, Fu Qian greeted the familiar face that suddenly appeared before him with a smile.

“So, it really is you…”

Her response was a gritting of teeth from the head of the Punishment Department.

…

Directly returning to the Academy was impossible; irrespective of any differences in attitude, the involvement of an Academy Instructor’s death was too significant.

Should he return directly, he would undoubtedly face a chaotic situation.

In light of this, Fu Qian decided to give Lanaya and the others some time to react, purposely choosing a crowded place to show his face.

Now it seemed that the initial confusion at the Academy had probably subsided, and even the final stance towards him was fairly friendly.

“How long have you been back?”

“Before dinner.”

“And you still had the appetite to eat… do you have any idea how much you’ve made me suffer?”

The subsequent conversation undoubtedly confirmed Fu Qian’s speculation.

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Although Lanaya had complaints like the unfortunate woman, she didn’t seem to have much intent to kill, and she didn’t appear worried that this fugitive might suddenly become violent.

“Sorry, I was in a hurry at the time–did I interrupt your drinking?”

Fu Qian’s apology was genuinely sincere, and he looked her up and down as he spoke.

“Don’t worry, I’ll treat you to a drink later.”

Lanaya clearly smelled faintly of alcohol, and considering previous events, it was easy to speculate that she was enjoying the pleasures of the night.