Seeing this, Jian Xiu instinctively stood up straight and responded with a slightly ingratiating gesture:

“It’s like this, Shopkeeper Wu Mingtang had previously told us to come today to meet Dean Mo.”

“Oh? I see. So, you are from Zhangjia Village?” the gatekeeper asked politely.

“Yes, yes, we came from Zhangjia Village.”

“Alright then, follow me! I’ll take you inside. The dean happens to be at the academy right now.”

“Then we’ll trouble you for this!” Jian Xiu said in an eloquent tone.

In fact, she felt quite unnatural saying it that way.

Following the gatekeeper inside, they entered through the main gate and were immediately greeted by a vast courtyard.

The courtyard was filled with lush green trees, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air, making Jian Xiu and her companions feel relaxed and at ease as they stepped inside.

Not far away stood a grand and solemn hall. The sunlight today was brilliant, making the glazed tiles on the eaves shimmer under its glow.

Everything here exuded a sense of timeless serenity.

“So, this is the academy,” Jian Xiu murmured softly.

The gatekeeper ahead heard her words and smiled, asking, “Is this the first time the young lady has entered an academy?”

“Not to make you laugh, but yes, this is indeed my first time,” Jian Xiu admitted.

“No need to be nervous, young lady. Just act as you normally would,” the gatekeeper reassured her.

Saying that, he stopped and pointed towards a particular house enclosed by a special fence not far ahead.

“That’s the place. That’s where our dean resides. He hasn’t gone out today, so he must be waiting for you.”

“Thank you for your help!”

With that, Jian Xiu reached into her basket and pulled out a small bundle of dried bamboo shoots, pressing them into the gatekeeper’s hands.

“This is something I brought from home. It’s nothing valuable, just some food from our household. Soak it overnight, and by tomorrow, you can stir-fry it—it tastes really good.”

“Young lady, I really can’t accept this! Please take it back. If the dean finds out, he’ll surely scold me!” The gatekeeper quickly refused.

“Oh, come on, don’t be so scared. It’s nothing precious, just an ordinary homemade snack. Later, when I see the dean, I’ll mention it to him, and it will be fine.”

As she spoke, Jian Xiu firmly stuffed the dried bamboo shoots into his hands.

Seeing this, the gatekeeper was helpless.

He knew he absolutely couldn’t accept it, but looking at the young lady’s determined expression, he found himself in a dilemma.

Nodding lightly to the gatekeeper, Jian Xiu then led the three children toward the small courtyard.

However, as she stood at the entrance and caught sight of the scene inside, she was instantly stunned.

Even though she had been a special agent in the apocalypse and had seen all kinds of elaborate gardens, she had to admire the creativity of ancient people at this moment.

The entire courtyard was carefully enclosed by a lush bamboo fence, with green vines climbing all over it.

From the outside, the vines were barely noticeable, but up close, they gave off a refreshing and stunning visual effect.

Among the green leaves of the vines, several delicate flowers in various colors bloomed, emitting a faint fragrance.

At the center of the courtyard stood a small, exquisite rock garden, surrounded by stones of different shapes.

A gentle stream of water flowed down the rocks, creating a soothing trickling sound.

Such scenery—it was truly a paradise on earth.

Jian Xiu couldn’t help but sigh. This was the refined taste of a scholar.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Before Jian Xiu could say anything, a young boy’s voice suddenly came from behind her.

Turning around, she saw a little boy, around six or seven years old.

“We are from Zhangjia Village. We’ve come to see the dean for something,” Jian Xiu replied politely.

“Oh, so you’re here to see my grandfather? Then come with me!” the little boy said politely.

With that, he pushed open the door and ran inside.

“Grandfather, grandfather…”

Seeing this, Jian Xiu and her children could only wait in the courtyard.

But Jian Xiu was never one to stand idly. When she saw the flowers in the courtyard, her curiosity was immediately piqued.

Not for any other reason—some of these flowers were ones she had seen in the apocalypse.

Most importantly, she spotted a Sleeping Fire Lotus here.

It was known that the Sleeping Fire Lotus only bloomed for seven days each year.

And it would only open its petals right before it withered, making it incredibly rare.

Even in the apocalypse, she had only seen it once.

She never expected to see it again in this lifetime.

She had to admit, this dean of the Academy was no ordinary man.

With that thought, Jian Xiu walked toward the Sleeping Fire Lotus.

As she gazed at its radiant petals, she instinctively reached out her right hand. But just before she could touch the flower, she stopped herself.

“You recognize this flower?”

Just as she withdrew her hand, she heard a deep, powerful voice behind her.

She immediately turned around and respectfully greeted the middle-aged man in front of her. Nodding, she said:

“Yes, this flower is called the Sleeping Fire Lotus. Dean Mo, you can just call me Jian Xiu.”

After speaking, she turned to Zhang Feixuan(Lui Tou), Zhang Feiyi(Qi Tou), and Zhang Feilan(Er Ya) and instructed:

“Come greet Dean Mo.”

The three siblings immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted him, “Greetings, Dean Mo!”

“Hmm, so you two are the ones Wu Mingtang mentioned?” Mo Shanhua asked, clearly referring to Zhang Feixuan and Zhang Feiyi.

Jian Xiu wisely stayed silent, letting the boys answer.

For simple conversations like these, she had never worried.

Instead, she continued observing the Sleeping Fire Lotus.

She was truly lucky today—stumbling upon such a rare flower with such a brief blooming period.

If she didn’t take a good look, she would be doing the flower a disservice.

Although Mo Shanhua was speaking with the two boys, his eyes had been subtly observing Jian Xiu.

Although Xuewen Academy wasn’t an elite institution, its selection of students was extremely rigorous.

What he valued was not just the students’ temperament, but more importantly, their parents.

Jian Xiu might have been admiring the Sleeping Fire Lotus, but as a former special agent, she couldn’t ignore Mo Shanhua’s gaze even if she wanted to.

With her knowledge of psychology from the apocalypse, she instantly understood what was on his mind.

She turned around and met Mo Shanhua’s gaze directly, her demeanor confident and composed.

Mo Shanhua had been studying her, and when she suddenly looked straight at him with such an open and fearless expression, he was quite satisfied.

He already knew about Jian Xiu’s family situation—Wu Mingtang had told him all about it.