Xu Le's heart skipped a beat, although his expression remained unchanged. He hadn't expected that this person's observation skills were so keen that he could clearly see his peculiar sitting posture. He wasn't a specialized agent or a professional fugitive; he was just an ordinary young person with some talent in a certain field. Due to certain circumstances, he had no choice but to embark on a path of exile and hiding. After leaving the Eastwood Grand District, he had reminded himself to be low-key, to blend in, but his lack of proper training and some misplaced associations made him stand out. Fortunately, with the help of a camouflage chip, he didn't need to worry too much about his security in federal society. After passing through airport security checks, his confidence had been boosted, knowing that as long as his connection with his boss uncle wasn't discovered, no one would suspect anything.
But today, on the first day of university, he had been discovered by a passerby who noticed his peculiarity. Xu Le felt embarrassed and had the impulse to face the wall.
In reality, Xu Le had underestimated himself and overestimated the observational skills of the average citizen in federal society. People like Shi Qinghai were few and far between. Having completed observation studies at the Military Academy and undergone three years of spy training, Shi Qinghai naturally possessed a different level of perception.
"Don't drop your cigarette butt," Xu Le said to Shi Qinghai nervously but with a steady voice, as he smiled and picked up the cigarette butt. Xu Le found this gatekeeper intriguing and sensed that there was something remarkable about him, as if they both held significant secrets. Shi Qinghai, however, didn't want anyone to discover his secret, and therefore, he had no intention of prying into anyone else's. After all, the two had no connection.
"There aren't many people in the educational affairs office now. You seem young. I didn't expect you to be interested in these things," Shi Qinghai said lazily, leaning against the iron gate and yawning.
Xu Le couldn't answer his questions, but he found it strange. He couldn't understand what this man in the wrinkled Western-style clothes was up to. Moreover, his eyesight wasn't particularly sharp, and until now, he had relied more on his insight into people. In his opinion, the weariness and exhaustion on the man's face were apparent, but there was no ill intent.
"I haven't been to the martial arts practice hall," Xu Le shook his head and said, "What is the horse stance?"
"Oh, the horse stance is the posture you were just in, but your version of it is more challenging than the usual horse stance. Don't be surprised how I know this. I spent some time in the martial arts practice hall in the past," Shi Qinghai smiled and then extended his hand, nodding to signal for a handshake. "Shi Qinghai, government employee."
He emphasized, "And you, are you a staff member of the university?"
Xu Le was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and extended his hand to shake the other's, introducing himself, "I'm Xu Le, a staff member... If you consider gatekeeping a proper job."
Their hands met through the iron gate, and after a moment, they let go. Shi Qinghai, shouldering his load, said with a raised eyebrow, "I have a friend to visit in prison, it seems."
"I'm apparently trapped inside."
"Why not? I'll go first, and we can chat another time if we have the opportunity." Shi Qinghai nodded slightly to Xu Le as he noticed a woman walking not far away. He extinguished his cigarette butt and left through the school gate.
As Shi Qinghai closed the heavy vehicle door, he sat on the bunk bed, staring at the illuminated screen through the school gate. He pointed at it with his index finger, but due to the pixelation, the face was somewhat blurred. He muttered to himself, "Keep an eye on her. I don't care about this woman named Zhang Xiaomeng returning or what she wants to achieve at Pear Flower University. Just make sure she is isolated from any questionable connections."
"Don't you want to catch her?" a team member curiously asked. "If this girl really poses a threat, it's a good opportunity."
"I'm not interested in that," Shi Qinghai straightened his wrinkled suit on his lower body and looked down. "If we want to catch her, we have to get close to her, ensuring we don't miss any leads. But the problem is, besides me, our team consists of middle-aged men who can't pass as students. How would we disguise ourselves as students?"
"How about disguising ourselves as teachers?" another team member suggested.
Shi Qinghai raised his head, glanced at him tenderly, and said, "If you think your knowledge is enough to avoid being questioned... then go ahead and act as a student."
The team began their work of monitoring and establishing social connections. The Bureau of Investigation's routine operations were now reaching their final stages. In the darkened vehicle of the Bureau of Investigation, only Shi Qinghai and one subordinate remained. He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Help me investigate someone named Xu Le."
"Is there a file on him?"
"No need. It's just a personal interest of mine."
"A personal interest? Without a file, it may be difficult to access classified information. I doubt we'll find anything interesting." This team member seemed to think that the person Shi Qinghai wanted to investigate was a woman.
Unaware that the man in the wrinkled Western-style clothes had secretly initiated an investigation into his background, Xu Le stood before him, holding an alloy steel sphere casting, panting from climbing the high stairs. He inwardly complained about the professor's discrimination towards auditors, as after every class, he was responsible for returning the course materials.
It had been three months since he joined Pear Flower University, and after paying the necessary fees, he finally obtained his auditor card. The university didn't mind having a retired soldier with a bit of savings in their classrooms. The federation followed a five-hour work system, and Xu Le had no interest in searching for an apartment near the seaside anymore. He simply continued his jobless life as a gatekeeper. Besides learning about machine repair, his personal interest, there wasn't much else for him to do. In the evenings, he slept peacefully at the gatekeeper's post. As for the other middle-aged boss responsible for the front gate work, Xu Le had no contact with him...
Everything seemed to return to the ordinary and fulfilling life he had in Eastwood Grand District. The only difference was that now there was no lazy boss lying on the sofa beside him. Oh, he was mistaken again. The only difference was the presence of this equally languid government official standing before him.
"How did you... come?" Xu Le saw the disheveled man sitting on the stone steps under the classroom building, wearing clothes that seemed to be in decline. His mind became chaotic, and he nearly hit his foot with the casting.