Chapter Eleven: Enrollment

"This is my student, Mandy. I assume you have already met, so there is no need for further introductions." Professor Manstein took a seat beside Mandy. Lin Nian and Lin Xian sat opposite them, with silver cutlery laid out on the table. Various dome covers rested over porcelain plates, concealing the breakfast that had already been prepared.

"I have heard that you hold considerable influence at the academy, Professor Manstein. To have you personally travel to our small city for recruitment, I must admit, I am rather flattered," Lin Nian said.

"I serve as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee at Cassel College, responsible for student conduct and occasionally overseeing financial expenditures. Many students at our school are unruly and damage campus property; someone must keep them in check, or the Board of Trustees would never let the matter rest," Manstein replied with a nod. "As for why I came personally, our Principal follows a policy of absolute education. All obstacles must yield to the needs of education, so as Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, it was only natural for me to come and welcome our outstanding student."

"I am hardly outstanding," Lin Nian said modestly.

"Humility is also a form of excellence," Manstein praised.

Lin Nian felt as though Professor Manstein were his homeroom teacher back at Shilan High School. Every time he pulled the class average up sharply, his homeroom teacher would adopt this exact attitude.

"Professor, if you don't mind, let us discuss the enrollment," Lin Xian interjected.

"Of course, that is the purpose of our visit today." As Professor Manstein spoke, he lifted the covers on the table, revealing coffee, whole-wheat bread, and blanched kale. Beside him, under Mandy’s cover, was a yellow peach cream sandwich.

Lin Nian was curious about his own breakfast. Upon uncovering it, he found fresh salmon rolls accompanied by pomelo tea; Lin Xian’s was the same.

Mandy, sitting beside Manstein, explained, "The school doctor recently advised the Professor that his blood pressure has been rising, so his meals are kept light."

Lin Nian and Lin Xian exchanged a glance but did not refuse the meal. It seemed Professor Manstein and Mandy had done their homework; at the very least, they knew Chinese people liked to discuss matters over a meal. Fortunately, they did not delve further into the intricacies of "banquet culture," or the pomelo tea on the table might have been replaced with Maotai or Erguotou.

"Regarding the enrollment, if you are still unfamiliar with our academy, we have brought more materials today to help you make a more informed decision." Professor Manstein took a stack of documents from beside his seat and placed them on the table. Lin Nian and Lin Xian each took half, discovering that the files were filled with official credentials and numerous photos of the academy, including certificates for group victories in windsurfing competitions, ballet troupes, and chess tournaments.

In every respect, the Cassel College described by Professor Manstein was an elite institution on par with Harvard or Cambridge. It gave the illusion that entering the academy was like joining the aristocracy; it felt less like an admission notice and more like an invitation to high society.

It was a blatant temptation, yet neither Lin Nian nor Lin Xian were swayed. They looked through the documents in silence, listening to Professor Manstein’s passionate account of Cassel College’s long history and humanistic spirit. He even mentioned that the Principal was a scion of a noble family who had graduated from Cambridge before dedicating himself to education, becoming an educator as rigorous as himself.

At the same time, he provided examples of the diversity of student culture, such as the noble Student Union and the Heart of the Lion Society, known for its strict code of conduct. These student-led groups operated with complete autonomy, the academy never interfering in their internal affairs, and in some major matters, these groups even played a pivotal role.

Finally, Professor Manstein naturally brought up the scholarship. He specifically explained that the funds originated from the Board of Trustees and were part of a program established personally by the Principal of Cassel College, rather than a competitive scholarship with uncertain outcomes. Furthermore, he had already presented Lin Nian’s special circumstances to the Principal, who had responded via a trans-oceanic call the previous day with a promise: as long as Lin Nian agreed to enroll, the first semester’s scholarship would be disbursed immediately.

"The Principal knows about my situation as well?" Lin Nian could hear the evident reverence and admiration in Professor Manstein’s voice when he spoke of the Principal, and he could not help but feel a surge of curiosity.

"Of course. In a sense, it was the Principal who personally took an interest in you and assigned me to be your mentor, which is why I traveled thousands of miles to be here," Professor Manstein said.

"How did he notice me? I’m just a nobody," Lin Nian said.

"No, in the eyes of the Principal, you are a somebody. Our Principal has always been an excellent judge of character; he is the one who discovered me as well." Professor Manstein placed his right hand gently over his chest to show his respect for the Principal of Cassel College, far across the ocean.

This series of guarantees, promises, and grand visions reminded Lin Nian of a book he had once read called *Harvard Girl Liu Yiting*. In the book, "Ting'er" struggled repeatedly over tuition fees, even considering working part-time while studying at a top American university. Her parents, worried that she could not balance work and study, exhausted themselves trying to raise money, eventually leading Ting'er to consider giving up on elite universities and settling for a second-tier school.

But in Lin Nian’s reality, the threshold for this prestigious foreign university did not seem so high. They were inviting him to study as if he were an ancestor being carried in a sedan chair. Even a $36,000 scholarship could be paid in advance. This completely ruined any plan he might have had to write a book titled *Lin Nian at Cassel College*—literary works without the sublimation of thought brought on by suffering and difficult choices were, after all, imperfect.

"So, what are your thoughts?" Professor Manstein said, his throat dry. After taking a sip of coffee, his expression twitched, and he instinctively reached for the saccharine, but Mandy caught his wrist. Helpless, he picked up a glass of water to rinse away the bitterness.

"I don't see any issues," Lin Xian said after a long silence, finally looking up. "Since your school is so sincere, I feel at ease leaving my younger brother in your hands."

"No, I have already applied to the Principal. As Lin Nian’s relative, you can also join our academy to work in an administrative role. Our psychology professor, Masashi Toyama, is currently in need of an assistant," Professor Manstein said, looking at Lin Xian gently. "Although our academy is an elite institution, we would never turn away talent. We have reviewed your background; you entered medical school at 17, majoring in psychology and biology. You have a profound understanding of human physiological structures, and you have even published related papers in academic forums that were accepted for inclusion. It is just that you dropped out at 18 to assume the role of Lin Nian’s guardian... You are also an exceptionally rare talent, and our academy happens to need such talent."

Lin Nian glanced to the side. Before today, he truly did not know his sister had attended medical school or that she had achieved such success. He had always assumed that after Lin Xian graduated from high school and brought him out of the orphanage, she had gone straight into the workforce.

"What are the terms?" Lin Nian asked bluntly.

"Salary is settled weekly; details will be discussed in person once you arrive at the academy. Dr. Masashi Toyama will explain the duties and obligations. You can decide then whether to accept the position. The academy will cover the round-trip airfare, provided that a non-disclosure agreement is signed first," Professor Manstein explained.

"A non-disclosure agreement? May I see it?" Lin Xian paused to ask.

"You may, but I need an initial answer from you both regarding the enrollment," Professor Manstein nodded and sat up straight, looking at Lin Nian. "I now represent Cassel College in extending an invitation to you. Lin Nian, do you accept?"

At the same time, Mandy took out her iPhone 3. The screen displayed an active call with a contact named "Eva," and the phone was on speaker.

Lin Xian looked at Lin Nian. Lin Nian did not speak, and Professor Manstein was not in a hurry, simply sitting quietly and watching him.

"Think carefully," Lin Xian suddenly said.

"That's right, think carefully," Mandy added. "Although I am from the admissions office, I must remind you: once you make this decision, you might have to say goodbye to your old life forever."

Manstein turned and glared at Mandy, apparently signaling her to stop talking. Mandy stuck out her tongue and picked up her teacup to hide her expression.

Lin Nian thought for a moment, then turned to look at Lin Xian. "If I take a half-day off from the café, will my pay be docked?"

Lin Xian was stunned for a moment before nodding. "If you're late, it's a half-day docked; if you take a half-day off, it's a full day. Even a half-day off is counted as a full day."

Lin Nian was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. He looked at Professor Manstein and said, "I think I accept."

"Voiceprint verification successful. Authorization received from the individual. Process initiated. Lin Nian, ID number A.l.052044, connecting to Cassel College. I am Eva. It is a pleasure to serve you. Your air ticket, passport, and visa will arrive within three weeks. Cassel College welcomes your arrival." A mechanical, clear female voice claiming to be Eva rang out from the phone. Upon hearing this voice, Professor Manstein and Mandy simultaneously displayed expressions of relief.

"Cassel College welcomes you. Now, we only need to go through some established procedures," Professor Manstein stood up and shook hands with Lin Nian and Lin Xian respectively.

"I look forward to your guidance, Professor," Lin Nian said with a nod.

The old man and the young man shook hands, yet Lin Nian felt as if this were a sale of his soul. But if he could find a place that would pay him $36,000 a year, he was more than willing to go along with it.

For a moment, both host and guest were satisfied.