Chapter 41 The Question of Schooling

Because the interstellar government maintains extremely strict population registry management and a relatively cumbersome review mechanism, interstellar migration is by no means an easy task. In particular, residents from lower stellar regions wishing to migrate to higher-tier stellar regions must possess certain asset guarantees or reliable sponsors. Of course, talented individuals can be introduced through specific policies, while students can transfer their files through institutional channels.

Individuals who overstay their welcome in other stellar systems without valid reasons and fail to report to the superior patrol bureau are classified as vagrants. Such individuals are subject to severe interstellar penalties.

Jiang Hui was somewhat different; she had migrated from a higher-tier stellar system down to a lower-tier one, which meant she had given up the relatively superior living conditions of the higher stellar region to settle in a permanent system. Unless there were justifiable reasons, returning was exceptionally difficult, which led many relatives of her original family to mock the original owner for losing her mind.

Furthermore, most of the premier universities and academies within the interstellar society were located in the inner stellar regions and above. Although residents of the inner stellar regions could not bypass every hurdle, admissions still favored them through regional policies and advantages.

Attending an interstellar university was no simple feat. The system operated on a pan-stellar ranking and elimination mechanism, leaving countless ambitious individuals barred from entry. Many were forced to settle for inferior colleges or vocational training institutes, while others were entirely excluded and plunged directly into the job market.

When competing for university placements, every single factor could prove to be the critical margin that created a gap between candidates. Consequently, countless interstellar parents exhausted every effort to migrate with their families to higher-tier stellar regions to enjoy superior educational resources and conditions. After all, graduating from an interstellar university differed vastly from emerging from an ordinary college.

Therefore, why Jiang Hui chose to migrate from a higher-tier stellar system to this place was indeed somewhat perplexing. However, Ms. Jian did not feel it appropriate to pry, as this was, after all, someone else's private matter.

Bringing up this topic was merely meant to remind Jiang Hui of one thing.

"Have you completed your school enrollment transfer yet? The semester here also begins in September. If you miss the registration deadline, you will only be classified as a transfer student." There was now only a month left before the term started.

Jiang Hui: "What? I still have to go to school?"

Jiang Hui was utterly astonished. Having graduated from Blue Star so many years ago, she subconsciously considered herself long finished with schooling and naturally never expected to study again, let alone face the prospect of returning to a classroom.

Yet, upon reflection, it made sense. The original owner was only fifteen years old, an age that, whether in the interstellar era or on Blue Star, squarely placed her in the category of a minor. With her family's financial situation being reasonably stable, how could she possibly not attend school?

Jiang Hui painstakingly dredged through the recesses of her memory to pull out relevant information, finally discovering that, apparently... it seemed there really was such a matter.

Because interstellar school registration transferred automatically along with household registration, the moment she arrived in the permanent stellar system, the local education system had directly sent a message to the original owner, offering her a selection of schools with suitable conditions.

At that time, the original owner had not been particularly invested and simply chose a school with moderate to above-average teaching faculty and educational resources. It was not that she did not want to select the best; rather, the cost of education in the interstellar society was exorbitantly high. Even within the lower residential tier, the tuition for elite aristocratic academies remained astronomical.

Had she insisted on attending one, she could technically afford it, but she still had a lifetime ahead of her, and the meager survivor's pension and subsidies left by her parents would not sustain her reckless spending indefinitely. Therefore, choosing a school where the educational resources and faculty were adequate was deemed roughly sufficient.

Moreover, the intermediate academy chosen by the original owner was an institution with military backing. As the descendant of a military service member, attending such a school provided a fair degree of security; this was a pragmatic choice.

Given her background, the school had promptly accepted her application file and subsequently notified her to report for enrollment with her documents when the time came.

One detail, however, required attention. Because Jiang Hui was admitted under the quota reserved for military dependents, the school default-assigned her a degree in a military-related specialty. This applied uniformly to all students utilizing the military dependent quota.

This protocol was designed to ensure that the children of military personnel had as many opportunities as possible to pursue careers with military prospects. After all, regardless of the institution, military majors imposed much higher standards and requirements on applicants, and their corresponding welfare and benefits surpassed those of ordinary majors. Even if one ultimately failed to enter a military academy, such a background at least enabled them to pursue military-related employment, making it an ideal major for many interstellar citizens.

Furthermore, recruiting descendants and dependents of military personnel as the new generation of sprouts contributed to the stability of the military establishment.

Naturally, the school was not entirely rigid, taking into account that certain individuals might be naturally unsuited for such professions. Consequently, those admitted via the dependent quota were granted a single opportunity to change their majors, which had to be processed in person at the campus between August 1st and August 3rd prior to the start of the term; no late requests would be entertained.

Uh... today was already August 4th... She had completely missed the window to change her major.

Jiang Hui finally recalled what she had vaguely felt she was forgetting earlier—it was precisely this matter.

The original owner had arrived in the permanent stellar system by the skin of her teeth on July 30th and originally planned to visit the school on August 1st to process the major change, only for an incident to occur that very night. The original owner's spiritual power had dissipated, welcoming the soul of the Blue Star native Jiang Hui into the body, and she had been rushed to the hospital that same day. After a tumultuous ordeal in the hospital, she had only returned on the night of the 2nd.

By that time, her mind had been in complete chaos, and she had not even figured out her own situation, let alone remember that she had overlooked such a task.

Now that she finally remembered, it was already too late. A military-related major sounded entirely unsuited for her capabilities, and she wondered if the school might grant some leniency given her unfortunate circumstances.

Seeing Jiang Hui's less-than-stellar expression, Jian assumed she had truly forgotten the matter. In truth, she had indeed forgotten, though this forgetfulness differed from what the other person imagined.

She's still just a child, Jian thought to herself.

During this brief day of companionship, she had witnessed the mature side of this young Ms. Jiang to such an extent that she had almost forgotten the girl was merely a teenager who had not yet fully awakened.

Life was not easy for a child living alone. Without protection, if one failed to toughen up, one was bound to suffer severe setbacks.

Intending to help, she brought up a few more questions related to enrollment. The girl listened attentively, yet the anxiety between her brows did not recede; instead, it intensified as time passed.

Jian realized that Jiang Hui likely had her own plans. Noting the lateness of the hour, she decided to take her leave.

Naturally, unwilling to let Jiang Hui return alone, Jian personally summoned an automated flying vehicle with high safety ratings for her, watching from the curb as the girl boarded before finally departing.

Jiang Hui remained completely immersed in the heavy realization that she still needed to attend school and that she had missed the crucial deadline to change her major. Overwhelmed with anxiety, she had no idea what course of action to take.

High in the night sky, a solitary flying vehicle cut through the starlight, soaring past vast stretches of urban concrete jungle. The soft, ambient light cast by the planets above reflected against the vehicle's metallic hull, dragging a long streak behind it and accentuating a sense of desolation even deeper than the night itself.