Chapter 13

Chu Yunmiao had been a little distracted all the way back, unable to tell when exactly Yu Changning was going to come looking for trouble. To her surprise, however, Yu Changning never brought up what had happened earlier. Chu Yunmiao couldn’t tell whether she simply didn’t care, or had other plans.

The two of them returned to the office and began organizing today’s assessment recordings. They exchanged the occasional remark when work called for it; otherwise, they quietly did their own tasks, not even chatting much when they stopped for dinner and a brief rest.

It was already seven in the evening by the time they finished sorting the assessment materials for all twenty students. Outside the window, streetlamps had lit one by one, and students walking in pairs passed beneath the lights, leaving behind trails of laughter. Chu Yunmiao stared blankly for a moment at the Training Gym in the distance, its sign still lit.

Yu Changning came to stand in front of her. “You’ve worked hard.”

Only then did Chu Yunmiao snap back to herself. “...You’re welcome. It’s what I should do.”

She was still seated, while Yu Changning stood beside the desk, looking down at her from above.

The young instructor’s shadow, stretched by the indoor white lights, fell across the Imperial Crown Princess and wrapped her features in darkness. Chu Yunmiao felt a faint pressure and uncomfortably twisted her neck to avoid the other woman’s gaze.

The air in the room felt a little hot.

After waiting two seconds, Yu Changning spoke again. “You’ve been busy all day. I’ll walk you back.”

Chu Yunmiao was silently grumbling to herself: the dorms were inside the school grounds; what was there to escort?

She picked up her backpack and stood. Once she stepped out of Yu Changning’s shadow, the pressure on her body eased considerably. After letting out a soft breath, she refused, “No need. I can go by myself.”

Yu Changning pressed in a step closer and suddenly asked, “In a hurry to keep an appointment?”

Chu Yunmiao didn’t react at first. “What appointment?”

Then she glanced out the window. “...I want to stop by the Training Gym first.”

Yu Changning lowered her head and looked at the distance between their toes before speaking in an almost properly serious tone. “Have you noticed it yourself?

“You’re still first in this year’s assessment, but the gap between you and second and third place has narrowed, especially in practical combat.”

Chu Yunmiao: “...”

Yu Changning lifted her eyes to study her expression. “With the class’s training plan, you shouldn’t have been in that state when you faced Misu today.

“Can you tell me what happened in the training over the past month or so? Was the plan I set not suitable for you?”

Chu Yunmiao: “...”

What a suffocating question.

The Long Princess opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out. Yu Changning’s gaze remained fixed on the movement of her lips and tongue, almost disturbed by the little white teeth hidden behind her pink lips.

Yu Changning shut her eyes briefly. “Aren’t you going to the Training Gym? I’ll go with you and take a look.”

Chu Yunmiao was surprised. “...You’re coming with me?”

Yu Changning was quite calm about it, though whether that calmness was genuine or feigned was hard to say. “I’ll help you find the problem.”

She put on her coat. “Consider it a reward for the class monitor, for working overtime today and helping me organize the materials.”

Hearing the latter half of that sentence, Chu Yunmiao relaxed a little.

Setting aside her prejudice against Yu Changning, this person really was a good instructor. First-year students were all children who had only recently Differentiated; as Alpha physiques gradually began to take effect, if she continued training the way she had been, she would probably be left behind by the more advantaged Alphas very soon. And if she wanted to make a breakthrough, doing it alone really wasn’t enough.

Chu Yunmiao steadied her thoughts and looked at Yu Changning. “...Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

The two of them once again walked side by side to the nearby Training Gym.

As the Empire’s top military academy, Huaqi University had students who came to train extra even on the night of a post-assessment holiday. Yu Changning had a clear goal; she used her Instructor Card to open the last remaining sparring room and led Chu Yunmiao inside.

Back in the office, Yu Changning had already intended to watch the actual combat match between Chu Yunmiao and Misu first.

She hung her coat on the wall inside the room and got straight to the point. “Your strength is too weak. If you were competing on strength alone, Misu probably wouldn’t lose.” After saying that, she asked Chu Yunmiao, “There’s still room to increase the proportion of strength training in your previous plan. How much do you think should be added?”

The training plan wasn’t something the instructor decided entirely on her own; the person involved’s wishes were even more important.

Chu Yunmiao thought about it and said, “If I said... I don’t want to strengthen my strength training, and might even want to reduce it?”

Yu Changning raised a brow. “You’re sure?”

Chu Yunmiao nodded. “Mm, sure.”

Her thinking was actually very simple. Omega physiques were weaker than Alpha physiques, and strength was the first area where that showed. No matter how much effort she put into it, she would only end up getting half the result for twice the work. Since she already knew that would be the outcome, she might as well focus on reaction speed and agility, areas where Omegas were relatively less at a disadvantage.

Yu Changning could understand the surface of what she meant, and that was exactly why she felt even more puzzled.

“I don’t understand.

“Why are you so pessimistic about your strength training? Do you not believe in yourself, or... not believe in me?”

Chu Yunmiao gritted her teeth. “Take it as me not believing in myself, then. Since I was young, I’ve never been particularly outstanding when it comes to strength.

“Besides, I’ve heard that some people focus on training in other areas and still aren’t any worse than those who are good at strength.”

Yu Changning nodded, agreeing with that, but pointed out at the same time, “Specialized training is something you only consider in second year. In first year, the school still hopes everyone develops in a balanced way. You’ve only been enrolled for a little over two months, and you’re already judging that you’re not suited to strength training...”

She reached a conclusion: “That’s a little hasty.”

Chu Yunmiao frowned and immediately countered, “I already know my own situation. Why waste time? Wouldn’t it be better to start specialized training early?”

Yu Changning narrowed her eyes.

She said nothing, simply studying Chu Yunmiao in silence.

At last, Chu Yunmiao came back to herself and began to regret it in secret.

If the person she was talking to right now had been any other instructor, she definitely would not have said the words above.

But the one standing before her was Yu Changning.

No matter how much she tried to restrain herself, the traces left by those old emotional entanglements still made her unconsciously show the willfulness she would normally never reveal in front of Yu Changning. Her terrible subconscious had been misled by the way the two of them interacted back then, and even now still acted as if Yu Changning was different from everyone else, as if this person would unconditionally listen to her and unconditionally satisfy her.

But... their relationship was already nothing like it used to be.

On the other side, Yu Changning spoke. “Making the most of your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses is indeed the mainstream training approach right now; but do you know what the consequences are if you completely give up strength training?”

Chu Yunmiao looked up at her. “W-what consequences?”

Yu Changning didn’t answer. She just walked toward her at a measured pace.

Chu Yunmiao’s whole body stiffened.

She didn’t know what the other woman intended to do, but she had only just said something wrong. In that moment, she felt that if she backed away now, it would expose her guilt; all she could do was stand obediently in place.

For some reason, though, her state seemed to please Yu Changning.

The Class 1 instructor, who had originally been expressionless, curved her lips. In the light, her captivating eyes shone even more brilliantly.

She stopped in front of Chu Yunmiao and extended both arms, trapping Chu Yunmiao firmly between herself and the wall.

In just a few seconds, the two of them had broken through the safe social distance and shifted into a somewhat ambiguous posture. Yu Changning was more than a head taller than Chu Yunmiao; she bent slightly at the waist, and the loose strands at her temples almost brushed Chu Yunmiao’s nose.

The Imperial Crown Princess held her breath.

“For example, right now, when the other party uses absolute, overwhelming force to restrain you...” Yu Changning said, her low voice drawing Chu Yunmiao’s attention back to her. “Yunmiao, how are you going to get out?”

Chu Yunmiao lowered her head and looked at the two arms locking her in from either side.

This kind of wall-pressing posture actually had plenty of openings; it was just that Yu Changning had said “absolute, overwhelming force,” which meant she would certainly be using all her strength. Given the gap between them, Chu Yunmiao knew she absolutely couldn’t escape by ordinary means.

While watching the other woman’s posture, she frantically constructed an escape route in her mind.

But in the next moment, Yu Changning slowly tightened her arms and began to compress Chu Yunmiao’s living space.

“You may not have much time to think.”

“My patience is limited.”