Chapter 9
The Long Princess wasn’t in any mood to eat.
But Yu Changning didn’t seem to take what had just happened seriously at all; from start to finish, she busied herself earnestly serving food onto Chu Yunmiao’s plate. Half-dazed, Chu Yunmiao actually managed to stuff herself to about seven or eight percent full. By the time she finally came back to her senses and saw the lettuce roll Yu Changning had brought to her lips, she swallowed and refused, “I’m full...”
Yu Changning withdrew her hand, then smoothly ate it herself. After she finished, she asked, “Your appetite is still this small?”
Chu Yunmiao was embarrassed and annoyed. “What’s it got to do with you?”
She couldn’t stand this feeling of being suspended halfway up in the air, unable to go up or down. Pulling out the Instructor Card, she held it out in front of Yu Changning. “Give it back.
“If you have anything you want to ask, just ask. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving first.”
Yu Changning looked at her and asked in return, “Do you want to say it?”
Chu Yunmiao turned her face away, avoiding her gaze. “...I used the Instructor Card to enter the office and modify some incorrect data. There are operation records on the office computer; you can check them yourself.”
Strictly speaking, there wasn’t a single lie in that statement; but Chu Yunmiao’s voice grew smaller and smaller, to the point that even she could feel her own guilt.
She had never been good at lying since she was little, let alone in front of Yu Changning.
Yet Yu Changning didn’t keep questioning her. She only nodded. “Mm, I know.”
Chu Yunmiao stared at her in surprise. “You...”
But the rest of the words didn’t know how to leave her mouth.
Yu Changning smiled at her. “I believe you.
“However it happened, Yunmiao wouldn’t do something bad.”
Chu Yunmiao lowered her head and secretly bit her lower lip.
She stood up. “I’m leaving first.”
Without waiting for Yu Changning to respond, she got up and left the cafeteria almost as if fleeing. Only after she had left Yu Changning’s line of sight did Chu Yunmiao slow her pace and let out a soft sigh. The air outside was fresh; she lifted her head to look up at the cloudless sky, drew in a deep breath, and only after expelling the stale feeling inside her body did her steps become light again.
After a simple lunch break, afternoon classes began.
Chu Yunmiao arrived at the Training Gym twenty minutes early. She had originally wanted to do a set of warm-up exercises on her own, but the messages in the group chat drew her attention away.
The Second Princess and Third Princess were both very worried about her; the greeting texts they sent had already filled the entire chat window.
Chu Yunmiao set down her equipment and briefly described what had happened at noon.
At the end, she summed up:
【Chu Yunmiao: In short, a close call, but everything turned out fine.】
【Chu Yunmiao: You don’t need to worry anymore.】
【Chu Yunhuan: Oh my god, that was really close! Why was there no notice at all that the data office was testing a new defense system? Yunli and I almost became sinners for the ages!!!】
The youngest one’s mentality was clearly much better.
【Chu Yunli: On the bright side, precisely because the office itself doesn’t value this new defense system much, Alright? it let Eldest Sister get through so easily.】
【Chu Yunli: Thank goodness Long Princess was there; everything went smoothly!】
【Chu Yunhuan: I don’t understand.】
【Chu Yunhuan: Eldest Sister, did you tell Long Princess about it? Why would she help you?】
Seeing this line, Chu Yunmiao pressed her lips together.
Her fingers tapped on the light-brain terminal screen; she typed out a few words, deleted them, and repeated the process several times. In the end, she gave in and simply gave up.
【Chu Yunmiao: I don’t know either.】
After sending it, she felt that these five words carried no authority at all, so she hastily added an explanation to make up for it.
【Chu Yunmiao: In any case, what she wants to do, and why she wants to do it, have absolutely nothing to do with me!】
【Chu Yunhuan: ...】
【Chu Yunli: ...】
Chu Yunmiao glared.
【Chu Yunmiao: What’s with the two of you?】
【Chu Yunli: Eldest Sister, not to be rude, but why do you always seem a beat slow? Long Princess is so good to you; why do you...%￥#%&%...%& sob...#%】
【Chu Yunli: Damn it, Eldest Sister! The second one has gone crazy!! She wants to snatch my light-brain terminal!!!】
【Chu Yunmiao: ??】
The chat window stayed still for several minutes. Just when Chu Yunmiao was thinking of calling them and asking what had happened, movement finally resumed on the other end.
【Chu Yunhuan: It’s fine, Eldest Sister; I’ve dealt with her.】
【Chu Yunhuan: The youngest is still small, and her brain hasn’t fully developed yet. You don’t need to listen to her nonsense.】
【Chu Yunhuan: Anyway, we’re definitely on your side. Just be happy.】
Chu Yunmiao didn’t know how to reply for a moment.
She changed the subject.
【Chu Yunmiao: The youngest... she’s okay, right?】
【Chu Yunli: ...I’m fine.】
【Chu Yunli: Second Sister is right.】
Chu Yunmiao thought about it, then privately sent the youngest one a big red packet.
Even “Second Sister” had come out; it looked like she’d definitely been dealt with harshly.
【Chu Yunli received your red packet.】
【Chu Yunli: Sob, thank you, Eldest Sister qwq.】
【Chu Yunhuan: Disdain.jpg】
Watching the two younger sisters interact, Chu Yunmiao couldn’t help laughing out loud.
At that moment, she heard Lin Mo’s voice.
“Huh? Class monitor, good afternoon. You came early?”
Chu Yunmiao looked up and greeted her, “Good afternoon.”
Seeing her holding the light-brain terminal, Lin Mo leaned in with a grin. “You’re spreading the news too?”
Chu Yunmiao was a little confused. “Mm? Spreading what news?”
Lin Mo sat down beside her. “About Lieutenant General Yu becoming our instructor.” Her eyes narrowed, and she smiled like a complete fool. “I shouted it three times in the grade group chat, the relatives group chat, and even the family group chat. Oh, and I sent it separately to a few close friends too.”
She shoved her light-brain terminal screen in front of Chu Yunmiao. “They’re all insanely jealous, hahaha; I’ve been laughing all day. Come on, let me show you their ugly jealous faces.”
Chu Yunmiao politely declined. “...No need.”
Lin Mo knew she didn’t like that, so she didn’t press the issue. Instead, she clenched her fist and emphasized, “I won’t allow a single person in the Empire not to know that Lieutenant General Yu has become Lin Mo’s instructor!”
Chu Yunmiao: “...Why don’t you promote it to the media?”
Lin Mo’s eyes lit up. “Oh, right?!”
She grabbed Chu Yunmiao’s sleeve. “Class monitor, do you have any reliable media contacts? Introduce me to them! But we can’t accept interviews during regular classes, so we’d have to arrange for the weekend. Media people work on weekends too, right?”
With a deadpan face, Chu Yunmiao moved her claws off her sleeve.
“No.”
Lin Mo clicked her tongue twice. “Fine then. I’ll ask someone else later.”
Looking at her friend’s idiotic expression, Chu Yunmiao only wanted to get away from her quickly before she got infected and her own IQ dropped.
“You ask around. I’m going to change clothes first.”
Lin Mo called after her back several times, but still failed to stop the Long Princess’s retreating steps.
She rubbed her nose, about to turn off her light-brain terminal and chase after her, when she suddenly saw a chat window flashing.
【Lin Zhen: Yu Changning? Which Yu Changning?】
Lin Mo immediately perked up.
Lin Zhen was her cousin, six or seven years older than her, and counted as one of the Lin Family’s quite outstanding members of this generation. Although Lin Zhen hadn’t reached Lieutenant General rank like that monster Yu Changning, she had successfully graduated from another well-known military academy of the Empire and was now serving in the military; she was also the sort of promising young talent the elders loved to praise.
Because Lin Zhen was in the military, the two of them rarely had a chance to chat. Lin Mo hadn’t expected that the message she sent last night would get a reply from Lin Zhen today.
【Lin Mo: How many Yu Changnings could there be? The one from the Yu Family, obviously! The one who rose to Lieutenant General in five years!!!】
【Lin Mo: Speaking of which, Cousin Zhen, you and Lieutenant General Yu are about the same age. Do you know each other?】
【Lin Zhen: ...】
【Lin Zhen: I remember you’re in the same class as the Long Princess now?】
【Lin Zhen: So Yu Changning became the instructor for the two of you?】
Lin Mo was in a wonderful mood.
【Lin Mo: Yes, yes!】
【Lin Mo: Ahem, not to brag, but there aren’t many people who can be like me; one moment I’m friends and classmates with the Long Princess, and the next I’m studying under Lieutenant General Yu.】
【Lin Mo: Hehe, but Cousin Zhen, you don’t need to envy me. You’re amazing too.】
Lin Zhen replied very quickly.
【Lin Zhen: I don’t have time to bicker with you.】
【Lin Zhen: Stay away from the Long Princess!】
【Lin Zhen: Stay away from the Long Princess!】
【Lin Zhen: Stay away from the Long Princess!】
The smile on Lin Mo’s face vanished, replaced by confusion.
【Lin Mo: No, what do you mean?】
【Lin Mo: What does this have to do with the Long Princess?】
Unfortunately, Lin Zhen didn’t reply again.
Lin Mo was already used to this. Lin Zhen was in the military and could be called away for training at any time; she often disappeared halfway through conversations. Lin Mo didn’t dwell on it and turned off the light-brain terminal screen.
“Stay away from the Long Princess? Is she crazy?” Lin Mo muttered.
She rubbed her nose and let her imagination run wild. “Hmph, Cousin Zhen is definitely just jealous of me. Since she can’t stop Lieutenant General Yu from being my instructor, she’s trying to drive a wedge between me and the Long Princess.
“Hmph, I’m not falling for it.”
Having found a reason, Lin Mo became happy again.
She hummed some tune under her breath and hurried off in light steps, following the direction Chu Yunmiao had just left.
Students from Class 1 arrived one after another; ten minutes later, the class bell rang, and everyone lined up neatly.
Yu Changning had already received the morning analysis report and began outlining the direction of their subsequent training. Chu Yunmiao had been secretly observing her the entire time, wanting to confirm whether the hormone-level data had really been perfectly altered.
But her disguise wasn’t very good; every time she sneaked a look at Yu Changning, she was almost always caught precisely.
After a few times, Yu Changning unceremoniously called her out by name.
“Chu Yunmiao.”
Everyone’s attention shifted to her.
Chu Yunmiao inwardly cried that something was wrong. Stiffening her face, she stepped out and answered, “Instructor.”
Yu Changning asked, “Do you have any questions about my training plan? You’ve been spacing out the whole time?”
Chu Yunmiao: “...No.
“The instructor’s training plan is excellent; I have no objections.”
Yu Changning: “Then why aren’t you looking at me?”
Chu Yunmiao: “I... huh?”
Wasn’t it that she’d been caught sneaking looks at Yu Changning? Why was Yu Changning saying she wasn’t looking at her?
Yu Changning continued, “Since this is your first offense, I won’t punish you. When I’m speaking, keep your eyes on me, all right?
“Return to formation. I’ll be watching you, so don’t do it again.”
Chu Yunmiao straightened her neck. “Yes, Instructor.”
Only then did the guilty Long Princess realize that she didn’t need to sneak looks at all; looking at the instructor during class was perfectly aboveboard.
But...
It was clearly such a normal thing. Why, when Yu Changning singled her out and said it to her alone, did it make her feel a little strange?
For the rest of the lesson, Chu Yunmiao obediently kept her eyes on Yu Changning.
Yu Changning might have been carrying out her promise from before to “watch her”; she kept glancing at her, and the two of them’ gazes collided in the air without restraint.
Several times, Chu Yunmiao wanted to look away, but she was afraid of being called out again, so she forced herself to hold on.
She didn’t know if it was just her imagination, but ever since Yu Changning had called her out, her mood had gradually improved; even the expressionless face she wore now seemed to carry a barely perceptible trace of a smile.
Thankfully, right until the end, Yu Changning never brought up any problem with the inspection data. Chu Yunmiao breathed a sigh of relief, knowing this hurdle had been successfully crossed.
Once the training plan was laid out, actual combat training began immediately.
According to the schedule, there would be one hour of combat practice this afternoon. The training could be freely paired up and was divided into solo combat, dual combat, and group combat. Chu Yunmiao had just put on her gloves when Lin Mo came sticking over.
The tall, long-limbed Alpha made herself look delicate and dependent, leaning on Chu Yunmiao’s shoulder. “Class monitor, let’s team up for dual combat, okay? I’m so scared, take care of me, please!”
If Lin Mo hadn’t been her friend, Chu Yunmiao would have definitely thrown her over her shoulder and sent that disgusting creature flying on the spot.
She endured it. “...Act normal.”
Lin Mo pouted. “What do you mean! What’s not normal about me? I just want to team up with you!”
Lin Mo really wasn’t like this usually.
The conversation with Lin Zhen had affected her to some extent; she had begun to take her relationship with Chu Yunmiao seriously. On top of that, at her age, rebelliousness was at its peak; the more the elders told her not to do something, the more she insisted on doing it.
Lin Zhen wanted her to stay away from Chu Yunmiao; then she would cling to the Long Princess even tighter.
Hmph! Make Lin Zhen mad!
Chu Yunmiao only wanted her to return to normal as soon as possible, and was just about to nod in agreement when the weight on her shoulder suddenly lightened. Looking up, she saw that Lin Mo had been plucked cleanly off her.
The newly minted Instructor Yu had a face black as the bottom of a pot. With one hand she held Lin Mo, while the other loosened her collar.
“I heard Classmate Lin’s combat results are especially outstanding.
“I’ll spar with you.”
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Author’s Note:
Lin Zhen: No one can stop someone who’s determined to court death. (exhausted.jpg)