What Should I Do If My Ex-Girlfriend's Pheromones Smell Too Good? - Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Performance

Capital Star Docking Port.

The Military Academy starship landed. Shu Qiong finished organizing her belongings and boarded the levitating bus back to school with her companions.

Chu Yimeng, the team leader, looked pale and unwell. After bringing them back to the academy, she gave a few instructions regarding the team’s upcoming daily training. Suddenly, she felt her wrist vibrate—someone was calling her.

Instructor Chu didn’t even look at the screen; she tapped the speakerphone while continuing to assign tasks. A familiar voice came through the speaker: “Instructor Meng, do you even care about your own body anymore?”

Shu Qiong and the others immediately pricked up their ears. Wasn’t that the school doctor’s voice? And what kind of nickname was “Instructor Meng”?

Chu Yimeng’s words cut off abruptly, her brows furrowing. She quickly turned off the speakerphone and hissed, “Don’t call me that outside!”

The students didn’t hear the reply, but they saw Chu Yimeng hang up quickly and nod to the group of students who were pretending not to eavesdrop.

“Rest well during the holiday, but don’t overeat. Practice your physical conditioning when you have time,” she reminded them one last time. Having finished, she hurried toward the exit.

A car was already parked at the school gate. The window was halfway down, revealing the school doctor’s face with heavy dark circles. She was in casual clothes, likely there to take Chu Yimeng to the hospital for a check-up.

Shu Qiong and the others wanted to watch the drama but were afraid of the fallout; considering neither Instructor Chu nor the doctor had particularly gentle tempers, they simply stood there with their necks craned. Once the car’s taillights disappeared from view, they looked at each other with expressions that said no way.

Typical of students, they were exceptionally curious about their teachers’ gossip—especially someone like Chu Yimeng, who usually wore a permanent stern face.

Jin Yan clicked her tongue several times. Shu Qiong and Qin Liang followed suit. Before Chang Xichun could join in, she was interrupted by He Xuchou; the two had received a notice to visit the counselor’s office. They said their goodbyes and hurried toward the administration building.

Yan Xiangyu asked Shu Qiong, “Back to the dorm?”

Shu Qiong said yes. They bid farewell to the remaining two and left. Jin Yan was speechless, unable to help herself: “Why is everyone in pairs?”

Qin Liang looked like she had long since reached enlightenment, sounding like a retired official: “Young people, enjoying life… it’s normal, very normal.” She watched their backs for a while with a smile and left with her hands behind her back.

With the anniversary and the long holiday approaching, the campus atmosphere was lively, filled with promotional boards and electronic floating posters. Colorful lights were wrapped around the trees along the main roads. It was a bit gaudy, and Shu Qiong looked away after a moment, thinking the aesthetic was quite tacky—she wondered what kind of obsession the school leadership had with this “creative” vision.

The two crossed several buildings and returned to the familiar living area. The small, exquisite “406” sign still hung on the door. It was closed. Shu Qiong’s hand paused on the doorknob, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Yan Xiangyu asked, “What are you thinking?”

Shu Qiong didn’t mention her own past embarrassment, throwing the question back instead: “An interview for Student Yan: what was it like bumping into me the moment you opened the door on the first day of school?”

Yan Xiangyu pursed her lips and answered honestly, “A surprise.”

Shu Qiong observed her expression. “Jin Yan called you ‘Bking’ then, we were talking behind your back, and I even purposely got dust on your trouser leg. That was a surprise too?”

Yan Xiangyu rarely exposed her inner thoughts and felt a bit embarrassed under the questioning. Her gaze lowered, seemingly unable to meet Shu Qiong’s eyes, but in reality, she was fixated on the latter’s lips. She thought for a moment and said seriously, “A wish came true, so it was a surprise.”

Shu Qiong gave a noncommittal smile. Yan Xiangyu looked at her, slowly leaning closer and bowing her head—

Click.

Shu Qiong used her wrist to push open the door to 406, slipping inside like a nimble fish just a second before she could be kissed.

“…”

Gu Tiantian was sitting on the small sofa, drawing on a tablet. She looked up at the door when she heard the noise.

“Hi, Tiantian~” Shu Qiong sat down in a good mood.

Gu Tiantian said happily, “You’re back! Hmm, your aura seems a bit different!”

Shu Qiong chuckled. “Aura?”

Gu Tiantian nodded seriously. “It’s like… you look more reliable.”

Specifically, while Shu Qiong’s face was still refined, the change in her posture subtly influenced the way she carried herself, making her appear more steady and composed. Shu Qiong joked as she touched her arm, “Maybe because I grew some muscle?”

As they spoke, Yan Xiangyu entered with a look of resignation and closed the door. She stopped behind Shu Qiong, her fingers lightly brushing a stray curl at the end of Shu Qiong’s hair.

“Didn’t you say on the starship that you felt gross and needed a bath?” Yan Xiangyu’s voice was soft. “If you’re not going, I’ll take the bathroom first.”

“I’m going!” Shu Qiong stood up quickly. Being reminded of it made her feel itchy all over; she felt her clothes smelled of gunpowder and blood from the battlefield. She dashed toward the bathroom but almost collided with Yan Xiangyu, who caught her by the waist.

Yan Xiangyu was holding a small bag of clean clothes. Handing them over, she said helplessly, “Don’t rush, I’m not racing you for the spot.”

Shu Qiong took the clothes, walked more steadily this time into the bathroom, and slammed the door. Soon, the sound of splashing water came from within.

Yan Xiangyu went to her own room to change before returning to the sofa. She noticed a burning gaze and looked over to see Gu Tiantian staring intensely. Seeing she’d been caught, Gu Tiantian tried to pull back her expression, pushing up her glasses to ask: “You two…”

Before she could finish, the bathroom door opened, releasing traces of fragrant steam that were quickly sucked away by the air circulation system. Shu Qiong walked out rubbing her hair with a towel-cap. A few water droplets slid down her pale neck and disappeared into her collar. She looked at Yan Xiangyu, her face flushed from the hot water. “I’m done.”

Yan Xiangyu stepped closer and caught a falling droplet with two fingers, a subtle smile in her eyes.

Shu Qiong said defensively, “I used your hair oil, so what?” Hers had run out, and she’d forgotten to restock before the training.

Yan Xiangyu’s finger moved up from the droplet to ghost over Shu Qiong’s cheek. “I wouldn’t dare do anything.”

Shu Qiong thought she was being quite daring, so she glared at the touchy-feely Yan Xiangyu and shooed her into the bathroom. Turning back, she saw Gu Tiantian wearing a suspicious, rampant grin. Why would a shy girl have a smile that could be described as lecherous?

Shu Qiong patted her shoulder to bring her back to earth. “By the way, where’s Sister He-yi?”

Gu Tiantian inhaled. “Oh, Sister He-yi? She went to the auditorium for rehearsal.” She checked her watch. “Want to see? I can go with you.”

Shu Qiong yawned. “Nah, I’ll just watch the formal performance tomorrow.”

She stopped bothering Gu Tiantian. After blow-drying her hair, she went to her room. Though no one had lived there for half a month, it wasn’t dirty; she just tidied the bed and closet. Her first night back on Capital Star was spent in peaceful tranquility. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, ready to sleep. Her sleep schedule had been fragmented lately; it was time to return to a normal human routine.

In a half-dreaming state, she heard low voices outside the door—it seemed Su He-yi was back and chatting with Yan Xiangyu in the living room. Amidst the chaos of her consciousness, the footsteps and voices were blurred, but Shu Qiong didn’t find them noisy. Instead, they brought a rare sense of security. She fell fast asleep.

The next day was the anniversary. The morning was for performances, and the holiday started in the afternoon. Shu Qiong woke up early, feeling energetic. Gu Tiantian was already excited for the long holiday, looking much brighter.

Su He-yi asked with a smile, “Are you all going home?”

Shu Qiong nodded while biting her toothbrush. Yan Xiangyu shook her head. “I won’t be going back.” Her home was far from Capital Star, and the transfers were a hassle; it would waste too much time.

Gu Tiantian asked curiously, “I remember your home is in the Ninth Sector?”

Shu Qiong finished rinsing and answered for her: “Yes, Ninth Sector, Qiming Deep Space.”

Gu Tiantian went “Wow!” “I went to the central region of the Ninth Sector for a vacation with my mom last winter. I heard flower fields are the most common sight there—it’s supposedly the largest flower base in the Alliance. Sadly, we went at the wrong time; there weren’t many flowers.”

Yan Xiangyu smiled slightly. “Mhm. There are many varieties and quantities. You’re welcome to visit.” She mentioned a few good times for tourism. The Ninth Sector had a low population density but a very mature floral industry, spanning everything from cold-chain exports to handicrafts and processed goods. It had also developed a strong tourism industry recently, with a local culture very different from the bustling Capital Star.

Shu Qiong listened with longing; the more she heard, the more it sounded like a paradise. Gu Tiantian, a heavy flower lover, spent two seconds disparaging the Capital Star’s lack of natural scenery.

“But the infrastructure there isn’t as good as Capital Star,” Yan Xiangyu said, helplessly breaking their beautiful illusions. “Life isn’t as convenient.”

They continued the topic as they walked toward the Grand Auditorium. At Shu Qiong’s urging, Yan Xiangyu pulled out photos from her album to show them the mountains and seas of flowers during peak season. Outside the auditorium hung a red anniversary banner, and volunteers were handing out programs and small gifts. Everyone received a keychain with the school emblem and a small bag of candy.

Shu Qiong popped a lemon candy into her mouth, found a seat, and watched the performance quietly. There were about twenty programs, mostly singing and dancing, followed by skits.

She asked, “What did the Mech Department prepare this year?”

Su He-yi rubbed her eyes, her tone complicated. “In previous years, the Mech Department always did martial arts performances. But the teachers forbade it this year, saying it’s the same every year—people kicking wooden boards and breaking bricks. It’s too crude and lacks creativity.”

Mech students learned tactical combat, which mostly lacked “performance” value or aesthetic appeal. Shu Qiong went silent, unable to imagine what they could perform. They couldn’t exactly go on stage and dismantle a mech with their bare hands, could they?

Noticing her gaze, Yan Xiangyu shook her head. “I only know how to perform making someone’s nose bleed in one second.”

Shu Qiong quickly patted her knee. It’s a holiday, be peaceful.

Su He-yi sighed softly. “In the end, everyone voted. This year, we’re doing acrobatics.”

“Huh?” Shu Qiong was stunned. “Isn’t that a bit of a leap?”

Su He-yi explained gloomily, “Doing acrobatics means… performing martial arts while standing on a tightrope.”

“…”

Isn’t that just a martial arts performance again? Shu Qiong was impressed.