What Should I Do If My Ex-Girlfriend's Pheromones Smell Too Good? - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Hot Tea

After the two-day exam period ended, life for the students of the First Military Academy returned to its normal track.

Except for Shu Qiong and her team.

They had already been notified that for the next half month, they had to seize every moment to prepare for the Inter-University Mecha League.

Having received the training schedule from Chu Yimeng, Shu Qiong went to knock on Yan Xiangyu’s door late at night. There was no movement for a good while.

Asleep this early?

Shu Qiong checked the time suspiciously; it was only a little past ten. Just as she was hesitating whether to leave, the door was gently pulled open from the inside.

Yan Xiangyu was wearing only a form-fitting black tank top, still radiating the steam of heat from a just-finished workout. Her gaze swept past Shu Qiong at the door to the two closed bedroom doors opposite them before she stepped aside.

“Come in.”

Shu Qiong had originally only intended to remind her to check the notice Instructor Chu just sent, but as the saying goes, since I’m already here… She stepped into Yan Xiangyu’s room with a sense of novelty. She rarely entered the other’s private space directly and felt a bit constrained. Her eyes immediately caught the neat, clean bed, reminding her of the time she came in to apply medicine to Yan Xiangyu’s back.

Perhaps because Yan Xiangyu had just exercised, the air in the room felt warmer than outside. The layout was similar to Shu Qiong’s—bed, wardrobe, desk, and chairs—but the difference lay in the scent. As soon as she entered, Shu Qiong caught the unique, familiar, faint aroma of green tea, deepening the feeling of trespassing into private territory.

The sound of the door closing came from behind. Yan Xiangyu walked over, rolled up the exercise mat on the floor, and pulled out a chair for Shu Qiong.

“Were you practicing physical conditioning?” Shu Qiong asked, making conversation.

“Mhm.” Yan Xiangyu leaned against the desk. “Why did you come over?”

Shu Qiong admired her self-discipline for a second before remembering her purpose. She opened her light screen: “Instructor Chu sent a new training schedule… have you not checked your messages yet?”

As the only Mecha Master among the starters, Shu Qiong’s plan differed from the others, so she had messaged Yan Xiangyu to see what a pilot’s schedule looked like.

Yan Xiangyu nodded, scrolled through her unread messages, and pulled up her schedule. She walked behind Shu Qiong and leaned down, stretching her wristband forward. The proximity was unavoidable; it looked as if she were encircling Shu Qiong’s shoulders from behind.

After entering Yan Xiangyu’s room, Shu Qiong was now enclosed in an even smaller, exclusive territory. In her daze, the scent of tea became more intense. Likely due to the recent exercise, Yan Xiangyu’s pheromone scent was different from usual—less distant, more passionate. It was like a pot of freshly brewed tea over a roaring fire, bubbling and steaming, silently inviting someone to taste it while it was hot. It didn’t smell like sweat; it felt warm and comfortable.

“…What are you thinking about?” Yan Xiangyu asked. Seeing no response for a long time, her gaze searched Shu Qiong’s face. Whether intentional or not, her breath brushed against the side of Shu Qiong’s neck.

Shu Qiong pretended she wasn’t daydreaming. “I have two hours more of specialized Mecha Master training than you guys every day…”

“I heard,” Yan Xiangyu replied. “My schedule isn’t exactly the same as the seniors’ either. In the morning, Instructor Chu does unified combat training. In the afternoon, we disperse for targeted training.”

The people conducting the pre-match training were the best teachers and instructors in the United Military Academy, showing how much the school valued this league.

Shu Qiong turned her face toward her. “Do you have enough time? The Mecha Design Competition is entering the semi-finals. Once I finish modifying Starlight, you’ll need to find time to practice with it.”

Yan Xiangyu looked down, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. “I do.”

The topic ended. They stared at each other in silence. Shu Qiong suddenly stood up, her chair screeching against the floor. “I won’t disturb your rest. I’m going back—”

Before she could take two steps, her arm was caught. Yan Xiangyu sighed almost imperceptibly, her tone carrying a faint, innocent grievance: “There’s no one here to disturb us now, Xiao Qiong… are you going back on your word?”

Shu Qiong looked away. “I… I didn’t promise anything…”

“You did.” Yan Xiangyu slowly drew her back by her arm, her voice low and patient. The gentle whisper of a lover couldn’t hide the dominance in her movements. “Last night, we were supposed to…”

A thin blush rose on Shu Qiong’s face. Gu Tiantian and Su He’yi had been present then; she certainly wasn’t going to kiss in front of them.

“…Fine.”

Shu Qiong thought to herself: There is no reason to be so shy that I flee from a kiss with my girlfriend when we’re alone. She straightened her back and lifted her chin toward Yan Xiangyu. “It’s just a kis—”

The overwhelming, warm, moist breath invaded her territory early, swallowing and tearing apart the words she had left unspoken.

A pot of tea. A steaming pot of hot tea. The owner had unexpectedly flipped the lid, and Shu Qiong’s lips and tongue were instantly scalded by the rolling steam within. The temperature was higher than she imagined, so hot she felt like she was melting. It was as if the alcohol in brandy had evaporated, leaving only a mouthful of sweet fruitiness. But the inhaled vapor made her even more intoxicated.

Shu Qiong wasn’t as green and awkward as she expected. She discovered with surprise that she was becoming a “quick learner.” Or rather, her body was gradually getting used to Yan Xiangyu. It was… inviting Yan Xiangyu.

During a break for air, Yan Xiangyu held her and whispered, “The past two nights back at school, I haven’t slept well.”

Shu Qiong backed up slightly, touching the tiny mole on the bridge of the other’s nose. She tilted her head. “I’m jealous you can have such good skin despite not sleeping well.”

Yan Xiangyu paused, her teeth lightly nipping Shu Qiong’s lower lip with slight pressure. “Don’t play dumb.”

Shu Qiong laughed and dodged. “Then what do you want?” As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the small single bed in the room, her thoughts wandering.

Yan Xiangyu used a flat tone to say something exaggerated: “It’s probably withdrawal. It’s okay, you don’t have to mind me.”

Shu Qiong broke free from the hug with a laugh, crossing her arms as she sized up this “tea-behaving” person. “We’ve only slept in the same bed two or three times. And you already have withdrawal symptoms?”

Yan Xiangyu was unabashed, her long lashes drooping innocently. “Mhm. It’s not about the frequency.”

Shu Qiong’s heart skipped a beat. She said teasingly, “But I’m picky about beds when I sleep. I won’t sleep well in a strange bed.”

Yan Xiangyu looked at the wall the bed was leaning against—the only thing separating it from Shu Qiong’s own bed. Her intention was written clearly on her face: using the most composed attitude to do the most thick-skinned thing.

The tactic wasn’t clever, but Shu Qiong fell for it anyway. In the end, Yan Xiangyu successfully negotiated for half of a bed.

Five minutes later, Shu Qiong leaned against her own doorframe as she watched Yan Xiangyu walk over with a pillow and enter the bathroom with her pajamas, looking satisfied.

However, Yan Xiangyu never expected that she would sleep even worse this night than the previous two. When she got up the next morning, her mental satisfaction couldn’t compensate for her physical exhaustion.

Seeing her stiff limbs, Shu Qiong pointed at the slight dark circles under Yan Xiangyu’s eyes. “Move back to your own bed tonight.”

Yan Xiangyu walked away regretfully with her pillow, looking back every three steps. She didn’t argue this time because she realized the single beds in the dorm were… truly too small. To avoid disturbing Shu Qiong, she hadn’t dared to turn over much, leaving half her arm feeling numb.

Gu Tiantian opened her door, heading for the bathroom with messy hair and sleepy eyes. She caught sight of Yan Xiangyu with the pillow and waved. “Morning. Why are you carrying your pillow…”

As the words left her mouth, she rubbed her eyes and looked at the room Yan Xiangyu had just exited. Wait, that’s not Yan Xiangyu’s room.

Then, she saw Shu Qiong walk out right behind her, wearing pajamas and wearing an unconscious smile. Gu Tiantian shuddered; her sleepiness vanished instantly. She looked at them, revitalized.

Seeing her staring at the pillow, Yan Xiangyu said, “Oh, my bed collapsed, so I stayed at Student Shu’s place for the night. Fortunately, she didn’t mind.”

Gu Tiantian obviously didn’t believe such a flimsy excuse. Her tone was delicate. “Oh~ Then Student Shu is truly a saint for taking in roommates.”

Shu Qiong glanced at Yan Xiangyu but didn’t refute her.

Gu Tiantian coughed twice. “My bed is broken too, can I…”

Yan Xiangyu stopped in her tracks, looking back to see Gu Tiantian’s meaningful expression. It was clearly intentional. She didn’t even put down her pillow, adopting a helpful and “kind” persona: “Where is it broken? Let me see if I can fix it for you.”

Shu Qiong listened to the banter like she was watching a comedy show, shook her head, and went back to her room to change. Once the main protagonist left, Gu Tiantian gave Yan Xiangyu a thumbs-up and said solemnly, “Actually, I’ve been rooting for you two from the start.”

She hadn’t expected the progress to be so fast. Yan Xiangyu nodded reservedly, thanked her, and returned to her room in a good mood.

Half an hour later, at the school team’s exclusive training hall.

The starters were all present. Shu Qiong noticed that Jin Yan and Su He’yi, who were on the bench, were missing.

He Xuchou explained: “They aren’t with us. Don’t worry, the substitutes have other teachers.”

Shu Qiong nodded and withdrew her gaze. She wasn’t worried; she was just glad the “loud Husky” Jin Yan wasn’t here so she could finally have some peace and quiet.

Before Instructor Chu arrived, He Xuchou explained the basic rules of the League. “The League uses a five-person team system. Simply put, it’s a point-defense game. There will be Zerg appearing in the arena, and we must defend and increase the number of our points within the time limit. This means we don’t just face the Zerg swarms, but also have to guard against theft from other school teams.”

“The specific environment changes every year. To prevent cheating, the organizers only announce it one week before the start. Have you watched the footage from previous years?”

Shu Qiong and the others nodded. Instructor Chu had sent highlight reels and notes to the group chat.

He Xuchou looked around with satisfaction. “Based on past events, we’ve seen deserts, swamps, tropical rainforests, and ice valleys. But since the organizers announced a reform in the team composition this year, we can’t rule out major changes in other areas. The teachers and I agree that the terrain this year will likely be a new area we’ve never seen before.”

Chang Xichun patted her shoulder. “One more week and the notice will be out.”

Shu Qiong had a question: “Do humans live on the planets where the League is held?”

He Xuchou shook her head. “They are all abandoned planets. Usually, the chosen planets have suffered large-scale Zerg invasions. Even if they appear cleared, risks remain. After a swarm, the Alliance usually evacuates civilians and establishes observation points to prevent another outbreak.”

Qin Liang added, “There might be unhatched eggs underground. It’s possible for a swarm to return after a few years. That’s when the observation point sends an alert for a cleanup to prevent the disaster from spreading to other systems.”

Yan Xiangyu frowned slightly. “Does that mean every time a swarm breaks out, humanity loses a habitable planet?”

He Xuchou and Chang Xichun exchanged a glance and chuckled. As seniors about to enter the military, they knew much more than the juniors.

He Xuchou corrected her: “There are prerequisites. A planet fits that description only if 30% or more of its surface is contaminated, and if the military has temporarily suppressed the disaster. The former excludes planets like… well…”

Shu Qiong and the others fell silent, thinking of Base Star. To them, the battle there was horrific, but in reality, the contaminated area was less than 1%. If over 30% was contaminated… they couldn’t imagine the purgatory. No wonder textbooks classified swarms as natural disasters.

He Xuchou continued, “As for the second requirement, if the disaster is never suppressed, the Alliance won’t build an observation point or use it as a candidate for the League. We usually call those places… War Zones.”

In a War Zone, the disaster is constant. Humans can only fill the lines with waves of blood and flesh, fighting for every inch of survival. It was grim news.

Shu Qiong asked, “Is there no way to restore a planet to its original state after the disaster?”

He Xuchou’s expression softened. “Of course there is, but it takes a long time and immense effort. Those observation points don’t just watch for outbreaks; they deploy probes to scan the soil for eggs. But planets are huge; it’s a grueling process. If no swarm occurs for fifty years, or if the entire surface is scanned and cleared before then, the planet is re-certified as habitable, and reconstruction begins.”

The answer didn’t make them happy. Destruction is always easier than maintenance. It takes months or even days to ruin a planet, but fifty years or more to rebuild it—long enough that those forced to flee might never see their homes again.

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” Chang Xichun comforted them. “At least in recent years, the Alliance has stabilized the situation. Most areas are peaceful. And our mechas are constantly upgrading. You have to believe in humanity and technology.”

“Believe in what?” A clear, cool voice interrupted them.

Chang Xichun stiffened and turned to see Chu Yimeng, who had entered unnoticed. She immediately snapped into an upright position. “Instructor, I was discussing the national situation and the future of civilization with the juniors.”

Chu Yimeng had fully recovered from her injuries on Base Star. She looked at the students lined up before her. “Starting today, we begin pre-match special training. The school has invited an outstanding alumnus, who is also an active-duty officer in a special military unit. You better perform well and don’t embarrass the school, understood?”

Everyone turned serious. Chang Xichun raised her hand. “Instructor Chu, what about you? Won’t you guide us anymore?” She sounded reluctant, but her eyes held excitement.

Chu Yimeng saw right through her. She stood before her and gave a chilling laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll be teaching your individual enhancement sessions in the afternoon. And besides… the new teacher is much harsher than I am.”

Chang Xichun wilted instantly. Shu Qiong and the others had a bad feeling.

Chu Yimeng called out to the door, “What are you standing outside for? Come in.”

“I just wanted to give the sisters a surprise.”

A relaxed female voice rang out from the corridor, followed by the sound of combat boots approaching. A figure appeared at the door—tall, with dazzling red hair.

Shu Qiong’s eyes widened. It couldn’t be that much of a coincidence, could it?

She instinctively looked beside her and saw that Yan Xiangyu was also unable to hide her shock.

The “new officer from the special unit” strode toward the school team and came to a stop.

Ou Ye arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Good morning, juniors.”