What Should I Do If My Ex-Girlfriend's Pheromones Smell Too Good? - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Training. A Bit Alluring, but Not Annoying.

Shu Qiong and Yan Xiangyu silently finished dinner in the small living room of 406.

Jin Yan, sensing the wrong atmosphere, fled faster than anyone. Before leaving, she shook her bracelet, signaling that she had chosen a restaurant and would send the location to Yan Xiangyu.

After the meal, Shu Qiong finally broke the silence: “I’m going to wash up.”

“Okay,” Yan Xiangyu nodded. “Don’t forget to invite that Omega named Qiao-something tomorrow night.”

Shu Qiong: “…Her name is Song Lianqiao.”

Yan Xiangyu smiled and also returned to her room: “You remember it quite clearly.”

Shu Qiong touched her nose, only feeling that this space was filled with a subtle vinegary scent.

When she finished washing up and opened her bracelet, she saw Yan Xiangyu’s dinner invitation in the Military Uni F(4) group chat.

Yan Xiangyu: [Location – XX Hot Pot Restaurant]

Yan Xiangyu: “Are you all free at seven tomorrow night? Let’s have dinner together, my treat.”

Gu Tiantian: “Wow! I’m free!”

Su Heyi: “I’ll pay for the milk tea. What would you like to drink? [Grin]”

Shu Qiong: “Then I want the new product from XX store! Three-sweet with pudding and no ice [Drooling] [Drooling]”

Shu Qiong: “Sister Heyi is so thoughtful [Kiss]”

Yan Xiangyu: “Did you finish showering? @ShuQiong.”

Yan Xiangyu: “Milk tea, same as above.”

Gu Tiantian: “Your tastes are so similar, eh [Magnifying glass].”

Shu Qiong: “Are they? Maybe I have a popular palate.”

Yan Xiangyu: “I don’t think it’s very popular.”

Shu Qiong: “…Done washing up. You can come in now @YanXiangyu.”

Gu Tiantian: [Smirk] [Smirk]

[Gu Tiantian retracted a message]

Su Heyi: “What would you like, Tiantian?”

Gu Tiantian: “Their signature, I guess. Five-sweet, room temperature! Thank you, Sister Heyi~”

Yan Xiangyu: “The soap you wanted is hanging on your doorknob. Remember to take it @ShuQiong.”

Shu Qiong: “Okay, thank you”

Shu Qiong put down her bracelet, retrieved the green tea-scented handmade soap from the door, and sat on the edge of her bed, speechless.

What do you mean, the soap she wanted? When did she ask for it?

She examined the beautifully packaged handmade soap and, after some thought, leaned in and sniffed it.

It smells really good.

Well, she did kind of like it.

Shu Qiong casually placed the soap into her wardrobe.

When she woke up the next day, she opened her wardrobe to get dressed as usual. She wondered if it was her imagination, but she felt a faint tea fragrance lingering on her body. When she deliberately tried to smell it, it disappeared. It was a bit alluring, but not annoying.

Shu Qiong shook her head, ignoring the strange feeling, and began a new day of classes.

She didn’t walk with her roommates today because she wasn’t going to the academic building in the morning.

Each student in the Mecha Design and Manufacturing major was assigned an independent studio. It wasn’t large, but it was sufficient for daily mecha dismantling and maintenance. Shu Qiong randomly chose one on the second floor that caught her eye, as it was close to the training hall on the first floor, which was convenient for on-machine mecha testing.

A large electronic screen was embedded in the studio wall. The screen was connected to the training hall on the first floor. A teacher was currently using this screen to demonstrate the textbook procedure for mecha dismantling and assembly. After completely disassembling a standard mecha, the teacher began reassembling it, introducing the function and model of each part and component to the students.

The morning passed quickly in busy work. Shu Qiong finally received the standard mecha belonging to her, as she had wished.

The mecha was painted a uniform black-gray. Shu Qiong opened the cockpit, sat in, and recorded several data points she hadn’t had time to note down during the last practical class.

On the electronic screen, the teacher was assigning the major practical assignment for the semester: “You need to modify the standard mecha you received within a certain budget. How you choose to optimize and modify it is entirely up to you. Of course, this expense is reimbursable. Students who submit this major assignment and achieve a score of 90 or above can skip my practical class this semester and switch to self-study.”

Shu Qiong’s spirits immediately lifted.

Practical classes accounted for nearly half of the course hours in the first semester. If she didn’t have to attend, she could spend more time studying Shu Ci’s notes and manuscripts, and she could also enter more competitions.

The competitive Shu Qiong was strongly tempted and immediately decided she would be rooted in her studio starting today.

As soon as morning classes ended, she messaged her roommates, telling them to eat lunch and not wait for her. Then she turned off her bracelet and buried herself in hard work.

When Yan Xiangyu arrived with lunch to check on her, Shu Qiong had completely dismantled her mecha, spreading the parts all over the floor, and was recording the long-desired parameters of the mecha joints and the structure of the power unit in a small notebook.

Seeing Yan Xiangyu, she realized belatedly that she was a bit hungry. She sniffed: “It smells good.”

Yan Xiangyu shook the lunch box in her hand and looked at the mess on the floor: “Can I come in?”

Shu Qiong quickly cleared a small path for her to walk: “Please, please come in.”

Yan Xiangyu placed the lunch box on the only clean table and opened it for her: “No need to be so polite.”

“I insist.” Shu Qiong was still a little reserved. She moved a chair from the corner and said with a serious face: “Please sit, Student Yan.”

Yan Xiangyu sighed. It seemed that the thread still affected their way of interacting.

She casually asked: “How is the soap?”

Shu Qiong was busy eating: “Haven’t used it yet.”

Yan Xiangyu smiled: “I can smell it.”

“…” Shu Qiong stiffened her neck, her face almost buried in the lunch box: “Really? Haha. Maybe the scent just accidentally got on my clothes. I haven’t even unwrapped it yet.”

Yan Xiangyu was very tactful this time. She placed the last tube of suppressant on the table: “Last injection. Don’t forget to take it later. I’ll be in the training hall downstairs. Call me if you need anything.”

Shu Qiong mumbled: “Mhm.”

Yan Xiangyu gently moved the chair back to its original place: “I’ve also received my mecha. When will Student Shu help me modify it?”

When it came to proper business, Shu Qiong was no longer awkward.

She finally lifted her head, looked at the studio full of parts, and estimated: “The day after tomorrow, I guess. I’ll finish this semester’s major practical assignment first in the next two days. Oh right, did you also get a major assignment for your practical class? Will mecha parameters affect the final grade?”

Yan Xiangyu nodded. She brought up the S-shaped outdoor obstacle track she photographed this morning on her bracelet: “Yes, we need to complete a specially designed obstacle course with the standard mecha within a specified time. Mechas can be modified appropriately, but there are strict requirements for the parameter range; they cannot exceed the specified limits. I’ll send you the form.”

Shu Qiong glanced at the parameter form and turned off her bracelet, her eyes curving into a smile: “I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

“I believe you.” Yan Xiangyu had already reached the studio door and couldn’t help but feel a little distracted.

She genuinely liked seeing Shu Qiong wear that confident, somewhat sharp smile, which made her look bright and full of vitality.

“I’ll come to the studio to pick you up at 6:30 PM.”

She added a final remark and gently closed the door.

The efficiency of modifying the standard mecha was higher than Shu Qiong had imagined. Perhaps because she had early access to mecha theoretical knowledge, she quickly formed a modification idea, built a virtual model, and constantly fine-tuned the values. She expected to work on the physical mecha tomorrow.

Common modification materials could be claimed on the first floor. Shu Qiong was preoccupied, habitually twirling a pen in her hand, and headed towards the claims area wearing her goggles.

When passing the training hall, she heard bursts of cheers from inside and paused.

At this time, it must be the first-year combatants training, right?

She instinctively walked toward the audience seats and, sure enough, saw Yan Xiangyu among the crowd.

Yan Xiangyu entered the cockpit, completed the sensing device setup, and then steadily piloted the standard mecha along the white curve drawn on the floor, seemingly effortlessly.

As she moved, her speed increased. After a short run-up, she slightly bent her knees and powerfully launched, leaping over ten meters in one breath and grabbing the pull-up bar in front, performing several standard pull-ups. As if that wasn’t enough, she switched to a one-armed support. Her right arm steadily lifted the massive, heavy mecha body, still looking very relaxed.

Shu Qiong’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she stopped twirling her pen.

Did Yan Xiangyu drive a mecha in person before? Or has her adaptability, balance, and muscle control reached this level?

Shu Qiong could operate a mecha to this extent, but she benefited from having experience and was considered a head-start player.

She slightly narrowed her eyes, locking her gaze on the figure still moving at high speed, analyzing every subtle movement in slow motion in her mind.

At this point, Yan Xiangyu had controlled the mecha to a higher pull-up bar. Shu Qiong keenly captured the subtle adjustment in her posture.

Such strong reaction capability.

She now believed that Yan Xiangyu was a purely talented athlete.

Again, bending her knees and exerting force, this time the mecha jumped two meters higher than the last, her upper limbs precisely gripping the bar.

Shu Qiong couldn’t help but inwardly compliment her, exquisite body control, simply a chosen Mecha Solo Combatant.

Yan Xiangyu had completed the short class test and, without a doubt, received an A+ score, surrounded by classmates seeking advice.

Sensing something, she suddenly turned her head towards the audience seats and successfully saw Shu Qiong, who hadn’t had time to retreat.

Shu Qiong reacted for two seconds, then decided to be generous to prove her openness.

She proactively waved, gave a thumbs-up to the training field, and then turned to walk towards the claims office.

Shu Qiong’s outfit today was mainly simple: a white shirt, black pants, and short boots, with a black fountain pen casually clipped to the chest pocket of her shirt.

Her chestnut-brown hair was simply tied up, and stray hairs fluttered slightly as she walked. The ordinary-looking goggles were made to look like a fashion item on her, and the amber eyes beneath them were as bright as ever. She exuded a comfortable, casual scholarly air.

Yan Xiangyu felt deeply that after Shu Qiong walked around so ostentatiously, she would likely have to consume another ton of jealous vinegar.