Fishing Alone Through a Thousand Rivers of Snow - Chapter 8

Just as Bai Yujing was about to put the mecha through its performance trial, the university administrators called her down.

She stroked the instrument panel with obvious reluctance.

Lumen’s voice was equally wistful. “Master, come back soon. I’ll miss you!”

Bai Yujing smiled faintly. “…I will.”

She jumped out of the cockpit.

Before she had gone two steps, startled cries erupted behind her.

“Hey! Why did it close? I haven’t gotten in yet!”

The cockpit that had stood open sealed itself without the slightest gap the moment Bai Yujing left. No one else could pry it open. They pounded on the hatch.

“Open up! Hey! We haven’t taken our tests yet!”

Bai Yujing watched in confusion.

The lead administrator turned toward me, alarm and suspicion written across his face. He desperately hoped the truth was not what he feared. He had already suffered too many shocks today; he could not bear another.

I showed him no mercy.

“Yes, exactly what you’re thinking. This mecha has chosen its master. Until the day it is decommissioned, it will recognize only Bai Yujing. You can send the other Alphas home.”

His chest swelled until he resembled a double-door refrigerator.

A mecha that acknowledged only one master for life—and I had not told him sooner!

Had he known, he could have ordered more detailed ranking assessments first, then arranged qualified students according to family status and let the scions of the great houses test it before anyone else. That way, he would not have offended a soul.

Now two aristocratic heirs had been ruined, and the new mecha had fallen into the hands of a beastkin freshman.

How was he supposed to explain this?

I glanced at him and laughed softly. “Is this difficult for you?”

He endured as long as he could, then squeezed his eyes shut.

He could afford to offend neither the noble families nor me.

Pressing his palms together, he pleaded, “Professor Qian, if anything like this happens again, could you please warn me in advance? I’m begging you. It wasn’t easy for me to reach this position. I have elderly parents and young children to support…”

I stood and walked straight for the door, unwilling to listen to another word.

The steward stepped between us. “Sir, please remain here.”

The administrator watched my retreating back, opened his mouth, and finally let his head droop in defeat.

I met Bai Yujing in the corridor.

The people crowding around me filled its entire width. She blinked, then obediently moved aside to let us pass.

I walked unhurriedly to a stop in front of her.

“Bai Yujing, your performance just now was impressive.”

I looked into her red eyes. Then my gaze slowly traveled upward, past her cloud-soft white hair, until it settled on the two pointed, furry ears.

They immediately shrank and flattened against the back of her head, as though my gaze had become tangible and touched them directly.

She looked away.

“Miss Qian…”

“You should call me Professor Qian.” I took another sip of my drink in front of her. “I developed the mecha you just piloted.”

Her eyes widened.

“It was… you?”

“Of course.”

The fever inside me flared more violently.

I should not have approached her. She was an extraordinarily high-ranking Alpha, and in my weakened state, even the faint pheromones leaking from her were difficult to resist.

I drank again. My throat hurt viciously; every swallow felt like gulping down razor blades.

“Nearly every famous mecha released in the past twenty years was essentially my work.”

“But they say… Qian Group developed them.”

“And who do you think owns all the patents?” I narrowed my eyes with a smile. “Every core innovation came from me. Without me, the mecha you saw today would not exist.”

Bai Yujing blinked. Then blinked again.

At last, she seemed to understand.

“Did you like today’s mecha?” I asked.

She froze, then answered immediately. “Yes.”

“How much?”

“Very much!”

“You haven’t truly piloted it yet.”

“I know it won’t disappoint me.”

I gave an amused huff.

She looked flustered, unable to understand what she had said wrong.

Tilting my head, I studied her pale face.

“Very well. Since you like it so much, it’s yours.”

I dropped the bombshell as lightly as a feather, then left with my entourage.

Bai Yujing remained rooted to the spot, too stunned to recover for a very long time.