Chapter 32

Chu Yunmiao froze for a moment, then instinctively glanced at the time.

It was clearly nowhere near an adult’s bedtime, which made Yu Changning’s message seem terribly out of place.

She couldn’t quite tell what the other woman meant, but she still chatted with Yu Changning briefly.

【Chu Yunmiao: Not yet.】

【Yu Changning: What are you doing?】

【Chu Yunmiao: Studying.】

After she sent the two words, the other side didn’t reply right away. Just as Chu Yunmiao was about to turn off the screen and go back to her books, the chat window finally vibrated belatedly.

【Yu Changning: I’m at the A2 Training Ground. Want to come over?】

Chu Yunmiao didn’t hesitate for long. She sent back a “Sure,” made a few simple preparations, and then left to look for Yu Changning.

The night breeze was gentle and cool against her face, refreshing and pleasant. Chu Yunmiao walked briskly and quickly reached the agreed location. On the way there, she hadn’t felt anything unusual; only when she neared the entrance to the training ground, realizing that the moment she pushed open the barrier in front of her she would be meeting Yu Changning alone, did her heart begin beating faster of its own accord.

Chu Yunmiao had to take a deep breath, check her clothes once more, and only then did she push the door open with a mix of nerves and anticipation.

Yu Changning was indeed inside, already finished warming up. When she saw Chu Yunmiao, she gave her a faint look, which counted as a greeting.

Chu Yunmiao took the initiative. “Are we continuing special training? It’s only the first day of school. Will I be interrupting your work?”

Yu Changning said, “No.”

Then she looked at Chu Yunmiao. “I couldn’t properly test your level in class during the day. I wanted to see how your physical capacity is now after a whole vacation.”

Of course, the sooner such testing was done, the better. Chu Yunmiao nodded gratefully. “Mm, thank you for taking the trouble.”

Under Yu Changning’s guidance, Chu Yunmiao finished her warm-up and used the equipment to complete several test items. When the data came out, Yu Changning didn’t avoid letting Chu Yunmiao see it, so Chu Yunmiao could clearly see her own results.

Her cheeks were flushed, half from the intense exercise and half from excitement. “It seems pretty good?”

Yu Changning curved her lips. “Mm. Good.”

She gave a fair assessment. “Judging from the numbers, you’ve improved a little compared to the end of last semester.”

Pleased by the praise, Chu Yunmiao’s eyes curved. “Does that mean I didn’t slack off during the vacation?”

At that, Yu Changning raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

After a brief pause, she gave an answer that seemed slightly off-topic. “When you look at me like that, it makes me feel as if you’re asking me for a reward.”

Chu Yunmiao blanked for a second, then quickly turned her head away and looked elsewhere. “When did I look at you like that?”

Then she felt she shouldn’t be so guilty, so she straightened up and asked boldly, “Ahem, and besides, I really didn’t slack off during vacation. Since I did so well, shouldn’t I get a little reward?”

Yu Changning looked at her and smiled; the indulgence and affection on her face were almost overflowing. “Then what reward do you want?”

Only then did Chu Yunmiao begin to feel embarrassed, and she subconsciously didn’t dare meet her eyes. “I don’t need anything tangible. If you can praise me a little more, that’d already be great.”

“Such a low demand?” Yu Changning set the data sheet aside and moved closer.

“Is that low?” Chu Yunmiao glanced at her furtively. “Being praised by you is already an amazing experience.”

At that, Yu Changning finally couldn’t hold back and laughed softly.

Like she was coaxing a child, she followed Chu Yunmiao’s request and gave her the reward she wanted. “Mm. Yunmiao is very impressive; she’s the most diligent, hardest-working, and most gifted child I’ve ever met.”

Blood rushed to Chu Yunmiao’s face. For a moment, she nearly accepted the praise at face value, but she quickly came to her senses and looked at Yu Changning with a hint of grievance. “You’re teasing me again.” She let out a light sigh and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “I know I’m actually pretty good, but not to the point of being self-absorbed. How could I possibly be the most diligent and most gifted? But my secondary sex... the talent gap is already something I can’t compare with other people.”

“I’m not teasing you.” Yu Changning lifted a hand and brushed a stray lock of hair back from Chu Yunmiao’s temple. “At least in my mind, Yunmiao really is the most diligent, hardest-working, and most gifted.”

Chu Yunmiao pouted, but her eyes were bright and glittering; she was clearly very happy, just too shy to show it. After taking a deep breath, she seemed to remember something and suggested, “Let’s do a practical spar.”

She stretched her legs. “It’s been a long time since I sparred with you. My physical stats have improved so much, so... let’s see if I can still get away from you.”

Yu Changning naturally wouldn’t refuse her.

The two of them moved one after the other to the center of the training area and found a suitable position. Then Chu Yunmiao stood quietly and let Yu Changning trap her.

They had played this training exercise countless times already. At first, it had been a “little game” Yu Changning used to make Chu Yunmiao understand her own strength; later on, it gradually became a challenge for Chu Yunmiao to test the limit of her abilities. Unfortunately, they had been doing this challenge for more than half a semester, and Chu Yunmiao had never succeeded. Still, at the end of last semester, her best performance had been getting more than half her body out of Yu Changning’s control range; if she tried again, Chu Yunmiao hoped she would see even better results.

When Yu Changning looked at the slight crease between her brows, it was as if she could read her thoughts.

Her thoughts shifted, and she looked at Chu Yunmiao. “Ready?”

Chu Yunmiao nodded.

Yu Changning asked again, “How far do you think you’ll get this time?”

The Imperial Crown Princess hesitated for a moment, then said, “I hope... even if I can’t completely break free this time, I can at least reach the same level as my best previous result.”

Yu Changning lifted an eyebrow. “Looks like you’re very confident. After a vacation, did you come up with some new trick?”

Chu Yunmiao gave a vague answer. “Not really...” After all, while she was on holiday in the Imperial Palace, there was simply no one who could accompany her in training like this.

“But I’ll go all out! My physical stats have gone up, so doesn’t that mean my chances of escaping you have increased too?”

“Escape me?” Yu Changning murmured those words softly.

After a moment, her gaze deepened. She lifted her chin slightly toward Chu Yunmiao. “Mm. Begin.”

Chu Yunmiao suddenly had a bad feeling.

Sometimes one had to admit that sixth sense was a real, uncanny thing, and terrifyingly accurate.

When Chu Yunmiao failed for the Nth time after flailing twice and was once again firmly locked in Yu Changning’s arms, she was nearly in tears.

“You were holding back before, weren’t you?!” the Imperial Crown Princess cried in collapse as she looked at Yu Changning.

Yu Changning had pinned her to the ground and was lying over her, holding her tightly within her own sphere of influence.

The hunter had already bared her fangs, yet her expression was still feigned innocence. “Mm?”

Chu Yunmiao was indignant. “Last semester... it wasn’t at this level at all...”

She tried to push the other woman away; when that failed, she gave up and said in a small voice, “Let go of me...”

Yu Changning confirmed with her, “Giving up so soon?”

“Why not try a few more times? Maybe if you try a few more times, you’ll find a way.”

Chu Yunmiao had already accepted reality. “If you keep controlling me with this level of force, I won’t have the slightest chance at all.”

Before, with just a small feint, she could at least break free with one hand. But tonight, let alone a feint; she suspected that if she merely moved her eyes, Yu Changning would be able to guess what she was thinking and snuff out the little flame of hope before she could even act on it.

Snuffed out completely. The kind with no way out whatsoever.

Chu Yunmiao went from astonishment at the beginning, to frustration in the middle, and by the end, she had fully resigned herself to fate.

She once again realized the gap between herself and Yu Changning, and also realized just how foolish her original idea had been.

Yu Changning let out a soft laugh; her breath brushed Chu Yunmiao’s sensitive ear.

She asked knowingly, “You think the intensity is too much now? Can I take that as you wanting me to go easy on you?”

Chu Yunmiao was very honest. “Go easy or not is up to you. Anyway, I already know my own strength.”

Yu Changning looked at her face, and her breathing suddenly grew deeper.

After a few quiet seconds, she said, “Yunmiao, don’t try to leave me.”

Chu Yunmiao’s heart skipped a beat.

“What would I leave you for, for no reason?” She pushed at the other woman again. “It’s about time; I should head back to the dorm.”

This time, Yu Changning didn’t refuse. She stood up first, then extended a hand and pulled Chu Yunmiao up from the floor.

Chu Yunmiao murmured a soft “thank you,” only to hear Yu Changning’s voice right after. “Coward. Let’s see how long you can keep pretending to be clueless.”

Chu Yunmiao wanted to pretend she hadn’t heard, but the flush had already spread from her cheeks all the way down her neck.

She defended herself in a small voice. “I’m not.” Then, before Yu Changning could react, she quickly said goodbye. “I’m heading off first. Thanks for tonight.”

“Mm.” Unexpectedly, Yu Changning didn’t say much else; she only reminded her as usual, “This semester’s training schedule is very heavy. Make sure you get enough rest. If you still have time in your spare moments, do something meaningful; spend less time with those people of unknown origin.”

Chu Yunmiao caught the implication in her words. “People of unknown origin?”

Yu Changning said calmly, “For example... those two from the Mingxing Empire.”

“They... aren’t really people of unknown origin, are they?” Chu Yunmiao suddenly realized something. “How do you know I met them tonight? You—you were spying on me?”

Yu Changning shook her head. “So you’ve already met them?” She lowered her head and murmured, “Too late after all...”

Chu Yunmiao blinked. “What?”

“Nothing.” Yu Changning briefly explained, “Huaqi University has never had a first-year exchange-student program. Those two heirs from the Mingxing Empire appearing here must mean someone with ulterior motives arranged it. And if you think about it, they’re obviously here for you.

“Since they’re here for you, they’ll definitely look for a chance to contact you privately.

“That sort of thing is easy enough to figure out with a little thought.”

“This...” Chu Yunmiao pondered the meaning of her words.

“Someone with ulterior motives”? Could she be talking about...

Chu Yunmiao pressed a hand to her forehead. “I understand.

“But they’re still guests of our Empire. As the Crown Princess, I can’t just ignore them. Huaqi University is an educational institution to begin with; no matter what, I’ll make sure they put their minds on their studies.”

Yu Changning curved her lips. “Mm.”

Her original intention had been only to make Chu Yunmiao more wary; now that she heard her say this, she had achieved her goal and was naturally satisfied.

She had thought these two uninvited guests could be dealt with quite easily, but when the first vacation of the semester arrived and she learned that Chu Yunmiao couldn’t come for training, and instead was going to go out sightseeing with those two siblings, she realized she had underestimated her enemies far too much.