ABFMV Chapter 26 Part 1

Gossip is human nature — especially at a moment like this when results are being announced.

When people saw Yao Mo walk over to Xu Linlang, plenty of students instinctively noticed that something felt off and quietly urged those around them to watch the drama unfold.

Yao Mo was certain Xu Linlang had been placed into the Mecha Maintenance Division.

She’d already alerted General Peter, who would certainly be on guard. And whatever tricks General Peter would use were predictable — they’d very likely get Xu Linlang bumped down into the Maintenance track.

Besides, Xu Linlang’s gene rating was C. She’d never had any prior exposure to mech repair work; there was no way she could pass into the Mecha Repair Division.

After the last time Xu humiliated her publicly, Yao Mo certainly intended to “pay her back.”

When Xu heard Yao Mo’s words, she gave her a mocking look. “Why would being placed in Maintenance make me sad?”

Feigning concern, Yao Mo asked, “Wasn’t Repair your intended division?”

Xu shrugged. “Whether I get in or not doesn’t bother me. To me, the programs at the Mecha Academy are all excellent. You, Yao, preach against hierarchical thinking — yet you rank the majors like classes, judging Maintenance as inferior to Repair. That’s what I should be upset about. Your logic is…contradictory.”

As soon as those words came out, some students’ expressions toward Yao Mo shifted. Most of the kids watching were likely to be assigned to Maintenance themselves.

If you did the math, Maintenance accounted for about half the students at the Mecha Academy.

Yao Mo’s attitude — looking down on Maintenance students — made a lot of those kids uncomfortable. Were only Driving and Repair students “superior,” and should Maintenance kids be looked down on?

Unwittingly, many students sided with Xu, deciding that Yao Mo was deliberately provoking people.

Yao Mo smiled and shrugged. “Looks like I worried for nothing. Xu really does have quite the ability to readjust herself.”

Xu waved her hand. “No need to fret. But tell me — are you not busy enough with your studies, or are you not stressed enough? I didn’t expect someone to come worry over me proactively someday. That’s so noble. I thought it would only be my parents who worried about me.”

A lot of students chuckled at Xu’s remark.

A commoner coming over to worry about a noble’s major? Was it a joke?

Especially given that she’s the marshal’s daughter, would she really be upset about which major she’s assigned to? For someone like her, switching to a “lesser” major won’t change her fate.

Yao Mo clearly caught the subtext in Xu’s words. She’d thought she could wound Xu — but it landed like a punch on cotton.

She’d put a lot of effort into it, but Xu didn’t care at all; she even seemed entitled to her indifference.

Yao Mo could barely keep that perfect smile on her face.

Some girls quietly applauded Xu; they disliked Yao Mo’s self-righteous, sanctimonious vibe. They liked Xu’s blunt, straightforward temperament.

Yao Mo glanced at Qi Ye. “It looks like Xu and Qi Ye are close. You’ve got a new target now, huh? Fine by me — then we won’t have to be awkward about that other thing anymore.”

She didn’t name the “other thing,” but everyone present knew the story: Xu had pursued Lu Xiao and been rejected; Lu had said Yao Mo matched his ideal type.

After Yao Mo’s comment, people also noted that Xu hadn’t been hanging around Lu much recently; instead, there’d been more rumors linking her and Qi Ye.

Had she really switched targets that fast?

Qi Ye’s face went cold. He said to Yao Mo, “You’re overthinking things. I’m the one who’s been pursuing her.”

The students watching: “?!”

Xu: “?!”

“Pursuing” and “one-sided” — she understood both words separately, but together they made no sense.

Qi Ye’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He looked as if he wanted to snap, then held back. Staring at Yao Mo with a very ugly expression, he spoke each word seriously.

“Xu Linlang isn’t the one chasing me — I’m the one chasing her. As for Lu Xiao missing out on her, that’s his loss. And you have no right to dictate other people’s feelings. People might think you’re Lu Xiao’s girlfriend the way you fuss over Xu.”

He fixed Yao Mo with a gaze like a sharpened blade that made everyone present tense — and, at the same time, a little envious and moved.

Qi Ye looked good, had an S-level gene rating, and had also entered the Mecha Driving Division as the top-ranked rookie.

Half a day in and he was already the academy’s idol for many girls.

Nobody expected Qi Ye to be so decisive in defending the girl he liked.

If he liked you, you’d be lucky.

Thinking that, a lot of the girls began to envy Xu.

Unaware of the shift, Xu slowly collected herself. Qi Ye’s sudden statement seemed to have rescued her. After all, she no longer has feelings for Lu Xiao.

But in everyone else’s eyes, she was still the girl who’d once loved Lu Xiao obsessively.

If she didn’t quickly counter Yao Mo’s claim, people might think she was fickle — switching targets so fast.

Qi Ye’s words crushed Yao Mo’s argument entirely.

Still, Xu realized, that was a big price for Qi Ye to pay. If someone later became the person he truly loved, they would surely question his history of that “one-sided” pursuit. He’d put himself out there to help her.

Xu thought it over carefully and tried to remember: in the game, who was it that Qi Ye liked?

When she thought about it, Xu Linyang realized—there really wasn’t anyone.

From beginning to end, Qiye had only ever used other people. Even at the moment of his death, he left behind no one he truly cared for, and no one genuinely grieved for him.

So now, had Qiye already decided he would never love anyone?

That must be why he could throw out a line like that without a care for his reputation—saying flat-out that he was “one-sidedly pursuing” her.

Thinking of this, Xu Linyang’s gaze toward Qiye carried a faint trace of pity.

Yao Mo had never expected Qiye to say something like that. Her expression faltered. “Looks like I misunderstood.”

Xu Linyang couldn’t help but reply, “Is this the first time you’ve misunderstood something? Or is your whole life built on misunderstandings?”

The corners of Yao Mo’s mouth tugged downward. “It was just one misunderstanding. You don’t have to keep rubbing it in, Xu.”