SCOM - Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Orange-filled, strawberry-filled. After he fed her two marshmallows in a row, she told Ji Yuezhi, "You eat it yourself."
Zuo Luohuan had little interest in sweets. Since Ji Yuezhi wanted her to try them, she did.
Ji Yuezhi did as she asked and stopped feeding her, lowering his gaze and quietly taking small bites of the marshmallow. For a moment, it was as if an invisible film separated the people in the front and back of the car.
As the car was about to turn, Zuo Luohuan turned the steering wheel to the right and happened to see Ji Yuezhi biting into a marshmallow, head lowered. His fingertips were dusted with some white powder, and he unconsciously stuck out the tip of his tongue to gently lick it off.
Zuo Luohuan's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. She knew the warmth of his tongue, how soft and hot it felt when it entwined with hers.
"Wow, there are so many flavors, and every single one is delicious," Luo Shaoyuan exclaimed from the back. "Your capital is really great."
"It's alright," An Yingjing pursed his lips. "They're just marshmallows."
The sound of their bickering in the back brought Zuo Luohuan back to her senses. She smiled and said, "Next time, Classmate An can show us around the Western District."
The United Military Academy was located on the border of the Western and Southern Districts, and An Yingjing was born in the Western District.
"You're going to the Western District?" An Yingjing asked in surprise.
"Our junior's home is in the Western District. We made plans to visit during the winter break," Zuo Luohuan said while driving. "You know him too, Yan Yan, one of our team members."
"Him?" An Yingjing recalled the files he had seen before. "Sure, Yan Yan probably doesn't know what's fun to do in the Western District either."
"Why don't you go to the Northern District?" Luo Shaoyuan asked Zuo Luohuan. "Isn't your dad there? You could go and help out while you're at it."
"My father is at the border; he doesn't need my help," Zuo Luohuan said casually. "I'm still a student. I should be out having fun."
"Tch." Luo Shaoyuan looked down on the attitudes of these young masters and misses. She went to help at the border whenever she had the chance.
The five of them finally made it to the restaurant on time. Luo Shaoyuan, having devoured all the marshmallows, had overdone it with the sweets and was now chugging water in her seat.
"There was unusual activity on the Northern District's border some time ago. It seems the Gashiro Empire's robot dogs have been improved," Cha Lili said, looking at Zuo Luohuan across from him. "If the news is true, once the Gashiro mass-produce the improved robot dogs, the borders of every district could face a huge threat once again."
The Gashiro themselves were often slightly weaker than the Federation's people, but they were brutal by nature, cold-blooded to the bone. After they developed the robot dogs, their ambitions exploded, and they sought to conquer the Federation.
"So?" Zuo Luohuan picked up the teapot, poured hot water into the cup in front of her, swirled it around, and then emptied it. She nonchalantly pushed it over to Ji Yuezhi beside her, then took his bowl and chopsticks. "Does Classmate Cha have some method for dealing with the improved robot dogs?"
Cha Lili was dissatisfied with her dismissive attitude. In his view, the few people sitting here today would one day be the pillars of the Federation's stability, and they had a duty to worry about the Federation and devise strategies.
Seeing Zuo Luohuan scald the bowl and chopsticks for Ji Yuezhi, Luo Shaoyuan proactively pushed her own bowl forward.
Zuo Luohuan glanced at her and placed the teapot directly in front of Luo Shaoyuan.
Luo Shaoyuan: "..." What kind of Alpha was this? Only knew how to fawn over Omegas. Unlike her, who never served Omegas.
Luo Shaoyuan, determined to uphold the pride of an Alpha, passed the teapot to the next person after scalding her bowl and chopsticks, ignoring the murderous glint in An Yingjing's eyes.
Hmph, she, an Alpha, had hands. Did he, an Omega, not have hands?
"Since the skeletal mechs appeared in the military exercise, it means the technology is already mature," Ji Yuezhi spoke up. "For now, we don't need to worry about these things."
Besides, we have no access to it.
"Speaking of which, there must have been a Gashiro infiltrator in the military exercise," An Yingjing said. "They found out about my pheromones so quickly."
Ji Yuezhi nodded. "They've already been caught."
During the meal, the five of them were lost in their own thoughts. Only Luo Shaoyuan did not let the feast go to waste.
The students from the other schools stayed at the First Military Academy for a few more days, finally departing on Friday. Three large vehicles were parked at the school gate. An Yingjing turned to Ji Yuezhi and said, "We'll definitely get our revenge for you burning our vehicle in the next military exercise."
Ji Yuezhi nodded. "I look forward to it."
Except, they wouldn't be the ones competing in the next one.
After seeing off the students from the other schools, the group from the First Military Academy also dispersed.
Ji Yuezhi had walked halfway when he turned to look back at Zuo Luohuan. She didn't seem to expect him to turn back, and her expression was momentarily stunned. But soon, the familiar, casual smile that Ji Yuezhi knew so well reappeared on her face.
"Captain, is there something else?"
Ji Yuezhi's gaze shifted, landing on Jiang Hong, who was standing next to Zuo Luohuan.
Jiang Hong didn't react. He stood beside Zuo Luohuan, waiting with her for Ji Yuezhi to speak.
Instead, it was Zuo Luohuan who understood. She said to Jiang Hong, "You go on ahead."
Jiang Hong let out an "Ah?" somewhat confused. He started walking back into the campus, but halfway there, he turned back to look at Zuo Luohuan and Ji Yuezhi standing face to face. When did those two get so familiar?
Ji Yuezhi met Zuo Luohuan's eyes. "You're going to the Western District?"
Zuo Luohuan nodded. "Just going to have a look."
"I heard the Western District has the largest underground black market." Ji Yuezhi's expression was cool, his tone light. "You promised before."
Promised before... Zuo Luohuan immediately remembered what she had said in the car that day, that she could take him to see the black market.
"The capital has a black market too," Zuo Luohuan didn't refuse directly. "I can go with you."
Ji Yuezhi pressed his lips together, looking at her. He didn't agree, simply turning to leave, but it was enough to show his dissatisfaction.
"...Wait." Zuo Luohuan felt a sense of helplessness and reached out to grab him. "You really want to go?"
Zuo Luohuan always treated her friends well, something Ji Yuezhi had always known. Since the end of the military exercise, she no longer treated him with the same disdain and provocation as before. It was clear she was starting to accept him; perhaps she already considered him a friend.
Once they were friends, his previous plans would no longer be necessary.
Ji Yuezhi lifted a pair of cool, clear eyes. "I can go by myself."
"...We know each other, and we're teammates. It's more convenient to go together." Zuo Luohuan relented, her voice low. "The Western District isn't as peaceful as it seems. You're Ji Xixiu's son, don't go wandering around alone."
Ji Yuezhi hummed in agreement. He didn't believe Zuo Luohuan was really just going to the Western District for fun. Others might not see it, but sometimes he could see the suppression behind her eyes.
The winter break arrived quickly. After the final exams, the First Military Academy's holiday began.
By this time, Ji Yuezhi was already home resting. He had been waiting for Zuo Luohuan's notification, but she had said they needed to wait a few more days.
When he came downstairs, the living room was quiet except for the sound of pages turning. As Ji Yuezhi descended the stairs, he saw his father, as expected, sitting at the table with an old book by his side.
"Father," Ji Yuezhi called out. "Are you back from work?"
"Nothing much today," Ji Xixiu looked up. "You've been in your room these past few days. Are you not feeling well?"
Ji Yuezhi shook his head, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I'm preparing to go to the Western District with her for the winter break."
Ji Xixiu beckoned his son to sit beside him. "I've been busy and haven't had a chance to ask. How were things during the days of the temporary mark? Zuo... Alphas are possessive by nature. Even with genuine feelings, many young Alphas are still rough and inconsiderate in their actions toward Omegas."
No matter how masterful a strategist he was, known as the Fox General, he was ultimately just a father.
Ji Xixiu would also worry about his son being mistreated by an Alpha.
Recalling those few days, Ji Yuezhi shook his head, his eyelashes trembling slightly. "She wasn't."
Even the bite mark from the temporary mark showed restraint. Only the pheromones she injected were wild and domineering, tangling with his own, and the pleasure almost forced tears from his eyes.
Sometimes, when Ji Yuezhi thought back on it, he wished she hadn't been able to hold back then. It would have been best if she had left a deep mark on him, proof that they had once been intimate, or perhaps it could have provoked her guilt.
Ji Xixiu looked at his son's expression, his heart filled with complex emotions. In the end, he just sighed. "On the surface, Zuo Luohuan is very much like her father, but I believe she is fundamentally different from Zuo Dihong. If... never mind." No one would dislike his son.
Zuo Dihong has a bold and unrestrained personality; everything he does attracts attention. In his youth, he was a troublemaker, truly rebellious. But when he raised his arm and called out, a crowd would surely gather behind him. As for Zuo Luohuan, on the surface, she's similar to her father, but she seems to prefer to withdraw from the crowd, her eyes like those of a lone wolf.
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