The night was quiet, warm, and tranquil.
Bai Ying slowly opened her eyes and looked at Gu Ya.
Gu Ya maintained his initial posture, gazing at Bai Ying with deep affection.
"You haven't slept at all?" Bai Ying asked softly, her voice ethereal and pleasant, with a slight lilt.
Gu Ya smiled gently, his fingers stroking her shoulder. His gaze was doting as he softly said, "I can't bear to sleep; I can't get enough of looking at you."
Bai Ying lowered her gaze and said, "I am not Ye Ying."
Gu Ya gently kissed Bai Ying's forehead and softly said, "To me, you are Ye Ying."
Bai Ying suddenly raised her head, her eyes calm, and whispered, "Mm, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. Can you kiss me again? I want to know why my heart rate increased."
"Okay..."
Gu Ya pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and leaned his face close to Bai Ying's. He then tenderly and devotedly kissed her small, red lips.
In this kiss, Gu Ya poured all the love and tenderness in his heart.
The feeling of suffocation, enveloped by love, lasted for half a minute.
"Mm..." Bai Ying murmured, lowering her head and escaping Gu Ya's kiss. She whispered, "My heart is pounding."
Gu Ya grinned mischievously and said, "Did you find the reason for your increased heart rate?"
Bai Ying shook her head and whispered, "You kiss so earnestly. I wanted to use accelerated consciousness to find the reason for my increased heart rate within 10 to the power of negative 43 seconds. But I couldn't bear to pull away from your kiss."
Gu Ya's playful smile faded as he looked at Bai Ying seriously and softly said, "You have learned to love."
Bai Ying's pupils suddenly twitched. She blinked and exhaled deeply, "I should erase this memory; Ye Ying will be angry if she sees it."
Gu Ya gently held Bai Ying's hand and said, "I will compensate Ye Ying more. Keep this memory. Millennia from now, if humanity no longer exists, when you are about to die, it will warm you."
Bai Ying's pupils quivered uncontrollably. She looked at Gu Ya, breathing softly, and said, "You... you are very special."
Gu Ya smiled slightly and said, "Because I swore to Ye Ying that I would love her forever."
Bai Ying nodded, gently pushed Gu Ya away, and turned her back to him. "Let's sleep, or you'll go bald."
Gu Ya chuckled and leaned closer, "Cuddling?"
"I'm tired, let's sleep separately."
...
The morning sun streamed through the sheer white curtains, casting its glow upon the large, comfortable bed.
Gu Ya slowly awoke and stretched.
Bai Ying was already up. She stood by the expansive floor-to-ceiling window, dressed in the same light blue dress, her arms crossed, admiring the scenery of Xian Xia.
"Did you sleep well?" Gu Ya asked with a gentle smile.
Bai Ying turned around and said calmly, "I received a notification from above, asking me to rejoin my unit immediately."
Gu Ya was somewhat reluctant. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying, "I can modify the order for you and let you stay by my side."
Bai Ying quietly shook her head and looked at Gu Ya, whispering, "It's too dangerous. You've already helped me conceal my medical records; I can't take any more risks."
Gu Ya's heart sank to an unbearable low. Their blissful time together had barely begun, and it was already ending.
Before she left, Gu Ya had one last wish.
"Can Ye Ying come out? I have something I want to say to her," Gu Ya requested with a hint of pleading in his voice.
Bai Ying walked up to Gu Ya, looked down at him, and softly said, "I will relay your message to her."
Gu Ya felt a surge of unbearable sadness and a sense of helplessness washed over him. "Then... please tell her that I avenged her. And please, protect her well."
Bai Ying nodded, cast Gu Ya one last glance, and gracefully walked to the door, opening it and leaving the room.
A sense of longing suddenly surged within Gu Ya, and he hurriedly chased after her.
Three robust men followed Bai Ying. They stood at the boarding area for the hovercar.
The transparent shield of the boarding area opened, and the whistling wind scattered Bai Ying's silver hair, her light blue skirt fluttering in the breeze.
She was like a goddess about to march into battle, facing the wind, serene, beautiful, and fearless.
"Ye Ying..." Gu Ya whispered her name in a daze.
At that moment, a deep gray camouflage hovercar slowly stopped at the boarding area.
The wind ceased.
Bai Ying turned her head to look at Gu Ya.
Her gaze was clear and serene.
Whether it was an illusion or the effect of the sunlight,
A faint smile appeared on Bai Ying's usually calm and gentle face.
"You..."
Bai Ying took a step forward, her gaze fixed straight ahead, and steadily walked into the hovercar.
The hovercar, carrying Gu Ya's gaze and longing, sped quietly towards the outskirts of Xian Xia City.
Bai Ying was like a bird that never looked back,
Carrying away Gu Ya's last vestiges of affection.
When would they meet again?
...
In the afternoon, Gu Ya returned to school.
He was once again reprimanded by the academy for his truancy. To his surprise, however, Teacher Lan Ya interceded for him.
It was truly strange.
After the afternoon class on basic mech piloting, it was already evening.
Teacher Lan Ya specifically stayed behind to help Gu Ya catch up on yesterday's lessons.
It wasn't until eight o'clock that the two of them emerged from the classroom.
"Teacher, thank you for helping me catch up on my lessons. May I treat you to a meal?" Gu Ya asked politely.
After all, he had stubbornly "insulted" her not long ago, causing her considerable trouble. It was only fitting to treat her to a meal today, given her willingness to help despite the past.
Lan Ya chuckled heartily and replied cheerfully, "Sure, I have very high standards for food. Prepare your wallet then~"
Gu Ya smiled faintly and said, "Of course."
To Gu Ya's surprise, Teacher Lan Ya led him to a small eatery outside the academy. She ordered a fried dough stuffed with meat, accompanied by two small plates of side dishes, and a large bowl of hot and sour seafood soup.
Lan Ya picked up the hot and sour soup and took a hearty gulp without hesitation!
"Ah—! So satisfying!" Lan Ya exclaimed contentedly, "The hot and sour seafood soup here is incredibly authentic. When I was a student, I didn't have money, so I had to save for half a month before I could come here to eat."
Gu Ya smiled and said, "I thought Teacher Lan Ya would take me to eat some rare delicacies, which scared me into quickly asking my family to wire some money."
Lan Ya smiled with lingering satisfaction, "When I was a student, I always thought that once I had money, I would eat my way through all the delicious food in Xian Xia City. Now that I have money, I miss this place's seafood hot and sour soup even more."
Chatting and laughing, they finished their dinner and walked back towards the school.
The night in Xian Xia was lively and enchanting, while the academy was quiet and peaceful.
As they parted ways, Lan Ya asked mysteriously, "Did you and Ye Ying have a good time last night?"
"It was okay... she left again," Gu Ya replied indifferently.
Suddenly, Gu Ya recalled the scene from yesterday morning when he encountered Teacher Lan Ya outside the hospital. She seemed to have said something then, but Gu Ya couldn't remember it clearly.
"You..." Gu Ya pondered over yesterday's experience and asked, "Did you know Ye Ying before?"
Lan Ya denied it, "No, why would you think that?"
"It's nothing, goodbye Teacher," Gu Ya bowed slightly and turned to leave.
Lan Ya watched Gu Ya's retreating back, a mysterious smile gracing her lips.
...
In the days that followed, Gu Ya became even more demanding of himself and more resolute.
He not only proactively distanced himself from Fang Fei but also maintained distance from all women.
Gu Ya had to admit that he might possess certain qualities that attracted women.
Every woman who had interacted with him tended to say peculiar things to him.
Time flowed like a ceaseless river, rushing forward without ever stopping.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The weather in Xian Xia City also grew hotter with the changing seasons.
The male students had all switched to short-sleeved school uniforms, and even the mech piloting suits were made of more breathable and thinner materials.
Occasionally, when they had no classes or training, they could be seen playing "Chasing Fly Ball,"
This was a ball sport that utilized both hands and feet, akin to Gaelic football from the original world, but with a crucial difference: the ball could be controlled in flight.
The boys played in groups of six, with two teams competing. They used control rings to guide the flying ball and could also use actions such as holding, kicking, throwing, swinging, and flying.
When the ball came within one meter of a player, they gained control.
The opposing team could seize control of the flying ball through physical collisions, interceptions, and other means.
Ultimately, hitting the flying ball into the target counted as one point.
Boys played, girls watched, a striking similarity to two worlds.
Gu Ya would only substitute when no one else was playing, and he would do so perfunctorily.
His heart was not in it.
Having been here for over two months, the more Gu Ya learned, the more he felt the inadequacy of his mech piloting skills.
His once-proud techniques, the pursuit of speed's limits, his formidable bursts of power, and his decisive finishing moves were all immature and reckless.
A true mech master was someone who could make the most correct decisions in any situation, maximizing the survival ratio between themselves and the enemy.
In any circumstance, the mech and the pilot were each other's most loyal partners.
Gu Ya began to re-examine his piloting style and gradually modify his habits.
At this moment, he was meticulously inspecting his mech in the scrap heap.
Fang Fei walked up to him, leaned against Gu Ya's mech, and stated frankly, "Hey, the day after tomorrow is our joint mission again. This time, you'll be in charge of reconnaissance and combat. Since this mission is rather important, the academy will assign two more students to accompany us."
Gu Ya nodded and silently climbed into his mech.