The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 31

After Wu Yue left, Jiang Momo looked around and saw that people were gradually dispersing, so she went downstairs as well.

After waiting a bit downstairs, just as Little Eight said, Yan Chang came rushing over.

He must’ve run there because his bangs were damp and stuck to his forehead, making him look slightly disheveled.

“Master, did you get your light brain? Check the trending searches!” Yan Chang panted, complaining, “This academy doesn’t allow aircraft but it’s massive, totally inhumane.”

“What’s up with the trending searches?” Jiang Momo asked while opening her light brain and clicking on the page.

“The top trend says a new, outstanding mecha manufacturer emerged this year, supposedly the strongest on the second-tier planet. During the test, he and his teammate carved out way more energy pathways than other teams. And when I saw the photo, I realized it was that green tea guy.”

Yan Chang couldn’t wait and directly pulled up the page on his own light brain and shared it with Jiang Momo.

[This wouldn’t have blown up so much but Yan Chang went off for some reason and hired a bunch of online trolls to argue with the other side, driving the topic to trend,] Little Eight sighed.

Jiang Momo stretched her neck to look. The photo showed Peng Ji after he shaved. He was working on a mecha, a light sheen of sweat on his skin and a soft blush on his cheeks. He looked full of life.

“So this green tea knows exactly how he looks best. I knew shaving the beard was just a ploy to seduce you!” Yan Chang was indignant. “He even claimed he’s super famous on the second-tier planet, the best mecha manufacturer there. But I asked around and no one’s ever heard of him! He’s failed the Central Mecha Academy entrance exam for years. All that info was just paid PR on StarNet. Guess he thought he had it in the bag this year.”

“He didn’t get in this year either,” Jiang Momo said. “They accepted two, he was third.”

“Perfect! I have to spread that info.” Yan Chang lit up. “By the way, Master, you got accepted, right?”

“I did,” Jiang Momo nodded.

“I knew you’d pass!” Yan Chang coordinated with his paid trolls while complaining, “That guy hyped himself way too much. He said two people crushed dozens, why not just say he could fly by stepping on his own foot?”

“Well… that part wasn’t exaggerated,” Jiang Momo scratched her nose. “He was in my group at the time.”

“No wonder you guys won but that’s your achievement. What does a freeloader like him have to do with it?” Yan Chang was indignant again. “He’s shameless, trying to take credit for your success. If I were in your group, we’d probably build an S-grade mecha!

“Oh right, I just remembered. This is for you.” Yan Chang took out the silver-pink light brain he had given her before and handed it over.

Jiang Momo didn’t take it. “Thanks but I already have one now.”

“It has my and Ge Qing’s contact info,” Yan Chang said.

“We can just add each other now,” Jiang Momo still didn’t take it.

Yan Chang took a breath. “It also has my black card and personal data. You can enter any federal attraction for free, all hotels and restaurants are 50% off, and you’ll have access to certain low-level restricted areas. Plus, it has real-time tracking. I can always make sure you’re safe.”

Yan Chang said the last part with extra clarity.

Little Eight sat at the lower right corner of the projection screen from Jiang Momo’s light brain and saw her slightly tempted expression. [Momo, calm down. It has real-time tracking.]

“Just tracking?” Jiang Momo looked up at Yan Chang.

“Just tracking. And this latest light brain is compatible with others, so you can wear both.”

[Scan complete. It only has tracking, no other invasive functions involved.]

Little Eight and Yan Chang spoke at the same time.

Jiang Momo thought for a moment and mentally transmitted a question to Little Eight, “Can you tamper with the tracking?”

[I can. I can make it show you’re anywhere,] Little Eight replied.

Jiang Momo took the light brain and strapped it to her wrist.

“Heading to the physical exam now? I’ll go with you,” Yan Chang said. “The Federal Medical Department is pretty far.”

“Isn’t the exam at the academy?” Jiang Momo was surprised.

“No, the academy’s equipment isn’t very reliable. It can misdiagnose.”

[No, the Federation has a unified rule, all teachers must get checked at the Federal Medical Department.]

Yan Chang and Little Eight said in unison.

[Hmph! Annoying!] Little Eight, in the form of a Siamese cat, snorted and turned its back, leaving only a fluffy back of its head for Jiang Momo to see.

***

Jiang Momo took Yan Chang’s spaceship to the Federal Medical Department.

It was a magnificent building. Looking down from the spaceship, it resembled a palace, lavish and sprawling, almost stretching beyond sight.

Yan Chang properly parked the spaceship at the main entrance of the Medical Department.

“Go on, I’ll wait for you outside.” He leaned over and said to Jiang Momo, “Message me when you’re done.”

Jiang Momo nodded and checked the time.

It had already been nearly three hours.

There was no one at the entrance; it looked deserted.

Jiang Momo glanced around and then stepped inside.

A small robot rolled out, circled around Jiang Momo once, then tilted its head, and spoke, [Name: Jiang Momo. Gender: Female. Age: 18. Please confirm if the basic information is accurate. I will then take you to the Physical Examination Center to await your employment checkup.]

“It’s accurate,” Jiang Momo replied.

[Great. Please follow me. There is already one person waiting at the examination department. The checkup will begin shortly.]

“She got here faster than me?!” Jiang Momo was shocked. “When did she arrive?”

Jiang Momo hadn’t expected that she’d barely been delayed and yet somehow arrived later than Wu Yue who had gone back to fetch something.

[Half an hour ago,] the robot answered.

Half an hour ago?

Jiang Momo felt something was off.

[We’ve arrived at the Physical Examination Center.]

With that, the robot spun once and left on its own.

Jiang Momo didn’t move. Her eyes were locked on the person sitting on the bench at the entrance of the examination center and she had a strong urge to turn and flee.

Ling Yelin sat with his legs crossed, relaxed and composed, looking at Jiang Momo with an amused expression. “Long time no see, little liar.”

“I never lied to you,” Jiang Momo said, shaking off a wave of goosebumps and giving Ling Yelin a disdainful glance. The awkwardness vanished instantly.

That nickname he had just called out reminded her of an overbearing CEO novel she had just finished reading a couple of days ago.

No wonder Little Eight told her to stop reading that stuff.

Jiang Momo glanced at the time, gave up on running away, and sat down next to him. “There was never any agreement between us.”

Back then, when Ling Yelin said he’d deliver her Capital Star Residency permit, she had never said she’d wait for him at the Jiang family’s villa.

“Then I guess I was being nosy about the Capital Star Residency thing.” Ling Yelin cast her a sidelong glance with his peach-blossom eyes.

Jiang Momo rubbed her nose. “…Of course not. I’m really grateful to you.”

“You should be grateful to me, otherwise how would we have the chance to be coworkers?” Ling Yelin said with a forced smile.

If it weren’t for Jiang Momo, he would’ve never imagined that one day he’d be paying out of pocket to come back and lecture at a school!

He glanced at the silver-pink light brain on Jiang Momo’s wrist, finding it especially irritating. Ling Yelin lifted his chin slightly and gestured at her. “Yan Chang gave that to you?”

“Yes,” Jiang Momo said.

“Even if you trust Yan Chang for some reason, I still have to warn you that things that pass through his hands usually come with tracking.”

“I know, he told me,” Jiang Momo said, suddenly recalling the person who had shown up at the maintenance center that day. “You sent someone to the maintenance center that day because…”

“Of course, it was to sow discord between you and Yan Chang. He was watching you too closely,” Ling Yelin answered bluntly.

“At least you’re honest,” Jiang Momo stared at him for a while. “What do you want?”

“Right now? Your contact info,” Ling Yelin said directly. His green eyes were like a deep lake, unreadable.

Jiang Momo extended her hand. Her manner was casual like she was greeting an old friend she hadn’t seen in a long time.

It threw Ling Yelin off.

All the threats and bargaining chips he’d prepared ended up unused.

When his subordinate returned saying the plan had failed, he thought he’d never get the chance to sit and chat calmly with Jiang Momo again.

“Come on, add me,” Jiang Momo urged.

She was pretty chill about it. It’s just contact info, right? Add if you want. There wasn’t a limit on light brain contacts anyway and if worst came to worst, she could always block him.

Plus, she had a feeling that if she didn’t go along now, this guy would definitely cling on and be impossible to shake off.

Ling Yelin reached out and tapped her wrist. “The other one too.”

Jiang Momo held out her other hand.

Now that both light brains had him added as a contact, Ling Yelin looked pleased, and then subtly gave Jiang Momo a once-over.

She noticed his gaze and turned to look at him. “Do I look different from last time?”

“You do,” Ling Yelin replied.

This time, she wasn’t flaunting her precious belongings. If she had shown up like this back then, he wouldn’t have brought up granting her Capital Star Residency and he certainly wouldn’t have chased her all the way to the academy. They wouldn’t have had any more interaction at all.

Seeing that Ling Yelin took the initiative to look away, Jiang Momo didn’t press for more details. She watched the doors of the Physical Examination Center open and stood up to walk over.

After taking a couple of steps, she noticed Ling Yelin still sitting on the bench. She turned to him. “Come on, the check-up.”

“I’m a guest professor. I don’t need a check-up. I came here just to block your way,” Ling Yelin pulled a work badge out of his pocket.

Jiang Momo took a closer look. “That’s Wu Yue’s work badge. She really sold it to you? Didn’t she say she needed to extract the information first? How did you get in?”

She had thought Wu Yue was just joking at the time.

“Because she didn’t extract the information, I just borrowed it. When you see her, help me return it.” Ling Yelin stood up, placed the badge on the bench, and walked out.

“See you at the academy.”

[Your physical examination time has arrived. Please follow me.] The little robot that had led Jiang Momo in earlier popped out again, grabbed the badge from the bench, and led her inside.

Inside was the exact same pod she had seen when Yan Chang brought her to the hospital. It stood about half her height.

Following the robot’s instructions, Jiang Momo lay down inside.

She clasped her hands together and waited to be submerged in the diagnostic agent.

But after a long wait, even when the pod door reopened, the interior remained completely dry.

[Examination complete. Mental power: S-rank. Physical fitness: S-rank. Results: Excellent. Please take your report. Information has been synced with the academy.]

Jiang Momo took the paper from the robot, looked it over carefully and realized she didn’t understand it, so she folded it up and stuffed it into her pocket. As she walked toward the exit, someone brushed past her.

She turned back. It was Peng Ji.

“So you’re the top scorer,” Peng Ji turned his head as if he had eyes on the back of it, his smile practically beaming. “The second place got caught in an aircraft accident on the way here and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, so I was the replacement. We’re colleagues now. Let’s get to know each other again. My name is Peng Ji.”