The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 72

Jiang Momo rushed to the academy’s materials warehouse.

As a star teacher, she had free access to all materials stored there.

As for the half-finished A-grade mecha she’d left at the Mecha Arena, it was mostly for testing her students’ progress and probing the boundaries of the confidentiality detection system.

It had been a while since she last visited the material warehouse but the layout hadn’t changed, so she made a beeline to the section where shoulder components were stored. She activated her mental power and began searching.

Three hours later, Ge Qing watched Jiang Momo sprinting back with a stack of materials in her arms, shock written all over his face.

“You found everything that fast?”

Jiang Momo nodded. “When can I use the equipment? Do I need to apply in advance?”

“You can use it now,” Ge Qing said, giving her another once-over. “Do you need help?”

“Nope, I can carry it all myself.” Jiang Momo glanced at his arms and grinned.

“I meant with the actual repairs,” Ge Qing clarified.

Jiang Momo paused. “How did you know I was repairing a mecha?”

Ge Qing facepalmed. “It’s obvious. If you’re using that equipment but only using a few materials, it’s definitely not for building a whole mecha.”

Jiang Momo scratched her head. “What if my metal neural fibers aren’t enough and I want to build a super A-grade mecha?”

“There’s no such thing as a super A-grade mecha,” Ge Qing said.

Jiang Momo repeated, “No such thing as a super A-grade mecha?”

Then what about that thing E Mingjun was using?

“Metal neural fibers only function as a whole. Although in most people’s basic understanding, if there are super B-grade mechas, then logically there must be super A-grade ones too, but that’s not the case,” Ge Qing explained.

“Some A-grade mechas have greater power because they use high-end materials, so they exceed regular A-grades. Some S-grade mechas, on the other hand, use subpar materials and fall below standard S-grade performance. Both get mistakenly labeled as ‘super A-grade.’”

Jiang Momo suddenly understood. “So, what you’re saying is there’s no such classification academically but people still call them that in practice.”

Ge Qing thought about it and then nodded. “That’s a fair way to put it. So, do you need my help repairing your mecha?”

Jiang Momo considered it and still refused. “Thanks, Professor Ge, but I want to try it myself first.”

Now that the most time-consuming part was resolved, she had the leisure to study S-grade mecha structures.

“Fair enough,” Ge Qing said and led her toward Building B. “Actually, you could just message me after you finish carving the materials and I’ll come to Building B. There’s no need to keep running back and forth.”

“So that equipment’s just placed there all the time? I thought it was mobile,” Jiang Momo said, carrying a tall stack of materials in one hand as she followed behind.

“It’s pretty big and hard to move, so it’s always on the fifth floor of Building B, the same place where you had your last exam,” Ge Qing explained. “Next time just bring the materials over directly and message me.”

Jiang Momo nodded repeatedly. “Got it. Thank you so much, Professor Ge.”

“No need to be so polite. I should be the one thanking you.” Ge Qing chuckled.

Because through Jiang Momo, he was about to witness his lifelong dream come true!

As they chatted, they reached their destination. Under Ge Qing’s guidance, Jiang Momo set the material panels down on the ground and followed him into the elevator to go downstairs.

“The time flow inside is different, so once you place the materials, it’s best to leave quickly,” Ge Qing explained.

Jiang Momo was thoughtful. “Professor Ge, isn’t it technically possible to build the mecha inside? That would save more time.”

Ge Qing glanced at her. “That depends on why you want to save that time. People age in sync inside. It’s just that, these days, it’s hard to tell someone’s age from appearance, so there’s no strong contrast.”

Hearing that, Jiang Momo reined in her wandering thoughts.

“I see. So unless it’s absolutely urgent, it’s better not to stay inside.”

“From next Tuesday to Friday, the school is planning a study tour. Everyone in the Mecha Manufacturing Department has to go. You’re free that week, right?” Ge Qing suddenly asked.

Jiang Momo shook her head. “Yeah, I’m free. But I thought the study tour was scheduled for next semester?”

She had looked into past school activities after becoming a teacher. Normally, the study tour happens in the second half of the year, not right at the start of a semester.

“There’s no fixed time. As soon as students are observed to have reached graduation standards, the tour is arranged,” Ge Qing stated.

He was spending his weekend in the office precisely to plan the event.

“Someone’s about to graduate already?” Jiang Momo blurted out. Then under Ge Qing’s gaze, she realized whose students those must be.

She looked confused. “But they still can’t independently make B-grade mechas yet.”

“If that were the requirement, many students would never graduate. The academy’s job is just to give them the knowledge necessary to make B-grade mechas,” Ge Qing said.

Jiang Momo blinked, suddenly remembering the first time she taught the graduating class. Hearing their progress back then, she had thought it would take forever before they could build anything.

“They’ll graduate right after the tour?” Jiang Momo asked, feeling a bit reluctant.

Ge Qing shook his head. “Graduation has to be applied for individually. The study tour is just a signal to them and the research institute.”

He also hoped they’d stay longer. At their current pace, they might even create an A-grade mecha. No student in the academy’s history had done that before graduation. If someone succeeded, it’d be a monumental achievement.

Jiang Momo nodded a little sadly.

By all logic, she should be happy the students were graduating. She’d been waiting for that day. But maybe it was her teacher’s sense of duty, or her hopes for the students, that made her wish they’d stay a bit longer.

‘But for the students, graduating early and starting work at the Military Research Institute must be a dream come true,’ Jiang Momo thought.

Just then, Ge Qing patted her shoulder. “You can retrieve the materials in about an hour. I’ve still got work to do and I need to finish the study tour plan. Will you wait here or come back with me?”

“I’ll wait here. You go ahead, Professor Ge,” Jiang Momo said.

They parted ways and Ge Qing left.

Jiang Momo lay down on a bench downstairs, resting one arm behind her head, letting scenes from her classes replay in her mind.

She knew students so gifted were once-in-a-lifetime. It’d be hard to find more like them. Her mind started drafting words to convince them to stay longer and then rejected each idea.

As she was thinking, something blocked the light in front of her.

She opened her eyes. It was Jiang Yingying.

Jiang Yingying still looked the same, slender, fragile, and pale, like a willow in the wind. She wore a long black dress that made her waist look like it could be grasped in one hand. She was holding a pink lunchbox, standing by the bench, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

“What do you want?” Jiang Momo had no fondness for the so-called ‘sister’ who once maliciously withheld her allowance, and after she caught her cheating, she didn’t expect her to want to patch things up, especially since she’d also been at the Xie family’s banquet last time.

Jiang Yingying hadn’t come of her own accord. The Jiang family had sent her, thinking she’d never bullied Jiang Momo, and since they were both girls, it’d be easier to talk. So they pushed her into being the go-between. Under their stares, she had no choice. She’d never regretted her past choices more than now.

“Momo, Mom made some dumplings and asked me to bring you some,” Jiang Yingying said timidly, voice trembling. “Mom says that no matter what, you’re still part of the Jiang family and our door will always be open to you.”

Jiang Momo got goosebumps all over and immediately sat up, moving away. “Can you talk like a normal person? Don’t act like I’m bullying you.”

Jiang Yingying cleared her throat and pushed the lunchbox forward. “Mom made it herself. It’s your favorite shepherd’s purse and pork.”

Jiang Momo froze.

They actually knew what flavor she liked?! They really had been paying attention?!

“Mom actually always cared about you,” Jiang Yingying said softly.

Jiang Momo clapped her hands and snapped, “No wonder after the first meal, I barely got any food I liked. So it was on purpose! Take it back. I don’t want it!”

“Huh?” Jiang Yingying was shocked. She hadn’t expected the conversation to go that way.

That expression just now wasn’t touched?! Jiang Yingying couldn’t understand it.

“Is there anything else? If not, please leave,” Jiang Momo said.

Jiang Yingying hadn’t wanted to come anyway but her light brain was still connected in real-time with the Jiang family. She had to keep going. “Momo, Jiang family’s stock is crashing. Could you…?”

“What’s it got to do with me?” Jiang Momo looked genuinely puzzled and shrugged. “I don’t even own any shares from the Jiang family.”

Jiang Yingying left in tears, walking quickly like something terrifying was chasing her.

Jiang Momo watched her leave, then turned her eyes back to the open space ahead, and shrugged indifferently. “What a weirdo.”

[It’s not weird. She didn’t want to come.]

Her light brain suddenly projected a screen in front of her. A huge cat head appeared, filling the whole display.

[Her light brain was on a call with Jiang Xian the whole time. The Jiang family was all gathered at the villa listening in. Since you brought up the shares, they’re arguing now. I’ve got the footage, do you want to see it?]

“Yes!” Jiang Momo nodded vigorously.

She had nothing else to do right now anyway.

Soon, the cat head was replaced by a video feed.

Judging from the scene, it was the dining area of the Jiang family’s villa.

Jiang He, Jiang Xian, Jiang Zhang, and Jiang Yuan each sat on one side of the table, faces grim.

“Why’s there no sound?” Jiang Momo leaned forward and then noticed a faint slap mark on Jiang Yuan’s face. “What happened to Jiang Yuan’s face?”

[They just had a round of yelling. Jiang Xian said the shares should’ve gone to you. Jiang Yuan threw a fit and got slapped by Jiang He.]

“What about my eldest brother?” Jiang Momo asked.

[Back then, wasn’t it he who relayed the message that you wouldn’t be given any shares? That’s why he didn’t say anything.]

“Wow.” Jiang Momo looked closely at Jiang Yuan’s face. “Isn’t domestic violence illegal?”

She had studied the laws of the Capital Star when she first arrived. Domestic violence was definitely illegal.

[Of course,] the Siamese cat said.

“Wouldn’t it be kind of bad if we reported it ourselves?” Jiang Momo pinched her chin and thought for a moment. “Do you still have control over the Jiang family’s robots?”

[Of course.] Little Eight smiled.

E/N:
Jiang Momo: Fulfilling my responsibility as a citizen. 🙂