Ye Shaohua finished speaking, then pulled a pristine white tissue from her pocket.
Slowly, deliberately, she wiped her hand—the same one that had just struck Ye Junwen. After meticulously folding the tissue into a tight ball, she tossed it onto Ye Junwen’s face, her tone eerily gentle:
“Just a commoner. Do you really think an S-grade psychic is rare? I could dig up a dozen without breaking a sweat. The way you act, one would think you’re the only one in the entire galaxy. Ye Junwen, from now on, keep your mother away from mine. If my mom gets upset, you’ll all regret it.”
Her voice was soft, almost affectionate—like a lover’s whisper.
With that, she straightened and walked calmly toward her hovercraft.
In the original storyline, after gaining power, Ye Junwen had spoken to Ye Shaohua and her mother in this exact condescending manner. She’d belittled the original Ye Shaohua while sneering at Lü Xiang, claiming even commoners were superior to her—a royal who’d fallen from grace—and ordered her to stop “annoying” Ye Junwen’s mother.
Today, Ye Shaohua had simply tweaked those words and thrown them right back.
Behind her, Ye Junwen clenched her fists, humiliation burning under the crowd’s judging stares. Her eyes turned bloodshot:
“Ye Shaohua! I’ll repay every ounce of humiliation today—and from before!”
She was an S-grade genius in mecha combat. With enough effort and achievements in the war against the Zerg, what was Ye Shaohua to her? One day, she’d beg on her knees!
Nearby, An Tingshong adjusted his glasses, watching the scene unfold.
“Tch.” He smirked and sent a message to An Tingyun:
[Always thought your wife was an unapproachable ice queen. Turns out she’s a carnivorous flower!]
For days after, Ye Junwen avoided Ye Shaohua entirely, burying herself in the training room.
Had the System still been present, it would’ve shaken its head. Surpassing the original Ye Shaohua was one thing, but competing with the current one?
Ye Junwen must have a death wish.
Fortunately, Ye Shaohua showed no interest in mecha combat, focusing solely on mecha architecture. During a minor exam, she scored a perfect mark, instantly topping the department rankings.
The entire Mecha Architecture Department gasped:
Holy hell! Where did this monster come from?!
Only then did they realize they’d underestimated her. Attempts to probe her background failed—she even studied on her holographic display during meals. Her dedication spurred the department’s other geniuses into frenzied preparation. For days, mecha pilots couldn’t even find anyone to repair their units.
“She entered the competition? But she’s never attended a single class, right?” One of Ye Junwen’s classmates scoffed after checking the social media account [Has General An Divorced Ye Shaohua Today?]
Ye Junwen exhaled in relief. At least she hadn’t joined the Mecha Department.
Their earlier clash had proven Ye Shaohua’s skill. With her B-grade psychic ability (still high-tier) and years of training, she could’ve easily overshadowed Ye Junwen in mecha combat.
“Why would she join the Mecha Architect competition? Those freaks all have brain domains over 200. Is she wasting her time?” Another classmate nearly spat out his energy drink.
Though the planet preached gender equality, top-tier fields like mecha combat and architecture were still male-dominated. Historically, few women had made notable contributions.
The classmate patted Ye Junwen’s shoulder sympathetically. “Hang in there.”
Being suppressed by the Ye family… poor girl.
Ye Shaohua bought stacks of paper and pencils, constantly sketching mecha blueprints filled with cryptic symbols and equations—indecipherable to most.
Then, a message flashed on her holographic display:
[Meet at the usual place.]
It was from Allen, her childhood friend. Had the King not interfered, she’d have married him instead.
In the original plot, Allen and Ye Shaohua shared a deep bond. Even after her marriage to General An, he’d vowed to wait for her, playing the devoted lover.
But…
Ye Shaohua set down her pencil and took her hovercraft to meet him.
Allen was a golden-haired, emerald-eyed prince of Gamma Planet—a smaller, less powerful realm than Mo Planet, riddled with barren wastelands. Yet its people were exceptionally intelligent.
Like many from Gamma, Allen was brilliant: a high-tier psychic, mecha pilot, second-grade mecha architect, and the planet’s crown prince. His status and talent made his affection for Ye Shaohua baffling to outsiders.
No wonder the original Ye Shaohua had clung to him, even over General An.
“Shaohua, I’ll keep waiting for you.” Allen leaned against a tree, the light gilding his profile like a dreamy painting—the epitome of every girl’s fantasy.
“Don’t.” Ye Shaohua, eager to return to her equations, cut straight to the point.
Allen’s golden eyes flickered with surprise. He studied her face, searching for something.
Finally, his cool voice softened, as if humoring a petulant lover: “Don’t be like this. I know you don’t love An Tingyun. Trust me, I won’t leave you trapped where you’re unhappy.”
Ye Shaohua met his gaze and whispered:
“Last March, during the Zerg uprising on Gamma Planet, you risked your life to save Ye Junwen and her mother from a Zerg nest. You even took injuries shielding them—injuries even the Gamma King doesn’t know about.”
