Top Warzone Analyst Chapter 73

Cheng Feng didn’t have much stuff – just one large suitcase. She stuffed her clothes in haphazardly, slung her little owl onto her back, and happily skipped downstairs.

Xiang Yunjian’s car had already arrived, parked at the school gate. He came in to pick her up and ran into Cheng Feng head-on. He offered to help carry her suitcase, but she refused quite assertively, insisting on being self-reliant.

Cheng Feng dragged her suitcase over to the back seat. While she was at it, she snuck a few glances at the snack bag beside it. When she turned back, she noticed Xiang Yunjian smiling at his optical computer with a rather meaningful look. When he saw her looking, he quickly composed himself.

Something felt off to Cheng Feng, and she asked suspiciously, “What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing,” Xiang Yunjian replied.

It didn’t feel right to press further, so Cheng Feng simply shut the car door and stood beside him, waiting for Yan Shen.

Xiang Yunjian rummaged out some snacks and stuffed them into her hands.

Cheng Feng accepted them politely, thinking to herself that he seemed like a pretty nice person. She tore open the packaging and casually checked her optical computer – only for the social feed to immediately push a post Xiang Yunjian had just uploaded.

Xiang Yunjian: [Video] The primary school kid is on holiday.

In the video, Cheng Feng had her little owl on her back, swinging her arms as she ran past a flowerbed.

Just from her light, quick steps, you could tell how delighted she was – like she was practically glowing with excitement. The only thing missing was a little “On Holiday!” icon floating above her head.

Xiang Yunjian was a seeded competitor in the league, so he had quite a large following. During the holidays, people online had nothing better to do and wouldn’t miss any chance to chat nonsense. The post he’d made just five minutes ago had already racked up over two thousand comments.

“Three years old. Not a day older.”

“Can she come stay at my place? I’ll give her my bed.”

“Does UFU now offer lifetime responsibility with admissions?”

“Are league recruitments starting the grind from freshman year now? How come our captain doesn’t have this kind of awareness? [angry]”

“Put on more clothes [frowning] – it’s almost February, why is Cheng Feng still dressed so lightly?”

“Military students must just run hot, huh. By the way, is that little owl being grabbed by the wings of fate? The lighting looks kind of broken.”

After the last incident, Cheng Feng decided to implement some “family education” to make sure this “friend” wouldn’t dare pick fights with the little kitty again. Unfortunately, she couldn’t modify the smart robot’s core program, so she had no choice but to resort to physical measures – she hung it up on the wall, forbade violence, and treated it as punishment.

Unexpectedly, this triggered its alarm system, and its eyes had been glowing red for nearly two days.

Cheng Feng reflected on this. She really wasn’t that childish – it was just that Xiang Yunjian’s filming style wasn’t very realistic.

Still holding the little cake in her hand and spacing out, her optical computer buzzed again. Cheng Feng looked down – Yan Shen had sent several photos in the group chat.

On the bed lay a neatly arranged row of folded clothes. The wardrobe selection was quite extensive – unlike Cheng Feng, who could fit all her belongings into a single suitcase.

A Little More Reckless: If I bring the first outfit, the suitcase is a bit too full. But the second outfit is too thick – it’s inconvenient to move in. Should I bring a second suitcase?

Xiang Yunjian’s expression turned as if facing a great enemy.

Xiang Yunjian: Don’t. Just bring whatever – you can’t fit it all, I’ll carry the rest for you.

A few minutes later, Yan Shen sent another update, proactively reporting his progress to reassure them.

A Little More Reckless: [Image] Almost done, just need to pack them in.

Xiang Yunjian: No need to lace up your shoes. Do it when you get home.

A Little More Reckless: [frowning]

Cheng Feng really should’ve known. The moment Yan Shen said, “Wait for me a bit,” things were bound to get complicated.

They waited at the school gate for over half an hour before this “gentleman” finally showed up at a leisurely pace with all his gear.

The two of them leaned against the car in perfect sync, arms crossed, staring at him blankly.

“You’re so slow. Way too slow!” Cheng Feng raised her hand and pointed forcefully at her completely bare wrist, accusing him, “If you were one minute later, I would’ve left!”

Xiang Yunjian let out a laugh. “That’s a pretty long ‘one minute’ you’ve got there.”

Yan Shen exhaled. “I was already going as fast as I could.”

The three of them then spent a full half hour in the car arguing about the definition of “fast.” The topic was even more obscure than the last debate Jiang Linxia had started, and Xiang Yunjian looked like he had a headache the entire time.

“This is clearly a strength,” Yan Shen protested. “From primary school all the way to high school, dozens of my teachers praised me for being careful and organized. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!”

Cheng Feng couldn’t believe it.

“Your parents don’t beat you?” she blurted out, feeling the world was unfair. “If I walk even a little slow, mine says he’s going to hit me!”

Yan Shen said, “My parents divorced and remarried. I don’t live with them.”

“Oh.” Cheng Feng shot back, half-threateningly, “If you’d gone vegetable-stealing with me when we were kids, you’d be a pile of fertilizer in a cabbage field by now.”

Yan Shen retorted, “The Alliance doesn’t offer that kind of service. And why would I do something so stupid?”

Cheng Feng bristled. “Stupid? You just don’t get it! That takes serious combat ability! Even fighting robots might not pull it off smoothly!”

Xiang Yunjian hurriedly cut them off. “How about you two eat something, kids.”

Just as a storm seemed about to break out, the car came to a stop – they had arrived at Cheng Feng’s temporary new residence.

The two of them instantly returned to being on good terms, grabbing their gift bags and lining up to get out of the car.

Xiang Yunjian dragged Cheng Feng’s suitcase and led the way. When they reached the door, he granted her the necessary access permissions and showed her how to use the building’s entry system.

Cheng Feng was still in the middle of facial recognition, craning and turning her neck this way and that, when the door suddenly opened from the inside. A tall woman poked her head out and smiled at her.

Before Cheng Feng could even see her face clearly, she caught a faint, pleasant fragrance. Almost instinctively, she gave a deep bow and greeted her in a clear, formal tone. “Hello!”

Xiang Yunjian grabbed the back of her neck and hauled her upright.

Xiang Yunjian’s mother burst out laughing, stepped aside, and warmly said, “Come in, come in.”

Cheng Feng slowly changed into indoor shoes, sneaking glances at her out of the corner of her eye.

The woman wore a well-fitted suit, her short hair neatly tucked behind her ears. She had a capable, refined air, and her features were sharp and striking. She should have had a strong, imposing presence, yet when facing Cheng Feng, her smile was exceptionally gentle – at least ten times more natural than Mr. Kong’s stiff, fake grin.

In her past life, the women Cheng Feng had encountered tended to be gentle in a much more restrained way.

For example, the middle-aged woman who threatened daily to set dogs on her, yet every time only stood behind her grumbling curses.

Or the fierce lady who always nitpicked her cabbages, but would occasionally wander by just to check if she was still alive.

In such a harsh environment, everyone had to restrain their kindness.

So when faced with such open, unreserved warmth, Cheng Feng still felt a little at a loss.

Xiang Yunjian’s mother turned around with a fruit platter in hand and caught Cheng Feng’s probing gaze before she could pull it back. The corners of her lips lifted slightly as she introduced herself, “My surname is Chu – just call me Auntie Xuanxuan. You’ll be staying in the room inside; I’ve already had the robot clean it… Yan Shen, why are you standing there? Come in and have something to eat before you go.”

Xiang Yunjian didn’t live with them – he felt it would be inconvenient – so after dropping them off and saying hello, he left.

Cheng Feng went into the room to unpack and, while she was at it, explored the new functions on the smart panel. Halfway through, she heard a rustling sound from the living room, followed by the quick patter of slippers.

Not long after, Chu Xuan’s voice called out from the doorway, “Mom’s heading to work now – be good and look after the house.”

Perhaps she was too used to saying it that way; she didn’t realize her wording was slightly off. Cheng Feng froze for a moment, then only came out after a short pause. She wandered around the now-empty home, then sat down on the sofa, lost in thought.

But the quiet didn’t last long. Her optical computer began vibrating unusually. When she checked it, she found she’d been pulled into another small group chat.

What’s Good About Summer: Guys, check out my new clothes – how are they?

A Little More Reckless: Do we have homework for this year’s tactics class? What’s the physical fitness standard for the new term again?

My Family’s Got a Mine: [Red packet] Year-end surplus – help yourselves.

What’s Good About Summer: Forget Xiang Yunjian – but how come Yan Shen’s tips are that high too? He doesn’t even interact with his followers!

“There’s Really a Mine at Home”: That’s because you interact too much, you idiot.

What’s Good About Summer: @Ye Guicheng Oh right, my mum said she has a gift box set for our only female teammate. Which lipstick shade do you like? [Image]

Ye Guicheng: ?

My Family’s Got a Mine: What she means is – since when did she agree to be your teammate?

Ye Guicheng: ??

Xiang Yunjian: I think what she means is – what the hell is even the difference between these lipstick shades?

Ye Guicheng: [Howl’s approval]