What Should I Do If My Ex-Girlfriend's Pheromones Smell Too Good? - Chapter 5

“Do you really want to see?” Yan Xiangyu hesitated, starting to speak, then stopping, then starting again.

“Forget it,” Shu Qiong said, giving up after recalling Yan Xiangyu’s thick skin and tendency to take advantage of any opportunity. “I respect your privacy.”

Yan Xiangyu sighed in relief at her refusal, but a hint of regret lingered.

The two had met during their early adolescence, experiencing their first love. Both were exceptionally bright and talented young women. Even though their relationship ended in a breakup, the memories still washed over them in the quiet hours of the night.

Shu Qiong marveled at her own audacity back then. Not only had she started dating before her differentiation, but her partner had been Yan Xiangyu, another female.

The exact reasons for their breakup had faded with time. They were too young and naive, their emotions worn on their sleeves. Most arguments stemmed from trivial misunderstandings and minor conflicts.

During that sensitive pre-differentiation period, Shu Qiong was confined to bed, feeling stifled. Meanwhile, Yan Xiangyu was swamped with work, barely touching the ground. Add to that the meddling of Shu Qiong’s unstable father, and their arguments escalated rapidly.

In their final year of high school, Yan Xiangyu returned to her hometown to prepare for the university entrance exams. Unlike Shu Qiong, who had grown up alongside Miss Jin of the Jin family—a young miss from one of Capital Star’s most prestigious clans—Yan Xiangyu came from a more modest background. Moreover, Shu Qiong had a mother who was both a textbook-worthy Omega Mech Pilot and a Single Combatant.

In stark contrast, Shu Qiong had been entangled in the melodramatic dramas of a wealthy family since childhood. Her legendary but tragically short-lived genius mother and her phoenix-man father, who married into wealth but shirked responsibility, had molded her into a particularly emo teenager.

Yan Xiangyu, on the other hand, was the only child of an ordinary family in a remote star system, where family relationships were simple and harmonious.

Compared to each other, they seemed to belong to entirely different worlds.

As naive and volatile teenagers with limited life experience, neither could truly empathize with the other’s struggles. Unsurprisingly, their relationship ended on a sour note, barely qualifying as an amicable breakup.

Yet even after parting ways, both retained a lingering, white-moon-like longing for each other.

Shu Qiong glanced at Yan Xiangyu, marveling at the twists of fate. Who could have imagined that they would end up as roommates again in college, reunited with their first ex-girlfriend?

Ding-dong.

Gu Tiantian, noticing their prolonged hesitation, assumed they were simply shy and proactively created a group chat for the four roommates.

Thus, Room 406 of Building F at Military University became—

Military University F(4)

What a cringe-worthy group name!

Shu Qiong couldn’t help but admire Gu Tiantian’s audacity. Who would have thought that beneath her demure and timid facade lay such a hilariously awkward soul?

Su He Yi immediately followed up by posting several documents in the group chat—comprehensive guides for new Military University students she had prepared in advance, meticulously detailed and thorough.

Shu Qiong exclaimed in admiration, “So much useful information! Sister He, you’ve done such thorough research!”

Su He Yi smiled warmly. “You’re too kind. I just gathered some tips from senior students’ experience posts.”

This gentle yet strong senior sister was incredibly reliable, and Shu Qiong immediately felt a sense of admiration. “Sister He, are you the legendary freshman who scored perfect marks on all the physical fitness tests?”

Applicants to the Military University Mecha Department had to undergo specialized physical fitness tests, assessing their physical capabilities from head to toe with exceptionally strict grading standards.

Rumor had it that the university designed the high-scoring range to push the limits of human potential. Simply meeting the minimum requirements in each category was considered impressive, let alone achieving perfect scores. Consequently, the hashtag #MilitaryUniversityMechaDepartmentPhysicalFitnessTestsAreInsane trended annually on StarNet during admissions season, with netizens complaining that the university was selecting Super Saiyans, not students.

Yet this year, insiders revealed that a freshman girl had shattered the university’s physical fitness test record!

Su He Yi nodded. “Yes, that’s me. My only strengths are my physique, combat skills, and resilience. My academic subjects aren’t great, haha.”

Although her academic grades were only above average, her exceptional physical fitness test scores propelled her to second place in the overall departmental rankings.

Classmate Yan, who ranked first in her major, modestly insisted, “I’m not that impressive.”

Yan Xiangyu was a well-rounded “hexagonal warrior,” having never known the meaning of academic specialization. She effortlessly aced every subject with flying colors.

Shu Qiong felt a twinge of envy.

She realized that there were vast differences between Alphas. For instance, she and Su He Yi were complete opposites.

While her physical aptitude was decent, it paled in comparison to the elite students of the Mecha Department. Her academic performance was her saving grace. During the national college entrance exam, she had performed exceptionally well, securing the top score in Capital Star and receiving a special admission call from Military University that very night.

Gu Tiantian, the self-proclaimed “academic slacker,” was overwhelmed with admiration and excitement.

Imperial Mother, you’ve never told me about such high-level topics before!

She took a deep breath, inhaling the aura of the “Academic God.”

Just before 3 p.m., her alarm went off.

Shu Qiong silenced it, her heart racing as the crucial course registration period approached.

She had meticulously studied the Mecha Department’s student handbook, noting that the first semester included several large, year-long courses for the entire cohort.

“Sister He, what are you taking for the second session on Monday afternoon?” Shu Qiong asked Su He Yi, feigning nonchalance. “I heard ‘Fundamentals of Coupled Element Theory’ and ‘History of Mecha Warfare’ both have generous grading policies.”

Yan Xiangyu replied, “I’m registering for History of Mecha Warfare.”

Shu Qiong pretended not to hear and turned her head, waiting for Su He Yi’s response.

Su He Yi, however, had heard. Once again, she demonstrated the thoroughness of her research: “Professor Wang, who teaches History of Mecha Warfare, has a good reputation among the upperclassmen. He explains complex topics clearly, draws on diverse sources, and keeps the lectures engaging without being dry. The final exam is quite detailed, though. I heard he loves to test material he mentioned in class but didn’t include in the textbook, so you need to pay close attention during lectures.”

Shu Qiong immediately decided, “Let’s all sign up for this class together! We can share notes and it’ll be easier to reserve seats.”

Yan Xiangyu nodded in agreement.

Su He Yi’s gaze slid between them with a hint of surprise. Lacking Gu Tiantian’s encyclopedic knowledge and internet addiction, she readily agreed, “Sounds good!”

And so, the three of them continued to select the remaining three or four major courses, maintaining a facade of harmony that masked subtle tensions. Shu Qiong returned to her room, satisfied, logged into her student account, disabled all notifications that might distract her, and prepared her internet speed and typing skills.

At precisely 3:00 PM, she successfully registered for her courses. On a whim, she refreshed the forum and, as expected, a flood of posts lamenting failed registrations and begging for course swaps appeared. After a cursory glance, Shu Qiong lost interest and logged out, suddenly realizing she had forgotten something important.

The notification window burst open, unleashing an avalanche of “You have a new message” alerts.

Jin Yan: Holy sh1t, I forgot I had to grab a course this afternoon!

Jin Yan: Girl!!! Hurry up and let me copy your schedule! [Cat emoji peeking out]

Jin Yan: Hello? [Surprise inspection] [Checking in]

Jin Yan: Where are you, damn it?!

Jin Yan: Our bond has faded 1551 [Biting a handkerchief] Are you too busy comparing schedules with your precious Classmate Yan to remember your old mother?!

Jin Yan: Fine, Shu Qiong! You’re choosing romance over friendship! Have you forgotten all those wonderful times we spent playing in the mud together?!

Shu Qiong, feeling guilty, frantically typed a message to salvage her friendship with Miss Jin, which was on the verge of collapse.

Tap, tap.

The knocking at the door was so close that Shu Qiong startled, her fingers fumbling as she turned to see Yan Xiangyu standing behind her, having been there for an unknown amount of time.

In her panic, her finger accidentally swiped across the floating keyboard, hitting several characters and sending the unfinished line of text, along with a string of gibberish, before she could stop it.

Shu Qiong: I’m so sorry, Young Miss! My wristband was on silent mode, I didn’t hear you!

Jin Yan: Waaah, my daughter is all grown up and doesn’t listen to her mother anymore! She’s even starting to brush off her poor old mom! [Sobbing]

Shu Qiong: *I really did have it on silent! I wasn’t ignoring you while I was eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating,

Jin Yan: Waaah, my daughter is all grown up and doesn’t listen to her mother anymore! She’s even starting to brush off her poor old mom! [Sobbing]

Shu Qiong: *I really did have it on silent! I wasn’t ignoring you while I was eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating,

Shu Qiong had long since written and memorized her speech, delivering it smoothly, but her tone was as emotionless as a robot’s.

Even so, the drowsy freshmen in the audience responded with great enthusiasm. Many jolted awake from their naps, waving their wristbands and snapping photos furiously.

Shu Qiong perked up slightly, forcing a stiff, official smile. Then she spotted Jin Yan in the crowd, wielding a veritable arsenal of cameras and lenses, snapping photos with professional flair.

As their eyes met, Jin Yan mimed eating, retaliating against her best friend’s earlier act of prioritizing romance over friendship.

“…Finally, I’d like to thank the university for giving me this opportunity to speak.”

Shu Qiong’s face twitched, struggling to suppress the urge to burst out laughing. “I wish all of you a wonderful and fulfilling four years here at Military University. Heh.”

The ceremony planning teacher: “…Was that ‘heh’ in the speech?”

A Student Council member turned to observe the audience’s reaction. “Probably Student Shu ad-libbed it. It worked pretty well—everyone’s awake now.”

The planning teacher urged, “Quick, take more photos of the freshmen ‘participating earnestly in the ceremony’ and ‘clapping enthusiastically’ while we have the chance.”

The leaders in the front row: “……”

Jin Yan: “Pfft.”

She was about to burst out laughing. Abandoning the photos, she handed her camera to the senior responsible for recording the ceremony and dashed backstage to wait for Shu Qiong.

As soon as Shu Qiong stepped off the stage, she charged toward Jin Yan with murderous intent, and the two erupted into a brawl backstage.

“Heh,” Shu Qiong said, crossing her arms.

“Heh~” Jin Yan retorted, getting right up in her face.

“Shu Qiong,” Yan Xiangyu called, entering the backstage lounge.

Shu Qiong and Jin Yan immediately snapped to attention, assuming serious expressions.

Shu Qiong asked solemnly, “What is it?”

Yan Xiangyu sighed, “The ceremony’s over. Everyone’s left. Are you planning to sleep here tonight?”

“Oh, right. Let’s go, let’s go.”

As Shu Qiong exited the lounge, she noticed Su He Yi and Gu Tiantian trailing behind Yan Xiangyu.

“Hi~” Jin Yan greeted, suddenly adopting a dignified demeanor. “I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I’m Jin Yan. Nice to meet you~”

Shu Qiong glared at her friend, who was now acting all proper and respectable.

Oblivious to the awkwardness, Jin Yan continued socializing, “Speaking of which, I used to live in Room 406 too, you know.”

Yeah, and thank goodness you finally moved out to a single room, Shu Qiong thought. Otherwise, I’d have been driven mad.

Gu Tiantian quickly chimed in, “Then I really owe you a huge thank you! Otherwise, I’d still be climbing those eight flights of stairs to the top floor.”

“Heh heh, we’re roommates! No need to be so formal!” Jin Yan said sincerely. “Betas have it so easy—they can live in both Omega and Alpha dorms and aren’t bothered by pheromones in daily life.”

Gu Tiantian adjusted her glasses and smiled shyly.

The more Jin Yan talked, the more her true nature slipped out. “I wish I were a Beta too,” she sighed. “Then I could live with all the Omega girls. Ah…”

Shu Qiong, already used to this, couldn’t be bothered to retort.

Unexpectedly, Yan Xiangyu, who usually clashed with Jin Yan, suddenly chimed in, “I hope your dream comes true.”

Her tone sounded genuinely sincere, but the content of her words was just… odd.

Shu Qiong was bewildered.

What a dream to come true!

A s3x change operation or breaking into the Omega dorms as a pervert?