"Very strong." Even if it was just the aura she exuded for a moment, Jiang Ningtao had to admit that if he were to face such an opponent one day, it would be a very troublesome matter.
What Ying said was not an exaggeration. If Qin Muge were to unleash her full aura, the oppressive feeling she created would truly be suffocating.
Spall stared in the direction they left. The news of the general's arrival was so shocking that everyone in the venue couldn't help but look in that direction. Those who had finished competing or were just there to visit were already eager to post this major news on their smart devices.
“They’re different, aren’t they?” Chaoge glanced at Yaochen, who was standing beside her with a blank expression, seemingly lost in thought, and said something to Sibo.
The boy with short brown hair was somewhat surprised by her initiative to chat. He responded a little awkwardly, and then seemed to realize what she had just said. He lowered his head and thought about it seriously for a while before replying, "Not at all."
Chaoge couldn't help but smile. Compared to everyone else, she was probably the only one who wasn't surprised at all by that person's appearance.
In the next two rounds, Chaoge had no interest in showing off, especially since seeing that platform reminded him of Qin Muge's sarcastic remark earlier.
So, unsurprisingly, she came in third place.
Today's selection process has concluded.
Chaoge walked with them towards her courtyard, and finally couldn't resist bothering Yaochen on the way: "Hey, you're unusually quiet today. What happened?"
"Don't make a sound." Yao Chen seemed to be busy with something, and his tone was somewhat tired when he replied. After that, no matter how Chao Ge tried to communicate with him in her mind, he didn't respond.
Chaoge seemed to remember something, and her expression changed. "Yaochen and I will go first. Be careful on your way back." With that, she picked up the little boy who was mechanically following her on the ground and ran quickly towards her residence.
She almost forgot.
The restless AI beside Qin Muge.
I wonder if Yao Chen's so-called final form can compare to Min Kaiyang's? Chao Ge vaguely remembers him saying that, in terms of weapon creation and improvement alone, Min Kaiyang is inferior to him. But in terms of information gathering and defense, he is inferior to Min Kaiyang.
Thinking about it this way makes me even more worried.
Moreover, even though he was the one who brought the people here, regardless of whether that was the truth or not, Chaoge felt that he couldn't back down at this moment.
Just as she was about to leave, Yao Chen finally managed to clear a thought for her and immediately asked, "What are you going to do?"
"I just want to make a deal with her." It has nothing to do with what happened before; it's just a simple transaction.
Yao Chen's purple, star-like eyes were full of deep meaning as he resolved to persuade Chao Ge to abandon this idea today. "Don't tell me you don't remember Luo Qinghe."
Chaoge was startled and looked at Yaochen with equal seriousness: "I remember! But besides this matter, the Yan family's affairs are also very important."
She wanted to help the original Yan Chaoge figure out what had happened and help her get back what originally belonged to her.
Because she will always leave, even though I don't know what she will become after she leaves.
"Little Red Riding Hood, don't worry, I won't forget everything just because I see her." Although Chaoge didn't quite understand why he was so resistant to seeing Qin Muge again, she was still trying to put his mind at ease.
They originally thought they could deal with the Yan family's affairs after the selection competition, but the next morning all the Ling family members received news that the selection competition would be postponed to a week later due to General Qin's arrival.
Although it wasn't said so explicitly, everyone who was there yesterday knew what was going on.
The Yin-Yang group found themselves suddenly with nothing to do, and then, somehow, Ying convinced them all to go out shopping.
At that moment, Chaoge was sitting in the hall where they usually gathered, communicating with Yaochen via telepathy while picking at the pastries on the plate on the table to tide them over for breakfast.
[How do you plan to go find her?] After a night of persuasion from Chaoge, Yaochen finally reluctantly agreed to her decision.
Without even thinking, Chaoge replied, "I don't know. Why don't you help me think of something?"
So, facing everyone's gaze, little Yaochen calmly agreed with Ying's decision: "I also want to go out shopping."
Chaoge: ...How much do you hate seeing Qin Muge?
Chaoge tossed the last small bite of pastry into her mouth, clapped her hands to remove the crumbs, and after meeting their even more expectant gazes, swallowed the food in her mouth and replied with a smile, "Then I hope you have a good time shopping. I can give you my card; feel free to use it."
Upon hearing her last words, the members of Yin Yang Society felt for the first time how wonderful the world was! They were so insightful to have chosen such a leader!
Even Mo Nian was excited, and Ying even squeezed out tears, shouting with deep emotion, "Boss..." He looked as if he wanted to improvise an article praising Chaoge's great deeds.
"Stop, let's go." Pushing Yao Chen in their direction, Chao Ge watched as they, who had been looking so moved they wanted to give themselves to him, suddenly became like child traffickers snatching children from the street, grabbing them and running away steadily.
One of the kids was so angry his face turned black: "Put me down, Shadow!"
She chuckled and shook her head, too lazy to remind them that the shops might not be open yet. Looking down at the remaining pastries on her plate, she turned to her smart device, opened the page beside her, and began browsing the Empire's news.
7:30 a.m.
While watching the Empire's people's unending enthusiasm for gossip in the Empire's hottest forum, a notification popped up in front of Chaoge: "The top ten from yesterday's individual competition should gather in front of the main house in three hours."
Chaoge was thinking about the group of guys who had just been shouting about going out shopping... it seemed that only Mo Nian needed to come.
Since there was nothing else to do at the moment, Chaoge simply decided to walk over there on her own.
The Ling family branch is quite large. Even though Chaoge and the others live very close to the core area, it still took them half an hour to walk there.
When she got there, she found the gate was closed and there was no one in front of it. Chaoge looked around and happened to see a rare little blue flower growing in the flowerbed next to her, so she went over to it.
A group of young girls in matching uniforms walked down the corridor. Except for the one in the lead, who clearly looked menopausal, a young woman stood leisurely by the flowerbed, admiring the flowers. The girl immediately strode over, her face darkening, and asked sternly, "What time is it? Are you waiting for me to invite you in to do something? How have I been teaching you all?"
After saying that, he turned to look at the last girl in the neatly lined-up group, "You're just standing there too? Aren't you going to take her to change her clothes? Do you want the general to wait for you?"
Chaoge was initially confused and wanted to explain that she didn't have such a grand dream as becoming a maid. However, upon hearing her last sentence, she couldn't help but pause. Her gaze swept over the faces of the girls present, and she couldn't help but think... Qin Muge, why is everyone in the world aware that you're gay?
I never noticed how much she enjoyed being waited on back in the palace. What happened to the high-tech era where everything is done with AI?
With that subtle expression, Chaoge missed the chance to explain to the butler who had left like the wind. She could only follow the girl, who looked like a middle school student, toward their place, her face almost in tears.
Walking down the street, she couldn't help but ask, "Do I look that much like a minor?" Even if I appreciate you all thinking I look so young, look at my height! Don't you think I'm a head taller than you all?!
Hearing this, tears welled up in the little girl's round eyes. She looked at Chaoge with tears in her eyes and said, "I'm sorry, sister. We used to have someone here who was about your height. But she secretly slipped out yesterday and hasn't come back yet. I was going to ask Aunt Feng for leave for her, but..."
Oh, but who told me I was so unlucky to run into this?
Aunt Feng's eyesight is terrible—it's a good idea that someone with face blindness could become a housekeeper.
"Tell me what you're going to do first." Then I'll consider whether I should help. Although the little girl was crying pitifully with tears streaming down her face, Chaoge wasn't the type to cause trouble for herself.
What Chaoge admired most was someone who could speak clearly without even breaking a sweat while crying: "Nothing else, just serve the general tea and water, and do what she asks when she gives the order..."
After thinking about it, Chaoge figured that with so many people, it wasn't necessarily her turn anyway, and it didn't seem like a big deal. After confirming with her that she only needed to stay there for an hour before she could switch shifts and leave, she agreed to help.
"Thank you! Sister, you're such a kind person!" The little girl wiped away her tears and went to find the person's clothes, leaving Chaoge standing there with a conflicted expression, having just received a "good person card" from someone she didn't understand.
Having gotten used to wearing military-style trousers, suddenly having to wear a skirt is... really unsettling.
Looking at the exaggeratedly thick lace trim on her shirt, and then tugging at her knee-length black skirt, Chaoge sighed. She must have taken the wrong medicine for her sudden act of kindness.
As if knowing she was going to change her mind, Chaoge, who had just changed her dress and was buttoning her clothes, was pressed down in front of the dressing table. The little girl skillfully told her to close her eyes and did her makeup. Ten minutes later, she said, "Done!"
Then he reached out and took the comb to comb her hair.
Chaoge felt as if she had never experienced such a feminine and refined lifestyle in a century.
Compared to this, I realize how rough my life was before.
Then it suddenly occurred to her: "Will I have to do this to General Qin later... um...?" Her expression fully expressed her confusion.
How come I never noticed before that she lived like the mistress of a harem?
The girl styling her hair looked up at her reflection in the mirror and replied somewhat blankly, "...Is the general a woman?"
Chaoge: "...Ah." What else? I thought her gender had already been made public.
Then the little girl's face was filled with disappointment.
This struck someone who was used to the prestige that came with the title "General Qin" as something quite strange.
Oh dear, even Qin Muge has a day when he is disliked like this?
However, Chaoge quickly experienced the allure of Qin Muge's face once again. The girl who had been disappointed while combing her hair stood beside her, but when she looked up and saw the woman in neat military uniform walking out of the room, she couldn't help but blush and whisper to Chaoge, "So beautiful... no! So handsome!"
—Congratulations to Yan Chaoge for witnessing the birth of General Qin's fangirl!
Hey girl, keep up that disdain from before! Don't give in so quickly! Even a casual viewer becoming a fan wouldn't be this fast, okay?
Upon stepping out of the room, Qin Muge was momentarily stunned to see a group of people standing in front of him. He then lowered his red eyes and looked towards the sofa, saying, "Kaiyang, don't you know my rules?"
Seeing the scene of a lone man and woman alone in a room, some girls who knew a lot and had a good imagination but poor acting skills suddenly blushed.
Chaoge had the strange feeling that the whole world had gone mad and only he was still awake.
“This is the rule for the Ling family’s division, but I will remember to remind them.” Min Kaiyang nodded expressionlessly to Qin Muge and replied calmly. Then he turned to look at them and said indifferently, “Go down first. The general doesn’t need you here.”
They ignored the little girls' disappointed and dejected expressions.
Just as Chaoge was silently making a 'V' sign in her heart and preparing to turn and leave, Qin Muge turned around without warning. When she saw a girl half-hidden behind the wall, her red lips blossomed into a bewitching smile: "No, let's keep a few."
Yan Chaoge: ...I knew it!
The general, who had been somewhat puzzled by that familiar feeling, was now in a good mood, feeling thankful for that turn of his head earlier, otherwise that guy would have gotten away again.
Having gotten used to seeing Chaoge in military uniforms, hmm, it seems like maid outfits aren't so bad after all.
Speaking of which, her baby's entrance is always such a delightful surprise!
Leaving behind two people and Chaoge, Qin Muge turned and walked towards Min Kaiyang in a good mood. "What, still haven't found him?"
"I'm going out to take a look." Min Kaiyang glanced at Yan Chaoge with his golden eyes, devoid of emotion, then stood up and walked out. Chaoge knew immediately that the two of them were deliberately bringing up Yaochen, and she slightly twitched the corners of her mouth, mentally informing her own husband—
Be careful, Min Kaiyang seems to be looking for you.
"I understand, don't worry." Yao Chen's voice was still a little sullen, clearly remembering that Chao Ge refused to come out with them that morning.
Then the woman sitting on the sofa turned her head and smiled at them. Except for Chaoge, the others tactfully began to bring out the breakfast that had been placed in the temperature-controlled food container earlier.
"I still don't know your names." Qin Muge casually glanced at the breakfast in front of her, her smile lingering. Her beauty had only intensified as her expression softened. Although her aura had vanished, her breathtaking beauty was still hard to resist.
So one by one they obediently gave their names.
By the way, the little girl who asked her to cover for her earlier is also among the few people who stayed behind; her name is Yu Tong.
"Ling Ge." Unable to think of a name for the moment, she gave a pseudonym she used here. Even so, as soon as she finished speaking, the children still looked at her with expressions of pity, surprise, or disbelief.
However, Qin Muge nodded calmly, seemingly unperturbed. Chaoge could only give up trying to decipher the meaning behind those people's glances.
A woman with waist-length hair reached up and tucked it behind her ear. Her beautiful, ungloved fingers, with their distinct knuckles like jade bamboo, were very eye-catching.
However, General Qin's personality was exactly as her status suggested—she was difficult to please.
He glanced at the various kinds of breakfast laid out on the table, then turned to Chaoge and beckoned with his index finger: "Come here."
Chaoge had a gut feeling that she was up to something.
Yu Tong passed by her from behind at some point and gave her a push. Although the push wasn't strong, it still made Chaoge take a step forward. Once she took a step, what difference would a little more make?
So, reluctantly, she walked up to the person. The closer they were, the more sensitive the strange feeling in her soul became, making Chaoge, who hadn't felt this way in a long time, feel uncomfortable all over.
As if sensing that she was still innocent, the woman pointed her index finger at a plate of pastries in front of her, smiled, and tilted her head slightly, instructing, "Feed me."