Chapter 246 An Accidental Encounter with Si Ming

"What? How could this happen? Are the email replies still saved? Let me check."

Xu Heyu listened from the side. Having served in the Federal Army once, he was quite familiar with some of its systems and rules.

Back when he was a freshman in college, young and impetuous, he applied to join the federal army, but was rejected because he wasn't strong enough.

He remembers that when he replied to the email, the other party gave a very detailed explanation of their refusal.

The situation described by Shu Qingqing sounds a bit strange.

Shu Qingqing nodded: "I'm keeping it because it was an email sent just yesterday, and I haven't had time to delete it yet."

I checked the email, and it only contained a few official lines: "[Hello, thank you for your self-recommendation. After review, your qualifications do not yet meet the team's entry standards. Please don't be discouraged, keep trying, and we look forward to receiving your application again.]"

"Well, that's how it is. But what's strange is that they haven't sent back the C+ grade mecha I made yet. I saw online that usually when a mecha is rejected, it's also returned in the mail. I wonder if there's something wrong with mine."

After Shu Qingqing finished speaking, the last main dish was served. Shang Duojin was already starving and suggested that they eat first and talk about this matter while they ate.

“If you’re in a hurry, my third sister has a close friend in the Federal Army who can ask her what’s going on.” Shang Duojin took a bite of crab leg meat with sauce, and as he spoke, he was about to turn on his personal computer bracelet, seemingly intending to send a message to his third sister directly.

But Shu Qingqing didn't like troubling people, so she shook her head and refused.

"Forget it, this will make your third sister owe them a favor, which isn't good. I'll wait a few more days and see. If it's still not sent back, I'll ask the person in charge there what's going on."

She was unwilling, and Shang Duojin couldn't force her, so he could only nod in agreement.

The matter was temporarily put aside.

It wasn't until the dessert session, where participants had to go to the dessert buffet on the third floor to choose their own desserts, that the matter of Shu Qingqing joining the Federal Army was brought up again.

This time, however, it wasn't her who brought it up, but rather her childhood friend, Si Ming.

Unfortunately, Qiao Mei and the others had just gone downstairs, picked up their plates, and walked a short distance when they bumped into Si Ming and his ex-fiancée Bai Xin.

Although there was a slight distance between the former and the latter, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Bai Xin had come with Si Ming.

She was staring at him with a pitiful look, as if she were wronged but dared not say anything.

Upon discovering that he had encountered Shu Qingqing, he immediately spoke sarcastically, "Oh, isn't this that ignorant dreamer who dares to dream of joining the Federal Army?"

It was no secret that Shu Qingqing wanted to join the Federal Army.

She had been busy with this matter even before the Federal Academy had started its holiday, and had consulted Miyako, a Federal Army officer, several times.

To maximize teaching efficiency, Miyako usually doesn't go back to his office after class; he just sits on the podium.

So when Shu Qingqing asked him about this, many of her classmates overheard it.

But even Qiao Mei and the others had only just been told about her rejection by the federal army. How did Bai Xin know?

When Si Ming saw Shu Qingqing staring blankly at Bai Xin, she thought that Shu Qingqing's self-esteem had been hurt by Bai Xin. After pursing her lips and saying "Enough" to Bai Xin, Si Ming walked up to Shu Qingqing and said something that seemed to be comforting, but was actually belittling her.

"Failure is normal. I also tried submitting an application and was rejected. But if I couldn't do it, it's okay if you can't too. Don't worry too much, Qingqing. I believe that as long as you..."

His words not only made Shu Qingqing frown, but also made Qiao Mei frown.

She couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up for Shu Qingqing before she could: "Si Ming, right? What do you mean by saying that if you couldn't do it, it's nothing just because Qingqing couldn't? Have you already independently developed a C+ level mecha?"

Si Ming was stunned, then shook her head: "No, but it's the truth. If she were stronger than me, she wouldn't be in the worst Beast Taming Class 3, right? And she..."

Qiao Mei scoffed and interrupted him: "Really? Do you know that Qingqing has already developed a C+ level mecha? If she can do it, why couldn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Si Ming was stunned. She subconsciously looked at Shu Qingqing, whose face had also darkened, and asked her, "Is what Qiao Mei said true?"

"Why would I lie to you? Si Ming, I thought that after all these years, you would have changed your bad habit of liking PUA people. I didn't expect that after so long, you are still the same disgusting person who makes me want to vomit. Did you really think that the reason I went my separate ways with you was only because of our family backgrounds?"

After saying that, Shu Qingqing didn't want to see Si Ming's face that made her feel nauseous anymore. She pulled Qiao Mei and walked past Si Ming, but before leaving, she took a deep look at Bai Xin.

This time, Si Ming unusually didn't follow. He just stood there blankly, recalling what Shu Qingqing had just told him, his mind buzzing.

He thought that what separated him and her was only their family background. But it turns out there was a deeper reason...?

"Si Ming, you saw it yourself, how she treated you. What's so great about a woman like her, so ill-mannered, so arrogant...?"

Si Ming interrupted her, asking, "Enough! Shouldn't you tell me first how you knew she was rejected by the Federal Army? My informants around her haven't even received the news yet, so how did you know?"

His words made Bai Xin's face turn pale instantly. She looked away and lied, "I... I guessed. With her skill level, how could she possibly succeed at something you couldn't even do!"

"Really?" Si Ming clearly didn't believe it, and her face darkened even more.

He glanced sideways at Shu Qingqing's retreating figure, and before leaving, his tone was full of threat as he coldly looked at Bai Xin and said, "You'd better pray that what you said is true, otherwise I won't even give you the chance to follow me from a distance again!!"

After saying that, Si Ming put down the dessert plate she had just picked up but hadn't eaten a bite of, and left with a gloomy look in her eyes.

Bai Xin was left standing there, clenching her fists, her face even paler than before.

She turned on her smart bracelet, brought up a chat box, typed some words and sent them, then nervously bit her nails, waiting for a reply from the other end.

The evidence has been destroyed; there's no need to worry.

Upon receiving this answer, Bai Xin let out a deep breath and looked at the spot where Shu Qingqing had just disappeared. In her eyes, besides contempt, there was also a barely perceptible hint of jealousy.

Shu Qingqing was unaware of all of this.

After absentmindedly picking up some desserts, she looked at Shang Duojin.

Shu Qingqing: The smell is so strong!