Purple Skirt

The mask covered most of Yu Mo's face, revealing only his gentle, slightly tired eyes.

Pale and thin skin also brings some other minor problems, such as wrinkles. Yu Mo is the same age as Luo Lin, but when he smiles, slight wrinkles begin to accumulate slightly below the corners of his eyes.

Ivy was surprised: "Why are you here? Are you being transferred?"

"It's some cooperation between the research lab and the expedition team. The person in charge of drawing blood samples today was originally a student," Yu Mo explained. "I saw your name on the list, so I came over."

Ivy quickly rolled up the sleeve of her right arm, clenched her fist, and exposed her blood vessels in front of his eyes without any defense.

Lorraine saw that Ivy's panic and hesitation about having her blood drawn disappeared without a trace, and the unspoken understanding between the two of them was like that of real siblings.

He sat down on a chair beside him and waited quietly for the blood sample comparison results and analysis report to come out. Before verifying their identities, all members of the expedition team had to wait here.

With Lorraine's military rank, he could go to the senior officers' lounge, take a comfortable bath, take a nap, and relax before the results came out - but for so long, Lorraine never chose to go in and wait, and always stayed with his soldiers.

Yu Mo's technique of drawing blood was quick, fierce and accurate. He had already tied the cuff on Ivy's arm without Ivy's reminder. This traditional blood drawing tool from a hundred years ago was still used skillfully by Yu Mo today.

"It may be a little painful," Yu Mo said, "Just bear with it."

Ivy nodded and made a "hmm" sound through her nose.

The silver-tipped needle pierced the blood vessel under the skin accurately. Yu Mo quickly drew blood, pulled out the needle, and pressed with a sterilized cotton swab - he did not use the latest blood collection tools, his technique was superb. Ivy only felt a pain like being bitten by an ant, and it was over.

She stood up and gave her seat to the next person waiting to have their blood drawn.

"Auntie asked me to bring you something," Yu Mo put a label on her blood sample, put it away, and asked, "Where is your dormitory? I'll send it to you--"

"Doctor," Lorraine reminded him, "The faculty and staff of the training base need to apply in advance to move into the trainee dormitories."

"Thank you for the reminder," Yu Mo turned around and said to Ivy, "Then come to the hospital to see me when you have time. I'm always here."

Ivy smiled: "Okay!"

In the evening, she successfully received the things that her mother asked Yu Mo to pass on.

There were some cookies baked by Dad and some jams he made himself; Mom stuffed the package with some of her favorite snacks and a few clothes.

Good news: Today Ivy packed all the uniforms and bedding and sent them to the housekeeping robots for cleaning. These clothes sent after the season change came in handy.

Bad news: Mom has a relatively ladylike taste, and all the clothes she sent to Ivy were soft little dresses.

Ivy, who usually wears pants, felt a chill in her crotch after she changed into a skirt, as if something was missing. She took out her safety pants and put them on, but still felt that her exposed calves were a little awkward.

I can only be thankful that I don’t have to go to class today and don’t have to go to the training classroom in such an awkward way.

At dinner time, Yu Mo invited Ivy to eat in the cafeteria reserved for faculty and staff.

He moved Ivy and her friend Nana with just one sentence -

“The squirrel mandarin fish here tastes great.”

The trainees, expedition team members, and faculty and staff at the base eat in different canteens. The trainees do not need to pay extra for meals, but they have fixed dishes and fruits. The faculty and staff canteen is a paid dining system, but there are a few more rich dishes every day than the trainees at the base.

In recent days, the two chefs in charge of Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine at the base have been sick, and the Italian chef is still on vacation. Only the chefs of German and British descent are still at their posts. The two of them have been cooking Western food for a few days. Nana's eyes turned red from eating bread and salad. When she heard that she could go to teach the staff to eat Chinese food, she wanted to carry Ivy with her.

Ivy, wearing a purple skirt, followed Yu Mo to the faculty and staff cafeteria.

When the squirrel mandarin fish was served, Nana burst into tears, clasped her hands together, and shouted loudly: "Ah, praise Tian, ​​praise Di, praise the kind-hearted Dr. Yu Mo, and the considerate Ivy."

Several people arrived early. Today was a holiday, so not many people were dining there. Nana's voice was loud. Lorraine, who was about to leave, stopped at the door of the restaurant.

Ivy couldn't see it.

She had just finished eating a few pieces of fish when Yu Mo came over with a tray. He generously ordered several dishes to entertain the two girls and asked them what they wanted to drink or what kind of fruit they wanted to eat.

He went to get it.

Ivy raised her hand: "Green tangerine and Pu'er."

Nana raised her hand: "Coconut milk."

She asked Ivy in surprise: "Oh my God, don't you think that green tangerine and Pu'er tea tastes very metallic? It's like putting titanium steel and ice cubes in a cup and drinking it. It tastes cold and painful..."

"She has liked it since she was a child," Yu Mo smiled, "You guys continue eating, I'll go get some drinks."

"We've been childhood sweethearts," Nana sighed.

"Not exactly," Yu Mo said softly, "We are neighbors. I am nine years older than Ivy, so it is not appropriate to describe us in this way. Rather than childhood sweethearts, I am more like her brother, or...adoptive father."

Ivy sighed deeply and said, "Don't be funny. Don't say those two words."

...It's really weird.

This was the reason why she and Yu Mo broke up. It was the second week of their official relationship. When Ivy seriously kissed Yu Mo's lips, he looked at her clearly, pushed her away gently, and kissed her forehead.

He admitted that he couldn't be emotionally attached to Ivy. Perhaps it was because he had watched her grow up and she was like his sister and child.

Ivy thought there was no other reason for breaking up like this.

Yu Mo smiled and confirmed carefully: "Ms. Nana would like a cup of coconut milk. Do you need extra sugar?"

After getting Nana's answer, Yu Mo asked Ai Wei: "Xiaobao, your Qinggan Pu'er doesn't have sugar, but two cubes of ice?"

"Yes," Ivy nodded, "it's still the same."

After Yu Mo left, Nana exclaimed: "He is so white and his hair is so beautiful. This is the first time I have seen such standard silver-white hair."

Ivy said, "Yes, it's beautiful."

She did not explain to Nana that Yu Mo's fair and clear skin and special silver-white hair were due to a genetic defect, which affected the production of melanin in his body, including his light tsavorite green eyes.

There are some subtle differences between him and albinism. Yu Mo cannot withstand a lot of sunlight, but he will also feel uncomfortable if he does not get any sunlight at all.

This genetic defect caused him a lot of trouble.

Ivy wouldn't talk about these things. They all have D-level genes and understand the invisible discrimination that is everywhere in society today.

Nana asked enviously, "Is he your arranged husband?"

"Uh," Ivy said, "no."

"We did date," she explained, "but we broke up peacefully and are now just good friends."

"Why?" Nana said with great regret, "What a pity, you two really look like a perfect match. I don't understand why your parents would ask you to marry someone else and give up Teacher Lorraine!"

Ivy was startled.

She turned around and followed Nana's line of sight. Lorraine was standing behind her, holding a full glass in her hand.

There was no class today, so he was still wearing his uniform, with his hands wrapped in black gloves, not exposing any skin.

Ivy suspected that he did not bring his private clothes to the base.

Lorraine asked, "Is this position occupied?"

"No, no," the teacher's stern voice was like thunder in her ears. Nana immediately shook her head, "Please sit down."

Lorraine nodded: "Thank you."

He sat on Ivy's right, with the glass in his hand on the table. The ice cubes hit the wall of the glass with a crisp sound, and a clear coconut scent overflowed. Ivy realized that the glass was filled with coconut juice.

It's amazing. She thought the other person would only drink pure water that has nothing in it.

As the teacher arrived, the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere of the chat slowly faded away.

Nana knew how strict and demanding Lorraine was when it came to students' scores. Taking Lorraine's class was the most torturous thing. If this trend continued, there would be students under him who would not be able to graduate smoothly - but there was no doubt that only strict teaching could save these students' lives - all the students taught by Lorraine would go to the front line, to the most dangerous place in this wasteland.

This kind of awe made Nana focus on her work and concentrate on eating.

Ivy decided to use some words to break the current depressing atmosphere.

She said, "I have received a notice from Xin Lan, who told me that I can continue the Warrior course tomorrow. Thank you, teacher."

Lorraine said indifferently: "Yeah."

His cold attitude made Ivy afraid to continue to find a topic. Just like in the car in the deserted area, the two of them never talked about useless nonsense.

Ivy wanted to wait for Yu Mo to come back before she started eating, so she silently took out her cell phone and took a look at the draft of her divorce application.

She had just finished the first draft and hadn't yet polished it.

When the training here is almost over, I will send it to Admiral Hector... I don't know where my partner, who was only "assigned" to me in name only, is now.

Her screen was large, and even though Lorraine was drinking coconut juice, she could clearly see "Dear Hector..."

I can't see clearly behind.

"The deadline for the analysis report is in two days," Lorraine said calmly, "You don't need to rush to write it."

"Ah," Ivy said in a panic, putting away her phone, "It's not an analysis report."

"It's a love letter," said Nana enthusiastically. "It must be a love letter to her husband..."

Ivy became even more embarrassed.

She explained: "No -"

"Well," he said, "I have no interest in your private affairs. No need to explain."

Lorraine interrupts Ivy.

Otherwise, she would say something dry like "I can get a divorce right away."

This strange and twisted atmosphere was broken by the aroma of green tangerine, Pu'er tea and coconut milk. Yu Mo, with her long silver hair tied up, returned with a drink in her hand.

When he saw Lorraine, he was slightly stunned, then he smiled again, greeted Lorraine in a friendly manner, and introduced himself as Ivy's good friend.

Lorraine shook his hand through his gloves.

Yu Mo sat down on Ivy's left.

There were two men on the left and the right, and Ivy in the middle felt an inexplicable pressure.

She tried to figure out the source of this pressure. It might be because the two men were taller and were her superiors/mentors, or it might be because they...

Lowering her eyes, the metal buckle on Lorraine's military belt shone with a cold light. Ivy took a sip of Qinggan Pu'er tea, and the metallic taste with ice seemed to wrap her up completely, penetrating her completely inside and out.

Yu Mo asked in a friendly manner: "Teacher, who are you?"

"Lorraine, Ivy's direct teacher," Lorraine had finished her coconut water and said distantly, "I took her to have her blood drawn this morning."

"I'm sorry," Yu Mo smiled, "It's been too long since we last met. I only remember our little treasure."

"Xiaobao?" Lorraine repeated these two words in an emotionless tone, without any sense of intimacy.

He looked at Ivy, who lowered her head in embarrassment.

"After dinner," Lorraine continued in a mechanically cold tone, "you need to come to my office."

Ivy's hands and feet were numb and she didn't know where to put them: "Okay, teacher."

"And," Lorraine stood up, her eyes falling on her purple skirt, her long, muscular legs, her beautiful ankles, and a pair of well-worn leather shoes.

This purple skirt is gentle, ladylike, elegant and intellectual, suitable for girls to wear on a date with someone they like.

The hairband that Yu Mo used to hold her long silver hair together was the same soft purple color as her skirt.

"Your dress is very beautiful today," Lorraine said coldly, "Xiaobao."