Tempest of the Stellar War

"You’re not short of me as a friend."

"Aiya, is my darling consort jealous?"

The look in Si Jiali’s eyes was like a cold, piercing sword. Her stare made Bi Yuyan’s hair stand. "Ahem, pretty lady, would you accompany me for a meal? You haven’t had dinner either, right?"

Knowing when to lie low, when to walk tall, and when to put on a show was Bi Yuyan’s specialty.

Si Jiali shook her head. Every item had its weakness. Actually, with her cold and aloof personality, she did not want to get too close to Bi Yuyan at first. But Bi Yuyan could always find a way to make her let her tag along to do all sorts of things. At first, it was just drinking, then eating, then later, making interstellar trips together.... Sometimes, she really wondered if Bi Yuyan’s Ability X was making friends. It seemed like anybody could be her friend.

"Oh, right, Si Jiali, milady, uhm, my purse has been feeling rather shy lately..."

"...." Shy my ass. So you’re just trying to get a free meal!

"So just buy me a meal." Bi Yuyan blinked shyly, using her eyes to make a move, but evidently on the wrong person.

"I’ll lend you money, but the meal is on you!"

Si Jiali expressed an emotion. It was a rare occurrence.

"It’s all the same." Bi Yuyan’s mood lifted right away. Teasing the icy cold Si Jiali and making her react emotionally was one of her favorite hobbies. But of course, she had just bought a limited edition handbag the day before and really had no money for a meal. Although plenty of men would buy her a meal, she’d much rather take advantage of Si Jiali.

But when they arrived at their food place, Bi Yuyan was unable to feel happy.

"A street stall?" She didn’t expect Si Jiali to bring her to a street stall outside school!

Hey, hey, don’t you see that the look in people’s eyes and the atmosphere around here turning odd?

How could pretty girls like them dine at such a place?

"Beggars can’t be choosers."

"Yo! Si Jiali, you brought a friend today? What do you want to eat?"

Bi Yuyan almost couldn’t keep her mouth closed. Why did the uncle from the street stall seem to know Si Jiali so well?

"The usual. Give her the same thing." Si Jiali nodded. She dragged Bi Yuyan along, found a seat, and sat down.

"Why didn’t I know that you come here often?"

Bi Yuyan showed her a hurtful expression. There was a side of Si Jiali that she didn’t know.

"Not often. I only come here when I feel like getting supper. It’s more relaxing here."

"You’re really nothing like an Aslanian." Bi Yuyan rolled her eyes. What "only"? She told the boss "the usual"!

"Aslanians are not mathematical formulae."

"Alright. Oh, let me tell you something interesting. I met an eccentric person from the Solar System."

"Earth?"

"Yeah, yeah! An exchange student from Earth. I wanted to introduce him to you. Who knows, given your personality, you might get along well with him. But he had no interest in you! My goodness. To think there are men who are not interested in having an Aslanian girlfriend! And I did tell him it was you, the belle of the Physics Department. He even looked reluctant. Don’t you find it odd?"

Bi Yuyan was obviously using that to tease Si Jiali in an attempt to see other expressions than her usual icy cold look.

But she had failed spectacularly. Si Jiali looked coldly at her. "The Solar System weirdo you’re talking about is Wang Zheng, isn’t it?"

Crack!

Bi Yuyan almost dislocated her lower jaw. "How did you know!?"

Si Jiali looked at Bi Yuyan as though she was retarded. "Seems like your brain still can’t make it."

"Hey, hey, that’s making a personal attack!"

"Xiao Fei’s student. Awardee of the greatest contribution of the year award. And also the team leader of Solar System’s IG."

P-thump!

Bi Yuyan’s heart pounded wildly. "Ah, so many titles, seems pretty great. Why, are you really interested in him?"

"Not interested. I only know of him as a talent who has a gift in physics. If he could stay on Aslan, it would do good for the development of our country."

"All right, I know you’re a member of Her Royal Highness’ staff, but no need to be so serious. Making contributions for the nation aside, have you never thought of enjoying your youth for a bit? Plus, if he is really that good, just make him a foreign student here and it’d be settled." Bi Yuyan blinked. There were no talents in the world who didn’t want to stay on Aslan. In fact, the more of a genius they were, the more they’d want to stay on Aslan. Because Aslan was the only place where geniuses had room to exhibit their talents.

Si Jiali shook her head. "He may not be interested."

Si Jiali did not merely look calm. The way she did things was also absolutely calm and rational. Xiao Fei and Wang Zheng were both on Si Jiali’s radar. Wang Zheng thought that Si Jiali had turned around because of Chi Muye, but she was actually looking at him.

From the intel she had gathered, Xiao Fei and Wang Zheng were here only for their project and had no intentions of staying on Aslan.

"Really? He seems extremely arrogant. Being famous in youth is nothing. Who knows if he will become a nobody in future? Ye Zisu, however, is really good."

Bi Yuyan boasted shamelessly. That was her personality. She was used to firing shots and running her mouth off in front of people she was closest to.

Si Jiali nodded in all seriousness. "I thought so too. That’s why I plan on introducing him to the Sword-Shield Rose for him to observe."

Thump!

Bi Yuyan fell onto the tabletop unglamorously. "What did you say?"

"Recommend Wang Zheng to join the Sword-Shield Rose."

"You can’t be serious."

"When have I not been serious?"

"You don’t have to do that to help him experience Aslan, there are many other ways..."

"This is the fastest way. He’s an exchange student, so his time on Aslan won’t be long."

"Can I advise you against that?" Bi Yuyan rolled her eyes, but inside, she knew that by saying it, Si Jiali had made up her mind.

Chi Muye crashed Wang Zheng’s dorm. Student Little Chi’s eyes were all red. "Oh, damn! You stay in this dorm room all alone?"

Wang Zheng nodded. "Is there a problem? Isn’t it all one person per room?"

"Of course there’s a problem, a huge problem! I share a dorm with others! What did you do to deserve staying in a room alone!? And the best dorm at that! Damn, there’s even a coffee machine. God, this is unfair!"

Chi Muye whined and wailed about his displeasure non-stop. "Is your father a prominent figure in the Solar System?"

"You’re overthinking it," Wang Zheng said, shaking his head. Lin Huiyin was the one who arranged the dormitory. Seemed like the lass had given him extra special treatment. He had thought that it was the norm for everyone to have their own room given the powers of Aslan. No wonder he felt too comfortable.

"It’s not that I’m overthinking, it’s just that I can’t find any other explanation."

"Maybe I’m just lucky. Maybe they didn’t have any other vacant rooms." Wang Zheng smiled. Just then, his Skylink blinked. A red notification light. The message had actually come from the Royal College’s system, sent to him via the student ID installed in his Skylink.

Chi Muye’s eyes were very sharp. He caught the red light at once. "A message from the college’s system? Is it the Student Union or the autonomous union?"

Wang Zheng was slightly surprised too. He opened the message and Chi Muye shamelessly popped his head over to take a look. He mumbled the contents of the message aloud, "As recommended by special committee member Si Jiali, we would like to invite Student Wang Zheng to come to the Sword-Shield Rose third administration hall for a preliminary interview at noon tomorrow."

It was the Aslan Royal Sword-Shield Rose Discipline Committee.

Upon finishing reading the message, Chi Muye was stunned. What was going on? What sort of rhythm was this? Si Jiali had recommended Wang Zheng to join the Sword-Shield Rose?

Why?

Chi Muye felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Was this Wang Zheng standing before him an illegitimate son of the Solar System’s Chairman?

Even then, why would Si Jiali recommend him???

Si Jiali, who was also known as the Iceberg of Aslan!!!

"Student Wang Zheng, am I your best friend here on Aslan or not!?" Chi Muye said rather sternly.

"Yes."

"Big Brother, idol, tell me, how did you hit Si Jiali up? You only made eye contact...." Chi Muye hugged Wang Zheng by his thigh agitatedly.

Wang Zheng quickly pulled Chi Muye up. "I don’t know her at all. It may be the influence of teacher Xiao Fei. But I don’t even have time to attend classes, so how could I ever have time to join a society?"

Thinking about it, he also had to help Lin Huiyin record a song. Other than classes, he had to sneak off to train at the Mech Department as well. He had no time.

"That’s the Aslan Discipline Committee. They don’t invite non-Aslanians to join them so easily. If you join them, you’ll become an elite, an idol, a key figure. Good God, there would be no problem hitting up on babes with the badge of the Sword-Shield Rose Club!" Chi Muye said, drooling.

"Heh. I have no interest in managing people. Neither do I like being managed by people," Wang Zheng said coolly.

Chi Muye was full of respect. He gave a thumbs up and said, "A real man, no doubt!"

But very quickly, Chi Muye shook his head. "Actually, the rest are still all right. Most importantly, joining the Discipline Committee would mean an opportunity to get close to Princess Aina, or even speak with her. If you’re not going, recommend me."

Speaking of that, Chi Muye’s eyes turned starry again.

Wang Zheng was stunned. That’s right! How did he forget about that? Even though Aina was also a student of the Royal College, her learning obviously did not take place together with the rest. Instead, she had royal teachers who taught her separately. Due to having to visit foreign countries so frequently, her pace of learning and the arrangement of her classes were also different from that of others. Under normal circumstances, ordinary students rarely had a chance to meet Princess Aina.

But the Student Union and the Discipline Committee were different. As they were in charge of the autonomous ruling and operations of the school, there were many occasions where they had opportunities to communicate with Princess Aina. Since they had to lay low and keep things a secret, he would need to have a suitable position. It would be best if he could attain that on his own and give Aina less trouble.

"Oh, if that’s the case.... what do I have to prepare?"

Chi Muye lost his balance and stumbled. "Damn, didn’t you just say you don’t like managing others and don’t like being managed? Have you got any principles?"

Wang Zheng patted Chi Muye on the back. "A real man knows when to lie low and when to stand tall!"