Chapter 16: So Handsome, It Must Be a Girl!

“Are you stupid?!”

Liu Yuyun shouted anxiously.

He was wrapping a bandage around Yao Bingling’s right hand.

For a kid, his handling of such a large bruised wound was quite impressive and professional, and his speed was fast enough.

His technique could easily qualify him to be a medic in the military.

But compared to his professional skills and technique, the expression on his face was quite contrasting.

Tears on his little face, red-rimmed eyes—he looked exactly like a kid who just got scolded by his parents for misbehaving and was now cautiously tiptoeing.

“Who would punch a wall? Are you the same kind of idiot as that mildly mentally challenged guy who shares my dorm?”

While anxiously bandaging, Liu Yuyun didn’t stop scolding Yao Bingling, his words full of worry and care for his teacher.

“Y-yes, Lord Liu Yuyun, can’t you just pretend I’m going through early menopause and leave me alone?”

Sitting on the sofa, Yao Bingling propped his head up with his left hand and turned his face away, speaking like this to Liu Yuyun. His right hand was extended, and Liu Yuyun treated it rather recklessly—alcohol disinfection, applying ointment, then violently wrapping it with bandages.

Although his method was fundamentally correct and professional, biologically speaking, this technique was quite painful. Yet Yao Bingling showed a calm, impatient expression, making him look more like a sulking child.

“There’s no such thing as menopause at thirty-two, you damn old man!”

Suddenly, Liu Yuyun gave a sharp pull on the bandage he was wrapping around Yao Bingling’s hand, tightening it from loose on the back of the hand and fingers.

“Ugh!!”

The already cracked bone slammed sharply, sending a pain almost like his palm was shattered, directly striking Yao Bingling’s nerves without warning.

“All done?”

Yao Bingling twisted his neck from side to side to distract himself from the pain and asked.

“Not yet! Wait here, Grandpa still has some medicinal wine. At his age, running and jumping is all thanks to that stuff.”

“Oh? Then bring a whole jar.”

“Sit tight, no daydreaming in broad daylight.”

Liu Yuyun lightly tapped Yao Bingling’s forehead, ignoring his teacher’s rebellious outcry. Then, when Yao Bingling tried to grab and scold him, Liu Yuyun quickly dodged his hand, reached the door, pulled down his eyelid, stuck out his tongue to make a face at Yao Bingling, and then ran off.

“Senior sister, remember not to let the teacher drink!”

“You little brat, don’t you think I have enough control over my life and now want to control my hobbies too?”

Not being allowed to drink was the last straw for Yao Bingling. Besides, do you expect a war veteran who’s fought many battles not to drink? You might as well ask Obama to steal Putin’s pressure cooker—it’s more reliable.

“Hehe, such a lively kid.”

Ji Zi watched the whole time. Though she only saw Liu Yuyun as a troublesome little brat, she couldn’t deny the relationship between him and his teacher.

There was a subtle warmth, despite both being stubborn, an unbreakable bond, like father and son.

“Huh? Lively? To me, it just looks like a complete failure of education.”

Yao Bingling found his little follower, who usually jumped around demanding this and that, quite a headache. Just as he was about to enjoy some peace when he moved to boarding school, the kid insisted on biking ten kilometers back every Friday to manage his affairs even more intensely.

“Well, isn’t it good? You’re a poor life habit guy, having a little caretaker is good, right?”

“Mind your own business! Since I sent him to boarding school, he’s gotten worse. The freedom of a single man is gone. I really need to find him a boyfriend to distract him.”

Yao Bingling sighed like an old man, utterly exhausted.

“Really annoying, finding a boyfriend for your student… what kind of teacher stuff is that… boyfriend?!”

Ji Zi jumped up from her chair as if someone had set off a firecracker behind her.

“Hey, Ji Zi, why are you so jumpy? Did your menopause start early?”

“Mind your own damn business! Are you out of your mind? Finding a boyfriend for a boy? How much gayer can you get?”

“Huh? You really are early menopausal? Who told you that brat is a boy? Just because he’s a bit dark-skinned, muscular, tall, with a neutral voice, and looks… sunny…” Yao Bingling even covered his head in embarrassment.

“Indeed, from the outside, that brat has nothing to do with girls. But isn’t there a saying? So cute must be a boy, then if so handsome, must be a girl! Besides, physiologically, she really is a girl.”

“What kind of bullshit theory is that!” Ji Zi exploded.

She always thought Liu Yuyun was a boy and didn’t care much about his attitude towards Yao Bingling. But if that brat really was a girl… with such attitude and care for Yao Bingling, damn, there’s got to be something going on!

“…Have you never realized, instructor?”

“Relax, that kid just sees me as a father figure, nothing more. I can see that clearly.”

Compared to Ji Zi’s anger, Yao Bingling was quite calm about what he believed was the truth.

Damn, it’s a father-complex plot!

“Hey, hey, wait! Then what about that book?! You gave a girl an erotic manga?”

“…You don’t expect me to buy gay philosophy or Billy books in town, right? And that kid always admired those kinds of things, otherwise why would she be so hostile to you?”

Yao Bingling said matter-of-factly, making Ji Zi feel like the problem was on her side.

“In any case, with this kid watching over you, your chaotic lifestyle shouldn’t worry anyone too much.”

“You must be dreaming. I’m very disciplined, okay?”

“Uh-huh, disciplined with alcohol morning, noon, and night? Please just eat properly and drink juice, or you’ll get a beer belly after thirty.”

“Do I need to remind you I’ll be thirty-three in two months? And you know I can’t gain weight.”

“Instructor, even I get angry sometimes. Even I get jealous and lose my mind. I’ve got one Kiana who can’t gain weight around me, so shut up!”

“Huh? Calling me Auntie Ji Zi?” Kiana popped her head out from the kitchen with a chicken leg in her mouth.

“Ah, Kiana, I said don’t eat that yet, wait until it’s ready!” Mei ran out of the kitchen blushing, trying to snatch the chicken leg from Kiana’s mouth.

“What does it matter? It’s all food. When you eat it doesn’t matter,” Kiana nimbly dodged Mei’s attempts and flipped over Yao Bingling’s head, landing lightly on the floor.

That move… was this the same person who was immobilized by leg injury just a few hours ago?

“Perfect landing~ Mei, give up, I won’t let go! Where’s my chicken leg?!”

“Perfect intercept~”

Yao Bingling, who had been resting his head on his left hand, suddenly reached up and grabbed a chicken leg. He looked at the teeth marks and shiny saliva on it and sighed, “Ate a whole pig last night and still not full? Now sneaking food like a starving ghost?”

“Not really! It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Just Mei said this was specially made for you, a welcome party for your new post as captain of the Hyperion!”

“Kii Kii Kii Kiana!! That’s not true!!” Mei blushed so hard she was almost as red as the wood cabinet under the TV, too shy to come out of the kitchen, only nervously glancing at Kiana and then secretly at Yao Bingling.

[Ohhh, so that’s their relationship.]

A smile appeared on Yao Bingling’s lips as a fun idea formed in his mind.

“So, this is for me, right Mei?”

“Eh? Eh eh! Y-yes, but not especially!”

“I understand, that’s good. Kiana~”

“What?”

I’ll bite~

Ji Zi, like Yao Bingling, suddenly smiled maliciously. Mei stared dumbfounded at Yao Bingling biting the chicken leg, and Kiana was completely frozen.

“Hmm, not bad, both the meat and cooking are pretty good, though the flavor is a bit light… maybe because it was bitten by someone.”

Yao Bingling nonchalantly took another bite. Ji Zi couldn’t help but turn away to hide her laughter. As Yao Bingling’s former student, she knew exactly why he was doing this. She was quite familiar with his pranks.

“L-L-Lieutenant Colonel, that chicken leg was b-b-b-b-bitten by K-K-Kiana…”

“Bitten, right? Doesn’t matter, we don’t care about that. Oh, I almost forgot, do you kids still have this indirect kissing thing nowadays?”

Yao Bingling looked at the chicken leg, then at the frozen, blushing Kiana, realizing his behavior was a bit inappropriate. Then…

He nervously took another bite.

“Waaah! Stop it, no, wait, my first kiss was Mei’s!”

Screaming, Kiana suddenly lunged at Yao Bingling.

“Hey, girl, did you just say something pretty serious?”

Mouth still holding the chicken leg, Yao Bingling suddenly pushed himself up with his left hand.

He was strong, with superhuman strength, though it couldn’t be clearly defined. Using just one hand to lift himself off the sofa and hover in the air was proof.

In midair, he watched Kiana miss her leap and land back on the sofa without changing posture.

“Don’t get so worked up, girl. If you want a hug, just say so.”

“I’m going to kick you to death!”

Before she finished, Kiana raised her leg to kick Yao Bingling. Skilled with leg attacks, even without her Valkyrie battle armor, her strength was enough to kill an adult with one kick.

“Oh? Want to spar?”

Yao Bingling raised his hand to meet Kiana’s kick.

Hand and leg clash? No one would do something that suicidal, including Yao Bingling.

Only his left hand could move; legs were faster, but his movement was precise like a machine. His palm slid sideways past Kiana’s shoe, and he tilted his head to dodge the direct kick.

Then he suddenly lunged forward, opening his hand. Using both his own strength and Kiana’s forward momentum, he slapped her abdomen.

“Ugh!!!”

Pain? More than that, Kiana first felt Yao Bingling’s left hand grip her abdomen like a tiger’s claw! Her abdomen was slim but strong. His fingers violently pierced into her abdominal muscles, gripping tightly and lifting her up.

“Get off me!”

Because of her short sleeves, Mei and Ji Zi clearly saw Yao Bingling’s slender male arm muscles swell as if injected with some drug, turning steel-like with visible veins and meridians.

“Out!”

Swinging his arm, a gust blew through the room.

Kiana flew from Yao Bingling’s hand like a ragdoll, landing in the yard through the open window—not crashing, just landing.

His seemingly full-strength throw wasn’t that powerful, allowing Kiana to regain control mid-air and stand firmly.

But her gaze toward Yao Bingling was no longer mischievous but serious and disciplined.

“How about it? Want to spar? Let’s see what this old soldier still has. Your legs are injured, my hand can’t move, so it’s fair. By the way, I’m curious how strong Valkyries will be in ten years.”

Yao Bingling shook his just-bandaged hand and said, “Of course, I’m the one challenging. If I lose, I’ll give you something good~”

“Can’t wait!”