The Interstellar Queen of Scavengers

Chapter 645: The Senior’s Return Gift

Ji You looked up, her expression becoming indescribable.

Then—

The robot finally retracted its body, returning to a height of 80 centimeters.

Ji You said, "Um~ Robot Lady, I think your height is lovely, very elegant and beautiful."

Indeed.

This robot was a lady.

The robot said with a smile, "Really? Actually, I prefer being 3 meters tall, but my master doesn’t like it." After saying this, it shrugged its shoulders and added, "Can’t help it, I mostly have to maintain this height."

Eh?

Master?

That must be referring to Senior Shi Ya.

So Senior Shi Ya doesn’t like tall ones, huh.

Cough cough...

Ji You felt like she had stumbled upon a little secret about Senior Shi Ya.

At this moment—

The robot said, "Student Ji You, please extend your hand, the door lock system will automatically recognize your identity information."

Ji You did as instructed and extended her hand.

A light flashed—

Soon after, the doors of the laboratory opened wide.

Ji You looked up and saw Senior Shi Ya, who was half-crouching and focused on making Mecha parts, her eyes lit up, and she smiled, "Senior, are you still busy?"

Shi Ya glanced at her, nodded in greeting.

The robot followed inside, and then, the doors of the laboratory closed once again.

Despite being just a laboratory, the interior space was quite spacious and filled with all kinds of equipment: materials, parts, semi-finished products, workbenches, testing instruments... Everything was orderly and meticulously organized.

Shi Ya was working on assembling the Mechanical Legs, with thousands of parts scattered on the ground...

Ji You didn’t want to interrupt her work, so she stood quietly to the side and watched. Shi Ya’s movements were almost non-stop, with part after part swiftly spinning in her hands and quickly coming together in tight assembly.

A few drops of sweat quietly slid down her fair face...

Her hands were far from fair, covered in calluses instead, but they were nimble and agile, as if endowed with magic, captivated Ji You’s gaze!

Ji You gaped:

So the mundane craft of Mechanical Manufacturing could also be pleasing to the eye.

A few minutes later, Shi Ya’s fingers paused, she turned her head to look at Ji You, and said with pursed lips, "Under the third workbench, in the second drawer, the first compartment—open it."

Hm?

Ji You blinked in confusion, "What?"

Shi Ya said, "You go open it."

Ji You narrowed her eyes, nodded, and said, "Alright."

After Shi Ya returned to her work, Ji You moved towards the third workbench.

Found it.

Following the instruction, Ji You reached for the second drawer, opening it to find about 100 compartments inside, uncertain of what they contained, but she guessed it might be some small parts or similar items.

Without much curiosity, her finger stopped at the first compartment and opened it directly.

The moment it opened, Ji You’s eyes widened in astonishment: "This!!!"

She couldn’t believe it and quickly turned towards Senior Shi Ya.

Shi Ya, without turning her head, simply said, "It’s for you."

Hearing this, Ji You’s face immediately beamed with joy, "Is it really for me?"

Shi Ya responded, "Yes."

Dropping that single word, she fell silent again.

Ji You stared at the candies and sweet treats in the compartment, still disbelieving, and said, "Is this really for me?"

The candies were wrapped in twinkling wrappers, small and exquisite, like stars surrounding a box of circular sweets.

The sweet treats were doughnuts covered with candied fruit, including strawberries, raisins, grapes, blueberries... all garnished around. They were laid out on a pristine sheet of baking paper, which also held a bundle of mini flowers. Upon closer inspection, these flowers weren’t real but carved from various fruits and vegetables...

It really is exquisite, compact, beautiful, and fascinating.

Ji You rubbed her eyes, somewhat disbelieving, and couldn’t help asking: "Senior, is this edible?"

Shi Ya: "..."

Shi Ya, pausing with her fingers, pursed her lips and said: "Yes."

Ji You giggled with a smile, her eyes unwilling to move away from the candies and desserts, saying: "Wow! These are made so beautifully, I can’t bear to eat them."

She truly couldn’t bear to.

Ji You swallowing her saliva, asked again: "Senior, where did you buy these from?"

The school’s cafeteria certainly doesn’t sell them.

Shi Ya, working with her back to Ji You, hence Ji You couldn’t see the tension on her face, but even so with a nervous heart, Shi Ya’s tone was still cold as she said: "I made them."

Huh?

Ji You was instantly wide-eyed!

These were actually made by Senior Shi Ya herself?

Oh my gosh!

The smile at the corners of Ji You’s lips was unstoppable: "Senior, you’re so talented! The candies and doughnuts look so delicious, and they smell so sweet and fragrant!"

Shi Ya remained silent.

Ji You opened the floodgates of conversation, chattering away, and added: "Senior, how did you learn to make them? I really can’t believe you could make candies, really, it’s completely unexpected."

To know, Senior Shi Ya seemed just like an unmelting iceberg, wouldn’t that make it surprising that she also knows how to make desserts and candies?

Shi Ya: "Hmm."

What Shi Ya didn’t say was— the skills to make candies and desserts, as well as cooking skills, were all learned from her father, and also, these were the treats Shi Ya liked to eat as a child.

She didn’t know—

If—

She liked them?

Ji You talked a whole lot, still reluctant to eat, Shi Ya was a bit anxious, but she didn’t show it on her face, still focused on installing the Mechanical Legs.

Finally—

Ji You couldn’t hold back any longer and said: "Then, may I start eating?"

Shi Ya frowning, nodded: "Hmm."

Reluctant to eat the doughnuts for the time being, Ji You thought for a moment, picked out a pink candy, and gently tore open the wrapper, discovering that the candy was shaped like a little star.

Very cute.

Ji You put it in her mouth, and instantly, a sweet taste spread through her mouth.

This is—

Ji You narrowed her eyes, smiling: "This tastes like pomelo."

Shi Ya remained silent, but she had already turned her head, her lips pursed, staring at Ji You.

Ji You’s smile was radiant: "It’s delicious."

Shi Ya: "Hmm."

At the same time, her tensed lips corners, quietly relaxed a bit.

Catching all this, Ji You inwardly laughed uncontrollably: Turns out Senior Shi Ya can get nervous too! It’s just that her nervousness isn’t too obvious, if not for her strained lip corners giving it away, I wouldn’t have noticed.

Could you be any more tsundere?

And—

Could you be any cuter?

Ji You’s eyes and brows smiled as she said directly: "I really like it!"

In an instant—

Shi Ya’s tensed lip corners, completely relaxed. She nodded slightly uncomfortably, saying: "Hmm, glad you like it."

Ji You couldn’t help asking: "Senior, why did you make candies and doughnuts for me?"

Shi Ya was silent for a moment, and then said in a deep voice: "As a return gift."

Huh?

A return gift?

Ji You was puzzled, but she quickly understood that this return gift Senior Shi Ya spoke of must be referring to the Ring Soul Artifact she gave her last time.