Chapter 52

"Fine, go ahead then."

Wu Ying's expression turned cold, carrying a quiet authority. She usually wore a smile, her features soft and gentle. But now, her icy demeanor—perhaps a trickle-down effect from spending so much time with Asher—held a certain weight.

"Well, you and the commander showed an exceptionally high Compatibility Rate during your initial assessment. That's what brought you two together in the first place. The Research Institute put in a lot of effort to make your marriage happen, and that's how you—"

Wu Ying cut her off. "Get to the point." The preamble was both familiar and grating.

Ivy took a deep breath, her simmering anger making her voice stiff. "The Institute wants to conduct an experiment. The subjects would be you and the commander. The goal is to observe how a high Compatibility Rate affects various aspects of married life, including the outcome for any offspring. The experiment would be long-term, but it's primarily observational. It won't intrude on your daily lives."

Without a moment's hesitation, Wu Ying refused. From marriage to children, who had the time or inclination for such an extended experiment? And who was to say they wouldn't intrude, even if they claimed otherwise? She had no desire to live her future life under constant surveillance.

"Why? This experiment poses no harm to you," Ivy said, leaning forward in frustration, her face a mask of incomprehension.

"Asher has a sensitive position. It's not convenient."

"That won't be an issue. The Institute will manage it. And it absolutely won't touch on any military secrets."

"You say that, but can you guarantee it? You mentioned it covers every aspect of married life. He's either at the front lines or at home. How can you promise that? And whether he agrees is up to him, not you."

"So, you're agreeing?"

"No. I don't agree. I don't want outsiders interfering in my life."

Ivy sprang to her feet in a fury. Qiao Lin stood and grabbed her arm, urging her to stay calm. This wasn't how negotiations were done. Such an experiment required careful consideration, and the concerns Wu Ying raised were the most common ones.

For a professional matter, Ivy was surprisingly volatile.

She held Ivy back, but couldn't stop her words. "You're refusing? Your life? If it weren't for the Institute, you wouldn't have this life at all. Don't you know the principle of returning a favor?"

Jiujiu immediately activated its defense protocols, opening its recording function and positioning itself beside Wu Ying. Ivy's agitation was climbing, raising her threat level.

"I think my current life is something I've given myself. It's not like the Institute can just conjure up a Compatibility Rate like mine for anyone else."

It was the truth. Her marriage to Asher was built on their compatibility and their mutual consent. The Institute was, at best, a middleman. Even Wu Ying's own parents wouldn't have dared to claim such credit. What made the Institute think they were entitled to it?

"Do you even realize the commander never wanted to marry you in the first place? If the Institute hadn't used its connections to pressure him, you wouldn't have even had a chance to meet him!"

Ivy's teeth clenched with resentment. A bunch of old fossils at the Institute, all ruled by the Compatibility Rate—they were the reason the commander was stuck with this woman.

"I never asked them to pressure him. And do you honestly think pressure alone got Asher to marry me? If he'd met me and still said no, what could the Institute have done? They'd be lucky if he didn't make trouble for them."

"Also, you're a public official. Using your position to yell at me and try to trick me into some unknown experiment? I'll report you."

Wu Ying grabbed her bag, shot them a glare, and turned to leave.

"Don't go! You have to agree. I'm telling you, if you participate in this experiment, at least you'll have some value. Otherwise, when you're eventually cast aside, you'll be lucky to crawl back to the protected zone. The Institute can temporarily hire you as a research assistant. In the future, you could even become a full researcher."

Seeing her about to leave finally snapped Ivy back to composure. She played her last card—a strategy she and the director had devised. She had hoped to avoid this cost, but Wu Ying was proving far more difficult than expected.

"Research assistant?"

"Yes. You'd be involved in part of the experiment." That part mainly involved convincing the commander to participate, since their previous attempts to approach him directly had gotten them a stern warning.

"Doing odd jobs?"

Seeing Wu Ying's dissatisfaction, Ivy quickly added, "No, nothing like that. Simple tasks. For instance, communicating with the commander about the experiment details. I'm sure you're more than capable."

Wu Ying let out a derisive snort. Their audacity was so loud, Asher could probably hear it clear across Alpha Star.

"You're dreaming. This isn't up for discussion. Don't come near me again, or don't blame me for not being polite."

With the last shred of her civility spent, Wu Ying stomped away. She hadn't taken more than a few steps when her Light Brain chimed with an incoming call.

It was Asher.

She answered, and his deep voice rumbled in her ear. "Are you in some kind of danger?"

Jiujiu's alert system was linked to his terminal. As her husband and emergency contact, Asher was automatically notified when an alarm was triggered.

"Just ran into a mad dog," Wu Ying said, glancing back to see Ivy's sour expression. She didn't feel any particular satisfaction.

"A mad dog on Pilan Star? Have the space police been called? Are you hurt?"

"Yeah, a big one. Nasty biter. But my martial arts are top-notch, so I got through it without a scratch. What about you? Were you just fighting the insect race?" Wu Ying mocked, then smoothly shifted the topic. Asher had been on the front lines all week, and she worried the alert might have distracted him.

She'd previously asked Jiujiu to turn off the alert, but Asher had refused, saying it was no trouble. Still, the worry lingered.

Ivy and Qiao Lin stood frozen, listening as the sound of Wu Ying's call faded into the distance. It might have been the commander on the other end.

Ivy's heart twisted with bitterness. She'd never harbored aspirations for someone of the commander's stature, yet she'd watched Wu Ying transform from a timid protected-zone girl into a composed commander's wife. It felt unfair, impossible. Ivy had grown up in a decent family—not wealthy, but comfortable. How was she any worse than Wu Ying?

Qiao Lin felt a very different emotion stirring within her: a deep, aching hunger for what Wu Ying had. Her life today was everything Qiao Lin had ever hoped for. Seeing her only fueled her ambition, confirming that her hard work wasn't in vain, that her dreams were within reach. She didn't ask for much—just a way out of her current circumstances.

Lost in their respective fantasies, they didn't notice Wu Ying was long gone. By then, Asher had finished his duties for the moment, and Wu Ying was venting to him about the whole affair. Curiosity really did kill the cat.

She should have known nothing good would come out of that. And yet, she'd walked right into it.

Asher pulled off his gloves, stained dark with insect race blood, a faint green sheen clinging to the black material. His face remained calm, betraying nothing.

His focus was almost entirely on his Light Brain, on Wu Ying's endless chatter. "Mad dog" was no dog—it was something that had upset her.

"They came to me before," he said slowly. "I sent someone to decline the second time they tried." He'd thought they would have gotten the message by now. To think they'd turn their attention to her. It seemed his earlier warning hadn't been stern enough.

"They only pick on the weak. And I'm the weakest of all! So mad—"

"Actually, if you'd been a bit more polite, maybe she would have agreed." Qiao Lin chose her words carefully, a worried look on her face. Ivy's attitude had been completely unprofessional. The first lesson in social experimentation at school was always about negotiation tactics.

Qiao Lin felt Wu Ying was cautious, but not unreasonable. Perhaps a more civil approach would have borne more fruit.

Ivy shoved her hand away, glaring at her venomously. "What, afraid I'm ruining your chance to cozy up? Ha. You want to learn from her? She's busy, too busy for the likes of us."

Qiao Lin felt a pang of being exposed, but her expression didn't show it. She had indeed hoped to use this opportunity to cultivate a better relationship with Wu Ying. Wu Ying had married a high-status man, and she herself came from a lowly background. Qiao Lin was in the same boat—only luckier, having been sponsored by a wealthy family early on.

She believed she could find common ground with Wu Ying.

Ivy snorted, turning toward the door. She'd completed her task for the Institute and needed to report back to the director.

Qiao Lin called after her. "Hey, you're just giving up? Why not let me give it a try?"

"Oh? Not one to quit, are you? Fine, go ahead. I can't wait to hear how it goes." Ivy sneered. People like Qiao Lin, born low, would cling tooth and nail to any opportunity that drifted by. Let her make a fool of herself.

Did she think latching onto Wu Ying would be her ticket to the top? At this rate, Wu Ying's own life wasn't exactly a bed of roses. What could she possibly do to help? Find Qiao Lin a high-born husband too, was that it?

The next day, Wu Ying rushed to class just in time. "Wu Ying, what did that woman want yesterday? You okay? Need any help?"

Huo Lin leaned in the moment Wu Ying sat down, her hand resting on the back of the chair, her voice low as if to say, "Woman, what's your trouble? Spill it to your girl!"

Wu Ying pulled a paper notebook from her bag and playfully shoved her away. "Just some nonsense! Don't need help, just about done being steamed about it. Kept me up half the night."

Huo Lin raised an eyebrow at the old-fashioned notebook. She ruffled Wu Ying's hair by way of comfort.

"What happened? What happened?"

Cynthia, ever curious, draped herself over Huo Lin's back to get a look at Wu Ying.

"So nosy! Here comes the teacher. I'll tell you after class."

Their botany professor entered the classroom, and the holographic display at the front flickered to life like a sci-fi movie. Plants bloomed in 3D as Wu Ying diligently opened her notebook.

From basic theory to deep application, from plant traits to medicinal properties and beyond—this was the soul of the lecture. It was also why only a seasoned professor could teach it, as it demanded extensive practical experience.

The charm of knowledge was fragrant, indeed. Fragrant enough to put you to sleep. Cynthia was already face-down on the desk, lost in dreamland. Huo Lin was casually scrolling through her Light Brain. Only Wu Ying remained, stubbornly holding on.