The Scent of Victory and Milk Bread

Xi Yao, though offering no useful practical advice, had a way with words, her arguments flowing with effortless conviction.

“There’s no rush. We need to gather our strength first, as this is merely the beginning. I’ll share some insider information with you all at our next gathering.”

“Of course there’s news, plenty of it. Rest assured, we are not fighting this battle alone.”

The bathhouse was thick with mist, obscuring Xi Yao’s face from the other girls, who could only discern the ‘snowy mountains’ gently quivering on the water’s surface as she spoke.

The very ground seemed to tremble, sending ripples and waves across the water as the ‘snowy mountains’ swayed, a truly impressive sight.

Her words, too, seemed to gain significant weight.

“I know many of you still feel uneasy, worried that we might not achieve anything. But please remember,” Xi Yao straightened her back with a forceful arch, creating even larger ripples, “a mighty wind begins with a subtle breeze on the duckweed (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘feng qi yu qing ping wei mo,’ meaning great movements often start from humble beginnings).”

The girls by the bathhouse edge felt a jolt, their hearts quickening, as if something profound had begun to sprout within them.

Xi Yao steadied her breathing and spoke again, her voice softening. “Alright, let’s end our soak here for today. Everyone should head back and get some rest.”

That was enough; any more and the bathwater would turn into chicken soup (TL Note: A Chinese slang term referring to overly sentimental or preachy motivational talk).

Xi Yao had nothing left to give.

‘Let’s call it a day here. I’ll go back and have a wonderful sleep, get some good rest. I still have exercise on Wednesday, after all.’

The other girls remained, watching Xi Yao wrap herself in a towel and slowly walk away.

“I finally understand,” one girl murmured, “why an aircraft carrier is the flagship of a fleet.”

****

“I’m back~”

Xi Yao hummed a tune as she returned to her dorm room, pushing open the door to find a familiar golden-haired beauty seated inside.

“You’re finally back,” Aileen sighed, “I’ve been waiting for ages.”

She had said she’d be back soon, yet Aileen had been sitting there for ten minutes.

“It’s better to arrive at the right moment than too early. It’s rare for you to visit our dorm, so staying a bit longer is fine. But you’ve been sitting here for so long, how is it you haven’t even had a sip of water?”

Xi Yao immediately noticed a crucial detail: there was no water glass on the table in front of Aileen, nor was Tuantuan present.

With a swift stride, she headed towards the water dispenser.

“Wait, don’t…”

Aileen realized what was happening, but it was too late. Xi Yao had already filled a cup with boiling hot water and presented it to her. “Drink up, drink it while it’s hot… I mean, drink more hot water.”

“…Alright, I suppose,” Aileen said, raising a slender finger to touch the rim of the cup, gauging the temperature. “I’ll stay a bit longer today.”

‘According to the principle of entropy, hot water always cools down eventually.’

“You should have stayed longer ages ago. You always rush off as if I haven’t hosted you well,” Xi Yao said, settling down cheerfully. “So, what good news do you have this time?”

Aileen chuckled softly. “Then you’re in for a disappointment; there’s no good news this time.”

Xi Yao paused, slightly stunned. “Could it be bad news, then?”

Even Jiang Li put down her German book and looked over.

“Do you remember I told you before that Yun Caiyi had used money to bribe quite a few people?” Aileen sighed again. “I didn’t expect to have underestimated her influence so much.”

Xi Yao blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Too many people have been bought over. When I went to the student council, several people tried to persuade me,” Aileen tugged at the corner of her lips, laughing despite herself. “Now, over half the student council is ready to welcome their new master.”

Jiang Li gasped in surprise at the news. “It’s that serious?”

Though she wasn’t fully informed, the fact that over half the student council had been bribed sounded like a grave situation.

Xi Yao, however, remained optimistic. “It doesn’t matter. They have a master, and so do you.”

Aileen’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “I have a master too?”

“Me, of course,” Xi Yao declared, proudly straightening her posture as Tuantuan rose from the tabletop. “Am I not the student council president you acknowledged?”

Aileen’s mouth twitched; she had no desire to speak.

Jiang Li subtly tugged at her, whispering, “That’s a president, not a master.”

‘That particular title sounded a little too suggestive.’

“In short, we’ll soon be surrounded by enemies on all sides (TL Note: ‘Si mian chu ge’ is a Chinese idiom meaning to be besieged on all sides, in a desperate situation),” Aileen said slowly. “Prepare yourself mentally.”

“Me prepare myself? *They* should be the ones preparing,” Xi Yao retorted with a cold snort, mimicking her sister’s demeanor. “We’re not afraid of numbers. I’ll give you a surprise in a few days.”

‘Besieged on all sides, eh? Just wait until my “poolside talks” mature; I’ll show them an ambush from ten directions.’

“It’s not as simple as just having more people… Never mind,” Aileen closed her eyes. “It sounds like things are going smoothly on your end.”

“Oh, absolutely. Exceptionally smooth.”

Xi Yao enthusiastically recounted the events in the bathhouse: the teeming crowd, herself at the center, listening as they reported how many people they had already swayed, with those in the bathhouse being merely the tip of the iceberg.

Jiang Li listened, secretly clicking her tongue in wonder, thinking how fortunate she hadn’t gone along. Otherwise, with so many people crowded together, and no one wearing clothes, it would have been… Wait, did that mean Xi Yao had bathed under the gaze of so many girls?

‘Ehhhh, that inexplicably makes me a little unhappy.’

“Just like that, with a few words from me, everyone’s spirits lifted. After a few more sessions, we’ll have both the numbers and the morale to succeed in anything we attempt!”

Xi Yao raised a small fist, as if envisioning herself raising an arm, countless classmates rallying behind her, bringing provisions, their shadows following, three thousand Yue warriors charging towards the student council.

“There’s no need to fear those in the student council who took money,” she scoffed softly. “We’ll replace them all when the time comes!”

Aileen pursed her lips. “You should become student council president first; right now, we’re still at a disadvantage.”

Despite her words, the golden-haired girl’s lips involuntarily curved upward slightly, her mood seemingly less heavy.

‘This Xi Yao, she always makes people’s emotions fluctuate, making them lose their composure.’

‘But sometimes, that’s not a bad thing.’

She closed her eyes again, resting, waiting for the hot water to cool.

Just then, Jiang Li subtly tugged at Xi Yao’s sleeve, silently blinking her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Jiang Li? Hmm,” Xi Yao observed her, then pondered for a moment. “Are you hungry?”

The girl’s pretty face flushed, and she offered no reply.

‘She really is hungry.’

“Alright, just a moment, let me see,” Xi Yao rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a piece of bread. “Today it’s milk-flavored, no filling, but it’s quite soft.”

Jiang Li wasn’t picky; she tore open the bag and began eating. Xi Yao also poured a cup of water, placing it beside her—warm, not at all scalding.

The aroma of milk bread wafted through the dorm, causing even Aileen to open her eyes and ask in surprise, “What are you two doing?”

“…?”

Jiang Li, oblivious, looked up from her bread, gazing at Aileen with a puzzled expression.

Only then did Aileen realize the rich milky scent emanated from the bread. She quietly let out a sigh of relief. “Nothing, I just thought you two were…”

‘Mainly because Xi Yao also smelled of milk, and Jiang Li had just said she was hungry, so Aileen had thought…’

“Jiang Li eats little at dinner and sometimes gets hungry at night,” Xi Yao explained casually. “I’m much the same, so I often buy a few loaves of bread to bring back.”

‘The only difference between her and Jiang Li was that Xi Yao ate a lot more at dinner.’

As she spoke, she casually pulled out a napkin and wiped the bread crumbs from the corner of Jiang Li’s mouth. Jiang Li cooperated readily, raising her beautiful face and waiting for her to finish before lowering her head again to continue eating and reading.

Aileen couldn’t hold back any longer. “If you’ll pardon my asking, are you two… truly not lesbians?”