Chapter 7

Chapter 7

This was the second time he had thrown up within a day.

Huo Jin gave him a glance.

Lu Wei: "…Why are you looking at me? Aren't you infertile?" What was there to be worried about?

Though he said that, Lu Wei himself wasn't entirely confident.

Lu Wei thought it might be due to his body not adapting to the new environment, but there were other possibilities, right? !

Lu Wei: "Aren't you incapable of having children?"

The Dog Emperor looked at him expressionlessly.

Cough, having children was indeed impossible, right?

The Dog Emperor stared at him intently.

Lu Wei averted his gaze. "Aren't you all unable to bear children? Worrying about such slim odds is like buying a lottery ticket and hoping for 'Thank You for Your Support.'"

His Majesty the Dog stroked his chin. "Call a doctor over to take a look."

Lu Wei replied, "Actually, there's no need. I probably just have a stomachache."

His Majesty stared at Lu Wei's abdomen, then back at him. "Sulky."

Lu Wei: ...

A group of doctors rushed over anxiously, keeping their heads down and waiting for orders with a composed demeanor.

It was evident how detached His Majesty the Dog usually was in his dealings with others.

These doctors didn't dare to ask questions or even lift their heads. They clearly divided their tasks and carefully moved Lu Wei away.

Lu Wei was transferred to a diagnostic chamber and seated on a chair, with various instruments attached to his stomach, connected by multicolored tubes.

The doctors had serious expressions, and the one being stared at blankly by His Majesty the Dog was drenched in sweat.

Given the significance of the royal lineage, the doctors dared not treat the matter lightly. They divided their tasks and collaborated efficiently around the medical equipment.

It was the first time for Earthling Lu Wei to be swarmed with such tender care, making him highly uncomfortable.

Lu Wei said, "Would you believe me if I told you I ate something bad?"

One of the doctors pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead. "Mr. Lu, it's not a matter of whether I believe you or not."

—Primarily, under the watchful gaze of His Majesty, they had to go through all the necessary procedures.

Lu Wei could only submit passively like a doll as the doctors examined him.

In truth, the doctors were not overly concerned that this young man was pregnant. The chances of conception on Emperor Star were already slim, and it was nearly impossible for someone from the royal bloodline.

"The issue does seem to be with your stomach," the doctor sighed in relief, wiping away a thin sheen of sweat with the back of his hand.

The final diagnosis was: not pregnant, just some digestive issues.

Without pregnancy, there could be no morning sickness; it was likely just a stomach irritation.

This outcome was no surprise to anyone; on the contrary, they would have been astonished if the test had come back positive for pregnancy.

After all, there hadn't been any new royal births on Emperor Star in almost a century, which was to be expected in a society with such abysmal birth rates.

The doctor's tension eased as he said, "Mr. Lu, I'll prescribe you some special medication. It's very effective for digestive issues."

"Okay," replied Lu Wei, relieved but looking rather pale after the hours-long comprehensive examination.

However, this paleness was subject to different interpretations in others' eyes.

Yes, 'others' referred to His Majesty the Dog Emperor.

Upon seeing his ashen complexion, the Dog Emperor assumed he was upset and tried to console him: "It's alright, you'll have one eventually."

Lu Wei's expression darkened even more. Go away.

Dog Emperor: He's truly heartbroken.

If Lu Wei knew what was on his mind, he would definitely start throwing punches.

Due to this matter, the diligent adjutant had been subjected to His Majesty's teasing all day long.

After work, the adjutant, who had hastily left, was informed that he needed to stay.

While the adjutant was sweating profusely, recalling any recent misdeeds he might have committed, the king posed a question.

The king, with an expressionless face, asked, "Adjutant, what would you do if your partner were in distress?"

The bachelor adjutant, who had been single for eighty years: ???? What's going on now?

Before this, it would be advisable for the empire to assign him a partner first. As interstellar receptors were scarce, they were matched based on each other's needs. The usually quiet adjutant had relied on blind dates, hoping to find a partner, but had yet to succeed.

The adjutant gasped, "W-What kind of distress are we talking about here?"

The king pondered seriously, "Trying to conceive without success."

This was a common issue among expectant mothers in the empire, where the birth rate was low. Some had tried for decades without conceiving, making "how to comfort expectant mothers" a popular topic. Even someone like the adjutant, who had been single for a lifetime, had come across some information on the subject. Apparently, only someone like His Majesty would be completely oblivious to it.

The astute strategist, who was self-taught, conjectured, "Perhaps it's to soothe or reassure?"

"What kind of actions, for instance?"

"Like, for example, a kiss?"

This must be how the young people nowadays express their feelings, right?

—He wasn't that knowledgeable about such matters either.

His Majesty, who seemed destined to remain single forever, had found a spouse before them all.

He couldn't bear it anymore.

"Oh," the Dog Emperor mused thoughtfully.

—

Recently, Lu Wei had started cultivating a plot of land in Royal City, planting seeds that had been tested after being retrieved from another star system.

He was rather pragmatic in his thoughts, knowing it was impossible to remain indefinitely under the Emperor's care. Learning more about farming would equip him with a skill for when he was on his own.

At that moment, Lu Wei was continuing to cultivate his vegetable garden in the backyard. He had harvested some rapidly growing, inexplicable plants from the other day and was now sowing new seeds.

There were all sorts of seeds from the chaotic interstellar space, so he blindly scattered them, relying purely on luck for their growth.

Upon arriving, Huo Jin witnessed this scene. Without saying a word or doing anything, he crouched beside Lu Wei, observing him intently.

Lu Wei held his small shovel and asked, "This seed you brought back from Planet B—what is it? Can it grow something edible?"

The Emperor glanced at it. "It's a honeyfruit seed."

Bullshit.

Right then and there, Lu Wei tossed the seed away from the Emperor's face as far as he could.

In his heart, the Emperor thought, Not conceiving has made his temper so fiery.

For as long as Lu Wei worked on his planting, the Emperor sat on a small stool nearby, watching him like a lord, keeping his gaze fixed on the young man.

Lu Wei: "..."

He was at a loss for words due to the urge to scoff, but upon considering who had said it, it seemed reasonable.

Not wanting to waste resources, Lu Wei had inquired the Dog Emperor about each seed before planting them, only sowing those that were edible.

After finishing his work, he stood up and brushed off the dirt on his hands. "What exactly do you want?"

The Dog Emperor pointed at himself. "Permission to kiss me."

Lu Wei almost thought he had gone deaf.

Me... kiss you?

Lu Wei forced a smile. "What's the matter with Your Majesty now?"

The Dog Emperor stared at him, as if asking with its expression: Aren't you going to kiss me?

Though heaven had blessed him with a terrible temper, it had also granted him an impeccable appearance. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that even when looking at a dog, those eyes conveyed deep affection.

This face was entirely to Lu Wei's taste; if it were gender-swapped, he would definitely be smitten.

Lu Wei silently averted his gaze.

The Dog Emperor said, "Isn't the job position you mentioned just a stable and reputable job with guaranteed benefits?"

Lu Wei snapped his fingers. "Spot on."

What an insightful young man.

The Dog Emperor spoke words that were music to Lu Wei's ears. "I've found one for you – a post-production role at the Empire Television Network, directly under the Imperial administration. The job rank is quite high. You only need to show up and put in an appearance each day, or not, it doesn't matter – no one would dare comment since you'll still receive your salary regardless."

How utterly accommodating! What a backdoor, nepotistic, exclusive slacker position!

The Dog Emperor truly understood the game.

Lu Wei's heart bloomed with joy. "Yes, yes, that's the one!"

The Dog Emperor continued, "After all, you can't carry anything heavy, you can't lift anything, and your belly is soft and inviting for hugs. It's clear that you're not suited for other types of work."

Lu Wei: ...

He couldn't expect this one to utter more than three nice words in a row.

But Lu Wei was in a good mood and didn't want to nitpick. He picked up his shovel and started walking back. The dog king stared intently at his every move, still not saying a word.

Lu Wei felt goosebumps from the constant gaze and turned to see that the dog king's eyes were fixed on his lips.

Damn it.

There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Lu Wei cursed, "What are you looking at?"

The dog king pondered, "You're unhappy."

Lu Wei chuckled, "Your Majesty sees through me."

As if it wasn't because of who.

His Majesty the Dog: "This isn't something that can be rushed." There's no need to force it.

Currently, conception was no easy task on Emperor Star, where fertility rates were extremely low. Even perfectly compatible couples theoretically required three months to conceive.

Although he wasn't particularly eager for a child, looking at the young man's expression, he suddenly found the idea of having one rather appealing.

Lu Wei: ?

He was threatening his father.

If he didn't kiss this bastard, the bond wouldn't be formed.

Damn it.

Sure enough, he was nuts.

Lu Wei narrowed his eyes, studying him intently.

His Majesty the Dog: Looking at his earnest expression, he really does want a child.

"Don't look at me like that."

"You—"

In the end, his desire from their previous life to get closer to what he almost had overwhelmed his reason.

Lu Wei waved at him impatiently. "Close your eyes."

"Demands, huh?" Despite his words, Huo Jin shut his eyes.

Lu Wei admitted that he could gaze at His Canine Majesty's face for a thousand years without tiring. The contours of his face were deep, and his features were sharp, yet his eyes held an affectionate, amorous gaze, even when looking at a dog.

Having come to terms with this in his mind, Lu Wei leaned in and brushed a light kiss against the left side of His Canine Majesty's face.

The sensation was fleeting, and Lu Wei rubbed his own cheek.

Forget it, it wasn't that hard to accept.

His Canine Majesty opened his eyes. "Is that it?"

Lu Wei dryly responded, "Mm."

The royal dog criticized, "There's not even a hint of feeling."

Lu Wei's fists clenched again. Truly, one couldn't expect anything decent to come out of a dog's mouth.

He might as well have kissed a dog.

"Scram," Lu Wei dismissed him, sneering as he carried the shovel away.

Soon, the work ID card was in Lu Wei's hands.

It read, "Name: Lu Wei, Unit: Empire Television Station," with a red stamp at the bottom.

In that moment, Lu Wei held the world's most perfect job ID in his hands.

Overjoyed, he examined and kissed the ID repeatedly.

He was happier than Fan Jin when he passed the imperial examination.

The royal dog raised an eyebrow. "You're this happy just for one job?"

Lu Wei sneered. "Do you have any idea how dire the situation is outside? Landing such a great job is like praying for divine intervention."

Nowadays, people no longer prayed for sudden wealth; their expectations were so low that they only wished for a satisfactory job.

Was His Majesty aware that it was relatively easy to find work outside the capital?

He truly loved his work.

As the royal dog pondered this, he reached out to touch the spot where he had just been kissed.