Chapter 25

Chapter 25

His Majesty the Dog, quite evidently, was not overly concerned about whether his child possessed a dual personality. Instead, he fixated his gaze upon his freshly minted queen.

Taking his queen's hand gently, he said, "This is the Oathstone, symbolizing that our vows have been heard by the universe."

The canine sovereign lifted the corner of his mouth. "In other words, you've agreed to become my queen."

When did this happen?

Lu Wei vaguely recalled His Majesty the Dog putting this on him at the hospital, but he didn't mention any such effect, right?

Lu Wei gazed at the blue stone in his hand.

Huh??

It didn't look particularly remarkable.

His Majesty the Dog explained, "The stone of pact is said to bear witness to the commitment. Legend has it that one who reneges on their promise will incur divine retribution."

Lu Wei: "..."

Lu Wei sighed. "Forget it."

Well, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

After all, they already had a child together. Before his transmigration, Lu Wei never imagined he would conceive before marriage in a foreign land.

With his agreement, the tyrannical king's lips curled up slightly.

Not only did he force the sale, but he also took advantage of Earthling's lack of knowledge to casually slip a ring on him.

"Think you're quite something, huh?" Lu Wei bared his teeth and rolled up his sleeves. "Just you wait, I'll give you a good hammering."

The dog king paused, slowly turning his head with an appearance of stiffness.

His expression seemed complicated, difficult to describe – a strange mix of awkwardness and a hint of puppy love, or perhaps infatuation.

Lu Wei: "W-What's with that look?"

Emperor Pup: "Call me again."

Lu Wei: "Huh?"

Emperor Pup, with an unreadable expression: "You just called me."

Lu Wei recollected the moment and reached a conclusion: Who on earth called his name?

He had never used any title for Emperor Pup other than "Emperor Pup."

The royal dog gazed at him intently, its expression clearly conveying, "You definitely called me."

As he thought about it, his face began to flush with embarrassment.

What he had actually meant to say was, "[Good boy, just wait until I give you a good scolding.]"

...

...

"Good boy?"

Did this royal dog think that 'good boy' was his nickname?!

Lu Wei couldn't explain to an alien that 'good boy' was merely an intensifier used before hitting someone – damn these cultural differences!

"Who, who called you?!"

The royal dog solemnly took out a book titled "Interstellar Guide to Love."

Then, he flipped to the table of contents.

"Chapter Two - Terminology of Affection."

"When your relationship progresses to a certain stage, you'll naturally adopt new terms of endearment, such as 'xx' (repeated last syllable), baby, or darling. These are personalized and defined by both parties based on their relationship."

The dog king gave a smug expression, his lips curling slightly.

As if to say: What can I do, you just love me so much.

Lu Wei: Grass.

There was no way to communicate with this alien.

His Majesty the Dog raised a finger. "Call me again."

"..."

After all, Lu Wei had spent twenty years on Earth as a genuine man. He simply couldn't bring himself to utter such an indecent nickname!

Moreover, "Good Boy" held a special meaning for him.

Back when his family was still together, they would also call him by that name – it was a common term of endearment there, and his sister would often gently rub his head while softly calling him "Good Boy."

Such a nostalgic nickname just couldn't be brought to life now.

To hell with it!

Upon returning to Royal City, Lu Wei visited his small vegetable garden.

Abandoning vegetable cultivation was out of the question.

His Majesty the Dog, fearing he might fall, kept a watchful eye on him.

Lu Wei remarked, "I think I've stumbled upon a path to prosperity."

His Majesty the Dog inquired, "Are you planning to sell vegetables?"

Lu Wei shot him a sidelong glance. "Your Majesty, when it comes to business acumen, you're lacking. The most profitable venture is never selling raw materials; it's always the processed products."

Huo Jin gazed at him, his expression unreadable.

This demeanor was all too familiar to Lu Wei – it usually meant that something was bothering him.

Turning back to his gardening, Lu Wei asked, "What now?"

His Imperial Highness the Canine Emperor replied with a deadpanned look, "You just addressed me as 'Your Majesty.'"

Lu Wei: ?

His ability to grasp the essence remained as baffling as ever.

Lu Wei: "So, aren't you His Majesty?"

The canine monarch gazed at him with dark, obsidian pupils. "A term of endearment."

"..." Damn it!

How could anyone utter such an endearment?

Just how starved for affection is Your Majesty?

Lu Wei shifted the topic awkwardly. "To make money, we need to establish a processing industry chain, converting vegetables into food products. That's not enough, though, because running a restaurant requires a certain foundation and culinary skills. Therefore, the best approach would be to capitalize on interstellar preservation technology to develop frozen foods."

Indeed, it was the pre-prepared dishes that had been on his mind for a while.

Though they were called pre-prepared dishes, with the advanced temperature preservation technology of the Earth's core, one could say it posed no harm to the quality of the dishes at all.

Isn't this precisely – the paradise for pre-prepared meals!

"So now, we need to seriously consider what product to create. I've thought about it, and something that the masses could accept would be fast food, like burgers –"

"Lu Wei."

Heh heh, there was no way to divert the topic.

His Majesty the Dog persistently stared at him.

The tip of Lu Wei's tongue twirled around, but he still couldn't bring himself to use that address!

What kind of normal male would enjoy being called that way? No wonder people say His Majesty the Dog was eccentric.

Huo Jin yawned lazily and patted the young man's head. "Go to sleep obediently."

Perhaps His Majesty the Dog only intended to tell him to sleep, but the choice of words unintentionally triggered something within him...

Lu Wei flared up like a ignited fuse, immediately sitting upright.

Huo Jin opened his eyes, narrowed them slightly, then propped his chin on his hand. "Good boy?"

After he called out, he clearly saw the young man's ears turn red.

The royal dog acted as if he had discovered a new world, elongating the end of his sentence. "Good boy—"

Lu Wei: !!!!

Even as an adult, hearing this nickname still gave him goosebumps.

No joke.

Hearing it again was like running into the beautiful girl he had a crush on in elementary school—except he was now working at a construction site, carrying bricks.

It was a bittersweet and embarrassing sensation that left him too ashamed to face her.

That was roughly the complicated feeling he experienced.

Suddenly, the royal dog chuckled. "Good boy."

This time, the tone was soft, with a subtle inflection that tugged at one's heartstrings like a tiny hook.

Lu Wei instantly felt a shiver run down his spine, not only did the back of his ears turn red, but even the front of his neck flushed.

The young man had never been so discomposed, except during those intimate moments in bed.

A playful glint shimmered in the eyes of the Canine Sovereign. "So it seems our obedient one has someone else in mind."

Lu Wei stammered, "Y-You, don't call me that."

The Canine Sovereign replied nonchalantly, "Oh, I see."

Lu Wei sighed, "…Fine, you got the message."

The Canine Sovereign pressed on, "Then, call me by something affectionate."

How persistent was Your Majesty when it came to such gooey nicknames!

Lu Wei proposed, "Is there a possibility that we don't have to address each other like this?"

His Majesty the Dog said, "This is the most authoritative textbook on Emperor Star; it's usually correct."

Who the hell falls in love according to textbooks??

Was there something wrong with that book, Love to Marriage (3012 Revised Edition) - The Designated Textbook of Emperor Star and Allied Planets? Wasn't it insane to compile a textbook for such personal matters?

Life was tough. Lu Wei sighed. "Forget it. It makes sense when I think about how idiotic this place is."

It was said that people of Emperor Star followed parenting manuals strictly from birth, youth guides strictly during school, and married and raised children according to textbooks as they grew up.

Very structured indeed.

The dog-faced being stared at him expressionlessly.

If it had been before, Lu Wei would probably have found those dark pupils rather intimidating. Now, he only thought... This guy really resembled that gloomy octopus in the biology garden.

Especially when the strands of hair across his forehead slightly fell, revealing eyes like glass beads through the gaps.

He looked even more like a gloomy octopus!

"Good boy..." Lu Wei managed to utter only one word, almost biting his own lip in the process.

It was sheer torture!

The Canine Sovereign narrowed his eyes and demonstrated, "Be a good boy."

Now, Lu Wei had nearly bitten his lip before, but upon hearing this term of endearment, he ended up biting both his lip and tongue.

His mouth burned with sensation.

"Ouch!" Wincing in pain, he clutched his mouth and squatted down.

He turned his back to Huo Jin, exposing a fair stretch of neck that still bore a lingering flush.

The Canine Sovereign reached out to caress it, causing the young man to spring to his feet.

Lu Wei warned him, "Speak properly and keep your hands to yourself!"

The Canine Sovereign stared at him for a moment before accessing information from his wristband.

"Marital Status: Married. Spouse: Lu Wei."

Lu Wei: "..."

Then, it displayed another excerpt:

"The Journey from Courtship to Marriage (3012 Revised Edition) - Emperor Star and Allied Planets' Designated Textbook"

Chapter 3, Section 2: It is beneficial for partners to engage in affectionate behavior frequently, for both physical and mental well-being.

The royal dog lifted its head, a proud expression on its face.

"..."

Damn this dog curriculum, after bankrupting the Citrus Fragrance Nutrient Solution, I'll be coming for you next!

Lu Wei covered his burning nape, gritting his teeth. "We got married because of an unexpected pregnancy, not through free love."

Upon hearing this, the royal dog turned back into its dark octopus form. "Who told you that?"

Not in the metaphorical sense of an ominous octopus.

Rather, the aura he exuded was terrifying; Lu Wei even felt as if he was seeing dark clouds pressing down upon him.

A literal embodiment of "the black clouds press upon the city, threatening to crush it"?

Lu Wei sensed that this was not someone to provoke lightly, but true men didn't back down easily: "Lieutenant..."

He added, "...to the Lieutenant and others, we must seem like we're getting married due to an unexpected pregnancy."

The sovereign narrowed his eyes slightly, considering: "That's why you want to run."

Someone must have been spreading malicious rumors about Lu Wei behind his back, otherwise, how could the young man be so resolute in leaving?

Lu Wei: "..." W-well, not exactly.

Lu Wei had expected the sovereign to say something along the lines of "people can say what they want, it's their own mouths." Instead, the sovereign's gaze dropped with casual indifference: "If anyone dares to speak ill, I'll chop off their head and hang it at the city gate as a warning. The rumors will dissipate within three days."

Damn, even the wayward king has to seek advice from you!

And from the tone of your voice, it sounds like you've used this method many times with excellent results?

Lu Wei licked his lips, suddenly feeling that he was indeed a courageous warrior for daring to hit the royal dog with a frying pan four times when he was angry.

The royal dog glanced at him. "Forget it, I'm afraid you'll vomit again if you see it."

"..." What's with this dismissive tone of yours?

Lu Wei defended himself, "I vomited before because I was pregnant, alright? It had nothing to do with my stomach."

The royal dog's lips curled up slightly. "Mm, pregnant."

Lu Wei sneered. "If your damn royal family could produce children, no one would have thought in that direction. Do I have to bear this blame? Now everyone thinks there's something wrong with my stomach."

He had overheard the head chef specifically telling the other kitchen staff the other day, "Mr. Lu is rather delicate, so try not to serve cold dishes to him."

Lu Wei met the head chef's gaze, who even gave him an 'OK' sign and mouthed, "I've taken care of it for you."

"The okay gesture was something I taught you," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

Lu Wei found himself at a loss for words, not wanting to dismiss the other's kind intentions. He could only swallow the adjective "dainty" with a bitter smile through his tears.

As the pioneer of coining the term "dainty," the Dog Emperor brazenly continued, "Pregnancy does make one a bit more delicate."

As he spoke, he gently stroked Lu Wei's still-flat belly and pointed at it, stating matter-of-factly, "That's on him."

Lu Wei was amused despite himself. "Passing the blame again, huh? What has your unborn child done wrong? This is all because of you!"

The Dog Emperor fired back with a flurry of remarks: madness, passing the blame, and ignoring others.

It wasn't until the Dog Emperor wore a pleased expression that Lu Wei realized what he had just admitted.

Damn.

"Yes, mine," Lu Wei acknowledged.

"Belonging to some wild man," the Dog Emperor countered playfully.

"Sweetheart, thank you."

"…" It would be strange if the Royal Dog ever listened to humans.

The Royal Dog wore a curious expression. "Will he kick me?"

Lu Wei teased him. "Why don't you ask him?"

The monarch of this kingdom actually squatted down in front of Lu Wei, placing his palm on his abdomen and softly conversing with the baby. "Kick me."

Lu Wei couldn't help but laugh at him.

He genuinely chuckled out loud.

"Hahahaha, you idiot!'

He had never seen anyone talk to an embryo like that, asking it to "kick me," as if giving a command?

The Royal Dog exerted great control over his touch, then raised an eyebrow after a moment. "Forget it, don't move around too much. Your father is delicate, and I'm afraid you might hurt him with your kicks."

Lu Wei's smile instantly vanished, "…."

He didn't have time to scold when his abdomen stirred.

Pregnancy was a miraculous biological phenomenon. Without any prior indication, Lu Wei firmly believed that the baby was greeting them.

It was an inexplicable intuition.

The Dog Emperor's tone was strangely amused, "So delicate even before, what will it be like later on—"

"Huo Jin!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the young man interrupted him with a tone of both curiosity and delight.

Lu Wei pointed at his belly cautiously, "He's moving."

The young man would never have spoken in such a hushed tone before, nor would he have stared with wide, round eyes shimmering with curiosity.

This harmless and adorable demeanor was quite uncommon.

His Majesty the Dog gazed at Lu Wei, not really wanting to look at his belly, but only doing so reluctantly under persuasion.

Lu Wei reached out and touched it, feeling the gentle undulations beneath. He could genuinely sense the presence of life through his palm.

The other hand joined in, bringing a soothing warmth.

Yawning, His Majesty the Dog remarked, "You now dare to call me by my name directly. I can't even imagine what you'd dare to do in the future."

Lu Wei was truly tempted to hit him. "Stop with the nonsense."

Only then did His Majesty the Dog start to caress the belly, though his touch sent shivers up Lu Wei's spine. But he couldn't afford to mind that right now.

Promptly, Lu Wei asked, "Can you feel it?"

His Majesty the Dog cupped his chin thoughtfully, trying to sense any movement. However, the baby didn't seem to be in the mood, whether from exhaustion or some other reason. It was unusually still.

"No?"

At that moment, the belly was indeed very tranquil.

The Dog Emperor lifted his gaze. "No."

Lu Wei was also puzzled. "He was just kicking me."

The Dog Emperor lowered his eyes threateningly. "If you don't kick me, I'll—teach you a lesson when you come out."

Lu Wei said, "Speak properly."

To be reincarnated as the Dog Emperor's offspring was the worst possible luck in eight lifetimes.

Lu Wei placed the emperor's hand where it had been. "Embryos might have a sense of tone too. If you speak to him rudely, he might really feel it. You should be polite when talking to others. What good does scaring him do—"

His words were cut short.

The Dog Emperor was chuckling quietly.

He leaned against Lu Wei's abdomen, and the vibrations from his laughter were considerable.

"…" What are you laughing at?

He lifted his gaze, gazing at Lu Wei with eyes brimming with amusement.

Upon realizing the situation, Lu Wei slapped away his hand as if to salvage his dignity. "Don't touch me."

It was all over; he was gradually coming to terms with the concept of bearing children with another man.

The Dog Sovereign burst into laughter once more.

His laughter stirred such an intense desire in Lu Wei that it was as if he were starving for a frying pan.

The Dog Sovereign embraced him from behind, his voice laced with mirth as he whispered into Lu Wei's ear, "Be a good boy."

Lu Wei trembled, his hands growing weak.