Chapter 29

Chapter 29

On the first day of their vacation, the weather was unusually sunny.

The snow on the balcony had partially melted and was diligently swept away by 015. The potted plants hidden under the small shed were moved to a sunlit area, where they cautiously unfolded their branches and leaves.

The Red Jade Vine was translucent, like a small artwork crafted from red agate, refracting the warm sunlight into a thousand shimmering hues.

"Can you see me now? Tell me."

Yale bent down and peered at the expression on the male's face. As he asked, he waved his hand in front of Xi Ze.

Though the treatment was only in its mid-stage, it shouldn't have shown significant effects so soon. Yet, when Xi Ze woke up that morning, he told Yale that he could already perceive some light.

Xi Ze released his hand from his left eye and gently held Yale's hand.

"I can only sense some light rays for now. It's not enough for actual vision... But it should be coming soon."

In the relatively less injured left eye, there was a hazy blur, with vague outlines of large color patches visible. In the right eye, only faint halos could barely be sensed, requiring more time to recover fully.

"Alright then."

Yale couldn't help but suppress a slight disappointment, yet he still managed to curve his lips into a smile.

"It's already great. Let's take it slow."

Xi Ze chuckled along. "Sure."

Previously, he had been busy with work every weekday and occupied with taking the female insect to the doctor on weekends. Now that he suddenly had free time, Yale found himself at a loss for what to do.

Staying at home felt rather dull, but he didn't have the desire to go out either. After all, Etar was just a poor and backward little planet with limited entertainment options.

"How about we watch a movie?"

Yale suggested, patting the smooth head of 015.

"Isn't this kind of weather perfect for cuddling up at home and watching a film?"

He looked at Xi Ze and began to babble earnestly, maintaining a straight face.

"There's a saying that to heal a wound quickly, you need to remind the body's healing cells where the injury is. Watching more videos might stimulate your eyes to recover sooner or later..."

The female insect's brows furrowed slightly, but he listened quietly to Yale's unconventional logic.

"Do whatever the male sovereign wishes, there's no need to consider me."

Besides, they had watched the news together quite a few times; watching a movie wouldn't make much difference.

"I just want you to feel more involved."

Yale always felt that watching the news was different from watching movies.

With the former, one could listen throughout the entire process, whereas the latter was more about leisure and entertainment. The visuals were far more captivating than the audio, and it would be rather uncomfortable to only hear but not see.

"What do you want to watch? Hmm..."

He scrolled through the homepage, hesitating in confusion for a moment before finally selecting a film with a high rating.

The curtains on the balcony were drawn, but due to their checkered design, they didn't block out too much light.

The entire living room was bathed in a soft glow, with a large screen projecting a crisp image, creating an atmosphere of leisure and comfort.

Yale kicked off his slippers and curled his feet up on the sofa, diving into a bowl of chips with a satisfying crunch.

These were among the few snacks that 015 knew how to prepare, and they had once made him feel incredibly at home. Apparently, the love for fried foods was a universal language that transcended dimensions and civilizations.

"..."

The familiar opening sounds of a movie echoed along with the crunching of chips, filling the spacious and quiet living room.

Xi Ze adjusted his posture, leaning back against the sofa cushion with his body facing the screen.

His expression was serious, but in reality... he was daydreaming.

It was an odd sensation.

In his busy early life, he never imagined he would have a day like this, spent in leisure.

New Year's affairs were the most numerous and trivial, with various banquet invitations flooding in like snowflakes. Coupled with the accumulated matters in the military, there was barely a moment of respite.

Yet, at that moment, his thoughts were not preoccupied by the dissonance but rather by the male insect sitting beside him, inadvertently leaning closer.

The male exuded a subtle fragrance, soft and warm, with his body heat seeping through their points of contact, leaving an indelible presence.

Despite his shallow breathing and casual, sporadic movements, they were more vivid and palpable than any sound effects or plot in a movie, preventing him from focusing on the screen.

"Ahh... I still can't quite resonate with your concept of...," a barely audible mutter interrupted his reverie.

"What?" Xi Ze responded, instinctively drawn back to the present.

Yale straightened up, abandoning his chips, and frowned at the screen before them.

"I meant, I really don't agree with the love philosophy portrayed in this film."

What was the movie about just now?

Xi Ze furrowed his brow, trying to concentrate on the audio. However, the previous scene had passed, leaving only the protagonist's muffled sobs echoing in the background.

This had ventured into territory he was quite unskilled in. Pausing for a moment, he could only offer a tepid comfort.

"Films are often artistically exaggerated, heavily influenced by the director's subjective perspective... It's normal to not like it."

Yale had never engaged in such conversations before, nor did he participate much in gossip with his classmates back before his transmigration.

After frowning for a while, he turned to the female insect beside him. "What about you? What do you think?"

Thoughts? What thoughts? What was the movie even about? Right... The male insect mentioned love.

Recalling the unspoken rules and various vulgar, boundary-pushing games within the noble circle, Xi Ze's expression grew a shade colder.

"There's no such thing as true love. It all stems from self-interest, an invention of those who benefit to conceal their ugly nature. Or, it's used as a free pass to harm or exploit others without consequence..."

Halfway through his speech, he abruptly sensed an unusual silence in the air.

He had just realized that sitting next to him wasn't some corpulent, lecherous figure, but a young male insect with a gentle disposition and a touch of innocent naivety, likely still filled with fantasies due to his lack of worldliness.

...He was in trouble.

Xi Ze suppressed the urge to cover his face and sigh, holding his breath instinctively in the silence.

After a while, he heard the male's hesitant and gentle voice, "…You're right."

Yale stared at the main characters who had just fought but were now back to being sweet with each other. He was stunned by the indifferent and disdainful tone of the female beside him.

Relieving the strange sense of disconnection, he silently continued munching on his chips.

He focused back on the movie, but the female next to him grew restless, changing his seating positions several times. He seemed to want to say something but found no words, his expression becoming more and more solemn.

After considering for a while, Xi Ze cautiously spoke, "What does the male sovereign think about this? About... this, uh, love?"

"Me?"

Yale snapped out of the movie, pondered for a moment, and slowly crushed a chip in his mouth.

"I don't have any particular thoughts. But I guess a healthy relationship is one where there's mutual respect and understanding, and commitment."

"Insectoid mating customs follow a polygynous system, which might not be suitable for me as a... "

Yale hesitated in identifying himself, then continued, "Anyway, whoever could make me determined to love must be an exceptional insectoid. And there should only be him, no one else to interfere."

He wondered how profound a love would need to be for him to transcend the boundaries he had steadfastly upheld.

To willingly surrender his human identity and embrace an "extraterrestrial being" with every fiber of his being, fully immersing himself in this alien universe and world.

But if that day ever arrived, he thought... he would accept it openly.

Yale's eyelashes fluttered, and he chuckled softly, skillfully changing the subject.

"I was just making casual conversation. No need to be so nervous. If you feel bored, you can close your eyes and rest. There's no need to force yourself to keep me company."

Xi Ze picked up on the underlying meaning in his words but found it hard to believe. His throat moved as he swallowed.

In the end, he didn't press for more and simply murmured, "...I'm not forcing myself."

Silence fell between them. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting warm, tiny glimmers on the floating particles in the air, settling quietly.

Halfway through the movie, the inseparable main characters were about to be separated by war. They were currently whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears, while a melancholic yet soothing melody played in the background.

"Would you like some?"

A salty-smelling morsel was pressed against his lower lip, jolting Xi Ze back to reality. He instinctively bit down, causing the finger to withdraw.

The male insect's action was too casual, seemingly unaware of its intimate connotation.

Being fed by the male sovereign was usually a privilege reserved for the queen or a highly favored female servant. Xi Ze didn't fit into either category, but...

Xi Ze slowly crushed the crisp in his mouth.

Who cares?

"Hmm...?"

Yale's eating paused as he gazed at the intestines flying across the screen in disbelief. He swallowed the food in his mouth with some difficulty.

"How did this high-intensity scene even pass censorship?"

He lowered the volume and sped up the movie playback to double speed, rather dejectedly, waiting for this segment to pass.

"Just props for staged scenes. Don't be afraid."

Xi Ze's expression was calm, yet his words, meant to reassure, were delivered with such detachment that they bordered on coldness.

"On a battlefield, there's no time for tears and emotional exchanges. A heavy weapon's sweep takes only five seconds, turning all life into a pool of blood and gore."

Was this supposed to make him feel better...? It only made things scarier.

Yale fell silent, swallowing the chip in his mouth.

He had just remembered that he was sitting next to a military omega.

To him, these movie scenes were like those who sat in ivory towers, looking outward and imagining the most gruesome scenarios — but in reality, they were nothing more than absurdly romanticized comedies.

Staring at the side profile of the omega, Yale suddenly understood why he had chosen to rebuild his mental landscape alone that night.

Xi Ze was not unaware of what mattered to him; he simply didn't care.

For he had long passed the age where he would recklessly risk his body without concern for injury; it had become a habit.

As the female insect had mentioned earlier, the battlefield had no room for weakness or retreat. Even with every bone broken, one would endure through the night only to fight fiercely the next day, bleeding profusely.

Yale frowned but didn't comment. Instead, he spoke slowly.

"The news says the Empire is about to enter a century of peace. I wonder if it's true. The fewer wars, the better. Ideally, they should never occur again."

"Yes, soon it will be... an era of peace."

A hint of a smile tugged at Xi Ze's lips, a mix of relief and acceptance.

But after a moment, his expression flattened.

"Yet, as the fallen heroes do not find rest, it signifies that turmoil and change will never cease."

His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, but he quickly fell silent, reaching for the remote to restore the volume.

"That part is over. The Sovereign can continue watching."

Indeed, the film reached its climax, with the two protagonists, after their arduous journey, rekindling their affection and embarking on preparations for a grand wedding ceremony.

The scene exuded warmth and merriment, dispelling the previous somber atmosphere.

Perhaps due to drowsiness, the sound of munching gradually softened, becoming intermittent.

Yale slithered down bonelessly, unconsciously seeking comfort and unknowingly inching closer to the embrace of the female insectoid.

His shoulder brushed against a fluffy texture, eliciting a warm, tingling sensation.

Xi Ze's body froze momentarily, then he deliberately relaxed, fearing that the male insectoid might find it uncomfortable.

Suddenly, the male insectoid let out a soft chuckle at what seemed to be an amusing scene in the movie.

His laughter caused his body to tremble slightly, making his soft hair flutter around, brushing against the exposed skin on his neck, creating a vivid presence.

Xi Ze inexplicably recalled an old memory.

The Second Army General, who was on friendly terms with him, was a fan of anything furry. He would always mention his beloved pets during their conversations.

The video displayed a tiny, fluffy creature with an enchanting chirping sound, seemingly ordinary in appearance.

"You're completely clueless!"

The tall and rugged military omega wore a loving expression as he clutched the holographic screen of his personal computer tightly.

"My MiMi is like a little angel. Whenever it cuddles up to me, I can't help but soften and forgive even that bunch of stubborn old fools in the Senate...!"

Once, Xi Ze had no idea what kind of feeling could make a notorious hot-tempered military omega reveal such an expression. But now...

He felt that he was beginning to comprehend.

What would it feel like to hold it in one's arms?

"?!"

Yale was caught off guard by a sudden touch on his side, causing a tingling sensation that made him tremble violently.

He snapped out of the movie and looked up at Xi Ze, confusion written all over his face. "What's going on?"

"…It's alright. I'm sorry."

Xi Ze spoke softly, his tentative hand hovering in mid-air for a moment before cautiously returning to the sofa.

He must have been momentarily possessed.

He shouldn't have treated the male insect before him so carelessly. However, the image of the little star beast nestled deeply in his embrace, mewing coquettishly, made his hand move on its own accord.

"Really?"

Yale scanned the usually stern face, finding no signs of strangeness. Thus, he gave up on trying to decipher the current thoughts of the female insect.

The immersion from earlier was lost after the interruption.

He turned his head to look at the handsome, suited-up female insect on screen and mused for a moment. "This celebrity is quite good-looking."

But then, he glanced at Xi Ze's profile. "But not as handsome as you."

This wasn't mere flattery.

Xi Ze's features were handsome and profound, with sharp eyes like an eagle, a high bridge of the nose, and luscious lips.

It was a strikingly stern face, but the slightly furrowed brows gave him a menacing air.

Caught off guard by the compliment, the female drone's severity vanished. He coughed nervously, trying to hide his disarray.

"…The Male Lord is also very attractive," he stammered.

Yale raised an eyebrow, intrigued, yet replied, "Is that so? You've never seen my true form."

"I haven't indeed, but..."

Xi Ze found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to articulate the sensation.

It was like the warmth of sunlight, the richness of milk, and the bittersweetness of caramel...

Even without sight to perceive specific colors and forms, that feeling was deeply ingrained in his heart, recognizable at the slightest touch.

Merely sensing it from afar brought a secret joy to his being.

He should have been content with that, but upon introspection, he had to admit that the desire to see this male insect played a significant role in his wish to regain his sight.

While the female was still contemplating, Yale suddenly smiled, stood up, and placed the chip box on the side. He then casually wiped his hands and face with a wet wipe.

Finally, he sat back on the sofa, turning sideways to face the female.

"You can touch my face if you want. As a military drone, your spatial visualization skills should be quite good, right? It's just to mentally prepare yourself so you won't be disappointed when your vision returns."

The last part was obviously a joke, but Xi Ze frowned in disagreement.

"Please don't belittle yourself... How could I be disappointed?"

"Have other insects commented on your appearance?"

He suddenly thought of this possibility, and his expression grew more serious.

"Don't pay attention to such remarks. A male sovereign deserves the highest praise and respect. Don't let those... highly subjective words hurt yourself."

Sometimes, Yale felt that Xi Ze was like an old-fashioned, conservative family head, always filled with seriousness and peculiar protectiveness.

Treating him like some naive fledgling, fearful of both his mischief and the possibility that he might not receive the best care.

"Alright, alright, nothing like that happened... Do you still want to touch it?"

Xi Ze's expression relaxed slightly during the first part of the sentence, but then visibly tensed up upon hearing the second part.

That restrained and modest demeanor of a military omega, alternating with the desire to 'want', made Yale crave a laugh. He waited patiently for Xi Ze's answer.

"...Yes." Xi Ze finally whispered.

The air suddenly fell silent.

The protagonist in the movie seemed to be speaking, but had now become mere background noise.

Xi Ze sensed the male adjusting his position, drawing closer to him.

Their distance shortened instantly, warm breath almost brushing against his face.

He nervously clenched his fists, instinctively tightening his grip before forcing himself to relax. Finally, he reached out hesitantly towards the male.

"..."

Through the hazy glow, Yale caught sight of the hand reaching out to him.

Xi Ze's expression became solemn and focused. With great care, he switched from his left hand to his right, hesitantly changing several positions mid-air, before finally approaching Yale's face with his index finger slightly bent.

At this proximity, the lines on that hand were almost visible in minute detail, tracing down the hard and distinct knuckles to reveal deep, clear palm lines spanning the entire palm.

To superstitious elders, these lines would evoke furrowed brows and endless worries, symbolizing a life fraught with hardships.

As if a single deep line could determine whether one's life would be filled with happiness or turmoil.

But more profound and abundant than those lines were the layers of old scars.

There were both knife and bullet wounds, and rough calluses and scabs covering the fingertips and the base of his thumb – the testament of countless war-torn years etched onto his body.

...These were depths of life that Yale could never reach.

Yale's eyelashes quivered slightly, and he involuntarily held his breath.

The fingertips hovering near his cheek suddenly paused before recoiling.

"Never mind, my hands are calloused; they might hurt you... Let's wait until your vision returns, and you can see it for yourself."

Xi Ze spoke in a low, husky voice, almost cautious.

Yale clicked his tongue softly and seized the hand directly.

The male's hand was a full circle larger than his, rough with calluses and scars, yet unexpectedly soft, dry, and warm to the touch.

It was a pair of hands that easily reminded one of a mother's, weathered but brimming with the strength of life and love.

More importantly, the numerous wounds on these hands were from defending their homeland. They had held weapons, spilled blood, and carried a profound and respectable glory and worth, making it impossible to feel disdain towards them.

"Feel it now!"

He pressed the hand against his face, pretending to be fierce as he growled.

"There won't be another chance like this. I advise you not to hesitate. If you want to feel it, do so while you still can..."

A warm breath brushed past the gaps between his fingers, causing a delicate itch. The constantly opening and closing, soft lips pressed against the palm of his hand, making Xi Ze freeze in that instant.

The touch was too pleasant, and he couldn't help but clench his fingers slightly, pinching the male insect's puffed-up cheeks with a soft "puff," leaving him even more at a loss.

But... he had already been given the maximum allowance.

This realization made Xi Ze's eyelashes quiver.

His Adam's apple rolled as he swallowed his racing heartbeat. With a light touch, he began to sketch out the outline of those eyebrows and fluttering eyelashes, then the gentle undulations of the cheeks and the warm, moist lips...

Every inch of flesh was exquisitely soft, like a precious treasure that needed to be protected with care, making him unable to resist lightening his movements further.

But the male insect was not a delicate rose in a greenhouse.

Xi Ze held his breath, feeling that breath, as if he could hear the breeze sweeping over gentle hills and vast plains, stirring up the roaring pines across the mountains.

This had nothing to do with physical appearance or beauty; it was very...

The military female, who was not skilled with words, was momentarily speechless, struggling to find the right adjective to describe the subtle yet remarkable impact and sensation.

"Is that enough? How does it feel?"

Yale, being ticklish from the touch, eventually couldn't help but ask.

"....Difficult to articulate..."

He opened his mouth, hesitated for a long while before whispering, yet struggled to continue, his expression turning profoundly serious with the effort of finding words.

"What?"

Yale furrowed his brows slightly, opening his eyes in confusion to look at the female insectoid.

"It's... very... adorable."

Eventually, Xi Ze softly spoke.

"?" Yale was filled with question marks, not seeing how he could be associated with such a term.

However, upon noticing the awkward expression on the female insectoid's face, he decided not to dwell on it with this militarily-minded and romantically oblivious creature.

Well, he had achieved his purpose of letting Yale know about his appearance earlier than planned.

Yale took a deep breath, gently pulling the female's hand down and leaning back into the sofa. "Alright, let's continue watching the movie."

"…Okay."

Xi Ze was still in a daze, sensing that something had silently slipped away right before his eyes, leaving him unable to grasp or pursue it. He could only press his lips together, feeling a tinge of disappointment and regret.

The male did not lean in again.

Yet, he wished the movie would last longer, not ending so soon, or that the male's interest would be high enough to watch two films in a row.

It wouldn't matter if they spent the entire morning here, lounging on the sofa like this, sitting side by side, chatting, eating, or simply lazing around.

As long as...

"Beep beep."

A clear message notification sounded from the optical computer, accompanied by a slight red glow.