Chapter 9

Chapter 9

One of the perverted bugs cleared his throat. "Of course we have business with you. To be frank, our boss has taken a liking to you. Be smart and come serve him now, or you’ll regret it."

Lu Cian’s heart pounded. He never imagined they’d dare to act so brazenly in broad daylight!

He subtly shifted his stance. "This is a prison! If you break the law again, you’ll only add to your sentences!"

Seeing the pretty yet frightened expression on the female insect’s face, the three perverted bugs exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, this is hilarious! Who knew there’d still be bugs this naive!"

"You think those two-faced prison guards will avenge you just because we bullied a few weak females?"

"Hahaha, they’d do worse than us!"

"As long as we don’t kill you, they won’t lift a damn finger!"

Though Huai En looked down on his three lackeys, he didn’t object to their words and even wore a faint smile.

"Little female insect, if you agree to follow me, you might not live in luxury, but you won’t have to work day and night like you do now, eating the worst food in the cafeteria."

Huai En wasn’t wrong. Even though Lu Cian finished work early at noon and could eat sooner, not all food lines were open to him.

Aside from the nutrient fluid slop line, a few select counters served better-tasting meals—reserved for the troublemakers, and Huai En happened to be one of them.

Suddenly, as if spotting something, Lu Cian’s eyes went wide, and he shouted past the insects, "Captain Luo! Help me!"

The insects’ hearts skipped a beat, and they instinctively turned to look.

Seizing the moment, Lu Cian took off for the cafeteria.

Today, he had worked later than usual, so the cafeteria was sure to be jam-packed.

With so many insects around, surely these guys wouldn’t dare to act, right?

When the insects turned back and saw no sign of Luo Ke, they realized Lu Cian had already run far ahead.

Furious at being tricked by a weakling, they spat on the ground and gave chase.

By the time Lu Cian reached the cafeteria entrance, the four insects were bearing down on him. Knowing things wouldn’t end peacefully, he rushed inside.

His thoughts were scrambled, his heart pounding in panic.

He was truly unlucky—falling down a mountain for no reason, crossing into another world, being jailed as an illegal alien, and now being pushed around by a bunch of bug-faced creeps.

Man, his luck was the worst!

Just as Lu Cian was at a loss for where to hide, his eyes landed on an imposing figure by the window. Without thinking, he dashed over.

Out of breath, Lu Cian slid into the seat in front of the Beauty Insect and declared firmly, "Boss, I need your help!"

Nair Inan hadn’t expected that while soaking up some sun, he’d be approached by an underage insect—possibly without even a Second Evolution—hitting on him.

In the past, some insects had mistaken Nair Inan’s short stature and striking looks as an invitation to tease him, only to be pounded into the dirt.

Seeing that this one was underage and likely provoked, Nair Inan decided not to strike or engage, given the insect’s youth.

Other female insects nearby overheard Lu Cian’s "big talk" and snorted behind their claws, mocking his audacity. This boss never protected anyone.

Not put off by the brush-off, Lu Cian was ready to throw pride out the window if it meant survival. He’d even call someone "daddy" if needed—it wasn’t like he hadn’t heard that before.

He was grateful for having witnessed Ji Ming’s shamelessness, from which he’d learned a thing or two.

Once, he’d asked Ji Ming if anyone had ever called him thick-skinned. Ji Ming had replied, "Dignity doesn’t feed or clothe you. You’re born with nothing and die with nothing. Living well is what matters."

At this moment, Lu Cian found that advice rang true.

It also made him suspect his roommate had some stories to tell.

"I’m hardworking, endure hardship, and fear no toil. I’ll do anything except sleep with you—massages, laundry, keeping you entertained, you name it."

Nair Inan didn't budge.

"I can also cook."

At this last line, the other seemed to react slightly. Lu Cian doubled down, "My cooking isn’t bad. I’ve practiced for eight years—definitely better than the prison chefs."

Making ramen at ten years old? Call it eight years of experience. No problem.

Finally, Nair Inan looked up at Lu Cian and, under his anxious gaze, spoke.

"Alright."

Lu Cian’s tension dissolved, and he slumped into the chair, realizing his heart had been racing wildly.

Whew, that nearly killed him!

Once he’d caught his breath, he sat up abruptly and locked eyes with Nair Inan. "Boss, now that I’m your underling, what should I call you?"

He made no effort to hide his curiosity about the other’s name.

"Inan."

Lu Cian thought to himself. Wow, a Beauty Insect with a classy name to match his looks.

"Lu Cian. Good to know you." He brightly held out his right hand.

Nair Inan glanced at the offered hand, then back at Lu Cian, expression unchanging.

Embarrassed, Lu Cian withdrew his hand. He’d forgotten—insects didn’t shake hands.

"Sorry, Brother Nan. That’s how we greet people on my planet." He scratched his head, feeling he’d been too forward.

But the boss lived up to his title—cool as a cucumber.

"Brother Nan, want a back rub?"

When the other stayed silent, Lu Cian tried again. "How about a massage? Or laundry? Or I could cheer you up?"

Still no response.

Lu Cian ventured, "Maybe I could perform a comedy routine? It’s a unique form of entertainment from my planet."

Just as he was about to do his best comedian impression, Nair Inan shut him down.

"No need. Just cook."

Lu Cian sighed. The boss truly was a man of few words.

"So, Brother Nan, how do I get into the kitchen to cook? Will they even let me in? Am I allowed to use whatever ingredients I want?"

"Brother Nan, what time do you plan to eat tomorrow? Want me to come early to get things ready?"

Nair Inan suddenly stood up, making Lu Cian jump.

Lu Cian didn’t know why, but he usually only became this talkative around people he was familiar with. He had no idea why he had suddenly turned into such a chatterbox.

Maybe it was because Brother Nan reminded him a bit of his own older brother.

Lu Cian had an older brother from the same parents—exceptionally capable, but also very quiet, like some big shot, a man of few words with a poker face.

His brother was over a decade older than him, so whenever he faced his eldest brother, it always felt like getting lectured by a strict father.

When he was little, their family had just been a small, newly listed company. By the time he reached his teens, his brother had already become scarily successful.

His brother expanded the company’s operations significantly, reaching a market cap in the hundreds of billions and firmly establishing their place among other listed companies.

Their family smoothly entered the circles of high society.

But compared to those with long-standing legacies, their family came off as nouveau riche.

Because of this, the Lu family placed even greater emphasis on the character of its members, keeping their children in line not to become arrogant or look down on others just because the company had grown.

Their family motto was: Self-reliance and self-improvement, starting with me.

Housework? You might not have to do it, but you'd better know how.

So from a young age, he handled his own affairs. After turning twelve, he became proficient in daily life skills like laundry, cooking, tidying up, cleaning, and even basic furniture repairs.

If it weren’t for the fact that their surroundings were all high-rise buildings with no farmland, his father would have even made him learn how to plant rice seedlings.

Of course, in the end, he still didn’t escape this fate.

The city had no land, but their hometown had plenty.

He was no young master—he was a hardworking little homemaking whiz!

Even his allowance was limited because he had to "earn" it by doing chores, so no reckless spending.

But in front of strangers, Young Master Lu still had to keep up appearances. That air of refined nobility had to stay intact.

Young Master Lu put on a good act, so nobody would ever guess that he lived such a frugal daily life and was so "multi-talented."

Nair Inan got up to leave. Seeing that Lu Cian wasn’t moving, he simply said, "Follow."

Hearing this, Lu Cian relaxed inwardly and scampered after him like an eager puppy.

In the distance, the four insects who had noticed that Lu Cian had actually managed to latch onto this legendary big shot were fuming.

The place Nair Inan took Lu Cian to was the cafeteria kitchen. Without saying a word, he simply stood there, and Lu Cian immediately straightened his back, bossing everyone around in the kitchen.

That sweet, familiar feeling of riding someone else's coattails was wonderful.

So why had he ever bothered striving so hard back on Earth, dreaming of making a name for himself in university?

"Starting today, I’m Brother Nan’s handpicked personal chef. Tomorrow, I’ll be using this kitchen, so please save me the prime ingredients. I’ll come and cook them myself."

The kitchen staff all agreed, assuring him it was no trouble at all.

Lu Cian was very satisfied. His Brother Nan was a big shot—even in prison, he was on a whole other level—untouchable.

Of course, Lu Cian also realized that Brother Nan wasn’t using his sheer power to force others into anything. He genuinely just wanted to eat a good meal.

This made Lu Cian even more curious—what had landed Brother Nan in here?

But with a little thought, it was clear it wasn’t something like murder.

Just in the few days since Lu Cian had been in prison, he’d already realized how terrible the legal system of this alien nation was—riddled with loopholes, even.

Otherwise, why were there so many insects doing time for no good reason?

Lu Cian couldn’t understand it. Just blocking some "His Highness the Male’s" path—why was that enough to land him in prison?

Was this "His Highness the Male" some kind of national secret weapon? Accidentally blocking his path or even looking his way was illegal?

While Lu Cian was lost in these thoughts, Nair Inan had already left.

He was protecting this little ladybug, and in return, she would cook for him. It was a simple transaction—no need to get chummy.