Chapter 4 Applying Medicine

Chapter 4: Treating Wounds

He had coaxed and explained, yet the male remained stubbornly set in his ways.

For the first time in his life, Idris felt helpless. He thought optimistically, *Well, I've already compromised more than once today—what's one more time? It! Doesn't! Matter!*

Taking a deep breath, Idris suppressed his frustration. He thought he needed to settle this quickly, finalize the compensation as soon as possible to avoid any further complications.

But just as he was about to get up, another problem arose—the male was clutching at his clothes, not letting him leave.

Idris: ...

"Your Excellency?" Idris looked down. Despite the extreme impatience in his heart, his expression betrayed nothing when he looked at the male; it was even more calm and gentle, projecting an image of someone with an excellent temper. "Is there something else?"

Samuel shifted, looked up, and gestured rapidly with his hands, looking very nervous: *Brother, are you leaving?*

"I'm not leaving. I'm going next door to get my medicine applied."

Samuel patted the bed, somewhat agitated: *Can't it be here?*

Idris patiently explained, "It can't be here."

*Why!*

Could a person truly forget all common sense? Idris had never dealt with anyone suffering from amnesia, but he felt an indescribable sense of unease.

Concealing his doubt, Idris smiled and pulled away the clothes being clutched: "Your Excellency is a male; we must avoid impropriety."

Of course, it wasn't the male who needed to avoid impropriety, but the female. In the Empire, except in cases of severe injury, a female could not expose her body in front of anyone other than her Male Master. The lighter punishment would be to become a servant or slave; the heavier punishment would be to lose matching qualifications.

This law had been in effect for hundreds of years. Even though females grumbled about it, they had to comply. Otherwise, if they couldn't match with a Male Master and couldn't obtain the male's pheromones or mental soothing, they would suffer from mental disturbances at best, or mental exhaustion and death at worst.

And these males never cared.

Males were just like that—willful, seeking comfort and pleasure, with strange tempers. They hated their possessions being touched by others, and they hated betrayal and deception.

With laughter, they adorned themselves as exquisite commodities, clearly priced and put up for sale in the matching system, with females as the buyers.

Marriage matching was merely adding insurance and a time limit to this transaction.

In this transaction, both sides held bargaining chips. The male gained support and a carefree life. The female gained mental stabilization, allowing her to survive.

What females sought was always simple: to live, to live at any cost, to live as humbly as dust.

They submitted to their own desires, and thus submitted to males. Therefore, females would not disrupt the long-established rules and balance.

Idris had never imagined becoming someone's main wife or Concubine, but he also had no intention of breaking the rules.

After speaking, he didn't want to wrestle with the male anymore. He decisively turned and left the ward like a hurricane. The Attending Doctor was sharp and followed closely behind. The other Doctors, seeing the male's emotions were still relatively stable, also left one after another.

For a moment, only the sub-female nurse and the Association Director, Bulan, remained in the ward.

Bulan shot a look, and the sub-female nurse tactfully walked to the door to stand guard.

"Your Excellency, my proposal from earlier still stands. You can make any compensation demands," Bulan said, seeing the room was finally quiet. He immediately moved closer, lowering his voice to persuade, "After all, the military indeed failed to protect you."

The ward was quiet. Samuel stared at his empty palm, his dark eyes vacant and lifeless, like a wooden puppet that had lost its soul.

Seeing this, Bulan frowned slightly and urged, "Your Excellency, it's better for you to decide quickly. Otherwise, once the Major General returns, I won't be able to help you."

Brother?

Samuel's dark eyes flickered slightly, a hint of vigilance flashing in their depths. *He keeps bringing up brother. Does he intend to harm him?*

*No rush. Let's wait and see what else he has to say.*

Bulan had reached the position of Director in the Association not only because he was well-versed in various maneuvering tactics but also because he was extremely accurate in reading intentions.

For example, as soon as the words "Major General" left his mouth just now, the dazed male showed a slight reaction. He then knew that Idris was the best opening.

"If Your Excellency hasn't thought it through yet, there's no hurry. The Major General probably won't be back for a while. You can take this time to ask anything you want to know," Bulan said, as if he really wanted to chat with the male. He pulled over a sofa from the side and sat down steadily.

Samuel hugged his legs, resting his cheek on his knees, still staring at his fingertips, not speaking.

"How about we talk about the Major General?" Bulan crossed his left leg over his right knee, interlacing his hands and placing them on his right knee as well.

The previously unresponsive male glanced up at him, his dark eyes flickering, then lowered his head again, continuing to play the wooden puppet.

Believing he had found the key to opening the situation, Bulan couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth lift slightly: "Major General Idris is quite famous in the military. In the most recent expedition, he performed remarkable feats. I heard he will soon be promoted to Lieutenant General."

"But that was before. The current situation is that the Major General failed to protect you, causing you to suffer severe injuries. Whether he can still get promoted is uncertain now," Bulan sighed with feigned regret, seemingly pitying Idris, but his peripheral vision remained fixed on the male.

"Oh, right. Recently, the Major General's family seems to be submitting his matching information for him. Ah, it's just that after last night's incident, I wonder if any male would dare to marry a female with such a record."

*Are the consequences of my injury very serious?*

Samuel keenly grasped the key information in those words. His eyes darkened, and his hands gestured wildly in the air without any pattern, almost leaving afterimages.

Although he couldn't quite remember, based on this person's description, it should have been brother who saved him.

It made no sense for the savior to receive punishment.

Noticing the change in the male's expression, the smile on Bulan's lips grew a bit thicker. Barely understanding the male's meaning, he answered matter-of-factly, "Of course. After all, males are precious, and you suffered such serious injuries. Someone has to take responsibility for this matter. The Major General has always cared for his subordinates, so he voluntarily became the one to take the fall."

Serious... injuries?

Samuel's fingertips brushed over the gauze on his abdomen. The rough mesh felt damp, making his fingertips itch slightly. These nearly healed injuries were nothing to him.

*These injuries have nothing to do with brother.*

Bulan's slightly raised lips gradually straightened. A triumphant smile flashed in his eyes, but he said seriously, "What does Your Excellency mean by that? Are you trying to exonerate Major General Idris?"

Samuel shook his head gently, his dark eyes clear, his expression frank: *Not exoneration. Brother saved me. That's a fact.*

Deciphering the meaning of the gestures, Bulan suddenly let out a light laugh.

It was rare to find such a reasonable male in the Empire. Quite interesting.

Despite the male's answer, Bulan still reminded him again: "Your Excellency, do you know what you will lose by saying this?"

The male tilted his head, a hint of confusion in his dark eyes: *Lose what?*

"A considerable sum of compensation money, possibly along with several nice properties," Bulan said with a smiling face, but his eyes held a trace of scrutiny.

Hearing this, Samuel smiled candidly: *It's okay. I don't mind.*

Bulan was silent for a good while. He scrutinized the male, trying to find traces of pretense. But from those clear eyes, he saw only frankness and sincerity.

The male Zerg seemed genuinely unconcerned about those properties and assets, simply wishing for his rescuer to be free from danger.

Bulan: ...

"Well then... as you wish, Your Excellency." Bulan touched the tip of his nose, inexplicably feeling somewhat like a villain himself.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

*Click.*

The door opened, and Idris's tall figure appeared in the doorway, taken aback by the scene inside.

The typically stern Association Director was sitting relaxed by the bedside, a faint smile on his lips. Unusually, the male wasn't crying or fussing, though he was less lively than before Idris left, seeming indifferent to everyone.

Hearing the sound at the door, the male quickly turned his head to locate him, his dark eyes instantly brightening, changing from hugging his knees to kneeling upright. He craned his neck, looking over the insect that entered, but... this posture...

The sound of footsteps at the door paused briefly. Idris subtly sidestepped half a step to the right, stopping about a step away from the bed.

Samuel, like a sunflower, followed the approaching female Zerg with his gaze. When the female Zerg stopped, he was almost kneeling right at her. Yet the male appeared completely oblivious, even beckoning to her cheerfully, wanting her to come closer.

Witnessing the entire process, Bulan was dumbfounded, his hand on his chest trembling slightly.

No, Your Excellency, if others see your posture, the accusation of us mistreating a male will be impossible to wash away even if we leap into the galaxy!

Following his thoughts, Bulan's head turned rapidly like a rattle-drum toward the door, scanning left and right. Only after confirming no one was passing by did his anxiety subside.

Bulan: Idris, quickly make His Excellency change his posture!

Idris: ...

"Your Excellency, you'll be uncomfortable sitting like that." Idris approached as the male wanted, discreetly helping him adjust his sitting posture before retreating to his original spot.

A faint medicinal scent lingered between the two. Samuel's nostrils twitched slightly, catching the subtle aroma, and he narrowed his eyes contentedly.

Like a cat that stole a fish.

But happiness is often fleeting.

The fish the cat wanted to steal stood politely at a neither-too-close-nor-too-far distance, then cautiously spoke: "Your Excellency, the military deeply apologizes for failing to protect you last night. I came today to discuss compensation matters with you. Would now be a convenient time?"

"Can you come closer?" Samuel didn't care about compensation; he just wanted to be closer to him.

Idris didn't move: "Your Excellency, I'd better stand here."

Samuel: ??

He was allowed to lean against him just earlier, but after going out once, he's unwilling now. Once the matter is settled, will they never meet again?

The medicinal scent in the air gradually dissipated as its owner stepped back. Samuel lowered his head, folding the corner of the blanket with his fingers, once, then again, remaining silent for a long while.

Idris stood nearby, still respectful, his purple eyes half-lowered as he secretly observed the male's movements. He didn't rush, patiently waiting.

The involved party wasn't in a hurry, and Bulan was even less so. Crossing his legs, he watched with keen interest, ready to enjoy the drama.

After a moment, the male slowly raised his eyes against the headboard, tilting his head and gesturing a sentence.

*Creak!*

The insect sitting steadily on the sofa stumbled, springing up directly from it, losing all elegance in an instant.

Idris remained relatively calm, his expression still composed, though the hands hanging at his sides in his military uniform clenched, veins bulging.

Indeed, male Zerg are all the same.

Disgusting.

Author's Note:

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July x, 4056 Monday Sunny

[Melted]