SZAR Chapter 122

The method to stabilize the mental sea immediately caused an uproar.

Compared to palace intrigues and the open and hidden struggles of the crown prince, this was something that affected everyone.

Yet Qu Xia revealed very little. He only cryptically mentioned that the research still needed refinement and told everyone to stay tuned, then sealed his lips, refusing to explain further.

As the newly appointed prince, Qu Xia had the right to choose a residence. He barely hesitated and selected a house right next to Erwen’s mansion, two back gardens touching, separated only by a low wall.

On the very night Qu Xia moved into his new home, Erwen received a message.

【 Quick, come! I’m at the backyard, three o’clock direction QAQ. 】

Erwen’s hand trembled slightly.

He crossed the corridor under the moonlight. The garden was pitch-black, with only the dim glow of the lantern in his hand. Even though he and Qu Xia were now public about their relationship, there was a strange, uneasy feeling about sneaking out at night, as if he were in one of those tacky novels with lonely lovers meeting in secret.

Erwen touched his nose, feeling how ridiculous it all was.

Even at the height of his youth, he had never done anything this outrageous.

But he didn’t quite understand that last “QAQ” from Qu Xia, why use that in such a moonlit, romantic moment?

When he reached the three o’clock direction, he understood everything.

Qu Xia was stuck on the grape trellis along the garden wall, clinging tightly to the edge, refusing to let go.

He couldn’t get down.

Erwen stared blankly at him, unsure what expression to wear, when Qu Xia complained pitifully, “I can’t get down.”

The young researcher was weak in both academics and sports. Though the wall was low, climbing over it had proved too difficult for him.

Erwen’s lips twitched; he wanted to laugh badly. But Qu Xia looked like, “If you dare laugh at me, I’ll cry for you”, so he forced himself to suppress it and asked in a deadpan, businesslike tone, “You can’t get down? Then what do we do?”

Qu Xia froze.

He had expected Erwen to at least reach out to catch him or say something comforting. But instead, he was being asked “what to do” in such a formal, concerned tone. Was this still the same disciplined, rule-following admiral who never overstepped boundaries?

Qu Xia: QAQ

He was really about to cry!

Sneaking over to climb his beloved’s wall in the middle of the night, only to get stuck and unable to get down, it was so embarrassing, no matter how he thought about it!

Erwen’s lips curved into a deeper smile, barely able to hide it. He quickly coughed, and Qu Xia suddenly saw a flash of silver light. His eyes blurred for a moment, and then he felt himself being lifted off the branch, cradled at the waist.

Erwen had spread his wings.

Qu Xia let out a small, “Wow.”

No matter the time or place, the admiral’s uniform was always immaculate. The silver-white First Army uniform hugged his sleek, well-defined body. Now, with wings unfurled from his back, the moonlight caught them, scattering a frosted, shimmering glow.

Qu Xia immediately forgot the earlier embarrassment of being stuck.

He wanted to touch them or even nibble, but the wings appeared only briefly before folding back. Erwen took his hand and sighed, “Don’t do something so dangerous again.”

The wall wasn’t even two meters high, but Qu Xia, a clumsy little weakling, really worried Erwen. He could have fallen and seriously hurt himself.

Qu Xia pouted.

Though Erwen didn’t say it outright, Qu Xia could keenly read the subtext. He murmured, “I still want to climb.”

After all, he was already hanging there, and Erwen could lift him down if needed.

Erwen lowered his gaze to the soft top of Qu Xia’s head, couldn’t resist, and ruffled it gently.

After this instinctive gesture, he paused, a little surprised, and then looked at his own hand.

In all those long years of his life, Erwen had never imagined he would so naturally, so unconsciously, do something this intimate for a male.

Qu Xia didn’t feel it was improper at all. He took Erwen’s hand and walked with him across the garden. When they reached the villa, he noticed the dark basement.

It was built by Erwen’s former male lord and had been preserved ever since. Qu Xia had seen it the first time he visited the admiral’s estate. He frowned, “I’ll have to call a construction crew tomorrow to fill it in.”

The next day, passing residents saw that both Erwen’s and Qu Xia’s residences had construction crews arriving.

The construction crew at Erwen’s estate had been hired by Qu Xia, mainly to fill in the basement, while the crew at the prince’s estate was Erwen’s, tasked with tearing down the wall.

Qu Xia was initially unhappy, claiming in grand terms that climbing the wall was part of the fun. Erwen ruffled his hair and said simply, “There are splinters on the grape trellis. They’ll hurt you.”

Qu Xia immediately gave up and didn’t mention the wall again.

The noise from tearing down walls and filling in the basement was huge. By that afternoon, someone had posted on StarNet: 【 Wow, how come the Prince’s estate and the Admiral’s estate are merging? 】

Both Qu Xia and Erwen were big StarNet personalities, constantly under public scrutiny. People noticed that not only the wall, but many other parts of the estates were quietly changing.

Erwen had been too busy with military affairs to manage the garden, leaving it entirely to the groundskeeper. Before, the flowers and trees were all the same, no real design, but now, his garden had more trees, more flower varieties, and even a small swing under the grape trellis.

Even more astonishing, a flock of noisy ducks had quietly appeared in Erwen’s man-made lake.

This came to light thanks to Major General Lin En from the military.

One day, he came to report to Erwen and suddenly heard a cacophony of quacks. Lin En jumped; Erwen hated being disturbed during official business. He wondered who had the audacity or lack of sense to barge in, only to discover a group of ducks leisurely swimming in the backyard.

Looking closer, he realized, “Whoa, the admiral’s lake is huge.”

Erwen followed his gaze downward, and to Lin En’s shock, his expression was surprisingly gentle. Lin En almost thought he’d gone blind, until he realized Erwen wasn’t staring at the ducks at all, but at the person feeding them by the lake.

Qu Xia had dug out part of the garden, built a man-made lake, and connected it to Erwen’s lake, making a massive one. Then he added a flock of ducks and, in his free time, came to feed them.

The prince lounged on a rocking chair by the lake, swaying lazily. On the side table were drinks and cakes. He was chatting on the light-brain, casually tossing breadcrumbs into the water. Following the lake upward, Lin En noticed something even more incredible.

At the front gate of the prince’s estate, delivery trucks kept coming and going, filled with fiery red roses.

Erwen noticed his subordinate zoning out and, expressionless, tapped the table: “Continue.”

Lin En twitched like a rabbit, instantly readjusted his posture, and continued reporting, desperately trying to erase the astonishing scene from his memory.

Why was the Prince sending truck after truck of roses to the estate?

The truth became clear just after the conversation ended.

His cold, ruthless superior reached under the table, pinched a piece of paper between two fingers, and handed it over. Lin En opened it and saw a wedding invitation.

He stared at the names in a daze, as if for a moment he didn’t even remember who his commander was. Then he heard Erwen’s cold voice, dismissing him: Have you finished with your military duties?”

Lin En shot up like his pants were on fire, clutching the invitation as he bolted out. Only after passing Erwen’s front gate did he finally pause to rub his face.

Oh my god… his direct superior is really getting married?

………………

Either the Prince or the Admiral alone was someone who could command an extravagant celebration. Yet Qu Xia and Erwen weren’t the flashy type. They held the wedding at home and invited only close family and friends.

Qu Xia didn’t have many friends among the zerg race, only Sylph, some senior lab mates, and fellow Earth natives. On the wedding day, he was a bit socially anxious, hiding backstage for quite a while.

Chu Ci, on the other hand, was used to all sorts of social and romantic situations. He didn’t bat an eye and naturally took on the role of Qu Xia’s family member. Striding confidently, he dragged the stunned Qu Xia out and shoved his hand into Erwen’s.

Chu Ci cleared his throat, face serious, addressing the Admiral: “Qu Xia has been utterly useless with basic life skills since he was a child. I’m entrusting him to you. Please take good care of him!”

He looked every bit the reluctant, doting father.

The other zergs didn’t think much of it. After all, it was usually the females taking care of the males. Only Chu Ci was barely holding back laughter, pinching his thigh to keep from bursting out, then, under Nuo Wei’s puzzled gaze, he pulled out his light-brain and snapped photos of Qu Xia’s shocked expression.

This was precious firsthand material of His Highness the Prince.

Qu Xia quickly realized his old friend was taking advantage of him and glared with fury: “Get lost!”

Most of the attending military females were easygoing, and the wedding had been noisy. Many of them had drunk too much and were sprawled haphazardly on the ground. Erwen took a deep breath, called a driver service, and sent each of his subordinates home one by one.

By late night, Chu Ci and Chu Xiu also got up to leave. Qu Xia practically wanted to kick them out with both feet and shouted impatiently: “Go already, go!”

Once the two old friends stepped outside, Qu Xia slammed the door shut with a clang, tugging Erwen angrily inside. They walked past the mess of the wedding, upturned cups and plate, past the ducks sleeping in the lake, past the grape trellis and swing, past the basement that had been filled in.

As they walked, Erwen’s pace slowed, and then he suddenly let out a laugh.

The Admiral rarely laughed. Most of the time, his smiles at social events were polite but hollow. This time wasn’t like that. His laugh was soft and almost sighing, as if exhaling all the pent-up weight of his life.

Qu Xia looked up at him. “Why are you laughing?”

Erwen said, “I just didn’t expect it.”

The first half of his life had been carefully disciplined, never straying from the path, every step predictable. And yet he hadn’t expected so many unforeseen turns to come afterward.

Qu Xia frowned. “You didn’t expect… what?”

Erwen: “Too many things.”

He hadn’t expected the basement would ever be filled in. He hadn’t expected to remarry after the death of the previous male lord. He hadn’t expected, through all those countless lonely days and nights, that he would one day walk hand in hand with a male zerg under a moonlit courtyard.

Of course, the thing he had least expected was —

Erwen suddenly hugged Qu Xia from behind, encircling him completely in his arms. He inhaled deeply, like a human breathing in a cat.

He said, “What I never expected… was that I would meet you.”