SZAR Chapter 60

Yi Xi fell silent.

The future was already foreseeable, and it was far too heavy. The gap of reality lay plainly before them. No matter how many thoughts he had, none of them could truly be put into practice.

Yi Xi set down the spoon and wiped his hands slowly and neatly. Then he suddenly asked, “Cointreau, what rank were you when you first awakened?”

The Zerg had two awakenings. Although rank would be tested after both the first and the second awakening, most individuals were already close to their final level after the first one. The second awakening usually raised it by at most one rank. Only a very small number of people encountered special circumstances and could leap across ranks after the second awakening.

Chu Xiu thought for a moment. “Uh… I think it was F.”

He had never taken a mental test himself, but the original owner’s medical report had written F on it.

[ F ] — the most mediocre rank among male zerg. Even if the second awakening raised it, it would at most become a D.

Yi Xi nodded.

He had already guessed that Chu Xiu’s rank would not be very high. Otherwise, the welfare allowance paid by the Empire would have been enough for a male zerg to live a life of luxury. He would not have fallen to the point of working in a bar.

Yi Xi asked, “The money I gave you last time, you used it all to pay off your debts, didn’t you?”

Cointreau’s home was not large. Two people living there would be fine, but with three it felt crowded. The furniture was of ordinary style, and some of the soft decorations even looked cheap. It was clear he did not have much money left.

Chu Xiu froze for a moment. “Yes.”

Yi Xi said, “Then if I add another sum of money…”

Chu Xiu’s hand paused while scooping the soup. In the place Yi Xi could not see, his expression turned a little unpleasant.

Yi Xi’s behavior was too similar to the customers his former coworkers used to entertain. After they were well-fed and satisfied, they would hand over a check, politely say goodbye, maybe even exchange a fake, performative cheek-kiss at the door. Then the coworker would go home and count the money, discussing whether the client had been generous or stingy, while the client would continue drifting through bars, picking their next pleasing target.

He knew Yi Xi did not mean that.

But he could not stop himself from making the comparison.

Chu Xiu suppressed the irritation in his chest and raised his head, showing a confused and puzzled expression. “Why? The money you gave is already enough for me to pay my debts.”

Yi Xi chuckled. “Enough to repay debts, yes. But not enough for you to live on.”

Among noble families, male zergs spent their days in extravagance and pleasure. The price of a single vehicle could equal a whole year of expenses for an ordinary household. They were often immoral and violent by nature, yet they still enjoyed luxurious lives. There was no reason that a male zerg like Cointreau should have to live in such grievance and hardship, unable even to afford his tuition.

While he still had wealth in his hands, Yi Xi wanted Cointreau to live a better life.

He skimmed the foam off the soup bowl and said, “I can give you money. Then you could go horse racing on the grasslands of Dior Star, or go to the Cronin Star System to watch the aurora that never stops, day or night. Or you could use it to buy a big house with a garden for you and your female father. Wouldn’t that be good?”

It was not good at all.

Chu Xiu kept a blank face.

In his previous life, he had already seen all kinds of luxury. Some rich patrons even chartered a cruise to the North Pole and specifically asked for Cointreau to accompany them, but Chu Xiu still refused in the end. He had little interest in luxury cars or famous watches. As for a big house, his original body had been born into nobility; the Chu family already owned a huge castle.

He swayed the soup ladle in his hand, letting it knock against the bowl with a clinking sound.

“I don’t want to go right now. When I do want to go horse racing or see the aurora, I’ll come find you and ask for the money then. Wouldn’t that work?”

Yi Xi stayed silent for a long time.

He adjusted the black obsidian cufflinks on his sleeve — if Secretary Lin were here, they would know this meant the boss was in a gloomy mood — before finally speaking.

“Cointreau, I don’t have much time left.”

His dark brown eyes were hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, carrying an inexplicable hint of sadness.

Yi Xi said, “Perhaps you’ve been too tired these past few days and didn’t have time to check the StarNet.”

He chose his words carefully.

“If I’m lucky, I’ll become the  female attendant of the Chu family’s young master, and all my money will belong to him. If I’m not lucky…”

If he was not lucky, he would die within a week of the wedding.

Judging from the reputation of the Chu family’s eldest young master on the StarNet, the second possibility seemed far more likely.

Chu Xiu suddenly coughed.

It was as if the hot chicken soup had gone down the wrong way. He bent over sharply and took several deep breaths of fresh air before he managed to recover.

Yi Xi pushed his chair back, about to stand up.

“Cointreau?”

Chu Xiu quickly waved his hand. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Yi Xi had been far too steady these past few days. Whether it was their first meeting in the bar, his measured and appropriate manner afterward, or the calm response from the head of Stellar while the StarNet was in complete turmoil, all of it made Chu Xiu overlook the emotion hidden beneath Yi Xi’s calm exterior—worry.

Chu Xiu had been thinking about whether Yi Xi would hate him, worrying that the identity of “Chu Xiu” might bring disgust. Yet he never noticed that Yi Xi’s worries were a hundred times heavier than his. Chu Xiu was thinking about how to take care of his scarred lover after marriage, while Yi Xi was thinking about survival.

After all, the person he was about to marry was a scum known for abusing others, infamous, and condemned by countless people on the StarNet.

Chu Xiu lowered his head. His nose felt a little blocked, and he said in a muffled voice, “Sorry.”

Yi Xi blinked. “Hm?”

Chu Xiu nervously gripped the soup ladle and raised his head. “I want to tell you something, but you have to promise me first, you can’t get angry!”

The boy’s nervous expression amused Yi Xi. He reached out and lifted the drooping tuft of hair on Cointreau’s head, as if he were tending to a wilted potted plant.

“That depends on what it is,” he said.

He joked, “Your debt is fake?”

Yi Xi had considered that possibility. But he did not really care. His current situation was worse than that of a patient with late-stage cancer. No matter how much wealth he held, it would be useless. If Cointreau had lied to him, he might feel disappointed, but he certainly would not be angry.

Chu Xiu thought to himself: More than that…much more serious.

He clenched the ladle tighter and tighter. After spending a long time building up his courage, he asked carefully, “You really won’t get angry?”

Yi Xi nodded. “I really won’t.”

Chu Xiu lowered his head to organize his thoughts. There were simply too many things he had hidden.

First, he was Chu Xiu, the irritable male insect who had been sent to the hospital after Yi Xi crashed into him.

Second, he was not violent at all, not even a little. On the contrary, he could present himself well in public and cook well in the kitchen, able to give a patron the most perfect experience.

And then…

While Chu Xiu was thinking, Yi Xi did not rush him. He waited quietly.

Just as Chu Xiu finally gathered the courage and raised his head, the sound of a key turning came from outside the door.

Carey pushed the door open and walked in, leaning against it. His face looked terrible, his steps unsteady, as if he might collapse to his knees right there by the door.

He looked at Chu Xiu, his face pale as gold paper.

“Xiao Xiu… I’m afraid we need to go back for a while.”

Even last night, Carey had not shown such an unbearable expression. Chu Xiu quickly walked around the table to support him.

“What happened to you?”

Carey raised his head and glanced at Yi Xi.

In such a miserable state, Carey, who had once been a military female, did not want to be seen by others.

Yi Xi stood up. “Then I’ll take my leave first.”

Only after the door closed with a click did Carey clutch his neck and collapse straight onto the floor.

Chu Xiu hurriedly tried to loosen his collar. “What happened? You were fine when you went out…”

His words got stuck in his throat.

Around Carey’s neck was a collar-like ring. It was metallic and tightened very close, leaving only a tiny gap, as if it wanted to strangle him. Carey clawed at the ring with all ten fingers, his chest rising and falling as he gasped violently.

Chu Xiu quickly tried to examine the ring, but he discovered it was cast as a single piece. Inside were precise mechanical parts, and there was no keyhole to be found.

In panic he cursed, “How the hell do you take this damn thing off?”

Carey’s face was already flushed red. He spoke in broken breaths, “Young Master… did you… maybe… not answer the Male Lord’s… call?”

Chu Xiu froze. He immediately pulled up his light brain. Sure enough, there was a missed call from Chu Dian.

He frowned so hard his brows could crush a fly. “What do you mean? Because I didn’t answer his call, he tightened this ring?”

Carey nodded painfully.

If Chu Xiu had spent two more days browsing the StarNet, he would have known this thing was called a suppression ring. Many male zergs used it. Since Carey stayed by Chu Xiu’s side, Chu Dian couldn’t directly torment Chu Xiu, so he instead took it out on Carey.

Chu Xiu cursed, “Fuck.”

What kind of stupid, messed-up world was this?

Carey’s face was red from holding his breath, tears seeping from the corners of his eyes. He grabbed Chu Xiu’s arm, his wrist trembling, barely able to control his strength.

“Young Master… please… call the Male Lord back…”

Chu Xiu said quickly, “Right away, right away!”

He pulled up Chu Dian’s contact account and called back.

The phone rang more than twenty times before the other side finally picked up lazily.

Chu Dian’s mocking laugh came through. “Not bad, Xiao Xiu. Looks like your relationship with your main female father really did improve. I called you so many times and you didn’t answer, but the moment the suppression ring was put on, you called back?”

Chu Xiu’s forehead veins bulged. “I didn’t hear it.”

Chu Dian thought for a moment. “Right, you’re in the hospital after all. Makes sense if you didn’t hear it.”

He accepted the explanation.

“Come home quickly. The Male Zerg Protection Association has come to the door. There are some documents that need your signature. The wedding date and other matters also need you to decide.”

Carey had completely sunk to the floor. His forehead was pressed tightly against the door, and his breathing was almost impossible to hear.

Chu Xiu had no choice but to soften his tone, like a proper male speaking to his male father.

“Alright, Father. I’ll return right away.” He added after a moment, “Can you remove Carey’s suppression ring?”

Chu Dian said indifferently, “I set it with a ten-minute limit. It’ll shut off automatically after ten minutes. It’s fine. Military females are rough and tough; he won’t die.”

Chu Xiu’s patience was reaching its limit. He desperately wanted to teleport in front of Chu Dian, give him two fierce slaps, and smack that stupid face into a real pig’s head. But with Carey in this condition, there was nothing he could do.

Chu Xiu took a deep breath.

“But without him I can’t pilot the aircraft. How am I supposed to get back? You’re not expecting me to take a public tram, are you?”

He pretended not to care. “I’m not riding that. The tram is packed like sardines. Why don’t you let the Male Zerg Protection Association wait a little longer?”

Chu Dian had been thinking about Yi Xi’s property for a long time. He was only waiting for the marriage agreement to be finalized so he could begin taking over the assets. How could he afford to wait?

He waved his hand impatiently.

“Ah, this matter can’t wait… fine, fine, I’ll do it for your sake.”

Muttering under his breath, he removed the restraint and emphasized, “Alright. Hurry back.”

Carey collapsed beside the door and finally managed to take a full breath.

Chu Xiu helped him to his feet.

“Are you alright, female father?”

Carey shook his head. He didn’t even have time to wipe the sweat from his face. His expression was panicked.

“Let’s go quickly, Xiao Xiu.”

It was clear he had already been frightened by all this.

Chu Xiu agreed and helped Carey downstairs. They walked all the way to the garage before Carey finally caught his breath. He used his sleeve to tidy his face, then boarded the aircraft. After reversing onto the main road, he forced a faint, unsteady smile.

“Young Master, please get in.”

The aircraft slowly rose into the air and headed toward the Chu residence.

By the time Chu Xiu arrived, the people from the Male Zerg Protection Association had already been there for quite a while.

They were meeting in the castle’s main hall. Chu Dian sat at the head of the long table while a staff member stood beside him, politely handing him documents.

Chu Xiu looked around.

On Chu Dian’s right sat a young man with heavy dark circles under his eyes. His face looked yellowish, as if he had overindulged in pleasures. He resembled a hollow young master. He had one leg crossed over the other while flipping through the documents, pointing at things on the papers from time to time, occasionally showing either disgust or satisfaction.

Carey walked forward stiffly and greeted them one by one.

“Male Lord, Young Master Jin.”

This person was Chu Jin.

Chu Dian casually glanced over Carey’s face and sneered.

“Was it comfortable staying outside with Xiao Xiu? Finally willing to come back?”

Chu Jin also laughed. “When big brother moves out, why not take the main female father with him as well?”

Chu Dian waved his hand. “That I won’t allow.”

A female zerg like Carey, so obedient, easy to play with, and still somewhat good-looking, was not that easy to find these days.

Carey’s face turned pale.

Chu Xiu gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Didn’t you say you wanted me back to look at the documents? Where are they?”

The staff member from the Male Zerg Protection Association quickly handed him a copy.

“The original is with Young Master Jin. Please look at this first.”

In Zerg society, ranks were strict. Chu Jin was a B-rank, which meant he steadily outranked Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu’s expression didn’t change. He found a chair and sat down to read.

The documents were about Yi Xi.

One part recorded Yi Xi’s financial situation in detail, including the cash flow of Stellar, investment projects, and the stocks he held. Another part was about Yi Xi himself, his rank, age, physical condition, and a photo for identification.

The photo was the same one that Chu Xiu had fallen in love with at first sight on the matching website.

In the picture, the one in power of Stellar smiled gently. The smile did not quite reach his eyes, carrying a faint sense of distance. Yet his appearance was refined and scholarly, making people think of an ancient jade displayed in a museum.

Beside him, Chu Jin let out a whistle.

“He really is quite good-looking. What a pity though…he’s a bit old.”

He looked toward Chu Xiu. “Hey, Brother, when the time comes don’t play with him until he’s worn out too quickly. Let me have a taste too, alright?”

Chu Xiu clenched his fists.

His gaze swept across Chu Dian’s hand, and his expression darkened.

Chu Dian wore six or seven rings on his fingers. But they weren’t just rings, one of them was the controller for Carey’s suppression ring.

Seeing that Chu Xiu didn’t speak, Chu Jin grinned. “Ah, Brother, I know you’re unhappy. Who would be happy marrying an old man as a female attendant? But Yi Xi really is beautiful.” He rubbed his chin. “Mm, what a pity. If he hadn’t just been born ten years earlier, it wouldn’t be impossible for me to leave the position of my female monarch for him.”

Chu Xiu gave a cold laugh, thinking to himself: Are you worthy?

Yi Xi was S-rank. If not for the Chu family’s secret scheming, and for Yi Xi capsizing in the gutter, then if he was unwilling, who would dare claim they were worthy of him?

Seeing that everyone had almost finished looking through the documents, the staff member from the Male Zerg Protection Association handed Chu Xiu a pen.

“Sir, if you have no other questions, please sign here.”

It was a marriage contract. It had the names and photos of Chu Xiu and Yi Xi.

Chu Xiu’s photo was that one that looked like an exploding sea urchin. Below it were the agreed matters regarding property transfer, and at the very bottom was the consent statement.

『  This male zerg (Name: Chu Xiu) agrees to the above compensation plan. According to the law, he will marry the female zerg (Name: Yi Xi) as a female attendant, and will no longer pursue responsibility for the accident. 』

Chu Xiu held the pen but did not sign.

Chu Jin leaned over. “Sign it, brother. Once you sign, the money will be yours.”

The staff member also thought he might not have heard clearly and repeated: “Sir, if you agree with the compensation plan, please sign here.”

Chu Xiu closed the folder. “I don’t agree.”

Chu Jin raised his voice. “What? You don’t agree?”

Carey was suddenly shocked too, looking at Chu Xiu in confusion.

Young Master clearly brought Yi Xi home this afternoon, and seemed really fond of him, so why wouldn’t he agree?

Chu Dian furrowed his brows. “What does this mean?”

Following Chu Xiu’s gaze to the paper, he saw him fixated on a line. He frowned, “Xiao Xiu, I know he’s older, and you feel it’s unfair, but a female attendant is already the minimum. He’s S-rank, you’re F-rank. The difference is too big. You can’t make him a female slave, even in our Chu family…”

Chu Xiu ignored him. Using the pen, he underlined the words female attendant and then looked up at the staff: “Here—can we change this to female monarch?”