Cheng Zhaoci can feel Wei Zhuo’s hug tightening and tightening… and tightening. Meanwhile, his eyes are glowing at nowhere in particular.

“Wei, Wei Zhuo!” He’s out of air! His xiongzhu might end up passing away early if this keeps up!

Lu Yao has had enough. He pats Wei Zhuo on the shoulder quickly, “can you not blank out here? Xiao-Ci is not strong enough to withstand your CQC technique at full force.”

Wei Zhuo has his soul dragged back down from cloud nine, and quickly lets Cheng Zhaoci go, “I’m sorry!”

“Cough, cough, I’m fine,” Cheng Zhaoci rubs his stiff and sore shoulders. Wow. Grade S shemales really are something. He looks like he’s just casually hugging but it was strong enough to kill, “I was hugging out of the blue. Let’s go in first.”

Lu Yao, meanwhile, rolls his eyes at his grandson, “tough now, are we?” He says that, but his tone is clearly happy.

He’s never seen Wei Zhuo all dumbfounded in the past. Not a sign of the cold and distant form to be found, but it’s not a bad thing.

Wei Zhuo follows after Cheng Zhaoci. His mouth opens and closes a few times, until he manages to produce a barely audible “xiao-Ci.”

He’s always called Cheng Zhaoci ‘mister,’ but having heard everyone else close to Cheng Zhaoci go xiao-Ci and Ci-zai all the time has made him interested as well.

Cheng Zhaoci stops and turns around with a big smile, “yeah, Wei-ge?”

It’s actually slightly odd for him to give him the ‘older brother’ suffix, but xiao-Wei? Zhuozhuo? A-Zhuo? None of that feels congruent with the aura of the imposing shemale soldier.

Wei Zhuo, though, begs to differ. What’s weird about Wei-ge? It’s like divine music to his ears!

When the two insectoids start locking eyes madly in the name of love halfway to the mansion proper, Lu Yao’s expression fades. For some reason, he’s pretty content spending time with xiao-Ci, and he supposes he gets along just fine with his grandson. The two of them together, though, are strangely disagreeable to him.

They should move back out as soon as the war is over. He’s too old for this shit.

This is a sentiment shared by the Zhou brothers, who aren’t at the Grand Marshal’s, but were informed, when requesting new drafts to detail after finishing their current batch, that Mr Comic Artist is going on a date. So no work today. Also, as compensation, they get a few red packets with pocket change. The ‘laziness’ tax, as a counterpart to cat tax.

“I really understand why ‘too young to fall in love’ is a thing,” says Zhou Xiaobao.

See? Without romance in the mix, Cheng Zhaoci is a busy little bee. With it… Ha.

The war has been ongoing for about half a year already.

Obviously, the space buccaneers have far more casualties than the army, but those pirates are sneaky.

They don’t operate on any fixed bases, and spend most of their time on the mobile spaceships. Employing guerilla tactics, attacking any which place as they please. It’s a big pain in the arse to deal with.

Add in the fact that they are getting constant replenishment in ranks from disgruntled shemales and demis, and that they have male hostages. The war has entered a stalemate.

“So why can’t we use these teleportation beacons?” Jin Yue grumbles.

If they could use these, they’d zip right next to the core worlds of the Federation.

The army’s protection of these is surprisingly lax. Jin Yue and the others tried to seize one, only to realise they couldn’t enter. Not just that, but it sent some kind of alarm and the nearest army immediately rushed for them.

“The technology basically appeared out of thin air. None of our technicians and researchers have any idea how to crack it. It’s the same for those newest weapons the Federation is using,” Sun Wushe skims the report on his hands, “say, when you were on your shopping spree on the Capital planet, didn’t you hear anything about where they came from?”

“Their distribution is already illegal. And you’re asking me? You, the highest ranked undercover pirate in the army, didn’t know where they came from either?”

“Officially, the army bought them from weapons manufacturers majority owned by the government. I suspect the First Research Institute is involved in the development, but authorisation for entering requires a much higher rank,” Sun Wushe narrows his eyes, “I can’t even begin to picture the monster that designed these and the beacons.”

Bai ‘the Monster’ Jun, or Researcher Bai, is currently sitting on the sofa of the Grand Marshal’s, trembling.

“I, I, my, my father had me deliver food,” Bai Jun retrieves snacks he carries around with him, though clearly, his recipient is disinterested.

Not ‘I don’t want it’-disinterested, but ‘I’m too busy looking at Wei Zhuo affectionately’-disinterested. He probably doesn’t even know what Bai Jun has taken out, but simply goes, “thanks,” and then continue his lovestruck staring streak. Wei Zhuo’s eyes never left Cheng Zhaoci the entire time.

They’re treasuring every second of those three days.

Bai Jun looks towards Lu Yao, who sighs, “fresh lovebirds. Typical.”

Then Lu Yao starts looking up and down Bai Jun. Lu Yao is close acquaintances with both the President and the Chairman of Chief Command; he’s basically an older relative to Bai Jun.

Although it’s pretty annoying to see his grandson and xiao-Ci getting all mushy-mushy, but think of it this way. The President’s own male son is over 70, but he’s still single. This makes him feel a little better.

“Have any insectoid you like yet?” Lu Yao suddenly asks.

Bai Jun’s breathing suddenly hastens. He knows this conversation opener well. Too well.

As expected, Lu Yao immediately goes, “70 is no longer young. It’s time you get a shemale or demi in your life. You might not be old enough to understand, but when you come to that age, you’d understand how loneliness kills us inside.”

Oh? So it turns out insectoids pressure the young to marry just the same as his past world?

The conversation has actually managed to draw the attention of both Cheng Zhaoci and Wei Zhuo.

“Xiao-Bai, you should also try something outside of your comfort zone,” says Lu Yao, with this solemn tone.

Bai Jun then glances over at Cheng Zhaoci, who gets it immediately.

The great researcher did once try to leave his comfort zone for love, for his own cijun, only to lose his way in the middle of the city, on the Capital planet, with GPS in his hands, even. He even starved to the point of fainting.

Bai Jun is definitely trying to get Cheng Zhaoci not to say a thing about it. It’s utterly embarrassing is what it is.

Well, researchers sure are dedicating almost their entire schedule to research. It’s quite detrimental to romance-seeking. Cheng Zhaoci does adore them for leading the path of technology forward for the insectoids! Bai Jun is cool! He thinks, as he leans into Wei Zhuo.

Ah, Wei Zhuo’s muscles sure are firm and cushy. He really is a simple, lame insectoid all dazzled by the fluttery romance. He’s lame, but he feels so relaxed and happy.

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