NOVEL NEXT 25
Chapter 25
Di Yan’s laughter echoed in the hall. His long hair was like flames, his features bold, and his personality lively. No matter where he went, he always attracted attention.
Although Xia Baiyuan had always held the top spot at Nansheng Military Academy, his popularity was far less than Di Yan’s. Compared to Xia Baiyuan’s aloofness and detachment, Di Yan was much more enthusiastic—he was quite the fervent fighter.
It was said that he never hesitated to share his experiences with other female zergs and would even teach them hands-on. The stronger the enemy, the more excited he became.
Another interesting rumor was that Di Yan was surprisingly attractive to female zergs.
—In a special sense of attraction.
Xia Baiyuan leaned into Lu Xi’s embrace, resting his chin on his hand as he watched Di Yan.
Di Yan was a very, very traditionally handsome female zerg. His body was beautifully shaped, muscular yet not overly so. Paired with his bright eyes and carefree smile, he gave off the impression of a large dog.
Xia Baiyuan looked down at his own hands.
His jacket sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the thin shirt underneath. The shirt was fitted, hinting at his slender frame with a thin layer of muscle.
He tried spreading his fingers. In the light, his fingers looked long and delicate, lacking the strength one would expect of a female zerg.
Mirrors were placed all around the hall, allowing the guests to check their appearance at any time.
The mirror reflected Xia Baiyuan’s image.
A silver-haired zerg sat on the lap of a black-haired female zerg—his frame was even smaller than Lu Xi’s, his features delicate, his neck slender, and his cold expression exuding an air of detachment.
If Di Yan was a passionate large dog, then Xia Baiyuan resembled an unlikable skinny cat.
Xia Baiyuan had always been aware of his own appearance and had never minded it before, but at this moment, he felt a strange emotion welling up inside him.
If it weren’t for their employment relationship, Lu Xi would probably be closer to Di Yan, right?
—Especially since Di Yan matched his preferred type exactly.
“What are you looking at?”
Lu Xi’s voice came from behind, and Xia Baiyuan could feel the vibrations from Lu Xi’s chest through his back.
Retracting his gaze, Xia Baiyuan casually put down his hand and said nonchalantly, “Lu Xi, let’s make a bet, shall we?”
Lu Xi straightened his back stiffly, unsure of where to place his hands. In the end, he awkwardly rested them on the armrests, trying to distance himself from Xia Baiyuan.
But as soon as Xia Baiyuan turned his head, the distance between them closed again. Lu Xi could almost feel Xia Baiyuan’s breath on his cheek.
His mind was filled only with those blue-green eyes, barely comprehending what Xia Baiyuan was saying.
He could only blankly repeat, “What bet?”
Xia Baiyuan gave a faint smile. “I bet that tonight, someone will ask for your flower.”
Flower?
Catching the keyword, Lu Xi’s scattered thoughts began to focus.
He instinctively covered the flower pinned to his chest. Don’t ask why he wore it—he just wanted to show it off.
This was a flower given to him by Xia Baiyuan!
Do you have one? No, you don’t.
“Then it looks like you’re bound to lose,” Lu Xi said confidently with a smile. “I won’t accept anyone’s invitation. I will not give this flower away.”
“Is that so?”
The smile on Xia Baiyuan’s face deepened as he stood up lightly from Lu Xi’s lap. “The male zergs have arrived. Look—”
Following his gaze, Lu Xi saw a doll-faced male zerg at the entrance, his almond-shaped eyes full of affection and sparkle. Every female zerg who met his gaze would fall for his tender charm.
“Luo Qiuxing is here!”
“Young Master Luo! I’ve been waiting in line for so long; it’s my turn today, right?”
“Wow—Young Master Luo looks great today too~”
Luo Qiuxing waved with a satisfied smile. “Oh, isn’t this little Luodan? Sorry, but I’m not free today.”
He pulled a female zerg over and kissed his forehead, whispering, “Come find me tomorrow.”
The female zerg laughed as he let go of his hand. “You must remember, okay?”
“Of course.”
Behind him, an unexpected figure appeared.
Tall, with an unremarkable face, dressed in black, and sporting neatly trimmed short hair, it was Luo Qiuxing’s roommate, Cheng Yan.
Unlike the popular Luo Qiuxing, Cheng Yan never had any personal interactions with female zergs. The school required male zergs to have close contact with female zergs to help alleviate their symptoms, but Cheng Yan only complied to the extent of “close contact.”
He had never even shaken hands with a female zerg. His personality was extremely rigid, and it was probably only someone like Luo Qiuxing who could get along with him.
Who knew why he came today?
Luo Qiuxing immediately spotted Lu Xi in the crowd, along with Xia Baiyuan standing beside him.
He instinctively covered his eyes and took a step back.
So dazzling—
Why are there such beautiful female zergs in the world? And two of them!
Just by standing there casually, they seemed to attract all the attention as if they were under spotlights, looking even better than magazine models.
Luo Qiuxing, excited, tugged at Cheng Yan’s sleeve and stuttered, “Ch-Ch-Cheng Yan, I’m going in!!”
Cheng Yan slowly picked up a glass of wine from a nearby table. “Do you want me to wish you luck?”
Luo Qiuxing replied, “Of course!!”
His eyes were sparkling with excitement. Cheng Yan instinctively frowned with a look of disdain. “Wow…”
Luo Qiuxing added, “As my good buddy, don’t hold me back at a time like this, okay?”
Cheng Yan sneered. “I don’t waste words. Encouraging you to pursue an impossible goal will only make you more heartbroken in the end.”
Luo Qiuxing was speechless for a moment. Rolling up his sleeves, he marched towards Lu Xi, leaving behind an angry comment. “Today, I’ll show you!”
Cheng Yan raised his glass indifferently. “Hope you won’t cry for too long.”
Luo Qiuxing’s steps faltered for a moment, then became even more determined.
The entire hall fell silent, all eyes fixed on Luo Qiuxing as he made his way through the crowd. Every step he took past a female zerg brought sighs of regret.
At the end of his path, a black-haired Zerg sat on a chair, his long legs crossed elegantly and relaxed.
Soft, melodious music began to play.
Luo Qiuxing stopped in front of Lu Xi. With a faint fragrance in the air, he slightly bowed and extended his hand towards Lu Xi. “May I have the honor of a dance with you?”
His hand hung in the air, unanswered.
Luo Qiuxing’s heart sank gradually.
The murmurs around them started to rise.
“Holy crap, is he really going to refuse?”
“Ahhh, then come ask me—”
“That’s Lu Xi for you~”
“……”
So, he was being rejected.
But—however, a good male zerg would never pester a female zerg! One of Luo Qiuxing’s life principles was mutual consent; he attended this military academy to care for every female zerg!
Luo Qiuxing straightened up. “In that case…”
At the next moment, his hand was taken. Luo Qiuxing’s eyes widened. “Eh?”
The black-haired, red-eyed Zerg stood up, smiling. “Of course.”
The sudden surprise almost made Luo Qiuxing faint with joy. He failed to notice the determined emotion hidden in Lu Xi’s smile.
Amidst the cheers of the female zergs around them, the two of them glided into the dance floor.
“Now that I see them together, they actually look quite compatible.”
Cheng Yan walked over to Xia Baiyuan and whispered. “Luo Qiuxing looks truly happy, which is rare. And Lu Xi is a good one… This time, Luo Qiuxing might really mark him and step into marriage.”
He carefully observed Xia Baiyuan’s expression, but couldn’t discern anything from that indifferent face.
“Oh, is that so?” Xia Baiyuan leaned against the table, arms crossed. “Well, wouldn’t that be great?”
“……”
Cheng Yan watched him for a while and then said, “I had a small guess about you two before, but it seems I was wrong.”
Xia Baiyuan turned his head. “What guess?”
His bangs cast heavy shadows under the lights, obscuring his eyes and hiding his emotions in the dimness.
Cheng Yan shrugged. “Since I was wrong, there’s no need to say it.”
He had thought these two might be a pair, but was he mistaken?
Xia Baiyuan replied, “Being mysterious.”
Cheng Yan took a sip of the clear liquor and turned his gaze back to the two on the dance floor.
The music was gradually becoming livelier, signaling the prelude to dancing. The male zergs had all arrived, each choosing their dance partners. But there were too few males, and most of the females were left waiting. Some playful females paired up and slid into the dance floor.
They exchanged greetings and assumed their positions.
But when Cheng Yan saw their stance, he couldn’t help but lower his head.
“Pfft.”
The liquor he hadn’t yet swallowed sputtered out as he coughed, covering his mouth with a handkerchief while letting out a muffled laugh.
Glancing again at Xia Baiyuan, he noticed a slight curve at the corner of his mouth.
……
Luo Qiuxing smiled and bowed, reaching for Lu Xi’s waist as etiquette dictated—
But he felt an unfamiliar touch on his own waist. Looking down, he saw Lu Xi’s hand resting there.
Luo Qiuxing: “……”
Luo Qiuxing: “Huh?”
No, no, no, you’ve got it wrong. You’re in the male zerg’s position.
Puzzled, Luo Qiuxing looked up, ready to correct Lu Xi’s mistake, but met his determined red eyes.
M-Maybe he doesn’t know?!
Luo Qiuxing was momentarily stunned, then saw Lu Xi’s lips curve into an extraordinarily beautiful smile.
Actually, it’s fine this way too~
Luo Qiuxing, completely mesmerized, followed Lu Xi’s lead without resistance, spinning together in the dance floor.
If he knew what Lu Xi was thinking, he might have cried.
Three thousand years in the future, because conflicts between male zergs were too unpredictable and could easily damage their mental seas, mental power competitions between male zergs were strictly forbidden.
Thus, their battles subtly shifted to other arenas.
For example, at dances, rival male zergs would invite each other and then compete for the dominant role in the dance.
This contest involved physical strength, presence, and maintaining smooth dance steps, making it quite challenging. But once a male zerg triumphed in such a contest, he would completely overshadow the loser!
Lu Xi was winning this type of competition for the first time, and joy and pride filled his heart.
Although he didn’t know why Luo Qiuxing had suddenly invited him to this contest, Lu Xi felt immensely happy.
He turned his head and looked towards Xia Baiyuan at the edge of the dance floor.
Look at me! Look at me!
I won!
Xia Baiyuan raised his glass towards him, his lips moving silently.
【You danced well.】
The colorful lights shone on Lu Xi, enveloping him in a halo. His red eyes were full of joy.
—Just like a young cub who had gotten a new toy.
The song ended.
Lu Xi let go of Luo Qiuxing’s hand and stared at the baby-faced male zerg, saying, “Thank you.”
This was his first time accepting a challenge. How to describe it…
When he used to stay at home, he had thought about it more than once. If he were an ordinary male zerg, he might go to school like the others, have close friends, and have zergs he couldn’t stand.
At that time, he would accept challenges and defeat them honorably.
Unexpectedly, his past yearning was realized today.
It felt great.
Seeing Lu Xi’s smile, Luo Qiuxing was momentarily stunned. “No, no need to thank me.”
“Then, I’ll step down now.”
“Okay.”
Luo Qiuxing also stepped down in a daze. Cheng Yan handed him a glass of wine, and he held it silently.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Yan looked at him. “You didn’t even ask for his flower? That’s not like you.”
“Well…”
Luo Qiuxing frowned, the image of Lu Xi’s eyes resurfacing in his mind. “I felt like the atmosphere wasn’t right.”
More precisely, at that moment, he vaguely realized something—Lu Xi wouldn’t date him.
The look in his eyes had no hint of distraction, making Luo Qiuxing feel that having such thoughts himself was very inappropriate.
“I don’t feel like being with a female today,” Luo Qiuxing sighed, his expression somewhat melancholic.
“Alright, alright,” Cheng Yan put down his glass, his gaze deepening. “Since you look so pitiful, how about a dance with me?”
“Huh?”
“Can’t I?” Cheng Yan smiled at him. “I rarely come here, and just standing around is too boring.”
Wow! That instantaneously cool smile again!
Luo Qiuxing dejectedly lowered his head. “Fine, fine.”
Cheng Yan pulled Luo Qiuxing into the dance floor, his eyes glancing at the edge of the dance floor.
Lu Xi and Xia Baiyuan stood in a corner, their upper bodies hidden by shadows.
……
“I told you, you were bound to lose.” Lu Xi proudly showed off the flower pinned to his chest, chin raised.
Seeing this rare, lively demeanor, Xia Baiyuan couldn’t help but bend over, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Lu Xi looked at Xia Baiyuan in confusion.
What are you laughing at?
He mumbled, “Hey… even if someone else invites me, I won’t give away the flower. No, let’s just go back, I’ve already had enough to eat.”
He hesitated for a moment, then bent down and whispered in Xia Baiyuan’s ear, “I secretly packed some food and hid it. We can still eat it when we get back.”
Lu Xi pursed his lips, feeling a bit embarrassed. But… but who could blame him when Xia Baiyuan looked like he really enjoyed the food?
He couldn’t help himself…
Xia Baiyuan’s smile grew wider.
Lu Xi looked at him helplessly, “You have to tell me what you’re laughing at.”
How could Lu Xi be so… so…
Xia Baiyuan straightened up, still catching his breath, and looked at Lu Xi’s utterly confused face. Lu Xi kept muttering, “You’re making me really nervous. Did I do something wrong?”
“If you’re going to make fun of me, I won’t mind.”
“And… and I know that kind of provocation might seem childish. My male father wouldn’t do something like that, but… but it was my first time.”
“Let’s go back. I’m full and feeling sleepy—mmph—”
Lu Xi’s eyes widened.
He was pulled forward by a force on his neck, and a warm sensation spread across his lips.
Xia Baiyuan’s eyes were closed, his long silver lashes trembling slightly like fluttering butterflies.
That cool fragrance became more intense.
Huh?
What…
Lu Xi’s mind was slow to process, and then Xia Baiyuan’s warm tongue pried open his teeth, making him relax his grip.
A faint taste of alcohol spread in his mouth.
The zerg in his arms had a slender waist, and as Lu Xi held his warm body, Xia Baiyuan’s hands wrapped around his neck. They fit together like perfectly meshed gears.
“Mmm…”
It was unclear how much time had passed when Xia Baiyuan finally leaned back, half-opening his eyes.
Earlier, his eyes had reminded Lu Xi of the clear sky over snowy mountains. Now, they looked like shimmering lake water, glistening with light.
Lu Xi’s mind was blank.
“You…”
Xia Baiyuan tugged at Lu Xi’s collar, his cheeks slightly flushed, and said in a low voice, “Too deep.”
Lu Xi lowered his head, looking past Xia Baiyuan’s shoulder, and saw his own hand.
To be precise, half of his hand, the other half hidden in Xia Baiyuan’s clothes.
His palm felt a smooth, resilient sensation, which seemed, possibly, to be Xia Baiyuan’s waist.
Lu Xi: !!!
He quickly let go, stammering an apology, “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
Eye-shaking.jpg
Why on earth did he do that? It was completely unconscious!
Xia Baiyuan let go of his clothes. “It’s fine. It’s common among zergs.”
Lu Xi felt completely uncomforted and said bitterly, “Why did you suddenly…”
“I lost, didn’t I?”
Xia Baiyuan gave a sly smile. “You didn’t give away your flower.”
Lu Xi looked down at the paper flower, belatedly recalling the scene before the banquet.
The female zergs had been playing rock-paper-scissors enthusiastically. The loser would run to hug the winner tightly, then cheekily demand a kiss, determined to disgust the other until they turned pale.
Oh, zerg god…
Lu Xi covered his face with his hand.
What a mess…
He covered his face, hiding his vision, and missed Xia Baiyuan discreetly turning away and brushing his lips with his fingertips.