NOVEL NEXT 15
Chapter 15: Playful 2
The message from the mentor said that his current residence didn’t have optical network coverage, making terminal communication useless. He had sent the message using the newly built wireless network at the local Zerg Star embassy.
Xi Tian silently complained, thinking, Why would you leave the well-equipped Zerg Star to wander around barren planets?
Immediately, a second message came in:
Missing Returned:
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These are some physical books I saw at a bookstore here. Any of them interest you?
P.S.: There’s a locally made e-reader here, very different from the ones back home. Want me to bring one back for you?”
Xi Tian glanced at the book list, which fell into categories he was interested in. Feeling a bit guilty, he thought he shouldn’t have labeled his mentor so casually. He carefully listed the book titles he was interested in and sent the list back.
Reflecting, Xi Tian realized that the two most important people in his life were those he met in college.
His connection with Liang An stemmed from their shared views.
With his mentor, it was because of his unconditional support.
Siming University was one of the top institutions on Zerg Star, with strong faculty and staff backgrounds.
Xi Tian was able to attend this university thanks to the government’s special consideration for male students, which required each university to admit a certain number of males from each state. The admission scores for males were about 40 points lower than those for females.
Back then, Xi Tian had been quite headstrong and only applied to Siming.
Coincidentally, the male student ratio in his cohort was extremely low. Some universities in his state couldn’t even meet the required number of male students.
Even though his admission score was two points short, it was fortuitous that Siming University hadn’t met its quota for male students in his area that year, so they admitted Xi Tian.
At university, the environment was relaxed, and teachers and students were especially tolerant of male students.
However, this tolerance didn’t extend to life-threatening situations.
Male students could be willful and spoiled, as long as they stayed in a safe environment and didn’t endanger their lives, anything was permissible.
After nightfall, single male individuals are advised not to go out alone to avoid harm from rough immigrants.
Males can participate in various activities, but extreme sports with high risks must have the approval of a guardian.
Before marriage, the guardian of a male individual id his father or elder brothers. After marriage, the guardian shifts to his female lorf.
It’s a peculiar society: on one hand, it is lenient and lavish towards males; on the other hand, it imposes numerous restrictions on personal freedom.
Even when Xi Tian lounged at home waiting for relief subsidies, every month workers would come to persuade him overtly and covertly to marry soon and not waste his prime years when females are most fertile.
Xi Tian understood the unspoken words: don’t waste time during the golden years of one’s body, when females should conceive and bear children.
The encounter with his mentor in those days was quite dramatic.
That evening, Xi Tian skipped class to visit the new barbecue restaurant that Liang An had been pestering him about for days.
The restaurant was packed, so he reluctantly shared a table with another person, an elegant scholar.
Adult zerg species don’t show their age from their appearance. Due to his mild temperament compared to females, Xi Tian couldn’t immediately tell his gender.
At that time, Xi Tian was still underage and often took advantage of the ambiguity in gender appearance to disguise himself as female.
After the dishes were served, Xi Tian noticed that the person opposite had ordered the same food as him. This sparked a conversation, revealing they had both skipped class.
Xi Tian initially thought he was a fellow student from the same school, but as the conversation deepened, he learned that this scholar was supposed to be their class teacher but had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances.
There was a moment of silence, and then the teacher and student who had skipped class reached an understanding and smiled at each other.
Not long after that, he was chosen by the mentor to work under him.
The mentor specialized in biological research, while Xi Tian focused on historical studies. Their divergent fields didn’t meet any objections and progressed naturally.
Approaching sixty, the mentor adhered to a bachelor lifestyle and had never married or had children.
He had taught numerous students but showed particular kindness and affection towards Xi Tian.
During Xi Tian’s class-skipping escapades, the mentor covered for him with the authorities.
For entertainment activities requiring a guardian’s presence, he forged signatures as Xi Tian’s guardian.
To have topics to discuss with Xi Tian, he even read history books despite lacking interest in the subject.
Even after graduation, he still cherished his preferences.
Compared to the role of a mentor, he was more like a father trying hard to please his child.
Xi Tian noticed that the mentor seemed to be reminiscing about someone through him.
But his presence indeed filled the fatherly void in Xi Tian’s life.
At this moment, the third batch of braised pork was ready. Ellis carried the pork on a white porcelain plate, its crimson color looking irresistibly appetizing.
Xi Tian thought for a moment, picked up a photo of Ellis, added some text, and sent it out.
Xi Tian took a bite. The rich and sweet flavor filled his mouth, juices bursting between his teeth and tongue.
Distant memories of his hometown flashed before his eyes.
Xi Tian pulled Ellis over and sat side by side, pretending to feed him.
Ellis resisted, “I’ve tried it in the kitchen, it’s too sweet.”
Xi Tian didn’t retract the piece of meat he offered to Ellis’s mouth; he kept looking straight at him.
Ellis sighed, leaned forward, and took a bite.
The braised pork tasted good, but it wasn’t Ellis’s favorite flavor.
“It’s just too sweet!” Ellis hurriedly searched the room for water.
“You made this yourself, there’s no reason not to eat it.” Xi Tian chuckled and picked up another piece of meat.
“I did it according to your preference!” Ellis finally found his misplaced cup and rushed into the kitchen, turning on the tap and downing a full glass of water.
The term “Master” spoken by the female zerg carried no respectful tone, purely accusatory!
In Xi Tian’s mind floated one of the many reasons male zergs blame female zergs on the forum’s male section.
He felt rather pleased because he could see the helpless expression on the female’s face.
After all, the two of them, the female is not like the female, and the male is not like the male.
This is called a perfect match.
Xi Tian: “Is it too sweet? This is the taste of my hometown that I’m used to. But the taste does have a subtle difference. Unlike you, a local of Siming, your taste is salty and heavy.”
Ellis smiled wryly, “Is my taste heavy? I’ve been living here for twenty-five years, and it’s always been this way.”
Xi Tian said, “Compared to our place, Siming cuisine is really heavy. Sugar is a must-have kitchen seasoning in every household. Before coming here, I never thought there could only be one type of savory buns.”
Ellis was instantly horrified, “Buns with sugar in them?! That’s just hell!”
Xitian: “I don’t really like sweet buns either, but meat-eaters prefer sweet and fresh flavors. I was forced to switch from meat-eating to herb-eating during the years I spent in Siming.”
Ellis put down the horrible sweet buns for the moment, “Hey, does the male master like meat?”
Xitian: “Well, what’s wrong with that?”
Ellis shook his head, “Nope, I thought males only liked delicate beautiful vegetarian food.”
Xitian: “What’s the point of being delicate! What’s the use of being pretty! You’ve got to be able to eat and endure hunger!!!”
Ellis agreed repeatedly, and in the meantime, he was contemplating when to take the male master for a walk to the troop cafeteria.
I don’t know if it was an illusion, but he seemed to sense that the male master had a resentful aura.
The meat didn’t end up being finished, and there was still a large portion left by the time the plate was cold.
Feeling eight points full, he sealed the rest with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
After washing up and looking around the living room, Xi Tian still felt spaced out.
“Let’s go look at some furniture tomorrow,” he thought, entering the bedroom.
They were still in the engagement period, and there was nothing a husband and wife should leave undone. Xi Tian was enthusiastic about this, even setting aside the meditation he used to control his emotions, joyfully indulging in this sensory feast.
Ellis had already changed into his pajamas and was lying on his side in bed.
The soft orange bedside lamp gave his bare skin a honeyed sheen.
Xi Tian felt himself getting aroused again.
“Should I be considerate to my female lord? He’s in better shape than I am.”
But friction generates heat, friction generates electricity, friction generates fire.
Each of these can easily harm him.
“So should I just pretend nothing happened? No, I won’t! Maybe I could test him, or find a way that won’t hurt him.”
“Females, what else is sensitive?”
“His wings,” Xi Tian pursed his lips.
Desire surged like a prairie fire.
The blood in his body gathered in one place.
Xi Tian burrowed under the covers and hugged his female from behind.
The female leaned in, unaware that what every female loves and fears was about to happen.
—
Author’s note:
The mentor is related to the protagonist’s dad.