ICAWZ Chapter 178

Although You Que’s rental apartment couldn’t be considered old and dilapidated, it was small and shabby, with no relation whatsoever to the word “comfortable.” He led Mackey into the room, expecting the elderly male to be unable to tolerate such an environment. Inwardly, he hoped that Mackey would return to the welfare home soon. But to his surprise, Mackey seemed quite happy.

Mackey walked around the living room, leaning on his cane, and asked, “Eugene, is this where you live now?”

You Que didn’t say much, simply replying, “Just a temporary place to stay.”

Mackey slowly sat down on the sofa, nodding as he heard the words. “It is a bit shabby, but your male and female fathers passed away early. With only the empire’s subsidy, you can’t save up much. As long as you have a place to stay, that’s enough.”

On the way back, You Que kept doubting Mackey’s identity. After all, it was too strange for a grandfather to suddenly appear out of nowhere, but the tone of his voice made it seem like he really was a relative. You Que couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

He found a clean blanket and tidied up the room next door a little. “You’ll sleep here tonight. Call me if you need anything.”

After speaking, he excused himself, claiming to be too tired. He hurriedly took a shower and went back to his room. Once inside, he locked the door behind him and pulled out an old backpack from under the bed. It was the one he had accidentally taken from the outskirts. Back then, he hadn’t bothered to go through its contents for the sake of privacy, but now, he couldn’t care less.

Inside the backpack, there were only identification documents, some scattered travel tickets, and a crumpled envelope. You Que had expected there to be a letter, but to his surprise, it was an old photo of a zerg. It looked quite similar to Mackey, just younger. On the back of the photo, there was a hurriedly written line of text:

Saint Li’e Town, XX District, XX Street, XX Welfare Home,
Mackey A’qiwa.

The writing of the Zerg species was very different from Earth’s, but since You Que had been here for so long, he could now recognize a few words despite the occasional struggle. He stared at it for a long time, then thoughtfully put the photo back into the envelope, realizing that they really did know each other.

Out of caution, You Que still sent a message to Gu Yigu through his terminal, asking him to investigate Mackey and get back to him as soon as possible.

This night was destined to be sleepless.

But it wasn’t because You Que couldn’t sleep. It was because Mackey, the old male, was too hard to please. In the middle of the night, he suddenly got up and said he was hungry, waking You Que to cook him something. After eating, it wasn’t over. Mackey complained that his stomach felt uncomfortable from being too full and asked You Que to accompany him downstairs for a walk. Back and forth, they kept at it until four in the morning before finally getting some rest.

You Que’s fists tightened and loosened, but in the end, he managed to hold back his temper. He started work at two in the afternoon and usually woke up around noon. Worried that the old male might be hungry by sunrise, he got up early to buy some meals and toiletries, only to return and find Mackey already sitting properly at the dining table.

You Que placed the breakfast on the table, still not accustomed to having a zerg in the house. “I have to work this afternoon, so I can’t take care of you every day. After breakfast, I’ll take you back to the welfare home.”

But Mackey, with his strange temper, snorted. “You go to your work. I never asked you to take care of me. I have arms and legs. Why would I need you to look after me? Have my wings grown too hard, or is it that Grandpa can’t stay at your house for a couple of days?”

After speaking, he asked again, “Work? What kind of work do you do?”

You Que’s temples throbbed at the question. He barely managed to keep his patience and replied, “I work as a bartender.”

Mackey tapped his cane on the ground. “A bar is hardly a decent place. You should marry a female zerg soon. Look at this place, it’s a mess. Without a zerg to manage things, it just doesn’t work.”

You Que, who dealt with his malicious stepmother daily, had long developed strong defenses. He pretended not to hear, sitting at the table and mindlessly munching on a piece of bread. But unexpectedly, there was a sudden knock at the door.

“Knock knock knock—“

“Is Lord Eugene here?”

You Que felt the voice outside was oddly familiar. He stood up and went to the door, and when he opened it, he realized it was an investigator from the marriage agency. His steps faltered. “Is there something you need?”

You Que was dressed in the simplest white T-shirt. His brown hair, which hadn’t been trimmed in a long time, was almost covering his eyes. His side profile was sharply defined and handsome, a stark contrast to how he used to look.

The investigator outside the door was momentarily stunned, and exclaimed in surprise, “Your Excellency, your face…”

Since You Que had failed three times at matchmaking, this was the first time the investigator had come to his door. He vaguely remembered that the male zerg had had a face full of pockmarks due to an allergy, which had made it difficult for him to find a partner. How was it that today, the scars on his face seemed to have vanished?

You Que paid no attention to the investigator’s surprise and casually made up an excuse. “I had an allergic reaction on my face recently, but it’s better now. Is there something you need?”

The investigator snapped back to his senses after hearing You Que’s words. He seemed hesitant to make eye contact, his heart pounding, and quietly explained his purpose. “Your Excellency, I’m here to help you arrange a matchmaking meeting. Do you remember the female zerg, Hansen, from your first blind date?”

You Que gave a faint acknowledgment. “I remember.”

The investigator blushed and continued, “Mr. Hansen contacted us a couple of days ago, asking about your marital status. After learning that you’re still single, he wants to meet you again. That’s the reason I’m here to disturb you.”

He had been puzzled at first. After their first blind date, Hansen had refused to meet with Lord Eugene again. Yet a couple of days ago, Hansen had inexplicably contacted their matchmaking agency, paid a large consultation fee, and insisted on another date. It was completely baffling to the zerg.

But after the investigator met You Que, everything became clear to him. Such a handsome male zerg—only a fool would let him go.

You Que calmly refused, “No need. I’ve been a bit busy lately and don’t have time for blind dates. Please arrange for him to meet another male zerg.”

He was about to close the door when the investigator, quick on his feet, blocked the gap and awkwardly handed over a stack of files. “Your Excellency, this is a list of high-quality female zergs selected by our matchmaking agency. If you have time, you can take a look. If you like any of them, feel free to contact us, and we’ll arrange a date immediately.”

Reluctantly, You Que took the booklet, swiftly closed the door, and walked over to the dining table. He tossed the booklet aside without even looking at it.

But Mackey overheard their conversation and curiously lifted his head from his bowl. “That female zerg just now seemed to be from the matchmaking agency. He said a female zerg wants to meet you. Why aren’t you going?”

You Que replied, “We’ve already met once. There’s no need to go again.”

Mackey wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Why didn’t it work out the first time? You didn’t like him?”

You Que paused at the question and casually made up an excuse. “I had an allergic reaction on my face the day of the blind date, so it didn’t work out.”

Mackey instantly understood, stroking his beard. “So, it wasn’t that you didn’t like him. It was that he didn’t like you.”

After speaking, Mackey snorted and said, “A female zerg like that is no good. If he left because he thought you were ugly, no one would blame him. But if he sees your face is better now and tries to stick around, then he has no backbone. It would just make the zergs look down on you. No, no!”

You Que couldn’t help but laugh, thinking to himself that the old male actually had a sense of humor. “I never really planned on going on any more blind dates.”

Mackey frowned when he heard this, picking up the introduction booklet and flipping through it. “You can’t just avoid blind dates. How else are you going to find a monarch? Or is it that you already have someone outside?”

The kid was so handsome and worked at a place like a bar—could he really already have someone?

You Que’s hand paused imperceptibly while tearing the bread, and he quickly denied, “No.”

After speaking, Mackey quickly finished his meal. Seeing that it was almost time for work, You Que stood up to leave.

He went back to his room and brought out a paper bag, locking the door behind him without leaving a trace. He noticed that Mackey was still sitting at the table, eating slowly. With his thin, aged body, he looked like someone who had been through a lot in life. Even if he were a scammer sent to meet him for matchmaking, it was hard not to feel some sympathy for him.

You Que frowned as he touched his pocket, finally pulling out 200 star coins and placing them on the table. “I’m going to work now. There’s food in the fridge, heat it up yourself. If that doesn’t work, go downstairs and buy something.”

Mackey, still eating while flipping through the booklet in his hands, waved his hand without even turning around. “Go, go, do your work. I’ll pick out a few nice-looking female zergs for you.”

You Que couldn’t be bothered to deal with him and left for work.

“Bang—!” The door slammed shut with a loud noise.

Mackey heard the sound of the door closing and finally lifted his head to look toward the door, fuming as he puffed out his cheeks. “Rude little brat.”

After finishing his breakfast, he rummaged through the toiletries You Que had bought for him and discovered a box of digestive tablets. He popped two into his mouth and muttered to himself, “Not bad, he’s pretty thoughtful.”

After You Que left home, he didn’t go directly to the bar. Instead, he crossed the street to meet up with Gu Yigu and the others.

“Well, did you find out any information about him?” You Que asked.

Gu Yigu, holding a file, handed it over to You Que. “Yes, we found out. This old male is indeed Eugene’s relative. Both of his partners were military females, but they died on the battlefield more than a decade ago, and he didn’t have any offspring. As he got older, the government sent him to a welfare home to live out his days.”

You Que frowned as he flipped through the file. “So how did he end up coming out?”

Gu Yigu casually picked at his teeth with a toothpick and said nonchalantly, “I asked around. Apparently, this old male has a terrible temper, and he’s always getting into arguments with the caretakers. Last month, he didn’t pay his fees and was kicked out of the welfare home. He’s probably just a bloodsucking poor relative… Hey, is he still living at your place?”

You Que closed the file and tossed it into Gu Yigu’s arms. “He’s still living there. It seems like he doesn’t plan on leaving.”

Gu Yigu chuckled, rolling up his sleeves. “This old male is really pushing his luck. He’s causing trouble for us, You Que. Let’s kick him out!”

You Que stood up from the ground, took out 100 star coins, and handed them to Gu Yigu as payment for his work in gathering information. He patted his shoulder and said, “Alright, you go ahead and kick him out. I’m off to work. If you manage to get him out, you’ll be impressive.”

You Que knew very well that Gu Yigu liked to talk big. Without paying attention to his awkward expressions, You Que left for the bar, only to find an unexpected guest inside.

The bar was unusually quiet today, with hardly any customers. When You Que went to the changing room to prepare for his shift, he was told by Fei Wen that the bar was closed for the day.

“Hey, You Que, I forgot to tell you, the bar is closed today. No need to work.”

You Que paused when he heard this. “Why? Today doesn’t seem like a day off.”

Fei Wen pointed upstairs. “Sanya has a friend over and is hosting them upstairs. So we’re just not doing business today.”

“A friend?”

You Que glanced upstairs and saw a female zerg in white military uniform sitting by the balcony on the second floor. He had the rank insignia of two bars and one star. He couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled. “Sanya’s friend is a major?”

In a small, rundown place like Saint Lieux, becoming an ordinary military female was already an impressive feat. A major here would be like a local king, and even the town mayor might have to bow and scrape in front of them.

How could Sanya know someone like that?

Fei Wen scoffed when he heard this. “A major? What’s so impressive about that? Sanya was a lieutenant general back in the day…”

Fei Wen’s voice was too soft, more like a mumbled remark to himself, and You Que didn’t catch it. “What did you say?”

Fei Wen snapped back to attention. “Nothing. Major Robert is here on orders to clear out the interstellar pirates. He’s Sanya’s cousin, so he’s stopping by to visit.”

You Que didn’t think much of it. “Since the bar’s closed today, I’ll head back and come back to work tomorrow.”

Just as he was about to leave, Sanya, sitting on the second floor, suddenly spotted him and called out to him. “You Que—!”

It wasn’t clear whether it was due to the mental turmoil, but Sanya’s face was still pale. He had a coat draped over his shoulders, stood up, and leaned against the railing. He called down to You Que, “Don’t leave yet, sit down and wait for me.”

You Que paused at his words, turned to look at Sanya, and remembered that he hadn’t delivered the shirt he bought yet. He nodded and walked over to the bar, sitting down behind it.

Robert didn’t expect to see a male zerg in the bar and curiously glanced downstairs. “Sanya, how come there’s a male zerg in your bar?”

Sanya withdrew his gaze and sat back down on the sofa. When he leaned back, it seemed to strain some injury on his back, and he frowned, sitting up straighter. He spoke in a low voice, “The bartender. He’s got good skills.”

Robert smiled and teased, “That gentleman is really something. Even in the Imperial Capital, I haven’t seen a male zerg more handsome than him. No wonder you’ve been reluctant to return to the South.”

When Sanya heard him mention the South, he paused imperceptibly. “No need to go back. If I’m recognized, it’ll just cause trouble.”

But Robert said, “I went back to the South this year. Lord Russell’s health doesn’t seem very good; he’s been staying in the hospital. It wouldn’t hurt for you to go back and check on him.”

Lord Russell was Sanya’s father.

When Sanya’s wings were forcibly removed, the news spread back to the South, causing a huge uproar. After killing that noble male zerg, he fled, and his family suffered significant suppression. It could be said that his situation was very difficult.

Sanya wanted to return but had always refrained, fearing it would bring trouble to his family. At Robert’s words, his face darkened for a moment. “Is my father’s health that bad?”

Robert sighed. “He’s very worried about your situation. A few days ago, he caught a cold and was hospitalized, constantly coughing. The doctor says it’s a result of stress. I’ll be staying here for a while. If you’re willing, you could come back to the South with me later.”

Sanya fell silent, his gaze heavy and gloomy. After a while, he finally spoke, asking, “How long do you plan to stay?”

Robert raised a hand to adjust his military cap. “I’m just redeploying the troops at the outposts. It shouldn’t take too long.”

Robert’s words clearly disturbed the calm in Sanya’s heart. They continued talking for a while before ending the conversation. Sanya stood up and escorted Robert downstairs, tugging at the coat slipping off his shoulder. “I understand. I’ll contact you when the time comes.”

Robert replied, “Alright, I’ll be going now. If anything comes up, come find me at the base.”

As he turned to leave, he noticed the handsome male zerg sitting at the bar was also watching them. With a smile, Robert leaned slightly forward and bowed, saying, “Your Excellency, I hope that next time, if I get the chance, I can try a drink made by your hand.”

Thinking that this female zerg was quite forward, You Que gave a polite nod in return.

Robert left under the scowl on Sanya’s face. There was nothing he could do—female zergs in the southern region were all attracted to beautiful males, they couldn’t control themselves when they saw one.

Seeing Robert leave, Sanya’s expression finally softened a little. He walked over to the bar, casually eyeing the handsome male zerg who had been attracting attention. “Why did you leave so early yesterday? You finished work before your shift was even over.”

You Que didn’t want to explain too much. “Had something to take care of, so I left early.”

As soon as Sanya heard this, he knew he was lying. His gaze darkened. “Come, follow me upstairs.”

Upon hearing this, You Que raised an eyebrow slightly. “Your psychic energy is in chaos again?”

It didn’t seem so.

But Sanya didn’t respond. He took off his coat and turned his back to You Que. He swept his silver-gray high ponytail to one side, revealing a few faint bloodstains on the back of his shirt—apparently from when he had fallen yesterday and been accidentally cut by broken pieces of a vase.

Sanya turned back to look at You Que. His side profile, bathed in the dim blue light, appeared cold and sharp. His long eyelashes hung low, and the tips of his eyes were slightly upturned, carrying an indescribable, almost intoxicating allure. “Help me with the medicine. Are you coming?”

 

 

 

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