ICAWZ Chapter 192

The town of Saint Lieux was perpetually shrouded in rain and dampness, even more humid than the southern regions. You Que thought to himself that such a poor and backward place was no place for Sanya to live.

As he deftly stripped Sanya of the cumbersome pants with his fingertips, he pulled a thin blanket over them, wrapping Sanya tightly inside. His deep voice was muffled by the fervent entanglement of their lips and tongues, laced with an indescribable heat and ambiguity:

“Sanya, just stay in the south with me. There’s no need to go anywhere else…”

The South was beautiful and bustling; this was where Sanya belonged. Even if it poured outside, cold and damp, the warmth would always return once the rain stopped.

Sitting face-to-face in You Que’s embrace, Sanya was kissed into a daze, instinctively responding to him. It wasn’t until the hand stroking the scars on his back began to move downward that he was jolted into awareness of the male’s intentions. His body trembled uncontrollably for a moment as he looked at You Que in startled disbelief. “You…”

Didn’t You Que say he’d behave himself and stay quiet at home during this time? So why…

You Que licked and kissed the corners of Sanya’s reddened eyes, silently pinning the female’s wrists to prevent any resistance from ruining the moment. “Shh, don’t move.”

In the end, You Que still felt more at ease with a mark—this way, Sanya wouldn’t let his thoughts wander, and You Que wouldn’t have to worry about him leaving at any moment.

Sanya’s vision suddenly shifted as You Que laid him flat on the carpet. The floor was cold, but wrapped in the blanket, he didn’t feel uncomfortable. He made no effort to resist; instead, he reached out and wrapped his arms around You Que’s neck. The movement caused the blanket to slip slightly, and his silvery-gray hair cascaded from his shoulders like silk, partially veiling his sleek, snow-leopard-like figure—beautifully lean and graceful.

“You Que…”

Sanya’s eyelashes trembled, his voice hoarse to the point where it nearly failed him. It was hard to tell if it was due to nervousness or something else. He buried his face in the male’s neck, inhaling the strong scent of his pheromones. A faint flush spread across his pale face, his breathing uneven and erratic.

He began to crave something intensely, his fingertips digging into You Que’s skin and leaving a faint scratch mark behind.

You Que pressed his palm against Sanya’s lower abdomen, feeling the searing heat beneath his hand. In the darkness, he found the zerg markings on the back of the female’s neck and bit down hard, leaving a deep imprint of his teeth.

“Sanya, tell me—who do you hate?”

“Tell me, who were the enemies that tore off your wings back then…”

The debt that Sanya had been too powerless to settle in the past—You Que could now settle with him. He would remember each and every name, carving them into his very bones.

Sanya lay on the ground, his mind in a daze, hearing You Que’s constant whispers in his ear. His silver eyes gradually filled with blood, turning a shade of red. Memories from a few years ago surged in his mind like waves, fleeting glimpses of familiar faces flashing by in a chaotic blur.

Who did he hate…?

Who did he hate…?

Sanya’s breath suddenly quickened, his fingertips tightening uncontrollably, veins protruding on the back of his hand. The emotional turmoil and hatred surged within him, wildly crashing against the last remnants of his rationality. His voice was frantic and pained:

“Beowen… Beowen… He tore off my wings…”

Sanya was drenched in sweat, as if he had fallen back into the sensation of lying on the operating table. His words were incoherent, filled with distress:

“But I’ve already killed him… he’s already dead…”

You Que continued to kiss him, urging him gently: “Who else? Sanya, tell me, who else?”

Sanya stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, scorching tears falling from his eyes and streaming into his hair. He tightened his grip around You Que’s neck, trying to absorb some warmth to dispel the painful memories.

“There’s also… Oliver… He was the surgeon…”

“And Marlon… My wings were in his hands…”

Sanya was still so young, barely in his early twenties, and with the Zerg race’s long lifespan of two hundred years, he had only passed one-tenth of it. From the moment his wings were torn away, the bright path ahead had collapsed and shattered with a deafening crash.

Amid the heavy rain outside, it seemed as though Sanya spoke many names, but the ones he hated the most were only a few. The instant the mark was successfully placed, he felt a strange illusion of pain, shuddering and trembling as he gasped out a name:

“You Que—!”

Hearing this, You Que’s movements paused for a moment. He gently pushed aside the damp strands of hair from Sanya’s forehead with his fingertips.

“You Que?”

He asked softly, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty, “Do you hate me?”

It was hate, but it was a mixture of both love and hate.

Sanya, in the midst of the hazy darkness, sought out You Que’s lips, like a fish desperate for water. The pale zerg markings on the back of his neck gradually deepened, signifying that he had been successfully marked by You Que. From now on, he would belong to You Que as his female.

“I don’t hate you,”

Sanya kissed You Que urgently, with such devotion, such seriousness, as though he were reciprocating the countless times You Que had kissed the wounds on his back:

“I love you…”

I love you.

His voice was hoarse, repeating it over and over again, no trace of the earlier hatred or fear, yet the words burned with a fierceness more intense than any emotion he had ever known.

The night passed quietly, the torrential rain finally ceasing, leaving behind only the damp air and the muddy earth.

You Que and Sanya slept until noon without waking up. Early in the morning, Chairman Croney had come upstairs to knock on their door, calling them for breakfast, but received no response. Though the male’s pheromones had faded, a faint trace still slipped out from under the door. Croney could detect the lingering scent, and with a resigned sense of understanding, he awkwardly went back downstairs.

After a female is deeply marked, there’s a weak period that lasts for up to seven days, and Sanya was no exception. He had slept heavily in You Que’s embrace, and only regained a bit of strength by noon. As he opened his eyes, he was suddenly met with a pair of light brown eyes, catching him off guard.

You Que gently stroked Sanya’s face. “You’re awake?”

Sanya, still a bit disoriented, closed his eyes again. His mind was a blur, and his entire body ached. After a brief pause, he asked slowly, “What time is it?”

You Que had woken up at dawn, but seeing that Sanya was still asleep, he hadn’t dared to get up, not wanting to disturb him. Reaching over to grab the terminal from the table, You Que checked the time. “It’s noon. Time to get up. We can go downstairs for a meal.”

Sanya rarely slept in, usually waking up by nine at the latest. Hearing You Que’s words, he buried his face back into You Que’s chest, rubbing against him lazily, too tired to move. “I’m so tired…”

You Que thought to himself that he was indeed exhausted—Sanya had been so weak yesterday that he could barely stand, and You Que had to carry him into the shower. “Then you stay lying down. I’ll go downstairs and bring your meal up.”

After speaking, You Que lifted the blanket, got out of bed, threw on some clothes, and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Seeing this, Sanya couldn’t bring himself to lie down any longer and forced himself to get up. “Never mind, let’s go down together. Otherwise, Father will ask.”

He picked out some clothes from the wardrobe and, together with You Que, squeezed in front of the sink to brush their teeth. Suddenly, something seemed to cross his mind, and he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He noticed that the silver zerg markings on the back of his neck had deepened a little, and there was a distinct bite mark.

With the toothbrush still in his mouth, Sanya turned and looked at You Que, squinting lazily, a hint of pleasure in his eyes. “You marked me.”

You Que, seeing the smile on Sanya’s face, couldn’t help but smile too. “It’s perfect this way. No one can escape now.”

After speaking, You Que spat out the toothpaste foam, rinsed his mouth, and then noticed that Sanya was wearing a white crew-neck T-shirt. He reached over and tugged at the collar. “Change into something else, or at least throw on a jacket.”

The neckline of the T-shirt was too low, and if Chairman Croney saw it when they went downstairs, it wouldn’t be good.

Sanya raised an eyebrow in response. “What, are you afraid of being seen by the female father?”

You Que smirked. “If you want them to see, that’s fine too.”

After all, the one who would feel awkward wasn’t him.

Sanya knew You Que had something else in mind. After finishing up in the bathroom, he pulled a jacket from the wardrobe and put it on, covering the back of his neck thoroughly. Once he was sure it was completely hidden, he went downstairs with You Que for breakfast.

Just then, Laimi and Laixing had just set the table. When they saw Sanya and You Que coming down, they greeted them: “Big brother, why didn’t you come downstairs for breakfast this morning?”

Sanya, as the older brother, held absolute authority in front of the two younger siblings. Upon hearing the question, he didn’t answer. Instead, he calmly pulled out a chair and sat down. “Why ask so many questions? Let’s eat.”

Laimi and Laixing immediately stopped questioning him, but You Que, standing beside them, took the opportunity to explain, appearing even more brotherly than Sanya. “We accidentally overslept this morning. Next time, you can start eating without waiting for us.”

Laimi  nodded. “I see. No wonder Father didn’t get any response when he called you this morning. I thought you were both sick like Dad.”

Russell’s health had always been frail. He caught a chill in the rain yesterday and was still resting in his room.

Upon hearing this, You Que and Sanya couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward. Chairman Croney, hearing the commotion, came out of the kitchen. However, he didn’t seem to have any particular reaction and simply sat down at the table. “Next time, don’t oversleep. Getting up early is good for your health.”

Sanya muttered a vague reply, not fully engaged.

Chairman Croney added, “It’s not good for you to stay at home all the time. After a while, you should go out and find a job. The aristocracy just had an opening recently; I’ll figure out a way to get you into it.”

He was thinking of what was best for Sanya. It was fine when he was single, but after marriage, he had to support the male, and staying at home doing nothing was not a long-term solution.

Sanya paused with his chopsticks, but didn’t argue. “Mm.”

You Que knew that Sanya’s true ambition still lay in the fast-paced military department. The aristocracy was steady and stable, so quiet that throwing a stone in would barely make a sound. He spoke up, “Uncle, there’s no rush with Sanya’s job search. Doesn’t the military recruit every year? We can let Sanya try for a civilian position there when the time comes.”

After all, civilian roles in the military were surely more prestigious than in other sectors.

Chairman Croney sighed, “I’d like to push him into the intelligence department, but the military is such a place that without connections, it’s all in vain. Laimi and Laixing have already been bullied enough. It might be better for Sanya to stay in the aristocracy.”

Sanya lifted his head and looked at Laimi and Laixing, frowning. “Who’s been bullying you in the military?”

Laimi, with his gentle nature, didn’t want to cause trouble. He shook his head in response. “No one…”

Laixing, frustrated and angry, gave him a nudge. “What do you mean ‘no one’? Last time, the two of us almost died on a mission. We should have received first-class honors, but the captain gave all the credit to Giles instead. And he’s been parading around, bragging in front of you all this time!”

Laixing was clearly feeling very wronged. “If Big Brother were still a General, let’s see if they would dare to treat us this way!”

Upon hearing how his younger brother had been mistreated, Sanya’s expression darkened. At that moment, You Que, standing beside them, suddenly spoke up. “Whoever is bullying you, remember their names. Next time, Sanya and I will go settle the score.”

You Que was serious. Since he and Sanya were together now, Sanya’s father was also his father, and Sanya’s brothers were his brothers. There was no way he could just stand by and watch his brothers suffer.

Laimi and Laixing, hearing this, couldn’t help but laugh. The tension from earlier vanished, but they hesitated before asking, “But, Your Excellency, you… you don’t know how to fight. How will you help us settle the score?”

What they really wanted to say was that You Que had no real power or background, and his blood purity wasn’t very high. Joining the military wouldn’t do him much good. But considering his pride, they held back the words.

You Que didn’t bother to explain anything. He simply replied coolly, “Aren’t I a male? Surely, they wouldn’t dare to lay a hand on a male, would they?”

Laixing laughed. “That’s true. No matter how tough our captain is, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on a male—that’s a one-way ticket to prison. Alright then, next time you and Big Brother come to the military, I’ll take you both for a tour around the training grounds.”

Laimi and Laixing had long bragged to their comrades about their elder brother’s stunning and dashing male partner. Unfortunately, no one believed them. Bringing You Que over would be the perfect way to shut them up. While You Que might not have much else to show off, his face was definitely a weapon of mass destruction.

Sanya opened his mouth several times as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Let him pretend if he wants to. Sanya thought. After all, You Que had full confidence that no one would dare lay a finger on a pureblood male.

…

For the next two days, You Que and Sanya stayed home, waiting for news from Blairand. But before Blairand could show up, someone else did—Aegis, who had been nearly killed by a flying vase last time. This time, he brought the police with him, storming to the front door and pounding on it with deafening force.

“Russell! Open the door! Did you hear me? Open up right now!”

You Que happened to be on the second-floor terrace. He glanced down and saw a group of black-clad officers standing in the garden. Although the angle obscured his view of Aegis, the unmistakable voice made it clear who was causing the commotion.

“Who’s knocking at the door?”

Sanya, who had been resting inside, heard the commotion downstairs. He casually threw on a coat and stepped out onto the balcony.

You Que, leaning against the railing, gestured toward the scene below. “That male zerg from last time—the one proposing marriage to your younger brothers. I guess he’s not happy about getting hit with a flower vase and came here to settle the score.”

Unfortunately for them, Russell had been sent to the hospital by Chairman Croney due to his illness, and both Laimi and Laixing were out grocery shopping. That left only the two of them at home.

Sanya glanced downstairs, his tone cold and laced with mockery. “They’ve got some nerve, daring to show up here.”

Sanya had been itching for a chance to settle scores with them. Aegis, being a distant relative of Marlon Family, was the perfect small fry to use as a stepping stone to reel in the bigger fish behind him.

You Que reached out and pulled Sanya into his arms, running a hand over his ponytail. His voice was low, as if lost in thought. “So? Can you handle those zergs downstairs?”

Sanya was still in his post-marking recovery period. If he couldn’t take them on, You Que would have to come up with a different way to settle the score.

Sanya shot him a sidelong glance, his expression full of disdain. “Those zergs downstairs are, at best, C-rank. I’m an A-rank female. What do you think?”

A dying camel was still bigger than a horse. Even in his weakened state, Sanya had no trouble dealing with the lackeys downstairs—otherwise, he wouldn’t have managed to be the boss back in Blackstone Prison.

You Que tilted his head and placed a light kiss on him, clearly satisfied with the answer. “Alright, come downstairs with me.”

Despite his words, You Que pulled Sanya back into the room and kissed him for quite a while. He only stopped when the banging at the door grew weaker, and it seemed like Aegis had run out of strength. Then, leisurely, with Sanya in his arms, they finally made their way downstairs.

The robotic vacuum circled the living room repeatedly, cheerfully announcing, “Guests are here~ Guests are here~”

 

 

 

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