No, this is not normal.
All the male bugs in the Empire are like this; they do not care about their queens or female attendants, only themselves. Even if they are in a bad mood, they will lash out at the females without hesitation. Bai Xingluo raised his eyes to look at his young and handsome male lord. But his lord was not fierce at all; he would drape clothes over him, pour him water, and flash him sweet smiles.
Tong Sui did not know what was on his mind. He opened the medical kit in his hands and said, “Take off your clothes. Let me apply some medicine first, and then you can rest.”
Bai Xingluo hurriedly refused, “No need to bother; the wound is not serious.”
Letting the male lord apply medicine to him was such a luxurious thing. Perhaps if he said it out loud, no bug on the Star Network would believe him. Bai Xingluo sneaked a glance at Tong Sui’s hands.
The back of his hands was fair and even, without any pronounced veins, his fingertips were also polished, the joints not overly prominent, and the tips slightly flushed. This pair of hands almost met his highest praise for hands.
The amused tone in Tong Sui’s voice shifted to seriousness as he furrowed his brows, “You call this not serious, with a wound like that?”
Bai Xingluo nodded, explaining earnestly, “This wound is nothing for an S-rank military female. We possess strong self-healing abilities; even a deep wound that shows bone could heal on its own.”
“Even if your self-healing abilities are strong, doesn’t it still hurt?” Tong Sui said seriously, “I can accept your opinions on other things, but this medicine must be applied today.”
Bai Xingluo couldn’t articulate how he felt in that moment. Even though his lord’s words were absolute and authoritative, his chest warmed. His lord was angry for him—because he cared about Bai Xingluo’s well-being. His lord was truly the best male bug in the Empire.
****
The author has something to say:
Suddenly, I recalled a phrase I saw —
[You must be wary of the overflowing love within, for lonely people always eagerly reach out to those they chance upon.]
****
Without a moment’s hesitation, Bai Xingluo removed the suit jacket that Tong Sui had draped over him earlier.
The solid-coloured lining was stained with a few drops of crimson blood.
Feeling embarrassed, he wanted to cover it with his hand but stopped himself, fingers clenched, the back of his hand tensing with bulging veins as he apologetically said, “I stained your clothes.”
“It’s alright, it’s just a piece of clothing.”
“I can wash it by hand for you. I will make sure it’s very clean; you don’t have to worry.”
When Bai Xingluo spoke, his narrow, elongated eyes sparkled, as if washing this piece of clothing was an important task, something he cherished immensely.
“Alright, but you must promise me to wait until your wound is healed before you wash it.”
“Okay.”
He neatly folded the suit jacket to the side and said with great solemnity, “I will take good care of this jacket for you.”
Tong Sui picked up the cotton swab and alcohol from the medical kit, stood up from the coffee table, walked over, and sat next to Bai Xingluo, “Let me see your wound.”
The sudden closeness in this enclosed space brought a sweet aroma from Tong Sui, enveloping him like dew on flower petals.
Bai Xingluo felt stiff all over, sitting upright with his back straight, his stern face tightening even more, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
His lord smelled so good.
He felt an inexplicable emptiness mixed with restlessness, wanting to lean closer to savour that fragrance—really taste it.
Twisted and chaotic thoughts intertwined, whispering to him from the darkness that perhaps a little indulgence wouldn’t be unwelcome to his lord.
Thump, thump, thump.
He almost doubted his heart’s pounding could be heard by Tong Sui.
His reason was desperately clinging to the last thread of sanity.
His lord did not love him.
Without consent, he could not forcibly take what wasn’t offered; that would be an act of ingratitude.
But he was clearly his lord…
Bai Xingluo thought, in a cowardly and guilty manner: could he not ask for just a little?
Seeing he didn’t move, Tong Sui lowered his gaze.
He noticed the faint bruises and scratches on Bai Xingluo’s wrist, likely from wearing shackles for too long.
He reached out, and just as his fingertips brushed Bai Xingluo’s hand,
Bai Xingluo suddenly jerked his hand back.
His whole body tensed, a drop of sweat slid down his forehead, and despite the lack of visible traces on the back of his hand from being touched, Bai Xingluo felt an overwhelming heat coursing through him, igniting a secret and uncontrollable tingling sensation.
He had touched other male bugs before—S-rank and A-rank—but they had merely seemed blind and arrogant, repulsive to him. Yet, just the gentle touch from Tong Sui stirred within him a feeling he had never experienced before, whether while close in the courtroom or now.
This strange sensation even made it difficult for him to maintain his composure in front of Tong Sui.
“Excellency Tong Sui,” Bai Xingluo’s eyes glistened with bloodshot veins, his breathing heavy and his tone more insistent than usual, “let me do it myself.”
He feared if this continued, he would once again lose control over his mental state.
He couldn’t lose his composure before his lord again.
“Alright.”
Tong Sui handed him the cotton swab but did not leave; instead, he gazed at Bai Xingluo without distraction, “But I’ll watch you. You can stop once the medicine is applied.”
“Alright. I will do as you say.”
Bai Xingluo used the small cotton swab to apply medicine to his wound.
Compared to the trivial pain from applying the medicine, he cared much more about Tong Sui’s watchful gaze.
It was untainted by the world’s dirt, clean and pure, focused yet gentle, with a hint of a soft smile at the corners of his eyes.
During his hazardous missions, he had encountered many beautiful planets, mysterious and serene, but at this moment, in the presence of Tong Sui, all of them paled in comparison.