Knock, knock.
“Asaph, I’m coming in!”
The moment Lu Li stepped through the door, he was instantly captivated by how utterly attractive Asaph looked while fully absorbed in his official duties.
Unlike his usual routine at home where his silver hair hung loosely over his shoulders, Asaph had tied his long hair back into a high ponytail today for convenience at work. The style made him look incredibly sharp, regal, and fiercely elegant like a proud white rose blooming defiantly in a freezing wind.
A few stray strands of bangs fell carelessly across his forehead, perfectly framing his exquisite facial features. The high ponytail left his slender, elegant neck completely exposed, reminding Lu Li of a graceful white swan back on Earth.
“Asaph, you look absolutely stunning with a high ponytail!”
Hearing his Lord Husband’s direct, unembellished praise, a faint blush crept across the tips of Asaph’s ears.
With Lu Li’s arrival, Asaph cleared the official documents off his desk and helped him unpack the containers, arranging the home-cooked dishes neatly across the table.
Asaph immediately noticed that the post-meal fruit today consisted of fresh strawberries. Lu Li had clearly picked up on his preference just from watching him eat a few extra strawberries this morning.
“Lord Husband, try this. It’s delicious.” Asaph picked up a piece of a stuffed lotus root cake and placed it into Lu Li’s bowl.
Zerg culinary culture had nothing like this style of cooking. Asaph loved it, so he naturally wanted Lu Li to taste the food he enjoyed. However, the moment the food left his chopsticks, a sudden wave of regret hit him. Lu Li cooked all of this himself, so how could he not have tasted it? I was being far too reckless and impulsive.
But when Lu Li looked down at the food Asaph had served him, a joyful light sparked in his eyes. My wife just served me food! He must really like me to do that!
Lu Li took a gentle bite of the lotus root cake. “Thank you, Asaph. I love it.”
As long as his Lord Husband was pleased, Asaph was content.
The two shared their lunch together in the quiet sanctuary of the office. Because they were scheduled to have dinner at Asaph’s family estate tonight, Lu Li decided against returning to the villa and opted to spend the entire afternoon at the Military Headquarters.
Fearing that Lu Li would grow bored waiting around all afternoon, Asaph pulled up a popular game on the Star-Net. It was a title that most lords across the galaxy thoroughly enjoyed playing. To ensure his partner had the absolute best experience, Asaph generously spent a large sum of money right at the start to buy Lu Li the finest top-tier gear.
His Lord Husband was not allowed to lose to anyone!
With the entertainment settled, Asaph returned to his duties. Yet, as Lu Li played, his gaze kept uncontrollably drifting back to Asaph.
They always said a man was at his most charming when he was working seriously, and that held entirely true for Asaph. Dressed in his impeccably tailored military uniform, the Major General sat straight as a spear at his desk, the overhead lights casting sharp angles across his well-defined profile. His slender fingers turned the pages of the reports, and though a few stray hairs fallen across his brow lent him a touch of casual nonchalance, it did absolutely nothing to diminish his striking handsomeness.
Seeming to grow a bit parched from the workload, Asaph picked up his glass and took a sip of water. The crystal-clear droplets clung to his flushed lips, making them look as irresistibly tempting as a cluster of perfectly ripe berries.
Oh my god, Lu Li thought, his heart racing. That is so attractive. I want to kiss him so badly.
Giving up on the game entirely, Lu Li rested his chin lazily on his arm, his eyes locked onto Asaph in rapt attention. Asaph naturally noticed the heavy gaze, but since it didn’t disrupt his concentration, he simply let him stare.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, night fell over the capital.
When Lu Li and Asaph finally arrived at the family estate via starship, Lu Li was completely struck by the sheer opulence before him. My wife is profoundly wealthy!
The estate was a literal castle, making Asaph look like a pampered little prince. Lu Li silently swore to himself right then and there that he would continue to spoil Asaph like a prince for the rest of his life.
The moment they approached the entrance, the head butler stepped forward to receive them. “Welcome home, Young Master. There was really no need to bring so many gifts.”
Seeing the abundance of luxury items Asaph had brought along, the butler immediately felt a wave of relief. It was clear that the young master had not suffered any mistreatment in this marriage; this particular Lord Husband possessed an exceptionally gentle temperament.
As they stepped inside, they found Asaph’s papa, Venus, personally managing the dinner arrangements. Meanwhile, Frost Asaph’s older brother was walking toward them, cradling a bottle of premium wine.
Desperate to make a flawless first impression on his in-laws, Lu Li stepped forward and eagerly addressed Venus. “Papa, let me prepare a few extra dishes for tonight. I’ve recently learned a few new recipes.”
Despite having lived for many decades, Venus had rarely ever seen a lord set foot in a kitchen. To be completely honest, he believed that as long as a lord could be like his own husband treating his partner with a mild temper without bringing home a string of secondary husbands and domestic slaves it was already a massive blessing.
It appeared Asaph’s Lord Husband was cut from an entirely different cloth.
Venus cast a questioning glance at Asaph, and only when he saw his son give a reassuring nod did he relent. He dismissed the kitchen staff, allowing Lu Li to step inside and freely showcase his skills.
“Asaph, is it truly alright to let your Lord Husband handle the cooking?” Venus whispered anxiously.
“It’s fine, Papa. He is a truly wonderful person,” Asaph replied, a soft, genuine smile gracing his lips.
Before long, the rich, savory aroma of cooking drifted through the entire castle. Although Venus knew Lu Li could cook, he had never expected the youth’s culinary skills to be this spectacular.
“Father, Papa, Brother, please come and try my cooking,” Lu Li called out warmly as he set the table. “Asaph, I specifically made sweet-and-sour pork fillets and sweet-and-sour ribs just for you. Come taste them.”
Seeing how exceptionally well Lu Li took care of Asaph even down to remembering his specific palate the entire family felt a heavy weight lift off their chests.
“Wow, this is incredible!” The moment they took their seats and tasted the food, praises echoed around the table.
Later, the butler served the fresh fruits Lu Li had brought. Venus noted the high quality with great satisfaction. These items cost an exorbitant amount of money. Even if they had technically been bought using Asaph’s funds, the gesture clearly proved how deeply Lu Li cherished and cared for him.
Zerg society was filled to the brim with greedy, tyrannical lords who wouldn’t even deign to put on a polite front for their spouses’ families. Most believed that their mere presence was already a grand act of charity. And realistically, that was the harsh truth of their world. For families like theirs, having their child return home from a marriage without a single physical scar was already a miracle.
Venus had deliberately scrutinized Asaph the moment he walked through the door and found no signs of injury. It seemed his youngest son had found a truly magnificent partner, and he could finally rest easy.
Once dinner concluded, Venus spoke up. “Arie,” he said, addressing Asaph’s father, “and Frost, why don’t you keep Lord Lu Li company for a while? I have a few matters to discuss with Asaph. We will head to the study first.”
Hearing Venus address him so formally, Lu Li felt so humble he almost wanted to drop to his knees. “Please, just call me Lu Li, Papa. You are Asaph’s papa, which means you are my papa as well.”
Hearing those words, a profound sense of comfort washed over Venus. He truly had never expected a lord to speak to a sub-male parent with such deep, unprompted respect.