111 was terrified.
There’s an old human saying: “Once the arrow is on the string, it must be released.” But as a loyal system that loved its host, it absolutely couldn’t allow that arrow to fly.
It trembled as it spoke, voice quivering with panic. “Host, I’ve checked the data. Humans can’t do that thing during the first three months of pregnancy. I know you’re… in a rush, but please don’t be rash…”
Its host said calmly, “111, shut down.”
*Beep*
Even though the ship was moving at full speed, the shaking had been reduced. It felt more like they were climbing a series of small, rolling hills, gathering momentum, bursting upward to the peak, then suddenly sliding down again.
Lu Jiu clutched the pillow tightly, burying his face into it. His body was tense, every muscle straining, veins faintly visible beneath his pale skin.
After a while, when his neck was already sore and tingling from the pressure, he suddenly felt something cold touch the back of it.
Only then did he loosen up a little, turning his face slightly, revealing one sleepy eye. His voice was hoarse when he murmured, “…That’s it?”
The man’s tone was gentle as he spread the ointment evenly across the reddened skin. “You’re not feeling well. Let’s stop for today.”
The cool touch helped ease the heat that had been building under his skin.
Bai Yun set the ointment back on the bedside table, then leaned down, cupping Lu Jiu’s face and forcing him to lift it from the pillow. He lowered his head and kissed him softly on the lips.
Then, as if he had completely forgotten what had just happened, his lips traced the same path as before, shoulder, back, the same gentle, deliberate rhythm.
It was a long time before he finally stood up and walked into the adjoining bathroom.
Lu Jiu remained sprawled on the bed. The moment the bathroom door clicked shut, he blinked, a faint smile ghosting across his face.
Of course, he hadn’t planned on actually doing anything tonight. He had been ready to pull on the reins at the last possible moment, curious to see how Bai Yun would react when his wild impulses were abruptly restrained.
He hadn’t expected the man to stop on his own.
Tch.
Lu Jiu rolled over clumsily on the bed, like a little turtle turning itself around, shifting from lying crosswise to lengthwise, and finally settling down on the left side.
There was no sound from the bathroom. Drowsiness soon crept over him, heavy and soft. Half-asleep, he wondered vaguely, why was that man taking so long?
The ship rocked gently, and his dreams swayed along with it.
In his dream, Lu Jiu saw two mothers, the one from this world and the one from the other. This time, his mother was crouched among a sea of flowers, smiling, the air fragrant with the scent of orange blossoms.
How strange, he thought drowsily. Those should have been rapeseed flowers.
He lifted his camera to capture the image. *Click* The photo was taken, and just as his mother stood up, he froze in shock. Her belly was swollen, round and full, as if she was about to give birth.
Seeing his frightened expression, she quickly smiled and said, “It’s alright, don’t be scared. This is a good baby.”
She gently rubbed her belly, her face glowing with happiness, and beckoned him over.
Lu Jiu swallowed, hesitant, and walked closer. His mother took his hand and pressed his palm against her stomach. Her voice was soft, like a lullaby.
“Jiu Jiu, do you feel that? This is you. You see? This is how you became part of my family. One day, you’ll have that too, your own family.”
Beneath his palm was a pulsing warmth, vibrant and alive.
It was the feeling of life itself.
That night, when they returned to the apartment building, it was already eight o’clock.
Bai Yun parked the car and turned to look at him, lips curving slightly. “Still half-asleep?”
Lu Jiu had been absent-minded ever since he woke up from his afternoon nap.
The man reached out, ruffling his hair before using his thumb to wipe away a faint tear at the corner of Lu Jiu’s eye. “Go on up. Get some rest. I’ll pick you up this weekend.”
Lu Jiu raised an eyebrow. “Again on the weekend?”
Bai Yun smiled faintly. “Too far apart for you?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You think college students are that free?” Lu Jiu unbuckled his seatbelt, pushed the door open, and stepped out. “Go on. I’m heading up.”
He walked into the building, climbed the stairs, and at the landing turned around casually to glance outside.
From this angle, he couldn’t see Bai Yun in the car, but the black Bentley was still there, unmoving.
Lu Jiu lowered his head, pressing his palm lightly over his stomach, then continued upward.
Only after he entered his apartment, turned on the lights, and walked to the window did the Bentley downstairs finally start its engine and drive away.
The following week passed as usual. Lu Jiu went to classes, worked part-time, and lived his routine life. The only difference was that during his spare moments, he often opened up the movie app, browsing through the latest releases.
There was a Hollywood blockbuster, flashy effects, grand battles, the hero saving the world and winning love.
A war film set in Europe, grim and realistic, steeped in politics and tragedy.
A domestic art film, its promotional poster alone radiated gloom and melancholy.
And finally, a comedy, judging by the trailer, it looked downright absurd.
Which one would Bai Yun choose?
Lu Jiu pondered idly.
He guessed that if there weren’t many options, Bai Yun would probably pick the war movie. The serious, respectable type suited him best. If not that, then maybe the Hollywood film, it was the safest, most neutral choice.
Art films and strange comedies? He couldn’t imagine Bai Yun going for either.
Until Saturday, when Lu Jiu found himself standing at the entrance of a packed theater showing that very same comedy.
He stared blankly at the crowd inside. The seats were filled with families, parents with children laughing and chattering.
The two tickets Bai Yun had reserved were right in the middle, the perfect view, surrounded by cheerful noise.
Lu Jiu turned to him cautiously. “You bought these?”
Bai Yun nodded. “My assistant got them.”
“Oh, that explains it.” Lu Jiu’s tone immediately shifted, sarcasm dripping from every word. “I was wondering why you let your assistant choose what movie to watch for you.”
Bai Yun blinked, looking slightly puzzled. “I meant, my assistant only helped me get the seats. The movie itself was my choice.”
“……”
Seriously?
Lu Jiu spent the next two hours in a daze.
The movie told the story of a poor couple who gave birth to a superpowered baby at the worst possible time.
Everyone mocked them for being “too broke to raise a kid,” but they stubbornly proved that “it’s exactly because you’re poor that you should have one.”
The baby, still sucking on a pacifier, ended up using its powers to support the family. The trio stumbled through absurd adventures, shocking everyone around them.
It was pure chaos, an outrageous, darkly humorous satire of life and society.
Even after the movie ended, Lu Jiu was still a little lost.
“Why on earth did you pick that?” he finally asked, baffled.
Bai Yun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Before I came out, my parents nagged me about marriage and children for three years straight. I wanted to see for myself what makes people so obsessed with having kids.”
So he came to the theater for research?
Lu Jiu’s lips twitched. Of course, this man was as unpredictable as ever.
The city center was packed that weekend.
Bai Yun’s car was parked two blocks away, but he didn’t have the driver bring it around. Instead, he and Lu Jiu walked side by side through the crowded street.
Whenever someone brushed too close, Bai Yun naturally slipped an arm around Lu Jiu’s waist, drawing him closer.
The casual intimacy drew a few curious stares from passersby, but Bai Yun didn’t seem to care, and Lu Jiu wasn’t paying attention either. His mind was still lingering on Bai Yun’s absurd reasoning for the movie choice.
After a while, he asked quietly, “…Do you like children?”
His heartbeat quickened as he kept his gaze low.
Bai Yun walked beside him, his tone calm and unhurried. “I don’t really think about things that aren’t possible for me right now. Children feel like something far away. Even if I ever decide to adopt, it’d be much later in life.”
Lu Jiu was silent for a moment, grinding his teeth slightly. “How do you know it’ll be later? Maybe one day you’ll accidentally make someone pregnant. People create lives by accident every single day.”
Bai Yun tilted his head, eyes narrowing in quiet amusement, clearly puzzled by his sudden mood shift.
“Make someone pregnant,” he repeated slowly, the words strange and foreign on his tongue.
Then he smiled. “Jiu Jiu, unless you can get pregnant, that’s impossible. Because you’re the only one I’ve ever touched.”
Lu Jiu went quiet, walking a dozen steps before suddenly stopping.
He turned around, staring directly at Bai Yun, eyes unwavering.
“What if…” he said softly, “I really could?”
Bai Yun paused, his steps halting as well.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Every chapter has a price. This one accepts coffee.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (1)Chapter 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (2)Chapter 3 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (3)Chapter 4 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (4)Chapter 5 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (5)Chapter 6 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (6)Chapter 7 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (7)Chapter 8 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (8)Chapter 9 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (9)Chapter 10 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (10)Chapter 11 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (11)Chapter 12 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (12)Chapter 13 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (13)Chapter 14 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s room (14)Chapter 15 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (15)Chapter 16 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (16)Chapter 17 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (17)Chapter 18 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (18)Chapter 19 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (19)Chapter 20 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (20)Chapter 21 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (21)Chapter 22 Part 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (22)Chapter 22 Part 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (22)Chapter 23 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (23)Chapter 24 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (24)Chapter 25 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (25)Chapter 26 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (26)Chapter 27 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (27)Chapter 28 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (28)Chapter 29 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (29)Chapter 30 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (30)Chapter 31 Part 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (31)Chapter 31 Part 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (31)Chapter 32 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (1)Chapter 33 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (2)Chapter 34 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (3)Chapter 35 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (4)Chapter 36 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (5)Chapter 37 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (6)Chapter 38 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (7)Chapter 39 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (8)Chapter 40 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (9)Chapter 41 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (10)Chapter 42 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (11)Chapter 43 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (12)Chapter 44 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (13)Chapter 45 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (14)Chapter 46 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (15)Chapter 47 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (16)Chapter 48 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (17)Chapter 49 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (18)Chapter 50 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (19)Chapter 51 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (20)Chapter 52 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (21)Chapter 53 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (22)Chapter 54 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (23)Chapter 55 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (24)Chapter 56 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (25)Chapter 57 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (26)Chapter 58 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (27)Chapter 59 · Hatching Baby Zombies (1)Chapter 60 · Hatching Baby Zombies (2)Chapter 61 · Hatching Baby Zombies (3)Chapter 62 · Hatching Baby Zombies (4)Chapter 63 · Hatching Baby Zombies (5)Chapter 64 · Hatching Baby Zombies (6)Chapter 65 · Hatching Baby Zombies (7)Chapter 66 · Hatching Baby Zombies (8)Chapter 67 · Hatching Baby Zombies (9)Chapter 68 · Hatching Baby Zombies (10)Chapter 69 · Hatching Baby Zombies (11)Chapter 70 · Hatching Baby Zombies (12)Chapter 71 · Hatching Baby Zombies (13)Chapter 72 · Hatching Baby Zombies (14)Chapter 73 · Hatching Baby Zombies (15)Chapter 74 · Hatching Baby Zombies (16)Chapter 75 · Hatching Baby Zombies (17)Chapter 76 · Hatching Baby Zombies (18)Chapter 77 · Hatching Baby Zombies (19)Chapter 78 · Hatching Baby Zombies (20)Chapter 79 · The Mermaid on the Shore (1)Chapter 80 · The Mermaid on the Shore (2)Chapter 81 · The Mermaid on the Shore (3)Chapter 82 · The Mermaid on the Shore (4)Chapter 83 · The Mermaid on the Shore (5)Chapter 84 · The Mermaid on the Shore (6)Chapter 85 · The Mermaid on the Shore (7)Chapter 86 · The Mermaid on the Shore (8)Chapter 87 · The Mermaid on the Shore (9)Chapter 88 · The Mermaid on the Shore (10)Chapter 89 · The Mermaid on the Shore (11)Chapter 90 · The Mermaid on the Shore (12)Chapter 91 · The Mermaid on the Shore (13)Chapter 92 · The Mermaid on the Shore (14)Chapter 93 · The Mermaid on the Shore (15)Chapter 94 · The Mermaid on the Shore (16)Chapter 95 · The Mermaid on the Shore (17)Chapter 96 Part 1 · The Mermaid on the Shore (18)Chapter 96 Part 2 · The Mermaid on the Shore (18)Chapter 97 · The Mermaid on the Shore (19)Chapter 98 · Give me a drop of blood (1)Chapter 99 · Give me a drop of blood (2)Chapter 100 · Give me a drop of blood (3)Chapter 101 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (4)Chapter 102 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (5)Chapter 103 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (6)Chapter 104 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (7)Chapter 105 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (8)Chapter 106 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (9)Chapter 107 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (10)Chapter 108 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (11)Chapter 109 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (12)Chapter 110 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (13)Chapter 111 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (14)Chapter 112 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (15)Chapter 113 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (16)Chapter 114 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (17)Chapter 115 · Extra 1: A Little Conversation After Drinking (1)Chapter 116 · Extra: A Little Conversation After Drinking (2)Chapter 117 · Extra: A Little Conversation After Drinking (3)