Chapter 52 Part 1

The goal of clearing the 146-date checklist was now within reach.

Compared to the beginning, when he set the location at the Marigold Theme Restaurant day after day, Shen Yu decided not to make things hard on himself anymore. He started choosing various date spots that he actually wanted to go to.

In the empire’s upper society, Male Insects loved just a few things: poetry collections, reading sessions, sculpture exhibitions, concerts… Shen Yu never rejected these activities. Art was beautiful because it was vague and insubstantial—some people became obsessed with its beauty, while others sneered at how it never touched the ground.

At first, Shen Yu couldn’t see the point either. Later, he clapped his hands and thought, whatever—he’d just accept it. He even pretended to understand it deeply, fooling Andre into nodding repeatedly.

And the most important point was that he absolutely wouldn’t run into Demian at these events, and he could dodge some Female Insect harassment too.

Trends were cyclical, after all. Recently, Male Insects had started a craze for returning to nature from the city, so a few days ago, Andre sent him an invitation to a countryside-themed art exhibition.

As for how the accompanying Female Insect got his hands on that invitation, it wasn’t within Shen Yu’s consideration.

To match the theme, Shen Yu wore a very basic white shirt that day. A brown vest cinched his already narrow waist even tighter. His satin-like silver hair cascaded over his shoulders to the back of his head. He held a straw hat he planned to wear later—the brim was wide, decorated with a pink flower.

Shen Yu reached out and flicked his hair, then handed a black hair tie to Ludwig.

He naturally turned his back to Ludwig. Thinking about the hat he’d wear soon, he rolled his eyes and said in a cool voice, “Low ponytail.”

Ludwig took the hair tie. The Male Insect’s hair was thick, cascading like a waterfall. Ludwig reached out with his fingers, first gathering the stray silver strands from both sides into a bundle. He hooked the black hair tie with two fingers, looped it twice, and deftly tied a low ponytail at the nape of the neck.

Once the hair was tied, the line of the Male Insect’s neck, hidden behind the silver strands, was fully exposed. Because he was looking down, his neck curved slightly, forming an arc like carved white jade. The cervical vertebrae were faintly visible—flawless white jade, just waiting for a kiss to fall upon it.

Shen Yu draped the ponytail over his right chest. Since he got up late and had packed his schedule full, he basically never ate breakfast at home. After Ludwig took over the cooking, he always prepared a hot snack to tide him over before he left.

The food wasn’t much, sorted into categories, first packed in special insulated paper bags, then into a food bag. Shen Yu flicked the pink flower on the straw hat in disdain, plopped the hat on his head, hooked his finger through the bag strap, and walked out carrying it.

Ludwig leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. The Female Insect’s build was tall, almost as high as the door. He lowered his gaze and asked indifferently, “Who is it this time?”

Shen Yu squinted as he thought for a moment, then replied, “A Female Insect from the Dru Family. Something like Smank? Forgot.”

Ludwig stared at him fixedly, then suddenly asked, “Then, do you remember my name?”

For their current relationship, this was clearly an overstepping question. Normally, Shen Yu probably wouldn’t bother answering, but ever since the Female Insect became obedient, all his behavior suited Shen Yu’s tastes perfectly—even the Lily Flowers in the courtyard thrived under his care.

Shen Yu had started to get used to this Female Insect’s presence.

He was even beginning to feel a little conflicted. Once the Female Insect’s injuries healed, if he threw him into the basement, would he have to spend a ton of time finding another suitable butler?

But that would probably be hard. Shen Yu extremely disliked Female Insects looking at him with that sticky, desirous gaze—like he was prey in a hunting ground, waiting for the hunter to close in.

Compared to those disgusting desirous stares, Shen Yu preferred to receive hatred, resentment, and fear from Female Insects.

That alone eliminated a lot of them.

But the Female Insect’s wounds weren’t fully healed yet, so there was no need to worry about such annoying problems now. If he really liked this one, he could just find another Female Insect.

Shen Yu squinted as he recalled. Fred was pretty good, but unfortunately, he was a Military Department lieutenant general—a clear empire loyalist, ranking second in the Female Insects Shen Yu despised. Even if he was a Male Insect from the Sadro Family, making a move on a Military Department lieutenant general required some consideration.

Seeing the Male Insect lost in thought, Ludwig waved a hand in front of Shen Yu’s face.

Shen Yu’s ice-blue eyes fixed on the moving hand.

Once the Male Insect snapped back, Ludwig raised a brow. “What are you thinking about?”

Shen Yu: “Thinking about your name.”

“Remember it now?” Ludwig lifted one eyebrow, lowered his crossed arms, and straightened up slightly. He stood in front of Shen Yu, his tongue pushing out the question, wanting a definite answer—and definite sincerity.

For Zerg, the topic of names was too pure, too intimate, and too taboo.

Once obtained, it could be held between the lips and teeth night after night, chewed over and savored endlessly.

Shen Yu frowned slightly. He recalled that not long ago, the Female Insect seemed to have said his own name, but Shen Yu hadn’t heard clearly then. He vaguely remembered a “Lu” sound?

But it didn’t matter to him.

Shen Yu withdrew his gaze. The ice-blue pupils slid back into focus, and the silver strands framing his cheeks swayed slightly in the breeze from the opening door.

“Forgot.”

With that, Shen Yu pushed the door open and walked out.

Sunlight flooded the room, stretching his shadow long.

Shen Yu: 【Is Ludwig preparing to leave?】

White Dumpling 007 propped his chin with one hand, striking a thinking pose: 【Maybe if the Host said he remembered, the villain would stay?】

Shen Yu wagged a finger side to side: 【NONONO. If he stays here forever, his subconscious will just keep thinking that so-called love is an illusion.】

He spread his hands in his mind, helpless: 【Look, I still haven’t felt even a bit of Heavenly Dao power this whole time.】

Another stingy-with-love type.

007 had a sudden realization, then puzzled: 【Why is the Host suddenly going the affection-grinding route this time?】

Shen Yu flopped like a salted fish who’d lost all dreams: 【Traversed as a Male Insect—what other route can I take? Can’t the next world skip the romance?】

007 looked serious, patted his head comfortingly, searched through the time rifts for a bit, then lit up: 【Host, I found a world with absolutely no romance—master-disciple love! Let’s go there next!】

【That good?】 Shen Yu’s mood instantly brightened. He clenched a fist and declared: 【Next world, no romance!】

007 mimicked him, clenching a fist and shouting: 【Next world, no romance!】

The wind rustled the greenery in the courtyard. Ludwig stood silently at the door, watching the Male Insect’s back as he crossed the courtyard and reached the estate gate.

A Black Dog suddenly darted out from a corner—who knew where it came from. The Black Dog had long limbs and taut muscles. It panted, spotted the Male Insect by the roadside, flared its nostrils, and lunged.

Ludwig straightened up, his sharp brows furrowing. Almost instantly, cold, hard Insect Armor wrapped along his neck over his angular jaw. But just as he was about to charge out, he caught the Male Insect’s movement and paused.

Shen Yu caught sight of the Black Dog in his peripheral vision. The moment it lunged, he swiftly sidestepped with the food bag.

The Black Dog’s nose was extremely sharp—it had clearly been drawn by the food inside. After missing, it immediately reared up on its forelegs, tongue lolling, and excitedly pounced toward the food bag again.

The silver-haired Male Insect lowered his lashes. After confirming the dog’s hunger for food outweighed its urge to bite, he raised his arm, lifting the food bag high out of reach. Then he extended one finger, directing it to sit.

Unable to reach, the dog settled down, following the Male Insect’s command. It plopped its butt down, squatting on the ground, tongue out, staring eagerly at the bag dangling from the Male Insect’s slender finger.

The shapes of the food were faintly visible.

The big dog excitedly swept its tail back and forth on the ground.

So Shen Yu lowered the food a bit, to a height where the dog could just stretch its paws and snatch it. The meaty aroma wafted everywhere, tempting and enticing it. As it got close, the Black Dog’s eyes lit up. It shot up from the ground, forelegs extended, lunging again—but missed.

The instant the dog lunged, Shen Yu raised the food high once more.

The Male Insect’s face was expressionless. Beneath his pale silver lashes, a pair of cool ice-blue eyes drooped slightly, fixed on the untrained wild dog on the ground. He extended one finger again, signaling it to sit.

The Black Dog had no choice but to squat again, but it was clearly annoyed by the Male Insect’s repeated teasing. Even squatting, it bared its fangs, its tail no longer wagging happily. It glared viciously at him.

As if waiting for the slightest move from Shen Yu, it would pounce and tear him apart with sharp teeth.

The food lowered once more.

The Black Dog had learned its lesson this time, squatting warily in place without lunging.

Shen Yu nodded in satisfaction, lowering his gaze.

He bent slightly at the waist, took a piece of roasted meat from the food bag, and extended his arm to offer the Black Dog the food it craved right to its mouth.

Its nose filled with meaty fragrance. The dog’s eyes widened, its tail perked up and started wagging in the air. It opened its mouth, gulped down the meat, and after finishing, obediently squatted on the ground. It affectionately rubbed its fluffy head against Shen Yu’s pant leg.

No trace of its earlier ferocious, snarling menace.

Shen Yu looked down and rewardingly ruffled its head.

The Black Dog’s tail wagged even more vigorously.

At that moment, a hovercar glided along the magnetic track and stopped at the estate gate.

Shen Yu glanced at the waiting black hovercar, then at the big dog rubbing his pant leg and refusing to let him go. He patted its head and pointed to a blooming Vinewood Tree across the way, signaling it to go there.