Chapter 40

Jing Chi looked Pei Rui up and down. That silent demeanor, coupled with the strangely peculiar gaze, made Pei Rui furrow his brow.

Could this insect be having second thoughts, or did he find him distasteful?

The moment this thought entered Pei Rui’s mind, a chill settled into his expression.

After all, he was always the one turning others down—never the other way around. The female insect’s tone grew a touch rigid as he said, “You said I could choose for myself.”

Though he wasn’t exactly in the right or brimming with confidence, Pei Rui held his ground stubbornly.

Jing Chi noticed the faint frost of coldness in the female insect’s eyes, like a proud rose dusted with ice.

Sure enough, even an angry insect looked good on him.

But Jing Chi was even more curious about what had suddenly crossed this insect’s mind to make his face change like that.

Regardless, upholding his noble character—yes, that’s right—he still needed to confirm it.

Jing Chi shifted lazily into a more relaxed pose, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. He arched a brow and asked, with a hint of amusement only he understood, “You can choose, but are you sure you want to sleep with me?”

Jing Chi pointed at Pei Rui, then at himself, his tone carrying a note of uncertainty.

Pei Rui had been mildly annoyed at first, but after this exchange, even if he still minded, he had to share the bed with Jing Chi now.

Otherwise, it would seem like Jing Chi was the one rejecting him—especially since this insect had dodged the issue multiple times.

Besides, it was just sharing a bed. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t shared space with other female insects before, albeit under special circumstances.

And wasn’t this a special circumstance too? No real difference.

With a hint of reluctance but resolute determination, he nodded.

Jing Chi blinked, confirming once more: “Have you thought it through?”

Don’t regret it later.

Pei Rui found Jing Chi baffling. He strode past him and headed straight inside.

His target was clear: the bed.

He sat down on Jing Chi’s bed, where a lingering warmth remained—body heat that belonged to the other insect.

Pei Rui pressed his lips together slightly, a sudden wave of discomfort washing over him.

For some reason, when facing Jing Chi, he couldn’t stay as calm as he did with other female insects.

His lashes lowered, and he stole a discreet glance at Jing Chi.

Aside from this insect’s more striking looks, there was no real difference.

Seeing that Jing Chi didn’t seem to care about sharing a bed at all, Pei Rui wondered if he was just being overly sensitive.

He lay down smoothly, claiming about a third of the bed—already quite far to the edge, since Jing Chi’s bed wasn’t large.

But the moment he settled in, Pei Rui felt a twinge of regret.

It hadn’t been obvious before, but now, Jing Chi’s scent enveloped him completely, seeping from his nostrils through every limb.

His heart suddenly raced.

Breathing in that scent, Pei Rui found it surprisingly comforting. He buried his face deeper without thinking, only to realize what he’d done. He quickly rolled over, pretending nothing was amiss, though the subtle tension in his body betrayed his turmoil.

If Pei Rui knew Jing Chi was a male insect, he would have understood that this comforting scent was Jing Chi’s unique pheromones.

Moreover, only female and male insects with a high matching degree could experience such mental soothing from pheromones alone, without even needing mental power.

Jing Chi closed the door and returned to the bed as naturally as ever. Seeing the insect facing away from him with his back turned, he paid it no mind.

The room fell utterly quiet, filled only with the sound of their breathing.

Pei Rui worked to steady his own breaths, calming his earlier jumbled thoughts.

Suddenly, Jing Chi yawned. He rolled over to face Pei Rui, his fingers brushing the other’s back by accident—and immediately sensing the insect’s inexplicable tension.

As if struck by a realization, he let out a soft chuckle laced with teasing: “Is sharing a bed with me really that nerve-wracking?”

General Pei had always been one to put up a strong front and save face, and with a touch of guilt now, he couldn’t maintain his earlier composure at those words. He flipped over at once, intent on proving he wasn’t nervous.

But he hadn’t anticipated Jing Chi rolling toward him too. The movement brought them face-to-face, mere inches apart.

Their eyes met. Though the room was dark, insect clan vision was excellent, allowing them to see each other’s faces clearly.

At such close range, their warm breaths mingled on one another’s cheeks, stirring a faint itch.

Jing Chi hadn’t expected it either. He froze for a split second before quickly regaining his usual poise.

The corners of his lips curved up slightly, laced with a hint of ambiguity. He enunciated each word deliberately, as if offhand but entirely intentional. “Are you trying to take advantage of me?”

Those words made Pei Rui’s heart skip a beat.

They crossed a line, just a little.

Pei Rui snapped back to his senses at once, shifting backward on reflex. Before he could even voice a rebuttal, he felt nothing but empty air behind him.

He had clearly forgotten how small the bed was. With him scooting outward like that, tumbling to the floor was inevitable.

But someone else moved faster, yanking Pei Rui right back in.

Pei Rui collided straight into Jing Chi’s arms. That scent enveloped him even more intensely now, flushing his face with an involuntary, physiological blush.

Jing Chi had one arm wrapped around the Female Insect’s waist while his other hand casually pinched Pei Rui’s cheek.

This insect might put on a cold, unapproachable front most days, but his cheeks were still soft to the touch.

Having taken casual advantage without thinking, Jing Chi drawled leisurely, “What’s got you so worked up? You know the bed’s small—it can’t handle all your thrashing around.”

In the dim night, his words carried an extra layer of suggestiveness.

Pei Rui caught the implication at once. Recalling everything that had just transpired, his expression darkened with a mix of shame and irritation. He ground out through clenched teeth, “If you hadn’t spouted all that misleading nonsense and gotten me riled up, none of the rest would have happened.”

“What misunderstanding? I was just joking.” Jing Chi huffed a laugh, though amusement danced undisguised in his eyes. “Who knew you were so easy to rattle?”

“Joking? Rattling me?” Pei Rui repeated the words heavily, his earlier discomfort flooding back as his gaze darkened.

A sense of being toyed with welled up inside him, tinged with annoyance. It had been ages since he’d felt this disheveled.

In the next instant, the Female Insect flipped them over, pinning Jing Chi beneath him. He braced his arm against Jing Chi’s neck, narrowing his eyes with a dangerous glint. “Then how about I return the joke?”

His voice held a chill, and he pressed down just a fraction harder.

Jing Chi knew he ought to be used to the General’s sudden mood swings by now, but he hadn’t expected it to happen quite so quickly. How strange.

He felt no fear, though—just stared straight back at Pei Rui.

The air grew thick with tension. Gazing into Jing Chi’s calm eyes, Pei Rui suddenly deflated.

He knew he’d overreacted.

Pei Rui released him and rolled to the side, covering his eyes with one hand. In a low voice, he said, “Don’t make jokes like that with me anymore.”

~~~

The first night they shared a bed passed in less than perfect harmony.

When Pei Rui woke the next morning, he’d already put the previous night’s awkwardness behind him.

He’d also overlooked certain subtle stirrings of the heart, buried deep within.

But his forgetting didn’t mean Jing Chi had. After all, Jing Chi had a bit of a vengeful streak.

Less than half a day later, Pei Rui sensed something was off. The young man, who usually smiled so readily, had been icy cold since waking—even skimping on eye contact.

He’d simply left the Nutrient Liquid on the table, with no interaction whatsoever.

Pei Rui rubbed his forehead, uncharacteristic conflict etching across his handsome features. A headache was brewing.

It was all his fault for yesterday—something must have short-circuited in him. The other insect was his savior, after all, and he’d treated him that way.

The unusual circumstances last night must have stripped away his usual composure, leaving him impulsive instead.

So Pei Rui reasoned.

Jing Chi, meanwhile, puttered about on the side, though he wasn’t accomplishing much. Hearing the faint sigh from the nearby Female Insect, the corners of his lips twitched upward—only for him to quickly smooth his expression.

He was clearly waiting for Pei Rui to make the first move.

Sure enough, less than an hour passed before Pei Rui approached.

He cleared his throat lightly. When Jing Chi ignored him, he shuffled a few steps closer.

Spotting Jing Chi about to lift something heavy, he stepped forward at once. “Let me help you.”

Jing Chi twisted away with a turn, replying coolly, “No need. I’m afraid I’ll mess something up, provoke you, and end up in mortal danger by accident.”

His tone was frigid, laced with faint sarcasm.

Pei Rui’s hand clenched briefly, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his stunning eyes.

He’d apologized before, after all. Doing it again wouldn’t kill him.

If someone had told him in the past that he’d humble himself repeatedly for another insect, he’d have thought they were deranged.

But ever since meeting Jing Chi, it didn’t feel so impossible anymore.

“Sorry,” he said. “Yesterday was my fault. I was too impulsive and overbearing.”

Once apologies became second nature, they weren’t so hard to voice. He could even tack on a few extra words.

Pei Rui’s attitude was utterly sincere. He gazed earnestly at Jing Chi, a flicker of concealed anticipation in his eyes.

Jing Chi shot him a glance, then turned and headed back into his room.

Pei Rui took this as a rejection of his apology and felt a pang of defeat.

His brows furrowed slightly, his lips pressed into a tight line, his expression darkening.

Moments later, Jing Chi’s voice drifted out from inside.

Pei Rui heard the young man let out a soft hum at first, then speak in a casual tone, as if it were no big deal. “I happen to have time tomorrow. I’ll go with you to the Underground Fighting Arena first.”

Pei Rui froze, momentarily at a loss.

“Why wouldn’t you want me to come along?”

Jing Chi poked his head out of the room and glanced at Pei Rui. Seeing the female insect’s dazed expression, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, though he feigned irritation as he said, “Am I sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong?”

Pei Rui shook his head at once this time, his tone turning earnest. “Thank you.”

After all, Jing Chi had no obligation to keep him company, yet here he was, offering of his own accord. Pei Rui knew this was a genuine kindness.

Jing Chi’s expression grew a touch peculiar at Pei Rui’s sudden earnestness. If the insect had stayed stone-faced and aloof like before, it wouldn’t have fazed him—but this sincerity made it hard to keep up the teasing.

“No need to thank me.” Jing Chi cleared his throat lightly, rubbed the tip of his nose, and let his gaze wander, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

In the sunlight, a faint blush colored the young man’s cheeks. His eyes were clear and bright, laying his feelings bare for all to see.

Pei Rui realized his words had embarrassed Jing Chi, even after he’d been upset just moments ago.

This insect was kind at heart, yet no pushover—he had his temper—but he was surprisingly easy to soothe.

And with a face so strikingly handsome that it could leave even Pei Rui momentarily spellbound.

What if he were a male insect?

Pei Rui had no idea why such an odd thought had suddenly crossed his mind.