Chapter 31
After blowing up the computer, the constant harassment stopped completely. Although I was still a little worried, I had a peaceful holiday overall.
With nothing to do and suddenly free, Yael spent more and more time communicating with the project team.
The main bug I was dealing with was Adelaide, but I also had many small meetings with other bugs.
The student project was not very difficult for him, but it was also a key support of the college, so a week before the New Year, Eysenck College approved the subsidy.
“So much?”
Yael looked at the 5 million star coins that had been deposited into his account with a shocked expression. He counted them several times to make sure there were no extra zeros.
Adelaide's voice came from the computer, and he hummed nonchalantly.
"You're almost becoming another leader of this project. This little money is nothing."
Then, a hint of enthusiasm was revealed in his tone, "Have you rested well? What have we figured out just now..."
Compared with Adelaide, Yael felt that he was not hardworking at all, at least not as hardworking as a science geek. But he was immersed in the project every day and his life was fulfilling.
It was already noon when the conversation ended, and after agreeing to continue in the evening, Adelaide reluctantly ended the call.
Yael took a sip of water to moisten his throat and was about to sort out the new information sent over when he heard 015 knocking on the door.
"There are so many gifts for you out there. What should I do with them?"
He paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered what day it was.
Etar is a rare planet that has preserved ancient traditions. When the new year is approaching, people will send gifts to their good friends or partners, and have a meal together to keep in touch.
Yael arrived on this planet a year ago, just in time for this.
During that time, he received all kinds of gifts every day, piled up at his door, and fresh bouquets of flowers without fail.
The bouquets come in many varieties, but all are vibrant, delicate, wrapped in fine velvet, even with fresh dew on the petals.
Sometimes it is placed in front of the door, sometimes it is pinned on the door handle, decorating the dull iron door beautifully and brightly.
When Yael left, the living room was already filled with all kinds of flowers and gift boxes. The bright colors filled every corner of the house and were almost overflowing.
015 walked back and forth holding a bunch of sunflowers. "The coffee table, the dining table, and the vase in the corner are all full. There's no place to put them."
Yael rubbed his brows and sighed helplessly, "Pile them all on the dining table first, I'll deal with them later."
The sofa was also piled with bouquets of flowers, and Cise, who was surrounded in the middle, looked a little restrained.
He asked hesitantly, "...Is today your birthday?"
"no."
Yael sat down on the sofa and explained the customs of this planet. He picked up a bouquet of flowers beside him and casually opened the small card inserted in the flowers.
I want to be the air
Only on you
Rest for a while. I want to be unnoticed.
It is also indispensable. [1]
The card had no signature, which meant that there was no expectation of a response, but the straightforward and sincere emotions always touched his heartstrings, making him unable to help but raise the corners of his lips.
Although he didn't tell anyone, Yael was actually grateful.
These surging enthusiasm and kindness were like hands pulling him out of the quagmire of depression countless times, pushing him to stumble forward, trying to accept and integrate into this absurd world.
"It's a lively and interesting festival, isn't it?"
Yael curled his eyes, folded the card as it was, and placed it neatly in the box that 015 brought.
He will keep the cards with blessings written on them carefully, and the rest of the gifts, such as cakes and biscuits, will be handed over to the welfare home in the name of the givers so that the little ones can also celebrate the festival together.
Caesar heard the sound of unpacking. "Do you need my help?"
"No..."
Yael paused for a moment, wanting to refuse, and then maliciously pulled out an exceptionally pink flower and quickly pinned it behind the female insect's ear.
The flowers seemed to grow out of the fluffy new snow, blooming proudly on the side of her hair.
The female insect is beautiful, and the flower is gorgeous, but the combined effect of the two is horrible.
I guess Cize has never been so charming in his life.
"This flower suits you so well. It complements you perfectly. It's very delicate and gorgeous. Especially, especially..."
He pretended to look at it carefully, exaggerating a few irrelevant words, and after trying for a long time, he couldn't help laughing, "Yeah - it's really beautiful, I'm not lying to you."
Xi Ze looked somewhat helpless, but he did not reach out to throw the flower away, allowing the male insect to insert another flower on the other side with great interest.
"You see, good things come in pairs!"
Yeer snapped his fingers and looked very satisfied as one light pink and one bright yellow occupied both sides of the river, decorating the female insect very artistically.
After thinking for a moment, he reached out and adjusted it, specially selected a small daisy as an embellishment, and buried it in the female insect's fluffy hair, forming an incongruous triangular structure.
The moment he met the female insect's gaze, Yael couldn't help but burst out laughing. Even 015, who was passing by, chuckled along, "What are you doing? You look so stupid."
I finally stopped laughing, but was caught off guard by Xize's slightly curved eyes.
Those eyelashes would tremble slightly when she smiled, and the light golden irises reflected the flowers and his figure, with a soft and tolerant smile, as if to say that he could do this to him, and it was okay to even go further.
At that moment, time seemed to suddenly freeze.
Yael could clearly hear the heartbeat hitting his eardrums, pounding and throbbing.
It was as if I were bathing in the cool winter sunshine and then being swept away by the sudden rush of spring, caught off guard and unexpectedly, yet so strange and wonderful.
He blinked, came to his senses, and stiffly plucked the flower from the female insect's ear and put it back.
"Well... I don't want to play anymore. I need to sort these out as soon as possible."
Yael coughed softly, took a deep breath to calm his confused emotions, and then asked 015 to move the gifts piled in the entrance over.
"Yes, it's right there, take them all over..."
I had this experience once before. The bouquets and gifts were not difficult to organize, but there were so many of them that if I didn't check the door every hour, they would pile up into a small mountain.
The flower stands and hanging baskets were wiped clean of dust and hung up, with clusters of colorful flowers constantly inserted into them, making the place look full of vitality, luxuriant and prosperous.
The wheels of 015 were spinning so fast that they were smoking and almost starting to sizzle and emit sparks.
After being repeatedly refused to help with the application, Xi Ze could only sit quietly on the sofa, his eyes unconsciously following the male insect's moving figures.
After this period of training, his eyes can already vaguely see light and colors, with much higher clarity and brightness.
It was as if a layer of hazy gauze was covering my eyes, and the colorful blocks that made up the world were smeared and stained, and the picture presented to my eyes was like an abstract painting.
Xi Ze suddenly recalled an incident that happened several years ago.
At that time, a large-scale battle had just ended, and he stayed on the main planet for a long time to deal with the accumulated miscellaneous matters.
It was also during that period that a female painter emerged and became famous among the upper class with her stunning pastoral oil paintings.
With the generous support of the royal family, hundreds of art exhibitions were held on the main star, one of which was right next to the base of the First Legion.
His colleagues invited him to see the paintings at that time, and he had to admit that the paintings were indeed very beautiful, with free and wild brushstrokes and bright and colorful colors. They were rare masterpieces.
But he was not very moved at that time. After turning around, he sat down to check the information. Not long after, a young female with a low ponytail also sat down.
"Sir, what do you think of these paintings? Do they bore you?"
"No, these paintings are beautiful." He closed his laptop and coughed softly, "It's just that there are too many things to do in the military, so I have to take some time to deal with the mail."
"It doesn't matter."
However, Yaci didn't care about his real attitude. She just stared deeply at the painting opposite her, and her voice was so soft as if she was immersed in a dream.
"You don't feel it, just because you haven't met your own wildness, so you can't understand how romantic, free and crazy it feels..."
"The soul is full but anxious, sheds tears when overjoyed, even a moment of breathing seems a luxury, and countless times I am grateful for the generous gifts of fate."
Not knowing what she was imagining, the female's breathing quickened, her expression pious but with hidden excitement, as if she was not facing a frozen painting, but was bent over in ardent pilgrimage.
Finally, he blinked, and a tear suddenly fell from his pale blue eyes.
Later I heard that the Asian female painter refused the royal family's invitation to be an employed painter, and wandered among countless planets, holding art exhibitions one after another, always chasing and showing the mysterious wilderness to the world.
To this day, Xi Ze still can't really understand it.
I suddenly felt that the scene before my eyes was much more vivid and beautiful than those paintings separated by cold glass.
Those lines and colors that I had only briefly seen now surged out from the depths of my dusty memory.
Each stroke depicts the bright halo before the eyes, the flourishing branches of flowers, and the thin figure in the center of the painting wearing light yellow pajamas and holding a gift box.
It is so dazzling, as if it was born to be the focus of all eyes.
"What are you looking at?"
Noticing the sight behind him, Yael suddenly turned around, only to see the female insect hastily lowering her eyes and turning her face to the side.
He was a little confused, but didn't take it to heart. He just said, "This time the gift includes a cake. I remember that the desserts there are especially delicious. Let 015 cut a piece for you..."
The little robot butler was holding the packaged gift and placed it at the door, waiting for the courier to pick it up. After hearing the order, it rummaged through the remaining gift boxes and went into the kitchen carrying the cake.
After recovering from the embarrassment of being caught peeking, Xi Ze asked, "Are these all going to be sent to the orphanage?"
"Yes, there have been so many wars in recent years that the welfare home is almost full."
Thinking of those lively little kids, Yael sighed, "I heard that when the weather warms up in the spring, the welfare home will be renovated and a few more dormitories will be added."
Comparing the news in recent years, he frowned, looking a little regretful.
"I remember that the deceased admiral had been vigorously promoting a new policy of relief for orphans during his lifetime, but after Admiral Anto took the throne, that policy was shelved. What a pity."
Xi Ze was stunned for a while before he whispered, "Yes, it's a pity..."
"If he had been more alert and noticed the betrayal of the people around him earlier, or had persisted a little longer on the battlefield, the hard work and foundation built over decades would have collapsed in an instant."
Immersed in his thoughts, Yael didn't notice the self-mockery in his tone, and just spoke slowly.
"But there is no such thing as knowing everything in advance. It is good enough to do well in the present."
"That general is amazing. There aren't many people who can do what he does. Although I don't know much about political struggles, he has been vigorously promoting the implementation of policies that truly benefit the people and has done a lot of practical things..."
He unsealed the package with tape and praised it casually, "I have recently heard about this from the news. How should I put it? He is indeed the first admiral to be awarded the title of the Light of the Empire. He is very respectable."
There was no sound behind him for a long time, and Yael turned around belatedly to look.
However, the female insect covered her face with one hand. The tips of her ears that were exposed from her hair were completely red, and even her neck was dyed red.
"What's wrong with you?"
He blinked and stopped moving his hands. "Are you okay?"
"……It's OK."
Xize rubbed his face vigorously, took a deep breath to suppress his chaotic and agitated emotions, and put down his hands after a while, but still did not dare to look up at the male insect.
It's not like I haven't heard praise before.
During the years when his prestige was at its peak, almost all media were promoting his "great deeds" in various ways.
The long and tedious words, some god of war descended, some descendant of the sun god, praised him to the highest level in the world.
He was so indifferent that he wouldn't even glance at me, let alone show any emotional fluctuations.
How come my face gets so hot when I hear the male insect in front of me say something amazing... How strange.
"Your face is so red, are you really okay?"
A cool finger poked his cheek, and Caesar was caught off guard. He could only lower his eyelashes in panic and avoid the inquiring gaze.
He whispered in embarrassment, "…The heating seems to be turned up too high. It's a bit hot."
015's timely appearance saved the female insect.
"The cake is here... this time it's strawberry cake!"
Yael moved aside the tea table, looked at the sweet-smelling cake being served, smiled and said, "I won't bother you anymore, eat the cake."
Then he turned to 015 and said, "It's ready. Contact the local delivery."
…
Nishizawa thought the matter had been successfully turned over.
But unexpectedly, before going to bed that night, the male insect did not go back to the room to sleep after washing up, but instead sat back on the sofa.
It was a dark night, and the male insect exuded the scent of shower gel, which smelled really good.
But the next sentence made Xi Ze's expression stiffen -
"What were you thinking about at noon that made your face so red?"
Yael's tone was nonchalant, with a soft, mischievous smile. There was no malice in it, but it was so intimate that it made Caesar's heart beat faster.
"Do you think I'll be fooled by the heater?"
"Feel sorry……"
Caesar pursed his lips. Although he didn't want to hide the male insect, it was indeed a bit embarrassing. "Nothing."
"Okay," seeing that he really didn't want to talk, Yael didn't force him. He yawned and stood up, "Good night, go to bed early."
But a deep voice came from behind, stopping him in his tracks.
"...I just want to see the Lord as soon as possible."
Yael's shoulders suddenly relaxed a little.
He didn't turn his head, but just laughed softly. The softened ending of the laugh was blended into the night, sounding particularly gentle.
"Then go to bed early, work hard to recover, and try to see me soon."
*
I regained my sight three days later.
During this time, Hughes took the time to come over for a checkup and changed the medication to a stronger one that needed to be applied to a bandage around the eyes.
You can take it off the next day after the pain is completely gone and observe whether there is any obvious effect.
The bandages were untied one by one, and the light gradually penetrated, from faint and blurry to clear and bright, until finally only the last thin layer was left.
But the hand stopped.
"Wait, I'm a little nervous, let me take it easy."
The male insect in front of him sounded a little tense, and took a few deep breaths, as if preparing himself mentally.
"Didn't the doctor say we need to see if it works? It may not work that fast, so don't worry."
Xi Ze comforted him, saying that the one who should have been the most nervous seemed unusually calm.
"That's true."
Yael murmured, but looking at the female insect's face in front of him, the subtle tension still lingered.
"I'm still nervous. Why don't you open it and see how it works first, then call me..."
Before he could finish his words, his hand was grasped by another hand, which pulled him gently but firmly, slowly lifting the gauze.
The soft gauze fell to the ground slowly without any sound. The eyelashes covered by it trembled slightly, and when they slowly opened, a ray of golden light leaked out.
The female insect didn't say anything, but the moment his eyes met, Yael knew -
He could already see.
They were so close that their breaths were almost blending together. Yael could even see his own figure shrunk very small in those golden eyes, clear and distinct.
He could feel that he was being stared at, scrutinizing every detail, but the gaze did not cause him any discomfort.
Because it does not contain a condescending scrutiny or a desire to cross a line, it is just a simple look, containing surprise and shock that perhaps even the female insect itself is not aware of.
Xi Ze held his breath, not even willing to blink, and used his eyes to carefully depict the real and vivid eyebrows and contours.
“…”
The air was so quiet that Yael felt a little uncomfortable. He raised his eyebrows and joked, "What's wrong? Are you stunned by this?"
The female insect still didn't say anything, as if she was really stunned.
Yael raised his eyebrows slightly. Originally he had just been joking about being nervous, but now he was really a little nervous.
Although I have roughly felt around with my fingers, it can never compare to seeing it with my own eyes. After all, everyone has the same nose and eyes, so how can I feel anything?
"It took so long... Isn't that unexpected?"
Yael was a little confused. He waved his hand in front of the female insect, signaling him to look at him.
Xize finally came back to his senses, but he couldn't control his gaze away from the male insect. Hearing this, he whispered back, "That's not the case."
But he still couldn't find a suitable adjective after racking his brain, and he didn't think those weak words could match the male insect in front of him.
Xi Ze opened his mouth but kept silent several times. Finally, he swallowed all the words back and just chuckled softly.
"My Lord...it's just as I imagined."
This statement is actually false, as he had not first imagined what a male insect looked like.
It is very rude to attribute any emotion to something before actually seeing it. It is even more arrogant and even shameless to feel regret or disappointment because your imagination does not match reality.
But how can he describe that feeling... He clearly had no idea what a male insect looked like, but everything he saw was so perfect.
Every soft line that outlines the shape, every delicate and bright color, not a cent more or less, accurately depicts the original appearance of the male insect and fills in the gaps in the memory perfectly.
The male insect does not need to look like anything, or conform to any adjective. He can look whatever he wants, as long as the person standing in front of him is him...
That's enough.
Yael quietly observed the female insect's expression and confirmed that there was no reluctance. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Is that so? That's good."
He bent down and picked up the gauze that had fallen on the ground. "You don't feel uncomfortable, do you? You're recovering much faster than expected. You can ask Hughes to come and take a look this afternoon..."
Sensitively catching the slight depression hidden under the male insect's calmness, Xi Ze paused, realizing that his reaction should not be like this.
Male insects cannot read minds and do not know his true thoughts.
He was so shocked and amazed that he couldn't find any words to describe it. In the eyes of the male insect, it was probably just ordinary and there was nothing to say. He might even think that he was disappointed in his appearance.
The best time to explain is now. We cannot allow this misunderstanding to continue.
As soon as Yer stood up, Caesar reached out and held his forearm. The female insect's other hand moved from the side of his waist to his back in a somewhat helpless manner, holding him in a half-hugged position.
Xi Ze whispered, "Wait, that's not what I meant just now. I wanted to say..."
"What?"
Yael looked at him with some doubts, and rubbed the female insect's hair soothingly, "I'm not in a hurry, take your time."
The female insect in front of him took a deep breath and spoke in a serious and thoughtful tone.
"I'll tell you what words I would use to describe you: beautiful, smart,——."
He uttered a strange and difficult word, about four syllables, which was recited by the female insect in a low and melodious cello-like voice, like a short and romantic poem.
"What's the last word?"
"It's a word that nobles often use when writing poetry. It may be a little obscure..."
Xi Ze's eyes were filled with gentle smiles as he listed the meaning of the word word by word.
"It means crackling; bubbling; radiant, shining; radiant, overflowing."
Yael had been listening to him quietly, but he laughed and said, "Do you think I can shine?"
It's more than that.
Xi Ze stared deeply at the male insect in front of him.
He was like a star, bursting into his barren life.[2]
The author has something to say:
1. Excerpt from: Joseph Brodsky
2. Adapted from: Charles, The Paris Library
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