APUTFFZG Chapter 34.1

Translator: Deyonna

Tip me

Before the New Year, the long-awaited surgery date finally arrived.

After extensive preparation, the female zerg was soon wheeled into the operating room. After a long eight-hour wait, the surgery was finally declared complete.

Xi Ze opened his eyes with difficulty, and a vague but familiar white came into view. The smell of disinfectant lingered in his nose, mixed with the scent of fresh blood.

After a moment of daze, his pupils suddenly constricted, and every muscle in his body tensed and spasmed.

His fingertips dug into the cold edge of the bed frame so hard that the veins on the back of his hand bulged and the iron frame warped slightly under the pressure.

But just as he was about to transform fully into his half-zerg form—

"Doctor, how was the surgery... Xi Ze?"

A gentle voice sounded in his ears, edged with urgency and worry, like oxygen injected into a vacuum. It shattered the illusion before him and brought an unprecedented sense of reassurance.

He let go of the bed frame and, using half-wakefulness as an excuse, hooked his fingertips around the little finger of the hand resting beside him.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Er, whose hand had been taken, stopped talking to the doctor and turned to the female zerg, who was still not fully awake from the anesthesia.

But all he saw was a pair of half-closed golden eyes, their corners curling up toward him in reassurance.

The surgery was a success, but it wasn't until this moment that Ye Er truly relaxed. He squeezed the female zerg's hand in return. "Go back to sleep."

---

When Xi Ze woke again, it was already the afternoon of the next day.

The curtains were open on one side only, and a faint shadow lay over the hospital bed. Bright golden sunlight shone in through the other half of the window, dividing the ward into two distinct halves.

A soft sound of breathing came from beside him. Ye Er was asleep at the edge of the bed.

Tiny specks of light danced in his long, slender eyelashes. The sleeping male zerg looked so beautiful that he almost seemed to glow. A stray strand of hair lay across his nose, fluttering with his breath and making him look exceptionally cute.

Xi Ze stared at his sleeping face, a dull ache blooming somewhere in his chest. His fingertips, unable to resist, rose and hovered a few inches above Ye Er's face before gently dropping back down.

"How do you feel?"

At the machine's notification, the doctor hurried over, pushed the door open, and came in with a voice full of energy.

Then an unfriendly gaze met him. He realized he had apparently woken the male zerg lying at the bedside and suddenly stiffened a little.

Why was the male zerg in a place like this?!

He roared inwardly without showing it on the surface, then stood silently at the bedside to wait.

"Xi Ze... you're up?"

Ye Er rubbed his brow to shake off the fatigue of sleeping at the bedside, but when he moved his arms, a sudden ache shot through his stiff shoulders and neck, and he frowned.

A hand appeared just in time, its strong knuckles pressing a few acupoints with just the right force. The effect was immediate. The soreness began to fade at once.

It felt like being scratched under the chin by a cat while held by the scruff, and Ye Er pressed down on the hand that was kneading his nape, soft yet firm, and glared at the female zerg on the bed. "Don't move. Isn't your hand still on a drip?"

"Cough..."

The doctor, who had been acting as if he didn't exist for quite a while, coughed softly and stepped forward into the male zerg's line of sight.

Thanks to the male zerg's remarkable directness, there was no need for any extra pleasantries.

The doctor began checking the female zerg's postoperative condition, and by the time he finished, his expression had eased considerably.

"At the moment, things are looking good, even better than expected. You should be able to walk normally very soon."

"Until you've fully recovered, you'll need to wear a contracture correction device to help your recovery."

The doctor pulled something out of his coat pocket. "You can try it on later and see how it feels. If it doesn't hurt too much..."

The correction device was a thin silver metal plate, with countless intricate parts forming winding, swirling patterns, and a tiny protrusion could be felt on it.

The doctor handed the plate to Xi Ze. Before he could explain how to use it, Xi Ze pressed a finger to the middle of the metal plate and held it against the side of his knee. With a beep, the silver patterns on it gradually lit up—

A delicate yet remarkably strong framework extended from the protrusion on the plate and traced the outline of his long legs until it formed a complete leg brace.

The doctor nodded approvingly. "That's right. That's how you use it."

Ye Er studied the high-tech correction device for a few moments, then looked at Xi Ze expectantly. "Can you stand up with this?"

He had seen the female zerg stand on the monitor, but Xi Ze hadn't been able to straighten up from the severe pain and had looked very uncomfortable, so Ye Er had overlooked how remarkable it was.

Now it seemed like a perfectly good time, and he couldn't help feeling a hidden expectation—

"I'll try."

Xi Ze lifted the covers and got out of bed. He felt around the framework's pressure points for a moment, then drove force through his legs and stepped smoothly onto the floor. Finally, he straightened his waist and stood firmly.

"...Ah."

So... so tall.

Ye Er stared blankly at the female zerg, who stood a whole head taller than he did, and instinctively took a step back.

He counted as tall in the human world, long-limbed but not slender, but here among the zerg he didn't quite measure up.

The military female especially, naturally tall and strong, stood before him like a tall, straight, solid wall.

When the female zerg was sitting in the wheelchair, it hadn't been so obvious. But now that he stood with his back straight, his posture was calm and powerful. His long, narrow, deep-set eyes drooped indifferently, giving off a quiet, natural sense of oppression.

Ye Er came back to himself and snapped his fingers to get the female zerg's attention. "Walk over here and give it a try?"

He took a few steps back and opened his arms slightly as if asking for an embrace, a bright smile on his beautiful, clean face.

Xi Ze blinked slowly, as if tempted. His still-trembling legs tensed, and he moved somewhat awkwardly, with a dull stabbing pain.

He walked step by step toward the male zerg, his movements stiff and awkward at first, his figure swaying slightly. But after two or three steps, he quickly adjusted.

By the time he reached the male zerg, Xi Ze could finally control his legs fully. He stood up straight like a healthy zerg, and the bearing of a military female showed in him once again.

Ye Er blinked and looked at the female zerg in front of him. His dark eyes lit up little by little, like countless stars suddenly blooming in the night, making it almost impossible for the female zerg to look away.

Xi Ze was truly standing in front of him—

He had really nursed the female zerg back to health.

The snow leopard that had been forced down into the mud, with claws mangled and eyes gouged blind, was no longer emaciated and dying, lying in the mud while flies and leeches tormented and humiliated it in utter destitution.

From those bare bones, new sinews and flesh had sprouted. Struggling and enduring, it had stood up once more. Soon it would run through the forest and the wilderness again.

A powerful sense of accomplishment and joy welled up in his heart, almost bursting from his chest. The flame of delight crackled, igniting every nerve fiber.

Ye Er tried to suppress his smile, but he couldn't help it.

"You can really stand now, and you'll be walking soon. Congratulations!"

The male zerg's eyes shone like stars, incredibly bright, brimming with pure happiness and excitement.

Watching him like this, Xi Ze couldn't help his heart softening. He wanted to keep laying all the beautiful things in the world before him, just to hold that smile for a moment longer.

"Yes... thanks to Male Lord."

Xi Ze stared at Ye Er, his voice soft, as if afraid of disturbing the moment. "Thank you."

Without Ye Er, he wouldn't have lived this long, let alone stood up again, or even... dared to hope for the impossible, to reach out and touch the moon in the sky.

He and the male zerg looked at each other for a long time. Then Xi Ze suddenly turned his head and coughed lightly, a little embarrassed. "Cough... can I hug you?"

Just treat it as a small celebration ceremony.

Ye Er pretended to think about it. When the female zerg's expression grew a little uneasy, he smiled and nodded eagerly. "Hug, hug, hug!"

But as he stepped closer, he paused. He had always been standing while Xi Ze sat, which made hugging easy. Now that he had to hug someone this tall, it felt... a bit strange.

Before he could dwell on it, Xi Ze bent down to a height Ye Er found comfortable, gently pulled him into his arms, and lightly rested his hands against the male zerg's shoulders.

His familiar, faint body heat and scent filled Ye Er's embrace. Xi Ze closed his eyes and forced down the emotions surging in his heart.

After a few seconds, Ye Er let go and took a deep breath to settle his elated mood.

He pressed the female zerg's shoulders back down onto the bed and turned to the doctor. "How long does he have to wear this device before he can take it off completely?"

The doctor, who had been hanging back, stepped forward and answered dutifully.

"It depends on the patient's recovery ability. If recovery is strong, it can come off in a week, but if it's slower, it may take about a month."

The doctor went over some precautions, such as avoiding excessive movement and protecting the knee, then tactfully left the ward.

"It's almost noon. Is Male Lord hungry?"

Xi Ze estimated the time and glanced at Ye Er, who was flipping through the medical records. Ye Er still had pink marks from the bedding on his face and had clearly just woken up without eating breakfast.

"The hospital food might not suit Male Lord's taste. We can go through the discharge procedures now, and I'll cook for you when we get back."

Ye Er flatly refused without looking up. "No. You can't stand for long yet. What are you even thinking? You just had surgery. Even farmers don't work their oxen and horses like that..."

He mumbled the rest, then went on, "What do you want to eat? I'll go to the cafeteria for some food, or should I ask 015 to make it and send it over?"

Before Xi Ze could answer, there was a sudden knock at the ward door.

Ye Er turned around, puzzled. If it were the doctor, there'd be no need to knock.

He got up and opened the door to find an unfamiliar military female outside. The other's expression turned very stiff the moment he saw him, as if he were terribly nervous. "Hello?"

"Hello, hello! Excuse me, are you His Excellency... Ye... Ye Er?"

The military female stammered nervously. After getting a definite answer, he spoke faster. "Elaine sent me to deliver lunch to Your Excellency. There are two servings. Would you like to take them, or..."

"Oh, I see. Thank you."

Ye Er thanked him again, took the two insulated lunch boxes, and set them on the nearby table. Then he took out his terminal. "How much is it? I'll transfer the money."

☰