Chapter 22: 22

Chapter 22

Back Sprain

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

Cai Lu really regrets not dressing up before leaving his house today. How was he to know that trying to skimp on work and go meet an artist would land him squarely with two males! Males! Living, breathing males!

Trying to act calm, Cai Lu tries taking a sip from his cup, only to have his tongue cooked through by the boiling tea. He yells, although halfway through, he remembers he is in the company of two males, and covers his mouth with his hands.

“Are you alright?” Cheng Zhaoci asks with furrowed brows.

Cai Lu makes a big thumbs up, “I’m fine! Everything is fine! Good! Excellent! My body is always great, so please don’t worry about me, mister!” The tone is tragically forceful; he looks like he’d rather disappear into the void after finishing speaking.

What in the world was he saying?! Please, thunder, come and cleanse him off this Capital planet, oh bollocks!

Zhou Luoluo fails to hold it in and breaks out a chuckle. Cai Lu looks like he’s dying.

“Apologies,” Li Jiu tries to salvage the awkward mood. He’s also clearly uncomfortable, but he doesn’t let it show much, “you were different from our imagination. It is really surprising, so…” He can only feel trouble brewing noting all the jealous gazes from the shemales and demis directed their way.

He thought Cheng Zhaoci was going to be a shemale. Shemales are great, many are easy to talk to, and it’s a joy to work with them. Demis might bring with them assortments of trouble, and most arguments that required the site to intervene are the result of demi arguments. Shemales are much better.

So are there ones even more difficult to work with and troublesome? Yes. Males. Males don’t usually contract, though. Just letting everyone know they’re male brings enough attention and traffic. Males don’t even need the money, and just enjoy the spotlight.

Of course, there have been males who contracted, and their editors all have to treat them with extreme, utmost courtesy. Any tiniest of issues would result in a tantrum, and a tantrum means the blindly loyal shemales and demis would follow along. Then it gets out of control.

Editors who end up supervising males often hand in resignation letters early.

Although the male has appeared to be amicable so far, but Li Jiu knows you must never judge an insectoid by their appearance, especially males.

And he chose a location popular with shemales, with no special section to accommodate males. They’d very likely become annoyed soon enough from all the stares.

Well, annoying as it is, Cheng Zhaoci feels so unapproachable that no one is trying to come flirt. Zhou Luoluo appeared quite uncomfortable, although only until the food catches his attention. Then he happily indulges his stomach, “wow! This is amazing! It’s a bit spicy though…”

“Here, water,” Cai Lu swears he’s never acted so feminine, ever.

Zhou Luoluo, watching the glass of water, and then glancing at Cheng Zhaoci, shifts his shoulders a little, and says, “uh, th-thanks,” it’s a very first for him to ever thank a demi, but Zhou Luoluo has decided to try and be a male who treats shemales maturely. Then our ‘gentle, mature’ male experiences first hand exactly what getting scalded to heaven means.

Seeing the ‘mature’ male about to turn into a soprano singer to express his anger at the demi with green hair, Cheng Zhaoci quickly grabs the dumbo by the throat, “just put it down if it’s too hot.”

The soprano fails to sing, “oh, ok.”

Cai Lu is apologising like mad, as Zhou Luoluo, deflated as he is, just says ‘it’s fine.’ Li Jiu is rubbing his temple now, “I’m sorry for all the trouble,” he’s this close to resigning and running away right this instance. He should really have left Cai Lu back at the office.

“No, it’s alright,” Cheng Zhaoci slowly releases Zhou Luoluo from his grasp, “let’s talk about the contract, but before that, let’s order some more food.”

“I hope you like it,” Li Jiu glances over at Zhou Luoluo, who’s clearly upset and is now just quietly munching on meat. He’s making his ire known by poking the meat into weird shapes with his chopsticks.

Cheng Zhaoci sighs, defeated, and asks, “so when are you going to let it go?”

“30 minutes,” Zhou Luoluo actually gave a concrete answer, rendering the anger rather immature and childish.

Cheng Zhaoci gives Li Jiu an awkward smile to change the topic, “I’d like to know that if I’m not of age yet, do I need my father and dad’s signatures?”

“You’re not of age? You’re not 18 yet?” Li Jiu is actually surprised. He had BombInMyPants pegged for a veteran artist because the style was quite developed and didn’t feel forced at all. He can’t imagine the artist not even being 18 yet.

“Yes. I read the contract draft you’ve sent me, and I’m happy with the promotion and division of profits. The contract is already to my satisfaction, but there was one section,” Cheng Zhaoci explains, “it says parental consent is required if I’m not 18 yet.”

“Yes, theoretically,” Li Jiu nods, “to comply with the Minor Protection Bill. Signatures will do.”

He’s also quite surprised the male insectoid isn’t unhappy with the contract’s terms, since grade A isn’t exactly A-grade material, so to speak.

“I don’t have a father, though,” Cheng Zhaoci nonchalantly drops a bomb, making both editors look at him with shellshocked eyes.

Shemales might not have fathers because they refuse to recognise them, yes, but males not having one?!

Cheng Zhaoci forgoes an explanation by simply stating, “he passed away when I was still an egg.”

Oh damn! The young male who’s lost his father when he was but an egg! Li Jiu’s reluctance at working with a male has completely disappeared now.

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“Uh, of course. I see. I’m sorry. We’ll make a note of that. I believe we only need your dad’s signature in this extraordinary circumstance,” Li Jiu is looking at the young male who’s lost his father with the familiar motherly love.

Even Zhou Luoluo can feel that Li Jiu has become talkative and is speaking much more softly. If he knew he grew up on a landfill planet, perhaps he’ll feel so saddened he’d cry.

The mood is gradually improving as they settle on the contract. Cheng Zhaoci mentions that he doesn’t want his male identity to be known. He’ll get lots of fans, but they won’t be there for his comic.

Li Jiu’s image of Cheng Zhaoci is basically saint like now. If he wasn’t a minor, Li Jiu might be ordering a shot or two right about now to share.

Finally, the two teenage males, Cheng Zhaoci and Zhou Luoluo have to return home early, and leaves the editors behind.

“I forgot to ask him how far his updates are along!” Cai Lu suddenly slaps his forehead on the way back to the office, “oh and, he’s really not like a male. The personality is far too friendly,” no normal male would talk happily with demis like them.

“I think it’s nice enough. I’d never have thought I’d be able to sit down and have a nice talk with a male,” Li Jiu chuckles, “I bet a lot of shemales would be head-over-heels for someone like him.

“And not you?” Cai Lu pokes Li Jiu with his elbow, “you’re not married yet. Are you not interested?”

Li Jiu gives him a cold look, “he’s just 16, he’s still a kid. Just forget whatever inappropriate fantasies you have in your head.”

“So what if I have fantasies? So what?” Jin Yue is crossing his legs while sitting like a boss on his driver’s seat, “besides, why would I ever be interested in males? He just appeared in my dreams once or twice.”

“Just drop it,” a shemale dressed in black suit-and-tie interrupts his charade, “I don’t want to know why a pervert would have wet dreams about a 16-year-old male.”

“I didn’t!” Jin Yue retorts.

“I couldn’t give less of a shit if you did or did not! I’m asking! If you’re related to the assassination of our boss, the leader of the Black Panther!” The well-dressed shemale clearly looks like he’s struggling to contain his urge to beat someone up.

“Why the fuck would we want to do that? It’s the Federation, clear as day,” Jin Yue is picking his ear with his pinky finger, “who else but that insane bastard Wei Zhuo could have the power to storm your headquarters and execute your boss outright?”

Then he mumbles after that, “tch, I wonder where the little ugly thing’s gone to.”

The shemale in suit and tie takes a deep breath to keep calm. He can’t. He cannot fight. It’ll be a disaster to pick a fight on the Golden Lion’s home turf.

Jin Yue is sinking in his chair, scoffing at the shemale’s ‘anger’ that his boss was murdered, “drop the act, Sun Wushe, you dog was eventually gonna turn on your boss in a year or two even if the Federation didn’t act this time.”
“Who are you fooling with those crocodile tears?” Jin Yue then puts his booted legs off the table to lean forward, “don’t tell me, your undercover days in the Federation have turned you into a ‘righteous,’ ‘honourable’ and ‘upstanding’ shemale citizen.”

“Ah, nothing so dramatic,” Sun Wushe is smiling now, completely different from his serious self just now, “now we do have protocol to follow that our boss is unexpectedly dead.”

“Just fuck off! You bastard. You didn’t know your buddy-buddy Wei Zhuo was going on a mission? Who do you think you’re trying to fool?” Jin Yue turns his head away, “I bet even that dumbo Meng Yuele knew. Ha, you’re his own flesh and blood, and an outsider has you beat.”

“Not exactly,” Sun Wushe turns to leave, “we’re only half-brothers, and I’ve even changed my surname. I dare not try to sully the Flying Officer’s good name claiming fraternity with him.”

There is a long scar going from his hand up to his arm. The proof that he left his family.

Jin Yue raises his brow and turns his head back to watch him leave, “but at least you weren’t blinded, now isn’t that good fortune?”

“It is,” Sun Wushe chuckles, “nor have I become a pathetic dog for the Federation.”

It’s a whole month later that Cheng Zhaoci has finally completed the seven chapters of his little side story, while also getting the third chapter of the little zombie king out in the meantime. If you ask if he had any significant changes, then yes. He’s completely messed his biological clock up now. The moment Cheng Jin went back to the army, he’s been staying up all night without restraint.

When he finally steps out of his house into the warm sunlight, he could almost cry, “ah! I’m alive! I made it out alive!” He’s locked himself in like a hermit for a month inside. Now that his comic is complete and seeing the world tonight, it’s time for Cheng Zhaoci to come out and relax!

Cheng Zhaoci stretches himself, and hears a pop from his waist. Good, it’s the starting whistle for exercising!

Seeing nobody else around, he starts doing warmups – Radio callisthenics, set two, Dancing Youth, begin!

Honestly, he can’t remember the poses. He counts 1, 2… 7, 8 on his own, and just does whatever feels like it’s stretching and relaxing. Shouting the numbers out is creating the correct atmosphere for exercise.

Cheng Zhaoci is exercising at the little garden behind the house, with fences that, while designed to emulate natural wooden design, are apparently extremely durable in defence. Anyone trying to invade would be burned to ashes.

Meanwhile, being normal wooden fences in appearance, anyone can see what he’s doing just standing outside.

And unfortunately for Cheng Zhaoci, while he’s spinning his waist around, his eye meets right with those of a spectator from the outside. The shock means he’s overshot his turning, and his waist makes a cackling sound.

Cheng Zhaoci, watching the spectating shemale, slowly crumples to the ground, with his hand on his waist.

Oh fuck! It’s sprained.

It seems the shemale has finally caught on to what’s happening. He is sniggering at the sight.

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