Chapter 3: 3

Chapter 3

A Past User ID

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

The two insectoids followed He Huaijian to his home – a little dwelling about 30 square metres across in total, with bed, living necessities like cookware, and a little wooden shelf he assembled himself there.

He Huaijian first puts the parts he found onto the shelves, before pulling out a rather thin display monitor from a whole pile of stuff, saying, “this one. Try to connect it to your .”

Cheng Zhaoci couldn’t wait to try, and while Xiao Ji looked on completely bewildered, he connects the monitor’s signal to the holodeck on his wrist. With a ‘ding’ sound, it is connected, and the monitor lights up – oh goodness, the UI sure is reminiscent but also unfamiliar. He almost tears up.

Ah, this was the thing that also made him die of a stroke, but honestly, he did miss it.

After coming to this world, Cheng Zhaoci has been drawing exclusively on paper – yes, even an interplanetary civilisation still uses paper, which is easy and cheap to make. Well, environmental concerns and availability mean no capital insectoid would use them. It’s mainly the landfill planet inhabitants using them.

His shemale dad has kept and organised all the things Cheng Zhaoci drew. He could still remember when he first picked drawing back up, how shocked his dad looked. The kind that a dad would have discovering their son is a genius. Cheng Jin sat there the whole night, as he recalled, possibly both proud of his son being a genius, and guilt at only being able to provide a living for this genius son on a landfill planet.

The reaction was certainly a shocker for Cheng Zhaoci, who had to comfort his dad with hugs for a really long time – although on retrospection, it might just have deepened his guilt. If he pictures the average male insectoid in such a world’s setting, they probably live in obscene luxury and never need to go anywhere crowded or do anything labour-intensive. They just needed to enjoy life instead of being his dad’s son – who must pretend to be a shemale and hang out with shemales; handsome but have to make ugly insectoid marks on the face. Cheng Zhaoci himself didn’t know how to properly counsel and change his dad’s thoughts either.

In the insectoid society, a male responsible enough to make money for the family is probably something equivalent to a ten-year-old on Earth knowing to take odd jobs to feed his family. The insectoids and humans will all call these inhumane.

His thoughts are digressing a lot. Cheng Zhaoci quickly puts his eyes back on the holodeck, thinking about trying this drawing tablet right here; He Huaijian just handed him the specially designed pen for this.

Cheng Zhaoci has kept his basic practices going, and so he is able to adapt rather quickly.

Xiao Ji has his jaw on the floor watching Cheng Zhaoci come up with a rough silhouette with a few strokes, and then a sketch, then trying the brush for painting without clearing up the lines.

Then, through the hologram, out pops a male insectoid with long hair, facing towards the viewer, like he’s looking at someone, with a gentle, friendly smile.

This society has never seen a Japanese anime artstyle, so Cheng Zhaoci decided to go for a more realistic approach in celluloid fashion. Slightly nervous, he asks his two companions, “how does it feel?”

Xiao Ji is yelling with astonishment, “Ci-zai, since when have you learned something like that?! Can I have this? I need this as a poster!” He’s never seen such a gentle male… uh, he’s never seen males ever!

Compared to Xiao Ji’s overreaction, He Huaijian is much calmer in response, “very visually impactful. It’s a colouring we’ve never seen before.”

Entertainment media in insectoid society does include comics – or more accurately, serial drawings. One in a style that Cheng Zhaoci’s past self would have called ‘traditional flipped drawings,’ and the other one that is ultra-realistic, making one question whether what they’re seeing isn’t actually a photograph.

The latter type is usually bought up by the richer upper echelon of insectoid society, as a symbol of wealth placed at home. Outside of its monetary value and associated prestige, though, do any of these insectoids appreciate it as art? Not necessarily, since it’s probably better to just get a printed photograph.

Though after the praise He Huaijian points to the male insectoid’s chest area, “I’ve never seen males have prominent chest muscles online, though. This is probably wrong, and I’ve never seen this style of clothing. It’s beautiful, but I don’t think males would wear these. They’re very conservative in fashion.”

Cheng Zhaoci is confused for a moment before understanding what’s happening – oh hell, this world doesn’t have the treasure that is beautiful ladies – the males are the thin and meek cuties! And there are also no skirts or other clothing that reveals the shoulders and upper arms.

Cheng Zhaoci can’t just explain that this is a creature from another world, entirely different from insectoid in culture, though. So he can only wipe the breasts away, to make her resemble a ‘male insectoid’ more.

Poor you, Cheng Zhaoci apologises to his very first tablet-drawn character in his mind.

“So what’s drawing this for?” Xiao Ji has finally calmed down enough to be communicable again.

“I’m drawing comics,” Cheng Zhaoci turns off the tablet and wires 200 dollars to He Huaijian.

He accepts without delay, since he does make money off of this, but he promises Cheng Zhaoci, “if anything is wrong or buggy, come tell me. I’ll fix it for free, and if I have time, I’ll try to optimise it some more.”

“Thanks, bro,” Cheng Zhaoci is appreciative, and says, “when I’m able to make good money, I’ll treat you to cupcakes.”

A dusty, dirty hand grabs onto Cheng Zhaoci’s cheek, pulling – the paw’s owner, Xiao Ji, appears displeased, “so he’s your bro, but what about me?” The tone feels like he’s going to start beating people up if Cheng Zhaoci doesn’t give him a good explanation.

Cheng Zhaoci knows he wouldn’t ever beat him, though, but says, “I’ll treat you both,” but without the ‘bro.’

Xiao Ji is just teasing him, since he’s used to it after all these years anyway.

He’s pretty happy seeing Cheng Zhaoci happy, too. Not that he thinks drawing is going to make good money, and it doesn’t feel like a ‘job,’ since you’re just putting stuff you can’t feel or touch online, but he’s still happy for his bro.

While Cheng Zhaoci’s face is certainly not for the faint of heart, but he really does have pretty eyes. They’re really soft to look at.

“Cupcakes? You say? Good at dreaming, aren’t we?” Xiao Ji pats Cheng Zhaoci on the back, happy about the sentiment.

Cupcakes are absolutely luxurious, at least on Zhousuo, it is. It’s a thing with just fluffiness and an exorbitant price tag. No insectoid would buy it in their right mind. Oh, except Cheng Jin, who buys it for Cheng Zhaoci.

Cheng Zhaoci is too excited to care, and is running home with his drawing tablet after saying goodbye with the two.

Cheng Jin is probably also home by now.

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As expected, there’s a tall and slender shemale insectoid standing at the intersection where Cheng Zhaoci was waiting for him. He still has that exact same photoshoot-ready face, unchanged from 16 years ago.

Insectoids have an average lifespan of 190. After maturing, their appearance and capabilities stay level until they are about 170, when they start to show signs of aging.

Cheng Jin is only in his sixties, so actually, he’s a widowed shemale still in his prime, with top-tier looks and is, apparently, an A in physical abilities. If it weren’t for that mess with his xiongzhu that collectively punished all his harem, Cheng Zhaoci suspects he could even be a Wing Commander in the army.

Even in the human world, his shemale dad would definitely be handsome. A handsome widow with a child is still handsome and definitely won’t be without romantic pursuers, but there are too few males in this world. There has never been a single case of a shemale or demi widow being able to remarry, since they culturally ‘marry for life,’ even if their xiongzhu dies, they still belong to him in death. It’s hopelessly stupid.

“Dad!” Cheng Zhaoci calls out, and Cheng Jin, seeing him, immediately smiles, with the cold and unfriendly aura around him immediately dissipating. He embraces Cheng Zhaoci with one firm hand, while showing him the cupcake he is holding in the other, “a-Ci, want some?”

Cheng Zhaoci is biting his lips. When he was young and Cheng Jin brought him cupcake, he didn’t know how outrageously expensive these were on Zhousuo, and had a great time gorging on them. It wasn’t until he was older and heard from He Huaijian that, to afford his cupcakes, Cheng Jin would be hauling almost double the wares other shemales did, that he didn’t want to eat them anymore. Yet, when he tried to refuse, Cheng Jin seemed even more upset, upset at himself for making his dearest little child suffer with him. These low quality confectionary that the capital planet males would scoff at is something his own male son can never taste again because he’s incompetent.

So Cheng Zhaoci compromised. Once a week, and no more. Cheng Jin conceded, unwilling though he was, but sometimes he will still buy them in addition to the usual weekly supply.

Like right now. They just had some three days ago, but he’s bought another cupcake. He ruffles his dear son’s hair, telling him, “it’s fine. Your daddy made a lot of money today. We can afford it.”

Normally, Cheng Zhaoci would give him the cold look – not throwing a tantrum, but to show his dissatisfaction with this kind of wasteful spending. If not, Cheng Jin might go back to buying it frequently.

Not today, though, because he still has to talk about a career of drawing comics with Cheng Jin. Worried that his showing displeasure at the cake will make Cheng Jin nervous and prone to overthinking, he takes the cake, and goes back home with Cheng Jin.

They have a bigger house than He Huaijin; it’s a 2Br 90 square metres across, with even a living room and a restroom. Of course, interior decoration doesn’t exist, the walls are all black with filth, and it leaks a little in the rain, but it’s a far better abode than many others on Zhousuo.

Cheng Zhaoci, sitting on the chair with his cupcake in hand, waits until Cheng Jin is finished packing away for the day, and asks, “dad, what do you think of my drawings?”

“They’re great,” Cheng Jin answers without hesitation, “they’re really amazing.”

“I want more insectoids to see them. Can I show them off?” Cheng Zhaoci tries to make his slanted eyes more circular, so it has the watery puppy eyes effect.

He can’t put it like ‘he’s going to do his part for the family,’ because Cheng Jin is going to be devastated. He can instead put it as something he ‘wants,’ because the narcissistic males wanting others to admire his brilliant work are quite a whole other thing entirely.

Obviously, they can reach the most audience online; the best content promotions are offered to those who contract with such sites, so of course he’s also going to contract.

They’re all just things he ‘wants.’

Just as he wished, Cheng Jin didn’t think about this too deeply. Though he does knit his brows and asks, “there are always bad insectoids that troll others online. If they make dumb comments at your paintings, a-Ci…”

Normally, males are quite self-assured and dignified. He knows his male son doesn’t seem to care much for the male dignity, and is happy to be playing with other shemales, but Cheng Jin is still worried about how well he can take those.

‘Dumb comments’ is quite the mild way to put it – honestly, in what world can people ever act civilly online? Cheng Zhaoci isn’t actually 16. He had a job. He used to draw comics. Is there a single online artist who has never been trolled or got spammed? It’s just part of life.

He’s well past the age of angering himself over those people, but he can’t tell Cheng Jin that. Instead, he dismissively harrumphs, saying, “why should I make myself angry over bumpkins with no eye for real art?”

Cheng Jin is silent. A short while later, when Cheng Zhaoci observed him nervously, he finally nods to give his approval.

“Thanks, dad!” Cheng Zhaoci exclaims, jumping off his chair, and hugging Cheng Jin around the neck tightly. Cheng Jin’s worry over the affair immediately fades away as he pushes Cheng Zhaoci away very gently, “a-Ci, you’re going to be an adult in two years! Even if I’m your dad, this is still a big no-no.”

Cheng Zhaoci ‘mhm’s in response. Cheng Jin has been saying that since two years ago, with just the number of years changed. He’s still going to do this when he’s excited.

Honestly, he doesn’t really have a solid grasp of being a male. Maybe it’s because he’s been pretending to be a shemale since young, and had only read about the ‘male privileges’ discussions online. Besides, to him, all the bodies are just human males! With just shemales generally taller and more muscular.

Of course, Cheng Zhaoci will definitely not do something like this to any other insectoid than his own dad.

Cheng Jin seems happy Cheng Zhaoci is happy. The thick rose-tinted glasses a shemale dad has for his son allows him to always ignore the myriad of patternless markings on Cheng Zhaoci’s face, to remember him as he is without those ugly marks.

They keep chatting for a fair while, with mainly Cheng Zhaoci asking and Cheng Jin answering, talking about trivial stuff at work.

Cheng Jin works as a haulier whenever he’s needed. Having been ranked grade A in physical abilities, he’s in quite high demand. It’s monotonous but safe work, because he still has his young at home. Anything dangerous, and he might end up dead at any moment. Cheng Jin do not dare imagine what would happen to Cheng Zhaoci, who has to live it out alone on this landfill planet.

Well, not that hauling is without its risks.

Cheng Zhaoci has only had this one family – this one single shemale dad his two entire lives, so Cheng Zhaoci thinks he has to treasure him, and is often worried Cheng Jin hurt himself somewhere but wouldn’t tell him.

Though they cannot have good long family talks either, as Cheng Jin needs an early night to be able to wake up early tomorrow for work.

When Cheng Jin is asleep, Cheng Zhaoci turns his holodeck on.

Everyone is registered on the internet with their real names, but they can create an anonymous alt for publishing original content. Their names will remain unknown, with only where they posted from visible.

He registers an account for himself, reusing the old nickname he had in his past life.

User ID: BombInMyPants
Location: Zhousuo, System K-865

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