The Heroic Master Is Tough-Talking but Soft-Hearted: The Aloof Major General Has Fallen - Chapter 29

Late last night, Asher had regained consciousness.

At that time, the Master was holding him, which shocked him so much that he did not dare move a muscle. The symptoms of his heat cycle had already been alleviated, and with the Master right before his eyes, his muddled mind managed to piece together what had just happened.

Had the Master actually performed a pheromone soothing for him?

How could that be? Asher was unwilling to believe this burgeoning thought, but the reality left him no choice. He feigned unconsciousness, intending to see what the Master truly planned to do.

The Master’s embrace felt somewhat gentle? He had even covered him with a blanket.

Could the Master really be this considerate? Even if he knew Asher was in heat, should he not have stayed out of it? Why would he perform such an action that was so easily misunderstood? Asher thought about it all night but could not find an answer.

The next day.

When Asher saw the Master again, Cen Li’s profile was sharp and cold. His deep, narrow eyes were indifferent and calm, making it impossible to connect him with the warm embrace of the previous night.

“Stop staring, Major General. Do I go well with your meal?”

The presence of the gaze beside him was so strong that Cen Li could not ignore it. He turned his head, looking directly at the female insect he had caught in the act.

Strange. Since when did Asher become so bold? Could he have discovered something? Thinking of last night, Cen Li’s scrutinizing gaze fell upon Asher.

As soon as Cen Li looked over, Asher retracted his gaze as if he had been burned. “Forgive me, Master. I have offended you.” He lowered his eyes, his attitude humble.

Cen Li studied Asher for a while before withdrawing his gaze with a look of suspicion.

On the day of the banquet.

While Cen Li himself did not care much, everyone else had poured a great deal of effort into it. Admiral Derek had even reminded Cen Li the day before to perform well and not disappoint Duke Jolai. After all, this was Cen Li’s first public appearance since his recovery.

Xi Ya did not dare to be careless and selected a formal outfit for Cen Li. “Master, please see how this set looks.”

Cen Li took one look and knit his brows. “Too gaudy.”

The suit was blindingly flashy, with various rare gemstones piled together and even the corners stitched with gold thread. Every inch of it screamed that it was expensive!

Xi Ya held the clothes, feeling puzzled. This was the vibrant style currently most favored by males! The Master actually did not like it?

Cen Li no longer counted on Xi Ya’s aesthetics; he did not want to turn into a two million watt lightbulb at night. His gaze swept over the rows of suits and quickly settled on a specific target.

Cen Li reached out to take down a black suit, but another pair of hands touched the garment even faster. The two insects made eye contact, both momentarily stunned.

“Master, this one suits you very well.” Asher lowered his eyelids to avoid Cen Li’s gaze, carefully taking the suit down and handing it to him.

“This suit is so plain, how could the Master like it!” Xi Ya frowned, staring at the pure black, extremely simple suit, his eyes full of doubt toward Asher.

But in the next second, Cen Li actually reached out and took the suit! Xi Ya’s eyes widened, and his voice got stuck in his throat. How! Since when did the Master start liking such low key and restrained clothing?

Cen Li calmly took the suit handed to him. He had not expected Asher to pick the same one he had his eye on. It seemed there was at least one insect with normal aesthetics.

As a male son, Cen Li’s daily expenses were never meager, let alone as the eldest son of a Duke. His usual style was luxurious, and the clothes he wore were made from the finest materials in the galaxy.

When Cen Li emerged after changing, two pairs of eyes fell on him. The pure black suit was crisp and well tailored, making him look upright and stylish, as if every stitch had been made specifically for him.

“Master, you look too handsome in this!” Xi Ya’s eyes were filled with amazement, having already forgotten how he had just criticized the very outfit Asher had chosen.

Cen Li shot him a sidelong glance, too lazy to say much. Xi Ya watched the Master stride away and quickly jogged to keep up. Asher watched the two of them leave and followed as well, his gaze lingering on Cen Li for a few seconds.

While surprised that the Master had picked the same suit as he had, he was even more surprised that Cen Li had actually worn it. Asher had taken the suit down and handed it to the Master on a sudden whim. When Cen Li looked at him, he had regretted it. Since he had touched the suit, he was sure the Master would no longer want to wear it. Asher had not expected the outcome.

The original owner had moved out to live alone after reaching adulthood. He had grown up in the Duke’s estate, a place filled with too many memories, from being pursued by crowds to later being avoided like the plague. Every small object could easily reopen the original owner’s scars. Even for the monthly family dinner, the original owner was never keen on attending.

The banquet was held at the Duke’s estate. There were many guests coming and going. Males wore magnificent clothing, followed by groups of female insects, presumably their female attendants. It was a grand procession.

When Cen Li arrived, Duke Jolai was surrounded by a crowd, all offering their polite congratulations.

“Congratulations, Duke! It is truly a joyful occasion that your cub has fully recovered!”

“I heard Lord Cen Li can not only stand now but has also regained his looks. It seems the Empire is about to gain another brilliant young talent!”

“Lord Cen Li has been bright and clever since childhood; he must be even more so now. You are truly blessed, Duke!”

The crowd’s flattery was relentless. Duke Jolai listened with pleasure, his face glowing. “You flatter me.”

“Look! There is a handsome male Lord!”

Many insects noticed the unfamiliar male entering the door and fell into deep thought. Why had they never heard of such a person in the Empire before? They should not have zero impression of such a prominent male.

“You idiot! That is Lord Cen Li!”

The crowd, which had been trying hard to figure out which family the male belonged to, was struck with shock. This was the protagonist of the banquet? That noble A rank male Lord!

A female insect’s loud voice successfully caught Cen Li’s attention. He stopped in his tracks and glanced sideways. Seeing the male look over, Bord was instantly at a loss, his face turning mostly red.

Despite so many gazes falling on him at once, Cen Li’s good upbringing since childhood prevented him from showing fear, yet he was still impatient with such social interactions.

“Insect dung! It is truly enviable! Lord Cen Li actually looked at a big, clumsy fellow like you!”

“Bord, your face is as red as a shrimp, do you know that? How embarrassing!”

“What kind of lucky break did you get!”

Bord was an ordinary military female. He recognized Cen Li because the male had gone to their legion before to find the Major General. Bord had only seen Cen Li once that time. Although the other’s face had been enough to scare a three year old cub to tears then, those blue eyes had left quite an impression on him, like a haunting spirit.

Teased by his colleagues, Bord puffed out his chest and snorted, “You insects can just be jealous! Either way, the male Lord would not look at you!”

“Bord, you really deserve to die!” A chorus of envious and jealous voices followed.

The moment Duke Jolai saw Cen Li, his eyes lit up. He reached out to pull him to his side and introduced him to the crowd with pride. “This is my cub, Cen Li.”

Unsurprisingly, another round of exaggerated flattery followed. Various adjectives were heaped upon Cen Li. Terms like “a talent among men,” “naturally gifted,” and even “gentle and polite,” a word that did not fit Cen Li at all, were piled onto him.

Cen Li gave a silent sneer. He maintained a cold expression, merely nodding when the crowd mentioned him. Males loved pleasure and were mostly bored by such hypocritical social scenes. The crowd was not surprised by Cen Li’s indifferent performance.

After staying for a short while, Cen Li stepped out of the circle of insects. Those who frequented social scenes were all very observant; seeing Cen Li leave, they did not pester him further, lest they annoy the male.

Cen Li looked around the banquet hall. Asher was being surrounded by a group of military females, seemingly his colleagues.

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