Stop Thinking Chapter 35: Rose

Chapter 35: Rose

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

And Ruan Yu always muttered, “Don’t come over tonight, I want to sleep well,” but in reality, he didn’t set any restrictions. Every night, his eyes would gleam as he curled up in his little fish nest, eagerly awaiting affection.

This situation continued until several days later when Gu Xiuhan departed.

It was only for half a month, but Ruan Yu somehow felt it was harder to endure than the entire year Gu Xiuhan spent stationed on the border planet.

The severe separation anxiety from Ruan Yu’s baby days didn’t improve much as he grew older, and it worsened after falling in love. Every day, Ruan Yu and Gu Xiuhan would spend a long time chatting via holographic communication.

However, the simulated feeling from holographic images was limited, and it felt somewhat eerie to do anything intimate with them, as if violating the air. So, they mostly just cuddled together and talked affectionately.

During their holographic conversations, the background behind Gu Xiuhan was always the cockpit of a mecha. This time, he didn’t travel by starship but piloted a private mecha.

Even in an era where the Empire’s civilization had conquered the stars, establishing interstellar travel routes wasn’t easy. Setting up starship jump points alone required astronomical amounts of funding. Many planets labeled as “remote” within the Empire’s territory or those deemed “lacking in development value” might never enjoy the privilege of having starship routes established, and commoners had no means of traveling to such planets.

Of course, for high-ranking officers with private mechas, starships were not a necessity. Mechas with certain clearance levels could move freely within the Empire’s territory and even boasted faster speeds than starships.

So, it seemed Gu Xiuhan went to a remote region of space.

As for exactly where, Ruan Yu’s curiosity didn’t last long because a bigger issue arose than “Gu Xiuhan’s mysterious whereabouts.”

That was Ruan Yu’s second bout of mating heat.

This onset was indeed sudden, coming much earlier than expected, but not entirely without reason. After all, from confirming their relationship until now, they had done almost everything except for the final step.

Like a delicate plant, still far from flowering, its buds barely visible and wrapped tightly in waxen green calyces, reluctant to bloom. Originally, it planned to casually blossom, but then it was drenched in nutrients, causing its stems and leaves to sprout vigorously, swelling the buds several times over. The lush calyx could barely contain them, and a hint of rosy color emerged from the top, the petals plump and eager to unfurl.

But just when it was eager to bloom, the person who had been diligently nourishing it was absent, forbidding it to bloom in their absence.

This left the little plant bloated and frustrated.

The communication request on the terminal had been ringing for a while.

Ruan Yu lay on Gu Xiuhan’s bed, feeling as small and vulnerable as a cooked shrimp, lips pressed into a thin line of red, refusing to answer out of spite.

Gu Xiuhan was on his way back, but it would still be two days before he arrived.

When the spouse was needed but absent, the communication request had to be left hanging for at least ten minutes.

Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, this time the symptoms had changed compared to the first time. While his body temperature had risen, he didn’t feel dizzy or drowsy, nor did his throat ache like in a normal fever.

However, this discomfort was a kind of gnawing emptiness and subtle itching inside, unrelieved by any amount of hydration. It wasn’t just in the throat but a deep, burning thirst permeating throughout the body.

Though the form had changed, in terms of severity, it might not be any better than last time.

Instinct told Ruan Yu that only the frosty scent emanating from Gu Xiuhan could quench this thirst.

The change in symptoms was based on the change in intimacy. This time, during Ruan Yu’s mating heat, there was a clear, unique, and strongly favored object of desire. Thus, the biological instinct to produce high-quality offspring erupted fiercely, with the mucous membrane inside swelling and craving the “genetic information” from that confirmed spouse. The conventional medication to alleviate fever symptoms was no longer effective.

During the mating heat of the subdominant mermaid, besides physical discomfort, there were also behavioral changes.

During mating, male mermaids would provide a safe and spacious nest for their mates, the type of nest depending on the resources available in the habitat. In cases of scarce resources, they might use rocks, corals, or the shells left behind by large aquatic creatures to create a simple enclosure. If conditions permitted, they might occupy caves on small islands for their mates.

Subdominant males and females would use large amounts of soft materials like seaweed to fill and decorate the nest, preparing for the fragile newborns.

Having spent a long time in the military, Gu Xiuhan was accustomed to a pragmatic, minimalist lifestyle. His bedroom decor leaned towards a cold and austere style, with military uniforms dominating the closet rather than casual wear. Besides, the bed wasn’t soft enough, causing discomfort for Ruan Yu, who was used to plush mattresses. With his spouse absent and various environmental factors, Ruan Yu’s nesting urge was even stronger than that of an average mermaid.

The first to be cleared out was Gu Xiuhan’s wardrobe.

There were few casual clothes, with various military uniforms taking up the overwhelming majority.

To maintain the glorious and positive image of the Empire’s soldiers in the minds of the public and to attract more outstanding young people to aspire to “become a soldier,” every set of military uniforms in the Empire, from marshalls to privates, was carefully designed after much consideration.

The admiral’’s formal attire was made of sturdy and thick fabric, with a collar design emphasizing broad shoulders and a narrow waist, complemented by the rich texture of pure black color paired with shiny silver buttons.

The training uniform, on the other hand, featured a standard camouflage design, consisting of neat short-sleeved shirts and loose combat pants. Each piece evoked the image of Gu Xiuhan looking incredibly handsome when wearing them.

But that aside, Gu Xiuhan’s tidy habits became a disadvantage at this moment. His clothes were cleaned too promptly, leaving no lingering scent.

Ruan Yu piled up a small mountain of clothes he scavenged from the wardrobe, burying his face in it for quite a while, hoping to inhale any scent that might alleviate his mating heat. Failing to find any relief, he angrily tossed the clothes aside, only to realize there were no better nesting materials, so he reluctantly picked them back up.

After the wardrobe was ransacked, the next target was the storage cabinet containing bedding. Neatly folded sheets and covers, all used by Gu Xiuhan, were rolled away by Ruan Yu.

Following that, every clean blanket, cushion, and other textiles in the Gu residence that could provide warmth and softness were taken.

Non-Gu Xiuhan items couldn’t be placed on the bed but could be stacked elsewhere in the bedroom as regular fillings. Gu Xiuhan’s belongings were meticulously arranged by Ruan Yu, some used as padding, others for stacking.

This intimate project could only be handled by Ruan Yu himself, and with his body burning up with mating heat, his strength was already limited. Now, he was even more delicate, needing a break every short while, sometimes even collapsing in his half-finished nest for a nap. When he woke up, he would eat a little of the food sent by the robotic butler. At first, he could barely manage to swallow some fish slices, but later, tortured and dazed, he couldn’t even drink the easiest-to-swallow nutrient solution.

During mating heat, special substances rich in pheromones were secreted from the fish scales, making Ruan Yu’s always moist tail even wetter. After two days, all fabrics were saturated with Ruan Yu’s unique fragrance, warm and sweet, somewhat reminiscent of roses from ancient Earth but with a hint of seductive heat.

The room became hot and humid, like a greenhouse filled with roses and drenched in intense sunlight.

So when Gu Xiuhan stepped into this drastically changed bedroom, the strong fragrance that invaded his nostrils and the sight before his eyes instantly stimulated him, spreading from his dignified brow to the gradually disappearing neckline, coloring him crimson with excitement and passion in less than a second.

 

 

 

 

 

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