The powerful leader was tough on the outside but soft on the inside; the aloof major general fell fo

Ashleigh regained consciousness last night.

The male ruler was holding him at the time, and he was so frightened that he dared not move.

His fever symptoms had subsided, and with the male ruler before him, his confused consciousness allowed him to piece together a rough outline of what had just happened.

Did the male lord use pheromones to soothe him?

How could this be...?

Ashel was unwilling to believe this emerging idea, but in reality, he couldn't help but believe it.

He feigned unconsciousness, preparing to see what the powerful ruler intended to do.

The way the male ruler hugged him seemed a bit...

gentle?

They even covered him with a blanket.

Can a powerful ruler be this considerate?

Shouldn't we refrain from interfering even if we know he has a fever?

Why would someone do something that would mislead the insects?

Ashleigh thought about it all night but still couldn't figure it out.

The next day.

When Ashley saw the powerful ruler again, Cen Li's profile was cold and stern, his deep eyes were long and narrow, and he was indifferent and calm. He could no longer be associated with the powerful ruler who had embraced him warmly the night before.

"Stop staring, Major General, I'm more appetizing."

The presence of the gazes from the side was so strong that Cen Li could not ignore them.

He turned his head and looked directly at the female insect he had caught.

That's strange...

When did Ashel become so bold?

Surely the other party won't discover anything?

Thinking of last night, Cen Li's scrutinizing gaze fell on Asher.

As soon as Cen Li looked over, Ashel looked away as if he had been burned.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, for any offense caused."

He lowered his eyes, his attitude humble.

Cen Li sized up Ashir for a while, then looked away with a suspicious expression.

On the day of the banquet.

Apart from Cen Liben, who didn't pay much attention to the other insects, he devoted a lot of effort to them.

General Derek had given Cen Li a day in advance, urging him to perform well and not disappoint Duke Jolay.

After all, this was Cen Li's first appearance in front of the insects after his recovery.

Xiya dared not be careless and chose a formal suit for Cen Li.

"My lord, what do you think of this set?"

Cen Li glanced at it and frowned.

"Too flashy."

The dress was dazzlingly shiny, piled high with various rare gemstones, and even the edges and corners were sewn with gold thread.

Everywhere they say I'm expensive!

Xiya held the clothes, puzzled.

This is the most popular colorful style among male insects right now!

The powerful ruler didn't like it?

Cen Li gave up on West Asia's aesthetic sense; he certainly didn't want to become a 200W light bulb at night.

His gaze swept across the rows of formal wear, and soon his target was accurately fixed.

Cen Li reached out to take off the black dress, but another pair of hands touched it even faster.

The two insects looked at each other, both of them startled.

"My lord, this suits you very well..."

Ash lowered his eyes to avoid Cen Li's gaze, carefully took off the clothes, and handed them to Cen Li.

"This ceremonial robe is so simple, how could the lord possibly like it?!"

Sia frowned, staring at the pure black, extremely simple dress, her eyes full of doubt towards Ash.

But the next second, Cen Li actually reached out and took the dress!

Xiya's eyes widened, and the words caught in her throat.

How could this be?!

When did the male lord start liking this kind of low-key and understated clothing?

Cen Li calmly accepted the dress that was handed to him.

Unexpectedly, Ashel had his eye on the same item as him.

It seems there are still some people with normal aesthetic sense.

As a male son, Cen Li's daily life was not lacking in food, clothing and other necessities. Not to mention that he was the eldest son of the Duke, and his usual lifestyle was extravagant. The clothes he wore were made of the best materials in the interstellar space.

When Cen Li came out after changing his clothes, two pairs of eyes fell on him.

The pure black suit was crisp and well-tailored, giving the upper body a straight and stylish look, as if every stitch was made specifically for the male insect.

"The ruler looks so handsome in this outfit!"

Xiya's eyes widened in amazement, having already forgotten that she had recently criticized the dress that Ash had chosen.

Cen Li glanced at him sideways, too lazy to say anything more.

As Xiya watched the powerful ruler stride away, she jogged a few steps to catch up.

Ash watched the two insects walk away, then followed, his gaze lingering on Cen Li for a few seconds.

Although he was surprised that the male ruler and he had chosen the same outfit, he was even more surprised that Cen Li would actually wear it.

Ashir, as if possessed, took off his clothes and handed them to the lord.

When Cen Li looked at him, he regretted it.

The lord certainly wouldn't want to wear the formal attire again now that he'd touched it.

What happened next... Ashel didn't expect either.

After the original owner reached adulthood, she moved out and lived alone as an insect.

He grew up in the Duke's mansion, a place that holds too many memories for him, from being adored by insects to later avoiding them like the plague. Even the smallest object could easily expose the original owner's scars.

Even the monthly family banquet was something the original owner was reluctant to attend.

The banquet was held at the Duke's Palace.

There were many guests coming and going.

The male insects were dressed in gorgeous costumes, followed by a group of female insects, presumably their female servants.

Vast and boundless.

When Cen Li arrived, Duke Jolai was surrounded by a group of insects, all of whom greeted him with polite congratulations.

"Congratulations, Duke! It's wonderful news that your insect cub has fully recovered!"

"I've heard that not only has Lord Cen Li regained his ability to stand, but his appearance has also been restored. It seems the Empire is about to gain another young talent!"

"Lord Cen Li has been intelligent and quick-witted since childhood, and he must be even more so now. The Duke is truly blessed!"

The insects showered the insects with exaggerated praise without restraint.

Duke Jolai listened with delight, his face beaming: "Not at all, not at all."

"Huh!"

"There is a handsome male insect there!"

Many insects looked thoughtful after noticing the unfamiliar male insect that walked in through the door.

Why haven't we heard of this insect before in the Empire?

Such a prominent male insect, they shouldn't have any recollection of it, right?

"You idiot!"

"That's Lord Cen Li!"

The insects, who were just a moment ago trying to figure out which family the male insect belonged to, suddenly looked horrified.

Is this the main character of this banquet?

That esteemed A-grade male insect?!

The female insect's loud voice successfully attracted Cen Li's attention. He stopped and glanced at her.

When Bode saw the male insect looking over, he was immediately flustered and his face turned mostly red.

With so many eyes on Cen Li at the same time, his good upbringing from childhood did not make him feel intimidated, but Cen Li was still impatient with this kind of social interaction.

"Insect excrement! It's enough to make even insects jealous! Lord Cen Li actually looked at you, this big, burly fellow!"

"Pod, you're blushing like a shrimp, you know that? It's so embarrassing!"

"What incredible luck you had!"

Pod was an ordinary female soldier.

He recognized Cen Li because the male insect had previously visited their legion to find the major general.

Bode only saw Cen Li once that time. Although Cen Li's appearance was enough to frighten a three-year-old, his pair of blue eyes, like a ghost, left a deep impression on him.

Bode, teased by his colleagues, puffed out his chest and scoffed, "You bunch of insects are just jealous! The male insect won't even look at you anyway!"

"Pod, you deserve to die!"

A murmur of envy and jealousy rippled through the room.

The moment Duke Jolai saw Cen Li, his eyes lit up. He reached out and pulled him to his side, proudly introducing him to the other insects.

"This is my little bug, Cen Li."

Unsurprisingly, it was another round of exaggerated praise.

Various adjectives were piled up on Cen Li.

He was described as handsome, intelligent, and even gentle and polite—words that didn't fit Cen Li's personality.

Cen Li chuckled inwardly.

He maintained a cold expression, only nodding when the insects mentioned him.

Male insects enjoy pleasure and are mostly annoyed by such hypocritical social situations.

The insects were not surprised by Cen Li's indifferent performance.

After a short while, Cen Li emerged from the encirclement of the insects.

Those who frequent social circles are all insects with excellent eyesight. Seeing Cen Li leave, they did not pester him again, lest they annoy the male insects.

Cen Li looked around the banquet hall.

Ash was surrounded by a group of female soldiers, who appeared to be his colleagues.