Chapter Sixteen: I Don’t Want to Talk to You Anymore

With money in hand and a phone, all I needed was a place to stay, and then everything would be nearly perfect.

But at the moment, I only had several tens of thousands of yuan, and if I were to rent a place, that money wouldn’t last very long.

“It doesn’t matter. We’ll be able to earn plenty more in the future. I don’t want to live somewhere with a poor environment—it's bad for your health. Ideally, we should find a room like Pei Xi’s, with a good environment that could help your body recover faster,” the bug, who hadn’t said much all morning, finally spoke up as I was about to settle for any random apartment.

“Hey, do you have any idea how expensive Pei Xi’s hotel is? With the money we’ve got, we wouldn’t last long at all,” I replied with a laugh, realizing this bug was truly inexperienced. It didn’t understand that everything here ran on money.

If you want a better, more comfortable place, you have to pay much more than others. But right now, I didn’t have a job, and no job meant no steady income.

“I told you, didn’t I? Was my meaning unclear? Money isn’t the issue. The issue is you need to find me a good place to stay. I am a precious parasite,” the bug said arrogantly, unwilling to back down in the slightest.

I thought about my ability to catch bluefin tuna with my bare hands; surely, I could at least provide for myself.

“All right, then… By the way, are you a male bug or a female bug?” I couldn’t help myself; unless I clarified this question, I felt restless inside.

“Male. Yes, I’m a male bug. Now you can rest easy. Actually, whether I’m male or female, your body is the same to me. You understand? What I mean is—”

“Shut up.”

Before the bug could finish, I shouted at it.

Why? Why, after hearing it was male, did I feel like I’d swallowed a fly?

“Are you sure you don’t want to let me finish? I’ll warn you, I’ll only answer this question today, right now. If you regret it later, I won’t answer anything about my gender again,” the bug boasted, proud of its boundaries. After all, it wasn’t some answering machine.

“If what you tell me is true and correct, I promise I’ll never ask you such questions again.” I genuinely didn’t want to wade into this uncomfortable topic anymore.

Provided the bug’s answer was genuine, was real.

“I promise, it’s true.” After a long pause, the bug’s voice finally echoed in my mind.

But I couldn’t help wondering, in those seconds of silence before it replied, what exactly was it thinking about?

Even though the bug assured me of its honesty, I still had the feeling I’d been duped. Was it that I secretly wished it were female? And maybe wanted it to appreciate my body in all its detail?

Ah, such awkward questions, such an awkward life… you really are something.

Since the bug had already given its answer, there was no point dwelling on it. Obviously, obsessing over it was useless. Finding a decent apartment in a seaside city wasn’t difficult. The only catch was the price.

I spent the entire afternoon looking at apartments and finally found one near the shore that suited my needs. The environment was beyond question, thanks to the proximity to the sea. But what truly impressed me was the quiet serenity that the place offered. To find such tranquility in the midst of the bustling city was a rare pleasure.

The bug had no objections to my choice. As for the price, since the rooms here were small, it wasn’t too expensive. It was perfect for someone single like me.

If it were for a family, it would feel rather cramped. After completing the check-in procedures, I moved in with nothing but a card and a phone—my whole estate.

Being an apartment, its layout was meticulous, taking into account every need of the guests. The kitchen utensils and other appliances were all complete, saving me the trouble of buying anything. From now on, I could cook for myself here.

Though I wondered whether my cooking skills had improved, since the meals I used to make were barely edible even to myself.

“Well, now we finally have a home. You’ve had a long day, so why not go out and enjoy a good meal?” Once everything was settled, the bug began urging me to take it out for something delicious. Glancing outside, evening was approaching, and I realized I was genuinely hungry.

“All right, let’s have something nice tonight.” I was in high spirits. When a person is happy, food becomes more interesting. I remembered that I hadn’t always been like this; why did I get so inexplicably cheerful whenever food was mentioned now?

“Bug, you say you’re just a parasite living in my brain, so why do you get so excited about eating?” I asked.

“Because now you and I are one. Some of your bodily sensations are experienced by me as well. For example, when you eat, what you see, I feel it too,” the bug explained.

“Did you have this feeling from the start?” Hearing its explanation, I felt that familiar awkward ache again. If I felt discomfort, did the bug feel it too? …Ah, enough. The more I talk, the more upset I get. How did my life end up so absurd?

“Yes, you could say that. At first, I only sensed some of your more special feelings. Now, as I spend more time in your brain, I can sense more and more of your perceptions. If we get along well, I believe eventually we’ll have a connection both heart and body,” the bug said, as if nothing about this was unusual, even seeming delighted at the thought.

It still remembered the breakfast at Pei Xi’s, savoring the lingering taste. It had been wonderful.

“Are you sure what you just said is true? You’re not lying to me?” Suddenly, perhaps recalling something, I asked angrily.

As expected, after pondering briefly, the bug fell silent again. Whenever it went quiet, I felt so infuriated I wanted to strangle it.

“How did you wake up this morning? You weren’t awakened by me, were you?” I pressed on, determined to get to the bottom of certain matters today, or else I’d always feel uneasy and restless.