The One Who Builds a Nest

[Complete] Wen Man should have been the perfect lover: beautiful and aloof, yet gentle. There was nothing to fault. He even had some fanatical, terrifying admirers. If someone could fight their way through the competition and win his heart, what a tremendous ego boost that would be. But Wen Man had remained single to this day. He went on blind dates often, and right from the start, he would tell his dates what he wanted from marriage: His partner’s gender, age, height, and appearance didn’t matter, but family had to come first. There could be no trace of a third person in their home. Some thought this was his roundabout way of saying he was faithful in love and were about to promise him just that, when Wen Man gave a slight shake of his head and clarified: That wasn’t it. “I don’t want anyone else in the home, not even parents, housekeepers, or guests. There can’t be the slightest trace or scent of another person.” His exacting love put ordinary people off, and always attracted the obsessive and dangerous. There were unknown beings in this world, including a kind of nonhuman species whose members had only one partner for life and put that partner above all else. They protected and cared for their partners in every way, materially and emotionally. Only their partners’ approval and need for them could make them feel happy. Researchers called this species “Argos,” meaning they were loyal only to their partners. More interestingly, Argos suffered from a periodic sensitivity cycle. They would give up all social activities and devote themselves to building a love nest for their partner. After one blind date, Wen Man married a man named Si Rong. At the time, he had no idea that his husband was an “Argos.” One thing he forgot to mention: Wen Man was a researcher. The institute where he worked had recently discovered an entirely new, previously unknown group of nonhuman species living in this world. “They” survived by devouring love. [Reader's Note] Set in a modern alternate universe where same-sex marriage is legal, with plenty of nonhuman elements. The protagonist has a 100% tendency to attract dangerous people and is mildly the center of attention, but being the center of attention doesn’t mean everyone falls in love with him. This story is a little eerie, mildly frightening, and rather neurotic, but it is also a sweet story about two people choosing each other. Cover artist: @Kaishuiya Note: This blurb was written on July 28, 2022. A screenshot is proof. Theme: Build harmony among species together and preserve ecological peace.