LSDWTWHA chapter 19

Chapter 19

As Zhang Lu finished speaking, Qi Xingli, the head of the Qi family, and Mo Lin, the head of the Mo family, were about to enter the room.

When they came in, the room fell silent for a moment, and Zhang Lu’s inquiry was clearly heard by everyone.

Various curious and gossiping gazes then focused on Su Su. Even the heads of the two families turned to look at him.

“Um, no, Qi… Hanyi treats me very well, it’s just that I’ve been feeling a bit hungrier lately,” Su Su explained.

When he said Qi Hanyi’s name, it sounded somewhat unfamiliar, making it seem as if he was hesitant, further confirming Zhang Lu’s suspicion that Su Su was lying.

“You’ve already eaten two six-inch cakes, one eight-inch pizza, two bowls of ice cream, and half a pot of seafood porridge. Are you telling me that this is your normal amount of food?” Zhang Lu pressed.

“Of course not, I usually…” Su Su thought to himself that he wouldn’t just eat this little; at least, he would still add ten pounds of live fish.

However, Zhang Lu felt that his guess was confirmed and immediately interrupted him, bombarding him with attacks that were not directed at Su Su: “Exactly! You must have been starved by Qi Hanyi on a daily basis, which is why you’re eating so much now.”

“After all, you are a mermaid princess; not even letting you eat your fill is too harsh of Qi the General.”

“Or is it that Qi the General is dissatisfied with this marriage bestowed upon you by the Emperor and wants to starve the mermaid to death at home?”

The more Zhang Lu spoke, the more excited he became. A series of accusations were hastily thrown onto Qi Hanyi. Harsh treatment toward a mermaid was not such a serious crime, but if interpreted as Qi Hanyi’s dissatisfaction with the Emperor’s betrothal, then it became a matter of loyalty. A general who has been stationed outside for a long time easily attracts suspicion. If it indeed confirmed that he bore grievances against the Emperor, then Qi Hanyi, as the commander of this expeditionary force, would probably be unable to maintain his position.

Mo Lin looked at his childhood friend with an expression that seemed to say “are you trying to dig your own grave?”

He really dared to say that; did he not see that Qi Xingli’s face had darkened? Who didn’t know that Qi Xingli cared most about family reputation and loyalty to the Emperor? Did you really think your dad would let you offend the Qi family this badly?

Qi Xingli did not care whether Qi Hanyi truly had intentions of starving mermaids to death; in his eyes, it was merely a small act of rebellion without significant consequences. But if it resulted in damage to the Qi family’s reputation, he naturally would not allow it.

Qi Xingli’s imposing gaze swept over the mermaids standing next to the dessert table and then fell on his frosty-faced grandson: “Hanyi? What’s going on?”

Su Su didn’t expect that just eating a few bites would stir up such a big deal. He was holding a half-eaten cookie, unsure whether to continue eating or not.

Hearing Zhang Lu’s words earlier, it seemed that this matter was quite serious.

Nervously, he looked at Qi Hanyi, waiting for him to explain, thinking he could testify for him later.

Qi Hanyi treated him well; he hadn’t let him go hungry and had brought him plenty of delicious food, made him beautiful new clothes, and promised to take him on a shuttle ride. He didn’t want to cause trouble over this and ruin the shuttle plan.

“It is my fault,” Qi Hanyi slowly spoke, admitting to the mistreatment of the mermaid and withholding food: “Due to past events, I have always harbored resentment against the mermaid clan. After bringing the mermaid princess home, I did not pay attention, resulting in much neglect.”

Just as Su Su was about to speak up in his defense, his words got stuck in his throat as he stared in disbelief. What was Qi Hanyi saying? Why was he admitting to guilt!? He hadn’t been estranged! Moreover, Qi Hanyi resented mermaids? Why?

Why had he learned the language of humans only to find himself unable to understand what Qi Hanyi was saying at this moment?

Su Su wanted to explain, but his personal terminal, fashioned as a ring, suddenly vibrated. A message popped up: [Don’t speak.]

The mermaid’s personal terminal could only be used to browse the mermaid network and receive messages from their partner. It was clear who the sender was.

Su Su’s arguments were stuck in his throat as he looked at Qi Hanyi, bewildered.

Qi Xingli seemed to have been angered and rarely spoke sternly to his heir: “This marriage was arranged at my request from the Emperor. Is this resentment against mermaids, or are you being disobedient to me as an elder? Is this how I’ve been teaching you?”

“Please punish me, Head of the Family,” Qi Hanyi respectfully lowered his head.

Seeing the atmosphere freeze, Mo Lin, who had been quietly observing, smiled and spoke up: “Ah, Qi Laojun, I’ve also heard about the events from years ago. This child, Hanyi, has had a tough life, and it’s understandable for such things to happen. There’s no need to make too much fuss about it. Today is my birthday; just consider it a favor for me, alright?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Xingli’s expression softened a little, begrudgingly telling Qi Hanyi: “Today is the Mo family’s birthday banquet; out of respect for your Uncle Mo, I won’t punish you. Come to the old mansion tomorrow to receive the family rules.”

Qi Hanyi stood upright, his expression unchanged: “Understood.”

As this farce ended, the onlookers dispersed, and the birthday banquet began. Various exquisite dishes were served, and everyone raised their glasses, engaging in conversation.

Su Su sat beside Qi Hanyi and faced a table full of delicious food but surprisingly lost his appetite.

He felt vaguely guilty but also thought he had done nothing wrong; he was just hungry and wanted to eat. Qi Hanyi agreed, so why had it turned into this? Was that fierce speaker Qi Hanyi’s grandfather? How would he punish Qi Hanyi?

Well, it was all that person’s fault. Su Su ultimately placed the blame on Zhang Lu, who had stirred up trouble. If he hadn’t spoken out, this wouldn’t have happened. He remembered that this person was the same one who had yelled about wanting to eat him last time.

Su Su ground his teeth and shot Zhang Lu a fierce glare.

Sharks surely settle the score!

Suddenly, the ring in his hand vibrated again; it was a message from Qi Hanyi: [Eat, what are you dawdling for?]

After the banquet, there was going to be a ball; it seemed they wouldn’t be able to return home until after midnight. Su Su not eating well now worried Qi Hanyi that he might start gnawing on the table later.

Su Su tilted his head to look at Qi Hanyi, puzzled, thinking that while he felt guilty, was Qi Hanyi really unaffected by the previous events?

As if understanding the doubt in his eyes, Qi Hanyi sent another message: [Don’t mind it, that was intentional on my part.]

Su Su was even more confused, muttering softly: “Why?”

He truly couldn’t comprehend; the doubt over this matter had even affected his appetite.

Qi Hanyi remained silent, focused on his food, as if completely ignoring Su Su.

After eating a few bites, he suddenly stood up and left the table.

A few minutes later, Su Su’s ring gently vibrated: [Garden.]

Su Su quickly put down his chopsticks and slipped out the door.

Su Su was adept at navigating routes; he easily made his way to the garden after a few turns. As he approached, he saw Qi Hanyi standing straight under a street lamp, waiting for him.

Su Su hurried over, tripping over his skirt and nearly falling, but Qi Hanyi caught him.

Not bothering to steady himself, Su Su anxiously raised his head and asked, “Why let them misunderstand that you’re not feeding me?”

Qi Hanyi withdrew his hand from Su Su and stepped back, creating distance between them: “I detest mermaids; this is known to everyone. If people sense that I am too close to you, it would seem strange and raise my grandfather’s suspicion.”

“When I brought you here today, after a few interactions between us, some have already started to suspect. It’s just right to use this matter to make them believe that our closeness is merely an act. I dislike you just as much as any other mermaid. This way, they will lower their guard.”

After saying this, Qi Hanyi added a reminder: “In the future, people may come to test your attitude towards me; remember to act resistant and show disdain. You must let them feel that I do not treat you well.”

In the eyes of others, he detested mermaids, especially his grandfather. He knew he had treated a mermaid poorly, but he wouldn’t actually be angry about it; at most, he would reprimand himself for tarnishing the Qi family’s image.

However, if his attitude towards Su Su appeared different, it would only raise more suspicions. If he were to send someone to investigate in the mermaid kingdom and find out that Su Su is not Yi Qing, that would be troublesome.

Additionally, Qi Hanyi had plans to leverage Su Su to provoke the mysterious force that had shown up during the previous marriage alliance. If others perceived that Su Su was close to him, those people might not contact Su Su again.

However, he did not wish to explain too much to Su Su; he only needed him to obediently follow his instructions.

But after hearing Qi Hanyi’s explanation, Su Su’s focus completely shifted: “Why do you hate mermaids?”

This question touched a sensitive spot for Qi Hanyi; his expression darkened, and his tone became stiff: “This is none of your concern.”

Su Su felt a bit irked by this attitude, tugging at Qi Hanyi’s sleeve as he quietly pressed on: “But I’m also a mermaid. Do you detest me too?”

“Of course…” Qi Hanyi instinctively wanted to say it was different. He had never seen Su Su in his true mermaid form; at first, he regarded him as a shark, but now he was in human form. Qi Hanyi had always avoided conflating him with other sharks, perhaps due to this reason, he didn’t truly harbor any aversion towards Su Su. In fact, after these few days of brief interactions, he had unwittingly grown close to him and even entertained the thought that if that mermaid were Su Su, being together wouldn’t be an impossibility.

But now, when Su Su directly put the question forward, he felt a bit ridiculous. Indeed, Su Su was a mermaid; what made him different? He belonged to the same species as the mother who killed his father; he had merely been deceiving himself all along.

Today, Su Su wore a fitted tail skirt that wrapped around his waist like a fish body, flaring out slightly at the ankles. The light shone down upon the skirt, the dark golden threads reflecting glimmers much like a real mermaid standing in front of him.

So beautiful, just like mother’s back in the days.

Did he have to fall in love with a mermaid tragically like his father?

A strong sense of suffocation engulfed Qi Hanyi once again, as if he were sinking into endless depths of the ocean. Coldness, fear, and loneliness intertwined with him like shadows.

Unable to break free.

Qi Hanyi’s expression changed; he forcefully shook off Su Su’s hand and swiftly left.

Su Su watched Qi Hanyi’s retreating figure, feeling a choking bitterness rising in his heart.

It was as if he was hated by the person he liked just because he was a mermaid. Was being a mermaid a mistake?

A sudden surge of anger flared up within Su Su. What was wrong with being a mermaid?

Sharks bullied him, and humans hated him as well!

Su Su felt guilty for making Qi Hanyi get scolded due to wanting food, but he would never hate himself simply because Qi Hanyi detested mermaids.

This was undoubtedly Qi Hanyi’s fault; mermaids were so beautiful, and he was so handsome, so why should he hate him!

Anger diluted the earlier guilt as Su Su sulkily returned to his seat, finding Qi Hanyi had not returned yet.

He didn’t want to care where Qi Hanyi had gone, turning his grief and anger into appetite and buried his head in food.

Soon, the food before him had been finished, but he still felt a bit empty inside.

Lifting his head, he was met with a plate full of food handed over, all of it being things he loved to eat.

Su Su looked over in surprise, a young man who resembled him slightly beaming with a smile: “Have you eaten enough? If you haven’t, you can have mine.”