LSDWTWHA chapter 5

[It’s infuriating! Why can mermaids be kept by humans, but sharks cannot? That’s discrimination!] When Su Su saw the little mermaid, he hadn’t yet calmed down from the grievance of being ruthlessly discarded by humans.

Sharks are so cute, why can’t they be raised?

Little mermaid Yi Qing, after listening to Su Su recount the entire process, felt it was quite magical. But what felt most magical to her was Su Su’s request: “So you don’t want to eat fish anymore and want me to help you figure out how to become a real mermaid?”

Su Su nodded earnestly, his voice shy but filled with expectation: [Is that okay? I’m a mermaid hybrid, after all. Logically speaking, I have half mermaid blood. Is there any way for you mermaids to help me activate it? I’ve heard that humans love raising mermaids. As long as I become a mermaid, I can go to the human world and live a life without worrying about food every day.]

“You… really think being kept by humans is a happy thing?” Yi Qing asked in confusion and hesitation. “Being far from the vast ocean, forever confined to a small house? With nothing to do all day, only accepting a fate like a vase, or becoming a breeding machine for offspring. Do you really think that’s a happy thing?”

She couldn’t understand Su Su’s thoughts. She had already reached adulthood, and with marriage approaching, she resisted the destiny of having to leave the sea and accept an arranged marriage even more. She loved life here, loved the freedom of the ocean, loved the creatures here, and adored that chubby-headed orca…

She longed to become the companion of the orca, freely swimming through the vast ocean with her loved one, hunting together and staying together for life. They could travel from south to north, all the way to the cold glaciers, witnessing the dazzling auroras. They could dive deep until there was no light penetrating, feeling the silence down there. They could explore every ocean and every island along the currents, forming groups with other orcas, fighting together, dominating their marine territory, and tasting all the delicious food.

But she was not an ordinary mermaid; she was the princess of the Mermaid Kingdom, destined to marry a human, maintaining the relationship between the merfolk and humans through marriage.

The joys and sorrows of mermaids and sharks are not the same; Yi Qing only felt that Su Su’s ideas were absurd.

[I think it’s great to eat well every day. Besides, humans are so cute. Living together means I can see them every day. Isn’t that a happy thing? As for living in a small area? I don’t think so. Once I become a mermaid, I can have legs like humans. I’ll be able to walk on land and visit the human world. Of course, the main thing is that I can eat well every day…]

When Su Su talked about eating well, his eyes sparkled with happiness. That meal yesterday was simply delightful; he had never eaten so much in his life. Even thinking about it now brought him immense pleasure.

Yi Qing had always been in a privileged environment since she was born and had never experienced the feeling of hunger. She couldn’t understand Su Su’s intense yearning for food.

Seeing that she couldn’t communicate with him, Yi Qing sighed with disappointment: “If only I could give you my identity, we would both be happy.”

[That’s not impossible.] Su Su patted his chest with his fin and said: [I’ll marry for you as long as they provide food.]

“I was joking. It’s not something you can just replace like that. Besides, humans marry mermaids mostly to optimize genes and continue the lineage. Even if you become a mermaid, you are still male, so how could you possibly bear my children?” Yi Qing shook her head but was somewhat touched by his determined attitude. She couldn’t change her own fate, but she could help Su Su: “However, if you insist on becoming a mermaid, there’s someone who might be able to help you.”

[Who?]

“The High Priest.”

After Qi Hanyi threw the shark overboard, he was once again tangled up with Mo Lin.

Mo Lin was a loquacious person, jumping from the art of paintings to popular movies, from virtual games to celebrity gossip.

He was humorous and eloquent, carefully observing Qi Hanyi’s reactions, as if trying to dig up a topic that would interest him.

But Qi Hanyi understood none of it and cared about it even less. After answering a few questions awkwardly, he planned to leave.

His ring vibrated slightly, indicating a new communication. Qi Hanyi said goodbye to Mo Lin and went back to the cabin, searching for a secluded spot.

Leaning against the cabin wall, he bent one leg, finally relaxing his stiff posture. He tiredly pinched his forehead, exhaling deeply, feeling that this outing was even more exhausting than work.

The communication alert vibrated again, and only then did Qi Hanyi open the communicator.

Communication reminder: Head of the Family, Qi Xingli.

Qi Hanyi raised an eyebrow slightly. What urgent matter could his grandfather want at this moment?

He unconsciously straightened his immaculate shirt, restored his proper standing posture, connected the communication, and called out: “Head of the Family.”

“Han Yi, I have something to discuss with you.” Although it was labeled a discussion, the voice on the other end had a tone of command: “You’re turning thirty after the new year; it’s time to find a partner, get married, and have children.”

Qi Hanyi frowned slightly, instinctively resisting this topic: “The war isn’t over yet; I’m not in a hurry…”

Qi Xingli interrupted him: “Today I went to the palace to discuss with His Majesty. The princess of the Mermaid Kingdom is of marriageable age, and His Majesty has already permitted it. You should pick an auspicious day to bring her home and cultivate your relationship. A wedding should be held at a later date.”

Upon hearing the words “mermaid,” Qi Hanyi’s expression turned grim.

The sensation of drowning surged through his limbs, more pronounced than when he was in the sea earlier; even his breathing became somewhat difficult.

He almost drowned because of his biological mother, a mermaid, who had thrown him into the sea.

Marrying a mermaid? Absolutely not!

However, his long-standing habit of obedience led him to keep his emotions in check, still maintaining a polite and respectful attitude: “Head of the Family, I have always done my best to meet any request you have made of me. I do not wish to disappoint your expectations, but marrying a mermaid is just not possible. You know what happened back then…”

“I am not asking for your opinion,” Qi Xingli’s authoritative tone pressured him through the phone, making it hard to breathe: “Qi Hanyi, you bear the Qi surname, you must uphold the glory of this name. Do you think getting married and having children is solely your own choice? That you can marry whomever you want? I’ll tell you, you are the heir I personally selected for the Qi family, and you must give birth to the most outstanding offspring, which concerns the honor and future of the entire family! Do not speak to me of what your parents did; regardless, the fact is that only by marrying a mermaid can the most genetically favorable offspring be produced. This has been proven fully by you; you cannot be mistaken!”

After saying this, Qi Xingli seemed to realize his tone was too harsh, and he softened it just a bit: “Han Yi, among the younger generation, you have always been the most outstanding and sensible. For all these years, I have raised and taught you with the hope that one day you would inherit the family responsibility from me. I am getting old; I won’t be able to support you for many more years. Don’t let me down, alright?”

Qi Hanyi pursed his lips. Back when his mother killed his father and took him to jump into the sea, his grandfather searched tirelessly on the water for five days. After that, he brought him back to the main residence and raised him by his side. Without him, he wouldn’t have become a general of the Empire; he might have died already in some family conspiracy. He would forever remember this debt of gratitude, and thus always did his best to fulfill his grandfather’s requests.

All along, he had strived to satisfy his grandfather’s wishes, to make him happy and at ease. But… this was the one thing he could not do.

He would never marry a mermaid.

Qi Xingli didn’t wait for a satisfactory answer and directly hung up the phone.

He merely informed Qi Hanyi and did not give him the right to refuse. Qi Hanyi was his most satisfactory and obedient heir. He would never allow his life’s trajectory to deviate even slightly.

Qi Xingli dialed another number and ordered: “Notify the Mermaid Kingdom; give them a day to prepare. Our bridal convoy will arrive at the port tomorrow night.”

Qi Hanyi had no idea about such arrangements; he planned to return to the old residence after coming back from the sea to have a good talk with his grandfather. But just as the ship docked, he saw a military helicopter parked nearby, and his aide rushed over with an anxious expression: “General, the space station’s outpost has reported that someone attacked the starship network’s defense wall from the inside, leading to a serious information leak incident. The military suspects infiltration by insectoid spies. His Majesty has ordered you to immediately depart and assist in clarifying the matter. If insectoids are found, kill them on the spot.”

“I understand.” Work was urgent, and Qi Hanyi had to put his personal matters aside and follow his aide toward the helicopter.