Chapter 28#
The Innocent and Naive Fool#
Central Planet.
“Too much!”
The old King leaned back on his throne, slamming his hand onto the armrest. The nobles below echoed in agreement: “Exactly, that group of brutes in the military don’t know their place just because they have a bit of power in their hands! They don’t even think about whose world this actually is.”
“They must be severely punished! Let them know what awe and respect mean!”
“The key is still the merman. This is the last one in the world; we must get our hands on it no matter what!”
After a round of flattery, the old King felt much better. He lifted his sagging eyelids, scanned the few people present, and said dissatisfiedly: “Where is the Crown Prince? Why didn’t he attend such an important meeting?”
The nobles looked at each other. Just then, a maid announced: “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience.”
“Let him in!”
Accompanied by measured footsteps, a young man wearing a white-gold brocade robe appeared before everyone. He had a thin build and a feminine, pale face. His light-colored pupils were calm and emotionless, making him look as if he were sleepwalking.
“Father,” he didn’t meet the old King’s gaze but bowed, “and uncles, long time no see.”
“Now is not the time for reminiscing,” the old King frowned. “Lu Xing, you are the one among us who understands the merman race best. Tell me, how did Gu Xi bring the merman back?”
They had spent so much effort back then, almost using star-destroying cannons, and still couldn’t break that damned barrier. So upon hearing this news, the nobles’ first reaction was that it was impossible. How on earth did Gu Xi do it?
“As long as the Merman Planet still exists, the Garan Lake barrier cannot be broken. This is an ironclad rule,” Lu Xing stood up and said indifferently. “So there is only one possibility: that merman followed him voluntarily.”
“Voluntarily?” The old King sneered. “True, you seemed to have used that same trick back then. It seems that although Gu Xi is cold and taciturn on the surface, he has just as many tricks up his sleeve as anyone else. I wonder what kind of coaxing method he used to actually trick a merman into his hands…”
A count teased: “Major General Gu is devoted to the country. Forget a merman; even if he were facing an eighty-year-old toothless lady, he’d probably be able to speak sweet words without batting an eye!”
The nobles immediately burst into a fit of laughter.
The old King laughed until he doubled over, but as he laughed, he saw his son standing before him still with an indifferent face, and suddenly felt the mood was ruined: “Crown Prince, what’s wrong with you today? If you’re not feeling well, go back and rest early.”
“Thank you, Father, but I have no physical discomfort,” Lu Xing said. “I came today only with one humble request.”
“What is it?”
“As you just said, I am the person here who understands merfolk best,” the youth lowered his head and said softly. “So I hope you can entrust this task to me. Give me half a year… no, three months. I will surely bring the merman into the palace for everyone’s enjoyment.”
“Good!”
The old King stood up excitedly. Helped by his attendants, he stepped down from the throne and patted his shoulder hard: “That’s my good son!”
“I don’t deserve such praise.”
After speaking, Lu Xing took the initiative to leave: “Then I’ll go and prepare first. Please continue your conversation, Father and uncles.”
Without waiting for the old King to speak, he turned and left the great hall on his own.
Watching his retreating back, the old King awkwardly withdrew his hand. The other nobles were silent for a moment and then sensibly changed the subject.
The old King was aging and gradually becoming powerless; the Crown Prince was young but unconventional in his actions, coupled with a frail constitution… knowing which side to take was indeed quite a science.
The vortex within the palace did not affect Lin Xiaodong’s mood. After arriving at the Central Planet, he moved into one of Gu Xi’s villas in the military compound. Every day, a professional artificial butler came at set times to clean and cook. Even the temperature and humidity in the room were specifically adjusted to the most comfortable settings for him.
But Lin Xiaodong was still very unhappy.
Because Gu Xi didn’t allow him to go out casually, and the man wasn’t home during the day either. In the villa, he was just a lone fish boredly soaking in the bathtub and bickering with the system, getting so bored he was practically growing mold.
Even his favorite SpongeBob SquarePants couldn’t cheer him up.
“At this rate, when will the task ever be completed?” he said irritably. “No, I have to talk to Gu Xi. This can’t go on.”
During this time, the system helped him sort through the character relationships of this world again. Combined with intelligence found on the Star Net, Lin Xiaodong initially identified three target figures.
First, Crown Prince Lu Xing.
Second, the old King, Lu Shengzun.
Third, Gu Xi’s adjutant, Xu Feng.
He couldn’t reach the first two for now, but as Gu Xi’s subordinate, Xu Feng was relatively convenient to contact.
He just needed a legitimate reason.
In the evening, Gu Xi returned home to find Lin Xiaodong listlessly soaking in the bathtub, his tail limply draped over the edge, flicking it occasionally.
He unbuckled the silver-buttoned leather belt of his uniform, walked over, and leaned down to kiss the little merman’s forehead: “What’s wrong? Why so dispirited?”
“I miss home,” Lin Xiaodong said softly.
Gu Xi’s movement paused.
After a long while, he let out a soft sigh, skillfully scooped the little merman out of the bathtub, dried his tail with a nearby towel, and then carried Lin Xiaodong to the sofa.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “but I can’t take you back right now.”
“I know.”
Lin Xiaodong looked down, playing with the buttons on his cuff: “I didn’t say you have to do anything. It’s just too boring staying home alone every day without anyone to talk to.”
He thought for a moment, looked up, and asked with anticipation: “Can you have your adjutant come and keep me company?”
Gu Xi: “…………”
Although he knew the little merman’s heart was pure and he couldn’t possibly have that kind of thought, hearing this, a hint of something unusual still rose in the man’s heart.
“Why him?”
He asked patiently, but his tone unconsciously carried a faint hint of sourness.
“Because he’s your adjutant,” Lin Xiaodong said as a matter of course. “The spy in the military hasn’t been caught yet, right? You said before that the only person you can trust right now is your adjutant, so of course I trust him too.”
Gu Xi was speechless.
Feeling the man’s arm around him suddenly tighten, Lin Xiaodong secretly gave himself a mental “victory” sign.
In terms of coaxing people, he was a professional.
“Alright,” Gu Xi agreed. “It just so happens his wife is pregnant lately. I’ll have him pick you up every afternoon, but you absolutely cannot leave the military compound, hear me?”
“Understood!”
With his goal achieved, Lin Xiaodong immediately jumped off him and dove into the pool in the courtyard with a cheer.
Gu Xi, whose arms were suddenly empty, was stunned for a moment, then shook his head helplessly.
The next day, the adjutant knocked on the door on time.
“Coming!”
Hearing the noise, Lin Xiaodong immediately flipped out of the bathtub and, without even drying his tail, ran dripping wet all the way to open the door.
Standing beside the adjutant was a young woman with a round face, wearing a loose maternity dress. Her belly looked to be about six or seven months along. She was carrying a small bamboo basket covered with a floral cloth, its contents invisible, but Lin Xiaodong guessed it was something for afternoon tea.
“This is my wife, Lulu,” Xu Feng introduced, scratching his head.
He was a rough man and really didn’t know how to interact with his superior’s family member, especially since ordinary humans couldn’t hear the merman language. So he had to turn his pleading gaze to his wife.
Lulu smiled: “Hello, Xiaodong. Do you want to come and sit at our place? It’s nearby, not far.”
Lin Xiaodong nodded in agreement.
He took the small bamboo basket Lulu handed him, took a curious look, and then looked up at the two.
“I fried some small dried fish myself,” Lulu understood and explained proactively. “Don’t merfolk all eat fish?”
Xu Feng sighed and looked at him apologetically: “I tried to persuade her before we came, but she wouldn’t believe it…”
Lin Xiaodong shook his head to show it was okay, then picked up a golden, crispy fried small fish from the basket and popped it into his mouth.
He always felt Xu Feng’s wife looked a bit familiar, but he couldn’t say who she specifically looked like, just that he felt he had seen her somewhere before.
They sat down in the courtyard of Xu Feng’s home. Xu Feng busied himself pouring water for them. Lulu, being physically encumbered, leaned back on a lounger and chatted with Lin Xiaodong. Since sitting down, she had been absent-mindedly staring at the beautiful silver-white tail behind Lin Xiaodong. Finally unable to hold back, she asked: “Can I touch it?”
Lin Xiaodong agreed and openly held out his tail.
Lulu reached out and touched it carefully. Her expression went from curiosity to surprise and then to being unable to let go. Seeing this, Xu Feng couldn’t help but let out a heavy cough: “Show some restraint.”
Only then did Lulu reluctantly withdraw her hand.
“Actually, in the few days you’ve been here, there have already been many rumors about you in the military compound,” she told Lin Xiaodong. “People are saying Major General Gu brought back a merman from the garbage planet and everyone wants to see you with their own eyes.”
Lin Xiaodong gave her a look and typed word by word on his light brain screen: “That isn’t some garbage planet.”
“…What?”
“That’s my home, where merfolk have lived for generations,” he replied. “That garbage was all dumped arbitrarily by you humans.”
Lulu was stunned.
Looking at Lin Xiaodong’s calm expression, she hurriedly apologized: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…”
Lin Xiaodong smiled at her and considerately continued to type: “Don’t be nervous; I’m not blaming you.”
The woman was silent for a moment, gripped the edge of her clothes, and said: “Actually, you have every right to hate us.”
Seeing the atmosphere gradually becoming heavy, Xu Feng had to interject: “Lulu, stop talking.”
“Alright,” Lulu gave a strained smile. “Look at me, let’s not talk about those things anymore.” She clapped her hands and asked with a smile: “So, are the dried fish good?”
It had to be said that Adjutant Xu’s wife’s skill at frying dried fish was indeed top-notch. It hadn’t been long, and Lin Xiaodong had already crunched down more than half of them. Hearing Lulu’s question, he still had half a dried fish in his mouth. When he looked up, Xu Feng, standing nearby, seized the opportunity to snap a photo with his light brain.
“Requirement of the Major General,” he explained proactively upon noticing the merman’s questioning gaze. “Take a photo every afternoon to report your safety to him.”
Lin Xiaodong pouted and hummed, as if complaining that Gu Xi was too controlling.
But looking at his expression, he wasn’t angry at all.
“You two have such a good relationship,” Lulu said enviously. “Xu Feng and I have been married for five years, and now he’s more relaxed than anyone when I go out.”
“I am not!” Xu Feng immediately cried injustice. “Since you got pregnant, I’ve wanted to be by your side twenty-four hours a day. You call that being relaxed?”
The merman sat on the swing in the courtyard, watching them flirt with wide eyes. After a while, Lulu finally realized and said apologetically to him: “Sorry, we’re used to bickering. When we get into it, we easily ignore others.”
Lin Xiaodong shook his head.
Seeing he didn’t mind, Lulu continued on her own: “I’ve been stuck at home for almost three months. Once this baby is born, I’m going back to work; otherwise, I’ll really die of boredom.”
“The baby…” Lin Xiaodong held his light brain, his gaze landing on her belly. “Have you picked a name?”
“Haven’t thought of a formal name yet,” she smiled, slowly stroking her belly. “The nickname is Ping’an (Peace). With things so chaotic everywhere outside now, I just want my child to live a life of peace, health, and happiness; that’s enough.”
In the evening, Gu Xi came to pick him up.
Walking on the road, the man asked: “How was your day?”
“It was great,” Lin Xiaodong said. Anyway, there was no rush for the information he needed to gather; the most important thing was to first get closer to Xu Feng and his wife. “Except for you, they are the best humans I’ve seen.”
This description left Gu Xi momentarily unsure of how to reply. After a long while, he said slowly: “I thought you felt everyone in the world was a good person.”
Meeting for the first time and being foolish enough to ignore his own safety, nearly getting roasted but still insisting on saving him, and even breaking a thousand-year-old merman taboo for him—Gu Xi didn’t even know why Lin Xiaodong would fall in love with him at first sight.
Gazing at the book the merman beside him was holding, he came back to his senses and asked: “What’s this?”
“Hmm?” Lin Xiaodong followed his gaze down. “Oh, Lulu gave this to me. She said it’s a bedtime story.”
Gu Xi noticed it was a collector’s edition of The Little Prince.
“A very good book,” he said.
“Yeah, but I’ve already read it,” Lin Xiaodong blurted out before catching himself and immediately adding a patch, “I found the book in the trash heap.”
Gu Xi asked with interest: “Then what’s your favorite line from it?”
Lin Xiaodong thought for a moment.
“‘Because it is a voluntary drowning, even death does not need to be saved,’” he said, even temporarily forgetting his persona and starting to discuss seriously with Gu Xi. “I like this line best. What about you?”
“I haven’t read it yet,” Gu Xi was silent for a moment and replied, “I mean, my former self must have read it, but I’ve forgotten it now.”
They walked side by side on the small path at twilight. The atmosphere was good, but before long it was interrupted by a soldier running over in a hurry: “Major General! The Crown Prince has arrived with the Imperial Guard!”
Gu Xi’s brows furrowed. Just as he was about to say something, a soft male voice came from ahead: “Major General Gu, I trust you have been well.”
The two looked toward the sound. Under the setting sun, Lu Xing was walking toward them from the other end of the path, accompanied by two Imperial Guards.
After many days, the pale-eyed youth’s lips were still as white as paper, as if they would shatter at a touch. He wore a polite smile and gave Gu Xi a formal nod.
Immediately, Lu Xing’s gaze shifted, landing inconspicuously on Lin Xiaodong beside him.