Qiao Ci's expression was a little serious, as if uncertain. She looked at the little merman again, her entire being seeming somewhat stunned.
At this moment, the mermaid opposite glanced reluctantly at the little merman swimming around Qiao Ci, a trace of relief in her eyes. "Qiao Ci, he likes you very much."
Qiao Ci could see that the mermaid before her was at the end of her strength. She simply nodded, then freed her seaweed-like hair from the little merman's grasp.
"From now on, Xiao Ye will be entrusted to you. I hope he can grow up well and live without worries." The mermaid shed her last tear, which condensed into a small, pale pink pearl. She threaded the pearl onto a string and handed it to Qiao Ci. "This is a bead condensed from all my magical power. It can protect him three times when he is in danger."
Qiao Ci placed the pearl on the little merman's tender neck. "You can leave with peace of mind. I will protect him and let him grow up without worries."
"Thank you." The mermaid performed a complex禮儀 towards Qiao Ci, then swam resolutely towards a reef behind her.
"Receive the plot," Qiao Ci commanded calmly.
"Okay!"
This was a world derived from a fairy tale.
The little mermaid Yingxue saved a handsome man, Chen Ning, who had encountered misfortune at sea, and fell deeply in love with him.
For him, Yingxue left the sea where she had always lived and followed him to the human world.
After arriving in the human world, she understood nothing. Chen Ning liked her beauty and innocence. At first, he would teach her basic human knowledge.
When she became like other girls in the human world, enjoying food, shopping, clothes, and bags, Chen Ning found her boring.
Chen Ning was the CEO of a listed company, young, handsome, and steady. He was constantly surrounded by other women. Although Yingxue felt uncomfortable, she dared not say much.
She could only try to constantly change herself to cater to Chen Ning's preferences. Who knew that things would only backfire, and Chen Ning drifted further away from her.
This innocent mermaid had left the sea for Chen Ning's love. After discovering Chen Ning being intimate with another woman, she felt it was time to go back.
Undoubtedly, Yingxue's beauty was indescribable. Although Chen Ning had grown tired of her, he did not want to lose such an unparalleled beauty, especially since she was a mermaid and might have significant commercial value in the future. Thus, he knelt on the ground, begging Yingxue to stay, admitting his mistakes and promising never to repeat them.
Yingxue's heart softened, and she stayed.
Cheating only happens zero or countless times. In the end, the numb Yingxue resolutely prepared to return to the sea, but Chen Ning, who had already made plans, forcibly kept her.
Then, she was like a commodity, displayed in a transparent glass enclosure, surrounded and watched by people coming and going. She became depressed, fell ill, and completely lost her commercial value. Chen Ning tried every means to force her to reveal the location of other mermaids, and then sold her to the black market. She was studied and sliced by foreigners in white coats, suffering unimaginable pain. She regretted it, but it was too late...
Not only that, but Chen Ning learned the exact location of the mermaids. The reclusive mermaid tribe faced a catastrophic disaster, with widespread capture by humans and heavy casualties.
The original host was named Qiao Ci, and Yingxue was her cousin. Her feelings towards Yingxue were complicated: she both hated her for exposing the location of the mermaid tribe and pitied her tragic fate.
When she was captured by humans, she died while protecting the new Sea Emperor, Lan Ye. In the end, she did not succeed, and Lan Ye also died in that encirclement.
"Original host's wishes: 1: Let Yingxue realize her mistakes, regardless of life or death. 2: Protect the mermaid tribe and do not want their living environment to be disturbed by humans."
...
Qiao Ci looked at the cute, bubbly, carefree toddler Lan Ye—the future Sea Emperor—and felt a bit troubled. She had never raised a child before, and he was a merman. How was she supposed to raise him?
"Xiao Shaozi, are you interested in coming out to play in this world?"
Xiao Shaozi looked at Qiao Ci's helpless expression and secretly chuckled. Hearing her speak to it so suddenly, the entire spoon felt uneasy!
"Uh, Host Great God, I can't turn into a mermaid either, so I can't take care of Xiao Lan Ye," Xiao Shaozi wailed. Doing housework was one thing, but now it had to babysit?
What kind of suffering was this?
Qiao Ci: ...
"Sister, Sister~" Little Lan Ye reached out his short hands, grabbing Qiao Ci's hair, and called out happily.
"Say Auntie~" The original host and Lan Ye's mother were like best friends, so calling her Auntie was not wrong, right?
"Sister, piào piào~" Little Lan Ye reached out for a hug.
Qiao Ci stiffly extended her hand and pulled him into her arms.
"Sister, slurp~" Little Lan Ye was hit by the full force of Qiao Ci's exquisite beauty, gesticulating wildly and extremely happy. He almost dislodged the two pieces of gold shell that served as his loincloth.
Qiao Ci's small face was tense. He was truly boisterous. However, she did not let go of Little Lan Ye, allowing him to play and frolic in her arms.
"Host Great God, try shaking him. I see others coaxing babies like this," Xiao Shaozi taught from the side.
"You do it?" Qiao Ci raised an eyebrow.
Then, a small shark appeared beside Little Lan Ye.
The little shark was also a cub and played with Little Lan Ye every day. Its small body had to carry Little Lan Ye as it swam around, which looked quite inspiring.
Seeing this, the other mermaids felt that at such a young age, he already understood how to flatter the future Sea Emperor. What reason did they have not to work hard? Thus, they also wanted to play with Lan Ye, but Lan Ye seemed to only enjoy playing with Qiao Ci, who had taken on the task of raising him, and did not like interacting with other mermaids much.
When he got tired of riding, Little Lan Ye ran to Qiao Ci's side again and started circling around her.
"Aren't you tired?" Qiao Ci's eyes were getting dizzy from the circling, and she said helplessly.
Lan Ye, now a little handsome boy, covered his mouth with a wronged expression. "Sister, did I disturb you? I'm sorry."
"No, I'm just afraid you're tired," Qiao Ci couldn't bear to scold the cub. "How is today's lesson going? Can you catch fish on your own yet?"
"Yes! I learned very well. With just one look from me, those fish will surround me. Just like you, Sister, those fish also like Xiao Ye." The little boy's cheeks were puffed out, and he didn't move when he spoke, making him appear very cute.
Qiao Ci encouraged him with a blank expression, "Mm, keep up the good work."
"Hehe, Xiao Ye will continue to work hard." A soft, childlike voice, a swaying golden tail, beautiful golden-yellow hair—who could refuse?
Qiao Ci pulled him over and vigorously ruffled his soft hair.
"Sister, hehe~" Little Lan Ye did not resist, only giggling incessantly.