Chen Ning's face darkened instantly.
"What happened? Didn't she say she would come?"
"I, I don't know. She promised to come, but then suddenly changed her mind. She said she'd visit us again when she has time." Ying Xue wasn't afraid of her lie being exposed, as Qiao Ci was in the deep sea and Chen Ning was in the human world, so they would never cross paths.
Chen Ning saw through her smug little trick.
He said with a slightly gloomy tone, "Then, when your cousin has time, we'll hold the wedding."
"What?" Ying Xue suddenly looked up at him, not quite understanding his meaning.
Chen Ning realized he had said too much and explained, "When your cousin spoke to you like that, I know it's always been a scar in your heart. I have to let her see that you are truly happy. Let's postpone the wedding. We'll get married when your cousin is free. In our human world, a wedding without the blessings of relatives is incomplete. I don't want you to have any regrets."
Ying Xue felt something was not right, but she was still deeply touched. With tears in her eyes, she hugged Chen Ning and choked out, "A Ning, I don't need my relatives' blessings. Having you is enough. Can we get married? I want to be your legal wife."
A faint light gleamed in Chen Ning's eyes. "But I don't want you to have any regrets, my dear. Don't cry. When your ID card is ready, we'll have it together. It'll be more legitimate that way."
Seeing how much he cared for her, Ying Xue couldn't argue any further.
Later, Ying Xue seemed to have forgotten her earlier resolve to cut ties with Qiao Ci and approached her several times. She even told Qiao Ci about Chen Ning's words.
Ying Xue: "If you don't come, our wedding can't happen. Can you understand me? Please, will you come?"
Seeing her stubbornness, Qiao Ci didn't mind making her see reason.
Qiao Ci: "Since that's the case, then I'll go."
The city where Qiao Ci currently lived was far from Ying Xue's city. She couldn't leave Lan Ye alone here and took a few days leave from Lan Ye's homeroom teacher, planning to bring him to Ying Xue's wedding banquet.
Lan Ye heard that she was going to attend the wedding of Ying Xue and that human man and asked, "Sister, didn't you not want to go?"
Qiao Ci, without a change in her expression, said, "Now I want to go."
"But that human man has designs on you, doesn't he?" Lan Ye sounded unhappy. "Isn't going this time like walking into a trap for yourself?"
"How can they catch your sister? Don't worry, I'll protect you too. Just stay by my side, and leave everything to me." Qiao Ci pinched Lan Ye's little cheek and smiled.
"I can protect you too. I'm the future Sea Emperor." Lan Ye looked at Qiao Ci with a determined expression.
For a child who liked to show off, a little praise was appropriate. Qiao Ci encouraged him, "Yes, our Little Ye is the best."
Lan Ye knew Qiao Ci was just indulging him, but he was still very happy.
The two of them arrived at H City, where Ying Xue resided, in advance. However, they didn't go to find Ying Xue directly. Instead, they rented a seaside guesthouse and explored.
At the amusement park, watching Lan Ye happily driving bumper cars, Qiao Ci felt she had lived up to her responsibilities. Lan Ye lived each day carefree.
On the wedding day,
Qiao Ci arrived at the agreed-upon wedding venue.
The wedding venue was deserted, with very few people. Qiao Ci had an expression of "as expected."
As she and Lan Ye pushed open the door and entered the church, the door behind them closed.
Lan Ye, sensing danger, quickly pulled Qiao Ci back a step, only to be pushed behind by Qiao Ci.
At the same time, an unknown powder fell from above them, but it seemed to hit a barrier and couldn't reach them.
Lan Ye's eyes were full of vigilance. That powder could inhibit merman magic. Seeing the transparent protective shield around him, Lan Ye looked at Qiao Ci, puzzled.
The latter patted his head, "You're still young. Just stay behind, I'll protect you."
At this moment, Ying Xue, wearing a beautiful wedding dress and with a smile on her face, walked out from the side of the church. Seeing that there were hardly any people in the church, her expression was one of surprise.
Immediately after, she saw Qiao Ci.
"Cousin, you came?"
Then she saw Lan Ye beside her and was even more surprised. "You, you came too?"
Qiao Ci's expression didn't change much. She pointed at the unknown powder that had fallen near them. "Is this the reason you invited me to your wedding?"
Ying Xue then noticed the Dried Kelp Powder at their feet, which could inhibit merman magic. Her eyes widened. "What's going on?"
"You'll have to ask yourself and your Chen Ning." It was likely that Ying Xue, with her infatuation, had revealed the merman's weakness to Chen Ning beforehand, and Chen Ning was planning to capture her with it.
"No, impossible, absolutely impossible." Ying Xue shook her head frantically.
Qiao Ci glanced at the deserted church, fraught with hidden dangers, and said sarcastically, "Is this your wedding venue? This is the first time I've seen such a perfunctory wedding. However, you've given me a great gift. Chen Ning, aren't you coming out yet?"
Chen Ning walked out from the other side of the church.
At this moment, he wasn't wearing a groom's formal attire but was fully armed. He was followed by a group of well-trained bodyguards, each of whom had some Dried Kelp Powder sprinkled on them.
"Chen Ning, what's going on?" Ying Xue was completely stunned. Why was there Dried Kelp Powder at her wedding, and why was it sprinkled near Qiao Ci and Lan Ye? Even Chen Ning and the bodyguards behind him had it.
She remembered that some time ago, Chen Ning had asked her about the merman's weakness, saying he felt insecure and feared Ying Xue might not love him anymore one day.
Ying Xue's heart softened, and she told him.
Chen Ning walked over, put his arm around Ying Xue, and said tenderly, "I know you've always disliked your cousin. Today, I'll get rid of her for you."
Ying Xue looked at this stranger, feeling as if she had been doused with a basin of cold water. She glanced at Qiao Ci, her eyes darting away. "When, when did I ever say I disliked my cousin?"
"Darling, your eyes don't lie. Don't worry, I'll find a way to eliminate anyone you don't like." Chen Ning was somewhat relieved, confident that the Dried Kelp Powder had adhered to Ying Xue.
Chen Ning looked at Qiao Ci, whose beauty clearly surpassed Ying Xue's, with intense malice in his eyes.
Originally, he had intended to enjoy Qiao Ci himself. However, a mysterious friend of his had long coveted mermaids. He was reluctant to give his own woman to someone else, but what about other people?
Ever since that person learned that mermaids truly existed in the world, he had already given Chen Ning a lot of commercial benefits. Once Qiao Ci was successfully captured, there would be even more benefits.