As the majority of Fan Li’s consciousness relived the past, her physical presence within the Gate of Ether observed the fluctuations of the spacetime rift with focused intensity. She soon realized she had failed. The neutrinos were still no match for the Divine Power; they could not influence the Deep Blue memories from before Su Yi’s birth. This meant that as long as Deep Blue placed the curse upon Su Yi, everything that followed was predestined.
Perhaps she had been overthinking it. The dead could not return to life; no amount of effort would change that. Su Shiye was never coming back.
Fan Li slumped down amidst the countless celestial bodies, her arms wrapped around her knees. Listlessly, she began to review the events occurring across different universes. She discovered that the law of conservation of energy seemed to apply to "luck" as well: a person who was exceptionally miserable in Universe A often enjoyed a fortunate life in Universe B.
Every person she knew had once been the protagonist of their own stage, possessing their own "best" version of the universe.
In Quinti’s best universe, in the year 24720 of the Burning Era, Allen transferred to Saint Yejiana First High School. There, on campus, he met Quinti, Qing, and Shami.
From a distance, Quinti spotted Allen standing in the sunlight. He was tall, his smile bright and warm. Though his speech and mannerisms carried a hint of cynicism, she understood now—it was because he lacked true confidence in himself.
Allen saw her too. He broke off his conversation with his friends and swam over with a rakish air. "Yo, so you’re my fiancée?"
"What’s with that tone?" Quinti replied, though her expression remained peaceful.
"Oh, nothing." Allen had intended to stir up trouble, but seeing her calm demeanor, his voice softened significantly. "I got tired of looking at the school beauties, so I thought I’d come check out my own fiancée. You’re not bad looking."
"Am I pretty?"
"You are."
"That’s exactly what I think of you." Quinti extended her hand toward him, a faint smile playing on her lips. "My father has good taste. The husband he picked for me is very handsome."
When she smiled, even the ice seemed to melt. Allen’s handsome face flushed deep red, and his words became a mumble. "Hand... handsome? Of course I know I’m handsome. Yeah, I’m very handsome..."
"So confident? That’s good." Quinti’s smile deepened. "Then let’s find some time to grab a meal together. Even if it’s just an arranged marriage, we should cultivate some feelings, shouldn’t we?"
She turned to swim away. She had no way of knowing that in another universe, during the countless days and nights spent living in the Abyss, she would constantly ask herself: was she so unhappy because she had thought too highly of Allen, or because she had looked down on her husband? The version of her in that universe would never know that Allen was even better than she had imagined.
"Wait! Quinti!"
Before she could get far, Allen blocked her path. "No need to wait for 'some time.' I’ll take you to lunch right now."
"Now?" Quinti looked behind him. "But your friends..."
"Bros are like clothes; a wife is like one's own limbs. You’re my future wife, so I should be with you. Let them go chill somewhere else."
Later, Allen never cheated. During their time at Saint Yejiana University, he and Quinti registered for a monogamous marriage. After the War of the Two Parties, he followed Su Shiye to the Abyss Empire with Quinti, vowing lifelong loyalty to the Crimson Moon Emperor.
In this parallel universe, Shami was happy for her sister and brother-in-law. She dedicated herself to her work at the research institute and remained unmarried for life. One day, she had a dream. Upon waking, she couldn't remember the details, but she was plagued by strange hallucinations. She couldn't help but say to Fan Li, "I don't know why, but I have this feeling that my brother-in-law's child should be named 'Joan'."
"Hmm? Why?" Fan Li blinked.
"I don't know." Shami shook her head. "I really don't. People just have strange sixth senses sometimes. Have you ever experienced that?"
"Of course."
In Lina’s best universe, there was a turning point in the year 24729 of the Burning Era.
At Miss Bubble’s wedding, Lina was eavesdropping on Su Shiye’s conversation with someone else. Suddenly, someone approached and said, "Lord Oda, an Orca man claiming to be Lina’s father says he wants to see his daughter. He’s waiting outside."
"Who is Lina?" Su Shiye looked up.
"She is the daughter of our head butler," Aize replied.
"Oh, a father-daughter reunion." Su Shiye smiled. "That’s good. Go on then."
In that moment, Lina felt a powerful sense of déjà vu. In another life, her father had called her just before he died, and she had missed it. For a long time after his death, she felt nothing—until she returned to their old home during a holiday and saw the dilapidated house where he had lived and the photo of his daughter on the windowsill. Only then had she broken down in tears.
Though she didn't know this wasn't just a feeling but a memory from another universe, the déjà vu terrified her. She felt a manic urge to go out and find her father, but her mother, Lief, caught the look of anticipation in her eyes. Lief said coldly, "Don't forget, he isn't like other Orca fathers. He gave us promises and then abandoned us. I was the one who endured countless hardships and grievances to raise you."
"Mom, Dad loves me. I needed a father’s love while growing up. Please don't talk about him like that, okay?"
Lief let out a caustic laugh. "Oh? Since when did you become so fond of your father? I didn't see you loving him this much before."
"I..." Lina was speechless.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Have you forgotten? He stopped wanting you a long time ago!" Seeing her daughter recoil, Lief became even more volatile.
"No." For the first time, Lina contradicted her mother with absolute resolve. "He only left you; he didn't abandon me. He loves me, and I needed a father’s love while growing up."
"What? What did you say? Lina, do you know who you’re talking to? Say that again! Who was it that raised you? Have you forgotten?! What did that piece of trash ever do for you? You’re actually taking his side!"
Lina had always been afraid of her mother, and this moment was no exception, but she couldn't let herself live with regret again. She spoke the truth she had held in her heart for years: "You can't claim me as your sole possession just because you two separated. I am his daughter too."
"You... you ungrateful brat! Get out!"
Lina rushed out and saw Bourne at the entrance.
The last time Bourne had come to find Lina, he had been rebuffed, but every time he saw his daughter, he always wore a joyful smile. "Daughter."
Without a word, Lina threw herself into Bourne’s arms. "Dad, I’m sorry. I was too mean to you before."
"Oh, you silly child." Bourne patted her back. "Why are you apologizing? Don't I know that little temper of yours? A father could never truly stay angry at his own daughter."
"Dad... *hic*..."
"There, there, don't cry. I came to give you some allowance." Bourne pulled out a coin purse and placed it in her hand. "I know your mom is very rich now, and this isn't much, but it’s a token of my heart."
"I don't want it. Your life is already so tight..."
"Just think of it as a little extra pocket money. Keep it."
For the first time in many years, Lina let go of her hostility toward her father and began to reunite with him frequently. Lief was furious about it, but seeing how happy her daughter was, she eventually stopped making an issue of it—though she still made snide, sarcastic remarks every time Lina went to see him.
Strangely, from that day on, Lina also let go of her hostility toward men and even started dating a handsome Orca boy. Her boyfriend didn't have grades as good as hers, but his social skills were off the charts. Everywhere he went, he praised his girlfriend to the heavens. As a result, she became "distracted" from her previous pursuits and gradually withdrew from the Black Coral Goddess Gang. After arriving in Saint Yejiana, she didn't join Quinti’s clique but focused on her studies, preparing to become an elite Great Archmage.
In Yejia’s best universe, after his mother took a bullet to protect him, she was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Although she was seriously injured and remained in a coma for four days and three nights, she survived. When she woke up, the first thing she saw was little Yejia, crying his eyes out. She had a sudden epiphany: whether her husband was loyal to her no longer mattered, for she already had a more important angel. She shouldn't, and didn't need to, waste so much of her life resenting her husband.
Thus, she decisively chose to leave Bukobalu entirely, taking her son back to live with her own family. Her health remained poor and her temper remained volatile, often using Yejia as an outlet for her frustration. Consequently, Yejia’s personality remained flirtatious and slick, but the shadows in his heart were not as irredeemable as they were in the "Paggy" timeline.
During his university years, hearing that Fan Li was to marry Xitian, he knew that the prerequisite for winning her was political status. He competed fiercely with his brothers to secure the position of Clan Successor. In the end, he became the heir but still failed to win Fan Li. For a time, he lost all interest in marriage. It wasn't until he was much older that he met his true destiny—the young mistress of the Sky-Rending Sea, a woman who was incredibly glamorous on the outside but filled with dreams on the inside.
In Xitian’s best universe, Fan Li and Su Shiye never had a physical relationship. Therefore, the argument about "how could Xitian’s wife lose her virginity" never happened. Even so, Fan Li found Xitian’s severe obsession with purity unbearable. When he asked her if she had ever been in a relationship, Fan Li snapped back at him:
"I haven't been in a relationship, but that has nothing to do with you because this is a political marriage. I won't let any other man have me, and that 'any other man' includes you! Stay away from me; what I hate most is a male chauvinist!"
To her surprise, after being scolded like that, Xitian didn't get angry. Instead, his ears turned red, and he scratched his head. "Am I a male chauvinist?"
"What do you think?" Fan Li gave him a massive eye-roll.
After the Veda Dual-Party War, Fan Li proceeded with the political marriage as agreed. They waited until the Hall of Justice was completed before holding their wedding there. Because Fan Li had never given Xitian a kind look, their wedding night became quite interesting. Fan Li lay on the bed flipping through a book, ignoring him, while Xitian sat at the other end, stealing glances at her like a schoolboy waiting to be scolded. After a long time, Fan Li exhaled and put down her book. "Let’s just do what we’re supposed to do. We are married, after all, aren't we?"
Xitian shook his head and remained silent.
"What is it?" Fan Li studied him.
Xitian sat a bit closer, took her hands in his, and said solemnly, "Su Yi, I’ve decided not to be a male chauvinist anymore."
"Huh?"
Recently, Xitian had talked to his sister about Fan Li’s perspective, wondering if Fan Li was being too assertive. His usually shy sister suddenly exploded with energy and said with absolute conviction, "This is really your problem, Brother! If it weren't for your money and status, no one would truly want to live their life with you, believe me! Sister Su Yi is just saying what most girls feel in their hearts!"
Xitian was deeply shaken. He shut himself away for several days, reading many books on women's liberation and gender psychology. He learned on an intellectual level what kind of care women needed and tried to start respecting the women around him, no longer saying stupid things like "women should just keep their mouths shut in these situations." However, he was worlds apart from a natural gentleman. In his clumsy attempt to learn, he overshot the mark, turning from a gentleman into a "simp," which terrified the girls around him even more. The Clan Master Gath told him bluntly to return to normal and not to get married while acting like a mental patient.
After cramming for so long, Xitian knew he was a lost cause, so he braced himself and told Fan Li everything that had happened recently. Seeing Fan Li stare blankly for a moment before bursting into laughter and pounding the bed, he didn't know what was going on. He just scratched his head and said, "As long as you’re happy, it’s fine."
"You’ve really gone through a lot of trouble." Fan Li was still laughing uncontrollably. "The fact that you even had the heart to try... I’m touched, really. Hahahaha..."
"Wife, I’ll wait for you. I won't touch you until you can accept me. Don't mind my weird temper; my physique is actually pretty good." He lifted his shirt, revealing a section of his abs. "Look."
Fan Li reached out and poked his abs twice, marveling, "Eight-pack? You can't get that just by training; you have to be born with it."
"Yeah."
Later, Fan Li and Xitian became a couple in every sense. They had four daughters and three sons. To everyone’s surprise, Xitian became a wife-doting maniac on par with Su Shiye. Beneath his rough speech and manners lay a delicate and fervent heart. Because he had laid down all his defenses, Fan Li became increasingly gentle, pouring more of her energy into their family. During the week, they were both busy with their respective work; on weekends, they would take the children to Su Yi Palace to relax, admiring the coral reefs and colorful anemones.
Fan Li felt many times that this was good. She was living the most blessed life by the general standards of the Sea Race. Life has variables, and feelings can be cultivated. So-called true love, the "one and only," and destiny were just legends in literature; she didn't need to be so obsessed with a certain person in her memories. She even stopped her search for Su Shiye, simply to tell herself not to be foolish, not to be self-destructive, and that her choice was correct.
Because the relationship between the High Oracle couple was so stable, when the Abyss Empire was later exposed to the public of the Light Sea, Su Shiye did not repeat his request for the High Oracle to come to the Abyss for research. Instead, he directly opened trade cooperation with them. During a meeting between the two seas at the Well of Storms, Fan Li and Su Shiye met again.
The moment their eyes met, she knew. The thing between them hadn't disappeared; it never had. Perhaps she was being self-important, assuming Su Shiye felt the same as before—she didn't know, she wasn't sure. But she knew her own feelings clearly.
"Congratulations," Su Shiye said, swimming over with a faint smile. "Everything is so wonderful."
"Thank you."
That day, she was exceptionally excited—so excited she didn't seem like herself. Anyone who knew her could tell she was acting out of character. Xitian, being thick-skinned and oblivious, didn't notice. But even years later, Feng Jin would say to her with a look of terror, "Su Yiyi, you’re married now, your family is happy. Don't let Su Shiye ruin all of this."
"You’re overthinking it. I only have Xitian in my heart."
Fan Li lied. This was the secret she never told anyone for the rest of her life. She controlled her expressions and her gaze perfectly, even showing only the shock she intended to show when she heard the news of Su Shiye’s death.
Time stretched on endlessly, swallowing many, many memories. In the years after Su Shiye’s death, whether in the Light Sea or the Abyss, people no longer spoke of him with the same complex emotions of intense love and hate. Fan Li knew the world would eventually forget those who had passed. She also knew she had the ability to manage her family well, the ability to lock that secret deep in her heart until the end of her days.
And so, it was somewhat of a regret that Xitian’s best universe was not Fan Li’s best universe.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 以太之门 | Gate of Ether | A mystical or technological portal involving spacetime. |
| 燃烧时代 | Burning Era | A specific historical period in the novel's setting. |
| 圣耶迦那 | Saint Yejiana | A location, likely a city or prestigious school district. |
| 单偶制 | Monogamy / Single-mate system | A marriage system where one has only one spouse. |
| 赤月帝王 | Crimson Moon Emperor | A title for Su Shiye. |
| 琼 | Joan | A name (transliterated). |
| 逆戟族 | Orca Race | A specific race within the Sea Race (Killer Whales). |
| 大奥术师 | Great Archmage | A high-ranking title for magic users. |
| 布可巴路 | Bukobalu | A location or family name. |
| 裂空海 | Sky-Rending Sea | A specific region of the ocean. |
| 直男癌 | Male chauvinist | Slang for a man with toxic/traditionalist views on women. |
| 舔狗 | Simp / Toady | Slang for someone who excessively caters to someone they like. |
| 加斯 | Gath | A name. |
| 苏伊宫 | Su Yi Palace | A palace named after Su Yi. |
| 风暴之井 | Well of Storms | A location for diplomatic meetings. |
| 风晋 | Feng Jin | A character name. |
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