“Are you really a Rusty-red Angelfish?”
Fanli plopped back into the chair, crossing her arms over her chest and adopting the surly air of a street thug collecting a debt. “Heh, that’s an interesting attitude. What, do you look down on us Rusty-red Angelfish? Or do you think our tails can only come in one color?”
The last question carried a sharp racial undertone. The officer had been suspicious, but having his bias called out made him too embarrassed to press further.
“He probably just finds it strange,” the female doctor said dismissively. “A Rusty-red Angelfish dating a member of the Shark Tribe is... unusual.”
Fanli let out a cold snort, her sneer dripping with displeasure. “In Luo Ya, you see couples of every possible combination, don’t you? Even an Ocean Tribe girl from a small town like me isn’t surprised by it. Yet a Hunter Tribe doctor in this great metropolis finds it strange?”
The officer arched an eyebrow, eyeing her. “You’ve got quite the temper.”
“Well, out with it then! What’s wrong with the Rusty-red Angelfish? Why can’t we date Sharks? My parents have said the same thing a hundred times already. I didn’t get dragged into this bizarre investigation today just to be interrogated again by a stranger who’s a life sciences expert and a policeman!”
The doctor replied politely, “Since you know I’m a life sciences expert, you should also know that this question is based on scientific foundations, not malice. I’m simply curious about what you see in him. Being with him brings you a hundred harms and not a single benefit.”
“I like him because he’s vigorous in the fray. Is that a good enough reason?”
The doctor burst into laughter, looking at Fanli as if she were a toddler throwing a tantrum. “I can’t argue with that logic. It’s rare to find such a ‘valiant’ girl among the Ocean Tribe. However, as capable as the Shark Tribe is, they are equally unfaithful. When your boyfriend goes off to mate with other female sharks, do you plan on taking a shark wife as well? Are you sure you can stomach that?”
*What does that even mean?* Fanli was genuinely confused by the question. Fortunately, the doctor had no interest in pursuing the matter. She simply continued tidying the items on her desk and shrugged. “The young must always pay the price for their youth. For all you know, he’s already had more than just you. Get out. Next.”
“I’m not leaving, and there is no ‘next,’” Fanli said, sitting bolt upright in her chair, radiating fury. “Explain yourself. What do you mean he’s ‘already had more than just me’?”
“Forget I said anything.”
“No! You have to explain it clearly! Don’t think that just because you work for the police you’re so great that you can bully us Ocean Tribe folk. Don’t you police need evidence for everything? Then show me the evidence that he’s cheating!”
The doctor rubbed her temples in agony, utterly defeated by Fanli’s persistence.
“Fine, fine, fine, he won’t cheat,” the officer said, swinging the door open. “Please leave now, alright?”
“Apologize! Or I’m not going! I’ll bring my boyfriend in here and let everyone judge for themselves. We’ll see if the police should be condemned for racial discrimination! I’ll make sure the whole school knows that instead of solving cases, you’re gossiping about students’ love lives!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, girl, why such a fiery temper? I’m sorry, I’m sorry! We give up, just go. There are other students waiting.”
Fanli glared at the doctor. “You apologize too, or I’m going home to rally all my relatives to petition the government. We’ll see how the police discriminate against us Rusty-red Angelfish!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the doctor said, waving her tentacles dismissively. “Just get her out of here.”
“Cursing someone’s boyfriend to cheat... you’re sick!” Fanli yanked her cloak shut, her tail slapping against the chair with enough force to nearly flip it over. “We are very much in love, and I am proud to be a Rusty-red Angelfish. Thank you for your utterly unconstructive, stupid opinions!”
Fanli stormed out, grumbling all the way.
She swam furiously to a distant, deserted corner, propping herself against a wall with one hand as she gulped down seawater in heavy breaths.
Then, a shark tail appeared before her.
She looked up and saw Xinghai’s eyes crinkling slightly. He was leaning casually against the wall. “Fanli, I didn’t know you were such a talented actress.”
“Don’t even start, I was scared to death...” Fanli patted her chest, still unable to calm down. She shook her head exhaustedly. “I have to thank you for giving me that sample bottle before I went in. Otherwise, that doctor’s phone call would have been the end of me. Thank you, Xinghai...”
“No need for thanks.”
Fanli stole another glance at him and found him still smiling. “W-what is it?”
“Nothing. I have to go to class.” Xinghai straightened up and helped her remove her cloak, smoothing out her short hair that had been mussed by the hood. “By the way, I have never mated with any female sharks.”
“Huh?”
“I’m just telling you the facts. Next time you run into a similar argument and someone says I’ll cheat, you can use that to rebut them.”
“Wait, not even with the Orca Tribe?”
“No.”
“Then, the Princess of the Huns...”
“Not her either.” Xinghai shook his head with a smile.
“Eh??? You’re not... you’re not... one of *those*, are you?!”
“Yeah.”
“Okay then, we can be best sisters from now on.”
“What the hell? I’m straight!” Xinghai said, sounding a bit annoyed.
“Then that’s completely unscientific! You’re so good-looking!!”
“Whether someone is good-looking or not doesn’t seem to have any logical causal link to their sexual history. Besides, it might be because I’m not a purebred Shark...” Xinghai cleared his throat and looked away. His handsome brow was set stubbornly, but the tips of his ears were turning red. “If I’m with the person I love, I intend to be faithful to the end.”
Fanli stared at this Hunter Tribe anomaly, dumbstruck and speechless.
“Alright, off to class.” Xinghai swung his bag over his back and swam off quickly, vanishing from her sight in the blink of an eye.
***
That afternoon, after receiving the test results from the doctor, Officer Sako went straight to the Dean. “These results aren't right. How is it possible that we couldn't find a single student with an unidentifiable lineage?”
“Because the suspect you’ve hypothesized might not be a student of Luo Ya at all.” The Dean’s expression was stern; he was clearly displeased by the ongoing disruption.
“Dean, I might need you to check if any students were missed, or if there are cases of Ocean Tribe members posing as Hunter Tribe.”
“I may not be from the Life Sciences Department, but I still know the difference between a Hunter and an Ocean dweller!”
“Sometimes race cannot be judged by appearance alone; it’s in the genes. Therefore, I may need to take them all to the police station for a comprehensive re-examination, including brain scans.”
“And if necessary,” the Dean raised his voice, “would you like to perform bone marrow biopsies as well?”
“I wouldn't go that far...”
“I’ve already overlooked your suspicion of our students. You can send more people to investigate, but I will not mobilize the entire freshman class for another meaningless inquiry. I do not consent to a second round of testing.”
“Dean, Luweiya was also a student of your academy. Don’t you want justice for her?”
“I do. But given that we already have detailed test results, I believe a second round is unnecessary. You’ve already caused enough panic among the students.” Seeing that Officer Sako wanted to continue, the Dean cut him off coldly. “Officer Sako, I am well aware of your resume. You once served under Garth Xitian. You share his rigid style and his habit of getting to the bottom of things. That is a virtue. However, it could also be interpreted as you using your position to disrupt and undermine the systems of the Holy Capital’s highest institution. Do not give people reason to doubt your motives—or your loyalty to the Holy Capital Party.”
Sako froze, not daring to pursue that line of conversation. “Dean, is this your final word? To openly oppose the police?”
Before the Dean could speak, another melodious voice drifted from the doorway:
“It is my word as well.”
Sako looked up to see Ye Jia leaning against the doorframe, his long, silvery-white hair swaying gently in the water. Ye Jia crossed his arms and said slowly, “If you have any objections, you can bring them to me. Don’t trouble the Dean any further.”
The Dean picked up his books and lifted his chin, his voice dripping with frost. “I have a lecture to give now. Good day to you all; I won’t see you out.”
“But... investigating this case and finding the murderer is the wish of Mr. Bukoni...”
“Then my wish is the same as the Dean’s.” Ye Jia smiled and swam away with the Dean.
Sako slammed his hand on the table in frustration.
Indeed, in a sense, he was a traitor to the Storm Sea. But that was because he had met his wife in the Red Moon Sea. His wife was absolutely loyal to Saint Yejiana, leaving him only the choice to divorce or stay. He was just a minor officer with no real interest in partisan struggles, but his past service to Garth Xitian had certainly hindered his career. He desperately wanted to overcome these obstacles and prove himself, which was why he put his life into every investigation.
The culprit who dropped the skin flakes was an Ocean Tribe member. Therefore, they could only be found among the students of Luo Ya, the bride’s relatives, or the slaves who cleaned the Wind-Moving Palace. It wouldn't be someone from the groom’s side; the groom’s guests were all Sea Gods or Hunters.
And his years of detective intuition told him this person was at Luo Ya University. To ensure no one slipped through the net, he hadn't even spared the males.
This case was so massive; it was his best chance for promotion. He would never give up.
“Qiwen,” he said coldly to the young man behind him. “Continue the undercover investigation. Keep a close eye on the Academy of Arcane Arts.”
***
News of Ye Jia’s support for maintaining the campus atmosphere quickly spread among the students. The girls whose privacy had been repeatedly tested were especially happy, and their admiration for Professor Bu Ke grew even deeper.
After an arcane seminar ended, Ye Jia was at his desk organizing the assignments submitted by the students. Once the others had left, Fanli swam over quietly and whispered, “Professor Bu Ke, thank you.”
Ye Jia pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses bright and full of curiosity. “Hmm? Thank me for what?”
“Nothing much, I just wanted to say thanks.” Fanli shook her head, not exposing his secret help. “Thank you for always helping me... us, the students.”
Ye Jia propped one elbow on the desk, resting his chin on the back of his hand as he leaned forward slightly. With his other hand, he removed his glasses, and with them, the scholarly air vanished from his face, fully revealing a refined beauty that was almost seductive. He looked up at Fanli, his gaze so tender it could melt ice. “So, my little commoner fairy wants to thank her teacher? Then... would I have the honor of inviting you to dinner to spend a wonderful evening together?”
Fanli’s eyes widened, her body stiffening. Her gaze darted all around the classroom, looking everywhere except at him.
*Can a professor flirt with a student so blatantly? No, is this sexual harassment?!*
“One look and I can tell your mind is in the gutter, you little rascal.” He blinked slowly, then lowered his head to write seriously on the documents in front of him, saying casually, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not that indecent. That ‘wonderful evening’ was just a joke—I meant a lovely, innocent gathering.”
Fanli’s tense body suddenly relaxed.
Ye Jia looked up at her again, giving her a look that was incredibly reassuring. “Actually, it wasn't entirely a joke.”
Fanli learned for the first time that even a sea creature could choke if they inhaled too much water at once. Seeing her coughing, Ye Jia laughed and patted her back. “How can a grown girl still choke on water?”
“I-I don’t know why Professor Bu Ke helps me so much, but I... I... I still wanted to express my gratitude...” Fanli said, out of breath. “I... I have to go prepare for my lecture. I-I look forward to your class...”
“Don’t want to go with me? I can walk you to your classroom. Just like Xinghai walks you home every day.”
Fanli nearly choked again. “I wouldn't want to trouble you! I-I can go by myself!”
“Mm, alright then.” Ye Jia brushed the hair from his forehead, making his sharp jawline look like a piece of art. “Actually, there’s no ulterior motive for helping you.”
“Huh?”
“Because I especially understand students who test into Luo Ya from the outer seas. Especially someone like you, coming from as far as the Storm Sea. It must be exhausting to be disrupted by a case that has nothing to do with you.”
Fanli nodded vigorously. “Professor, you’re so thoughtful.”
“I spent my childhood in the outer seas as well. I understand that feeling of homesickness.”
“Wait, why did you spend your childhood in the outer seas?” Wasn't the Bu Ke clan’s stronghold in the Red Moon Sea?
“When I was young, the Abyss Tribe invaded our territory in massive numbers. Corals bleached severely, and famine broke out in every inhabited part of the Light Sea. The Seven Seas had to stop their infighting and unite against the Abyss Tribe. The high-ranking sea races sent all their children to the only safe place—the Holy Capital—to be educated, only bringing them home when they grew up. So, many of the names you hear today grew up there. Me, Su Shiye, Xitian, Moke, Aize, Xunyue, Qinya... and the late Princess Fengjin, the vanished Su Yi... we were all childhood friends, essentially.”
In truth, Fanli only knew of the Dictator Su Shiye, the Storm Party’s crown prince Garth Xitian, Su Shiye’s former fiancée Princess Fengjin, and that damn Academician Su Yi. But she didn't dare ask about the others’ identities, choosing only to ask about what she knew. “Xitian? You mean Garth Xitian?”
“Hard to imagine, isn't it? He and Su Shiye used to be best friends. He once vowed that political struggles would never affect his friendship with Su Shiye. Yet look at them now, only a few years later, and they’re mortal enemies.”
Fanli remembered the poem she had found in the original owner’s drawer. She had read it many times, and one line stood out vividly: *“Those god-race hunters clutching their privileges were the first to flee the Abyss Tribe’s poison; those abandoned souls in the slums used that same poison to fill their bellies.”*
It seemed Su Yi’s indignation wasn't just because of existing racial and class discrimination, but because she had lived through the disasters of war.
Fanli then thought about how the Red Moon Sea remained neutral, joining no party. Ye Jia, being a mutual friend of both Su Shiye and Xitian, must be in an awkward position. She whispered, “Professor Bu Ke, growing up with them must make things difficult for you now...”
“What? Are you worried about me? Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile. Besides, these things aren't for me to decide; they’re decided by my father. I’m just a university professor, content to stand in the back and cheer for those on the stage.”
“Yes! Campus life is simple. That’s good!”
Ye Jia looked up at her, blinking innocently. “Exactly. So, how could you think I’m not 'simple' and that I have an ulterior motive for helping you?”
Fanli waved her hands frantically. “I didn't think—”
Ye Jia leaned in a bit closer, propping up his chin with a curved smile. “Of course I have an ulterior motive.”
“...”
***
Although Fanli’s hope of returning home hadn't completely vanished, the sheer intensity of the police investigation made her cower.
Moreover, she had spent all her money on her last trip out to sea. She was truly at the end of her rope, so poor that she only had a bag full of compressed food left. Life felt incredibly hard. Every day, besides scrounging for food or filling her stomach with junk, she just curled up in her tiny room and studied hard.
In class, she still spent most of her time slumped over, but she was only faking sleep. She absorbed every word the teachers said. Whenever Feisi or Lansi asked her a question, if she understood it a little, she would give a vague hint. If she didn't understand it at all, she would say, “A question of this level... I’m sure you can handle it yourselves. Come to me when you find something truly difficult.”
Interestingly, because her way of rejecting them was gentle and friendly, they didn't think she was arrogant. Instead, they felt she was a person of principle, and their admiration for her deepened.
But whenever she felt things couldn't get any worse, new trouble always found its way to her door.
On Sunday morning, the landlady came for the rent. The landlady was a Hunter Tribe woman with Bluefin Tuna blood. She was as fat as a giant meatball, and her voice carried a natural echo. While she was still outside on the first floor, Dangdang was already at the window shouting for help.
A minute later, Fanli heard her screaming at Dangdang outside. “You’re stalling over 19 Flumen? Why did you move to Luo Ya anyway? To be a beggar? Let me tell you, brat, if you can’t pay the rent, you can get out. But if you try to live here for free, I’ll sell you to the slave market to cover the debt! You’d better behave!”
“Don’t worry, Ma’am, my boyfriend will help me pay. I won’t be late this month, I promise.”
“I hope so!”
The rent here was 19 Flumen a month... Fanli felt her world crumbling. Was she destined to be sold to the slave market?
“Fanli! Fanli!” Accompanied by a loud pounding on the door, the landlady shouted, “Rent’s due!”
Then came the sound of a key turning in the lock. Fanli scrambled under the bed. she saw the landlady’s thick blue tail with its sharp, narrow fins swimming around the room for about thirty seconds. For a moment, the water in the room felt frozen, accompanied by the sound of books being flipped and drawers being opened.
Fortunately, the landlady wasn't a Shark, or she would have heard Fanli’s heart thumping wildly. Finally, the landlady cursed and turned to leave.
“Dangdang, tell Fanli to pay up, or I’ll sell her to the slave market right along with you, you hear me!”
“Then please give our regards to the slave master, Ma’am!”
“Dangdang, are you looking for a beating?!”
“I’m alright, just a bit itchy!”
...
After the landlady left, Fanli realized she really had to figure out a way to get money. She grabbed her bag and slipped out, passing through streets slick with sewage—on the way, a boy tried to pickpocket her waist pouch, but he said with a look of pity, “Sister, you’re so poor I don’t even want it,” and returned the 4-Drop coins to her. Eventually, she reached a flea market that was slightly less dilapidated.
She found a second-hand jewelry exchange and went in, gesturing the size of Su Yi’s wedding diamond to the owner, asking how much a diamond that size would sell for.
The owner got a general idea of the diamond’s shape, stroked his whiskers, and shook his head. “To be honest, even if I had the money, I wouldn't dare buy it.”
“Why?”
“Our guild doesn't have the background to handle stolen goods like that. Anyone who can afford it is someone we can’t afford to offend, and they might even be related to the original owner.”
“Stolen? What if it’s first-hand?”
The owner looked Fanli up and down, waving her off. “Let your master come talk about this kind of business himself.”
“I *am* the owner of the diamond.”
The owner made a face like an old man trying to read a text message on a bright screen. “Look, little girl, lying is fine, but can we at least make it believable? Ordinary individuals and families aren't allowed to engrave the Deep Blue portrait; only the Seven Clans of the Holy Sea have that right. You say this is first-hand? Are you trying to tell me your master has a Sea God fiancé? And not just any Sea God, but a Holy Spirit Sea God? And not just a Holy Spirit, but one from the Garth Clan? Look, come back to me when the Light Sea Federation passes a law allowing Sea Gods to marry outside their race. At least then your story might sound plausible. Psh.”
Fanli was stunned. She had originally thought Su Yi’s fiancé was at most a high-level wealthy Hunter, but she hadn't expected him to be from the Garth Clan...
“Wait, the Garth Clan?” Fanli suddenly snapped out of it. “How do you know it’s the Garth Clan?”
“There’s the giver’s signature.” The owner pointed to the scribbled signature beneath the engraved text. “See? It says ‘Garth’ right there.”
Now, Fanli had a better understanding of why Su Shiye hated Su Yi enough to choke her. Su Shiye and the Garth Clan were at the point of assassination attempts and uranium bombs, yet Su Yi had nonchalantly fled to the Storm Sea and gotten engaged to a member of the Garth Clan. Su Shiye’s face must have been stinging from the slap his rebellious sister had given him.
However, even with the Dictator as her brother, Su Yi was still just an Ocean Tribe member. Given the slave market and all those messy rumors, she was also a rebel... It was one thing for a descendant of the Sea Gods to employ her, but why would they think of marrying her into the family?
Many things about Su Yi were starting to make sense to Fanli, yet a few clues were still missing.
“Alright, then who do you think I should sell it to?” she asked, undeterred.
“Try your luck with the Black Crocodile Guild. They have people in all the big cities of the Light Sea. Someone might be willing to take it, but don’t expect a good price.”
“How much do you think we could negotiate?”
“Sigh, thirty million at most.”
*Thirty million Drops!!!*
Wait... if it were thirty million Drops, he would have said “three hundred thousand Flumen.” The unit at the end had to be Flumen.
Heavens, thirty million Flumen!!!
Following the owner’s tip, she learned that the Black Crocodile Guild was a famous organization in the Underground City, not within Luo Ya City itself. But after hesitating, she felt it was too risky. If the diamond were only worth three thousand, she would have sold it without a second thought. But it was worth thirty million. For this ring, thirty million Flumen might be a bargain price, but she believed that no family or organization in the Light Sea could lose that much money without causing a massive stir.
She grew even more curious: who exactly was Su Yi’s fiancé?
To be safe, she decided not to sell the diamond. Instead, she sold one of the Melo pearls Su Shiye had given her. Easily, she got one hundred and eighty Flumen, enough to pay the rent.
Then, she went back to living frugally and focusing on her studies, while also considering finding a part-time job.
As the saying goes: love, poverty, and a cough cannot be hidden.
Fanli’s poverty wasn't hidden—Xinghai soon noticed. Consequently, he often took her out to eat, never exposing her secret, but instead finding ways to have her make some low-cost delicacies as an exchange.
Liuxiang and Youcan’s love wasn't hidden—everyone noticed and interrogated them.
“What else can I say? It’s just how it is.” Compared to Youcan’s sunny disposition, Liuxiang was a bit bashful. “He’s actually quite sweet, so I’ll give it a try. University is boring anyway; I might as well find a boyfriend to pass the time.”
“That’s great, congratulations,” Fanli smiled.
“A boyfriend is for ‘passing the time’?” Feisi couldn't stand that, sounding a bit angry. “You’d better treat Youcan well; he’s a good boy.”
“I know! He’s my boyfriend, of course I’ll treat him well!”
At first, to keep it a secret, Liuxiang had been a bit reclusive and unwilling to walk with them. But once everyone knew, they became part of the group again.
Thus, Fanli not only had to endure the “dull but devoted old couple” brand of dog-food from the twins every day, but also the “passionate new lovers’ high-sugar” brand of dog-food from Liuxiang and Youcan.
And it was obvious that in the latter pair, Youcan loved more. He was always the first to get food for Liuxiang in the cafeteria; when Liuxiang was tired, he was the first to massage her tail and shoulders; when Liuxiang was unhappy, he was the first to make faces and tell jokes to make her laugh... In short, when they spoke to their respective partners and Xinghai wasn't around, Fanli always felt like a third wheel.
When Xinghai was there, she felt like the other four were the extra ones.
***The 4.3 Mini-Theater***
Fanli: “Today, let’s rank the male leads of 4.3 by their ‘manliness.’ The champion is Xitian!”
Xitian: “Not a surprise.”
Fanli: “Runner-up is Coconut!”
Su Shiye: “Why am I ranked behind that guy?”
Fanli: “Third place is Xinghai!”
Xinghai: “Only third...?”
Ye Jia: “Am I just feminine then?!”
Fanli: “You’re not feminine, you’re just gay...”
Ye Jia: “...”
***
**Glossary**
