Chapter 35 - A Divergence of Hearts
Half an hour later, they boarded a private vessel for the return journey.
Inside the spacious, ultra-long cabin, a newly appointed secretary couldn't help but steal glances at Su Shiye and Fanli. He had always imagined Lord Su Shiye to be the type of man who was perpetually stern—a man whose very smile carried a sense of condescending superiority. As it turned out, his judgment of character was severely lacking.
From his vantage point, he saw only a beautiful and vivacious girl of the Ocean Race, her spirit seemingly buoyed by an unending reserve of good humor. Su Shiye spent most of the time listening, occasionally offering a response. When he did speak, he would lean in close, shielding his lips and her ear with his hand—a gesture that seemed entirely redundant, given that he was one of the few individuals in the Light Sea capable of maintaining a soundproofing spell with zero effort. Whatever he whispered caused the girl to bury her face in her hands, her shoulders and arms bunching up in a fit of shy delight, as if she were being tickled. She was, by all accounts, utterly adorable.
During the half-day journey from the Resurrection Sea to the Winter Sea, the secretary witnessed this scene four times. As a member of the Predatory Race, he had never once considered dating a girl from the Ocean Race, but watching her, his youthful heart swelled with an unexpected sentiment. Suddenly, the idea of having a little "bait" girlfriend didn't seem so bad after all.
"Stop staring," a cold, elegant voice rang out behind him. He turned to see the Secretary-General to the Dictator. She was tall, her hair swept up into a meticulous bun that accentuated her exquisite features and perfect hairline. She poured a cold drink over ice, casting him a frigid look. "Mind your own business when it comes to the Dictator’s private affairs."
"I... I’ve just never seen this side of Lord Su Shiye before..."
"Then you’d best get used to it; you’ll be seeing it often," the Secretary-General remarked nonchalantly, stirring her drink with a straw. "The Dictator is a man, after all. There’s no need for such a fuss."
"Seeing it often?"
The voice didn't belong to the male secretary, but to Fanli. Unnoticed, she had appeared at the cabin door beside them.
The Secretary-General had once served under Su Yi and had later looked after Princess Fengjin on Su Yi's behalf. Accustomed to the noble grace and composure of those two high-born women, she didn't take much notice of the low-tier girls who swooned over the Dictator. To her, they were a common sight. She swirled her glass, casting a brief glance at the Ocean Race girl before her. "Well, perhaps not *too* often. He usually goes on a date once every three to five days."
The words hit Fanli like a falling boulder, leaving her mind ringing with a dull, heavy ache.
"Every three to five days? Is it... with different girls?"
"It depends on the person. With the Sea God Race, he usually cycles through them after a few encounters. With the Predatory Race, it lasts a bit longer. As for the Ocean Race..." The Secretary-General tapped her chin, pondering for a moment. "You might be the first in nineteen months. You’re quite lucky. The one nineteen months ago wasn't even pure Ocean Race; she was a hybrid with a quarter Shark blood. She was a famous dancer from the Resurrection Sea—easily in my top three for skill. High bridge to her nose, deep-set eyes... she was stunning. You really should have seen her."
"Why would there be Sea God girls? Isn't there reproductive isolation?" In truth, Fanli didn't want to know the answers. Her heart was in a state of chaotic flux, and she was merely grasping for topics to maintain a facade of calm.
"Oh, so you didn't know. An Aetherial Body has no reproductive isolation with any race—not even the Flame Demons. Impressive, isn't it? Our Dictator is essentially a high-powered breeding machine. He never demands exclusivity from his partners, but most of these girls find it impossible to remain polyamorous once they've been with him. In the end, they usually get hurt because they can't let go."
"Lord Su Shiye truly is... impressive," Fanli murmured, stepping back toward the side of the door.
The Secretary-General and the male secretary thought nothing of the exchange and moved on to discussing the humans on the glaciers of the Winter Sea. They spoke of how the ancient Eskimos had arrived eighteen thousand years ago, and how the Dorset people had followed five centuries back, inventing stone lamps, igloos, underground winter dwellings, and the method of harpooning seals through breathing holes. These humans, it seemed, were capable of infiltrating every corner of the world.
The rest of their conversation was a blur to Fanli.
She leaned against the wall, covering her eyes with her hands. She felt like an absolute fool for forgetting Su Shiye’s genetic makeup. Now, his sudden passion no longer seemed strange, and she finally believed what Bourne had told her. Su Shiye did indeed like her. However, she had overlooked one crucial fact: Su Shiye’s "affection" was cheap. He was the ultimate predator, the pinnacle of his kind, and for his race, monogamy was an alien concept. He could "like" a new girl every few days, provided she possessed some spark that caught his eye.
Because he didn't seek a one-on-one relationship, he wasn't particularly picky. Even a girl who was vastly beneath him—someone like her—could be held in the palm of his hand and cherished for a moment.
Her suspicions were correct; there were countless women throwing themselves at him. But a man of his nature naturally preferred to hold the dominant position in a relationship. His gentlemanly demeanor and easy-going attitude were merely a display of confidence—a show of respect toward his prey.
Even hybrids found it difficult to stay with one woman until the end. Someone like Xinghai, who was both handsome and devoted, was a rare specimen—virtually non-existent among the sea folk.
Upon returning to the hotel, Fanli used exhaustion as an excuse to decline dinner with Su Shiye, retreating to her room to rest.
"Ah, I really am an idiot..." she sighed, collapsing onto the bed in a state of total depletion. "So stupid. How could I do something so foolish? Sigh..."
Yet, the moment she thought of their kiss, even for a fleeting second, her entire body would go soft and numb, sinking deep into the intoxication of the memory. Whenever this happened, she would clutch her quilt into a ball, furrowing her brows as she forced herself to wake up.
"He’s just playing around. I must be a complete moron..."
That evening, Su Shiye did not contact her directly. Instead, he sent a servant to her door with a lavish, multi-course dinner. Beside a set of polished, gleaming cutlery sat a red basket made of coral and algae, tucked with a small card.
"Miss Fanli, this is a gift from Lord Dictator," the servant said, performing a formal salute with his right hand before swimming backward out of the room.
It was the most beautiful basket of algae she had seen since arriving in the Light Sea. There were roughly five thousand species of red algae in these waters, most of which contained chlorophyll, meaning their colors weren't always pure. This particular basket, however, was devoid of chlorophyll, containing only red phycobilins. The center consisted of tiny, gauze-like structures, surrounded by large, branching fronds. The color was a deep, saturated crimson—more beautiful than the most expensive luxury lipstick. To achieve such purity, they must have been cultivated in the upper layers of the ocean under specific light conditions.
She pulled out the card. The handwriting was unmistakably Su Shiye’s:
*Miss Fanli,*
*Do you like the coral algae?*
*The color reminds me of your hair.*
*—Su Shiye*
Her head began to spin again.
Fanli shook her head, spending ten minutes agonizing between rolling around on the bed in a romantic daze with the card or simply throwing it away. Ultimately, she chose the latter. Not only did she discard it, but she tore it into tiny pieces, tossed them into the trash can, and slammed the lid shut.
On the morning of their final day, an urgent summons from Saint Yejiana forced Su Shiye to return for pressing political matters, necessitating the cancellation of their morning sightseeing plans. Fanli felt a pang of disappointment, yet she also felt a profound sense of relief.
Su Shiye insisted on escorting her to the border of the Red Moon Sea. Throughout the trip, he sat in the front, occupied with the official business reported by his secretary. As they drew closer to the Red Moon Sea, Fanli huddled in the corner of the private vessel, her mood sinking lower with every passing mile. Before boarding that morning, he had briefly taken her hand. Though it was merely the etiquette of a gentleman assisting a lady, it had sent her heart into a prolonged state of turmoil. She didn't want to leave him, yet she didn't want to see him ever again.
It was a feeling more agonizing than having a confession rejected.
Finally, the vessel reached its destination. The private ship that would take her back to Luoya was waiting by a coral reef. She swam out quickly, and when she bowed to Su Shiye, she bent deep at the waist. "Thank you, Lord Su Shiye. These past few days have been wonderful, and I’ve learned so much. If you ever come to Luoya again, dinner is on me."
Fanli was merely offering polite platitudes. In truth, she never wanted to experience this emotional rollercoaster again; it was far too precarious. But Su Shiye’s response caught her completely off guard.
"It won't be long," Su Shiye said, looking at her through the window with a faint smile. "I’ll come to see you next weekend."
Even the Secretary-General’s eyes widened at those words.
"There’s no need," Fanli stammered, waving her hands frantically. "You’re far too busy. Really, there’s no need."
"You haven't been to Saint Yejiana yet, have you?"
"No..."
"Then after your break starts, I’ll pick you up and take you there for a while. I’ll come to Luoya next weekend first. It’s settled. I have to get back to work now." He gestured to the pilot to start the engines.
The rhythmic thrum of the propellers began to pulse through the water.
Had she not heard the Secretary-General’s revelation, Fanli might have been ready to pop a bottle of champagne in celebration. But now, she couldn't find a shred of joy.
"What is it?" Receiving no response, Su Shiye signaled the pilot again, then opened the hatch and swam toward her. "You seem upset."
Fanli shook her head.
"No, you’re emotional. I can feel it."
Fanli continued to shake her head. "I’m just... a little worried about my studies."
"All negative emotions stem from unfulfilled desires," Su Shiye said with a smile. "But it seems Miss Fanli’s desires are related to me."
Fanli lowered her gaze, neither confirming nor denying.
"The kissing wasn't enough? Do you want more comfort?" Su Shiye leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he whispered, "I don't easily grant that level of request to women, but for you, I can make an exception."
Fanli’s heart gave a sharp twitch, and she recoiled slightly. "No, no, no! That’s not what I meant at all. I’m just... blaming myself."
"Blaming yourself?"
"Yes. I feel like an adult who can't handle things with the proper boundaries. It has nothing to do with you, Lord Su Shiye. Please don't take it to heart, and don't waste any more time on me. Thank you for your hospitality. I’m leaving."
With that, Fanli turned to go, but Su Shiye caught her by the wrist.
"Fanli, surely you aren't like the other Ocean Race girls?" Su Shiye laughed, though his tone carried a hint of disdain that stung her. "Are you looking for something a male predator can never give you?"
"Of course not!" Fanli brushed his hand away and turned back, her face flushed with shame and irritation. "Even though I haven't been a member of the sea folk for long, I know perfectly well that your kind is all about reproduction and devoid of true emotion! Especially someone like you, Lord Dictator! How could I ever dare to ask for feelings from you? I really am blaming myself—blaming myself for being attracted to you, for being unable to resist whenever you get close. I broke my own principles. I wanted to save my first kiss for a boyfriend, but I failed. My second, third, and fourth kisses were all with the same person—someone who isn't my boyfriend. I’m sorry for subjecting you to such intense pessimism. But the inability to refuse a man is my problem, not yours. I’ll go back and reflect on my actions."
Su Shiye froze for a moment, then began to laugh again. "You truly are being pessimistic. If I only wanted to mate, I wouldn't have done so much, and I certainly wouldn't have kissed you. I told you, I like you very much. You can certainly ask for my feelings."
"But it’s impossible for it to be just me, isn't it?"
"You want me to be exclusive to you?"
"I don't." Fanli lowered her head, her frustration mounting. "No, I wouldn't dare think it. Even if you were willing to be exclusive for me, I’d feel it was a massive waste. I’m sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper just now."
"It’s fine," Su Shiye said, looking at her tenderly. "But what I said still stands. If you want to take things further, you can come to me anytime. Once you’re in Saint Yejiana, a long-term arrangement is also possible."
If any other guy had said that to her, Fanli would have torn him apart. But she knew that for a member of the Predatory Race, this was a standard offer; for Su Shiye, it was practically a gift from the heavens. As Liuxiang had once said, if one could climb into Su Shiye’s bed, their life would be set. The offspring of an Aetherial Body could become SS-class special forces, actors who could become famous without a shred of talent, scholars who could win the Elgrin Arcane Research Award, or follow in their father's footsteps to become top-tier politicians, strategists, and military leaders.
Reproduction was a biological instinct. But as a sentient being, Fanli felt that life should be about more than just breeding.
Seeing her silence, Su Shiye ruffled her bangs. "Lili, I have no requirements for your exclusivity either. I don't mind if you have a boyfriend. As long as he doesn't mind, I can coexist with him in peace."
Fanli desperately wanted to scream. *Holy hell! The culture of the sea folk is absolutely insane!*
His meaning was clear: *I’ll play around, you play around, and we’ll all have fun together!*
Since his genes were superior, any woman who wasn't a complete fool would 100% choose to have his child if she wanted to get pregnant. But what man would be stupid enough to use his marriage and future to be the "rebound guy" for Su Shiye? In this polygamous genetic war, she was destined to be the loser. She couldn't let herself be brainwashed.
At that moment, Fanli finally saw everything clearly. She was finally ready to let go.
"No, thank you for the kind offer, Lord Su Shiye." She gently pushed his hand away.
"You’re unwilling?" Su Shiye was clever; he quickly deduced the source of her concern. "If your future boyfriend has financial difficulties, I can help."
*Again with this!*
The only way that would work is if she found a "kept man." No man with an ounce of dignity would ever agree to such a thing. She took a few deep breaths to steady her emotions.
"Actually, I want a happy little home," Fanli said, her eyes curving into a smile. "The monogamous kind. For that boy, I’ll study hard, make myself beautiful, and keep improving... and, well... I want to save my first time for him. But... I’m truly touched that you think so highly of me, Lord Su Shiye. Thank you!"
"Monogamy?" Su Shiye frowned, as if hearing the word for the first time. "Actually, that’s unfavorable for evolution."
"It’s only unfavorable for the evolution of people like you. For us ordinary folk, monogamy is perfect. But I suppose most males are polygamous by nature. That’s why I have to work harder to become better—good enough that a boy would be willing to give up all other women for me."
Su Shiye watched her silently, saying nothing.
"Of course, there’s a limit to human ability." Fanli scratched her head. "No matter how hard I try, a god-tier man like you is someone I could never hope to reach in this lifetime. I... I’ll just have to worship you as my idol from afar."
"If I’m your idol, why refuse?"
"I’m waiting for that boy to appear." For some reason, as she spoke those words to the man before her, her nose felt a bit stingy. "The boy for whom I am enough."
Su Shiye remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. "Fine."
"Then I’ll be going. Thank you for everything!" Fanli waved to him. "Goodbye, my idol!"
"Goodbye."
Su Shiye stood in place for a while, watching her depart, before finally returning to the cabin. He leaned against the window, listening to the roar of the propellers. As he gazed out at the vast, beautiful coral reefs, the night filter turned his eyes a cold, burnished bronze. He propped his temple against the back of his hand, closing his eyes in frustration. Yet, his mind was filled with those large, deep-blue eyes—innocent, passionate, and always smiling. This girl always called him "Lord Su Shiye" in a cute tone that was entirely different from Su Yi’s. When he kissed her, she trembled with fear, yet responded with such bold courage...
Just now, when she spoke of "waiting for that boy," her eyes had been red, yet she had still smiled so brightly.
How irritating.
The Secretary-General held up a document and began to read, "Lord Dictator, the following is a report from the Potion Regulatory Bureau regarding last month’s..."
"Shut up." Su Shiye opened his eyes, cutting her off coldly. His gaze was dark as he stared straight ahead. "Don't speak to me."
Pesa, the Secretary-General, stopped in alarm, her lips—red as rose petals—snapping shut. It had been a long time since her superior had been this irritable.
Su Shiye slowed his breathing. Though his brow remained furrowed, his tone softened considerably. "I’m sorry, Pesa. I’m thinking. Give me five minutes."
"My apologies. I shouldn't have interrupted your thoughts without permission. I will report back in five minutes." Pesa lowered her head, hardly daring to breathe.
***
The vacation was over, and life returned to its normal track. Classes, part-time work, self-study, and the usual chaos...
After several days of wild fun, Fanli found it hard to settle her mind the night before returning to school. But once classes began the next day, she realized she was growing more and more fond of life at Luoya University. Before the Buke Day Potions lecture, she was the first to snag a prime spot in the corner. Seeing the "Double S" couple and her little angel You Can, her heart felt as though it were filled with sunshine.
However, her greatest joy came from the boy who eventually sat beside her. He wore a white shirt made of noble pen shell silk, his wrists bony and fair, his eyes a pool of pure, pale blue.
"Morning, Lili."
"Morning, Xinghai." Fanli leaned her head on the desk, deliberately shaking it. "Notice anything different about me?"
"The sea lily hair clip from the Resurrection Sea."
"Sharp eyes! You noticed immediately." she said in surprise. "Are you really a 'straight man'?"
"I pay attention to everything about you."
Fanli froze. For some reason, she felt a strange pang of guilt... What was wrong with her? Xinghai wasn't even her boyfriend...
"Enough with the public displays of affection!!" You Can protested indignantly. "Think of my situation! Liuxiang is completely ignoring me!! I’m about to be dumped! Waa—wait, what’s that sound? It’s terrifying!"
It wasn't just You Can; Fanli, Xinghai, and the entire class heard it. It was the wailing of a girl. Even from a distance, the sheer misery of the scream made Fanli’s heart skip a beat. Many of the Predatory Race students, with their sensitive hearing, immediately covered their ears.
Following the crowd, Fanli and the others swam out of the teaching building. Behind the back door, a group of Orca girls had surrounded an Ocean Race girl, taking turns trampling her dignity. They slapped her, whipped her with their tail fins, scratched her skin with their nails, and hiked up her skirt, tearing her thick brown curls into a tangled mess. The Ocean Race girl’s hairstyle was long gone, her colorful starfish hair ornaments scattered across the ground. Because she was repeatedly sustaining minor injuries, wisps of scarlet blood drifted through the water like fine smoke.
Lina sat nearby, hoisted high by six boys like a queen overlooking the scene, occasionally letting out a yawn. An Orca girl grabbed the victim by the hair, forcing her face toward the crowd. "What are you looking at? Want to see what the slave-girl who offended our Sister Lina looks like? This is it!"
The girl’s face was covered in scratches, her lip split, with thin trails of blood leaking out. Her lips trembled, her eyes were bloodshot, and tears fell like pearls.
Fanli was horrified. It was Dangdang!!
The crowd suddenly fell silent. The students didn't even dare to whisper.
"Actually, I’ve always been quite lenient with slaves," Lina said, flicking her hair as she leaned forward. "But if a slave doesn't know their place, they can't blame Sister Lina for being too harsh."
"I am not your slave!" Dangdang screamed, her eyes filled with indignation and fury. "I am Ocean Race!! The Ocean Race are not slaves to the Predatory Race!!"
Lina burst into laughter. "Oh? Starting a race war now, are we? You know why I look down on you. Just now in the cafeteria, you were telling your music department classmates those disgusting things again—'As long as a woman is young, beautiful, and gentle enough, she can get material investment from men. Why do I like married men with kids? If I want a house, he’ll give it to me; if I want love, he’ll offer it with both hands. So what if he has a daughter? Everything the daughter has will eventually be mine.' Those were your words, weren't they? Tell me, what does that have to do with the Ocean Race? Is every Ocean Race member as lowly as you?"
"What I think is none of your business!! I wasn't talking to you!"
At that moment, half of the people who had originally pitied Dangdang developed complicated expressions.
Lina narrowed her eyes, her tone turning vicious. "Then if I kill you, it won't be any of your business either."
Her Orca cronies took the hint and resumed their brutal beating of Dangdang. With every blow, Dangdang let out a scream, hoping to attract help. But the students present knew that Lina’s power didn't just come from the fact that her mother owned an eleven-hundred-square-meter mansion in the Starry Sea’s famous Golden Floating Rainforest. It was because her mother owned such a mansion without ever having spent a single cent of her own money. Whether they liked her or not, no one dared to cross her; they simply watched in silence as a warning of what happened to those who did.
Dangdang might have been foolish in matters of the heart, but she wasn't a bad person at her core. She didn't deserve this!
Fanli’s nerves were pulled taut. She pushed through the crowd, darting into the teaching building and rushing into the Dean’s office, bubbles bursting from her mouth in her haste. "D-Dean! Lina is bullying a student from another academy in the square!"
