"Want to make a bet with me?"

Fang Zheng entered the laboratory, locked the door, and squatted down in front of Xiang Wan with a serious expression, looking her in the eye.

I don't know what he's up to, but if it adds a little fun to life, I'm happy to keep him company.

"What are we betting on?"

"That child outside the door..."

"You mean, Han Yu?"

Fang Zheng raised an eyebrow, looking as if she had just known, as if she had deliberately seduced the child.

Sigh, she really did it on purpose, but she can't say it, at least not let him know.

"Everyone calls it that, is there a problem?"

"As far as I know, children around ten years old, especially boys, rarely have a long-term interest in one thing or one creature. At the same time, they are also a bit rebellious. The more you forbid them from touching something, the more they want it. For example—you!"

Fang Zheng looked into Xiang Wan's eyes but said things that had nothing to do with her. It sounded like he was analyzing human psychological characteristics, but in the end, he forcibly focused on her, which made people even more confused.

"What a child likes or dislikes is difficult to maintain for long unless the outside world provides constant stimulation, the same scene is repeatedly reproduced, and his sensitive points are hit repeatedly, so that he will pay any price to achieve his goal."

"What do you mean? Do you mean Han Yu would send his father to deal with you just to get me?"

"As a mermaid, compared to humans of the same age, do you assess yourself and think you can surpass them?"

Speaking of intelligence, does she, who has traveled through so many worlds, really think she's inferior to a child?

System: ...Fang Zheng, you have a discerning eye! Great minds think alike!

Xiang Wan calmed herself down and, instead of answering Fang Zheng's question directly, changed the subject.

"I can assume that what you're saying is because someone wants to infringe on your rights, so they deliberately told me this so I can make my own decision, right?"

Fang Zheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he sighed, "Not too stupid."

"So, this bet is mostly related to me. I want to know, what are the stakes!"

"you!"

Fang Zheng's answer was so concise and to the point that it made one wonder about his motives.

"This lab and I both belong to you now. Do you think it's fair to use me as a bargaining chip?"

"As long as it's reasonable to you and me, it's fair."

Xiang Wan fell silent. Initially, she had shown Fang Zheng her uniqueness because he possessed a fragment of his soul, and her choice to believe him was based on this. She had placed her bet on him, without his knowledge or his consent. Now, he had brought it up, using her as a bargaining chip, and the feeling was truly complex.

“You can consider it, but only for one hour.”

Xiang Wan was startled. Why was the time limit chosen to be one hour?

The questioning look in her eyes was too obvious. Fang Zheng stood up, patted her head, put her back in her fish tank, and went to attend to his own business.

As a research subject, Fang Zheng did nothing for her. It would be more accurate to call it companionship and learning than research.

He was so focused on his research that there were almost no people whose thoughts were in sync with his. Persistence and composure were the hallmarks of Fang Zheng. Xiang Wan found it hard to imagine that someone like him would ever make a bet with a mermaid like her.

Perhaps the situation itself is interesting enough, so why dwell on the stakes? She needs to understand this chosen partner, and he probably wants to understand her too!

"Fang Zheng, I'm very curious, what else is someone like you interested in besides your scientific experiments?"

Xiang Wan clung to the edge of the fish tank, and for the first time, she became curious about Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng, who was writing something in his notebook, replied without turning his head, "What a coincidence! I'd also like to know what you're interested in."

"A mermaid who is imprisoned will spend most of her time being used as an experimental subject and studied repeatedly. What do you think I would be interested in?"

"Indeed, a person's emotions, personality, and habits are all influenced by the surrounding environment. A word, an action, or even a chance noise—these seemingly insignificant factors won't have a significant impact on a person in the short term. Only people or things that matter to the individual can play a decisive role in their thoughts. However, I never underestimate those subtle differences. Sometimes, the decisive factor lies hidden in the minute. Psychology uses a series of methods to guide the individual along a self-defined path. Biological evolution is similar."

Little Mermaid, do you think that what most people take for granted is necessarily true?

Fortunately, Xiang Wan had learned the most basic principles of contradiction. What Fang Zheng said, while not entirely true, made a lot of sense. However, she was a mermaid and didn't need to understand these things.

"I never expected Professor Fang to speak in such profound terms; it's like listening to gibberish to me."

Fang Zheng chuckled and turned to say, "Whether you understand or not is up to you. Whether I speak or not is up to me. Compared to those boring and tedious classes, I'd rather just talk to you and not have to think about so much."

"You're treating me like a confidant? Aren't you afraid your future wife will be jealous?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xiang Wan regretted them. If someone with a sensitive heart were to say that, they would definitely overthink it. Although she had always considered herself an adult in her mind, her body was still that of a minor, and saying such things was somewhat inappropriate.

"Mermaids seem to be a long way from reaching adulthood."

"Don't overthink it, I just..."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!