Chapter 30
After several twists and turns, the Elders Council finally instructed Finks to spend a week with Li Jue and Qian Xing under surveillance.
As long as they can prove to the Elders that the three of them are a harmonious, friendly and auspicious family, they can take the baby away.
Otherwise, the little guy will be sent to Elder Qiao to be raised by her personally.
Hubbard originally proposed a one-month observation period, but Finks couldn't tolerate it and argued for it, so he compressed it to one week.
A week may not seem like a long time, but it is actually enough time to see a lot of things.
Whether the couple's love is genuine or just a forced one, whether the parent-child relationship is loving and filial or chaotic, nothing can escape the dragon's sharp eyes.
There are three audit criteria:
First, do Finks and Qianxing have a harmonious partnership?
Second, whether the parents have fulfilled their duties in raising and educating the cubs;
Third, whether Li Jue is a qualified little dragon cub.
Finks's style of doing things is to find a way out when the time comes. He doesn't think about the last point that is almost impossible to achieve for the time being. He will always find a way to let the baby get away with it when the time comes.
What is more important now is how to make the first two points pass the strict review of the Elders' Council.
Qian Xing couldn't believe her ears.
He was going to spend a week living with Finks under the same roof? As a couple? Under so many eyes?
He now began to feel that giving up the fight for the small system, or taking Li Jue away directly, sounded like a better idea.
"I will help you to the end, Your Majesty the Sea King." Phinx's dragon pupils always shone brightly and intensely golden. "Aren't you curious about what terms I can agree to?"
Qian Xing said coldly, "I no longer find your promise attractive. Can you cede this world to me?"
Finks blinked. "How do you know it won't work if you haven't tried it?"
Qian Xing's breathing stopped.
The annexation of sub-worlds is not without precedent.
Things like him finding a gap at the edge of the world and entering another sub-world had happened long before the "Great Chaos".
A weak "core" will cause the collapse of the sub-world. On the contrary, a strong "core" can also attract fragments of the surrounding world to consolidate and expand its territory.
Theoretically, bosses are not allowed to invade other people's territories at will, but some weak bosses cannot support the sub-world and do not want to be recovered by the center, so they have to seek refuge with others. This is a rule of the survival of the fittest that even the main god tacitly approves.
Precisely because Qian Xing knew the feasibility of this, she wouldn't believe that a man with a reputation as a tyrant would be willing to be inferior to others: "You expect me to believe that you're willing to do nothing for a child who is not related to you and is destined to leave you?"
"You didn't necessarily ask for this."
"I want it now, will you give it to me?"
"It doesn't count now, my dear Majesty. It has to wait until you help me pass all the tests and get Elder Qiao's approval at the witness meeting. Then, you can have whatever you want."
...I knew there would always be an excuse.
The tyrant's pride would prevent him from breaking his promise, and Qian Xing also knew this.
After careful consideration, he finally agreed: "Then let me see if you can really keep your word."
*
Since the two are a husband and wife and have a child, it makes sense for them to live in the same room.
Fortunately, with Finks' status, he naturally stayed in the highest-level suite. The two of them lived in their own rooms, separated by an empty living room, study, and gym, so they did not disturb each other.
The most difficult one is Li Jue.
Zizi usually either sleeps in a small bed with Lingxi, or stays on the sofa in Finks' room, which is almost as big as a bed for him. Anyway, he always needs someone to accompany him.
So is it better to spend these days with Brother Mi or with Brother Yaoyao?
Children who are loved by everyone on the starship must master the skill of balancing the two. Since they want to be treated equally, both parents have to be there for them.
The cub is only three years old and is a little tired.
Li Jue slept in the first half of the night on a small bed made of two armchairs in Finks' room. Although the hotel could provide more comfortable children's beds, Zizi insisted on sleeping on this bed. The tight wrapping of the chair back and armrests made the child feel very safe.
In the second half of the night, Zaizai climbed down using his hands and feet, covered himself with a small blanket with a little yellow chicken pattern, and tiptoed to the edge of Finks' bed to make sure his parents were soundly asleep.
Normally, it would be difficult for a dragon as vigilant and irritable as the Golden Tyrant to fall into such a deep sleep, especially when there is a second person in the room.
On the one hand, he has a high degree of trust in Li Jue, and the cub is like an extra little tail to him;
On the other hand, as long as Zizi wants, he can use his wonderful soothing ability to give anyone a beautiful dream.
He has a calming effect on this world, or rather on the entire infinite space, that can reach absolute depth.
This ability is far different from the system of the abolished healing post, which requires props and medicine to assist. It is a completely innate instinct, like a natural power shared from the Creator.
The last person who could do this was the disappeared main god Benshen.
Some people have gradually noticed this, but no one has yet been able to find the real reason.
Apart from Ling Xi who was watching everything, there was no one else in the infinite space who knew Li Jue's true identity.
Including Li Jue himself.
The hotel floor was covered with thick, clean carpets, and without Ayaka here, Li Jue could finally do what he loved most: running around barefoot.
The blanket was a little too big for him, and the cub dragged it around like a big yellow tail.
Not long ago, when he transformed from a kitten into a human cub on the starship, he didn't have proper clothes to wear and ran around wrapped in red velvet curtains.
Not long after, Zaizai already has a huge wardrobe that he can’t wear even if he changes clothes three times a day.
How long does it take for a stray kitten to go from being an unloved one to a pampered little baby?
No one can answer this question.
Anyway, if the small system takes action, conquering bosses and NPCs will be easy.
For the safety of dragons flying at night, the hotel had the same requirements as Lincheng, and most lights needed to be turned off after dark. The child followed the only river-like light strip, dragging the blanket through the empty living room, through the study where people were whispering in the dark, and came to the guest bedroom where Qian Xing was.
As long as Zizi wants, he can certainly enter any room or even any corner.
But Li Jue was a polite child. He grabbed a corner of the blanket with one hand, clenched his other hand into a fist, and knocked on the door, calling softly: "Brother, Yaoyao brother, my son is here to see you!"
He heard it, brother Yaoyao hasn’t gone to bed yet.
Li Jue waited patiently for a while, and when he heard the sound of the churning water stop, he whispered, "Come in."
The living door slid open in front of him. Zizi put the little yellow chicken blanket back on and walked into the room. He looked around curiously and then followed the sound to the bathroom door.
The bathroom door is frosted and you can't see inside clearly.
Little Li Jue looked up at the big door and asked, "Brother, can I come in?"
Qian Xingbing's cold voice was washed by the water, making it more hazy than usual, and also more gentle: "Are you wearing any thick clothes?"
The cub answered crisply: "No!"
but.
"There's a blanket!"
Qian Xing: “.”
Qian Xing: "You can't bring that in."
Li Jue felt sorry, but he still obediently folded the little yellow chicken blanket and put it on the chair next to him.
"Take off your shoes too," Qian Xing reminded.
Li Jue answered cheerfully: "The kid isn't wearing shoes!"
Qian Xing: “…Come on.”
Zizi didn't need to do anything, the door slid open in front of him.
The first thing Li Jue noticed was the water stains seeping out from the crack in the door. This had happened before when he was taking a bath with his father at home and played with water too much. His father would then use a mop to wipe up the water droplets that had sneaked into the room.
The baby swayed from side to side like a little duck, avoiding the wet places, wondering whether he should help his brother mop the floor later.
When I looked up, I was stunned.
This bathroom is divided into functional areas, with the washbasin, bathtub and shower separated into several sections by glass doors.
However, at this moment, they were all wrapped in a huge water ball that almost occupied all the space.
I finally understand why my brother doesn't allow me to wear thick clothes and shoes.
The oversized water ball did not have any obvious membrane or partition. Its very edge was also filled with water waves, but the flow direction was controlled. They always circulated and covered each other to prevent them from flowing outward.
In the middle of the water ball, the first thing the cub saw was a dark blue fish tail.
But it is not the size of an ordinary small fish or shrimp. The fish tail is longer than an adult's legs, and the separated tips are curved like petals. It seems to be covered with gauze, swaying lightly in the water.
The blue scales reflected the bright yellow light in the bathroom, adding a layer of warmth to the originally cold background.
Above the beautiful fish tail is an upper body that is no different from that of a human. Scales extend all the way to both sides of the waist, and further up, there are slight remnants on the collarbone, neck and cheeks.
Li Jue was so surprised by the scene before him that he was speechless. For a moment, he didn't know where he had entered or who he had seen... No, can someone with a fish tail still be called a "human"?
Seeing that familiar, noble phoenix eye, he recognized it immediately.
"Wow." The little cub held his face in his hands, eyes wide open, and exclaimed, "Brother is a mermaid! A mermaid!"
When children are exclaiming about something, they always like to repeat it twice for emphasis.
The Siren King has been in the ocean world for so many years and is praised for his handsomeness, majesty, and ability to command.
This is the first time I have been praised for having a human body and a fish tail.
The little cub liked him, not because he was the Siren King, not because he possessed the ocean and all the power in it.
Just because he is himself.
Qian Xing chuckled, and the smile in the water turned into a string of bubbles, swaying and rising to the top, and then disappeared.
The bathroom space was limited, and the water ball was the largest he could make, barely enough for him to swim back and forth.
The Siren King turned lightly, his tail fin splashing the water, and swam over. He raised his hand and touched the edge, looking down at the cub: "Want to come play?"
His voice was like the sound of rushing, distant water, carrying an inexplicable allure.
It seemed that at this moment the Siren King remembered his original mission in the Dragon World: to trick the small system into going to him.
There is no child who doesn’t like playing in the water, and Li Jue gladly accepted the invitation.
Qian Xing was initially wondering whether to give him the Night Pearl - one was indeed snatched away by that violent dragon, but he was the Lord of the Ocean, how could he not have other stocks - then he remembered that Finks had mentioned intentionally or unintentionally that when they went to the fake dragon cave hidden at the bottom of the lake, the little cub showed an amazing ability to breathe freely in the water without any assistance.
Rather than saying it's a talent for swimming or diving, it's better to say that the small system with the highest access authority is like a fish in water in the sub-world.
Zizi nodded and raised his hands high.
He watched in amazement as his hand passed through the boundary of the flowing water. He didn't feel anything obvious, except that the water was much cooler and the resistance made everything slower.
The adult grabbed his little hand and placed it in his palm, then gently pulled it towards himself, and the little cub was pulled into the water ball.
Li Jue subconsciously held his breath and closed his eyes.
Although he was the fastest learner in the swimming class, humans have a natural fear and defensive instinct towards large amounts of water.
After the whole body was soaked in water, someone put his hands over the baby's eyes and said gently, "Open your eyes, it's okay. It won't hurt."
Cubs always trust their parents' words, even their older brother whom they have known for the shortest time.
He slowly opened his eyes, and all the water rushed towards him.
However, they did not slap him hard as they had done in swimming lessons before, but gently supported the little cub so that he would not sink even if he did not move.
The expected discomfort did not occur. Instead, I could breathe as freely as on land.
It’s quite different from the last experience in the lake.
This is all because the master who controls water and flowing liquids is right beside him, protecting him every step of the way.
The bathroom space is not very spacious for adults, but it is more than enough for children.
The highly adaptable cub quickly became familiar with how to move in the water and became more and more bold.
Soon, he could swim wherever he wanted without his brother holding his hand, and found his own fun.
Li Jue abandoned the orthodox posture he followed in swimming class. Now he didn't have to worry about breathing or buoyancy, so he could play however he wanted.
Qian Xing raised her index finger and made a circle in the water. The circle turned into a bubble as big as a football and floated away.
Li Jue's eyes lit up and he immediately chased after him.
He chased the bubble like a happy little dolphin.
After a while, the cub found a way and clapped his two little arms to burst the bubbles.
The clear laughter of the children is like a bell, and the waves carry it far away.
"Is it fun?"
A deep blue fish tail appeared, swayed gracefully, and gently wrapped the cub in front of itself.
Li Jue giggled: "Fun!"
Qian Xing poked the little cub's soft-haired cat ears and said temptingly, "Come to my world and play like this every day, okay?"
Li Jue blinked.
Momo said that after he completed the mission in a sub-world, he would go to the next place.
Zizi thought sadly, is he going to leave Mimi and his other brothers and sisters?
When is it?
When the time comes, can we say goodbye properly?
He didn't say goodbye to his father.
For the little cub, it would be sad whenever he thought about it.
Where's Xixi? Is Xixi saying goodbye too?
But Xixi said that she would be with him forever.
However, what is "forever"?
My father never said that, and neither did the teacher in the nursery class.
He was not even four years old, but he had already had to start learning about goodbyes.
The child's little hand hooked around the adult's finger, without answering, and spit out a string of small bubbles in the water.
*
In the master bedroom.
Finks had a long dream, dreaming about the past, dreaming about his childhood when he depended on his mother and suffered bullying.
Later, when he finally grew up and was strong enough to protect himself and his mother, she was no longer there.
It had been a long time since she had appeared in his dreams. This time, she smiled and stroked the top of his head: "You have your own family now. A wonderful partner and lovely children. This is what I hope to see. I will feel relieved from now on."
In the dream, Finks still thought he was a lonely dragon, and was a little confused by his mother's words.
His mother motioned for him to turn around.
Finks saw two blurry figures, one big and one small, walking towards him.
Before he could see if the smaller one had golden dragon scales like him, the bigger one was already standing in front of him.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful face, with eyes staring straight at him.
The slender fingers lightly touched his shoulder. If Finks hadn't blocked it, it might have gone up or down.
Huang Jinlong didn't like being so close to others, so he frowned and said, "Stay away from me."
There was a hint of grievance in that person's voice: "...Aren't we partners?"
Deep in his consciousness, Finks finally recognized who this person was, his best enemy and worst partner.
He opened his mouth: "...Aren't we pretending to be partners?"
The Sea Monster King lowered his eyelashes. "What is real and what is fake? Is the real thing not mixed with fake? The fake can also become real."
Huang Jinlong was annoyed. "...What kind of tongue twister are you talking about?"
"Is it me who's so confused?" Qian Xing leaned closer to him again, leaving almost no distance between them. "It was you who named me your partner in front of so many people—wasn't it?"
Finks' muscles tensed.
Whether it is because of the seemingly intimate proximity of Qianxing or the restrained distance.
That was also what he kept asking himself.
There are other safer ways to resolve the issue that do not require any favors.
But I chose this one.
Why.
Why?
The Siren King's arms were wrapped around his neck, and Phinks could already feel his deep breath, like smoke.
Such an excessive action was clearly enough to cause a fight between the two.
However, at this moment he couldn't push him away.
No.
Or... don't want to?
The scales on the apricot fish's tail, carrying an icy breath from the depths of the ocean, brushed against Finks's calves.
"What on earth are you thinking about?"
The Siren King asked in a low voice.
“We don’t have to do that, right?”
"Yet you still made this choice."
"A fake promise..."
"Is it just for Li Jue?"
"Besides this, do you have any selfish motives?"
Is there any selfish motive?
Do you have any selfish motives?
——What is the real purpose?
The beautiful tail fin stretched upward from his calves like a poisonous vine, binding the errant traveler so tightly that he could not move.
Brush over your knees and then back up.
Until one step away.
At that moment, Finks understood very clearly why humans were so afraid of the legend of the Sirens, and why no sailor drifting on the sea could escape the temptation of the Sirens' singing and walk towards the illusory and brilliant trap without hesitation.
Even someone as mentally strong as myself could hardly resist such temptation.
Fortunately, at the most dangerous moment, Finks forced himself to wake up.
He was breathing heavily, his heartbeat was faster than normal, and cold sweat soaked his long hair.
Finks closed his eyes to relieve his mental power that was stirring due to the stimulation, and opened them again after a moment.
He spread his five fingers and pushed back his drooping hair. His first reaction was to look at the chair. At such an emotionally unstable moment, seeing the baby would be the greatest comfort.
However, the small bed made of armchairs was empty.
——Where’s the cub? !
Finks woke up completely from the loss of the dream.
The small system can go wherever it wants, and therefore naturally has the ability to "flash" and "teleport".
This is not the first time he has disappeared without a word.
Finks took a deep breath, telling himself to calm down first and analyze where the little guy could go.
In the past, he would have gone to see Ling Xi, but today Ling Xi was living on another floor with Lin Wang.
So this room...
By the way, he doesn’t live here alone with the baby.
On the other side of the suite, across from the living room, there was another person.
Finks put on his bathrobe and walked towards Qianxing's room.
Everything was dark and quiet, with only the sound of running water and spots of light in the bathroom.
The golden dragon restrained his breath and looked inside through the crack in the door.
Xiao Lijue had long since recovered from the frustrating question and continued to swim in the bubble.
The little guy is very agile in the water and does not need any swimming or diving skills at all. His two short legs flap around vigorously, sometimes like a frog and sometimes like a dolphin.
It's true that he's not as naturally graceful as a young mermaid, but that doesn't stop him from having fun in the water.
The Siren King swimming around him was a completely different scene.
If there were shimmering clouds in the sea, it would probably look like ripples caused by the tail fin.
The Golden Dragon subconsciously held his breath.
He couldn't help but think of that dream, and the other person who was very close to him in the dream.
His rival, his nemesis.
He had been at loggerheads with her for years, the one he wanted to kill the most, and the one who wanted to kill him the most... was another person.
Dreams are dramas produced by the subconscious mind.
So, are the things that Qianxing did and said in the dream the Qianxing he expected?
Now even Finks himself wasn't sure what he was thinking.
The Sea Monster King had long noticed the uninvited guest. He lowered his eyes and chuckled, "What? Tyrant, do you want to join us too?"
Since the snooping has been discovered, there is no need to pretend.
Finks approached.
When the little cub saw his brother coming, he happily swam towards him and waved enthusiastically, inviting him: "Mimi, come and play! Brother Yaoyao is so fun~!"
Kraken King: “.”
This is weird.
Finks understood the childish words of the small system, but this did not prevent him from looking at Qian Xing with a teasing look.
The Siren King snorted coldly and turned away.
There is a curtain of water between adults, like a transparent dividing line that is within reach and yet out of reach.
From this distance, Finks could even see clearly that even in the water, Qian Xing's eyelashes were still distinct.
Dragons hate water. They have poor swimming skills and average breath-holding abilities, and their combat effectiveness underwater is greatly reduced.
On the contrary, water is the domain of the Siren King.
If he entered the water ball at this moment, not to mention whether there would be enough space for the two of them, the mere thought of him falling into Qian Xing's trap like prey would be enough to make him disgusted with the possibility.
What's more, having just woken up from an absurd and gorgeous dream, Finks would never step into any forbidden area that might disturb his mind again.
"No, you guys go play."
He told Li Jue that he was like a good and tolerant parent.
Then, he looked at Qian Xing deeply and predatoryly.
He left the bathroom, leaving behind the conversation of "Why doesn't Mimi come?" "...She must be shy." "Why should she be shy?" "Who knows?"
Finks didn't know that from the moment he turned around, Qianxing, who had previously avoided his gaze, had been staring at him.
Until it's completely invisible.
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