Free Web NovelChapter 174: Chapter 172: The Harem Is on Fire
After taking enough pictures, Bai Su focused on exploring. When she saw the mermaids inside, her eyes widened in astonishment. "They even have mermaids?!"
Seeing her surprised expression, Li Chenlin’s heart melted. "That’s right. There are mermaids in the sea."
Bai Su was dumbfounded.
She only knew this was the Beast World, but she never expected there to be mermaids in the sea. This was simply too fantastical!
Li Chenlin asked again, "Do you know why I brought you to the Aquarium?"
Bai Su shook her head blankly. "I don’t know."
Li Chenlin said, "Didn’t my mother give you a key?"
Bai Su nodded and took out the key.
Before they left today, Li Chenlin had told her to bring the key, so she had specifically put it in her bag.
She had tried to return it to him before, but he wouldn’t take it.
Li Chenlin placed the key in her palm. "May I touch your hand?"
Bai Su met his gaze, saw that his eyes were clear and sincere, and nodded. "Yes, you can."
Li Chenlin’s large palm covered her small hand, with the key pressed between their palms.
Bai Su watched him curiously.
Li Chenlin said, "Try to channel your spiritual power into the gemstone."
Bai Su did as he said and felt something surge into the space between her eyebrows.
Li Chenlin pulled her closer to the glass and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face the creatures in the water. "Try to communicate with them. With your spiritual power."
Bai Su was a little confused, but she still did as he instructed, releasing her spiritual power and extending it into the seawater.
She imagined her spiritual power taking the form of a small rabbit and approaching the sea turtles and large fish.
"H-Hello?"
The pupils of the sea turtles and large fish contracted abruptly. They hastily backed away and lowered themselves in submission.
Bai Su didn’t understand. She scratched her head and turned to look at Li Chenlin. "Did I scare them?"
Li Chenlin’s lips curved into a smile. "No. They are submitting to you."
Puzzled, Bai Su turned back to look.
All the creatures in the Aquarium gradually began to gather in her direction.
Bai Su turned to Li Chenlin in disbelief. "What’s happening?"
Li Chenlin explained, "When you hold this key and channel your spiritual power into it, you can command all the creatures in the entire ocean."
Bai Su stared in amazement at the sea turtles, fish, dolphins, and whales in the water. "But... but how can they understand what I’m saying?"
Li Chenlin replied, "You don’t need to speak to them. You just need to command them with your thoughts, and they will naturally serve you."
"With that key, you are the god of the ocean."
Bai Su tentatively sent a thought to a few small dolphins, and sure enough, they spun around twice, just as she’d asked.
Then, she looked at the key in her hand, a little embarrassed. "I didn’t realize this was so valuable. You should take it back."
Li Chenlin’s lips quirked. "Keep it. It’s fine."
Bai Su pressed her lips together and still shook her head.
She didn’t feel that her relationship with Li Chenlin had progressed to the point where she could accept such a valuable gift from him.
If Li Chenlin were her Beast Husband, she could accept this gift.
But right now, their relationship was still only at the friendship stage. Accepting such an expensive gift from a friend would weigh heavily on her conscience.
Li Chenlin sounded a bit helpless. "Susu..."
Bai Su looked at him seriously. "I know you like me and are pursuing me right now."
"I’m also trying to see if we’re a good match and accept your affection."
"But given our current relationship, it’s not appropriate for me to accept this. It’s too valuable, and it would influence my judgment of you."
"Because of this gift, even if you do something that makes me uncomfortable next time, I would feel obligated to tolerate it, or even be more lenient with you."
"That would go against my original intention for getting to know you."
"Our relationship wouldn’t be as pure."
As Bai Su spoke, she became even more certain of her decision. "How about this: you hold onto the key for now. If we reach the point of dating and getting married, you can give the key to me on the day we register our relationship. It won’t be too late then."
Hearing this, Li Chenlin’s heart melted.
He had always known his Susu was special.
Almost all females thought it was normal to accept gifts from males, even from ordinary friends.
This was because females were born inherently superior, a scarce resource in the Beast World.
He knew Bai Su was very good to Lu Tingyan and Yelias, never putting on airs as a female and interacting with them as an equal.
But he never thought that one day, this equality would be extended to him.
He took back the key, the corners of his lips turning up.
’It doesn’t really matter if I give it to her now or later,’ he thought. ’The moment I guided Bai Su to channel her spiritual power into the key, it already acknowledged her as its master. She now completely possesses the ocean; she is the master of the sea.’
A smile touched the corners of Li Chenlin’s eyes. "Alright, I’ll listen to you."
The two of them returned home.
Lu Tingyan and Yelias had been waiting for half the day, their faces grim.
The moment Bai Su walked in, she sensed something was wrong. She looked at the two of them, confused. "What’s the matter with you two?"
Lu Tingyan said, "Susu... you’ve never taken a picture together with me."
Yelias added, "So, Susu likes going on dates. You should have said so earlier."
Bai Su: "..."
Li Chenlin looked at Bai Su sheepishly. "I posted our picture together on my social media. They probably saw it and got angry. You’re not mad at me, are you?"
Bai Su shook her head. "Of course not. I haven’t even thanked you for taking me out today."
It had been a long time since she’d gone out to relax.
Lu Tingyan raised an eyebrow. ’...Playing the innocent victim, are we? Very well.’
"COUGH, COUGH..." Lu Tingyan began to cough violently. "Susu..."
Seeing his pale face, Bai Su rushed over. "What’s wrong? Do you have a cold?"
Lu Tingyan lowered his eyes and shook his head gently. "I thought you’d be back earlier today, so I waited in the courtyard for a while. I don’t know why, but I feel a little feverish..."
Yelias: "...?"
Li Chenlin: ’...I’ll endure it, since he’s the alpha here.’
Bai Su’s brow furrowed slightly. "How could you be so careless? Even though it’s gotten warmer, it’s still chilly after dark. It’s so easy to catch a cold this time of year. You should go upstairs and rest. I’ll make you something good to eat in a bit."
Lu Tingyan’s tail and ears drooped, and his body temperature was indeed a little high.
He wrapped his arm around Bai Su’s slender waist and rested his head brazenly in the crook of her neck. Out of her sight, he shot a provocative glance at the other two men. "No. I want you to stay with me for a little while, just quietly."
Yelias smiled. "Susu, come now, step aside. I’m a doctor. I can help the delicate Leader Lu see what’s wrong with him."
Not to be outdone, Li Chenlin tried to make his presence felt from the side. "Susu... you guys are busy as a family. I... I’ll go back to my room. As much as I’d love to join your cozy atmosphere, I seem a bit out of place here."
He lowered his head, his face a picture of loneliness after a flicker of envy, and turned as if to leave.
Bai Su was overwhelmed. "Hey... no, Li Chenlin, you don’t have to go back to your room so soon. We’ll be having dinner in a bit."
Seeing her still looking at that damned snake, Lu Tingyan’s expression grew even darker. He buried his face deep in her chest, his muffled voice emerging, "Susu, I feel awful..."
Yelias impolitely released a strand of spider silk to wrap around Lu Tingyan’s wrist and test his temperature, but Lu Tingyan flung it off.
Bai Su said worriedly, "Lu Tingyan, don’t be like that. Let Yelias take a look. He’s a doctor, after all."
Lu Tingyan was enjoying the comfortable feeling of holding the soft, warm woman in his arms and couldn’t be bothered to move. "No..."
Behind him, his tail gave an uncontrollable little wag.
Yelias scoffed. "So that’s how it is."
Bai Su looked at him with concern. "What’s wrong with Lu Tingyan?"
Yelias smiled. "Oh, it’s nothing serious. He’s just hot and bothered."
Lu Tingyan: "..."
