Chapter 14: Lessons
Ouyang Xiaoli was well aware of Koda’s thoughts but remained composed.
They returned to Ouyang Xiaoli’s residence. Tang Si and Xiao Mo were still reeling.
Tang Si murmured, “Did the boss suddenly develop a sixth sense? These jades would normally take years to uncover. The boss is incredible!”
“Koda, did the boss secretly use some high-tech detection tool? He frequently goes to the Silver Sea Empire,” Xiao Mo added, equally astonished.
Koda chuckled, “Guess.”
Ouyang Xiaoli emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of steaming potato soup, placing it before Xia Yi. He looked at Koda. “Your mouth needs stitches if you don’t shut it.”
“My bad, Boss!” Koda immediately fell silent.
Ouyang Xiaoli rolled his eyes, ignoring him. He sat beside Xia Yi, under Tang Si and Xiao Mo’s intense gaze, his expression unchanged.
“I found a treasure,” he responded to their earlier question.
Tang Si cautiously asked, “Can’t you reveal it?”
Ouyang Xiaoli leaned back on the sofa, his demeanor relaxed, resting his arm on the back of the sofa behind Xia Yi. It was a display of control.
“My treasure,” he said casually, a hint of mystery in his tone.
Tang Si understood. Although Ouyang’s tone was calm, the underlying warning and possessiveness were clear. They wouldn’t dare to press further.
They skillfully changed the topic. Ouyang Xiaoli glanced at Xia Yi, who was engrossed in his soup, oblivious to the conversation. His smile faded.
Koda swallowed hard, his eyes nearly falling into Xia Yi’s bowl. “Xia Yi, can I have a potato?”
Xia Yi chewed and swallowed a potato. He looked innocently at Koda. “Don’t you have tons of potatoes at home?”
Koda made a bitter face. “Those potatoes were mine until the boss took them all.” He pretended to cry. “I’m starving!”
Xia Yi patted Koda’s head, picking up a potato from his bowl to feed Koda. Koda’s eyes lit up. He opened his mouth wide.
Ouyang Xiaoli sneered, exposing Koda’s lie. “You have ten kilograms of potatoes in your room. What’s two potatoes?”
Xia Yi was shocked. He quickly ate the potato.
Koda: “???” “!!!”
Ouyang Xiaoli was amused by Xia Yi’s protectiveness and chuckled softly.
Tang Si and Xiao Mo were impressed.
Xia Yi glared at Koda, explaining fiercely, “This is Ouyang’s soup, only for me… I’ll make you some later, don’t be mad.”
Koda: “…” He was stuffed with dog food. He wasn’t hungry anymore.
Koda, still upset about missing the potato, said, “It’s nothing special. The boss made potato soup for other mermen, and they were beautiful too!”
He immediately regretted it. Xia Yi stopped eating, staring at Koda, then at Ouyang.
Ouyang Xiaoli mentally cursed Koda.
“You made potato soup for other mermen?” Xia Yi asked softly.
Tang Si and Xiao Mo watched with amusement; the merman was jealous.
Ouyang Xiaoli cleared his throat. This merman was too prone to jealousy.
He said calmly, “Yes, so?” He’d given soup to a malnourished black merman begging outside.
Xia Yi stared at him, still holding his soup, now finding it repulsive. He remained silent.
Anticipating Xia Yi’s reaction, Ouyang Xiaoli said, “No tantrums, no food-throwing. If you don’t want it, put it down.”
Xia Yi burst into tears.
“Gosh, so much crying,” Ouyang sighed, watching the tears fall into the soup like pearls. “That merman was begging outside. I didn’t want to, but he looked starved, and I gave him soup so he wouldn’t die.”
Xia Yi stared.
Ouyang wiped Xia Yi’s tears, smiling. “No more crying?”
Xia Yi lowered his head, embarrassed. It was a misunderstanding. Ouyang had merely pitied the merman.
Koda muttered, “Now it’s pearl potato soup. Still want it?” Koda still wanted the soup.
Xia Yi silently passed the bowl to Koda, who gobbled it down.
Tang Si and Xiao Mo were disgusted.
Koda contentedly belched, ignoring them.
Ouyang Xiaoli stood, grabbing a jacket. “Koda, stay with Xia Yi. Tang Si and I have something to do. We might be late.”
Koda sat up. “To charge the starship? I’ll come!”
Ouyang Xiaoli frowned. “No. Stay with Xia Yi.”
Koda’s expression fell.
Xia Yi tugged his clothes. “You don’t need to stay.”
Koda shook his head. “You’re a precious merman. It’s dangerous here, even here.”
Koda was disappointed to miss the starship charging process, but this time was different—more jades meant more energy. They might finally fully charge it. It usually took three years; now, maybe a month!
Koda shared this news with Xia Yi. It wasn’t a secret in the Underground City.
Xia Yi was happy, but then his expression dimmed.
He whispered, “…but Ouyang doesn’t seem to like me.”
Koda was confused, “What?! The boss has never been this attentive to any other merman. He definitely likes you!”
Xia Yi was dejected.
Koda said, “At the back wall of the Starstone Market, didn’t you kiss?”
Xia Yi stared, stammering, “You…how did you know…?”
Koda smirked. “I saw it. The boss pinned you against the wall, eager.”
Xia Yi blushed. “I…I asked him to kiss me, to comfort me. Ouyang didn’t kiss me and said I was dreaming…”
Koda: “…” “The little merman is innocent. And Ouyang is a dog.” Anyone could see the intensity, except Xia Yi.
Koda thought Xia Yi seemed to like Ouyang, getting upset when not kissed.
Koda cleared his throat, “Maybe he doesn’t like you yet.”
“What do I do?” Xia Yi worried.
Koda said slyly, “Soak in the bathtub tonight. I bet the boss won’t be able to resist.”
Xia Yi blinked.
“I only suggest this because you want to be the boss’s wife. If it’s inappropriate, forget I said anything…”
Xia Yi said seriously, “I can do that.” He was prepared to sleep with Ouyang and have his children, so Ouyang would protect him, helping him find his brother.
Koda continued, “You know that conception is more likely in merfolk form?”
Xia Yi lowered his head. “I know.”
“Do you know how to open those scales? Don’t be shy. If not, I can find information.”
Xia Yi said, “I know.” His brother had told him; he shouldn’t open them unless ready to have children. Unprotected children would be eaten by sharks. He remembered that clearly.
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