Chapter 68: The Engagement Banquet part 1
Ning Yunyi had been focused intently on the merman’s condition. Seeing that the treatment was a success, he hadn’t even had the chance to behold the results before his vision went dark.
The sensation of a warm palm pressed against his skin made Ning Yunyi fall into a silent stupor.
Was this guy sick? Forget the fact that Mother Ning had already dressed the merman; even if she hadn’t, so what? Could he not even take a single look?
But considering the Second Princeās status, it would indeed be awkward if the Second Prince recovered his senses later and remembered such a scene. Ning Yunyi decided to treat Zong Haoās gesture as a well-intentioned one.
“Are you done covering them? Didn’t I tell you he’s dressed?” Even if his clothes were wet, wasn’t there still the water? What could he actually see?
Zong Haoās action had been instinctive. Not only had he covered Ning Yunyiās eyes, but he had also instinctively averted his own gaze. For some reason, he simply did not want Ning Yunyi to see the Second Prince…
Receiving no response, Ning Yunyi pried Zong Haoās hand away. He looked up and was met with the sight of the merman kneeling piteously in the water. Ripples danced in the bathtub, but because the space was small and the modified dark robe Mother Ning had made covered most of his form, one could only catch a faint glimpse of his porcelain-white ankles. His slender calves were exceptionally smooth and beautiful.
Ning Yunyi was truly curious. Whether in his first life or in the cultivation world, he had never seen a species like a merman. He was genuinely intrigued to see what a merman looked like after restoring his human form. Now that he saw it, it was indeed as he had suspected. As expected of a special species, the genes were top-tier.
Look at that skināa natural cold-white tone, without a single hair visible on his legs. Combined with the fact that shiftersā appearances did not age, even though this Second Prince was over forty years old, the way he stared at Ning Yunyi with those aggrieved silver eyes made Ning Yunyiās heart flutter slightly. He felt an urge to place the best things in the world before him.
Everyone has a love for beauty, and Ning Yunyi was no exception. While he had no other designs and it was purely a matter of appreciation, it was inevitable that he would feel a bit more partial toward him.
While Ning Yunyi was staring at the merman, Zong Hao was staring at him. Zong Haoās expression grew increasingly strange. And he said he wasn’t eyeing the merman, yet now he’s staring so fixedly, just like… like those lechers Ichi talks about.
Zong Hao felt an increasing discomfort in his heart. He wanted to raise his hand to block the view again, but this time, the merman was faster.
The merman lunged forward with lightning speed, reaching out to grab Ning Yunyiās sleeve. His voice was raspy as he spoke, “Master, head hurts, chest hurts. Cover them.”
Ning Yunyi opened his mouth to say, “Alright, alright, alright…” but then he met Zong Haoās suspicious and wary gaze, as if he were about to defile the Second Prince. Does he really need to guard against me like I’m a thief? “I don’t think I can. Cover them yourself.”
Tears welled up in the merman’s eyes, and as they were about to fall as pearls, Ning Yunyi gratefully reached out to catch them, only to find that they were now wet, ordinary tears.
Ning Yunyi suddenly realized that once the merman restored his human form, he would no longer drop pearls. While feeling a bit regretful, he placed his palm on the merman’s head again. After an examination, he confirmed that the body had fully recovered; even the previously injured tail was now as good as new.
There were no scars on his legs, clearly indicating that the old injuries had healed as well.
Ning Yunyi withdrew his hand, ignoring the merman’s lingering gaze, and looked at Zong Hao. “His body is completely healed, but he is still silly. There is nothing wrong with his eyes, yet he still cannot see. It seems our previous suspicion was correct; he has withdrawn into himself due to trauma. He will likely only recover when he is willing to face reality.”
Zong Hao hummed in response. “Considering the Crown Prince tried to kill him like that, it seems the Prince truly lied. The Second Prince… must have cared for them.”
Otherwise, upon being betrayed, his first reaction wouldn’t be self-withdrawal, but rather increasing madness. The Second Princeās situation was the exact opposite; it could only be that he didn’t understand why the Crown Princeāwhom he had always treated as his true younger brotherāwanted to kill him. Combined with the heavy injuries and extreme grief, this was the result.
Ning Yunyi: “We will act as the situation dictates during the banquet tonight. But before that, we need to do some training.”
The only benefit of the Second Prince being in this state was that he trusted them more and was more obedient. He wouldn’t be swayed or weakened by his brotherly feelings for the Crown Prince.
When the Jinqian Turtle was permitted to enter to dress the merman, he was still confused. “He’s already like this. Whether he’s dressed or not won’t be too exposing. Is there a… difference?” His last word was caught in his throat as he stared at the merman, who was standing outside the pool, clutching the edge of his robe and following Ning Yunyi step by step. “No way? He can change back even without jingshenli?”
The Jinqian Turtle immediately stood up straight, thoroughly believing that the black bean he had eaten that day was indeed poison. Wuuu, I really don’t dare play tricks anymore.
Is the Master really this powerful? With such a Master, it was lucky he hadn’t betrayed him; otherwise, not only would he be dead, but he might also have been stewed into old turtle soup. The mere thought was terrifying.
Even after restoring his human form, the Second Prince still had silver hair. Ning Yunyi suspected that his previous golden hair must have been a disguise to match the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Third Prince to avoid exposure.
Since Ning Yunyi was taking the Second Prince to the palace tonight, he dyed the silver hair golden and changed the pupil color to the same sky-blue as the Crown Princeās.
Zong Hao, the little cat cub, and the Jinqian Turtle watched with wide eyes as Ning Yunyi performed this “living transformation.” They stared intently, yet they couldn’t even see how he moved. They only saw his finger brush over the Second Prince’s eyes, and suddenly, the Second Prince had sky-blue pupils?
At this moment, as long as he didn’t speak or make an expression, it truly looked as if the real Second Prince had appeared before them.
The Jinqian Turtleās body trembled, and he even forgot to hunch his back, offering a wide, flattering smile to Ning Yunyi. “Master, what else do you need me to do? Turtle-turtle can do anything!”
Zong Haoās face twitched. A decades-old turtle, no matter how young he looks, using cutesy words is just uncomfortable, okay?
The Second Prince blinked. While everyone was dazed, he drew closer to his Master, sniffing the familiar scent. His mood improved, and he couldn’t help but break into a wide grin.
Ning Yunyi and Zong Hao fell silent. This look… one could tell at a glance that he was a bit silly.
Ning Yunyi looked directly at Zong Hao: [You go and train him.]
Zong Hao: [Do you think he’ll listen to me?]
Ning Yunyi: [Then you do it with me.]
Zong Hao wanted nothing more, so he naturally had no objections. In the few hours before the banquet, Ning Yunyi and Zong Hao pulled the Second Prince into a room for short-term training. Of course, they mainly used various rewards to entice him. After a while, when the Second Prince reappeared and stood there without speakingāsilently staring at one spot because he couldn’t see, with his lips pursedāhe radiated a cold, indifferent aura that was enough to pass for the real thing.
The Jinqian Turtleās mouth hung open for a long time before he finally gave a thumbs-up.
Seeing that it was almost time, Zong Hao left. Meanwhile, Ning Yunyi contacted Yousi.
[Bai Yanyu: One piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which one do you want to hear?]
[Yousi: The good news.]
[Bai Yanyu: Thereās a big operation tonight. You just need to cooperate. Before Patriarch Hermann can announce our engagement, you won’t have to marry me anymore.]
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thank you for the chapter!