ISWTDB Ch121.2

Chapter 121.2: The Interstellar Mermaid (4, 5, 6)

When the call connected, a black-haired man with sharp features, wearing a military uniform, sat upright on the other end. His facial structure resembled Ying Xiao’s by about 70 percent.

However, his demeanor was more mature, with meticulously combed hair, giving off the impression of someone who did not understand flexibility.

Standing behind him was a man with fox-like eyes and glasses, also dressed in a military uniform. The man was always smiling, though his gaze was cold, instinctively making Ying Zhao feel a slight sense of danger.

Based on the original owner’s memories, Ying Zhao knew this man was the marshal’s trusted aide, Deputy Yan Ning, who had been by the marshal’s side for over forty years.

It was said that Yan Ning was highly capable, yet he willingly remained as a mere deputy to the marshal. In his youth, he had saved Ying Xiaolin’s life numerous times during crises.

After greeting his father, Ying Zhao also nodded politely to the deputy, calling him “Uncle Yan.”

Yan Ning smiled and nodded, his demeanor warm. Due to the extended lifespans of people in this era, even though Ying Xiaolin and Yan Ning were both over sixty, they still appeared young, in what would be considered their prime.

Ying Xiaolin pursed his lips, his expression growing even more serious as he addressed Ying Zhao in a stern tone, “Ying Xiao, I heard you brought back a mermaid.”

Though his stern demeanor made him seem angry, Ying Zhao, having experienced many worlds, easily saw through it. The marshal was simply nervous.

His eyes were filled with concern, even a bit of helplessness, which sparked Ying Zhao’s interest. It seemed the marshal was somewhat different from how the original owner had remembered.

With a slight glint in his eyes, Ying Zhao nodded, “Yes, Father.”

He then pulled Cecil closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and said to the marshal, “Father, this is the mermaid I chose.”

Cecil hadn’t expected to be pulled over so suddenly, and his body stiffened momentarily. However, feeling the firm grip on his shoulder, he didn’t resist.

Ying Zhao then solemnly declared to the marshal, “Father, this is the partner I’ve chosen. I love him deeply.”

Ying Xiaolin was taken aback for a moment. After glancing at Cecil, he nodded and said, “As long as you’ve decided.”

Ying Zhao was surprised by how straightforward his father’s approval was, especially after seeing Cecil. There was no hint of disdain on his face, which made Ying Zhao quite satisfied.

Then the marshal continued, “I can urge the research institute to issue your companion certificate as soon as possible. From now on, he’s your mermaid. Take good care of him.”

The marshal glanced at Deputy Yan Ning beside him, his tone softening slightly, “When you have time, bring him home for a visit.”

After speaking, Marshal Ying quickly ended the call, pursing his lips as he awkwardly glanced at Yan Ning.

Yan Ning smiled, “That wasn’t so bad! You should just say what’s on your mind when you care. No need to be embarrassed.”

Ying Xiaolin nodded and softly replied, “Yan Ning, thank you.”

“If you really want to thank me, then thank me with yourself,” Yan Ning said, licking his lips with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Ying Xiaolin’s face flushed slightly as he angrily growled, “Yan Ning!”

“What?” Yan Ning’s smile remained unchanged, entirely unfazed by the marshal’s cold demeanor.

Leaning closer, he pinned the marshal to the chair and whispered, “Just the other night, Xiaolin was so well-behaved, telling me you liked me and wanted me to hold you longer.”

“I did not!” Ying Xiaolin, embarrassed, furrowed his brow and said helplessly, “I was drunk that night. We’ve known each other for so many years. Can’t we just pretend it never happened?”

Upon hearing this, Yan Ning’s pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze becoming dangerous. Gripping the marshal’s wrist, the empire’s 3S-level marshal found himself unable to break free.

Yan Ning’s face twisted with suppressed fury as he said, “You want me to pretend it never happened? Do you know why I’ve willingly stayed by your side for over forty years? Do you know how much it hurt when I watched you, after reaching the appropriate age, mindlessly pick a mermaid just to fulfill your family duty?”

“I’ve stood by you all these years, watched you marry, have a child, and watched your child grow up. Then, you returned to being alone. I thought I could suppress my feelings forever, but you gave me a chance. After finally getting what I’ve longed for, you think I’m going to let you take it back? Ying Xiaolin, dream on!”

With that, Yan Ning pressed a few buttons to seal the marshal’s office, pushing Ying Xiaolin down into his chair.

Ying Xiaolin had never seen this side of Yan Ning before. He tried to calm him down, but it only made Yan Ning more emotional.

It was unexpected that the usually gentle and smiling man could have such explosive energy. Now, Ying Xiaolin realized just how ridiculous it was that he was called the pinnacle of the empire’s military strength.

No wonder Yan Ning was always able to save him during crisis moments on the battlefield. It turned out that the strongest person was right by his side.

Initially, Ying Xiaolin thought that the drunken incident from the other day was a mistake. Yan Ning hadn’t shown any special behavior these past two days, so he tried to ignore it.

But it seemed the reality was different. More importantly, when he saw the genuine pain in Yan Ning’s eyes, why did his own heart feel a pang of sorrow?

“Yan, Ning!” The forced kiss made Ying Xiaolin’s words somewhat intermittent, but he could feel that he was not resisting the other person. In fact, he even yearned for such a touch.

Yan Ning had indeed been by his side all these years. Ying Xiaolin felt some guilt for not noticing the feelings Yan Ning had buried.

Previously, Ying Xiaolin had been troubled by his estranged relationship with Ying Xiao. When he learned from the research institute that Ying Xiao had chosen a mermaid without reproductive capabilities, Ying Xiaolin was unsure whether to intervene and sought Yan Ning’s advice.

Yan Ning told him that Ying Xiao had grown up and had the right to choose his own happiness. The so-called family legacy was just an obsession. Did he really want Ying Xiao to choose a mermaid he didn’t love and then resent him for it?

Yan Ning had enlightened him. Looking at the genuine joy in Ying Xiao’s eyes and the atmosphere between him and the mermaid, Ying Xiaolin knew he had made the right decision.

This time, Yan Ning helped him again. Not only that, but he had also saved him so many times and accompanied him for many years. What if Yan Ning were no longer by his side?

Ying Xiaolin suddenly became alert. He had never considered that his life could be without Yan Ning. For so many years, all his plans and intentions had Yan Ning’s shadow. This man was someone he couldn’t bear to lose.

Realizing his own feelings, Ying Xiaolin felt truly foolish. Seeing Yan Ning, who was now driven to madness, the usually stern marshal’s eyes turned red with regret.

He sighed, reached out to hug Yan Ning, and, while the other was stunned, initiated a response to Yan Ning’s kiss. Yan Ning understood Ying Xiaolin. He knew how rigid and direct the other person was. So, was this gesture an acceptance?

Yan Ning could hardly contain his joy. He kept kissing his beloved’s lips while tentatively asking, “Xiaolin, Xiaolin, have you accepted me? You love me too, right?”

Ying Xiaolin, blushing, was still not used to expressing his feelings directly. After a long time, he awkwardly said, “Move to the marshal’s residence. When Ying Xiao brings that mermaid home, you come along too. I’ll formally introduce you.”

“Xiaolin! My dear!” The deep love needed to be expressed, and the warmth that had never been seen in the marshal’s office lingered for a long time.

Meanwhile, Ying Xiao did not know that his world’s father had just been thoroughly taken by that gentleman. He looked at the now-off holographic image and smirked.

It seemed that the seemingly cold and hard Marshal Ying actually cared a lot about his child. It was just that he didn’t know how to express his love, which led to misunderstandings.

Thinking that the marshal had even proactively said he would expedite the process of his and Cecil’s partner certification, Ying Xiao felt quite warm.

Looking at Cecil, who was still dazed and clearly hadn’t come to terms with suddenly meeting his partner’s parents, Ying Xiao reassured him.

In fact, Cecil was indeed very anxious. He had not expected that the person on the other end of Ying Xiao’s communicator would be the famous Marshal Ying Xiaolin.

Worried that the marshal might think he was not worthy of General Ying Xiao, Cecil was momentarily at a loss. It seemed he hadn’t realized what had happened before the communicator was hung up.

Then he felt Ying Xiao kiss his eyes and smile, saying, “Don’t worry, Father said to bring you home in a couple of days. It means he has accepted you.”

Hearing this, Cecil finally came to his senses, his joy uncontrollable.

The marshal’s actions were indeed swift. After confirming Ying Xiao’s feelings, the partner certificate was delivered to Ying Xiao’s apartment that same night. Additionally, the online documents were also registered.

This made Ying Xiao feel that having a marshal as a father saved a lot of effort. Once Cecil’s health was fully restored, he definitely wanted to take him back to the marshal’s residence for a visit.

Hanging up the call with the research institute’s director and looking at the smitten Yan Ning, who was sleeping on the sofa in the office, Ying Xiao touched his military uniform sleeve, keeping his achievements hidden.

In a good mood, he thought about how his precious had been exhausted to the point of falling asleep. Should he cook some chicken soup for his dear tonight to nourish him?

Ying Xiao repeatedly caressed the documents in his hand, looking very precious. He then turned to Cecil and said proudly, “Dear, now you completely belong to me!”

After saying that, Ying Xiao took out a prepared photo frame, carefully placed the partner certification document inside, and hung it on the headboard.

Seeing the partner certificate on the headboard, Cecil felt much more at ease. But seeing the certificate hanging there, he didn’t expect Ying Xiao to do this. He was momentarily stunned, and infinite joy rose in his heart.

Cecil’s face turned rosy, making Ying Xiao find him irresistibly cute. He hugged him and kissed him repeatedly. Then he took out his communicator and took a photo of the two of them embracing and kissing.

Subsequently, Ying Xiao decisively logged into his account on the communicator and posted their photo and the newly arrived partner certificate online.

The caption read: “Grateful for fate’s meeting, allowing me to find the most precious lover of my life! [Heart]”

Due to Ying Xiao’s special status, people quickly noticed that General Ying Xiao, who rarely updated his public social media account, had actively posted about finding a lover.

This made countless admirers of General Ying Xiao’s heartbroken. They all wanted to see which lucky mermaid had won the empire’s hero’s favor. However, when they saw Cecil’s photo, they couldn’t believe their eyes.

They didn’t expect him to look so fierce and rugged, completely lacking the usual gentleness of ordinary mermaids. Especially with his right cheek covered in patterns and his dark red hair and eyes, it was hard for them to appreciate.

The empire’s people could not understand how such an unattractive mermaid could win General Ying Xiao’s heart.

Instantly, the comments under Ying Xiao’s status were filled with wails. Netizens left messages saying that such an unattractive mermaid was unworthy of General Ying Xiao.

Clearly, there were so many cute and soft little mermaids, not to mention the millions of devoted fans and admirers of General Ying Xiao. Why did he choose such a mermaid?

So, when Ying Xiao opened his communicator again later, he saw that almost everyone was disparaging his lover.

They were criticizing Cecil’s ugliness, which made Ying Xiao quite exasperated. He thought they were a bunch of shallow people who only judged by appearances.

In Ying Xiao’s eyes, his lover was naturally perfect. He posted online to declare his love and let everyone know about his happiness.

But he didn’t expect people to be so superficial, completely misunderstanding his lover’s virtues and making hasty judgments.

Looking at Cecil, who was dozing by the water tank in the nutrient solution, Ying Xiao quietly approached him, caressed his dark red hair, and kissed his forehead.

At the same time, he opened his communicator, took a photo of this scene, and posted it online again, with the caption:

“Without you, my life would be like a dry well. Losing you is like losing my life. Thank you for allowing me to stand by your side!”

This time, netizens who had been watching the internet exploded. They felt that Ying Xiao’s status was clearly a response to the criticisms online.

It seems that General Ying Xiao is clearly expressing his deep love for the mermaid. Their relationship is not one where Cecil was the initiator; rather, General Ying Xiao pursued him with great effort and eventually won his favor.

So what extraordinary qualities does this mermaid possess? Or is there some unknown story between them?

For a while, netizens speculated endlessly. Some imaginative users even discussed online whether this mermaid might be someone General Ying Xiao encountered during a mission. After all, no one had ever seen a mermaid with dark red hair and eyes, and Cecil’s appearance clearly indicated he was a natural mermaid.

Although his appearance did not meet their expectations for the general’s partner, it might be that General Ying Xiao encountered this mermaid during a mission. Perhaps the general was injured and saved by this mermaid, and out of gratitude, they ended up together.

This speculation spread, and some netizens fabricated stories that Cecil, the wild mermaid, had saved General Ying Xiao and cared for him. Despite loving the general, Cecil, due to his unattractive appearance, left sadly once the general’s injuries healed.

But General Ying Xiao was someone who repaid kindness. He didn’t care about Cecil’s appearance because he loved the beautiful soul within. After much searching, he finally found the hidden Cecil, and the two lovers were able to be together.

No wonder General Ying Xiao, whose military achievements were already sufficient, only just started a relationship with a mermaid at this age; it turns out he had been searching for Cecil all along.

The stories circulating among netizens went through several versions, many of them romantically dramatic. However, the version where Cecil saved the general was the most popular. Many who believed this story felt moved, and their view of Cecil improved significantly.

A portion of rational admirers of General Ying Xiao’s military achievements thought that the general’s happiness was his own matter and that everyone should not interfere. This also helped break the one-sided negative opinions about Cecil’s appearance.

When Ying Xiao saw this development upon logging into the star network again, he found it both amusing and exasperating, marveling at the netizens’ imagination.

However, since the number of people criticizing his lover had decreased, he was pleased. After all, people would eventually come to see Cecil’s worth.

Ying Xiao ignored the online comments and continued with his own ways. He fully embraced the mode of showing off his husband online. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would post a message to express his love for Cecil.

This led to some netizens wondering if their general’s account had been hacked. But once the public got used to it, they found that this version of General Ying Xiao was much more interesting than the previous stern and rigorous one.

Many people visited Ying Xiao’s page daily, eager to see how General Ying Xiao would show his affection today.

A few days later, after a doctor’s examination confirmed that his lover’s health had mostly recovered and he no longer needed to rely on nutrient solution and could eat some solid food, Ying Xiao decided to cook for Cecil.

Early the next morning, Ying Xiao personally prepared some easily digestible and exquisite food for Cecil. Ying Xiao’s culinary skills were always excellent, and Cecil was moved to tears seeing the delicious and fragrant breakfast laid out before him.

Why is this person so wonderful? Every time he thinks he is already very happy, the other surprises him with something new.

Cecil cherished the spoon, taking a sip of the creamy white fish soup in front of him. The fresh and fragrant taste permeated his taste buds, bringing warmth straight to his heart.

Seeing Ying Xiao smiling and staring at him, Cecil couldn’t help but put down his spoon and give him a big hug. With a voice that was even a bit choked up, he said, “Darling, thank you!”

Ying Xiao patted Cecil’s back, kissed his cheek, and said softly, “Is this level of effort enough to make you so moved? Will you be crying every day from now on?”

Cecil laughed at Ying Xiao’s teasing, his eyes growing even more tender. He nuzzled the tip of Ying Xiao’s nose and lovingly kissed his lips, murmuring, “Ying Xiao, I love you more than my own life!”

The two of them lingered in their warmth for a while before continuing their breakfast. As it was the first time he had tasted food made by Ying Xiao’s own hands, Cecil even ate with a bit of hunger.

Seeing his lover so appreciative, Ying Xiao was naturally very pleased. He casually snapped a photo and posted it online with the caption: “Happiness is making breakfast for the person you love every day!”

As a result, the netizens who had been frequently fed dog food by Ying Xiao recently felt a bit sour again.

[Didn’t expect that General Ying Xiao is not only great in battle but also has such cooking skills. The food looks delicious. Suddenly, I want to become a modified mermaid. What should I do? ><]

[Don’t think too much, even if you become a modified mermaid, General Ying Xiao won’t like you. →_→]

[Why, after watching for a while, do I think Cecil isn’t actually ugly? His features are quite handsome! (:з」∠)]

[Agree with the above!!!]

[Am I the only one who noticed how General Ying Xiao’s show-off tone is so smug? Are there no single dogs left to live? ▼_▼]

The warm meal between the two of them was completely unaware that the comments section on the Star Network had already become a sea of joy.