The Little Mermaid Fell for the Jiaoren 73

Chapter 73: Public Opinion

This teaching was simply too ambiguous.

Deng Xi’s face became hotter and hotter. Like a little ostrich, he buried his face in the man’s shoulder and neck, pressing against the cold epaulets to cool down.

He was a little confused.

Why could the little mute say such a term to him so directly? It was as if this was not just a lesson. Speaking to him by his ear was like really calling him.

But, it was indeed him who had asked, asking how to pronounce this word, asking if the little mute could teach him.

“Mmm?” The low nasal sound that was squeezed out was very light, but when it entered Deng Xi’s ears, it almost melted him.

Didn’t he hear clearly?

Deng Xi pursed his lips and repeated, “You did it on purpose.”

“What?”

Playing dumb.

They were so close, how could he not hear? Deng Xi raised his head angrily. He turned his head sideways and met a pair of deep silver eyes. He was stunned for a moment before he complained, “Little Mute is bad.”

Si Jisheng did not refute. His pale silver eyes seemed to be hiding some giant beast, fiercely holding Deng Xi in his eyes. Soon, the surging emotions were suppressed again.

The little merman himself did not know that he had just been scared. His limbs, which had subconsciously shrunk back, paused for a moment, and his blue eyes blinked in a daze.

The heat was rising rapidly.

Under this indescribable gaze, Deng Xi couldn’t help but slowly withdraw his intertwined legs, turning into a kneeling position, and said in a small voice, “Can we not hug anymore?”

He was so hot.

It had clearly been very comfortable and cool when they had hugged before.

His silver eyes instantly darkened. Si Jisheng closed his eyes, let go of the hand that was protecting Deng Xi’s waist, and agreed.

Deng Xi climbed off the little mute’s body, sat cross-legged on the sofa, and reached for the ice water on the suspended table. He held the cup and took a big gulp, and the heat on his face finally felt a little cooler.

When he looked at the little mute again, he found that the other party had changed his sitting posture. Si Jisheng was propping his arm on the armrest of the sofa, his forehead resting on it. His crossed legs made his military pants look straight and slender, and his heavy combat boots looked full of power.

This sitting posture seemed to be covering something up.

A new question popped up in Deng Xi’s mind. He asked the little mute, who was looking at his comm and seemed very busy, “Then in the human world, how do females address males?”

Si Jisheng’s fingertips, which were flipping through the comm’s documents, paused.

At this moment, the flying ship stopped. He glanced at the outside of the ship’s window and got up smoothly. Si Jisheng took the water cup from Deng Xi’s hand and placed it back on the table. “Think for yourself.”

“I don’t know, I can’t think of it.” Deng Xi said with a troubled expression. The little merman, who had been deliberately teased, did not know and was still blinking in a daze.

Si Jisheng bent down and took out the cotton slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them in front of the sofa. “Then find it on your comm yourself.”

He deliberately didn’t tell Deng Xi.

Deng Xi extended his foot and, dawdling, stepped into the shoes. “Can’t Little Mute tell me?”

Si Jisheng took out the snacks that Deng Xi had brought back in the flying chair and put them in a small bag. He refused coldly, “No.”

Deng Xi picked up the little whale pillow that he had placed on the flying ship’s sofa this morning, looked at it, and after confirming that nothing had been left behind, he went to hold the little mute’s hand, preparing to get off the flying ship and go home. He was a little wronged. “Why?”

“There’s no why.”

He would get angry after being taught, and would be in a hurry to get off him.

Si Jisheng reminded him, “The water cup.”

Deng Xi looked around, let go of the little mute’s hand, and with a “patter” of his cotton slippers, he ran over and picked up the small water bottle that the little mute had filled with honey milk for him this morning. He then ran back with a “patter” and held the hand with the mechanical finger sleeve again.

Deng Xi was a little angry. “Then I’ll find it myself. I don’t need Little Mute to teach me.”

Si Jisheng replied with a noncommittal sound.

The flying ship stopped at the entrance on the first floor. After they had gotten off, the set program would have the flying ship automatically fly to the tarmac and stop.

Deng Xi followed behind the little mute, being led forward like a little tail. He had not learned his lesson from not looking at the road before and had opened his comm to call Xiao Zhi. After a few glances, the comm was cruelly confiscated.

“Watch the road.”

So mean.

Deng Xi looked at the comm bracelet in the little mute’s hand with longing eyes. It wasn’t until they had reached the living room of the hall that his comm was returned to him by the little mute.

Si Jisheng placed the snack bag on the table, put Deng Xi’s whale pillow back on the sofa, and finally went to wash the water bottle, which had been left for a day and was already dirty.

After pressing the automatic cleaning button, Si Jisheng finally looked at the constantly flashing comm ring. After the blue screen was turned on, the adjutant’s messages kept popping up.

—”Marshal, have you seen the star network? How did your little boyfriend become a headline?”

—”The secretary-general can’t contact you. He said that public opinion is being manipulated now, and the situation is very unfavorable for you.”

—”Marshal? Please reply when you see this. Dr. Li also said that she has something to talk to you about.”

From the time he had turned off his comm on the flying ship until now, only a few minutes had passed. He glanced at the star network interface. Deng Xi’s video had instantly topped the charts, which could only be man-made.

Si Jisheng did not look at it. He first made a communication to Dr. Li.

The blue screen showed Dr. Li’s image. Her background was still the treatment center. Logically, Dr. Li should be on her way home at this time.

The moment the communication was connected, Dr. Li did not speak immediately. She paused for a moment before she asked, “Marshal, I saw that video. Did you agree?”

Si Jisheng nodded. “Just this one video.”

Dr. Li spoke quickly, “What if there are more in the future?”

Si Jisheng said in a deep voice, “It’s fine.”

After receiving an affirmative reply, Dr. Li was relieved. She wished she could immediately soak in the research room of the treatment center with her team, but her research direction was the opposite of the research institute’s.

What she wanted to do was to make up for the current defects of the gene-suppressing drug, the accompanying severe physical pain, as well as the short duration, instability, and a series of other after-effects.

Not to put all the responsibility on a little merman who didn’t understand anything.

What was the difference between that and murder?

Dr. Li continued, “Marshal, we will definitely not disappoint your expectations. It’s just the matter of funding. Can you?” The rest of the words were all unsaid.

Si Jisheng said directly, “Just follow the procedure for reimbursement.”

Dr. Li was completely relieved. “With your support, I believe that the results will soon be apparent.”

The communication was cut off.

If a perfect gene-suppressing drug could be successfully developed, the benefits would be almost incalculable. At the very least, he could take off the mechanical gloves on his hands in public.

Si Jisheng’s sharp silver eyes narrowed slightly. In that instant, he had almost gone through all the changes that would be brought about by the successful development in his mind, but he quickly and restrainedly relaxed.

It was obviously unrealistic to put all his hopes on this. Si Jisheng was not in a hurry. Whether there was Deng Xi’s song or not, he would eventually take off these mechanical gloves. It was just a matter of time.

Si Jisheng pressed his brow and went to reply to the adjutant, “I know.” Only then did he open the star network to check how far the public opinion had been guided.

The first entry on the star network was—The last merman in the entire galaxy, followed by—The Imperial Marshal spent ten billion to buy an alien pet.

It was enough. Without clicking in, Si Jisheng could also guess that the target of the public opinion had completely become the military and him. Deng Xi’s video was just a stepping stone.

The secretary-general had clearly gotten the news from the adjutant and immediately made a communication. The moment it was connected, he said quickly, “Marshal, have you seen the star network?”

Si Jisheng calmly scrolled down. “I’m looking at it.”

The secretary-general paused for a moment, thinking of those unbearable conspiracy theories.

“I get it. The taxes we paid were all spent on buying a beauty. From the video, I have to say that this one hundred billion was well spent.”

“Is the corruption in your Empire so serious? The water is quite deep.”

“I’ve said it before. The military is led by an alien. It’s only a matter of time before it’s finished.”

“Is this species so rare? I can’t tell. The Marshal is so good at playing.”

“There’s still no explanation for what happened three years ago. Do you really think the public has forgotten? It’s hilarious. Yes, not a traitor, not a deserter, but a corrupt alien official.”

“The Elder of the neighboring Council of Elders has just retired and has gone to teach. Look at how his family can be said to be destitute.”

“…”

The secretary-general, who had always had a smiling face, also turned cold, gritting his teeth. “It must be the Council of Elders.”

Si Jisheng said calmly, “There’s no need to suppress the news that the military used this one hundred billion to annihilate the skull. After it’s released, don’t bother with the rest.”

The secretary-general shouted anxiously, “Marshal!”

Si Jisheng frowned slightly, unquestionable. “Just do it.”

The secretary-general did not agree. “I know you’re used to it, but you can’t just let your lover be saddled with these baseless accusations, right?”

Si Jisheng was rational enough. “The public’s attention is not on him.” He was also very clear-headed. “Pay attention to your wording in the future. He is not my lover yet.”

At least not now.

The secretary-general paused for a moment, and was instantly speechless. If the Marshal could just directly post a legal marriage certificate of the two of them on the star network, all the speculations would be self-defeating now.

After a moment, the secretary-general asked again, not giving up, “Do you really not need any public relations?”

Si Jisheng refused coldly.

The secretary-general lowered his head in resignation and reported, “Prince Gran’s flying ship suddenly turned and went to the research institute today. After a brief stay, it left again. I’ll have to report the details to you in person tomorrow.”

The comm was not safe.

Si Jisheng pondered for a moment. “I know.”

The communication was cut off again.

Si Jisheng remained in place for a long time. The quiet room seemed to have infinitely amplified the feeling of the cold air. After a long while, he finally lowered his eyes and took off his mechanical gloves. The temperature of his fingertips was almost as cold as the mechanical fingers.

The cold air penetrated deep into his lungs, passed through his body, and was then exhaled. But the coldness remained deep within his body.

The next second, the sound of “patter, patter” footsteps came from far to near. A flash of gold appeared at the kitchen door. Deng Xi ran in excitedly and hugged the motionless man from behind.

The little merman almost jumped onto the little mute’s body.

Deng Xi was a little cold from the coldness on the little mute’s body, but he still hugged him tightly. “I know how to say it!”

A lively and clear voice entered his ears. It was clear that he was not yet proficient. The interstellar language was spoken a bit clumsily, and he spat out the words one by one, “It’s… husband, right?”