Chapter 543 Baby, Have You Been Bought Off?

Chapter 543 Baby, Have You Been Bribed?

"Rumble, rumble!"

Stone doors slowly opened, revealing a dazzling glow inside.

"Is... is this some kind of magical world?" Everyone craned their necks to look, exclaiming in amazement.

The ground was paved with various pearls, flanked by coral grass watered with seawater, thriving beautifully. Houses were adorned with seashells, and the beams were made from whale bones...

In short, it was like a miniature crystal palace inside.

Beautiful, prosperous—even the mermaid women here were exceptionally lovely.

"Not a large population—only a few hundred," Xiaoyue remarked after looking around.

"Yes, judging by their living space, it definitely doesn’t exceed a thousand," Xiao Yin nodded. "Their clothing is far finer than that of ordinary mermaids outside."

"Who dares to stir trouble on our mermaid island?" A fierce-looking man stormed out, followed by several guards wielding tridents.

The guards wore outfits of tree bark and fishing nets, yet they looked oddly stylish, well-designed—something Xiaoyue and the others found utterly baffling.

"You... you all..."

"This must be the man the mermaid beauty took," Xiaoyue said, observing the man who bore a striking resemblance to Ci Xin, as if he were Ci Xin twenty years older.

"Yue'er!" Xiao Yin groaned in exasperation.

Ruo Xi Baby eyed the man warily as the people inside gathered around.

Outside, numerous mermaids had surrounded them, and one stepped forward to report.

"Master, they arrived aboard a vessel bearing the imperial crest."

"Dismissed," the man said, stepping aside slightly. As he walked inward, he continued, "Years ago, I left that ship for my mother, hoping that one day, when the land became peaceful and someone ensured equality for all—so mermaids would no longer be oppressed—they could sail here on it. Now that you’ve arrived, I suppose that day has come?"

"You’ve been waiting here all this time? For the land to stabilize, for someone to bring equality to the world? What if it never happened?" Xiao Yuze asked.

The man turned to glance at Ci Xin and said, "I had faith in my son."

Ci Xin stayed quiet, but Ruo Xi Baby could practically feel his resentment.

He had come to rescue his parents, only to find them living in luxury—way better than his own life—which left him bitter.

"Why didn’t you bring Little Heart with you?" Ruo Xi Baby asked the man’s retreating figure in her childish voice. "Little Heart suffered so much as a child. What kind of mom and dad does that make you?"

"You..." The man stopped short, turned, and chuckled at her. "You look just like her. Could you be my granddaughter?"

"Hmph! You were mean to Little Heart. I don’t like you!" Ruo Xi Baby tilted her head stubbornly, refusing to accept any familial ties.

"We..." The man’s face clouded over as he glanced at Ci Xin before leading them into the largest crystal palace-like house.

Countless polished seashells formed intricate patterns on the walls, making it dazzling.

"Wow, this place rivals anything on land!" Xiaoyue remarked, eyeing the decor. "Are these all made from whale bones? Walrus-tusk carvings, seashell beds, even blankets spun from tree fibers... Life on this island is far better than we imagined."

"But supplies here are limited," the man said, sitting down and having tea served. "It’s filtered through tree-cotton mesh. Not as sweet as mainland tea, but passable."

Xiaoyue sipped it. The water had a hint of brine but was oddly refreshing.

However, Ci Xin remained motionless, merely frowning as he took in the scene before him.

He couldn’t understand what was happening. Seeing his father like this, living so comfortably and so well cared for, Ci Xin felt overwhelmed with sorrow.

"Son!" The man pushed a cup of tea toward Ci Xin and said, "I’ve already sent someone to call your mother!"

"Huh?" Xiao Yin looked up at the man before turning his gaze outside.

Xiaoyue also stepped out and saw a woman in a wheelchair being carefully lifted in by a few attendants.

"Paralyzed?" Xiaoyue asked.

The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, with long hair cascading to the ground and a porcelain-smooth face. Her eyes, in particular, gleamed a startling sea-blue in the sunlight. Xiaoyue suddenly remembered how strange she had found Ci Xin when she first met him—his irises shimmered an unusual sea-blue under the light.

"Back then, after we were taken ashore and discovered together, they wanted to execute us. To save me, she pulled me into the ocean but got her leg caught on an iron hook. Later, she cut off her own leg and escaped with me," the man explained.

"It’s alright, I’ve moved past it—I’m happy now!" The woman smiled, then turned to Ci Xin, her eyes glistening. "He looks so much like you!"

"Little Heart, maybe..." Ruo Xi Baby wanted to console Little Heart, but she felt this might not be something a youngster like me should interfere with.

"After we escaped back here, the mermaids on the shore wanted revenge, but we stopped them," the man continued, glancing at the mermaids outside. "Every year, we select ten mermaids to join us here. Those who enter are the most outstanding, honored as model islanders. We live together, eat together, and have the best boats, fishing tools, and weapons. So, everyone competes to join, and they’ve all improved greatly!"

"Yes, our ancestors were cruel, but I believe that was countless years ago—centuries, even millennia. As long as we choose kindness, that’s what matters," the woman added.

"Did you never think of going back?" Xiaoyue asked.

"We did, but we knew we were too weak. Even if we returned, if the world remained unstable, we’d only be walking to our doom. The mermaids on this island would also lose order and face rejection, possibly leading to another disaster," the man replied. Then, walking up to Ci Xin, he said, "I’m sorry, my child."

Ci Xin didn’t immediately forgive his parents. After all, they had left him and never given him warmth.

However, three days later, Ruo Xi Baby brought the woman to Ci Xin’s door.

"Did they win you over?" Ci Xin asked the little girl, his expression indifferent.

"I discovered a delicious way to roast seashells. Want to try it, Little Heart? Grandmother just told me she prepared lots of shells!" Ruo Xi Baby asked in her tiny, sing-song voice.