Chapter 74: Reunion

Chapter 74: Reunion

The news that the Merman Prince Semaya was to marry Ji Jing was, if not known by everyone on Imperial Star, at least known by a significant number of people.

They also knew that General Locke Tang En had publicly challenged Prince Semaya to a duel on his social media account, though no response had been given.

Later, when the defense of the Capital Region became urgent, the authorities began controlling the public opinion on the Star Network, forbidding further gossip about the matter. However, just because people stopped discussing it online didn’t mean they weren’t talking about it privately.

As for Ji Jing, the person involved, he had only just learned about this from the other party, Semaya.

During the days Locke had been with him, not a single word about Semaya was mentioned.

Still, Ji Jing had some doubts. "Semaya, how did you find me?"

Although his address on Imperial Star wasn’t a secret—those black fans had even found his house before—he had only just returned not long ago.

It couldn’t be that someone had been waiting at his doorstep every day, right?

Semaya replied, "I rented the villa next door. I’ve been staying there these past few days. When I saw the lights in your house, I came over to check, and I really met you!"

"Seeing that you’re safe, I’m really happy!"

He hadn’t been waiting at the door every day, just next door.

Ji Jing said, "Um... but living on human territory like this, don’t you feel uncomfortable?"

He was someone who didn’t like to wrong himself, nor did he want others to suffer because of him.

Semaya smiled optimistically, "It’s not a big problem. The house I rented has a pool, and I’m quite used to it."

In fact, he had done this to prove to Ji Jing that they could live together.

Although they were of different species, love could overcome everything.

The only question was—

"Ji Jing, will you marry me? I really like you. The arranged marriage is just to ensure everyone accepts and blesses us; it’s not meant to force you."

Ji Jing gave an awkward smile, "Since you’re already on Imperial Star, you must have heard about me and Locke Tang En, right?"

Admittedly, Locke was a handy shield in situations like this.

Semaya nodded, his expression a bit stiff.

He had not only heard about it but, if not for the urgent situation on the Capital Region’s defense line, he might have already fought Locke Tang En.

But since Ji Jing hadn’t married Locke Tang En, he still had a chance.

He had even gone so far as to use the alliance between the merfolk and humans as a bargaining chip, preemptively binding Ji Jing in the name of an arranged marriage.

But now, hearing Ji Jing say this, Semaya’s heart sank, and he forced a bitter smile, "So, you chose him? Is this my punishment for betraying you before?"

The words stung Ji Jing a little.

After all, this was the second potential bed partner he had once considered.

Ji Jing pulled the man to sit on the sofa, gently held his hand, and soothingly said, "Semaya, my dear prince, don’t think like that. You’re wonderful, and I didn’t choose him, it’s just that..."

After a pause, Ji Jing decided to be honest, "I’m pregnant with Locke Tang En’s child. I’ve decided to keep it, but that doesn’t mean I’ll marry him."

Semaya was stunned, unsure whether to cry or laugh.

The bad news was that Ji Jing was pregnant with Locke Tang En’s child and planned to keep it.

The good news was that Ji Jing might not marry Locke Tang En, so he still had a chance.

Semaya seemed to have more to say, but Ji Jing was already a bit tired. The long journey and the pregnancy made him especially want to collapse on the bed, so he smiled and saw his guest off.

As they stood at the door, Semaya still seemed reluctant to leave. His eyes lingered on the collar of Ji Jing’s robe. In a low voice, he pleaded, "Ji Jing, can I have a goodnight kiss?"

Ji Jing smiled gently, then tiptoed to give a brief kiss on Semaya’s lips.

But Semaya was clearly not satisfied. Before Ji Jing could pull away, he wrapped an arm around Ji Jing’s waist and cupped the back of his head with his other hand, forcing a deep kiss with entangled tongues.

When the kiss ended, Semaya’s eyes seemed to brew a storm, like the sea before a violent storm.

He didn’t really want to leave.

Coincidentally, Ji Jing lightly loosened his tie, a gesture that felt a bit ambiguous, making Semaya think Ji Jing was hinting at something.

But before he could get excited, Ji Jing said, "Semaya, just be yourself. Don’t force yourself to adapt to human life. Although you look good in a suit, it must be uncomfortable, right?"

"You are a noble merman prince. You don’t need to lower yourself to play human, nor do you need to accommodate anyone."

As soon as Ji Jing finished speaking, Semaya’s fin-like ears couldn’t help but reveal themselves, trembling slightly like his mood at that moment.

Wearing human clothes really was uncomfortable for him. Even though he had tried to choose high-quality, comfortable fabrics, the sense of constriction and the discomfort from dehydration still made him feel awful, as if his body was on fire. He had just been enduring it.

He hadn’t expected that Ji Jing would notice.

Semaya’s heart softened, like a clear spring soothing all discomfort. He wanted to kiss Ji Jing again, but before he could lower his head, Ji Jing blocked his mouth with two fingers.

"Be good, go back."

Semaya wanted to ask whether Ji Jing meant the house he was currently staying in or Poseidon.

But in the end, under Ji Jing’s gaze, he left with one last lingering look.

After Semaya was far away, the tired Ji Jing returned to the second-floor bedroom, dried his hair, and climbed onto the soft, comfortable bed.

Ji Jing slept until noon the next day before waking up.

Lying in bed indulging in a bit of laziness, Ji Jing played with his optical brain for a while and even searched for news about himself and Semaya. Although the official channels had tried to control the narrative, not all the information online had been scrubbed. If you looked hard enough, you could still find a lot.

Truth be told, compared to Locke, his pairing with Semaya was significantly more popular. Many citizens of the empire supported Ji Jing trying to "lure" the Merman Prince to the empire, especially Locke's fans.

In their eyes, Locke Tang En, the Sword of the Empire, couldn't be matched with any Omega.

But Ji Jing, as a divorced Omega, would be a beacon of hope for all Omegas if he managed to win over the Merman Prince and bring some benefits to humanity.

Ji Jing simply laughed off these comments.

Just as he was scrolling through entertainment news, Carol sent a message: "Ji Jing, have you been busy lately? There's an Omega gathering in a few days. Want to go with me?"

Ji Jing thought for a moment. Typical Omega gatherings were just about drinking tea, chatting, shopping, or doing some handicrafts like flower arranging or pottery. The original owner of his body had been quite skilled at these, and Ji Jing had picked up many of those skills too.

Since he had nothing better to do and there wouldn't be any danger hanging out with a bunch of Omegas, he replied, "Sure, just remind me when it's time."

As soon as he sent the message, the doorbell rang.

When Ji Jing opened the door, he found Semaya standing outside again.

Compared to the suit he wore last night, this time Semaya was in a loose, lightweight casual shirt, with the lines of his chest and abs faintly visible.

— The kind of look that's more tempting than being fully undressed.

Ji Jing hadn't expected to face such a test right after waking up.

"A Word from the Author"

Thanks to my dear "Linlin Yue" and "27066309" for the nutrient solution~