Without another word, Manager Carp turned back hurriedly to serve as audience for the fighting brothers. The moment Yao Si stepped into the lounge, a long and heavy sigh reached her. She turned in that direction and discovered a lifeless man in the corner. He slouched dejectedly, seemingly experiencing a deep trauma.

He waved in greeting when she entered. “Great, you got cheated into marriage as well?”

“Cheated?” Yao Si stilled. She wasn’t hallucinating after all!

“Those horrible aquas!” He scowled, patting the seat beside him. “Come take a seat! I’m called Lu Chen. Since we’re both brothers that got cheated, why not share how you got here?”

Was he also a foreigner that was forced into marriage? Yao Si settled beside him. “I met a young merman who gave me a bunch of items. After accepting one…”

“How could you be so careless? Young mermen are also aquas! Didn’t your parents teach you never to accept anything from the aquas?” he chastised her resentfully.

“…” Er, he didn’t actually.

“Er… But i don’t have the right to scold you since I got dragged into the same hole as well.” He sighed, turning even more lifeless than before.

“What do you mean?” Yao Si didn’t fathom the situation. Was aquas’ weird custom widely advertised?

“You don’t know?” Lu Chen glanced at her in shock.

“…” What don’t I know?

“I applaud your courage for coming here clueless.” He gave her a once over before explaining everything. “Aquas don’t have estrogen. If they want to reproduce, they have to find someone from a different race, gender not being part of the consideration,” he spat out.

“In order to exist, they are willing to use any means to trap foreigners here. The most notorious method is through an engagement—as long as you accept anything from any aqua, the two parties will be considered engaged.”

Er… isn’t this a forced marriage?

-_-|||

Lu Chen gritted his teeth. “Your story is considered a little better than mine. F*ck, all I did was drink a cup of water! That’s how I ended up here, about to register for my marriage. Had I known, I would have never landed in this planet regardless on how low my stores were.”

“…” It was indeed a bad predicament.

He shook his head, his face clouded with despair. “Er, we’re trapped here. The aquas are under protection from the bloodlings, and no one can offend them.”

“Bloodings?” Yao Si froze. What did that have to do with her?

“Don’t you know? Bloodings and Aquas have a tight relationship.”

“Really?” Why didn’t she hear anything about it before? This was also the first time she had ventured into this planet.

“The Aqua Planet is the closet to the Red Planet. Even though Aquas’ wedding customs are quite ridiculous, the Alliance isn’t able to object in fear of offending the Bloodings.”

“…” So this was really her kind’s fault.

“Oh right, I forgot to ask. Sis, what should I call you?”

“I’m… Siyao!” Just before she exposed herself, she recalled the pseudonym she had created before the trip.

“Siyao sis, I’m a Yao. What about you?”

“Er… Blooding.”

“…”

What?

The lounge sank into silence for three seconds…

“Sis, save me!” Lu Chen hugged Yao Si, finally having found a savior. “Since we are both in the same predicament, could you please help me out? I have a lover on my mother planet and I don’t want to give birth to any aquas!”

“…”

“If you don’t bring me out, I’ll be doomed the moment the aqua gets pregnant!”

“Why?”

“Child support fees!” he explained with agitation. ” I’m just a measly trader so how would I afford to support children from the aquas?”

“How much is it to raise an aqua?”

“Not much, it’s similar to the Galactic standard.” He grimaced with tears about to run down his cheeks.

“You…”

“They are able to give birth to a hundred at a time! I wouldn’t be able to afford it even if the price was much lower!”

What? A hundred!

(⊙_⊙)

The aquas were really like fish?

“The aquas reproduce by spawns, a few hundred each time, which means they’re more fertile than the legendary bugs!” It was the main reason why other races were so repulsed by the idea of visiting the Aqua Planet. He scratched his head while adding, “The aquas are very loyal and true to their lovers, but it’s just that their fertility is too much for an average person to handle. Those that get cheated into marriage all end up in a dire financial situation.”

“…”

So there was probably a whole lot more princes who couldn’t find a partner and had to resort to such underhanded tactics?

-_-|||

“Why don’t you tell them that you already have someone in your heart, maybe…” If he were to explain nicely, maybe they would let him leave?

“It isn’t that easy, the aquas…” He was just about to elaborate when suddenly, the entire seabed rocked tremendously. Numerous shouts pierced the air.

“What happened?” Lu Chen bolted upright with a glance at her. ” Why don’t we have a look outside?”

Yao Si nodded and headed out of the room. The main dining area was deserted, but the sight revealed then startled them.

The sea bottom was split into two halves, the water streaming sideways to form a pathway.

Yao Si lifted her head, and as expected, a familiar figure came floating downward.

Her nanny dad was finally here.

Any later and she would have gotten ‘remarried’.

(╥╯^╰╥)

“Mu…” She walked forward instinctively. However, someone grabbed her arm the next moment.

“Wife, be careful!” Little Xiye held onto her tightly, his expression grave. “A hideous man just came from the skies. Don’t go over, or you might be startled by his looks.”

“…”

What? Yao Si’s lips twitched. Are your eyes alright? Do you know he’s the Galaxy’s number one male god? Even if he’s using his mental strength on you, he shouldn’t be that ugly?

“Yes!” Xijin came over with a nod, agreeing with his brother like never before. “I have never seen such an ugly person before. You should shield your eyes.” He passed a kerchief to her.

“…”

What’s going on? Yao Si couldn’t help looking at the crowd. Besides Lu Chen, everyone else was turning away in obvious disgust.

Her mind blanked out for a moment, a horrifying thought emerging slowly.

Mermen sense of beauty… was completely opposite of everyone else in the Galaxy?

To be called a beauty by them meant…

Yao Si’s breath came in a shudder as she pulled at the big fish beside her an