Cocolia was led by Xing and Dan Heng to a pavilion by the lake. As soon as she sat down, Xing spoke up.
"Cocolia, Seele clearly said you gave up on the idea of a marriage alliance between Bronya and my Old Bro. Why bring it up again suddenly now?"
Cocolia crossed her arms and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
Xing crossed her arms as well, rubbing her chin in thought without speaking. Dan Heng, standing aside, glanced at her, then turned to Cocolia.
"Previously, in your eyes, Fu Zhu was just a Nameless of the Astral Express. But after arriving on the Xianzhou, you discovered that Fu Zhu's network of connections isn't as simple as just us. Furthermore, whether in economy or technology, the Xianzhou Alliance far surpasses Jarilo-VI."
"Oh? Mr. Dan Heng's meaning, simply put, is that I am doing this for greater benefits, correct?"
Dan Heng neither admitted nor denied it; he simply stated his view flatly.
"I am merely thinking from the most rational perspective. If I am wrong, Ms. Cocolia, you are welcome to correct me. Of course, provided you are willing."
Cocolia shook her head with a smile. Just when Dan Heng thought she wasn't willing to be honest, she spoke again.
"You aren't wrong. Standing from my perspective, benefits are indeed an important factor."
"However, it's not just because of this one point, right?"
Xing, who had been thinking, suddenly spoke up, her bright pair of eyes staring fixedly at Cocolia.
"Back on Jarilo-VI, when you were bewildered by the Stellaron, even before you met my Old Bro, you were willing to give the Astral Express a chance to prove themselves because of Bronya's words. I think 'benefits' are not the key link affecting your judgment."
After listening quietly to Xing's speech, Cocolia narrowed her eyes with a smile and raised her hands to applaud.
"You siblings are truly admirable. The brother possesses all sorts of miraculous methods, and the sister has a pair of eyes capable of piercing into people's hearts."
The next second, Xing rubbed her own cheeks with a grin, looking somewhat smug.
"Is that so? I think so too!"
Dan Heng glanced at her speechlessly, unable to resist sighing. Indeed, Xing was brilliant at many moments, but that brilliant posture usually couldn't be maintained for long before her true form was revealed.
Dan Heng silently withdrew his gaze from the smug Xing and looked at Cocolia.
"If it's not that layer of reason, then why do this?"
Cocolia smiled naturally and pointed at herself.
"I said before that I am an unqualified Supreme Guardian. A qualified Supreme Guardian should put Jarilo-VI first, but I can't do it. The number one place in my heart will always be my daughter. As a mother, how could I not understand my daughter's feelings? She likes Fu Zhu, but at the same time, she doesn't want to hurt Miss March 7th."
"Sigh, Bronya's personality in emotional matters is too soft. If I don't force her, she would never take the initiative to fight for it. So I can only resort to this low strategy. Anyway, I was already a sinner of Jarilo-VI; what does it matter if I carry one more black pot (scapegoat) of forcing my own daughter into a marriage alliance?"
Xing couldn't help but frown and ask back, "But by doing this, wouldn't Bronya become a 'Little...'?"
Xing didn't say the last word (San - mistress/homewrecker), but Cocolia could guess what she wanted to say. She immediately raised her eyebrows with some dissatisfaction.
"You can't say that. Bronya drank the soup before Miss March 7th, you know?"
Xing's expression changed instantly.
"As expected, the Pillow Fight that night... they were all in the room next door!"
Cocolia smiled proudly, very happy about her daughter's advantage, while Xing bit her fingernail, feeling somewhat distressed.
Dan Heng, seeing the two wandering off topic again, couldn't help but remind them aloud.
"Cocolia, what do you plan to do next?"
Cocolia put away the proud expression on her face, tilted her head to look at Dan Heng, and pondered for a moment.
"Mr. Dan Heng wants to stop me? That makes sense. After all, this can be considered hurting Miss March 7th. I apologize."
There was one more sentence she didn't say, which was: Regardless of whether Dan Heng and Xing stop her, she will give it a try for her daughter's happiness.
Xing tilted her head and frowned at Dan Heng. "Dan Heng, you..."
Dan Heng, however, raised his hand to interrupt her, speaking in his usual calm tone.
"In this universe, it is not solely a monogamous civilization. There are polygamous societies, and polyandrous ones. But regardless of the system, in the end, it depends on the parties involved. That is all I have to say."
With that, Dan Heng turned and walked away. However, after taking only a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and said to Xing:
"I estimate I will be going to meet some old friends for the next few days."
After saying that, Dan Heng walked away quickly.
Hearing his last sentence, Xing couldn't help but curl her lips, but the corner of her mouth still carried a smile.
"Hehe, that guy Dan Heng looks cold on the surface, but he still cares about people quite a bit."
Cocolia didn't understand and turned her head to Xing. "What does that mean?"
"Dan Heng saying that implies that he won't stop your plan, but how the final result turns out depends on the three parties involved."
Cocolia heard this and breathed a sigh of relief, smiling again. But she didn't forget that besides Dan Heng, there was also Fu Zhu's sister, Xing. Her thoughts were also extremely important.
"What about you?"
Xing put her hands behind her back and looked at the lake water by the pavilion.
"I just want to live happily with my Old Bro. And everyone else."
---o---
"Open your mouth for me!"
Bailu strenuously used her small hand to pinch Fu Zhu's cheeks, then took out a magnifying glass to carefully observe Fu Zhu's oral cavity.
Standing guard at the side, March 7th and Bronya watched nervously, deeply afraid that Fu Zhu might have some injury examined.
March 7th held her hands together anxiously, staring unblinkingly at Bailu, who was acting like a serious adult doctor during the examination, and asked:
"Bailu, is Fu Zhu unhurt?"
Bailu put away the magnifying glass and sighed.
This scene made March 7th and Bronya's hearts skip a beat uncontrollably.
Doctors fearing a frown, patients fearing the doctor's sigh.
If it's just a frown, perhaps the injury is severe. But if the doctor sighs, that might mean an illness that even the doctor has no way to cure.
Bronya's face turned pale instantly. She said with a trembling voice, "Lady Dragon, Fu Zhu just ate a porcelain bowl and a cup raw... You must save him!"
"Just?!"
Bailu was practically laughed into anger. Standing on a small stool, with the height boost, she was finally able to look March 7th and Bronya in the eye. Then she pointed at them and scolded.
"Do you know that porcelain shards entering the stomach can easily damage internal organs and cause massive bleeding! This isn't something 'simple' at all!"
Seeing Bailu so angry, March 7th's face turned pale, and tears anxiously welled up in the corners of her eyes.
"Then Fu Zhu..."
"He's fine."
"Huh?" x2
March 7th and Bronya were stunned by Bailu's words, looking at Bailu with incomprehension.
Bailu crossed her arms grumpily and said, "You guys sent him a bit too late... He could have almost gone to eat dinner."
Seeing the two sitting beside her looking confused, not understanding, Bailu explained again: "I already said he's fine... why won't you believe me."
Bailu turned her head again and rolled her eyes at Fu Zhu with equal annoyance.
"And you. Why eat porcelain and wine cups for no reason? I don't think you have Pica."
Fu Zhu remained silent. He couldn't exactly say it was to resolve the Shuraba, right?
And he felt that even if he said it, Bailu wouldn't understand; she was too young.
Seeing Fu Zhu not answering, Bailu didn't press further. Instead, she jumped off the small stool and walked toward the outside of the ward, muttering without looking back as she walked.
"Seriously, Fu Zhu is so strong, what does eating a cup matter? And his medical skills are even better than mine. Why rush to me... There are still many patients outside waiting for me, I'm leaving first!"
After Bailu left, the ward suddenly quieted down. The three people in the room looked at each other silently for a moment before Bronya suddenly squeezed out a reluctant smile.
"Since Fu Zhu is fine, I'll go back first."
Bronya turned to prepare to leave. Fu Zhu quickly stood up, preparing to reach out and pull Bronya back. But on the side, a jade-like hand moved faster than him and grabbed Bronya's wrist.
"Wait, Bronya."
Bronya turned her head in surprise, her line of sight meeting March 7th's face, which held a complex expression.
"Don't leave yet. Fu Zhu still has some things he hasn't said, right?"
At the last two words, March 7th looked at Fu Zhu as she spoke them. Fu Zhu nodded silently.
Bronya immediately realized what Fu Zhu wanted to say, and a sudden panic rose in her heart.
"Fu Zhu..."
Fu Zhu stood up, took the initiative to hold the hands of both women, pulled them to sit side-by-side on the hospital bed, while he stood in front of them.
"Some things ultimately need to be said. Whether hiding it from whoever, it is a kind of harm. I don't want to hurt either of you."
Bronya fell silent, her hands placed on her thighs clenching tightly, her fingertips turning white from excessive tension.
March 7th's gaze swept across the faces of the two from time to time, and she said in a low, ghostly voice:
"If you two are hiding something... Fu Zhu, speak."
Fu Zhu took a deep breath and recounted all the things that happened between him and Bronya on Jarilo-VI.
Sitting to the side, the more March 7th listened, the paler her face became.
"So the night of the Pillow Fight, you two had already..."
Fu Zhu and Bronya nodded silently. March 7th nodded twice, her smile somewhat forced.
She looked at Bronya and asked seriously:
"Bronya, what do you think? Do you like Fu Zhu? Do you want to be together with Fu Zhu?"
A trace of pain flashed through Bronya's eyes. She forced a smile, and just as she was about to speak contrary to her heart, March 7th spoke again.
"Bronya, this time, I hope to hear your true feelings. If you still consider me your friend, tell the truth."
Bronya lowered her head, clutching the hem of her skirt.
"I like him."
As expected... she hadn't guessed wrong.
After getting the answer from Bronya, March 7th turned her head to look at Fu Zhu and asked faintly:
"What about you?"
Facing March 7th's gaze, Fu Zhu felt a pressure rise out of nowhere. This was even heavier than the pressure he felt when facing an Aeon.
After a profound contemplation, Fu Zhu made a bold decision.
He had 'lived a new life.' In his previous life, he lay paralyzed in a hospital bed due to illness; all he owned was the view from the window of the ward. This time, he had the ability to obtain everything he wanted.
Why couldn't he be a little more greedy?
"I don't want to miss either of you!"
After saying this, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from Fu Zhu's shoulders.
Regardless of the outcome, at least he had spoken his true thoughts. As for what Bronya and March 7th thought, how they saw him... just like what he thought just now, this time he had that ability.
At worst, he would use the power of [Finality] to go back to the past and constantly search for the chance not to miss the two of them.
"So greedy..."
March 7th and Bronya lowered their heads. It wasn't clear who said this, or if both of them said it.
Fu Zhu stared nervously at March 7th and Bronya, waiting for their answer.
March 7th twiddled her fingers in front of her. After hearing Fu Zhu's answer, her heart felt a bit sad but also somewhat secretly delighted.
The sadness was that she couldn't monopolize Fu Zhu alone. The secret delight was that Fu Zhu didn't abandon herself for her sake (Bronya).
But this also put her in a difficult spot. Should she really agree?
She couldn't help but recall what Xing had said to her before, and the results she had searched for on her phone at that time.
In this universe, the situation of polygamy is more common...
Just at this moment, the door of the ward was suddenly pushed open. Cocolia strode in like a shooting star. Without looking at anyone in the room, she opened her mouth immediately.
"Bronya, I'll go up and take down Fu Zhu! Don't let your mother lose hope! Otherwise, our Jarilo-VI is finished! Regardless of whether you are willing or not, I will force you to go take down Fu Zhu!"
"If you can't, then I can only add myself! With us mother and daughter together, who could possibly stand against us!"
The three people who were originally silent in the room stared with wide eyes in shock when they saw Cocolia barge in and utter such explosive remarks.
Cocolia, looking like she had just 'realized' the situation, looked at Fu Zhu and March 7th, then silently backed out of the ward and closed the door.
Outside the door, Xing and Bailu were hiding to the side. Bailu was still holding several skewers of candied hawthorn in her hand.
Cocolia whispered to Xing with some embarrassment:
"Is this bad idea you came up with really going to work? No matter how I look at it, it's very absurd!"
"If you don't do it, then I can only add myself! With us mother and daughter together, who could possibly stand against us!"
The three people in the room, originally silent, stared with widened eyes in shock upon seeing Cocolia rush in and shout such earth-shattering remarks.
Cocolia, feigning a 'belated realization,' looked at Fu Zhu and March 7th, then silently backed out of the ward and closed the door.
Outside, Xing and Bailu were hiding in the corner. Bailu still held several candied hawthorns in her hand.
Cocolia whispered to Xing, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Is this rotten idea of yours really going to work? No matter how you look at it, it's extremely ridiculous!"
Xing, however, pulled out a pair of sunglasses from who-knows-where, put them on her face, wagged her finger at Cocolia, and assumed the appearance of an unfathomable expert.
"You don't understand this. This is wisdom I inherited from my Old Bro. As the saying goes, when you want to open a window, and others don't agree, you go and tear off the roof. In this situation, others will agree to let you open the window."
"Just now, they were originally still hesitating whether the two of them should be with my brother together. But after this absurd character of yours appeared... they will feel that the two of them being with Fu Zhu together appears much more normal."
Cocolia pinched her chin and couldn't help but gasp.
"It sounds reasonable... but I always feel something is not quite right."