Transmigrated Into a Scummy Alpha Who Stole the Male Lead's Mermaid Fiancée - Chapter 45

This was the third live broadcast Lan Xing and Yu Ke participated in.

Initially, the program was seen as a publicity stunt, laden with excessive political implications. But as the work progressed, the audience witnessed the two royal women meticulously studying scripts, personally building sets, discussing performance details with actors, and even handling the post-production editing themselves.

Doubts gradually faded, replaced by admiration and praise, along with well-wishes for their future.

Since the filming theme involved clones, Lan Xing approached this work with exceptional seriousness. She demonstrated outstanding talent in literary aesthetics and camera techniques, but even more commendable was her consistently patient and polite attitude, a natural sincerity that no “publicity stunt” or “acting” could ever achieve.

Compared to other participants in the program, the two shone far too brightly. Through this activity, Yu Ke and Lan Xing earned a substantial amount of money.

Before setting out, Yu Ke had spent one billion to purchase the Princess ship. Apart from minor expenses, the black card still held 38 billion gold, untouched in the account.

So far, she was the only one who knew about this.

She hadn’t decided whether to tell Lan Xing, worried that given Lan Xing’s character, she might demand Yu Ke return the enormous sum to the Ferrari government.

Yu Ke wasn’t greedy by nature, she was just concerned. Their journey had been turbulent, and there was no telling what accidents might occur tomorrow. That money could be crucial for their survival, so it had to remain untouched.

Since she hadn’t told Lan Xing, in Lan Xing’s understanding, their account was stretched thin, constantly at risk of being unable to afford fuel or keep the stove running. Thus, she pinched pennies, cutting every possible expense and seizing every opportunity to earn money.

They had taken 50 cans of fuel on Planet 356 without paying at the time. After arriving at Gana, they sold 40 cans, netting 8 million gold.

Their signing fee for the live broadcast program was 10 million per person, with additional bonuses and tips totaling 15.2 million per episode, bringing in 35.2 million gold.

In a city where the average annual income was around 3 million, such earnings in a short period were truly remarkable.

Lan Xing’s greatest joy was watching the money in their account gradually increase, then begging Yu Ke to take her to that deep-sea restaurant for blueberry cake!

After this period of treatment, Lan Xing’s health had improved. After taking medication, she could temporarily regain her human form, and these moments became her most anticipated “outing” times.

The Deep Sea Promise restaurant had an average per-person consumption of around 20,000 and was often fully booked.

Yet Lan Xing always managed to easily reserve a private room, ordering a 500-gold blueberry ice cream, a 2,250-gold cake, and a 1,200-gold spicy pot (Yu Ke’s personal favorite). The total bill never exceeded 5,000, leaving the restaurant manager utterly astonished.

Manager Xiong held the bill and tactfully remarked, “Our restaurant offers 2,000 dishes in total. If you two only try one or two dishes each visit, it would take about 20 years to sample all our offerings. This is somewhat regrettable for our chefs.”

Lan Xing blinked, “Hmm?”

Yu Ke said, “Next time we’ll bring friends and order more dishes, so please don’t worry.”

Lan Xing took a moment to process this, then replied, “Ah, sorry, did we order too little and cause trouble for you…”

Manager Xiong couldn’t possibly admit this, quickly shaking his head and emphasizing, “That’s really not what I meant! Our restaurant is doing great business! We’d never trouble customers over something like this!”

Despite his words, both Yu Ke and Lan Xing wore expressions of clear skepticism. Manager Xiong gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and bowed deeply at a perfect 90-degree angle, declaring loudly, “Even if Your Highnesses were to dine here for free indefinitely, it would be fine! But we sincerely beg you, please try more of our dishes!”

“I… could try one different dish each time,” Lan Xing said, her heart aching at the thought of the expense, “but we still have a long interstellar journey ahead. We probably won’t order too much, and we can’t finish everything… Coming to the restaurant once a week is already quite extravagant…”

Her words even stunned Yu Ke, who never worried about spending money.

“Xing’er, we actually have money,” she reminded her.

“But we need to make it last! We have to budget carefully! And we can’t take advantage without giving anything back!” Lan Xing said seriously.

Not taking advantage without giving back, meaning they could accept favors, but would need to offer something in return.

That’s how Manager Xiong interpreted it. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Actually, our restaurant’s previous endorsement contract just expired. Your Highness, would you be willing to become our new endorser?”

And just like that, they received an endorsement fee of 8 million. Moreover, as the restaurant’s endorser, Lan Xing could invite friends to dine for free once a week, an incredible deal.

Time flew by, and forty days had passed since the Princess landed at Datianxi.

Aside from the assassin they encountered on the first night, Yu Ke and her companions had faced almost no other unexpected incidents.

These had been the most peaceful forty days since the Princess began its voyage.

On the afternoon of September 22nd, Yu Ke went to the hospital to collect Lan Xing’s test results. After a series of hormone level tests, Dr. Moma of the mermaid tribe concluded: “She should be going into heat soon.”

This was said privately to Yu Ke, and it was exhilarating news.

She wanted to tell Lan Xing immediately, to ease her constant worries about her fertility.

But she was also concerned, what if Dr. Moma’s “should” wasn’t a guarantee? What if she gave Lan Xing hope only for it to be dashed later?

If Lan Xing could successfully go into heat, it meant Yu Ke could successfully mark her.

It had been so long since she’d experienced marking someone that she could barely remember how it felt.

The thought made Yu Ke restless with anxiety.

Coincidentally, she ran into Zhang Jun at the hospital. He looked troubled and pale, walking down the corridor without recognizing Yu Ke.

“Little Jun,” Yu Ke called his name with a smile.

Her voice was elegant and seductive, with a hint of sweetness. It seemed people really do rub off on each other, Yu Ke had unconsciously picked up traces of a sweet demeanor.

“Sis Keke,” Zhang Jun’s face instantly lit up with a smile, “What are you doing here?”

“I came to get Xing’er’s test results. I couldn’t rest easy, so I wanted to ask the doctor in person about a few things.” Yu Ke glanced at him, her expression shifting slightly as she lowered her voice. “What’s going on with you? Is the Prime Minister’s condition worsening?”

“Father is fine, no need to worry,” Zhang Jun replied with a weary smile. “How is Xing’er? What did Dr. Moma say?”

“It’s good news, thanks to your care during this time,” Yu Ke pursed her lips. “I’m planning to propose to Xing’er. What do you think?”

Zhang Jun froze for a moment. “Propose?”

“Yes.”

A sparkle appeared in Zhang Jun’s eyes, and he grew somewhat excited, but quickly calmed down. “Why propose now? Isn’t it a bit hasty?”

“Dr. Moma said she’ll soon regain her estrus cycle. I want to surprise her then,” Yu Ke looked at Zhang Jun. “What kind of proposal setting do you think mermaids prefer?”

Zhang Jun rubbed his face, slightly embarrassed, as if he were the one being proposed to. He thought about it empathetically. “Well… it’s hard to say. Just the fact that you’re planning to propose is already surprising enough… And, it doesn’t really have much to do with being a mermaid. I think it depends more on Lan Xing herself… Whatever surprise you prepare, she’ll definitely love it.”

Yu Ke pondered for a moment. Zhang Jun sighed and said, “You could wait until she’s settled. Proposing now would only add pressure to her.”

Is that so?

Yu Ke hesitated, lowering her gaze. “You’re right, now isn’t the best timing.”

“Panda Planet still hasn’t made any statement, right?” Zhang Jun said seriously. “I think proposing now would put a lot of pressure on Xing’er. She probably isn’t ready yet. It might be better to wait until everything stabilizes.”

From Zhang Jun’s tone, Yu Ke faintly sensed unease, an unease he was trying to conceal.

“I don’t mean to dampen your spirits, Keke,” Zhang Jun brushed the hair by his ear, his expression gentle. “If you decide to propose right away, whether now or tonight, you must tell me. I’d love to witness that moment!”

“Alright, I’ll let you know.”

They parted ways, and Yu Ke got into her car. She turned on some music and lit a cigarette.

She thought back to a morning not long ago when Lan Xing said she had dreamed of Isabelle, dreamed of being strapped to an examination table while another version of herself watched.

Yu Ke had comforted her, saying it was because she had just had a check-up at the hospital the day before, which triggered similar associations.

She wasn’t sure if that reassurance had worked. Although Lan Xing hadn’t brought it up again, it was clear she still carried the worry in her heart. Just yesterday, Yu Ke happened to overhear her conversation with Sang Jiu, and their words were filled with concern.

That evening, Yu Ke and Lan Xing dined at Deep Sea Promise. This time, they brought Sang Jiu and Li Jian’an along. Li Jian’an brought his children, making the restaurant somewhat noisy.

“They’re on break right now,” Li Jian’an said apologetically. “Is it too loud?”

Yu Ke remained silent with a cold expression, while Lan Xing quietly ate her food, shaking her head and replying sweetly, “Not at all.”

“Sister Xing’er,” Angel asked brightly, “Will you turn back into a mermaid again?”

“If needed, I probably will,” Lan Xing replied softly, taking a small bite of mousse.

“For example?” Angel asked abruptly, tapping her cutlery as she looked at her.

Her gaze wasn’t friendly. Lan Xing glanced at her but didn’t take it to heart, merely joking, “If any of you were to fall into the water, I’d probably revert to my original form to save you.”

“Just ‘probably’?” Angel said.

Sensing something unusual in her tone, several people paused their chopsticks and looked at Angel in surprise.

Angel, acting as if nothing were wrong, said innocently, “Sister Xing, will you go look for Isabelle later?”

“I won’t,” Lan Xing replied.

“Is that so? I’m actually quite looking forward to seeing Isabelle again. I wonder where she is now, what role she’s playing, how old she is, and whether she’s still the same Isabelle l…” Angel continued, lost in her own thoughts.

Yu Ke noticed Lan Xing’s expression turning cold and her mood visibly souring. She said icily, “If it weren’t for your father entrusting us to take care of you, we wouldn’t stop you from going to find Isabelle right now.”

Angel immediately flared up. “What do you mean? Are you saying I’m in the way? My father asked you to take care of me, but you haven’t done anything! Most of the time, it’s Li Jian’an who’s been looking after us!”

“Angel!” Li Jian’an snapped sternly. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Angel let out a “hmph” and turned her face away. “I’m just telling the truth. My father entrusted me to them, but they killed Isabelle and dumped me in an orphanage, then washed their hands of me! My father even gave them the keys to the warehouse!”

Lan Xing frowned, remaining silent the entire time.

She didn’t know how to handle such a situation. She had never been good at arguing, especially since she was the one who had killed Isabelle with her own hands.

She couldn’t face it with a clear conscience.

Yu Ke was clearly angered. She took a sip of wine and looked at Angel, saying softly, “So it seems you’ve completely cast us as enemies, is that it?”

Angel’s face was sullen, but her tone was straightforward. “I don’t see you as enemies, but don’t expect me to treat you as benefactors either!”

Yu Ke couldn’t bring herself to lose her temper with a girl in her teens. Calmly, she laid out the facts to Angel: “Your father only asked us to take you to another planet and set you free. He didn’t assign us any other tasks. And now you’re blaming us for not doing anything? Are you expecting us to manage every little thing for you, act as your guardians, put in all the effort, and still not hope for you to see us as benefactors? Aren’t you being a bit too idealistic?”

Angel froze, her face flushing with shame. She felt deeply embarrassed and retorted angrily, “That’s not what I meant!”

“Then what did you mean?” Yu Ke lifted her gaze, and Angel was immediately rendered speechless.

She was a proud girl, and at that moment, she was on the verge of tears.

Li Jian’an was caught in a dilemma. Hearing Angel’s words tonight made him realize he had been too lenient with the children. He couldn’t speak up for Angel, nor could he tolerate her disrespect toward Lan Xing and Yu Ke.

He sighed softly. The others also felt the tension in the air and didn’t know what to say. It was then that Lan Xing spoke up: “Angel, what you said just now was a bit too harsh.”

Angel glanced at her, her earlier arrogance and flippancy gone, replaced by a look of remorse. She whispered, “I’m sorry, Sister Xing…”

Lan Xing let out a long sigh, her shoulders relaxed, and her entire body eased. She wore a gentle smile and spoke softly, “It’s better to say some things out loud than to keep them buried in your heart. When I was your age, I was even more immature than you.”

Lan Xing’s words felt like a lifeline to Angel, giving her a way out. Her eyes reddened instantly, and she lowered her head, murmuring, “I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright. We must have done something wrong too,” Lan Xing said gently, looking at her. “Or perhaps we’ve been neglecting you all, not considering your feelings enough. Why don’t you tell us, and we’ll try to improve, okay?”

Hearing this, Angel’s frustration melted away completely.

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, as if brushing away tears, took a shaky breath, and tried to calm herself.

She did have something to say, but after what had just happened, she felt too ashamed to speak.

The oldest among them, Domi, patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Angel, just tell them. They’ll understand how you feel.”

“Is it about Angel’s adoption?” Li Jian’an hesitantly whispered to Yu Ke. “A couple came to visit the children a couple of days ago. They liked Angel and wanted to adopt her. The orphanage has basically agreed.”

Yu Ke’s eyebrows lifted slightly in realization.

Angel remained silent, but Domi nodded emphatically. “Angel actually wants to stay with everyone. She doesn’t want to be adopted.”

Yu Ke responded, “Oh?”

“She wants to stay on the Princess,” Domi said warmly, taking on the role of the big sister. “She really likes the captain and everyone else. The plants on the Princess are all taken care of by Angel!”

Hearing Domi’s words, Angel turned her head away, refusing to admit the truth.

Even her way of expressing affection was so awkward, a classic case of being tsundere. No wonder she got so angry earlier.

Lan Xing couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that so?”

“Ugh, no way!” Angel pouted angrily. “I just don’t want to be adopted by strangers. It’s too weird! I already have a family!”

Yu Ke’s expression remained cool. “Angel, you’re a big girl now. Can’t you speak your own mind? Why do you need Domi to speak for you?”

Angel looked up at her, confused, and after a long pause, said, “I… didn’t know how to say it.”

“But you had no trouble speaking your mind when you were throwing a tantrum in front of us, did you?” Yu Ke said bluntly.

“I’m really sorry!” Angel stood up and bowed to Lan Xing and Yu Ke. “I’ll make sure to do better next time. Please consider letting me stay on the Princess. I want to become a crew member and continue this interstellar journey with all of you!”

Lan Xing was no longer bothered by her earlier behavior, looking at her with a satisfied “the student has learned” expression. She glanced at Yu Ke with pride, thinking how cool she looked when guiding the child.

A woman like that was both handsome and captivating.

But Lan Xing’s approval didn’t mean Yu Ke had fully accepted Angel yet.

She still wore that aloof expression, holding her chopsticks, and said calmly, “I’ll think about it.”

That response alone was enough to make Angel happy.

As the meal drew to a close, Hepburn and Angel went to the restroom to wash their faces. A stranger approached them.

The man, wearing a black top hat and standing tall, gracefully bent down to hand Hepburn a business card.

Hepburn held the small slip of paper, looking somewhat bewildered.

“I overheard your argument as I passed by the private room,” the man said in a gentle voice. “I also caught a familiar name, Isabelle. Who is she to you?”

“Why are you asking?” Angel asked warily.

“My dear, I saw you crying, and my heart wept along with you. I heard that you’re both children from the Clone Planet, and I’ve even heard about your script. I want to help you.”

“We’re doing fine now,” Hepburn said obediently. “We don’t need any help, thank you!”

“Keep the card,” the man murmured softly. “My dear, I think there might come a time when it’ll be useful.”

Hepburn had no choice but to obediently tuck the card into the pocket of her pleated skirt.

The man happily patted her head. “So soft, your hair. It’s naturally this color, isn’t it?”

Hepburn had short, gray-blue hair and nodded proudly at his words. “Mm-hmm, I’m the only one with this hair color!”

“That’s wonderful, such an enchanting color,” the man said, adjusting his hat before turning to Angel with a gentle tone. “And you, Angel, are you alright? You look like you’ve been crying, you must have been deeply wronged.”

“Hmph, it is what it is,” Angel replied, her eyes darkening as she gave a scornful laugh. “What does it matter if I was wronged or not?”

“They don’t understand you, nor do they understand you clones,” the man said in a mesmerizing voice. “If you stay with them, you’ll eventually be treated like merchandise and sold off.”

Hepburn widened her eyes, about to refute his words, but Angel tugged her back and chuckled lightly. “You’re right. That’s exactly why I fell out with them.”

“Has it completely fallen apart?”

“Not yet,” Angel said. “I still want to stay with them to gather more information.”

“That’s a very shrewd decision, and I’d like to help you,” the man said, offering another business card. “Dear Angel, promise me you’ll call me after you go back, alright?”

Angel agreed readily, and only then did the man politely take his leave.

“Who is he?” Hepburn asked uneasily after he had gone.

“He’s been following us,” Angel said, picking up the business card with a frown and a derisive snort. “I might as well help Yu Ke and the others investigate him.”