Outside the gates of A University,
"Sister, sister, I'm here."
A handsome young man with striking features waved towards a stunning woman not far away, who was drawing the attention of many.
Standing before a line of luxury cars, Qiao Ci had men striking up conversations with her, but they were all politely turned away by her aloof demeanor.
Hearing her "cub's" voice, Qiao Ci looked towards him, smiled slightly, blooming with unparalleled warmth like a snow lotus on a mountain peak, then began walking towards him.
Liu Hao, who shared a dorm with Lan Ye, looked at Qiao Ci with admiration and nudged Lan Ye with his elbow. "Is that your sister? Heh heh, does your sister have a boyfriend? Does she like younger guys?"
Lan Ye narrowed his eyes and kicked the grinning Liu Hao with his long leg. "Get lost. Don't you dare covet my sister."
"As the saying goes, why let good fortune go to outsiders? I'm a five-good youth, well-known and reliable. Entrust your sister to me, and you can... can..." Liu Hao couldn't bring himself to say the last word because of the dangerous look in Lan Ye's eyes, as if he were about to explode.
After bidding farewell to his roommate, Lan Ye walked towards Qiao Ci with slightly pursed lips.
Noticing his slightly downcast mood, Qiao Ci quickly took off her sunglasses and asked with concern, "What's wrong? You look unhappy."
"Sister, next time you pick me up, just wait in the car. I know our car, I can find it as soon as I come out." Lan Ye tried to hide the suppressed feelings from Liu Hao's words, forcing a smile and revealing a perfect set of eight teeth, acting obedient and thoughtful.
"Isn't it easier to recognize me than a car? Cars need to check license plates, and there are so many similar luxury cars here, it's tiring to find the right one." Qiao Ci didn't quite understand, feeling that her cub was acting strangely today.
Lan Ye didn't say much more, only secretly resolving to protect Qiao Ci well and prevent any man from coveting her. As for why, he didn't know either.
He simply disliked Qiao Ci having any close relationship with other men that was closer than the one she had with him.
Qiao Ci was driving the newly purchased Ferrari, with Lan Ye sitting in the passenger seat.
At this moment, Lan Ye had already grown into a teenager – sunny, handsome, outstanding, and confident. Not only had he been admitted to the nation's top university with excellent grades, but he was also well-behaved and sensible, never causing her any worry.
The more Qiao Ci thought about it, the more she felt she was a capable guardian, and she was secretly pleased.
However, she rarely showed her emotions, especially in front of the cub she had raised. Only the occasional acceleration while driving revealed a hint of her good mood.
In the passenger seat, Lan Ye looked at Qiao Ci's focused profile, his heart feeling completely full.
It seemed that as long as he was by her side, he had no grander pursuits for anything; as long as she stayed with him.
Stay with him?
Lan Ye was startled by his own thought.
He quickly banished this rebellious and impure thought from his mind, and Lan Ye asked somewhat awkwardly, "Sister, are you very happy today?"
Qiao Ci replied while driving, "Yes, my child has grown up. I feel like I'm a qualified parent for raising you so outstandingly."
Lan Ye's gaze dimmed slightly, and his voice became somewhat muffled. "I'm not your son, and you're not my parent... You're just my sister, my most relied-upon sister."
After saying this, Lan Ye regretted it.
Afraid that Qiao Ci would be hurt by the first two sentences, he anxiously looked at Qiao Ci and explained, "I, I don't like you calling yourself old. I think calling me your son or referring to yourself as a parent doesn't sound right."
"Mm-hmm, whatever you say it is, it is," Qiao Ci didn't argue with him. If she couldn't see anything else, she could certainly see the growing dependence and possessiveness in her cub's eyes towards her.
She knew, but she chose not to say it.
She felt it was quite amusing.
"Host, you've become bad," Xiao Shaozi, the little spoon, popped out again with a snarky tone.
When it came to gossip, Xiao Shaozi was definitely at the forefront!
"How have I become bad?" Qiao Ci asked, not angry, but in a good mood. Having interacted with Xiao Shaozi for so long, Qiao Ci found it quite interesting to occasionally gossip with it.
"Heh heh, you actually knew all along that the cub liked you, didn't you? From the time he went to college, the way he looked at you was no longer like looking at a sister, but more like looking at prey," Xiao Shaozi thought of the cub's occasional dark glances, yet his unawareness, and found it amazing.
She wondered what expression and actions the cub would have when he realized he had gone from depending on Qiao Ci to admiring her.
In this life, the cub was also the future Sea Emperor. After graduating from university, he would inherit the entire ocean. His status would be higher than Qiao Ci, the "governess."
At that time, would the cub blacken and lock her in a small room...
Heh heh...
Xiao Shaozi thought lewdly and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What kind of yellow waste is in your head?" Qiao Ci glanced at it speechlessly, truly a foolish spoon. "What do you mean 'prey'? Who exactly is the prey?"
Xiao Shaozi quickly flattered, "You, you, you! The truly skilled hunter often appears as prey, that's what it means when it refers to you!!!"
"However..." Xiao Shaozi thought for a moment and then voiced its concern. "The cub is the future Sea Emperor, after all, and Host is so much older than him. What if he realizes he likes Host but can't accept it?"
"If he can't accept it, then he can't accept it. We'll continue to interact in this state," Qiao Ci said indifferently.
It was just one life. She didn't mind; she would possess him for all eternity.
Xiao Shaozi looked at her as if it wanted to speak but hesitated.
"??? What's with that expression? If you have something to say, say it," Qiao Ci said, appearing very approachable.
"Then Xiao Shaozi will speak without reservation." Xiao Shaozi even became eloquent, clearing its throat and continuing, "I just thought, what if the cub can't accept being in a relationship with you and wants to date another mermaid?"
Qiao Ci's voice echoed back, "He can try."
Xiao Shaozi immediately felt its handle tighten, and a chill ran down its spine.
Praying for that cub... No, if the cub really wanted to date another woman, he wouldn't be the cub anymore, at least not Qiao Ci's cub. Then Xiao Shaozi wouldn't want him either, hmph!
Sensing that Qiao Ci beside him was emanating an intense cold, Lan Ye cautiously asked, "Sister, are you feeling unwell?"
Qiao Ci glanced at him in the middle of driving, her small face taut. "I'm fine."
"But I can feel that you're not feeling well, Sister. Can you not tell Xiao Ye?"
Lan Ye's intuition told him something serious had happened! He quickly pressed further.
However, Qiao Ci remained silent, focused on driving. Lan Ye didn't ask any more questions.