"He's asleep."Su Dan calmly looked up and met Kazer's gaze. At the same time, he swiftly withdrew his power, moving his hand naturally to rest on Mu Qingyun's shoulder.
The fluidity of the motion gave the impression of intimate familiarity between them.
"…"
Kazer narrowed his eyes slightly. Would two men really act like this? It seemed unlikely—unless, of course, their preferences leaned in that direction.Or... had Su already discovered that Mu Qingyun was a girl?
"He's been exhausted lately. Let him rest. You should head back to your room for now," Su said coolly, his gaze unwavering.
He did not exactly hate this merfolk prince, but a sense of guardedness always welled up around him when Kazer was near. There was something about the way Kazer looked at people—like he could see straight through them—that made Su uncomfortable.
"Alright."Kazer rolled a red pearl between his fingers before pausing. As if recalling something, he placed the pearl gently on the floor. "Make sure to give this to her."
With that, he turned and strode toward his own room, his figure soon disappearing down the hallway.
Su watched him leave, then glanced down at Mu Qingyun sleeping peacefully in his lap. After a moment's hesitation, he shifted her off his knees and moved to where the five pearls had been left. One by one, he picked them up.
Each was a perfectly formed red pearl—rare, radiant, and undeniably precious. He lifted one toward the sunlight. It gleamed warmly, its luster revealing its immense value.
He held them in his palm, silent for a long time.
Kazer's kindness toward Mu Qingyun gnawed at him. Especially knowing that Kazer was the very person Mu Qingyun seemed to favor most among them—it left a bitter chill lingering in his chest.
There was a distinct gentleness in the way she treated him, different from how she interacted with Xiong Ruoyou or Fan Xuanye.
And what unsettled him more was the inexplicable way he responded to that kindness.
He could not describe the feeling, only that it unsettled him. And deep down, he was certain—it was not normal.
Mu Qingyun was a man. And so was he. He was straight—he had always been.
Yet, these pearls in his hand suddenly felt scorching, like embers searing through not just his skin, but right into his heart.
With a deep breath, he forced the strange emotion down, strode back to Mu Qingyun's side, and placed the five pearls gently on the floor beside her.
Kazer's abrupt appearance had robbed him of the urge to uncover Mu Qingyun's secret. If she chose not to share it, she must have her reasons. There was no need to press her.
"We're back!"
Outside, Xiong Ruoyou's loud voice rang out, accompanied by Fan Xuanye's steady footsteps. They returned with arms full of game. Even before they stepped inside, they shouted to announce their return.
The shout jolted Mu Qingyun awake.
She sat up instinctively and turned toward Su, who remained seated nearby. Even in her sleep, she had felt that comforting warmth again.
"You're awake?" Su smiled at her and pointed to the side. "These are from Kazer. Consider them... your room and board."
She looked at the pearls, picked them up, and examined them in the light. Her eyes sparkled with genuine joy and surprise.
Mu Qingyun loved collecting rare treasures. In her past life, by the time she had seized the imperial throne, countless ministers had showered her with beautiful people and priceless artifacts.
One of the most absurd offerings was a handsome man dressed in a skirt woven from white peacock feathers—a creation that had taken immense effort and resources. It was truly a rare piece. And yet, the man wore it like a peacock in full courtship, parading in front of her.
Even now, the memory made her inwardly sigh in exasperation.
"What is it?" Su arched an eyebrow, noting her distracted expression.
"Nothing. I just really like them," she replied, taking out a small pouch Xiong Ruoyou had once gifted her and carefully placing the red pearls inside.
Su silently watched her, a chill flickering through his gaze.All that fuss... over five red pearls?
Hmph. Once they left this island, he would make sure to find black pearls, violet pearls, every kind of pearl imaginable. Once the first stage ended, he would dump them by the truckload in front of her. Let her drown in pearls.
"Did you turn off my livestream?" Mu Qingyun looked at the deactivated device on her wrist, then up at him.
"I did. You were asleep, so I shut it off for you," Su replied, his tone neutral. Although irritation still simmered within, he made sure not to show it.
Hearing this, she turned the livestream back on.
"I'm going outside for a look."
Well-rested, the weariness had vanished from her body. She pushed herself up and walked outside.
"Mu-ge, look! So much food!"Xiong Ruoyou lifted a bundle of wild rabbits by their ears, effortlessly holding ten at once. Their little feet kicked wildly, but none could escape her grasp.
[Oh no, those rabbits are way too cute. This feels cruel.][Seriously. How can anyone kill such adorable animals?][This is my first time watching this livestream, and I'm already heartbroken. Please don't kill the bunnies!][Ugh, here come the soft-hearted saints again. It's just a few rabbits—what's the big deal?][It's a deserted island. There's barely anything to eat. What, you live on protein powder or something?][Unbelievable. I came for survival content, not moral preaching. You guys need to relax.]
Mu Qingyun gave the rabbits a quick glance, then walked over to the cooking pot to inspect it carefully.
Su had said nothing seemed wrong, but she still preferred to check for herself.
"I'm back!"
Bai Feifei returned right at mealtime, as if on cue. She spotted Mu Qingyun still sitting safe and sound inside and let out a surprised, "Huh?"
Given her knowledge of Mu Xueyao, she had assumed something would have happened by now. Yet... everything seemed normal.
"You look surprised," Mu Qingyun raised a brow at her. "What are you surprised about?"
"It's nothing," Bai Feifei quickly shook her head. Although suspicion swirled in her mind, now was clearly not the time to voice it.
"Let me help out." She approached the others who were prepping the rabbits and rolled up her sleeves, looking eager to assist.
"No need. Just wait to eat."Xiong Ruoyou frowned, rejecting her instantly. When it came to food, she preferred trusted hands.
"Come on, you said you don't keep freeloaders. If I don't help, doesn't that make me one?" Bai Feifei pouted, though the smile never reached her eyes.
"There'll be food for you." Fan Xuanye's tone was icy. "But don't touch anything. And really, do you even know how to process a rabbit?"