Chapter 373: Chapter 372 Persuasion
Extraterrestrial civilization clearly refers to civilizations existing outside of Earth, not civilizations beyond the land, for goodness’ sake! Why do you have such a penchant for playing with memes and misusing words?!
John Joyce and the others mentally ranted like crazy, but they dared not show any painfully awkward expressions on their faces, fearing they would attract the Governor’s attention or be remembered by Li Ang, and then be given a hard time for the rest of their journey.
"A diplomatic incident..."
The Governor’s wife muttered this term to herself, ignoring her son’s tugging at her sleeve.
Gradually, the dismal look on the noblewoman’s face was replaced by joy and excitement.
She gently patted her son’s hand and nodded at Li Ang without saying another word.
"All diplomatic incidents must be taken with the utmost seriousness and resolved with extreme caution," Li Ang said with a smile. "This mermaid, I believe, does not hold citizenship of the Rune Kingdom, so technically she is a foreigner.
The Rune Kingdom has always been friendly to foreign friends, never resorting to fighting and killing lightly, as that would be too damaging to amity."
The Governor’s wife’s eyes gleamed, and with a smile, she said to the Black Fish, "Exactly, a guest from afar is a friend. The people of the Rune Kingdom are always hospitable and would never deliberately start a conflict."
Peter’s eyes widened as he tugged at his mother’s sleeve. "But Mom! She committed the crime of stalking! She invaded my privacy, engaged in... unspeakable, despicable acts while I was unconscious, and almost caused me to have a mental breakdown!"
"What crime of stalking?"
The Governor’s wife frowned and patted the back of her son’s hand. "That happened in international waters, and this mermaid lady isn’t familiar with human laws. Ignorance of the law is no fault. Besides, she’s technically your fiancée."
"What?"
Peter had never expected to be sold out by his own mother just like that. From her words, not only did she no longer mind the Taylor Family bloodline being ’polluted,’ but she was also actively encouraging his match with this... creature.
"But..."
Peter wanted to argue more, but his impatient mother dragged him out the door, lecturing him with a serious expression, "Peter, if I could help it, I wouldn’t want to see her enter our family either.
But this has now become a diplomatic incident, do you understand?
She represents not just herself but also a potentially vast and unknown kingdom.
If you can get along with her and help establish official diplomatic relations between the Rune Kingdom and the Mermaid Kingdom, that would be a feat as great as Her Majesty the Snow Queen’s conquest of the Giant Clan!
The Taylor Family will be enveloped in unparalleled glory.
Your father can also make further progress; even... the position of the next Governor of the Rune Kingdom might not be out of reach."
"But, but..."
"There are no ’buts’."
The Governor’s wife’s expression turned stern. "All family members must make maintaining the family’s interests their top priority. When necessary, sacrifices must be made."
Hearing his mother’s lecture, Peter pressed his lips together tightly. Family interests first—this was something he had heard all his life. He didn’t have the courage to oppose or defy it.
Seeing Peter’s silent demeanor, the Governor’s wife sympathetically touched her son’s cheek and sighed deeply. "Come on, cheer up. If you’re concerned about her looks... I’ve heard there’s a magic potion from a certain secretive sect that can change one’s aesthetic sense. We’ll figure out a way to get you a bottle."
Peter nodded silently, and the two of them returned to the secret room, only to find that the Governor and the others had somehow brought in another sofa for the Black Fish to lie on. They were engaging in what seemed to be a very harmonious and cheerful conversation.
Like a seasoned politician, the Governor’s wife put on a warm, friendly, and approachable smile. "What are you all talking about?"
"We are discussing the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Mermaid Kingdom and the Rune Kingdom."
The Governor smiled at his wife and said, "Maria, this mermaid lady here, is the Mermaid Queen’s two hundred and eighth child, as well as the youngest and most doted upon. She is the future queen of the Mermaid Kingdom. She is very interested in the creations of human civilization on land. She believes that both sides can benefit each other and promote mutual growth. In the not-too-distant future, they can develop into comprehensive strategic partners, enhancing the quality of relations between the two nations and ushering in a new era of joint development.
"The marriage of Peter and Maria is not just the union of a couple but also a testament to the friendship between humans and mermaids, lending a new dimension and significance to our relationship. It holds milestone significance for the development of relations between the two parties. Furthermore, it can be said to contribute to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the whole world."
The Governor’s speech was delivered with great eloquence, far beyond the grasp of ordinary people. However, when Peter came in, the Black Fish visibly tensed and straightened her posture slightly.
The Governor gave his son a stern look. Peter, reluctantly mustering some courage, made eye contact with the Black Fish and greeted her with a smile that looked worse than crying.
Perhaps due to a pregnant woman’s peculiar temperament, the mermaid hadn’t shown much reaction to Peter’s skittish behavior earlier. But after Peter managed a strained greeting, her expression turned to one of profound grief, and she lowered her head. "It seems like Peter doesn’t like me much after all..."
Seeing the mermaid withdraw into herself, the Governor quickly offered some words of consolation, but his efforts seemed futile. He coughed, signaling Li Ang to speak.
Li Ang sighed with a hint of helplessness, gave the Governor a knowing look, and said calmly to the mermaid, "Maria, don’t be too upset over a scumbag. A woman must be strong. If you rely on others, you’ll always be a princess. If you rely on yourself, you are the queen!"
"???"
I asked you, kid, to talk her around, not talk her around like *this*! the Governor thought, looking at Li Ang with a bewildered expression.
But Li Ang continued, "A philosopher named Komi Mong once said, ’What’s most important for a woman? That he is responsible for earning money and supporting the family, while she is responsible for being beautiful as a flower.’
"’Whether he loves you is seen by how much money he’s willing to let you spend.
"’Whether he loves you is judged by how much of your drama he can tolerate.
"’Whether he loves you is determined by whether he can clear out your shopping cart.
"’What does it mean for a guy to love a woman perfectly? It means when buying a house, she doesn’t contribute a cent. He should strive on his own, add his parents’ lifelong savings, and the house must be registered in her name. Otherwise, he doesn’t love her; he’s scheming against her.
"’I heard about a female friend of mine. She’s divorced, with little family support, and jobless. She runs a small general store. In her 40s, she found a man 14 years her junior. He’s exceptionally handsome, returned from studying abroad, from a rich family, rides in a luxury carriage, and treats her especially well.
"’Another female friend of mine is a 37-year-old ’leftover lady’ from a rural family with modest economic conditions. She works as a secretary in a small company. She met a rich second-generation guy—the type whose family owns mines. Maybe he was tired of playing around; they got together after a while.
"’And there’s another ’leftover woman,’ 34 years old, with a vocational degree. She’s chubby, dark-skinned, and short, from a rural family with sick parents. But she met a train conductor while on a train. That conductor is young, fair-skinned, slender, tall, and handsome. Now they’re happily together.
"’So you have to stick to your standards and choices, and never be swayed by others.
"’He’s just a Governor’s son, right? Leave him, find someone new. You don’t have to take this nonsense.’"