Becoming the Keeper of an Alluring Merfolk - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Desert Camping & Preparing to Depart

◎Song Xiu’s Hand Reaches for the Mating Scale in the Tent◎

Song Xiu took a deep breath: “It’s fine if she doesn’t go. I’ll bring Xiao Mi.”

She glanced at Jian Xu, her eyes carrying a mix of anger and a helpless feeling of disappointment. She ultimately said nothing more. After placing the retrieved Xiao Mi in the back seat, she turned to open the car door for Shui Se, gently assisting her into the passenger seat.

The car door closed, sealing off the dry air and the suffocating silence outside. Song Xiu started the car, and the SUV drove away from the inn, leaving the pale-faced Jian Xu behind.

Inside the car, Shui Se reached out, gently covering Song Xiu’s tightly gripped hand on the steering wheel.

“Don’t be angry at her. Today is our day.”

“I know, it’s just… seeing her like that, I couldn’t help it. Never mind, I won’t think about her anymore.”

She adjusted the rearview mirror, and after several deep breaths, her mood gradually cleared. She turned her head to look at Shui Se. Her bride was gazing out the window, the sunlight streaming through the glass falling on her delicate profile and pink hair, coating her in a warm halo.

“Are you nervous?” Song Xiu asked.

Shui Se turned back, giving her a bright smile, and shook her head vigorously: “With you here, no, I’m just very happy.”

The car headed towards the wedding venue by the desert lake. From a distance, they could already see the decorated flower arch, the white chairs, and the smiling faces of their waiting friends.

Their wedding was about to begin. And since some people chose to linger in the past, they couldn’t force them otherwise.

Because neither of them liked overly formal weddings, and Captain Liu, who was the officiant, was already a bit tipsy, the ceremony wasn’t strictly rigid. Everyone felt more like they were attending a party, with music, food, and drinks.

Song Xiu didn’t forget to video call Little Coco and the others, carefully showing the merfolk the surrounding scenery and celebrating with them remotely.

Captain Liu, quite drunk, her face flushed, stood up unsteadily with a wine glass, shouting into the microphone: “Time for a kiss, you two!”

Her shout instantly elevated the lively atmosphere of the entire venue. Everyone smiled and looked at the protagonists of the day.

Song Xiu had certainly drunk a lot. Her usually clear eyes were now slightly blurred, her cheeks flushed. She had never let go of Shui Se’s waist. Hearing the shouts, she wasn’t shy; instead, she smiled even more brazenly.

She turned her head, her gaze burning into Shui Se beside her. Shui Se had only sipped a few drinks, yet her face was already a soft, rosy pink. She felt a bit embarrassed under Song Xiu’s stare, gently nudging her. Although they had kissed many times, doing it in front of so many friends made her genuinely self-conscious.

Song Xiu didn’t care. She leaned close to Shui Se, their noses almost touching, her alcohol-tinged breath blowing onto Shui Se’s face: “Wife, they want me to kiss you.”

Song Xiu’s voice carried a hint of coyness and naughtiness.

Shui Se mumbled softly: “Just kiss me if you want to.”

“Hehe, my wife is so good.” Song Xiu chuckled foolishly, then cupped Shui Se’s face and kissed her deeply, amidst the whistles and cheers of their friends.

This kiss was different from the gentle tenderness under the moonlight last night. It was fueled by alcohol, passionate, possessive, a little urgent, a little domineering, yet filled with undisguised love.

Shui Se leaned back slightly from the intensity of the kiss, instinctively gripping Song Xiu’s clothes, responding to her passion.

“Yeah!” Captain Liu led the applause and cheers. The others joined in the noise, laughter and blessings echoing around them.

When the kiss ended, Shui Se’s face was scorching red. She buried her face in Song Xiu’s embrace, drawing more good-natured laughter from the crowd.

On the table, inside its cage, Xiao Mi, wearing his tiny dress, was sneakily reaching out for a nearby plate of nuts. Just a little further, just a little further, and he could reach them.

He tried for a long time without success. His owners were too far away, and no one noticed his desire for nuts.

Just as he decided to give up and was having a solo emo moment, Jian Xu, who arrived in the second half of the party, suddenly appeared, shelled a nut, and handed it to him.

Though surprised, Xiao Mi didn’t care about much else and happily took it and ate.

Jian Xu sat in a chair, rambling on and on, drinking and chatting.

Xiao Mi was thoroughly annoyed but couldn’t show it. He pulled out a bit of bedding and stuffed it into his ears, which helped a little.

Jian Xu noticed this and, thinking he had accidentally gotten something in his ear, pulled it out. Xiao Mi was forced to continue listening to her rambling.

Jian Xu didn’t care whether Xiao Mi understood or not, drinking alcohol by herself. Xiao Mi focused on gnawing his nut, occasionally lifting his small head, glancing at the strange human with his beady eyes, and then diving back into his dedicated eating.

“Why… why are they so happy?” Jian Xu poked Xiao Mi’s soft belly with her finger, her voice slightly slurred. “You ungrateful little thing. You only care about the food.”

Xiao Mi stumbled from the poke, let out a dissatisfied squeak, turned around while holding the nut, and faced her with his behind.

Jian Xu looked at him and laughed, but there was a hint of bitterness in her smile. She tilted her head and took another sip of wine, her gaze falling on Song Xiu and Shui Se nearby, surrounded by friends and laughing happily.

Song Xiu was holding a knife, cutting the massive wedding cake with Shui Se. Shui Se carefully avoided the fruit, cut a piece adorned with a cyan fish tail, and smilingly offered it to Song Xiu’s mouth.

Song Xiu bit into it from her hand, then casually kissed her fingertip, making Shui Se blush again and prompting another round of cheers from the crowd.

Jian Xu silently averted her gaze, looking down at the hamster still wrestling with his nut on the table, and sighed softly.

At that moment, Song Xiu and Shui Se walked over, Song Xiu’s face still flushed with excitement.

“Well, I thought you really weren’t coming. Why the back-and-forth change of mind?” Song Xiu looked at Jian Xu, her tone slightly softened compared to before, mostly teasing, as she was happily drunk.

Jian Xu didn’t look up, swirling her glass: “Came to freeload some wine. Is that not allowed?”

“Allowed, why not.” Song Xiu placed the untouched plate of cake in front of her. “Eat something. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you.”

Shui Se also said softly: “Jian Xu, please try the cake. It’s really delicious. Soon, if the wind blows sand onto it, you won’t be able to eat it.”

Jian Xu’s movement paused. She didn’t say anything and didn’t touch the cake.

Song Xiu didn’t press her further. She picked up Xiao Mi’s cage: “Let’s go, Xiao Mi. Let’s show you something else.”

Song Xiu pulled Shui Se and rejoined the lively crowd.

Jian Xu remained sitting alone. After a while, she picked up a fork, dug out a minuscule amount of cake, and put it in her mouth. The sweet cream melted on her tongue, but she felt a tightness in her throat.

That night, Captain Liu suggested that Shui Se and Song Xiu camp overnight right there. She had brought a tent for them, saying it would be a great experience.

Song Xiu and Shui Se readily agreed. Since they were by the lake, it would be easy for Shui Se to replenish moisture.

Since only two or three people hadn’t drunk enough to drive back, Jian Xu was also forced to stay.

As night deepened, the desert temperature dropped. The bonfire crackled, warding off some of the cold. Only two tents remained by the lake. One was for Song Xiu and Shui Se, and the other was for Jian Xu alone.

Song Xiu and Shui Se lay side by side in their sleeping bags. They could hear faint movements from Jian Xu’s tent nearby. She didn’t seem to be sleeping either.

The tent was very quiet, with only their breathing audible. Shui Se snuggled deeper into Song Xiu’s arms and whispered: “Jian Xu must be very bored alone with no phone to play with, right?”

Song Xiu sighed. She knew Shui Se was soft-hearted. She stroked Shui Se’s hair and spoke a little louder, calling out towards the outside of the tent: “Jian Xu! Are you awake?”

The movement in the neighboring tent paused, then Jian Xu’s slightly muffled voice came through: “What?”

“Just wondering if you’re cold? I have a spare blanket here.” Song Xiu said. She wasn’t sure what to say either, just felt she should say something.

“No need. The sleeping bag is thick enough.” Jian Xu’s voice sounded quite sober, with no hint of tipsiness.

Another silence fell. The desert night was exceptionally quiet, and the faint whimpering of the wind blowing over the sand dunes could be heard.

After a while, Shui Se spoke softly, her voice muffled through the tent fabric: “Jian Xu, did you think the cake was sweet today?”

In the neighboring tent, Jian Xu seemed to turn over. After a long pause, she finally replied, her voice very quiet: “It was okay.”

“Oh…” Shui Se responded, unsure how to continue the conversation.

Song Xiu held Shui Se tighter and spoke again, her tone more casual than before: “Hey, Jian Xu. When the sun comes up tomorrow morning, the lake is particularly beautiful, all golden and shimmering. Don’t sleep in and miss it.”

“Got it.” Jian Xu’s voice was still flat, but it seemed less stiff.

“Then… good night?” Shui Se whispered.

“Good night.”

After the simple exchange, silence returned, but the tight, suffocating sense of loneliness seemed to have been slightly diffused by these few words.

Song Xiu leaned down and kissed Shui Se’s forehead: “Sleep.”

“Mhm.” Shui Se closed her eyes securely. She felt safest in Song Xiu’s arms.

But Song Xiu couldn’t resist. Her hand reached for her wife’s mating scale. Shui Se instantly opened her eyes. Knowing there was someone in the neighboring tent, she absolutely dared not make a sound.

She ultimately bit down on her lower lip, trembling as she endured Song Xiu’s impropriety.

In the neighboring tent, Jian Xu stared at the tent ceiling, listening to the faint wind outside and the completely ceased conversation from Song Xiu’s tent further away. She turned over, pulled her sleeping bag higher, and slowly closed her eyes.

She thought that if she hadn’t messed things up, she would also have the chance to camp here with Xiao Hen, wouldn’t she? That feeling would surely be much better than the current one.

She wondered if she would ever have a chance to see her again.

The next day, as dawn broke, the desert chill had not yet completely dissipated.

Shui Se woke up first. She quietly slid out of Song Xiu’s embrace, put on her jacket, and tiptoed out of the tent. She wanted to see the lake before sunrise.

As soon as she stepped out, she froze.

Jian Xu was already up, sitting alone by the lake, hugging her knees. Her back looked particularly frail. She seemed to have been sitting there for a while.

Shui Se hesitated for a moment but still walked over. The sand was very soft, so her footsteps were almost silent.

It wasn’t until Shui Se sat down a short distance away that Jian Xu seemed startled. She slightly turned her head to look at her, then quickly turned back to stare at the lake, saying nothing.

The two sat in silence, watching the lake’s edge gradually get tinged with gold.

Jian Xu suddenly spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, breaking the silence, “I wish Xiao Hen could see this.”

Shui Se listened quietly, not interrupting.

“Back then, I always thought she was too much trouble, high-maintenance, needing special care, constantly disrupting my research plans.” Jian Xu’s voice was very low, as if speaking to Shui Se, yet also muttering to herself, “I never properly spent time with her once.”

Her fingers unconsciously dug into the sand: “Now that I want to, I don’t have the chance anymore.”

Shui Se watched the lake surface gradually become clear and bright, and said softly: “You think this lake looks a lot like her eyes, right? Song Xiu told me yesterday.”

Jian Xu’s shoulder gave an almost imperceptible tremble. She neither confirmed nor denied it.

“Xiao Hen choosing to forget is her release. She doesn’t have to remember those sad things anymore. She will live very well in the deep sea.”

Jian Xu was silent for a long time, so long that Shui Se thought she wouldn’t speak again.

“Mhm.” In the end, she only made a very light sound, carrying an unspeakable heaviness.

Song Xiu also crawled out of the tent, rubbing her eyes. She immediately saw the two women sitting side by side by the lake. She paused, then walked over quietly.

“Up so early to watch the sunrise?” Song Xiu tried to sound light and natural. She walked to Shui Se’s side and sat down, very naturally wrapping her arm around Shui Se’s waist, then looked at Jian Xu: “You didn’t freeze, did you?”

Jian Xu shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the shimmering lake surface.

All three fell silent, quietly bathing in the morning light.

“Jian Xu, Shui Se and I are planning to return to Binhai today. Do you want to come with us? Can you fly now?”

“Yes, I can. Let’s go back together. What are your plans after this?” Jian Xu propped her chin up, smiling as she asked Song Xiu.

“I plan to move out with Shui Se and rent a house. We’ll live at the institute for the first half of the month and in Binhai City for the second half.”

“That’s nice. That’s happiness.”

Song Xiu nodded. The scene of her and Shui Se picking out furniture, buying groceries, and cooking together was already vivid in her mind.