Becoming the Keeper of an Alluring Merfolk - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Renting a House and Returning to the Institute

Back in familiar Binhai City, as they stepped off the plane, the humid air immediately enveloped the three of them, a comforting feeling that was a stark contrast to the rough vastness of the Northwest.

After a brief farewell with Jian Xu at the airport exit, Song Xiu, holding Shui Se’s hand and carrying Xiao Mi, took a taxi straight to a residential area she had scouted earlier.

Song Xiu had chosen a small, two-story seaside house with a blue and white theme via video call. It was a small villa with a spacious balcony on the second floor that overlooked the nearby sea, and soft sand was right outside the door.

Due to the chaotic tides, the owner had moved out a long time ago. The house was essentially empty apart from basic facilities, which was why the rent was only 1,300 yuan a month. The surrounding villas were also mostly vacant, so there was no need to worry about being discovered.

Song Xiu had cleared all of this with the Director and had naturally signed a stack of electronic agreements on her phone.

Some of the clauses were clearly excessive, but for Shui Se, Song Xiu could only silently accept them.

As the wooden door of the villa was opened, Shui Se curiously peered inside. The light was excellent; the house was clean and bright.

“Wife, this is going to be our home!” Song Xiu put down the luggage, opened her arms, and announced with a hint of excitement.

Shui Se cautiously walked in, took off her shoes, and stepped barefoot onto the cool floor, looking and touching everything. She took Song Xiu’s hand and walked to the second-floor balcony, her eyes curving into a smile: “I love it here! It’s close to the sea, and no one will disturb us.”

Song Xiu hugged her from behind, resting her chin on Shui Se’s shoulder: “Mhm, just the two of us. The bathtub is big enough when you want to soak, and it’s easy to go for a swim in the sea.”

For the next few days, the couple was busy decorating their new home. Shui Se was especially eager to pull Song Xiu along to the supermarket and home goods stores, curious about everything.

Together, they picked out toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shower gel, a hairdryer, curtains, bed sheets, duvet covers… so many things.

They weren’t necessarily expensive, but they were things they liked and wanted, things they couldn’t have at the institute’s staff dormitory.

Shui Se would hold two different colored throw pillows, seriously asking Song Xiu which one looked better, even though she always seemed to prefer cyan and pink.

Song Xiu mostly indulged her, because as long as Shui Se was happy, she was happy. They gradually filled the empty house with their own traces.

They meticulously cleaned every corner of what was theirs.

What pleased Shui Se the most was the large bathtub. Song Xiu had specially bought sea salt bath bombs and a lovely bathtub caddy. In the evening, Shui Se couldn’t wait to soak in it, transforming her fish tail and sighing comfortably.

“It’s smaller than the pool at the institute, but it’s ours~” She leaned on the edge of the tub, looking at Song Xiu, who was organizing the new sofa covers on the sofa outside, and said contentedly.

“Yes, ours.” Song Xiu’s heart melted completely. She walked over and crouched by the tub, kissing her dewy forehead.

Shui Se laughed and sank into the water, blowing a string of bubbles.

Song Xiu couldn’t help but smile, watching Shui Se playfully sink into the water and blow bubbles. She didn’t leave; instead, she stayed crouched by the tub, her fingers gently stirring the warm water, her gaze following the pink-cyan shimmer beneath the surface.

Shui Se emerged from the water again, her wet pink long hair clinging to her smooth back and cheeks, with water droplets rolling down her chin. She looked at Song Xiu, who was close by, her eyes sparkling, carrying a smile and a hint of a plea.

“I want more kisses,” she whispered, slightly pouting her lips, which glistened with water.

Song Xiu’s heart was instantly filled to the brim. She leaned over, supporting herself on the edge of the tub with one hand, and gently cupped Shui Se’s cheeks with the other, her thumb lightly rubbing her delicate skin.

“Alright, kisses.” Her voice was low and tender.

She didn’t rush into a deep kiss but first gently kissed Shui Se’s forehead, then her nose, and finally covered those soft, slightly cool lips. This kiss carried the faint fragrance of sea salt bath bombs and the moisture of the water, gentle and lingering.

Shui Se closed her eyes, tiny water droplets hanging on her long eyelashes, gently trembling. She tilted her head back, responding to the kiss, raising her arms from the water, and wetly wrapped them around Song Xiu’s neck, pulling her closer.

The water in the bathtub gently sloshed from her movements, making a subtle sound.

When the kiss ended, their foreheads touched, their breathing slightly uneven. Shui Se’s cheeks were flushed, whether from the water temperature or the kiss, Song Xiu couldn’t tell.

“I kind of don’t want to soak anymore~~” Shui Se whispered, but her arms remained wrapped around Song Xiu.

Song Xiu chuckled, pecking her lips again: “Shall I carry you out then?”

“Let’s soak for one more minute.” Shui Se lazily shook her head, burying her face into Song Xiu’s neck, enjoying this warm, intimate moment.

Song Xiu stayed there, letting Shui Se hold her, crouching by the tub, feeling the moisture of her beloved and the overflowing happiness in her heart. In this little home they had furnished themselves, even the air was sweet.

Precisely a minute later, Song Xiu’s arms went under Shui Se’s knees and back. With a slight pull, she lifted the dripping wet Shui Se out of the tub.

Water droplets pattered onto the floor, creating small, dark water marks.

Shui Se gasped softly, instinctively tightening her hold around Song Xiu’s neck, burying her flushed cheeks into her dry shoulder. The cold, slippery fish tail gently swayed in the air for a moment before transforming into a pair of long, slender legs.

Song Xiu carried her, walking steadily toward the bedroom. The newly fitted sheets were soft and dry, carrying the fresh scent of sun and detergent. She carefully placed Shui Se in the center of the bed.

Shui Se sank into the soft bedding, her pink long hair spread out on the light-colored pillow, winding like seaweed.

She still carried the humidity and warmth of the bathroom. Her skin, flushed from the warm water vapor, showed a faint pink. Her eyes were moist, gazing up at Song Xiu, who leaned over her, with complete trust and a hint of shy anticipation.

Song Xiu hovered above her, her fingertips gently brushing aside the damp strands of hair from her forehead, her eyes tracing her brows, eyes, nose bridge, finally resting on those slightly parted lips.

Song Xiu’s fingertips slid down her cheek, feeling the cool touch of her delicate skin.

Shui Se actively lifted her chin, chasing her fingertips, like a cat seeking affection: “Song Xiu, I want you to touch me~”

This request shattered Song Xiu’s last bit of restraint. She lowered her head and deeply kissed those soft lips. This kiss was no longer a gentle probe like the one by the tub; it carried a clear desire and possessiveness, fervent and lingering.

Shui Se let out a soft moan, closing her eyes and obediently parting her lips to meet hers. Her arms circled Song Xiu’s back, her fingertips unconsciously gripping the fabric of Song Xiu’s shirt.

Song Xiu’s hands were equally busy. She gently caressed Shui Se’s body, feeling the cool touch of her fine skin beneath her fingers gradually being warmed by her own body heat.

Her kiss moved away from Shui Se’s lips, landing on her chin, the side of her neck, her collarbone… leaving hot, damp marks.

When Song Xiu’s hand caressed the mating scale, Shui Se trembled slightly, her breathing quickened, and tiny, moving whimpers escaped her throat.

Under Song Xiu’s ministrations, her body was simultaneously relaxing and tensing, like waves surging in a tide.

“Song Xiu…” She unconsciously murmured her lover’s name, her voice soft and sweet.

“I’m here,” Song Xiu responded, breathing heavily into her ear, her voice hoarse and full of tenderness. “Wife, I’m here.”

She kissed Shui Se’s lips again, swallowing all her sounds.

Outside, the sea surface was blurred, and the sound of surging waves was audible. Inside the house, there was only the intermingling of their breaths.

Shui Se again proposed to pluck the scale, but Song Xiu still didn’t agree. Shui Se felt genuinely wronged and suppressed the urge to cry.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the newly hung white curtains, falling upon the two figures sleeping in an embrace.

Shui Se woke up first, feeling sore all over but with a strange sense of satisfaction. She looked at Song Xiu’s peaceful sleeping face and couldn’t help but secretly kiss her chin.

Song Xiu’s eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes, met Shui Se’s smiling gaze, and immediately smiled back, pulling her close: “Morning, wife.”

“Morning~” Shui Se rubbed against her in her arms. “We have to go back to the institute today.”

“Mhm,” Song Xiu rubbed her hair. “Time to get up. We’re taking a boat back. You haven’t taken a ferry here, have you, wife?”

Shui Se’s eyes lit up, and she instantly perked up: “Really? Like those big ships on TV?”

“Something like that. Not as luxurious, but you can see a beautiful sea view.” Song Xiu sat up, pulling the lazy Shui Se with her. “Quickly, go get ready.”

The two got ready and walked hand-in-hand toward the dock. The sea breeze blew against their faces, carrying a familiar salty smell. Shui Se looked around curiously, clearly excited by the sight of the white ferry docked at the pier.

After boarding and settling Xiao Mi, Shui Se pulled Song Xiu to the railing at the bow of the ship. The ferry sounded its horn and set off, cutting through the blue sea surface toward the island where the institute was located.

“Wow!” Shui Se faced the wind, her pink long hair flying. She spread her arms, feeling the speed and the sea breeze. “So fast! It feels completely different from swimming in the water!”

Song Xiu wrapped her arms around her waist from behind. With the sea breeze blowing, holding her wife like this was incredibly refreshing, a completely different experience from a helicopter or speedboat.

When they arrived at the institute, Jian Xu’s first action was to go to the Jiao-people exhibit to thank Chen Mengwei for her hard work during this time.

Song Xiu and Shui Se walked hand-in-hand into the Jiao-people exhibit. The familiar smell of disinfectant and humid air rushed towards them. Through the huge observation glass, they could see a few elegant figures swimming happily in the water.

The slightly tired-looking Chen Mengwei was standing by the pool with a tablet. Seeing them enter, she smiled and came over: “You’re back? How was the wedding? Was the desert fun?” Her gaze fell on their tightly clasped hands and the clearly more intimate atmosphere around them, and her smile deepened.

“It was so much fun!” Shui Se let go of Song Xiu and excitedly gestured, “The sand was golden, much finer than the sand on the beach! It stretched as far as the eye could see! And there was a big lake, and the stars were incredibly bright at night…” She chattered on, her eyes sparkling.

Chen Mengwei listened patiently, nodding occasionally. Her gaze was gentle, but the dark circles under her eyes were hard to ignore.

Song Xiu waited for her to finish before speaking: “Thank you for your hard work during this time. Little Coco and the others haven’t given you any trouble, have they?”

“Not really,” Chen Mengwei smiled, glancing toward the pool. “Other than Zheng Zheng occasionally throwing a tantrum, they’ve been pretty good.”

She uttered the name “Zheng Zheng” through gritted teeth.

Just then, Little Coco and a few other merfolk also noticed Shui Se. They swam to the edge of the pool, making joyful chirping sounds, curiously examining Shui Se, seemingly trying to sniff out an unusual scent on her.

Shui Se immediately ran to the pool’s edge, jumped into the water, touched foreheads with each of them, and excitedly shared her desert experiences.

Chen Mengwei looked at Shui Se’s lively back and said quietly to Song Xiu: “She looks so much happier. It was a good idea to go out.”

Song Xiu nodded, her gaze gently following Shui Se: “Mhm. I’ll take her out often from now on.”

The two discussed the handover of work for a few more moments. Chen Mengwei handed the tablet to Song Xiu: “Here. The records for the past few days are all here. Everything is normal. Now that you’re back, I can relax a bit.”

“Thanks.” Song Xiu took the tablet. “I’ll treat you to a meal later.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Chen Mengwei smiled. She glanced at the still-excited Shui Se, then winked at Song Xiu: “I won’t bother you two anymore. I have other things to attend to.”

After Chen Mengwei left, Song Xiu walked to the edge of the pool and sat down. It was a reassuring, long-awaited sense of relaxation. Shui Se happened to finish talking, turned around, took Song Xiu’s hand, her face still flushed with excitement: “Little Coco and the others said they want to see the desert photos!”

Song Xiu had no reason to refuse. She immediately displayed the photos on the large screen for them.

They had only been enjoying themselves for a little while when the Director suddenly rushed in. Song Xiu asked what was wrong, but the Director didn’t answer, only telling her to quickly follow her to her office.

Under the worried gazes of Shui Se and the others, Song Xiu followed the Director to her office, looking confused.

“What is it, Director?”

“This Zheng Zheng really isn’t suited to be here. Do you think you can manage her? Otherwise, we might have to let her return to the ocean too.”

“I could, but I don’t think she trusts me very much. Perhaps Mengwei is a better fit.”

“Oh, right. I spoke to her too, but she’s clearly quite frustrated lately. I hope you can mediate between them.”

“Alright. I’ll help them both as much as possible. Since Mengwei and I are each responsible for half a month, it’s not good if they are constantly at odds.”

The Director patted Song Xiu’s shoulder with satisfaction: “Excellent. Give me a bag of your wedding candy.”

“Of course! I’ll give you a whole box.”