My Marriage Partner is a Crazy Mermaid - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Kissing

After the plane stopped taxiing, Xie Jiaming glanced over. Meng Ke was sitting with stiff shoulders, acting as a pillow for Xie Yuhan, carefully bending her body into an extremely uncomfortable position.

Xie Jiaming unbuckled his seatbelt, stood up, and went over to straighten Xie Yuhan’s head. He gently tapped her shoulder. “Wake up, we’re here.”

Xie Yuhan opened her sleepy eyes gloomily. After a moment of daze, she looked at Xie Jiaming.

“We’re here?” Xie Yuhan raised her hand to pinch her forehead. After sleeping for two hours, her body had recovered a lot.

“Mm. Home or the office?”

“Home.”

She couldn’t be certain of her physical state yet; going to the office was too high a risk.

Xie Jiaming went over, moved her wheelchair closer, and carried her into it.

Outside the airport, a group of bodyguards arrived in two cars to pick them up. Xie Jiaming placed the wheelchair in the back seat. As he was getting out, Meng Ke pulled at him. “Can I leave first?”

If Xie Yuhan was going home, there was no need for her to follow. Seeing that her physical condition wasn’t a major issue and with so many people around, nothing would go wrong.

She had things to do back in Tan City. Before boarding, that “nuisance” and her mother had messaged her, telling her to come home. Because they held leverage over her, calling her home now was no different from calling a dog. For the time being, Meng Ke was full of suppressed rage but didn’t dare speak out.

“Fine. Go ahead with your business. I’ll call you if anything comes up,” Xie Jiaming said briskly.

Meng Ke looked up and glanced at the car behind them.

The eye contact between the two of them was now very synchronized. Xie Jiaming smiled helplessly and nodded. Meng Ke watched him walk to the back car, say a few words inside, and then come out to give her an “OK” sign.

Meng Ke turned and got into another car, giving the driver the address for the Meng family’s old residence.

She didn’t know what Xie Yuhan was thinking. At least as a human being, Meng Ke couldn’t understand it—verbal threats, broken-leg warnings, all just to make her sit on a two-hour flight. On the plane, Xie Yuhan hadn’t even looked at her once; her purpose was less useful than the bodyguard brothers.

Now that they were back in Tan City, she was letting her go. This series of behaviors couldn’t possibly be just to mess with her. If messing with her meant a free experience of a luxury first-class cabin, she was willing.

The car reached the Meng family’s old residence without any obstacles. Not knowing what the Mengs were up to, Meng Ke asked the bodyguard driver, “Is there anything going on with the Tan City Meng family lately?”

“Apologies, I’m not sure about that.”

Since she was already here, Meng Ke took a look at the house and composed herself to avoid getting into a shouting match once she went inside.

Meng Ke rang the doorbell. After a moment, Auntie Cheng opened the door. She looked at Meng Ke, appearing as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Inside the living room, Meng Yingxue wasn’t there; only Ruan Yalan was present. Having not seen her for about half a month, she looked somewhat haggard. She wasn’t wearing exquisite makeup, nor was she in one of those “neck-choking” qipaos.

“What do you want?”

“How are things between you and the Xie family?”

“That has nothing to do with you, does it? No matter the relationship, your precious Little Xue won’t have to marry a cripple. What are you worried about?”

“Can you help the Meng family?” Ruan Yalan said. “I don’t know why, but projects have started having problems these last few days. If we can’t deliver the goods next month, there will be a crisis in the capital chain.”

There had been no warning. Partners were refusing to continue cooperation one after another, even at the cost of paying high liquidation damages. Tan City was developing too fast. Meng Chengliang did business steadily and was never greedy or impulsive. The Meng family was declining, only able to maintain a glamorous surface, and couldn’t withstand any waves. This time, six or seven long-term partners had proposed terminating their contracts simultaneously.

She had followed Meng Chengliang to see a few friends, but there wasn’t even room for negotiation. She hadn’t closed her eyes for three days. Out of desperation, she had turned her attention to Xie Yuhan.

Meng Ke recalled the plot. According to the original story, she would have already married into the Xie family by now and wouldn’t know what problems the Meng family was facing.

“What does it have to do with me? Don’t forget what you promised me.”

The marriage alliance was supposed to sever the relationship between Meng Ke and the Meng family.

“What good does it do you if the Meng family collapses? Just think of it as helping. Outsiders don’t know your relationship with the Meng family yet. Are you going to watch us die and do nothing?”

“What good does it do me if the Meng family doesn’t collapse?”

Others might not be clear on how those years were spent, but would she, Ruan Yalan, not be clear?

“The Meng family’s dowry hasn’t been given to you yet.” Ruan Yalan was used to calculating and immediately thought of this.

“Doesn’t matter. Whatever Meng Yingxue has, I have; that’s fine,” Meng Ke said. “If she eats meat, I eat meat. If she has soup, I have soup. I’m not like you—I’m not that greedy. I’m very fair.”

Ruan Yalan realized she wouldn’t be swayed by soft or hard tactics. A cold light flashed in her eyes, which darted around, full of calculation.

“I still have information about your family members,” Ruan Yalan sneered. “Tomorrow, I’ll find the media and expose their information. Let’s see if the Xie family will still marry you. If the Meng family has a hard time, everyone goes down together.”

Ruan Yalan had struggled for the Meng family for over half her life and had only enjoyed a few years of happiness. How could she easily accept the Meng family falling from grace?

“Don’t get excited yet.” Meng Ke walked around the sofa, poured a glass of water, and handed it over. “Have some water.”

Ruan Yalan had just let out a torrent of words; her throat was burning. Without care, she took the glass and drank a large gulp.

Facing her, Meng Ke leaned her hands on the table and looked at her composedly. “Tell me, what is Xie Yuhan’s status?”

“The head of the Xie family, the richest person in Tan City.” When Ruan Yalan said this, her eyes were full of jealousy. She couldn’t understand why the Xie family would let that woman be in charge.

“Then who am I?” Meng Ke asked again.

“You’re nothing but a—” Ruan Yalan’s tone shifted, full of mockery. She got halfway through before realizing something was wrong and didn’t know how to fix it. She mumbled for a long time without saying anything.

Meng Ke didn’t mind. She asked again: “And me and her—what is our relationship?”

“An alliance that hasn’t been made public yet,” Meng Ke answered for her. “Then what makes you think Xie Yuhan would help me?”

“You’re the famous socialite Mrs. Meng of Tan City—don’t you know what kind of reputation Xie Yuhan has out there? Since when did ‘Xie the Madwoman’ become a philanthropist? Why would she care about me, and why would she care about you?”

“Even if we take ten thousand steps back.” Meng Ke reined in her emotions, knowing it was useless to reason with her, but she was still frustrated and wanted to crack open Ruan Yalan’s head and shove this thought inside. “Even if she listened to me and was willing to help, why would I care about you?”

Meng Ke stood up straight, straightened her clothes, and said lightly and unconcernedly, “I can’t control what happens to the Meng family. Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

Why did every single one of them come over to threaten her? Meng Ke left the Meng family’s old residence without looking back.

She had been looking for a job lately and went to Qingcheng, tossing about for nearly half a month. She really didn’t know what had happened to the Meng family, but it certainly had nothing to do with the Xie family. Xie Yuhan had met with an accident and was injured; the Xies were hiding it strictly and couldn’t possibly make a move against the Mengs.

The Xie and Meng families hadn’t officially announced the alliance, but almost everyone in Tan City knew Xie Yuhan was interested in Meng Ke. As for why, it didn’t matter. With Xie Yuhan’s status and position, she could do whatever she wanted. Moreover, some people knew at least a little about her affairs. The Xie family’s attitude toward the Mengs was unclear, but the two families were still connected by marriage. At this juncture, who would dare touch the Meng family?

Wouldn’t that be offending both families at once?

Or perhaps they weren’t afraid of offending both families to begin with?

Considering Xie Yuhan’s recent injury, it was indeed a possibility.

The car stopped downstairs. Xie Jiaming got out first to help Xie Yuhan with the wheelchair. The bodyguards lined up on both sides, waiting for her to get out.

Before opening the car door, Xie Jiaming rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, his muscles bulging beneath the fabric. He didn’t particularly enjoy working out; the muscles were built up from two years of moving a wheelchair.

As Xie Jiaming leaned into the car, before his hand even reached the seat, he saw Xie Yuhan clutching the chair in pain. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, and her face was deathly pale. Inside the narrow car, there was the scent of a fresh sea breeze. Xie Jiaming frowned. “Yuhan, how are you?”

The accompanying doctor had checked her; Xie Yuhan only had superficial injuries and no broken bones. She was fine before getting into the car; why did this happen so suddenly?

“Help me upstairs first.”

Xie Jiaming stepped on the base of the wheelchair, bent down to take her in his arms, and strode toward the building. Only when they entered the elevator did he dare look down. She was sweating profusely, and the hair against her skin was matted together. For some reason, her body temperature was slowly dropping; as anxious as Xie Jiaming was, he could still feel it.

“Xie Yuhan, do you need to go to the hospital like this?” Xie Jiaming couldn’t worry about anything else. He asked directly, feeling that Xie Yuhan would understand.

“No need.”

The elevator soon reached the third floor. Xie Jiaming headed for Xie Yuhan’s bedroom. There was a single sofa in front of the bed; he placed her on it and made two more phone calls. He told Ye Xiaotong to come over and called for a doctor.

About ten minutes after they got into the car—specifically ten minutes after Meng Ke had left, Xie Yuhan’s body began to act up. She was in pain from head to toe. The source of the pain couldn’t be found; waves of stinging pain felt like being hit by an electric current. Her head was dizzy, and she was on the verge of losing consciousness at any moment. But Xie Yuhan knew she absolutely could not lose consciousness now, not at this time.

She didn’t have the luxury to wonder how Xie Jiaming knew her physical changes were abnormal, but he was the only one who could help right now.

After the rambling phone calls ended, Xie Yuhan gritted her teeth and grabbed Xie Jiaming, pulling him close. Enduring the intense pain throughout her body, she said word by word, “Don’t look for a doctor. I want a cold bath. Bring Meng Ke over, as fast as possible.”

“In a moment, only Meng Ke is allowed to see me.”

Xie Jiaming listened to her carefully. Her voice was weak, but he could hear every word clearly. His brain processed her instructions with great clarity. He went to the bathroom first to fill the tub with cold water. After turning on the faucet, he sat to one side to call Meng Ke.

“Miss Meng, something’s happened to Yuhan—”

Before he could finish, Meng Ke directly shouted, “Don’t bother me, get lost.”

Xie Jiaming looked at the phone screen where the call had been hung up, sighed softly, and dialed again.

Meng Ke looked at the caller ID, not knowing what Xie Yuhan was making a fuss about now. She wanted her to come over and keep her company? Tossing her about for fun? Was it because she had hired internet trolls to smear the Xie family, so she was retaliating? Meng Ke hung up directly.

Xie Yuhan was still lying outside. Xie Jiaming didn’t keep calling. Seeing that the water was mostly full, Xie Jiaming went out and carried her in. Looking at the bathtub, filled to eighty percent. Such cold water—even a young man in his prime like him couldn’t soak in it for long. She had just been injured… how could her body handle it?

Thinking of Xie Yuhan’s determined look just now, Xie Jiaming lowered her slowly along the edge of the tub. The moment she touched the cold water, she was like a dried-out fish returning to the sea; her complexion improved more than just a little.

As she was his adult sister, it wasn’t appropriate for Xie Jiaming to stay in the bathroom. He gave a few instructions before hurriedly leaving. Outside the apartment, Xie Jiaming called to the people around him: “Find out where Miss Meng Ke is.”

Two hours later, Meng Ke sat in the passenger seat with her arms crossed. Xie Jiaming was in the driver’s seat. He held the steering wheel with one hand, and his speed never dropped. After saying “sorry” once upon getting into the car, there had been no further communication between them. Meng Ke was fuming the whole way.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise Healthy Mutual Help Group.

“The scale arrived, but I don’t know if it was left out for too long. It doesn’t shimmer as much as it did that day. So disappointed. FeelingWronged.jpg“

“Take a look. Image Image“

Ten minutes after the messages were sent, no one had replied to her. Luo Miao tagged everyone one by one. Meng Ke opened and took a look.

“It’s pretty ordinary.”

She was in a bad mood and didn’t feel like small talk. Meng Ke gave an honest evaluation.

“Why did you only just reply to me? Where did you go fooling around?”

“I was kidnapped.”

Meng Ke specifically sent a voice message. After sending it, she glanced at Xie Jiaming. Xie Jiaming had no reaction. As long as it was useful for Xie Yuhan, he didn’t care what she said.

“If this helps Miss Meng vent her anger.”

Meng Ke: “…”

The car stopped downstairs at the apartment. After getting out of the car reluctantly, Meng Ke looked at Xie Jiaming: “I’ll go in myself. Since I’m already here—where is she?”

Xie Jiaming: “I’ll take you.”

At the door, Xie Jiaming said: “She’s inside taking a bath.”

“Asking me to go in while she’s bathing?” Meng Ke’s lip twitched. Did her face look that much like a “man of honor”?

“Miss Meng will know once she goes in.”

Meng Ke pushed the door open and went in. She wanted to see what Xie Yuhan was playing at. Once in the bathroom, Meng Ke was startled. The entire bathroom was damp, with water splashed everywhere. Meng Ke wasn’t wearing “sky-high” heels today, but the heels were still three centimeters. The scent of sea salt in the air was heavy. Meng Ke walked inside carefully, leaning against the wall and looking around, but she didn’t see Xie Yuhan.

Was Xie Yuhan a duck? How could she bathe and make the bathroom look like this? Walking further in, Meng Ke covered her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

Xie Yuhan was lying on the floor in the spare clothing room further inside the bathroom. Her long legs were slightly bent, her upper body leaned against the closet door, and her hair was scattered over her shoulders. The only difference from usual was that on her face, blue—Meng Ke looked for a long time, they should be fish scales, or perhaps horns, had appeared.

She herself had traveled into a book, so she accepted things faster than others. Meng Ke walked over, squatted down, and gently brushed her hair aside. Observing from a close distance, these were indeed fish scales. Xie Yuhan’s entire face had changed subtly—ice-blue eyelashes, a softer face shape, and long, aqua-blue hair.

“Xie Yuhan… wake up!”

There was no reaction.

“Xie Yuhan!”

Meng Ke pushed her gently, but she had no reaction whatsoever. Her body temperature was very low, ice cold. No wonder she wanted to take a cold bath the first time they met. Fish naturally preferred low-temperature water. No wonder she always smelled that fresh sea salt fragrance.

What was going on? A mix of a book-travel and a non-human novel? All questions would have to wait until Xie Yuhan woke up. How to wake her?!

She studied wild animals; she had never seen how to rescue a mermaid! Meng Ke’s mind raced, and suddenly the words Liang Xiao said popped into her head. And why had Xie Yuhan insisted on her coming over?

There wasn’t time to think too much. Meng Ke cupped Xie Yuhan’s face and kissed her. Their lips met. Meng Ke kissed her lips gently, very gently. Seeing no reaction, Meng Ke slowly opened her lips to explore deeper.

Meng Ke stared at her face and saw those ice-blue eyelashes tremble slightly. Her movements didn’t stop, and she became immersed in it. A fresh scent drifted from her nose. Meng Ke, who was usually steady and had strong self-control, felt she might lose control at any moment.