The Abused Novel Heroine Became a Clingy Sweetheart [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 39.2

On the other side of the bed, a rustling sound slowly began. You Ting got up, changed her clothes, and walked out first. After a while, the door opened, revealing the mermaid. She pouted as if she had suffered a great grievance, following behind You Ting with her head down, not saying a word.

Claude drove the carriage toward the Dreamy Sea where everything began. The interior of the carriage was silent. You Ting rested her head on her hand, closing her eyes. The mermaid curled into a ball, keeping her head down. She usually loved to chatter and was curious about everything, but now she was like a frost-bitten eggplant, lifeless.

After an unknown amount of time, You Ting suddenly spoke, “You’re going home soon. You should be happy.”

The mermaid turned her head, stared at her, gave a heavy “Hmph!” and turned back. From an angle Yu Ting couldn’t see, those clear blue eyes were turning wet and red. Tears brimmed on her lashes. She bit her lower lip, forcing herself not to make a sound. Stili was right; she would be back in the sea soon, get her pearl back, see her father, brothers, sisters, and many friends. She should be happy. But why did her chest feel so sour? She wanted to cry. If Stili saw, she would definitely call her a silly fish again.

Finally, the carriage stopped. Claude’s voice came from outside. “Your Highness, Miss Arturdo, we have arrived.”

Arturdo secretly peeked at Yu Ting, who still had her eyes closed with a faint expression. No extra emotion could be seen on her face. The mermaid suddenly felt a sense of loss. She was leaving, and Stili didn’t seem sad at all. But she felt like she was dying inside! Her chest throbbed and cramped. The mermaid was angry and indignant, her pout growing deeper as the tears flowed more freely.

Suddenly, she heard a helpless, low sigh beside her ear. The light in front of her was blocked, and before she could look up, she was pulled into an embrace. The sudden warmth made Arturdo’s thoughts stall. The other’s breath lingered inches away, light yet present.

“Don’t cry,” Yu Ting said. “Your crying makes my heart restless.”

The mermaid sobbed against her shoulder. After a long time, she whispered, “Stili, I’m leaving.”

Yu Ting paused. “I know.”

Arturdo blinked her wet eyes, looking at Yu Ting without blinking. “I might never be able to come to land again… never spend time with you again.” Her voice trembled with an undetectable hope: “Will you miss me?”

“Yes.”

That single word made the mermaid’s eyes light up again. You Ting took out two bracelets from her robes. They were identical in craftsmanship, each hanging with a polished, shimmering blue scale the very scale Arturdo had given her. She had a craftsman split it into two to make the matching bracelets. Yu Ting gave one to Arturdo. “As long as you see this, it’s like seeing me.” She put the other on her own wrist. “The same for me. As long as I see this, I’ll think of you.” She lowered her voice, her tone gentle. “I have never left, and we have never truly parted.”

Arturdo gripped the bracelet tightly, then smiled. “Okay.”

The dawn broke, and the sky gradually brightened. Light fell on the clear sea surface, shimmering with a rhythmic luster. Yu Ting let Claude stay behind as she led Arturdo toward the depths of the ocean. She gave the mermaid’s head a final pat. “Time to go home.”

“I know. I want to…” Arturdo suddenly reached out and hugged You Ting. “I want to hug you.”

The sea breeze was cool, swirling their intertwined hair. Their embracing shadows were cast on the ground, looking like they were merging into one. They had never been this close, yet they knew clearly it was time to part.

After a while, Arturdo whispered in Yu Ting’s ear, “I thought about what you asked me yesterday. I know why I’m so sad.” Tears welled up again, but her lips were turned up. “Because I like Stili.”

The wind scattered this low confession to every corner. But one day, it would blow back to where it started. Just as You Ting said, they never truly parted. Arturdo didn’t wait for a response; she quickly pulled away. Standing before You Ting, she waved with a smile. “I’m going!”

Arturdo wasn’t very smart. But during her time on land, she realized that humans and merfolk belonged to two different species. She couldn’t come to Stili’s world, and Stili couldn’t walk into the deep sea. This was the best ending.

You Ting suddenly said, “I know.” Her gaze fell on the mermaid, her eyes curving into a soft arc. “You said that merfolk only choose one partner in their lives.” The wind carried her answer clearly to Arturdo’s ears. “So do I.”

They looked at each other across a distance. Behind Yu Ting was the rising sun and the village houses. Behind Arturdo was the sea dyed red by the dawn, waves crashing. They belonged to different worlds and would head in different directions, but at this moment, their gazes held the same emotion.

Arturdo took one last look at You Ting and retreated into the deep sea. The witch’s potion lost its effect; her legs transformed back into a fish tail. Her long golden hair floated on the water as she swayed her tail, turning into the most captivating light on the vast sea. The little mermaid finally returned to her home. She would never go ashore again, never be deceived by Ugris, never be trapped in a palace, and never die in loneliness. She would forever be the most carefree mermaid in the depths of the ocean.

You Ting heard the system’s electronic voice, notifying her the task was complete and asking if she wanted to leave immediately for the next world. She pressed the red “Refuse” button. The voice paused, seemingly confused. Yu Ting looked at the shimmering sea and smiled. “I still have things to finish. I want to… stay with her for a while longer.” The electronic voice went silent, and the screen vanished.

Claude, waiting on the other end, grew anxious when neither returned. Just as he was about to search, he saw You Ting walking toward him. He hurried to meet her, looking around. “Where is Miss Arturdo?”

You Ting smiled. “She went home.”

Claude’s eyes widened. “What? Did she live nearby?”

You Ting said casually, “She suddenly recovered her memory and remembered her home was here.”

Claude nodded thoughtfully. He didn’t expect Ugris’s words to be true that she had fallen into the sea and lost her memory. He scratched his head with a simple smile. “That’s good. Your Highness, we should head home too.”

“Yes,” You Ting repeated softly, “we should head home too.” She got back into the carriage. The space, which wasn’t very large to begin with, seemed a bit lonely without one person. She leaned against the wall and slowly closed her eyes, her fingers brushing the bracelet on her wrist. The cool touch reminded her of the sea breeze. Her fingertips felt the smooth scale. After a long while, You Ting’s lips curved upward.

The journey back was not peaceful. Ugris eventually realized the mermaid was not in the capital. He investigated and found Yu Ting’s carriage had left for the Dreamy Sea. He figured it out and sent men to intercept her.

News of Charles’s victory at the border arrived, boosting morale. Compared to Ugris, Charles’s victory was impressive. Ugris was going mad. Having lost the mermaid, he couldn’t lose the Kingdom of Montcher! He came up with a desperate plan to kidnap Stili and force a marriage. Although Stili had elite guards, their numbers were small. Ugris was confident he could silence them and leave only Stili. He would blame bandits and then force the King to agree to the marriage since the deed would be done.

Unfortunately, before he could act, he was stopped. Yu Ting looked at the blocked carriage path, lifted the curtain, and raised an eyebrow at Ugris. “What does the Prince intend to do?”

Ugris replied with a fake smile, “How can the Princess leave without a word? Bandits are rampant here; it’s dangerous. I came to protect you personally.” Behind his polite face was madness.

You Ting saw through him instantly. Claude whispered, “Your Highness, what should we do?” Ugris had too many men. If a fight broke out, he couldn’t guarantee her safety.

You Ting comforted him, “Don’t be afraid.” She looked at Uglis on his horse and smiled coldly. “It’s not certain who will win or lose.”

Ugris was full of himself. If he had a list of people he hated, Stili would be first. He loathed this woman; since she arrived, everything he did met invisible resistance. In a short time, even his position as Crown Prince was threatened. He hadn’t found evidence of her meddling, but his gut told him she was the problem! He couldn’t let her leave. He looked at her greedily. Despite her sharp tongue, she was beautiful. Thinking about how she would soon be at his mercy, he licked his lips. He got off his horse and walked toward the carriage. Claude and the guards held their swords, standing firmly in front of Yu Ting.

Just as the tension reached a breaking point, the sound of hoofbeats came from the distance. Soon, a large force appeared. Claude became more nervous. “Who are they? Ugris’s reinforcements?”

You Ting shook her head. “No.” Her red lips curled up. “Finally, they’re here. Quite slow.”

This turn of events surprised Ugris. Before he could react, his men were surrounded by a much larger force. Ugris shouted, “Who is it? Do you know who I am?”

The leader stepped forward it was Charles, back from his victory. He smiled at Ugris, but his tone wasn’t friendly. “Long time no see, brother. Why so irritable?”

Ugris’s pupils shrank. “How can you be here!”

“Well,” Charles grinned, “I’m not telling. Brother, you don’t need to trouble yourself with escorting Princess Stili.”

Ugris tried to speak, but Charles’s men moved forward threateningly. Charles smiled. “Brother, don’t move. You said it yourself, bandits are rampant. It would be a shame if you got hurt.”

Ugris glared. “You!”

Charles ignored him and went to Yu Ting’s carriage with a bow. “Princess, we can go.”

“Wait.” Yu Ting jumped down from the carriage. She walked toward Ugris. “Before I leave, there’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

As soon as she finished, a slap landed on Ugris’s face. The crisp sound left everyone stunned. “You dare hit me!” Ugris yelled.

You Ting clicked her tongue. “I’m hitting you exactly.” She kicked Ugris in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. She looked like a delicate rose, but she beat Ugris until he couldn’t fight back. Ugris dodged awkwardly, shouting, “Charles! What are you doing! Help me!”

Charles looked at the sky innocently. “Is something happening? I didn’t see anything.”

A moment later, Yu Ting elegantly dusted off her skirt, got back in the carriage, and said to the stunned Claude, “Let’s go.” Claude snapped out of it and agreed. Charles looked at the bruised Ugris and winced, convinced more than ever that he should never provoke that woman! He escorted Yu Ting’s carriage to the Montcher border. At the farewell, Charles smiled. “When the Princess takes the throne, remember to look after me.”

You Ting showed half her face through the curtain and chuckled. “The same to you.” They looked at each other and turned away, understanding perfectly.

After returning, You Ting told the King she wouldn’t marry for politics. She was confident she could protect the country herself. At first, it caused an uproar. The King and ministers disagreed; there was no precedent. But You Ting was firm. She began handling government affairs as the sole royal heir. Her methods were decisive, and her governance was clean. Slowly, she gained support, starting with Claude. Over time, people changed their minds.

A few years after she was named Crown Prince of Montcher, news came from Billy that the Crown Prince had been replaced. Ugris had attempted a rebellion and was shot by Charles. Charles became the Crown Prince.

The people of Montcher knew that every year, Princess Stili would disappear for a while. Claude said she was busy and needed rest. No one knew where she went except him.

Moonlight fell on the blue sea. You Ting stood on a ship’s deck. Even through the fog, she could see a figure waving by a distant rock. Moonlight reflected on the mermaid’s tail, creating colorful shimmers. Arturdo cupped her hands and shouted happily, “Stili! I missed you!” Then she swam around her, talking incessantly. You Ting just watched her and smiled. They didn’t have much time together, but they met every year. Two hands with matching bracelets were held together; at this moment, nothing could separate them.

One day, decades later, You Ting didn’t come. The mermaid waited from dusk till dawn, finally seeing an elderly Claude. With trembling hands, he gave the bracelet to Arturdo, tears streaming down his face. “The Queen… has gone to heaven.”

The mermaid finally realized that human lives were so short. From then on, she never went to that rock again, never looked at the moon. One ordinary day, holding the two identical bracelets, she fell into a permanent sleep in the deep sea.

END

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