The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 1

“Have a great trip!” Luo Qingyan waved to her grandmother and aunt as they entered the airport, while adjusting the chestnut-colored curly-haired puppy in her arms. She even grabbed the puppy’s paw and waved it along with her own.

Since pets weren’t allowed inside the airport terminal, this was where they had to part ways.

After seeing off her traveling grandmother and aunt, Luo Qingyan put the puppy down and prepared to leave with it on a leash. However, the puppy kept gazing wistfully toward the terminal entrance, whining softly and refusing to budge.

“Be good, Chestnut. Grandma and Auntie will be back after their vacation. Don’t worry, you still have me!” Luo Qingyan looked down at the puppy and gently tugged the leash. “Come on! Let’s go get you something tasty!”

Suddenly, footsteps approached from a distance.

“Young lady, I heard you’re single? My son is too! How about exchanging WeChat contacts? It’s always good for young people to make more friends, you never know what might happen!” The woman beamed while pulling open her shoulder bag with one hand and rummaging inside with the other, her eyes darting between Luo Qingyan and the bag in a flurry of activity.

Luo Qingyan had a good memory for faces and recognized the woman as another traveler seeing off family members, the woman’s relatives were in the same tour group as her grandmother and aunt. But she had no interest in socializing, so she offered a faint smile. “No need, I have things to attend to. Excuse me.”

“Ah, but you’re so pretty, just my son’s type! And he’s very handsome!” The woman finally pulled out her phone and quickly reached with her free hand to grab Luo Qingyan’s wrist.

Luo Qingyan disliked physical contact with strangers, especially with someone who clearly lacked boundaries. The situation called for a clean break. She took a swift step back, tucking her hands behind her. “I already have plenty of suitors. It’s fine to have one less, no need to add more. Goodbye!”

With that, she led Chestnut away at a brisk pace. For once, Chestnut proved remarkably understanding, trotting closely beside her without hesitation. The pair departed without a single backward glance.

…

Luo Qingyan was thirty years old. At eighteen, she had left her hometown of G City to attend university in S City, one of the country’s most bustling metropolises. With more opportunities available, she had stayed in S City after graduation.

She had lived in S City for twelve years until five days ago, when she resigned from her high-paying job and returned to G City without a trace of nostalgia.

As for her reasons, she told everyone she was exhausted and no longer wanted to struggle in a big city, hence her decision to return home. This wasn’t entirely untrue, the underlying truth was that she had made a critical mistake on an important project due to illness. Although the company’s disciplinary measures didn’t warrant resignation, she felt drained and emotionally spent, so she voluntarily quit.

During her handover period at work, she informed her family about her decision.

Her father had passed away from illness during her first year of employment, and her mother had died unexpectedly last year. Regret over spending too little time with her parents lingered in her heart. Now, with only her grandmother left, she felt it was time to be there for her.

Her grandmother, not wanting her to overexert herself, fully supported her resignation and return to G City.

While discussing the move back, Luo Qingyan learned from her aunt that she had been trying to take their grandmother on a trip, but the elderly woman kept worrying about their puppy, Chestnut, claiming the dog wouldn’t adjust well to staying elsewhere.

Wasn’t it perfect timing for her to return and take care of Chestnut? Although she hadn’t spent much time with Chestnut lately, she had found the dog during the Spring Festival three years ago. Chestnut adored her, and they shared a wonderful bond.

Thus, this trip came about.

…

After seeing her grandmother and aunt off, Luo Qingyan headed to the city center. She planned to treat herself to a good meal and pick up some cosmetics while she was at it.

More than one friend had told her that she looked like two different people with and without makeup. Bare-faced, she appeared delicate and refined, like the gentle girl next door. With makeup, she transformed into a radiant and commanding presence, reminiscent of a ruler who dominated the scene.

She used to think it didn’t matter whether she wore makeup or not. Many of the cosmetics she had used in City S were left behind when she moved back. But after the incident at the airport that morning, she realized there were times when makeup could help her avoid unnecessary trouble.

After buying the cosmetics, she found a hotpot restaurant that allowed small dogs and had lunch there. Ignoring any notions of balanced nutrition, she ordered all her favorite dishes and enjoyed a hearty, satisfying meal.

Once she was full and content, she took a taxi home.

Her grandmother’s house was quite far from the city center, but it had its perks: spacious, comfortable, and featuring a two-story building with a garden, making it an ideal place to enjoy life.

That afternoon, Luo Qingyan stayed home, watching movies, playing games, and playing with the little dog… a simple and leisurely day.

She thought her days would continue like this, uneventful and calm. Little did she know that an unexpected twist was about to enter her life, sudden and unbelievable.

…

After dinner, Luo Qingyan took Chestnut out for a walk.

Near her grandmother’s house was a beautiful park where dogs were allowed. Chestnut loved going there to play and meet its dog friends.

However, after wandering around for a while that evening, they didn’t run into any of Chestnut’s pals. Perhaps it was because the weather forecast predicted rain later, so everyone walking their dogs was in a hurry.

Luo Qingyan was also worried about the rain, so she made a quick loop around the park and prepared to head home with Chestnut.

On the way back, she received a call from her cousin, who was concerned that she might feel out of place alone and wanted to come check on her. Her cousin was her aunt’s daughter. Although her aunt’s place wasn’t too far from their grandmother’s, her cousin had just gotten off work and would have to take a detour to get there.

Luo Qingyan didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Besides, her cousin must be tired after working all day, and with rain on the way, she told her not to bother coming over. Both of them were straightforward and didn’t bother with polite formalities, so her cousin canceled the plan, and they chatted a bit longer on the phone instead.

By the time she finished the call, Luo Qingyan was already home. But as soon as she stepped inside, she noticed Chestnut’s mouth moving and immediately grew alarmed.

“Chestnut, what are you eating? Did you pick up something outside again?” Luo Qingyan quickly crouched down, grabbed Chestnut, and used her right hand to press on the dog’s masseter muscle, forcing its mouth open. Then, she tilted the open mouth downward and shook it vigorously, trying to dislodge whatever was inside.

Focused on shaking the dog’s mouth, she didn’t get a clear look at what fell out. She slapped Chestnut’s snout and said sternly, “What did you eat? A plastic bead? How many times have I told you not to eat random things outside! What if you get poisoned? If you don’t listen, I’ll put a muzzle on you!”

Whimpering softly, Chestnut scurried away after being scolded.

To prevent Chestnut from secretly finding and eating the pearl again, Luo Qingyan had to locate it first. She rummaged around for a while, bending over, squatting down, and even lying flat on the floor, until she finally found the pearl behind a potted plant.

It was a black pearl with a greenish glow, round and lustrous, without a single flaw. About two centimeters in diameter, it was both large and perfect, so much so that it looked fake. After all, a black pearl of such fine quality should be kept in a display cabinet, not lying on the roadside for a puppy to find.

However, Luo Qingyan had an inexplicable feeling about it, so instead of tossing it into the trash, she placed it on the table for the time being.

After all the effort, she felt a bit tired. She stretched, then turned and headed upstairs. She planned to take a shower and change into comfortable loungewear.

…

When Luo Qingyan stepped out of the bathroom, it had already started raining outside, with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. Amid the storm, she could hear Chestnut barking, not continuously, but several times, as if he were either playing or begging for food.

“Chestnut…” Luo Qingyan had been drying her hair with a towel, but now she stopped, clutching the towel as she hurried downstairs. “Don’t disturb the neighbors so late at night! Why are you being so rebellious today? Chestnut, stop messing around…”

Luo Qingyan was still on the stairs, but she could already see the scene in the living room. She froze, her words trailing off. There, lying on the floor, was a man, a shirtless man! Her first instinct was to retreat to her room upstairs and call the police while ensuring her own safety.

But she took another look and froze in disbelief.

The man on the floor had a fishtail! The tail was mostly blue, covered in smooth scales, with a caudal fin as delicate as fine silk. The entire tail shimmered with a soft glow, as if moonlight were flowing over it.

Wasn’t this the mermaid from fairy tales?

The sudden appearance of a strange man in her home was frightening, but the sheer absurdity of the situation left Luo Qingyan more astonished and curious than afraid. She closed her eyes, took a moment to calm herself, and when she opened them again, the scene remained… it wasn’t an illusion.

Chestnut trotted over to her, wagging his tail cheerfully, showing no sign of sensing any danger.

After a moment’s thought, Luo Qingyan took a deep breath and descended the stairs, heading toward the man. As she passed the triangular area under the stairs, she bent down and grabbed a stool to use for self-defense.

As she drew closer, Luo Qingyan could observe the man on the floor in detail.

His fishtail was a shimmering blend of blues, with hints of purple and green visible in the caudal fin. The transition from his torso to the tail was seamless, more natural and fluid than any movie special effects. His upper body was like a sculpted masterpiece, with muscles perfectly defined and skin so pale and delicate it seemed as smooth as fine jade, almost translucent. He had long, silky silver hair, slightly wavy, cascading like a flowing waterfall.

But his face was the most striking, sharp yet graceful features, exquisitely three-dimensional, like a digitally modeled face with no flaws from any angle.

As a beautiful woman herself, Luo Qingyan had seen all kinds of handsome men, but at this moment, she was utterly captivated. He was breathtakingly beautiful, almost unreal.

Chestnut was frolicking around Luo Qingyan’s feet when it noticed him staring at the man on the ground. It happily trotted over and began licking the man’s face.

“Chestnut!” Luo Qingyan quickly reached out with his free hand to grab the dog.

Just then, the man slowly opened his eyes. His long, thick eyelashes resembled feather fans, and his blue-purple pupils sparkled like stars, clear and mesmerizing. His face appeared even more beautiful now.

Luo Qingyan had no resistance to good-looking people, even if they were mermaids. The key point was that this man seemed completely non-threatening, appearing entirely in a battle-damaged state and clearly in need of rescue.

The man’s eyes couldn’t fully open, and he looked extremely weak. “Water… water…” His voice was faint but carried an inexplicable allure.

A flicker of vigilance passed through Luo Qingyan’s eyes, soon replaced by complex emotions.

Never mind all that, saving him comes first!