The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 10

“Do you know about dancing?” Luo Qingyan looked down at the little merman. She actually felt an impulse to dance with someone, but unfortunately, dancing on land required legs, and the little merman only had a tail. Besides, he was currently in a weakened state, so they could probably only talk about dance.

“I know. Mermaids dance in the sea too,” the little merman said, his tail fin giving a slight flick.

“Dancing in the sea?” Luo Qingyan’s eyes widened with surprise and delight. “How do you dance? Is it similar to human dancing?”

“It’s similar. Both use the body to express emotions. Dancing in the water is even more freeing. You can imagine how humans would dance if they could fly. Water and air are quite different, though, water gives a more tangible sensation.”

“I really love the way you describe things, like an observer of the world.” Luo Qingyan crouched down and sat on a low stool. “Do you like dancing?”

“I do. It feels incredibly soothing to use your body to experience the world and express emotions. It’s as if everything else becomes blurry, and only I and what’s close to me remain clear.”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. When you dance, you can forget your worries and feel like you’re the center of everything.”

“You like dancing too, and you dance beautifully, don’t you?”

“I… I do like dancing. I once thought I’d dance for a lifetime, but unfortunately, I injured my back during my sophomore year of college. After that, I couldn’t dance with high intensity anymore, so… I was really disheartened during that time. It felt so unfair, as if the heavens had taken away what I loved most. I… I don’t even know how I got through those dark days. And now, it’s even darker.” Perhaps because the little merman wasn’t human, Luo Qingyan found herself saying things she normally wouldn’t dare to voice.

“Earlier, you said you wanted to dance. Go ahead, dancing can help you forget your troubles.”

“You’re right! Dancing can make you forget your troubles.” Luo Qingyan stood up, ready to go outside, but then she turned back. “Would you like to watch me dance?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

In the end, Luo Qingyan brought her phone into the bathroom to play music, and then she began to dance slowly to the melody.

The bathroom was small and not suited for wide, sweeping movements, so her feet stayed in the central area as she rose onto her toes, her hands moving like the wings of a bird or the fluttering of a butterfly, stretching and turning, tracing one beautiful arc after another in the air.

Her steps were light and nimble as she spun, free as the wind.

When the music quickened, she moved faster; when it slowed, she matched its pace. Her dance and the melody merged into perfect harmony.

This dance was an expression of release, abandon, resentment, and hope. Even without particularly intense movements, it was utterly exhilarating.

As the song ended, Luo Qingyan held her final pose, breathing slowly at first, then in deep, heavy gasps.

Applause broke the silence, it was the little merman, offering sincere praise: “It’s quite cramped here, not the most convenient for dancing, but it was still beautiful. Truly beautiful.”

Luo Qingyan suddenly grew calm. Then, she stepped her left leg back, crossed her legs, and slowly bent her knees into a curtsy, raising her hands above her head before spreading them to the sides and lowering them gracefully.

The little merman nodded in acknowledgment and added, “Your movements are exceptionally beautiful. If you were in a more spacious place, it would surely feel entirely different.”

“Yes, it’s too cramped here.” Luo Qingyan walked over to the bathtub and sat back down on the low stool. “But it’s quite suitable for slow ballroom dancing. Lovers holding each other, swaying gently in small steps, cheeks brushing against each other, whispering sweet nothings.”

The little merman didn’t respond, only flicking his tail fin slightly.

Luo Qingyan continued, “Do mermaids have partner dances? How do you usually dance? Are there any special movements with the tail fin?”

The little merman nodded. “Of course we do. Friends dance together too. The tail fin is quite similar to legs, and the caudal fin can create different shapes in the water depending on the movement, somewhat like the ribbon in human rhythmic gymnastics.”

“Oh, you mean the ribbon? Hmm, indeed, the large tail fin is truly beautiful.” As Luo Qingyan spoke, she turned to glance at the little merman’s tail fin, then suddenly turned back. “Can I touch your tail fin?”

“Ah?” Thelittle merman’s face first showed surprise, then embarrassment.

“Is the tail fin not allowed to be touched?” Luo Qingyan was genuinely curious. “Like women’s feet in ancient times? It’s only because you mentioned dancing with the tail fin that… I wanted to touch it. I thought your tail fin was a part used to display beauty. Hey! Do you court? Peacocks, for example, spread their tails when courting, it’s very beautiful. And mermaids’ tails are super pretty too!”

A trace of frustration flashed in the little merman’s eyes. “Mermaids are closer to humans and fish. We’re quite different from birds.”

“Oh, then how do you court? Some fish use dance and sound to court, right? Do mermaids deliberately court and then…?”

“Mermaids are more like humans and even more complex than humans.”

“Right, you said a mermaid’s true love is different from what humans understand, it’s a deeper bond. Then, do mermaids have special dances for lovers? Hey! It just occurred to me, are mermaids especially good at lifts? After all, in the water, with buoyancy, it’s like one person lifting another. Oh, but in the water, lifting might not even be a thing since everything is surrounded by water.”

The little merman couldn’t help but chuckle as he listened. “Are you this interested in mermaids and the sea? You’re as curious as a child. But it’s true, humans know only a small fraction of the ocean’s wonders.”

“Hah!” Luo Qingyan crossed her arms, wanting to tease him. “Hey, you haven’t answered any of my questions just now! Are you avoiding them? Or are you too embarrassed? Or maybe you’re too young, just an adult, and don’t know much about these things yet?”

“I do know!”

“Then do you know about the joys of intimacy?”

The little merman froze.

“Still just a little merman after all.” Luo Qingyan tried hard to hold back her laughter.

“That’s not it!” The little merman pouted. “For mermaids, love and reproduction are inseparable. They can be discussed and are worthy of praise. It’s humans who… Our true love is something most humans strive for but cannot attain. It’s different from both humans and fish!”

Her phone rang, it was a delivery notification. Thinking of the delicious Peking duck made her happy, and she immediately went out to get the order.

“Look! Peking duck!” Luo Qingyan walked back into the bathroom carrying the takeout bag, holding it up specifically to show the little merman. “This is a delicacy loved by people all over the world. You’re definitely going to like it!”

“Of course! I could smell the aroma from outside earlier, let alone now that we’re inside.” Luo Qingyan was eager to eat the roast duck, but after saying this, she suddenly remembered they were in the bathroom and momentarily lost her appetite.

“Having delicious food is such a joy!” The little merman didn’t mind the surroundings at all.

Holding the takeout, Luo Qingyan forced a smile: “With Peking duck, you need to wrap all the ingredients together yourself. This time, we have a small tray, so it’ll be much more convenient to eat.”

“Okay, please teach me how to eat it.”

Luo Qingyan placed the takeout on a stool and opened it, preparing to take everything out and arrange it on the small tray over the bathtub.

Just as she set down a container of sauce, she suddenly remembered something important: “Do you need to wash your hands with hand soap? Oh, and when eating, be very careful not to get any sauce or crumbs in the water, that would make it dirty, and you definitely wouldn’t like it. Hey! How often do you need to change the water? Huh? The water looks really clean!”

The water in the bathtub hadn’t been changed for two days, but since there were no signs of dirt, Luo Qingyan only now noticed this. Moreover, there was no fishy smell at all; the entire bathroom was spotless.

“No need to change the water. Mermaids have purification abilities. The better I recover, the stronger my purification power becomes, I can even purify ponds and lakes outside.” The little merman explained calmly, “It works outside the water too, like this room, it’s definitely clean. Don’t worry, I won’t dirty your home.”

“Wow! Mermaids are amazing, you’re practically a treasure!” Luo Qingyan reached into the bathtub and touched the water, “Forget everything else, just being a purifier alone, would make people fight over you!”

“Mermaids are impressive, but humans have their strengths too, like making food, they’re especially good at that.” The little merman’s attention was already captured by the food on the tray.

“Right, let’s dig in! Finally, I can treat you to a proper meal!” Thinking that the bathroom had been purified by the little merman, Luo Qingyan instantly felt relieved and her appetite returned. “Come on, I’ll show you how to eat it.”

She first helped the little merman put on gloves, then put on her own, instructing him to follow her lead.

First, take a pancake, dip the roast duck in the sauce, place it on the pancake, then add some shredded scallions. Usually, a couple of cucumber sticks are added too. The remaining garlic paste, pickled cucumbers, and pickled radish can be added according to taste. Finally, roll it up, and it’s ready to eat.

“What’s this dark red strip? Shouldn’t we add it?” The little merman was curious about every ingredient.

“That’s hawthorn strips, eaten separately to cut the greasiness. Actually, cucumber sticks can also be eaten alone for the same purpose, but they’re also refreshing when rolled up together.” Luo Qingyan didn’t rush to eat the rolled duck in her hand and patiently explained, “Try it and experience the flavors of the different ingredients. Whatever you like, you can add more of in the next roll.”

“Okay.” The little merman nodded and took a bite of the rolled duck. However, he didn’t bite through the scallions cleanly, instead, he pulled out all the shredded scallions along with some sauce, leaving him a bit confused.

“You need to use a bit more force when biting through the scallions. Or, just put the whole rolled duck in your mouth at once!” Luo Qingyan quickly advised.

The little merman promptly stuffed all the roast duck in his hand into his mouth. Fortunately, the portion he had wrapped wasn’t large, so he could manage it all at once. Then, with his cheeks puffed out, he chewed slowly. As he continued chewing, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Luo Qingyan also began eating her roast duck. She bit down firmly to snap the scallion strips and took small, delicate bites. She loved roast duck, so the moment it entered her mouth, she was overwhelmed with happiness, and the day’s unpleasantness instantly melted away.

“You’ve got sauce at the corner of your mouth.”

The little merman’s voice pulled Luo Qingyan’s wandering thoughts back to reality.

When she regained her focus, she noticed that the little merman had already taken off his gloves, and his hand seemed to be moving toward her face.

This kind of scene…