The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 17.1

Luo Qingyan could understand the little merman’s fear. After all, he hadn’t fully recovered yet, and if danger arose, he’d be as helpless as a turtle in a jar. Being cautious was only natural.

But understanding didn’t mean she wasn’t angry!

She had trusted him so completely. The moment he mentioned something unusual, she went outside to check without a second thought for her own safety. She had rushed around tirelessly, her only concern being his well-being.

And him? He didn’t trust her, didn’t care about her, and was even wary of her!

It was disheartening. Truly disheartening!

Fish really were cold-blooded creatures, impossible to warm up to!

Hmph! Whatever. There was no point expecting anything from him. This whole contract business was probably just a scam. Even if it were real, he’d never develop feelings for a human. Money was far more reliable! At least she could live extravagantly before she died and leave more for her family.

But what if the monetary reward was a lie too?

Heh…

Then she’d just consider it a good deed done without expecting anything in return.

The sooner this little merman recovered, the better! Then he could leave! Out of sight, out of mind!

Fuming, Luo Qingyan went out to run errands without even saying goodbye to the little merman and didn’t return until dinnertime.

Dinner was takeout again. She ordered two set meals, one for the little merman and one for herself. This time, they ate separately.

She brought his dinner to him without a word, placed the takeout container on the stool, and turned to leave immediately, her expression cold and distant, unwilling to stay a moment longer.

When the little merman saw Luo Qingyan, his expression shifted. At first, noticing someone entering the bathroom, his eyes widened slightly with a hint of delight. But then his gaze dropped, and he averted his eyes, not daring to look directly at her. He remained silent, keenly aware of her every movement.

He felt guilty. He wanted to talk to her, but he could sense her anger and her unwillingness to engage with him. While he hesitated, she left, without a moment’s pause.

In the past, she would have opened the food container, placed his portion on the bathtub tray, and eaten with him. She’d ask if he liked the food, listen to him describe the flavors, and sometimes even explain how the dishes were made.

They would chat and laugh together.

But now…

Even with the lid still on, the dinner on the stool emitted an enticing aroma. Yet, he didn’t feel like eating as much as he usually did. The anticipation was gone.

It seemed he had been affected by the human.

After leaving the bathroom, Luo Qingyan turned on the TV in the living room before sitting down at the dining table to eat her own dinner.

She wasn’t actually watching the television but focused on her meal. She had turned it on simply to fill the room with noise, the more, the better. She didn’t want the little merman to only hear the sounds of her eating.

She had only taken a few bites when Chestnut, having finished his dog food, came trotting over, drawn by the smell of human food.

Chestnut first flopped onto her lap, wriggling excitedly and letting out a series of soft whimpers. After she gestured and shushed him, he obediently sat beside her, watching her intently and wagging his tail from time to time.

She finished her meal without giving Chestnut any of her food. Yet, the dog remained cheerful, tongue lolling out happily, tirelessly following her around.

Indeed, a puppy’s love is the most sincere and enduring, no deception, no disdain, and it doesn’t vanish just because there’s no exchange of benefits.

Unlike some fish!

…

After finishing her meal, Luo Qingyan only cleared her side of the dining table before taking Chestnut out for a walk.

She would deal with the takeout containers from the little merman’s side after returning from the walk. Since he didn’t trust her anyway, the less they saw of each other, the better, to avoid mutual annoyance. Providing him with food and shelter was already more than kind enough, anything beyond that depended on her mood, which was perfectly reasonable.

Chestnut was overjoyed to go out early. While getting his leash on, he jumped around excitedly, nearly taking flight, his barks continuous, high-spirited, and cheerful.

With such a commotion, the little merman couldn’t help but hear it, and he could easily tell what was going on.

Luo Qingyan was quick and efficient. Despite Chestnut’s excitement, she had the situation under control, fastening his leash in just a minute or two. Then, the two of them left the house and headed out for their walk.

The road in front of her grandmother’s house was lined with plane trees on both sides. At this time of year, the leaves were still lush and green, rustling softly in the wind. Walking along, her eyes took in the greenery, her ears filled with the sound of the breeze, and her nose caught the faint scent of grass and trees, it was utterly relaxing.

Since she had just finished dinner and it wasn’t a good idea to engage in strenuous activity, Luo Qingyan walked slowly. Chestnut, meanwhile, sniffed at various scents along the way, stopping and starting without any rush.

“Qingyan, out for a walk with Chestnut?”

Luo Qingyan had been immersed in the natural surroundings, trying to clear her mind, and hadn’t noticed her surroundings. A voice pulled her back to reality. She looked up and saw several neighbor aunties and grannies chatting by the roadside. The one who had called out to her was Auntie Zhang, the same one who had asked her before about what kind of lights she used at home.

“Yes,” Luo Qingyan replied with a slight smile and a nod. She didn’t dare ask whether Auntie Zhang had bought the lights yet. A simple greeting was enough; she had no desire to engage in further conversation.

“Auntie Chen’s granddaughter is so pretty! Didn’t she used to work in S City? Graduated from a prestigious university and landed a job at a big company, truly impressive!”

“Absolutely! A young woman making her way alone in a big city for so many years, it must have been tough! Not easy at all!”

“Coming back home is a good choice. Our G City is developing really well now. There are plenty of job opportunities, no shortage of work for those coming from out of town.”

The aunties and grannies seamlessly shifted the topic of conversation to Luo Qingyan.

However, she had no interest in being the center of attention. She loosened Chestnut’s leash, letting him run a bit farther ahead, then quickened her pace to catch up while still keeping her gaze on the group. “Yes, it’s nice to be back. G City is getting better and better. Ah, the puppy’s eager to play, so I’ll go walk him now. Please continue chatting.”

“Chestnut must be so happy you’re back, he just loves running around exploring,” Auntie Zhang said with a warm smile, waving her hand. “Go on, go on.”

“Okay, bye!” Luo Qingyan quickly waved goodbye and hurried off with Chestnut.

When they reached their usual park for walks, Luo Qingyan let Chestnut choose the route. After making a round, she felt a bit tired and headed to a secluded corridor to sit down.

Today, she didn’t want to go home too early. She could stay out until just before bedtime.

Even after playing for two or three hours, Chestnut never seemed to tire. He could stay outside for as long as he wanted. When his owner sat down to rest, he would squat beside her, his eyes and nose still actively working, observing everything around him and sniffing continuously.

The atmosphere in the park was incredibly comfortable, both lively and peaceful at the same time.

After resting for about five minutes, Chestnut suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed intently in one direction. His body wriggled excitedly, and his tail wagged like a helicopter rotor.

“Did you meet a good friend?” Luo Qingyan had seen Chestnut behave like this before. Whenever he encountered a canine friend, he would become excited and expectant, but he never acted out of line. Following Chestnut’s gaze, she spotted a wire-haired Jack Russell Terrier, who was equally excited, wagging its tail and pulling on its leash to come closer.

“Are they friends?” a gentle voice asked.

It was only then that Luo Qingyan noticed the Jack Russell Terrier’s owner, a young man with deep-set eyes, a tall and slender build, and a somewhat relaxed, casual demeanor in his attire.

“Oh, this is my mother’s dog. She usually takes him for walks, so I’m not familiar with his friends,” the Jack Russell Terrier’s owner added.

“My grandmother is usually the one walking our dog, too,” Luo Qingyan explained. “They must be good friends. My dog acts exactly like this when he meets a close canine companion.”

“Then they can play together,” the Jack Russell Terrier’s owner said with a faint smile. “My mother told me not to let him play with unfamiliar dogs. He’s quite excitable, like a little bomb.”

“Let’s let them get familiar with each other’s scent first,” Luo Qingyan said, tightening her grip on the leash. She guided Chestnut forward slowly, ready to pull him back immediately if anything seemed off.

The Jack Russell Terrier’s owner was equally cautious, keeping a close watch on his dog’s behavior.

As soon as the two dogs were close enough to touch, they pressed against each other, sniffing intently before starting to bounce around joyfully, clearly overjoyed.

“They really are good friends,” Luo Qingyan remarked as she untangled the leashes. The two dogs were so excited, spinning around each other, that their leashes had become twisted.

“My dog’s name is Pudding,” the Jack Russell Terrier’s owner said, perhaps feeling that it was inappropriate for the leashes to keep tangling. After Luo Qingyan separated them, he took a step back, controlling the leash so Pudding could still interact with Chestnut but couldn’t spin around wildly anymore.

“My dog’s name is Chestnut,” Luo Qingyan replied, also doing her best to manage the leash. She wasn’t usually fond of talking to strangers, but today, she found it pleasant to chat with someone polite. “Both are named after food. It seems like food names are a whole category for dogs.”

“Exactly,” the Jack Russell Terrier’s owner continued, noticing Luo Qingyan’s willingness to converse. “There are names like Cola, Tangyuan, Oreo, they all sound cute and happy. Pudding is still young and full of energy. He absolutely loves going out to play. How old is Chestnut?”

“He’s over three years old now. He’s still playful, but he’s calmed down a lot compared to his most mischievous phase. A dog’s personality also depends on the breed. Terriers are indeed livelier and more energetic.”

“That’s true. For example, terriers are known for being stubborn, but Shiba Inus are even more stubborn. You can even spot them outside during thunderstorms.”

In the picturesque park, watching the puppies play while chatting about them was utterly delightful.

Since there was no rush to return home, it was nice to let Chestnut play a bit longer with his good friend. Chestnut was so adorable and devoted to his owner, he deserved to have a joyful playtime.

The evening breeze was gentle.

…

By the time they parted ways with Pudding, it was already 9 p.m. They couldn’t play any longer; it was time to head home. Pudding’s home and Grandma’s house happened to be in opposite directions, so they said their goodbyes at the play area and went their separate ways.

Chestnut had thoroughly enjoyed himself today, and his steps on the way home were especially lively. Luo Qingyan’s mood was also quite pleasant, Pudding’s owner had high emotional intelligence, making their conversation comfortable.

Under the bright moon and gentle breeze, one person and one dog strolled leisurely.

It wasn’t until she stood at her doorstep that Luo Qingyan suddenly remembered she hadn’t cleaned up the trash from the little merman’s dinner. She had originally intended to go straight to the second floor, but she couldn’t bear the thought of garbage piling up in the bathroom, even if the little merman had the ability to clean it himself.

No matter how angry she was, she had to take care of the trash. This was Grandma’s meticulously maintained home, and she couldn’t let it fall into disarray because of a suddenly appearing merman. Besides, the little merman hadn’t recovered yet and would need to stay here for a while longer. Sooner or later, the two of them would have to face each other.

Back inside, Luo Qingyan first removed Chestnut’s leash, then wiped his paws. Since they had played for a long time, she carefully cleaned all four paws before leisurely making her way to the bathroom.

As she reached the bathroom door, her pace quickened abruptly. She strode in, swiftly located the trash, and headed straight for it without a word. The little merman had already gathered all the trash into a bag. Without commenting, she grabbed the bag and turned to leave.

“I’m sorry!” the little merman spoke, his tone unusually urgent.

Luo Qingyan, in the midst of turning, paused for a moment. Her heart softened briefly, but she had her own principles, how could she forgive him so easily with just one apology? Especially when the little merman was still keeping so many things from her. She halted her departure and looked at him expressionlessly. “Alright, I accept your apology. Is there anything else you want to say?”

The little merman hesitated.

“Since you don’t want to say anything else, let me make things clear,” Luo Qingyan said coldly. “First, I saved you purely out of human kindness. I have no obligation to save you, so if rescuing you ever threatens my safety or the safety of those around me, I will abandon you immediately.”

“Second, given the lack of trust between us, I will keep my distance for my own safety. You can continue staying here, and I will provide you with food. As for any other interaction, it’s unnecessary.”

“Third, I don’t expect any repayment in terms of life. If you’re offering monetary compensation and it’s genuine, you can give it. If it’s not, it doesn’t matter. Just don’t repay kindness with hostility. When I rescue cats or dogs, I see it through to the end, even if they hiss at me and offer nothing in return.”

After speaking, Luo Qingyan gave a faint, insincere smile and calmly watched the little merman.

The little merman’s eyes shifted, as if he were thinking, pondering for a while.

Luo Qingyan had no desire to linger. She had no intention of forcing anyone, so she turned and left.

There was no sound of anyone trying to stop her from behind.

Indeed, humans and mermaids were different.