The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 26

With the excuse of living in the same neighborhood as the person she liked, Luo Qingyan found it much easier to visit the little merman.

That day, after lunch, she brought a lot of things to Hefeng Pavilion, important things, which made her particularly happy.

“I’m here, Xiaomei!” Luo Qingyan couldn’t help but speak as soon as she entered the room and closed the door. She had tried her best to keep her voice low, but she couldn’t suppress her joy. “Today, besides lunch, I brought something else!”

The little merman had naturally put everything aside, waiting for the owner of the voice to arrive.

“Eat first, don’t go hungry.” Luo Qingyan brought the lunch into the bathroom first, placing the takeout bag directly on the small table over the bathtub. The little merman would open it himself. Then she went back to the door to get the other things.

“What else did you bring? It sounds like a lot.” The little merman spoke loudly as he opened the takeout bag.

“Good stuff!” Luo Qingyan said, carrying several boxes and bags into the bathroom. She suddenly stopped. “Hmm, it might not be a good idea to open packages while you’re eating, there’s always a bit of dust. Let’s wait a little. But there’s one we can open now.”

After saying this, she turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving most of the boxes and bags by the bathroom door. Then she re-entered, holding only one small box.

The little merman had already started eating, but his gaze was fixed on Luo Qingyan.

“Even though we always plan things in advance, you never know what might happen. Better to be prepared,” Luo Qingyan said slowly as she unwrapped the box. “I thought messaging apps weren’t always convenient, so I bought you a phone. I’ve also set up a SIM card, just insert it and it’s ready to use.”

“A phone.” The little merman’s expression showed a hint of surprise. He had been using the internet for some time now and, of course, knew what a phone was.

“I’ll save my number in it and download and register a messaging app. From now on, you can send me messages for non-urgent matters, and call me if it’s something urgent.” Luo Qingyan opened the box and took out a black phone. “You finish your meal first, and I’ll set up the phone. Once you’re done, I’ll teach you how to use it step by step. You’re already familiar with the iPad, so you’ll pick it up quickly.”

“Okay.” The little merman nodded and, for the first time, sped up his eating.

…

Afterward, Luo Qingyan finished setting up the phone, and the little merman finished his lunch. Then, the human began teaching the fish how to use the phone.

Just as Luo Qingyan had predicted, the little merman, already accustomed to the iPad and naturally clever, quickly learned how to use the phone.

“Can I order takeout myself?” the little merman asked suddenly, fiddling with the phone. “You always rush over here, it must be exhausting. If I can order takeout myself, you won’t have to worry about meal times anymore.”

“Of course! You can choose whatever you want to eat. I’ll link a card for you. Oh, but make sure to balance your nutrition!” Luo Qingyan was quite surprised, as the little merman had always eaten whatever she ordered before. “Wait, no! The key to takeout isn’t who orders it, it’s about receiving it. Even if the delivery person leaves it outside the door, I still have to be the one to bring it in.”

The little merman pursed his lips in thought and cautiously asked, “Can… can I get it?”

“You’ll get it?” Luo Qingyan narrowed her eyes. “There is a sliding chair in the study, but, wouldn’t that be too troublesome? We’re on land, and a fishtail is never as convenient as legs. The key is, you’re so… I’m afraid someone outside might see you. At the very least, you’d have to reach your hand out to get the delivery. If the food is placed far from the door, it would be too dangerous.”

“What if I don’t go out and use water instead?” As the little merman spoke, he raised his hand. A small stream of water from the bathtub followed the direction of his fingers, flew toward the nearby cabinet, lifted the lid of the basket inside, took out a bottle of water, and placed it beside Luo Qingyan, all in one smooth motion.

Luo Qingyan was dumbfounded. She knew the little merman was powerful, but she never expected him to be capable of this. It took her a while to regain her composure. “You… have you recovered?”

“Yes, a bit more,” the little merman nodded. “I still can’t lift anything too heavy, but something like a food delivery is manageable. Opening and closing the door isn’t a problem either. I can practice a few more times. When I go outside, I’ll be as careful and quick as possible.”

“Alright, the elevator lobby outside our door doesn’t have surveillance. As long as the neighbors don’t see you, it should be fine. Besides us, there are two other households on this floor. One is a young couple, busy earning money, they leave early and come back late. The other is a family of three, but they only stay here occasionally. If we’re careful, it should be fine.”

“Mm, I’ll be careful.”

Luo Qingyan’s eyes sparkled slightly. “It makes sense that a merman can control water, but seeing it with my own eyes is still astonishing. It’s truly magical. How powerful will you be once you fully recover? Could you really summon wind and rain?”

“What you’re describing is the Dragon King…”

“So, the Dragon King really exists?”

The little merman was momentarily speechless, giving Luo Qingyan a frustrated look. After a moment of silence, he said, “No.”

“Why do you look so disdainful?” Luo Qingyan lifted her chin, acting completely justified. “In my eyes, you’re as miraculous as the Dragon King. Since you exist, why can’t the Dragon King exist? Besides, the Sea King can summon wind and rain too! Can’t mermen do that? What about the Merman King?”

“I wish mermen could, but what you’re imagining is too exaggerated.”

“I think the idea of forming a contract with a merman to cure cancer is even more exaggerated, and I’d rather witness that.”

The little merman fell silent.

“Sigh… with one sentence, I made a man fall silent for me. I really am…” Luo Qingyan had intended to joke but suddenly realized the little merman probably wouldn’t understand that kind of humor, so she quickly dropped it and changed the subject. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. There are other things!”

With that, she got up and brought in a package from outside the bathroom.

Then, sitting on a low stool, she began unpacking the delivery with a beaming smile.

The first thing she opened was a dark blue box. From it, she took out a white garment. “The moment I saw this shirt, I thought it would suit you! It’s a relaxed fit with an irregular collar. Paired with a brooch, it would look absolutely stunning. Oh, I haven’t bought the brooch yet. What do you think of the shirt?”

The little merman studied the shirt in Luo Qingyan’s hands seriously and nodded. “Mm, it’s nice.”

“Then try it on.”

“Okay.”

“Hey, there’s water in the bathtub… won’t it get wet?” Luo Qingyan paused while handing the clothes to the little merman, thinking for a moment. “But since we’re going to wash it anyway, there’s no harm in trying it on. Though, if the clothes get soaked, would you feel uncomfortable wearing them?”

The little merman chuckled softly, “I can stay in the sea all the time, why would I mind wet clothes?”

“Right! What was I thinking? Here, try it on!”

The little merman sat up straighter, lifting more of his upper body above the water, then took the clothes and put them on under Luo Qingyan’s guidance. The collar had an intricate design that needed careful adjustment, so he started by fastening the lower buttons first. Once all the lower buttons were secured, the hem, which had been floating on the water, gradually sank beneath the surface.

As the clothes soaked in the water, they became slightly transparent, revealing the color of his skin beneath. The white fabric against his flesh tone created a subtle, almost tantalizing effect.

Luo Qingyan was already used to seeing the little merman without any clothes, to her, he was just a merman with an exceptionally pleasing figure, a delight to the eyes. Who would have thought that seeing him in clothes would actually add a hint of sensuality?

Perhaps it’s the allure of something half-hidden that stirs the imagination and teases the senses!

Stop overthinking it! Sure, she appreciated beauty, but who doesn’t enjoy looking at attractive people? Still, she needed to stay calm and composed.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself.

Once calm, Luo Qingyan noticed the little merman was still fussing with the collar. It was a bit complicated, after all, he was a merman who never wore clothes, and with his head bent down and no mirror, adjusting it was proving tricky.

“Let me help you with that!” Luo Qingyan’s intention was purely to assist; adjusting the collar wouldn’t require any physical contact.

Facing him, she could clearly see both the details and the overall fit of the clothes, making it easy to fix. Yet, those few seconds felt endlessly intimate.

Even though it was just adjusting the collar, it somehow felt like tying a tie for someone. In human society, tying another’s tie has always carried a hint of closeness. Maybe it’s because the tie encircles the neck, rests near the heart, or simply because the act requires standing so close.

Close enough to feel each other’s breath, to hear a heartbeat, no physical touch, yet it felt more intimate than touch itself.

“All done.” Once the collar was fixed, Luo Qingyan felt a sense of relief. It wasn’t just about completing the task; there was something more to it, but she didn’t want to dwell on it.

As she stepped back, she glanced quickly at the little merman and saw that he was completely unruffled. That only confirmed she shouldn’t overthink things.

“It really does look nice, no wonder humans love wearing clothes so much,” the little merman said, first spreading his arms to look down at the outfit, then lifting his gaze to the person beside him. “Mermaids decorate themselves too, with pearls, shells, corals, and such. Other sea creatures do the same; everyone likes adorning themselves with pretty things to look even more beautiful.”

“Yes, some land animals also adorn themselves with beautiful things. But you’re already very good-looking, clothes just enhance your beauty.” Luo Qingyan smiled brightly, then pondered for a moment. “Actually, humans nowadays wear clothes more out of a sense of shame. Even on the hottest days, they have to cover up, as the naked body has been assigned certain meanings. It’s quite fascinating how many things we take for granted came into existence from nothing, and perhaps one day they’ll vanish just as they appeared.”

The little merman sensed the subtle shift in Luo Qingyan’s emotions and said softly, “Species evolve, societies develop. If you can’t change it, accept it calmly, life goes on regardless. A tree might live for hundreds or even thousands of years before withering and dying; it might be cut down for lumber after just a few decades; or it could be destroyed by a storm while still a sapling. Everything in the world follows the same principle.”

Luo Qingyan understood his words, and her expression relaxed. “You’re right! Let’s unpack the rest of the clothes! I bought several pieces!”

Next, she unpacked a dark green shirt and a brown T-shirt, both of which suited the little merman perfectly.

If the white shirt had made him look like a runway model, the dark green one gave him the elegance of a stage actor, while the brown T-shirt made him resemble a cheerful, sunny college student playing at an amusement park.

Lastly, there was a set of navy-blue loungewear.

“Loungewear usually comes as a set with both a top and pants. I didn’t think just the top looked good enough on its own, so I bought the full set.” Luo Qingyan unpacked the delivery, took out the top, and set the pants aside. “Loungewear is for wearing at home, loose, soft, and very comfortable.”

“That sounds perfect for me!” The little merman took the top. “It looks simpler than the other clothes.”

“Yes, loungewear has the simplest design, prioritizing comfort. The fabric is skin-friendly and breathable, so it feels great to wear.”

The little merman put it on and carefully assessed the feel. “Mm, it’s comfortable. Should I wear this at home?”

“Sure.” Seeing his delight, Luo Qingyan smiled warmly. “Do the clothes need washing? Can you purify them yourself?”

The little merman looked down at the garment. “I think so.”

“Mm, it really is nice.” His smile was genuine.

…

For dinner, Luo Qingyan carefully taught the little merman how to order takeout and had him try it himself. She watched as he placed the order, waited for the delivery, observed him using water to open the door, bring the food inside, and hold it in his hands.

Aside from being a bit slow while ordering, everything else went smoothly. It should be fine for him to order takeout on his own when she wasn’t around.

“It’s good that it went smoothly. You’ve got dinner now, so you can eat whenever you’re hungry. I won’t have to worry about you going hungry from now on, and we can always contact each other by phone if anything comes up.” Luo Qingyan was about to head back to her grandmother’s house. She glanced around the bathroom and said, “There’s nothing else for me to do here, so I’ll be going now. This way, I can spend more time with my grandmother in the future.”

“You…” The little merman detected something in her words, his voice slow and low. “Will you not be coming as often from now on?”

Luo Qingyan’s expression froze for a moment, then she suddenly recalled the last time he had asked if she would go on blind dates. A smile tugged at her lips. “Do you want me to come often?”

The little merman pondered for a moment before calmly saying, “No need, actually. I just wanted to know if you won’t be coming around often anymore.”

“Oh, no need. Alright, I understand. Then I won’t come often. I’m leaving now, bye.” Luo Qingyan turned and left after speaking.

The little merman watched Luo Qingyan depart, heard the sound of the door closing, and listened to every noise of the person completely leaving. Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly.

He seemed to have said the wrong thing.