The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 28

After Chestnut and Pudding met, they became practically inseparable. It would have been too cruel to keep them from playing together, so Luo Qingyan and Situ Lu ended up going to the pet park together.

“What a coincidence, I didn’t expect to run into you here too.” Stepping out of the bustling crowd, Situ Lu spoke first. “My mom originally asked me to bring Pudding home, but a few days ago, while I was looking for places where puppies could play, I noticed a newly built pet park here in Cuiyun. So, I thought I’d bring Pudding here to have some fun.”

“Yeah, what a coincidence.” Luo Qingyan’s gaze followed the bouncing Chestnut and Pudding ahead. “I was just thinking it’d be nice to take Chestnut somewhere with fewer people to run around. A pet park is perfect, we can let them off the leash and play freely.”

“I heard the place is quite well-equipped. They’ve cordoned off a large area with not just lawns but also flowers, trees, and plenty of play facilities. The dogs don’t have to crowd together. It’s perfect for Pudding, so he won’t go bothering other dogs again.”

Luo Qingyan chuckled. “The way you say that makes Pudding sound like a little troublemaker. Keep your voice down, dogs are smart and can understand.”

“Him? Not only does he understand, he ignores it! I’ve told him a thousand times, but he still does whatever he wants.” Situ Lu sighed helplessly. “Sometimes I really wonder if I’ve ended up with a Beagle.”

“Haha, I think you’re just spreading rumors. Jack Russells are so clever, they can even be police dogs! Besides, even the ‘Beagle troublemaker’ is adorable!”

“You just called him a troublemaker.”

“That’s his nickname in the dog world, a title of honor!”

“Then the nickname ‘digging machine’ must be well-deserved too, right? It’s terrifying!”

As they chatted, they soon arrived at the pet park.

There was a market fair today, so many people had gone there instead, leaving the pet park relatively quiet. Situ Lu deliberately found a spot with fewer people and dogs, allowing Chestnut and Pudding to run and play to their hearts’ content.

After a while of playing with the dogs, the humans were tired, but the dogs showed no signs of slowing down.

So, the two of them led the dogs to a rest area with tables and benches. There were several shops nearby selling toys, drinks, and snacks, making it a livelier spot.

They had just sat down when Situ Lu’s phone rang. It seemed to be an important call, so he stepped aside to a quieter area to answer it.

Luo Qingyan stayed behind to keep an eye on Chestnut and Pudding. Since none of the dogs here were leashed, someone needed to step in if Pudding decided to bother the other dogs.

After watching for a while, Luo Qingyan noticed that Situ Lu’s phone call was taking longer than expected—it must be something important. Chestnut and Pudding were behaving well, so she decided it was a good time to call the little merman. She likely wouldn’t be able to visit him today, so she needed to let him know and check in on how he was doing.

Acting on the thought, she took out her phone and dialed the number. The call connected quickly.

“Hey, what are you up to?” Luo Qingyan’s voice was gentle. “How are you feeling today?”

“Watching a documentary. I’m feeling pretty good today.” The little merman answered each question but offered nothing more.

“Oh, what documentary are you watching?” Luo Qingyan was used to his straightforward, question-and-answer style, so she continued asking.

The little merman replied, “A documentary on intangible cultural heritage.”

“Intangible cultural heritage? You’re actually looking into that now? That’s just… so sudden?” Luo Qingyan’s voice rose in surprise, and she quickly covered her mouth.

The little merman: “The website recommended it, so I checked it out. It’s quite interesting, helps me understand another side of humanity.”

“Are you out playing with Chestnut? There are a lot of noises on your end.” It was rare for the little merman to initiate a question.

Luo Qingyan: “Yes, we’re at the pet park. There are lots of little dogs here. Chestnut is playing with his best friend and having a great time.”

The little merman: “Oh, that’s nice.”

Luo Qingyan: “Well, the reason I called is to say I won’t be coming over today either. Grandma and Aunt are at the market, and I’m here playing with Chestnut. We’ll probably be home late, so I won’t make it over. Take care of yourself at home.”

The little merman: “Okay. Will you come tomorrow?”

Luo Qingyan: “I’ll try my best.”

The little merman: “You said the same thing yesterday.”

Luo Qingyan: “Uh, that’s why I said I’ll try. Unexpected things happen, you know.”

“I bought some snacks.” Situ Lu initially didn’t notice Luo Qingyan was on the phone, but upon realizing, he immediately fell silent and gently placed the tray on the table.

“Are you with someone?” The little merman’s hearing was exceptional, and he naturally caught Situ Lu’s voice.

Luo Qingyan: “A friend, the owner of Chestnut’s playmate. We’re hanging out together at the pet park.”

The little merman: “Oh.”

Luo Qingyan: “Alright, let’s talk later. Bye!”

The little merman: “Okay, bye.”

After hanging up, Luo Qingyan noticed that Situ Lu had bought sweet soup for the humans and treats for the dogs.

“After playing for so long, both humans and dogs must be hungry. Time for a snack.” Situ Lu handed a bowl of sweet soup to Luo Qingyan, kept one for himself, and left the dog treats aside. “We’ll eat first, then they can have theirs.”

Luo Qingyan, having just ended the call, was a bit dazed and momentarily unsure of what to say. The other person had also gone to make a call, yet he returned with all this food.

“Does it not suit your taste?” Situ Lu asked softly. “If not, just say so. We can switch to something else. I can eat two bowls, no waste.”

“It suits me just fine.” Luo Qingyan quickly replied, a smile touching her lips. “I was just surprised by the sudden appearance of such delicious food.”

“After my call, I overheard someone saying this place serves great sweet soup, so I bought some. Give it a try.”

“Alright, it does look good.” Luo Qingyan picked up her spoon and started eating.

The sweet soup was generously filled with ingredients, tapioca, taro balls, red beans, peach gum, and lotus seeds. The colors were beautifully arranged, making it appetizing just to look at. The taste was delightful too, especially the sticky, chewy tapioca and the bouncy taro balls. One bite led to another.

The little merman loved the pearls in bubble tea, saying they were fun to chew and tasty, so he’d probably enjoy tapioca sweet soup too!

As she ate, Luo Qingyan couldn’t help but think of the little merman, who had a fondness for good food. It had been a while since they’d shared a meal. She thought she’d slowly get used to it, but…

According to her plan, the two of them should have been growing closer, that was the only way she could get what she wanted. Yet, inexplicably, she found herself wanting to pull back. It wasn’t a deliberate attempt to play hard to get; it happened unconsciously. She didn’t know whether this retreat stemmed from a fear of falling for him while he remained indifferent or from the dread of ending up with nothing.

Either way, it was terrible.

The barks of Chestnut and Pudding snapped Luo Qingyan out of her daze. How could the two little dogs play obediently on the side when their owner was eating? They had already played for a long time that afternoon, and now, food was clearly more important.

“You two, wait a moment.” Situ Lu gestured to calm the two puppies. “If you don’t want to play, sit quietly for a while and calm down, so you don’t gobble your food later.”

However, the two puppies simply couldn’t settle down, the aroma of the food was far too tempting.

“Dogs have an incredibly sharp sense of smell. It’s really hard on them,” Luo Qingyan said, looking at Chestnut and Pudding. She was about to put down her spoon to feed the two little ones first.

“They really are little masters!” Situ Lu set down his spoon for the sweet soup and reached for the dogs’ treats instead. “Come on, you two must be tired from playing. Have some snacks!”

Luo Qingyan also prepared to put down her spoon to feed the dogs.

“Take your time eating. I’ll watch them,” Situ Lu noticed Luo Qingyan’s movement. “We can switch later. They need to eat their snacks slowly, and it’ll take some time.”

“Alright.” Luo Qingyan instantly understood Situ Lu’s intention, taking turns was a good idea. She then quickened her pace with the sweet soup. She couldn’t actually take her time just because he told her to; it was his politeness, and she needed to be polite in return. Besides, the sweet soup would lose its deliciousness if left for too long.

Soon, Luo Qingyan finished her sweet soup and picked up the dog treats. Suddenly, an important thought occurred to her, and now seemed like the perfect time to bring it up: “When we leave later, let Chestnut and Pudding pick out a toy from that toy store over there! It’s only polite to return the favor, thank you for the sweet soup and snacks.”

Situ Lu, of course, understood Luo Qingyan’s meaning and didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

The weather hadn’t been sunny to begin with, and as evening approached, dark clouds drifted in, making it unsuitable to stay out much longer.

Her grandmother and aunt called, saying they were worried about rain and were preparing to head home.

It was indeed getting late. Luo Qingyan had finished her sweet soup and snacks, so after letting Chestnut and Pudding pick out toys, she went to meet up with the others.

Since Luo Qingyan and Situ Lu were meeting their families at different locations, they parted ways at a fork in the road, waving goodbye.

As they said their goodbyes, Luo Qingyan received a message on her phone. But first, she was bidding farewell to Situ Lu, and second, she was in a hurry to meet up with her grandmother and aunt, so she didn’t check the message right away.

Shortly after, as she neared the meeting point, her phone rang.

Pulling out her phone, she saw it was Xiaomei. Worried it might be urgent, she answered immediately, “Hey, Xiaomei, what’s up?”

“The power’s out.” Xiaomei’s voice was relatively calm.

“Power outage? Hold on a second.” Luo Qingyan quickly checked her text messages and WeChat but found no notifications about a power outage.

Luo Qingyan: “There’s no power outage notice. It might be a tripped circuit. The electrical panel is in the entryway. Just flip the switch back up, and the power should come back on.”

Xiaomei: “Tripped circuit? Electrical panel?”

“Ah… I hadn’t considered the possibility of a tripped circuit breaker before. These are all things I haven’t explained to you, and it’s hard to clarify over the phone,” Luo Qingyan sighed. Accidents were just accidents, they couldn’t all be predicted, and she never imagined the little merman could manipulate water to do so many things.

Little Merman: “Then what should we do?”

Luo Qingyan: “Let’s use the backup lights for now! Isn’t there a battery-powered nightlight in the bathroom? Besides, you have a shimmering fishtail! The bathroom should be bright enough. Oh! Even though the bathroom window is small, make sure the blinds are closed, or it’ll be very noticeable from outside.”

Little Merman: “Oh.”

Luo Qingyan sensed a hint of unhappiness in the little merman’s tone and added, “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?”

Little Merman: “…”

Luo Qingyan: “You’re so capable. Once you understand what a tripped circuit and power outage mean, it shouldn’t be a big deal, right?”

The little merman remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, “You aren’t coming over?”

Luo Qingyan suddenly realized something. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, and she paused before replying, “Do you want me to come over?”

The little merman responded almost instantly: “Mm.”