The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 29

Luo Qingyan told her grandmother and aunt that a friend needed to see her, so she wouldn’t be home for dinner. She saw her grandmother, aunt, and Chestnut off into the car before hailing a taxi herself.

Cuiyun Park wasn’t too far from Hefeng Pavilion, normally just over half an hour by car. But with the evening rush hour approaching, the roads were unusually congested, and the car kept stopping and starting. It looked like the trip would take an hour.

Subjectively, Luo Qingyan didn’t want to feel rushed. She leisurely watched the city scenery outside the window, and when traffic stalled on both sides, she gazed up at the sky. Yet, as the congestion dragged on, the emotions she had tried so hard to suppress began to seep through, quietly affecting her.

She was still anxious. Even if she could maintain a calm exterior, her heart was in turmoil. She wanted to know what state Xiao Nanyu was in. She imagined how their meeting would unfold. She worried that her actions might be a mistake.

Some things simply can’t be hidden.

The more one tries to conceal, the more conspicuous it becomes.

She didn’t want to feel this way. She knew very well she shouldn’t, this kind of emotion was harmful, only deepening her confusion and melancholy. For her, if the path ahead was unclear, staying put was the safest choice.

Hesitation and indecision.

Why did happiness always give way to sorrow?

Utter helplessness.

By the time she reached the neighborhood entrance, the sky had darkened, as if a downpour was imminent. Yet Luo Qingyan slowed her pace, walking leisurely. She didn’t want to rush; she wanted to calm her emotions, to truly settle her mind.

Even as she felt raindrops beginning to fall, she didn’t quicken her steps, she still wasn’t calm enough.

Fortunately, it wasn’t until she stepped into the building lobby that the rain began to pour in earnest.

But she paid little attention to this stroke of luck. Even as she reached her doorstep, she still felt a lingering restlessness in her heart.

If she took a deep breath at the door, Xiao Nanyu would probably hear it. So…

Never mind. Let it be!

She opened the door to complete darkness inside. Out of habit, she reached for the light switch, but when she pressed it, the light didn’t turn on. She turned on her phone’s flashlight for illumination, closed the door, and walked over to the electrical panel. Opening it, she inspected the circuit breakers.

Sure enough, one had tripped.

She flipped the small switch back up, and the room instantly lit up, accompanied by the sound of various appliances powering on.

After that, she changed into slippers and headed to the bathroom.

The light there was on.

As she reached the doorway, she noticed Xiao Nanyu turning off the night light. She should act normal, she thought to herself. Walking in, she said, “It was indeed a tripped switch. Flipping it back up restored the power.”

“Oh, thank you,” Xiao Nanyu withdrew her hand from the light switch and looked at Luo Qingyan.

“No problem, it’s a simple fix.” Luo Qingyan sat down on a low stool. “It’s raining, so we were planning to head back early anyway.”

“Did you get caught in the rain?” Xiao Nanyu’s gaze shifted upward. “You have a damp aura about you, and your hair is wet.”

“Just a little. The rain started pouring right after I entered the lobby.”

“Do you need me to help dry the rainwater off you? I remember humans don’t like getting wet in the rain.”

“What?” Luo Qingyan’s eyes widened in disbelief, hardly trusting her ears. “Dry the rainwater off me? You have such a magical ability?”

“It’s just controlling water, that’s all,” Xiao Nanyu replied with a calm expression.

“Can the rain that soaked into the fabric of my clothes be removed too?” Luo Qingyan looked down at her clothes. “They’re almost dry now.”

“Of course. Would you like me to do it?”

“Yes! I want to see!”

“Alright.” The little merman raised his hand and moved his fingers slightly. Water gradually coalesced from Luo Qingyan’s body, from her hair, clothes, skin, everywhere, eventually forming a large droplet that was tossed toward the drain.

“Mhm.” The little merman nodded. “Controlling water isn’t difficult.”

“Not… difficult… As expected, a relaxed tone hides formidable power.” Luo Qingyan sighed with mixed emotions. Suddenly, a wave of melancholy washed over her, and her gaze slowly returned to the little merman. “You… are you almost fully recovered?”

The little merman’s eyes widened briefly, but he remained composed overall. “Yes, I’ve recovered quite a bit.”

A faint, almost imperceptible flicker of disappointment crossed Luo Qingyan’s eyes as she forced a smile. “How much longer until you’re fully recovered?”

“Probably, just a few more days.”

“Oh, that’s soon.” Luo Qingyan’s expression remained almost unchanged. “Um… after you’re fully recovered, will you go straight back to the sea? Or can you travel from rivers to the sea? G City isn’t coastal, but it’s not far to the seaside. Taking the high-speed train, it only takes three or four hours to reach a coastal city.”

The little merman’s expression froze for a moment. He blinked. “Are you asking me to leave?”

“Don’t you want to leave?” Luo Qingyan blurted out without thinking.

The little merman paused again, lowering his gaze without speaking.

“I’ve thought it through carefully. Truly falling in love and forming a contract is really, really difficult.” Luo Qingyan continued. “At first, I might have known I was dying, so I was fearless, willing to try anything, and… had nothing left to lose. But as I gradually calmed down, I realized that while impulse is impulse, solving problems can’t rely solely on passion. We need to face reality and cherish what we have.”

As she spoke, she glanced at the little merman’s tail. “Won’t you be fully recovered in just a few days? You belong to the sea. You have your own secrets. We’re ultimately from two different worlds, and parting is inevitable someday. Whether it’s the broad road or the single-plank bridge, we both need to move forward.”

The little merman’s brow furrowed slightly. “If I leave, what about you?”

“I’ll travel.” Luo Qingyan smiled faintly. “When I first learned I was sick and my life was counting down, my first thought was that I must travel. Leave everything behind, go to places I’ve never been, experience nature, and cherish life.”

“Why do you?” The little merman tilted his head slightly, thinking seriously. “It seems like you’ve suddenly given up on me.”

“Maybe I never had full confidence from the start. It’s just a drowning person grasping at straws, desperately seeking any cure.” Luo Qingyan tried to make her smile appear natural. “Meeting you was truly a miraculous encounter. It gave me hope for a while and made me happy for a while. But every miracle has an end, and the end will likely come on the day you fully recover.”

“I…” The little merman’s eyes revealed complexity, like faint, elusive glimmers in the deep sea.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to feel bad for not being able to help me. Everyone has their own fate.” Luo Qingyan maintained her smile. “If the valuable reward you promised can be delivered, that would be quite good too.”

The little merman visibly furrowed his brow. “Are you not feeling well?”

Hearing these words that sounded like concern, Luo Qingyan’s eyes instantly reddened. She blinked hard, trying to hold back her tears, but unfortunately, she couldn’t stop them. Tears traced the corners of her eyes as she struggled to maintain composure. “Yes, I’m not feeling well. I… I am a patient, after all. Perhaps, my time is limited, so, both physically and emotionally, I’m reacting more strongly. I tend to be… overly sentimental, moody, and unable to control it.”

The little merman’s expression returned to calmness. After a moment of thought, he said, “If you want to cry, then cry out loud. Crying is also a way to express emotions. It might make you feel better.”

Watching the little merman’s instantly calm expression, Luo Qingyan felt as if her heart were being sliced over and over. She was like the sea surface before a storm, turbulent and surging, while the little merman remained forever in the deep sea, utterly undisturbed.

She let out a bitter laugh. “Actually, when I heard you say you wanted me to come earlier, I was quite, you… So why did you want me to come?”

The little merman wanted to answer but hesitated after opening his mouth. He lowered his gaze in thought.

Luo Qingyan waited for a moment, her patience wearing thin. She sighed softly. “It’s you who makes me feel uncertain and distant.” With that, she stood up, intending to leave the bathroom temporarily.

The little merman wanted to stop her but sensed her strong desire to leave at that moment.

“I’m not feeling well. I’m going to get some water.” Luo Qingyan walked quickly, genuinely feeling unwell, dizzy, heart pounding, and utterly weak.

In the kitchen, Luo Qingyan poured herself a cup of hot water and took a few slow sips, but her physical discomfort didn’t ease in the slightest. If anything, it seemed to worsen. Her heartbeat grew faster and faster, she felt nauseous, and even breathing became difficult.

It was too much to bear. She hastily set down the cup, bracing herself against the kitchen counter to steady her body. Unfortunately, her body swayed involuntarily and then suddenly gave way. She tried desperately to grab onto something with her hands but found nothing to hold onto. In her panic, she knocked over the cup.

Hearing the sound of the shattering glass, Luo Qingyan felt the world spin around her. The discomfort exploded in every part of her body. Breathing was difficult and painful, as if the air around her had been sucked away, leaving only a thin, toxic gas that stung her lungs. Her internal organs ached as if being pummeled by fists or twisted and pulled repeatedly. Her limbs grew cold and stiff, not only beyond her control but even feeling as if they might move erratically, completely out of her command.

Her body no longer felt like her own, as if it were about to shatter into pieces from head to toe.

At this moment, the agony was so intense that she wished for death, life felt worse than death.

Should she just let go like this?

Luo Qingyan genuinely considered whether she should let fate take its course and give her an outcome.

After all, her remaining days were already few. Cancer patients often endured unbearable suffering in their final moments. A short, sharp pain was better than prolonged agony. Since she was already in such torment now, why not just let it end?

Though she didn’t understand why she had suddenly become so ill, if she were to die like this, wouldn’t it count as an accidental death? Then perhaps she wouldn’t have to explain her illness to her family, wouldn’t have to say goodbye, wouldn’t have to endure the torment of separation. Her loved ones might find it easier to bear, right? After all, life is unpredictable.

There’s no need to think about the little merman anymore. Now she couldn’t understand his thoughts, nor could she grasp her own true feelings, as if being pulled by an invisible force, everything was tangled and dizzying. She didn’t want to go on like this, one moment clinging to a sliver of hope, the next plunged into utter despair. The constant emotional turmoil was utterly exhausting.

So be it…

But is this really okay?

It doesn’t have to end like this. She could grit her teeth, stand up, and call for an ambulance. Maybe the situation wasn’t as dire as it felt, there was no need to give up on herself. Once this wave of discomfort passed, things might get better.

Or she could call out to the little merman.

The little merman, it seemed like she could hear his voice.

Chaotic and indistinct.

She felt awful, physically and emotionally. She just wanted to fall asleep forever.

In her dazed state, it seemed like someone was walking toward her.