The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 3

For breakfast, Luo Qingyan simply made sandwiches, fried sausages, and warm milk.

The little merman ate it and seemed to really enjoy it.

He started with the sandwich. With the first bite, his eyes widened, the surprise of tasting a new and delicious food evident on his face. He then took several more bites in quick succession.

“What is this called?” the little merman asked, holding up the sandwich. “The outside is soft, while the inside is crisp, sweet, and chewy. It smells so good.”

“A sandwich,” Luo Qingyan replied. “The outside is bread, and inside there’s lettuce, tomato, luncheon meat, and egg. You described such a simple food so deliciously, you’d make a great food critic.”

The little merman tightened his grip on the sandwich. “This is my first time eating human food.”

“Really? Then I’ll have to let you try more human delicacies. For lunch today, I’ll order some tasty takeout for you!” Luo Qingyan smiled. “Your language skills are quite impressive! Do mer people communicate using human languages too? Do you also have different languages and nationalities?”

The little merman pursed his lips, looking unwilling to answer.

“You can’t talk about that either?” Luo Qingyan, sitting on a low stool, leaned back slightly. “Aren’t you being a bit too cautious?”

The little merman glanced at the sandwich in his hand, took a deep breath, and lifted his eyes slightly. “We have our own way of communicating. We learn human languages, and we’re divided by sea regions.”

“So, like dolphins, can you emit frequencies that humans can’t hear?” Luo Qingyan suddenly leaned forward, resting her right hand on the edge of the bathtub. “Do you travel to other sea regions to play? Hey! Why do you study human knowledge? Is it like humans exploring the universe? You’re over 300 years old, 300 years ago was still the Qing Dynasty. How do you keep up with the times? Do you secretly come ashore? Or do you have something like, a master-servant or cooperative relationship with specific humans to communicate?”

The barrage of questions left the little merman flustered and uneasy. His eyes darted around nervously, and he gripped the sandwich so tightly that a piece of the luncheon meat nearly squeezed out.

“Ah! Let’s not talk about so much during breakfast. Take your time eating. I’m going to have my meal too.” Luo Qingyan stood up as she spoke. Seeing that the little merman showed no intention of stopping her, she left.

…

Confirming that the little merman wasn’t a figment of her dreams but truly existed, Luo Qingyan felt lighthearted. She even played some music while eating breakfast.

However, not long after breakfast ended, something unexpected happened.

Her cousin, Tao Xingyou, called.

“Sis, my dad and I are at the market right now. How about we have lunch together today? We’ll buy some ingredients and cook at Grandma’s place.” Tao Xingyou’s voice was sweet. “Mom heard I didn’t visit you last night and was really worried. Later, during lunch, let’s video call them together!”

Luo Qingyan suddenly remembered it was Saturday. The enchanting little merman had almost completely captured her attention, and her cousin’s call abruptly pulled her back to reality. The clash between a radiant fairy tale and mundane reality made her flustered. “Oh! I’m used to it, it’s fine, no need to worry! Don’t go to all that trouble. For lunch, let’s just eat out together!”

Tao Xingyou: “Grandma and my mom both think home-cooked meals are better than restaurant food, and it’s true many restaurants aren’t very clean these days. Eating at home while video-calling them puts their minds at ease. My dad’s actually a decent cook, he enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, so it’s no trouble for him!”

Luo Qingyan was momentarily speechless. She did need to figure out how to handle family visits—you can avoid them temporarily, but not forever. Just as she was wrestling with this, her aunt called. She first said to her cousin over the phone: “Auntie’s calling me. I’ll take her call first and ring you back later.”

Tao Xingyou: “Alright.”

Luo Qingyan ended the call with her cousin and answered her aunt’s.

Aunt: “Qingyan, are you settling in alright living alone?”

Luo Qingyan: “Absolutely! It’s so peaceful and quiet, really comfortable. Back in S City, there were too many people and too much noise. Now that I’m by myself, it feels like self-cultivation, I love it!”

Aunt: “Good to hear. Grandma and I were worried about you! Let your uncle cook you and Xingyou a nice meal this afternoon, then you two can go out and have some fun!”

Luo Qingyan: “I’ve been focusing on wellness lately, quiet rest. I’ll skip going out for now, maybe another time.”

Aunt: “Wellness? Qingyan, are you feeling unwell?”

Luo Qingyan chuckled lightly: “It’s trendy among young people now, starting wellness early to avoid detours. Anyway, Auntie, you and Grandma enjoy your trip. Let’s video call later, okay?”

Aunt: “Ah, fine. The tour guide is urging us, so I’ll hang up now.”

Luo Qingyan: “Mm, have fun. Bye.”

Aunt: “Bye-bye.”

After hanging up, Luo Qingyan had made up her mind. She hurried toward the bathroom.

…

“My cousin and uncle are coming over,” Luo Qingyan announced as soon as she entered the bathroom, addressing the merman. “You probably don’t want to be seen, so here are two options. First, barricade the bathroom door from the inside and say it’s broken. I’ve already scheduled a repairman for tomorrow. There’s another bathroom upstairs they can use, they likely won’t mind, but there’s a small chance Uncle might try to fix it, which would make some noise. Don’t be scared; if the door’s blocked well enough, he won’t get in. Second, there’s a pond in the yard. It’s not big, but it’s deep, with fish and water plants. You could hide there, using the plants for cover, and won’t be spotted. Which do you choose?”

Though everything was sudden and Luo Qingyan had spoken a lot, the merman listened intently. He understood and pondered: “I can’t move very far on my own right now.”

“Getting to the yard is trickier than moving around inside, and there’s no suitable way to transport you at the moment. Let’s go with the first option then.” Luo Qingyan nodded slightly. “You must stay quiet. If Uncle tries to fix the door and you hear noise, remain calm. Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll minimize the chance of them touching the bathroom door.”

“Okay, I trust you.” The merman nodded, his eyes shining.

A sudden warmth filled Luo Qingyan’s heart. She smiled, then turned to leave: “I’ll find something to block the door.”

…

Barricading the door went smoothly after that.

Actually, blocking was just supplementary. Luo Qingyan had used a flathead screwdriver to lock the door from the outside and hidden all similar tools. Inside, she had wedged two chairs and a stool between the door and the sink. Although the little merman couldn’t move very far, his tail was flexible, and under Luo Qingyan’s direction, he deftly secured the chairs in place.

After dealing with the bathroom, Luo Qingyan checked the house once more to ensure there were no traces that might reveal the little merman’s identity. Only then did she feel at ease.

Then, her cousin and uncle arrived.

“Cousin, I bought some bread. The croissants and bagels from this shop are super delicious—you have to try them!” Her cousin, Tao Xingyou, hurriedly set down the bag she was carrying. “I’ll use the restroom first.”

“Use the one on the second floor. The toilet on the first floor is broken,” Luo Qingyan replied quickly, her expression calm. While checking the house earlier, she had reconsidered and decided that a broken toilet was a better excuse. As for the locked door, she could explain that the bathroom had a foul odor after she accidentally opened it, sometimes her hands moved faster than her thoughts, and to prevent it from happening again, she had simply locked the door.

“Okay.” Tao Xingyou nodded and ran upstairs.

“Is the toilet clogged?” Her uncle, who had been about to take the groceries to the kitchen, paused upon hearing Luo Qingyan’s words. “I have a repairman’s number. I can call someone to fix it right away.”

“It’s broken, but I’ve already scheduled a repair. I just thought since we’re having dinner together today, I didn’t want the house to…” Luo Qingyan had prepared her explanation in advance. “There’s a sewer smell inside, but it’s fine as long as the door is closed. It’s okay to wait until tomorrow to fix it.”

“Alright.” Seeing that Luo Qingyan had everything under control, her uncle said nothing more and continued to the kitchen with the groceries.

Luo Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief. So far, so good.

…

Later, when Tao Xingyou came downstairs, Luo Qingyan pulled her into the kitchen to help. But her uncle insisted he could handle everything himself and told the two of them to go have fun.

Keeping busy would prevent them from paying attention to the bathroom, so Luo Qingyan dragged Tao Xingyou to watch TV instead. The sound from the television could also help mask any other noises.

Tao Xingyou was easygoing by nature. When her cousin invited her to watch TV, she happily agreed, chatting and enjoying herself as they watched.

With everything settled, Luo Qingyan finally relaxed. But the peace didn’t last long, a sudden complication arose.

Chestnut, the dog, loved excitement. At first, he ran back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. When he got tired, he stayed in the living room, watching TV with Luo Qingyan and Tao Xingyou. But after a while, perhaps out of boredom, he suddenly ran to the bathroom door, scratching at it with his front paws and whimpering softly.

Chestnut’s odd behavior quickly caught the attention of the two in the living room.

“It’s not a cockroach!” Luo Qingyan grabbed Tao Xingyou’s arm, forcing herself to stay calm as she hurried toward the bathroom. “It’s just Chestnut’s toy. Ugh, dogs always want what they can’t have, he has plenty of toys already.”

She jogged to the bathroom door, picked up Chestnut, and immediately turned to block Tao Xingyou’s view. “We must have neglected him, and he’s feeling left out. Let’s take him to the yard and play for a while!”

“Chestnut is the treasure of our family, we can’t let him feel neglected!” Tao Xingyou patted Chestnut’s head. “I’ll go get his toys.”

“I’ll get the toys. You take him outside first,” Luo Qingyan said, handing Chestnut over to Tao Xingyou.

“Okay.” Tao Xingyou took the chestnuts, stroking them as she walked out.

Luo Qingyan stayed in place for a few seconds, confirming that Tao Xingyou had gone to the yard and that there was no sound from the bathroom, before she felt reassured enough to retrieve the toy.

Afterward, the two of them and the dog played in the yard until lunchtime.

During lunch, the dining room was filled with the aroma of food, and Chestnut naturally stayed there, so there was no need to worry. The three of them also video-called their grandmother and aunt, who were also having lunch, creating a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere.

…

After lunch, the uncle had other plans and prepared to leave.

Luo Qingyan felt that staying at home with Tao Xingyou was always nerve-wracking, and she instinctively wanted to take her cousin out. She suggested going to a café that Tao Xingyou had mentioned before. Tao Xingyou, who loved going out, immediately agreed.

Coincidentally, the uncle could drop them off on his way, so the three of them set off quickly.

Everything went smoothly, just as Luo Qingyan had hoped.

However, when they arrived at the commercial district in the afternoon, Tao Xingyou was in high spirits. Not only did she want to have coffee, but she also wanted to go shopping. They wandered around for quite a while, and she showed no signs of fatigue. After dinner, she even wanted to watch a movie.

Luo Qingyan, distracted and anxious, was quite worried about the situation at home. Since she had been the one to suggest going out for coffee and Tao Xingyou had agreed, it was only natural that she should accompany her when she wanted to shop. But she could only hold out until after dinner. It was only after they left that she gradually realized it wasn’t a good idea to leave the little merman alone at home for too long. She directly expressed her desire to head home early today, suggesting they hang out again next time, especially since Chestnut was still at home.

Although Tao Xingyou loved having fun, she was also reasonable. She noticed Luo Qingyan’s exhaustion and acknowledged that today’s outing had been spontaneous, so there was no need to stay out too late. Besides, Chestnut was waiting at home. So, she agreed.

…

After parting ways with Tao Xingyou, Luo Qingyan hurriedly took a taxi home.

It was the weekend, and she had to wait a while before a car arrived. During that time, she grew increasingly anxious, deeply understanding what it meant to be “homesick.”

When she finally arrived home, she jogged all the way, first grabbing a flathead screwdriver and then heading straight to the bathroom, ignoring Chestnut’s enthusiastic welcome.

“It’s me! I’m back.” Luo Qingyan spoke to the little merman through the door as she unlocked it. “There’s no one else at home, don’t worry.”

As soon as she finished speaking, there was movement from inside, the little merman was using his tail to move the chair blocking the door.

Pushing the door open and seeing the little merman in the bathtub, Luo Qingyan let out a long sigh of relief. Without bothering to move the chair, she squeezed through the gap and approached him. “Are you okay?”

The little merman shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Suddenly, Luo Qingyan felt a wave of exhaustion. She pulled over the chair and sat down heavily, letting out a sigh.

The little merman rested his arms on the edge of the bathtub and looked up at Luo Qingyan, his blue-purple eyes clear and bright. “Are you sick?”

Luo Qingyan’s expression tightened, her breathing grew erratic, and then she sank into melancholy.