The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 32

Logically speaking, with the little merman’s tail transformed into legs, many things should have become more convenient, and Luo Qingyan should have felt more at ease. However, instead of feeling relieved, she found herself even more preoccupied and mentally exhausted.

On the surface, everything seemed the same, and many matters no longer required her attention. Yet, the little merman himself had undergone subtle changes, changes that were closely tied to her, making it impossible for her not to notice.

For instance, he had begun to consider her feelings. In the past, he could sense her emotions, simple ones like happiness or unhappiness, and would directly ask about them. But now, he could perceive more nuanced emotions and would no longer voice them outright. If her mood was low, he would quietly find ways to guide her toward a better state.

Another example was his newfound interest in initiating conversations about human-related topics. His reasoning was that, with his tail turned into legs, he would inevitably have to live as a human, so he needed to learn more about human life. Yet, despite having the option to research online, he preferred to chat with her, often asking questions that were somehow connected to her.

Moreover, when they were apart, he began contacting her more frequently. Sometimes, he would ask about daily life matters; other times, he would share what he had eaten and his thoughts on it, or he would send her new knowledge he had acquired. Crucially, he made a point to ask every day whether she would be coming to Hefeng Pavilion.

These subtle shifts were hard to pinpoint as explicitly problematic. Addressing them improperly could come across as making a mountain out of a molehill, not only failing to resolve the issue but also risking awkwardness.

It felt strange.

She had originally planned to move in as soon as possible, but the more time she spent with the little merman after his transformation, the more uncomfortable she felt. Gradually, she began to avoid the situation, and the move was postponed.

She tried her best to resolve this odd atmosphere, but it proved difficult.

After much reflection, she concluded that it was because the little merman, with his tail, had seemed more like a small animal in her eyes. Now, without the tail and with legs, he looked entirely human—a normal adult male. As a result, she could no longer interact with him as effortlessly as before. She had indeed developed certain feelings for him, and since she couldn’t avoid those feelings, she could only avoid him.

The reason she avoided him was that, while he seemed to be moving toward her, whenever she tried to gauge his emotions, he remained in place. Unable to discern his true feelings, she was unwilling to immerse herself unilaterally in the situation.

Their current state was incredibly ambiguous and awkward. Though both were testing the waters, there was a persistent sense of misalignment. They couldn’t pinpoint where the problem lay, and even if they wanted to clarify things, they had no idea how to broach the subject.

Helpless, they could only let things take their natural course.

…

After the little merman’s physical condition improved, he planned to contact the mermaid organization on land. To make the process smoother, he suggested that Luo Qingyan take him out to see the human world.

The request was reasonable, and Luo Qingyan agreed. She deliberately chose a weekday for their outing, assuming there would be fewer people out for leisure.

The night before they went out, there was an important task to complete: finalizing the little merman’s attire for the trip.

Clothing wasn’t much of an issue. After his tail transformed into legs, Luo Qingyan had immediately purchased some everyday full-body outfits for him. At the time, she had thought that if they ever needed to go out, he would need something to wear, and the more low-key, the better.

A gray shirt paired with black casual pants, clothes so ordinary they couldn’t be more plain. Yet, when worn by the little merman, they looked absolutely stunning. His figure was like a clothes hanger: broad shoulders, a slender waist, and long legs. Even the simplest outfit looked good on him, let alone a well-fitted shirt that accentuated his physique. He could have walked straight onto a runway without any issue.

Since the clothes were already as plain as could be, there was no way to make them more low-key. The only option left was to work on his hair. The little merman’s sleek, silver long hair was particularly eye-catching, and figuring out how to handle it was quite a headache.

Luo Qingyan tried tying his hair up to reduce its volume and make it less conspicuous.

First, she attempted a simple low ponytail. While this reduced the surface area, the sheer thickness of his hair gathered in one place seemed to draw even more attention.

Next, she tried tying up the top half of his hair while leaving the lower half loose. This style looked incredibly handsome, giving off the vibe of a classical youth with a touch of rock-and-roll flair. Unfortunately, looking good wasn’t an advantage in this situation, attractiveness meant drawing attention, which was the opposite of staying inconspicuous.

After pondering for a while longer, Luo Qingyan suddenly thought of using hats. Coincidentally, she had both a bucket hat and a baseball cap that would suit the little merman.

She kept his hair half-tied, which made it look more low-key from the front. She lowered the position of the tie to make it easier to wear a hat. Both styles of hats looked good on him, but the bucket hat won out for its better coverage. So, in the end, she chose the bucket hat.

After quite a bit of effort, they finally settled on a solution. Though it still wasn’t entirely inconspicuous, they had done their best. As long as they avoided crowded places, it should be fine.

…

The next day was overcast.

Luo Qingyan made her way from her grandmother’s house to Hefeng Pavilion. When she entered, the little merman was already ready. She checked his appearance once more and reiterated the precautions for going outside before the two of them set out together.

The moment they stepped out the door, the outdoor adaptation training began.

“You’ve read the elevator manual, right?” Standing in the elevator lobby, Luo Qingyan didn’t rush to press the button. Instead, she looked at the little merman and said, “Now, try operating it on your own.”

“Okay.” The little merman stepped forward and pressed the down button. “We’re going downstairs now, so we should press the down button.”

“Um…” Luo Qingyan forced an encouraging smile. “That’s correct, but you don’t need to say it out loud. It’s fine since it’s just the two of us now, but if there were others around, speaking aloud might attract attention.”

“Okay, understood.”

The elevator arrived, and the two stepped inside. The little merman pressed the button for the first floor and even pressed the door-close button.

“I know you can press the door-close button, but it’s not necessary since the elevator doors close automatically. Some elevators in shopping malls and hospitals even have elevator attendants.” After pressing the buttons, the little merman stood beside Luo Qingyan, leaning slightly toward her and speaking softly. “Since it’s just the two of us, is it okay to talk?”

“Well, yes, but you really don’t need to tell me everything. I know you’ve learned a lot.” Luo Qingyan smiled helplessly. “Besides, there are surveillance cameras in elevators. Public places generally have surveillance, so we must be extra careful.”

“Mm, I understand.”

After leaving the residential area, Luo Qingyan had the little merman try hailing a taxi by the roadside.

The little merman had mentioned that once he contacted the land-based mermaid organization, they would arrange everything. But Luo Qingyan worried about unexpected situations, so she made sure he always carried cash when going out and, of course, taught him how to use it.

The taxi ride went smoothly, though the driver glanced at the two passengers in the backseat through the rearview mirror several times and tried to strike up a conversation.

Luo Qingyan patted the little merman’s arm, signaling him not to engage, while she responded to the driver with the briefest replies. Having encountered all sorts of passengers, the driver understood the message and stopped talking. Still, his eyes kept darting to the rearview mirror, unable to suppress his curiosity about the pair.

When they reached their destination, Luo Qingyan didn’t let the little merman pay. She handed over cash and had him watch and memorize the steps before quickly getting out of the taxi.

The first public place they visited was a park.

It was a weekday during the lunch break, so the park was nearly empty, allowing the two to stroll around freely.

“The park really is comfortable,” the little merman remarked, his eyes wandering curiously at everything around him. “It looked beautiful in the videos, but it’s different experiencing it in person.”

“Yes, the most beautiful scenery is what you see and feel with your own eyes,” Luo Qingyan said, her tense nerves finally relaxing. She spread her arms and took a deep breath. “The scent of nature is refreshing”. Is there a pet paradise here?””

“What?” Luo Qingyan turned her head abruptly, her arms freezing mid-air.

The little merman hadn’t expected such a sudden reaction from her. His eyes widened slightly, and he blinked before explaining, “I was thinking of Chestnut. You mentioned before that some parks have pet playgrounds where puppies can play freely.”

“Oh, this park, probably doesn’t have one.” Luo Qingyan naturally recalled the previous incident and shook her hands slightly before lowering them.

“Then shall we go to a park with a pet paradise next time?” We could bring Chestnut along.”

“You really think about Chestnut all the time, don’t you?” Luo Qingyan raised an eyebrow. “Is it just because of Chestnut?”

“Yeah, I haven’t seen Chestnut in a long time. I’d like to play with him outside too,” the little merman said earnestly.

“Too? So, you brought this up because last time I took the puppies to the pet park with Pudding’s owner?” Luo Qingyan pressed further.

“Mhm.”

“Mhm? Is that all you have to say?”

“Then, what else should I say?”

Luo Qingyan felt utterly frustrated. She thought for a few seconds before deciding to be more direct: “Don’t you think you’re jealous?”

“Is this what jealousy feels like?”

Luo Qingyan was speechless, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. It was always like this, their signals never aligned. He would ask with such sincerity, and if she continued, it would feel like she was giving a lesson, leaving no room for subtle flirtation or banter. Besides, with him being so genuine, where was the slightest hint of jealousy? It made her feel like she was overthinking things.

“Never mind, forget I asked,” Luo Qingyan said, staring straight ahead and quickening her pace.

“I… I’ll try to understand better on my own from now on. Do you want to rest for a bit? The lake over there is beautiful, and there are benches by the shore where we can sit.”

Once again, he was trying to accommodate her mood, but it felt awkward. She took a deep breath to calm herself; otherwise, he would keep trying to soothe her. “Let’s keep walking. There’s a place selling desserts and snacks up ahead.”

“Oh, okay.” The little merman nodded and continued following Luo Qingyan. As long as she was willing to respond to him, he felt at ease.

They walked in silence for a while until they reached the area Luo Qingyan had mentioned, where sweet snacks were sold.

Food stalls naturally attracted crowds, and Luo Qingyan was worried that the little merman would stand out in crowded places, so she tried to avoid them as much as possible. At the fork in the road, she headed toward the quieter direction.

“Aren’t we going to buy something to eat?” the little merman called out to stop her.

“It’s too crowded over there, and too many people mean too many eyes,” Luo Qingyan explained briefly, but then added, “Do you want to eat something?”

The little merman glanced toward the bustling area and said, “I want ice cream. How about you?”

Luo Qingyan wasn’t particularly craving ice cream, but a thought suddenly crossed her mind. “What flavor do you want?”

“Vanilla,” the little merman replied without hesitation.

Just as she had guessed. Luo Qingyan’s lips curved into a smile. “Alright, let’s get some!”

She then went to buy the ice cream while the little merman watched and learned from the side. With the cooler weather lately, the ice cream shop wasn’t busy, so they quickly got their treats and left for a quieter spot to enjoy them.

They found a bench by a flower bed and sat down.

“How is it? Is the vanilla ice cream good?” Luo Qingyan looked at the little merman. “I promised last time to let you try other flavors, but the weather turned cold before we had the chance. I’m glad you remembered today.”

“It’s delicious. Compared to chocolate, it has a pure sweetness and creamy flavor,” the little merman replied, a smile in his eyes. “Eating ice cream in cool weather is really nice too!”

“I used to love eating ice cream in cold weather when I was younger. My mom would always scold me for it, but I never listened, insisting that I was strong and didn’t mind the cold.” Luo Qingyan gazed at the ice cream in her hand, lost in memories. “As I grew older, I began to understand my elders’ concerns. It’s already past White Dew and almost Autumn Equinox, eating ice cream really does chill the body.”

No sooner had she spoken than a cold breeze swept by, making her shiver involuntarily. “Just as I mentioned the cold, a chilly wind arrives. How fitting.”

She had been smiling, but as she lifted her head to gaze into the distance, her smile gradually faded. “The weather’s getting colder. It should snow soon. City A gets heavy snow in winter, blanketed in silver, it’s truly beautiful. City G is in the south, so it doesn’t always snow. I wonder if it will this year.”

As she spoke, a slight frown creased her brow.

“I… probably won’t get to see it either.”