The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 38

On the way to the banquet hall where the after party was being held, Liu Yimiao suddenly needed to use the restroom. She pulled Luo Qingyan along with her, so the group of four split up, with the other two classmates going ahead.

Unexpectedly, not long after Luo Qingyan and Liu Yimiao exited the restroom, they ran into Huo Bowen again, and he was alone.

“Huo Bowen, why are you here by yourself?” Liu Yimiao asked, both puzzled and concerned. “Where’s Fang Tang?”

Huo Bowen shook his head lightly. “I couldn’t find her. I don’t know where she went.”

“So, you just stopped looking because you couldn’t find her?” Liu Yimiao was so shocked she nearly rolled her eyes. “Call her!”

“She won’t answer my calls. She’s always like this, when she gets angry, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Then let’s go look for her,” Liu Yimiao said, pulling Luo Qingyan along.

Luo Qingyan followed at first but then whispered, “I’m not the right person for this. Let a classmate who’s closer to Fang Tang handle it.”

“I know, I just wanted to.” Before Liu Yimiao could finish, Huo Bowen caught up to them again.

“Can I talk to you?” Huo Bowen blocked their path, his gaze fixed on Luo Qingyan.

“I don’t want to talk to you. You’re too self-absorbed, there’s no reasoning with you.” Luo Qingyan tugged Liu Yimiao to the side, trying to step around him. She no longer wanted to be polite; perhaps harsh words were the only way to prevent misunderstandings.

“Why? We used to…” Huo Bowen blocked them again.

“We never had anything! I’ve already told you, you’re just imagining things! Even if you keep pestering me, I won’t admit to something that never happened. Otherwise, you’ll just latch onto it and start spreading rumors again.” Luo Qingyan tried her best to suppress her anger, letting out a cold snort before turning to Liu Yimiao. “Right? You can’t compromise with a scoundrel, or you’ll just keep retreating until there’s nowhere left to go.”

“Exactly!” Liu Yimiao was also growing angry. She frowned at Huo Bowen. “I used to think you were a decent person, but now… To be honest, everyone knows you’ve been pursuing Fang Tang. For you to suddenly act like this it’s really too much!”

“I’ve been chasing after her all this time, and she never responded. Can’t I just stop now?” Huo Bowen’s expression darkened.

“Hey! You’re absolutely unreasonable! Didn’t Fang Tang say she gave you a response? Shouldn’t you sort things out with her properly first?” Liu Yimiao felt an urge to step forward and hit him but was held back by Luo Qingyan.

“Let’s not say anymore. Let’s go.” Luo Qingyan didn’t want to stay a second longer.

“You said you like someone else. Last time, you didn’t have a photo. You must have one by now, right?” Huo Bowen pressed on relentlessly. “Otherwise, how would anyone know if it’s just an excuse?”

“What’s it to you? Huo Bowen, are you mentally unwell? Anyone would avoid someone like you, it’s terrifying! Being liked by you is like being haunted by a ghost!” Liu Yimiao struggled to contain her fury, nearly losing her temper. “We’re all classmates, and I don’t want to make a scene, but if you keep this up, I’ll call security! I’ll tell everyone you’re an obsessive freak!”

“But we used to…” Huo Bowen wore a pained expression, his eyes fixed intently on Luo Qingyan. “Was there never a single moment when you felt something for me? Why did you suddenly return to G City? I can’t believe!”

“No! I really don’t know what I did to make you misunderstand! I’m just unlucky to run into someone as unreasonable as you.” Luo Qingyan didn’t hide her disdain. “I’ve already said I have someone I like. Although I didn’t return to G City for him, it’s somewhat related. Besides, I’ve always been someone who values looks, I only like handsome guys. I’m currently pursuing a real hottie, so don’t get in my way!”

“Did you hear that? Luo Qingyan likes genuinely handsome guys, not narcissists! A beauty should be with a handsome man!” Liu Yimiao shot Huo Bowen a glare. “I’ve said more than enough. If you block our way again, I’ll definitely lose my temper, I mean it!” With that, she pulled Luo Qingyan away.

This time, Huo Bowen didn’t stop them.

“Oh my god, I never expected Huo Bowen to be like this. You can’t judge a book by its cover, it’s terrifying!” Liu Yimiao couldn’t help but vent once they were farther away. “From now on, if I’m organizing any gatherings, he’s definitely not invited. I’ll make sure to let others know too. People like him might stab you in the back or even do it to your face, we have to stay away! You’re the unluckiest, getting tangled up with someone like that. Fang Tang’s also unfortunate, how could she fall for someone like him?”

“I never imagined there was so much going on behind the scenes.” Luo Qingyan sighed. “I thought it was just youthful innocence and restlessness, but human nature is so complicated. There are all kinds of people out there.”

“Exactly! And people change. The school environment is relatively simple, but once you step into society who knows if the person you once knew might turn into a monster?”

“Or maybe they were just good at hiding it from the start, and as they grew up with fewer restraints, their true colors showed.”

“People like that are the worst. Let’s not talk about him anymore. The after-party is about to start, let’s go dance and have some drinks!”

“Okay!”

Soon after, reassuring news arrived: Fang Tang and Huo Bowen had left the hotel one after the other.

Someone had found Fang Tang to comfort her and explained some things to her. She said she needed some time alone to process everything, so she left and went home.

As for Huo Bowen, he said goodbye to two male classmates and left alone.

Regardless, with the two sources of trouble gone, things should hopefully calm down.

During the after-party, the newlyweds made a lively appearance, singing and dancing, bringing laughter and joy. The atmosphere instantly became vibrant, and everyone present was swept up in the merriment.

Luo Qingyan joined in the dancing for a while when everyone was on the dance floor, and her mood seemed to lift slightly. However, once the song ended and she returned to a quieter area, she suddenly felt a bit stifled and lost her enthusiasm. She stepped out of the crowd to get some fresh air.

Transitioning from the brightly lit, bustling scene to the boundless quiet of the night felt like stepping from one world into another.

The night outside was serene, with very soft music playing. Of course, the noise from inside could still be faintly heard, just a door away, yet it felt distant.

Luo Qingyan leaned against the railing under the corridor, looking up at the night sky and breathing slowly.

There was no moon visible in the sky tonight, but the scenery on the ground was beautiful, adorned with flowers, trees, a fountain, and various soft, elegant lights.

“Luo Qingyan!” Liu Yimiao’s voice suddenly called out from behind. “Why did you come outside? Is Huo Bowen’s situation still bothering you?”

“Hmm.” Luo Qingyan glanced at Liu Yimiao, who had come to stand beside her, and nodded. “Just needed some fresh air. A moment of quiet feels better.”

Liu Yimiao sighed as she gazed at the distant scenery, then suddenly turned to the person beside her. “Hey! You said you have someone you like and you’re pursuing them, is that true?”

“It’s true,” Luo Qingyan replied with a faint smile. “But he’s a real looker, so it’s not easy.”

“You’re a beauty yourself!” Liu Yimiao grinned, her eyes curving. “I bet it’s not just about appearances, there’s something deeper, which makes it harder.”

“Right, I’m pursuing true love,” Luo Qingyan said, her tone light as if joking, though she meant every word.

“Not many chases true love these days. Just having a healthy relationship or marriage is already lucky enough.”

“Yeah, everyone’s like that, so gradually, no one even knows what true love looks like anymore.” As Luo Qingyan spoke, her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her bag and was surprised to see a WeChat message from Xiao Nanyu.

“How’s it going? Are you feeling any better now?”

Luo Qingyan replied, “Not really. I’m about to head home.”

Xiao Nanyu: “Can I come see you at the hotel?”

Reading this, Luo Qingyan was so stunned she doubted her own eyes.

“What’s wrong? Did the handsome guy you’re chasing just send you a confession text?” Liu Yimiao noticed Luo Qingyan’s shocked expression and teased cheerfully.

“It really is him. He asked if he could come see me.” Luo Qingyan turned to Liu Yimiao, still dazed.

“Then let him come! Oh my gosh, am I about to witness love blossom?” Liu Yimiao exclaimed excitedly.

“Don’t get so worked up!” Luo Qingyan gripped her phone tightly. “He… he’s introverted and doesn’t like noisy scenes.”

“But this is a great chance to prove you’re telling the truth, so Huo Bowen stops his nonsense!” Liu Yimiao fumed at the mention of Huo Bowen.

“I… I don’t want him dragged into all this.”

“You must really like him! Then, I can relay messages! Or just avoid meeting the others inside! He can pick you up! Come and go quickly, leaving everyone with a fleeting impression. Anyway, let him come first, he took the initiative, so you two hurry up and make it official!”

“Alright, I’ll reply to him first.” Luo Qingyan lowered her head to type. “Since he’s being this proactive, of course I’ll agree. But it might just be a comforting gesture, he has something important lately…”

Luo Qingyan trailed off because Xiao Nanyu replied that he had already arrived at the hotel and was asking for her exact location. Suppressing her excitement, she shared her real-time location and discovered he was indeed nearby.

“What? What happened?” Liu Yimiao grew anxious as Luo Qingyan stopped mid-sentence.

Luo Qingyan slowly looked up. “He… he’s already here…”

“Wow! So sweet! I’m totally shipping this! What kind of fairy-tale drama is this?!”

“Yeah, thanks. If we really end up together, I’ll let you see all you want.” Luo Qingyan bid farewell to the pretend-crying Liu Yimiao and hurried off to meet Xiao Nanyu. As she stepped off the corridor, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance and broke into a light run toward him.

Later, Liu Yimiao captured a photo of Luo Qingyan and the little merman dancing by the fountain, taking only one shot. Initially, she simply wanted to preserve a beautiful moment, but later she felt it could help Luo Qingyan prove certain things and avoid some troubles.

So, later that evening, she showed the photo to other classmates. She only displayed it on her phone without sending it to any group chats and forbade others from taking pictures of it. In the end, she only sent the photo to Luo Qingyan and explained that she had shown it to the other students.

Luo Qingyan wasn’t angry, firstly, because the photo was indeed beautifully taken, with a focus on the atmosphere and without revealing too much, and secondly, because Liu Yimiao’s approach was reasonable and even helpful.

Of course, all of this came later.

In the darkness, Luo Qingyan hurried to the fountain, and the moment she saw the little merman, she was both surprised and overjoyed.

The little merman was actually dressed in formal attire, exuding an air of human elegance and nobility. What stood out most was that his hair had become shorter and, crucially, had changed from silver to black.

“Your hair…” Luo Qingyan stared wide-eyed. If not for the familiar feeling drawing her in, she would hardly have recognized the little merman before her.