The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 39

“Your hair, how did it become like this?” Seeing the little merman’s beautiful silver long hair turn into short black locks, Luo Qingyan was worried. The change was too drastic and sudden.

“My original hair was too conspicuous in the human world. I shouldn’t stand out right now,” the little merman replied calmly, his expression serene without a trace of sadness. “Most men here have short black hair. Blending in with them helps avoid many troubles.”

“Do you miss your long hair? After all, your previous hair was so beautiful.”

“When I return to the ocean in the future, my hair can revert to its original appearance.”

“I see, that’s good then.” Luo Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief. “So, did you use some kind of magical ability to shorten your hair?”

“Well, you could say that. Most mermaids have long hair in various colors, unlike humans. Since we’d stand out too much on land, we developed methods to alter our appearance long ago. I… came ashore by accident, so I only learned about it now.”

“Have you completed your training? Or do you need to return after today to continue?”

“It’s finished. I can stay on land for a long time.” The little merman smiled slightly. “I have a registered residence and an ID card now. I won’t need to worry about being discovered by others and can live normally.”

“How… how is that possible? This involves…” Luo Qingyan’s eyes widened. “In this information age, how could… Oh! The digital era has its flaws too, maybe it’s even simpler now. For every measure, there’s a countermeasure!”

“Something like that. Anyway, rest assured, there are absolutely no issues. Mermaids have existed longer than humans on land. We’ve witnessed human evolution and grown alongside them, so we have our ways.”

“Then let me check your background.” Luo Qingyan curled his lips and lifted his chin. “First, what about your parents?”

“Both are marine scientists, often abroad in areas with no signal. We rarely see each other. Other relatives have either emigrated or lost contact. I’m an adult and can handle everything myself.”

“What about you? Your name, age, address, and occupation?”

“Would you like to see my ID card instead? But I didn’t bring it today, I came in a hurry. I’ll get those documents tomorrow.”

“Does that mean you decided to end your training abruptly today? Is that really okay?”

“Yes, it was a sudden decision. But it’s fine. I’ve learned a lot about human society before, so the training focused on adaptation, and I did well.”

“Haste makes waste. You should have taken it slow.”

“But you said you encountered something bad, so I… I wanted to see you.”

“Your training still isn’t thorough enough!” Luo Qingyan took a small step back, studying the little merman. “What you said sounds like a sweet nothing, but your tone and demeanor are far too casual, aren’t they?”

“I… I’m still adjusting. Some things, can’t be mastered in just a few days.” The little merman lowered his gaze before looking up again, his eyes drifting toward the hall. “You, they’re dancing over there. You should join them. You enjoy dancing, I’ll wait for you outside.”

Luo Qingyan glanced around, then turned her attention back to the little merman, her eyes softening. “You could invite me to dance too! Right here, it’s not like there’s anyone else around.”

“Dance?” A flicker of delight crossed the little merman’s face but vanished just as quickly. “Human dances, I don’t know how. I never learned.”

“Then I’ll teach you. I’m inviting you to dance.” Luo Qingyan set her bag down on the stone railing of the nearby fountain and extended her hand. “It’s very simple. Would you like to dance with me?”

The little merman hesitated for a moment before earnestly placing his hand in hers. “Yes.”

Luo Qingyan held his hand, her other hand gently resting on his arm as she began to guide him. “Place this hand on my back. My hand will stay on your arm.”

“Alright.” The little merman obediently followed her instructions.

“Yes, just like that. The footwork is simple too, just follow my steps. When I step back, you step forward. When I move sideways, you move with me. Just keep the same rhythm. Listen to the music, and we’ll start slowly.”

With that, Luo Qingyan led him through the dance steps. The little merman had a natural sense of rhythm, so he didn’t falter. Step by step, he quickly grew accustomed to the human dance.

“Not bad at all!” Luo Qingyan was genuinely pleased. “Now let’s try a spin. You’re taller than me, so it’ll be easier if I’m the one turning. We’ll raise our hands together; you stay still and just move your arms with me. I’ll do the turning.”

She lifted their joined hands overhead, slowly twirling beneath them before gently lowering their arms. “Success! See? Simple, right?”

“Yes, you’re a good teacher. I think I understand now.” The little merman gradually relaxed.

“I’ll gladly accept the compliment, it sounds wonderful.” Luo Qingyan beamed. “We’re just dancing for fun, no need to be too rigid. Relax, follow the music and your feelings, and feel free to improvise.”

“Can we hold both hands together?” the little merman asked softly. “I’ve seen humans dance like that, swinging their hands back and forth.”

“Of course! That makes it even better.” Her voice brimmed with laughter, delighted by their dancing. “You could even hold me by the waist and lift me off the ground for a moment.”

“Alright.” As he spoke, the little merman smoothly wrapped an arm around Luo Qingyan’s waist and lifted her slightly with ease.

Having practiced ballet for over a decade, Luo Qingyan had strong core muscles. She instantly used the support of his arm to spin, her feet leaving the ground in a moment of exhilarating freedom.

Then, they found themselves in an embrace, eyes locked. In that instant, something seemed to blossom between them.

Luo Qingyan rested her hands on the little merman’s shoulders and took a small step closer, her lifted gaze never leaving his eyes.

The little merman didn’t retreat. His hands remained firmly around her waist. He tightened his hold slightly, drawing her nearer, his lowered eyes fixed intently on hers.

The two were so close they could almost touch foreheads.

“Could you tell me your name?” Luo Qingyan tilted her head slightly downward, avoiding the little merman’s gaze as she continued to dance. “Since you have an ID card now, you must have a human name, right?”

“Yun Jian. My name is Yun Jian.” The little merman’s voice whispered right beside Luo Qingyan’s ear.

“Yun Jian? Like ‘between the clouds’? The surname Yun is quite rare.”

“Yun as in white clouds, Jian as in letter paper. This is my real name.”

Luo Qingyan felt her heart skip a beat, perhaps because the little merman’s voice was too deep, somehow… it made her heart itch. Not wanting him to notice her momentary daze, she quickly spoke again: “Yun Jian still sounds like ‘between the clouds.’ Why would a merman living in the ocean choose a name related to clouds? The distance between the sea and sky… is so very far. Is it a beautiful aspiration?”

“When the weather is clear, the blue sky and white clouds reflect on the sea surface, don’t the clouds then rest upon the ocean?” the little merman said slowly. “The mermaids in the sea can freely wander among the clouds.”

“It seems my perspective was too narrow.” Luo Qingyan suddenly felt warmth in her heart. “Yun Jian, it’s a lovely name.”

“If you think it’s lovely, that’s my honor.”

“Then should I call you Xiaomei or Yun Jian from now on?”

“Either is fine, as long as you like it.”

“Alright.” Luo Qingyan suppressed a smile at the corner of her lips. “Now that I know your name, what about your address? The land mermaid agency wouldn’t issue you a house, would they?”

“They would.” The little merman’s tone was completely calm.

“They even provide housing? That’s amazing! Being a mermaid is wonderful.” Luo Qingyan’s voice was full of envy. “It’s not some luxurious villa or a massive penthouse in the city center, is it? Could you invite me to see it?”

“It’s not that extravagant, just an ordinary place, really not that great…”

“Why does it sound like you’re dissatisfied? Do you know how long humans have to struggle to afford a house?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what did you mean?”

“It’s… I think where I used to live was better.”

“Where you used to live?” Luo Qingyan thought for a moment, suddenly realizing what he meant, but she pretended not to understand. “What do you mean?”

The little merman didn’t answer immediately, pausing before saying, “Could I continue to stay there?”

Luo Qingyan couldn’t hold back her smile anymore, tilting her head slightly to the side. “Then should I charge you rent?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll rent out your house too and collect double the rent.”

“Alright.”

“You’d agree to that?” Luo Qingyan stopped dancing, released his hand, stepped back a little, and looked up. “Don’t tell me you’ve learned to be slick and worldly from the land mermaid agency.”

The little merman slowly lowered his hands, blinking. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s just, it feels too right, unlike how you used to be.”

The little merman thought for a moment. “But I just feel that whatever you say is good.”

“The night is chilly, and you’re dressed too lightly.” As he spoke, the little merman took off his suit jacket and draped it over Luo Qingyan’s shoulders. “Don’t catch a cold.”

Luo Qingyan didn’t refuse the little merman’s jacket. It still carried his body warmth and was very cozy. She first lowered her head, pulling the jacket draped over her shoulders a little tighter across her chest, then slightly raised her gaze to look at him. “Well then, let’s go home.”

“Sure,” the little merman replied with a light laugh.

After that, the two walked side by side through the darkness.

“Hey! Was your suit also provided by the Land Merman Organization?” Luo Qingyan’s curious voice was sweet.

“No, I bought it myself. I came out too suddenly today,” the little merman’s voice was exceptionally gentle.

“Are mermen usually rich? How much money did they give you? Can you tell me?”

“I bought this suit with money I got from selling pearls.”

“Pearls, oh right, your tears turn into pearls. Haha, how long did you cry for? Just thinking about it makes me feel both sorry for you and find it adorable.”

“Not long. With onions, I could cry almost instantly. When I went to the jewelry store to exchange them for money, they said my pearls were of high quality and very valuable.”

“Onions! Haha, you’ve learned something useful! Hey, the way you said it, kind of reminds me of ancient times when people went to pawnshops?”

“Pretty much, the essence is the same.”

“So, this suit of yours must be expensive, right?”

“Not really, just over two hundred.”

“Just over two hundred? Are you serious?”

“Yes, really. The original price was over three hundred, but the shopkeeper said I was handsome and gave me a discount. He even helped me iron the suit properly.”

“Hah! Good looks really can get you a meal. As expected of you, making a two-hundred-yuan suit look like haute couture.”

“You think I look good in this today?”

“Yeah.”

“You look good too.”

“Alright, alright! Let’s go, let’s go! Time to head home!”

The night was deep and serene.