The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 49

Luo Qingyan sat by the window, staring blankly at her hands. After forming the contract with the little merman, her cancer had vanished, and she now possessed a lifespan of thousands of years. It all felt so unbelievable, so incredible.

Last night, she and the little merman had thrown away all her medications together.

In that moment, she felt reborn, completely transformed, as if she had shed her old self. No longer did she need to worry about falling ill, bidding farewell to her former sickly, sorrowful existence. Moreover, she was no longer just human. She could sense a fundamental change within her body, a clear understanding of what it meant to be a mermaid, an indescribable certainty in her heart.

“What are you thinking about?” The little merman’s voice reached her just as a beautiful bouquet of irises appeared before her.

Overjoyed, Luo Qingyan accepted the flowers and brought them to her nose, inhaling their delicate, fresh scent. “They’re so beautiful! When did you buy them? I didn’t even notice…”

This wasn’t the first time the little merman had given her flowers, she had received several bouquets by now. Each time, he chose different blooms, as if determined to gift her every variety of flower in existence. And every time, her heart lifted with joy.

In truth, she had been the first to buy flowers between them. Back when the little merman had just moved to Hefeng Pavilion in his mermaid form, she had bought larkspur and eustoma, arranging them in a vase to show him. She had warned him beforehand not to call them “dead flowers”, humans loved bouquets, and with water and nutrients in a vase, they could bloom for a long time.

The little merman had adored the fresh flowers, and later, the vase found a place in their bathroom.

After returning from the terrestrial mermaid agency, he had started giving Luo Qingyan bouquets of his own.

“I ordered them online. The hotel staff just delivered them,” the little merman said, lifting a chair from the other side of the round table and placing it beside her. “I could tell you were lost in thought earlier, what’s still on your mind?”

“I…” Luo Qingyan hugged the bouquet tightly. “I’m still in shock that we successfully formed the contract. My illness is really gone, it’s absolutely unbelievable for a human!”

“Should we go to the hospital for a check-up?” A faint smile touched the little merman’s lips. “To experience the surprise of a ‘misdiagnosis.'”

“I’d rather avoid hospitals if I can,” Luo Qingyan’s eyes flickered. “I can feel it in my own body. Because I can feel it, I know I’m healed, that’s why I’m so astonished, so much that it’s hard to believe.”

“Maybe you haven’t fully grasped the extension of your life yet, so it doesn’t feel real. Let’s return to G City! Your family and friends are there. Living in a familiar place will help you feel differently, turning disbelief into certainty.”

“It is time to go back. We’ve been in H City for almost half a month, and I… I really do miss home.”

“Shall we head home tomorrow, then?”

“Mm.”

…

The day they returned to G City was overcast and rainy, but it couldn’t dampen Luo Qingyan’s high spirits.

She had brought the irises the little merman gave her in H City back to G City. Since they were traveling by plane, she had taken extra care to repackage them more securely, without floral foam or water. As soon as she arrived home, she hurried to place the flowers in a vase.

Fortunately, the irises remained as vibrant as ever.

The two returned home a little after three in the afternoon. Since it was the weekend, they would be having dinner at Grandma’s house that evening. Their aunt’s family would also be there, making it a proper family gathering.

Although the trip hadn’t been particularly tiring, they felt like resting as soon as they got home. Luo Qingyan didn’t want Xiao Nanyu to busy herself either, so the two sat together on the sofa, sipping tea and nibbling on snacks, leaving the unpacking for later.

A little after four, Luo Qingyan received a call from her cousin, Tao Xingyou.

Tao Xingyou: “Hey! Sis, want me to pick you up later so we can go to Grandma’s together?”

Luo Qingyan: “No need, we can just take a taxi. It’s out of your way.”

Tao Xingyou: “I’m actually near Hefeng Pavilion running an errand, should be done in under ten minutes. My parents have already gone ahead to Grandma’s. I’ve got the car, so it’s no trouble at all to swing by and get you.”

Luo Qingyan: “Alright then, let’s go together! Do you want to come up for a bit when you get here? Have a drink?”

Tao Xingyou: “Sure! Do you have cola?”

Luo Qingyan: “Yep, I’ll have it ready for you.”

Tao Xingyou: “Great, see you soon.”

Luo Qingyan: “Mm, drive carefully.”

Tao Xingyou: “Will do! Bye!”

Luo Qingyan: “Bye.”

After hanging up, Luo Qingyan turned to Xiao Nanyu. “Xingyou’s coming over soon. Let’s get the gifts we bought for them ready.”

“Okay, I’ll get them. You keep resting.” Xiao Nanyu stood up and walked toward the suitcase in the corner of the living room.

“How do you still have so much energy?” Luo Qingyan stretched lazily, glancing sideways at Xiao Nanyu. “Aren’t we bound by a contract? How long until I’m like you?”

Xiao Nanyu opened the suitcase as she replied, “Once you’ve lived out this human life and return to the sea, the changes will become much more noticeable.”

“But you said my body would gradually change after we formed the contract, leaning more toward being a mermaid.”

“The changes are internal. To a human, they might be too subtle to notice.”

“You belong to me, why would you envy me?” Xiao Nanyu took out all the gifts and placed them on the nearby cabinet. “Just enjoy your human life now. You’ve got thousands of years of mermaid life waiting for you afterward!”

“Your words and actions are becoming more and more human, almost more human than me.”

“Well, I am living as a human now.”

“But you have supernatural abilities! You…” Luo Qingyan suddenly thought of something and tilted her head. “Other mermaids who come ashore normally don’t have powers, right?”

Xiao Nanyu paused for a moment, then smiled. “Because I have Lingsha and passed the trial, I’m a bit special. Don’t keep focusing on what you don’t have, cherish what you do! Like having a family dinner tonight. And you haven’t seen Chestnut in a while, you miss him, right?”

“Sometimes I think you’re the one who misses Chestnut more.”

“Yes, I miss Chestnut too.”

“Hey, back when Chestnut found you, you chose him on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Well, you could say that. I found a way to attract him, but he had to be willing to pick me up too.”

“True.” Xiao Nanyu also smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m very good at cleaning.”

“I really…”

Before Luo Qingyan could finish her thought, the doorbell suddenly rang.

“It must be Xingyou. I’ll get the door.” Luo Qingyan stood up and headed toward the entrance.

When the door opened, it was indeed Tao Xingyou, holding a small cake in her hand. “Sis, I bought a cake. Come on, let’s eat!”

“How are you so fast?” Luo Qingyan was a bit surprised. On the phone, Xingyou had said she’d wrap things up in ten minutes, but it had only been a few minutes, and she was already at the house.

“Right after hanging up, I realized they didn’t need me there anymore.” Tao Xingyou handed the cake to Luo Qingyan and changed into her slippers. “I bought the cake earlier. My parents are always saying sweets aren’t good for you and that we should eat less, so it’s just the three of us enjoying it!”

“Alright then, let’s have the cake. There are other snacks on the coffee table too.” Luo Qingyan walked toward the living room. “I’ll get you a Coke.”

“Okay!” Tao Xingyou’s voice was sweet.

Luo Qingyan placed the cake on the living room coffee table and went to the kitchen to fetch the Coke. As she stepped out of the kitchen, Tao Xingyou had just finished changing into her slippers and entered the living room.

“Hey! Where’s Zhuang Zhenglang? Isn’t he joining us for dinner tonight?” Luo Qingyan suddenly remembered Tao Xingyou’s boyfriend.

“Ugh, don’t even get me started.” Tao Xingyou frowned. “I don’t think we’re at the stage where he should meet the family yet. But my mom and grandma already know him, so it just feels weird.”

“Did Auntie or Grandma invite him?” Luo Qingyan pulled Tao Xingyou to sit on the sofa and poured her a glass of Coke.

“They mentioned it to me yesterday after arranging today’s dinner, but I… I don’t think it’s necessary to bring him to Grandma’s for a meal right now.” Tao Xingyou took the Coke from Luo Qingyan, holding it with both hands as she took a small sip.

“Between you two have things not been particularly intimate lately?” Luo Qingyan asked cautiously. “Or are you starting to think about the future and being extra careful?”

“Alright, I’ll just say it, we had a fight.” Tao Xingyou put down her glass, leaned back on the sofa, and crossed her arms. “He’s so boring! Someone like him isn’t cut out to have a girlfriend; he’s better off alone for the rest of his life!”

“It can’t be that bad, can it? What happened to make you so angry?”

“Hah! Don’t even get me started. It wasn’t any major incident, just all these little details that pop up everywhere in daily life. In situations like this, the one who gets angry first ends up looking like the villain! But… I’m innocent! Shouldn’t a relationship be about give and take, loving each other?”

“Yes, that’s true, but when there’s a problem, you should bring it up and work through it together. Have you talked to him about these things?”

“He thinks there’s no problem. I… I feel like I’m punching cotton, completely pointless. It’s so frustrating.”

“If it’s not working out, maybe you should break up?”

“Sis! What kind of advice is that? Straight to breaking up? That’s like burying someone over a minor cold!”

“If you’re not willing, then you don’t want to break up. In that case, you both need to seriously address the issues.”

Tao Xingyou frowned, pouted, and glanced between Luo Qingyan and the little merman. “Have you two ever fought? How did you resolve it?”

“Fought? not exactly, but we’ve had our disagreements.” Luo Qingyan glanced at the little merman, and they shared a smile. “In the end, one of us cools down gradually, and the other takes the initiative to apologize. Of course, we always talk it out properly, bring up the issues, and work through them.”

“That’s because both of you were willing to solve the problem. Zhuang Zhenglang… that tight-lipped gourd, hmph! Situ Lu is even better than him!” Tao Xingyou suddenly realized she had spoken out of turn and covered her mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Luo Qingyan instinctively asked, then immediately understood and chuckled lightly. “Yunjian knows Situ Lu is Pudding’s owner, so feel free to say whatever.”

Tao Xingyou lifted her head, eyebrows raised slightly: “Right, I should have realized back when you rejected Situ Lu that you already had someone you liked. Besides, who would pass up a super handsome guy to choose someone else?”

“Enough, enough.” Luo Qingyan took the cake that the little merman had silently portioned out and placed it in front of Tao Xingyou. “Go wash your hands, then have some cake.”

“Okay, got it.” Tao Xingyou smiled as she stood up and quickly walked toward the bathroom.

When only two people remained in the living room, the little merman stared directly at Luo Qingyan: “You rejected him… so that Situ Lu pursued you before?”

“Of course. Someone as outstanding as me having suitors is perfectly normal, isn’t it?” Luo Qingyan picked up her cake fork, expression calm. “Feeling jealous?”

“Not at all.” The little merman also picked up his fork. “Curiosity is human nature, just asking casually.”

“Oh, just casual questions.” Luo Qingyan waved her fork slightly. “Anything else you want to ask?”

“What’s wrong?” Worried something might be wrong, Luo Qingyan immediately stood up and headed toward the bathroom.

Seeing Luo Qingyan approach her, Tao Xingyou wore a smile but didn’t speak immediately. Only when Luo Qingyan reached her side did she pull her into the bathroom and finally speak, lowering her voice: “Sis, have you two already moved in together?”