Chapter 7 Mermaid 7

Cheng Shuinan lay on the edge of the tub, the cool water lapping over his waist and abdomen. His thick black hair draped softly down his back. He had washed it thoroughly, and his long, curly hair revealed its natural sheen, like soft, smooth silk.

Mermaids are a product meticulously crafted by the Creator, breathtakingly beautiful. Living at the bottom of the ocean, their azure skies and cold, white waves imbue them with a cold, aloof demeanor. Their appearance is as delicate and indifferent as a sculpture, like a distant, pristine, snow-capped mountain, unattainable.

Cheng Shuinan's eyelashes half-closed, his dark pupils fixed silently on the closed bathroom door. Ripples caressed his scarred body, and his ear fins flared slightly, the three dark ear bones encased in flesh-colored membranes, making him look even more aloof. Then, the sound of a fingerprint unlocking the door startled him awake, his massive fishtail slapping the water, splashing all over the floor.

Cheng Shuinan raised his neck high, and his pupils seemed to tear through the hazy black film in an instant, suddenly blooming with brilliant light.

Zhang Jingshu's footsteps were getting closer. Cheng Shuinan supported himself on the edge of the bathtub with his intact right hand and leaned out with his whole body until her hand grasped the door handle. He seemed to be frightened again and suddenly sank into the water. The water surface was stirred up with waves, and only his head was exposed.

"Zhang Jingshu." Cheng Shuinan spoke softly.

Zhang Jingshu: "Yes, it's me."

She walked to the bathtub with a bag of coarse salt and carefully stepped over the water marks on the ground. She thought that the bathtub needed to be customized again, as the current one was a little small for Cheng Shuinan.

"Add some salt to the water. Will that help you get used to it?"

Cheng Shuinan poked his head out of the water, reached out and touched the coarse salt in Zhang Jingshu's palm, then nodded, "...I should be able to get used to it."

His tone didn't sound certain, more like agreement.

Zhang Jingshu asked doubtfully, "Don't you live in the sea?"

Cheng Shuinan looked very abnormal. As soon as Zhang Jingshu finished speaking, he lowered his head sadly, and even the fish tail that had been splashing in the water since Zhang Jingshu entered the bathroom sank to the bottom of the water.

Zhang Jingshu knew that he had a lot of past that he didn't want to talk about, and since he didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't force him.

"I……"

Cheng Shuinan suddenly raised his head: "Zhang Jingshu."

Zhang Jingshu responded in confusion.

Cheng Shuinan bit his lip lightly, staring at her intently with moist eyes. He stretched his hand forward on the edge of the bathtub and stayed there, giving her the feeling that he wanted to hold her hand or take anything from her, but in the end he didn't dare.

Zhang Jingshu moved forward, holding onto the bathtub with her hands, with the side of her palm just millimeters away from his hand.

Cheng Shuinan lifted his eyelids and looked at her secretly, then he moved closer in what he thought was a covert move.

His body did not feel like the dry skin of a human. His tail was slippery, and so were his hands. They seemed to be covered with a layer of sticky liquid, so Zhang Jingshu felt it as soon as his hand touched the side of her hand.

Zhang Jingshu was willing to indulge his little actions full of intimacy and dependence. She did not step back or pull her hand away, but looked at him with gentle and patient eyes.

Cheng Shuinan blushed under her almost doting gaze, his body sinking into the water involuntarily, his hand pressed against hers but he was reluctant to move away.

She saved him, and he was reborn.

If one day, she abandons him, he will definitely never see the dawn again.

The grievances and sadness that had been dormant in his heart for many years finally found someone he wanted to tell. He was willing to tell her, Zhang Jingshu, all the secrets hidden there that might endanger his life without reservation.

He believed her, and he could only believe her.

"I have never seen the sea. I was born here..."

"My mother is a mermaid. She followed humans to live in the city... and gave birth to me..."

Cheng Shuinan's expression was indifferent, and the hidden pain was hidden in his eyes. Only when he looked into Zhang Jingshu's eyes would he reveal his vulnerable emotions without any concealment.

Zhang Jingshu quickly said, "What happened before is all in the past. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Cheng Shuinan moved closer to her, his tone panicking: "I, I want to tell you."

"Okay then," Zhang Jingshu changed into a comfortable position, "Go ahead and talk. I'm listening."

Cheng Shuinan pursed his lips, tears welling up in his eyes.

"My mother and I never left his home. He said we'd be in trouble if anyone saw us... I remember one day, my mother shed tears, and those tears turned into pearls, sparkling and dazzling. He collected her tears. By then, I was already born. I... I had never seen the sea. I only heard about it from my mother. It was a very beautiful place. She wanted to take me back to where my mermaids had grown up, but..."

"He watched Mother closely, begging her to cry, begging her to shed more tears that would turn into pearls. Later, he became even more violent, beating and kicking her... Mother cried for a long time, leaving pearls all over the floor, until she could shed no more tears..."

"My mother decided to take me back to the sea. She told me that mermaids belonged to the sea and that the human world wasn't meant for us... I waited with joy for her to take me away, but she was a mermaid, without legs to walk on the road. A mermaid without the sea could do nothing..."

"We didn't escape. My mother died and I was locked up. It wasn't until I met you that I finally left there..."

Cheng Shuinan uttered the last word, and leaned forward against the wall of the bathtub as if he had lost his strength, his eyes wet, and he was only a few punches away from her.

Zhang Jingshu didn't expect that he would tell her about his past so soon. His eyes were calm when he spoke, as if he was not talking about something that happened to him, but his slightly trembling fingers revealed his uneasiness and fear.

What is he afraid of?

He was once weak and helpless, unable to help his mother with her guilt and self-blame. He was abused but unable to break free and could only live in despair and numbness day after day.

still……

He risked everything, revealing all his cards, all his vulnerabilities to her, naively and simply hoping in his heart that she would be someone he could trust...

The more intimate he was with her, the more the vigilance and defensiveness caused by years of abuse pulled him back, and she poured cold water on him without hesitation when he had the idea of getting close to Zhang Jingshu.

But this basin of cold water did not make him more sober. Instead, he was eager to get her answer. He did not need any action to prove it, as long as she said -

He believed that she was a good person.

Even if she dug a trap to catch him right in front of him, he would run towards her without hesitation.

The information Zhang Jingshu interpreted from Cheng Shuinan's struggling eyes shocked her. The emotions in his eyes were too full, just like a drowning person seeing a piece of driftwood, and the strong desire to survive burst out at that moment.

Being looked at by him with such focused eyes as if the whole world only believed in her, she suddenly had a strange thought, as if at this moment, as long as she made a request, he could do it, even at the cost of his life.

She was frightened by this strange idea. From childhood to adulthood, her father and mother only satisfied her demands in terms of money, but she had never experienced other aspects.

How does it feel to be trusted?

How does it feel to be treated wholeheartedly by others?

She had only ever seen small animals clinging to her legs and wagging their tails. As for her life experiences, they consisted of endless amounts of money and lonely nights, day after day, until she turned eighteen and her parents finally divorced. Only then did Zhang Jingshu suddenly realize that she had become a stumbling block in her parents' pursuit of happiness...

She once couldn't find the meaning of existence. Material wealth couldn't fill the emptiness in her heart. Until she accidentally joined a stray animal rescue group and saw those fragile lives gain new life because of her insignificant actions. Suddenly, she pulled herself out of the predicament of confusion...

Zhang Jingshu was deeply moved by Cheng Shuinan's eyes longing for redemption. She was not actually kind. She rescued stray animals, including Cheng Shuinan, simply because she wanted to find the value of being needed and desired in them. This at least proved that she was needed in this world.

Rather than being dispensable.

Zhang Jingshu placed her hand on the back of Cheng Shuinan's cold and sticky hand. Facing Cheng Shuinan's nervous and timid gaze, she slowly spoke: "I heard what they said in the warehouse that day. They didn't let you go and kept you locked up in the warehouse. Is it because you can't shed pearly tears?"

Cheng Shuinan hummed: "You, you... want pearls too?"

Zhang Jingshu: "What if I say I want it?"

Cheng Shuinan lowered his eyes: "I, I can't cry."

Zhang Jingshu regretted teasing him. He looked incredibly upset and quickly added, "I lied to you. It doesn't matter if it doesn't come out. I can't flow out either. Even if you do, don't worry. From now on, I'll keep this secret with you, okay?"

Zhang Jingshu carefully avoided the wound on his wrist and hooked her little finger around his.

Cheng Shuinan looked puzzled.

Zhang Jingshu casually explained, "This is our tradition here. I promise to keep it a secret and not let anyone know about the Pearl Tears from me. If I break the agreement, I will be punished. Hmm...it's very accurate. Believe me."

Cheng Shuinan suddenly pulled his hand back, put it behind his back, and looked at her with wide eyes in panic.

"You, what's wrong with you?"

Cheng Shuinan: "I don't need you to make any promises."

Cheng Shuinan was not at all reassured by Zhang Jingshu's words. On the contrary, he revealed an uneasy feeling, as if frightened by her words. He asked seriously: "What will be the punishment for not keeping the agreement? We shouldn't have completed the agreement yet, right?"

Zhang Jingshu was silent for a moment, then shook her head as he wished.

Cheng Shuinan breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his eyes. "He used to be very good to my mother and to me... but he changed later. Zhang Jingshu, I believe what you say. You don't need to make any promises. You saved my life. Whatever you want to do with it, I... I am willing to do it."

Zhang Jingshu: "Can I have your tears?"

Cheng Shuinan said dejectedly: "My tears will not turn into pearls."

Zhang Jingshu: "What if I could turn into a pearl?"

Cheng Shuinan blinked, the fish tail hidden under the water swaying gently, he looked up cautiously: "All for you."

Zhang Jingshu suddenly felt as if her heart had been struck by something, and the corners of her mouth subconsciously curled up: "I should thank you for your trust in me. I really can't promise you whether I will change in the future. But one thing is for sure, I am absolutely different from the person you are talking about. I believe that most people are not like him. He has no conscience, but I do. Not only do I have a conscience, I will not do such inhumane things as him. I..."

Zhang Jingshu suddenly showed a mischievous smile on her face. Cheng Shuinan was dazzled by her smile and his face became even redder.

She said, "I still have money. Even if your tears could turn into pearls, I would only treasure them. How could I use them to make a profit? Even if I don't have money, I can still work, and they will still be treasured for my whole life. So... you can put your worries at ease and live in my house peacefully. Just tell me what you want to eat. Let's heal our wounds and get strong. That way, if anyone bullies you, you'll have the strength to fight back."

Cheng Shuinan slid into the bathtub weakly. His big eyes were watery and his bright pupils seemed to be covered with a layer of mist. He looked at Zhang Jingshu's hands and then at her feet. He didn't dare to look at her face and could only respond to her with a "hmm".

She said—

He can live here peacefully from now on.

So, can I live here forever?

At first, he just wanted to find a temporary place to stay. Zhang Jingshu saved him, and he instinctively trusted her. But why did he not want to leave after only one day?

Zhang Jingshu gently whispered in his ear that she wanted to add salt to the water. She told him to tell her immediately if he felt uncomfortable. He thought to himself, how could he feel uncomfortable? He was happy no matter what she did.

He soaked in water with coarse salt, and the wound felt like it was being gnawed by millions of ants, and it was a little painful.

Zhang Jingshu saw Cheng Shuinan lying limply in the bathtub, his face as red as a boiled egg. She quickly withdrew her hand, not daring to add more salt. She anxiously asked, "...How do you feel? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

Cheng Shuinan: "No, no."

Zhang Jingshu looked at him strangely, and seeing that he really didn't show any discomfort, she stood up to leave. Cheng Shuinan, who was lying in the bathtub, suddenly raised her body, and the splashing water wet her trouser legs.

"where did you go?"

Zhang Jingshu thought that she couldn't stay in the bathroom forever.

"I'll prepare lunch."

Cheng Shuinan looked at her reluctantly: "Then, then I'll wait for you."

Zhang Jingshu opened her mouth helplessly, said nothing, and turned away.