Unfortunately, this year, we can't find a way.

Because of excessive exercise the day before, Xu Qiaoqiao's whole body started to ache again today. Even flicking her tail hurt.

"Waaaaah, Junjun, my whole body aches so much, I can't swim anymore, what am I going to do about eating?"

Xu Qiaoqiao snuggled into Jun Qi's arms, sobbing. It was her first time acting as a fish in heat, so she tried to use her previous experience, but it was completely useless. She might as well have just endured the cold wind.

At this point, the first thing Xu Qiaoqiao thought of was food.

Jun Qi looked at the big fish head desperately trying to burrow into his arms and couldn't help but smile. He hugged Xu Qiaoqiao tightly, touched her lips to hers, and didn't know what to say.

However, he didn't even have time to persuade her yesterday, and he couldn't catch up with Xu Qiaoqiao at all.

"Alright, alright, I'll catch some fish and shrimp for you, okay? Don't worry, are you still feeling unwell?"

Jun Qi spoke gently, flicking his tail as he lightly brushed Xu Qiaoqiao's chin.

Xu Qiaoqiao shook her pectoral fins, her voice still tinged with sobs. She didn't say anything else, but just rubbed against Jun Qi's chest several times, knowing it wouldn't hurt anyway.

"Okay~," she said as a final word.

Jun Qi smiled gently as he looked at Xu Qiaoqiao's obedient appearance, but he was still a little worried. Qiaoqiao's condition really broke his heart. He couldn't feel this heat cycle, so he couldn't empathize with Xu Qiaoqiao.

But it will definitely be painful.

He gently stroked Xu Qiaoqiao's head, and could sense that she was very agitated, but because her body ached, she couldn't move around much.

"What a pitiful little thing."

Jun Qi said softly, "But this kind of phase only needs to happen once. He doesn't want Qiao Qiao to go through this every year. He wants Qiao Qiao to always be the happy Qiao Qiao."

Thinking about this, he remembered the favor he had asked Xiangsi to do before, and wondered how things were going with the task he had asked her to find.

My whole body is sore. Yesterday, Xu Qiaoqiao really did a lot of exercise, including somersaults, fast swimming, and fancy somersaults, etc.

They kept going without stopping.

Because of this incident, Xu Qiaoqiao didn't do much excessive exercise afterward, just expending her energy. However, after August and September, the restlessness subsided, and Xu Qiaoqiao felt much more relaxed.

When the year came to a close, Xu Qiaoqiao had completely emerged from this phase. She was overjoyed to find herself back to normal.

Oh my god, being an animal is so hard.

Junjun is doing better. This world is inhabited by merfolk, so these kinds of things don't happen here. It's just that her inexplicable coma was a bit worrying, but otherwise she's very nice.

If only we could switch places, Xu Qiaoqiao thought to herself. She looked over at Jun Qi and their eyes met. Xu Qiaoqiao blinked and a clear thought popped into her mind: Jun Jun!

Jun Qi swam over, holding a flower in his hand, swishing his tail carefully.

It's late spring now, the sun is high in the sky, and the wind and temperature are just right. Some flowers have even bloomed on the small island where Xiangsi used to live. Junqi doesn't understand these things, but he thinks they are very beautiful, so he picks them.

He wanted to give it to Xu Qiaoqiao.

Something this beautiful, I'm sure Qiaoqiao will like it too.

Sure enough, Xu Qiaoqiao immediately noticed the little red flower in Jun Qi's hand. Intrigued, she went straight to Jun Qi before he could swim to her.

She looked at the little red flower, her curious eyes turning to Jun Qi, and asked, "Jun Jun, where did you pick this flower?"

Jun Qi looked at the flower in his hand, then at Xu Qiaoqiao: "On that island over there, I saw this flower and thought it was very pretty, so I picked it. Look, this is the one I think is the prettiest."

As he spoke, he handed the flower to Xu Qiaoqiao.

Xu Qiaoqiao looked into Jun Qi's smiling eyes, then at the little red flower, and was especially happy. This little flower was the kind that could be seen everywhere by the roadside, nothing special, but it was because Jun Jun picked it for her.

So, in Xu Qiaoqiao's eyes, this ordinary little flower was the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"These flowers, these flowers, oh dear, I don't think I can carry them."

When Xu Qiaoqiao subconsciously raised her pectoral fins, she realized that she couldn't hold onto anything, which made her a little disappointed. She looked at the little red flower.

Oh dear, why didn't Junjun bring it to me when I had claws? I can't hold it at all like this.

How about... we eat?

Otherwise, the flower will eventually return to the soil or float in the sea.

Xu Qiaoqiao thought about it more and more and felt that this idea was very good.

When Jun Qi looked up, he saw Xu Qiaoqiao's mouth agape.

Ah~ Ah, woof.

Jun Qi felt his hand being enveloped in warmth, and then something slippery slid across his hand. Soon, Xu Qiaoqiao released her mouth.

The red flowers in my hand are gone, leaving only the green stem.

Jun Qi fell silent. He looked into Xu Qiaoqiao's bright eyes and was surprised that she actually ate it.

This is really strange and surprising.

Xu Qiaoqiao had no idea what the flower tasted like. The fish and shrimp she usually ate were much bigger than the flower, so she could just swallow them without chewing.

“Jun Jun.” Xu Qiaoqiao saw the surprise in Jun Qi’s eyes, but didn’t care. After all, what she thought was right. It would be pitiful to throw this flower into the sea in the end.

Jun Qi quickly masked his surprise. As he listened to Xu Qiaoqiao's thoughts, he chuckled helplessly. Where did Qiaoqiao get these twisted ideas from?

Do you still want to eat?

Jun Qi leaned over and patted Xu Qiaoqiao's head. He had just seen Xu Qiaoqiao's expression and knew that she hadn't tasted it.

Xu Qiaoqiao shook her head: "Um...no need."

If we have fish to eat, why would we need to eat flowers?

"And also, please don't send me these things anymore, I can't carry them all," Xu Qiaoqiao added.

"Mm," Jun Qi responded, but in his heart he was sure he could get it.

Jun Qi didn't pick any more flowers after that. It was just that in spring, he felt it was a pity to see those clusters of small flowers sprouting up.

A few years later, when Xu Qiaoqiao turned twenty, the two of them had been staying here for a long time and decided to go on another trip. They planned to play in the nearby small sea area and visit some old friends.

It's just that there's probably some kind of destiny between us.

As soon as they left the area, they ran into an old acquaintance who had come specifically to find them.

Xu Qiaoqiao looked at the bright-eyed, exceptionally sweet-smiling girl in front of her and her mind went blank for a moment. Was this lovesickness?