Chapter 4 The Mermaid's Secret

Luo Qingyan is sick; she has cancer, and the chances of a cure are very small.

She had seen many people die from illness—family, friends, colleagues—each one suffering immensely and utterly devoid of dignity. Even the strongest person in health will break down and cry out, and even the most positive and optimistic person will actively seek death.

Death is an apocalyptic event, inescapable.

It is admirable to bravely fight against illness, but everyone has the right to make their own choices.

What joy is there in being born? Birth and death are both parts of life.

She didn't want to suffer without dignity for that tiny chance. Since she was sick, the pain before death was inevitable. She would rather enjoy the rest of her life to the fullest, then endure the suffering, and finally die.

Aren't there examples in this world of people who were diagnosed with cancer, then let go of everything and lived happily, and as a result, the cancer disappeared?

She tries to face death with equanimity, while also hoping for a miracle.

Therefore, when the unusual little male merman appeared before her, besides surprise and fear, a faint excitement rose within her. She wanted to believe that incredible things existed in this world; she hoped that incredible things did exist. She needed something unconventional to happen so that her stagnant pool could be stirred and life could emerge.

At that moment, the little merman she had only known for a day asked her if she was sick. She deeply felt the little merman's unusual nature, and her expectation for a miracle grew even stronger.

However, she didn't drop her pretense; she didn't want her hopes to be dashed, for the thought of hope being ignited and then extinguished was terrifying. Suppressing her inner excitement, she leaned slightly to the right, resting her arm on the armrest of the chair, and feigned nonchalance: "Yes, I'm sick, very seriously ill, incurable, and I'm dying. You mermaids are so magical, do you have a way to cure this?"

The little male merman rested his hands on the edge of the bathtub, his upper body still, but his tail fin twitched slightly. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then looked up again, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "There is a way, but we can't force it."

"Is there a way?" Luo Qingyan raised an eyebrow, but she couldn't believe it and suppressed her excitement again. "Do you know how far human medicine has developed? I have cancer, which is currently incurable in medicine."

“If you took antibiotics back a thousand years, people back then would find it incomprehensible, unbelievably magical.” The little merman raised his chin slightly. “A cell phone that can transmit sound over thousands of miles, a television that can hold everything, an airplane that can carry people into the sky—they wouldn’t understand any of these; they would all be miracles.”

"You know quite a lot, how come you don't know about sandwiches?" Luo Qingyan rested his chin on his hand and smiled gently. "It sounds like the merfolk's civilization is more advanced than humans'. So what hurt you... could there be a huge conspiracy behind this?"

The little male merman lowered his chin: "Different civilizations have their strengths. Sandwiches are too trivial, and I'm not a human expert. If I had to say, ice cream is more famous."

"Then I'll treat you to ice cream!" Luo Qingyan's smile deepened. "I was originally going to treat you to a big meal today, but my sister and uncle came, so I just gave you some bread. Are you hungry? Is there any other human food you'd like to try?"

"I can't think of anything right now, anything is fine." The little merman's eyes shone brightly, revealing a look of anticipation.

"It's late-night snack time, let's have barbecue! I guarantee it'll make you swoon! We can have ice cream tomorrow." Luo Qingyan said, taking out her phone from her crossbody bag and starting to order barbecue. "Do you prefer meat or vegetables? I can order more of what you like. Uh... do you prefer fish or seaweed?"

"Either is fine." The little merman said obediently.

Do you want to see pictures? Look at the pictures and choose the ones that interest you.

"I'm not familiar with human food, you can decide."

"Then I'll order what I think is good, and you can try it. I have high standards for food, and the dishes I choose will always have something to offer."

"good."

-

Five minutes later, Luo Qingyan put down her phone: "The takeout order is ready. The restaurant has prepared the food, and a delivery person will bring it to your home. It will take about forty minutes. Please wait patiently."

"Hmm." The little male merman had been quiet the whole time, so it's fine to continue waiting.

After ordering takeout, Luo Qingyan calmed down somewhat, but she couldn't control her rapid heartbeat. A seed of hope was stirring within her, and her gaze returned to the little male merman: "How did you sense that I was sick? You said there was a way to cure me, what was it?"

The little male merman fell silent, hesitant and undecided.

"Can't I tell you? It's a mermaid's secret?" Luo Qingyan gave a helpless snort, then smiled, trying to appear relaxed. "I'm almost dead, what else can I do? I'm a grateful person, I wouldn't do anything to harm a mermaid. Besides, I'm your savior, right? I don't want anything valuable, I want my life. Otherwise, even if you give me something valuable, I won't live to enjoy it!"

The little merman looked at Luo Qingyan silently. After five or six seconds, he slowly spoke: "Human nature is unstable, and desires are too numerous and chaotic. One moment a good person, the next a bad one. You saved me, and I will repay you. If you really want to know the way, I can tell you. However, mermen are similar to humans but also have huge differences. Mermen have their own set of rules for living peacefully for so long, which they will not allow others to violate. Moreover, although such a method exists, it is not something everyone can achieve."

Luo Qingyan sensed the little male merman's seriousness and nodded earnestly, "I understand, I want to know."

The little merman's eyes flickered slightly: "Humans and mermen can form a contract to have the same lifespan. However, the contract requires both parties to be willing and truly in love. Otherwise, the contract cannot be formed, and forcing it will be useless and will only backfire."

"Huh?" Luo Qingyan was genuinely astonished, her mouth agape. So...fairytale-like? A contract...true love...and a backlash...she even suspected the other person was telling her a legendary tale; it was too...fantasy.

“There are many humans who believe in true love, don’t you?” The little merman wasn’t surprised by Luo Qingyan’s reaction; he remained calm. “Although as time goes by, those who believe in true love will realize that real love and imagined love are not the same. Mermaids’ true love is also different from what humans understand. It’s not just based on hormone secretion; it involves deeper emotions and very complex spiritual bonds.”

The little male merman didn't find true love laughable; on the contrary, he was extremely sincere. This gave Luo Qingyan a strange sense of awe, as if he had encountered something completely new. Indeed, the little male merman's existence was fantastical, so it was only natural that he would bring some fantastical things.

“I…believe what you say.” Luo Qingyan spoke softly, his eyes swirling with indescribable emotions. “So, there are precedents of humans and mermaids falling in love?”

Yes, but not many.

"How old do mermaids live to be?" Luo Qingyan asked jokingly, not wanting the atmosphere to be too serious. "Mermaids only reach adulthood at three hundred years old. Don't humans get a huge advantage?"

"The oldest mermaid I know is over 1,700 years old. Mermaids perceive the world differently than humans. To become a mermaid, one must give up many things that are unique to humans."

"I understand." Luo Qingyan brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and revealed a bright smile. "Then... how can I make you fall in love with me? I do like you quite a bit."

The little merman's ears suddenly turned red, and his gaze fell to the ground: "You... help me heal my injuries first..."

"The contract is sacred to us merfolk!" The little merman suddenly turned his face away, pursing his lips. "If you don't believe me, fine."

"Believe me! I absolutely didn't mean to disrespect your civilization! I'm sorry, I was shallow, I was suspicious, and I was too defensive." Luo Qingyan quickly apologized, clasping her hands together. "I'll do as you said and help you heal your injuries first. I'll do my best, okay?"

The little male merman still didn't look happy and didn't look at Luo Qingyan, but his tail twitched slightly.

Luo Qingyan felt that the little male fish's tail was similar to a puppy's tail. After she apologized, the little male fish didn't seem particularly angry. She then said, "You know that human nature is complex, so it's always good to be cautious. It's understandable that I'm being careful. Can you understand? Calm down first. I'll go outside for a while and come back when the takeout arrives."

After saying that, she got up and left the bathroom with Chestnut, who had been obediently squatting beside her.

-

Luo Qingyan first prepared some dog food for Chestnut, then went to sit by the window in the living room and quietly gazed at the night view outside.

She took a deep breath.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, she felt dizzy and disoriented. Because her hands and feet were weak, she sat in the hospital for a very long time.

The hospital is a place that amplifies human emotions. Her fear, growing stronger and stronger from the inside out, weighed heavily on her.

The smell of disinfectant is unpleasant, and it has an inexplicable sense of indifference, as if it can isolate people; the ticking mechanical sound is extremely cold, and each sound is like a death countdown, making people tremble with fear; the people coming and going are not human, but seem to be just empty shells, dragging long black shadows.

She felt abandoned in the freezing cold, her whole body was frozen, she couldn't move, couldn't call for help, and could only wait alone for death to come.

Death is not far away; humans may die every day. It will come eventually, sooner or later. Suddenly, I feel that life doesn't seem to have much meaning. No matter how you live it, it's still just one life, whether it's long or short, there's no difference.

People need to have things to care about in life, and hers was... her parents had passed away, and her closest relative was her grandmother. She had worked hard all these years and saved enough money to support her grandmother in her old age. Her grandmother also had her aunt, so they could live comfortably.

The worries are gone...

Perhaps, this is the right time to leave.

However, when she returned home, she couldn't help but burst into tears. She cried for a long, long time, unable to stop, until her eyes were swollen.

As long as a person is alive, they will have seven emotions and six desires, and the will to survive is a human instinct.

Although she was unwilling to undergo painful treatment for even the slightest chance of survival, she tried hard to convince herself to accept death, but deep down she never wanted to die.

Now, she has encountered a magical little male merman, and the hope of life has suddenly appeared before her eyes—it's unbelievable.

Isn't this true love? The little merman is so handsome, exactly the kind of guy she likes. She will try her best to make him fall in love with her.

Just as she made up her mind, the power suddenly went out.

The surroundings were completely dark and silent.

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