Chapter 48 Contract
Luo Qingyan had that wonderful and warm dream again. The difference was that this time, when she woke up, she was held in the arms of the little male merman, as if the warmth in her dream had continued.
"Awake?" The little merman's gentle voice fell on my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
"Mmm." Luo Qingyan nuzzled her head against the little merman and let out a soft sigh, "So tired..."
"I tried to be as gentle and careful as possible." The little merman ruffled the head of the person in his arms and placed a kiss on their hair. "Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"Gently...carefully..." Luo Qingyan smiled and lowered her eyes, trying to move her body. Her whole body ached. "Then what would you be like if you weren't gentle and careful?"
"You'll find out later if you want to know."
"Is it different in the sea?" Luo Qingyan bit the corner of her mouth and smiled, her hand resting on the little male merman's body as she touched his waist and abdomen. "Here... there are no scales left."
"You like my scales?" the little male merman asked with delight.
“Yes, it’s very beautiful.” Luo Qingyan looked up and touched the little male merman’s forehead and ears. “The scales on its face are beautiful, and the ear fins on its ears are beautiful. I like them both very much.”
"Then let's make a pact. I'll be even more beautiful in the ocean, and you can look at me every day, and keep looking forever."
Why are you always in such a hurry to finalize a contract?
"Because I'm afraid you'll die," the little merman blurted out.
"Because I'm telling the truth, and I'm very sincere! I hope you're doing well, getting better and better, and staying with me forever."
Luo Qingyan held the little male merman in his arms, his gaze slightly unfocused. He sighed softly and then asked, "What is the nature of forming a contract?"
“It’s very special, a special feeling that only the two of them can feel. Others who are watching might not even notice it,” the little male merman patiently explained. “As for the specific method… I can’t explain it clearly. It’s hard to describe in words. Anyway, as long as it’s in the ocean, as long as both parties truly love each other and are willing to form a contract, it can be completed.”
"It sounds very simple and peaceful. I thought that forming a contract would involve many prerequisites, special rituals, and a lot of... complicated things."
"The best life is one that is simple and peaceful."
"Yes, you're right. A life of great excitement isn't necessarily a good thing; you might miss the peace and tranquility when the time comes. Isn't the reason humanity keeps striving to achieve that peaceful life in the end?"
"Hmm," the little merman said quietly, "Do you have any more questions related to forming a contract?"
"Hehe! I didn't expect you to be in such a hurry." Luo Qingyan stroked the little male merman's back with her fingers. She thought for a few seconds, "I... I'm afraid when I'm facing unfamiliar things, but with you here, I feel at ease."
"Yes, with me here, you don't need to worry."
“Then…” Luo Qingyan paused unconsciously after speaking, then pursed her lips and made up her mind, “Where do we enter the sea? Even if it’s not cold in H City, it would still be strange and conspicuous to go swimming in the sea in this weather. Should we take a boat out to sea? For example, pretend that we’re going deep-sea diving or something.”
A look of surprise flashed in the little merman's eyes. He loosened his grip slightly and looked down at the person in his arms: "No need, let's go to Lizhu Bay. When we visited last time, I discovered a secluded rocky beach there. We can enter the sea from there."
Luo Qingyan looked up and saw the smiling merman, and a smile appeared on her lips: "Okay, let's go today."
-
We had agreed in the morning to go to Lizhu Bay, to the sea, to make a pact, but Luo Qingyan kept dawdling and didn't arrive at Lizhu Bay until after 4 p.m.
"Let's wander around the neighborhood for a while." Luo Qingyan didn't want to back out at the last minute, but she couldn't control her inner panic.
"Are you still worried?" The little merman held Luo Qingyan's hand tightly, their fingers intertwined.
"Why are you so calm?" Luo Qingyan's heart tightened suddenly, then he lowered his eyes. "Maybe I'm too nervous, because I'm the one who's sick, and I'm the one who needs to form a contract to prolong my life. I... I'm really afraid of failing, and then... I'll lose my last hope."
“Because forming a contract has other meanings for you, it’s normal for you to be worried and afraid. No matter how much I try to comfort you, I can’t completely eliminate those negative emotions. After all, we are both autonomous individuals.” The little male merman took Luo Qingyan’s hand and kissed his fingers. “I believe in you, I believe in myself, and I believe in us.”
"Mermaids... what's the difference between what humans consider true love and what they believe in love?"
"The essence of love is no different; it is about feeling with your heart."
"I...I have you in my heart, but I'm afraid it's not enough."
"Yes, I understand your concerns. Mermaids being able to enter each other's worlds signifies attraction, but human love... isn't human love more heartfelt?"
Luo Qingyan pursed his lips and paused for a long while: "What should we do if we can't form a contract?"
"There will be no 'what if'." The little merman was extremely firm, looking straight into Luo Qingyan's eyes, "Because I love you, and I can feel your love for me, your true and sincere feelings."
Luo Qingyan immediately felt a warm current envelop her tense heart: "Okay. I'll do whatever you say."
The little male merman looked at me with sincerity and earnestness: "Are you sure you want to form a contract with me?"
"Yes, I'm sure, I'm willing."
"Okay." The little merman looked much more relaxed. "Don't be nervous, let me show you around the ocean first! It'll help you relax."
"Feel the ocean?" Luo Qingyan's eyes widened slightly. "Swimming in the sea...? Can I do that?"
“Of course. Weren’t you free to swim last night?” the little merman said, taking Luo Qingyan’s hand and leading him toward the rocky beach.
-
With the little male merman leading the way and helping them along, the two arrived at the rocky beach without any problems.
Luo Qingyan leaned against a huge rock, the little male merman holding her hand, his eyes gazing into the distance.
"The water here doesn't look deep. Should we... walk across slowly?" With the vast ocean so close at hand, about to enter the sea, Luo Qingyan's heart was in his throat, and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
“No need to walk over there, let’s jump into the sea.” The little merman squeezed Luo Qingyan’s hand a little harder. “Tell me when you’re ready.”
Luo Qingyan took a deep breath. She couldn't prepare for too long; the longer she waited, the more hesitant she would become. She tried to block out everything else and only looked at the little male merman: "I'm ready."
"Okay, let's go!" The little merman grabbed Luo Qingyan's hand and leaped into the sea.
Luo Qingyan felt a sudden blankness in her vision and mind, but she could sense that the leap was incredibly far, and soaring into the air gave her a wonderful feeling of entering another world from another world.
The immense shock left her somewhat dazed. In her dazed state, someone embraced her and kissed her. That person was, of course, the little male merman.
"Open your eyes, it's okay." The little merman's gentle voice patted his ear.
Luo Qingyan was still a little dazed, but she slowly opened her eyes, as the little male merman's voice reassured her that she was safe. Upon opening her eyes, she discovered that besides the azure seawater, there were also colorful schools of fish and magnificent corals.
"How beautiful!" she exclaimed involuntarily. With the little male merman's pearl in her mouth, she could speak and swim freely.
"Shall I take you swimming around and show you around?" At this moment, the little male merman had completely transformed back into his mermaid form. His sharply defined face was faintly adorned with shimmering scales, and his ears had translucent blue-green ear fins that seemed to glow. His short black hair had transformed into long, smooth, slightly wavy silver hair, flowing gracefully in the seawater. Below his waist was a beautiful fishtail, its scales dazzlingly colorful with a faint, ethereal sheen, and its long, large tail fin danced in the water, making him incredibly beautiful.
Luo Qingyan smiled and nodded: "Mm."
Upon receiving the reply, the little male merman immediately embraced Luo Qingyan and began to swim.
The two swam freely and gracefully in the water, moving quickly and steadily, as if the seawater around them was not an obstacle but an aid.
Sometimes the little male merman would release Luo Qingyan for a moment, but Luo Qingyan wouldn't be at a loss, because the little male merman's tail would sway, allowing the surrounding seawater to support her. She gradually adapted to swimming freely without being pulled, as if she could swim on her own, a feeling of unparalleled freedom.
The two swam and played together in the sea.
Let's wander together among the coral reefs. The corals are colorful and come in all shapes and sizes. Some look like mops, some like lingzhi mushrooms, some like lanterns, some like bath balls... They are all kinds of strange and wonderful, and there are always surprises.
Let's dance with the fish. The fish are of all sizes, swimming at different speeds and with different postures. They like to swim around people, sometimes circling around them, sometimes swimming in the same direction as them. The fish in the water are especially smooth, feeling like silk to the touch.
Watch the octopus swim. There was a striking red octopus that was not only eye-catching but also quite amusing. It first swam slowly among the coral, then spotted a crab and quickly captured it. However, other predators were nearby, so it needed to move the crab to a secluded spot. It used two tentacles to hold the crab, and the remaining tentacles to walk, moving like a human carrying a briefcase.
Let's blow bubbles together in the seawater. When people can breathe freely in the sea, they can of course blow bubbles too—small bubbles, big bubbles—it's quite fun. You can also create a bunch of bubbles by waving your arms and legs in the water, and the little merman can create a huge pile of bubbles by waving his tail.
...
The sea is truly fascinating; you can never get enough of swimming and admiring it.
Later, as he swam, he should have gotten more and more tired, but Luo Qingyan felt his body becoming lighter and lighter, as if he were floating.
She wanted to tell the little merman about this strange thing, but she inexplicably knew that the little merman understood it and didn't need her to say anything more. Moreover, the little merman probably felt the same way as her.
Then, it seemed as if the seawater had dissolved into my body, or as if my body had dissolved into the seawater.
Then, there was a feeling that was both clear and blurry. The little male merman was clear, but the world around him was blurry.
A scene of brilliance.
...
-
Luo Qingyan felt as if she were floating on air for a while, experiencing an indescribable pleasure. When she came to her senses, the little male merman was pulling her towards the sea.
"Are we going back?" Luo Qingyan asked.
"The sky and sea are especially beautiful at this time of year. The vast expanse of blue has a great sense of depth, with warm orange accents in the distance, making it feel exceptionally warm and serene." The little merman turned to look at Luo Qingyan. "It's what humans call the Blues."
“I’ve never seen the blues of the sky and the sea from the water before!” As Luo Qingyan spoke, the little male merman pulled her to the surface, and her eyes lit up. “So beautiful! It has a kind of… serene and timeless beauty. It’s as if… the entire river of history has been compressed into this moment.”
The scenery in the distance was just as the little merman had described, but seeing it in person was even more accurate and awe-inspiring.
The whole world was a vast expanse of blue, utterly silent. The orange where the sky met the sea seemed like both a beginning and an end, heaven and earth residing in the heart.
"Shall we go for a walk on the sea?" The little merman suddenly hugged Luo Qingyan from behind. "It's even more beautiful on the sea."
"The sea! How do we get there?" Luo Qingyan turned her head in surprise to look at the little male merman.
“Let’s go like this.” The little merman grasped Luo Qingyan’s hand, and the two of them spread their arms together, their bodies floating upwards until their feet left the water, with only their toes touching the surface of the sea.
"Are we...flying or standing on the sea?" Luo Qingyan looked down at the deep sea below with a mixture of surprise and delight. "How did we do that? The sea can really support a person's weight!"
“Of course, let’s try walking.” The little male merman released Luo Qingyan’s left hand with his left hand, and instead put his arm around the other’s waist, leading him step by step as if dancing.
With each step they took, ripples spread beneath their feet, shimmering like flowers blooming instantly in the darkness. The little male merman's tail could create even more ripples, a continuous burst of blossoms. It was a dreamlike, breathtaking spectacle.
"Want to dance together?" The little merman rested his head on Luo Qingyan's shoulder.
"Dancing?" Luo Qingyan glanced down at the little merman's tail, a slow smile playing on his lips. "Do you use your tail?"
“Yes, this is the ocean, so of course we can dance with our tails.” The little male merman tugged at Luo Qingyan’s hand, turning him halfway around to face him. “I can sense that you want to dance too.”
As he spoke, he led Luo Qingyan into dancing, just as Luo Qingyan had led him into dancing by the fountain before.
Ripples spread, and the dance steps are graceful.
The two danced between heaven and earth, as if they were the only two people in the world.
The sky is vast, and the sea is deep.
-
After the dance ended, the little male merman pulled Luo Qingyan to sit down on the sea.
"How is it? Dancing on the sea is a different feeling, isn't it?" The little merman put his arm around Luo Qingyan's waist and let him lean on his shoulder.
"Hmm, it's incredibly light." Luo Qingyan said somewhat uneasily, "Isn't it like dancing in the sea?"
"Yes, you'll understand gradually later." The little merman's voice held a hint of amusement. "Are you really willing to live with me in the sea from now on?"
“Why not? There’s an even richer life at the bottom of the sea!” Luo Qingyan was startled when she said this. She didn’t know why she said such a thing, as if she had seen life at the bottom of the sea.
"Let's live our lives as humans first," the little merman said, nuzzling his face against the head of the person next to him. "Then we can slowly explore the wonders of the ocean."
Luo Qingyan felt that something was different, but she couldn't figure it out, so she looked up at the little male merman: "When...when will we form a contract?"
The little male merman looked down at Luo Qingyan, smiled slightly, and took the other's hand, placing it on his chest.
Luo Qingyan was immediately startled. The different feeling in her body was particularly pronounced, as if a warm current was flowing between the two of them, tightly connecting them. She stared at the little male merman's eyes in astonishment: "The contract has been formed?"
"Mmm." The little merman's smile deepened, and then he kissed the forehead of the person in his arms with great care and solemnity.
As dusk settles, the sea and sky stretch out in a vast expanse.
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