Chapter 51 (End of Chapter 51)
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Upon returning home, the little male fish spoke first, because he sensed that Luo Qingyan had something on her mind, and that it was related to him.
"Okay, sit down first." Luo Qingyan nodded and sat down on the sofa, not in a hurry.
The little merman sat down obediently.
Luo Qingyan took a deep breath to calm himself down as much as possible, then turned to look at the little merman beside him and asked seriously, "What's the current situation regarding the Holy Envoy? I can sense that you want to become the Holy Envoy, but... there's resistance. Is it because of me?"
Upon hearing Luo Qingyan's question, the little merman paused slightly. He pondered for a few seconds before speaking seriously, "Yes. The Holy Envoy is meant to protect mermaids, so naturally he needs to stay in the sea. But we... I... I don't actually have to become a Holy Envoy."
"I remember you said you had passed the trial and needed to return to the ocean within the specified time to become a holy envoy?"
"Yes, once you become a Holy Envoy, you need to start fulfilling your duties."
"Will our pact affect your becoming a holy messenger?"
"No, the Holy Envoy can also form a contract."
"So now the impact is that because I'm human, I need to stay on land, so you also want to stay on land, but that means you can't go back to the sea to become a holy messenger? And the final date is getting closer and closer, right?"
"Hmm...more or less."
"Where are the differences? Please tell me. I need to know the complete facts and all the details."
The little male merman's brow twitched slightly: "I believe that becoming a holy envoy or not, and living on land with you, are just choices, not obligations. And right now, I want to choose to live with you."
Luo Qingyan had gotten a little anxious while speaking, but seeing that the little merman remained worried yet calm, she gradually calmed down as well: "Mermaids only have one chance to go ashore and live as humans. If you go back and become a holy envoy, wouldn't you be wasting this chance?"
"I only learned this after becoming a Holy Envoy." The little merman's eyes lowered, trembling slightly. "Actually, there are many things I don't understand either."
“What if I wanted you to return to the ocean and become a Holy Envoy?” Luo Qingyan said solemnly. “I know you want to become a Holy Envoy. You have finally passed the trial. I hope you can realize your dream.”
"To become a Holy Envoy requires fulfilling one's duties for five hundred years, which means that for your entire human life, I... I cannot accompany you."
"So when my life ends, I can go to the sea and be with you?" Luo Qingyan's eyes showed a hint of surprise, which then dimmed. "Humans live to be a little over a hundred years old at most. I... I might only live for another fifty or sixty years at most. With family and friends, I... I'm sure I can live a good life."
The little merman tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Really?"
Luo Qingyan was naturally moved. There were some things that both of them knew in their hearts, and she decided to tell the truth: "I know I will miss you, I will be sad and have to face many difficulties alone... But at the same time, I also understand that without you, without forming a contract with you, my lifespan would not be long, and I would have to suffer from illness in the end. So, I am already very lucky at this moment."
“I know there’s something between us, and I’ll feel uneasy without you, but I believe we can do it. A lifespan of thousands of years is only a few decades apart.”
“You must do what you want to do and don’t let yourself regret it. If you compromise because of me, I will also feel uncomfortable. You know that forming a contract with me may mean giving up becoming a holy envoy, but you still did it without hesitation, so of course I do too… I don’t want you to lose yourself because of me. I love you for who you are.”
"We can definitely do it."
After hearing Luo Qingyan's words, the little male merman fell silent, tears welling in his eyes.
"Touched?" Luo Qingyan suddenly raised her voice, her eyes crinkling with a smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "I was also very touched after forming a contract with you, it's a feeling I can't quite describe. Isn't this how things should be between us? You should be able to sense what I'm thinking, right?"
“Hmm.” The little merman nodded, then reached out and hugged Luo Qingyan gently. “I know you might sense my desires. I’ve tried to hide them, try to change them, try to relieve them, but in the end… Maybe it’s better to talk about it. We can discuss it so that I don’t keep it bottled up inside.”
"Don't think too much. Go back to the sea and become a holy envoy! Don't miss this opportunity." Luo Qingyan hugged the little male merman tightly. "It's only a few decades. I'll wait for you, and you wait for me."
The little merman quietly hugged Luo Qingyan, and after a while he responded, "Okay."
-
The little male merman was scheduled to leave in three days, but on the last day, something terrible happened.
That day, Luo Qingyan and the little male fish were having lunch on the top floor of a shopping mall.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this lunch should be the last one the two of them eat together in decades. Luo Qingyan wanted to let the little male merman try as many human foods as possible that he hadn't tasted before, so the two of them had been trying new dishes for the past few days, and finally chose a Mexican restaurant on this day.
The little merman really liked tacos. He shared that the outer layer was soft and chewy, and the filling had a rich and layered flavor, making it uniquely delicious. This can be considered a perfect ending to his experience of tasting human cuisine.
However, after lunch, on their way to the elevator, the two unexpectedly ran into Huo Bowen.
In truth, Luo Qingyan didn't want to pay attention to Huo Bowen. She kept her eyes fixed on the elevator, pretending not to see him. Unfortunately, once he saw her, he wasn't willing to let her slip away like that.
"Luo Qingyan!" Huo Bowen called out Luo Qingyan's name directly. He was alone, so he quickly ran a few steps to catch up.
Luo Qingyan disliked people like Huo Bowen. If she were alone today, she would definitely seek help from the shopping mall staff or call the police if he dared to harass her. However, since she was with Xiao Nanyu today, she might try to resolve the issue verbally.
She held tightly to the little merman's arm, giving Huo Bowen a cold look, as if she didn't want to pay him any attention.
"Is he the one you like?" Huo Bowen looked the little male fish up and down. "I heard that Liu Yimiao took a picture of you two, and everyone who saw it said you two are a perfect match."
“We are indeed a perfect match.” Luo Qingyan’s voice was cold. “Now he is not only the person I like, but also my boyfriend and my lover.”
Huo Bowen's eyes darkened: "Do you really like him? Are you really happy?"
"You have a mental illness, don't you?" the little male merman suddenly spoke up, calmly and seriously. "Get treatment as soon as possible, otherwise it will get worse and worse. It's one thing for you to suffer, but don't harm others."
Huo Bowen asked angrily and in confusion, "Are you swearing at me?"
“I’m telling the truth.” The little merman’s face remained expressionless. “If I remember correctly, it should be called paranoid disorder, which is a serious mental illness.”
Luo Qingyan knew that the little male merman sometimes acted unpredictably, but she really didn't expect him to speak like that. His words were both calm and disdainful, likely to anger Huo Bowen, but sounded quite satisfying.
"Alright, I've said goodbye. I don't want to have any more contact with you. Goodbye." Luo Qingyan said, pulling the little male merman away.
Huo Bowen frowned and followed, saying, "Why don't you want to have more contact with me? Why can't we talk a little longer? Now that we've met today, then..."
The little male merman suddenly turned left, pushed open the stairwell door with one hand, and pulled Luo Qingyan into the stairwell. Huo Bowen naturally followed.
“Because there’s nothing to say to you. Your one-sided affections are already annoying enough, and continuing to harass others is despicable and shameless. You deserve to be taught a lesson.” The little male merman stared at Huo Bowen with sharp eyes. “Please stop this despicable behavior.”
Before Huo Bowen could even finish pronouncing the word "you," his eyes suddenly bulged, and he slammed backward, crashing heavily into the wall. Then, as if embedded in the wall, no matter how much he struggled, his back remained stuck to the surface. He frantically clawed at his neck, as if something was strangling him, but in reality, nothing was there. He looked like he had inexplicably gone mad.
Luo Qingyan was first shocked by Huo Bowen's strange behavior, then seemed to realize something and asked the little merman beside her in a low voice, "Did you do this?"
“Since he has paranoid disorder, let’s deal with him using paranoia. There are no security cameras in the stairwell, I’ve confirmed that.” The little merman spoke quietly to Luo Qingyan first, then looked at Huo Bowen and stepped forward, “You really do have a mental illness, paranoid disorder. You should get treatment as soon as possible, otherwise you’ll go crazy if left unchecked.”
"You..." Huo Bowen was still struggling. He wanted to speak, but he couldn't, and his face turned red with frustration.
"That's enough, let's go." Luo Qingyan tugged at the little male merman. Although she knew the little male merman knew what was important, she didn't want to waste time here.
“Okay.” The little male merman turned back to look at Luo Qingyan gently, then stared sharply at Huo Bowen. “Stay away from her and don’t bother her anymore, or you’ll go crazy immediately.”
After saying that, he turned around and pulled Luo Qingyan away, acting as if nothing had happened.
-
Leaving the stairwell and the mall, the little merman put his arm around Luo Qingyan and headed home.
"You should go." Luo Qingyan sensed something was wrong with the little male merman, so he quickly cut to the chase.
"With people like that around, I can't leave in peace." The little merman understood Luo Qingyan's meaning and said earnestly, "Can I stay a little longer?"
Luo Qingyan shook her head: "Today it's Huo Bowen, but tomorrow it could be something else. You're too easily tempted to keep waiting. Go ahead and follow the original plan. I can handle my own affairs."
What if he finds out I'm not around and starts harassing you again?
"Your approach just now was satisfying, but it's inappropriate in the human world. You used abilities that aren't human, and this will inevitably cause problems sooner or later. The Land Mermaid Organization won't let you continue like this, will they?"
"I know what I'm doing."
“I know. But this is the human world, and there are many unexpected dangers. Even if some people are not easy for me to deal with, I am an adult. I need to deal with all kinds of troubles and solve many problems on my own. You, do what you should do, don’t worry about me.”
"I understand." The little merman's eyes trembled slightly. "Are we really going to part ways like this?"
“Yes, don’t drag it out any longer,” Luo Qingyan said firmly. “Many times, separations are sudden and unexpected. Go, go do what you want to do. Besides, it’s not like we’re saying goodbye forever. I’ll wait for you, and you wait for me. There will be a day when we meet again.”
Can I hug you again?
As soon as the little male fish finished speaking, Luo Qingyan hugged him tightly.
The little merman immediately hugged Luo Qingyan with both hands: "I'll wait for you, you wait for me."
"Hmm..." Luo Qingyan only dared to give a brief reply, because she was afraid that if she said too much, she would cry. After the hug ended, she immediately turned around and left without looking back.
And so the two parted ways.
-
After the little male merman left, there was no further news of him.
If the physical ailments hadn't truly disappeared, Luo Qingyan would have genuinely doubted whether the little male merman had ever existed.
Life returned to normal, with eating, sleeping, and leisure activities... day after day, seemingly peaceful. But gradually, Luo Qingyan sensed something was wrong. Besides missing the little male merman and feeling sad, she also started to have wild thoughts.
For example, she told her family and friends that her son, Xiao Nanyu, was going abroad for work and would be away for a long time.
At first, when her family asked her questions about the little merman or their relationship, she could answer normally and easily fabricated reassuring statements. However, as time went on, the more she answered and fabricated, the stranger and more awkward it felt. It was as if everything was her imagination; she had created a non-existent person and a non-existent experience.
It's quite terrifying to doubt yourself. Even though she has photos of herself with the little merman, things he used in her home, and her friends and family all know about him, she's still suspicious and panicked. She might even feel incredibly terrified, as if she's trapped in some strange world.
Luo Qingyan knew she couldn't continue like this. Instead of the expected external attacks, she was overthinking and worrying, which was driving her crazy.
Only by keeping busy can she stop overthinking. She resigned to rest before because she was sick, but now that she's recovered and rested enough, she should start working again.
She naturally wouldn't return to S City. Aside from the existing factors, she also wanted to wait for the little male fish in G City. What if the little male fish came back to find her? It's always good to have some hope.
She found a job as a waitress at a coffee shop in G city. It was a small, creative coffee shop with a low customer flow, and the work was relatively easy, but there were requirements for the waitresses' appearance.
In the past, she would have disliked jobs that emphasized appearance. But now, she doesn't care. Living in human society, there are always various rules, and it's a strange experience that she was able to get a job because of what society defines as good looks.
Now she needs a job that isn't too tiring but can still make her life fulfilling, and being a waitress in a niche coffee shop is perfect for her.
Eating, sleeping, leisure and entertainment, and now work has taken up most of her time, which has indeed reduced the frequency of her overthinking.
Finally, it seems like I'm back to normal life again.
-
In fact, before they parted ways, Luo Qingyan and Xiao Nanyu understood that separation was not an easy thing, which is why Xiao Nanyu wavered and was reluctant to part.
However, both of them knew they loved each other, so neither wanted the other to be too accommodating or have regrets. Making some decisions is painful, but not making them is even more painful.
As long as the two people understand each other, they can get through even the most painful times.
Life is never smooth sailing; you have to give up something to gain something.
-
After more than two months apart, Luo Qingyan gradually stopped feeling anxious and uncertain, and stopped doubting whether the little male merman had ever truly existed. She could put the past in a certain place in her heart and then focus on living her life earnestly.
There are still many years to go, decades ahead. The land world is beautiful, and the human world is rich; she can experience it all slowly.
However, the longing for the little merman is simply unstoppable. And, there will always be some difficulties that arise.
The Spring Festival is always a lively time, a holiday for relaxation, and a time for family reunions.
In the past, Luo Qingyan lived alone in Hefengting, which to some extent prevented others from asking about Xiao Nanyu. However, during the Spring Festival, when the family gathered together, some things could not be avoided.
For example, Tao Xingyou would insist on video chatting with her sister's boyfriend, since the family reunites during the Spring Festival, and the schedule is less rigid during the Spring Festival, so there is no time difference problem.
However, since video calls were not possible, Luo Qingyan could only say that the little male fish was engaged in confidential work, and even she could not contact him casually.
However, this excuse can only fool her for a while. If it goes on for too long, her family will definitely suspect something is wrong, and she'll have to give an explanation. She's already considering whether to say they broke up or that the little merman died unexpectedly.
Perhaps it would be better to say she died accidentally, since she would be single for decades to come, which could be interpreted as her being unable to forget her lover and thus deciding to live out her days alone.
Despite having considered the various difficulties she would face before parting ways, Luo Qingyan still found it extremely difficult when she was truly alone.
-
On the Lantern Festival, the family had a meal together, and the topic of the little male merman came up again.
The family is very concerned about when Xiao Nanyu will come back, since it's not good for the young couple to be separated for so long.
Luo Qingyan simply said that Xiao Nanyu's job was special and that the other party couldn't make the decision on their own, so they would probably have to wait a little longer. On the surface, she managed to brush it off for the time being, but she felt an overwhelming sadness in her heart, not only because she knew it would become increasingly difficult to brush him off in the future, but also because she missed Xiao Nanyu.
After dinner, while the others were chatting, she took Chestnut out for a walk by herself.
-
This winter in G City is quite cold. It is said that it snowed several times in the middle of the night, but Luo Qingyan did not see it.
But it doesn't matter. She has a healthy body now and plenty of time. She doesn't have to worry about not seeing snow in winter. She can go to the north to see snow next year.
She's planning to change jobs. Her current job is alright, but it's too mundane. She's not one to settle for mediocrity; she feels she can make some changes to make her life more fulfilling.
Perhaps she could return to the profession she was in before she got sick. After all, she'd been in this industry since graduating from university, and the experience she'd accumulated over the years was a valuable asset. Even after leaving her old company, many other companies were still open to her.
Perhaps choose a job completely different from your previous one. Something related to pets, plants, food, etc. It's okay to start learning from scratch; take your time and savor the enjoyment.
Perhaps you could start your own business. Open a small shop to sell things, create content for social media, or offer knowledge-based services... Just let your imagination run wild; there's nothing you can't do, only things you haven't thought of yet.
Most importantly, she wanted to go to another city to avoid certain things. It wasn't that she was annoyed, but rather that she was afraid of worrying her family.
As she walked, she was lost in thought, and her grip on the rope loosened without her realizing it. Suddenly, Chestnut lunged forward, and the rope slipped from her grasp.
"Chestnut!" She snapped back to reality and quickly chased after it.
But after running two steps, she froze.
Under the distant streetlights, a figure in a black coat was bending down, stroking a fluttering chestnut. Sensing her gaze, the person looked up. It was a face all too familiar, the face she had longed for day and night.
Luo Qingyan couldn't believe what she was seeing and suspected she was hallucinating, so she stood there dumbfounded.
"Chestnut, come here." Yun Jian picked up Chestnut's leash, led Chestnut and jogged towards Luo Qingyan, finally hugging the dazed person tightly.
Feeling the other person's body temperature, Luo Qingyan finally believed it wasn't a hallucination, but she was still extremely surprised: "You...you're back?"
"Yes, I'm back." Yun Jian's voice remained unchanged, still gentle, but with a hint of excitement.
"Why? You...you're not..."
“I have become a Holy Envoy.” Yun Jian quickly explained, afraid that Luo Qingyan would misunderstand. “Being a Holy Envoy is not a job that requires you to be on call 24 hours a day. It is a sacred mission that allows you to have your own time. However, there are too few examples like us, and Holy Envoys do not share their private matters. Therefore, I do not know many things… In short, I can go ashore and come to see you.”
"Really?" Luo Qingyan's eyes reddened as she listened, and her voice trembled with tears.
"Really, I'm not lying to you. You should be able to feel it, right?" Yun Jian heard Luo Qingyan's voice trembling with tears, released the person in her arms, and looked into the other's face. "Don't worry, I've already taken care of things over there. I can stay for several days this time!"
Luo Qingyan bit her lip, holding back tears of excitement, and forced a smile: "It's only been a few days..."
"There will be more time later, please wait for me. This time it was a bit rushed, I... I missed you, so I rushed over."
"That's more like it... Well then, come home with me first, let's meet my family. I... I almost don't know how to face them..."
“You said you could handle it.” Yun Jian gripped Luo Qingyan’s hand tightly, their fingers intertwined.
“I can handle it, but… it’s not going to be easy! I’ve even prepared a tragic ending for you.” Luo Qingyan squeezed Yun Jian’s hand tightly, and she could feel the real weight of his words.
"That sounds terrifying, thank goodness I'm back."
"Yes, thank goodness you're back."
"Um... in the future, I mean in the future, could we move to the seaside for a while? That way I can see you sooner when I come back. Of course, it's also fine if you want to stay in G City, after all, the anticipation of the journey back is a precious feeling."
"It wouldn't be bad to move to the seaside occasionally, so I can get familiar with the ocean beforehand. Hmm... it depends on my mood!"
Are you happy now?
"Happy! How about you?"
"happy!"
-
(End of article)
Author's Note: It's finished!!! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
[Kiss] Thank you so much to all the readers! [Kiss] Wishing you all a happy life, good health, and great wealth!!!
Fireworks][Fire ...]
If you're interested, you can check out other articles in the author's column! [starry-eyed]
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