Chapter 6 Do you have a boyfriend?
"Luo Qingyan, I heard you're back in G City! A few classmates are having a get-together tomorrow and would like to invite you to come! It's been so long since we've seen you, we all miss you!" The caller was Liu Yimiao, Luo Qingyan's high school classmate. The two used to sit close to each other, so they had a pretty good relationship.
"You changed your phone number? I saw it was an unknown number and almost didn't answer!" Luo Qingyan just wanted to live quietly after returning to G City and had no plans to contact her old classmates. "How did you know I was back?"
"You're still using your old phone number, but this is the new one, so save it. We were chatting in the group chat just now, and Fan Zhenzhen said she saw you while she was shopping this afternoon. It's a pity you were on the first floor and she was on the second. I'm organizing the gathering tomorrow, and since you're back, of course I have to invite you!"
"I haven't been feeling well lately, so I came back to recuperate. My sister wanted to go out today, and I went for a walk with her this afternoon. My energy is completely depleted, so I need to stay home and rest for a few days. You guys go have fun!" Luo Qingyan suddenly felt that if she couldn't win over the little male merman, she would only face death. So, it would be good to give her former classmates a heads-up about her poor health.
"Are you not feeling well? Are you sick?"
"I have quite a few discomforts, and I plan to get a full body check-up when I have time."
"Hey! Don't worry, many illnesses are caused by anxiety. You can still go out and have fun, which means you're healthy. Don't worry, it's probably just that work in S City is too tiring and the pace of life there is too fast. Don't worry, you're definitely healthy and will live to be a hundred!"
"Yeah, I just came back to rest and relax!"
"Then come and get together with everyone. It will make you happy to see old classmates! We're all at this age, and we don't have any tiring plans, so let's just have some tea together."
"I'm really tired, and it's all so sudden. Meeting an old classmate requires some preparation! Tomorrow is too rushed. How about next time? I'll stay in G City for a while. Let me know in advance next time, and I'll definitely go."
"It was indeed very rushed, mainly because I just found out you were back, but I don't know when it will be again. How about this, we have lunch planned for tomorrow, you should rest first, and see how you feel when you get up tomorrow morning. If you feel good, you can come; if you don't, you can't."
In high school, Liu Yimiao was the class's arts and culture representative, responsible for various activities. Even after graduation, she still enjoyed organizing get-togethers with her classmates. Initially, she organized class reunions with the class monitor, but as everyone went their separate ways and became increasingly busy with work and family, these reunions gradually became smaller gatherings for a select few classmates.
Last year during the Spring Festival, Luo Qingyan attended a gathering, which had a nice atmosphere. However, she was currently ill and had little interest in going. But she knew that Liu Yimiao was the type to take things slowly, so she decided to agree first and then make up an excuse if she really didn't want to go tomorrow.
"Okay, we'll see how things go tomorrow."
"Okay!" Liu Yimiao's voice was full of joy.
-
Luo Qingyan returned to the bathroom, where the little male merman was eating a string of mushrooms, and Chestnut was sitting obediently to the side, its little tail wagging back and forth.
"How was it? Was the barbecue delicious?" Luo Qingyan sat back down in his chair, bent down to the side, and reached out to pat Chestnut's head.
"Mmm, delicious. The meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the vegetables are crunchy and flavorful." The little male merman held up the shiitake mushroom in his hand. "This one is especially delicious, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside."
“These are shiitake mushrooms. I was worried you wouldn’t like the taste! It seems you’re adapting well to human food.” Luo Qingyan was quite pleased that the little male merman wasn’t picky about food. She paused and then added, “I might be going out tomorrow. Are you… alright at home alone?”
"Yeah, I'm used to it. I'm recovering from my injury, so staying quiet is fine. Besides, I still have Chestnut here!"
“Chestnut is so happy, it loves having someone at home all the time.” Luo Qingyan said, stroking Chestnut again. The soft fur of the dog felt soothing to the touch. “By the way! I’ll give you the iPad tomorrow! Hey, do you know what a tablet computer is? Do you know what the internet is? Do mermaids always use books and never use electronic devices? Oh, it seems like you can’t use electronic devices underwater.”
"I know about computers and the internet, but I don't know much about them."
"Knowing is enough. I'll teach you how to use the iPad to go online. It'll not only kill time, but you can also learn some new human knowledge online. I'll teach you when the phone comes back on."
“Okay.” The little merman nodded, picked up a skewer of potato chips, and said, “Humans really rely on electricity.”
“Yes, all kinds of electrical appliances and electronic products make life more convenient and richer, there’s nothing wrong with that. There are many ways to generate electricity now, the power supply is sufficient, and power outages are only occasional.” Luo Qingyan stretched. “It’s just that once you become dependent on them, it gets incredibly boring when the power goes out. Sigh! Mermaids don’t need electricity, yet they can live for so many years, what do they usually do? You’re very smart, you shouldn’t have to worry about food and drink like wild animals. If you don’t hunt, how do you pass the time?”
The little male merman swallowed the food in his mouth: "We...don't kill time. Mermaids and humans perceive time and the world differently. It's hard to explain, it's a feeling. Besides, the ocean is very interesting. Seventy percent of the earth is covered by oceans now."
"Yes, the ocean is much larger than the land. So tell me some stories about the ocean, not mermaids, but other fish will do, right?"
"Hmm... okay! Do you have any fish you'd like to hear about?"
"What I want to hear is... Do mermaids make friends with other fish? Can they communicate with each other?"
"They can communicate, in the way fish do, but it's different from how you and I communicate. And their way of making friends is different from how humans understand friendship."
...
The dim light seemed especially warm in the long darkness.
The man and the fish, bathed in the dim light, chatted quite happily.
-
The next day, Luo Qingyan didn't get up until almost ten o'clock because she had been chatting with the little male fish about the ocean the night before and had gone to bed late.
She felt refreshed after getting up, so she quickly prepared breakfast, as there were three mouths to feed at home.
Chestnut ate dog food, while the other two ate noodles.
Luo Qingyan sensed the little merman's love for food, so she wanted to try her best to cook him something delicious. Although she didn't cook much, she did know some simple dishes, and her grandmother had once praised her for her talent in cooking. Yesterday, her cousin and uncle bought a lot of ingredients, and this morning she made tomato and egg noodles.
-
"Delicious! The eggs are smooth and silky, the tomatoes are sweet and sour, and the noodles are cooked to the perfect firmness, holding up all the broth. It's incredibly satisfying and bursting with flavor." The food connoisseur, Little Male Mermaid, praised Luo Qingyan's tomato and egg noodles, exclaiming, "Humans are truly amazing at making food!"
"Ha! Of course, with five thousand years of Chinese civilization, everything is carefully selected. Food is the most important thing for people. After eating for thousands of years, there must be a lot of delicious food." Luo Qingyan was overjoyed by the little male fish's praise. "I don't know much. This is just the simple stuff."
"Simple? How is this made?"
"What, you want to learn?"
"I want to know how food can become so delicious."
"He's a studious little merman." Luo Qingyan gave him a thumbs up, then patiently explained, "Tomato and egg noodles aren't difficult. Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk it quickly to fully combine the yolk and white. Next, heat a pan with a little oil, add the egg mixture, and scramble it until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Add more oil, heat it, add chopped scallions and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Then add diced tomatoes and continue to stir-fry until they release their juices. Add water, salt, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce. Oh, remember to add a little salt when whisking the eggs to remove any fishy smell. When the noodles are almost cooked, add the fried eggs and greens, and garnish with chopped scallions before serving. A bowl of tomato and egg noodles is ready!"
The little male merman listened very attentively: "It doesn't sound simple. There are many steps involved, and you have to control the degree of each step. Humans are so cute. They can go through so much trouble to make food taste different."
"This is the first time I've heard someone find cooking cute. Oh, you're a fish, a mermaid." Luo Qingyan couldn't help but chuckle. "Recipes must have existed for a long time. I remember there was a 'Food Classic' from the Sui Dynasty. You seem to enjoy eating. Mermaids are interested in food, right? Don't you study recipes?"
"I've heard that human food is delicious, but seeing is believing."
“Hey, I suddenly thought of something.” Luo Qingyan’s gaze fell on the little male merman’s silver hair. “You said that mermen are divided into sea areas. Are you a merman from the nearby sea area? The people on this large land area all have black hair and black eyes, but you have silver hair and blue-purple eyes. Are there different races of mermen? That is... are there other mermen with different hair colors, eye colors, and skin colors?”
"Mermaids and humans share the same origin, but they separated a very long time ago. Mermaids live in the ocean, while humans live on land, but both are affected by their environment. My appearance is also related to my environment."
"You're always half-truths, cautious little merman." Luo Qingyan smiled and stood up. "Alright, that's enough. You can have your breakfast!"
"Are you going out?" The little merman's gaze followed Luo Qingyan upwards.
"I might not go out today." Luo Qingyan was about to turn around when she paused, tilting her head to the side. "Do you want me to go out?"
"If you're going out to have fun, I hope you do, because going out to have fun can put you in a good mood, and you need to be happy right now." The little merman's tone was relaxed, yet his face was serious.
Actually, Luo Qingyan didn't want to go out today, but after hearing what the little male fish said, she wavered. Just then, her phone rang, and she immediately left the bathroom to answer it.
-
"Luo Qingyan, are you up? How are you feeling today? The weather is great today! Sunny and crisp autumn air, perfect for an outing." Liu Yimiao's voice was full of energy even through the phone.
"It's alright." Luo Qingyan understood what the other person meant. The call came just when she was wavering, making her waver even more.
Liu Yimiao: "Can you come to today's gathering? Where are you staying now? I'll pick you up later. I bought a new car and I just want to take it for a spin!"
Luo Qingyan: "So thoughtful and considerate? I feel embarrassed to refuse."
Liu Yimiao: "Then come on over, it's decided! By the way, do you have a boyfriend? You can bring your partner."
“Okay, I’ll go. As for a boyfriend… I don’t have one yet.” As she said this, the corners of Luo Qingyan’s mouth unconsciously turned up, but she didn’t realize it herself.
A note from the author:
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