Chapter 054 The Sweetest in the World
Rong Yin couldn't hold back the smile on her lips. "Haven't you liked someone before? How come you are so good at saying sweet words?"
"It's natural, just like I was born good-looking." Zong Zheng Xiao teased him.
Rong Yin laughed even more happily: "Narcissist."
"I have a clear understanding of myself and know how to appreciate beauty, just like I think our Ayin is the most beautiful man in the world."
Rong Yin blushed, snorted, and said, "Well, actually I also like to hear your sweet words."
Zong Zhengxiao said: "If you like me, I will tell you more in the future."
Rong Yin deliberately said: "You don't have to say too much, just a few hundred sentences a day will be enough."
Zong Zheng Xiao raised his eyebrows: "You heartless little thing, are you really not afraid of exhausting me to death?"
Rong Yin chuckled a few times, patted his shoulder, and said, "Put me down first. Aren't you tired of holding me like this?"
"I'm not tired. I can hold you for as long as I want. Do you want to try?"
"I don't want to fall with you." Rong Yin said, and then said softly, "Just put me down, please, Your Majesty."
"Alright." Zong Zhengxiao put the man down and ruffled his hair. "Look, it would be better if you behave yourself. If you act coquettishly, I will agree to anything you ask for."
Rong Yin didn't believe it: "A man's mouth is a lie, even if you are the emperor."
As he spoke, he walked to the table next to him, picked up the pearl from the leg of the table, and returned.
Zong Zhengxiao said with a smile: "Ayin is also a man, why did you curse yourself as well?"
Rong Yin took Zong Zhengxiao's hand and put the pearl into his hand. She looked up at him and smiled, "But I am more capable of action. This is the first pearl I cried out. I give it to you."
The moment he touched the pearl, Zong Zhengxiao suddenly felt a surge of joy at surviving a catastrophe, as if it were happening to him, but he knew clearly that this was not his emotion.
Zong Zheng looked at Rong Yin in surprise. Rong Yin said, "Do you feel it? This is the special feature of the Mermaid's Tear Pearl."
Zong Zhengxiao said, "I heard that mermaids can turn their tears into pearls, but your tears didn't turn into pearls when you cried before. I thought the legend was false. I didn't expect that tears can really turn into pearls."
"Mermaid tears can turn into pearls, but it requires certain conditions." Rong Yin told Zong Zhengxiao what kind of tears would turn into pearls, and then continued: "The original owner of the mermaid body didn't know either, and I told him."
Zong Zheng Xiao was surprised: "Where did you tell him? Isn't he dead?"
Rong Yin said: "At that time, the Heavenly Dao took me to a special place, where I met the mermaid. He was indeed dead, but I saved him. To be precise, I used conditions to exchange his life with the Heavenly Dao."
Zong Zhengxiao was about to ask Rong Yin what the conditions were when Lu'e's voice suddenly came from outside: "Master, Your Majesty, the food is ready."
The conversation was interrupted, and Zong Zhengxiao became even more curious. He always felt that the so-called condition was not a good thing for Rong Yin.
Rong Yin understood Zong Zhengxiao's expression and coaxed him softly, "There's not enough time. I'll explain it to you in the evening. Let's go eat first."
Zong Zhengxiao also listened and put away his emotions, shaking his head: "You go first, I'll go to the next room to wash up."
He pointed at his face, which looked as emaciated as the homeless man's, and said, "Otherwise, I'm afraid it will affect your appetite."
"Nonsense." Rong Yin knew that Zong Zheng Xiao was trying to make him happy on purpose, but Zong Zheng Xiao became like this because he was worried about him. He didn't even have time to feel heartache, so how could he possibly dislike him?
"Okay, I know you don't mind, but I do. I don't want to be ugly in front of you. Be obedient and go now."
Zong Zhengxiao pushed Rong Yin out of the room. Rong Yin understood his feelings, so she turned around and waved to him, asking him to follow her quickly, and then left with Lu'e.
Lu'e had already tidied up her appearance. Not only did she wash her face and put on new makeup, she also changed into new clothes and combed her hair.
However, she couldn't completely hide her red eyes from crying.
Zong Zhengxiao hadn't arrived yet, so Rong Yin told them to serve the dishes later, and then sat aside to chat with Lu'e and other palace maids.
"In fact, the reason why I suddenly fainted that day was because I was going to evolve."
"Evolution?" Lu'e and others looked at Rong Yin. Now he not only had legs, but the rest of his body was also almost the same as that of humans. If they didn't already know that he was a mermaid, they would probably have mistaken him for a human.
Rong Yin said: "It is just like what you saw. Just like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, I have evolved from a mermaid into a human being and can move more freely on the shore."
The palace people suddenly realized that this was evolution.
Rong Yin continued, "Because in my memory, no merman has ever encountered such a situation, and evolution requires a lot of energy. Just like you will faint when you are very hungry, my energy was used up, so I fell into a coma. I thought I was going to die, so I asked Lu'e to ask His Majesty to come back, so that I could see him one last time."
Rong Yin was talking nonsense in a serious tone. The truth behind it was about ghosts and gods. Rong Yin felt that the fewer people knew about it, the better.
But he needed a reason to faint and turn into a human, so he could only use his storytelling ability.
Lu'e nodded as if she understood, and then asked Rong Yin: "My Lord, how come you suddenly died while His Majesty was holding you today? I touched your wrist and found that you had no pulse. Your Majesty and I were almost scared to death. His Majesty thought he had done something wrong and kept apologizing to you. You looked so pitiful."
Perhaps because she felt it was not nice to talk about the emperor behind his back, she lowered her voice when she said the words "how pitiful".
Rong Yin was stunned when he heard this. He was in a pure white space at that time and had no idea what was happening in reality. After waking up, he saw that Zong Zheng Xiao and Lu E seemed to be about to quarrel. Based on their appearance and conversation, he guessed that he must have been unconscious for several days.
He couldn't even imagine how devastated Zong Zheng Xiao would be when he found out that he might actually be "dead".
If Zong Zheng Xiao died in his arms, he thought, he might go crazy.
It seemed like he had one more thing to talk about with Zong Zheng Xiao tonight.
"Blame me." Rong Yin said guiltily.
Lu'e shook her head: "Master, don't say that. You didn't know this would happen. No one is wrong."
The other palace ladies also responded in unison and comforted Rong Yin.
Rong Yin felt warm in her heart and smiled, "Thank you, especially Lu'e, for never giving up on me no matter what the circumstances."
When Zong Zheng Xiao refused to allow anyone to enter the house, only Lu'e kept thinking of him in her heart. Even though she was afraid of Zong Zheng Xiao, she still mustered up the courage to plead for mercy.
Lu'e's eyes were moist: "Master, you have been so kind to me, I will always remember it in my heart."
It was because Rong Yin treated her sincerely that she would return the favor.
The two smiled at each other, with gratitude in their eyes.
"Ahem." Zong Zhengxiao, who had finished cleaning up, walked over and interrupted the "affectionate eye contact" between the two.
"You're here." Rong Yin said happily.
"Thank you for waiting for me, Ayin." Zong Zhengxiao smiled brightly at Rong Yin, pulled him to sit at the table, and said to Si Xi, "The food can be served."
The chef and the palace maids were very quick, and soon the table was filled with carefully prepared dishes, all of which were indeed cooked according to the two's tastes.
Zong Zhengxiao took a shower, changed his clothes, and shaved off his blue stubble. However, no matter how neatly he groomed himself, it couldn't hide the haggard look on his face.
Thinking back to what Lu'e had just said, he felt even more sorry for Zong Zheng Xiao.
Rong Yin was just about to pick up some food for Zong Zheng Xiao, but Zong Zheng Xiao held the bowl and fed the food to his mouth, just like he did before.
Rong Yin watched his movements and showed her hands with distinct fingers to Zong Zheng Xiao: "I don't need to bother you to feed me anymore. I can eat by myself."
Zong Zhengxiao's smiling face immediately fell. He did not withdraw his hand, nor did he say anything. He just stared at Rong Yin eagerly.
It seems like if you don't let me feed you, I will fight with you today.
Rong Yin explained: "I just worry that you will be tired. I had no choice but to do it because my hands were not convenient. Now you can be free."
"Ayin, are you really stupid or are you just pretending to be stupid?" Zong Zhengxiao said, "Do you think I feed you just because your hands are inconvenient? Then why don't I let others feed you? Just because you have transformed into a human form, you are alienated from me, right?"
Zong Zhengxiao's expression seemed to be saying: You are a big scumbag who has unconventional ideas!
Rong Yin: “…”
My Lord! I am innocent!
"Don't say anything. I asked you to feed me, isn't that enough?" Rong Yin compromised and obediently opened her mouth to take the food that Zong Zhengxiao fed her.
Zong Zhengxiao was satisfied: "That's pretty good."
Feeding a pet is one thing, and feeding your wife is also one thing, and feeding your wife makes him happier.
However, Rong Yin was not just waiting for Zong Zheng Xiao to feed her. Since he had evolved two hands, they could not be wasted.
So they fed each other, and before they were full, the palace servants who were watching nearby had already finished their meals.
Si Xi stepped forward and reminded, "Your Majesty, before the imperial physician left, he asked me to tell you that you haven't eaten in the past few days. You should eat less for the first meal after you resume eating, otherwise it will easily upset your stomach."
Zong Zhengxiao gave him a cold look: "You're so long-winded."
"I know I was wrong." Si Xi understood that Zong Zheng Xiao was not blaming him for being too talkative, but was just afraid that Rong Yin would feel guilty after hearing it.
But Si Xi felt that since His Majesty had paid for Rong Yin, Rong Yin should know. Keeping this secret would only do harm to the relationship.
Just like Lu'e is on Rong Yin's side, he is Zong Zheng Xiao's man, so naturally he is on Zong Zheng Xiao's side too.
Zong Zhengxiao was well aware of Si Xi's painstaking efforts, but those hardships were his own to endure and had nothing to do with Rong Yin, so Rong Yin should not be made to bear the consequences.
Seeing Rong Yin's expression was not right, Zong Zhengxiao quickly held his hand and comforted him, "I'm not as miserable as you think. Don't take all the responsibility on yourself. Got it?"
Rong Yin hummed softly, but Zong Zheng Xiao felt that he did not hear what he said.
After the meal, Zong Zhengxiao took Rong Yin for a few laps in the yard to help digest the food. After being able to walk on his own legs again, Rong Yin's steps became much more lively.
Later, Zong Zheng dismissed the palace people and soaked in the bathtub with Rong Yin.
The water temperature in the bathtub was just right, and Rong Yin turned around in the water and turned back into a mermaid.
Zong Zheng Xiao was curious: "Does it change when it touches water, or is it under your control?"
Rong Yinyou said to Zong Zhengxiao: "When I am full of energy, you are under my control. Otherwise, you may turn back into a mermaid on land, or turn into a human in water."
Zong Zhengxiao took his hand, pulled him into his arms, and held up his face to examine it carefully.
Rong Yin tilted her head, resting her cheek against his palm, and asked with a wicked smile, "Can you tell that it's different from the previous body?"
"I didn't see it..." Zong Zhengxiao said these words slowly. As expected, Rong Yin's face changed, but Zong Zhengxiao immediately said, "I was lying to you."
Rong Yin was angry: "You tease me again."
Zong Zhengxiao's eyes were extremely gentle. "I watch you day and night, how could I not notice the difference? Even though we are both mermaids, you and that person are different."
He stroked Rong Yin's face gently and said, "That guy's appearance is more like that of a young boy, while you have a bit more maturity of a young person. His eyes are slightly upturned, while yours are flatter. His pupils are like the vast and boundless sea, while yours are like the blue and distant sky. His lips are habitually raised, while you have a bit more bitterness..."
In Zong Zhengxiao's eyes, the difference between the two was so obvious. He stroked Rong Yin's skin and said affirmatively: "Your new body is a fusion of your original body, right?"
A person's facial features are not fixed at birth. Their acquired life will also have an impact on their facial features. Whether they are happy or unhappy, whether they are depressed or carefree, will all be reflected on their face. Even if they deliberately pretend, they cannot erase some traces of stubbornness.
Rong Yin's unfinished "suicide note" clearly explained what he had experienced before he traveled through time.
He has no parents, grew up in an orphanage, and was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the best age of his life. He could only watch helplessly as death came.
It's not that all people who have a hard life will have a miserable face, but Rong Yin has suffered too much, so much that his heart can no longer contain it. When he is not paying attention, it seeps out from his limbs and stains his eyes and eyebrows.
Rong Yin nodded: "Yes, after obtaining his consent, Tiandao used my original body to integrate all the characteristics of the mermaids and reshaped a new body for me."
Rong Yin's identity as a mermaid is deeply rooted in people's hearts. If she suddenly can only appear in human form, it will definitely arouse suspicion from those who are interested, so Tiandao came up with this method.
Zong Zhengxiao said, "He was a kind and innocent merman. I am partly responsible for his death in a foreign land. If you bring him back to life, it will be like paying off my debt."
If King Jing had not wanted to please him, the mermaid would not have been sent to the capital.
Rong Yin said, "He has now been sent back home by the Heavenly Dao. Before he left, he told me some things, including that he didn't hate you or me, but only hated those bad guys who took advantage of his kindness to capture him and tortured him."
In the pure white space, two souls from other worlds met. They had almost identical faces, and with the help of the Heavenly Dao, they expressed their gratitude to each other in different languages.
Rong Yin thanked the original owner for not minding him using his body, and the original owner thanked Rong Yin for spending a lot of merit to save him and send him back to his hometown.
Only after seeing the original owner return to the sea with his own eyes did Rong Yin leave the pure white space.
"I promised him that I would punish those bad guys who cheated and bullied him. Didn't you say before that you would reward me for providing me with knowledge? Count this in your reward and help me fulfill my promise."
"I will take care of this matter, but it will not be counted in your reward. On the contrary, I still owe you. It's just a lesson for a few people, which is not as important as you saving his life."
Rong Yin understood that Zong Zhengxiao also felt guilty towards the original owner, so in order to make him feel relieved, she agreed.
"Then I'll do as you say."
"Very good." Zong Zhengxiao praised sincerely.
Rong Yin glanced at him and asked awkwardly, "Do you think I am not as pretty now as I was before?"
The original owner was extremely handsome, and Rong Yin felt that he could not compare to him. He did not care about appearance, but whether Zong Zhengxiao would like him.
Zong Zhengxiao knew that Rong Yin had some inferiority complex, so he did not joke like before. Instead, he stared into his eyes and said sincerely: "I like you, no matter what you look like, even if you completely change your appearance, as long as you are still you, my heart will only belong to you."
Rong Yin blushed at what he said: "You're so corny."
Zong Zhengxiao then laughed: "Do you like my cornyness? Don't lie, I want to hear the truth."
Rong Yin hugged Zong Zhengxiao's neck and smiled brightly: "I like you. I like you very, very much. From now on, you can only be mushy to me."
"It's not impossible, but..." Zong Zhengxiao pointed at his face, "I've already agreed to your request, so it's not too much to give me a little sweetness."
Rong Yin was no longer shy, and went up to him and smacked him. After that, she asked Zong Zheng Xiao, "Is it sweet?"
Zong Zhengxiao's eyes sparkled, and he hugged Rong Yin tightly, saying cheerfully, "Very sweet, almost to deathly sweet. My Rong Yin is the sweetest in the world."
Rong Yin also hugged Zong Zheng Xiao, smiling so hard that her teeth were showing.
Afterwards, Zong Zhengxiao carefully asked Rong Yin what happened after he fell into a coma, and what conditions he agreed to from the Heavenly Dao in order to resurrect the merman?
Rong Yin knew that Zong Zheng Xiao would know it sooner or later, and given their current relationship, it would not be good for him to hide it from Zong Zheng Xiao, so he told him everything that happened in the pure white space and every conversation between him and Tian Dao.
Hearing that Rong Yin had actually used a large amount of merit in exchange for resurrecting the merman and keeping him by his side, Zong Zhengxiao was shocked and distressed, and for a moment he didn't know how to react.
Logically, he felt that it was not worth it for Rong Yin to do this, but emotionally, if Rong Yin had not chosen to stay, they would have been separated forever and he would have regretted it for the rest of his life.
After Rong Yin finished speaking, she looked at Zong Zheng Xiao nervously, and found that his face was livid. She thought he was angry, so she whispered, "You can't scold me."
"Silly Ayin, why would I scold you? I am the one who should be scolded." Zong Zhengxiao's throat tightened, his eyes were sour, and he said hoarsely: "I, Zong Zhengxiao, am not worthy of you giving up so many things just to stay with me. If I am not here, you will only live a better life."
Rong Yin shook her head: "You are wrong. Without you, I would not have accumulated so much merit. Besides, as long as I like you, it doesn't matter whether it is worth it or not. Even if there is no merit, I will cling to you for the rest of my life even if I become a ghost."
"It turns out that our Ayin also wants to try out a human-ghost love affair. I'll try it with you some other day." Zong Zhengxiao wanted to act more relaxed, but when he thought of what Rong Yin had lost, he couldn't laugh.
"Ayin." Zong Zhengxiao held Rongyin's hand and swore solemnly: "I swear on my life and the fate of the entire Zongzheng family that I will only love Rongyin in this life and will only have him as my partner. I will do my best to treat him well. If I violate this promise, I will accept the punishment of heaven."
Rong Yin did not stop Zong Zheng Xiao, but let him finish all the oaths, because this would not only appease Zong Zheng Xiao's feeling of indebtedness to Rong Yin, but also give Rong Yin a sense of security to gain a foothold in the other world.
He and Zong Zhengxiao will be entangled together throughout their lives, until death.
Rong Yin said fiercely: "I will not regret my choice today, but I will supervise you on behalf of the Heavenly Dao. If you dare to betray me, I will kill you first, and then commit suicide and reincarnate!"
Zong Zheng Xiao said: "I still want to spend the rest of my life with A Yin, so I won't give you this opportunity."
"Slippery tongue." Rong Yin scolded, then changed the subject: "Okay, I've told you everything about me. You have to tell me everything you did during the days I was unconscious. If I find out that you dare to hide anything, I will leave the palace and don't want you anymore."
To Zong Zheng Xiao, Rong Yin's last words were no different from asking for his life, and he had originally intended to confess everything to Rong Yin, but after hearing what Rong Yin said, he prepared to speak in more detail.
From discovering the half-written "suicide note" left by Rong Yin, to guarding him day and night without eating or drinking, to absenting himself from court for many days, to refusing to meet with ministers, to ordering imperial doctors to take turns treating him, to Rong Yin's previous body being taken away by Heaven, he suffered a mental breakdown and almost pierced his left hand with a jade hairpin.
If it weren't for the timely reminder from Heaven, one of Zong Zhengxiao's hands would have been destroyed.
At the same time, Zong Zhengxiao's experience was more "thrilling" than Rong Yin's. When Rong Yin heard that Zong Zhengxiao almost hurt himself, he subconsciously held his left hand and held it tightly in his arms.
Zong Zhengxiao patted his head and said, "It's all in the past, Ayin, don't worry about it."
"How can I not care?" Rong Yin leaned on Zong Zhengxiao's chest, his expression weak: "I almost hurt you."
"You were complaining about me before, but now you are blaming yourself?" Zong Zhengxiao poked Rong Yin's mouth with his finger and said with a smile: "I hope A Yin can be happy every day. If you are frowning, you are really sorry for the suffering I have suffered these days."
Hearing this, Rong Yin tried to raise the corners of his lips, but his eyes were still a little sad.
Love is like this. You are afraid that the other person will not give enough for you, but you are also afraid that the other person will give too much and live too hard.
Zong Zhengxiao raised his hands and rubbed Rong Yin's face, trying to pull him out of his negative emotions, so he deliberately showed a nonsensical expression, "Instead of spending time here thinking about how much you owe me, why not take some practical actions to repay me."
Rong Yin looked at him: "What do you want in return?"
"I won't tell you yet." Zong Zhengxiao picked up Rong Yin and walked out of the bathtub, striding towards the bed.
Rong Yin looked at him in surprise: "You don't mean to..."
Zong Zhengxiao smiled but said nothing.
Rong Yin swallowed nervously, thinking that Zong Zheng Xiao was going to tease him again, but he was also afraid that he would really do it: "Although I don't mind doing it with you, wouldn't it be too hasty to complete our first time tonight?"
Zong Zhengxiao still didn't say anything.
Rong Yin was anxious: "Zong Zhengxiao, if you don't say anything, I will use the family rules!"
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