Gu Yao was on the verge of tears, but fortunately Xu Tang wasn’t truly trying to grill her about whether she liked Zhao Shuqing. After posing the question, Xu Tang promptly started a video call. Zhao Shuqing must have been waiting for it, because she picked up almost immediately.
The moment the familiar face appeared on the screen, Gu Yao’s eyes turned red. “Zhao Shuqing, thank goodness you’re still alive!”
You’re alive, sure, but I’m the one about to die here.
See the desperate look in my eyes?
Save me, quick!
Gu Yao pulled out all the stops, making frantic faces at Zhao Shuqing through the video, but Zhao Shuqing’s expression looked even worse. Particularly when she spotted Gu Yao right there beside Xu Tang—her gaze darkened in an instant.
“Gu Yao?” Zhao Shuqing furrowed her brow in confusion. “What are you doing there?”
Gu Yao wished she knew why she was stuck in this situation herself. She didn’t belong here. She belonged under a bus.
“I…” Gu Yao started to say, but Xu Tang cut her off. Xu Tang spoke to Zhao Shuqing in that same calm, detached tone. “Long time no see, Shuqing. Settling in okay overseas?”
Zhao Shuqing’s face was grim as she stared intently at Xu Tang. “Don’t you know better than anyone how I’m doing abroad? You’re the one who kept me from coming home, right? You got Teacher Shen to send me overseas, then made your move on Lin Feng.”
Gu Yao whipped her head toward the woman beside her in shock. “You made a move on Lin Feng?”
Xu Tang shot her a glance before replying to Zhao Shuqing. “She’s a lab subject to begin with. Everything we’ve done in our experiments poses no threat to her life. Why keep getting in the way?”
Xu Tang added, “She’s not even the same species as you.”
Zhao Shuqing ground her molars in frustration. But with Gu Yao right there beside Xu Tang, watching them trade cryptic remarks with a blank look on her face, Zhao Shuqing figured Xu Tang hadn’t told her about the mermaid thing yet.
If Gu Yao learned Xu Tang was a mermaid, she’d be in real danger. Xu Tang could devour her at any moment.
Zhao Shuqing suspected that’s exactly why Xu Tang had dragged Gu Yao into this video call—to make a point.
“How’s Lin Feng doing?” Xu Tang asked casually, like they were just chatting with a friend. “Is her body holding up? It’s not easy crossing an ocean. Have you been treating her well?”
“Lin Feng is mine. Of course I’m treating her well.” Zhao Shuqing’s tone was displeased. “You’re the one who owes her an apology.”
Xu Tang neither confirmed nor denied it. She fell silent for a few seconds, studying Zhao Shuqing, then suddenly asked, “Did you get the gift I sent you two?”
Zhao Shuqing blinked in surprise. “What gift?”
Now it was Xu Tang’s turn to be taken aback. “You don’t know?”
“Know what?” Zhao Shuqing frowned. “What did you do this time?”
Xu Tang seemed to piece something together. That silly little fish must have misunderstood the situation and kept the truth from her.
Somehow, it was kind of cute.
“I’ve done plenty,” Xu Tang said with a light laugh. “Ask Lin Feng about the details. She knows.”
Zhao Shuqing’s frown deepened.
Xu Tang pressed on. “Do you want me to apologize now, or wait until you’re back in the country? Either works for me. Up to you.”
Zhao Shuqing rolled her eyes and tossed out, “Apologize on live stream,” before abruptly ending the video call.
Gu Yao blinked. “Hey?”
What about me?
I didn’t even get a word in!
Xu Tang watched the call disconnect, then turned to Gu Yao. Spotting the stunned expression on her face, she asked, “What’s wrong? Zhao Shuqing didn’t talk to you, and now you’re upset?”
Gu Yao waved her hands frantically. “No, no! Shuqing already said hi to me. Seeing her safe and sound is enough.”
“Oh.” Xu Tang fixed her with a stare. “Seeing her unharmed puts your mind at ease, huh?”
Gu Yao hesitated. “…”
She averted her gaze and blurted, “Hey, we’re out of tissues by the bed. Used up at lunch. Bathroom’s probably empty too. Where do you keep the tissues around here? Weird—your second floor barely gets used, not that many rooms, but stuff’s impossible to find.”
Grumbling all the way, Gu Yao retreated, ducking into the nearby laundry room. Xu Tang watched her tactical withdrawal without calling her out. She merely glanced at her phone screen, at the chat window with Zhao Shuqing.
There was a new message from Zhao Shuqing—just five words: 【Don’t hurt Gu Yao】
Xu Tang’s lips curved into a smile as she closed the chat.
Meanwhile, Zhao Shuqing clutched her phone, gazing at the still-sleeping Lin Feng with a furrowed brow.
When they’d first arrived, Lin Feng had been covered in cuts and bruises big and small. She’d complained that they came from fights with dolphins, sharks, and orcas in the sea. But she hadn’t gone into detail about how she’d escaped the oceanarium.
From what Xu Tang had just implied, it sounded like she’d done something to Lin Feng.
What exactly?
That tone suggested Lin Feng knew.
But why hadn’t she told Zhao Shuqing?
Zhao Shuqing watched Lin Feng curled up in a cozy circle around her. She wanted to wake her and get answers, but Lin Feng was sleeping so deeply for once. After hesitating for a moment, she let her keep sleeping.
By the time Lin Feng stirred awake, night had fully fallen outside. The room was unlit, save for the pale glow from the laptop screen, which caught Lin Feng by surprise.
She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Spotting the dark figure on the sofa, she tilted her head and realized a blanket had been draped over her at some point. Zhao Shuqing’s clothes were all piled underneath, warm and toasty.
“Zhao Shuqing?”
Lin Feng clambered down from the bed and approached the sofa chair. Seeing Zhao Shuqing propped up with her head in her hands, seemingly asleep, Lin Feng hurried over with the blanket and piled it on her all at once.
Zhao Shuqing hadn’t been deeply asleep. Lin Feng’s fussing woke her right up.
She lifted her head, meeting Lin Feng’s eyes. Lin Feng stared blankly for a few seconds, then broke into a goofy smile. “Did I wake you?”
“No.” Zhao Shuqing took Lin Feng’s hand and gently rubbed her fingertips. She glanced down and asked, “Why are they so cold? Did you get chilled?”
“Not cold.” Lin Feng smiled at her. “I just woke up—I’m all warm now. When did you get back? Why didn’t you wake me? Why sleep on the sofa instead of the bed? The bed…” She glanced back and saw it piled high with Zhao Shuqing’s clothes. Her face flushed bright red. Stumbling over her words, she added, “Sorry. I messed up your clothes.”
Zhao Shuqing reached out, pulling Lin Feng into her arms. She wrapped her up in the blanket like a pale, fluffy rice dumpling. Under Lin Feng’s surprised gaze, she hugged her tight.
“Zhao Shuqing…?”
“Just let me hold you for a bit.”
Zhao Shuqing buried her face in the crook of Lin Feng’s neck. “My head hurts a little. Holding you will make it better.”
Lin Feng didn’t know what was going on, but she could tell Zhao Shuqing was troubled. So she willingly played the role of a body pillow, letting Zhao Shuqing hold her close.
“Lin Feng.”
After a long while, Zhao Shuqing finally spoke. “Did Xu Tang… do something to you?”
Lin Feng turned to look at her.
Meeting those dark eyes, Lin Feng’s heart inexplicably clenched.
Did she know?
“I…”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Zhao Shuqing’s voice was low. “You’ve hidden plenty from me already. I don’t want you lying about this too.” She paused for two seconds before asking again, “Did Xu Tang do something to you?”
Lin Feng hesitated, then nodded.
Zhao Shuqing’s suspicions were confirmed. Frowning, she asked, “What did she do?”
“I don’t know.” Lin Feng was bundled up tight, her small face muffled in the blanket. “I woke up on an operating table. I just remember them saying they were going to implant something in me. I knocked them out and ran. No idea if they got it in…”
Lin Feng thought for a moment and added, “Probably not. I can feel it.”
Zhao Shuqing wasn’t entirely convinced. Frowning, she said, “It’s too late tonight. Tomorrow we’ll go to the hospital for a checkup. That way I can relax.”
“But I’m fine.” Lin Feng poked her head out and nuzzled Zhao Shuqing’s cheek with her soft one. In a fluffy voice, she said, “I just missed you. Really, nothing’s wrong.”
“Whether there’s anything wrong or not, we’ll get checked first.” Zhao Shuqing leaned down and kissed Lin Feng’s forehead. “Tomorrow after the checkup, we’ll go shopping. You haven’t seen this place yet. I’ll show you some new sights.”
The promise of heading out shopping lit Lin Feng up with excitement. “We haven’t gone out in forever! Is there hotpot around here? Milk tea? I want grilled sausage too.”
Zhao Shuqing pondered seriously for a moment before saying uncertainly, “Not sure, but hotpot should be over in Chinatown. Let me search.”
Zhao Shuqing reached for the laptop, and Lin Feng settled into her lap. Worried Zhao Shuqing might be cold, Lin Feng spread the blanket out to cover them both.
The map search turned up several hotpot spots, complete with photos and reviews. Zhao Shuqing picked one close to the hospital and called ahead to reserve a table.
Now Lin Feng didn’t have to hide in a wheelchair anymore. She could finally sit openly at the same table as Zhao Shuqing.
“Hotpot and then milk tea.” Lin Feng leaned back in Zhao Shuqing’s arms, tilting her head up. “Mango Pomelo Sago.”
Zhao Shuqing chuckled, still wrapped in the blanket. “Let me see if they have your Mango Pomelo Sago.”
Sure enough, a popular chain from back home had a branch nearby. Lin Feng beamed.
With the hospital appointment set and hotpot reserved, Zhao Shuqing wrapped an arm around Lin Feng’s waist. Fondling the soft flesh on her belly, she murmured, “Have you gained weight? Feels like you’ve got a little tummy now.”
Lin Feng’s eyes went wide. She snuck a hand under the blanket to poke her own stomach.
It did pooch out a bit.
“No.” Lin Feng stubbornly denied it. “I haven’t gained weight. I couldn’t possibly.”
She was an elegant, beautiful mermaid. She had abs, not a belly pooch.
Lin Feng was furious. She wanted to manifest her tail right then and show Zhao Shuqing—she absolutely did not have a little belly.
Ya know Xu Tang might actually believe this was a gift to them, maybe a little bit.