Chapter 144

Lin Feng looked at her in surprise. “You participated in the plan too?”

Ye Gui nodded and calmly recounted, “Back then, all of us mermaids who came ashore took part in this plan. My main job was to pass along the country’s intentions ahead of time, so my companions could make preparations.”

“To make things more convenient, they chose the role of the Ye family’s youngest daughter for me. The Ye family served as aides to the founding fathers, so being part of the Ye family let me access all sorts of secrets.” Ye Gui continued, “In truth, that identity made a lot of my work much easier.”

“What about Chen Huijun, then…”

“She wasn’t in my original plans.” Ye Gui said to Lin Feng, “We grew up together in the same large compound, our parents were acquaintances, and we went from childhood friends to adults. Later, our parents saw we were a good match and encouraged us. Chen Huijun had feelings for me as well, so we got married quite naturally.”

Ye Gui smiled gently. “The days after our marriage were truly the happiest stretch of my past few centuries. I even thought about bearing a child for her. But human genes couldn’t make me conceive, and after countless checks, we found no solution. With Huijun so busy at work later on, we eventually let go of the idea of having a child.”

After saying this, she glanced at Lin Feng’s swollen belly and said with envy, “To have your own little fish with Zhao Shuqing is a truly lucky thing.”

Lin Feng nodded vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly with Ye Gui. She caressed her belly, feeling the babies kicking energetically inside, tumbling this way and that. It was a bit taxing, but she could endure it.

“How long do children born from humans and mermaids live?” Lin Feng gazed down at her belly, her brows lowered. “If the immortality enzyme is real, I hope they—and Zhao Shuqing—can stay with me forever.”

Ye Gui watched Lin Feng, the soft overhead light bathing her in a gentle glow that stirred something in Ye Gui’s heart.

She knew all too well how fleeting human lives were, barely a quarter as long as a mermaid’s. Loving a human meant spending most of one’s days alone thereafter.

Ye Gui took her hand and whispered, “Your wish will come true.”

The Spring Festival arrived before long. Though the mermaid crisis was still the talk of the town, traditional holidays demanded celebration. The city remained under lockdown, requiring identity checks for entry and exit, but the mermaid test paper made it straightforward enough.

On New Year’s Eve, the villa buzzed with unusual liveliness. Chen Huijun was a bigwig, after all, and even before the holiday, well-wishers had streamed in nonstop with gifts. Zhao Shuqing held Lin Feng close as they stood on the second-floor balcony, peering down at cars of every size queuing up to pull in. The spectacle was nothing short of grand.

Lin Feng had never witnessed anything like it and assumed every household marked the new year this way. Only after Zhao Shuqing explained did she understand the visitors weren’t there for them, but for Chen Huijun.

“No worries,” Lin Feng said kindly, patting Zhao Shuqing’s arm. “Someday, you’ll have crowds bringing gifts to you too.”

Zhao Shuqing thanked her for the thought.

Yet on New Year’s Eve itself, not a single car appeared at the gate. The quiet was a stark contrast to the preceding days.

Zhao Shuqing was in the kitchen helping Auntie with the cooking. Glancing at the empty living room, she asked, “What happened to all those gift-bringers? Where’d they go?”

Auntie was rinsing a basin of delivered crabs. She smiled at Zhao Shuqing. “Commissioner Chen put a stop to it. She posted people at the neighborhood entrance today—no gifts allowed through. Soldiers are stationed at the gate too, turning away anyone unfamiliar.”

A single road led from the standalone villa to the main thoroughfare, guarded by sentries. Zhao Shuqing craned her neck from the kitchen doorway and spotted them waving off a white sedan. No amount of pleading helped; the car was sent packing.

Zhao Shuqing frowned in confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Commissioner Chen wants some peace and quiet—no crowds today.” Auntie turned the cleaned crabs belly-up in the steamer, topped each with a slice of ginger, sealed the lid, and lit the fire.

As Zhao Shuqing puzzled it over, noise drifted from outside the kitchen. She wiped her hands and stepped out, spotting Lin Feng right away at the basement door, peeking in with shining eyes.

Moments later, a nurse helped Ye Gui up from below. She looked radiant today—cheeks rosy, full of vigor. She made a beeline for Lin Feng, looped an arm through hers, and guided her to the sofa for a rest.

Auntie peeked out and smiled at Zhao Shuqing. “Dr. Zhao, why don’t you bring over some fruit? I can manage the kitchen on my own.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded, gathered the fruit, and carried it across.

She’d just set it down when the two mermaids began murmuring together.

Lin Feng asked, “How’d you come upstairs? Did the doctor approve?”

Ye Gui smiled. “It’s the new year—I wanted some fresh air. The doctor even encouraged more walks.”

Lin Feng cocked her head. “What’s the new year?”

She still didn’t grasp why humans made such a fuss over it.

Zhao Shuqing arranged the washed fruit before them and explained to Lin Feng, “It’s a holiday. Everyone busy all year gathers with family, spends a few days in pure joy.”

Lin Feng turned. “Every year?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zhao Shuqing nodded. “Every single year.”

Lin Feng furrowed her brow and muttered, “Humans are so much trouble…”

Ye Gui laughed, drawing Lin Feng into hushed talk of the little fishes. Lin Feng listened intently, ears perked, chiming in now and then with a grin. Their rapport was warm and easy.

Chen Huijun returned at noon. Stepping inside to the lively scene gave her pause, almost like a dream. She took in Ye Gui and Lin Feng chatting in the living room, the table laden with Auntie’s dishes, savory aromas filling the house.

Spotting her wife, Ye Gui rose and approached.

“You’re back?” She stood in the doorway as always, greeting her softly with concern. “Busy at the ministry? Even on New Year’s Eve?”

Chen Huijun hesitated, then met her eyes. “Had a meeting this morning. Off for the afternoon—seven days’ holiday after.” She clasped her wife’s hand and murmured, “We always vacationed at the beach every year. Want to this time?”

Ye Gui glanced back at Lin Feng and Zhao Shuqing in the living room, then whispered to her, “This year, I’d like to spend it at home.”

“Alright.” Chen Huijun squeezed her hand. “Home it is, then.”

The four gathered round the table, exchanging new year’s blessings. Lin Feng, unfamiliar with human customs, followed Zhao Shuqing’s lead in toasting tea to Chen Huijun and Ye Gui. Lunch was piled high with seafood—right up Lin Feng’s alley—so she overindulged and ended up bloated.

Zhao Shuqing led her to the yard to bask in the sun, gently rubbing her belly while chiding her lightly not to eat so much next time.

Watching the tender pair in the sunlight, Chen Huijun turned to Ye Gui and took her hand.

“The doctor says you’re recovering splendidly.” Chen Huijun brushed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Sleep in our room from now on.”

Ye Gui murmured agreement, then gazed at the yard, nestling against her wife. “If we’d had a child back then, they’d be that age now, wouldn’t they?”

Chen Huijun’s expression wavered, eyes shadowed with complexity.

Ye Gui sensed her hesitation and turned. “What is it? Trouble at the meeting today?”

Chen Huijun didn’t hold back.

“The meeting announced the leadership’s decision.” She said, “They’ve rejected the mermaids’ terms and plan to deport them all after the holiday.”

Ye Gui’s pupils widened a fraction, her gaze shifting to Lin Feng.

Lin Feng sat with Zhao Shuqing in the chairs, soaking up the sun, oblivious to the eyes upon her from behind.

“What about me and Lin Feng…”

“Don’t worry.”

Chen Huijun whispered, “I won’t let either of you be forced out.”

News of the mermaid deportations exploded across society, seizing everyone’s attention. The Spring Festival had already felt tense; this brought universal acclaim.

Some lit fireworks in celebration, unfurling banners in the plazas: [Deport the Mermaids], [Blood Debts Demand Blood Repayment], and the like.

Zhao Shuqing scrolled through the deluge of online vitriol, her brow knitted tight.

Lin Feng remained in the dark. Deep into her pregnancy now, outings were risky. Post-holiday, she stuck close to home, venturing downstairs only for brief strolls. Once she nearly slipped on a misstep—saved only by Zhao Shuqing’s steady grip.

After that, Zhao Shuqing forbade her from going out.

The announcement spurred Zhao Shuqing to seek out Chen Huijun at once. Fortunately, neither couple had left town; Chen Huijun was in her study.

“Commissioner Chen.” Zhao Shuqing knocked, then poked her head in. “May I discuss something with you?”

Chen Huijun glanced up from her papers and set aside her fountain pen. “Come in, have a seat.”

Zhao Shuqing seldom entered this room. It evoked a classic Chinese office—stout furniture in custom redwood finishes, as if an official bureau had been transplanted indoors.

It was Chen Huijun’s home, though; she held her tongue.

Once seated, Zhao Shuqing voiced her concern. “What’s the official line from above? Deporting the mermaids—back to the sea? And the ones who killed, who committed crimes—what of them?”

“The mermaids are under specialized departmental oversight now. Even I can’t give you details.” Chen Huijun replied, “Rest easy, though. The deportations won’t touch Lin Feng. Let her rest here through delivery; I’ll arrange a proper human identity for her afterward.”

Relief washed over Zhao Shuqing at Lin Feng’s exemption, though worry lingered.

“I’m afraid of retaliation from the mermaids.” She confided in Chen Huijun. “And other countries—they want the immortality enzyme too. It…”

“No one knows if the immortality enzyme even works—we can’t upend policy on Xu Tang’s say-so alone.” Chen Huijun said evenly. “Let other nations chase it if they must. We watch, we wait.”