Chapter 16

Lin Feng looked quite fierce, but she seemed awfully sensitive to pain—one little bite to the tongue and her eyes brimmed with tears. Zhao Shuqing wanted to laugh, yet she didn’t dare.

She couldn’t afford to anger this lord of the oceans, or she herself would be done for.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Zhao Shuqing said. She reached out with a finger to gently touch the wound. The bright red blood clung to her fingertip, seeping straight into her fingerprints, though Zhao Shuqing didn’t notice. She only felt, in a daze, how soft and hot Lin Feng’s tongue was.

It had been cool back in the water, so why was it so warm now?

Zhao Shuqing pinched Lin Feng’s tongue and felt it carefully. She was worried that after several days of roughing it outdoors with her, Lin Feng might fall ill again. Such a high body temperature could be dangerous for a fish like her.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Zhao Shuqing asked softly. “Have these past few days worn you out? If your body feels off, you have to let me know. Even if you can’t understand me, you can rely on me for everything.”

With her tongue still lolling out, Lin Feng felt Zhao Shuqing’s finger stirring in her mouth. Blood rushed straight to her head.

Her mouth felt uncomfortable from the prodding. Lin Feng’s eyes reddened as she let out a couple of pitiful whimpers. She tried to pull away in protest, but Zhao Shuqing—afraid something might really be wrong—wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close.

“Don’t move.”

Zhao Shuqing’s voice was low.

Lin Feng lifted her head and stared at the face so close to hers. Zhao Shuqing’s hands gripped her waist tightly, rubbing against the scales there. Her tongue was still trapped outside her mouth, leaving her no choice but to squeeze her eyes shut and tremble faintly.

Was this… her way of initiating something more intimate?

Zhao Shuqing watched the docile Lin Feng and realized her concern might have been unnecessary after all. The small bite wound healed in just seconds under the aid of saliva, as if it had never been there.

How miraculous.

Zhao Shuqing pinched Lin Feng’s tongue between her fingers and examined the spot, now marked only by a faint white trace. She rubbed it with her thumb and murmured, “Lin Feng, you’re incredible.”

With self-healing like this, no wonder mermaids could live four or five centuries.

Hearing Zhao Shuqing call her name, Lin Feng’s lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Those obsidian-bright black eyes crashed into her vision. Lin Feng froze all over, then hurriedly shoved the woman away. Her face burned so hot she wanted to dive into the nearest river right then.

Only when she was pushed back did Zhao Shuqing realize just how suggestive her actions had been—holding the girl in her arms and toying with her tongue for several long minutes.

Like some kind of pervert.

“S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Zhao Shuqing explained in a rush. “I was just worried you’d gotten sick. Your temperature’s much higher than when you first came ashore. Heatstroke, maybe?”

Lin Feng couldn’t understand Zhao Shuqing’s words even if she wanted to right now. All she craved was to plunge into the water.

Zhao Shuqing cooed and soothed her for ages, but Lin Feng refused to acknowledge her. Helpless, Zhao Shuqing rubbed her forehead. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the wheelchair she’d just bought. She leaped up, wheeled it over, and said to Lin Feng, “Lin Feng, look—this is the ride I got you.”

Lin Feng slowly raised her head at the words.

Zhao Shuqing patted the wheelchair’s cushion. “The moment I saw this wheelchair, I knew it was perfect for you. Your tail stands out too much right now. We’ll need a little camouflage, then we can head to Liang Yue’s together.”

She pulled a sleep dress from the bag and held it up to Lin Feng. “This is your skirt. In human society, you have to wear clothes. I also bought a blanket to cover your fish tail. Once you’re in the wheelchair and I’m pushing you, most people won’t notice anything off—they’ll just think you have some disability in your lower body.”

After gesturing for what felt like forever and helping Lin Feng into the clothes, Zhao Shuqing saw she was still dazed. With a bend at the waist, she simply scooped up the Mermaid Miss.

Lin Feng clutched Zhao Shuqing’s shoulders in fright as the researcher settled her into the wheelchair. She shook out the blanket and draped it over that dazzling fish tail. Lin Feng more or less understood her intent now.

Zhao Shuqing adjusted the blanket, making sure not a hint of the little tail peeked out. Satisfied, she snapped her fingers.

“Looking good.”

Lin Feng glanced down at the fuzzy blanket over her legs, then up at Zhao Shuqing. She echoed, “Looking good.”

Zhao Shuqing doubled over laughing. “Haha, you think so too, huh? I do as well. At least we’ll have a safe trip back—no one will bother us along the way.”

Lin Feng got the gist and nodded at her.

“But honestly,” Zhao Shuqing said, stepping in front of the wheelchair. She crouched down and caressed Lin Feng’s cheek, her voice soft. “On the boat, I could really feel that you were a mermaid. But now that we’re on land, you seem more and more human.”

The cheek beneath her hand no longer felt icy cold; it was as warm as any normal person’s. With the simple camouflage on top, Lin Feng looked even more like one of them.

Zhao Shuqing shook her head sharply, banishing the unrealistic thoughts from her mind.

A mermaid was a mermaid. No matter how humanlike, she could never truly be one.

Lin Feng was a national treasure—the Mermaid Project’s key, and only, research subject. Zhao Shuqing couldn’t afford the slightest lapse in care.

Lin Feng’s gemlike eyes watched her calmly. It took real effort for Zhao Shuqing to tear her gaze away; any longer and she might have lost herself completely. She stood abruptly and began packing their things, ready to follow Liang Yue’s map to find her.

Pushing the wheelchair through the desolate little town, Lin Feng peered around curiously, just like Zhao Shuqing. Everything caught her eye.

Zhao Shuqing took in the surroundings. Most of the houses were decayed beyond recognition, with only crumbling walls left standing. At least eight or nine out of every ten were vacant. The streets were sparsely populated, vast expanses of emptiness.

Following the map’s directions, Zhao Shuqing stopped in front of an auto repair shop. She eyed the large golden crown emblazoned on the sign and figured this must be Liang Yue’s place.

“Wait here,” she told Lin Feng, then stepped inside to look for someone.

The shop’s doors stood wide open. Two cars appeared to be under repair inside, and against the wall sat the heavy motorcycle Liang Yue had ridden to the convenience store.

“Anyone here?” Zhao Shuqing called out. “Boss Liang, you in the shop?”

No sooner had she spoken than sounds came from the open lot behind the repair shop. Liang Yue strode over in high boots. She glanced at Zhao Shuqing and arched a brow slightly. “You got here quick. I figured it’d take you a few hours.”

Zhao Shuqing flashed a bashful smile. “Wrapped things up and came straight over. Is my phone fixed yet?”

“Not quite. I just took it apart—nothing major. It’ll be ready in a bit.” Liang Yue nodded faintly. “Come on in and have a seat.”

“Sure. Mind if I bring someone else?” Zhao Shuqing said.

Liang Yue’s brow lifted with interest. She glanced past her and spotted Lin Feng parked in the shade outside.

With a smile, Liang Yue said, “Sure, everyone come on in.”