Chapter 160: Side Story IF Route 4

Mermaids’ estrus periods came in intermittent waves that lasted a long time. Books described how mermaids had only one lifelong partner, usually chosen in the year they reached sexual maturity. If one died, the other would remain faithful until its own end.

Though they were fierce, mermaids were gentle with their loved ones. Once they chose a partner, they never wavered.

Lin Feng couldn’t guess this mermaid’s age or whether she had a partner already. By all accounts, though, partnered mermaids were obsessive about cleanliness and hated being touched by anyone else. Intimate acts were reserved solely for their mates.

Lin Feng stared down at the mermaid dozing on her lap with her eyes closed, completely at a loss.

After nightfall, the surroundings fell utterly silent. Lin Feng had been dragged around by this stinky fish all day long—from initial resistance and reluctant compromise to finally giving in and joining the fun. The memory made her flush with annoyance.

Mermaids were beasts, sure—but she wasn’t. How could she have given in like that?

Lin Feng scratched her head and gazed at the sleeping mermaid before her.

Sated from her meal, the mermaid had tugged Lin Feng onto the grass pile, found a comfortable spot, and sprawled across her legs with her face buried in Lin Feng’s abdomen. Then she had promptly fallen asleep.

The fire in the little wooden cabin still crackled softly. Lin Feng wasn’t sleepy. Leaning against the wall, she watched the mermaid by the dim firelight and let out a long sigh.

How had she ended up in this mess?

Lin Feng gazed at her in bitter frustration. The mermaid slept soundly with even breaths. Her eyes looked fierce when open, but closed, much of the wild edge faded. Her features even seemed somewhat gentle.

Just how old was this mermaid?

She looked younger than Lin Feng, somehow.

Lin Feng studied her intently. What if she got bored one day and killed her? Lin Feng had no means to fight back. She had to find a way off this island…

The next morning, Lin Feng blinked awake in a daze. The first thing she saw was the mermaid’s pitch-black pupils staring right at her.

She froze for a moment before realizing the mermaid was cradling her in her arms.

“You…” Lin Feng hurriedly shoved her away and glanced outside at the dim light. Dawn had just broken. She sat up from the tangled grass pile. She had no idea when she’d nodded off the night before, but somehow they had ended up entwined. Embarrassed, Lin Feng scratched her head—and dislodged a handful of stray grass from her hair.

Seeing Lin Feng fiddling with her hair, the mermaid leaned in and carefully plucked away the bits of grass one by one.

“Th-thanks,” Lin Feng mumbled, cheeks heating. They’d tumbled together just yesterday, and now she was waking up in the mermaid’s arms. It was starting to feel like they were a couple.

The mermaid’s face remained expressionless as she rose and headed outside.

Curious, Lin Feng scrambled up and followed. Hearing the footsteps behind her, the mermaid glanced back, paused as if considering something, and then returned.

Lin Feng tilted her head up. “What’s wrong?”

The mermaid gazed at her steadily, then bent down, scooped Lin Feng up by the backside, and lifted her into her arms. Lin Feng yelped in surprise and instinctively wrapped her arms around the mermaid’s neck. Suddenly, her viewpoint was much higher—even the distant scenery she’d normally have to hike to see came into clear view.

The mermaid held her effortlessly with one arm. Amazed, Lin Feng peered down. “You’re so strong! I weigh over ninety jin at least, and you’re holding me with just one arm.”

The mermaid gave her a glance and carried her down the slope toward the shore.

Lin Feng looped her arms around the mermaid’s neck and gazed out at the endless sea. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the sky had lightened to white, revealing everything in sharp detail.

“Where are you taking me?” Lin Feng asked curiously. “Somewhere new to eat me?”

Silent, the mermaid brought her to the shoreline and set her down on a large rock.

Lin Feng scooted around until she found a comfortable seat. The rock was quite high, putting her a head taller than the mermaid when she sat. Puzzled, Lin Feng blinked and cocked her head in confusion.

The mermaid reached out and brushed her cheek. Lin Feng shivered at the chill. “So cold…”

Noticing the low temperature of her own hand, the mermaid withdrew after a single touch. Then she glided into the water. Once submerged, the scales on her body shimmered with rainbow hues—like diamonds or pearls, dazzling in the dawn light.

Lin Feng stared, entranced. She’d never seen such a beautiful mermaid.

In the water, the mermaid’s speed multiplied several times over. Before Lin Feng could fully admire her scales, the mermaid dove with a flick of her tail and vanished.

Lin Feng blinked. “?”

She’d just left her here and run off?

Lin Feng swung her legs idly. Was this her chance? Maybe she should make a break for it.

But if the mermaid came ashore and couldn’t find her, she’d be furious, right?

She’d spared Lin Feng out of kindness last time. Running now might mean she’d really get eaten.

Staying put was risky too—she might hurt her again…

As Lin Feng debated whether to bolt or not, the water surface erupted with a splash. The mermaid broke through, wet hair plastered to her head, a fish clamped in her jaws.

Lin Feng: “…”

Good thing she hadn’t run. That fishing speed was insane—less than a minute.

Drenched, the mermaid swam over, climbed onto the rocks, and deposited the fish in Lin Feng’s hands. It was still alive, flopping and startling her.

The mermaid dove repeatedly, surfacing with seven or eight fish in total. As she prepared to go again, Lin Feng called out.

“That’s enough! These will feed us. No need for more right now,” Lin Feng said, eyeing the pile on the broad leaf. “We’ll eat these first and catch more if we run out.”

After much explanation, the mermaid finally understood. Together, they returned to the little wooden cabin.

Cooking inside over a fire was inconvenient, so Lin Feng hauled the simple stove pit outside. She gutted and cleaned the fish with her knife, then skewered them on sticks to roast, mimicking cooking shows for a touch of flair.

While the fish grilled, Lin Feng pulled out her notebook and jotted in her diary.

【No escape today either. The silver-white mermaid caught a ton of fish for me. She’s fierce, but at least she can handle fishing from now on. Biggest problem is no seasonings or fruit—lacking vitamins will cause health issues eventually. Need to scout for wild fruit nearby.】

Lin Feng scribbled away as the mermaid watched curiously. It was just a plain little stick, yet it left marks on the paper. And those strange square symbols? Utterly baffling. The mermaid blinked in confusion.

Finishing her entry, Lin Feng noticed the mermaid’s unwavering stare. Their eyes met, and she straightened up abruptly, turning to check the fish.

“Hey.”

Lin Feng paused, then ventured, “We’re stuck together now, relying on each other. I can’t keep yelling ‘hey you’ forever. How about I give you a name?”

The mermaid blinked again, puzzled.

Lin Feng thought it was a brilliant idea. She was democratic at heart—the mermaid wasn’t a pet, so letting her pick her own name felt right. Lin Feng would just use it.

“Look, I picked some surnames for you.” She tore off a sheet, wrote several common ones, and held it up. “Choose the one you like best. That’ll be your surname from now on.”

The mermaid tilted her head at her.

Lin Feng waggled the paper. “Come on, pick one! Just one.” She held up a single finger.

Getting the idea, the mermaid studied the paper and tapped the first one.

“Zhao? Zhao’s a good one.” Lin Feng wrote out more options—female names, two rows’ worth—and presented them. “These are common for human women. Pick one or two. That’ll be your full name.”

The mermaid pointed to one, then another. As she reached for a third, Lin Feng whisked the paper away. “Two’s plenty. More would sound clunky.”

Leaning over, she read it aloud. “Zhao… Shuqing?”

It had a nice ring.

“Nice taste. Sounds good. From now on, you’re Zhao Shuqing.” Lin Feng met the mermaid’s dark eyes. “I’m Lin Feng—Lin as in twin trees, Feng as in a gentle breeze. Easy to remember.”

The mermaid’s face stayed calm, her expression blank to Lin Feng’s words.

Lin Feng realized this mermaid might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but the name was set. No more ‘hey hey hey’—and hopefully, naming her earned some goodwill against being eaten.

“I’m Lin Feng.” She grabbed a stick and scrawled her name in the dirt. “Say it: Lin Feng.”

The mermaid seemed to catch on. She glanced at the characters, then at the human’s sparkling eyes, and murmured, “Lin… feng.”

“Not bad! A little accent, but solid.” Lin Feng beamed. “Lin Feng. Lin—Feng.”

“Lin. Feng.”

Lin Feng grinned ear to ear, nodding furiously. She pointed at the mermaid’s chest. “Zhao Shuqing. You—Zhao Shuqing.”

The mermaid glanced at the pointing finger, then gently grasped Lin Feng’s fingertip. Lifting her gaze steadily, she pronounced, “Zhao. Shu. Qing.”

“Lin Feng.” Lin Feng pointed to herself.

“Lin. Feng.”

“Zhao Shuqing.” Pointing at the mermaid.

“Zhao. Shu. Qing.”

The mermaid’s pronunciation sharpened with each try. Lin Feng’s eyes crinkled in delight. “Exchanging names makes us friends. No more thoughts of eating me, okay?”

The mermaid watched the human’s radiant smile and mimicked it with a toothy grin of her own. “Lin Feng.”

She leaned close to the human, her voice soft and tender as she repeated, “Lin Feng.”