Chapter 43

Zhao Shuqing sighed and corrected her. “You can’t just call people ‘wife’ like that.”

Lin Feng hugged the pillow and spoke in a soft, muffled voice. “Only you.”

Zhao Shuqing rubbed her temples as she looked at her, deciding it wasn’t worth dwelling on that right now. Better to get her up, fed, and medicated first.

She carried Lin Feng to the bathroom and prepared a new toothbrush for her. Worried she might not like the taste, Zhao Shuqing had specially bought some peach-flavored children’s toothpaste. She showed Lin Feng how to brush her teeth. Fortunately, Lin Feng was quick on the uptake. She watched Zhao Shuqing demonstrate and mimicked the motions flawlessly, finishing up her teeth and washing her face in no time. Only then did they head to breakfast.

After breakfast, Lin Feng made a beeline for the bathtub, but Zhao Shuqing scolded her lightly. Pouting in grievance, Lin Feng sat obediently on the bed instead, letting Zhao Shuqing apply medicine to her tail.

“Ugly,” Lin Feng grumbled unhappily.

Zhao Shuqing nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s pretty ugly.”

Lin Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her, her face screaming, ‘That’s not what you said yesterday!’

Pretending not to notice, Zhao Shuqing finished applying the ointment and rebandaged the tail. Just as she turned to leave, Lin Feng grabbed the hem of her shirt and tilted her head up. “Kiss.”

Zhao Shuqing gazed at Lin Feng for a long moment before letting out another sigh.

Ah.

No point taking a fish seriously.

She doesn’t know any better anyway.

With that thought, Zhao Shuqing leaned in again, bending down to press a gentle kiss to Lin Feng’s lips.

Delighted by the kiss, Lin Feng’s eyes crinkled into happy crescents. She tugged at Zhao Shuqing’s hand. “When can I take a bath?”

“Wait a bit longer,” Zhao Shuqing said softly, rubbing the corner of Lin Feng’s mouth with her thumb, her gaze tender. “I’ll fill the tub first. Let the sun warm the water, then you can soak.”

While filling the tub, Lin Feng refused to stay away. Zhao Shuqing tossed in a little yellow rubber duck and other toys to distract her. Lin Feng draped herself over the edge of the tub, watching them bob up and down in the water with wide-eyed wonder.

Once the tub was full, Lin Feng couldn’t wait for the sun to heat it properly. She insisted on climbing in right away, wearing Zhao Shuqing down until she relented.

Sitting in the bathtub, basking in the sunlight and playing with the rubber duck, Lin Feng looked utterly content. She kept chattering away at Zhao Shuqing.

What a little chatterbox.

Zhao Shuqing dragged her laptop over. She sat in the beanbag chair, keeping an eye on Lin Feng’s bath while working on her paper. Seeing how busy Zhao Shuqing was, Lin Feng played on her own, and the atmosphere felt remarkably harmonious.

By the time Zhao Shuqing finished revising her paper, it was already noon. She closed her laptop and leaned over to touch Lin Feng’s tail. The mermaid was dozing off in the sunlight.

Good, it wasn’t hot to the touch. Probably not heatstroke.

Lin Feng’s lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Seeing Zhao Shuqing touching her tail, she asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Zhao Shuqing withdrew her hand with a smile. “I thought you might’ve been boiled alive. Just checking if you were hot.”

Lin Feng shot her a sideways glance, then rubbed her stomach. “What are we having for lunch?”

“Lunch is…”

Before Zhao Shuqing could finish, someone knocked on the dormitory door. A familiar voice called from outside. “Open up! I brought goodies to share with you two!”

Lin Feng’s ears perked up as she listened, then turned to Zhao Shuqing. “Gu Yao.”

It was indeed Gu Yao.

Zhao Shuqing opened the door to find Gu Yao standing there, laden with bags. Gu Yao shot her a dirty look. “Took you long enough to answer.”

Perplexed by the unprovoked complaint, Zhao Shuqing eyed the bags. “What’s all that? You bought a ton.”

Gu Yao bustled inside. “All good eats!”

Then she spotted Lin Feng soaking in the tub on the balcony and waved. “Lin Feng! Do you like hotpot?”

Lin Feng rested her hands on the tub’s edge and cocked her head curiously. “Hotpot?”

Gu Yao had picked up a haul of ingredients from the supermarket that morning, along with an electric hotplate from her own place. Soon, the two humans and one mermaid gathered around the table, watching the yin-yang hotpot bubble away.

“Hotpot?” Lin Feng still didn’t quite get it.

Zhao Shuqing added the prepped ingredients to the pot. Gu Yao explained hotpot to Lin Feng, who furrowed her brow, looking like she half-understood but not really.

Fortunately, Gu Yao remembered Lin Feng couldn’t handle spice, so she’d gotten one spicy red oil base and one mild mushroom broth base.

“Cilantro, green onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, and a dash of fragrant oil.” Gu Yao set a small bowl in front of Lin Feng and ladled in some of the mushroom broth. “There, your simple hotpot dipping sauce.”

Lin Feng watched as Gu Yao made herself a similar one, but with the spicy red oil base instead.

It smelled a bit pungent, but also irresistibly fragrant.

Zhao Shuqing just added some sesame oil and green onions. She could handle spice but didn’t love it, especially not lately while living with Lin Feng—she’d barely touched anything spicy. The vivid red of the pot made her stomach twist a little.

“Won’t this be too spicy?” Zhao Shuqing fished out a slice of lamb roll and tasted it.

“Not spicy at all,” Gu Yao said, cracking open a cola. “I eat this base all the time. Super flavorful, zero burn.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded. It really wasn’t that bad.

Gu Yao saw Lin Feng sitting on the bed’s edge, unsure how to start, so she poured her a cola and picked some veggies from the mushroom pot. “Try these. Shuqing would never think to take you out for treats. She lives like a monk—total ascetic.”

Zhao Shuqing objected. “When have I skimped on food or drink?”

Gu Yao rolled her eyes. “Your fridge is a wasteland—no veggies, no snacks. You don’t even touch milk tea or soda.”

“Those have no nutrition,” Zhao Shuqing countered.

“Junk food is joy in edible form,” Gu Yao shot back.

“Crooked logic.”

The two bantered as they piled food for Lin Feng. Gu Yao tried teaching her chopsticks, but they proved tricky for Lin Feng—hard to grip, prone to dropping. The little sticks had the mermaid sweating bullets. Zhao Shuqing swapped them for a spoon.

Lin Feng ate from her bowl, eyeing the pots—especially the untouched spicy one. She pointed at it with her spoon and whispered Zhao Shuqing’s name.

Zhao Shuqing glanced over. “Want the spicy stuff?”

Lin Feng nodded.

Gu Yao perked up. “What happens if she eats spicy?”

Zhao Shuqing shook her head. “No idea. Never given it to her.”

Gu Yao grinned. “Wanna test it?”

Zhao Shuqing met her eyes.

Fine, let’s test it.

Lin Feng triumphantly got her spicy lamb roll. She popped it in her mouth. The two humans watched intently, Gu Yao clutching a cola, ready to douse her at the first cry.

One second.

Two seconds.

…

Five seconds in, Lin Feng’s face flushed beet red, her eyes watering. She gaped at Zhao Shuqing in shock and panic. “Spicy! Spicy!”

Gu Yao thrust a glass of ice-cold cola her way without a word. Zhao Shuqing helpfully guided it to her lips.

Lin Feng clung to Zhao Shuqing’s arm and chugged the whole glass. She held out for three seconds before her eyes teared up again. “Spicy!”

They poured nearly three-quarters of a bottle down her throat before she calmed a bit. Zhao Shuqing fetched an ice cube from the fridge for her to suck on, puffing out her cheeks like a chipmunk.

Gu Yao snickered from the sidelines. “So she really can’t handle spice, huh?”

Zhao Shuqing kicked her under the table. Gu Yao yelped. “Hey, you didn’t stop me from giving it to her! Why kick only me?”

“Can’t exactly kick myself, can I?” Zhao Shuqing retorted.

“Crooked logic.”

Lin Feng’s eyes streamed from the heat, but she loved the chili flavor. She wanted more, so Zhao Shuqing diluted it with plain water rinses before letting her have another go.

After lunch, Zhao Shuqing washed the dishes. Gu Yao scooped up her tablet and sidled over to Lin Feng, showing her how to play the matching game.

The room filled with the cheerful sounds of Lianliankan. When Zhao Shuqing came out drying her hands, she saw Lin Feng—who usually shunned contact—huddled shoulder-to-shoulder with Gu Yao, eyes glued to the screen in fascination, seemingly fine with the touch.

That was a good sign.

“Gu Yao.” Zhao Shuqing beckoned her over. Gu Yao handed the tablet to Lin Feng and approached, puzzled. “What?”

“Come with me to feed the cat,” Zhao Shuqing said.

Gu Yao blinked. “?”

In Gu Yao’s room, Zhao Shuqing found Pumpkin sprawled on the bed on her back, fluffy white belly exposed. Zhao Shuqing leaned down, gave it a poke and rub. “Little furball, sleeping like a log.”

Gu Yao lounged in her chair, legs crossed. “Spill it. You dragged me out here for a reason?”

“Need a favor,” Zhao Shuqing said, turning. “My teacher was hospitalized last night with a sudden illness. I need to check on him, but I’m worried leaving Lin Feng alone.”

“You want me to watch her this afternoon?” Gu Yao tilted her head.

“Got time? Evening works too.” Zhao Shuqing negotiated. “She doesn’t mind you. Won’t let anyone else touch her but me.”

Gu Yao beamed. “For real? I’m honored!”

Zhao Shuqing arched a brow. “So, you in?”

“Of course! Why not?” Gu Yao said gleefully. “Go handle your stuff. I’m off this afternoon—I’ll hang with Lin Feng.”

Zhao Shuqing warned her. “Her nails are razor-sharp, and she’s got wild strength. Could take down a wild boar solo.” And a dozen foreign terrorists, but she left that out.

Gu Yao whistled. “Whoa~”

“If I leave and she won’t let you near, don’t force it,” Zhao Shuqing continued gravely. “If she has a panic reaction, get out of the house immediately and call me.”

Seeing Zhao Shuqing so serious, Gu Yao nodded solemnly. “Got it. I’ll keep my skin intact.”

With instructions given, Zhao Shuqing slipped out through Gu Yao’s place to avoid Lin Feng fussing. She grabbed her phone on the way and hailed a ride straight to the hospital from downstairs.

Gu Yao returned to Zhao Shuqing’s place. Lin Feng looked up from the tablet. “Where’s Zhao Shuqing?”

“She’s… at my place feeding the cat.” Gu Yao smiled as she sat down, keeping a respectful distance per the warnings.

At the mention of feeding the cat, Lin Feng shuddered instinctively.

That ferocious beast had left a deep trauma. Just thinking about it scared her.

Since Lin Feng didn’t press, Gu Yao knew her white lie had worked. She smiled. “Lin Feng, want some milk tea?”

Lin Feng eyed her curiously. “Milk tea?”