Chapter 98

Zhao Shuqing made a quick trip back to the hotel. She stuffed her own clothes into a bag, grabbed a sandwich and a steaming cup of lemon tea, and silently fed the little fish until she was full. Only then did she disguise Lin Feng, wrap an arm around her waist, and step into the elevator.

Lin Feng glanced cautiously at Zhao Shuqing before lowering her eyes to the dark gray slippers on her feet.

She had never worn shoes before, and the sensation felt strange. She tentatively wiggled her ten toes, only to receive a warning from Zhao Shuqing: “Don’t move them.”

Lin Feng immediately tucked her toes back and stood obediently beside Zhao Shuqing without stirring.

Once they were out of the elevator, Zhao Shuqing’s hand remained firmly on Lin Feng’s waist, holding her close. With Zhao Shuqing’s jacket draped over Lin Feng’s head as well, passersby merely took them for a couple checking into the hotel for a romantic rendezvous. No one would suspect Lin Feng of being an illegal stowaway.

Back in the room, Zhao Shuqing swiftly shut the door with a decisive click.

The moment the door locked, Lin Feng pulled the jacket off her head and looked around. She watched as Zhao Shuqing headed to the floor-to-ceiling window and drew the curtains closed.

The hotel room abroad felt surprisingly small—smaller even than Zhao Shuqing’s single apartment back home. Aside from the bed, there was only a desk by the window and a bathroom at the far end.

“Zhao Shuqing…”

Once the curtains were fully drawn, Lin Feng shrugged off the jacket and threw herself into Zhao Shuqing’s arms, her voice trembling. “I thought I’d never see you again…”

Zhao Shuqing steadied Lin Feng by the waist, her gaze dark and inscrutable as she looked down at her.

The girl in her arms was a touch shorter than Zhao Shuqing, her head resting perfectly on Zhao Shuqing’s shoulder when they embraced like this. After a long silence, Zhao Shuqing finally spoke. “Let’s get you cleaned up first.”

She reeked.

Lin Feng blinked in confusion as Zhao Shuqing led her into the bathroom and stripped her bare. Having spent the past month submerged in the ocean, Lin Feng’s body had taken on a pickled tang, especially that dress—which came off like a filthy rag and was tossed aside without ceremony.

As Zhao Shuqing washed her, her hands explored. She had touched Lin Feng’s upper body before, but this time, she focused on the new legs that had formed.

They were long and straight, with skin as fair and smooth as porcelain. The knees and toes were a delicate pink. No soap was needed; a simple rinse with water left them feeling as if they had been lathered with body wash.

Lin Feng was filthy from head to toe, turning the bathwater murky. Zhao Shuqing unplugged the tub to drain it, then used the handheld showerhead to rinse her off again.

When Zhao Shuqing’s fingers brushed Lin Feng’s arm, the little fish in the tub shivered slightly. Her eyes reddened as she whimpered, “Zhao Shuqing… it hurts…”

Zhao Shuqing’s expression darkened. She examined Lin Feng’s arm, where a clear bite mark marred the skin. There were bruises on her lower back and knees too. Clearly, the journey here had not been easy.

“…How did this happen?” It was the first thing Zhao Shuqing had said to her since they reunited.

Feeling deeply wronged, Lin Feng lifted her arms around Zhao Shuqing’s neck and pulled her close. Zhao Shuqing braced herself with her hands and knelt by the tub, letting Lin Feng cling to her.

“The arm was bitten by a dolphin. My tail got smashed by a whale. Other fish in the sea bullied me too. It hurt all over.” Lin Feng’s voice grew more pitiful with each word, her eyes brimming red as she gazed at Zhao Shuqing. “I was so scared I’d never see you again… Waa…”

Zhao Shuqing’s heart twisted at her tears. She patted Lin Feng’s back soothingly and stroked her hair.

Lin Feng nuzzled into Zhao Shuqing’s neck and whined, “Xu Tang and the others kept using me for experiments. I just wanted to see you. I don’t know how much longer I can live. All I wanted was to see you.”

Zhao Shuqing listened quietly to Lin Feng’s words, holding her in silence.

After rinsing her thoroughly, Zhao Shuqing wrapped Lin Feng in a bath towel and carried her out to a chair. She blow-dried her hair.

Lin Feng had spent a month in constant fear, convinced death was imminent. Without seeing Zhao Shuqing, she was sure she would die with regrets. Now that they were together, not only did Zhao Shuqing refrain from scolding her, but she was gentle, drying her hair with care. It caught Lin Feng completely off guard.

With her tension eased, exhaustion crashed over her. Lin Feng’s eyes grew heavy.

Halfway through drying her hair, Lin Feng leaned against Zhao Shuqing and fell asleep. Seeing her eyes tightly shut, Zhao Shuqing decided to let her rest for now. She would question her properly once she woke.

Lin Feng slept deeply, undisturbed even as Zhao Shuqing lifted her onto the bed.

Once she was settled, Zhao Shuqing peeled back the towel and let it fall to the carpet. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed and slowly reached out.

There were faint scratches on Lin Feng’s instep, now reduced to pale marks—likely healed by her own regenerative abilities.

Lin Feng’s ankle was soft; Zhao Shuqing could encircle it with one hand. Gently lifting it, she bent Lin Feng’s knee, exposing everything fully.

It was an odd sensation.

Lin Feng lay naked on the bed while Zhao Shuqing held her ankle, examining her intently.

“It really… doesn’t seem any different.” Zhao Shuqing cradled Lin Feng’s foot, massaging her pink toes before sliding her hand up her calf. The skin felt smoother than usual, but the underlying muscles and bones appeared no different from a human’s.

Why was that?

Zhao Shuqing’s fingers kneaded the bruised spot on her knee. In her sleep, Lin Feng’s brows furrowed slightly, but she remained asleep.

From the knee, her hand ventured to the thigh, then higher still…

Zhao Shuqing’s cheeks colored faintly with embarrassment, yet she persisted, reaching between Lin Feng’s legs. Lin Feng let out a soft hum on the bed, her lashes fluttering, but she did not wake.

After a brief pause, Zhao Shuqing continued her exploration more deliberately. Lin Feng arched her pale neck like a fish out of water, her red lips parting to reveal the pink tip of her tongue.

Her breathing quickened, and she twisted her hips restlessly.

Zhao Shuqing used her free hand to gently hold her down. Lin Feng murmured, on the verge of waking, but Zhao Shuqing quickly finished, withdrawing her slick fingers.

The droplets from between them stained the bedsheet. Zhao Shuqing grabbed tissues from the nightstand to wipe her hand. Yet the damp, sticky sensation lingered on her fingertips, making her throat itch.

It was her first time doing something like this.

And it did not feel bad at all.

Without the intrusion, Lin Feng soon drifted back into deep slumber. Her hair splayed messily across the white pillowcase, a faint pink flush at the corners of her eyes. Zhao Shuqing watched her for a long time before letting out a deep sigh…

Lin Feng slept straight through to the next day.

When she awoke, thunder rumbled outside, accompanied by the relentless patter of rain against the floor-to-ceiling windows. The humid air confirmed that a massive downpour had swept through.

Lying in bed, Lin Feng perked up her ears but heard no sign of Zhao Shuqing. Still, she felt no fear. She knew Zhao Shuqing would return.

After about ten minutes, the door beeped with the sound of a keycard, and Zhao Shuqing stepped inside, damp from the rain.

Seeing Lin Feng’s eyes open, she said, “Awake?”

“Mm.” Lin Feng sat up, clutching the blanket. Spotting the supermarket bag in Zhao Shuqing’s hand—with foreign lettering—she asked curiously, “What did you buy?”

“Some clothes, underwear, and snacks.” Zhao Shuqing set down her umbrella and jacket, kicked off her wet shoes by the door, and told her, “It’s pouring out there. We should stay in for the next couple of days.”

Lin Feng started to slide out of bed barefoot, but Zhao Shuqing stopped her and tossed over two outfits.

“Put some clothes on first.” Zhao Shuqing’s tone was firm. “Don’t go running around with your bare ass.”

Lin Feng picked up the clothes from the bed and blinked. Then she glanced at Zhao Shuqing, who was unpacking, and decided to try dressing herself.

By the time Zhao Shuqing had pulled out the pizza, Lin Feng was still wrestling with the underwear.

How was a simple pair of panties so tricky?

Arms folded, Zhao Shuqing watched for a bit as Lin Feng tried fitting her legs into every opening. With a helpless sigh, she approached, shook out the scrap of fabric, oriented it front to back, and knelt by the bed. “Step into it with both feet.”

Lin Feng obeyed, slipping her feet in. Zhao Shuqing pulled them up snugly.

Next, she helped Lin Feng into the flesh-pink bra, then slipped a sleeveless beige dress over her head.

“Your old clothes were ruined beyond saving, so I tossed them.” Zhao Shuqing explained, “These are new. I wasn’t sure about your shoe size, so I only got slippers.”

She had noticed yesterday that her own slippers were a bit loose on Lin Feng’s feet, so she bought a size smaller this time. They could exchange them if needed.

Wearing dark green slippers, Lin Feng tugged at the skirt around her waist and complained to Zhao Shuqing, “It feels uncomfortable.”

Zhao Shuqing asked, “Where?”

Lin Feng thought for a moment. “My butt.”

It felt too tight.

Zhao Shuqing paused, then lifted the hem of Lin Feng’s skirt to check the fit. Lin Feng’s rear was pert, her waist and legs slender. There was even a bit of play in the fabric—how could it pinch?

“It’s probably just because it’s your first time wearing them. You’ll get used to it.” Zhao Shuqing withdrew her hand and said so.

Lin Feng frowned and murmured, “Oh.”

The pizza had cooled but was still edible. Lin Feng eyed the unfamiliar food uncertainly, mimicking Zhao Shuqing’s bites. Together, they polished off the whole thing, yet Lin Feng remained hungry.

“Not full?” Zhao Shuqing noticed her licking her lips and asked with concern.

“Mm.” Lin Feng nodded without pretense. “I’m starving. It’s been so long since I had food like this. Your cooking is still the best.”

She had not minded eating raw fish before, but after trying hotpot and milk tea, raw fish tasted overwhelmingly fishy. She had eaten and vomited her way through the journey, barely enduring.

Zhao Shuqing’s expression shifted subtly at her words before she spoke slowly. “Actually, you could turn into a human much earlier, couldn’t you?”

Lin Feng froze for a moment, then lowered her eyes.

She had known this question was inevitable.

Ever since escaping the laboratory, Lin Feng had realized her secret could not stay hidden. Zhao Shuqing would find out she had been deceived eventually.

“Yes.” Lin Feng closed her eyes, resigning herself. “I could transform back when I first entered the oceanarium.”

“Why lie to me?” Zhao Shuqing asked.

“For the mermaids.” Lin Feng whispered. “I had to deceive you all to buy our kind a chance.”

Zhao Shuqing frowned, not quite following. “What kind of chance?”

Lin Feng lifted her head and met Zhao Shuqing’s gaze for a long moment before replying softly, “A chance for the mermaid clan to thrive and multiply.”