The mermaid didn’t know what “dating” meant, but as they walked, Shu Tang explained, “Our first date will be at the Sea of Tears.”
So, the mermaid understood: dating meant she also wanted to show “him” her world.
Thus, even though the creature didn’t much like the bizarre outside world, it still enjoyed dating her.
Their first date spot was a night market near the school.
Shu Tang didn’t want the mermaid to be stared at as they walked, so the first place they went was a jewelry store.
She found a large, glowing pair of cat ears and put them on her head.
In the mirror, a pair of fish ears and a pair of cat ears appeared.
As the mermaid’s fin ears twitched, Shu Tang’s cat ears moved in sync.
The fins behind the mermaid’s ears were a sharp weapon, but Shu Tang liked them a lot and even loved to touch them, a hobby the mermaid didn’t understand—
Until now, when the mermaid saw Shu Tang’s fluffy, glowing cat ears in the mirror.
The expressionless, tall mermaid stared for a while, then suddenly reached out and pinched them.
Shu Tang was stunned. Although the cat ears had no sense of touch, she felt a chilly touch from the mermaid’s fingers, as if real furry ears had grown on her head and were being kneaded and played with by the mermaid’s fingers. This strange sensation made her ears turn red, and she muttered a few words before slipping out from the mermaid’s arms.
Shu Tang thought the mermaid might be uncomfortable in such a lively environment, so she was ready to leave immediately if the mermaid showed any aversion.
In fact, the creature’s sharp aversion to the outside world was only because it worried about the kitten being stolen or hurt; but when the kitten was safe and always by the mermaid’s side, that anxiety and resistance disappeared.
Thus, along the way, the mermaid remained calm, and Shu Tang was relieved.
The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder.
Shu Tang explained to the mermaid what it means to “be in love.”
Shu Tang said, “Being in love means eating together, sleeping together, and kissing.”
The mermaid thought this was no different from his past lives.
So, the mermaid lowered his head, hissing at her:
— Then they must have been in love for a long time.
Shu Tang miraculously understood what the mermaid meant.
She thought for a moment and told the mermaid:
“There’s actually a big difference.”
“Being in love means, I belong to you and you belong to me.”
The monster stopped, looking down at its little cat.
A greater sense of being cherished filled the heart of the monster, who thought itself to have nothing.
“He” suddenly picked her up and placed her on his shoulder.
The monster thought, “He” really likes this “being in love.”
*
On the outskirts of Hua University, between black pickup trucks, the black-clad alphas were constantly monitoring the movements of that enormous creature.
Whether it’s a sanatorium or a base, they couldn’t just ignore such a huge threat. They just didn’t dare to approach, and kept a safe distance instead.
In some ways, this was like a prison break.
They whispered to each other, checking their locations.
“The coordinates have appeared at the west gate of Hua University.”
“The coordinates have appeared at…”
“Wait!”
Just then, a bizarre creature with two heads passed by them—
Shu Tang, wearing huge glowing cat ears, sat on the mermaid’s shoulder, flaunting through the streets.
Curiously, Shu Tang glanced at the fully armed alphas.
Thinking: What are these people doing?
The mermaid also felt something and glanced over.
Their gaze was calm, as if looking at a few stones, then moved away.
The two of them just passed by this group of fully armed alphas.
Then Shu Tang saw a cotton candy stall ahead.
She immediately said, “Little Rose, quick, quick, we won’t be able to line up soon!”
Then, the two quickly blended into the crowd and disappeared.
The audience: “…”
Chen Sheng, signaling from the car: “…”
The leader sent from the base was shocked for a moment: “Aren’t we going to chase them?”
Chen Sheng: “Let Old Wu and his team handle it.”
“Just follow them from a distance, and make sure not to cause any disturbance.”
*
Hua University, a night market street.
The bustling crowd suddenly felt something and gradually stopped in their tracks as the noise around them faded away.
An eerie aura enveloped them, as if a terrifying behemoth lurked behind them.
It made people instinctively turn around to look.
The mermaid’s tall stature far exceeded that of an ordinary person. His pitch-black eyes and expressionless face made it hard for anyone to regard him as normal, even with his ears covered. People subconsciously thought of him as the protagonist of some horrific butcher’s tale on a rainy night.
His dark and eerie aura was genuinely chilling.
—That was the usual scene.
But now, on the mermaid’s shoulders sat Shu Tang wearing glowing cat ears.
The vibe had changed.
It turned into a lovey-dovey couple flaunting their relationship, openly displaying affection in public.
Passersby and vendors turned their heads, each bearing that peculiar look.
But there were no screams, no fear, just that “Oh, these young people today” kind of look.
With the sound of “tsk tsk tsk.”
Sitting on the mermaid’s shoulders, Shu Tang initially felt a bit embarrassed.
But she found that this perspective was excellent, offering a commanding view of the surroundings.
Cats naturally love climbing high places, such as wardrobes and air conditioners, especially enjoying the feeling of looking down on others. Thus, Shu Tang, feeling great at this height, simply ignored those glances.
The mermaid also liked this posture.
The reason was simple: there were many people around, the mermaid was tall, and could lift the little cat high so that no one else could touch her.
Shu Tang found the mermaid’s peculiar aura quite effective.
At least when the two of them were in line, as soon as the tall, silent mermaid stepped into the queue, the crowd would part like the Red Sea at Moses’ command.
—A natural VIP lane.
Neither of them felt this posture was particularly attention-grabbing or eye-catching.
Instead, they swaggered through the streets while talking.
They continued their conversation about dating.
Shu Tang said, “Dating is like getting a second cup at half price.”
The mermaid paused—
Looking at the two cups of milk tea in Shu Tang’s hands.
So dating is:
The cat can hog two cups of milk tea at a discount price.
After leaving the milk tea shop, they bought two ice cream cones at an ice cream store.
Shu Tang then said, “Dating means having someone to share ice cream with.”
The mermaid was silent for a moment.
—Shu Tang swiftly snatched the ice cream from the mermaid’s hand with her mouth.
Mermaid: “…”
Next time, when the two were sitting at a table eating takoyaki.
Shu Tang eagerly moved to bite—
The mermaid lowered his head, came closer, and ate her takoyaki.
Shu Tang: “…”
The mermaid learned a lesson:
Being in a relationship means having someone who eats all your takoyaki.
Shu Tang lunged forward, trying to snatch back her takoyaki—
The mermaid smoothly lifted her up.
Cat: “…”
Shu Tang believed that given the mermaid’s usual indulgence towards her, he would surely leave her a bite.
But the mermaid leisurely finished off all her takoyaki.
As Shu Tang moved closer, the mermaid lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Just like every passing couple holding hands.
This dreadful night creature, as vast as half a city, shared a takoyaki-flavored kiss with his little cat under the streetlight, very naturally.
So, passersby simply saw them as an ordinary couple, glancing briefly before moving on.
In the light drizzle, the beginning of love felt like the prelude to a melody.
After the kiss, they continued down the street, hand in hand, fingers interlocked.
Along the way, Shu Tang started to teach the mermaid other words.
The mermaid could only say “Tang,” but he had already mastered the way of imitating sounds, so learning other words was much easier than first speaking.
Today, Shu Tang began teaching the mermaid to say “good.”
After many tries, the mermaid successfully learned how to pronounce “good.”
Shu Tang: “From now on, you can only like me.”
mermaid: “Good.”
Shu Tang: “Only I can brush your tail.”
mermaid: “Good.”
Shu Tang: “I’ll do all the housework.”
The mermaid paused for a moment: “Good.”
Shu Tang: “But I’ll sing songs for you.”
The mermaid immediately wanted to refuse.
But he quickly realized the problem: she had only taught him to say “good,” not “bad.”
Seeing the mermaid stop, the sly little cat immediately grinned broadly.
The monster knew she was teasing him.
—But the mermaid liked the sparkling look in her eyes when she “bullied” him.
Then the tall monster stopped and looked at her.
Their gazes intertwined in the air.
Gradually, she felt as if she were turning into a tiny sugar cube, slowly melting under his gaze.
The monster watched her intently, without blinking.
His voice was deep and pleasant: “Good.”
Weakness: Bad Singing