She fell asleep quickly, probably because her mood had slightly improved.
However, mermaids cannot simply stay put and sleep in the study.
After Shu Tang fell asleep, the tall mermaid who was supposed to be next door appeared in her room. He naturally returned to her side, affectionately nuzzling her neck. With his tail, he wrapped her in a cozy embrace.
Shu Tang was oblivious to this. The mermaid was careful, and even restored the depression in the mattress after getting up, ensuring that Shu Tang would believe he had spent the night reflecting properly in the adjacent study.
But to please the upset Shu Tang, the mermaid went out to hunt early in the morning.
The following morning, Shu Tang behaved completely differently than before.
If they continued their previous pattern of interaction, they would inevitably face irreconcilable conflicts someday because the monster had difficulty feeling her love, and she was not delicate enough.
Over time, this jealous and anxious creature might do something irreversible.
But now, believing that the mermaid would definitely abandon her, Shu Tang had changed.
She became extremely sensitive and focused all her thoughts on how to torment the mermaid.
After all, Shu Tang was on summer vacation, bored and bubbly, with the whole summer to torment him.
She pulled out a cookbook and slammed it in front of the mermaid, demanding that he cook various dishes for her.
She dug out some furniture from the corners and demanded that the mermaid move them out to air them, following him around to “monitor” and ensure he didn’t slack off.
Having seen through a telescope that the coconuts near Sea of Tears were ripe, Shu Tang immediately said, “Little Rose, take me to pick coconuts, I want to eat those!”
So, she sat on the mermaid’s back, demanding that he carry her and pick coconuts for her to eat.
Shu Tang’s mouth watered thinking of coconut rice and coconut chicken.
But she wouldn’t lift a finger, instead, she perched on top of the refrigerator, glaring fiercely at the mermaid.
This perfectly matched the monster’s inner feelings.
Her ever-present gaze allowed him to feel at peace; her threats were the best expressions of love.
However, unfortunately, the mermaid couldn’t show his joy in front of Shu Tang and could only pretend to be silent and obedient, appeasing the furiously mad kitten.
Sadly, this torment did not calm Shu Tang down.
While drying her hair in the sun after a wash, she suddenly realized her hair had become incredibly black and smooth.
—Since meeting the mermaid, her diet had greatly improved.
She turned around to look at her surroundings once more.
The Bastille had completely transformed, much like the small home they shared.
Thinking that the mermaid could no longer live here and wouldn’t be catching fish for her to eat anymore, Shu Tang felt an overwhelming urge to burst into tears.
But as a mature office worker, she couldn’t just panic at the face of adversity.
After pondering for a while, Shu Tang came up with an idea.
After drying her long hair, she took out a piece of draft paper and began to write and draw.
Shu Tang planned to draft a document.
As she thought, she drew black circles on the paper.
The mermaid watched her the entire time.
Her black hair shone like a dark sprite under the sunlight; her round cat-like eyes were black. She wore a pajama with lantern sleeves and had fine beads of sweat on her forehead, igniting in him the urge to kiss her.
However, the mermaid did nothing of the sort, instead appearing as if he had something to say but hesitated.
The mermaid was acutely aware of the kitten’s unease but didn’t know how to alleviate her emotions.
Shu Tang looked up and handed him a piece of paper: “Little Rose, sign here.”
The content on the paper roughly stated:
The mermaid must not abandon her after regaining his memory, nor could he deny knowing her. He must treat her as he does now. If he couldn’t do that, she would immediately pack up, go home, and cease all contact with him forever.
Shu Tang handed him a box of ink and a fountain pen.
The mermaid cooperated fully, though he paused when he read “cease all contact forever,” then nonchalantly took the fountain pen and pulled out the nib.
In reality, even if a contract was signed, the mermaid would never be able to uphold such an agreement to cease all contact forever.
But the agreement was ultimately not signed. Because Shu Tang suddenly remembered something: the mermaid was still amnesiac, and according to federal law, any document he signed during this period would be invalid.
So, before the mermaid could even write, Shu Tang withdrew the document.
She inexplicably glared at the mermaid.
Then she turned around and ran upstairs.
After discovering her mermaid identity, Shu Tang turned off her communicator, like a turtle shrinking into its shell.
Gathering her courage, Shu Tang turned on her communicator.
She was worried that her random changes to the couple’s account name might cause significant issues.
Everything about “Zhu Yan” was beyond Shu Tang’s understanding. She could handle minor problems; as a newly minted, emotionally stable corporate drone, she was capable of tackling life’s challenges without messing up her job. But when things exceeded her knowledge, the situation was different.
Shu Tang feared others thinking they weren’t a match, or accusing her of stealing someone’s account. She also worried about people attacking her vulnerabilities and ordinariness.
She desperately wanted to delete her distorted cat photo and the post about the discount coupon.
Fortunately, Chen Sheng was very competent at his job, and Shu Tang was under his protection; he did not want any harm to come her way.
So when Shu Tang checked her account, she found everything calm. There were no strings of hateful comments or a massive influx of followers on her account; instead, it was in a protected state.
Shu Tang sighed in relief. Only about a dozen new accounts appeared in her followers list, but when Shu Tang saw their usernames, her hand trembled and she immediately turned off the communicator.
She lay on her bed, despondent, for a long time.
She felt she was too timid, yet she couldn’t find a valid reason for her fear.
The mermaid needed her, and she relished being pampered, needed, and treated as the only one. In love, she indulged in the affection and gradually sank deeper.
But what would happen when the mermaid eventually remembered everything, returned to be the “great leader,” or became Zhu Yan again? Would she still be loved and needed in the same way?
But the mermaid couldn’t provide an answer to this.
Nor could she herself.
While Shu Tang was feeling sad, suddenly, the communicator chimed.
She looked down.
The notification showed that the mermaid had changed his account and nickname back to the original.
The price was still five yuan.
Through his actions, the mermaid told this little cat:
She can enjoy a lifelong VIP privilege to buy at five yuan.
Shu Tang immediately wanted to message the mermaid to change it, but after typing a long message, she deleted it all.
Because, if possible.
She still really liked the “little fish jerky” and “five yuan.”
The mermaid actually understood Shu Tang’s worries.
Yet, for this monster, her significance was far greater than those illusory pasts. Even he thought to himself: How could she think that after remembering everything about Zhu Yan, he would leave her?
—If only she could glimpse the tip of the iceberg of this monster’s extreme obsession with her.
The mermaid picked up the note that Shu Tang had crumpled into a ball, with the ink blurred and spread.
He flattened every corner of the draft paper.
He took out a fountain pen.
When signing, the mermaid didn’t use the current printed script but signed the name “Little Rose” in the flamboyant, vigorous script she remembered.
He also wrote beside it: (Zhu Yan).
Finally, he stamped his fingerprint.
Thus, it looked very much like a deed of sale.
Shu Tang had been hiding upstairs, daydreaming, until she heard a knock on the door.
The mermaid entered and came to Shu Tang, who was by the bed.
Shu Tang asked dully, “What are you here for?”
He bowed his head and placed the “deed of sale” in her hands.
Thus, Shu Tang saw the overbearing contract stamped with a handprint.
She looked up.
This monster was not one for grand vows or sweet nothings.
But “he” simply leaned down silently and looked at her very stubbornly.
His gaze was firm and powerful.
Like the silent mountains, the stern cliffs.
At that moment, Shu Tang suddenly felt that many thoughts, along with confusion and fear, had vanished.
She thought: What will the future hold? Who knows?
She followed her heart and embraced the person in front of her.
She announced, “Tomorrow we eat coconut chicken.”
…
The coconut chicken soup, fragrant and sweet, made the fresh chicken meat picked by Old Wu extremely tender.
After finishing the coconut chicken that afternoon, the island, which had been sunny lately, suddenly witnessed a breathtaking sunset. The evening glow spread across the sea, and the residual light that filtered through the stone windows was rimmed with gold.
Shu Tang was reading a comic when she looked up and saw a stunning sunset. She immediately got excited and wanted to go upstairs to call Mermaid to watch the sunset together.
However, as Shu Tang clomped upstairs in her slippers, she saw Mermaid at the end of the hallway, frowning slightly and holding his forehead.
The expression was exactly the same as the last time he saw her in the hotel.
Shu Tang stopped in her tracks.
If she hadn’t known who Zhu Yan was, Shu Tang would have brazenly snuggled into his arms, rubbed his chin to catch his attention, like a cat that demands undivided attention at all times.
But now that she knew who he was, she stopped.
A vast chasm laid between them, as distinct as the boundary between Chu and Han states.
Shu Tang knew that Mermaid might have remembered something again. That’s how recovery from amnesia worked, recalling fragments of memory from time to time.
So, she didn’t disturb Mermaid, but went back to the living room and turned on the TV.
She curled up on the sofa, staring blankly at the spots of sunset light on the TV.
Shu Tang thought, maybe Mermaid remembered the days in the Free Army.
After all, being the great leader, he certainly lived in style.
She felt a bitter twinge thinking, “Probably a lot of people fawned over him.”
As a therapist like her, to be by his side, they’d consider it a dozen at a time. As a young one like her, it would take 20 years of slogging before she could get close enough to be the great leader’s therapist.
Shu Tang thought, maybe there were other lovers, offering warmth and concern.
She kept pressing the remote control buttons to cover up her nervousness.
However, Shu Tang caught a hoarse sound in the air.
It was a raspy, painful cry.
Shu Tang pressed the remote to turn off the TV, and the inhuman groan became clearly audible.
She sprang up and ran upstairs.
In the dark bedroom corner, Mermaid sat in the corner, leaning against the wall, his pale face covered in cold sweat. Mermaid’s sharp earfins stood up, veins bulging on his body.
It was as if he was trapped in a nightmare he couldn’t wake from, uttering painful groans.
Shu Tang hurriedly felt Mermaid’s temperature and found he didn’t have a fever. But finding his lips extremely dry, she immediately went to get a glass of water.
But just as she was about to leave, Mermaid grabbed her hand.
Shu Tang had always thought that if Mermaid remembered the past, it would be glorious, being the great leader after all. Shu Tang’s father had told her how glamorous the lives of the alpha leaders at the South Island base were, and she naturally thought Zhu Yan was the same, recalling the photo of him in his prime, surely a life soaring to great heights.
But at this moment, this mighty beast, clearly “Zhu Yan,” gripped her wrist tightly, his face pale, like a drowning person clutching at a floating log.
And then, he was like her little blue rose again.
So, she stopped.
Cat sighed deeply.
She kissed the monster’s face, calling him “Little Rose” as she did.
She remembered a saying: If someone is caught in a nightmare, you can call them back by their name.
So she said: “Little Rose, I’m here, don’t be afraid, I will always be with you.”
The monster then gradually quieted down.
She thought: How can I ever let go of you looking like this?
*
The mermaid found himself trapped in a dream of the past.
This amnesia was like piecing together fragments.
Logically, the parts one remembers first are those most recent and most vivid.
This dream centered around the time closest to “him.”
After exhibiting symptoms of the characteristic black-eyed contamination, Zhu Yan thought it was a release, or perhaps a long holiday that was about to begin. However, a warrior does not fear death, and he calmly awaited its arrival.
But death did not come, and he did not quickly die like others parasitized by the contamination. His strong will and superior genes created a miracle of life. Day by day, unimaginable mutations occurred in his body.
His moments of clarity became increasingly rare.
During the rare times he awoke, he found his hair growing at an unusually fast rate.
His pillow often looked as if it had been shredded by some sharp blade.
He reached out to touch the table, but soon, cracks appeared on the hard marble surface.
Even his teeth became incredibly sharp, his powerful biting force made him have to be gentle to eat normally.
He was like a monster, constantly evolving.
…
Because he had not yet lost his mind, when urgent situations arose, Zhu Yan would temporarily leave to lead people into the contaminated areas to carry out missions.
He grew stronger and less and less human, his former reputation seemed to become reality.
Most of the time, Zhu Yan stayed alone in his dwelling.
Once, when his life assistant came to restock supplies,
He turned around and saw the monster.
The assistant screamed.
Zhu Yan frowned, instinctively wanting to speak.
But when he opened his mouth, what came out was a hoarse, monstrous growl.
Later, he gradually stopped leaving his residence. He no longer appeared in person, but participated in meetings through a darkened screen.
It’s not that no one cared; for instance, some of his old subordinates would often come to visit. However, after a severe psychic eruption spiraled out of control one time, he realized his own uncontrollability and began to refuse all visitors.
The phone still rang incessantly. People continually offered their warm regards, but ultimately, these expressions of concern were probing his intentions—was he inclined to favor the liberals or the democrats as his successor?
Many researchers considered this a miraculous mutation. Even scholars from the Psychic Research Center made personal visits, bowing deeply to request that the great leader record this precious data.
After the old gentleman had stood bowing at the door for two hours, he made a phone call and agreed.
Thus, at least every three days, he had to measure and assess the changes in his own body.
It was like a slow execution by slicing.
The world was gradually drowned out by various noises.
“Your mutation started at least a few years ago. We are estimating the time; perhaps it began with the development of your self-healing abilities…”
“This is a great evolution.”
“This will provide new guidance for the direction of our psychic research.”
…
Sharp neuralgia made it difficult for him to sleep; he often had to take medication to manage.
But Zhu Yan had a very serious stomach disease, often waking up in the middle of the night in agony from stomach pains.
The great self-healing ability seemed to not yet have metabolized the stubborn issue of his stomach disease.
Finally, one afternoon, as he went to fetch bread from the fridge, he looked up and saw the monster in the mirror.
He stopped, staring blankly at the mirror.
Thus, the non-human fins also fluttered with his breath.
He sat in the twilight glow, like a statue.
He ate the bread expressionlessly, almost ravenously.
The intense stomach pain seemed not to have subsided with eating.
But the monster did not frown due to the severe stomach pain, his cold white face remained expressionless.
His dark eyes seemed as if they no longer moved.
Exhausted, self-loathing.
Like a fading trace in the sunset, about to vanish.
However, in the desolate golden sunlight, he seemed to hear a somewhat familiar voice.
But all the people here were dispersed, and the phone line was disconnected.
How could there still be a voice?
The sunset streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
He disliked the color of the sunset, as it reminded him of the lingering light of a life fading away.
But then, a little orange cat, as orange as the sunset, scurried into his chaotic, topsy-turvy dreams and approached the man in the twilight glow, climbing onto his lap.
Thus, bridging a decade, the orange cat’s kiss landed on the man’s cheek.
She said, “Don’t be afraid, little rose, I am here, I will always be with you.”