RAM Chapter 17
by Abo DammenThe night breeze swept through, carrying the salty dampness and chill of the sea. The ocean appeared shrouded in a thin mist, exuding a deep, mysterious aura. Silvery moonlight danced on the rippling waves, merging the sea and sky into a seamless expanse of inky darkness that seemed to ensnare the senses. Occasionally, the low hum of a distant ship’s horn echoed, its sound rising and falling with the waves before fading into the night.
Under the moonlight’s gentle caress, the waves surged steadily and powerfully, chasing each other and crashing against the rocks. As they broke apart, white sprays scattered like snowflakes. From the shore emerged a merman, his tail gone, holding a barely clothed man in his arms.
The young couple at the beach had long since disappeared. Hai San’er found his clothes near the rocks and draped a T-shirt over Lu Xie, carefully cradling him as he made his way to the small shop. Its dim yellow light flickered softly in the tranquil night.
Lu Xie stirred restlessly in his arms. Hai San’er paused, studying Lu Xie closely to ensure he wouldn’t wake. Once reassured, he continued forward. If humans could breathe underwater, Hai San’er would have taken Lu Xie to the depths of the sea after their mating. He felt a pang of guilt. As Lu Xie had said, he was a useless merman, unable to let his mate live with him under the sea. At least this time, he wouldn’t leave Lu Xie alone onshore, he could stay by his side.
Back at the shop, Hai San’er gently placed Lu Xie on a lounge chair and mimicked how Lu Xie usually locked the door. Then, he carried Lu Xie upstairs.
Humans always clean up before sleeping. Remembering how Lu Xie had cared for him before, Hai San’er fetched a basin of water. Sitting down, his gaze inadvertently fell on the bite marks on Lu Xie’s chest and the hickeys on his neck. His face flushed as he shyly covered his cheeks with his hands. Then, he took out a pearl, cherishing it dearly, kissing and pressing it against his face with delight.
But his sweet reverie shattered when Lu Xie groaned in pain. Hai San’er froze as harsh memories replayed in his mind—the threats Lu Xie had made during their mating in the sea.
“You bastard, you’re dead! When we’re back on land, I’ll chop up your perverted fish tail!”
Lu Xie’s ferocious expression was still vivid in Hai San’er’s mind. Just thinking about it made his heart race in fear. He carefully tucked the pearl away, then focused on gently wiping Lu Xie’s body, hoping to atone for his sins through his earnest efforts.
As he wiped, Hai San’er’s initial terror gave way to distraction. Lu Xie’s muscles were soft to the touch—both his chest and abs. Unable to resist, Hai San’er pressed his face against them, rubbing affectionately.
“Lu Xie, Lu Xie,” he murmured, giggling to himself.
After indulging in his thoughts for a while, Hai San’er forced himself to focus and continued cleaning Lu Xie, though unease still lingered as he imagined Lu Xie’s anger.
“Oh no, I’m definitely getting beaten up tomorrow.”
Resigned, Hai San’er decided to live in the moment. If he had to die, it could wait until tomorrow.
After convincing himself, the carefree merman took a quick bath, then climbed into bed with Lu Xie, abandoning his usual spot on the wireframe bed.
It was the first time Hai San’er shared a bed with Lu Xie, and he was too excited to sleep. While Lu Xie was sound asleep, Hai San’er took the opportunity to secretly touch and kiss him. Only when he was utterly exhausted did he finally drift off.
In his dreams, he relived scenes of passion with Lu Xie in the sea—kissing, touching, and mating. The dream made Hai San smile in his sleep.
When he woke, Lu Xie’s magnified face was right in front of him, staring expressionlessly. His eyes revealed no emotion.
Hai San’er’s smile froze. Blinking nervously, he tried to speak, but before he could, everything went dark as Lu Xie punched him off the bed.
“You hit me…” Hai San’er’s nose twitched, and his eyes welled up with tears. But facing Lu Xie’s gaze, he dared not let them fall, pitifully clutching his cheek instead.
Lu Xie leaped off the bed and pinned the weak merman to the floor, raising his fist to strike again.
Terrified, Hai San covered his head and begged for mercy. “Don’t hit me, I’m sorry…”
“Weren’t you so cocky in the sea?” Lu Xie bellowed. Neither of them wore clothes, leaving him with no leverage for a proper punch. Frustrated, he resorted to choking Hai San’er.
Hai San nearly blacked out, coughing violently as he pried Lu Xie’s hands off. “I… cough… I wasn’t cocky…”
This damned fish, always crying and playing the victim. Lu Xie was infuriated, tempted to gut him and sell him at the market.
But he couldn’t. Hai San’er was worth more than Lu Xie could ever earn in his lifetime. Beating him too severely would only cause trouble, he couldn’t risk a hospital visit.
Suppressing his rage, Lu Xie pushed Hai San’er away and stood up. His clothes were gone, adding to his frustration. After rummaging through the wardrobe, he found a barely wearable set.
Once dressed, he stormed downstairs to freshen up. Hai San’er scrambled to his feet, quickly putting on clothes and trailing after Lu Xie. As Lu Xie washed up, Hai San’er did too. When Lu Xie opened the door, Hai San’er followed closely. When Lu Xie ate breakfast, Hai San’er nibbled on a pumpkin taro bun.
When Lu Xie left, Hai San’er…
Hai San’er stood frozen, watching Lu Xie’s retreating figure helplessly. What should he do? After some thought, he decided to follow. He couldn’t risk Lu Xie leaving in anger and abandoning him and their baby.
It was Hai San’er’s first time at a human marketplace. In the past, he could only watch from afar at the docks at night, where the market was quiet, and only a few windows were lit. Encountering a human out late would send him diving back into the sea.
Today was different. Following Lu Xie from a distance of five or six meters, Hai San’er kept his distance. When Lu Xie entered a store, Hai San’er followed but acted so suspiciously that the shopkeeper kicked him out.
He waited outside, pressing his face to the shop window, hoping for a glance from Lu Xie. But Lu Xie, busy shopping, didn’t spare him a single look.
After finishing his errands, Lu Xie noticed Hai San’er’s absence and became uneasy, retracing his steps to find him. By that time Hai San’er returned to the sea, exhausted and dejected, he resolved to return later and make amends.
But when he reached the shop, it was dark and locked. Was Lu Xie not coming back?
Meanwhile, Lu Xie, fearing for Hai San’er’s safety, searched the town, growing angrier at the merman’s carelessness. He couldn’t shake his worry as the sun beat down. Hai San’er, on the other hand, wandered aimlessly, torn between frustration and longing for Lu Xie’s forgiveness.
Lu Xie dragged his exhausted body in a circle, and before he realized it, he was back in front of his little shop. Standing by the seawater, his worry had long replaced his anger.
Whether that colorful fish had made it back to the ocean was still a mystery. His brain wasn’t exactly the sharpest, and if someone happened to see him entering the water, who knows, they might already be plotting how to capture him without a trace.
Anxious and panicking, Lu Xie shouted toward the vast ocean, “Hai San’er! Where the hell did you go to die?!”
“Huh?” Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from behind. Hai San’er, who had been squatting at the shop entrance, perked up upon hearing his name. Overjoyed, he ran toward the beach. “Lu Xie, were you calling me?”
Lu Xie whipped around, surprise, joy, shock, and anger flooding through him all at once. He swallowed his worry and, as if flipping a switch, roared furiously, “I was calling your dad!”
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