RAM Chapter 36

Some fish are like schoolchildren—because it was their first day of work the next day, the entire fish couldn’t sleep out of excitement. After a whole day of commotion, Lu Xie was so tired that his eyelids kept drooping, but Hai San’er just wouldn’t stop chirping in his ear.

“Lu Xie, I’m starting work tomorrow! I actually found a job so quickly!”

Lu Xie took a deep breath, exhaling briefly. “Mm.”

“I never thought that even after becoming human, my job would still involve being a mermaid. Did you see their uniforms today? Those tails look so real!” Hai San’er clasped his fingertips together and gazed up at a forty-five-degree angle, imagining his future work. “I’ll be wearing those outfits, just like being back in the ocean.”

Lu Xie, too sleepy to respond, ignored Hai San’er, who happily continued talking to himself. “Say, they’ve never seen real mermaids, so how do they imagine what mermaids look like?”

That was a good point. Lu Xie rolled over, considering the possibility. Maybe someone had seen mermaids before, just like he had, and that inspired the image people now recognized.

“I’ve never worked a day in my life. I wonder what tomorrow will be like,” Hai San’er murmured, his habit of whispering in someone’s ear on full display.

Lu Xie couldn’t even pretend not to hear him—Hai San’er had practically stuffed his mouth into Lu Xie’s ear. Finally, exasperated, Lu Xie grabbed his face and pushed him away. “If you don’t want to be late on your first day, then sleep now.”

Late?!

Hai San’er’s biggest fear was being late. He wouldn’t even dare to be late for school, let alone work. He quickly ducked under the blanket, leaving only half of his face exposed. The room fell into silence.

But the quiet didn’t last long. Soon, Hai San’er’s voice drifted out again. “Lu Xie, is my outfit for tomorrow on the chair?”

“Mm.” Lu Xie answered with his eyes closed, his thoughts wandering.

Even though he got a response, Hai San’er still wasn’t reassured. He started to sit up. “No, I have to check.”

“Tch.” Lu Xie stretched out an arm and dragged him back. “Are you done? Weren’t you the one who put it there? You even tried on several outfits—what’s there to check again?”

Hai San’er always liked to test Lu Xie’s patience to the limit before settling down. After being scolded, he didn’t dare say another word.

Lu Xie lay back down before him, counting one, two seconds. When Hai San’er remained frozen and didn’t lie down, he began to wonder—had he been too harsh? It was Hai San’er’s first day of work, being a little excited was understandable. Mermaids were naturally expressive and emotionally needy, it wasn’t like he didn’t know that.

Sigh. Forget it.

“Still not sleeping?” Lu Xie asked softly.

Hai San’er finally dared to reply in a small, aggrieved voice. “You’re lying on my hair.”

Lu Xie let out a long breath, feeling as if he’d punched cotton. He flipped over to face Hai San’er, who was busy rescuing his hair from under Lu Xie’s arm. When he saw Lu Xie making room for him, Hai San’er hesitated for a moment before shamelessly snuggling into Lu Xie’s embrace.

“Stop tossing and turning. It’s not your first day as a mermaid. What’s there to get excited about? If you say another word, you’re sleeping on the couch.”

Sleeping on the couch was a real threat to Hai San’er. No way. He couldn’t be separated from Lu Xie—he’d never fall asleep alone.

“Mm~” Hai San’er nestled against Lu Xie’s chest, putting his full weight on him to ensure he wouldn’t be kicked out.

Perhaps he’d been frightened by Lu Xie’s words, or maybe he was just too tired from all the fuss. Either way, he fell asleep quickly on Lu Xie’s chest.

Even so, he still couldn’t get up the next day.

“Hai San’er!” It was the third time Lu Xie had called him, his patience completely worn out.

The aquarium’s shuttle had been waiting downstairs for ages. Lu Xie, unwilling to hold up a whole busload of people for Hai San’er, eventually went down to tell the driver to leave.

Hai San’er finally dragged himself out of bed, and when he saw the clock, he nearly jumped up. “What do I do? I’m going to be late!”

After hastily washing up and getting dressed, he sat anxiously on a stool, waiting for Lu Xie to brush his hair.

Lu Xie, in a tank top and shorts, hadn’t shaved in days. His stubbled chin, paired with a scar over his brow and an expression sharp enough to kill mosquitoes, made Hai San’er shiver. In his eyes, Lu Xie wasn’t holding a comb—he was wielding a fish-slicing knife.

The messier his hair was, the harder it was to brush. Hai San’er, who had somehow managed to sleep his hair into a bird’s nest, endured being tugged into the shape of a sea urchin. He dared not complain, silently praying for the ordeal to end.

When his hair was finally done, the shuttle bus had long since departed. Hai San’er stood frozen, unsure of how to get to work. Glancing at Lu Xie’s dark expression, he didn’t dare ask. If only he’d listened to Lu Xie and gone to bed earlier yesterday.

“Let’s go.” Lu Xie grabbed a set of keys and stepped outside in his slippers. Hai San’er quickly followed, terrified of being left behind.

Downstairs, there were shared e-scooters for rent. Lu Xie casually scanned one. “Hop on.”

The scooter was a tight squeeze, and with Hai San’er’s track record, he was bound to miss the shuttle more often than not. They’d probably have to buy a motorcycle soon.

The sound of the wind roared past his ears. Hai San’er tightly hugged Lu Xie’s waist, his chest pressed firmly against Lu Xie’s back. “Don’t be mad. I promise I won’t sleep in tomorrow.”

Perhaps the wind was too loud, or perhaps Lu Xie heard him but pretended not to. Either way, Hai San’er wasn’t fazed. Thick-skinned as ever, he leaned in closer, humming softly into Lu Xie’s ear, “Mmm~.”

The ticklish sensation made Lu Xie’s ears twitch. This was a tiny electric scooter, after all—any sudden movement could cause them to tip over. Feigning impatience, he said, “Shut up.”

With a squeak, the scooter came to a stop by the roadside. Hai San’er, here for his first day of work, had to face his boss himself for being late. Lu Xie couldn’t handle that for him.

Lu Xie gestured for Hai San’er to get off the scooter. “You’re on your own. If you get fired, don’t blame anyone else.”

Showing up late on your first day? If Lu Xie were his boss, he’d fire him on the spot.

Hai San’er felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. He definitely didn’t want to get fired. With a heavy heart, he shuffled toward the aquarium’s back entrance, turning back every few steps.

It was Sunday, and the aquarium was bustling with visitors. After some hesitation, Lu Xie decided he couldn’t leave it alone. He bought a ticket and entered, blending in with the crowd.

The mermaid show hadn’t started yet, but the aquarium was already packed. After scanning the area for a while without spotting Hai San’er, Lu Xie figured he must be backstage getting scolded. That brat needed a few scoldings to understand the harsh realities of life.

Walking through the glass tunnel, Lu Xie watched various marine creatures swim overhead. Though he couldn’t understand their calls like Hai San’er could, he still felt a strange connection to them. After all, not many humans could say they’d once ridden on the back of a whale.

Ten minutes later, Lu Xie followed the crowd to the tunnel’s end, just as the mermaid show venue opened. He joined the line and entered.

The aquarium’s marine ecosystem was perfectly simulated to mirror the ocean. When the “mermaids” dived into the water, the audience erupted into cheers.

Standing on the outskirts of the crowd with his arms crossed, Lu Xie had a clear view thanks to his height. There were both male and female mermaids, each staying underwater for about three minutes. Yet, there was no sign of Hai San’er.

“Did he really get fired?” Lu Xie murmured. If he had, that would be trouble. Knowing Hai San’er’s temperament, he’d cry and fuss for days, and Lu Xie would have to rack his brain to cheer him up. If he’d known this would happen, he wouldn’t have agreed to let him start this job yesterday. Truly, he’d brought this on himself.

“Wow!”

Just as Lu Xie was wondering how to placate Hai San’er, the crowd let out a deafening gasp of amazement. Looking up at the glass, he saw a lithe figure spinning gracefully in the water. Silver hair flowed like waves, and a pale pink tail fin moved with elegant precision. Their eyes met, and Hai San’er winked in his direction.

Lu Xie chuckled softly. Looks like the kid got lucky—he hadn’t been fired after all.

The water behind the glass seemed to come alive with Hai San’er’s movements. Ripples spread in mesmerizing circles around him as schools of fish swam nearby. He reached out a hand, and a clownfish paused in his palm. Gently tapping its lips with his fingertip, he sent it swimming off.

“Wow, he can interact with the fish!”

“He’s so good-looking!”

“Is his hair real?”

“His tail’s even prettier than the other mermaids’!”

Though they all wore performance costumes, Hai San’er’s movements were undeniably more graceful. However, Lu Xie didn’t think much of the costume tail. He’d seen a far more dazzling one—vivid and shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow under the moonlight. That was the tail of a true ocean spirit, not the stiff imitation of a performance costume.

On his first day, Hai San’er was supposed to have just one show. But thanks to the audience’s enthusiastic response, it was extended to three. His time in the water was longer than the other performers, so his boss let him leave early to rest.

When Hai San’er exited through the back door, he found Lu Xie waiting in the alley. With a delighted cry, he ran straight into Lu Xie’s arms. “Lu Xie!”

Lu Xie caught him steadily. “Your boss didn’t fire you?”

“When I got there, everyone was still prepping,” Hai San’er said, leaning against Lu Xie’s shoulder. “The boss asked why I was late, and I told him I was so excited about starting work that I couldn’t sleep last night. He laughed and didn’t fire me.”

So even here, acting spoiled worked.

“He didn’t dock your pay?”

“He said I did well and might even give me a raise in the future.”

Lu Xie grabbed Hai San’er’s face, lowering his voice. “Don’t get cocky. Remember, you’re human now. You can’t stay underwater for too long. You’re pretending to be a mermaid, not a real one.”

“I know~,” Hai San’er replied, shaking Lu Xie’s arm.

With the aquarium visitors still lingering, Lu Xie took Hai San’er’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

“You didn’t work your stall today?”

“You waited for me all day?”

“Does that mean you were really worried about me?”

Hai San’er kept chattering, sticking so close that Lu Xie was practically walking against the wall. “Can you be quiet for once?”

“Why won’t you answer me? You were definitely worried.”

Lu Xie tugged him along and retorted, “I was worried you’d get fired and come crying to me.”

The orange sunset bathed the sea’s surface, and the moist ocean breeze made their sticky closeness even harder to let go of.