RAM Chapter 38

During the day, Zhenzhu performed synchronized swimming for his dads, showcasing his true mermaid talent. He even brought deep-sea fish to the surface to show them to Lu Xie. His tiny, chubby arms used all their strength, and his round little face flushed red from the effort.

Lu Xie was worried sick, terrified Zhenzhu would hurt himself. He wanted to help but didn’t want to crush the child’s enthusiasm. Instead, he hovered around him helplessly, saying, “Alright, alright, you can put it down now. Daddy knows how strong and amazing our Zhenzhu is.”

Hearing his dad’s praise, Zhenzhu finally released the deep-sea fish back into the water. The fish, with its ugly face and bulging eyes, gave Zhenzhu a sideways glance as if saying, That’s it? I thought my time was up! Huffing indignantly, it flicked its tail and quickly disappeared beneath the surface.

At night, Lu Xie would lie at the entrance of the tent, telling stories to Hai San’er and Zhenzhu. These were fairy tales Lu Xie had specially prepared for Zhenzhu. He’d heard that other children got bedtime stories from their parents, something he had never experienced, but Zhenzhu deserved it—even if it was only once a year.

Although Zhenzhu couldn’t speak yet, his comprehension was impressive. When the plot got scary, he would quietly swim to Hai San’er’s chest, clutching his mermaid dad tightly in fear. Sad moments made him cry into Hai San’er’s embrace. The two of them were more dramatic than the story itself.

But happy days were always short-lived. After a few days, it was time for Lu Xie and Hai San’er to leave. Just like when they arrived in the dead of night, they departed the same way, taking only their trash and the little pearl Zhenzhu had gifted them.

Lu Xie merely waved at Zhenzhu before turning to the cockpit, feigning a casual tone. “Let’s go. We’ll be back next year.”

As their boat sailed away, Zhenzhu followed them for a long time. Several times, Lu Xie thought of stopping to tell him to go back, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It wasn’t until the tall buildings of the shore came into view that he had no choice.

Stopping the boat, Lu Xie waited for Zhenzhu to approach. “You can’t follow any further. Remember your promise to Daddy—stay away from the coast.”

Zhenzhu always listened to Hai San’er. No matter how curious or longing he felt, he never approached the shore, keeping his promise to his mermaid dad.

He swam up to press his forehead against Lu Xie’s and Hai San’er’s, giving them one last look before diving beneath the surface.

Once Zhenzhu left, Lu Xie and Hai San’er could finally set off. Lu Xie returned to the cockpit in silence, started the engine, and didn’t look back.

Watching Lu Xie’s rigid back, Hai San’er stepped forward, resting his hand on the console. A single tear slipped down onto Hai San’er’s hand.

Lu Xie took a deep breath, wiping his face clean of tears. Yet, the redness in his eyes betrayed his emotions.

Hai San’er softly consoled him, “Zhenzhu takes great care of himself, doesn’t he?”

Lu Xie swallowed hard, his throat moving with difficulty. He knew Zhenzhu was doing well, with plenty of ocean creatures to keep him company. But late at night, when Zhenzhu missed them, Lu Xie and Hai San’er had each other for comfort. Zhenzhu only had himself. If mermaids weren’t lonely, Hai San’er wouldn’t have come ashore. Thinking of this, Lu Xie’s heart ached.

“Lu Xie, most mermaids never see their parents. They don’t even have anyone to miss. Their lives are empty. Zhenzhu is very lucky—he knows what he’s waiting for each year.” Hai San’er took Lu Xie’s hand. “Time flies. We’ll see Zhenzhu again next year.”

At 5 PM, the last customer left the handmade shop named “Zhenzhu.” After a quick cleanup, Lu Xie locked the door and headed toward the aquarium on his bike.

Since Hai San’er became a well-known mermaid model in the city, anything mermaid-related had been selling like hotcakes. Even Lu Xie’s handcrafted mermaid figurines couldn’t keep up with demand. His pieces were more vivid than those of professional sculptors, especially the lifelike tails, which seemed to breathe life into the figurines. Customers flocked to his shop.

At 6 PM, there was a performance by Hai San’er. Fortunately, as family, Lu Xie had discounted tickets, or he wouldn’t have been able to snag one given the aquarium’s popularity.

By the time he arrived, the venue was packed. Finding his seat, Lu Xie remarked, “So many people!”

“It’s Hai San’er’s last performance this month. After this, he’s on vacation, so of course it’s crowded,” someone nearby explained.

Yes, it was that time of year when they reunited with Zhenzhu. To give Hai San’er ample time to rest, the aquarium extended his vacation, allowing him two weeks off.

The lights dimmed, and a collective gasp filled the air as the audience marveled at the mermaid gliding gracefully through the water, as if he were a feather floating in the sea.

No matter how many times Lu Xie watched, Hai San’er’s performance captivated him. At first, Lu Xie worried Hai San’er would tire of the job, but he had been wrong. Hai San’er loved his work, showcasing the beauty of mermaids to the audience.

After the show, the audience swarmed the glass to interact with Hai San’er, who responded warmly. Lu Xie gestured toward the back door.

When Hai San’er had started the job, Lu Xie had been anxious—first worried he wouldn’t do well and be upset, then worried he’d do too well and attract jealousy. But Hai San’er’s sincerity won everyone over, and he got along well with his colleagues.

“All done!” Hai San’er emerged, wearing a hat and mask to avoid recognition.

“Let’s go. We still need to hit the supermarket,” Lu Xie said.

They bought bags of Zhenzhu’s favorite foods and treats he hadn’t tried yet.

“Do you think Zhenzhu will be the first little mermaid to try yogurt?”

Hai San’er nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely! I didn’t have it when I was young.”

“You still can’t get enough, huh?” Lu Xie teased as Hai San’er opened one of Zhenzhu’s yogurts.

“First stealing Zhenzhu’s fish food, now his yogurt.”

Hai San’er grinned smugly. “Zhenzhu won’t mind!”

Their car headed toward a seaside house—a secluded, quiet home they’d bought after earning enough money.

Late at night, under the cover of darkness, they shuttled supplies between their boat and the house, preparing for their annual visit to Zhenzhu.

As they sailed into the night, a haunting whale song echoed through the silence.

“That’s the whale Zhenzhu saved,” Lu Xie murmured, realizing Zhenzhu was nearby.

“Zhenzhu!” Hai San’er called out.

A shadow appeared on the water, leaping and waving excitedly.

“Daddy!”

—The End—

Author’s Note:

The main storyline is complete. I’ll write about why Hai San’er chose Lu Xie, as well as Zhenzhu’s story.

Zhenzhu perfectly inherited his merman father’s beauty and his human father’s temper. In the sea, he acts like a little tyrant—playful and mischievous. When fish fight, he doesn’t have Hai San’er’s patience, he dives in with a punch for each fish, using brute force to break up fights.

During his mating period, he encounters a naive and honest human. This human is ostracized by peers and always appears alone by the seaside. Zhenzhu, with a headpiece of seaweed, pretends to be a sea monster and scares the human unconscious. The human falls ill and doesn’t appear for half a month, leaving Zhenzhu worried sick. That’s pretty much the gist of it.