RAM Extra 5

He thought that if he satisfied the sea monster’s request, it would let him go, but Yan Hui didn’t expect that the sea monster was actually a bottomless pit. A bottle of strawberry-flavored yogurt wasn’t enough for it to drink every day. His private savings had already run out, and the sea monster’s demands were only growing.

“Is there anything else to eat?”

What else to eat? Yan Hui had never had anything good himself. He answered honestly, “I don’t know?”

“You don’t know?” The monster was shocked, its tone seemingly a little displeased, “Aren’t you human? How could you not know?”

In Zhengzhu-eyed “monster’s” view, humans were considered high-ranking creatures, on par with their merfolk. Humans knew many delicious things and could make many tasty dishes. How could this human in front of it not know?

Yan Hui shrank his neck, fearing the “sea monster” would get angry for not receiving the offered tribute. He cautiously said, “Then… would you like a different flavored yogurt?”

Zhengzhu thought about it and agreed. He was tired of strawberry flavor, it was time for a change. “Then I want banana flavor.”

Are we really changing? Yan Hui wiped the sweat off his brow in his mind. How could he be so useless? Why couldn’t he just have the courage to tell the sea monster he had no money and wouldn’t be able to provide in the future? Now, how was he supposed to find yogurt with a new flavor for the sea monster?

After returning from the beach, Yan Hui kept wondering where to get money. Compared to being scolded by his uncle and aunt, he found the “big sea monster” even more terrifying. After a great mental struggle, he decided to bring up the matter of learning a trade again with his uncle and aunt.

“Uncle… I still want to learn how to repair televisions…”

When he first came here, his parents hoped he could find a master to learn television repair. Now that every household had a television, being a television repairman was a sought-after job.

His uncle and aunt’s faces changed drastically when they heard this. “Learn how to repair televisions? Do you think the money your family sent is enough for you to be an apprentice?”

Being an apprentice not only didn’t earn much money, but you also had to pay tuition. Yan Hui’s parents had sent some money, but his uncle and aunt had always said it wasn’t enough and refused to let Yan Hui be an apprentice. Besides, the family still needed help with household chores, and they didn’t allow him to work outside either.

Yan Hui was an illegal immigrant without proper papers. Without his uncle and aunt’s help, he didn’t even have the chance to work illegally. He could even be deported if caught.

“The family has so many things waiting for help, but you just run off all the time. Who knows where you’ve gone to be wild?” His uncle and aunt scolded him, making him feel utterly embarrassed. Yan Hui didn’t dare to resist. He was afraid of offending them, leaving him with no place to stay.

With no way out, Yan Hui saw an environmental organization advertisement on the beach. For every ten empty plastic bottles, he could exchange one dollar. The locals preferred to take their recyclables to the recycling station because the prices were so low there.

But for Yan Hui, this was a rare opportunity to make money. He didn’t have to risk crossing the city center to go to the recycling station on the other side of the city. He could collect bottles and exchange them for money right on the beach. Although it wasn’t much, it was already a great help for him.

Every day, the money he earned from collecting bottles was just enough to buy food and drink for the “big sea monster.” But it didn’t last long. When his uncle and aunt found out that he was collecting bottles to make money, they scolded him as an ungrateful child, saying that he didn’t bring money home, and took all his earnings.

Looking at his empty wallet, Yan Hui was at his wit’s end. He had tried to avoid this situation, but the “sea monster” had once said that if he dared to stop giving offerings, he would never be able to get close to the sea again. Living in a coastal city, it was impossible to live without getting near the sea. Yan Hui could only grit his teeth and, while his uncle and aunt were away, sneak out to the beach.

When Zhengzhu saw Yan Hui arriving so early, he was a little surprised.

“How come you’re here so early today?” Seeing that Yan Hui was empty-handed, Zhengzhu asked, “Where’s my snack?”

Yan Hui stood behind a rock, keeping a distance from the monster. He didn’t want the sea monster to suddenly lash out. If it did, he could still try to escape. He fiddled with his clothes nervously and stuttered for a while before he could get a word out.

“I… you…”

Zhengzhu furrowed his brows and placed his hands on his hips. “Speak louder, why are you standing so far away? I can’t hear you!”

When the “monster” raised his voice, Yan Hui’s heart leaped. His little heart was in turmoil. If he stuck his head out, it was dangerous. If he shrank back, it was also dangerous. He raised his voice to reply.

“I… I’m not bringing you food anymore!”

The sea monster responded confidently, “Why not?”

Why not? He was the one who should be asking that! Why did he have to give offerings to the sea monster? There were so many people, why did the sea monster pick him? Why was he so unlucky, just trying to find a quiet place to vent, and now he was entangled with the sea monster? It only made his already difficult life worse.

Yan Hui became more and more aggrieved, his voice tinged with tears. “I… I want to ask… why me? So many people… why do you want me to buy food for you? I don’t have much money. I managed to find a job collecting bottles… but when my uncle and aunt found out, they took all my earnings… I don’t have money, how am I supposed to buy more?”

Yan Hui turned his back to the sea monster, wiping away his tears. He was scared, but even the poor had their dignity. He couldn’t let the evil force see his weakness. But as he spoke, he ended up venting his grievances to the sea monster.

“My parents originally sent me here to find work… But I didn’t find a job. There was a war back home, and I haven’t been able to contact them since… The money my family sent, my uncle and aunt won’t give it to me, no matter the excuse… I don’t have papers, I don’t have a job, I don’t have money, I’m living a life of hiding… I’m so unlucky, so pitiful, and now you, this big sea monster, is bullying me.” Yan Hui braced himself, putting on a brave face. “Anyway, I’m not buying you food anymore. Do whatever you want!”

He had nothing left, only his life. The heavens were unfair to him, and maybe death was better than continuing to live.

Yan Hui closed his eyes, waiting for death to come. After a long time, his arm was poked. He couldn’t help but open his eyes, only to see a bracelet with embedded jewels and gold appear in front of him. Looking up, he saw that the “big sea monster” had somehow swum behind the rocks.

Yan Hui was so frightened that he almost fainted. The sea monster fiddled with the seaweed on his head, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes. His hand gently patted Yan Hui’s arm, and he made a light sound in his throat.

Yan Hui felt as though he was frozen in place, unable to escape, not understanding what the “sea monster” meant. The sea monster seemed to have read his mind.

“Take it, don’t you have no money?”

Merfolk were known for being peaceful, never engaging in killing or fighting. While Zhengzhu had never worried about money, he had known since he was young that humans needed money to buy things. But he didn’t understand where the money came from. His dads had always provided for him, so he had assumed every human must have money.

Zhengzhu had casually found a bag of gold coins at the bottom of the sea for his dad. He still couldn’t understand that money wasn’t so easy to come by for humans, but seeing Yan Hui crying so pitifully, he felt it was wrong to keep bullying him.

“My dad said that these things can be exchanged for money. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring gold coins with me. This bracelet was made by my Dad with gold. Shouldn’t it work the same way?”

Yan Hui was stunned. This was nothing like he had imagined. The “sea monster” didn’t seem angry for not getting offerings. Instead, it was giving him something.

The sea monster added, “Remember to bring me food tomorrow after you exchange the money.”

Yan Hui stared at the bracelet that the “sea monster” had shoved into his hand, then looked in the direction the sea monster swam off to. He stood there in a daze for a while before coming back to his senses. It seemed… the sea monster wasn’t as bad as he thought.

Author’s Note: 

Once you’re an adult, it’s all about the younger one.