RAM Extra 6

Yan Hui was a bit at a loss, holding the armlet given by the “Sea Monster.” This thing could indeed be exchanged for money, but where could he find a buyer? Moreover, it was broad daylight, and as an illegal immigrant, he dared not casually walk the streets. He carefully brought it home that evening, fearing his uncle and aunt might see it. With no other way out, Yan Hui finally gathered the courage to go to the street and try his luck.

There were many illegal immigrants on the street, all of them keeping their heads down, doing the dirtiest and most difficult jobs, earning the lowest wages. Sometimes, when they encountered vicious bosses, they wouldn’t even get paid, and some were threatened with being reported to the authorities. Everyone feared being deported, so they had to suffer in silence.

Yan Hui circled a few shops around the corner, not daring to trust anyone easily, afraid of encountering a greedy boss. Not only might he not be able to exchange it for money, but he might even lose the armlet, and then how would he explain it to the “Sea Monster”? After considering his options, Yan Hui finally chose an elderly man who looked kind.

“Hello…” Yan Hui, who was quite tall, spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. The old man, sitting behind the counter, had somewhat poor hearing and had to stretch his neck to listen.

“Just looking around,” Yan Hui said, glancing around the shop. Seeing that there were no other customers, he cautiously took the armlet out of his pocket. “Boss, how much can I get for this?”

“You stole it?” The old man sized Yan Hui up. Yan Hui, looking guilty and secretive, gave himself away immediately. The old man guessed he was an illegal immigrant.

Yan Hui quickly waved his hand. “No, no, this… someone asked me to… help exchange it for money… it’s not stolen, it’s something his father gave him.”

An illegal immigrant’s identity didn’t always mean they were thieves—sometimes, they were blacklisted people selling off their belongings. The old man was a businessman; he didn’t care whether the item was stolen as long as the price was right. The armlet was exquisitely made, and the inlaid gold and silver were real. He didn’t refuse and offered Yan Hui a fair price.

Yan Hui had never seen so much money before. The heavy bag of cash made him feel a bit overwhelmed. Before he left, he remembered the “Sea Monster’s” words. The armlet had been given to him by his father, and since it was a gift from his parents, it must have some sentimental value. He boldly asked, “Boss, could you keep the armlet for a while? If I get the money later, I’ll come back to buy it.”

The old man spoke frankly. “I can’t guarantee that. Good items sell fast. If someone’s willing to offer a price, it’ll be gone in no time.”

As a businessman, the old man did what he could, but Yan Hui didn’t want to trouble him any further, so he didn’t insist. He took a final long look at the armlet before tucking the money safely away and leaving the shop.

Following the “Sea Monster’s” advice, Yan Hui bought a lot of snacks and drinks from the store. With the money now sufficient, he didn’t have to be as stingy as before and bought two large bags. When he saw that it was getting late, he started walking towards the seaside.

The “Sea Monster” had gotten so bored that he was playing with the seaweed on his head, lying lazily on a rock and humming an unfamiliar tune. When he heard footsteps, he quickly lifted his head. Seeing it was Yan Hui, the wariness in his eyes disappeared, and his lips pouted in an exaggerated manner.

“Why did you take so long to come?” Upon seeing the two large bags of snacks in Yan Hui’s hands, the “Sea Monster” immediately brightened up. “Snacks!”

Yan Hui couldn’t be bothered to explain that he was an illegal immigrant and couldn’t roam the streets freely, making it difficult for him to find a place to exchange for money. The “Sea Monster” wouldn’t understand his difficulties; he only cared about whether there were snacks to eat today.

“Eat,” Yan Hui said as he placed the snacks next to the “Sea Monster” and took out the money bag from his coat. “This is the leftover money, you see…”

“You keep it.” Zhenzhu’s eyes nearly fell into the plastic bag as he chose a pack of snacks he had never had before. It was crispy and fragrant with milk, which he liked.

Yan Hui didn’t expect this, and quickly realized that the leftover money wasn’t for himself. He still had to continue buying food for the “Sea Monster.”

“Keep the money for yourself. If I bring it back home and my uncle and aunt find it, I won’t be able to take it back,” Yan Hui said.

“Here, have some.” Zhenzhu casually handed Yan Hui a pack of snacks. He was actually quite generous for a mermaid. The only reason he ate alone earlier was that Yan Hui only ever bought one serving, and there was never any extra to share.

Yan Hui stared in surprise at the snacks in his hand. The “Sea Monster” wasn’t as terrible as he had imagined. Unable to resist, he reminded, “You… didn’t you say the armlet was given to you by your father? If you get money, it’s best to buy it back as soon as possible.”

Zhenzhu didn’t understand much. It was true that the armlet was given to him by his father, but since he could remember, his father had always prepared a new armlet for him every year. The old armlets, once replaced, were always taken home as keepsakes. If he lost one, he could just act cute, and his father wouldn’t be angry.

As the pair of them were eating behind the rocks, Zhenzhu  suddenly stopped, his expression serious, eyes sharp. “Someone’s coming.”

This place was so remote that no one ever came here. Yan Hui was puzzled, but then he heard the “Sea Monster” say, “They’re calling your name.”

His name? A bad feeling surged through Yan Hui. He quietly hid behind the rocks and took a peek, and sure enough, it was his uncle and aunt, cursing as they walked toward this direction.

“That brat Yan Hui, whenever there’s something at home, he disappears. Always running off outside.”

“I heard from the neighbor’s kid that he usually likes to come to this beach. Where is he?”

Yan Hui broke into a cold sweat. The snacks he hadn’t eaten suddenly lost their taste. “Oh no, oh no, my uncle and aunt are here. If they find out I snuck out, they’ll definitely scold me to death.”

Zhenzhu didn’t understand why Yan Hui was so afraid of his uncle and aunt, but not only Yan Hui—he couldn’t let any other humans see him either. With a quick move, Zhenzhu grabbed Yan Hui by the neck and pulled him into the water.

The sea water surged in from all directions, and Yan Hui instinctively struggled. His body quickly sank toward the bottom, but a huge force lifted him up, preventing him from sinking into the depths. Everything on the shore became distorted under the refraction of the water. Yan Hui failed to adjust in time to hold his breath, and water rushed into his throat. Before he lost consciousness, he saw his uncle and aunt reaching the shore, probably unable to find him, looking furious.

The waves, so close, woke Yan Hui. He squinted at the dusky orange sky, feeling disoriented and unsure of where he was. He sat up and looked around. He seemed to be on a small island. The plants on the island were lush, and there were small benches and slides.

Someone lived here?

Yan Hui was confused when his eyes caught sight of a bag on the ground. He recognized it; it was the bag containing the money he had exchanged for the armlet. His gaze moved forward. The two bags of snacks had been emptied, turned upside down, and were still wet.

He remembered now: he had exchanged the armlet for money, bought snacks, and was about to head back when his uncle and aunt arrived. In a crisis, the “Sea Monster” had dragged him into the water.

The “Sea Monster”…

Yan Hui looked up and saw a man sitting on the shore not far away. The man was bare-chested, his hair tied in a ponytail. His arms were propped behind him, and the lines of his muscles were fluid and balanced, full of strength.

Wait… he couldn’t be called a man. Below his waist, there were shimmering scales, and a fish tail submerged into the sea. In the afterglow of the sunset, the tail fin poked out of the water, gently swaying. The figure sat against the light, his scales faintly glowing, illuminating his beautiful face.

Author’s Note: 

Our Zhenzhu is iron-clad!