RAM Extra 9

The human boy nearby looked utterly shocked, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg. Lu Xie immediately guessed that this kid was completely unaware of Zhenzhu’s pregnancy. Ever since realizing that only if Zhenzhu also turned human could their family truly reunite, Lu Xie had been hoping Zhenzhu would find a human partner. As a father, Lu Xie naturally wanted to give Zhenzhu the best of everything in the world. Even for Zhenzhu’s spouse, he hoped it would be someone exceptional in every way. Even if not perfect, at the very least, they should genuinely love and care for Zhenzhu.

But this clueless kid in front of him clearly didn’t even understand Zhenzhu’s situation. How could he possibly talk about caring for Zhenzhu?

“What’s with that expression? Are you trying to deny responsibility?” Lu Xie, already irritated by the boy’s foolish demeanor, snapped, “Do you not know what the two of you did?”

It wasn’t that Lu Xie didn’t believe Hai San’er was pregnant; after all, the evidence was clear. But he had reached the point of confronting Yu Hui, another human like himself. All his notions of empathy and understanding flew out the window when it came to spoiling his own child.

Yu Hui opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. Of course, he knew what had happened between him and Zhenzhu. Precisely because he knew, he was in shock. The existence of mermaids was already unbelievable, and if mermaids existed, it wasn’t entirely impossible for one to get pregnant—even a male mermaid. But… the two of them… at that time, Zhenzhu had clearly been the…

Seeing the boy’s face shift through a myriad of emotions, so complex it was almost comical, Lu Xie could already guess most of it. It was likely a situation similar to what he himself had experienced in the past. Even if Zhenzhu was at fault, Zhenzhu was a mermaid. How could one hold a mermaid to the same standards as a human?

However, there was no way to explain all this to the boy in just a few words. To make him believe, Lu Xie righteously pressed him further, “What does your silence mean? Do you think our family is trying to extort you? Zhenzhu is pregnant—you have to take care of him.”

If not for Zhenzhu’s unique situation, Lu Xie would have liked to call over the boy’s parents to give them a piece of his mind. He seemed so negligent.

If not for Zhenzhu’s unique circumstances, Lu Xie would have really wanted to call this boy’s parents over for a serious talk. How could they be so indifferent?

Zhenzhu’s father spoke with such certainty that it didn’t sound like a bluff. Yu Hui stole a glance at the sleek, beautiful speedboat. Someone who could afford such a vessel clearly came from a well-off family—they had no reason to deceive a pauper like him.

While Yu Hui remained silent, Zhenzhu, who had just finished disinfecting his wound, spoke softly, “Dad, let him go. He never promised to be my partner.”

The cabin fell into a sudden hush. Lu Xie exchanged a look with Hai San’er. This was not entirely unexpected. After all, the chances of a mermaid finding a human partner were slim. In such a short time, where could Zhenzhu have found a human to develop a deep relationship with? Most likely, it had been a one-night stand.

If that were the case, Lu Xie couldn’t let Yu Hui leave. If Yu Hui left and told someone about the existence of mermaids, Zhenzhu and the child would be in grave danger.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Xie spotted the rope by the cabinet. It wasn’t that he was ruthless—people were naturally selfish. Yu Hui could only blame his own bad luck.

Just as Lu Xie was contemplating how to act, Yu Hui, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, “I’ll take care of him.”

Though the situation was bizarre, Yu Hui thought that if, just if, Zhenzhu really was pregnant with their child, he wasn’t the type to shirk responsibility. He would surely take good care of Zhenzhu and the child. Regardless of what might happen between him and Zhenzhu in the future, at least until the child was born, he had a duty to care for Zhenzhu.

Lu Xie’s tense heart gradually steadied. He studied the young man in front of him. Though he seemed quiet and timid, he appeared honest and unlikely to harbor ill intentions.

Hai San’er, unless absolutely necessary, didn’t approve of Lu Xie using extreme measures. Besides, for a mermaid, their partner was their spiritual anchor. If this boy were gone, what meaning would Zhenzhu’s union with a human hold? Hai San’er sincerely hoped that the boy could stay with Zhenzhu and build something meaningful together.

“There’s a blanket in that cabinet. Take one out and drape it over Zhenzhu,” Lu Xie instructed Yu Hui, pointing to the corner cabinet. “I’m going to start the boat. Whatever needs to be said can wait until we’re home.”

As Lu Xie headed to the cockpit, Yu Hui finally let out a sigh of relief. Zhenzhu’s father was terrifying, and without him around, the pressure eased considerably. He exhaled deeply and turned around, only to find Zhenzhu and his other dad both watching him.

“I, uh…” Yu Hui stammered, fumbling for words. He turned in place awkwardly. “I’ll go get the blanket for you…”

The speedboat circled in the pitch-black sea, surrounded only by a thick, hazy fog. Yu Hui was already starting to feel disoriented. Zhenzhu had fallen asleep in his father’s arms, leaving Yu Hui and Lu Xie exchanging glances. Yu Hui could sense that Lu Xie wanted to talk to him, but the roar of the engine drowned out any chance of conversation.

After a long while, faint outlines of structures emerged through the white mist. As the boat drew closer to the shore, the shapes became clearer. When the speedboat finally docked, Yu Hui could see it was a large, white house.

“I’ll carry him,” came Zhenzhu’s father’s voice.

Yu Hui snapped back to reality to find that Zhenzhu was already in his father’s arms, being carried off the boat. He froze in place, unsure of what to do next. It wasn’t until Zhenzhu’s father turned back and called to him.

“Come along, kid.”

Yu Hui’s drifting thoughts were abruptly pulled back to reality. He quickly followed Zhenzhu’s fathers into the large house. Once inside, he stood nervously, afraid to touch or break anything. Standing felt awkward, sitting felt wrong, and seeing Zhenzhu’s fathers bustling around—seemingly preparing to carry the sleeping Zhenzhu elsewhere—Yu Hui finally showed a rare moment of initiative.

“Let me do it,” he offered.

Zhenzhu was no longer the tiny little fish he used to be. He had grown strong and sturdy, and with Lu Xie getting older, carrying the sleeping Zhenzhu was becoming a bit of a challenge. When Yu Hui stepped forward to help, Lu Xie gave him a sidelong glance.

They couldn’t let a fifth person know about Zhenzhu’s mermaid identity. So even though they had brought him home, calling a doctor to examine Zhenzhu’s injuries wasn’t an option.

“Carry Zhenzhu to the bathroom,” Lu Xie instructed.

Yu Hui picked up Zhenzhu and followed Lu Xie into the bathroom. Inside, the bathtub was already filled with water. The water was a deep color, as if something had been added to it.

“There’s anti-inflammatory medicine in there,” Hai San’er explained, patting Yu Hui on the shoulder. “Put Zhenzhu down.”

After placing Zhenzhu into the bathtub, Zhenzhu slid into the water. Yu Hui panicked and quickly supported Zhenzhu’s chin, afraid he might drown.

Lu Xie and Hai San’er, noticing Yu Hui still lingering in the bathroom, turned to look at him with confusion. Finally, Lu Xie spoke impatiently, “What are you standing around for?”

Yu Hui, intimidated by Lu Xie’s tone, stammered, “I’m afraid… he might drown…”

Lu Xie gave Yu Hui a look as if he were a complete idiot. Under his sharp gaze, Yu Hui felt deeply uncomfortable, glancing around nervously, unsure what mistake he had made.

“You’re afraid he’ll drown? He’s a fish.”

“Ah? Oh…” Yu Hui trailed off awkwardly.

Behind Lu Xie, Hai San’er tugged at his sleeve, motioning for him to step out. He then spoke gently to Yu Hui, “Kid, stay here with Zhenzhu. We’ll get you something to eat.”

Lu Xie clearly didn’t trust Yu Hui alone with Zhenzhu, but Hai San’er dragged him out of the bathroom anyway.

“You’re so harsh,” Hai San’er whispered after they left. It reminded him of how Lu Xie used to act when they had first met. “Yu Hui feels out of place being with us. Let him stay in the bathroom with Zhenzhu for now.”

Arms crossed, Lu Xie grumbled, “He feels out of place? Look at how clueless he is—he probably can’t even take care of someone who’s asleep.”

“He’s not clueless! He doesn’t seem like a bad person. Stop giving him such a hard time. After all, he’s Zhenzhu’s partner.”

Lu Xie wanted to argue that he didn’t recognize that fool as Zhenzhu’s partner. But then he thought about how they already had a child together. If Yu Hui wasn’t Zhenzhu’s partner, his only other option was to be a corpse. Besides, Zhenzhu seemed to care about the boy. If anything happened to him, Zhenzhu would surely be heartbroken. Begrudgingly, Lu Xie swallowed his words.

Meanwhile, Yu Hui overheard their conversation from the bathroom. He knew he wasn’t likable—his aunt and uncle didn’t like him, and now even Zhenzhu’s father disliked him. He felt like a failure.

“What are you thinking about?” Zhenzhu’s voice suddenly broke through his thoughts.

Yu Hui glanced down to see that Zhenzhu had woken up at some point. Feeling embarrassed, he sat beside the bathtub. Avoiding Zhenzhu’s gaze, he stole a glance at the wound beneath the water. “How are you feeling now?”

The speed of the propeller was so fast that even Zhenzhu, a mermaid, couldn’t react in time. The instant the blade struck Zhenzhu’s waist, blood dyed the seawater red. Yu Hui had been so terrified at the time that he forgot to struggle. With such a severe wound and so much blood, he thought that if it had been him, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

The smell of the anti-inflammatory medicine was unpleasant. Zhenzhu pouted, but he didn’t answer Yu Hui’s question. Instead, he said, “You can go. I’ll handle my dads myself.”

The memory of Zhenzhu’s feral outburst had indeed scared Yu Hui, and for days, he had dreamed of leaving. But now that he was back onshore and Zhenzhu was telling him to leave, he found himself hesitating.

The medicated water was cloudy, making it impossible to see anything below the surface. Yu Hui met Zhenzhu’s gaze and asked softly, “Are you really… pregnant?”

Zhenzhu stayed silent, his eyes looking both weary and resolute. His lack of denial was answer enough.

“Then I’m not leaving,” Yu Hui said firmly.

“Why?” Zhenzhu tilted his head, confused. He didn’t understand humans. Yu Hui clearly didn’t want to be his partner, so why wasn’t he leaving?

Yu Hui struggled to put his feelings into words. He didn’t know what the future held for him and Zhenzhu, but he couldn’t just abandon Zhenzhu and the baby right now. He had to take care of them.

“You’re hurt, and you have a baby now. I need to stay and take care of you both,” he explained.

The moment he finished speaking, something soft and wet brushed against his cheek—a kiss from Zhenzhu. The terrifying memories of that night came flooding back. Yu Hui recoiled, covering his face in horror as he quickly put some distance between them. “What are you doing?”

“You’re willing to be my partner now.”

In Zhenzhu’s understanding, Yu Hui accepting the baby and agreeing to take care of them meant that he was agreeing to be his partner.

Yu Hui rubbed at the spot where Zhenzhu had kissed him, stammering, “I… no… that’s not… that’s not what I meant…”

Zhenzhu tilted his head and blinked in confusion. “Then what do you mean?”

This little mermaid…

Yu Hui felt both frustrated and helpless. There was no point in trying to reason with a mermaid. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. After a long moment, he finally calmed himself down.

Forget it. No point in arguing with a fish.