RAM Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Foam 

For a fleeting moment, Lu Xie thought he’d been tricked by this idiot. Assuming the other was crazy, he’d lowered his guard and not only given away his real name but also failed to get one in return. Who would believe he didn’t have a name? What kind of fool did he take him for?

Since the other party refused to speak, Lu Xie wasn’t about to press further. He sneered coldly, his lips curving up mockingly.

The mermaid felt a sharp edge in Lu Xie’s gaze. That ambiguous smile made him uneasy, a chill running down his spine. He didn’t like this expression—it wasn’t fair. Lu Xie had just accepted him and the baby, hadn’t he?

“Lu Xie…”

Lu Xie raised a hand to cut him off. “Didn’t you say you were leaving? Go already.”

The mermaid couldn’t shake the feeling that Lu Xie was angry, but he didn’t dare ask. He hesitated, shuffled toward the door, then glanced back multiple times, hoping Lu Xie might follow. But no such luck. Defeated, he finally returned to the sea.

He mulled over their interactions for a long time, scrutinizing every detail. In the end, he concluded that Lu Xie was upset because he didn’t have a name.

To humans, a name must be important. Without one, could he ever truly become human?

He grabbed the tail of a passing deep-sea turtle, who’d lived long enough to know far more than those seven-second-memory fish. “Do you remember what my name is?”

But he’d forgotten that longevity didn’t guarantee memory. The turtle hesitated, its face scrunching in thought. Finally, it muttered, “What did you just ask again?”

“Do I have a name? I think I did, but I can’t recall it.”

The turtle tried to comfort him. “Why worry about it? No fish calls you by one anyway.”

But he wanted to be human. And humans needed names. If Lu Xie had one, then he needed one too. Tomorrow, he’d ask Lu Xie—ask him what he should be called.

By evening, the sunlight softened, gilding the sea and sky in gold. The ocean breeze whispered across the waves. Lu Xie sat in a deck chair, smoking, his thoughts interrupted by a faint sound. Instinctively, he turned his head to look.

That lunatic naked guy had left, but Lu Xie hadn’t bothered to follow. He hadn’t even tried to see which direction he went or tail him home to make sure his family kept a closer eye on him. That would’ve been the responsible thing—to stop him from wreaking havoc.

The sharp ring of a landline phone cut through his thoughts. He didn’t rush to answer, his gaze locked on the device. Only as the ringing was about to stop did he finally rise and pick up the receiver.

The other end of the line was quiet. Lu Xie didn’t speak either. Faint static buzzed, interrupted by subtle breathing. After a while, a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Ah Xie, you’re back?”

“Hui-ge.” Lu Xie exhaled, tension easing. “Yeah.”

Lu Xie and Lu Hui had escaped an orphanage together. The outside world was harsh, but five years older, Lu Hui had shielded Lu Xie as they clawed their way up from the gutters. Through the hardships of the slums, they had grown into resilient survivors.

“You okay?”

“Just a leg injury, nothing serious.”

Their phones were on black-market networks. Lu Xie had lost his phone to the sea, and his attempts to reach Lu Hui had failed. They had an agreement: if separated, they’d return to this small coastal shop and wait.

“There’s too much to explain over the phone. Pack your things—I’ll pick you up tomorrow, and we’ll talk in person.” Excitement tinged Lu Hui’s voice. “I’ve uncovered something big. After this, we’ll have enough money to leave this life behind. No more risking our necks for scraps.”

Lu Xie had barely survived the storm. The odds of making it out alive had been slim. Facing death had shifted his perspective—life was too precious. Even if Lu Hui hadn’t suggested it, he was ready to walk away and find peace.

They set a meeting point and ended the call. By then, the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a faint, dying light, as if the night were moments away from swallowing it whole.

Lu Xie glanced at the deserted beach, his eyes lowering. He shut the door and climbed the stairs to pack. He didn’t have much to bring—just two changes of clothes and his most reliable weapon.

Before dawn, Lu Xie was ready to leave. The sound of rain greeted him as he prepared to step out. Coastal weather was fickle—storms and sunshine came without warning.

The moment he opened the shop’s shutter, the rain intensified. But no matter how heavy it poured, he had to go. With luggage in hand, he locked the shop and headed toward town, umbrella in tow.

The mermaid, limited in how long he could remain human, had timed his transformation precisely. Today was his big day—time to watch the next episode of The Little Mermaid.

Rain poured relentlessly, far heavier than usual. By the time he emerged, he was already in disarray. Adjusting the seaweed tied around his waist, he braved the storm, running toward the shop. From a distance, he noticed its doors and windows were tightly shut.

He jogged up and knocked, imitating humans. “Lu Xie, are you there?”

Thunder rumbled loudly, lightning splitting the dark sky. The mermaid moved to the window, but sturdy security bars kept him out. Through the rain-blurred glass, he squinted, trying to see inside. The shop was pitch-black, clearly empty.

Rain poured mercilessly, stinging his eyes and forcing him to squint. He circled the shop multiple times, his heart sinking. When it became clear that no one was home, he reluctantly returned to the sea, lingering in the rain for just a moment longer.

Could he have gone to the town? When would Lu Xie be back? Would he still make it in time to watch the second half of The Little Mermaid?

The sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was a dull gray. Lu Xie had already drained his third cup of coffee, but there was still no sign of Lu Hui. When the waiter came by for the fourth time to refill his cup, he declined, got up, and headed to the restroom. There, he tried calling Lu Hui again, only to be met with the same message: powered off.

The agreed-upon time had long passed. The sky was growing darker, and the likelihood of Lu Hui showing up seemed slim. There was no point in waiting any longer. Lu Xie paid his bill, grabbed his luggage, and braved the pouring rain to head back to the small shop.

The heavy rain had lasted the entire day, with dark clouds pressing so low they seemed about to touch the sea. It felt like the heavens might collapse at any moment. The ramshackle little shop swayed precariously in the storm, the air filled with the howling of sea winds. The umbrella was practically useless, offering no resistance to the driving rain. Lu Xie was drenched by the time he fumbled for his keys to open the door. The moment he rolled up the shutters, the shop’s oppressive air hit him in the face.

He had barely stepped inside to catch his breath when a familiar and pitiful male voice sounded from behind him.

“Where did you go?”

Instinctively, Lu Xie’s hand slipped into his bag to grab a weapon. When he turned around, he was met with the sight of a sopping wet, naked man. His eyes were red, his face damp—though it was hard to tell if it was rain or tears.

“You promised! I said I’d come to find you today, but you weren’t home. I didn’t even get to see the second half of The Little Mermaid!” The mermaid’s eyes fell on the luggage in Lu Xie’s hand. He’d seen it before—those hurriedly departing humans always carried things like that. Other fish had told him such people were preparing to go far away. “You’re leaving? How can you leave? Are you abandoning me and the baby?”

The tension in Lu Xie’s body eased instantly. He tossed the luggage aside. Whether he left or stayed had nothing to do with this naked man. He owed him no explanation. Right now, his mind was preoccupied with Lu Hui’s situation, leaving no room to entertain this nonsense.

“I don’t have the patience to listen to your madness. Leave before I lose my temper.”

But how could the mermaid leave? Sure, Lu Xie had come back this time, but what about the next time? What if he disappeared without a word again? How would he and the baby ever find him?

“You’re trying to chase me away so you can sneak off again, aren’t you? No! You can’t leave! Lu Xie, you—”

The mermaid’s voice cut off abruptly. Lu Xie’s expression had darkened, his impatience almost tangible. It was as if one more word would bring something terrible crashing down.

“It’s you… You’re the one breaking promises,” the mermaid mumbled, his voice shrinking. Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to fall.

Unfortunately, Lu Xie didn’t feel a shred of sympathy. “If you want to cry, do it outside. Don’t bother me.”

A crystalline tear splashed onto the ground. The mermaid tried his best to hold back his sobs but failed miserably. He pouted, his expression almost comically pitiful. After stubbornly wiping his face, he cast Lu Xie a sorrowful look before running out of the shop. He didn’t go far, though, hiding behind a coconut tree to peek back inside.

A figure appeared at the shop entrance—it was Lu Xie. Before the mermaid could feel any joy, Lu Xie mercilessly closed the door.

Thunder drowned out the mermaid’s sobs. Lu Xie had never seen him off before, and this time was no exception.

He doesn’t love me. He doesn’t even love baobao. Heartless human.

The mermaid made a silent vow: he would take baobao and return to the sea, never to see Lu Xie again.

Back in the ocean, he cried so hard the waters seemed to churn around him. A swarm of gossipy fish gathered to comfort him.

“Well, he is baobao’s father,” one said.

“Just bear with it,” another chimed in. “Humans are like that—faithless, cold, and greedy.”

The mermaid, who had been fuming at Lu Xie, suddenly sniffled and retorted, “He’s not like that… Maybe he’s just in a bad mood…”

An ancient sea turtle spoke up slowly, “I remember long ago, there was another mermaid who fell in love with a human. But sadly, he was deceived.”

“What happened to him?” the mermaid asked, wiping his tears.

The fish waited eagerly for the rest of the story, but after a long pause, the turtle replied, “It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten.”

“Whatever it was, it didn’t end well,” a fish chimed in.

“Who didn’t end well?” another fish asked.

“What are you all talking about?”

The fish exchanged confused looks, the previous topic completely forgotten.

Still, venting his feelings had made the mermaid feel better. As his anger subsided, he couldn’t help but think about going back to find Lu Xie. If he had calmed down, maybe Lu Xie had too.

As the mermaid set off, the sea turtle perched on a coral reef suddenly leapt up, exclaiming, “I remember! He turned into foam!”

“Who? Who turned into foam?”

“What foam?”

The mermaid had already surfaced, blissfully unaware of the turtle’s ominous revelation.