Chapter 140: Chapter 140: The Mermaid’s Tears (Part 1)
The figure by the sea stirred. Hearing Yu Zhizhi’s voice, Yusen turned around, his ice-blue eyes as calm as a deep pool in the darkness.
Yu Zhizhi’s steps were uneven as she trudged across the sand to stand before the young man.
She let out a soft sigh. "You’re here, watching the sea."
’As long as he’s here.’
He hadn’t suddenly vanished. He was just alone, quietly gazing at the coastline.
No one knew what the mermaid was thinking.
Yusen watched her in silence.
’...Have you decided?’
For the past few days, she had seemed burdened with worry. There was an unspoken understanding between them; no one had mentioned the future.
Yu Zhizhi turned to the side and looked at Louis.
The young man handed her the bamboo basket in his hands, smiled, and took a few steps back, leaving them this brief moment alone.
Cradling the bamboo basket, Yu Zhizhi’s eyes shimmered faintly in the darkness of the night.
"I... I had our Mermaid Baby."
Still a little shy, she lifted the scarf covering the basket to show Yusen the ice-blue egg inside.
Yusen stared blankly at the basket, his heart pounding so hard it was deafening.
In the distance, someone, for some reason, had lit fireworks.
They bloomed brilliantly in the night sky, falling like a shower of stars. Their figures flickered in and out of view, illuminated by the fireworks’ reflection.
’These past few days, I’ve thought about so many things...’
’Maybe the little rabbit was lying to me all along.’
’She never wanted a Mermaid Baby at all.’
’Even the pregnancy was just a game to her...’
’Or maybe... all she ever wanted was the Mermaid Baby. Now that she has it, she doesn’t need me anymore.’
Yusen saw the ice-blue egg in the basket. His outstretched fingers trembled as he gently touched the shell’s surface. It was cool to the touch.
"...Mine?"
His voice was slightly hoarse. "Ours?"
’The little rabbit had the baby and came to find me by the sea right away.’
’Could it be—’
A possibility suddenly bloomed in Yusen’s heart. He quickly looked up, a glimmer of hope dancing in his eyes as he stared into Yu Zhizhi’s.
His heart was nearly in his throat—
"Have you made your decision? Are... are you coming with me?"
Yu Zhizhi froze. She couldn’t meet the mermaid’s fervent gaze. She turned her head away, a sour feeling stinging her nose.
Her conversation with the Moon Ascending State Master that night echoed in her ears.
She didn’t dare gamble with Yusen’s life.
She was afraid the scene from her nightmare would come true.
Seeing the little rabbit’s evasive gaze, the light that had just ignited in Yusen’s eyes died out, bit by bit.
A bitter feeling spread through his heart. The sea breeze lifted the stray hairs on his forehead as he grabbed the young female’s wrist. "...Are you being threatened?"
’We promised we’d leave together, why did she back out?’
’Is she being forced?’
A murderous intent flared in Yusen’s eyes.
Yu Zhizhi’s heart jumped in alarm. She quickly looked at him. "N-No..."
The blood-red ocean flashed through her mind.
Yu Zhizhi was afraid that Yusen, in a moment of impulse, would do something drastic.
In the Moon Rising Empire, they already detested mermaids—
—because of what happened with the Little Princess.
Yu Zhizhi didn’t want to put him in danger.
She took a deep breath. "No one is threatening me."
"..."
The last shred of possibility was shattered.
Yusen’s face was pale, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. He squeezed her wrist slightly, only letting go when Yu Zhizhi’s eyes reddened from the pain.
In that moment, it was as if all the strength had been drained from his body.
’She came.’
’She brought the Mermaid Baby.’
’And then...?’
Yusen realized she had come to say goodbye.
He stood there like a withered tree in the wind, his eyes dim and lifeless.
Yu Zhizhi’s throat was dry. She clutched the basket tightly, fighting back the urge to cry as she murmured, "I... I can’t leave with you..."
The young woman’s voice drifted away on the sea breeze, faint and indistinct.
It was as if Yusen couldn’t hear anything at all.
He lowered his gaze, motionless for a long moment.
’...Ah, so this is a breakup.’
’That’s why she came this time.’
Yusen thought of the changing room that night. He had been outside the door and heard the young female’s moans, so soft and delicate.
’So...’
’This is her decision?’
’At the last moment, she chose Duke Bolan.’
A self-deprecating smile appeared on Yusen’s face. Like a fish stranded on the beach, gasping for air on the brink of death, he spoke, each word trembling, "I’ll ask you one last time."
Yu Zhizhi felt his heavy gaze and her shoulders trembled slightly.
"—Are you coming with me, or not?"
Hearing the mermaid’s question, Yu Zhizhi’s eyes welled with tears. She shoved the basket into his arms, her mouth opening and closing, unable to speak without her voice cracking.
She slowly shook her head.
"Heh," Yusen laughed.
He took the basket, a strange expression on his face. "I understand. Thank you for coming all this way to see me off."
His tone had become extremely distant.
Like when they first met.
He was still trapped in a transparent tank, surrounded by pale blue seawater, like a figure in a breathtakingly beautiful painting.
Yu Zhizhi had handed the Mermaid Baby over to him.
She clasped her hands in front of her. In this final moment, she didn’t dare look up into his eyes, afraid she would burst into tears.
"Sensen, have a safe journey." She gave a slight farewell bow, offering him her most sincere blessing.
’You have to make it back to the Deep Sea safely.’
Yusen gave a faint "mm," then held the basket in one hand and watched her indifferently. The moment she turned around, his world came crashing down.
’Again...’
’I’ve been abandoned.’
Out of Yu Zhizhi’s sight, in the pitch-black night, Yusen’s eyes instantly reddened.
’Don’t go...’
’Don’t leave me...’
’If there’s something I did wrong, I’ll change...’
’I won’t get angry so easily anymore, okay?’
’Just don’t leave me...’
His blurry vision was fixed on the young woman’s retreating back. Tears welled in his eyes, but he refused to cry, just as his straight spine refused to bend.
For a moment, a thought flashed through his mind—
’If I got on my knees and begged her, would she soften?’
But the pride of the Mermaid Clan made him turn away. He gripped the basket tightly, his trembling back reflected in the moon on the water’s surface. Clouds gradually obscured the moonlight. By the heavy, gloomy sea, Yusen stood on the sand, his shoulders shaking visibly.
The young man’s stifled sobs were swallowed by the sound of the wind...
...
Yu Zhizhi walked along the beach toward the mansion. Just as she was about to leave the damp sand, she stumbled and fell to the ground.
The tears that had only been welling in her eyes now streamed out uncontrollably. Her hands pressed into the sticky sand, and she lifted the back of her hand to wipe her face again and again.
Louis watched in silence.
He crouched down and offered her a clean handkerchief.
Yu Zhizhi clutched the handkerchief and wiped away her tears. She stood up but didn’t dare to look back, even though she was already very, very far from the sea.
She cried all the way back to the mansion.
"Louis..." Passing through the garden, she stopped, her voice trembling as she asked, "Will they go back on their word?"
"No." Louis’s tone was firm. He knew the little rabbit needed a definitive answer right now. "Li Yuan is a man of his word. He will always do what he promises."
"Don’t worry. Get a good night’s sleep. By tomorrow, Yusen will have already left the Moon Rising Empire."
"Once a mermaid returns to the sea, he has few natural enemies."
Yu Zhizhi stood in the garden, unable to stop crying as she remembered Yusen’s hurt expression. Her two rabbit ears drooped, and her shoulders trembled. "I’m awful... I’m so awful..."
