I Woke Up To Find Myself Being Kept By A Mermaid – CH42

Chapter 42

“I-I’ll teach…” Teach you my ass!

Ruan Chen felt steam rising straight off his forehead.

Lux waited quietly for his answer, but the calmer he was, the more chaotic Ruan Chen’s thoughts became.

Seeing his face flushed as red as if it had been cooked, the merman could not help smiling.

“Don’t be nervous, Ruan Ruan.”

Ruan Chen: “…”

Ruan Chen: “I’m not nervous.”

Lux hummed with amusement.

“Then—”

“I was talking nonsense just now!”

Seeing Lux open his mouth, Ruan Chen hurriedly cut him off.

Lux looked confused.

“Talking nonsense?”

“…Yes.”

Ruan Chen desperately kept his expression stiff.

“I didn’t mean that I wanted you to pursue me.”

Lux flicked his tail fin.

“But I think it makes a lot of sense.”

Ruan Chen froze for a second.

“What?”

“What Ruan Ruan said just now. The rules humans use to decide who becomes their partner.”

Lux blinked.

“If you won’t teach me, I’ll learn by myself.”

“…”

Ruan Chen felt there was simply no way to continue talking to this merman.

He pressed his lips together again and again, yet could not squeeze out a single word.

Fortunately, Lux’s optical computer suddenly popped up with a notification saying the military was holding a meeting.

Only then did the tense atmosphere in the underground chamber finally ease.

After ending the call with his subordinate, the merman seemed to have every intention of turning back and continuing their previous conversation.

Ruan Chen went completely numb.

“You should hurry up and go do your work.”

Leaving those words behind, he yanked his hand free and swam back to the room without looking back.

“Ruan Ruan.”

Ruan Chen refused to answer.

He curled up in his conch bed and tried to deceive himself into believing nothing had happened.

Lux thought for a moment, then knocked lightly on the door.

“I’m going out for a while. Is there anything you want? I can bring it back.”

A long time passed, yet the merman still did not leave.

Ruan Chen buried himself beneath the blanket.

“I don’t want anything. Hurry up and go!”

Lux smiled.

“All right. Stay safe at home. Don’t open the door no matter who rings the bell.”

Ruan Chen did not respond.

He pricked up his ears and listened quietly for more than ten minutes.

Only after confirming that Lux had truly left did he throw off the blanket and sit up, dragging a hand through his tangled hair.

Ruan Chen forced his uneven breathing back under control.

After a long silence, he finally squeezed out one word.

“Fuck.”

Heaven knew how violently his heart had been pounding earlier.

Lux’s voice had sounded even deeper and gentler in the quiet underground chamber.

And when those hopeful golden eyes looked at him like that, Ruan Chen had felt his entire body start acting strange.

Running away had practically been instinct.

If he stayed in front of that merman any longer, he was afraid his brain would stop listening to him and he would blurt out something bizarre.

After calming down and replaying the whole thing in his head, Ruan Chen suddenly frowned.

Wait.

Had he dug a pit for himself?

Why had he followed stupid goldfish’s line of thinking and seriously explained human relationship rules to him for so long?

Ruan Chen lowered his head and knocked it against the conch bed a few times, trying to make himself sober up.

He had barely hit it twice when his optical computer suddenly appeared.

[Joshua: Ruan, did you return to Ocean Planet?]

[Joshua: You didn’t even tell me?]

[Joshua: I’m so hurt.]

Ruan Chen hurriedly replied.

[Ruan Ruan: I only just got back. The moment I returned, I went for a medical examination.]

[Joshua: Ah!]

[Joshua: What’s wrong with your body?]

Ruan Chen was not sure whether he should tell him the truth.

After all, a problem occurring during a partner’s transformation period seemed to be an extremely serious and terrible matter in the merfolk world.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to keep it secret.

[Ruan Ruan: Nothing serious. I just got my second vaccine dose.]

[Joshua: You scared me to death.]

[Joshua: I’m glad you’re okay.]

[Ruan Ruan: How did you know I came back?]

He remembered Lux had ordered the matter kept confidential.

It had not been publicly announced.

[Joshua: I saw it on the news. The warship is returning to Ocean Planet tomorrow. The military just released a statement saying Admiral Lux won the battle and returned ahead of schedule. I guessed he probably brought you with him.]

[Joshua: By the way, Admiral Lux must be really busy right now. Ruan, do you want to come out and play with me?]

[Joshua: We haven’t seen each other in ages.]

At the mention of going out to play, Ruan Chen’s eyes immediately lit up.

[Ruan Ruan: Sure. Where are you?]

After replying to Joshua, Ruan Chen also sent Lux a private message saying he was going out with a friend.

He waited several minutes but received no reply.

Maybe Lux had muted his messages during the meeting?

Ruan Chen did not think much of it.

Half an hour later, Joshua and his merman Houston arrived in an airship to pick him up, heading toward a plaza in the center of the imperial capital.

This was Ruan Chen’s first time experiencing the merfolk world without Lux beside him.

“Ruan!”

The moment Joshua saw him, he enthusiastically lunged forward.

Ruan Chen was nearly knocked backward onto the airship seat as a long stream of headache-inducing English poured into his ears.

“Meow meow meow… (What are you saying?)”

Hearing his cry, Houston hurried over and pulled Joshua up.

“Joshua, you’re crushing him.”

Only then did Ruan Chen remember that the two of them had not downloaded his translator yet.

Usually, he translated his messages into text before sending them, so it had not occurred to him.

He gestured as he opened his optical computer and sent the translation file to Houston and Joshua.

“Sorry. I just missed Ruan so much.”

Joshua sat beside Ruan Chen in the human-specific seat.

His eyes were bright, and he was obviously excited.

Ruan Chen was also happy to see his old friend.

He glanced at the pale-green merman nearby.

“Where are you planning to go?”

“The Lovers’ Festival is in a few days. I’m taking Joshua to the shopping mall to buy decorations for our home,” Houston replied.

Ruan Chen froze.

“Lovers’ Festival?”

“Yeah.”

Joshua took Houston’s hand.

“It’s a holiday specially created to celebrate merfolk and humans who have found their partners. Ruan, aren’t you planning to celebrate with Lux?”

Stupid goldfish had never mentioned it at all.

Ruan Chen gripped the armrest slightly.

“Admiral Lux is too busy. He must already have his own plans.”

Noticing his expression, Houston hurriedly offered him an excuse.

Joshua also reacted.

“Ah, right. But maybe he wants to surprise you?”

Ruan Chen pursed his lips.

“I don’t care about surprises.”

Every day was either battle or military meetings for Lux.

He probably would not even remember this kind of holiday.

Once they reached the city center, Houston first brought them to a restaurant that served human food.

Whenever unfamiliar merfolk occasionally swam past, Ruan Chen instinctively moved a little closer to Joshua.

Joshua cheerfully wrapped an arm around him.

“Don’t worry. No merman would dare set their sights on you. Nobody wants to provoke Admiral Lux.”

“…”

His tiny movement had been exposed.

Ruan Chen’s face reddened.

“I was just curious.”

The two humans and one merman sat down in a private room.

Joshua asked,

“Does Admiral Lux usually not take you out?”

“I’d only been at his house for a few days before he took me to Base X. There wasn’t any time to go out and have fun.”

Ruan Chen casually picked up a fork and poked at a plate on the table.

After speaking, he noticed Houston pulling Joshua into his arms from the corner of his eye.

The merman lowered his head affectionately and asked softly,

“Baby, what do you want to eat? The seaweed fish balls from last time?”

Joshua naturally leaned against the hollow of Houston’s neck and pointed at the menu on the optical computer using Houston’s hand.

“I want to try this too. Last time they said it was sold out. I want to see how delicious it really is.”

“All right. Whatever you want.”

Houston kissed his forehead.

Joshua noticed the gaze fixed on them.

He sat upright and turned to Ruan Chen.

“Ruan, order whatever you want. This meal is on us. Consider it our welcome-back dinner for you.”

“You two look through the menu. I’ll go get some drinks.”

Houston released Joshua.

There was a famous shop nearby that specialized in drinks suitable for humans.

Joshua had one every time they visited.

Ruan Chen still wore a blank expression.

Joshua exchanged a few words with Houston, then turned back.

“Ruan? What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

Ruan Chen came back to himself.

“You… you two usually…”

He scratched his hair and tried to phrase the question politely.

“I mean, are you always like this…”

Ruan Chen gestured vaguely at the position they had been in.

Joshua failed to understand.

“Huh…? Like what?”

Ruan Chen paused.

“You let him hug you, kiss you, and touch you like that?”

“Yeah.”

Joshua’s eyes widened slightly.

“Hugh and I have already confirmed our partner relationship. I’ve been in my transformation period for a long time.”

Then, as if remembering something, he became a little embarrassed.

“Actually, he usually likes holding me on his tail. He also likes feeding me when I eat. I heard all merfolk are like this. But I generally don’t let him do that outside. It’s too embarrassing.”

Ruan Chen’s worldview took a direct hit.

He forced himself to remain calm and gave a casual “Oh.”

“So that means you’ve officially confirmed that you’re a couple?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Joshua nodded repeatedly.

“That’s how merfolk and their partners interact. Ruan, aren’t you and Admiral Lux usually like this too?”

Lux…

He also liked holding Ruan Chen in his arms and feeding him.

Ruan Chen thought back for several seconds.

He suddenly realized the way he and Lux interacted seemed almost exactly the same as this pair.

If there really was any difference…

Maybe it was just that every time Lux kissed him, Lux would get punched or kicked.

But to a merman, that amount of resistance was nothing.

It was practically playing around.

The roots of Ruan Chen’s ears heated.

He looked away guiltily.

“We’re not like that. I usually eat by myself.”

Joshua frowned.

“No way. That’s impossible. Admiral Lux and you are a perfect match. I heard about it ages ago. Hugh and I only have seventy-six percent compatibility.”

“The last time I saw a merman-human pair with over ninety percent compatibility, the merman practically wanted to stay glued to his partner every second. He couldn’t even bear to look away for one moment.”

Joshua fiddled with the utensils.

“Your compatibility is so high. I don’t believe you. Besides, Ruan, you’ve already entered your transformation period.”

He gestured toward the translucent gills behind Ruan Chen’s ears.

“There must be times when you especially want to get close to Admiral Lux, right? When I first entered my transformation period, Hugh said that if he left me for even a second, I’d throw a tantrum.”

“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s completely normal.”

Joshua smiled slyly.

“How does Admiral Lux soothe you? Has he ever—”

Ruan Chen gripped his little fork tightly and interrupted him.

“No!”

“My transformation period only happened once. It passed for no reason, and I don’t remember what happened at all.”

He lowered his head.

Anyway, his transformation had failed.

It did not count as lying.

“Impossible!”

Joshua refused to believe his favorite pair could possibly be like this.

“Ruan, you’re definitely lying to me. Do you dare make a bet with me?”

“What kind of bet?”

Houston happened to return and placed two drinks in front of them.

Joshua tilted his head up and kissed him.

“Hugh, you be our witness. Ruan says Lux is very cold toward him.”

Ruan Chen held the little milk bottle, but he no longer had the energy to worry about drinking it in front of others.

He protested,

“I didn’t—”

“Then you admit you and Admiral Lux are deeply in love?”

Joshua immediately turned toward him.

Ruan Chen pressed his lips together.

“…We are not!”

Joshua snorted.

“Then open your optical computer.”

“What for?”

Ruan Chen casually activated it.

Joshua said,

“Call Admiral Lux. He’ll definitely rush over immediately. Want to bet?”

Honestly, Ruan Chen lost some confidence.

But he still stubbornly said,

“Fine. What are we betting?”

“Bet…”

Joshua’s eyes rolled.

“If you lose, when Admiral Lux gets here, you have to kiss him.”

Ruan Chen began to retreat.

“I…”

“Then what do I get if I win?”

Joshua and Houston exchanged glances.

“If you win, then this is a serious problem. A merman being cold toward his partner is unacceptable. We’ll definitely find a way to help you escape this situation.”

“…”

That benefit was the same as having no benefit at all.

Ruan Chen shook his head and tried to scare Joshua off.

“No. You have to give me something real. If I win, you stand at the door and shout three times that you’re a dog.”

Houston knew what a dog was.

His eyebrows lifted.

Unexpectedly, Joshua was determined to make the bet.

“Fine. Deal. Call him.”

“…”

Ruan Chen’s finger trembled slightly as he opened his contacts.

No.

He could not chicken out.

Lux was in a meeting right now.

He had not even replied to the message.

Maybe he would not receive the call either.

The thought had barely flashed through Ruan Chen’s mind when the top of his screen suddenly began flashing.

[Meowx is calling you…]

Ruan Chen’s vision nearly went black.

Before he could press Decline, Joshua had already reacted with lightning speed and accepted the call.

“Ruan Ruan?”

Lux’s slightly deep voice came through.

“I’ve finished dealing with things here. Are you having fun?”

Having only just gone through that earlier confession, Ruan Chen’s brain exploded.

His hand was already on the End Call button, but he was still one step too late.

Lux added,

“I’ll come pick you up right away. Be good.”

The optical computer shut off with a smack.

Joshua narrowed his eyes at Ruan Chen.

“Meowx?”

Ruan Chen: “That’s not—he…”

Joshua leaned into Houston’s arms with an I-knew-it smile.

“Don’t explain. It’s a pet name. I understand.”

Ruan Chen: “…”

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