Chapter 24

Cheng Shuinan’s mask was gone, he didn’t know when he took it off. His thick, curly hair was tied in a low ponytail, flowing down his back. A few strands of loose hair fell on his forehead. He leaned against the seatback quietly, glancing at Zhang Jingzhu, and urged her with her name.

Zhang Jingzhu opened her mouth silently, staring at him, her cheeks instantly turning red.

She swallowed nervously, her voice lacking confidence: “Cheng Shuinan, why… why are you always like this…”

Cheng Shuinan instantly wilted like a frostbitten eggplant. He nervously tugged at his mask, glancing at her before quickly looking away: “You don’t like it like this?”

He had been very patient.

The merman’s mature stage would arrive in spring, but he had entered it a whole season early, all because of Zhang Jingzhu’s appearance, which had stimulated every sensitive nerve in his body.

Zhang Jingzhu’s timidity and worries made him subconsciously want to escape, unwilling to hurt her because of his mature stage.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Jingzhu didn’t drive him away. Instead, she gently asked about his needs and willingly dragged him into the water.

Her indulgence fueled the flames of his audacity. Did his behavior actually bother her? Or did she find him annoying?

Cheng Shuinan hung his head in frustration: “If you don’t like it like this, I’ll change. I’ll try to control myself… Zhang Jingzhu, don’t be annoyed with me. I don’t want to kiss anymore.”

Zhang Jingzhu leaned forward, but the position was uncomfortable. She sat back in her chair: “Lean towards me.”

Cheng Shuinan suddenly raised his eyes, suppressing his anticipation, and obediently did as he was told.

Zhang Jingzhu leaned in and lightly touched his lips: “Like this. Are you satisfied?”

Cheng Shuinan nodded, not entirely satisfied.

Zhang Jingzhu laughed helplessly, cupped his face, and asked: “How long will your mature stage last?”

Cheng Shuinan thought: “It will probably last for half a year.”

Half a year? That’s too long!

Zhang Jingzhu silently widened her eyes. She didn’t want to say anything that would make Cheng Shuinan feel discouraged. After all, he looked like a pitiful puppy now. She could only kiss his lips a few more times.

“Okay, okay. We need to go to the mall to buy clothes. It’s going to close soon!”

Zhang Jingzhu took the mask from his hand and put it back on his face, covering his red lips. Cheng Shuinan lowered his eyes, observing her every move. The corner of his mouth, hidden under the mask, slowly curled upwards. Zhang Jingzhu unbuckled his seatbelt for him. Finally, she gently patted his head.

Cheng Shuinan nodded. His gaze followed her. He imitated her movements, opening the car door, and then quickly ran to her side. He followed her into the mall.

Although this district didn’t have as much foot traffic as the city center, the mall was still crowded at night.

Zhang Jingzhu had a clear goal: to go to the men’s section to buy winter clothes. Entering the mall, she walked against the flow of people towards the elevator. There was a food court on the first floor. It seemed like they were having a promotion tonight, and there were a lot of people.

Cheng Shuinan followed closely behind Zhang Jingzhu. Although he was wearing a mask, his slender figure, prominent brow bones, and deep, ocean-like eyes quickly drew attention from passersby.

And, he had a head of thick, curly black hair.

“My god! Is that guy a celebrity? Why is he so handsome!”

“Hey, stop being a fangirl. You can’t even see his lower face. How do you know he’s handsome? Maybe he’s ugly.”

“It’s obvious, okay? Just looking at his height, he already has an advantage. More importantly, his shoulders are broad, his waist is narrow, his legs are long, and his butt is nice. Even if he wasn’t handsome, that kind of body would make him a great-looking guy! Besides, his eyes are so beautiful, and his eye sockets are deep. Did you see his nose? Does your mask look like his? His mask is lifted up, but yours is pressed down!”

 You can compliment other guys, but do you have to put me down?”

“You’re the one who brought it on yourself.”

Zhang Jingzhu, of course, couldn’t hear the whispers between the young couple. But Cheng Shuinan heard every word. He glanced at them.

Many people were secretly observing him. Some deliberately squeezed next to him. However, none of that mattered to him. He saw many couples holding hands or leaning against each other as they walked.

This wasn’t what he expected.

Zhang Jingzhu had repeatedly warned him in the car that he couldn’t act on impulse in the mall. He had to keep his distance.

He followed her instructions, but other people weren’t like that.

The stuffy environment of the elevator almost made Cheng Shuinan feel like he was back in the warehouse. His heart suddenly sank. He subconsciously approached Zhang Jingzhu until her scent, faint but distinct, broke through the strong, mixed smells and filled his nostrils. Only then did he exhale the stale air in his chest, as if he had been saved.

Someone squeezed past them, bumping into his back.

Cheng Shuinan pursed his lips and, without any resistance, leaned forward, completely enveloping Zhang Jingzhu in his arms. He pretended to say, “It’s too crowded in here. Someone bumped into me from behind.”

Zhang Jingzhu didn’t mind. She nodded.

“Then get closer to me.”

“Okay.” Cheng Shuinan quietly smiled.

Zhang Jingzhu found the store where she usually bought clothes on the fourth floor of the mall. The store had men’s clothing. Before, she wouldn’t even look at it.

When they arrived at the store, the salesperson asked, “Hello, ma’am. What kind of style are you looking for?”

Zhang Jingzhu walked towards the men’s section: “It’s not for me. It’s for…”

She suddenly froze.

They had engaged in the most intimate act, but they had never verbally confirmed their relationship. It seemed like, without verbal confirmation, everything was unknown. As she hesitated, she didn’t notice the man beside her staring at her nervously.

Cheng Shuinan barely dared to breathe. He pricked up his ears, afraid of missing every word that came out of her mouth. But then she stopped talking. It was as if he had fallen off a cliff, and an indescribable panic and sadness swept over him in an instant.

Although he had a human form, he hadn’t improved at all in controlling his tears. He forced himself not to look at Zhang Jingzhu. This wasn’t a big deal. It was already a blessing to have her. But—

He had more delusions.

He wanted to build a strong cage for their relationship.

He didn’t want fleeting moments. He wanted Zhang Jingzhu forever.

The sudden increase in his grip pulled Zhang Jingzhu’s thoughts back. When she came to her senses, she discovered that Cheng Shuinan was looking at her with a gaze filled with utter sadness, as if he would lose her the next moment. His deep eyes were clouded with a thin layer of mist, and water droplets were faintly forming.

She hadn’t forgotten that his tears would turn into pearls. It wouldn’t be good if people saw it in public.

“It’s not for me. It’s for my boyfriend.” Zhang Jingzhu emphasized the last three words.

Cheng Shuinan was still staring at her nervously. Zhang Jingzhu took his hand and gently shook it. Then, she turned to the salesperson and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take my boyfriend over there to choose.”

Salesperson: “Okay, ma’am.”

Watching them leave, the salesperson walked to the cashier and whispered to the cashier.

“Did you see those two who just came in?”

“Of course, I did. A handsome man and a beautiful woman! The girl is so pretty. She looks so gentle when she smiles! The guy was wearing a mask, so you couldn’t see his face clearly, but his body was amazing. When you were talking to them, you didn’t notice that the guy’s hand kept accidentally touching the girl’s back…”

“And even more amazing, the girl didn’t immediately say their relationship, so the guy got upset. You didn’t see how beautiful his eyes were. He even cries! Then, the girl coaxed him, and he started smiling. It was like a puppy…”

“A clingy, handsome man who cries when his girlfriend ignores him, but then smiles when she coaxes him. That’s so heartwarming!”

“Wake up. Handsome men are all taken.”

Zhang Jingzhu hadn’t expected Cheng Shuinan to cause such a stir. She didn’t want to be the center of too much attention, especially given Cheng Shuinan’s identity.

She took his hand and led him to a less crowded area.

The winter air outside was very cold. Cheng Shuinan didn’t even have a winter coat. Since she didn’t want to confine him to the house anymore, she would have to slowly introduce him to human society. She needed to get him sweaters, coats, long underwear, winter pants, even underwear.

Fortunately, Cheng Shuinan was a natural clothes horse. He looked good in everything. She didn’t have to spend too much time choosing clothes.

Even simple outfits looked incredibly charming on him.

When she brought him out, Zhang Jingzhu had planned to get in and out quickly. But when they arrived at the mall, it wasn’t like that. She suddenly felt the joy of having a boyfriend. She chose clothes for him to try on, and each one had a different effect.

The white sweater highlighted his youthful charm. When Cheng Shuinan wore it, he had an inexplicable softness. The dark colors like black, gray, and brown had a completely different effect. His skin was already fair, and the dark sweater made him stand out in the mall’s lighting. He had a captivating, almost abstinent charm.

But the moment he opened his mouth, the abstinent charm vanished.

“Zhang Jingzhu,” Cheng Shuinan walked up to Zhang Jingzhu, who was sitting on the sofa, bent down, found her hands, and held them. He suppressed his smile and asked, “I didn’t understand earlier. What did you say I was?”

Cheng Shuinan had tried on a few outfits in a daze and hadn’t come to his senses yet. Zhang Jingzhu’s palm was warm, and the heat spread to his heart. He felt like everything else disappeared at that moment. He wanted time to stop.

To stop at this moment, when he had Zhang Jingzhu.

Zhang Jingzhu looked helplessly at Cheng Shuinan’s expectant gaze. “Boyfriend. You’re my boyfriend.”

The shyness in Cheng Shuinan’s eyes was about to overflow. He said, “Zhang Jingzhu, I’m so happy.”

Zhang Jingzhu pulled his hand and pulled him to sit beside her. “Are you that happy?”

Cheng Shuinan nodded.

Zhang Jingzhu’s heart was pounding as he looked at her. She decided to change the subject: “Are the clothes comfortable? Choose any styles you like.”

Cheng Shuinan was silent for a moment, then made a request: “I want… to wear matching outfits with you… Zhang Jingzhu, you admitted it. I’m your boyfriend.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Zhang Jingzhu stood up and turned back to smile at him: “Let’s go, boyfriend. Accompany your girlfriend to choose matching outfits.”

Zhang Jingzhu thought that choosing one or two outfits would be enough. But Cheng Shuinan wanted matching styles for everything, even the toothbrushes and cups at home. Although she was outwardly helpless and annoyed, her heart felt sweet.

When they left the mall, they were loaded with bags.

Winter had arrived, and the wind and snow were raging. There weren’t many cars on the road late at night, so Zhang Jingzhu slowed down.

On this cold night, Zhang Jingzhu felt warmth from her other half, instead of having to bundle up in her coat to resist the cold.

Cheng Shuinan held the receipt and looked at it for a long time.

“Zhang Jingzhu, can I get a job?”

He desperately wanted to integrate into human society. He wanted to give himself some leverage, leverage that would allow him to stay with Zhang Jingzhu forever.