Under Fu Linyuan’s supervision, Yu Bai finished the entire bag of IV fluid.

The little mermaid was very displeased about it.

When Xu Yiming returned to the office, what he saw was a young boy sitting in the medical pod with a face full of unhappiness, while Fu Linyuan was off to the side disposing of the used IV bag.

Xu Yiming couldn’t help but wonder if it was just his imagination, but the eyes of the usually emotionless man seemed to carry a hint of helplessness.

Hearing the noise, Yu Bai turned his head and saw Xu Yiming.

Although he didn’t know the old man’s name, he remembered his facial features.

This old man was also a friend of Fu Linyuan’s.

However, unlike Fu Linyuan, this old man didn’t seem much different from the other humans in the lab. He also liked to wear a white coat and always carried around jars, bottles, and needles, fiddling with who knows what.

But the little mermaid wasn’t afraid of Xu Yiming.

Because he wouldn’t give him injections.

Those blue eyes looked clean and bright, as if they didn’t know how to hide their vivid emotions at all.

Noticing a hint of curiosity in the way the little mermaid looked at him, Xu Yiming cheerfully pulled a piece of milk candy from his lab coat pocket and handed it to Yu Bai: “Here, have this.”

Yu Bai didn’t know what milk candy was, but he understood the words “here” and “eat,” so he took it.

His slender white fingers pinched the wrapper, which gave off a light crinkle. 

The little mermaid held it up to his nose to sniff, then opened his mouth and bit down on the wrapper.

Professor Xu couldn’t help laughing at the sight.

He pulled out another candy from his pocket, slowly unwrapped it in front of Yu Bai, and then held up the wrapper in one hand: “Wrapper.”

Then gestured toward the candy in his other hand: “Candy.”

Finally, he popped the candy into his mouth.

The boy seemed to learn it after watching just once. Those small white teeth let go, and mimicking the action, he easily tore open the wrapper with both hands.

Then he paused and seriously repeated, word by word: “Wra…pper?”

Then held up the piece of candy in his other hand: “Can…dy?”

The mermaid’s voice had a unique ethereal, melodious quality—pleasant and enchanting—making one want to hear more from him.

He really could speak. Professor Xu raised his brows and nodded: “That’s right.”

Getting affirmation, the little mermaid finally stuffed the candy into his mouth with satisfaction.

The sweet milky flavor spread across his lips and tongue. Yu Bai had never tasted anything like it before and found it novel.

Delicious.

…Quite like a human child.

Thinking of what Fu Linyuan had mentioned earlier, Professor Xu took a sheet of paper and handed it to Yu Bai: “The Marshal said you have a name?”

Name.

Yu Bai immediately remembered how he’d written it so many times before, but Fu Linyuan just didn’t understand it.

…Did he mess up the strokes?

With that in mind, the little mermaid picked up the pen and, without much hope but still seriously, wrote down his name on the paper.

After writing, he handed the paper to Xu Yiming.

Professor Xu looked down at it: “…Yu Bai?”

At the side, a trace of barely noticeable disbelief flickered in the Marshal’s eyes: “…?”

Yu Bai: “…!!!”

Someone finally understood!

The little mermaid nodded happily and repeated the pronunciation of those two characters: “Yu Bai.”

“Mountains lush with thick forest, rivers wide with spring tides white. Yu Bai—a pretty good name.” Old Xu cheerfully put the paper aside and glanced at Fu Linyuan, whose gaze was still fixed on the paper. “Just from the characters alone, he’d actually make a decent doctor.”

Fu Linyuan: “…”

The Imperial Marshal averted his gaze and gave a deliberately casual cough to change the topic: “…Have his lab results come back?”

Xu Yiming stroked his beard. “His cellular structure differs greatly from that of humans. The lab results might still take some time.”

Fu Linyuan gave a quiet “mm” and after a pause asked, “Anything else we should be aware of?”

Xu Yiming looked again at the preliminary results on the nearby screen. “Nothing for now. Just make sure he stays well hydrated.”

“Got it.” Fu Linyuan stood up and looked at Yu Bai. “Let’s go.”

Yu Bai understood what he said.

But because he still held a grudge about being forced to finish the IV drip, the little mermaid was still somewhat upset, so he simply lowered his head and busied himself with the candy wrapper in his hands, pretending not to hear.

Fu Linyuan: “…”

This “I totally understood but I’m pretending I didn’t so I can ignore you” act was just a bit too obvious.

The Imperial Marshal clearly had no experience dealing with such behavior and instinctively frowned.

This time, Old Xu couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

Ever since Fu Linyuan became Marshal of the First Legion, no one had dared to give him such a blatant attitude.

Even those high up in the palace, wary of the First Legion’s power, always spoke kindly to the young Marshal.

Someone openly playing deaf and mute like this—Yu Bai was the first.

Though he had no idea how Fu Linyuan had upset him, out of consideration for the Marshal’s pride, Xu Yiming didn’t laugh for too long. He cleared his throat, took another candy from his pocket, handed it to the man, and lowered his voice: “…Kids are easy to coax.”

Fu Linyuan: “…”

Though Yu Bai was still mad that Fu Linyuan wouldn’t let him pull out the needle, he noticed the candy Xu Yiming passed over.

…The very tasty kind.

Just as he was thinking that, Fu Linyuan held it out toward him.

Little mermaid’s eyes lit up with delight, and he simply reached out.

But unexpectedly, the other man didn’t let go, instead fixing his eyes on him and asking, “…If I give you this, will you come home with me?”

Although he was still mad about the IV needle, since Fu Linyuan was willing to give him the candy the old man had meant for him, he would reluctantly go to sleep with him.

Thinking this, the little mermaid pouted slightly, then nodded.

The reluctance in the gesture was almost tangible.

Fu Linyuan: “…”

…How is this called easy to coax?

The Marshal’s residence was a bit of a distance from the military headquarters.

Despite its name, the Marshal’s residence was actually a stand-alone villa surrounded by a massive estate.

The aircraft passed through security and landed in front of the villa.

It was already dark, with only a warm yellow light shining above the main door.

Fu Linyuan unlocked the door and gestured for Yu Bai to go in first.

But the little mermaid peered into the dim interior, then held out a hand toward Fu Linyuan.

His pale palm faced up, and with a soft, childlike tone, he sweetly asked, “Candy.”

Fu Linyuan hadn’t expected the little one to still be thinking about that candy.

After a pause, he handed it over to Yu Bai.

Only then did the boy obediently follow him into the house.

“—Mr. Fu, welcome home.” As the lights turned on, a flat mechanical voice echoed simultaneously.

Yu Bai was startled by the sudden voice and instinctively hid behind Fu Linyuan, then cautiously peeked toward the source.

It turned out to be a robot, about shoulder-height, dressed in a gray suit with white gloves. Where its head should be was a square display screen, now lit up with a warm orange smiling face:

＾v＾

The butler robot had also detected a guest besides the house’s owner, and warmly stepped forward, extending a hand to take Yu Bai’s coat: “And welcome to our guest as well. Have the two of you had dinner? Would you like—”

Yu Bai shrank back again, instinctively dodging to Fu Linyuan’s other side.

The robot, unaware of why Yu Bai was avoiding him, continued enthusiastically, following closely: “…Would you like the kitchen to prepare dinner? Do you have any dietary restrictions?”

The little mermaid didn’t understand a single word—he was too busy avoiding the robot’s outstretched hand.

Which resulted in the scene of one person and one robot circling around Fu Linyuan.

Fu Linyuan: “…”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Imperial Marshal spoke: “Huo Si, you’re scaring him.”

The butler Huo Si immediately froze in place. It was his first time receiving such feedback.

“I deeply apologize,” the flat mechanical tone now carried a hint of guilt, “It wasn’t intentional.”

“Yu Bai,” Fu Linyuan said again, “this is Huo Si. Huo Si, this is Yu Bai—he’ll be staying here for a while.”

Huo Si responded with a surprisingly human-like “Ah”: “So this is the guest you mentioned earlier, sir?”

Huo Si had received notice the night before—not only would a large new pool be built, but a guest room needed to be prepared.

In all the years he’d served in this home, this was the first time a guest was staying long-term.

Fu Linyuan gave a soft affirmative and asked, “Is the room ready?”

“All prepared,” Huo Si’s screen eyes blinked, “Would you like me to show Mr. Yu around now?”

Fu Linyuan had initially intended to say yes, but just as the words reached his lips, he caught sight of Yu Bai’s gaze—full of innocent confusion and curiosity toward Huo Si—and hesitated, suddenly feeling a little uneasy.

“I’ll take him upstairs,” Fu Linyuan instructed. “You go prepare dinner.”

Huo Si responded with a “yes” and turned to leave.

So Fu Linyuan led Yu Bai upstairs.

After showing him around the bedroom and bathroom, Fu Linyuan told him he could rest.

Yu Bai nodded with an expression of vague understanding and turned to enter his room.

…Who knows how much of what was just said he actually understood.

Back in the study, the Imperial Marshal pinched the bridge of his nose once again.

He really needed to figure out soon how much Aon Standard the boy could actually understand.

Then he suddenly remembered Xu Yiming’s words: “Kids are easy to coax.”

…If you ignored his appearance, this little mermaid really did behave like an innocent child right now.

As he was thinking this, Fu Linyuan suddenly sensed a wave of probing spiritual energy seeping in from the doorway of the study.

Frowning, the Imperial Marshal instinctively reached for the gun hidden under the desk.

…An intruder?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a series of light, quick footsteps approached the door.

Then, the door to the study was pushed open.

—A silver-haired little head peeked in.

Yu Bai appeared at the door, hugging a big pillow and carrying a blanket over his shoulder.

Seeing who it was, Fu Linyuan’s tightly furrowed brow eased, and his finger, already resting on the trigger, relaxed: “…Why are you here?”

Little mermaid: “…Home?”