In the early morning outside the government office,
Guards formed two rows, standing with solemnity on both sides of the County Magistrate gate. However, the place where people should be sitting inside the high hall appeared empty.
Now, the sun outside had gradually revealed itself, and the birds on the trees were chirping more frequently. Pedestrians on the street were also increasing.
Zhao Tu, Lord He’s adjutant, noticed that even the morning hours had passed, but there was still no sign of Lord He. He couldn’t help but pace anxiously in the room with his hands behind his back.
This wasn’t the first day he had experienced this. Since he returned with that little merman, he was almost late every day. Waiting in the government office for half a day, he still couldn’t see a trace of Lord He.
After the three resounding beats of the drum outside, the hurried footsteps were finally heard approaching from beyond the door.
Zhao Tu immediately ran to the door in extreme joy, almost in tears, and saw Lord He looking utterly exhausted early in the morning. He walked as if he didn’t even bother to look at the path in front of him, and when he passed the threshold, he didn’t even lift his legs.
“Lord He, you’ve finally come. Oh! Be careful, there’s a threshold here.” Zhao Tu shouted while reaching out to support him.
He Heng waved away his hand, rubbed his eyes wearily, and then, like a drunken person, slowly crossed the threshold, seemingly uninterested in the world around him.
As he yawned and sat at his desk, He Heng felt like he had returned to the “happy” early hours of university, where he would sit down at his desk every day and only think about lying down.
The reason He Heng was so tired was mainly because, these days, he had been leading a double life. During the day, he was the newly appointed local official in Mingcheng, the Grand Princess’ consort that everyone wanted to flatter, a rising star in the imperial court. After work, he turned into the unpopular mute Da Zhu in the village that nobody liked or loved.
To avoid raising suspicions from Qiao Ran, He Heng always told him that he had to go out to work during the day. In the evening, just to prove that he was a genuine and simple villager, he insisted on helping Qiao Ran cut bamboo in the mountains.
As a result, he slept later than a dog and woke up earlier than a rooster every day, making him naturally exhausted during working hours.
Zhao Tu couldn’t understand why He Heng had to pretend to be mute in front of the blind merman, but he didn’t feel comfortable asking about his superior’s personal matters. However, he couldn’t help but worry without reason when he saw He Heng’s listless appearance every day.
Currently, the sea route had not been properly cleared, and transport ships were still stranded on the beach. The reclamation project was also put on hold as a result.
Zhao Tu was anxious every day, feeling like an ant on a hot pan, fearing that once the Emperor in the capital knew about the delayed construction, blame would be placed on them.
However, He Heng remained indifferent. He had now shifted his focus entirely to clearing the sea route and cleaning up pollution.
Every time Zhao Tu asked, he would say, “Don’t you know ‘unclogging is better than blocking’? The waters near Mingcheng are heavily polluted now. Even if you forcefully get the transport ships out, it’s not a long-term solution. With more and more pollutants being discharged into the sea, the sea route will inevitably be blocked.”
“When that happens, if the marine ecology in this area is damaged, have you thought about how much impact it will have on Mingcheng’s fishing industry?”
“Once the fishing industry is damaged, how many people will lose their livelihoods, have you considered that?”
After hearing these words, Zhao Tu was left stunned. He had no idea where He Heng came up with these arguments.
Finally, he had to ask, “So, what should we do then?”
He Heng immediately sat up straight from his intricately carved rosewood chair, leaned forward to the table, took the wolf hair brush from the pen holder, and began to write slowly.
“Don’t worry. Let’s first manage the marine ecology. The benefits in the future will surely outweigh the drawbacks. I’ll write a letter to the Emperor now, explaining the current situation. A wise ruler like him will surely understand our difficulties.”
Three days later, they received the eagerly anticipated reply from the Emperor.
The Emperor’s letter roughly conveyed the message:
“He Heng, you spoke well in your letter. Don’t say such things next time. Since you, my beloved official, have thought so thoroughly, you should be able to come up with a win-win solution, right? I not only expect you to address the marine ecology issue in three months but also to complete the reclamation and dam construction project within the same timeframe.”
Furthermore, three months later, the Emperor would personally embark on a southern tour to Mingcheng to inspect the completed work.
After reading this letter, He Heng “smiled” as he crumpled the imperial decree in his hand.
He hadn’t expected that the old Emperor had been secretly observing him all this time.
However, if he were to fill up the sea where Qiao Ran lived, He Heng felt that his “blackening” value might never decrease in his lifetime.
Thinking about this, he was so frustrated that he wanted to curse the system.
This 996 (working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week) was really giving him a tough time.
So, for now, He Heng could only focus on addressing the issue of marine ecology. He would delay as much as possible with the Emperor’s demands.
This afternoon, after He Heng returned home, as usual, Qiao Ran had already sold all the bamboo crafts.
The kitchen was filled with wisps of smoke as the little merman was busily preparing the ingredients for the upcoming meal.
When Qiao Ran first lost his eyesight, he felt very uncomfortable. However, with time, he became accustomed to living in a world without light, and he had no trouble preparing simple dishes on his own.
As He Heng watched him fumbling for bowls and chopsticks on the stove, busy with his cooking, he couldn’t help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly.
However, at that moment, as Qiao Ran seemed to reach for some spices in the cupboard, he accidentally touched the large iron pot placed at the edge.
The pot, already precariously positioned, made a loud “clang!” when he touched it and immediately tumbled down, scattering its contents.
Seeing that the object was about to fall and hit Qiao Ran, He Heng quickly walked behind him and reached out to catch it.
Suddenly, Qiao Ran felt the firm and powerful chest of a man against his back. He was momentarily stunned, feeling the warmth radiating from behind. He asked, “Da Zhu, you’re back?”
“Yeah,” He Heng wrote on his hand, “I’ll help you.”
Qiao Ran shook his head slightly, “It’s okay, no need. I’m almost done. I just need to steam the fish.”
After saying this, he suddenly noticed the aroma of cooked food coming from the kitchen, as if the other person had brought something back.
“Da Zhu, did you bring something back? It smells so good.”
“Yeah.”
He Heng handed over the whole salted chicken and some pork belly he brought back to Qiao Ran, saying, “Brought back some chicken and pork. We can have it for dinner.”
Without waiting for a response, he quickly wrote, “I’m going to the mountain to cut bamboo.”
“Okay,” Qiao Ran could only nod, “I’ll call you when the food is ready.”
Listening to Da Zhu’s gradually fading footsteps, he placed the cooked food brought by the other into bowls. To prevent wasting it all in one meal, he stored half of it in a container.
Since “Da Zhu” came, he would bring various meats like chicken, duck, pork, and beef every now and then. And each time, he brought a lot, making the neighboring kid, Wang Ergou, jealous.
Even Qiao Ran felt like he had gained some weight these days, but he still vaguely felt something was odd.
As Mingcheng was by the sea, fishing was prosperous, but meat prices were high, especially for those in remote villages like theirs. So, most villagers in their village rarely had meat on their tables.
Da Zhu was a mute who nobody wanted to take in anywhere. Where did he get so much money?
In the midst of Qiao Ran’s contemplation, the kitchen emitted the fragrance of food. He realized that the meal should be ready.
Setting aside his concerns for the moment, he prepared to call Da Zhu to come and eat.
However, when Qiao Ran returned to the main hall, it was eerily quiet, with no signs of movement. It didn’t seem like anyone was there.
He reached out and felt for the threshold, slowly stepping into the room. Tentatively, he called out, “Da Zhu?”
There was no response from inside.
Qiao Ran had no choice but to pick up the cane next to the door and start feeling around the room to find Da Zhu.
As he groped his way to the desk, he heard a long and steady breathing sound nearby. Following the sound, Qiao Ran reached out along the desk until he found Da Zhu lying on a small bed, sound asleep.
On the table were some freshly cut bamboo shoots. Some of the shoots had already been neatly tied together with hemp rope, while others were scattered haphazardly on the table.
Qiao Ran guessed that Da Zhu might have fallen asleep midway through the task because he was too tired.
Recalling the past few days, he remembered that every morning, Da Zhu would leave early for work and return in the evening only to go to the mountains to cut bamboo.
Could he not be tired?
Qiao Ran had previously asked Da Zhu many times, trying to find out what he was doing so early in the morning and why he looked so tired all the time.
However, Da Zhu had never given a direct answer, only mentioning that it was physical labor and the more he worked, the more he earned.
Of course, Qiao Ran had also advised Da Zhu many times not to overexert himself. He didn’t need to work from dawn till dusk every day. Selling bamboo crafts could also make money, although not much, it was enough to support the two of them comfortably.
But Da Zhu was firm in his belief, telling Qiao Ran that he had grown up hungry, and the fear of going without food haunted him. He felt secure only by continuously working, fearing that if he didn’t work, there would be no food.
The little merman was left dumbfounded after hearing this.
At that time, the two of them were sitting at the dining table, and Qiao Ran, holding his rice bowl, was at a loss for words.
In that moment, Qiao Ran felt a deeper sense of sympathy for the man known as “Da Zhu.”
Thinking about the times when he was still a child, going hungry and relying on his own hands for labor just to have a meal, the little merman suddenly found him to be quite pitiful.
During his own childhood, he only played with mud at the bottom of the sea with other merchildren of the same age.
After much hesitation, Qiao Ran awkwardly picked up a piece of chicken from his plate and placed it in Da Zhu’s bowl.
“Then eat more. I don’t have a big appetite, but the physical labor you do surely consumes a lot of energy. Have some more dishes, don’t starve yourself.”
Since then, Qiao Ran had refrained from suggesting that Da Zhu shouldn’t take on extra work. Instead, during meals, he added a couple more spoonfuls of rice.
He believed that it was a psychological barrier for Da Zhu. Due to a lack of security, “Da Zhu” worked so hard. It would take time for him to change, but perhaps once he settled down, the sense of insecurity would gradually fade away.
At this moment, listening to the steady breathing of the other, Qiao Ran was afraid that Da Zhu might catch a cold if he continued to sleep like this. So, he bent down, intending to put a blanket over him. However, for some reason, when he reached out, he touched emptiness. The height of the bed seemed to have changed. Qiao Ran wasn’t accustomed to it and missed his grip, stumbling forward and losing his balance.
He instinctively let out a cry, “Uh!”
Just as Qiao Ran thought he was about to fall, his body was scooped up and embraced by a pair of arms.
In the split second of hearing the noise, He Heng subconsciously reached out and caught the little merman.
However, he was still half-asleep and a bit drowsy. So, he held the soft little merman in his arms, trapping him in one corner of the bed. At that moment, he was reluctant to move.
Suddenly enveloped in a warm embrace, Qiao Ran let out a soft hum and subconsciously reached out beside him.
The next moment, his fingertips unexpectedly encountered the warm touch of skin. It felt ticklish, like the sensation of eyelashes brushing against skin.
Qiao Ran was momentarily stunned, realizing that he had touched Da Zhu’s face. He quickly moved his hand away, only to end up from the eyes to the high bridge of Da Zhu’s nose, and in the midst of his fumbling, he touched the man’s chest.
Enveloped in the familiar scent of the man, the little merman felt his face growing hotter. In the end, he shrank into the corner, feeling like a cooked shrimp, not daring to move at all.
Trapped in this small space, he couldn’t see anything and didn’t know how to get up or which direction to move.
After a moment of silence, he simply lowered his head and softly said, “The meal is ready.”
He Heng was more awake now. He wrote a simple “good” in the palm of Qiao Ran’s hand, then took his hand and helped him up from the small bed.
But after He Heng stood firm, Qiao Ran didn’t move. Instead, he looked straight at He Heng and asked, “Da Zhu, was this bed changed?”
Just now, Qiao Ran clearly felt that this bed was lower than the original one. The original bed was made of inferior pine wood, rough to the touch, and when lying on it, it would make creaking sounds, as if it was about to collapse.
But when he lay on the bed just now, he could clearly feel that the texture was the same. The handrails were smooth and sturdy, emitting a pleasant sandalwood fragrance. There were even delicate wood carvings on the edges, nothing like the old small bed in the room.
How could this be the same as the original small bed in the room?
He Heng didn’t hesitate, admitting it straightforwardly. After all, the fact that he had replaced some old furniture and added new furnishings couldn’t be hidden.
He explained, “I usually do some woodworking, so I replaced those old pieces of furniture.”
Qiao Ran responded with an indifferent “Oh.” However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the new bed seemed more finely crafted than the type of furniture typically found in their small town.
But since Da Zhu had explained it that way, the topic was dropped.
The next day, as usual, Qiao Ran supported himself with a wooden cane and carried his bamboo basket to set up his stall on the street. By noon, his bamboo crafts were sold out. Just as Qiao Ran was about to close up and return home, he overheard the two aunties from the neighboring stall talking about the recent increase in pork prices.
Both women complained that they hadn’t seen pork in their homes for half a month. Their children were clamoring for it, saying that they were tired of eating fish every day.
Hearing the mention of “pork” and thinking about the meat that He Hao brought home every day, Qiao Ran immediately stopped in his tracks and pricked up his ears.
“Hey, it’s not that I don’t want to,” one of the women sighed, turning to the other, “it’s just that the prices are too high.”
“Calling that pork? If you didn’t know better, you’d think it’s gold.”
“Exactly, exactly,” the other woman sighed again. “I bet only the county magistrate’s table can afford to have chicken, duck, and pork regularly.”
In the vicinity, the little merman couldn’t help but feel a sudden jolt as he thought about the chickens, ducks, and pigs that appeared in their home every night. He couldn’t help but ponder what kind of work “Da Zhu” did during the day to earn so much money.
That evening, around the rooster’s crow, the yard echoed with barking as neighbors’ dogs came out for a stroll. It was only then that He Hao leisurely returned home.
However, as soon as he entered, he didn’t see the little merman busy in the kitchen as usual. Instead, Qiao Ran was leaning against the door, waiting for him. He Heng was immediately taken aback.
After hearing the footsteps, Qiao Ran was the first to speak, “Why are you so late today?”
He Heng took his hand and wrote on it, “Work took a bit longer.”
“Also, this is for you.” Saying that, he stuffed a newly made garment into Qiao Ran’s arms.
As the season in Mingcheng was transitioning from autumn to winter, the weather was gradually getting colder. Recently, there was a chilly wind, and Qiao Ran, who naturally felt the cold, had been shivering in his original thin clothes. So, He Heng had someone make a fur coat for him, with a fox pattern embroidered on it to ward off the cold. Wearing it, he wouldn’t feel cold anymore.
Feeling the suddenly stuffed warm and fluffy clothes in his arms, Qiao Ran was momentarily stunned. He then reached out to carefully touch the clothes in his arms, only to discover that it was an exquisitely crafted fox fur coat. The stitches on it were meticulous, with no loose ends to be found.
In the small village they lived in, which was impoverished and remote, there was no way to find a tailor capable of such fine work. Moreover, the fur collar on the coat was soft and delicate, and a touch confirmed that it was genuine.
With these thoughts in mind, the little merman immediately furrowed his brows, and this garment further strengthened his conviction that there was something wrong with Da Zhu’s daytime activities.
Feeling the soft and delicate fur collar on the coat, a touch confirmed that it was genuine. Although Qiao Ran earned a considerable amount each day by selling bamboo crafts, it was only enough for basic needs. How could he afford such a luxury as a fox fur coat?
Moreover, thinking about the expensive meats Da Zhu brought home every night, the unexpectedly added sandalwood furniture, and the various replaced household items, Qiao Ran couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. He tilted his head back, took Da Zhu’s arm, and questioned:
“Da Zhu, be honest with me. Are you really just doing physical labor during the day? Why do you leave early and return late every day? And, can physical labor really earn so much money?”
Being questioned so suddenly, He Heng felt a bit uneasy. However, he couldn’t possibly reveal that he was, in fact, the highest local official in Mingcheng. So, after hesitating for a while, he mumbled, “Because I’m strong, I can do the work of two people on my own.”
Unexpectedly, after hearing his explanation, Qiao Ran fell silent. The next moment, the little merman lifted his face, looking quite serious, and said to Da Zhu,
“Did you do something improper?”
Upon hearing this, He Heng immediately wrote fervently on Qiao Ran’s hand, “No, I haven’t!”
The County Magistrate, how could he say it was an improper activity? However, Qiao Ran didn’t believe it at all. With so much suspicious evidence in front of him, Da Zhu’s explanation seemed completely implausible.
Thinking about the recent signs of fatigue and drowsiness in Da Zhu, Qiao Ran became even more suspicious. When he was younger, he heard from his grandfather that some poor people in human villages would sell their blood when they couldn’t afford to eat, essentially overdrawing their bodies to get some money.
This kind of activity was also unsanitary, and sometimes they would inevitably contract various diseases.
Thinking of this, Qiao Ran immediately pulled Da Zhu’s arm, lifted the sleeve, and began to feel upwards.
When he pressed on the inside of the arm, He Heng couldn’t help but inhale sharply, making a hissing sound. Yesterday, he went to the mountain to cut bamboo shoots. However, when he exerted force, he accidentally pricked his arm, causing a slight bleeding. Now, being pressed by Qiao Ran, it hurt a bit.
The next moment, he heard the little merman in front of him say with a somewhat trembling voice:
“Did you go to sell… blood?”
He Heng: “???”
He hadn’t figured out how to explain to the other party that he didn’t do anything improper when Qiao Ran suddenly threw the fur coat back into his arms.
Qiao Ran’s grandfather died from illness. The thought of his grandfather’s dying appearance haunted him, making him deeply distressed. For him, health and happiness were more important than wealth and fame. He didn’t want to see Da Zhu jeopardizing his health for material gains.
“Don’t do those things anymore, okay?” Qiao Ran pleaded, “I don’t want these things. Having enough money is sufficient. Don’t ruin your health. If needed, I can take care of you.”
Seeing the merman on the verge of tears, He Heng panicked. He took the other’s hand and wrote, “Okay, okay, I won’t do it anymore.”
Then, he awkwardly patted the little merman on the back again, saying, “Don’t be sad, I won’t go anymore.”
The next morning, to avoid worrying Qiao Ran, He Heng didn’t dare to sneak away. Instead, he planned to find an opportunity to ask Aunt Li next door to go to the County Magistrate and talk to Chief Zhao. He would explain that he might not be able to come for the next couple of days and, in case of urgent matters, they should handle them first. He would come later. However, before he could find Aunt Li, Chief Zhao had already come with his people.
Chief Zhao and his guards paced around Qiao Ran’s house, with Chief Zhao looking like an old man, hands clasped behind his back, his brow furrowing more and more.
In these past few days, Zhao Tu grew more and more suspicious of He Heng. First, he appeared exhausted every day, and then he suddenly stopped showing up altogether. Previously, he had heard rumors from the neighbors that merfolk were dangerous creatures, something eerie and mystical.
As Zhao Tu pondered over the situation, he became increasingly convinced that something was amiss. Could it be that Heng’s soul was taken away by the merman?
Just then, the window on the side of the small house was pushed open. Zhao Tu, peering through the open window, got his first clear look at Qiao Ran’s face.
The little merman had a black cloth covering his eyes. Beneath the cloth, his skin was smooth and translucent like polished jade. His long, dark hair fell loosely around his shoulders, tied back with a simple rope. The pointed ears peeking out from the ends of his hair resembled those of the mythical elves.
From a distance, he appeared tall, slender, with a narrow waist and long legs. Of course, Qiao Ran didn’t notice them; he was busy with some miscellaneous items behind the window, absentmindedly rolling up his sleeves.
He looks really handsome.
In that moment, Zhao Tu became even more convinced that He Heng’s soul had been lured away by this merman.
Just as he was searching for He Heng’s figure everywhere, the door creaked open, and He Heng stepped out from inside.
Zhao Tu immediately blurted out in excitement, “He…”
However, before he could finish his sentence, he received He Heng’s intimidating gaze, sharp as a knife.
Zhao Tu quickly corrected himself, “Da Zhu!”
“Why didn’t you come to work today?”
As soon as Zhao Tu spoke, before He Heng could respond, a little merman with a black cloth over his eyes and elf-like pointed ears appeared with a broom in hand. He ran up to them angrily, blocking He Heng from the others.
“Don’t come looking for him.”
Zhao Tu: “Huh?”
Well, his goodness,
Their superior suddenly disappeared for no reason, and he wasn’t supposed to look for him?
At this moment, Zhao Tu heard the other saying:
“Da Zhu won’t go do any improper work with you anymore!”
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