Kerry’s excessive reaction made Qi Yan slightly startled and his indifferent gaze moved up and fell on his angry face.
“Kerry, it’s almost winter, I have to get out of here.”
Unexpectedly, Kerry’s face suddenly reddened. He hesitated and sat down without looking at Qi Yan’s face: “Is this, is this an explanation?”
“Not an explanation. I’m just informing you.”
“Can’t you stay?” Kerry’s voice was faintly pleading and his eyes were hopeful: “I hope you can stay. I will find a way to keep you warm.”
“Kerry.” Qi Yan interrupted his thoughts: “There is no way for me to spend the winter, except for the volcanic sea.”
Kerry knew that Qi Yan would definitely not stay. Although he didn’t know this friend of different races very well, it was the most attractive thing about him.
He hesitated to speak and looked at him for a long time. Finally, he sighed softly, picked up the exquisite snack on the side, and handed it down.
“You have to remember me. You must come back next year.”
I hope you can come back early next year, as the first friend to witness my strength.
Qi Yan did not answer, but picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite gracefully. The sweet and greasy taste of saccharin spread in his mouth, Qi Yan frowned secretly and swallowed the cake with cream.
He didn’t like the taste very much, it was too sweet, like a children’s food.
“A Yan.”
Hearing Kerry’s call, Qi Yan turned his head. Before he could see clearly, he was blinded by the splashing water with the sound of heavy objects falling into the sea. He stretched out his hand and wiped his eyes, but the rubbing just made it worse, and he could only wait for his eyes to be comfortable before opening them.
Suddenly, Qi Yan was caught by a strong arm around his waist. Startled, he swung his tail violently, but he couldn’t match the opponent’s strength. He just felt like he was being embraced in a hot embrace, the kind of temperature that mermaids didn’t have.
“If you can’t go ashore, then I’ll come down and give you a parting hug.”
Kerry’s reluctant words sounded in his ears. The arms around his waist and the hands on the back of his head tightened at the same time, allowing him to stick closer to Kerry’s arms.
“I really… miss you so much.”
Instead of struggling violently, Qi Yan felt his helplessness and trembling, he finally stretched out his hand and slowly hugged Kerry’s broad shoulders.
“I will come back, for sure.”
The promise was like a seed buried in the bottom of his heart. As long as it was carefully watered and fertilized during the period, it would grow up like a big tree, occupying the entire atrium, and becoming a part of the body.
[Kerry’s favorability towards Qi Yan +10, current favorability: 50]
The next evening, when Kerry came to the beach again, he didn’t see Qi Yan anymore. Every day after that, Kerry would sit on the reef after dinner, looking at the dark ocean that was blended with the night in the distance, trying to find the shining light blue in the depths.
At the same time, the relationship between Kerry and Earl Hilar only got worse and worse. Every time, after being framed by his brothers, he would get a sneer from Earl Hilar. This man was obviously his father, but his words were merciless.
He used to think that he could stand out among his brothers and make his father look at him. Obviously, this was a joke.
Now that the last of his affection had been wiped out, there was no need to be soft-hearted anymore.
This winter, Kerry exhausted all his solutions and by chance he became ‘friends’ with Master Garber, the son of the Earl of Guaguez.
Garber Guaguez was three years younger than Kerry and was only fifteen years old after the New Year. He was a very simple child. Because he was so well protected, he was like a piece of pure white paper. Compared to the flattering nobles, Garber liked this big brother who hadn’t paid attention to him since the first time they met.
When he knew that Kerry was just a bastard and had never heard Earl Hilar talk about him, the simple Garber showed a lot of anger. He wanted to ask his father to talk to Earl Hilar, but Kerry stopped him.
——If you don’t care about my identity and still want to be friends with me, then it doesn’t matter whether you are taken seriously or not.
These words were very useful on Garber. For him, Brother Kerry was trying his best to be brave and didn’t care about trifles.
Therefore, when Gabor came to visit Hilar’s mansion as a friend of Kerry Hilar during the New Year, the eyes of other people were all shocked and flustered.
You know, they didn’t even prepare a new suit for Kerry.
Earl Hilar was very terrified. He looked at the young master with anxiety in his heart: “Uh, Kerry is still preparing…”
Garber concealed the ridicule in his heart and glanced at the packed European-style hall strangely with his big round eyes: “But all of you are here, why is Brother Kerry not here?”
Earl Hilar touched the beads of sweat on his forehead and said, “That kid Kerry has always been unrestrained, so I will ask someone to bring him here.”
“No, it’s me who came at a bad time.” Garber raised a bright smile: “I’m going to find Brother Kerry.”
“Hey?” Earl Hilar’s fat figure shook, his heart startled. If this kid went to Kerry in person, wouldn’t he know about Kerry living in the Round Tower? Moreover, he and Earl Guaguez were originally politically hostile and they didn’t got along very well. If this kid went back and talked nonsense, it would be used by Earl Guaguez as a handle to frame him, that would be really bad.
While he was thinking about it, Garber had long been familiar with the way to the Round Tower and Earl Hilal had to hurriedly sent someone to follow him in case of any accident.
The tower was about forty square meters, round and made of old stone. It was not warm in winter and cool in summer. It was just a place to shelter from the wind and rain.
Garber walked up the stone steps and ordered no one to follow. When he quietly pushed the door and walked in, Kerry didn’t mention how surprised he was.
“Gabe?” Kerry said in surprise: “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to give you a New Year gift!” Kerry put the not-so-small gift box in his hand on the wooden table against the wall.
Looking around this very small but clean round room, Garber showed a trace of displeasure: “Earl Hilar is really too much!”
Kerry did not refute or respond, but changed the subject: “Thank you for your gift.”
“You’re welcome.” Garber walked around, picked up the book Kerry put on the bed and flipped through it: “This is…a book about mermaids?”
Kerry nodded: “It’s interesting.”
Garber didn’t like reading this kind of book. He put it aside and said unintentionally: “They all say that mermaids eat people. Is it true?”
“No, they don’t eat people, but sea fruits.”
“Those rumors are really strange. Why do they describe the mermaid as so terrifying.” Garber wandered around: “I saw a mermaid in the museum in Erli City. It’s so beautiful!”
When it came to the topic of mermaids, Kerry was obviously very interested: “A living mermaid?”
“Correct. But my father said that if the mermaid is kept in captivity, it will not take long for it to die.”
——It’s like a fleeting flower, just a moment of stunning beauty, then withered overnight.
