Chapter 32: But I Like It

Chapter 32: But I Like You

Every breath was agony.

It had been a misunderstanding from the start. They were not of the same kind, yet each had mistaken the other for their own. But in truth, the truly vile and cruel one had always been himself.

Si Jisheng had never been so acutely aware of his own nature. He leaned forward, the military coat draped over his shoulders slipping to the ground. The shoulder and neck, burdened for years by heavy medals, suddenly felt light. He mimicked the Mermaid Language Deng Xi had once spoken, replicating it almost perfectly, his voice low and hoarse, "But I like you."

The deep, husky voice reached Deng Xi’s ears. His sobs caught in his throat, his eyes widening slightly before a gentle blink. Tears streamed from his blue eyes, and his blurred vision instantly cleared.

What met his gaze was a pair of pale silver eyes.

Reflected within them was a tiny figure—Deng Xi himself. Yet, beyond his own reflection, Deng Xi always sensed something else hidden there, something he couldn't quite grasp.

It seemed sad too.

Deng Xi longed to touch it.

Si Jisheng switched back to human language, uttering Deng Xi’s name in Interstellar for the first time. He said, "I like... Deng Xi very much too."

His words were still a little clumsy, somewhat hesitant.

Choose him steadfastly, just one more time.

He pleaded shamelessly, "Can you stay for me?"

Deng Xi blinked, another tear falling.

Si Jisheng waited for a moment.

But the little merman simply watched the silver-tailed man, tears silently streaming down his face.

The suffocating pain in his chest began to ache again. Si Jisheng briefly closed his eyes, his tongue feeling bitter. "The starship to take you back to the ocean is ready. If you wish—"

"My tail hurts."

His interrupted words halted.

Deng Xi buried his face against Little Mute’s shoulder, soaking the human’s clothes with wet tear stains. He mumbled, "I’m dehydrated."

Si Jisheng paused, then a faint smile appeared in his silver eyes. He scooped Deng Xi up. "Can you hold on a little longer?"

Deng Xi nodded his small head, murmuring, "Mm-hmm."

His blue fish tail began to coil from his waist, eventually wrapping around one of Si Jisheng’s legs. Si Jisheng bent down to pick up the military coat from the floor, draped it over Deng Xi, covering his exposed back, then kicked the wheelchair aside, pushed open the conference room door, and strode out, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Ai Er, waiting outside, stared wide-eyed in disbelief, then quickly scurried after them. "Marshal, where are you taking Deng Xi? I can lead the way; Deng Xi’s residence is this way—Marshal? Sir?"

Hearing the voice, Deng Xi stirred beneath the coat, trying to peek out, only to be gently pressed back by a large hand. The voice that reached his ears, entirely different from before, was cold. "Didn't you say I was the primary treatment subject?"

Si Jisheng continued, "Then, until I am fully recovered, as my therapist, he naturally remains by my side."

This was outright banditry!

Ai Er gasped, frantically trying to think of a solution. Just as she was about to contact the director, the "bandit" spoke again, "The document submitted by the Research Institute this morning has already been tri-signed by the military, the Elder Council, and the royal family."

As he stepped into the Research Institute’s elevator, Si Jisheng politely added, "Please convey my thanks to your director."

The elevator doors snapped shut before her eyes. Helpless, Ai Er watched as the elevator ascended directly to the top floor of the building.

When the elevator doors reopened, a waiting airship immediately came into view. The adjutant, leaning against its hull, straightened and saluted upon seeing the approaching Marshal. "Marshal, the water tank you requested is ready."

Si Jisheng acknowledged with a cool hum.

The adjutant reported while trying not to stare at the blue fish tail coiled beneath the military coat. He clicked his tongue, then quickly averted his gaze after meeting his superior’s impassive eyes. "Marshal, where are we flying next? Military Headquarters?"

Si Jisheng stepped onto the airship. "To Zone A."

The only coastal area in the capital.

The adjutant set the coordinates to the land he had purchased overnight, activated autopilot, and disembarked. The airship automatically entered the flight path and departed for its destination.

Unaccustomed to wearing human clothes, Deng Xi only lifted his head uncomfortably after silence settled around him. With his movement, the draped coat slipped to the floor.

He scrunched his small nose in annoyance, but before he could react, he was gently placed into the water.

Deng Xi carefully unfurled his tail, and the slightly dehydrated fish tail sank into the seawater, instantly feeling much more comfortable. He looked around with some unease, and even more so at Little Mute, who was now walking on human legs.

He was tired from crying.

Deng Xi buried his face in the seawater, and the tear stains on his face were instantly re-wet, leaving no trace.

This is the last time, he thought.

The very last time.

Deng Xi knew what loneliness felt like. He didn't want his only kin to be alone in the human world, isolated, with no one to keep him company.

Deng Xi resurfaced, resting his arms on the edge of the tank, watching Little Mute busy himself with something he couldn't understand. He tapped the tank, making a soft sound.

Si Jisheng quickly turned around, a small, moving tail following him as he approached.

Deng Xi tilted his head curiously.

Si Jisheng followed his gaze. "This is a robot."

Deng Xi asked, "What's a robot?"

Si Jisheng explained in a way Deng Xi could understand, "It's like the blue whale that helped you move. When I'm not here, if you need any help, you can find them."

It was a long sentence, but Deng Xi only caught a few words, asking forlornly, "Why won't Little Mute be here?"

Si Jisheng paused.

The half-human-height robot behind him was a step faster, reaching the tank first, raising its arms as programmed, and steadily presenting a tray to Deng Xi.

On the pristine white porcelain plate was a lavish assortment of seafood, a stark contrast to yesterday's monotonous salmon.

It was clearly prepared with great care.

Deng Xi's eyes widened. "Is this for me?"

Si Jisheng nodded slightly. He quietly took out a silver-white, ring-shaped commlink. "Your hand."

Deng Xi extended his hand, and the next second, a metal ring was clasped around his wrist. He understood nothing. "What's this now?"

Si Jisheng patiently explained, "This is a commlink."

He rephrased, "This is something that allows us to see each other anytime, anywhere."

Deng Xi pursed his lips, looking a little skeptical. "Really?"

Si Jisheng took Deng Xi's hand, his fingertip touching the surface of the silver ring. With a gentle swipe, Deng Xi's familiar blue screen suddenly appeared in the air.

"After opening it, just say my name."

Little Mute's name?

Deng Xi remembered, but he felt it wasn't those three words, but rather their special way of addressing each other.

Deng Xi tentatively called out, "Little Mute?"

The blue screen's interface instantly transformed.

Si Jisheng, who had personally set up this program, continued, "Press this icon."

Deng Xi lightly tapped with his fingertip.

The next second, the commlink on Si Jisheng's knuckles automatically lit up with a blue screen. Due to the system's highest processing priority, the call was automatically answered, and a second Little Mute miraculously appeared before Deng Xi's eyes.

Little Mute appeared on his blue screen, and he appeared on Little Mute's blue screen.

Si Jisheng lowered his silver eyes slightly, then ended the call. "Want to try it yourself?"

Deng Xi tentatively mimicked Little Mute, swiping the silver ring, then saying "Little Mute" again, and pressing the icon once more.

The call connected successfully.

For Si Jisheng, it was a small matter, but for Deng Xi, under Si Jisheng's guidance, he had slowly taken the first, and most crucial, step into the human world.

It was a sense of security.

Deng Xi looked at the real Little Mute, then at the second Little Mute on the blue screen. His eyes crinkled, the corners of his mouth curving into his first smile of the day, his eyes sparkling. "This is amazing!"

This way, Little Mute would always be by his side.

"Anytime?"

"Yes, anytime."

Deng Xi looked at Little Mute standing beside him. After explaining the commlink, Si Jisheng was now busy with the remaining seafood on the robot's tray, his lowered silver eyes focused and serious.

Suddenly,

Deng Xi remembered those two words Little Mute had said earlier.

Like.

Deng Xi actually liked Little Mute very much, whether in his merman form or human form. What he disliked was the possibility that Little Mute might not like him in return.

Deng Xi simply wanted an equal return for his affection, an equal liking.

He loved spending time with Little Mute and wanted to live with Little Mute in the ocean.

He also wanted Little Mute to feel the same way he did.

So, Little Mute must also like being with him, right? Deng Xi's eyes curved, and the emptiness and uncertainty in his heart were suddenly filled.

He could try living in the human world.

Deng Xi looked down at his tail. But he couldn't transform into human legs. That was fine; as long as there was seawater, as long as he had a small pool.

After this sumptuous lunch, Deng Xi, still lost in fantasies about enduring hardships with Little Mute in the future, was carried to the transparent window of the airship.

Deng Xi looked out curiously, his blue eyes widening in delight at first sight. "It's the ocean!"

A vast, boundless expanse of clear blue ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, far, far larger than the small pool Deng Xi had imagined.

The airship, flying high in the sky, slowly descended. After reaching a certain height above the sea, it hovered in place, automatically opening its hatch.

Si Jisheng carried Deng Xi to the hatch. Just a few meters below their feet was the ocean's surface, which Deng Xi hadn't seen in a very long time.

Si Jisheng slightly loosened his grip. "Want to jump down and try?"

Deng Xi nodded vigorously.

Si Jisheng released his hold, and with a powerful flick of his blue tail fin, Deng Xi leaped from the airship into the sea, quickly disappearing into the water.

The ocean felt unfamiliar to Deng Xi, but when he closed his eyes, he could feel the sea's embrace and closeness.

It liked Deng Xi too.

It even seemed to be welcoming the little merman to come and play in its depths.

Deng Xi tentatively dived to a certain depth, and with the ocean's permission, he joyfully swam around, flicking his tail fin. But soon, he swam back to the surface, looking up at Little Mute in the air and waving. "Little Mute, come down too!"

Having held the wet little merman earlier, the seawater had already soaked his combat suit, making it cling to his body. Si Jisheng deftly stripped off his drenched top, then shed his black combat pants, revealing the merman's pale skin and perfectly sculpted, lean muscles.

He was almost completely naked.

Deng Xi, floating on the surface, tilted his head, curiously observing the human body's structure, his gaze finally settling on the triangular area.

What was that?

Author's Note:

You'll find out soon (.