Chapter 75: Movie Watching Event

Chapter 75: Movie Night

Though they’d initially gotten sidetracked, Jiang Xun still settled in beside Liu Hai to watch the movie.

The plot was quite simple: a researcher, who had deceived a mermaid with lies, gradually developed genuine affection for her through their daily interactions. He seemed to discover the meaning of being loved, transitioning from preparing deceptive props for her to meticulously choosing gifts for their dates. His once-feigned smile slowly became sincere, and his gaze grew gentler.

Jiang Xun watched intently.

He had initially thought Little Gold (Xiao Jin) recommended this film because the researcher mirrored him and the mermaid mirrored Liu Hai. But as he watched, he realized it was likely because the mermaid, with her innocent and straightforward nature, bore a resemblance to Liu Hai.

By now, even Jiang Xun couldn’t help but wish the researcher would swiftly recognize his true feelings and cease any actions that might hurt her.

Jiang Xun found himself looking at Liu Hai. He, too, hoped…

That Liu Hai would find happiness, no matter what.

“Hmm?” Liu Hai noticed his gaze and generously offered the snack in his hand. “Want some of this?”

Jiang Xun took a piece and began, “What do you think…?”

He hesitated. The story was still unfolding; perhaps it wasn’t the best time for too much discussion.

Then, as he turned his head, he saw the kissing scene on screen.

Jiang Xun: “…”

For some reason, he suddenly felt an urge to cover Liu Hai’s eyes.

The crisp sound of Liu Hai crunching chips stopped. He looked at Jiang Xun, bewildered, and hesitantly asked, “Is this also how humans express affection?”

“Is this how people show they’re in love?”

Jiang Xun mumbled, “Uh… yeah.”

He wished this overly romantic scene would quickly pass.

Liu Hai tilted his head, embracing his curious nature, and continued to inquire, “So, how do you kiss?”

Jiang Xun: “…”

Liu Hai pointed at the protagonists kissing in the swirling water. “Do you have to spin while kissing? Is that why they’re in the water?”

It would certainly be difficult to spin like that on land!

Jiang Xun propped his head in his hand. “No, the spinning is a cinematic technique. They’re not actually spinning while kissing.”

“Artistic works have their own expressive methods. Some parts aren’t entirely realistic; you can’t learn everything from them.”

“Oh.” Liu Hai nodded obediently. “I know! For learning, we should consult textbooks! Documentaries are also more rigorous!”

“So, are there any textbooks or documentaries about kissing?”

Jiang Xun: “…I haven’t really seen any.”

“Huh?” Liu Hai sighed regretfully. “But this is how humans express love! If it’s not properly taught, how do you all fall in love?”

Jiang Xun hesitated, then let out a helpless chuckle. “Yeah, when you put it that way, it does seem a bit strange.”

“Humans… a significant portion of them genuinely don’t know how to love.”

“Even though so many people don’t understand, no one offers a guide… Perhaps because love is just really difficult.”

Jiang Xun relaxed, sinking into the sofa, shoulder-to-shoulder with Liu Hai. “Perhaps there’s no universal solution, as it depends on the individual.”

“Hmm—” Liu Hai also leaned back with him, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t quite understand.”

“…But it probably isn’t that hard.”

Jiang Xun looked down at him. “Is that so? For Liu Hai, perhaps it isn’t that difficult.”

“After all, everyone would like you.”

“How so?” Liu Hai said matter-of-factly. “Everyone gets disliked by someone, even for no reason.”

“But no one is so greedy as to want the whole world to like them, right?”

Liu Hai leaned against Jiang Xun, gently swaying his tail. “A little is enough!”

On screen, the protagonists cuddled while watching fireworks. Jiang Xun and Liu Hai sat together, observing the characters in the story utterly captivated by love.

Liu Hai secretly glanced at Jiang Xun, who obligingly offered him chips. “Want this bag?”

The bag of chips Liu Hai had given him before the movie was still unopened.

“Hehe.” Liu Hai gave an embarrassed grin and quickly added, “I was looking at you too!”

Jiang Xun opened the bag and handed it to him. Watching Liu Hai’s satisfied smile, he couldn’t help but muse that, compared to the movie, Liu Hai seemed far more interested in human snacks.

He quietly watched until the film’s conclusion.

When the researcher finally mustered the courage to confess to the mermaid that their love had been built on lies, she revealed she had known all along.

She had stayed in his lab willingly—because it was love at first sight.

The overall plot was quite cliché; you could guess the ending from the beginning. Yet, it lived up to its reputation, hitting all the right emotional beats at every pivotal moment. If some masterpieces told stories no one expected, this one told a story everyone knew the direction of—yet still couldn’t help but be moved by.

As the soothing music played and the credits rolled, Jiang Xun gazed absently, lost in thought.

Having immersed himself fully in a romance film for once, he felt he had genuinely learned something.

Jiang Xun looked at Liu Hai beside him. Part of him wanted to ask for his thoughts, but he worried Liu Hai might treat watching movies as another learning experience. So he decided against it.

Better to let the innocent Seal King enjoy this as simple leisure.

Just as he was about to speak, Liu Hai suddenly said, “I knew it.”

Jiang Xun turned to him. “What?”

“I thought so halfway through—that researcher was overthinking it,” Liu Hai tilted his head. “Because, no matter how you looked at it, the mermaid’s affection for him was obvious!”

“Once he realized he liked her too, wasn’t that already the perfect happy ending?”

Resting his chin in his hand, Liu Hai mused, “People who are smart in other areas can be a bit foolish when it comes to matters of the heart, huh?”

Jiang Xun paused. “…So that’s how Liu Hai saw the story?”

“Yeah!” Liu Hai seemed quite excited. “But it was still very interesting! The movie was great! We still have time, Jiang Xun, Jiang Xun, let’s watch another one!”

“Okay.” Jiang Xun’s eyes held a smile. “Which one do you want to watch?”

“Operation Seal?”

“No!” Liu Hai’s eyes sparkled as he held up his communicator. “I just found this! This looks really exciting too!”

“Tales of Monsters?” Jiang Xun read out the title, understanding why he was interested. “Ah… but given its rating, there might be a lot of gory scenes. Are you okay with that?”

Liu Hai said with a serious expression, “Jiang Xun, don’t underestimate me. I’m a fierce beast, you know.”

“And three hundred years old at that.”

Jiang Xun suppressed a laugh and nodded. “Mhm, alright then, we’ll go with your pick.”

He obligingly opened *Tales of Monsters*, tagged with “grotesque” and “gory,” and settled comfortably back into the cushions.

Three minutes into the film, Liu Hai stiffly turned to look at Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun glanced at the scene of flying flesh and blood and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong? Three-hundred-year-old Beastly Mermaid King? Feeling your wild instincts awaken?”

Liu Hai’s lips trembled slightly as he said in disbelief, “It—it—it… that monster! It’s eating people!”

“Three minutes in, it’s already eaten two… ah, make that three! It’s eaten three people already!”

“Hmm—” Jiang Xun meticulously corrected his wording. “No, strictly speaking, it’s not eating them, just killing them by biting.”

“From that perspective, it doesn’t seem driven by hunger, but simply a desire for slaughter.”

Liu Hai slowly curled up, clutching his rounded tail in shock, unable to speak.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Xun asked considerately. “If it’s really too much, we can turn it off now.”

“N-no need…” Liu Hai took a deep breath and fixed a solemn stare on the screen. “This is fake, right? Little Gold said TV shows are just acted out by people, not real, so no matter what happens on screen, we don’t need to call the police.”

“Mhm.” Jiang Xun nodded slowly. “Looks like Little Gold taught you some very important common sense.”

“Are you really okay?”

“I… I want to see what humans imagine monsters to be like.” Liu Hai looked focused but couldn’t help adding, “But it eats too many people! Do people actually enjoy watching this?!”

Jiang Xun checked the ratings. “It seems highly rated and has many viewers. Apparently, quite a few people like it.”

“Humans enjoy watching this… that’s hard to understand?”

“Of course!” Liu Hai turned to him, horrified. “I would *never* be interested in films about killer whales eating seals or polar bears eating seals!”

“Much less film it myself and have them eat three in one go!”

Jiang Xun: “…”

Seal King, your secret’s out.

He barely held back a comment and cleared his throat. “Ah, well…”

Liu Hai slowly turned back, muttering, “Is it really like what Kontra said?”

His expression was grave, even a little troubled. “Humans… are truly incredible creatures! Not only are their tastes incredibly diverse, but their hobbies are also something else…”

Jiang Xun: “…”

He was somehow being admired in the most unexpected way.

Probably not a good thing.

The film’s horror atmosphere was well-crafted—less like a traditional monster and more like a relentless fiend, radiating overwhelming menace with every appearance.

Jiang Xun observed Liu Hai’s reactions. He seemed shocked but not particularly scared, so he let him keep watching.

However, the Seal King, unaccustomed to jumpscares, let out a loud “Wah!” at every deliberate horror shot. Before long, he had rolled right into Jiang Xun’s lap, cautiously holding up a stuffed animal as a shield.

Jiang Xun: “…”

He used to think that watching horror films on dates to scare the other person into physical contact was a rather low tactic.

Now, he was starting to understand that feeling.

On screen, the monster kept creeping closer—each time the protagonist turned around, it was closer. But the last time they looked back, there was nothing behind them.

Jiang Xun could already predict that the next turn would reveal a monster’s face suddenly filling the screen.

But Liu Hai likely hadn’t.

Jiang Xun glanced down at him, then quietly extended a finger, giving Liu Hai’s back a little poke the moment the monster appeared.

—The Seal King shrieked and shot straight up in the air.

Author's Note:

Seal King: “Wahhh——!”