The Mermaid and Her Keeper (GL) - Chapter 4

The water surface was as calm as before, only the oxygen meter slowly bubbling, causing gentle ripples.

Sun Chengzhou crossed his arms and sneered, “Looks like Dr. Zhao isn’t always perfect.”

Everyone exchanged glances. They were all researchers, with at least graduate degrees—highly educated people. Making a scene like this didn’t seem appropriate.

“Enough,” someone quietly advised Sun Chengzhou, “We’re all colleagues. Dr. Sun, please don’t speak so harshly.”

But Sun Chengzhou replied, “I may speak harshly, but I can’t stand people doing things badly. We’re colleagues, and I hate it when people secretly form cliques.”

Everyone shrank back silently. Sun Chengzhou had published many papers in his field, but his emotional intelligence was very low. He was also very much a male chauvinist who looked down on most female researchers, believing women should just stay home like hundreds of years ago.

Before he could finish, suddenly the water surface started to move. The shadow under the water became clearer, and someone excitedly said, “A mermaid! The mermaid is coming up!”

Everyone turned to look, and they saw the previously calm water ripple. With a splash, a beautiful face appeared, topped with wet long hair. Her eyes were as stunning as the deep blue sea, calmly staring at the group on the platform.

The mermaid seemed confused about why these people had suddenly gathered here, but quickly her gaze fixed on Zhao Shuqing and the small green fish clenched in her hand.

Zhao Shuqing noticed the mermaid’s attention on her hand, then waved and said, “Hi, Miss Mermaid, you haven’t eaten in a while, right? Hungry? Want some fish?”

The mermaid blinked calmly at Zhao Shuqing.

After a moment, she suddenly dove back underwater and didn’t surface for a full minute.

Sun Chengzhou laughed, mocking, “See? The beautiful mermaid rejected you, Dr. Zhao. You’re hopeless.”

How could a woman be called hopeless?

Zhao Shuqing frowned and tried tapping the water and shaking the little green fish, but the blue figure underwater refused to come up, leaving her puzzled.

Could it be that the mermaid was still holding a grudge for the way she had treated her yesterday?

Come on, she wasn’t being rude on purpose, she was just curious and had looked over. She hadn’t even seen clearly before the mermaid slapped her.

Zhao Shuqing felt really wronged.

The mermaid didn’t respond, and Zhao Shuqing tried many times without success. Finally, disappointed, she let the little green fish swim away.

She looked up at Xu Tang and silently apologized with her eyes.

Xu Tang frowned slightly and sighed, “Let the next person try.”

No sooner had she spoken than the water surface stirred again. The mermaid seemed anxious as Zhao Shuqing started to leave. She flipped her long tail and quickly swam over, splashing onto the water surface with a splash, grabbing Zhao Shuqing’s clothes with a pale, cold hand. Her blue eyes looked at her helplessly.

“Qing…”

The mermaid’s fingertips were cold, with translucent webbing between her fingers, damp to the touch.

Those blue eyes looked up at Zhao Shuqing as if afraid she would leave.

Zhao Shuqing was stunned.

She heard the mermaid call her name again.

Though the words weren’t clear, she understood—the mermaid was calling her.

Why?

Had she met this mermaid before?

Or was “qing” a similar word in their language?

“Oh my god,” someone in the crowd gasped, covering their mouth, “The mermaid actually grabbed Dr. Zhao’s clothes!”

Everyone was surprised and began discussing what had just happened.

“This mermaid really likes Dr. Zhao.”

“Yeah, even yesterday, she only ate the green fish Shuqing gave her. She wouldn’t touch anyone else’s.”

“Maybe Captain Xu noticed this and made Zhao Shuqing the mermaid’s dedicated caretaker.”

“Amazing! Mermaids can really develop feelings for humans?”

Zhao Shuqing was still stunned. She stayed half-crouched, looking down at the mermaid who looked up at her. She reached out and gently stroked the mermaid’s cheek.

The mermaid seemed surprised, hesitating whether to pull away, but after two seconds, she relaxed and even rubbed against Zhao Shuqing’s palm like she trusted her.

Zhao Shuqing felt the cool, damp skin as if touching someone with a very low body temperature.

The mermaid floated half above the water, her deep blue eyes and long light-colored eyelashes matching her hair, deeply captivating Zhao Shuqing.

“Miss Mermaid,” Zhao Shuqing softly said while stroking her cheek, “Would you let me stay with you?”

The mermaid clearly didn’t understand, staring blankly but not letting go of her clothes.

Zhao Shuqing’s eyes darkened. She withdrew her hand and picked up another small green fish from the nearby bucket, gently touching it to the mermaid’s pink lips.

She whispered, “If you want me to stay, you have to eat the fish I give you.”

The mermaid blinked, looked at the fish in Zhao Shuqing’s hand, hesitated for two seconds, then opened her mouth, bit the fish, and swam back into the water.

“They ate it! She ate Zhao Shuqing’s fish! So the caretaker choice is settled, right?”

“Impossible,” Sun Chengzhou said immediately, “There are still many who haven’t tried. Everyone must try.”

But after everyone took turns, the result was the same: the mermaid only ate the fish Zhao Shuqing gave. Sun Chengzhou’s face darkened; he thought maybe Zhao Shuqing fed her so well that she was full and wouldn’t eat more.

Zhao Shuqing fed her again, confirming the mermaid only ate her fish.

“Enough.”

Captain Xu looked over the results, calmly signing a document her subordinates handed her.

“Stop arguing. Zhao Shuqing will be fully in charge of caring for the mermaid.”

She closed the file and glanced at the researchers.

“But Zhao Shuqing can’t do it alone. After we get back on land, depending on the situation, three to five assistants will be added to help her.”

“It’s late now, so let’s rest,” Xu said, smiling at Zhao Shuqing, “Shuqing, come to my cabin. I need to tell you something.”

Zhao Shuqing’s eyes lit up immediately, and she agreed.

The two left the lab, and Zhao Shuqing followed Xu Tang through a narrow corridor to the cabin.

“Senior sister, that mermaid is so close to me. I never expected this,” Zhao Shuqing said excitedly, eyes shining. “I feel like her intelligence is about the same as ours, and she’s helping me, consciously or not.”

Even though they couldn’t communicate well yet, Zhao Shuqing could tell the mermaid was consciously protecting her.

Did she stand up because she saw me being bullied?

No matter the reason, Zhao Shuqing felt deeply connected to the mermaid and was determined to care for her.

Xu Tang looked back and smiled, “I was surprised too. I thought you wouldn’t have a chance this time.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded, “Yeah, when she turned away the first time, I thought she was ignoring me. But when I was about to leave, she rushed back like she was afraid I’d go.”

Xu’s eyes darkened for a moment but she quickly masked it, smiling softly.

“We still have over ten days before returning to the country. Use this time to build a relationship with the mermaid. The escort fleet is waiting 30 nautical miles away. Many countries want to study mermaids, so we must be very careful once we return.”

Zhao Shuqing understood perfectly.

They were on the high seas, where many domestic laws didn’t apply. Without the escort fleet, their research ship wouldn’t be able to safely return.

They had prepared for this before boarding, and the excitement of capturing the mermaid made everyone eager to return home.

“Okay, I’ll spend this time bonding with her,” Zhao Shuqing said, pausing briefly before asking, “We can’t keep calling her ‘mermaid’ forever, right? Should we give her a name?”

“Sure,” Xu Tang smiled, “You’re her main caretaker now. You can name her.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded, “Alright, I’ll think about it.”

Xu Tang glanced at her and added, “Today is just the beginning. Once on land, many will come after this mermaid.”

Zhao Shuqing frowned, “Senior sister…”

“You must protect her. She will be our only research focus for decades,” Xu said firmly.

Zhao Shuqing looked up, “I understand. I will take good care of her.”

The mermaid chose Zhao Shuqing in front of all the researchers, a clear sign of approval.

Now that Xu Tang gave her the right to name the mermaid, the pressure was a bit heavy.

Sitting on the platform by the water tank, Zhao Shuqing looked at the mermaid who popped her head out far away, supporting her chin with one hand, absentmindedly touching the water surface as the ripples spread out.

The mermaid looked down at the ripples, flicked her tail, and sent back a splash of water.

Zhao Shuqing laughed at the response.

“Hey, Miss Mermaid,” Zhao Shuqing tapped the water with her finger, curious, “What’s your name?”

The mermaid looked confused and slowly swam over.

Near the platform, she gently rested her hands on the edge and raised her beautiful blue eyes to stare at Zhao Shuqing, as if trying hard to understand her words.

“I can’t call you ‘mermaid’ forever. You need a real name,” Zhao Shuqing tilted her head, thinking, “Alice? Or maybe a Greek sea goddess name, Thetis?”

The mermaid looked at her curiously and confused, slowly swishing her long tail.

“No, none of those fit,” Zhao Shuqing shook her head, staring at the beautiful mermaid, feeling her eyes were mesmerizing.

“You belong to our China. You can’t have a foreign name.”

Zhao Shuqing touched her soft long hair and suddenly smiled, eyes curved.

“Lin Feng, do you like that name?”