The Mermaid and Her Keeper (GL) - Chapter 45

Shen Qingming thought he must have heard wrong. He looked at her in confusion. “What?”

Zhao Shuqing said, “Many scientists spend their whole lives proving a theory that ends up being wrong. But that doesn’t mean their work was useless. At least for the future, by proving it wrong, they help others avoid going down the same path. So, teacher, when you ask if I can accept it, I can.”

She spoke calmly: “Many studies even today don’t have results. But humans keep trying. For example, thousands of years ago, people died from smallpox or tuberculosis. It’s only because others kept researching that we have treatments now.”

Shen Qingming widened his eyes, staring blankly at the person sitting by his hospital bed.

“If the research direction on mermaids was wrong from the start, that’s okay,” Zhao Shuqing said. “Maybe in the future someone will prove my conclusion wrong too, but that’s not a big problem. It’s only by making mistakes and proving those mistakes that humans keep progressing.”

Shen Qingming was silent — a silence that felt deafening.

He had never expected Zhao Shuqing to accept this so calmly.

Indeed, only by constantly disproving earlier wrong theories can humans move forward.

He was deeply moved inside.

He decided to tell the truth for the sake of humanity’s future.

Shen Qingming opened his mouth, trembling as he said to Zhao Shuqing, “Actually, after the mermaids came ashore…”

Knock, knock, knock—

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Aunt Liu stood at the entrance, her eyes fixed tightly on Shen Qingming but she said to Zhao Shuqing, “Shuqing, someone’s here to see you. They said they’re your neighbors, and they’re pushing a wheelchair.”

Hearing this, Zhao Shuqing quickly stood up. “What? Where are they?”

Gu Yao actually brought Lin Feng to see her?

Aunt Liu said, “Just in the hallway.”

Zhao Shuqing turned to Shen Qingming. “Sorry, teacher, I have to step out for a moment.”

Before Shen Qingming could say anything, he helplessly watched Zhao Shuqing leave the room. Only Aunt Liu remained inside. Shen Qingming looked at his longtime caretaker and suddenly felt something was off about her expression today.

“Teacher Shen,” Aunt Liu came to the bedside and tucked the blanket in for him. Her dark eyes calmly looked at him as she said, “Did you forget what you promised Xu Tang this morning? How could you secretly tell Zhao Shuqing?”

Shen Qingming stared at her in shock. “You are… you are…”

Aunt Liu still wore that gentle smile as she said to the man lying in bed, “Looks like you need to rest longer. During this time, I won’t let anyone visit you.”

Shen Qingming understood — he had been under surveillance all along.

Zhao Shuqing ran out of the room and saw Gu Yao pushing a wheelchair closer. Lin Feng looked anxious, and as soon as she saw Zhao Shuqing come out, she quickly stood up from the wheelchair and threw herself into her arms.

“Zhao Shuqing,” Lin Feng looked up at her, “I can’t see him.”

Zhao Shuqing looked at her, puzzled. “Who can’t you see?”

Lin Feng collapsed onto the floor, her blue fish tail showing beneath the blanket. Gu Yao quickly crouched down to cover it and apologized to Zhao Shuqing, “Sorry, Shuqing, I really couldn’t stop her. If I didn’t come with her, she’d have gone looking for you everywhere.”

Zhao Shuqing understood Lin Feng’s personality. If Lin Feng wants to see someone, she’ll find a way. Gu Yao couldn’t be blamed entirely.

“It’s okay,” Zhao Shuqing said, wrapping Lin Feng in the blanket and picking her up. “She’s like this. You’ve worked hard too.”

After putting Lin Feng back in the wheelchair, Lin Feng gently stroked Zhao Shuqing’s face and whispered, “Bad person. Can’t see.”

Zhao Shuqing asked, confused, “Why do you say that? Who is the bad person?”

Lin Feng bit her lip and shook her head, unwilling to say more. She only held Zhao Shuqing’s hand tightly and repeated, “Let’s go home, Zhao Shuqing. Let’s go home.”

Gu Yao found it strange too. She asked Zhao Shuqing, “What’s wrong with Lin Feng? She’s been acting up since just now. Was she like this before?”

Not really, Zhao Shuqing thought, but she still didn’t understand what Lin Feng was trying to express. In any case, they couldn’t stay in the hospital any longer. When Lin Feng’s tail had shown earlier, several nurses had seen it, and now those nurses were gathering nearby to watch.

Just as Zhao Shuqing planned to go back and say goodbye to the teacher, Aunt Liu came out of the hospital room and said, “Shuqing, Teacher Shen said he’s a bit tired and wants to rest. He asked me to see you off.”

“Is the teacher feeling unwell?” Zhao Shuqing asked worriedly.

“It’s nothing serious. Just old age and illness. He needs to rest,” Aunt Liu smiled, but her gaze lingered on Lin Feng as she asked, “And this young lady…?”

Lin Feng froze when she saw Aunt Liu. She smelled a familiar kind of presence…

Lin Feng held Zhao Shuqing’s hand tightly and whispered, “Let’s go home.”

Zhao Shuqing had no choice. After thinking for a moment, she said to Aunt Liu, “Since the teacher needs to rest, we’ll leave first. Please take good care of him. I’ll come back to visit when I have time.”

Aunt Liu smiled kindly. “Alright, I’ll see you out.”

Zhao Shuqing said, “No need. You should stay and take care of the teacher. We’re leaving now.”

While it was still not too crowded, Zhao Shuqing pushed the wheelchair with Lin Feng and Gu Yao, leaving the hospital. Aunt Liu stood at the ward door, watching them leave for a long time before pulling out her phone and calling Xu Tang.

At that moment, Xu Tang had just finished work and returned to her office when she received Aunt Liu’s call.

On the phone, Aunt Liu explained that Zhao Shuqing had come to the hospital, and Lin Feng was there too.

“Oh?” Xu Tang was a bit surprised. Sitting in her chair with her head supported by her hand, the only light in the dim room was the desk lamp. She asked, “Did Lin Feng see Shen Qingming?”

“No,” replied the person on the other end.

Xu Tang thought for a moment, then smiled, “Even if she did, it doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, she’ll find out anyway.”

Aunt Liu asked, “What should we do next?”

“Just take care of the teacher first. He’s old, so it’s understandable if he stays in the hospital longer,” Xu Tang said. “Once he’s better, just process his medical retirement directly.”

After hanging up, Xu Tang leaned back in her chair and stared at the dark ceiling.

“Why?”

She softly asked herself, “Why do humans always go back on their word?”

Shen Qingming’s success was largely thanks to the help from Xu Tang and her people. They supported him for twenty years, pushing him to become a top figure in oceanography. But now, when it really matters, he still wants to tell Zhao Shuqing the truth.

Xu Tang didn’t understand why human hearts were so complicated. Even when it’s a simple exchange, there are always unexpected changes.

She muttered helplessly, “That old guy can’t be trusted. Looks like I need to find someone new…”

Zhao Shuqing returned home, and Gu Yao went off to handle other things. She glanced at Lin Feng sitting in the wheelchair and crouched down.

“Let me see your tail,” Zhao Shuqing said, lifting the blanket.

Lin Feng hesitated, then pulled the blanket aside to reveal her tail and whispered, “It hurts.”

Looking at the bloody fish tail, Zhao Shuqing sighed, “The wound is torn open. Of course it hurts.”

She raised her head, a little annoyed, “Do you know you just got discharged? Do you want to go back to the hospital so badly? Do you think hospital stays are free?”

Lin Feng was scolded so severely she didn’t dare to raise her head, losing all her earlier spirit. Now she looked pitiful, like a guilty little wife.

Zhao Shuqing didn’t really mean to be harsh. She helped her onto the bed and got out a newly bought medical kit. Now her kit was even better stocked than the clinic’s. Simple wounds she could handle herself.

“Luckily, the wound didn’t open again,” Zhao Shuqing said as she took off her disposable gloves and wrapped Lin Feng’s wound. “There was some bleeding because the wound reopened. You need to reapply the medicine.”

Hearing she just needed to put on medicine, Lin Feng smiled. Zhao Shuqing got annoyed and slapped her bottom with a ‘pop’.

“You can still smile?” Zhao Shuqing said angrily. “Do you really want me to treat you like a pet and lock you in a cage when we go out?”

“Don’t,” Lin Feng quickly sat up, grabbing Zhao Shuqing’s hand. “Don’t lock me in a cage.”

“You scared now?” Zhao Shuqing pinched Lin Feng’s chin to make her look straight at her. “Will you dare to do that again next time?”

Lin Feng forced herself to look up, her blue eyes watery and red at the corners with sadness. “I won’t…”

Zhao Shuqing only meant to give her a warning. She couldn’t always be with Lin Feng. What if she had to travel far? Lin Feng couldn’t possibly swim across the Pacific to come find her.

But when she pinched Lin Feng’s chin, her heart softened for some reason.

Forget it. Why bother arguing with a fish who doesn’t understand anything?

Zhao Shuqing gently rubbed Lin Feng’s soft cheek, sighed, and pulled her into a hug. “Actually, I shouldn’t have left without you. I was mostly afraid you’d get stressed. You’re not a kid anymore—you need to learn to be alone sometimes, right?”

Lin Feng leaned in her arms and lowered her eyelids, reluctant to agree.

Zhao Shuqing added, “Once your wound heals, you have to go back to the water. You can’t keep living in a dorm with me like this, can you?”

Lin Feng shook her head. “I won’t go back to the water.”

Zhao Shuqing glanced at her and didn’t believe it for a second.

“You said ‘bad people’ at the hospital just now,” Zhao Shuqing suddenly remembered and quietly asked, “Who are the bad people?”

Lin Feng hesitated, then shook her head. “Can’t say.”

“Neither can I?” Zhao Shuqing asked.

Lin Feng nodded.

Only you can’t say.

If Zhao Shuqing knew her teacher was a human traitor, she’d probably be very upset. Lin Feng thought it best not to tell her for now—deal with it later.

“Alright then.”

Luckily, Zhao Shuqing wasn’t the type to pry too much. If Lin Feng didn’t want to say, then she wouldn’t press.

She looked down at Lin Feng and said, “The sun’s not down yet. Want to take a bath?”

Lin Feng immediately perked up at the word ‘bath’ and nodded firmly. Zhao Shuqing smiled, picked her up, and carried her to the bathtub on the balcony.

After filling the tub with warm water, Zhao Shuqing sat beside her watching Lin Feng play in the water, thinking that this moment was pretty nice.

If only it could always be like this.