The Mermaid and Her Keeper (GL) - Chapter 49

Zhao Shuqing had been reviewing the mermaid data for a while. After confirming everything was correct, she published it.

Soon, the paper was accepted by a world-renowned journal, and Xu Tang’s meeting notice came through.

Early that morning, Gu Yao knocked on Zhao Shuqing’s door. After entering, she asked, “You’re going too?”

Zhao Shuqing nodded through brushing her teeth. As Lin Feng’s caretaker and researcher, she was in charge of all mermaid work. She definitely had to attend this mermaid project meeting.

Gu Yao watched her go into the bathroom to wash up and sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “I just don’t get it. What exactly is Captain Xu planning? She even wants you to keep it a secret?”

Zhao Shuqing rinsed her mouth and said, “Yes, I don’t know any details of the plan either. Don’t ask me. Once the meeting happens, everything will be clear.”

Gu Yao frowned, “I can’t shake off this uneasy feeling.”

Zhao Shuqing silently kept brushing her teeth, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Actually, she was a bit uneasy too.

But she told herself, Lin Feng was the world’s only mermaid. Even if it was for experiments, they wouldn’t harm her core. Besides, Lin Feng was really popular online — especially the video of her singing to herself in the ecological pool, which had over 300 million views and even made the news.

With Lin Feng’s popularity, nothing major should go wrong.

Gu Yao found Zhao Shuqing’s reasoning convincing and felt much calmer. She said, “I’m about to go buy breakfast. What do you want? I’ll bring some for you.”

She turned to Lin Feng and saw her lying on the bed, swaying her tail and resting her chin on a pillow while playing a matching game. Smiling, Gu Yao asked, “Lin Feng, what do you want for breakfast? How about a jianbing guozi?”

Lin Feng turned her head, “Jianbing guozi?”

She thought Gu Yao was a really strange human, always bringing her new things to learn.

What was jianbing guozi? An apple?

Zhao Shuqing came out of the bathroom and told Gu Yao, “She’s never had jianbing guozi before and doesn’t know if she’ll like it.”

“No worries,” Gu Yao laughed at Lin Feng. “You’ll know once you try it. I’ll get you one, plus some other stuff. If you like it, I’ll buy more. If not, I’ll just eat it myself.”

Gu Yao quickly decided what the three of them would eat and happily ran off like a little sparrow. Zhao Shuqing could only shake her head and went to change clothes.

Lin Feng saw Zhao Shuqing take the research institute’s work uniform from the closet and knew she was getting ready to go out.

“Where are you going?” Lin Feng asked.

“To a meeting,” Zhao Shuqing said after changing, walking over to gently touch Lin Feng’s cheek. “I don’t know what time it will end. If I can’t be back by noon, I’ll call you.”

Sitting beside Lin Feng on the bed, Zhao Shuqing tapped her tablet and made a video call on her phone. A video notification popped up on the tablet’s small screen. She taught Lin Feng how to open it: “See? This way we can talk face-to-face.”

Since Lin Feng came to the hospital last time, Zhao Shuqing knew she couldn’t always be with her, and Lin Feng couldn’t always have someone around. But luckily, Lin Feng was smart — she only needed one lesson to learn video calling, and today was just a refresher.

Lin Feng nodded, tugging at Zhao Shuqing’s shirt, reluctant to let her go. “Come back early.”

Zhao Shuqing’s heart skipped a beat. Her gaze toward Lin Feng was full of complicated feelings. Before Gu Yao arrived, she cupped Lin Feng’s face and kissed her.

Lin Feng opened her mouth skillfully to respond. They shared each other’s breath, tender and clingy.

After kissing enough, Zhao Shuqing reluctantly pulled away, looking at Lin Feng’s lips, moist from the kiss, feeling her heart full and warm.

It was absurd.

Yet Zhao Shuqing found it sweet and worth it.

After breakfast, Zhao Shuqing reminded Gu Yao several times before leaving together. The meeting place wasn’t far; they could walk.

At home, the surveillance was on. Once seated, Zhao Shuqing opened the feed and saw Lin Feng lying on the table, staring blankly at the clownfish — probably bored and not even interested in the tablet.

Zhao Shuqing felt a strong urge to rush home and be with her.

“Zhao Bo—”

Soon, people gradually came over to greet Zhao Shuqing. She had to temporarily put her phone away and smiled as she greeted colleagues and teachers.

It wasn’t until Xu Tang arrived that Zhao Shuqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to her, calling out, “Senior sister.”

Xu Tang smiled and nodded, asking, “I saw your paper got published. Do you have the original version? Send me a copy, and I’ll have my assistant print it out so everyone can have one.”

Zhao Shuqing nodded and followed Xu Tang’s assistant to print the file. When she returned, the meeting room was already full. The genetics team and the marine team sat on opposite sides, and there were some unfamiliar people who looked quite important.

She was a little puzzled—what kind of meeting was this? It was secret but gathered so many people.

After the materials were handed out, everyone carefully flipped through them. Xu Tang also read through everything before slowly speaking up, “Has everyone had a chance to look? Then I’ll start by explaining the main points of this meeting.”

Everyone looked up toward the head of the table.

Xu Tang placed her hands on the table and calmly scanned the room. “This meeting must remain fully confidential. I hope everyone keeps their opinions and questions inside this room and doesn’t discuss them outside.”

She then glanced at the genetics professor sitting nearby. “The genetics team has been working on a stalled project recently. I’m sure you’ve heard of it—it’s called the ‘Dual-Female Plan.’ The project has shown significant results, at least in human genes, where two eggs can combine to form a new embryo. This is a major breakthrough for humanity.”

There was a stir among the people.

Xu Tang continued, “The successful development of the Dual-Female Plan is a milestone for humans. It means that even if men cannot reproduce and the gene pool is empty, humanity will no longer face the threat of extinction.”

“But this doesn’t mean the end—it’s actually the beginning,” Xu Tang’s voice echoed through the room. Everyone’s eyes were on her, and no one spoke.

She scanned the group and went on, “I believe everyone has also read Dr. Zhao Shuqing’s published paper, learning that mermaids and humans are very similar. The genetics team’s report shows over 85% similarity between humans and mermaids. What does this mean?”

Xu Tang spoke softly, “It means humans might have the chance to live for 500 years.”

Zhao Shuqing frowned.

Soon, someone raised a question, “That can’t be calculated like that, right? There’s still a 15% difference. Mermaids’ genes are fixed. How could humans gain a 500-year lifespan from them?”

Xu Tang turned to that person, “Humans as they are now can’t, but descendants from humans and mermaids might.”

Zhao Shuqing’s eyes widened as she asked, “Are you saying humans and mermaids would have children?”

This caused disagreement in the room. “Group Leader Xu, that’s absurd! How can humans reproduce with a different species? Even animals don’t do that. This idea goes against ethics.”

Xu Tang said, “The premise of ‘against ethics’ is that there are still humans.”

She looked at the dissenters and asked, “Can’t you see how low the birth rate is now?”

“But we still have a gene bank. Even if it’s hard to reproduce, isn’t the Dual-Female Plan an option?”

“The Dual-Female Plan doesn’t guarantee successful offspring. Plus, the environment is getting worse. Men are already unable to reproduce. Female infertility is only a matter of time. If things don’t change, humanity will truly face extinction without children.”

“But even so… we can’t have children with mermaids,” someone said again.

Xu Tang looked at that person calmly, “Liu, don’t get so emotional. We’re only conducting this experiment. It doesn’t mean it will be used for sure. Maybe now we don’t understand it, but if in a few hundred years humans face extinction because of reproduction issues, they might accept the decisions we’re making today.”

Her words moved everyone deeply.

That’s right—right now, they can’t accept having children with mermaids because the gene bank still has reserves. Though children are few, the number increases each year. They don’t need to consider such drastic measures.

But everyone here is a scientist. They must think not only about the present but also the future.

Maybe one day, when the gene bank is empty and no children can be born, humans might start this plan—to reproduce with mermaids, combining genes from both sides to create a new kind of human.

Seeing no one object anymore, Xu Tang turned to Zhao Shuqing beside her. She noticed Zhao Shuqing had been silent after a few words at the start and grew curious.

“Shuqing,” Xu Tang said, “you’re the researcher for the mermaid Lin Feng, but I haven’t heard you say anything. What do you think?”

Zhao Shuqing looked up and hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “I want to know—how will the mermaid subjects be treated?”

Xu Tang smiled. “Don’t worry. For the experiment, we only need the mermaid’s eggs. She will remain free, only asked to provide new samples every once in a while. We won’t force anything else.”

Zhao Shuqing looked at Xu Tang deeply and asked, “Was this mermaid plan decided before the mermaids were even caught?”

Xu Tang said, “It’s a national project. Of course it was decided before setting sail.”

Just not told to you.

Zhao Shuqing caught the meaning behind Xu Tang’s words. Everything was already arranged. Zhao Shuqing couldn’t say no anymore. She felt trapped—unable to accept it but forced to.

Xu Tang didn’t look at her anymore but addressed everyone, “Next, we’ll discuss the specifics of the experiment. If anyone does not want to participate in the mermaid project, please sign the confidentiality agreement at the door and leave. Those willing to stay will receive assignments for joint experiments.”

She said, “I hope everyone here can make your own judgments and decisions because this will be a great new human project.”