Chapter 17
Aware of Dai Rong’s presence, Wen Ming was more restrained.
He didn’t hand-feed MuMu directly, but poured the food into the mermaid bowl and let it eat on its own.
Even so, Dai Rong was so shocked that her voice trembled:
“Wen Ming… come out for a moment.”
The implication was clear: she wanted to speak with him privately.
MuMu looked up alertly, and Wen Ming stroked its head: “Eat.”
“Woo.” You two get along, okay?
After its admonition, MuMu buried its face in the bowl and ate heartily.
Wen Ming stepped out of the mermaid room, closing the door behind him: “About the treatment?”
Dai Rong looked at him intently, her answer a non sequitur:
“Your eyes are finally no longer stagnant.”
Wen Ming’s dark eyes were like ink: ?
Stagnant.jpg
Dai Rong paused for a second and rephrased: “At least not when you’re with it.”
“Who?” Wen Ming guessed. “MuMu?”
“Yes. Actually, when I saw it last time, I didn’t really like it. To be precise, I didn’t think a low-grade mermaid could be of any help to you.”
Dai Rong’s expression was complex: “But only when you’re with it do your eyes show emotion.
You watch it, pamper it, even tease it with a smile.
It’s made you truly human again.”
Wen Ming didn’t react.
“Uh…” Dai Rong continued to explain. “Being human means truly living, having a place where your soul belongs.”
Wen Ming still looked confused.
Explaining this to him was as difficult as explaining “love” to MuMu.
Dai Rong sighed and crossed her arms: “MuMu is so adorable, give it to me to raise.”
Wen Ming immediately radiated displeasure.
Dai Rong pointed at his current expression: “See, just like that!”
“.”
“Forget it, I’m talking to a brick wall.” Dai Rong dropped the subject.
She displayed a research report on her optical brain:
“When I matched MuMu’s soothing energy properties, I couldn’t find a similar mermaid. Not in the entire interstellar mermaid database!”
Wen Ming glanced at the report: “Please keep this confidential.”
“I know. Any research related to MuMu is considered my private investigation and won’t be disclosed to others.”
Dai Rong turned off her optical brain: “Since I can’t find a suitable high-grade mermaid for now, I’ll continue to develop treatment drugs. In the meantime—”
Her expression turned serious, and she enunciated each word:
“You absolutely cannot use your mental seascape. If it becomes unstable again, there’s no saving you!”
“Doo, doo, doo…”
A series of noises came from the mermaid room.
The serious atmosphere dissipated. They opened the door and saw MuMu tapping the mermaid bowl incessantly:
“Awoo, awoo!” Why are you suddenly so loud? Don’t fight!
Mother and son exchanged glances and said in unison:
“It’s not full.”
MuMu, the peacemaker, was rewarded with another bowl of fish food.
Its appetite was good, and it quickly finished the second bowl.
“Is this its favorite flavor?” Dai Rong picked up the fish food bag and glanced at it. “MuMu seems to be just filling its stomach, not enjoying the food.”
“It likes everything.”
“Really?”
Dai Rong’s expression was skeptical: “Every mermaid has a different personality, taste, and habits, especially MuMu, which is so unique.
Are you sure the way you’re raising it is the most suitable?”
…
Dai Rong’s casual remark made Wen Ming think for a long time.
MuMu rarely showed “preference.”
It adapted to everything in the house very quickly, but Wen Ming could occasionally see a look of “worry” on its face.
This emotion rarely appeared in mermaids.
Wen Ming had to admit that the living environment he had created for MuMu wasn’t what it truly desired…
He recalled the time when MuMu had been most excited—
The Mermaid Competition.
What aspect of the competition had MuMu enjoyed so much?
After careful consideration, Wen Ming bought a complete set of seabed decorations.
“Do you like it?” Wen Ming asked, looking at the decorated mermaid pool.
MuMu: “…”
Spendthrift Master.
MuMu sank into the water, its belly brushing against the shells covering the pool floor, pushing aside a large clump of fake seaweed, and circling the artificial rock.
Wen Ming’s mermaid pool was large, and MuMu had never felt cramped while playing in it.
But this artificial rock occupied a third of the pool, and its cave was large enough for MuMu to swim through.
MuMu surfaced, seeing that the rock protruded above the water, and its eye twitched:
“Awoo?” Spendthrift Master, didn’t you check the dimensions before buying this?
Wen Ming repeated: “Do you like it?”
“Awoo.” Return it.
It seemed it didn’t like it.
Wen Ming wasn’t disappointed. He took out another item from the box and threw it into the pool:
“How about this one? Do you like it?”
It was a robotic fish, part of the seabed decoration set.
Mermaids aren’t interested in fish, so the robotic fish was simply meant to make the underwater scenery more lively.
As soon as it entered the water, the robotic fish automatically started swimming, very lifelike.
MuMu’s claws twitched, but it held back, carefully observing Wen Ming’s expression.
Wen Ming said with a straight face:
“This is a mermaid toy. I heard mermaids like to chase them.”
MuMu’s eyes lit up.
It couldn’t suppress its playfulness any longer and darted after the robotic fish.
MuMu knew it was a fake fish. After catching it, it would bat at it with its claws, release it, and chase it again when it swam a certain distance, thoroughly entertained.
Like a cheetah cub practicing its hunting skills.
Wen Ming watched silently, a dark emotion swirling in his eyes.
He hadn’t been mistaken that day at the Mermaid Competition. MuMu had a predatory instinct towards fish.
Humans and mermaids have a symbiotic relationship.
Humans need a mermaid’s soothing ability, and mermaids rely on humans for food.
If MuMu could hunt and obtain food on its own, it would eventually leave the confines of his home.
Wen Ming couldn’t bear the thought of losing the little mermaid…
“Splash…”
Wen Ming’s fingers entered the water, intercepting the robotic fish.
MuMu, chasing after the fish, thought Wen Ming was joining the “chase game” and grabbed his hand.
It looked at Wen Ming with a smile: “Awoo!” I caught you!
“That’s enough.”
Wen Ming tightened his grip on the robotic fish and pulled it away from MuMu’s hand.
He held the fish by its tail, dangling it in front of MuMu’s face: “Want to eat it?”
MuMu suddenly felt that its master was acting strangely…
It retreated slightly, pursing its lips, unsure how to react.
Wen Ming composed himself and casually tossed the robotic fish into the trash can:
“I’ll give you whatever you want to eat. You don’t need to catch it yourself.”
“Woo…” Don’t waste star coins.
Wen Ming interrupted its whimpering, emphasizing:
“I will provide for you.”
…
As promised, starting the next day, fresh fish was added to MuMu’s diet.
Wen Ming prepared the fish in the kitchen himself.
Worried that MuMu wouldn’t know how to eat it, he was very meticulous.
Washing it thoroughly, filleting it into thin slices, and arranging them in the mermaid bowl…
After preparing one fish, he left the kitchen and saw MuMu lying by the box of fresh fish, its cheeks bulging.
Wen Ming pulled the box closer. The remaining fish were all gone.
Not only had MuMu eaten them, but it had also meticulously arranged the fish bones back into their original positions, recreating the fish’s skeleton.
Too proficient…
He heard MuMu chewing again. He turned his head, and the fish in the mermaid bowl was also gone.
MuMu held out a piece of fish to Wen Ming:
“Awoo!” Delicious, try it!
Wen Ming’s expression showed reluctance, and he asked with mixed emotions: “You like it that much?”
“Awoo, awoo…”
Tender and sweet, but not as fresh as live fish.
Wen Ming listened to MuMu’s enthusiastic description, picked it up, and walked towards the mermaid room:
“Why are you out here without your moisturizing film?”
MuMu smacked its lips reminiscently: “…”
The faint scent of blood from the fresh fish had drifted into the mermaid room, and before MuMu realized it, it had rushed out.
It had been suppressing its predatory instincts for too long, and its mind couldn’t control its body.
Fortunately, the fish was already dead, otherwise even its hunting form would have emerged…
After eating the fish, MuMu showed no signs of discomfort, happily bouncing around.
Wen Ming fed it some seaweed snacks to ensure its nutritional intake, and the special dried fish for cleaning its mouth.
MuMu ate everything obediently, in order.
Then it burped, lay down on the artificial rock, and patted its belly.
Full!
With its material needs satisfied, its spiritual needs also had to be met.
Wen Ming moved the projector into the mermaid room.
MuMu recognized the magical device and swam to the edge of the pool excitedly, reaching out to touch it.
Wen Ming adjusted the projector’s position: “The projector can’t get wet.”
“Awoo, awoo!” I know, I won’t touch it!
MuMu obediently retracted its claws.
Wen Ming placed the remote in front of it: “You can use this.”
MuMu picked up the remote as if it were a treasure and pressed the only red button.
“Beep, welcome.” The projector turned on.
MuMu’s mouth formed an “O” shape, and it pressed the red button a few more times—
“Beep, thank you.” “Beep, welcome.” “Beep…”
“Yes, that’s how you use it.” Wen Ming wasn’t surprised by MuMu’s learning speed. “Press this button to turn it off when you’re done.”
He selected a preschool cartoon, with colorful characters speaking simple lines.
MuMu watched intently.
Seeing this, Wen Ming returned to his room to finish his work.
He remembered he had forgotten to set a timer for the projector and went back.
He heard a heated exchange coming from the mermaid room:
‘You’re just a poor boy, there’s no future for you two! Here’s ten million star coins, leave my daughter!’
“…?”
Preschool cartoons have such complex dialogue now?
When Wen Ming opened the door to the mermaid room, the projection was back to the cartoon.
He looked at the mermaid pool and met MuMu’s innocent, blinking gaze.
And on the channel button of the remote by the pool, there were faint water marks…
“Phew…” Why did Master come back?
