Chapter 18
Wen Ming set usage restrictions on the projector, limiting its online time to thirty minutes per day.
This time limit was cleverly calculated because the melodramatic series MuMu enjoyed released a new forty-minute episode every day.
“Awoo!” The time limit is too short!
MuMu protested weakly.
“Watching too much isn’t good for your eyes.” Wen Ming was firm. “And mermaids need enough sleep. You’re already small, you can’t stay up late.”
His reasoning was sound, and MuMu, dejected, accepted the time limit.
“Go to bed early after watching, good night.”
Wen Ming avoided the little mermaid’s eyes and left the mermaid room.
The reasons he had given weren’t the real reason for setting the projector’s time limit.
MuMu was too smart.
As it grew to trust him more, letting down its guard, it “played dumb” less and less. The intelligence it now displayed was enough for it to survive independently.
Once it learned more about the outside world, it would inevitably think about leaving.
“After all, I’m dull and boring, and MuMu likes new things,” Wen Ming muttered to himself.
The lifestyle most suitable for the little mermaid might not be by his side.
…
“…Admiral… Admiral!”
Wen Ming snapped out of his thoughts and pressed his temples: “I’m sorry, say that again.”
“Uh, I haven’t started yet.” Assistant Xu put down the documents and expertly handled his boss’s unusual state. “What’s wrong with the mermaid this time?”
“Nothing.” On the contrary, things were going too smoothly.
Wen Ming sighed softly: “How can I increase a mermaid’s dependence on its owner?”
“A mermaid’s, dependence?”
Assistant Xu was caught off guard, hesitating:
“I don’t think mermaids are dependent on their owners. If someone else feeds them, they’ll eat. They might just take a while to adjust to a new environment…”
Wen Ming’s expression darkened.
“No, no, no, there must be a way!”
Assistant Xu quickly changed his tune: “Put your picture on the home butler. That way, if the mermaid falls out of the pool, when the mechanical arms pick it up, it will think its master helped it.”
Assistant Xu applauded his own genius idea: “The mermaid will quickly develop the habit of ‘seeking its master when encountering problems,’ becoming dependent on its master!”
Wen Ming’s voice was icy: “If the mermaid falls out of the pool, it will jump back in on its own.”
“How is that possible?”
Assistant Xu retorted: “My mermaid falls out at least twice a day, very nonchalant about it, just lies there… Oh right, your home butler’s mechanical arms are broken.”
“Yes.”
“So who picks the mermaid up when it falls out?”
“…It’s fine.” Wen Ming returned to work. “Does that document need my signature?”
“Yes.”
Asking others about his worries was useless.
With MuMu’s uniqueness, other mermaid owners couldn’t understand his concerns.
Perhaps the only one in the entire interstellar world who could empathize with Wen Ming was MuMu…
MuMu also had a worry recently—
Master was acting strange.
While MuMu was eating fish or watching dramas, Wen Ming would often stare at it silently.
One morning, MuMu had even woken up to find Wen Ming standing at the door of the mermaid room, a troubled look in his eyes, as if he had been watching it for a long time…
“Is Master depressed?”
While Wen Ming was at work, MuMu analyzed the situation on its own:
“Could it be that I’m eating too much fish, and our family can’t afford it anymore, so Master doesn’t want to keep me?”
It hugged itself and shuddered: “It’s possible, otherwise why would he look at me like that…”
‘Will you help me heal him? It’s a deal.’
“Sigh—”
MuMu sighed deeply: “I’m sorry, Master’s mother, the treatment seems to have worsened his condition.”
It dejectedly pressed the remote, watching a drama to relieve stress.
The male protagonist in the drama was a “poor boy” who, after falling in love with a noble’s daughter, experienced a series of psychological struggles.
MuMu watched with tears streaming down its face.
It felt that its master was just like the male protagonist.
He had once been so dashing and heroic, but now he was burdened by poverty. Such a handsome and gentle master, harboring such insecurity in the shadows.
MuMu remembered the picture Dai Rong had shown it and felt a pang of sadness…
‘Darling, don’t doubt yourself,’ the female protagonist said in the drama.
‘They all say I’m not good enough for you…’
‘So you’re giving up? Just because your account has no star coins doesn’t mean you’re not worthy.’
The female protagonist grabbed his hand and said firmly:
‘If others deny it a thousand times, I’ll tell you ten thousand and one times—you are worthy, believe in yourself!’
The online time limit was reached, and the projection froze on a close-up of the moved male protagonist.
MuMu slapped its hand, suddenly enlightened.
I’ve learned something!
Affirm him, praise his efforts!
Before finding a way to earn money, at least stabilize Master’s mood!
MuMu decided to act today.
When it was time for Wen Ming to come home, MuMu sat by the edge of the pool, carefully flicking its tail over the floor.
To make Master happy as soon as he got home, it absolutely couldn’t wet the floor!
It pulled out a moisturizing film and wrapped its tail, imitating Wen Ming.
Easier said than done.
It finally managed to wrap its tail, but it was loose and ineffective, restricting its movement.
“Beep beep!” The home butler started its hourly chime.
Master is coming home soon!
MuMu ripped off the moisturizing film, dried itself with the small blanket, and crawled out of the pool, its tail stinging from the friction against the dry floor.
It crawled all the way to the front door, listening intently for any sounds outside.
Ten minutes, half an hour, an hour…
Why hasn’t Master come home yet?
Was he working overtime? So hardworking.
MuMu waited for a long time, its tail becoming dry and uncomfortable.
It hesitantly glanced back at the mermaid room but worried that if it went back, it would miss the moment Master opened the door.
If it couldn’t greet him immediately, all this waiting would have been for nothing.
MuMu lay there, its fins drooping listlessly…
“Admiral, this is the last document.”
Assistant Xu placed the document on the desk and glanced at Wen Ming, a strange feeling in his heart:
The Admiral had been clocking out on time recently, why was he staying so late today?
“Thank you for your hard work.” Wen Ming processed the documents mechanically. “That’s all for today.”
Time to go home!
Assistant Xu felt rejuvenated: “You’ve worked hard too. I’ll be going then.”
Listening to Assistant Xu’s light footsteps as he left the office, Wen Ming opened the last document.
The entire company was working on the mermaid toy project, and the number of documents requiring his approval had increased recently.
But that wasn’t the reason Wen Ming was working overtime…
His pen moved smoothly across the paper, but his heart felt heavy:
He didn’t know how to face MuMu anymore.
Subconsciously, he wanted to keep MuMu by his side, but he had been unintentionally ignoring its feelings.
The little mermaid’s eyes were always clear and transparent, reflecting its trusting master like a mirror, but Wen Ming could only see his own selfishness reflected back.
Wen Ming left the office, and the lights behind him automatically turned off, as if a figure emerging from the darkness.
“No matter what it takes, I can’t let it leave…”
His emotions caused fluctuations in his mental seascape, and Wen Ming suppressed the headache and the unusual energy with a blank expression.
The sound of the airship was particularly loud in the night.
Wen Ming, holding the box of fresh fish, stopped at his front door.
The smart door scanned him and opened automatically: “Beep, welcome home.”
“Awoo!” Welcome home!
Wen Ming was stunned: “MuMu?”
MuMu approached the box in Wen Ming’s hand, its nose twitching:
“Whoo?” Did you spend your overtime pay on fish?
Wen Ming stepped inside: “Hungry?”
MuMu suddenly retreated from the box of fresh fish and, according to plan, initiated “Operation Praise”:
“Woo, hmm!”
You’ve worked so hard, you’re amazing, you’re the best master in the entire interstellar world! I can praise you ten thousand and one times too!
It racked its brain, using its entire vocabulary.
The sound of its dry scales scraping against the floor was faint but grating.
Wen Ming’s fingers trembled, and the box of fresh fish slipped from his grasp, startling MuMu.
The next second, MuMu was lifted into the air.
Wen Ming quickly carried it to the mermaid room and submerged its tail in the water.
As soon as its scales touched the water, MuMu closed its eyes in comfort. It wanted to say something to Wen Ming but was silenced by his cold expression.
Wen Ming supported its waist with one hand and carefully examined the blue tail—
Overall, it was fine, but the soft scales near its abdomen were damaged, a few missing.
MuMu covered its abdomen with its hand, shielding it from his intense gaze:
“Awoo…” It’s nothing, these scales were just about to shed anyway.
The intense gaze shifted to its face.
MuMu instinctively tried to swim away, but Wen Ming’s grip on its waist prevented it from moving.
It swallowed and didn’t dare lie anymore:
“Woo.” Okay, I admit, it hurts a little, just a little.
Wen Ming’s grip tightened as he lifted it: “You were waiting for me at the door?”
MuMu nodded.
“Silly mermaid. Can’t even protect your own tail.”
MuMu mumbled in his ear, feeling guilty.
“Awoo… gurgle…” The scales don’t affect transformation, they’ll grow back soon… and I’m not silly, several humans have praised my intelligence.
Its whispers were soft and warm.
Hearing that voice, no one would ask a stupid question like “how to increase dependence.”
Could there be a more devoted little mermaid in the entire interstellar world?
“MuMu, next time you need me, press the emergency button on the home butler.”
“Whoo…” I won’t disturb your work.
“Or,” Wen Ming interrupted, his fingers toying with the sensitive tip of its ear, “if you want to see me, you can also press the emergency button.”
His deep voice and calloused fingertips were a double “attack” on MuMu’s ears.
MuMu nodded dizzily: “Awoo!” Okay, I’ll agree to anything you say!
The melodrama didn’t lie!
“Operation Praise” had worked beyond expectations.
After that day, not only did Wen Ming return to normal, but he even actively carried MuMu to explore new territories—
Through the sliding glass doors of the balcony, onto the large outdoor platform.
MuMu was instantly captivated by the scene before it, speechless:
This was the true mermaid sanctuary!
No, Jiao Ren sanctuary!
