Hi Master, Little Mermaid Will Support You! 58

Chapter 58

“Why do you eat squid on skewers?” The masked streamer fiddled with a skewer, unsure how to approach it.

He imitated the others and took a bite:

“Woo, so this is what they call street food, amazing!”

[The streamer hasn’t had this before? You’ve been missing out on so much joy!]

[The grilled fish stall next door is also delicious, highly recommend.]

The streamer bought a grilled fish.

“So dry, and burnt…” He eyed the finished product with disdain.

He was used to fresh fish, only eating steamed fish paste during his recovery from lactose intolerance, which couldn’t compare to the real thing.

He took a bite of the grilled fish, the crispy skin and tender flesh releasing a burst of flavor:

“So delicious!”

[Just waiting for that “so delicious,” better late than never. /Smirk/]

[Too bad the mask doesn’t cover his mouth, otherwise we could see him eat without the mask. /Scheming/]

[I’m hungry now, this is a food livestream disguised as a mermaid language one!]

[That mermaid MuMu who’s endorsing Wen Corp is super popular, streamer, when are you connecting with MuMu? I want to see!]

[Agreed, the most popular streamer and the most popular pet together, the viewership would break records.]

“Cough, cough!” The masked streamer suddenly choked.

“No connections today, I have to go to the awards ceremony soon.”

He quickly explained and ordered some spicy crayfish to calm his nerves.

[Definitely has the makings of a food streamer, good appetite, eats with gusto, I’m on a diet, I’m leaving. /Crying/]

[Holy crap, look at the leaderboard!]

[Are you crazy, big spender? The masked streamer isn’t doing connections today, even if you reach the top, he won’t translate for you!]

[I’ll fight you rich people! I’m calling the police, woo~ woo~]

The anonymous user, ignoring the comments, continued sending gifts, the special effects filling the screen…

Wen Ming had unconsciously sent quite a few.

No particular reason, he just enjoyed watching the masked streamer eat, it reminded him of his equally food-motivated little mermaid.

“Thank you for all the gifts!”

The masked streamer, hearing the notification, patted his chest and swallowed the large mouthful of food:

“Thank you! But there are no connections today, I’ll connect with you after the ceremony!”

“Admiral Wen,” Assistant Xu knocked on the office door. “The airship is ready.”

“One moment.”

Wen Corp had a business event today, and Wen Ming had to attend, so he had told MuMu he would be home late.

The masked streamer also seemed to be getting ready to leave, carrying a takeout bag as he walked between the food stalls:

“Boss, this is delicious, another serving please, I’ll take some home for my family!”

Wen Ming turned off his optical brain.

“Assistant Xu, where is the livestreaming platform’s awards ceremony being held?”

Assistant Xu checked: “Right next to our event.”

Wen Ming nodded, a strange glint in his eyes: “Let’s go.”

Finding the masked streamer in a crowd was easy.

As soon as Wen Ming stepped off the airship, he heard a commotion in the distance, shouts of “The masked streamer is here!”

Fans were clamoring for autographs and pictures, reporters were holding microphones, and online personalities were livestreaming, recording the “masked streamer’s first public appearance”…

The crowd was so dense, it was impossible to see the center.

“Oh my god, so many fans!”

Assistant Xu frowned as he looked at the crowd from afar: “The masked streamer is a top star, doesn’t he have any assistants or bodyguards?”

He glanced at the time: “Admiral, our event is about to start, let’s go inside.”

Wen Ming lingered for a few more seconds, then turned to leave.

“Huh? Where did he go?”

“He was just signing autographs, how did he disappear?”

“Over there!”

Wen Ming turned around instinctively—

A nimble figure darted out of the crowd, like a rabbit escaping a trap, running as fast as it could.

A group of fans chased after it, shouting “Masked streamer!”

“Oh no, they’re coming this way!” Assistant Xu exclaimed. “Admiral, let’s avoid them… Admiral!?”

“Go to the event and wait for me.”

Wen Ming disappeared into the crowd, leaving only those words behind.

“…Huh?”

Assistant Xu, his mind reeling from the chaotic scene, wondered:

What, besides MuMu, could disrupt the Admiral’s schedule?

Then it hit him: That’s right, the Admiral is going to find the masked streamer and ask him to translate for his precious little mermaid!

Meanwhile, Wen Ming walked against the flow of the crowd, his eyes fixed on the approaching masked streamer.

The height, the build, and the slightly awkward running gait all gave Wen Ming a strange sense of déjà vu—

If his little mermaid could transform into a human, it would be about this size…

Wen Ming’s eyelashes fluttered. As the masked streamer ran past, he grabbed its wrist.

The masked streamer, caught off guard, bumped into him and was pulled into a side alley, away from the pursuing fans.

Wen Ming, harboring a sliver of unrealistic hope, leaned closer to the masked streamer.

If he smelled the same fresh, aquatic scent as his little mermaid, it would be more than just a resemblance…

“…”

A distinct seafood smell emanated from the streamer.

Grilled fish, grilled oysters, teppanyaki squid, spicy crayfish.

Wen Ming felt the masked streamer’s human body heat and stepped back, his expression indifferent.

…

Human society was completely different from what MuMu had imagined.

It had expected it to be like its livestreams, with humans watching from an unseen place, sending comments when they wanted to say something.

But the moment it stepped off the airship, it had been swarmed by fans.

“Streamer, I’ve been following you for so long, finally meeting you, can I get your autograph?”

“When’s your next livestream? Please increase the number of connections, I can’t understand my mermaid!”

…

“Everyone, don’t crowd!”

MuMu said stiffly: “One at a time, I can’t hear…”

Security guards were trying to maintain order, but the back of the crowd, unable to see the masked streamer, kept pushing forward.

MuMu was almost crushed.

“Thud.”

The grilled fish it had bought for Master fell to the ground and was lost in the chaos.

MuMu: O^O

“Have you all seen my livestreams?”

It raised its voice: “Then you should know that the number of connections is limited, and so is the number of autographs!”

The fans asked nervously: “What are the requirements?”

“I’ll choose three of the most well-behaved fans, let’s see which side has the best manners—” MuMu looked around sternly.

Everyone stood up straight, like students competing for a red flag.

No pushing, no shoving, model fans.

“Very good, everyone is behaving wonderfully!”

MuMu took a pen and paper from a fan: “Thank you for your support, for coming to see me, have fun and be safe!”

After signing three autographs, it tried to escape the crowd.

But a new wave of fans, unaware of the “rules,” rushed towards it.

MuMu instinctively ran towards a less crowded area.

It had been nervous and excited before arriving, wanting to see what its viewers looked like, wanting to blend in as a human.

Now, it was just overwhelmed and scared.

Master, I can’t handle this…

It saw Wen Ming from the corner of its eye, thinking it was a hallucination.

Until its wrist was grabbed.

“!” A sense of relief washed over MuMu.

It didn’t resist, following Wen Ming’s lead.

Just like when it had first arrived at Wen Ming’s house, the transporters had tried to use their mental seascapes, but Wen Ming had held it firmly and carried it to the pool;

Wen Ming’s touch on the masked streamer was just as impersonal, a hand on its shoulder, guiding it through the crowd, shielding it from the chaos.

They hid in a narrow alley, listening to the fans run past.

Surrounded by Wen Ming’s familiar scent, MuMu’s first instinct was to offer him the grilled fish.

But it was only holding a pen…

MuMu looked up and saw the unfamiliarity in Wen Ming’s eyes:

“Do… you want an autograph too?”

“.”

“Forget it if you don’t!” MuMu didn’t wait for his reply and turned around quickly. “Thank you for your help.”

The ear stud in its pocket vibrated, the organizers must be trying to contact it.

MuMu peeked out, its heart still racing: “I hope no one noticed me…”

“If you don’t want to be recognized, don’t wear the mask.”

Wen Ming looked at its back, his tone probing: “It’s your most distinctive feature.”

MuMu clutched the mask, pulling its hair forward to cover its face:

“…As long as I run fast enough, it doesn’t matter if they recognize me.”

“There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you. The ceremony is about to start, we’ll have to change the order of appearance if we can’t reach you.”

An event organizer rushed over: “Masked streamer, we heard there was a commotion outside, are you alright?”

“Not really, I dropped my grilled fish.”

MuMu said dejectedly: “Can grilled fish be reimbursed like travel expenses?”

“Uh, yes.

We’re short on time, let me take you to the makeup room, your hair is a mess, we need to style it.”

MuMu nervously clutched the mask: “I can keep the mask on, right?”

The organizer gently brushed the hair away from its face, revealing strands caught under the mask’s straps:

“Streamer, we guarantee the footage from the makeup room won’t be released, you can temporarily…”

“No!” MuMu wrinkled its nose. “You promised I wouldn’t have to show my face, just accept the award and go home, you can’t go back on your word!”

Wen Ming, behind it, raised an eyebrow in surprise.

The little streamer is quite assertive?

The organizer continued to persuade: “This is your first public appearance, all eyes will be on you, we just want to make sure you look your best.”

MuMu: …

What should I do? I don’t understand what he’s saying.

MuMu’s gaze darted around, and it turned, hiding behind Wen Ming.

Wen Ming: ?

With his mental seascape stabilized, Wen Ming’s ability to mask his presence was even stronger.

The organizer was startled: “Who, who is this?”

Wen Ming wasn’t planning to get involved and stepped aside slightly, revealing the little streamer—

The little streamer, shrinking back like a turtle, its ears twitching nervously.

As cute as a little mermaid’s fins.

“…” Wen Ming’s lips tightened.

“Admiral… Wen?”

Before the organizer could finish, an oppressive aura descended.

“Your event can’t even guarantee the streamer’s safety, letting him be mobbed by fans outside, and now you’re only concerned about his appearance?”

As Wen Ming spoke, MuMu peeked out from behind him, echoing: “Exactly!”

“We sincerely apologize!” The organizer bowed deeply. “We assumed the masked streamer would have his own team, it was an oversight on our part.”

“No prior communication, no crowd control.” Wen Ming’s eyes narrowed. “If you don’t know how to organize an event, don’t organize one.”

MuMu shouted even louder: “Exactly, exactly!”

Emboldened by Master’s presence, how exhilarating!

Feeling protected by Wen Ming, MuMu felt invincible.

It followed its racing heart and reached out, secretly taking Wen Ming’s hand.