Free Web NovelChapter 97: Chapter 97: "Feed Me.
In the dim bathroom, the pale blue light from the water shimmered. Yu Zhizhi stared blankly at the youth before her. His features were so beautiful they were androgynous, with a faint mole on the tip of his nose. His cold, ice blue eyes were veiled in mist. His thin lips were pressed together, but the movements of his hands had gentled.
’For a moment, Yusen felt like a joke.’
He had regained his freedom, yet he had no intention of killing his "keeper" to vent his anger.
They say Mermaids are masters of bewitching hearts.
But he felt...
This little female rabbit before him was the true master of stirring a male’s heart.
In the bathtub, the light blue fish tail gradually took on a human form. The youth’s skin was still pale, as if he were gravely ill and utterly devoid of color.
A well-defined hand gripped the edge of the tub. As he started to get up, he felt his wrist being clutched by the little female before him. Yu Zhizhi, dragging heavy iron chains, clung to him desperately.
"I’m cold..." she said pitifully. "I don’t want to be here alone."
The Mermaid looked at her indifferently.
The little female pressed her forehead against his icy arm, her soft, sweet voice holding a hint of distress. "I’ll get sick..."
With that, she lifted her chin, her clear eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Sensen, will you unlock these for me?"
The youth’s breath hitched.
’He could never stand it when she was like this, crying while calling him "Sensen."’ A faint warmth entered the Mermaid’s ice blue eyes. His fingers brushed against the iron chain on the girl’s neck, and with a CLICK, the chain came undone.
’How long had she been restrained?’
A faint red mark already circled the little female’s delicate neck.
Yu Zhizhi was inwardly overjoyed. She lifted her hands again, obediently waiting to be unlocked.
The youth’s tail had already receded. He sat in the water, patiently removing the iron chains from her wrists. The bangs on his forehead were damp with steam. His chest was pale, and at his waist, translucent, pale blue scales were faintly visible, extending all the way down—
Yu Zhizhi abruptly turned her head away, not looking any further.
She braced her hands on the tub, trying to climb out, but her legs had no strength.
’Perhaps it was because the Mermaid had frightened her earlier...’
Yu Zhizhi had thought he would just abandon her here, her body swelling and bloating in the water until she died all alone.
She tried to get out, but slipped back in again.
After several attempts, Yu Zhizhi felt a little dazed. Just as she was about to turn her head to look at the Mermaid beside her, a pair of cold hands gripped her waist and, with a gentle lift, hoisted her out.
Yu Zhizhi landed slowly on her feet. She stood up, steadying herself against the damp wall, her white gauze dress still dripping water.
Glancing at the Mermaid, she hurriedly said, "I-I’ll go find you some clothes..."
With that, she turned and fled.
Yu Zhizhi crept to the room where Louis slept. It was in a storage area on the first floor. The room’s layout was irregular, and the moment she walked in, she was dumbfounded.
In the cramped room, there wasn’t even a bed.
’A white mat was spread on the floor. Does Louis normally sleep on this?’
’Does he not like beds?’
On a clothes rack to the side hung a few sets of loungewear. Yu Zhizhi grabbed one set and returned to the bathroom door.
The Mermaid took the clothes.
Smelling the lingering scent on them, the youth immediately frowned.
Yu Zhizhi said in a small voice, "This is all I have. Tomorrow... I’ll go buy you new clothes, okay?"
Yusen changed into the clothes. frёewebnoѵēl.com
He emerged from the bathroom wearing a gray short-sleeved top and black, loose-fitting pants, holding the plate of apples. His gait was somewhat stiff, as he was unaccustomed to walking.
This was the first time his feet had touched the ground since his transformation.
When a Mermaid grows legs, their appearance becomes more human. He watched the little female hop cheerfully to the sofa, spread out a blanket, and look at him with an expectant expression.
For a moment, Yusen felt this little rabbit had the memory of a goldfish.
’Was that really her, the one sniveling and crying in the tub just now?’
The youth sat down on the soft sofa. He crossed his legs and, with a blank expression, ate the apple chunks from the plate.
"Where’s Louis?" he asked.
Yu Zhizhi’s hand paused as she poured him a glass of water. She said guiltily, "Louis quit. He’s not coming back."
"Oh?" The Mermaid looked up, his ice blue eyes staring straight at the lying little rabbit.
’Doesn’t she know?’
’She’s a terrible liar. Her expression is already a mess of panic.’
Yu Zhizhi turned her back to compose herself.
And then—
She dropped a pill from the Lost Tower into the glass of water. The pill immediately dissolved in the warm water, leaving it colorless and odorless.
’Yu Zhizhi pursed her lips. When Louis gets back, she’ll still have to deal with him. For now, it’s best to seal away Yusen’s aggressiveness.’
’I hope he doesn’t suspect anything.’
On the sofa, the youth, munching on a crisp apple, watched the little female approach him and offer the water she was holding.
He glanced at it. "Did you drug this?"
The little female’s hand trembled abruptly.
Yu Zhizhi stuttered, "N-N-No, I didn’t..."
The Mermaid looked up, swallowed the apple in his mouth, and a teasing smile played on his lips. "Then drink it for me."
’Her reaction made it obvious what was in the cup.’
’So she wasn’t as dumb as he’d imagined.’
’Still a dumb bunny, though.’
"Oh..."
Yu Zhizhi looked down at the glass in her hand. ’If I drink this, it shouldn’t be a big deal, right? The worst that could happen is I’ll lose my strength, and I...’
’I don’t have much strength to begin with.’
Yu Zhizhi closed her eyes.
She took a gulp of water, feeling the warmth slide down her throat.
’It doesn’t really taste like anything special.’
Yu Zhizhi carefully glanced at Yusen and found him staring at her. Her heart trembled slightly, her rabbit ears gradually drooped, and after steeling her resolve, she took two more sips to "prove" her "innocence."
And then...
She heard a faint sigh from in front of her.
It was almost like an illusion.
"Forget it."
’Yusen didn’t know what to say. If he hadn’t stopped her, would this dumb bunny have really drunk the whole glass of drugged water?’
He put the fruit plate aside. "Feed me."
’This small dose will wear off in a moment.’
Yu Zhizhi froze. Afraid the Mermaid had seen through her little trick, her rabbit ears twitched, and she lowered her head to take a mouthful of water.
Yusen frowned slightly.
The next second, the little rabbit leaned in.
"..."
’Yusen’s ice-blue eyes widened slightly. He’d said to feed him water, but this wasn’t what he meant.’ freeωebnovēl.c૦m
’What is this?’
’A beautiful rabbit ploy?’
The warm water slid into his throat. He swallowed all of it, though some still overflowed from the corner of his mouth, trickling down his jawline and soaking his collar.
The plain water carried a hint of sweetness.
Yusen’s blue eyes stared intently at the little female so close to him. "Who taught you that?"
Seeing that he had drunk it all, Yu Zhizhi guiltily tried to pull away, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace.
Their noses bumped. Yu Zhizhi didn’t dare to look at him.
She mumbled quietly to herself.
’The Duke taught me...’
Yusen smelled the faint jasmine milk scent on the little female. His eyes darkened, but he ultimately suppressed the desire welling in his heart.
Although Mermaids can easily drive the opposite sex to madness, they do not enjoy mating.
In fact, they feel a deep-seated disgust for it, a revulsion!
"DING-DONG—"
In the quiet of the night, the doorbell rang, startlingly abrupt.
