Chapter 79: It kissed Xie Zijing’s nose affectionately.
Xie Zijing jumped off the seawall, stammered for a while, and asked, “Why are you here?”
Qin Ge: “Why are you here?”
The Barbary lion raised its shiny mane and rubbed the long-haired rabbit like a ball. The rabbit, initially scared to tears, was calm after being rolled around twice. It grabbed the lion’s paw with its backhand and bit down.
Qin Ge had no intention of stopping them. He knew the rabbit was now happy and carefree. “You really don’t know the meaning of the word ‘death,’ do you?” Qin Ge squatted on the ground, watching the rabbit. “It could eat you in one bite.”
Xie Zijing squatted beside him, looking at Qin Ge, then at the rabbit.
Qin Ge didn’t pay much attention to him, or maybe he didn’t want to look at him. Xie Zijing’s sudden appearance had shocked him, but in that moment of shock, a strong, tsunami-like joy surged from the depths of his heart.
He had planned to sacrifice their eternal life and limited time for their relationship, and his not-yet-good-enough self. He had even talked to Xie Zijing about how they should live in the future, how big a house, how far a road, whether to have a cat or a dog, and how to spend each sunrise and sunset.
But Xie Zijing—or rather, fate—didn’t give him this opportunity.
It was like a thunderstorm on an extremely hot summer day that didn’t bring rain. Like a winter day when he had warmed the wine and prepared the dishes, but even after nightfall, the snow didn’t come.
He is the snow you wait for but never falls.
So Qin Ge always advised himself not to harbor any expectations.
He didn’t speak, and Xie Zijing didn’t speak either. Qin Ge heard someone calling Xie Zijing from a distance; the voice sounded very much like Lei Chi.
“…You and Lei Chi are here to investigate a case?” He thought for a moment, “Investigating the previous seven murder cases?”
“Yes.” Xie Zijing stared at the lion playing with the rabbit.
His lion was in a very good mood, and its happiness was different from usual, filled with the joy and relief of a long-awaited reunion.
“…Can I pet it?” he asked Qin Ge.
Xie Zijing placed his hand on the sand, palm up, and called softly to the long-haired rabbit.
The long-haired rabbit immediately noticed him, almost instantly letting go of the Barbary lion’s paw, and sprinted towards Xie Zijing with all four legs.
Qin Ge: “…”
Qin Ge now felt a bit embarrassed.
The rabbit jumped into Xie Zijing’s palm, habitually using its paw to push aside the long fur, staring at Xie Zijing with its round, black eyes. The night was very dark, and Xie Zijing couldn’t see his reflection in its eyes. But there should be an image of him in there.
“Hello there,” he said softly.
Saying “nice to meet you” was obviously incorrect. In the past, he had touched this rabbit; he even knew that this rabbit liked watching zombie movies and its favorite actor—all these things were written in his little notebook. Xie Zijing wasn’t sure if it was because past memories were constantly resurfacing, or because he had read the notebook so many times that he retained such an impression. The rabbit was too cute, and as he petted its soft, thick fur, he had only one thought: I must have liked it very much.
The rabbit suddenly extended its paw and lightly slapped Xie Zijing’s cheek.
Xie Zijing, Qin Ge: “?”
It affectionately kissed Xie Zijing on the nose.
“!!!” Qin Ge was instantly embarrassed and immediately tried to grab it back, but Xie Zijing quickly protected the rabbit, dodging Qin Ge’s hand.
In the limited light, Qin Ge’s face was red with embarrassment.
“Ignore it, it’s being cheeky.” Qin Ge said angrily, “Come back here!”
The rabbit, protected by Xie Zijing, was not afraid of its owner at all, its ears squeezing out from between Xie Zijing’s fingers, twitching.
Qin Ge turned and left, taking the flashlight with him. Xie Zijing was plunged into darkness, with only the faint glow from the lion still flickering.
He watched Qin Ge leap onto the seawall, but still had the fluffy little creature in his palm. It held onto his finger.
Xie Zijing whispered, “Rabbit, your master… can’t take you back?”
The long-haired rabbit bit his finger. Xie Zijing held it in his palm and climbed up the seawall. The lion was turning in circles below on the beach, struggling to climb up.
Xie Zijing thought, it seems mine can’t be taken back either.
He walked quickly with the rabbit to catch up with Qin Ge. Qin Ge had already seen Lei Chi and was slapping his own face hard, raising his hand to greet Lei Chi.
Xie Zijing’s palm was suddenly empty; the rabbit had disappeared. White mist entwined his fingers reluctantly and returned to Qin Ge.
He calmed down. Xie Zijing felt a bit disappointed.
Lei Chi saw Qin Ge and didn’t seem very surprised. A speedboat from the fishing port had arrived, and he asked Qin Ge, “Heading out to sea?”
Qin Ge: “Fishing?”
Lei Chi: “To see the mermaid.”
Qin Ge immediately became spirited: “Great!”
Lei Chi, seeing his excitement, was pleased and patted Qin Ge on the back, leading him towards the speedboat.
“Wait, wait, what about me?” Xie Zijing ran to catch up.
Lei Chi looked at the lion behind him: “That thing won’t fit. You’d better put it away first.”
Xie Zijing: “…”
He looked at the lion, which wasn’t looking at him but only stared at Qin Ge.
In the end, there were four people on the speedboat. The lion was crammed into a small space, its nose twitching as it nudged Qin Ge.
Lei Chi: “Hasn’t his ‘sea area’ returned to normal? Why can’t he control his spirit body?”
Qin Ge glanced at Xie Zijing. He had a guess but wasn’t sure. Xie Zijing looked up and said, “It wants to see the mermaid too.”
At this time, the colleague driving the speedboat said, “The mermaid only wants to see Lei Chi.”
Lei Chi: “What?”
Colleague: “Didn’t they tell you?”
Lei Chi: “Is there something I must know?”
Colleague: “The reason they reported hoping you would come is that the mermaid leader specifically requested to see the werewolf.”
Moonlight illuminated the dark sea. The speedboat approached a very small island, and from a distance, they could take in its entirety.
Or rather, it was more of a group of rocks about a hundred square meters in size. The center of the rocks had been cleared and was very flat, but there were still jagged boulders around it, with waves crashing and splashing.
“When the weather is clear, the mermaids bask in the moonlight here.” The colleague moored the boat at the edge of the rock formation, “This place is called Whale Guard Rock. The last time a whale was seen here was more than thirty years ago.”
He was the first to step onto Whale Guard Rock.
The rocks of Whale Guard Rock were all wet with seawater, making them very slippery. Xie Zijing reached out to help Qin Ge, who gave him a puzzled look. He quickly retracted his hand, realizing it was an unconscious action. The lion still lay on the speedboat, a silver fish tail sweeping over the edge, startling it.
“Mermaids are very stubborn and eccentric.” The colleague told Lei Chi, “They live further ahead in the sea, but we can’t get any closer. Their breeding season coincides with the fishing moratorium, and if they detect humans nearby, they will immediately attack.”
A silver dorsal fin flashed across the sea. “That’s a mermaid scout!” he immediately shouted, “Hey! It’s me! I’m from the Crisis Office! The werewolf the leader wants to see has arrived!”
The mermaid gradually moved away but raised a hand to wave. A bony protrusion on its elbow shimmered with a pale blue light in the moonlight.
“The leader should be coming over.” The colleague smiled and said, “Absolutely no photos.”
Xie Zijing: “What’s there to photograph? It’s just a human body with a fish tail.”
Qin Ge: “Mermaid leaders are usually very beautiful.”
Xie Zijing: “More beautiful than Quan Nu?”
The Crisis Office guy proudly said, “Quan Nu is called the most beautiful special human, but that’s because mermaids are classified as special creatures, not humans. There are many mermaid settlements in the South Sea, but the leader we are about to meet might indeed be the most beautiful.”
Xie Zijing was skeptical, while Lei Chi had no interest in the leader’s appearance. Qin Ge, having only theories and never seen a real mermaid, was the most curious: “When the leader comes to meet us, is there any ceremony?”
Xie Zijing leaned in and continued, “With shrimp soldiers and crab generals leading the way?”
—”I don’t need the fake stuff you humans have created.”
A voice came from below Whale Guard Rock, and the Barbary lion immediately stood up, causing the speedboat to rock. Qin Ge and the others were startled, only then noticing a man emerging from the water.
In the flashlight’s beam, they saw his hair was blue-green, like the deepest ocean plants, shimmering with water. He was bare-chested, leaning against a massive rock, with a silver fish tail half-submerged in the water.
“Who is the werewolf?” he asked.
Qin Ge looked at his face. It was a unique face, pale and moist, with only the thin lips showing a hint of color. His nose was prominent, his jawline was sharp and beautiful, and his features were well-defined. This leader’s appearance was indeed very striking.
Lei Chi stepped forward and extended his hand to him, “Hello, I’m Lei Chi.”
The leader looked at his hand, a hint of confusion in his eyes. Qin Ge suddenly noticed that his irises were also blue-green.
“Hello.” He lowered his head and kissed Lei Chi’s palm, “I cannot tell you my human name.”
Lei Chi’s palm was left with his moist lip print.
“This is how we mermaids greet.” The leader smiled and said, “And I do not have a human name.”
Lei Chi withdrew his hand and asked, “Why do you want to see me?”
“I want to see a werewolf.” The leader examined him and asked, “Are you really a werewolf? But you don’t have any traces of a wolf on you.”
Lei Chi opened his palm again. The bones and skin of his hand slowly transformed, and the leader’s face showed a keen interest, “Have you been tamed?”
Lei Chi: “No, this is evolution.”
The leader chuckled a few times. Qin Ge thought blankly; his voice was really pleasant.
“Werewolf, in your evolution, you gradually disguise yourself as a human. This is a domestication process towards human conformity.” The leader tilted his head, revealing a string of small starfish on his earlobe, “As the only special human with animal bloodline in the country, how do you feel?”
Lei Chi: “Not bad.”
Leader: “Does being accepted by humans make you happy?”
Lei Chi: “I haven’t thought about that.”
The leader pondered, “Are you happy to be accepted by ordinary humans, werewolf?”
Lei Chi did not answer.
The fish tail swayed a few times, and the leader smiled under the moonlight, “What are the benefits of becoming a special human?”
Lei Chi: “…I can’t answer that. My life is very ordinary, very regular.”
The leader leaned against the rock, his blue-green hair gradually drying, turning darker, blending with the rock.
“I also know a special human, and he is quite different from ordinary people.” The leader said, “He often tells me he is not happy.”
Qin Ge’s heart stirred—was this special human Haitong?
“What are the benefits of being a ‘special human’?” The leader asked, “Clearly, you are all human, yet you divide yourselves into ‘ordinary’ and ‘special.’ Your human thinking is very strange. Does the distinction mean the ‘special’ ones receive more? If not, is it because they face more misfortune?”
Xie Zijing whispered to Qin Ge, “Is this a mermaid? Or a debater from the New Hope Academy?”
The leader heard him, “No, I haven’t attended New Hope.”
Xie Zijing was shocked, “You even know about New Hope?!”
The leader laughed, “My friend tells me many things about the land and special humans.”
Lei Chi spoke to bring his attention back, “Leader, you wanted to see me just to ask if there are any benefits?”
The leader nodded.
“When we are born, the advantages and disadvantages we have are not for us to decide.” He looked into the leader’s eyes, “I don’t know the benefits of being a ‘special human.’ This identity was not my choice. But I live, I have faced setbacks, and received praise. Over a hundred years ago, the werewolf gene was considered a major flaw, but now, many people accept it as merely a natural mutation.”
The leader listened attentively.
“Perhaps one day, all humans in the world will not divide themselves into ‘ordinary’ and ‘special.’ Humans are humans, and living is a tough but worthwhile thing.” Lei Chi said, “Then I can answer you, what it feels like to be human.”
The leader’s fish tail kept swishing in the water, indicating he was in a good mood.
“Werewolf, you are truly adorable.” He laughed, “After meeting you, I already have my answer.”
Qin Ge recalled something Xie Weiran had mentioned earlier. The project they were working on aimed to classify mermaids as “special humans.”
“Mermaids have no interest in becoming ‘special humans,'” the leader said. “We love our free and unrestrained lives. Whether we gain human recognition or obtain human names means nothing to us.”
Lei Chi nodded, “Being free and unrestrained is great.”
The leader continued, “Among mermaids, not many can speak human languages. As the leader responsible for communication, I have learned a lot. We have our own language, our own civilization, our own music and art, and a reproduction method entirely different from humans. Let’s coexist peacefully without trying to categorize anyone under anyone else.”
Qin Ge and Xie Zijing exchanged a glance. They both had the same thought: this leader was truly remarkable.
Lei Chi nodded. The leader held his hand, “Werewolf, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I will tell you everything I promised.”
Lei Chi glanced back at his colleague. It seemed they had planned to extract information from the mermaids, but the leader had requested to see a werewolf. Being both a werewolf and capable of assisting, Lei Chi was their immediate choice.
The mermaid’s hand was moist and cool, yet strangely not repulsive. Lei Chi listened quietly as the leader spoke.
On the night the fishing boat caught fire, a scout patrolling the nearby waters first spotted the strange, lonely little boat.
It was not initially near the shore but was being towed by a speedboat, wandering around the mermaid’s territory. When the scout tried to approach, the fishing boat suddenly burst into flames.
“While trying to extinguish the fire, the scout saw the speedboat again,” the leader said. “It was among the speedboats you had sent out.”
“Only the fishing port’s speedboats were dispatched that night,” the colleague’s face changed. “During the fishing ban, all speedboats are docked at the port, and no one else can access them.”
The group returned to the mainland, and Lei Chi drove a car alone, taking Xie Zijing and Qin Ge out of the village.
They all stayed in a hotel booked by the Crisis Office, with rooms on the same floor.
“Want to drink tonight?” Lei Chi asked, “I don’t drink, but I can join you for some grilled skewers.”
Qin Ge found it odd, “Aren’t you here to investigate the case? Why do you seem so relaxed?”
Lei Chi chuckled, “I originally thought they specifically called me here to help with the case, but it turns out it was just to get information from the mermaids. Didn’t you notice how he wasn’t keen on coming back to the Crisis Office with me?”
Qin Ge asked, “So what are you going to do?”
Lei Chi replied, “First, eat skewers. We can’t work on an empty stomach, right? The meal we had on the high-speed train for 15 yuan wasn’t as good as a cup of instant noodles.”
Qin Ge, sitting in the back seat, suddenly teased Lei Chi, “Lei Chi, you don’t usually talk like this.”
Lei Chi was taken aback, “Huh?”
Xie Zijing, in the driver’s seat and jotting down notes, couldn’t help but chime in, “How does he usually talk?”
“Very serious, just like when he was talking to the mermaid leader,” Qin Ge said with a smile.
Lei Chi frowned, “I’m serious now too.”
“Right now, you sound like Bai Xiaoyuan,” Qin Ge said. “Falling in love changes a person.”
Lei Chi didn’t respond for a while, and Qin Ge noticed his ears turning red.
“No,” Lei Chi said, “I’m not in a relationship. Don’t spread rumors when you get back; she’ll get mad.”
Qin Ge and Xie Zijing burst into laughter. Lei Chi quickly changed the subject to stop their teasing.
“Xie Zijing, you don’t need to follow me tomorrow,” he said. “You and Qin Ge will act together.”
Qin Ge’s laughter stopped abruptly, “What?”
Lei Chi explained, “I also have a secret mission on this trip, which is to help you find Jiang Yong.”
Xie Zijing asked, “Who is Jiang Yong?”
He looked at Lei Chi, then at Qin Ge, wondering how Qin Ge managed to get involved with so many people on one trip.
Lei Chi said, “Your father’s diving partner knows many secrets and knows the way to Wearhouse Zero.”
Xie Zijing finally understood.
Diving partner, he knew about that. In his little notebook, he had written, “I am Qin Ge’s diving partner; I must accompany him when he patrols,” and underlined it dozens of times, so much so that the paper was torn.
“I am Qin Ge’s ‘diving partner,’ I must stay with him,” Xie Zijing said.
Qin Ge glanced at him and then looked back at Lei Chi’s head: “Xie Zijing is not necessary. I’ve already found Jiang Yong, but his condition is not suitable for patrolling today. He is very old, and the ‘sea area’ resistance is not strong. I can handle it myself.”
Lei Chi looked at him through the rearview mirror: “Qin Ge, you must follow the rules, or I will mention your negligence and Xie Zijing’s dereliction in my report.”
Qin Ge had no choice but to keep quiet.
The three of them returned to the hotel, ordered beer and grilled skewers for delivery, and walked up the stairs. As they stepped out of the elevator, Lei Chi’s phone suddenly rang.
Bai Xiaoyuan’s name appeared on the screen, with a conspicuous suffix: Comrade.
Lei Chi quickly walked away with his phone: “You guys start eating, I’ll be back soon!”
Xie Zijing took out his room card and opened the door: “Comrade, huh? He just saved my number with a name, no description at all.”
He and Lei Chi shared a double suite, and Qin Ge took a look inside: “So narrow? Let’s go to my room.”
Xie Zijing entered his room and couldn’t help but exclaim: “It even has a balcony! Why is your room so spacious?”
Qin Ge said, “After all, I’m a section chief; you guys are just ordinary officers.”
Xie Zijing: “Corruption.”
Qin Ge: “Then you can leave, but leave the food.”
Xie Zijing wouldn’t leave. He placed the food and drinks on the small table, moved the table and chairs to the balcony, and sat down comfortably.
This was the 18th floor, and with a vast sky and countless lights outside, the moonlight was clear.
A somewhat familiar feeling suddenly surged in his heart.
Qin Ge came out with a portable charger and saw Xie Zijing daydreaming.
Only then did he realize the situation: he was sharing this enclosed space with Xie Zijing.
“…Have I been here before?” Xie Zijing asked.
Qin Ge: “Hmm?”
Xie Zijing squinted: “I feel like I’ve seen this view before.”
Qin Ge leaned against the sliding door, looking at him: “No, you remember wrong.”
Xie Zijing felt he had seen a similar scene before. In the dark night, with many bright lights. The mirror-like glass had once reflected the image of him and Qin Ge standing side by side.
