TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 25

After finishing his half of the roast duck, Yu Su took a delightful nap at the bottom of the pool, then leapt out before the sun set.

Chi Yanxing was probably in the study—no sign of him around—but Yu Su was happy to have the place to himself.

The poolside towels were stacked in neat piles. Uncle He had washed them clean and soft. Yu Su sat down, grabbed one, and wrapped it around himself.

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but at night he often felt like someone was watching him. But in the dead of night, who would be so bored?

Besides, there were so few people in the villa.

Bathed in the light spilling from the balcony, Yu Su carefully dried his tail.

“When I get back to the sea, the stuff I’ve hoarded is probably almost all corroded by now.”

Thinking about it, probably only his shell bed would still be intact.

He wondered if there was such a thing as seaweed masks in the human world…

Yù Sù reluctantly patted his tail, then stroked the somewhat dry scales. “Ah, tail, tail—you’re even more important than my face.”

“Mr. Yu.”

The sudden voice made Yù Sù turn his head. Wrapping the bath towel tighter around himself, he said, “Uncle He…”

Uncle He treated him no differently than when he was human—still the same gentle, considerate manner.

“Sir asked me to bring your clothes over,” Uncle He placed the clothes on the lounge chair. “When you change back later, you can put them on right away.”

Yù Sù gave an “oh,” then added, “Uncle He… don’t you think I look… strange like this? Aren’t humans supposed to find mermaids unbelievable, even scary?”

Uncle He chuckled. “To tell you the truth, Mr. Yu, at first I was indeed startled—because I’d never seen so many tiny pearls before.”

Yù Sù felt a little embarrassed. Uncle He went on, “It really is amazing, and beautiful.”

“Huh?? You really think so?”

“Yes.” Uncle He nodded, hitting the mark with precision: “Even when you cry, Mr. Yu, you still look very good.”

Sure enough, Yù Sù felt comforted.

“But later, I stopped finding it strange. No matter what state you’re in, Sir seems to accept it easily—making me feel like I was overreacting.”

Yù Sù thought about it. That was true. Maybe it was also because Chi Yanxing had seen a mermaid before.

“Ugh… I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Whenever I see Chi Yanxing, my emotions just go all over the place.”

A light gleamed faintly in Uncle He’s eyes. “It might have something to do with you being marked by an alpha—but that’s not the whole reason. Pheromones are one thing; the feelings in your heart are another.”

Yù Sù tilted his head.

Uncle He pressed on: “Sir really likes you. I’ve never seen him take anything so seriously.”

Dr. Wen had said something similar before.

“He really is good to me.” The tip of Yù Sù’s tail tapped the water, the ripples spreading out like the jumble of feelings in his heart, rising and falling.

“Exactly. If Sir doesn’t like or isn’t willing, no one can make him budge,” Uncle He lowered his voice. “And besides, this alpha’s care for others is always quiet and subtle. You see—since you’ve been living here, most of the time you’ve been happy, completely free of pressure. That’s Sir’s brilliance.”

Making an extraordinary life feel ordinary is actually very hard—because it means being thorough in every little detail.

And in that respect, Chi Yanxing was flawless.

Yù Sù became thoughtful.

“Actually, I quite like him too. Chi Yanxing is a perfect figure in my mind.”

Uncle He could only regret not bringing a recorder to capture that sentence and play it for his master every day.

Yù Sù lifted the bath towel to dry his wet hair. “He’s also a very good human—not greedy at all.”

Uncle He only smiled in silence.

In his mind, he had already started planning the baby’s room.

“It’s just… in bed, he’s a bit too rough.” He kissed him until his mouth hurt, and squeezed his wrists until they were sore.

The smile at Uncle He’s lips froze.

Yù Sù looked up. “If he could live with me underwater, I could definitely win a round!”

—

When Uncle He left, his back looked a little hurried. Yù Sù glanced at him in puzzlement, then lifted the tip of his tail out of the water and wiped away the last droplets with the bath towel.

“Fine, I’ll just be human. Being human’s not bad either.”

There were more fun things on land than in the water. Since he was already here, it would be a waste to mope in the little pool just because of some awkward feelings.

A large sun umbrella shielded the process of shedding his scales. When Yù Sù emerged from under it, he was already fully dressed.

The marking he’d asked for over half a month ago had been effective. Without using a wheelchair, Yù Sù walked into the living room himself—only to sense, as soon as he entered, that something was… different.

The big furniture was the same, but in the details, it was as if many new things had been added.

A glance was enough to spot a little mermaid figurine placed beside the TV. And not just that—there were many other ocean-themed decorations now. Even the decorative ashtray on the coffee table had been swapped for a seashell-shaped one.

Yù Sù was puzzled. He’d been staying by the pool for days and had no idea when these had been brought in.

Could it be that Chi Yanxing had been bringing them home during his late returns?

While he was still guessing, a familiar voice sounded behind him.

“Out already?”

Yù Sù jumped. “Why do you appear like a ghost?”

Chi Yanxing: “You were just too absorbed in looking.”

Yù Sù: “So… all these things really were brought back by you?”

“Sort of. I had my assistant buy them.” Chi Yanxing stepped past him and touched the little mermaid figurine. “Most mermaid depictions on the market are of female omegas. Male ones are rare—this was hard to find.”

Yù Sù glanced at it. “It is quite pretty. You humans really have imagination.”

Chi Yanxing lifted his eyes. “Humans always have an endless fondness for beautiful things.”

Saying that while looking at me is far too easy to misinterpret, Yù Sù thought to himself.

“…It’s already dark. Didn’t you say I could stay in your room?” Yù Sù held out his hand. “I don’t want to take the wheelchair upstairs. You made me change into a human—so you have to serve me.”

Chi Yanxing, of course, didn’t refuse.

They didn’t take the straight elevator. Carrying his newly returned omega, Chi Yanxing stepped onto the spiral staircase.

When they reached the second floor, Yù Sù suddenly remembered the pearls that had fallen here like rain that day. “Hey… where did you put my little pearls?”

Chi Yanxing: “Hm? What little pearls?”

Yu Su was very suspicious that this person was doing it on purpose, but he had to ask:

“What pearls? Or do you want me to cry out a memory for you right now?”

Chi Yanxing remained calm and said, “Oh, those? I put them away.”

Yu Su swung his legs. “Put them away? Why? Do you really have a habit of collecting pearls?”

“No,” Chi Yanxing stood by the master bedroom door, “It’s just that these are all your little pearls.”

After saying this, he freed one hand and opened the master bedroom door.

“My pearls? What’s wrong with them? Aren’t they—” Yu Su’s words froze as he was stunned by the sight inside.

He peeked over to the side. Yes, this was Chi Yanxing’s bedroom.

But how did Chi Yanxing’s bedroom become so… beautiful??

“When did you do all this?” Yu Su blinked wide-eyed.

“Not long ago. Just in these few days you’ve been sleeping in the pool,” Chi Yanxing walked in holding the mermaid figurine, then placed it on the bed. “I tried gold bedding, but it was a bit glaring. For better rest at night, I switched to a softer yellow. Is it okay?”

Yu Su stayed dumbfounded.

Blue walls, white coral decorations, and starfish of all sizes on the walls… everything matched exactly how he had described before.

Chi Yanxing had completely transformed this place for him.

“Is… it okay?”

“That’s good,” Chi Yanxing walked to the light switch, “Look—”

Yu Su blinked, and the room went dark. When his eyes adjusted, he saw the opposite wall glowing with a faint dim light, and the scattered starfish outlined in some special material made it look like the deep dark sea or a starry night sky.

“I made it while you were sleeping. Don’t worry, no one who isn’t allowed can get close to the pool,” Chi Yanxing said.

Yu Su wasn’t just surprised—he was very nervous. He dared not look at the alpha, only darted his eyes around.

“…Are the fish on the balcony still there? Where did you take them all that day?”

Chi Yanxing answered whatever Yu Su asked: “They’re kept elsewhere.”

But he didn’t say where exactly.

Yu Su swallowed. “So… I’m the only fish left here?”

Chi Yanxing left the main light off and walked over to turn on the small bedside lamp. “Right, only you.”

Yu Su watched him come closer and obediently scooted aside. “Actually, it’s not so bad being here… Are you going to sleep now?”

Chi Yanxing hummed, as if he wasn’t the person who usually stayed up past ten.

Yu Su finally grabbed back some initiative, “Then lie down properly, and I’ll start singing!”

Chi Yanxing leisurely pulled back the covers, revealing Yu Su’s pale pink feet—small and slender, shivering slightly as they met the outside air.

So cute.

They looked pinchable too.

Chi Yanxing quietly looked away. “You can sing slowly, no rush. We have many nights ahead.”

We will have many nights.

The serious mermaid nodded, then saw Chi Yanxing lie down and close his eyes, striking a familiar “ready to listen” pose.

Yu Su nervously moved his feet and accidentally touched Chi Yanxing’s leg. The sensation of the mermaid’s transformed skin was sharp, and he finally sensed from the strong contrast in room decor that something was amiss…

Yu Su suddenly sat up with a start.

“No—Chi Yanxing! Do we have to sleep in the same bed to sing?”

Chi Yanxing calmly said, “Uncle He is sometimes too diligent. The extra blankets in my room have already been taken away by him.”

Yu Su: “…?”

Chi Yanxing suddenly said, “Don’t worry, I won’t use pheromones to bully you. So, can you start? I’m looking forward to it.”

Yu Su lay back down like a lost soul, feeling that something unknown was silently changing.

“I’ll sing, but don’t listen too deeply, or you might get a headache tomorrow.”

“Got it,” Chi Yanxing said, “I’ll try.”