Chapter 60
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The system provided Ren Shuhan with two small flintstones. Jiang Chen handed them to the tribe leader, explaining that Zheng Zhilai had found them in the mountains. The tribe leader had no choice but to accept.
After all, they had searched Jiang Chen’s home and found nothing hidden.
“Dragging down the whole tribe, but having good luck for themselves,” Jiang Chen overheard some jealous merfolk say upon her return.
The tribe only had three flintstones.
“But I heard that the Hu tribe didn’t find anything useful either,” another mermaid said. “Jiang Chen brought back a human child who doesn’t need us to raise him. Isn’t it too harsh to expel her from the tribe?”
On the Hu tribe’s side, they only found a little food and clothing from the spaceship, as well as some chairs, but nothing else that could be useful.
However, soon another mermaid told her to stop talking. “Jiang Chen is back. Isn’t she here to grab resources from us?”
Jiang Chen was indeed capable, but this archipelago could be considered a natural breeding ground with abundant food everywhere. There was no question of her robbing resources from others. Many merfolk were just a bit petty, envious that she had found the best-looking and gentlest male merfolk and had the cutest little mermaid. Jiang Chen couldn’t be bothered to argue with them.
Today, she caught two fresh fish and wanted to go home quickly for lunch to try the fish stew Ren Shuhan mentioned.
Normally, merfolk would sun-dry the fresh fish to make dried fish for use during bad weather. However, since Jiang Chen and the others lived in the mountains, the weather at sea had little effect on them. Ren Shuhan had introduced various wild vegetables, and Jiang Chen had relaxed quite a bit.
At noon, following Ren Shuhan’s recipe, Zheng Zhilai blanched some wild vegetables and made a large pot of fish stew. The family enjoyed the meal, and in the evening, using Ren Shuhan’s stored provisions, they made pineapple rice.
Initially, Zheng Zhilai was afraid that his food wouldn’t be enough, so he didn’t want to eat too much of Ren Shuhan’s supplies. However, Ren Shuhan then took out a huge bag of rice and noodles, indicating that he had countless more.
Jiang Qingyue, on the side, cheered, “Little brother is amazing!”
“We interstellar people have never lacked food and supplies,” Ren Shuhan said, not entirely wrong. “When my parents come, they’ll bring some machines for cultivation and weaving. In short, we won’t be short of anything in the future.”
Ren Shuhan’s parents were involved in such work, but due to the crash, the items they brought might have been damaged.
Ren Shuhan didn’t have to worry about it because the system would take care of any missing items. He just had to enjoy his childhood.
Unfortunately, time passed quickly in the mountains. Several months went by without any news from Ren Shuhan’s parents. When he questioned the system, he found out…
His parents had no idea he was here!
The system innocently said, “The system has arranged some relevant reminders for them, but they haven’t noticed yet.”
Generally, when parents lose contact with their family, the first thing they worry about is causing concern to their family. However, Ren Shuhan’s parents were different. Accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, they often traveled, leaving their child in the care of the elderly. They never considered that Ren Shuhan would end up in such a situation.
The system had actually calculated this and anticipated that it might take three to five years for them to react. However, in the spirit of comforting the child, the system decided to keep it a secret from Ren Shuhan for a while.
Now that Ren Shuhan had become familiar with Jiang Chen’s family, he wasn’t as saddened by the news.
Jiang Chen and Zheng Zhilai, on the other hand, reacted more intensely.
“How can they abandon such a young child?” Jiang Chen was indignant.
“Let’s just consider him our own son from now on,” Zheng Zhilai said happily.
Ren Shuhan felt a bit shy but also a little delighted.
He hadn’t spent much time with his parents before, and his grandparents favored their biological grandson over their adopted one. So, he didn’t have a particularly close relationship with them. It was only after coming to Jiang Qingyue’s home that he experienced the warmth of a family for the first time.
It felt good here. The adult merfolk were nice, and Jiang Qingyue was even nicer.
During the day, Ren Shuhan would help Zheng Zhilai with chores such as weeding and watering. He would also assist Jiang Chen in fishing and hunting while carrying Jiang Qingyue around. Since he was strong and intelligent, and there wasn’t much work at home, Jiang Chen felt reassured and allowed him to spend more time in the morning playing with Jiang Qingyue. He only asked him to help with chores in the afternoon and study with Zheng Zhilai. In the evening, it was Ren Shuhan and Jiang Qingyue’s free time.
Ren Shuhan could carry him around all day without getting tired. Sometimes, he would explore the caves with clear ponds in the mountains with Jiang Qingyue. Ren Shuhan could swim as fast as Jiang Qingyue, and sometimes even faster.
Jiang Chen was pleased to see them having so much fun, while Zheng Zhilai found it strange. “Are humans really this powerful?”
“I was taught well by my mom,” Ren Shuhan scratched his head, pretending to be naive. “If I’m not a bit capable, how will I survive in the future?”
Jiang Qingyue, blushing, whispered to him, “Maybe it’s the effect of the true love’s kiss?”
Ren Shuhan decided not to tell him about his superpowers.
“Yeah,” he said, playing along. “It means we’re in true love.”
Little Jiang Qingyue covered his face and turned away, but his tail swayed honestly, revealing his happy expression.
Because the family had strict rules, Jiang Chen was always worried that he might be taken advantage of by female mermaid kids, so there weren’t many other mermaid kids with whom Jiang Qingyue could play. And now, he also didn’t like them coveting his little brother.
In the merfolk’s eyes, Ren Shuhan was supposed to be in charge in the future, so many male mermaid kids would show off their beautiful tails when they saw him. Fortunately, he only played with his little brother, Jiang Qingyue secretly thought.
Because it was easy to encounter other merfolk in the sea, he convinced Ren Shuhan to stay in the mountains with him.
“I found a place where the water is warm,” one day, while Ren Shuhan was setting traps in the mountains and helping Jiang Chen hunt, Jiang Qingyue suddenly emerged from a deep pool beside them, excitedly saying, “Brother, I’ll take you to see it!”
“Sure, go ahead,” Jiang Chen smiled. “The harvest has been good recently; you guys can go and play as much as you want.”
Since Jiang Chen’s family moved into the North Shore Mountains and Forests, life became more comfortable with each passing day. Some merfolk in the tribe felt proud, thinking that Jiang Chen was too timid to venture into the sea. In reality, she just had no reason to constantly go out to sea.
Only sporadic visits from two households of merfolk, occasionally bringing fish to show Jiang Chen. In return, Jiang Chen would exchange them with fruits or animals she had hunted from her own harvest. Other than that, she rarely interacted with the merfolk in the tribe.
With fewer merfolk around, the chores were less, and she enjoyed her time with her partner and child.
“Be careful not to encounter other merfolk,” Jiang Chen was only concerned about this one thing. “If you do, quickly cover yourself with your clothes.”
Ren Shuhan acknowledged with a simple “okay.”
Due to various considerations, after living in the tribe for a long time, Ren Shuhan not only failed to persuade others to wear clothes but also became accustomed to not wearing them himself.
He usually went shirtless but kept his shorts and shoes. When merfolk came ashore, they would use large, soft leaves to cover their lower bodies. Ren Shuhan used to change his clothes, but it was troublesome if other merfolk discovered him changing clothes.
It’s still more comfortable to be with Qingqing, he thought. Fortunately, Qingqing only played with him.
Qingqing was the cutest young merfolk Ren Shuhan had ever seen. He had a good temperament, was obedient, and affectionate. When hugged, he felt soft, making him even more adorable. Ren Shuhan hoped he would stay with him forever.
Ren Shuhan put away his shoes and jumped into the lake, following behind Jiang Qingyue, swimming towards an unfamiliar river.
The water from the mountains flowed into the sea, clear and transparent. Ren Shuhan chased after Jiang Qingyue, heading towards a hot spring.
Time flew by, and more than a decade passed.
Ren Shuhan’s skin had turned into a wheatish color, and his limbs were slender. He was taller and more muscular than merfolk of the same age, handsome and not inferior to them. Unlike other merfolk, he always cut his hair short, giving him a unique scent. The nearby male and female merfolk who occasionally saw him dared to confess their feelings to him.
Jiang Qingyue, on the other hand, grew in a completely different direction.
Jiang Chen knew that the average male merfolk had ordinary physical strength. He deliberately nurtured his strength, but later found that his physique had improved along with his. He became strong, which reassured him. However, Jiang Qingyue’s body shape was like that of a typical male merfolk: long and slender, with fair and delicate skin.
“Qingqing.”
Ren Shuhan, accustomed to going barefoot, walked on a smooth stone path. He lifted the branches hanging down, and then he saw Jiang Qingyue sitting on a rock in the middle of the pool, facing away from him.
Upon hearing his voice, Jiang Qingyue turned around, revealing a smile. His tail swayed happily in the water.
Ren Shuhan had seen this scene countless times, and each time, he felt a stirring in his heart.
In his childhood, his eyes would light up, and he would run over joyfully. Now he had learned to suppress his emotions, gently watching the little merfolk. He walked slowly to his side.
Jiang Qingyue was still the same as when he was a child. He immediately jumped into the water, appeared on the shore in an instant, propped up his upper body, and looked at Ren Shuhan. His tail swung back and forth in the water, looking like an eager puppy waiting for a treat.
“Are you done washing? Let’s go home for dinner.”
Ren Shuhan crouched down, took out a towel, and wiped the water off Jiang Qingyue’s face. He ruffled his hair and then passed his hands through his armpits, lifting him out of the water.
Jiang Qingyue’s once short, cute fish tail had turned into a long skirt that trailed on the ground. When he sat in Ren Shuhan’s arms, it would curl around Ren Shuhan’s waist.
Ren Shuhan said, “…Being cute again.”
The tail wet his pants, and it seemed to be secretly rubbing against his abdominal muscles, accidentally brushing against a certain place…
“I didn’t,” Jiang Qingyue stretched his voice, juggling between acting cute and being assertive. He hugged Ren Shuhan’s neck, scratching his back leisurely, and said shamelessly, “Let’s go back quickly.”
He didn’t like Ren Shuhan wearing clothes. Even though other merfolk would wear a simple leaf, exposing more of their attractive figures, Ren Shuhan not only wore proper shorts but also had an inner layer of small shorts1Underwear basically.
He used to pull down Ren Shuhan’s pants before, and Ren Shuhan blushed and asked him to “stop fooling around.” So, he deliberately wet Ren Shuhan’s clothes.
He was about to grow up completely soon. He wanted Ren Shuhan to eat him in a different way—now he knew that the so-called true love’s kiss back then was entirely wrong.
He wanted a real kiss, but he didn’t know how to let Ren Shuhan know.
Dang the award for best parents ever sure wouldn’t ever be considered for Ren Shuhan’s parents…. ;-; ten years and nothing…
Also, Qingyue… you naughty child!
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The system provided Ren Shuhan with two small flintstones. Jiang Chen handed them to the tribe leader, explaining that Zheng Zhilai had found them in the mountains. The tribe leader had no choice but to accept.
After all, they had searched Jiang Chen’s home and found nothing hidden.
“Dragging down the whole tribe, but having good luck for themselves,” Jiang Chen overheard some jealous merfolk say upon her return.
The tribe only had three flintstones.
“But I heard that the Hu tribe didn’t find anything useful either,” another mermaid said. “Jiang Chen brought back a human child who doesn’t need us to raise him. Isn’t it too harsh to expel her from the tribe?”
On the Hu tribe’s side, they only found a little food and clothing from the spaceship, as well as some chairs, but nothing else that could be useful.
However, soon another mermaid told her to stop talking. “Jiang Chen is back. Isn’t she here to grab resources from us?”
Jiang Chen was indeed capable, but this archipelago could be considered a natural breeding ground with abundant food everywhere. There was no question of her robbing resources from others. Many merfolk were just a bit petty, envious that she had found the best-looking and gentlest male merfolk and had the cutest little mermaid. Jiang Chen couldn’t be bothered to argue with them.
Today, she caught two fresh fish and wanted to go home quickly for lunch to try the fish stew Ren Shuhan mentioned.
Normally, merfolk would sun-dry the fresh fish to make dried fish for use during bad weather. However, since Jiang Chen and the others lived in the mountains, the weather at sea had little effect on them. Ren Shuhan had introduced various wild vegetables, and Jiang Chen had relaxed quite a bit.
At noon, following Ren Shuhan’s recipe, Zheng Zhilai blanched some wild vegetables and made a large pot of fish stew. The family enjoyed the meal, and in the evening, using Ren Shuhan’s stored provisions, they made pineapple rice.
Initially, Zheng Zhilai was afraid that his food wouldn’t be enough, so he didn’t want to eat too much of Ren Shuhan’s supplies. However, Ren Shuhan then took out a huge bag of rice and noodles, indicating that he had countless more.
Jiang Qingyue, on the side, cheered, “Little brother is amazing!”
“We interstellar people have never lacked food and supplies,” Ren Shuhan said, not entirely wrong. “When my parents come, they’ll bring some machines for cultivation and weaving. In short, we won’t be short of anything in the future.”
Ren Shuhan’s parents were involved in such work, but due to the crash, the items they brought might have been damaged.
Ren Shuhan didn’t have to worry about it because the system would take care of any missing items. He just had to enjoy his childhood.
Unfortunately, time passed quickly in the mountains. Several months went by without any news from Ren Shuhan’s parents. When he questioned the system, he found out…
His parents had no idea he was here!
The system innocently said, “The system has arranged some relevant reminders for them, but they haven’t noticed yet.”
Generally, when parents lose contact with their family, the first thing they worry about is causing concern to their family. However, Ren Shuhan’s parents were different. Accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, they often traveled, leaving their child in the care of the elderly. They never considered that Ren Shuhan would end up in such a situation.
The system had actually calculated this and anticipated that it might take three to five years for them to react. However, in the spirit of comforting the child, the system decided to keep it a secret from Ren Shuhan for a while.
Now that Ren Shuhan had become familiar with Jiang Chen’s family, he wasn’t as saddened by the news.
Jiang Chen and Zheng Zhilai, on the other hand, reacted more intensely.
“How can they abandon such a young child?” Jiang Chen was indignant.
“Let’s just consider him our own son from now on,” Zheng Zhilai said happily.
Ren Shuhan felt a bit shy but also a little delighted.
He hadn’t spent much time with his parents before, and his grandparents favored their biological grandson over their adopted one. So, he didn’t have a particularly close relationship with them. It was only after coming to Jiang Qingyue’s home that he experienced the warmth of a family for the first time.
It felt good here. The adult merfolk were nice, and Jiang Qingyue was even nicer.
During the day, Ren Shuhan would help Zheng Zhilai with chores such as weeding and watering. He would also assist Jiang Chen in fishing and hunting while carrying Jiang Qingyue around. Since he was strong and intelligent, and there wasn’t much work at home, Jiang Chen felt reassured and allowed him to spend more time in the morning playing with Jiang Qingyue. He only asked him to help with chores in the afternoon and study with Zheng Zhilai. In the evening, it was Ren Shuhan and Jiang Qingyue’s free time.
Ren Shuhan could carry him around all day without getting tired. Sometimes, he would explore the caves with clear ponds in the mountains with Jiang Qingyue. Ren Shuhan could swim as fast as Jiang Qingyue, and sometimes even faster.
Jiang Chen was pleased to see them having so much fun, while Zheng Zhilai found it strange. “Are humans really this powerful?”
“I was taught well by my mom,” Ren Shuhan scratched his head, pretending to be naive. “If I’m not a bit capable, how will I survive in the future?”
Jiang Qingyue, blushing, whispered to him, “Maybe it’s the effect of the true love’s kiss?”
Ren Shuhan decided not to tell him about his superpowers.
“Yeah,” he said, playing along. “It means we’re in true love.”
Little Jiang Qingyue covered his face and turned away, but his tail swayed honestly, revealing his happy expression.
Because the family had strict rules, Jiang Chen was always worried that he might be taken advantage of by female mermaid kids, so there weren’t many other mermaid kids with whom Jiang Qingyue could play. And now, he also didn’t like them coveting his little brother.
In the merfolk’s eyes, Ren Shuhan was supposed to be in charge in the future, so many male mermaid kids would show off their beautiful tails when they saw him. Fortunately, he only played with his little brother, Jiang Qingyue secretly thought.
Because it was easy to encounter other merfolk in the sea, he convinced Ren Shuhan to stay in the mountains with him.
“I found a place where the water is warm,” one day, while Ren Shuhan was setting traps in the mountains and helping Jiang Chen hunt, Jiang Qingyue suddenly emerged from a deep pool beside them, excitedly saying, “Brother, I’ll take you to see it!”
“Sure, go ahead,” Jiang Chen smiled. “The harvest has been good recently; you guys can go and play as much as you want.”
Since Jiang Chen’s family moved into the North Shore Mountains and Forests, life became more comfortable with each passing day. Some merfolk in the tribe felt proud, thinking that Jiang Chen was too timid to venture into the sea. In reality, she just had no reason to constantly go out to sea.
Only sporadic visits from two households of merfolk, occasionally bringing fish to show Jiang Chen. In return, Jiang Chen would exchange them with fruits or animals she had hunted from her own harvest. Other than that, she rarely interacted with the merfolk in the tribe.
With fewer merfolk around, the chores were less, and she enjoyed her time with her partner and child.
“Be careful not to encounter other merfolk,” Jiang Chen was only concerned about this one thing. “If you do, quickly cover yourself with your clothes.”
Ren Shuhan acknowledged with a simple “okay.”
Due to various considerations, after living in the tribe for a long time, Ren Shuhan not only failed to persuade others to wear clothes but also became accustomed to not wearing them himself.
He usually went shirtless but kept his shorts and shoes. When merfolk came ashore, they would use large, soft leaves to cover their lower bodies. Ren Shuhan used to change his clothes, but it was troublesome if other merfolk discovered him changing clothes.
It’s still more comfortable to be with Qingqing, he thought. Fortunately, Qingqing only played with him.
Qingqing was the cutest young merfolk Ren Shuhan had ever seen. He had a good temperament, was obedient, and affectionate. When hugged, he felt soft, making him even more adorable. Ren Shuhan hoped he would stay with him forever.
Ren Shuhan put away his shoes and jumped into the lake, following behind Jiang Qingyue, swimming towards an unfamiliar river.
The water from the mountains flowed into the sea, clear and transparent. Ren Shuhan chased after Jiang Qingyue, heading towards a hot spring.
Time flew by, and more than a decade passed.
Ren Shuhan’s skin had turned into a wheatish color, and his limbs were slender. He was taller and more muscular than merfolk of the same age, handsome and not inferior to them. Unlike other merfolk, he always cut his hair short, giving him a unique scent. The nearby male and female merfolk who occasionally saw him dared to confess their feelings to him.
Jiang Qingyue, on the other hand, grew in a completely different direction.
Jiang Chen knew that the average male merfolk had ordinary physical strength. He deliberately nurtured his strength, but later found that his physique had improved along with his. He became strong, which reassured him. However, Jiang Qingyue’s body shape was like that of a typical male merfolk: long and slender, with fair and delicate skin.
“Qingqing.”
Ren Shuhan, accustomed to going barefoot, walked on a smooth stone path. He lifted the branches hanging down, and then he saw Jiang Qingyue sitting on a rock in the middle of the pool, facing away from him.
Upon hearing his voice, Jiang Qingyue turned around, revealing a smile. His tail swayed happily in the water.
Ren Shuhan had seen this scene countless times, and each time, he felt a stirring in his heart.
In his childhood, his eyes would light up, and he would run over joyfully. Now he had learned to suppress his emotions, gently watching the little merfolk. He walked slowly to his side.
Jiang Qingyue was still the same as when he was a child. He immediately jumped into the water, appeared on the shore in an instant, propped up his upper body, and looked at Ren Shuhan. His tail swung back and forth in the water, looking like an eager puppy waiting for a treat.
“Are you done washing? Let’s go home for dinner.”
Ren Shuhan crouched down, took out a towel, and wiped the water off Jiang Qingyue’s face. He ruffled his hair and then passed his hands through his armpits, lifting him out of the water.
Jiang Qingyue’s once short, cute fish tail had turned into a long skirt that trailed on the ground. When he sat in Ren Shuhan’s arms, it would curl around Ren Shuhan’s waist.
Ren Shuhan said, “…Being cute again.”
The tail wet his pants, and it seemed to be secretly rubbing against his abdominal muscles, accidentally brushing against a certain place…
“I didn’t,” Jiang Qingyue stretched his voice, juggling between acting cute and being assertive. He hugged Ren Shuhan’s neck, scratching his back leisurely, and said shamelessly, “Let’s go back quickly.”
He didn’t like Ren Shuhan wearing clothes. Even though other merfolk would wear a simple leaf, exposing more of their attractive figures, Ren Shuhan not only wore proper shorts but also had an inner layer of small shorts1Underwear basically.
He used to pull down Ren Shuhan’s pants before, and Ren Shuhan blushed and asked him to “stop fooling around.” So, he deliberately wet Ren Shuhan’s clothes.
He was about to grow up completely soon. He wanted Ren Shuhan to eat him in a different way—now he knew that the so-called true love’s kiss back then was entirely wrong.
He wanted a real kiss, but he didn’t know how to let Ren Shuhan know.
Dang the award for best parents ever sure wouldn’t ever be considered for Ren Shuhan’s parents…. ;-; ten years and nothing…
Also, Qingyue… you naughty child!
The system provided Ren Shuhan with two small flintstones. Jiang Chen handed them to the tribe leader, explaining that Zheng Zhilai had found them in the mountains. The tribe leader had no choice but to accept.After all, they had searched Jiang Chen's home and found nothing hidden.Dragging down the whole tribe, but having good luck for themselves, Jiang Chen overheard some jealous merfolk say upon her return.The tribe only had three flintstones.But I heard that the Hu tribe didn't find anything useful either, another mermaid said. Jiang Chen brought back a human child who doesn't need us to raise him. Isn't it too harsh to expel her from the tribe?On the Hu tribe's side, they only found a little food and clothing from the spaceship, as well as some chairs, but nothing else that could be useful.However, soon another mermaid told her to stop talking. Jiang Chen is back. Isn't she here to grab resources from us?Jiang Chen was indeed capable, but this archipelago could be considered a natural breeding ground with abundant food everywhere. There was no question of her robbing resources from others. Many merfolk were just a bit petty, envious that she had found the best-looking and gentlest male merfolk and had the cutest little mermaid. Jiang Chen couldn't be bothered to argue with them.Today, she caught two fresh fish and wanted to go home quickly for lunch to try the fish stew Ren Shuhan mentioned.Normally, merfolk would sun-dry the fresh fish to make dried fish for use during bad weather. However, since Jiang Chen and the others lived in the mountains, the weather at sea had little effect on them. Ren Shuhan had introduced various wild vegetables, and Jiang Chen had relaxed quite a bit.At noon, following Ren Shuhan's recipe, Zheng Zhilai blanched some wild vegetables and made a large pot of fish stew. The family enjoyed the meal, and in the evening, using Ren Shuhan's stored provisions, they made pineapple rice.Initially, Zheng Zhilai was afraid that his food wouldn't be enough, so he didn't want to eat too much of Ren Shuhan's supplies. However, Ren Shuhan then took out a huge bag of rice and noodles, indicating that he had countless more.Jiang Qingyue, on the side, cheered, Little brother is amazing!We interstellar people have never lacked food and supplies, Ren Shuhan said, not entirely wrong. When my parents come, they'll bring some machines for cultivation and weaving. In short, we won't be short of anything in the future.Ren Shuhan's parents were involved in such work, but due to the crash, the items they brought might have been damaged.Ren Shuhan didn't have to worry about it because the system would take care of any missing items. He just had to enjoy his childhood.Unfortunately, time passed quickly in the mountains. Several months went by without any news from Ren Shuhan's parents. When he questioned the system, he found outHis parents had no idea he was here!The system innocently said, The system has arranged some relevant reminders for them, but they haven't noticed yet.Generally, when parents lose contact with their family, the first thing they worry about is causing concern to their family. However, Ren Shuhan's parents were different. Accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, they often traveled, leaving their child in the care of the elderly. They never considered that Ren Shuhan would end up in such a situation.The system had actually calculated this and anticipated that it might take three to five years for them to react. However, in the spirit of comforting the child, the system decided to keep it a secret from Ren Shuhan for a while.Now that Ren Shuhan had become familiar with Jiang Chen's family, he wasn't as saddened by the news.Jiang Chen and Zheng Zhilai, on the other hand, reacted more intensely.How can they abandon such a young child? Jiang Chen was indignant.Let's just consider him our own son from now on, Zheng Zhilai said happily.Ren Shuhan felt a bit shy but also a little delighted.He hadn't spent much time with his parents before, and his grandparents favored their biological grandson over their adopted one. So, he didn't have a particularly close relationship with them. It was only after coming to Jiang Qingyue's home that he experienced the warmth of a family for the first time.It felt good here. The adult merfolk were nice, and Jiang Qingyue was even nicer.During the day, Ren Shuhan would help Zheng Zhilai with chores such as weeding and watering. He would also assist Jiang Chen in fishing and hunting while carrying Jiang Qingyue around. Since he was strong and intelligent, and there wasn't much work at home, Jiang Chen felt reassured and allowed him to spend more time in the morning playing with Jiang Qingyue. He only asked him to help with chores in the afternoon and study with Zheng Zhilai. In the evening, it was Ren Shuhan and Jiang Qingyue's free time.Ren Shuhan could carry him around all day without getting tired. Sometimes, he would explore the caves with clear ponds in the mountains with Jiang Qingyue. Ren Shuhan could swim as fast as Jiang Qingyue, and sometimes even faster.Jiang Chen was pleased to see them having so much fun, while Zheng Zhilai found it strange. Are humans really this powerful?I was taught well by my mom, Ren Shuhan scratched his head, pretending to be naive. If I'm not a bit capable, how will I survive in the future?Jiang Qingyue, blushing, whispered to him, Maybe it's the effect of the true love's kiss?Ren Shuhan decided not to tell him about his superpowers.Yeah, he said, playing along. It means we're in true love.Little Jiang Qingyue covered his face and turned away, but his tail swayed honestly, revealing his happy expression.Because the family had strict rules, Jiang Chen was always worried that he might be taken advantage of by female mermaid kids, so there weren't many other mermaid kids with whom Jiang Qingyue could play. And now, he also didn't like them coveting his little brother.In the merfolk's eyes, Ren Shuhan was supposed to be in charge in the future, so many male mermaid kids would show off their beautiful tails when they saw him. Fortunately, he only played with his little brother, Jiang Qingyue secretly thought.Because it was easy to encounter other merfolk in the sea, he convinced Ren Shuhan to stay in the mountains with him.I found a place where the water is warm, one day, while Ren Shuhan was setting traps in the mountains and helping Jiang Chen hunt, Jiang Qingyue suddenly emerged from a deep pool beside them, excitedly saying, Brother, I'll take you to see it!Sure, go ahead, Jiang Chen smiled. The harvest has been good recently; you guys can go and play as much as you want.Since Jiang Chen's family moved into the North Shore Mountains and Forests, life became more comfortable with each passing day. Some merfolk in the tribe felt proud, thinking that Jiang Chen was too timid to venture into the sea. In reality, she just had no reason to constantly go out to sea.Only sporadic visits from two households of merfolk, occasionally bringing fish to show Jiang Chen. In return, Jiang Chen would exchange them with fruits or animals she had hunted from her own harvest. Other than that, she rarely interacted with the merfolk in the tribe.With fewer merfolk around, the chores were less, and she enjoyed her time with her partner and child.Be careful not to encounter other merfolk, Jiang Chen was only concerned about this one thing. If you do, quickly cover yourself with your clothes.Ren Shuhan acknowledged with a simple okay.Due to various considerations, after living in the tribe for a long time, Ren Shuhan not only failed to persuade others to wear clothes but also became accustomed to not wearing them himself.He usually went shirtless but kept his shorts and shoes. When merfolk came ashore, they would use large, soft leaves to cover their lower bodies. Ren Shuhan used to change his clothes, but it was troublesome if other merfolk discovered him changing clothes.It's still more comfortable to be with Qingqing, he thought. Fortunately, Qingqing only played with him.Qingqing was the cutest young merfolk Ren Shuhan had ever seen. He had a good temperament, was obedient, and affectionate. When hugged, he felt soft, making him even more adorable. Ren Shuhan hoped he would stay with him forever.Ren Shuhan put away his shoes and jumped into the lake, following behind Jiang Qingyue, swimming towards an unfamiliar river.The water from the mountains flowed into the sea, clear and transparent. Ren Shuhan chased after Jiang Qingyue, heading towards a hot spring.Time flew by, and more than a decade passed.Ren Shuhan's skin had turned into a wheatish color, and his limbs were slender. He was taller and more muscular than merfolk of the same age, handsome and not inferior to them. Unlike other merfolk, he always cut his hair short, giving him a unique scent. The nearby male and female merfolk who occasionally saw him dared to confess their feelings to him.Jiang Qingyue, on the other hand, grew in a completely different direction.Jiang Chen knew that the average male merfolk had ordinary physical strength. He deliberately nurtured his strength, but later found that his physique had improved along with his. He became strong, which reassured him. However, Jiang Qingyue's body shape was like that of a typical male merfolk: long and slender, with fair and delicate skin.Qingqing.Ren Shuhan, accustomed to going barefoot, walked on a smooth stone path. He lifted the branches hanging down, and then he saw Jiang Qingyue sitting on a rock in the middle of the pool, facing away from him.Upon hearing his voice, Jiang Qingyue turned around, revealing a smile. His tail swayed happily in the water.Ren Shuhan had seen this scene countless times, and each time, he felt a stirring in his heart.In his childhood, his eyes would light up, and he would run over joyfully. Now he had learned to suppress his emotions, gently watching the little merfolk. He walked slowly to his side.Jiang Qingyue was still the same as when he was a child. He immediately jumped into the water, appeared on the shore in an instant, propped up his upper body, and looked at Ren Shuhan. His tail swung back and forth in the water, looking like an eager puppy waiting for a treat.Are you done washing? Let's go home for dinner.Ren Shuhan crouched down, took out a towel, and wiped the water off Jiang Qingyue's face. He ruffled his hair and then passed his hands through his armpits, lifting him out of the water.Jiang Qingyue's once short, cute fish tail had turned into a long skirt that trailed on the ground. When he sat in Ren Shuhan's arms, it would curl around Ren Shuhan's waist.Ren Shuhan said, Being cute again.The tail wet his pants, and it seemed to be secretly rubbing against his abdominal muscles, accidentally brushing against a certain placeI didn't, Jiang Qingyue stretched his voice, juggling between acting cute and being assertive. He hugged Ren Shuhan's neck, scratching his back leisurely, and said shamelessly, Let's go back quickly.He didn't like Ren Shuhan wearing clothes. Even though other merfolk would wear a simple leaf, exposing more of their attractive figures, Ren Shuhan not only wore proper shorts but also had an inner layer of small shorts1Underwear basically.He used to pull down Ren Shuhan's pants before, and Ren Shuhan blushed and asked him to stop fooling around. So, he deliberately wet Ren Shuhan's clothes.He was about to grow up completely soon. He wanted Ren Shuhan to eat him in a different waynow he knew that the so-called true love's kiss back then was entirely wrong.He wanted a real kiss, but he didn't know how to let Ren Shuhan know.Dang the award for best parents ever sure wouldn't ever be considered for Ren Shuhan's parents. ;-; ten years and nothingAlso, Qingyue you naughty child!
