Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 92: The Center of the Fish Pond (27)

Date with Me was the hottest celebrity dating variety show in the country, known for testing celebrity couples’ relationships in challenging environments. The director and the script were said to be particularly ruthless.

But the audience loved watching celebrities fall in love and struggle with various problems like ordinary people in front of the cameras. Whether their relationships grew stronger or fell apart, it was all entertaining.

And the second season, having learned from Produce 101‘s dual-stream model of live broadcasts and post-production editing, decided to incorporate live streaming, allowing fans to watch their favorite celebrities in real-time while also being able to collect high-definition clips from the edited episodes later.

It was a win-win situation.

The second season of the show invited three pairs of guests. Since Su Mingxiu had retired from the entertainment industry, she was considered a semi-amateur, perfectly fitting the show’s standard of having a mix of A-list celebrities, popular stars, and ordinary people.

The first pair of guests were a model couple in the industry. They had met while filming a classic drama, White Beach, leaving a deep impression on the audience. They had collaborated several times since then and eventually got married.

Over the years, their careers had flourished, a classic story of a movie king and a movie queen joining forces.

The second pair of guests were a popular actress and a boy group member. The actress’s leading role in a hit fantasy drama that year had become a trending topic, boosting her Weibo followers to over fifty million. She was an undisputed A-list celebrity.

And her boyfriend happened to be in the same group as Yuchi Xiao, the mentor from Produce 101. But the group had disbanded, and they were now pursuing solo careers.

When their relationship was revealed, Weibo crashed. Some fans were angry, others admired their courage for publicly announcing their relationship, offering their blessings and support. This couple was still one of the most talked-about couples in the country.

The last pair was naturally Suhui and Su Mingxiu. The former was the undisputed rising star of the music scene, the most dominant female singer in the past decade.

As for Su Mingxiu…

Her legend was still circulating among talent show fans. It was said that her initial performance on Produce 101 had been uploaded to a video-sharing website as a promotional video for fitness dance;

Viewers who had been her fans said they had never seen such a talented amateur;

And according to insiders from Produce 101, Su Mingxiu could have been a successful angel investor with her business acumen, but she insisted on becoming a chef…

In recent years, major film and television productions had started to pay attention to the niche market of same-sex relationships, incorporating subtle hints and subplots into their stories. Variety shows were also subtly following this trend.

The program team didn’t dare to openly declare that Suhui and Su Mingxiu were a couple. Instead, they took a different approach, saying that variety shows should broaden their horizons, not only showcasing romantic love but also friendship.

So Suhui and Su Mingxiu appeared on the show as “friends,” but this was already a signal in itself.

As soon as the news was released, various online forums were shocked by the second season’s boldness.

[Gossip] The director of a certain dating variety show is truly courageous, testing the limits. They actually invited a same-sex couple for the second season…

1st Floor: Wow? Who? (Already mentally listing celebrities with rumored same-sex relationships)

2nd Floor: Fake, right? Impossible, it must be an act. Whether it’s straight men pretending to be gay or straight women pretending to be lesbians, I’m not interested.

3rd Floor: The guest list hasn’t been released yet, I’ll wait and see.

…

15th Floor: Holy shit! It’s official! You’ll never guess who the same-sex couple is! I vaguely remember this pair causing chaos in our forum before they even debuted. For some reason, seeing their names, I’m not surprised at all. Damn, worthy of being the people who quit the show for love.

16th Floor: Them? For some reason, I already have names in mind. No way, no way, are they really together?

17th Floor: Stop beating around the bush, I’ll say their names for you: S-MX! SH!

Those who called S-MX a player and a scumbag can come out now. Have you ever seen a scumbag give up a promising career for love, and now even participate in this variety show for love? Doesn’t everyone know that dating shows are a test for couples? If you don’t have a solid foundation, you’re just asking for a breakup, see those two celebrities from last season.

18th Floor: I’m getting excited! Women, you two are truly masters of creating drama. Is it friendship or love? Let my discerning eyes judge!

Before the filming even started, the internet was buzzing with excitement over the announced guest list.

Compared to the netizens’ enthusiasm, Suhui, one of the guests, was very unhappy. Staring at the “friendship” theme of the show, she looked at her manager sullenly: “What does this mean?”

Looking down on her love, was it?

The manager sighed at her gaze and rubbed his nose. “I’ve already told you, it’s impossible to come out publicly in this environment. It’s already good enough that we can appear on the show under the guise of friendship. Besides, the viewers aren’t blind, they can see—”

He tried to persuade Suhui to be content with this arrangement, but the mermaid remained sullen, blaming herself for being blinded by excitement at the thought of being on the show with Su Mingxiu, not realizing the implications.

“I’m not going,” she said.

Manager: “…?”

Manager: “My dear, do you know how much we’ll have to pay in penalties if we breach the contract?”

He instinctively looked at Su Mingxiu. He had come to their apartment today specifically to explain the program’s general流程 (process/procedure) to them.

Actually, with Suhui’s income over the past two years, they could easily afford any apartment in the city center.

But Suhui liked this small apartment with Su Mingxiu, so they hadn’t moved.

Receiving the manager’s pleading look, Su Mingxiu smiled and stroked Suhui’s hair. “Go.”

She said, “I want to go.”

Suhui immediately looked at her, narrowing her eyes dangerously like Su Mingxiu usually did, trying to convey her warning.

What did this “friendship” facade mean?

Was Su Mingxiu trying to play the field again?

In the past two years of surfing the internet, she had learned many terms unique to the human world. Now, recalling her time on Produce 101, she could easily categorize Su Mingxiu’s behavior back then.

Su Mingxiu smiled and pinched her nose. “If you really want to come out publicly, we can do it after the show, okay?”

Suhui reluctantly agreed, considering Su Mingxiu’s sweet words a valid promise.

On the day of filming, Su Mingxiu borrowed Suhui’s makeup and styling team and rode with her in the van to the designated location for Date with Me.

The filming location for the first episode was a remote village in the mountains. As they got out of the van, their luggage was confiscated by the program team, and they were ushered onto a bus. Suhui whispered to Su Mingxiu: “Are they planning to sell us?”

They had recently watched a few movies with similar themes, and Suhui was deeply impressed.

Su Mingxiu chuckled and asked if she got carsick. If so, she would peel a tangerine for her.

They were the first to arrive, so the bus hadn’t departed yet. But the cameras were already set up, and there were already viewers in the live stream.

[Suhui is still so beautiful!]

[Beauties should stick together!]

[Ah, Mingxiu, you’re finally back in front of the cameras! Wishing this show a hundred episodes! I understand “friendship,” I’ll ship you with anyone!]

[New fan of Suhui, can someone give me the profile of the beauty beside her?]

Most of the comments believed their relationship was platonic, few were shipping them. Thankfully, they couldn’t see the comments, otherwise Suhui definitely wouldn’t be so calm.

“I don’t get carsick,” Suhui leaned her head on Su Mingxiu’s shoulder. “But I want a tangerine.”

Actually, she didn’t particularly like these fruits, but she enjoyed watching Su Mingxiu do things for her. It made her feel cherished.

Su Mingxiu had peeled half of the tangerine when the second pair of guests arrived. Suhui stared at the tangerine, seeing that Su Mingxiu’s movements were slowing down, and understood her intention. She stood up with Su Mingxiu and greeted the newcomers.

“Hello, Teacher Zhao, Teacher Jacker.”

The etiquette lessons her manager had drilled into her echoed in her ears.

Under the gaze of the actress and the boy group member, Suhui introduced them: “This is Su Mingxiu, Ming as in bright, Xiu as in embroidery. She participated in Produce 101 before, but she’s retired from the entertainment industry now…”

She talked about Su Mingxiu for half a minute, then, when it was her turn, she simply said: “My name is Suhui.”

That was it.

[? The biggest Su Mingxiu fan is actually you?]

[Wow, for a moment, I couldn’t tell which one of you is the celebrity.]

[Am I the only one who noticed that she’s still looking at the tangerine in Su Mingxiu’s hand? How much does Suhui love tangerines? Mama will buy them for you!]

The two senior guests smiled at them in a friendly manner. Few of them watched talent shows, but they were familiar with Suhui’s songs.

Thankfully, Suhui had been briefed about the guests’ works beforehand and could now exchange a few words with them.

As they were talking, the heavyweight guests arrived. Both the movie king and the movie queen happened to be surnamed Su. The “Double Su” couple even brought small gifts, local specialties from their hometown.

Suhui accepted the gifts and reluctantly watched as Su Mingxiu gave them the tangerines she had brought as return gifts. Thankfully, they still had a few left.

So, on their way to the destination, Suhui ate the tangerines peeled by Su Mingxiu. She savored them, only eating two along the way.

As they got off the bus, the director’s team was already waiting. The director spoke through a megaphone: “Welcome, three couples, to the filming location of Date with Me Season 2! You are all couples with great chemistry, even if you’re thrown into the wilderness, you’ll definitely create your own romantic moments—”

Movie King Su smiled and said: “No, we’re not. Old couples don’t need such things, so can we not stay in this kind of place?”

Movie Queen Su chimed in: “Before we came, you told us that this show had romantic date spots, and now you’re asking us to look at this desolate wilderness?”

She pointed at the mountains behind the director. This area was completely uninhabited, the conditions harsh.

The director replied confidently: “As the saying goes, ‘When you’re in love, even water is enough.’ To help you create a romantic camping atmosphere, we’ve prepared three sets of tents.”

The staff showed them the three tents. The first one was luxurious, with a plush bed, snacks, fruits, and even ingredients for a gourmet meal.

The second one was simpler, basic but warm.

As for the third one…

Actress Zhao asked: “Are you planning to have us set up this pile of cloth and metal frames ourselves?”

The director snapped his fingers. “Correct! Next, we’ll have a chemistry test. The couple with the lowest score will have the honor of receiving the unassembled version of the tent. I hope you can improve your chemistry through teamwork! By the way, the last-place couple also has to find their own ingredients for dinner.”

Everyone: “??”

They all looked at Su Mingxiu and Suhui.

After all, these two girls didn’t seem like the type who could handle manual labor like setting up a tent, let alone foraging for food in the wilderness.

This was a stark contrast between a luxury vacation and a survival challenge.

[The director is so ruthless, I love it!]

[Who will have the worst chemistry? I bet on Su Mingxiu and Suhui.]

[Don’t forget Su Mingxiu’s performance on Produce 101, her memory is quite good.]

[It’s so strange, this is the first time I’ve seen such a Schrödinger’s amateur, she’s not even on the show, yet so many people know her.]

As the comments section buzzed with excitement, the director announced the rules of the first round.

Chemistry Test 1: Both partners would be asked questions about their relationship. They would write down their answers simultaneously on whiteboards. Each correct answer earned 1 point. After eight rounds, those with the same score would enter a tiebreaker. The rankings would be based on the final scores.

Su Mingxiu and Suhui were the first pair to be tested. The other two couples looked over, curious about the difficulty of the questions.

“First question—”

“Write down your partner’s favorite drink.”

As the director’s voice fell, both Sus said “Wow, easy” at the same time. The comments section was also filled with “That’s it?”

Su Mingxiu glanced at Suhui and was about to write on the whiteboard when she noticed Suhui’s face gradually turning red under the sunlight.

Suhui was cursing the program team inwardly for their lack of morals.

She hadn’t seen Su Mingxiu drink anything in particular, except for constantly asking for milk during breakfast and dinner during that fake pregnancy period…

Should she write that?!

Su Mingxiu, observing her expression, had a bad feeling. Afraid that Suhui would be too honest, she quickly asked: “Does ‘nothing’ count as an answer?”

Suhui, reminded by her words, was stunned for a moment. She instinctively glanced at Su Mingxiu, then at the director.

[Damn! Am I the only one curious about why Suhui is blushing?]

[Is she hot?]

[Report, the local temperature is 15 degrees Celsius!]

[She’s blushing so obviously! They’re definitely real!]

[Director, stop her! I want to see Suhui’s answer!!]

Chapter 91: The Center of the Fish Pond (26)

While Suhui was spending her time in the recording studio, Produce 101 continued with its increasingly rigorous eliminations.

Since Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s departure, the competition for the top seven spots had become even fiercer, with no clear gap in popularity or skill.

Without Su Mingxiu’s unique talents and Suhui’s impressive singing and dancing, the viewers felt a sense of loss.

Even after several rounds of eliminations, the main live stream’s comments section was still filled with nostalgic messages about them, such as “This show is getting more and more boring without Suhui and Su Mingxiu, I can already guess who will debut…” and “I thought Produce 101 would produce the most talented and exciting debut group in history, but it seems that’s not the case anymore.”

But the two people being mentioned were living their own lives, one happily running a restaurant that closed early every day, the other preparing for her album release with the help of Neptune Entertainment.

Until the eve of the final debut night—

Su Mingxiu received several calls, all specifically inviting her to attend the live show and cheer for them.

“Beep.”

The newly installed electronic lock on the door beeped, and a tall, beautiful figure entered.

The black-haired woman was pouring water at the small bar counter. Hearing the sound, she smiled and said to the person on the other end of the phone: “Okay, I’ll ask Suhui about her schedule, we’ll try our best to be there and cheer for you all.”

Produce 101 couldn’t escape the fate of predetermined debut spots negotiated between the program team and the entertainment companies. The friends who called her were probably guaranteed debut spots, judging from their popularity and their companies’ influence.

So Su Mingxiu’s presence there would simply be to witness their success, to watch them walk the flower road (path to success).

The person who had just returned asked as soon as Su Mingxiu hung up: “Whose call was that?”

It was Suhui who had been avoiding Su Mingxiu, hiding in the recording studio and coming home late every night. Now, sensing something amiss, she was the first to question Su Mingxiu.

Su Mingxiu put down her phone and, slightly surprised by Suhui’s perceptiveness, didn’t hide anything: “Pao Tong.”

“No time, not going.” Suhui had already found the voice on the phone familiar. Now, hearing the name of her former rival, regardless of what Su Mingxiu had said to Pao Tong, she refused without hesitation.

Seeing her bristling, her fins almost fully extended, Su Mingxiu chuckled and added: “It’s the Produce 101 debut night. Not just her, Annie, Wang Zhi, and other friends I’ve worked with also called and invited us to watch.”

“Not going,” Suhui repeated, even adding boldly: “You’re not allowed to go either.”

After spending time with her manager and participating in various activities, Suhui finally realized that the other contestants were considered top-tier beauties in human society. Letting Su Mingxiu return to that environment… although she didn’t think Su Mingxiu was likely to stray, it was still like sending a lamb into a den of wolves.

After a pause, she said: “My new album is also being released in a few days, are you going to the Produce 101 debut night? Or will you be with me to witness my album sales?”

“Uh…” Here comes the familiar multiple-choice question.

Su Mingxiu had experienced Suhui’s manipulative tactics during this time. Although she knew she could convince Suhui to go to the debut night with her,

She couldn’t withstand this fish’s jealousy. For the sake of her future happiness, she answered without hesitation: “Of course I’ll be with you.”

Suhui lifted her chin, seemingly accepting her answer with difficulty. A faint smile appeared on her face as she tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing the candy earrings. Then, she asked: “What’s for dinner tonight?”

Su Mingxiu knew that Suhui had been busy with her company’s promotional activities recently, trying to solidify her fanbase before the album release. Her schedule was irregular, and her diet was also quite unhealthy. Worried about her stomach, Su Mingxiu had prepared a relatively plain seafood porridge.

Actually, it wasn’t that plain. The porridge was simmered in a clay pot with a variety of ingredients, its aroma filling the entire apartment. Suhui had smelled it long ago, but she still wanted to hear Su Mingxiu say it.

But the woman asked her instead: “Am I having dinner tonight?”

Suhui didn’t understand at first, looking at Su Mingxiu in confusion, wondering if she was tired of eating seafood and wanted something else.

… Wait, something else?

She looked at Su Mingxiu intently. Sensing the different meaning in her eyes, she instinctively took half a step back and asked, pretending not to understand: “What do you want to eat?”

“What do you think?”

“Uh…” Suhui: I’m not telling!

She suddenly clutched her waist, pretending to be exhausted, groaning softly. “I think I twisted my waist when I got out of the car earlier, it hurts.”

Su Mingxiu put down her empty glass and walked towards her slowly, her hand reaching for Suhui’s lower back, her voice filled with amusement. “Should I massage it for you?”

Suhui swatted her hand away instantly. “No!”

“A back injury isn’t a small matter, let me take a look…” The rest of Su Mingxiu’s words were whispered into Suhui’s ear.

The poor fish, who had been hiding in the recording studio for days, could escape for a while, but not forever. That night, amidst the aroma of seafood porridge, she was pinned down on the living room sofa by the human—

Having been starved for so long, Su Mingxiu didn’t hold back. By the time she was searching for pearls in the sofa cushions, Suhui was leaning against a pillow, biting Su Mingxiu’s wrist in frustration.

Su Mingxiu gasped softly, seeing the resentment in Suhui’s blue eyes. She pinched Suhui’s chin and asked: “Who was it that’s been avoiding me and brought this upon herself, hmm?”

Suhui ground her teeth against Su Mingxiu’s wrist, refusing to let go, still reeling from the intense experience.

There were still traces of tears at the corners of her eyes. Now, hearing Su Mingxiu’s words, whether from grievance or anger, another tear rolled down her cheek.

“Don’t cry,” the black-haired woman said helplessly, catching the tear. “The box I prepared for you is almost full.”

These mermaid pearls had water-repelling properties and couldn’t be casually sold on the market. They had to be collected. But the large box Su Mingxiu had prepared for this purpose was almost full.

She didn’t know if merfolk had a higher water content than humans, but she felt that this fish of hers cried even more than most girls.

Just a gentle pinch, a bite, a suck, and mermaid pearls would be everywhere, as delicate as a flower.

Suhui’s sharp teeth accidentally pierced Su Mingxiu’s skin, a drop of blood welling up.

Tasting the blood, she was startled, afraid of angering Su Mingxiu further. She quickly licked the wound apologetically, her touch light and ticklish.

Su Mingxiu narrowed her eyes, suddenly realizing that she… hadn’t actually eaten her fill earlier.

When she was finally released, Suhui was already in the bathtub. She weakly flicked her tail, unable to remember how many times she had been forced to revert to her true form.

The mermaid touched her hungry belly and complained to the person leaning over her: “I’m hungry, did the porridge burn?”

“No,” Su Mingxiu, her hand wet, pinched Suhui’s nose. “I turned off the heat when I carried you here after you fainted.”

Hearing the word “fainted,” Suhui’s expression changed rapidly. Then, she raised her trembling hand and grabbed the woman’s slender yet powerful wrist: “Can we… not continue?”

“Then promise me you won’t avoid me for so long next time, and I’ll be gentler, how about it?”

Suhui: … Not good.

But she only dared to be angry inwardly, not showing it on her face. After all, she was at Su Mingxiu’s mercy. So, with tears in her eyes, she nodded—

She even regretted refusing to go to the Produce 101 live show with Su Mingxiu earlier. Perhaps if Su Mingxiu was busier, she wouldn’t be so fixated on her.

Suhui touched the bite marks on her body ruefully.

On the day of the album release, the sales were lukewarm.

But with Suhui’s popularity, she wasn’t a nobody, nor was she like those current trending stars whose fans would inflate their sales. So, making a profit had already achieved Neptune Entertainment’s goal.

But in the following days, Suhui’s album sales skyrocketed, climbing the music charts.

Many comments about her album appeared on a music streaming platform:

“Her song Ocean is so healing! I’m actually afraid of the deep sea… but listening to this song, it’s like seeing the ocean on a sunny day. When I’m feeling down, I listen to it, and it makes me feel like the world is so vast, and the problems I’m facing are insignificant.”

“Hahaha, her song Predator is a bit mischievous, similar to the one she performed on the Produce 101 stage. But compared to the simple humming, the cunning and playful lyrics are very touching, it feels like an insert song from a 3D movie!”

“Ahhh, after so many years of decline, is our music scene finally getting a new, soulful superstar?”

…

At the same time, many professional music critics also praised her voice and composition.

Even some psychologists, based on the sound wave frequencies in her songs, stated that a few of the more soothing tracks could indeed have a calming effect.

The title of Suhui’s first album was quite bold, simply Mermaid. The cheerful, mischievous, and melancholic songs within were all about the life of a mermaid.

Unfortunately, humanity’s exploration of the ocean wasn’t advanced enough to discover the existence of this race.

Anyway…

Suhui’s album Mermaid topped the domestic quarterly music charts three months later, and the instrumental version also gained popularity abroad, quickly conquering major music websites.

At the same time, Produce 101 also debuted a new girl group, with Annie as the center. The group’s name was Seventh Degree. But with all the discussion surrounding Suhui, the group’s popularity peaked only on their debut night.

Later, many viewers who had followed Produce 101 sighed, saying that if Suhui had stayed, she would have probably debuted as the center, and Seventh Degree could have become a top girl group.

But by then, Suhui had already become a pillar of the music scene. Her fans refuted these comments, saying that it was because of her exceptional talent and skills, she would have succeeded in the entertainment industry no matter what. Becoming a singer was a more down-to-earth approach, while popularity was just fleeting.

Now…

Thanks to the fame from her first album, Suhui gained widespread recognition and secured many good endorsements.

Under Neptune Entertainment’s careful planning, she steadily released a high-quality album every six months, becoming a renowned singer by the second year after Seventh Degree’s disbandment.

One day, a rare guest visited Su Mingxiu’s reopened restaurant. The person was wearing a mask, a hat, and sunglasses, concealing their identity, but their figure, clothing, and aura were far from ordinary.

Su Mingxiu had renovated the restaurant, turning it into a private kitchen with an elegant, antique ambiance, accepting only a limited number of reservations each day.

Today, she saw three reservations, but only one guest was seated at one of the tables. Emerging from the kitchen, she originally intended to explain the menu to the guest, but she recognized the person upon looking up.

Su Mingxiu, wearing a white chef’s hat, her eyes smiling above her mask, approached and asked gently: “What would you like to eat?”

The person sitting at the table looked up at her. Compared to the gentle gaze from their previous encounters, her eyes now seemed to hold the weight of years, a time that Su Mingxiu knew nothing about.

She spoke, her voice as gentle as ever: “Anything is fine, I’ll have whatever’s on the menu.”

“The menu?”

Su Mingxiu shook her head, glancing at the empty tables beside them, guessing that this person must have booked them all in advance, and there wouldn’t be any other customers today. She suggested: “There are a few dishes on the menu that might not suit your taste, how about I adjust them based on your preferences?”

“Okay,” the person replied.

Before returning to the kitchen, Su Mingxiu glanced up and saw that the number above this person’s head was still 99, as it had been years ago, seemingly unchanged.

When a bowl of noodles with eel sauce was served, Su Mingxiu watched as the woman took a bite, then stopped.

She asked: “Is it not good?”

“No,” the guest said. “It’s too good.”

It reminded her of her time with Su Mingxiu on Produce 101, when Su Mingxiu’s charm had attracted a crowd around her.

And every day, they looked forward to the days after practice, wondering what kind of culinary surprises awaited them.

Always something they liked.

Later, she didn’t just like the dishes, she also liked the person who made them.

Unfortunately…

This person wouldn’t witness her journey, her glory, her current downfall. Su Mingxiu had already left, chosen her path, but… it wasn’t with her.

Pao Tong slowly lowered her head and finished the noodles. Later, Su Mingxiu served two more dishes, which she also ate cleanly.

Actually, she had recently developed anorexia, her body almost breaking down from her company’s demanding schedule. Her hair color, once a vibrant pink and white, was now a dull brown.

Pao Tong hadn’t expected to finish all the food, but she did, and she didn’t even feel any discomfort.

As she left, she looked at Su Mingxiu and asked: “Can I… come again?”

Su Mingxiu smiled and replied: “Of course, this restaurant is open to all diners.”

Not as former colleagues, not as former friends, their relationship was now only that of a chef and a diner.

Pao Tong understood her words. As she stepped out, she looked up at the sky and found that it was autumn again, the same season as when Su Mingxiu had quit the show.

She took two steps, crushing fallen leaves under her feet, the crunching sound echoing in the air. She smiled to herself.

Su Mingxiu vaguely saw the number above Pao Tong’s head, it seemed to have gained a digit.

After Pao Tong, Annie and Wang Zhi also visited Su Mingxiu’s restaurant. Compared to Pao Tong’s silence, they talked a lot about what had happened afterwards.

Things they couldn’t share with outsiders seemed to have no taboo here with Su Mingxiu. They felt an unprecedented sense of ease and came even more frequently.

Su Mingxiu didn’t hide these visits from Suhui. She told Suhui everything, trying to prevent the fish from overthinking.

But Suhui was still a bit jealous.

Her melancholy was noticed by her manager, who happened to ask her which variety show she wanted to appear on. Suhui asked: “Which variety show can let everyone know that Su Mingxiu is mine, and those who don’t know better should stay away from her—is there such a show?”

The manager was silent for two seconds. “You want to come out?”

Suhui hadn’t expected the human world to be so complicated about same-sex relationships. After listening to her manager’s explanation, she nodded resolutely: “Yes, I want to come out.”

The manager immediately consulted CEO Li. Finding that she was the only one shocked by this, she couldn’t help but recommend a dating variety show to Suhui:

“I originally wanted you to create a fake CP with a popular celebrity, after all, this show is very popular recently…”

“But since you want to be on the show with Su Mingxiu, that’s fine too. She’s an amateur, and her looks are quite good…”

The manager rambled on, trying to analyze the pros and cons of this dating variety show. In short, the advantage was that they could officially announce their relationship, the disadvantage was that dating shows were a magnifying glass for relationships, so it was best to be cautious.

Suhui didn’t listen to the rest. She simply took a picture of the show’s title, Date with Me, and sent it to Su Mingxiu. Her first words were bold and assertive: “You’re going on this show with me!”

After a pause, thinking about the lurking rivals, she added pretentiously: “Okay?”

Chapter 90: The Center of the Fish Pond (25)

Because she had slept late last night, Su Mingxiu didn’t sleep well. When she woke up, she found that the warm bed was empty, the fish gone.

She rubbed her eyes and instinctively got up to make breakfast. To take care of Suhui, their meals and sleep schedule had become very regular.

But as soon as her feet touched the slippers, the sound of the bathroom door opening made her turn her head instinctively. Then, she froze—

Suhui’s long, silver-blue hair fell messily around her shoulders. Her delicate neck, collarbones, and the shadows beneath them were clearly visible, all enveloped in a white silk shirt that seemed to glow.

The buttons of the shirt were undone, hanging open, revealing the line from the hollow of her throat down to her navel.

As for what was below…

Su Mingxiu couldn’t tell if it was the shirt or Suhui’s long legs that were more dazzling. The shirt barely reached her hips, leaving everything else uncovered.

Suhui’s fingers clutched the sleeves of the shirt, her gaze cautiously studying Su Mingxiu’s face, trying to gauge her mood. But the person on the bed was backlit, their expression unreadable.

So she hesitantly took half a step forward.

The person on the bed didn’t move.

Suhui took another half step.

Still no reaction.

Suhui didn’t know if her test had been successful. Thinking of the surprised, astonished, and incredulous reactions of those in the videos, compared to Su Mingxiu’s indifference,

She slumped her shoulders slightly, her fingers releasing their grip on the fabric, leaving behind faint wrinkles.

Suhui was the first to speak. “You… don’t like me wearing this?”

She had originally wanted to ask, “Do you think I don’t look good?” But she dismissed the thought. Suhui was the most beautiful mermaid in her clan, and merfolk were far more beautiful than humans. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was the most beautiful creature in the world, so Su Mingxiu couldn’t possibly find her unattractive.

Since it wasn’t about beauty, it must be about preference.

Suhui, remembering another test, raised her right hand to her collar, as if to remove the only remaining piece of clothing.

Su Mingxiu finally spoke: “You dressed like this early in the morning… just to ask if I like it?”

The silver-haired mermaid nodded and unconsciously leaned closer, one knee resting on the bed, her upper body tilting forward.

With her movement, the already loose silk shirt slipped further open, revealing more of her hidden secrets.

Like a lychee, its shell peeled open, revealing the sweet, white flesh within.

Even a bit of juice seemed to have spilled.

Su Mingxiu slowly raised an eyebrow.

Judging from Suhui’s condition last night, she had thought that the symptoms of her false pregnancy had completely subsided. Only now did she realize…

It seemed like they hadn’t.

Since her body had produced eggs, there must be other preparations for nurturing offspring, such as…

Suhui followed Su Mingxiu’s gaze and looked down. Her expression faltered for a second before she realized what was happening. She quickly covered herself, her movements now hurried and flustered, unlike her earlier slow and seductive approach.

But the thin silk shirt was quickly soaked through. Su Mingxiu, snapping out of her initial shock at seeing Suhui wearing only her shirt, pointed at the spreading wet spot: “You look good in this.”

After a pause, she added: “But I think you look even better without it.”

Suhui instinctively sensed danger in her tone. She thought that since she had heard “like,” her seduction must have been successful. In that case, she didn’t need to apologize anymore, right?

The mermaid, harboring such naive thoughts, tried to back away and escape from the dangerous territory of the bed. But the woman’s movements were faster. Su Mingxiu grabbed her collar, even ripping off a button.

Suhui lost her balance and fell into Su Mingxiu’s arms. The hair by her ear was brushed aside, and she felt Su Mingxiu’s hot breath against her skin, then the soft clink of her candy earring against Su Mingxiu’s teeth:

“Appearing before me like this, you should know what’s going to happen next, right?”

“Uh…!” The videos didn’t mention this!

Suhui didn’t even bother covering herself anymore, only trying to escape from Su Mingxiu’s embrace with all her limbs.

Unfortunately, she was like prey caught in a spiderweb, struggling futilely, with no chance of escape.

As Su Mingxiu pinned her down, she tried to push the woman’s shoulder away. “No! We can’t! The books say you can’t… right after laying eggs…”

Su Mingxiu silenced her protests with a kiss.

The mermaid had delivered herself to the predator’s bed. Unable to escape, remembering how Su Mingxiu had always been indulgent and accommodating whenever she acted coquettishly or put on a pitiful expression, she tried a softer approach: “Su… Susu, be gentle with me…”

Before she could finish speaking, her teeth clashed together, making her shiver. She felt Su Mingxiu’s teeth sinking into the skin of her neck, a sharp pain.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Hearing Su Mingxiu’s chuckle by her ear, “Isn’t this being gentle with you?” her eyelashes trembled, and a teardrop formed.

“Don’t cry.”

A hoarse voice, burning with passion, reached her ears.

Su Mingxiu now only wanted to devour this delicacy, she had no time to collect those precious pearls one by one.

Moreover, with Suhui’s watery constitution, if she started crying now, the bed would be covered in those glistening pearls before they were even halfway done.

The mermaid’s skin was incredibly delicate during this time, easily marked. If those pearls got in the way, she would definitely start complaining and acting coquettishly again.

Suhui’s eyelashes trembled at her stern tone. The tear that had been clinging to her eye finally fell onto the bed.

The first pearl.

Su Mingxiu’s voice took on a strange amusement. “So disobedient?”

“Then I’ll let you cry your heart out later.”

The sunlight streaming into the room intensified, the pale golden beams turning into dazzling spots of light.

“Tap… drip, drip, drip…”

A glistening pearl fell to the floor, bounced, then rolled away.

A slender hand reached down from the edge of the bed, its fingers outstretched, desperately trying to grasp something on the floor, as if trying to escape. But after struggling for a while, it only grasped air, the fingertips turning red.

The beautiful sounds that had filled the bedroom, after echoing for who knew how long, were now reduced to short, broken moans, no longer forming coherent words.

Perhaps because the mermaid’s skin was too delicate, the ruthless human seemed to want to devour her whole. Terrifying bite marks covered her body, row after row. Suhui lay on the bed, covered in sweat, her eyes unfocused, protesting weakly: “Don’t…”

Don’t bite anymore.

Wuwuwu.

Su Mingxiu didn’t listen. She had been “vegetarian” for too long, and even the most elegant table manners couldn’t conceal her ravenous hunger… Moreover, the mermaid, in her false pregnancy state, was too sweet and too tempting.

Perhaps because she was too rough, the bed was covered in moisture, making it hard to tell what was sweat and what wasn’t.

Suhui, pushed to her limit, transformed her tail, but a dehydrated fish on land was defenseless. Her tail could only thrash uselessly.

“Change back.”

Su Mingxiu changed her breakfast plans, deciding to have some nutritious milk to replenish her energy. Now, her teeth gently grazing Suhui’s skin, she commanded.

The mermaid either didn’t hear or simply didn’t want to listen.

Su Mingxiu narrowed her eyes. So you won’t change back?

Fine.

She didn’t mind either way.

The sounds in the bedroom continued from day to night.

By the end, Suhui couldn’t even cry anymore. She couldn’t even lie still on the bed, the sheets wrinkled and filled with pearls that rubbed against her skin, leaving red marks.

So Su Mingxiu pulled her into her arms, her tongue tracing the redness around Suhui’s eyes, finding that the mermaid had no more tears to shed.

The white silk shirt hung loosely on Suhui’s right arm, like a wilted vegetable leaf, but it couldn’t conceal anything. Su Mingxiu glanced down, then got up and carried Suhui out of the room.

After sitting Suhui down at the dining table, a glass of water was placed against her lips. She instinctively took a sip, then heard the unhurried reminder from behind: “Drink more, replenish your fluids.”

“So I have something to drink too.”

Suhui’s teeth chattered against the glass.

She stumbled out of Su Mingxiu’s arms, wanting to run, but she forgot that her tail hadn’t transformed back yet. She could only crawl forward on the carpet with her arms.

Vaguely, she heard the person behind her pull out a chair and sigh with relief: “It’s a good thing I put down carpets recently.”

“Uh…” Suhui felt like she was going to die in this room.

Pearls were scattered all over the apartment.

Some rolled into the crevices of the sofa, some fell into the wardrobe, some were in the bathtub, between the pillows…

After this feast, Su Mingxiu started cleaning, collecting the pearls the fish had dropped.

As she was tidying up the bedroom, she heard a soft grunt from the bed. She half-squatted beside the bed and looked up: “Still feeling unwell?”

Suhui ignored her.

Because of this human, she couldn’t even wear clothes now, the chafing on her chest too painful, and she couldn’t even get out of bed.

Hateful human!

All liars!

Thinking of this, she angrily opened those “Nude Challenge” and “Shirt Challenge” videos and downvoted them all.

Still not satisfied, she quickly contacted her manager at Neptune Entertainment and scheduled a recording session for her album in three days! She didn’t want to see this hateful woman again anytime soon!

She looked so beautiful and kind, but in bed, she was a ruthless devil! She needed a new partner!

The more Suhui thought about it, the angrier she became. She accidentally stuck her leg out from under the covers and saw the red coral anklet Su Mingxiu had given her, now wrapped around her ankle like a fiery tattoo.

Remembering how this woman had used the coral as a rope to tie her leg to the bedpost that night to prevent her from transforming back into her mermaid form, Suhui kicked the blanket irritably.

Then, she met Su Mingxiu’s amused gaze and slowly retracted her leg.

Chapter 89: The Center of the Fish Pond (24)

Suhui was terrified.

She was afraid that once the truth about her fake pregnancy was exposed, Su Mingxiu would not only withdraw all her affection but also pin her down in the bedroom and reenact the terrifying events in the coral maze.

So, when it was time for bed, Suhui lingered, hesitant to enter the room. The beautiful, translucent fins behind her ears fanned out like a cat on the verge of exploding.

But Su Mingxiu only looked at her with a knowing smile, sitting on the edge of the bed as she said: “What, are you looking forward to me settling the score with you now?”

“Uh…!” Suhui immediately hurried into the room and was about to fall onto the bed without even pulling back the covers. Su Mingxiu sighed inwardly, went over, and tucked the fish into bed properly.

But as soon as the lights were turned off, the fish started fidgeting again.

Perhaps because she had been scared by Su Mingxiu earlier in the living room, Suhui couldn’t fall asleep. Thinking about the impending doom hanging over her head, she tossed and turned, feeling a pain in her stomach.

Su Mingxiu, lying beside her, felt her movements. She initially thought Suhui was up to something, but when she reached out and felt a cold sweat, she opened her eyes instinctively: “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“Stomach ache.”

Suhui rarely sounded so weak. After speaking, remembering how many times she had woken Su Mingxiu up in the middle of the night pretending to be sick, she added in an even weaker voice: “It’s real this time.”

Su Mingxiu chuckled, not holding Suhui’s past antics against her. She gently caressed Suhui’s nose with her finger. “Should I turn on the light?”

“Yes.”

Suhui nodded, and a warm orange light filled the room.

Seeing her covered in sweat, Su Mingxiu became worried. She wiped Suhui’s forehead and neck. “What’s going on?”

If it weren’t for Suhui’s special identity, she would have taken her to the hospital immediately.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t, and could only watch helplessly as her beloved suffered.

Suhui, based on her body’s reaction, had figured out the answer. She wasn’t feeling as much pain now. Holding Su Mingxiu’s wrist, her voice returning to its usual calmness, only the depths of her blue eyes seemed empty: “It seems like… it’s time.”

“Huh??” Su Mingxiu was stunned for a moment, but she quickly calmed down. “What do we need to prepare?”

“I want to go to the bathroom.”

“Okay.”

The day arrived earlier than expected. Su Mingxiu didn’t know if these eggs were considered premature.

Lost in thought, she carried Suhui to the bathroom, her steps steady. Earlier, to prevent Suhui from slipping, she had covered the floor with non-slip mats.

She placed Suhui in the bathtub, and warm water slowly filled it.

As the clear water touched Suhui’s smooth legs, a silver-blue glow appeared. As the water level rose, her long, slender legs transformed into the silver-blue tail Su Mingxiu had seen in the sea.

Her translucent, silver-blue scales shimmered like moonlight.

All the characteristics of a mermaid were revealed, only the small, metal candy earrings on her earlobes seemed out of place, a taboo, a mark left by a human.

Su Mingxiu half-squatted before the bathtub, unsure whether she should stay or leave.

Suhui felt the eggs in her abdomen moving downwards, but instead of relief, she felt a sharp pain, making her bite her lower lip with her sharp teeth.

Seeing her action, Su Mingxiu instinctively reached out to stop her, but the mermaid grabbed her wrist. “You… leave.”

She instinctively didn’t want Su Mingxiu to see her in this state.

As the kings of the sea, merfolk were a proud race. Perhaps instinctively, she felt that she wasn’t as beautiful during childbirth, so she wanted to avoid showing this side of herself to her beloved.

The fabric of Su Mingxiu’s pants, where her knees rested on the floor, was soaked from the overflowing water. But she didn’t care, her gaze fixed on the furrow in Suhui’s brow. She said gently: “Don’t bite yourself.”

“Bite me.”

Su Mingxiu had originally thought that this fish, so skilled at lying, wouldn’t need her help with laying eggs. But now, just a few hours later, she saw this foolish fish lying helplessly in the bathtub.

Before even laying the eggs, she had already injured herself.

Suhui’s grip on her wrist tightened, her gaze fixed on the bathroom ceiling. Her usually pale face was now flushed, and Su Mingxiu didn’t know what was going on.

Seeing her motionless, only biting her lip harder, Su Mingxiu had no choice but to pry her lips open with her finger, intending to make her let go. But Suhui, searching her inherited memories for guidance, bit down on whatever was near her lips.

Until the familiar taste of blood filled her mouth—

Suhui came back to her senses, realizing that she was biting Su Mingxiu’s fingertip. A slight pang of guilt surged through her. After a moment, under Su Mingxiu’s worried gaze, she released her grip and whispered: “I… I can’t do it.”

“What?”

Su Mingxiu rarely felt so helpless. “Then what should we do? Can I help you?”

She had only been worried about Suhui, afraid that something bad would happen to this foolish fish. But as soon as she finished speaking, she saw the blush on Suhui’s delicate face spread down her neck.

Even though her clothes were soaked, it was easy to imagine that the blush had spread throughout her entire body.

The mermaid didn’t speak, but her grip on Su Mingxiu’s wrist tightened, even causing pain. Suhui’s nails had unconsciously dug into her skin.

Then, as Su Mingxiu was about to ask again, Suhui silently pulled her wrist into the clear water, her hand reaching down towards her tail—

Water splashed from the bathtub.

Suhui’s tail thrashed involuntarily. Her eyes were red-rimmed, tears welling up in her usually beautiful blue eyes. Even though she tried to raise her head, clinging to the edge of the tub, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

And each teardrop, upon landing in the water, transformed into a white, teardrop-shaped pearl.

Su Mingxiu, seeing her tail curled up, her knuckles white from gripping the edge of the tub, her silent tears, swallowed hard, trying to bring her thoughts back to the task at hand.

The reason Suhui was having difficulty laying eggs was because… that area was too narrow and needed to be… widened.

She told herself that this was for Suhui’s safety, so she ignored the soft, yielding touch against her fingers and closed her eyes.

But the fish, perhaps having reached her limit, let out soft, broken moans.

Like a fragmented song.

Even these faint sounds were incredibly alluring.

Su Mingxiu’s brow twitched. She leaned in and bit the skin on Suhui’s nape, whispering a calm command in the faint fragrance, her voice slightly hoarse:

“Don’t cry.”

Suhui, already struggling to endure the pain, felt a surge of grievance as Su Mingxiu bit her neck like prey. She raised her head even higher.

… Why couldn’t she cry?

“Plop.”

A teardrop, clinging to the corner of her eye, fell onto the tiled floor outside the bathtub.

Suhui’s whimpers intensified. As a result, she felt the woman’s “help” become more forceful, making her back arch.

After a while…

A white egg, smaller than her palm, fell to the bottom of the bathtub.

But perhaps because of the water, the hard shell of the white egg gradually softened after half a minute in the fresh water, then melted, flowing down the drain.

The clear water in the bathtub gradually turned cloudy.

Half an hour later—

Suhui lay limply in the bathtub, feeling like she had lost all her dignity in the process of being helped by Su Mingxiu.

Wuwuwu, she should have transformed into a male the moment she saw Su Mingxiu. Then she wouldn’t have been bullied by this woman, wouldn’t have faked a pregnancy, wouldn’t have needed help laying eggs…

Su Mingxiu had gone out to get her a glass of water. Now, seeing her motionless in the bathtub, thinking she was upset about the egg, she said instinctively: “It’s my fault, I didn’t know mermaid eggs couldn’t be preserved in fresh water. I’ll be careful next time.”

“Next time?”

She still wanted a next time?!

Suhui glared at her, but with the redness still lingering in her eyes, her glare looked more like a coquettish complaint.

She was still holding a grudge against Su Mingxiu for not letting her cry.

“There won’t be a next time,” Suhui replied with a stuffy nose. “The false pregnancy was because my body wasn’t used to it, it thought I was pregnant.”

After a few more times, her body would get used to it and wouldn’t react this way again.

Hearing this, Su Mingxiu also relaxed. After all, even though it was just an ordinary egg, Suhui had still suffered. So she brought the warm glass of water to Suhui’s lips, supporting her neck as she tried to feed her.

Suhui only took a small sip, then, putting aside the matter of the dissolved egg, she extended her hands towards Su Mingxiu. “I’m too weak, carry me back.”

Su Mingxiu could only put the glass aside, grab a towel, and bend down to carry the dripping wet fish back to the bedroom.

Suhui’s tail naturally transformed back into legs as she was lifted out of the water. Back on the bed, she rolled around in the towel a few times, then lay there lazily, complaining to Su Mingxiu: “You bit me too hard earlier.”

“You have to massage it for me.”

But the fish had completely forgotten that she had taken off all her clothes in the bathtub. Now, after rolling around, her naked back was completely exposed, her smooth legs, the curve of her waist and hips, her delicate spine and shoulder blades, and the faint bite marks on her nape, all visible beneath her scattered silver hair.

Su Mingxiu stood at the foot of the bed, her dark eyes deepening.

Suhui, not seeing her move, turned her head and looked at her in confusion. But meeting Su Mingxiu’s gaze, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine and instinctively pulled the nearby blanket over herself.

“I… I just laid an egg, I’m very weak, you can’t bully me…”

Su Mingxiu, hearing her confident command, didn’t sense any weakness from this fish. She guessed that Suhui was using her knowledge of human pregnancies to deceive her again.

But she didn’t expose her. Just in case, she decided to let the fish play her game for a few more days.

Under Suhui’s wary gaze, she slowly approached the bed, sat down, and reached out to touch Suhui’s nape. Just as the mermaid on the bed was about to stop her, she asked in a cool tone: “Didn’t you want me to massage it for you?”

As she spoke, she increased the pressure of her fingertips, making Suhui moan softly.

At first, Suhui was apprehensive, afraid that Su Mingxiu wouldn’t keep her word and would take advantage of her in this vulnerable state.

But after preparing herself mentally, Su Mingxiu’s massage made her gradually relax, her eyelids growing heavy.

When Su Mingxiu finally stopped, the fish, oblivious to the cold, turned over, her soft belly exposed, and sleepily pulled Su Mingxiu’s hand towards her stomach, her voice unconsciously becoming more coquettish: “Here too…”

Even though she was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open, she didn’t forget to give orders.

Su Mingxiu almost laughed in exasperation, but she couldn’t refuse. She placed her warm palm on Suhui’s belly and gently massaged it.

After an unknown amount of time, Suhui asked her for a hug, making Su Mingxiu stay and sleep with her.

Sunlight streamed into the room.

When Suhui opened her eyes, she instinctively touched her belly, but her hand met another. She turned her head and saw the peaceful sleeping face beside her, only then did she remember what she had done last night.

Remembering Su Mingxiu’s warning, while Su Mingxiu was still asleep, she secretly took her phone from the nightstand.

During her time recuperating at home, Suhui had learned how to use the internet. She spent her days watching her former rivals from Produce 101 suffer on stage and browsing various social media platforms.

She secretly posted on a forum, asking how to coax someone after lying to them.

She quickly received replies.

Apologies, gifts, confessing the truth, and so on. Suhui replied: “I’ve already apologized, told her the truth, and even given her a gift.”

The commenters fell silent.

They clearly thought she was doomed.

Only one reply offered a new suggestion:

“If all else fails, try seduction. It’s a last resort.”

Suhui: “?”

She started searching for the meaning of “seduction,” diligently learning online. She found two popular videos titled “Nude Challenge” and “Wearing Your Partner’s Shirt Challenge”—

Eh?

Could this really appease Su Mingxiu?

As long as Su Mingxiu saw her naked, or wearing her clothes, she wouldn’t be angry anymore?

Suhui instinctively felt that something was wrong. She didn’t know that these challenge videos usually ended with… intimate content. But trusting in human nature, she decided to give it a try.

After all, she was so beautiful, perhaps as long as she put on a good show, Su Mingxiu would forgive her lie?

Chapter 88: The Center of the Fish Pond (23)

“No!”

Suhui instinctively placed her hand on her flat stomach, her refusal even more forceful than before, making the already suspicious CEO Li smile even wider.

Su Mingxiu, however, was a bit confused. Although her intuition told her that Suhui’s reaction was strange, she had no experience with pregnant women, so she simply attributed it to mood swings.

So she asked patiently, “Why?”

“Wait… wait until it’s born, then it won’t be too late to tell her.” Suhui unilaterally set a deadline. After all, no matter how hard she tried now,

Once the egg was laid, Su Mingxiu would realize that it wouldn’t hatch into a merbaby, and then, naturally, she wouldn’t mention telling her mother.

Seeing her insistence, Su Mingxiu didn’t press the issue and agreed good-naturedly: “Okay, we’ll talk about it then.”

CEO Li, who had already guessed the truth, looked back and forth between them but didn’t expose Suhui’s clumsy lie.

He asked if they wanted to have lunch with him, which was naturally refused by Suhui. He didn’t insist and simply asked his secretary to see them out.

As they left the building, the sun outside was dazzling. Autumn in this coastal city wasn’t very cold, but rather quite warm. Considering Suhui’s physiology, Su Mingxiu bought an umbrella from a nearby convenience store and held it over Suhui’s head as they walked.

Suhui, shielded from the sunlight, curiously extended her hand, letting the warm golden light bathe her fingertips, then quickly withdrew it.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t been outdoors during the filming of Produce 101. But she had never used sunscreen, relying on her natural resilience. The program team’s staff was limited and couldn’t attend to every detail. Compared to the other members’ diligent sunscreen application, she had always basked in the sunlight directly.

Suhui always thought humans were fragile, even afraid of the sun.

Thinking of this, she extended her arm again and said to Su Mingxiu: “I won’t get sunburned, you don’t have to shield me.”

“I know you won’t get sunburned—”

They walked along the sidewalk, Su Mingxiu keeping Suhui on the inner side. She held the umbrella in one hand and used her phone to call a taxi with the other. Hearing Suhui’s words, she replied calmly: “I’m just afraid the sunlight is too strong and you might feel uncomfortable. If you don’t like it, we can put the umbrella away.”

Their beauty was so striking that passersby couldn’t help but stare. As more and more people noticed them, two students stopped, approached them cautiously with their phones, and asked: “Are you Suhui and Su Mingxiu? Are you really not participating in Produce 101 anymore? Why?”

Suhui was about to answer when Su Mingxiu put away her phone and replied without blinking: “Do we look like them?”

As the students nodded, Su Mingxiu suddenly turned to Suhui’s hair. “But we’re just cosplaying. Isn’t Suhui’s hair silver? Look, she’s even wearing the wrong wig today.”

The students were stunned by her words. One of them asked: “Then… is your tear mole also fake?”

“Yes, I drew it on with eyeliner this morning.”

Su Mingxiu saw a car slowing down and approaching them. She closed the umbrella, pulled Suhui towards the car, and, with a smile, left them with this sentence. She got into the car with Suhui, successfully escaping the attention of the passersby.

Sitting in the cool car, Suhui still hadn’t processed what had just happened.

But after thinking about it, she found Su Mingxiu’s explanation amusing. She blinked and looked at Su Mingxiu. “Did you just lie?”

“Yes,” Su Mingxiu readily admitted.

She glanced at Suhui’s abdomen. There had been quite a few pedestrians on the street, and Produce 101 was very popular recently. If the passersby gathered around, it would be troublesome if something happened in the crowd.

But the fish, who usually insisted on getting to the bottom of everything, was unusually quiet this time. Not only did she not ask about the reason for the lie, but she even seemed a bit pleased, a smile curving her usually cold and aloof face, as if she had gained an advantage.

The fish was thinking—

Su Mingxiu lied too, so she can’t hold this fake pregnancy against her, they’re even now.

Suhui, with her unique fish logic, felt completely at ease. Her blue eyes turned, remembering the unanswered question from earlier. She raised her chin slightly and said slowly: “I like it when you hold the umbrella for me.”

Although she wouldn’t get sunburned, she liked seeing Su Mingxiu fussing over her.

The woman sitting beside her paused, then smiled. “Okay, I’ll hold the umbrella for you every time we go out.”

They didn’t encounter anything else on their way back to the apartment complex. To avoid being recognized in the future, Su Mingxiu even bought a pack of masks downstairs.

She and Suhui walked inside. As the cool air of the hallway washed over them, the coral necklace, hidden beneath Su Mingxiu’s collar, extended its thorns playfully, one by one. By the time they reached their door, it had returned to its usual necklace form.

Suhui, behind her, poked the red coral on Su Mingxiu’s neck. “You found it?”

“Yes,” reminded by her touch, Su Mingxiu touched the necklace and asked: “But it seems a bit… wilted recently. Most of the time, it’s like a piece of paper, either clinging to my skin or curled up in my collar. What’s going on?”

“It’s afraid of the heat,” Suhui said, following Su Mingxiu inside after she opened the door. “Just soak it in seawater for a while, and it’ll be fine.”

Quite easy to take care of.

The woman walking in front bent down and took out their slippers, then naturally half-squatted before Suhui, one knee on the floor, her hand reaching for Suhui’s ankle. Her gentle voice came from below: “It wasn’t very convenient back at the program, I might have done some things that upset you unconsciously, it won’t happen again.”

“But next time you’re unhappy, you can tell me. If you’re unsure about something, you can also ask me directly—just one thing, don’t throw away the things I give you again, okay?”

Suhui replied with an “Oh,” but her ankle, held by Su Mingxiu’s hand, didn’t lift. She only looked down at Su Mingxiu. “What should I do now?”

“Lift your foot, I’ll help you change your shoes.”

The fish, who had been forced to adapt to countless human customs since coming ashore, had never experienced such treatment. She felt a sense of comfort, as if a new world had opened up to her.

After sitting down on the sofa, she saw that Su Mingxiu wasn’t going to her room. Instead, Su Mingxiu opened the door again. She couldn’t help but ask: “Where are you going?”

“To buy groceries, and some fruits. Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Aren’t you taking me with you?”

“The market here is quite far, and it’s a bit dirty and crowded. I’m afraid you might feel uncomfortable. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll buy it for you.”

Suhui leaned back comfortably on the sofa, thought for a moment, and then started listing the dishes she wanted without hesitation.

She was already enjoying the freedom of quitting the show, which meant that no one would steal her food during mealtimes, and Su Mingxiu wouldn’t have to cater to anyone else’s tastes.

This was… amazing!

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Noon.

The sound of a knife rhythmically hitting fish fillets on the kitchen cutting board echoed through the apartment. Suhui sat at the dining table, her head in her hands, watching the busy figure in the kitchen. She thought for a moment, trying to find a way to subtly reveal her lie.

“Su… Su.”

She had wanted to call Su Mingxiu’s name, but it felt like something others had called her, which displeased her.

But “Mingxiu” and “Xiuxiu” had also been used by others. In the end, she simply repeated Su Mingxiu’s surname.

The rhythmic chopping in the kitchen stopped. Suhui looked at Su Mingxiu intently. “You don’t like me calling you that?”

That’s not it.

Su Mingxiu thought, it’s just that when she was called that, some blurry images would flash through her mind, but she couldn’t see them clearly.

After a moment, she suppressed this vague sense of familiarity and smiled at Suhui. “I like it very much. Call me that from now on, no need to change it.”

So Suhui called her again: “Susu.”

“Yes.”

Suhui was like a newborn merbaby, just learning how to make sounds, eagerly trying them out again and again. As long as she received a response from her family or mother, she would be overjoyed.

After finally getting tired of it, she rested her chin on her hand again, watching Su Mingxiu busy in the kitchen, and tried to voice the question that had been on her mind: “Susu, what if… I mean, if the eggs I lay—”

“Hmm?”

“If the eggs I lay… don’t hatch into baby merfolk, will you be angry?”

Perhaps from Su Mingxiu’s meticulous care over the past few days, Suhui had vaguely realized the price of her lie. She had even learned, without being taught, to use hypothetical situations to test Su Mingxiu’s reaction.

“Of course not,” Su Mingxiu looked at her in surprise, thinking that if the eggs didn’t hatch, Suhui would be the saddest one, how could she blame her?

Thinking of this, she added: “Don’t worry, we’ll ask the elders of your clan for advice, we’ll do our best, and they’ll definitely hatch.”

Of course, they wouldn’t hatch.

Suhui blinked, picked up a small plate of cold seaweed salad that had just been prepared, and ate it happily.

Su Mingxiu had repeatedly confirmed with her whether she could eat seafood after hearing her list of dishes, and Suhui had reassured her. So now, it was practically a seafood feast just for her.

“If they don’t…” she continued her probing, her words muffled by the food.

“Then don’t be too sad.”

“Okay, okay.”

Suhui, smelling the aroma of the fish soup simmering in the clay pot, thought that there was really nothing for her to be sad about.

The mermaid was thoroughly spoiled at Su Mingxiu’s place, living a carefree life, never lifting a finger. Her figure, which had always been perfect no matter how much she ate in the sea, remained unchanged after half a month with Su Mingxiu, although her complexion became even more radiant.

Half a month wasn’t a long time for them, but for the Produce 101 program and the viewers, it was a dramatic change.

The program’s official website first announced Suhui and Su Mingxiu’s withdrawal, causing an uproar among fans. They questioned what had happened, if there was some inside story, if the program team had forced them to quit because they didn’t want them to debut.

But then, Suhui’s official social media account was taken over by her manager, who posted two messages. One was a repost of the program’s announcement, expressing her regret for withdrawing from Produce 101.

The other announced a surprise for her fans, creating suspense and paving the way for her upcoming album release.

Su Mingxiu’s Weibo account, however, was managed by herself. Her explanation was simple and straightforward: she didn’t want to be an idol, she just wanted to go home and run her restaurant. She had originally only planned to stay for three episodes, and she had made it this far thanks to her fans’ support. Thank you everyone, please continue to support the other contestants on Produce 101.

Fans asked about her restaurant in the comments, wanting to support her cooking.

But after her explanation, Su Mingxiu disappeared from social media, as if she had vanished into thin air.

Then, various rumors about Produce 101 started circulating on online forums.

[Gossip] Inside information, I heard that S-MX and SH quit because they’re really together…

They wanted to come out publicly, but as everyone knows, idols and trainees can’t have their relationships exposed, so they both withdrew.

[PBC Talent Show] I find that you guys are really good at spreading rumors. Earlier, someone claimed with absolute certainty that one contestant played with another contestant’s feelings, even driving them to attempt suicide, and now, everyone’s saying they quit for love. Are you just making things up?

[Tree Hole (anonymous confessions)] I really do have inside information, a pair of trainees is really together! Not only did I see it with my own eyes, but the other trainees should have also seen how they interact. Sharing a bunk bed in the same dorm is just the basics, they even shared a bathroom when filming…

It’s so blatant. And they’re willing to give up their careers just to be together. I just don’t know how long this relationship will last.

[Gossip] I’m so tired of this “everything can be shipped” culture in the entertainment industry. Seriously, based on S-MX’s behavior on the show, there’s nothing special about her relationship with SH!

Doesn’t she treat everyone the same way? She doesn’t only have one roommate, right? How can you ship them so hard?

From the first episode, she said that her passion and specialty were cooking, and she wanted to go home and inherit her family’s restaurant. And SH is clearly capable of debuting. It’s obvious that Neptune Entertainment didn’t reach an agreement with Produce 101 and has other plans for her…

Even saying that SH offended the management or the program team is more believable than saying she’s with S-MX, right?

…

“What are you looking at?”

As Suhui was reading the forum posts, wanting to see how her manager had handled her statement, Su Mingxiu, who was preparing a fruit platter, asked.

Suhui showed her the phone screen in confusion. “I don’t know? These people are arguing so fiercely. Not only are they using Chinese, but also many letters, I don’t understand.”

Su Mingxiu leaned closer and, guessing the meaning of the abbreviations, took Suhui’s phone and put it aside: “Don’t look at it, using your phone too much isn’t good for the baby.”

“Uh…” Suhui felt that the human world was truly too dangerous. If she were really pregnant, she would definitely return to the sea.

Sharks, orcas, they were much better than these poisonous, dangerous things in the human world.

She nodded obediently and continued her carefree life.

Until, half a month later, Su Mingxiu started discussing how to raise baby merfolk with her, even considering buying a house by the sea so that the little merfolk could return to the ocean and learn survival skills from their mother.

Suhui: “No need.”

“Then do we need an incubator or something? Do the eggs need to be incubated?”

“No need.”

“Then is there anything I can help with?”

“Prepare a pot.”

“Huh?”

Su Mingxiu stared at her, shocked for a second, then burst out laughing. “When did you learn to tell such cold jokes? You almost scared me.”

The silver-haired mermaid blinked, not understanding why Su Mingxiu thought she was joking.

In her opinion, the eggs were meaningless anyway. And she had tasted almost all the seafood available on land in the past half month. Su Mingxiu had served her all the rare species available in the market, and those that weren’t available, Su Mingxiu had procured through CEO Li and her connections with the merfolk clan.

If Suhui was asked what she hadn’t eaten yet, the only answer that came to mind was mermaid eggs.

The merfolk clan didn’t have a strong sense of respecting the elderly or cherishing the young. Especially those living in remote areas with limited resources, they would even fight amongst themselves for food.

And the competition for mates was even more brutal.

Suhui was now addicted to Su Mingxiu’s cooking. So she was quite curious about how these eggs would taste under Su Mingxiu’s magical culinary skills.

“It’s not a joke,” she said. “I want to eat them.”

Su Mingxiu: “…?”

She remembered watching a nature documentary where some species, after giving birth and exhausted from the ordeal, would eat their mate to replenish their energy.

But…

Did the merfolk eat their offspring?

Terrifying thoughts filled her mind. Could this be the reason why merfolk were so fertile, yet their birth rate was so low? Because they were too gluttonous?

Su Mingxiu tried to persuade her. “No, if you’re really curious, we can ask CEO Li to see if anyone in your clan has any unhatched eggs, there’s no need to…” eat your own, right?

“Those are rare.”

Suhui said without hesitation: “They’re different from me. Most merfolk quickly choose a mate of the opposite sex. But it’s very difficult for them to get pregnant. The chances of me getting pregnant, in human terms, are like winning the lottery—”

Perhaps because her bloodline was special, her body more sensitive, that she experienced this false pregnancy.

Even for other merfolk, even with strong and healthy partners, it was difficult to conceive, and false pregnancies were even rarer.

“Hmm?”

Su Mingxiu asked, pretending to understand. “You mean… other merfolk can only have offspring with the opposite sex, but you can also have them with the same sex?”

Perhaps because she had been pampered recently, Suhui’s nerves had also relaxed. With the knowledge from her clan still fresh in her mind, she lay on Su Mingxiu’s lap, eating fruit, and replied slowly: “Of course not, I can’t give birth either.”

The tangerine Su Mingxiu was holding near her lips froze. She suspected she had misheard. “What?”

Suhui wanted to continue, her lips already parted, then she realized what she had just revealed. Her expression froze.

“I…”

She quickly snatched the tangerine slice from Su Mingxiu’s hand and deftly wriggled out of her embrace, sitting up and saying: “I mean… I can only… have eggs…”

Su Mingxiu had been mentally preparing to be a mother for half a month.

Stunned by Suhui’s words earlier, she hadn’t reacted in time. Now, her mind catching up, her black eyes stared at Suhui, her red lips curving into a dangerous smile. Her voice, however, became even softer: “Darling, what do you mean by ‘only have eggs’?”

She vaguely realized that mermaid eggs didn’t necessarily mean offspring.

The last time Suhui had seen this expression on her face was in the merfolk’s underwater palace. Back then, Su Mingxiu had asked her with a smile, Do you really have to do this? Do you really have to force me to lay eggs for you?

And the naive young Suhui had nodded firmly.

The price was…

She swallowed, her throat bobbing, trying to stay calm as she replied: “It means… the eggs I lay… they might not hatch into baby merfolk, do you understand?”

Su Mingxiu gave her a strained smile. “I understand.”

Suhui breathed a sigh of relief.

Thinking about Su Mingxiu’s gentleness during this time, she wanted to lean into her embrace. Su Mingxiu didn’t stop her, even stroking her soft hair.

As she held Suhui, gently running her fingers through her hair, she said unhurriedly: “But just the other day, when I was video calling Wang Zhi and the others, who was it that said their stomach hurt, as if being kicked, hinting for me to end the call?”

“How can ordinary eggs kick you?”

Suhui: “…”

She licked her lips, having forgotten how much she had studied about human pregnancies just so she could act convincingly, even coming up with new excuses to keep Su Mingxiu’s attention on her.

For this, she had even woken Su Mingxiu up at three in the morning, saying she was hungry and wanted fish soup, then watched as this woman, like a model partner, dutifully made her a late-night snack.

Another time, she had stumbled upon a forum post that said that during the first month of pregnancy,

No matter how one tried to seduce their partner, the partner would be too concerned about their safety to engage in sexual activity.

So, for several nights, Su Mingxiu had to endure Suhui’s whims, unable to do anything to her.

Now, Suhui, recalling these scenes, sensing the increasingly dangerous atmosphere, instinctively covered her belly and said defensively: “But… there really are eggs…”

She had even instinctively learned the skill of shifting the blame to protect herself: “And I never said there would be baby merfolk, you misunderstood…”

Su Mingxiu was so angry she laughed.

Her fingers were still slightly sticky from peeling the tangerine. She slowly wiped them with a tissue, her eyes looking at the fish who had been deceiving her for half a month with an amused smile: “But I believed you, what are you going to do?”

“Wh-what should I do?”

“Compensate me with a baby merfolk.”

“I-impossible… I can’t give birth—”

Suhui tried to back away, but she had already reached the edge of the sofa, there was nowhere to retreat. Perhaps Su Mingxiu’s gentle demeanor over the past half month had made her forget how intimidating this woman could be when she was assertive.

So now, suddenly remembering, she forgot to even run away, only staring blankly as Su Mingxiu approached.

Until she was trapped between Su Mingxiu and the sofa, smelling the lingering scent of tangerines on Su Mingxiu, seeing the red coral necklace retreat timidly into Su Mingxiu’s collar.

And the woman replied unhurriedly: “I don’t think that’s true.”

Suhui’s chin was lifted, forced to meet Su Mingxiu’s gaze. Under those dark, scrutinizing eyes, Su Mingxiu said slowly, each word distinct: “Since you’re so gifted, perhaps you’ll give me an even bigger miracle?”

“You didn’t get pregnant before because I wasn’t trying hard enough.”

“I’ll do better next time.”

Chapter 87: The Center of the Fish Pond (22)

Su Mingxiu had originally intended to keep the fish close after retrieving her, but now she had a bonus package deal with a bunch of unknown little merfolk.

So, despite her bewildered expression, her movements were gentle as she helped Suhui sit up, even instinctively placing a soft pillow behind her back.

Although she had no experience caring for a pregnant mermaid, Su Mingxiu knew how human pregnant women were generally treated. So, her movements and voice became softer:

“Are you more comfortable sitting like this?”

Suhui’s stomach had been aching from Su Mingxiu’s earlier actions and embrace. Now, feeling the care in Su Mingxiu’s cautious movements, she felt a sense of being cherished. Whether it was the sitting position or the psychological effect, her mood improved considerably.

The black-haired woman didn’t dare to squeeze onto the small sofa with her. She stood barefoot on the floor, half-squatting before the sofa, staring at the mermaid’s flat stomach, showing no signs of pregnancy. Her mind was still replaying the scene in the underwater cave, placing the pearl against that soft spot between Suhui’s scales—

Could she really get pregnant just like that?

Were merfolk… too magical? With such a high pregnancy rate, wouldn’t there be overpopulation issues?

Strange thoughts filled her mind. She remained in her half-squatting position, frozen. Suhui leaned back slowly, feeling the comfortable support of the pillow behind her back. Then, she looked at the kettle on the side, steam rising from its spout and fogging the tiles:

“The water’s boiling.”

Reminded by her words, Su Mingxiu instinctively glanced at the kettle but didn’t move. She only said casually: “Yeah, don’t worry about it.”

She had boiled the water to make instant noodles.

But how could she let a pregnant woman eat instant noodles with her?

The person who usually remained calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain was now at a loss. She even licked her lips nervously, maintaining her squatting position as she looked up at Suhui and asked: “What kind of supplements do merfolk usually eat during pregnancy?”

Supplements?

Suhui searched her inherited memories, now complete. But she couldn’t find any specific dietary recommendations for pregnant merfolk.

After all, merfolk were strong and robust, and they didn’t experience severe pregnancy symptoms. Pregnancy didn’t affect their ability to hunt.

So she shook her head.

Su Mingxiu reached for her phone, wanting to search for pregnancy-related diets.

But the first result she saw was to avoid cold and raw foods, such as crab and seafood. She frowned.

Uh oh…

She glanced at the search results, then at Suhui, finally realizing that the pregnant woman before her was indeed very different from a human.

Su Mingxiu gently stroked Suhui’s hair and asked patiently: “How about noodles for dinner? I’ll add an extra egg for you, is that okay?”

Suhui, however, looked at the two packs of instant noodles on the table, pointing at the “Shrimp and Fish Cake Noodles” and asking: “Why not this one?”

At least it had seafood.

“It’s not healthy,” Su Mingxiu said, pushing the noodles away.

Suhui looked at her blankly, not understanding why humans would invent such unhealthy food, buy it, and then not eat it.

“Grumble, grumble—”

Su Mingxiu walked into the kitchen and boiled another pot of water. While waiting, she checked the ingredients in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, apart from eggs and a few wilting vegetables, there wasn’t anything nutritious.

Suhui, bored and sitting alone on the sofa, still thinking about Su Mingxiu’s cooking, wandered into the kitchen. Seeing Su Mingxiu under the warm light, she was unconsciously drawn to the scene and stood there for a while.

When Su Mingxiu turned to look at her, the silver-haired mermaid realized she had been spacing out. So she casually brought up a topic: “That… gift you bought today… who is it for?”

Su Mingxiu lowered her eyelashes, adding thin noodles to the boiling water, and replied slowly: “For you, of course. Didn’t Pao Tong ask earlier? But there were too many people around, so I didn’t answer, but she should have understood.”

What?

Was that what she meant?

Suhui’s eyes widened in surprise. After a moment, she suddenly said: “Then… you can buy me another one.”

Since it was a gift for her, and she was right here before Su Mingxiu, if the first one didn’t work out, Su Mingxiu could certainly give her another one.

But hearing her words, Su Mingxiu, who was about to stir the noodles, paused. Her eyes, tinged orange by the kitchen light, fixed on Suhui’s abdomen:

“Now?”

But pregnant women shouldn’t use perfume, right?

Su Mingxiu’s expression became troubled again, wondering if the synthetic musk in the perfume would affect the mermaid’s pregnancy.

Perhaps because she hesitated for too long, Suhui immediately questioned: “You don’t want to give it to me?”

“No,” Su Mingxiu finally put the chopsticks into the pot, stirring the noodles to separate them. She sighed and said, “I’m not sure if the perfume will affect your pregnancy. How about I give it to you after you’ve recovered, okay?”

What?

Even gifts were dangerous?

Suhui was once again shocked by the human world.

One was immersed in the shock of new knowledge about the human world, the other was still wondering where to find more information about mermaid pregnancies.

In the brief silence, only the sound of noodles boiling in the pot could be heard, a faint aroma filling the air. Su Mingxiu’s instincts were awakened by the scent. She turned off the heat and took out the fried eggs from another pot.

Soon, under the bright living room lights, two bowls of noodles with vegetables were placed on the table, one of them topped with a golden fried egg.

Suhui sat on the sofa, holding her bowl. Su Mingxiu’s gaze followed her. After a while, she finally asked: “So you can’t return to Produce 101 and continue filming now?”

“Yes,” the silver-haired mermaid nodded.

Su Mingxiu had noticed the change in her hair color, but seeing that this color seemed more natural on her, she knew that the silver must have been fake, and this was Suhui’s true hair color.

It was good that she had returned to her original form. After all, constantly dyeing her hair would definitely affect her health.

Thinking of this, she said: “Do you need to talk to Neptune Entertainment? I can go with you.”

Suhui originally wanted to shake her head and say no, but thinking about the CEO’s identity, she hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yes… Uncle Li said that if I find a suitable partner, I need to inform him.”

Su Mingxiu, having been immersed in the program’s environment, had also learned a bit about the entertainment companies in this world.

Even though she knew that the CEO of Neptune Entertainment was indeed surnamed Li, she still asked: “Uncle Li?”

“The… CEO of Neptune Entertainment…” Suhui wasn’t quite sure about the complicated human job titles, so she decided to introduce him according to the merfolk’s customs. “He’s my mother’s partner…”

After a pause, she added subtly: “Current partner.”

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu’s gaze also became peculiar.

Suhui seemed to sense a “You merfolk are also so fickle” vibe from her and quickly explained: “My mother is quite long-lived and has always preferred humans, so she has many partners. But she only finds a new one after the previous one passes away.”

Oh.

Impressive.

Su Mingxiu understood their merfolk clan’s unique method of accumulating wealth on land. With Suhui’s mother’s approach, she could achieve primitive capital accumulation in just a few centuries—

“What’s with that expression?” Suhui asked, never hesitating to voice her doubts.

“Just pure admiration for my future mother-in-law.” Su Mingxiu composed herself and asked, following up on the topic: “So, what’s the average lifespan of a mermaid?”

Suhui answered quickly: “At least three hundred years, the longest is probably a thousand.”

After saying this, she suddenly looked at Su Mingxiu, her expression changing. “You humans rarely live past a hundred, so you’ll be dead in a few decades?”

“Uh…” Such a sharp tongue.

Su Mingxiu picked up a fried egg from her bowl, placed it near Suhui’s lips, and said with a playful smile: “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you with a massive inheritance and the opportunity to find another partner.”

Suhui took a large bite of the egg. Although her confused expression suggested she still wanted to say something, the delicious food distracted her, and she quickly forgot what she wanted to say, focusing on finishing her noodles.

After their meal, it was almost ten o’clock.

Seeing that Suhui had no intention of returning to the sea, Su Mingxiu prepared to clean the bathroom. As she turned to leave, she asked Suhui: “When are you due? Would it be safer to use the shower? Do you need help bathing later?”

Suhui was comfortably leaning against the sofa, watching TV, completely engrossed in an idol drama.

Hearing Su Mingxiu’s question, she replied without turning her head: “One month. I want to use the bathtub, and I don’t need your help.”

Only one month?

Su Mingxiu was stunned for two seconds, then quickly came back to her senses. She still went to the bathroom and meticulously cleaned the bathtub. Thankfully, Suhui hadn’t requested seawater in the tub. Otherwise, Su Mingxiu wouldn’t know where to get it for her at this hour.

After Su Mingxiu left, during a commercial break, Suhui touched her belly and thought, It’s just laying ordinary eggs, not hatching baby merfolk, of course it only takes a month. Why does this human seem so shocked?

This question lingered in her mind. Even as she transformed into her true form and splashed around happily in the bathtub, she couldn’t figure out the answer.

Ten minutes later, a knock came on the bathroom door: “Are you done?”

“No!” Suhui quickly retracted her tail and transformed back into her human form. “Don’t come in!”

“Be careful, don’t catch a cold. I’ll be right outside, call me if you need anything.” Su Mingxiu’s voice and her faint shadow on the bathroom door were both a comforting presence.

Suhui had originally wanted to play with the bath bubbles. After all, there wasn’t such a large and comfortable bathroom in the Produce 101 base, and she had never had the opportunity to enjoy a long bath. Now that she could finally soak in the water, she didn’t want to leave anytime soon.

But Su Mingxiu kept knocking on the door every now and then, so Suhui could only reluctantly get out of the bathtub after more than an hour. After changing into a soft, loose bathrobe, she opened the door, intending to complain about Su Mingxiu’s interruptions, but a phone was thrust in front of her: “If you’re due in a month, shouldn’t we start buying baby supplies now?”

Huh?

Suhui blinked, swallowing her complaint, wondering how to explain that the eggs she would lay in a month wouldn’t hatch into baby merfolk.

But the human standing at the door was already staring at her loosely tied bathrobe, her gaze fixed on the exposed skin at her collarbone. Su Mingxiu placed the phone in Suhui’s hand, then carefully adjusted her bathrobe, making sure it wouldn’t be blown open by the wind. Then, she half-squatted down and retied the sash around Suhui’s waist,

Making sure it was neither too tight nor too loose, and wouldn’t cause any discomfort to her belly.

The slow-witted fish finally sensed something different in Su Mingxiu’s unusually gentle treatment. She didn’t look at the phone. Instead, she looked down at the top of Su Mingxiu’s head, pondering for a moment, then said slowly: “Are you being so nice to me now because of the baby merfolk in my belly?”

“Not really.”

Su Mingxiu stood up, even reaching out to touch Suhui’s hair, confirming that it had already been dried by her strange ability. Then, she took Suhui’s hand and led her towards the bedroom.

Suhui breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to tell her everything—

Then, she heard the rest of Su Mingxiu’s sentence: “But if you weren’t pregnant, I wouldn’t let you off so easily.”

“Uh…” Suhui swallowed her words.

She changed her question: “Let me off easily? What do you mean?”

Su Mingxiu, unable to act on her desires with the mermaid pregnant, could only indulge in words. “Of course I’m referring to what happened when you tricked me into the sea.”

They happened to reach the bedroom door. As they stopped to open the door, Su Mingxiu turned around, a playful smile on her lips. The colorful lights in the hallway reflected in her dark eyes, making them sparkle like black glass.

Unfortunately, her words weren’t as beautiful as her appearance:

“Don’t worry, as long as you’re not trying to trick me again, I’ll be very gentle, I promise.”

“Uh…” Suhui froze.

She couldn’t imagine how Su Mingxiu’s wicked behavior in the underwater coral maze could be considered “letting her off easily.”

No matter how gentle Su Mingxiu claimed to be, she wouldn’t believe a single word from this human—

Wait.

That wasn’t the point.

Su Mingxiu’s pleasant voice echoed in the mermaid’s ears, replaying in her mind, repeating Su Mingxiu’s words again and again, especially the phrase “as long as you’re not trying to trick me again,” emphasized and amplified, the Chinese characters scrolling through her mind.

Suhui instinctively wondered if this human had discovered the truth about her “artistic embellishment” to keep Su Mingxiu by her side.

Su Mingxiu, feeling Suhui’s hand turning colder, covered it with her own, gently caressing it as she asked: “Why is your body temperature dropping again?”

Although she didn’t know the ideal temperature for a mermaid’s pregnancy, she knew that being too cold wasn’t good for the development of any creature.

Suhui let her warm her hand, lost in thought for a long time, then, as if coming back to her senses, she said slowly: “I’m sleepy.”

Su Mingxiu, hearing her cold tone, thought she had scared the fish. Remembering how sensitive and unpredictable pregnant women could be, she reminded herself not to reveal her mischievous side too soon, lest she scare Suhui away again.

So she immediately adjusted her demeanor and gently led Suhui into the room. “Is there anything you don’t like about this room? If the bedsheets or pillows are uncomfortable, I’ll buy new ones tomorrow.”

“No.”

The fish, who had wanted to take advantage of Su Mingxiu’s affection, instinctively touched her belly. Even though she couldn’t feel anything, this action gave her a sense of security.

Su Mingxiu had originally planned to check the stock market, taking advantage of the time difference. But when Suhui hugged her waist and nuzzled against her, she couldn’t help but close her laptop and put it aside.

“Do you want me to sleep with you?”

Suhui told herself to behave, hoping to have a chance to save herself a month later. But she couldn’t resist Su Mingxiu’s doting and indulgent behavior. A hoarse sound escaped her throat: “Yes.”

The lights in the bedroom were quickly turned off.

Su Mingxiu felt a chill from the fish’s low body temperature, but she didn’t move away. Instead, she pulled Suhui closer, careful not to put her arm around her, afraid of accidentally pressing on her belly. As she was about to fall asleep, she felt that faint fragrance against her neck.

It seemed like the fish in her arms was still feeling insecure.

So, even though her neck was being nibbled and sucked on, Su Mingxiu didn’t stop her. Instead, she gently stroked Suhui’s smooth, cool hair, her breathing calm and even.

At some point, they both fell asleep in each other’s arms.

When the morning sunlight streamed in, a breeze slipped through the gap in the window, making the curtains flutter like waves.

Just as the phone’s alarm started vibrating, before it could even ring, Su Mingxiu reached out and turned it off. After washing up, she made a simple breakfast. Suhui woke up naturally and came out of the bedroom, her face seemingly bathed in a soft, glowing filter, her beauty reaching new heights.

They had already discussed going to Neptune Entertainment’s headquarters today to discuss Suhui’s withdrawal from Produce 101.

Everything went smoothly, from entering the building to taking the elevator straight to the CEO’s office, as if the CEO had already informed everyone. They were led into the office by the secretary.

“Uncle Li.”

The person sitting behind the desk capped his pen, looked up at them, his eyes showing no surprise. He gestured towards the lounge area and walked over from behind his desk.

It seemed that CEOs all over the world had a permanent attachment to suits. But this CEO Li had a good figure and handsome features, his presence commanding. Even his first words controlled the situation: “I’ve heard from your manager that you want to withdraw from Produce 101? Even though your popularity is currently the highest?”

“Yes,” Suhui replied directly.

“Give me a reason.”

“Idols in a group can’t be in relationships, I want to try a different path.”

“Alright, go record a song, and I’ll hand it over to some industry experts, see who’s available to collaborate with you on an album. As long as you can be in a relationship, it’s fine.”

“Okay.”

Their conversation was so direct and efficient that Su Mingxiu was amazed.

She felt that matters in the entertainment industry were always complicated. Being able to resolve things so quickly and efficiently was truly a blessing.

Finally, CEO Li turned his gaze to Su Mingxiu and asked: “What about her?”

Suhui also looked at her with her blue eyes.

Su Mingxiu smiled and replied: “I only want to be a chef, I have no intention of entering the entertainment industry. Thank you for your offer, CEO Li.”

The man nodded and asked Suhui to go discuss the recording with her manager. He briefly explained that she would need to spend a lot of time in the recording studio and asked her to be prepared.

Su Mingxiu, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up: “Is it very busy? Will it affect your health?”

“Hmm?”

Su Mingxiu looked at Suhui with a smile. “You shouldn’t overwork yourself recently, right?”

“Ah…” Suhui blinked, originally wanting to say it was fine, but she changed her words on a whim. “Yes, I can’t overwork myself—”

She said to CEO Li seriously: “Because I’m pregnant!”

“Cough.” The man, who had just raised a cup of tea to his lips, choked.

He had guessed the relationship between Su Mingxiu and Suhui, but he had investigated Su Mingxiu’s background and hadn’t found anything special, so he hadn’t intended to interfere in their relationship. But… pregnant?

Weren’t merfolk only able to conceive with the opposite sex?

CEO Li was momentarily stunned, as if doubting his own memory and the knowledge about different races he had learned from his partner.

He asked instinctively, “Do you need me to inform your mother?”

“No!”

Suhui replied swiftly, not mentioning that she had just learned this knowledge from her mother, who had already known about her condition.

“Wouldn’t it be better to inform her?”

Su Mingxiu suggested, her expression serious: “After all, I don’t have any experience caring for merfolk, I don’t know what precautions to take during pregnancy. Shouldn’t we meet with your mother?”

CEO Li: “Hmm.”

Suhui: “…”

Meet? Meet who?

Wouldn’t meeting her mother expose her lie?

She panicked inwardly, but her expression remained calm. “There are no precautions, we merfolk are strong and robust, we don’t need special care.”

Hearing this, CEO Li suddenly remembered something. He vaguely recalled his partner mentioning that female merfolk could experience a false pregnancy after… certain activities.

After all, cheating and cuckoldry weren’t common among merfolk—

He glanced at Suhui, cleared his throat, and tried to remind her: “Are you sure you’re really pregnant?”

He emphasized the word “really,” after all, both Suhui and Su Mingxiu were female, he couldn’t be too direct.

But Suhui understood his implication. She immediately replied without hesitation, like a startled rabbit: “Yes!”

CEO Li let out an “Oh,” his gaze sweeping over Suhui, then Su Mingxiu, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. “If you’re truly pregnant, the merfolk clan has always had a low birth rate, so this is great news. I suggest you still inform your mother. As the clan leader, she must be very happy for you.”

Low birth rate?

Su Mingxiu’s expression turned strange.

With Suhui seemingly able to get pregnant from just a touch, how could the merfolk clan have a low birth rate? Could it be that they were very fertile, but it was difficult to raise their offspring?

She would have to ask her mother-in-law about this. After all, if Suhui laid eggs, they were both novices and might accidentally raise them incorrectly, resulting in the death of their offspring. That wouldn’t do!

So she agreed firmly: “Yes, you must tell your mother.”

Suhui: “…”

She was now filled with regret.

Immense regret.

Chapter 86: The Center of the Fish Pond (21)

After leaving the director’s office, Su Mingxiu happened to pass by the hallway with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a clear view of the ocean. She saw the sunlight piercing through the clouds, casting beams of light onto the blue sea.

Her gaze lowered.

But the figure she had seen earlier was no longer on the shore.

Su Mingxiu, as if sensing something, quickened her pace. She encountered many familiar faces along the way,

But she didn’t even have time to respond to their greetings, hurrying into the elevator and down to the first floor. However, there was no sign of Suhui.

… Could this fish have gone straight back to the sea after talking to the director?

Tugging lightly on the coral necklace around her neck, Su Mingxiu let out a soft sigh. She first asked the staff outside, confirming that Suhui hadn’t returned since going to the beach, then she could only turn back and head towards the shoreline.

The golden sand beneath her feet, the waves lapping gently at her ankles, then playfully retreating.

Su Mingxiu looked at the golden sea, bathed in the setting sun’s glow, and for the first time, felt a sense of helplessness towards this vast ocean. Her intuition told her that the safest course of action was to leave and wait for Suhui to reappear;

Or, to rent a small boat and embark on a month-long voyage, trying to find Suhui’s kin, which would be the safest method.

But she actually wanted to plunge into the waves.

Facing the vast ocean, Su Mingxiu suddenly understood how Suhui must feel in human society, where even the air must feel unfamiliar, dry, and frightening.

[Host, please carefully consider your decision to withdraw from Produce 101. This system does not recommend taking risks for Suhui. You still have other targets to pursue.]

The sea wind howled, drowning out Su Mingxiu’s voice: “Did we… know each other before?”

Su Mingxiu now knew that there was definitely something wrong with her memories, and it was highly likely related to this system. Ever since starting this mission, her emotions seemed to have been sealed away along with her memories, her feelings dull and almost nonexistent.

Only when facing Suhui—

Did she not feel like a mere task executor, a puppet playing a role.

From their first encounter, she had been captivated by Suhui’s unique identity, making her realize that “love at first sight” truly existed. But later, she was constantly influenced by the ultimate mission, leading to misunderstandings between her and Suhui.

Even now, Su Mingxiu didn’t understand why Suhui’s goodwill rating had become negative.

Nor did she understand why Suhui had left the MV filming location earlier.

“Unable to answer your question,” the system played dumb.

Su Mingxiu didn’t mind, thinking to herself, Suhui is like that carefully crafted perfume she wanted to give away, from booking the appointment, to mixing the scents, to bottling the finished product and giving it away. The chances of it not being delivered were incredibly low, yet she encountered such an unexpected accident.

And once that perfume bottle was broken, she could only watch helplessly as the fragrance dissipated into the air, with no way to salvage it.

The sunlight on the sea surface disappeared behind the clouds at some point. Su Mingxiu looked around, trying to find a boat nearby.

Unfortunately, as far as the eye could see, there was only the endless golden beach.

Su Mingxiu tucked her hair behind her ear and walked towards the sea. Just as the water reached her knees, someone noticed her and called out through a megaphone: “Trainee! There’s nothing you can’t overcome! The ocean is beautiful, but it’s not worth burying a young life! If there’s anything troubling you, come back and let’s talk!”

The sound of the megaphone drew the attention of the trainees practicing in the dance studio upstairs. It was almost dinner time, and soon, the windows were filled with curious faces.

Su Mingxiu: “…”

Who’s trying to commit suicide?

She brushed her windblown hair aside and gave the patrolling staff member an “OK” sign. She could only turn back and walk towards the shore, explaining herself briefly to the staff. Out of concern for her safety, they called a car to take her back to the base.

“Teacher Su, you’re clearly not in a good state right now. We’ll give you two days off before the next performance rehearsal. Think carefully about whether you really want to quit the show, okay?”

Mainly because when they signed the contract with Su Mingxiu, no one had expected her to make it this far with her looks and those strange talents. So there was no clause about compensation for withdrawing from the competition.

Now, if Su Mingxiu really wanted to leave, it would be a huge loss for Produce 101.

The assistant director even stuffed the laptop into her arms, his face pained as he said: “This laptop, we’ll give it to you. If you’re feeling down these two days, just look at the money you’ve earned, think about how you still managed to live optimistically when you were poor—”

“I’m not feeling down,” Su Mingxiu emphasized this fact for the thousandth time.

The assistant director nodded repeatedly, waving at her from outside the car window. “We’re looking forward to your return.”

“Uh…”

At the same time, on an anonymous forum…

[Gossip] Let me tell you some inside information about a popular talent show, the one with the innovative format that revived the genre.

There’s a contestant who’s a player, juggling multiple people. But one of them, taking things too seriously, quit the show after being dumped…

Then, this player, whether out of genuine feelings or just acting, also announced her intention to withdraw from the show today, and she even tried to jump into the sea…

Anyway, she was just pulled back, and now, not only is she openly taking a break, but she’s also receiving special attention from the mentors.

1st Floor: Just say it’s Produce 101.

2nd Floor: You mean X, right? Lol, her fans are still bragging about her graduating from a top university, being the most academically qualified contestant.

And they even call her the most talented idol… Talented or not, with her player behavior, I wouldn’t be a fan even if she was a genius.

3rd Floor: Wow, learned a new tactic from this green tea (two-faced person). She’s afraid that the real reason for the other contestant’s withdrawal would affect her reputation.

So she pulled this suicidal act to gain sympathy. Just wait, when she returns to the competition, her fans will definitely defend her, saying, Our sister is already depressed, what more do you want from her?

4th Floor: Isn’t the OP’s anti-fan vibe a bit too strong? Just because someone posts some fake news, they’re automatically an insider now?

I can also claim to be a staff member and say that SS (Su Mingxiu and Suhui) is real, I heard them break the bed last night.

5th Floor: Seriously, everything can be shipped now? Delusional CP fans are everywhere. Jumps over a fire basin for good luck.

6th Floor: Waiting for updates. If someone really withdraws from Produce 101, and X returns to the stage later, then the OP’s gossip is confirmed. Her live stream is currently closed.

And SH’s live stream is also on hiatus, so the OP’s gossip is already 50% credible.

7th Floor: Even if X and SH both withdraw, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s because of X’s player behavior. Isn’t this just making up stories?

8th Floor: I’ve always said X is a bad person, but none of the returning fans listened, most of them are still CP fans. Seriously, X’s face is trouble, she clearly relies on her looks, so playing the field is probably normal for her, right?

And who knows, maybe her “amateur” persona is all fake. These days, who can debut in a talent show without any background? Do you really believe she’s an amateur?

9th Floor: It’s said that anonymous forums are breeding grounds for trolls, and today, I’ve truly seen it. X’s popularity during the live stream was quite good, and her skills are also decent, but here, everyone thinks she’s not good enough to debut, calling her a “troublemaker,” why don’t you post a picture and let us see what a “good citizen” looks like?

…

The post gained traction, and with Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s live streams currently suspended, coupled with Produce 101‘s current popularity, the rumors quickly spread.

But because Su Mingxiu didn’t have a team, no one informed her about this. As for Suhui…

Neptune Entertainment also adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards these rumors. In other words, despite the outside commotion, their lives weren’t affected at all.

Su Mingxiu returned to the original owner’s apartment and saw a thin layer of dust on the furniture, undisturbed for a while. Even the sunlight streaming through the window seemed dim.

After cleaning, she went to check on the restaurant that had been temporarily closed, according to the original owner’s memories.

Compared to the relatively modern three-bedroom apartment, the restaurant showed its age. The characters on the signboard were painted and peeling. The kitchen wall near the stove was stained black from years of cooking over high heat. The tables and chairs also looked old. No wonder the competitor’s complaint had resulted in its immediate closure by the inspectors.

Even though the tables and chairs were polished and well-maintained, what good was it?

This restaurant’s style was outdated.

Su Mingxiu looked through the door at the bright and modern dining hall of the rival restaurant across the street. Her gaze met that of the bored employee sitting by the door, holding flyers, then she calmly looked away.

As she cleaned the restaurant, observing the environment and planning the renovations, the system nagged her repeatedly, reminding her not to quit Produce 101, threatening her with dire consequences if she didn’t raise Annie, Pao Tong, and Wang Zhi’s goodwill ratings to 100.

“Are you dying tomorrow?”

Su Mingxiu, holding a broom, finally snapped after being constantly harassed.

System: [?]

“My life is long, is participating in this show the only way to raise their goodwill?” Su Mingxiu was confident in her cooking skills, enhanced by the system, and wasn’t worried about Annie and Wang Zhi’s goodwill ratings.

As for Pao Tong—

She couldn’t bring herself to be a scumbag just to get 100 goodwill points.

Su Mingxiu’s relaxed attitude displeased the system. Actually, it didn’t matter if Su Mingxiu didn’t max out Pao Tong and the others’ goodwill, as long as she completed the main mission of tempering the protagonist.

But…

Seeing that she was now planning to focus on her career and seriously pursue a relationship with Suhui, the system guessed that Suhui wouldn’t be suffering from unrequited love for much longer.

This wouldn’t do!

Her goodwill rating hadn’t even reached -100 yet! She hadn’t even realized that human love was a lie! If she received sweetness so easily and headed straight for a happy ending, what was the point of tempering her?

The system suddenly felt like it had shot itself in the foot. It felt that its disguise, besides deceiving itself, hadn’t changed anything.

But it didn’t dare to push Su Mingxiu too hard. After all, its disguise was still intact. It couldn’t have a kind and gentle Culinary God Strategy System resort to electric shocks to force the host to complete the mission, right?

So it worried, its worries turning into coding to vent its frustration.

Disturbed by the clanging and banging sounds in her mind, as if her brain was undergoing renovations, Su Mingxiu finished cleaning the restaurant. She had originally planned to make a nice dinner to reward herself.

But after half a day of chores, she only wanted to buy instant noodles from the convenience store.

She acted on this thought, but as she stood before the brightly lit shelves, looking at the classic braised beef noodles, for some reason, she also grabbed a pack of shrimp and fish cake noodles.

“Beep.”

At the checkout counter, Su Mingxiu also grabbed a carton of milk and a sausage.

“Hello, your total is…” The cashier’s sweet voice rang out, then stopped abruptly. She was stunned by Su Mingxiu’s beauty up close, feeling like her workplace had suddenly brightened, the world becoming more vibrant.

Su Mingxiu’s beauty, already stunning on camera, was even more striking in the real world, a completely different dimension. Her long eyelashes and the alluring mole at the corner of her eye were captivating.

The cashier stammered for two seconds, then blurted out: “You… aren’t you filming a show? I-I’m watching your talent show, I really like you, I’m your fan, g-good luck with your debut!”

Actually, the trainees had already met their fans during the public performance. Sometimes, when they went out for other schedules, they would even see fans and fansite masters holding banners outside the base.

Su Mingxiu looked at her and smiled faintly. “Thank you for your support, but there’s no need to vote for me anymore.”

Huh?

The cashier was stunned for two seconds, nodding blankly, then realizing what Su Mingxiu meant.

There weren’t many customers in the convenience store at this hour, after school and work. So Su Mingxiu didn’t rush her. Instead, she looked at the finger cots on the shelf beside her.

… Should she buy a box?

After a while…

“Welcome.” The store’s automated greeting was triggered by the sound of her footsteps as she left.

When Su Mingxiu stepped out of the convenience store, it was completely dark. The city had entered autumn, and away from the seaside, the change in temperature was more noticeable. The air against her face was cool.

Carrying a plastic bag, she went to the restaurant to make sure she had locked the door, then walked home leisurely. But as soon as she opened the door with her key, she stopped.

There was a faint…

…smell of seawater lingering in the air.

Especially since she had mopped the floor with disinfectant this afternoon, the lingering scent of seawater was even more noticeable.

As if a visitor from the sea had secretly entered her home while she wasn’t looking.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. After a brief pause, she bent down to change her slippers, then walked to the coffee table in front of the TV, carrying the bag, and filled the kettle with water. While waiting for the water to boil, she leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest.

Perhaps because of the day’s events, Su Mingxiu fell asleep amidst the humming of the kettle.

Only when her breathing became even, under the bright living room lights, did a figure, still carrying the scent of seawater, approach her and look at her closely.

Her silver hair now reflected a faint blue glow. If Su Mingxiu had opened her eyes now, she would have recognized that the color was identical to Suhui’s tail.

Suhui had originally planned to return to the sea and never come ashore again.

But she couldn’t help but feel unwilling, wanting to see who Su Mingxiu would eventually end up with. So, when Su Mingxiu tried to walk into the sea, she had been watching from the depths nearby;

After Su Mingxiu was persuaded to return to shore, she had followed her all the way here unconsciously.

In Suhui’s mind, Su Mingxiu’s promiscuous behavior was definitely to choose the most suitable partner, or to achieve some other goal. So she was certain that Su Mingxiu would stay on Produce 101.

But…

She hadn’t expected Su Mingxiu to leave as well.

Suhui told herself not to have any more illusions about this woman, but she couldn’t help but be drawn to Su Mingxiu’s strange behavior, a lingering thought in her heart making her restless, as if giving herself a sliver of hope, yet also wanting to see the truth with her own eyes so she could finally give up.

She had been standing before the sleeping person for so long that when a voice reached her ears, she didn’t react at first.

“Enjoying the view?”

Suhui instinctively tried to answer, but as she opened her mouth, she met Su Mingxiu’s open eyes. She immediately stepped back, only to fall into Su Mingxiu’s outstretched arms, her waist pulled down. She fell into the person’s embrace on the sofa.

Su Mingxiu gasped, her chin hit by Suhui’s elbow, her words caught in her throat. She could only tilt her head back, her arms tightening around the slippery fish.

But Suhui struggled.

“Ugh… don’t move, you hurt my chin.” Su Mingxiu, finally catching this fish again, afraid of scaring her away with her words or actions, could only hold her tight and feign weakness gently.

Suhui stopped struggling.

But at such close proximity, the scent of seawater on her hadn’t intensified, it was still that faint, alluring fragrance.

After a moment of silence, Suhui suddenly said, “Let go of me.”

Su Mingxiu naturally didn’t want to. She still wanted to make a deal with this fish. Seeing Suhui carefully move her arm away from her chin, trying to push herself up from the sofa,

As if…

…she was injured somewhere.

So Su Mingxiu loosened her grip slightly, but not enough for Suhui to escape. She didn’t even care about the red mark on her chin. Following Suhui’s movements, she looked down.

“What’s wrong? Are you injured?”

Since leaving the sea, only sea creatures could have injured Suhui.

Could it be that another mermaid came looking for a fight in such a short time?

Thinking of this, Su Mingxiu raised her gaze, even reaching out to brush the hair away from Suhui’s face, her gaze scrutinizing, as if trying to see what had happened to this fish during their brief separation.

“I’m not injured.”

Suhui only said this, her blue eyes fixed on Su Mingxiu. “Why did you stop filming?”

The black-haired woman’s pale fingertips happened to be resting on Suhui’s neck. Hearing her question, she only opened her palm, gently holding the back of Suhui’s neck, even caressing it slightly. “I want to be in a relationship, but I can’t while I’m on the show, so I quit.”

“Uh…” Suhui felt a pang in her chest, the pain in her abdomen also intensifying. But she stubbornly stared at Su Mingxiu and asked: “With who?”

“With you, of course. Besides you, there’s no one else I want to be with.” There was a lingering helplessness in Su Mingxiu’s eyes, making her words, which should have been a heartfelt confession, sound more like indulgent pampering.

After a pause, she corrected herself. “Oh, not a person, a fish.”

“Ah!” Suhui felt like she was hallucinating.

Had she been away from the sea for too long?

No, she had just returned to the sea this afternoon and even met her mother, who was passing through the area. She had learned that there was still a part of her inherited knowledge she hadn’t received and had just completed it.

As she was lost in thought, Su Mingxiu, seeing that she hadn’t responded for a long time, asked patiently: “Is there anything else you want to ask me, or tell me?”

“Yes.”

Reminded by her words, Suhui remembered the new knowledge she had received from her mother that afternoon. She pursed her lips, trying to ignore Su Mingxiu’s earlier words, and said with feigned indifference, looking down at Su Mingxiu: “Because of you, I can’t differentiate now.”

Because of Su Mingxiu’s actions in the sea, her body had registered that she had already engaged in reproductive activity as a female, so she could no longer differentiate into a male.

Not only that…

Something even more terrifying had happened. She couldn’t return to the show anymore.

Thinking of this, and how Su Mingxiu always smiled at everyone else, casting her net wide, Suhui felt even more resentment towards this human. Thinking this, she lowered her head and bit Su Mingxiu’s tear mole.

This fish seemed to always enjoy leaving her mark in prominent places.

Su Mingxiu gently stroked her back, lying relaxedly on the soft sofa, letting Suhui bite her, her touch comforting and gentle.

She even apologized good-naturedly. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”

“You have to take responsibility.”

Suhui said, lifting her head after leaving her mark on Su Mingxiu’s face.

Su Mingxiu hadn’t noticed before, but now, seeing that Suhui’s goodwill rating was rapidly rising from the negatives, she realized that this fish was indeed easy to please. She nodded patiently and agreed.

Then, she heard Suhui say: “I’m pregnant.”

“Uh…”

“Huh??” Su Mingxiu’s mind went blank, as if she didn’t understand what this fish was saying.

As Su Mingxiu was in a state of shock, Suhui silently added in her mind, Although it’s a false pregnancy, I’ll only lay eggs, there won’t be any baby merfolk hatching.

But so what!

Even infertile eggs require responsibility!

So she said to Su Mingxiu with conviction: “The eggs are yours, so you have to take responsibility for me, and for the eggs in my belly.”

Su Mingxiu: “?!”

C-can she even get pregnant like this?

Her expression was blank with shock. After a long while, she thought, This mermaid can switch genders, so getting pregnant from just a touch… isn’t that hard to believe?

But doesn’t this violate the laws of biology?!

Su Mingxiu’s worldview was crumbling, her rationality on the verge of collapse. But she still managed to reply: “Okay.”

Fine.

Pregnant, then pregnant. Raise them, then raise them again.

She just wondered if there were any textbooks on how to raise baby merfolk.

Chapter 85: The Center of the Fish Pond (20)

After reviewing the camera footage, Su Mingxiu realized that there was probably no point in holding those children accountable.

After all, her perfume was homemade. Making a big fuss about it would only teach their parents a lesson—

She left the poolside, intending to find Suhui and retrieve the necklace.

But she couldn’t find the fish.

Since Suhui had already finished filming, and it was free time now, no one was keeping an eye on her. It was still early before they had to return to the Produce 101 base, so Su Mingxiu could only wander around the venue.

She even checked the changing rooms. Although she didn’t see the foolish fish, she did spot a familiar shade of red in the trash can.

The black-haired woman reached out and retrieved the discarded red coral. It curled around her hand like a neglected child, forming a beautiful bracelet.

Su Mingxiu, however, found it dirty and took it to the bathroom to wash it thoroughly under cold water.

But perhaps because the coral came from the deep sea, the fresh water seemed to dilute its color. Although it was still beautiful, it wasn’t as vibrant as before.

She looked down at it for a while, turned off the faucet, and whispered: “Where’s your owner?”

But the red coral only climbed up her arm. After a while, as if sensing her displeasure, it extended its hard branches, like a stick insect, clinging to her clothes, and quickly returned to its original form, the necklace Suhui had given her. Then, it stopped moving.

Su Mingxiu wasn’t used to it being a living thing. It felt uncomfortable. She tugged at it lightly with her fingertips, but it wouldn’t budge. She sighed softly.

Her intuition told her that Suhui’s current “disappearance” was definitely related to her.

But why?

Su Mingxiu felt that she had been too patient before, letting the foolish fish overthink everything with her strange, non-human logic.

She thought, I should have stopped it earlier.

Just like in the deep-sea coral maze, trapping this fish in a confined space, forcing her to voice her thoughts, then correcting her little by little, that would have been perfect.

Half an hour later—

Su Mingxiu learned from the bus driver who had brought them here that Suhui didn’t want to stay and had taken a taxi back to the base.

She returned to the venue, said hello to Wang Zhi, asking her to inform Annie and Pao Tong, then took a taxi back to the seaside base instead of the program’s bus.

Thankfully, Suhui hadn’t been tricked into going to some remote mountain area. As Su Mingxiu got out of the taxi, she saw Suhui’s figure in the distance, standing by the golden beach, her back to the base, looking out at the sea. She looked incredibly lonely.

Perhaps because the sky by the sea was too vast, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore was too endless and ancient, easily evoking thoughts of the universe and everything in it. Even the king of the sea seemed insignificant against such a backdrop.

Su Mingxiu stood at the entrance of the base, watching Suhui’s back for a long time.

She wondered, Is this fish homesick?

She had superior physical abilities compared to humans, and her skills were far beyond those of the other contestants.

But this mermaid, after coming ashore, realized that human society didn’t solely value strength. Adapting to the rules here must be very difficult for her.

Su Mingxiu thought about Pao Tong’s 99 goodwill points, Annie’s still at 90, and Wang Zhi’s at 98.

Actually, Annie’s goodwill towards her had decreased slightly, probably because she had learned about Pao Tong’s feelings for Su Mingxiu and was now siding with her friend.

The setting sun stretched her shadow long against the cold wall.

Suhui vaguely felt someone’s gaze on her, but she was used to being stared at, so she ignored it. But among those gazes, one was particularly persistent.

Smelling the sea breeze, she discerned various information, even knowing that a pod of orcas ten kilometers away was celebrating the birth of a newborn, and she could vaguely hear a group of dolphins calling out to each other…

Her attention was drawn to these familiar stories, and the accumulated displeasure in her heart dissipated.

After a long while, Suhui slowly raised her hand and brushed her long hair aside, casually turning around to see who had been staring at her for so long.

But looking back, she only saw staff members hurrying past the entrance of the base. The gaze was gone.

At the same time.

Director’s office.

When Su Mingxiu knocked on the door, the director’s assistant saw her first, thinking she was here to ask about the computer. He rushed over, holding the laptop, and said excitedly: “It went up! It went up! Teacher Su! The stock you bought earlier hit the limit up!”

“Should I follow up on it for you today?”

Su Mingxiu glanced at the software on the screen. She remembered that when she was reading the news, she had bought some shares of a leading company affected by a black swan event in the industry.

But this wasn’t her main method of making money. Although stocks could also generate profits, she was more interested in faster, more lucrative markets.

Like futures trading with leverage.

So she just nodded and said to the assistant director: “You can check it out when the market opens tomorrow, but this stock’s valuation is already quite high. If you’re following the trend, you should carefully analyze the profit-taking point.

But if you’re a value investor, I don’t recommend entering the market now. Because when I bought in, big capital was also following suit. The market is too hot right now, they’re probably planning to pull out soon.”

After saying this, she switched to another software and checked her futures investments.

The director and the other staff members, pretending to be looking at the screen, were actually listening intently to Su Mingxiu’s analysis—

After all, this person had only started playing this game a few days ago and her assets had already increased a hundredfold.

The entire crew, who were responsible for managing Su Mingxiu’s computer, had witnessed how she turned her meager savings into enough money to buy an apartment in the city center.

But Su Mingxiu didn’t stop there, her investments growing even larger. Despite this, she was still able to focus on her filming schedule, calm and collected, not constantly checking the market fluctuations.

Now, her investments changed by tens of thousands of yuan every minute.

If Su Mingxiu stayed on the show a little longer, managing millions, even tens of millions in assets, the director would even want to entrust his own assets to her.

But Su Mingxiu, after checking her investments, asked the assistant director about the price of the computer. After the assistant director answered hesitantly, she walked behind the director and politely stated her purpose.

“Uh…!” The surrounding staff members were shocked. Someone operating a flying camera even trembled, almost crashing the expensive equipment into the wall.

The director was stunned. He turned around in his chair, looked at Su Mingxiu in disbelief, and said: “What’s going on with you two? You went out to film an MV and came back wanting to quit the show?”

“Teacher Su, do you know how hard your fans are voting for you? If you debut, do you know how much commercial value you’ll have?”

Su Mingxiu was silent for two seconds, then caught the keyword: “You two?”

She immediately thought of the fish who had returned earlier than her.

Then, she suddenly realized that she had made a huge mistake—

She had been misled by the system, her thinking trapped in a fixed mindset.

From the moment she entered this world, the system’s ultimate mission, “Befriend four future superstars,” had planted the first suggestion in her mind, telling her that Suhui was destined for stardom, to stand at the top of the entertainment industry.

Then came the intense filming schedule of Produce 101. These four superstars had all demonstrated exceptional talent in singing and dancing, constantly reinforcing the impression that Suhui would eventually debut through this show.

So, when thinking about Suhui’s feelings, Su Mingxiu always tended to be more cautious.

Even though she favored the fish, she often avoided expressing her feelings directly, considering the cameras and Suhui’s future.

In reality, there was no necessary connection between Suhui becoming a superstar and Suhui debuting as a member of a girl group through Produce 101.

It was precisely because Su Mingxiu had been so concerned about avoiding scandals for the girl group members that there were always misunderstandings between her and Suhui, which couldn’t be resolved immediately.

Just then, the system, which had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up: “Host, please reconsider your decision to quit the show. You haven’t reached 100 goodwill points with all the targets yet. Quitting now is detrimental to the completion of your ultimate mission.”

[You shut up.]

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.

Su Mingxiu now wanted to pull the system out and beat it up every time she heard its voice. But she also knew that the system’s methods were subtle and left no trace. Even if she confronted it, it could easily shift the blame, saying that it was her own fault for not thinking things through.

The black-haired woman pinched the bridge of her nose. As the most striking presence in this office, her eyes flickered for a moment. Then, she asked the director: “Is the other person who wants to quit… Suhui?”

Actually, the director had also heard about the fans shipping her and Suhui. But this was a serious talent show, and they hadn’t done anything explicitly intimate in front of the cameras. So he only gave her advice from a practical perspective:

“Yes.”

“I don’t know the details of your situation, but with your current popularity, you can definitely debut. By then, not only will you be able to reopen your restaurant, but even buying out your competitor’s restaurant wouldn’t be a problem—”

The director had clearly done his research on her situation, especially how Su Mingxiu got along well with the other contestants. Whether or not she debuted, she was good for the show’s ratings.

“And Suhui, she’s so talented, with the backing of Neptune Entertainment, why don’t you two discuss it and stay on the show together?”

The competing contestants might be happy if two popular trainees withdrew, but the director had to consider the viewership and buzz. He felt that the subtle romantic tension between Su Mingxiu and Suhui was quite interesting.

And the “Shura field” in the eyes of the CP fans.

“I don’t know if she’ll stay—”

Su Mingxiu said with a faint smile, her eyes downcast. “But firstly, my ultimate goal is just to go home and inherit my family’s restaurant, to be an ordinary chef; secondly, this might sound arrogant, but I think debuting on Produce 101 would be detrimental to my future, so I want to withdraw.”

“How so?”

The director instinctively stood up from his chair, asking the producer and assistant director to keep an eye on things, and walked with Su Mingxiu to a secluded corner, trying to persuade her further.

Su Mingxiu looked directly into his eyes. “Can a girl group member publicly announce a same-sex relationship?”

“Uh…” The director of Produce 101 was stunned.

Actually, most people in the entertainment industry were bisexual, and the industry was quite open-minded, with many same-sex relationships.

But these were all unspoken truths, kept private. As long as their careers were stable, nothing else mattered. No one wanted to touch the taboo subject of homosexuality, something that couldn’t be brought into the light.

The director didn’t know whether to praise Su Mingxiu for her courageous love or to call her naive for not understanding the power of money.

But then he thought—

Oh.

If Su Mingxiu truly was an investment genius, perhaps she didn’t need to rely on this industry for resources and money. She could live openly and honestly under the sun.

So he asked, as if possessed, “You want to come out publicly, but what about Suhui?”

Perhaps because he had been in this industry for too long, the hidden emotions and desires beneath the surface couldn’t escape his keen eyes. True or false, this director could see through them.

Even he knew that the only person Su Mingxiu might possibly like was Suhui.

Everyone knew this, but that foolish fish didn’t seem to believe it.

Being asked this, Su Mingxiu rubbed the bridge of her nose. “As for her…”

“I was just about to ask.”

She wanted to ask Suhui about quitting the show, and she also wanted to tell that foolish fish clearly: I like you, and only you.

Chapter 84: The Center of the Fish Pond (19)

Su Mingxiu handed her shopping bag to a staff member and went to change into something more suitable for the water.

Since they were still in the rehearsal stage, they weren’t given the official MV costumes yet. Instead, they were provided with ordinary swimsuits usually sold to tourists at the venue.

Annie had brought her own bikini, anticipating a water-themed filming after learning that Produce 101 was being filmed by the sea.

But her foresight now made her stand out among her prepared friends.

So she conveniently “forgot” about her own swimsuit and happily joined them in checking out the thirty-yuan, off-the-rack options.

There were sleek, one-piece swimsuits in shades of blue and grey, cute two-piece designs with peach blossom patterns on a white background, even swimsuits with scarf-like wraps…

This venue, before being rented for filming, had been a popular tourist spot, so the variety of swimwear was extensive.

Since they considered these swimsuits as practice outfits, the trainees weren’t too picky. Influenced by the lively atmosphere, they were all quite enthusiastic.

Su Mingxiu picked a simple black two-piece and headed towards the changing rooms.

Even though she had been to the bottom of the ocean with Suhui, the smell in this simple changing room was somehow fishier than the deep sea. She wanted to change quickly, but her fingers, brushing against something sharp on her neck as she reached for her clothes, made her pause.

She opened the door of the changing stall and saw Pao Tong, who had chosen a peach-pink swimsuit, and Annie, holding a sky-blue one. Seeing that she hadn’t changed yet, they asked, “What’s wrong?”

Su Mingxiu just smiled and shook her head. Her gaze shifted past them, landing on the bright, snow-white figure approaching from around the corner. “Suhui.”

The two girls turned their heads, their gazes fixed on the tall, silver-haired figure. Hearing Su Mingxiu’s call, the mermaid quickened her pace, then slowed down. Her voice echoed in the narrow hallway, ethereal and melodious: “What is it?”

As she approached, Su Mingxiu suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the changing stall.

“Help me take this off.”

Since she still didn’t know what the costumes for the actual filming would be, if it was just their usual pink trainee uniform, Su Mingxiu could easily slip it on over the necklace.

But the necklace was too rigid and sometimes got tangled in her hair. For convenience, she asked the person who had put it on her to take it off.

The silver-haired mermaid, seemingly unaffected by the cold, leaned naturally against the frosted glass door. Her silhouette, outlined against the surface, created a beautiful image.

She didn’t move, only looking at Su Mingxiu. “Why take it off? Don’t you like it?”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu detected the familiar barb in her tone.

But before she could answer, Pao Tong’s cheerful voice came from outside: “Mingxiu, do you need help?”

Her words clearly implied that if Suhui wasn’t willing to cooperate, she could be easily replaced.

Before Su Mingxiu could react, Suhui’s hand pressed down on her shoulder. Whether from emotional agitation or something else, her fingers dug into Su Mingxiu’s skin, causing a sharp pain.

At the same time, those blue eyes looked at Su Mingxiu warningly, as if saying:

Just try and accept her help.

Su Mingxiu tried to pull Suhui’s hand away, but she couldn’t on the first try. She rubbed her forehead in exasperation, took a step back, and tried to coax the fish: “Alright, alright, I won’t take it off. You can go out now.”

The sound of rushing water filled the small space as Su Mingxiu turned on the shower. The warm water cascaded down, hitting the tiles and splashing their knees.

But the silver-haired mermaid didn’t move.

Pao Tong, still waiting outside, hadn’t left. Annie, who had been with her, now hearing the sound of the water drowning out Su Mingxiu’s voice, only catching the seemingly compromising “Alright, I won’t take it off,” pulled Pao Tong away.

The pink and white-haired girl was still wrapped in her towel from the pool. Even as her friend pulled her away, her gaze remained fixed on the frosted glass door.

Staring intently at Suhui, who still hadn’t come out.

Then, she started trembling uncontrollably, whether from being cold for too long or from some unspoken emotional turmoil.

Annie had to push her into the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the hot water wash over her, creating a warm mist. She hugged Pao Tong, giving her a silent, comforting look.

Inside the cramped changing stall…

Su Mingxiu, clutching her shirt, looked at the stubborn fish who refused to leave with an amused smile.

Sensing that the people outside had left, she didn’t urge Suhui again. Instead, right before Suhui’s eyes, she casually lifted the hem of her pink trainee shirt, slowly revealing what was usually hidden beneath the loose-fitting uniform.

Heat.

Suhui noticed the steam surrounding them in the small, white space. Her temperature regulation system, sluggish in the humid environment, finally sent a signal to her brain, making her usually pale cheeks flush slightly.

But her blue eyes remained fixed on the source of her heat, as if trying to quench her thirst with her gaze.

The more she looked, the drier her throat felt.

It was like being suddenly pulled out of the ocean and thrown into a scorching desert.

Suhui stood there, mesmerized, her throat bobbing, watching as Su Mingxiu folded the pink trainee uniform and placed it aside, then untied the black strings of her bikini top.

Calling it a “top” was an overstatement—

The one Su Mingxiu had chosen wasn’t much different from a bikini. The straps were made of a translucent, satin-like material, resembling soft seaweed, yet not diminishing the sexiness of the design.

The crisscrossing straps partially concealed her shoulder blades, creating an “X” shape on her back, giving the illusion of restraint. But the glistening water droplets, flowing freely from her neck down to her waist, hinted that the “X” was more of an invitation than a prohibition.

Su Mingxiu showed no sign of embarrassment as she changed in front of her. As if the heat she had created for this fish wasn’t enough, she even leaned closer, adding fuel to the fire.

She casually gathered her long, slightly wavy black hair and tilted her head towards Suhui, her voice soft, almost drowned out by the sound of running water: “Look.”

“I can’t tie the straps of my swimsuit without taking off this necklace.”

Suhui clearly heard her voice.

She could even detect the amusement in her tone.

For a moment, a thought flashed through the mermaid’s mind: Then don’t tie them.

But her body betrayed her mind. Under the spell of this woman’s voice, more captivating than any siren’s song, she raised her arm mechanically. The moment her fingertips touched the coral necklace, the blood-red coral seemed to come alive, falling from Su Mingxiu’s neck into her palm, then wrapping around her wrist, transforming into a fiery thorn tattoo.

Then, Suhui held the two soft, dangling black straps, her fingers curling and uncurling around them. But even after Su Mingxiu’s neck started to ache from bending down, she still didn’t feel Suhui’s hand move away.

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu, wondering what this fish was thinking, snatched the straps back, intending to tie them herself. But as soon as she moved, Suhui’s hand pressed down on her shoulder again.

If it weren’t for her stable footing, Su Mingxiu would have almost been forced to kneel by the sudden force.

She couldn’t help but gasp, asking softly what was wrong with Suhui.

The fish, snapping out of her daze, didn’t say anything, only struggling with the two straps. Although she didn’t know how to tie a bow, she knew that if she didn’t tie them properly, Su Mingxiu’s straps might come undone in the pool… and then, the scenery that belonged to her would be seen by others.

So she carefully tied the straps around Su Mingxiu, layer after layer.

Her grip was a bit too tight, even digging the black straps into Su Mingxiu’s fair skin—

Sensing that something was wrong, Su Mingxiu swatted her hand away, straightened up, and took a step back. Feeling the tight knot on her neck, she asked with exasperation: “Are you trying to tie a dead knot?”

“Uh…” Suhui remained silent.

“Tsk, clumsy,” Su Mingxiu muttered, her fingers working behind her neck, patiently trying to untie Suhui’s handiwork and retie it herself.

Suddenly, the silver-haired woman standing beside her stepped closer, pressing her against the wall and leaning in.

Before her lips could touch Su Mingxiu’s, they were stopped by a fingertip.

This was a clear sign of refusal.

The heat within Suhui hadn’t subsided. This sudden impulse was like the accumulated heat in her body, seeking an outlet for release.

Now, blocked by Su Mingxiu, the anger from yesterday, the displeasure of not being chosen, all surged forth. But she didn’t say anything, only opening her mouth and biting down on Su Mingxiu’s fingertip.

Leaving sharp teeth marks—

Making Su Mingxiu retract her finger in pain. Suhui finally kissed the spot she had been aiming for, transferring the lingering heat within her to the other person.

Su Mingxiu, seeing that she couldn’t stop Suhui, afraid that her indulgence would go too far and leave unwanted marks, took the initiative to hold the back of Suhui’s head, taking control of the kiss.

When they finally came out of the changing stall, they bumped into the other members. The others first looked at them with a strange expression, then seemed to have a sudden realization.

As if they had seen this many times before.

Su Mingxiu could almost imagine that after Suhui became famous, among the many rumors circulating about her, there would definitely be one that said: During a certain talent show, she secretly hooked up with another trainee, and everyone knew they were lesbians.

Thinking of this, looking at the fish beside her, completely oblivious and showing no sign of restraint or discretion, Su Mingxiu became even more determined to quit the show.

The silver-haired mermaid beside her lowered her head. She was wearing a dark red one-piece swimsuit with black, branch-like patterns, giving it a gothic feel.

On a child, it would have looked cute and loli-like. But on Suhui, with her long legs and perfect proportions, it was incredibly sexy.

The oval cutout at her waist, the low neckline, and the hemline that reached just above her thighs all accentuated her figure.

Especially with her long silver hair, if she wore a pair of sunglasses, she could go straight to the beach and shoot a fashion magazine cover!

Sensing Su Mingxiu’s gaze, Suhui turned to look at her and suddenly asked: “Who is your gift for?”

“Xiuxiu!”

Annie, by the pool, suddenly popped her head up, splashing water towards Su Mingxiu. “You two are so slow changing, come down and join us!”

Some water splashed onto Suhui’s face.

Her expression immediately darkened.

But the cute and bubbly Annie only blinked innocently, pretending not to notice Suhui’s displeasure. She said to Su Mingxiu: “The MV director said that if we’re fast enough, we can do whatever we want with the remaining time. There’s a really good hot pot restaurant nearby—”

“Do you want to go?”

Su Mingxiu slowly lowered herself, first squatting by the pool, then dipping her feet in. Even though the pool was heated, the water still felt cold against her skin.

She took a moment to adjust, then slowly slid into the water.

“Okay.”

Because there were cameras everywhere on the pool walls, Su Mingxiu kept her distance from Suhui, worried that this easily aroused fish would do something inappropriate in front of the cameras.

The water was Suhui’s domain. She felt that the heat from her earlier encounter with Su Mingxiu in the bathroom hadn’t subsided yet. Afraid that getting close to Su Mingxiu would make her body temperature rise again, she quickly swam a few laps.

But it wasn’t enough.

The water temperature was far too high to cool her down.

Suhui not only had to suppress her instinct to revert to her true form in water but also had to find a way to lower her body temperature. She felt a restless energy coursing through her, but there was nothing she could do, only swim back and forth.

Her swimming was so fluid and effortless that she didn’t even need to surface for air after several laps. This caught the MV director’s attention, who decided to film her underwater dance solo first.

The MV had already taken into account the varying physical abilities and swimming skills of the trainees, with very few group shots planned, and even a budget allocated for post-production editing—

There were no objections to Suhui filming her solo first.

And because some of the other members were afraid of getting in the water, hesitating by the poolside, after much discussion with the staff, some of their parts were also given to Suhui.

But the fish, who had taken over other trainees’ screen time, looked even more annoyed.

She stared at Su Mingxiu in the water, her lips pursed tightly.

The staff member who had followed her thought she was unhappy and tried to comfort her, saying that having more screen time was a good thing, not something to complain about.

These words happened to be overheard by the girl who was clinging to the edge of the pool, afraid of the water. She glanced at Suhui.

Su Mingxiu didn’t notice this small incident by the poolside.

Because she was currently filming her own part. Thankfully, she was also good at holding her breath. After two NGs at most, she successfully completed her shots.

She got out of the pool and headed towards the changing rooms, intending to change out of her swimsuit, take a shower, and then go out and give Suhui her gift.

They were the first to finish filming, so she should have enough time.

Twenty minutes later.

Su Mingxiu, her hair still damp, stood by the bag where the staff member had kept her belongings, a towel wrapped around her head. But her expression was ice-cold.

Her bag lay on the floor, tilted over, the opening revealing shards of broken glass. The perfume she had made had spilled out, its fragrance already dissipated, only a faint scent lingering in the air.

“Oh dear.”

The staff member who had promised to keep her belongings safe came over, seeing the mess on the floor, and apologized profusely: “I’m so sorry, Teacher Su, I was busy with Gigi earlier, she still hasn’t gotten in the water yet.”

Saying this, she looked around. “Did someone come and touch your bag? Or did another team accidentally knock it over?”

This was an old, empty public venue, so there were naturally no surveillance cameras. Moreover, nothing of great value had been damaged, so there didn’t seem to be any point in pursuing the matter.

But Su Mingxiu suddenly turned and looked at the camera placed farthest away by the pool, the one used to film the water surface—

If it was from that angle, it should have captured what happened here, right?

She didn’t reply to the staff member, only waving her hand dismissively and walking towards the camera. But as she passed by the pool, Pao Tong suddenly surfaced. “Mingxiu.”

Actually, Pao Tong had seen who knocked over her bag.

It was a few children running around and playing. Because she had been constantly watching Su Mingxiu’s bag, worried that the gift she had made would be damaged, she kept popping her head out of the water to check.

For some reason, seeing those children, a wicked thought arose in Pao Tong’s heart.

She didn’t want Su Mingxiu to give that gift to Suhui…

If only that gift… was gone.

She knew that Suhui was a bit foolish, straightforward and simple. It seemed that they hadn’t resolved their issues yet. Subconsciously, she felt that she still had a chance.

When Su Mingxiu’s bag was knocked over, Pao Tong, witnessing the entire scene, felt like the heavens had answered her prayer.

But now…

Seeing Su Mingxiu’s displeased expression, wanting to investigate the matter, she felt a pang of guilt. After all, it had nothing to do with her.

But she still felt responsible, so she called out, as if seeking redemption.

But as Su Mingxiu stopped and looked down at her from the poolside, her gaze meeting Pao Tong’s, Pao Tong couldn’t say a word.

She desperately searched for the familiar gentleness in those black eyes—

Nothing. There was nothing.

Su Mingxiu’s eyes, when she was angry, were harder to read than the most complex ancient texts. Looking at her, Pao Tong truly realized that she hadn’t lost because she had taken a step back earlier.

But because, from the very beginning…

…she had never entered Su Mingxiu’s world.

Su Mingxiu waited for a long time, but Pao Tong didn’t say anything. So she turned to leave. But just then, Pao Tong, with newfound courage, suddenly asked: “Was your gift… for Suhui?”

The indoor swimming pool was enclosed, its metal roof blocking the sunlight and falling leaves. Pao Tong’s voice was loud enough to be heard by the director, who was explaining the filming details to Annie, the staff member encouraging Gigi to get in the water, and even Suhui, who had just changed and was walking out of the changing room.

With so many eyes on her, Su Mingxiu could only stare at Pao Tong silently.

She didn’t answer.

But her silence was a clear answer.

After a moment of silence, the noise and chatter resumed, filling Suhui’s ears.

She stood there, feeling the unyielding fire within her suddenly extinguish.

Her blue eyes remained fixed on Su Mingxiu. Never in her life, not even when hunting the most difficult prey, had she been so focused, as if she wanted to press her ear against Su Mingxiu’s lips from this distance.

So she could hear Su Mingxiu’s answer immediately.

But she waited and waited, until she became restless again, and she still hadn’t heard a single word of confirmation. From Suhui’s perspective, Su Mingxiu hadn’t even lowered her head.

Suhui suddenly felt a chill in her chest.

At first, she thought it was her body’s temperature regulation system finally kicking in, cooling down the heat within her. But it wasn’t.

It felt as if an iceberg from the Arctic Ocean had been placed in her chest, eternally frozen.

But the heat in her limbs still burned fiercely.

Suhui watched as Su Mingxiu turned and walked away silently. Even though there were rivals within her sight, she didn’t care. She suddenly wanted to laugh.

As she thought this, a smile appeared on her lips.

What are you expecting?

Suhui asked herself—

You already knew, this woman is fickle, promiscuous, and full of lies.

Even a little bit of intimacy has to be earned.

A gift in exchange for her gift, the kiss in the room because she taught her how to dance, the encounter in the bathroom because she wanted her to take off the necklace.

Suhui realized at this moment that Su Mingxiu didn’t like Pao Tong.

But she couldn’t feel any joy.

Because…

She realized that Su Mingxiu didn’t like her either.

This woman didn’t love anyone.

Suhui unconsciously touched the red coral tattoo on her wrist. Actually, Wang Zhi had noticed the change in both Su Mingxiu and Suhui earlier and had even subtly reminded Suhui to be careful.

Careful about what?

Suhui didn’t understand then. But now, she suddenly turned and went back to the bathroom. She peeled off the red coral, which had been clinging to her arm like a vine, and threw it in the trash can without a word.

Looking at the shriveled red coral lying alone in the trash can, her eyes were cold and indifferent, as if covered in a layer of frost.

Chapter 83: The Center of the Fish Pond (18)

“Knock, knock.”

While the cameras could at least capture the transparent glass door of Pao Tong and Annie’s room, Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s side felt completely secluded.

So Wang Zhi, prompted by a staff member, knocked on the door, urging the two people having a private conversation inside to come out.

The black-haired woman had an answer on the tip of her tongue, but the sudden interruption made her turn her head towards the door.

Suhui gazed at her profile, her eyes following the elegant lines of Su Mingxiu’s face to the red coral necklace on her slender, white neck.

Then…

She unconsciously touched the candy-shaped earring on her earlobe. She didn’t know if it was because her body temperature was too low or if the material itself lacked warmth, but despite the earring’s beautiful, shimmering appearance, when she touched it, she felt the cold, hard edges prick her finger.

Her silver hair, caught by her movement, tangled around the earring, causing a slight pain.

She suddenly blurted out: “You don’t have to answer.”

The woman turned back to look at her, her beautiful eyes, more captivating than black pearls, filled with confusion.

Suhui lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact, and replied calmly: “You humans are always glib, saying one thing to our faces and another behind our backs. No matter what your answer is, I won’t believe it.”

Su Mingxiu: “?”

She hadn’t expected to be preempted by this fish, all her possible answers blocked.

So, her lips, as red as roses, parted slightly, and she asked, “How many humans have you met to make such a judgment? Besides, you haven’t even been in a relationship with a human.”

“Do you have to be in a relationship to know if you love someone?”

Suhui looked down at the floor tiles, suddenly thinking of the men in this program, including Yuchi Xiao. The scent of other people on them was already a sign of infidelity, what was the point of even being in a relationship with such people?

She said, “I’ll find out your choice myself.”

After saying this, Suhui brushed past her. The corner of the earring, hidden beneath her silver hair, flashed in Su Mingxiu’s eyes, momentarily blinding her.

By the time she came back to her senses, the faintly fragrant figure was already gone.

Wang Zhi, seeing that neither of them had red eyes, breathed a sigh of relief. But she still asked Su Mingxiu with concern:

“Are you two… okay?”

Of course, they weren’t okay.

The fish she had almost coaxed back now had a new rift between them. Su Mingxiu walked over to a chair in the now empty cafeteria and sat down, pressing her temples, lost in thought.

Wang Zhi, as if remembering something, leaned closer and whispered in her ear.

Su Mingxiu, who had been looking indifferent, turned her head and chatted with Wang Zhi after hearing her words.

On the other side, Suhui, having declared that she would find out if humans were truly fickle, walked away. After a considerable distance, she realized that she had neither an all-powerful electronic device nor her manager from Neptune Entertainment to consult. She hesitated, then took a few steps back, wanting to see if Su Mingxiu was seriously thinking about how to coax her. Turning the corner, she saw Su Mingxiu chatting and laughing with Wang Zhi.

Where was the flustered and unsure person from earlier?

Suhui’s eyes darkened, a gloomy shadow appearing in her blue eyes. She turned and left without a word.

The discussion hadn’t yielded any progress. While the other members were either trying to relax or offering comfort, Suhui wandered the building alone.

Passing by a remote emergency exit, she overheard a conversation in the stairwell. It was a man anxiously explaining: “How could that be, honey? I’ve just been working overtime. You know we’re filming this show, working double shifts every day—”

“You’re the most important person to me… How could she be more important than you? If you don’t believe me, I’ll forward you the work schedule from my manager… I’ve given you all my vacation days, how could I possibly have time for another relationship?”

“Oh, my dear, you’re the most important… Stop sending me those quizzes. If you and she fell into the water at the same time, I would definitely save you first! May lightning strike me if I don’t!”

…

Suhui slowly stopped in her tracks.

If it weren’t for the live stream camera following her, she would have opened the door and listened more closely. But even so, the man’s voice alone was enough for her to understand what was happening.

A quiz. Who to save first if they fell into the water.

So humans had their own way of measuring love.

The next day, the filming for the MV In the Middle of the Water began.

The seven contestants were taken to the filming location early in the morning by the program’s bus. It was a temporarily rented public swimming pool. When they arrived, the venue and cameras were still being used by a film crew. The seven beauties, their appearance clearly different from ordinary people, stood out even outside the venue.

Wang Zhi gave Su Mingxiu a look, and Su Mingxiu nodded, heading towards the road across from the venue, waving to the others. “I have some personal matters to attend to, I’ll be back in half an hour.”

Coincidentally, Annie and Pao Tong exchanged glances and also excused themselves, heading in another direction together.

Soon, only Suhui and Wang Zhi remained. Wang Zhi smiled at her in a friendly manner. Remembering how Wang Zhi had chatted with Su Mingxiu for so long yesterday, Suhui only looked away, remaining silent.

“Ding, ding, ding.”

As soon as the wind chime on the door rang, Su Mingxiu was greeted by a wave of fragrance.

The scent was incredibly complex, a mix of various notes assaulting her senses, making it hard to distinguish individual components—because this was a private DIY perfume studio.

Thankfully, Wang Zhi had connections here. Yesterday, Su Mingxiu had used the laptop given to her by the film crew to book a session, and today, she was here to try her hand at creating her own perfume.

She wanted to recreate Suhui’s scent and give it to the foolish fish as a gift. After all… Suhui seemed to have complicated feelings about those candy-shaped earrings.

Although Su Mingxiu didn’t know the reason.

Countless bottles and jars were arranged on antique wooden shelves. A staff member led Su Mingxiu to the workstation and, after a brief explanation, she nodded to indicate she understood and started experimenting.

First, she created a light rose fragrance, but it smelled too common, so she discarded it.

Then, lotus… ocean…

She lost track of time. When the staff member came across the road to inform her, Su Mingxiu was trying to mix a few different elements. She sniffed the result—

What is this… salted caramel scent?

The black-haired woman had a strange expression. She hadn’t expected that her attempt to recreate Suhui’s scent would turn into a cooking experiment. She didn’t know if it was because her body’s instincts were too strong.

“Next up is the filming for the MV In the Middle of the Water. You can get in the water to get used to it.”

Soon.

The contestants who had gone out were gathered back at the venue, each carrying shopping bags. To avoid affecting their filming, the staff offered to keep their belongings for them.

Just then, Pao Tong and Annie simultaneously handed over their bags. But perhaps because Annie wasn’t careful, her bag bumped into Pao Tong’s. The girl with pink and white hair, caught off guard, her grip loosening, watched helplessly as her bag was knocked away.

Annie was stunned.

Su Mingxiu, standing beside her, hadn’t expected this either. She instinctively reached out to catch it, forgetting that she was also carrying something. In the chaos, Pao Tong, for some reason, ran straight towards the swimming pool.

“Hey!”

“Splash!” Annie watched in disbelief as Pao Tong jumped into the pool to retrieve her bag.

Just then, Suhui, who had been standing quietly at the side, also jumped into the water without a word, but without creating much of a splash. Even the director was stunned. After a while, someone asked: “Did she also drop something?”

“Does Suhui think the practice has already started?”

Wang Zhi asked worriedly, “Can they both swim?”

Annie waved her hand dismissively. “Pao Tong grew up by the sea, all the kids from her hometown know how to swim.”

That being said, Pao Tong, who had jumped in to retrieve her bag, hadn’t resurfaced yet, and even Suhui, who had followed her in, seemed to be sinking to the bottom.

This made Wang Zhi even more worried. “But… they didn’t even do any warm-up exercises before getting in the water, what if they get cramps?”

What if something happened?

After all, as the old saying went, it’s those who know how to swim who drown.

Hearing this, the girls and the assistant director became nervous, looking towards the lifeguard. Only Su Mingxiu stood there with her arms crossed, looking at the surface of the pool, her expression unreadable, no sign of worry.

Just as they were about to call the lifeguard, she casually pointed at a sign not far away with her bag-laden hand.

Everyone followed her gaze: Water depth 1.4 meters, children’s area.

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu squatted by the pool, looking at Pao Tong, who had already caught her bag but hadn’t resurfaced yet, then at Suhui, who was lying motionless at the bottom of the pool nearby, staring upwards with her blue eyes.

Especially Suhui, her long silver hair swaying like seaweed, pretending to be a dead fish, yet also wanting to see the reactions of the people above, her eyes wide open. She looked like a beautiful, realistic doll that had accidentally fallen into the water in a shop window.

Then, they saw Su Mingxiu, half-squatting on the edge of the pool, ask unhurriedly: “Are you two competing to see who can hold their breath longer? Want me to time you?”

Pao Tong, who had wanted to make her worry: “…”

Suhui, who realized that Su Mingxiu wasn’t going to save either of them: “…”

“Splash—”

The two figures, dripping wet, quickly surfaced. Pao Tong pretended not to hear Su Mingxiu’s words and winked at her with a smile: “Just kidding, did we scare you?”

Suhui’s silver hair, dripping with water, fell around her chest. She stared at Su Mingxiu. Before she could reach out and do something mischievous, Su Mingxiu suddenly raised the bag in her hand and took a step back.

“No.”

She lowered her head, smiling faintly. “These are very important gifts, they can’t get wet. Wait for me to put these away, then you can get back in the pool.”

Hearing the words “very important” and “gifts,” both the human and the fish in the pool looked at the bag in her hand, their gazes intense.