The Tycoon’s Enchanted Mermaid
Chapter 192: Sleeping

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Sleeping

The triangular wooden table was adorned with fresh flowers and lit with blue candles. Thin slices of sea fish arranged in the shape of a coiled dragon lay on a white plate, garnished with some green leaves.

Seeing her come over, Qin Yu stood up, took a pair of tongs, and placed a scallop he had just removed from the grill onto a small porcelain dish.

"Try this, eat it fresh for the purest taste, you can add some lemon and salt to enhance the flavor," he said as he helped her season it.

Ah Da sat down, picked up her chopsticks to grab the seasoned piece of scallop, and brought it to her mouth. The savory char was followed by the soft and tender texture, bursting with rich sweetness.

It was just a little hot.

Ah Da fanned herself with one hand to cool down while chewing non-stop, murmuring, "Hot..."

Qin Yu pushed a glass of juice towards her, then interlocked his fingers and stretched back, gazing at her as though he could never get enough. His eyes were hazy under the night sky, and his entire being radiated a lazy aura.

Ah Da drank the juice to ease the heat, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the shells and conches on the grill. She turned to Qin Yu and asked, "Are they done? Can we eat them now?"

"Hmm," Qin Yu replied, passing her the tongs with a gentle voice, "Be careful, it’s hot, take it slow."

Ah Da began to feast. The sliced fish tasted nothing like the slightly raw beef; it was far more delicious, completely free of any fishy smell.

The sea breeze gently blew in, while the white moon hung over the distant sea. The elegant lights on the ground and the sound of the crashing waves were clearly not quiet but strangely soothing.

After finishing the conch meat, Ah Da couldn’t wait to pick up a prickly black sphere with a slit cut on top, revealing its yellow flesh, arranged in petals like a lotus flower.

She had been eyeing it for a long time.

With great anticipation, she scooped up a small piece, only to fill her mouth with a strong taste of the sea, her brows furrowing instantly.

"This doesn’t taste good."

"I don’t want this," Ah Da pushed it away with distaste, looking at the sea urchin. It took a full glass of juice to wash down the flavor and recover.

Qin Yu was somewhat puzzled. She was fine with everything else but just didn’t like the sea urchin, clearly having specific food preferences.

He took the spoon and finished off the sea urchin, and then dishes continued to arrive one after another, and the two ate quite a lot.

After dinner, Ah Da lay in a rocking chair, holding her stomach, and to her surprise, she discovered just how beautiful the stars were on the island, with a clear sky full of visible stars.

The sea breeze came through, and as she listened to the soothing music, her eyelids grew heavy. Lying here felt truly comfortable.

Qin Yu walked over to her, bent down to pat her face lightly, and when she opened her eyes, he said, "Lying down right after eating can lead to indigestion, get up and walk for a bit."

Ah Da didn’t budge, frowning defiantly, "I won’t go, I just want to lie here and watch the stars."

Qin Yu didn’t care and simply picked her up, "I’ll carry you for a walk, should be about the same effect."

"Qin Yu!" Ah Da grasped his shoulders. There was not a trace of sleepiness left, and she was furiously grinding her teeth, "Get lost, you big jerk, put me down."

"Keep yelling if you want. This island doesn’t connect with other tourist islands; no one will come to rescue you no matter how hoarse you shout," Qin Yu whispered in her ear. His attractive eyes were filled with laughter, his tone excessively teasing, which didn’t match his cool and distinguished exterior at all.

Instead of getting angry, Ah Da actually burst out laughing on hearing this.

She pinched his ears, amused, "Qin Yu, do you know what you just said sounded like?"

Qin Yu was suspicious, and without stopping his stride, he looked at her.

Ah Da had a beaming smile, with a playful laughter.

"Like the villain in a TV show. I once watched an idol drama. The heroine was kidnapped by the villain who tied her up in an underground garage. Holding a knife against her face, the villain threatened her, saying, ’Even if you scream your throat out, no one will save you...’"

The young girl imitated the villain’s tone right by his ear, quite convincingly. Meeting her gaze, Qin Yu could only think of one word, "lively." Her laughter was genuinely sweet, like a fragrant piece of candy.

Qin Yu didn’t want to let her go, so he lowered his head and nuzzled her forehead, wanting to kiss her for how sweetly she could smile.

Ah Da’s smile faded, and with her delicate fingertips, she clung to his clothes, whispering, "Put me down, please."

Qin Yu stopped and put her down, then reached out to fix her hair and led her by the hand towards the beach.

Ah Da let him lead her, even embracing his arm.

They hadn’t walked far when they saw lights in the distance, candles arranged in the shape of a fish, twinkling in the night.

"What’s this?" Ah Da stopped and turned her head to look at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu said, "It is said that on every full moon night, the native inhabitants of the Malaya Islands have a custom. They light bonfires by the sea, and everyone prays around the fire. They believe that the Sea God can hear their wishes and help them come true."

Ah Da was stunned. She hadn’t expected Qin Yu to pay attention to this kind of thing. Given his personality, he shouldn’t believe in such miracles of gods descending to bestow blessings, especially since she didn’t believe in unexplained good fortune either.

"It must all be fake. There are probably only demons in the sea, no gods," said Ah Da with a laugh.

Just like what Master Ting Chan had said, everything in the world revolves around cause and effect, and karma. If praying to gods was useful, there probably wouldn’t be any poor and sorrowful people in the world.

Ah Da had once put her hopes in things intangible, but after a long time, she had finally realized that whether it’s demon or human, there’s only one truth: where there’s a will, there’s a way.

That’s why when she met Qin Yu, she was determined to "hook" him and light the incense burner, for opportunities are rare, and once missed, you never know how many years it might take to encounter another.

Facing Ah Da, Qin Yu lightly stroked her cheek with his fingers. "It’s not about believing in something; I just wanted you to experience the local culture. It was me, wanting to see you smile. Besides, a little fish from the deep sea is standing right in front of me. Even if there really is a Sea God, it doesn’t seem to be a surprise."

Hearing him call her a little fish, Ah Da felt an odd sensation in her heart. She pushed his hand away, "That’s not the same thing, and besides, I’m not a little fish, I’m a big fish. I could gobble you up."

Qin Yu wrapped his arms around her and asked her size, but Ah Da was too embarrassed to reply.

Finally, the two sat next to the candles for a while, and on a whim, Ah Da joined him in prayer; as for what they prayed for, they both very tacitly didn’t say.

They returned to the villa at eleven at night, and Ah Da was ready to go to her room to rest. As she was about to close the door, a hand blocked it. Looking at the man following behind her, Ah Da was stunned.

"What are you trying to do?"

Qin Yu sauntered in confidently, "Of course, to rest."

"To rest?" Ah Da looked around, sure enough, it was her room alright, "Are you in the wrong room?"

"I’m not. This is our room." Qin Yu pressed her against the wall, stepping closer, "I’ve been showering and changing in the guest room. Are you suggesting I should also sleep in the guest room at night?"

Swallowing nervously, Ah Da said timidly, "You... You don’t have to sleep in the guest room. I can..."

"No, you can’t." Qin Yu pinched her chin, squinting at her, "You watch TV dramas all the time, right? Have you ever seen a boyfriend and girlfriend go on a trip and sleep in separate rooms? Huh?"

Ah Da was at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Qin Yu was satisfied and leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth.