Chapter 32 (2/2)

The newly built indoor pool was obviously much larger than the small pool in the courtyard, so there was no problem for the two cubs to swim around together.

The initial interaction seemed pretty good. Following them with his eyes as the mermaid took the Moye cub down to the bottom and showed him the shell bed, Xie Tao noticed how the Moye cub’s short little tail lightly swayed as he looked around and was immediately relieved.

Xie Tao stayed and sat cross-legged at the edge of the pool for a long time, watching the two cubs play together. When it was time to prepare food for the cubs with the other caretakers, Xie Tao kneaded his somewhat numb legs and stood up.

But, just as he was about to turn around, he saw the mermaid cub swimming towards him and he could not help but pause and turn back around.

Once the cub reached the edge of the pool, he extended a hand to grab ahold of his pants, he seemed very eager. “Pa…”

Although he did not know what he wanted, Xie Tao understood that this action was to stop him from leaving. So, squatting down, he touched the mermaid cub’s hair and asked in a warm voice. “What’s wrong?”

The little hand on his leg was holding onto him tightly, but there was no response. Xie Tao soothed him by saying. “I won’t go.”

Hearing this sentence, the mermaid cub made a sound to confirm that the youth really would not leave and then, finally, he slowly released his hand.

After letting go, the mermaid cub quickly swam down to the bottom of the pool and stopped a few seconds by the shell bed, before quickly returning to Xie Tao.

“Pa—” Holding something out in front of the youth, the mermaid cub tried his best to make his voice stronger, and the sound issued was indeed the clearest syllable that the cub had ever made.

Looking down at the hands in front of him, Xie Tao thought that the Mermaid cub would give him a crystal spar like last time. He intended to thank him and tell the cub in a warm voice that he should not try to make himself cry intentionally, but what he saw in the cub’s hands was unexpectedly something else.

This is… a scale?

Seeing the small ice blue scale laying in the mermaid cub’s hands, Xie Tao was stunned.

Did a scale fall off?

He did not have time to think about it for the moment, and under the Mermaid cub’s expectant gaze, Xie Tao received the ice blue scale.

This should be for him, or for him to safekeep, right…?

After receiving the scale, Xie Tao saw the mermaid cub’s tail sway beneath the surface, he looked very happy.

Whether it was meant to be a gift or for him to safekeep, Xie Tao had to put the scale away properly.

He had recently brought a small box for the crystal spar that the Mermaid cub had given to him, the scale could also be put and collected in it. But in the meanwhile he placed it in his pocket.

Now that the Mermaid cub did not stop him from leaving, Xie Tao touched the cub’s hair once again and then went to where everyone else was in the house.

When Xie Tao bent down to grab a few bottles in order to fill them with milk, Xia Qi suddenly asked him. “Ah Tao, what is that bright thing in your pocket?”

From where she stood, she had just now noticed a small shiny thing in the youth’s pocket and had not been able to resist asking.

“It’s a scale that little Gale gave me.” Without much thought, Xie Tao answered truthfully.

Gale… Mermaid cub….

Scale?

Everyone who was standing close by and heard this sentence was amazed. If they remembered correctly, mermaid cubs would only give their scales to their parents for safekeeping.

According to this logic, that is to say…. the Mermaid cub regarded the human youth in front of them as his parent??

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Translator’s note:

I have looked at the comments here and on wattpad, it was surprisingly quite different; here most people wanted the more accurate translation while on wattpad most wanted me to keep the current translation.

It was really close to a tie, but, ultimately, more people wanted the accurate one so I will go back and change it when I have time.

On another note, I have a lot of exams coming up next week so I will sadly have to pause translating for one week, but I will resume translating like normal after that.

To save the sweetness from before, after getting such bitter news, here is a fanart I found of Xie Tao and the Mermaid cub:

Editor’s note: This is rather random but back where I live, Toto is slang for belly button. Does it mean anything were you are from?

Now XT is a dad, so cute. They grow so fast ????????????

Wishing Leo success on the exams! Good luck!!