Chapter 25: The Fox Is Foolish, But I Can Bring You Joy

Qin Min lowered his eyes to watch Yun Fu, who had picked up a piece of fruit from the platter and brought it to her lips.

The red fruit, held between her translucent, pale fingers—the contrast between the extreme red and the extreme white, coupled with those crimson lips and the moist, red tip of her tongue—seemed to capture the most vivid and beautiful colors in the world. It was a sight that made it impossible for anyone to look away.

It stirred up forbidden desires, an urge to trap her by his side forever, to make her belong to him alone. Yet, besides him, Yun Fu had three other beast-husbands, as well as eyesores like Qing Ze.

Qin Min reined in the possessiveness in his eyes, his grip loosening slightly.

"If I give you my scale, will you give it to that peacock?"

Qin Min stared intently at Yun Fu’s small face, as if he would lock her away the moment she gave an answer he didn't want to hear.

Yun Fu had no good impression of that peacock, who was not particularly handsome, had a terrible temper, and was insufferably self-important. But seeing the man before her—a merman with dark, brooding eyes who looked like he was on the verge of succumbing to his damp, yandere nature—she felt a flicker of annoyance.

"Do you really think my taste is that poor? Your scale is so beautiful; what would be the difference between giving it to him and throwing it in the trash can?"

The mention of a "trash can" caused the corner of Qin Min’s mouth to lift. The coldness in his eyes dissipated, and that damp, oppressive air softened significantly.

He reached out and opened his palm, revealing the scale he had personally removed and carefully polished, ensuring that it wouldn't scratch her delicate skin while she played with it. The scale shimmered with a dazzling light, as beautiful and magnificent as Qin Min himself.

"It shed naturally. As we agreed, it’s yours."

[What is this merman doing? "Shed naturally," my foot! That’s your own heart-guard scale that you pulled out yourself, isn't it?]

[Here we go again with the classic, long-running trope of the "mute" novel character. The merman should just keep it to himself. He’ll learn his lesson when the female lead actually gives the scale to the peacock beastman.]

[I don't understand him. The heart-guard scale is vital to a merman; it can block three fatal attacks. Most importantly, if the scale is attacked, he feels the pain too. Why give it to the female lead?]

[Why else? Because he’s deeply in love, that’s why.]

[I feel bad for him. The female lead doesn't know anything, and she doesn't seem to have any real feelings for him. She probably won't treat this scale well. His heart is going to be shattered into pieces.]

A storm of emotions swirled within Qin Min, but he followed his heart and offered the scale to Yun Fu. He wanted to protect her, to sense everything she felt; what was a little shared pain compared to that?

Yun Fu’s gaze rested on the magnificent, glistening scale. It was bright and beautiful, far more dazzling than most of the scales on a merman's tail. Did such scales really fall off naturally? It didn't look like it from the quality. But since Qin Min had offered it, why shouldn't she accept?

"Thank you. It's beautiful; I will cherish it well." Yun Fu took the scale from Qin Min's hand.

As her fingers brushed against his palm, the soft, warm touch sent a faint tingle through him, causing Qin Min to close his hand over her slender fingers.

Yun Fu felt her hand enveloped by his icy cool skin. She looked up in confusion, meeting the man's shimmering eyes, and a romantic, lingering atmosphere instantly bloomed. Feeling the sensation, she even found herself thinking that in this hot weather, cuddling with a merman would surely make for a comfortable sleep.

01 brought out a freshly squeezed fruit juice and homemade ice cream from the kitchen, only to find Qin Min and Yun Fu, one standing and one sitting. Qin Min was leaning over, holding Yun Fu’s hand, his eyes overflowing with warmth—a scene of perfect harmony.

01’s thin lips pressed into a straight line. Although he was not the mistress's husband and could not touch her hand like those shameless beastmen from the Supervision Bureau, he truly longed to leave his own scent upon her. Why couldn't he?

01 walked over with the tray, shattering their tender moment. Qin Min cast a cold glance at him.

01, playing the part of a competent bionic butler, acted as if he didn't see the cold look. He served the juice to Yun Fu and asked softly if the sweetness was to her liking.

Yun Fu nodded, then tugged on Qin Min’s sleeve, signaling him to sit down. Looking up to talk was exhausting, and she only wanted to be the "bad guy" who tied them down, not someone who pushed them so hard they ended up locking her away instead.

After finishing the juice and ice cream, Yun Fu returned to her room to prepare for a bath. She was exhausted after soothing several beastmen and petting so many fluffy creatures today.

Hearing her intent, Qin Min dutifully went to draw the water. Yun Fu had many requests, and seeing him volunteer for the labor, she didn't hesitate to list her somewhat demanding requirements one by one.

Qin Min watched those two lips part and close, memorizing every word. When Yun Fu looked up, expecting him to be impatient, she found a faint smile on the man's handsome face; he actually seemed to be in a good mood.

Once he began the task, he rolled up his shirt sleeves to reveal his strong, muscular arms, following her instructions to the letter. He even controlled the water temperature perfectly and used his water-based ability to ensure the essential oils were fully incorporated for the best effect. He looked every bit the perfect, domestic husband.

When Yun Fu returned from the dressing room with a change of clothes, she encountered Qin Min, who had brought a fruit salad and plum juice. The man placed the food beside the bathtub, ensuring she could reach it easily if she wished.

Yun Fu tested the water with her hand again; it was the exact temperature she preferred. She couldn't help but sigh, "Qin Min, you really are good at taking care of people. You could even give 01 a run for his money."

Qin Min took the clothes from her hand and hung them on the rack. He disliked it when she mentioned other men—even a bionic one—while they were together. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around Yun Fu’s waist and lifted her onto the vanity table.

Qin Min leaned in close, inhaling the complex scent of other males on her, his eyes darkening. "With so many beastmen's scents on you... have you been touching them all?"

Yun Fu blinked. Qin Min’s current vibe—that of a damp, brooding merman—was a little dangerous, yet undeniably alluring. "I was just providing spiritual soothing. They are outsiders; you are different. You are my 'inner' person."

Qin Min chewed on the phrase "inner person." He raised a hand, running his fingers through Yun Fu's soft hair, steadied her shoulders, and began to nibble at her neck.

"You’re so generous—helping them with spiritual soothing, and you let them touch you too? Did that beast who licked you happen to be Lu Shiling?"

As if unable to restrain himself any longer, Qin Min bit her a little harder, then began to nuzzle her translucent skin again, his breath hot against her ear. "Don't pay attention to them, okay? Back at the Imperial Academy, Lu Shiling’s score in the 'Caring for the Mistress' course was quite low. He is too clumsy and lacks the ability to take good care of you."

"But I... I can bring you joy."

*Oh*, she had thought he was a cold, honest fish, but it turned out he was quite capable of bad-mouthing his rivals.

Seeing that Qin Min was about to put his words into practice, Yun Fu’s heart skipped a beat, and she snapped out of the dreamlike state the merman had woven. She kicked him lightly, telling him to calm down.

"I’m going to bathe. Get out."

"Aren't you going to inspect how well I've studied the 'Beast-Husband' course?"

Qin Min looked at her with damp, pleading eyes, his hands still gripping her waist. His lips were a deep, dark red, and his gaze was tangled and intense, making Yun Fu’s face flush.

Mermen were truly bewitching, their beauty unparalleled.

After this realization, and to avoid being completely led astray by the merman’s charm, Yun Fu pushed him out of the room. She felt that her ability to repeatedly resist the merman's beauty was impressively strong—she was almost shocked by herself.

However, the disparity between her and the beastmen was too vast; she truly didn't dare to pay the price for such beauty. Moreover, she was a human, and they were beastmen—surely there was some kind of reproductive isolation between them?

With that final thought, Yun Fu took off her smart-brain bracelet, set it aside, and began her bath. She didn't notice the device flashing repeatedly; after receiving no response from its owner, it finally went dark after a while.