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Chapter Text

The vast surface of the ocean stretched out before her, blue and magnificent. Maomao peered over the edge of the ship, her eyes scanning over the water, and feeling the cool breeze as it ruffled her hair aggressively, shooting it backwards. The waves rocked against the vessel, white spray flying where it cut through the water.

The vessel was a large structure. Growing up in the capital, Maomao had seen several ships throughout her life, and although this wasn't the largest or the grandest ship she had ever come across, it was still quite impressive. It was made out of sturdy hardwood and had a lavish appearance.

Overhead, the sky was a light blue with white clouds spaced out, revealing the glaring sun. She could hear the sounds of seagulls as they plucked out their lunch from the ocean. The oceanic smell was overpowering yet fresh, and Maomao appreciated it gladly. It was a beautiful day indeed.

Maomao was almost starting to enjoy the peaceful moment until the serene atmosphere was interrupted abruptly by the agonising sounds of hurling.

Her face twisted in annoyance, her mood once again bitter. She didn't have to turn around to see the freak with a monocle bent over and vomiting into the sea, polluting it with his disgusting stomach acids and whatnot. Lahan was still inside, probably passed out in his bed yet again.

Maomao had never travelled on a ship before, and she was grateful to discover she hadn't inherited whatever strange sea sickness the weirdo’s family seemed to have.

If Maomao was being honest, she never thought she'd ever get to leave the small apothecary shop in the pleasure district where she worked alongside her adoptive father. The thought of the old physician still ignited pain within her heart, the memories too painful to bear.

Although it had been weeks since the incident, Maomao still couldn't fully believe it; the idea was too foreign, a possibility she had always refused to consider before her world came crashing down.

She shook her head as if to dismiss the thoughts. As if she could pretend that everything was fine.

They had been at sea for almost a week now and were expected to reach their destination in about a day, perhaps earlier if the weather stayed pleasant.

Maomao was rightfully nervous when she first realised her journey would not be by land but rather by the ocean. She had made sure to prepare remedies for sea sickness, headaches, stomachaches and scurvy, along with medicine useful for other possible problems that might occur. She also made sure to include highly nutritious fruits and vegetables that might help her stay healthy on the long journey.

She was reluctant to give out her medicine when she understood the condition of the two weirdos accompanying her, but after Lahan’s nonstop begging, she relented reluctantly.

Maomao would have liked to give some of the remedy to the monocled freak, if only get him to shut up and pass out, but unfortunately, Lahan hogged the whole package. She privately regretted not preparing any sedatives.

The other sailors and servants were grateful for her treatments, though, so she felt better about the whole situation.

Now, Maomao was a logical person, which is why she didn't believe her eyes when a human face, a beautiful one at that, appeared in the water before her. Their long, dark hair swirled around in the water, and she could make out jewels, pearls, and seashells decorating it.

At first, she thought it was a woman, but then the figure slowly started rising out of the water until their upper body was directly under the sun, and Maomao realised that it was a man. His skin was pale, too pale for a healthy person, and dark veins protruded across his arms and neck.

But why would someone be here, in the middle of the ocean?

Is he drowning? Maomao thought for a panicked moment before her eyes wandered lower over his body and she could see what looked like lilac scales embedded into his skin, just below his abdomen.

Upon closer inspection, she could make out a large fishtail moving around underneath the water. Scales also decorated parts of his face; his temples and the outer corners of his sharp cheeks, and she could see two large, pointed ears peeking up from the dark mass of hair around his face.

If that wasn't enough evidence of the creature's inhumanity, his eyes put an end to any doubt. They were dark yet they seemed to shine like amethyst, his pupils vertically slit like a cat's.

It was a kind of beauty that bordered on being unnerving. Some would even call it terrifying.

His head was tilted as he observed her surprise with an amused expression on his face. The jewels adorning his hair and body glittered under the sunlight.

Was he... enjoying her reaction?

Maomao frowned, an expression close to disgust now twisting her features. She saw his eyes light up at that, a mischievous grin tugging his lips, revealing sharp teeth.

A chill ran down her spine at that and she shivered.

"Maomao!!"

Maomao jumped at the freak's sudden voice calling out to her.

She considered ignoring him, as she had been doing throughout most of the journey, but she didn't want him to come close to her. So she bit back the curses that threatened to spill out and took a deep breath.

"What?" She answered instead, not turning around. For a reason that was not quite captivation, but rather, curiosity, she didn't want to take her eyes off the figure in front of her. Her face must have soured even more, as it often did when the monocled freak was around her because the man— er— fish creature looked even more excited.

What's his deal?

"Maomao!" The annoyingly loud voice came again. How did he still have the energy to bother after throwing up his guts for a week? "My dear daughter! Are you feeling fine? You can ask your papa for anything!"

"No."

"Are you enjoying your trip?" He went on. "I'm sure you were worried about travelling by the sea, but don't worry! Your daddy always gets the best for you!"

"Can you just shut up?" Maomao couldn't help but turn around at that. The freak was standing near the centre of the ship, though standing wasn't really an accurate description. He was slumped over a barrel, looking out of it, but his eyes still had some spark. His assistant stood next to him and looked like he might throw up next. Maomao couldn't blame him. Dealing with the freak always had such an effect on people. She felt sympathy for the poor man.

"But Maomao dear—" the freak started but his face went green and he barely managed to scramble to the opposite edge again and threw up to his heart's content, the nauseating sound filling the air again. Maomao was grateful to be far away from him as the stench didn't reach her.

She rolled her eyes and turned back. The fish-man-creature raised an eyebrow before smiling and winking at her. Before she could react, he sank back into the water and swam away, a purple-blue, iridescent fishtail peeking over the water before it disappeared.

Maomao stood still, staring over the water where the figure had been. She hadn't realised how loud her heart was beating until she inhaled sharply, breathing in the ocean air. She would have believed she fell asleep while standing and dreamt the whole thing, but the freak's intervention proved otherwise. Her hands were still gripping the handrails tightly to the point that her knuckles went white.

Maomao was a logical person. But sometimes strange, unexplainable things happened that left her speechless, and this encounter was definitely high on that list.

She almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

Her new life already looked very strange, but also interesting. A kind of life she had barely dared to dream of back in her tiny home.

Maomao wasn't sure what awaited her or what her future would be like, but she would remain strong and endure. She had to. No matter how weird things became.

She stared out into the ocean until the sky changed colours, the blue blending into a soft purple, until the sun finally set, an abstract painting of pinks and reds and yellows decorating the heavens. The sea was reflective of each change, like a perfect mirror of nature. It was breathtaking.

It was nightfall by the time they reached their destination. Several carriages were already waiting by the harbour for them.

The ground felt odd under her feet when she finally hopped off the ship that had been her home for the past week. After many days at sea, Maomao's legs still seemed to sway as the ship did, and she felt dizzy. Compared to the other two, though, she was doing much better.

The property wasn't far from the harbour, and even as she sat in her carriage, her brain fogged by sleep, Maomao could tell that the distance could easily be crossed on foot.

When they reached the La clan estate, the servants present at the place bowed respectfully to the arriving party when they entered. The freak was dragged by two guards on either side while Maomao stumbled in by herself. She wasn’t sure how Lahan was doing and, to be frank, she didn’t particularly care.

When Maomao was shown to her room, she practically threw herself onto her bed without even bothering to change out of her day clothes as exhaustion weighed her down. She had planned to take a bath when they arrived, but those thoughts went out the window once her body hit the soft mattress. She just barely managed to take her shoes off to slip under the covers more comfortably.

When she finally closed her eyes and sleep took her, all she could see were the cat-like amethyst eyes.

Chapter Text

"Does this place have... strange creatures?" Even as the words left her mouth, Maomao realised how absurd it sounded, coming from her especially.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" asked Lahan. His voice still had a tremble, but the colour had returned to his face, and he was able to stomach food now. The same couldn't be said for the older freak, though, who was still in his bed chambers and could barely move.

It had been three days since their arrival at the La estate, and Maomao found it to be better than she had initially expected. She was given her own bedroom, which was a generous size, along with a spare room to conduct her herbal experiments. It was safe to say she didn't hate the place like she had thought she would; she might even go so far as to say she liked it. It was the first time she had so much space and freedom after all.

They were currently having breakfast on a veranda overlooking the garden. The servants prepared a generous amount of food that Maomao thoroughly enjoyed. The garden appeared to be well-maintained, with many plants and flowers in full bloom, and there was also a pond in which koi carp could be seen occasionally. She was already itching to plant her medicinal herbs and experiment with the new plants in this area.

Normally, Maomao would eat alone but the weather was pleasant today, and she had questions for Lahan. No matter how much she hated his company, he was admittedly very knowledgeable. Plus, this was his home so he ought to know at least something regarding Maomao’s strange encounter.

The pleasant smell of the fresh food wafted through the air as they ate.

"I mean," Maomao responded. "If there are some known sea creatures in this place. Ones that partly resemble humans, maybe?" She didn’t want to give out too many details, lest she give away that she encountered such a thing. He might think she had lost it, proving that she really was related to the famously eccentric La clan. She hated the thought of being associated with the weirdos even more than she already was.

"Ah," Lahan's fox-like eyes shone under his round glasses as he seemed to remember something. "Yes. I believe the locals refer to them as mermaids or sirens. The mythical creatures known for luring sailing ships to their demise. Some people even say they eat humans." Maomao's mind wandered back to the razor-sharp teeth.

"So... they're real?" asked Maomao, hesitantly.

Lahan shrugged. "Many people around here believe the stories to be factual, some even refer to themselves as 'hunters' and have special units designed to hunt the beings down. I have never come across anything like that, though, so I don't have strong beliefs regarding them."

Now that Maomao thought about it, she did remember rumours going around the pleasure district of men who came to the capital and who supposedly hunted beautiful sea creatures and presented their scales to courtesans some years ago.

Unfortunately, Maomao rarely remembered things that didn’t interest her and couldn’t recall any significant details regarding the matter.

Lahan took a sip of his tea. "People believe what they want to believe. What makes you ask? I was pretty sure you didn't believe in any myths or anything supernatural of that sort." He raised a brow.

Maomao shook her head. "I don't." It was true. Maomao always believed in logic and things she could see and touch, like medicine (and poison), which was why she never concerned herself with religion. As Lahan said, people believed what they wanted to believe, and Maomao never disregarded those who did have beliefs in such topics. “Just remembered some rumours from a few years ago.”

But she couldn't deny what she saw. Maomao was never the delusional type, and she certainly didn’t take any hallucinogens at any point in her journey.

“Were you thinking of conducting experiments on them? I have to admit, if you did discover a rare medicine, it could be very profitable. People here are really interested in stuff like that. It could start a whole new market!” He muttered dreamily, mostly to himself. His eyes held a strange gleam. Maomao could practically see the abacus working in his head. Of course, profit was all he would focus on.

Maomao only worked with herbs, testing their qualities for medicine or poisons, so she didn’t have any particular interest in experimenting on living beings (other than herself). Ethics aside, it seemed like a pain, so she didn’t care about it much.

Maomao just sipped her tea and munched on her rice crackers. The crackers tasted different in this region, perhaps due to the quality of the rice or the different recipe, but she still preferred the salty flavour over anything sweet. Her mind kept going back to the inhumanely beautiful face. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

After breakfast, she headed off to the markets. It was something she had been looking forward to since her arrival, and she was excited to finally get the chance.

Sanfan, a tall young woman who dressed like a man, accompanied her. Maomao hazily recalled seeing her at the port as one of the servants who was waiting for them with a carriage. Even now, she drove the carriage herself, so Maomao thought it was probably part of her job.

When they arrived, Sanfan extended a hand to help Maomao out of the carriage, but she declined, stumbling out with her satchel. It was one of the few belongings that she brought with her from the capital, so it was very valuable to her.

Sanfan was much taller than her and, with her short hair, could be mistaken for a handsome young man.

“Master Lahan told me to pick you up on the way back,” Sanfan told Maomao, who was already staring at the bustling streets of the market. “I’ll be waiting around here, so come back when you’re done with your shopping. Don’t take too long.” Her tone suggested that she would rather be anywhere but here.

Maomao nodded absently and started walking towards the stalls. The atmosphere in this place was different from the market in the capital where she grew up. Although the capital was also next to a large harbour, most of the products sold there were items catered to the rich folk and met the needs of the local people, as well as foreign items. Maomao found a lot of interesting plants there, so her visits there were quite frequent, whenever she could scrounge up enough to buy the herbs.

Although it was the same country, different areas had their own traditions and ways of life. People in this region prided themselves on being a seaside town with beautiful beaches.

The market here was bustling with life, with street vendors shouting and the laughter of children who played in the streets. At least some things didn’t change, no matter where you went. In contrast to the lavish lifestyle of the capital, this place felt more exotic.

Many stalls were selling freshly made seafood, and the delicious aroma made Maomao’s mouth water despite having just eaten breakfast. She thought back to the chicken skewers she often got in the capital. She made a mental note to get something to eat from the stalls when lunchtime rolled around.

The sights changed the deeper Maomao ventured into the streets. Seashells and pearls were displayed in most places she looked, many made into useable items such as purses and jewellery. She also caught sight of colourful iridescent fish scales a few times. Her eyes lingered on them for a second longer than needed.

Finally, her eyes landed on looked like plants at first sight. In contrast to normal plants, these ones had strange shapes and vibrant colours, their bodies too thick. Intrigued, she asked the merchant what they were.

“Corals,” replied the merchant, a middle-aged man with a round face. He had a slight accent, just like everyone in this place. “They are found on the seabed.”

Maomao recalled seeing an illustration in one of her adoptive father’s medicine books at the man’s words. She remembered that they could be used as anti-inflammatory drugs, and her eyes lit up.

The man, clearly thinking she was a tourist, was gearing up to give her a price she knew was definitely not generous. But fortunately, Maomao knew how to bargain.

She walked away with a good amount of corals stuffed into her satchel, leaving behind a defeated middle-aged man with a sullen look on his face.

The freak with a monocle insisted that Maomao take the money from him, and she did so gladly, much to Lahan’s dismay. Who was she to refuse some extra coins? But old habits died hard, and she couldn’t let herself get ripped off even if the money was from someone like him.

As Maomao walked among the bustling streets, a glimmer of crimson caught her attention. When she turned to look, she saw a beautiful young woman with red hair and sharp green eyes smiling at a particular stall. It wasn’t odd to find foreigners in these parts, but this woman had an unearthly beauty that gave Maomao a strange feeling.

Maomao looked to see if anyone else had noticed it, but everyone was focused on their own business, barely sparing a glance. When she looked back, the woman was gone. Maomao turned and looked around again to catch another glimpse of the red hair, but it was like the woman simply vanished.

Left with no other choice, she decided it was best to shrug it off and keep minding her business, but the strange feeling lingered.

It was way past lunchtime by the time Maomao was done with her shopping trip. When she decided to look for Sanfan, she realised she had no idea where she was. In her excitement, she wandered too far and had no idea how to get back. She was never good at directions in the first place.

Oh, well.

Maomao sighed, but she wasn’t too worried.

She could see a beach that wasn’t too far from where she stood. She recalled the words of a merchant, an older woman with kind eyes, who said that many sea plants and shells washed up on the beach, and it would be good to take a look.

Maomao wasn’t especially keen on returning to the estate anyway, so she started walking towards the large body of water. She would just have to apologise to Sanfan when she returned.

Walking to the beach took less than thirty minutes, but Maomao was still panting, trying to catch her breath. Perhaps the tiredness of the day was finally catching up to her. She was, after all, quite weak and was carrying a heavy satchel slung over her shoulder. It was a good thing no one else was around to see her pathetic state.

The beach was stunning. Clear water stretched out before her, waves colliding against the tan sand. It wasn’t quite summer yet, and the wind was too chilly, making Maomao shiver. The sky was still blue, but she could see the purple tinge it was starting to take.

Better get what she came here for and leave as soon as possible.

She crouched down in the soft sand and started looking for any interesting sea plants and corals that might have washed up. The merchant was right, and Maomao was overjoyed to find broken pieces of coral and seaweed, as well as shells, littering the ground. She was so engrossed in her task that it took her a while to notice the dark drops staining the sand in front of her.

She froze. Blood?

Was someone injured? She stood up and looked around, but she couldn’t see anyone else nearby.

When she turned back on the blood, she saw how the stains were leading towards a direction. She followed the trail until she reached a formation of large rocks.

It makes sense if someone fell over here and got injured. But..

The trail of blood didn’t end there.

Maomao followed it until she was standing in the mouth of a small cave. Her heart pounded in her chest. She considered turning around and leaving for good, not wanting to get caught up in any trouble. But if someone was injured, they could be in danger. No one could be in good condition after losing that much blood.

Maomao took a deep breath and stepped into the cave. It wasn’t a large structure, and she had to bend slightly to get inside. The ground was eroded until a small pond formed, reaching up to Maomao’s knees as she stepped through the entrance.

Her dress was already wet and filthy with sand, but she still gripped it with both hands and lifted it to move more easily.

The cave was illuminated with the light pouring in from the entrance as well as some small gaps in the roof. The figure of a person perched atop one of the larger rocks came into view as she moved further inside. At least that’s what Maomao thought she saw at first. The figure flinched as she drew closer, and she halted when she realised who, or what, it was. Her eyes widened.

The face of a celestial nymph peeked out from the mass of long, dark hair that reached down to the ground. Amethyst eyes like a cat’s glared in Maomao’s direction. A clawed hand was raised to a large, open wound on his shoulder, blood staining the pale skin as it dripped down his upper body and into the water.

What took Maomao’s breath away wasn’t any of those things, however, but the massive fishtail that was connected to the creature’s abdomen. Scales of different shades of purple, blue and occasional pink ran over the surface of the tail. It shone iridescently where the small patches of sunlight hit it, the scales shimmering like diamonds.

The bottom of the tail was in the water, where it moved as if offended by Maomao’s blatant, open-mouthed staring.

Maomao’s amazement was short-lived, though. The creature hissed at her, flashing sharp teeth in warning. She realised he was viewing her as a threat.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Maomao’s voice echoed throughout the stone structure. She stepped closer and saw recognition passing his eyes as her face came into view. That wasn't enough to make him relax, though.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” She repeated, softer this time. “I can help you.”

To her surprise, he seemed to understand her and his shoulders slumped just a fraction. She took that as a small victory.

“I’m an apothecary. A healer.” Maomao said, as a way of introduction. She added the last part in case he didn’t know what an apothecary was. It was like talking to a small child, only using simple words to make sure they understood.

The creature raised a brow and scanned her from head to toe, and looked at her as if to say really? You?

Maomao scoffed, failing to hide her annoyed expression. She saw the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. She briefly considered leaving the rude creature to die.

But she couldn’t do that, so instead she took a deep breath and moved closer until the distance between them was much smaller.

The creature looked alarmed at Maomao’s sudden action and backed away, trying to shrink further inside, but he couldn’t move as the wall was already against his back. It really wasn’t a large cave.

Maomao was starting to feel an ache in her neck and back from bending down and decided to sit on a rock protruding from the ground so she was almost face to face with the creature.

She still had to crane her neck upwards to look at his face, but she was close enough to his injured shoulder to work comfortably.

Up close, his face was even more breathtaking. She could see the scales on his temples and outer corners of his cheeks clearly, as well as his pointy, sharp ears that extended past his hair. His skin was like porcelain, and she noticed how it seemed to shimmer like glitter. His lips were plump and were slightly agape, revealing some of his razor-sharp teeth. Lahan’s words echoed in her head.

His upper body was, well, like a normal man’s, with a few changes. He had toned muscles, but his frame wasn’t too bulky. Extravagant jewels adorned his neck and his upper arms, shining when light hit them. Veins ran across his arms and hands, standing out against his pale skin like roads in a map drawn from ink. Maomao saw that he had gills protruding from the sides of his neck.

That answers the question of how they breathe underwater, I suppose.

His sharp eyes were examining her, too. His hair, which was dripping wet on their first encounter, was damp now, and some strands were stuck to his face. The jewels and shells decorating his hair made a twinkling sound as he tilted his head.

If he were human, Maomao thought that he would be quite a tall man. A very handsome one at that. It was truly a shame. But maybe it was for the best. Beauty like this could topple nations.

She shook the thoughts away.

He was still staring at her wearily but was considerably more relaxed than before. She took that as a sign to start working. First, however, she had to examine the wound.

“I– uhh– need to take a look at it.” Maomao pointed at the injury, which was still covered by his large hand. He had long nails that looked very sharp, so she didn’t want to take any risks.

He removed his hand, albeit hesitantly. It fell to his side awkwardly.

Maomao had expected the wound to be deep as it would have made the most sense considering the amount of blood loss. She was sad to find that she had been right.

It looked as if an arrow had been embedded deep into the flesh and abruptly pulled out. Maomao fumbled for her satchel as well as the small medical kit she always kept on hand.

The bleeding was less intense now, and some of the blood around the injury was starting to dry. First, she had to clean it to make sure nothing unhygienic was stuck in it, which could cause irritation or worse, an infection.

Maomao tore a piece of cloth from the hem of her dress and soaked it in the water, squeezing and rubbing it together to ensure it was clean. She soaked it for another moment before pulling it out.

“I’m going to wash the wound. It’s probably going to hurt.” She decided that it was better to be honest so as not to alarm him with sudden pain. He didn’t look happy but turned his shoulder towards her. Maomao took that as permission to keep going.

She twisted the cloth over the wound and squeezed the water over it. He looked pained but didn’t move away. Maomao repeated the process and then started dabbing the wound gently with the cloth. She also made sure to clean the blood around the wound that had dripped over his skin. When she was satisfied, she took out a round container from her medical kit.

The smell of herbs filled the air as she applied the salve over the wound to make the pain more manageable. It was what she often used to numb the skin of her patients when she didn’t have access to anaesthetics. His skin under her fingers was cool to touch and shuddered at her motions.

The creature shrank back when she pulled out her sewing kit.

After a lot of hissing, reassurances and sewing, Maomao finally drew back and looked over her handiwork. The stitches weren’t perfect, but they held the skin together firmly.

“That should do," Maomao mumbled, mostly to herself.

If this were a normal patient, she would prescribe some medicine and tell them to rest, but she wasn't sure if her treatment would even work for this kind of creature. She would have to hope it did.

The truth was, Maomao had many questions, but a sudden wave of tiredness washed over her, and she sighed, leaning back until the rough surface of the cave wall dug into her back.

They both sat side by side as an awkward silence hung in the air.

The creature next to her was still pouting from being stabbed with the needle many times and examining his now sewn-up wound. He hissed in pain when he accidentally moved too harshly, but he looked to be in much better condition without the blood staining him. His posture was more relaxed than before, though he still looked uncomfortable.

Maomao internally patted herself on the back for doing a good job.

"You shouldn't move around too much, though… I suppose that's not possible for you." Maomao told him and shrugged. "I have never met a mermaid before, so I don't know what treatment to prescribe you, and I don't even know if it would work."

"Siren," A serene, melodious voice came from beside her.

Maomao's eyes widened, and she jerked her head towards the source. "Huh?"

"I'm a siren.” He raised a brow at her reaction.

"You can talk?" asked Maomao. Now that she thought about it, there wasn’t any reason to think he couldn’t talk. He just chose not to open his mouth unless it was to threaten her with his fangs or to flash an annoying smirk. She found herself feeling somewhat annoyed by this discovery.

He frowned. "Of course I can.” He crossed his arms, looking dignified. “How else do you think sirens would bewitch sailors if they couldn't speak?"

Lahan's words came to Maomao's head again. She didn't really know the difference between a mermaid and a siren, but that was something to worry about later.

His voice was as sweet as honey, and Maomao didn’t doubt his ability to lure sailing ships to their doom.

"How did you get that injury?" She was surprised at how calm she was, as if she wasn't talking to a mythological being most people denied the existence of.

He was silent for a moment, avoiding her gaze. "I was ambushed ." his voice was quiet. Maomao had guessed as much. The hunters may be accepted in this place but it was still a cruel thing to do.

"I thought you could bewitch people. How could they hurt if they were under your... uhh spell?" She asked.

He cast a sideways glance at her. "Our songs don’t have much effect during the day. Most of us are more active at night."

"I see."

Another silence stretched between them. He looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't, his mouth opening and closing. He almost looked embarrassed.

What’s up with that?

"What is it?" Maomao asked when she couldn't take the awkwardness anymore.

He turned away again, a slight blush on his face. How interesting, Maomao observed. These creatures, the sirens, weren't so different to humans after all.

He muttered something, but it was too low and Maomao couldn’t hear it.

“What was that?” she asked and leaned closer.

"Uhm," he cleared his throat. "Thank you."

Maomao nodded, unsure of what she could say. She wasn’t expecting gratitude, but she didn’t mind it.

"Be careful so the wound doesn't open up again," was all she said. She was worried about how it would fare underwater and hoped it didn’t get any worse.

"I'll try..." he sounded as unsure as Maomao felt.

Maomao opened her mouth to reply, but a distant shout made them both jump, making them turn their heads at the same time.

The scene outside was drastically different from before. From this spot, the sea could be seen clearly as the waves gently crashed against the shore. The sky was a canvas of brilliant crimson, littered with hues of pink and the occasional purple, like fierce strokes of paint. The sun descended upon the horizon, sinking into its clutches, drawing a curtain of stars in its wake.

Another shout came, and this time Maomao recognised it to be her name. She toward the entrance of the cave and peeked outside. She saw figures of men spread over the beach. She squinted and recognised them to be guards from the La estate. They were still far away, their silhouettes similar to the size of a small mouse, but their cries were strong enough to reach Maomao’s ears.

She turned to the siren, who was next to her and looking at the figures with narrowed eyes.

“You should leave,” Maomao told him.

“Yeah,” he replied, already inching towards the waves with his elbows. Was that how he dragged himself all the way to the cave before? It was quite a distance to cross, and the position didn’t look comfortable at all.

When he was submerged up to his chest, he turned back to look at her, almost expectantly. His tail was twirling underneath the water, and he looked much happier to be in t. At this distance, he wasn’t visible to the guards, who were still far enough.

Maomao stood before him, the water crashing against her dress, which was already in a poor state. The dying rays of sunlight made him look even more ethereal and otherworldly, a view even more breathtaking than the sunset.

“I would need to examine your injury again to check for progress.” Maomao found herself saying before she could stop herself, then regretted it immediately. It was what she normally told her patients, but it was silly to ask for in this situation.

The siren thought for a moment before nodding. “Okay,” he replied.

Huh?

“You mean you will come back?” asked Maomao.

“Yes,” replied the siren, tilting his head. “I guess I’ll see you again in two days, apothecary.”

His lips curled into a dashing smile before he winked and dove into the ocean, his tail splashing the water as he swam away.

Maomao stood at the spot for a while, gazing over the horizon where the strange creature had disappeared into. When the sounds of her name came closer, she turned to the guards with a sigh and started walking, still in a daze.

Needless to say, Maomao got an earful from Lahan when she returned to the estate, which she ignored completely. She did, however, feel guilty towards Sanfan, who was giving her a look sharper than a dagger. Maomao was glad to discover that the place had a large bath and soaked in the hot water, the distress from the day slowly melting away. She rubbed the sand from her hair (how did it even get there?) and body until she felt clean and satisfied.

It was only when she lay in her bed, recalling the unbelievable events of the day, did she remember that she had left her satchel in the cave. Maomao wanted to scream, but resigned to groaning into her pillow instead.

Damn that siren.

Chapter Text

The two days that passed were mostly uneventful, save for a few things.

When Maomao returned to the cave the next day to look for her satchel, she found it in the small pond. Its contents were already useless after being drenched and were scattered in the water. What a waste.

When she stomped all the way back home, which she found wasn’t a great distance away from the beach, she was greeted with the revolting sight of the monocled freak’s face who was back on his feet again. She just about held herself back from banging her head against the stone wall.

Maomao considered going back to the markets, but whenever Sanfan saw Maomao approaching, she seemed to remember a variety of different tasks that needed to be dealt with immediately and scurried away.

Lahan, at least, wasn’t around. She guessed that he was off gadding somewhere or looking after business that was originally the freak’s work. It was a small mercy because she was sure that if she saw his face in her current state of mind, neither his toes nor his face would survive.

Maomao mostly reclined in her bedroom, trying to hide from the freak’s insistent calls.

When Lahan returned that night, he handed her a stack of textbooks. More precisely, it was a tall guard carrying the books who placed them on Maomao’s desk.

“I was able to get a list and some texts that you would need to prepare for the exam,” Lahan told her. He looked tired and like he wanted to get this over with already. “There are other scrolls and textbooks that will be arriving in a few days.”

“There’s going to be more?” Maomao looked at the stack of books in front of her and gulped.

“Yes, the physician’s exam is highly valued and therefore extremely hard to pass. My honoured father told me to prepare everything you would need in advance, and as you know, even I can’t disobey his orders.” He looked grim as he told her that. Surely the textbooks and scrolls cost quite a lot, considering they were made from fine-quality paper.

“When is the exam again?” asked Maomao.

“In about a month and a half,” answered Lahan. He silently examined her with a hand on his chin, and she knew he was calculating her from the glint in his fox eyes. It was irritating. “With how your numbers are now, you would need to work about three times harder than you normally do if you really wish to succeed. It would be in everyone’s best interests if you did.”

In other words, “don’t waste the money I spent”.

“Got it.” She said and waved a hand towards him, as if she were swatting an annoying fly. Lahan left without another word, the guard following behind him.

Maomao scanned the stack of books.

The physician’s exam.

Though it was now legal for women to practice medicine under the reign of the current emperor, it was still uncommon to see them pursuing the field.

It was due to the insistence of her “older sisters” in the pleasure district that Maomao decided to take the big step when the freak asked (begged) her to come with him. That, and that it was probably what Loumen would have wanted for her, to pursue what she desired.

Maomao had never really thought about her future.

She always imagined she would die in her tiny apothecary shop from one of the poisons she had ingested. She never had any ambition to raise her position in the world or to get married. As much as she would have liked to eat her placenta one day, she wasn’t fond of children to start a family. It all just sounded like a hassle. Not that she had any opportunities anyway.

She was, of course, anxious about leaving the place she grew up in and the life she was familiar with, but she did like the idea of travelling and finding new, unusual plants from foreign places to experiment with.

Maomao liked her life as an apothecary, but as a physician, she would have access to the finest herbs – and poisons – in good quantities. Plus, it was a respected profession with good pay.

While Maomao was able to read and write thanks to her foster father, she wasn’t formally educated.

Although the physician’s exam tested knowledge on medicine, it also tested knowledge of the law, history and even poetry for some bizarre reason Maomao couldn’t fathom. It was one of the reasons she never tried to become a physician in the capital.

One thing she wasn’t good at was studying, especially studying things she had no interest in.

It was going to be a tough month and a half.

She spent the next day hiding from the monocled freak and looking through the textbooks, most of which were incredibly boring. At least, she was able to plant some of the herbs she had brought with her from the capital in the garden. It brightened her mood a little.

The gardener, on the other hand, was so distraught that he almost fainted when he saw his treasured and carefully managed flowers being ripped from the roots and tossed aside like poisonous weeds.

Maomao felt sorry for him, but not enough to stop her task.

When the day of the meeting rolled around, Maomao left the estate after breakfast. The beach was a walkable distance, and she brought along some books about medicine to kill time, as well as an encyclopedia about marine life. She was pleasantly surprised to see it in the stack of books that had arrived the day before.

Her interest in sea life was limited to the plants grown underwater and poisonous fish, but it also seemed like a good starting point to look into strange creatures.

Maomao doubted it would have anything related to sirens or mermaids, though. She would have to look into fairy tales or myths for that.

She also made sure to bring her medical kit.

The sun was high up in the blue sky with barely any clouds to be seen, and a gentle breeze was blowing when Maomao reached the ocean.

A few fishing boats could be spotted in the distance, and she could see some children playing in the sand, but most of the beach was deserted.

Maomao was starting to see that not many people approached this place. She wondered if it was because of the lack of fish in the water here or something else, like superstition. As long as she had her own space, she didn’t mind whatever the reason was.

Not wanting to be near the children, Maomao headed towards the rock formation.

She had half a mind to search the sand for anything new that might have washed up, but her hands were full and she didn’t want to look like a mad woman crouching and crawling in the sand in front of the children, so she decided to come back to that later.

Her questions had only increased since their last meeting, and she considered bringing a notebook to write any interesting information down, but thought it to be too intimidating for a creature like that and decided against it.

Not wanting to be directly under the sun, she found the small cave again and decided to sit in the entrance. It was a concealed spot, and she wondered if he would find his way back here.

As much as she would have rather liked to work with her poisons instead, she didn’t hate reading as long as it was something of interest to her.

Maomao opened the encyclopaedia and started reading through it. The illustrations were incredible and realistic, with detailed descriptions and notes that she found to be quite interesting indeed.

She didn’t know how much time had passed as she immersed herself in the book, but her peace was broken when a serene voice spoke up next to her ear. “What’s this?”

Maomao jumped and almost fell backwards into the pool of water if it wasn’t for the hand that clasped her arm just in time.

Amethyst eyes stared back at her with astonishment equal to her own.

Maomao regained her composure and cleared her throat, shooting him an irritated look that made him smile pleasantly in return. His smile was a beautiful, blinding thing. She looked around to make sure no one else was nearby.

The siren was sitting next to her, peeking over her shoulder and into the book. The wet strands of his dark hair brushed against her face, the jewels in his hair clinking as he tilted his head.

They sat in the mouth of the cave and faced the blue expanse of the sea. With Maomao’s figure being small as it is, she was fully in shade, but the creature next to her was large, and so, his tail was splayed out on the sand in front of him under the sunlight.

Now that she could see it properly, Maomao was awestruck. It looked magnificent, with the scales shimmering like sequins in a soft blend of purple and pink hues. The fins connected to the bottom were translucent and a soft pink colour that merged with purple and concluded with a deep blue at the tips. It truly was breathtaking.

He was still dripping wet, but he looked unbothered by that.

I suppose that’s normal for him.

“What’s this?” he asked again, his curious eyes looking at the illustrations. Maomao noticed that he was still holding her arm and shook his hand off. He didn’t seem to mind. “You had a big smile on your face, and you didn’t even notice me when I came up to you. It was a bit unsettling.”

Smiling? Maomao looked back at the content of the page she was reading. It was about pufferfish and the qualities of their poison.

That makes sense.

She didn’t think she was the unsettling one here, though, as she observed his slit eyes, clawed fingers and inhumane appearance.

“It's an encyclopaedia,” she told him.

“An en-cycle… what?” he furrowed his brows.

“An encyclopaedia,” Maomao repeated, slowly this time. “It's a book that has a lot of information about a certain topic,” she explained in simple terms. “For example, this one is about life found in the ocean.”

“I see.” He looked intrigued and seemed like he was trying to decipher the words in front of him.

A thought occurred to her. “Can you read?” she asked him.

“A little,” he answered casually.

That was unexpected.

She pointed to a random word on the page. “What does this say?” she asked.

He frowned. “Are you testing me?”

“Yes,” she replied bluntly.

He looked at the word her finger was pointing at. “Poison.”

She moved her finger and pointed at a different word. “And this?”

“Fish.”

She pointed to another word. “What about this?”

“Species.”

“This?”

“Spike.”

Maomao leaned back, impressed. How surprising.

“You know,” she started, looking at him like one might look at a small child for pronouncing a word right. He looked uncomfortable under her gaze. “You are more intelligent than you look.”

The siren’s eyes widened slightly at her words before his beautiful features twisted into a frown and he crossed his arms, turning away.

“It's a compliment!” Maomao told him.

What's there to be offended about? Or is he embarrassed? How childish!

She could partly see the flushed skin of his face and neck.

“I know.” he still didn't turn around.

The newfound respect she had gained for the creature over the last few minutes faded away quickly. They sat in a silence that was now becoming somewhat familiar.

“How’s your injury?” Maomao asked after a few moments. She almost forgot the reason she had come here in the first place, besides her overwhelming curiosity.

She reached for his shoulder but hesitated, studying his expression as he turned back as if he also had just remembered the injury.

He inched his shoulder towards her in invitation. Maomao brushed back his long, wet and surprisingly smooth hair, and her eyes widened.

The injury was almost completely healed. The skin had patched back together, and the stitches were barely visible.

Her hands brushed against his soft porcelain skin and over the wound.

“This is— it’s healed already.” She said, still staring at the spot. Normally, an injury of this kind would take more than a week to close up and start healing. “How?”

He shrugged. “It's normal for us to heal quickly. In fact, the slow rate at which humans heal looks very inconvenient.”

Then he added, looking sincere, “Though I suppose your treatment was also good. That reminds me…”

He turned away again and reached down beside him to pick up a wooden box that Maomao hadn’t noticed before, and held it towards her.

The chest was about the size of an adult cat and from the iron embedded around its surface, it looked to be of fine quality and probably expensive. Like the siren, the box was also dripping wet and coated its bottom where it was placed.

“What’s this?” Maomao asked, puzzled.

“A token of appreciation. For your help.” He replied, not meeting her eyes.

Maomao hesitated but reached towards the box. The chest, which appeared smaller in his large hands, was a decent size and also quite heavy when she held it. She put it on the ground between them and opened it.

The box was filled to the brim with colourful jewels, uniquely shaped shells – much like the ones that the siren adorned all the time – and even gold coins. Even Maomao, who didn’t care much about extravagance, was taken in by the priceless treasures.

“Where did you get this?!” Her eyes were shining. “These are all real, right?”

He nodded, taking in her reaction.

“A lot of ships wreck in the deep waters,” he explained while Maomao was transfixed on the chest and its contents. “Their treasures are often buried with them and we come across most of them. They are pretty to look at but don’t have much value to us. But they are very valuable to humans so I thought you might appreciate them.”

“I appreciate them a lot!” Maomao exclaimed and for the first time, she smiled. She was mostly thinking about the amount of pricey herbs she would be able to buy and restore the ones she had recently lost but the smile was directed towards the siren nonetheless.

He was taken back and looked alarmed by her sudden change in behaviour. He cleared his throat and nodded. “That’s a relief.”

Maomao wasn’t paying any mind to him, however, and was looking through the treasures. She was mumbling to herself, lost in her thoughts, about rare medicines she wanted to buy while the siren was looking at the other books Maomao brought with her.

“Are those also about creatures under water?” He asked, pointing a clawed finger towards the books.

It took Maomao a moment to understand what he was talking about. “No,” she answered. “Those are about medicine. I have quite a few back home as well.”

“Why do you need so many?”

“To study for the physician’s exam that’s coming up in less than two months,” answered Maomao. Why was he asking so many questions?

He looked perplexed. “You mean you aren't a physician already?”

“No,” she said, rather impatiently. He didn’t seem to take notice of her growing agitation.

“But you told me you were a healer, so I thought...” he trailed off, confusion evident on his otherworldly face. “You seem very skilled to me.”

“I am a healer,” she explained. “But a physician is a much higher-ranked and respectable profession than just some apothecary.”

She figured his confusion was understandable and it wasn’t a good thing to get angry at someone who was simply curious. Besides, she also had many questions to ask the siren.

She also did not want to make him angry at her. Who knew what creatures like him could do so it was better to be careful.

The sun had changed positions while Maomao was sitting with her books and her bottom was starting to hurt. She stood up and dusted the sand from her clothes. She felt highly motivated after getting the chest of treasures and couldn't wait to get her hands on the rare and pricey plants

There were still many hours until sunset so she would have enough time to get to the markets and back. Her questions would have to wait.

“You're leaving?” asked the siren who was still sitting in his spot and looking up at her. Did he look sad or what that Maomao’s imagination? Probably the latter.

She nodded, “I have some things to take care of, but I’ll come back tomorrow.” The more time she spent outside of that house, the better. She felt oddly cheerful.

His cat-like eyes brightened and he smiled, his razor sharp teeth revealing themselves again. “Okay.”

Maomao felt less cheerful when she saw that but she willed her anxiety away. She didn’t think he would eat her after all that had happened but the threat always loomed in the back of her mind whenever she remembered the myths Lahan told her about.

She gathered her books and bent down to pick up the wooden box but there was a small problem; she couldn’t carry everything. As established beforehand, Maomao was quite a weak person.

She settled for putting small quantities of jewels and gold coins in her pockets and placed the chest inside the cave on some stones. It was in a concealed spot but Maomao still hoped no one would come across it.

“Is it too heavy?” The siren sounded amused.

Maomao nodded, trying to hide her annoyance. “I’ll take it tomorrow.”

She clutched the books to her chest and was about to leave when she remembered something and stopped.

“Do you have a name?” asked Maomao. She didn’t think fish had names for each other but since this creature was also part human and also proved itself to be intelligent, it was very possible.

The creature in question was taken aback by her question but he nodded.

“It's… Jinshi.” the siren said after a few moments.

Jinshi, Maomao repeated in her head. It was a nice name, she thought.

Neither Lahan nor Sanfan were around when Maomao returned to the estate, breathless and hungry. After a light supper, she cornered a different guard, a young man with a small moustache whose name she didn’t bother remembering, and made him take her to the markets on the carriage.

This time, the polite guard accompanied her when she rushed around the stalls and carried her packages for her. She got him a prawn skewer as a treat.

When Maomao returned home again, it was already nightfall. Exhausted, she went straight to her bedroom, after narrowly avoiding running into the monocled freak. Her tiredness didn’t dull her excitement for her newly acquired herbs and corals, though.

She went to sleep in a good mood that night, thinking about all the experiments she wanted to conduct in the upcoming days. In the back of her mind, she remembered the name Jinshi like it was a strange spell.

Chapter Text

“Apothecary!”

Maomao looked up towards the sea, where Jinshi’s body from the chest up was peaking out of the water, and he was waving enthusiastically, still a small distance from the shore.

She was on her knees as her hands searched the sand. Its prickly texture may have been bothersome to many, but not to Maomao, who was intensely focused on what was mixed within it, barely noticing how the hem of her skirt was wet and coated with a generous amount of sand.

The tan ground was littered with dark shapes of seaweed that had washed ashore, along with pieces of colourful corals, seashells and even a small, dead jellyfish. The poor creature was in such bad shape that all the thoughts Maomao had about salvaging its body to eat it later vanished.

Maomao checked her surroundings for other people, but she knew that no one would wander around this area, for reasons still unknown to her, but she was thankful regardless.

Overhead, the sky was filled with clouds, making the day feel more grey and dull than usual without the sunlight. The waves were also wilder, and there weren't many fishing boats to be seen in the water.

She had considered staying home for the day when she noticed the weather in the morning, but escape had become necessary when the monocled freak spotted her near the garden, so she fled. There was also the small wooden box filled with priceless valuables waiting for her in the small cave.

The siren swam towards her and emerged from the shallow water again once he reached the shore. He sat on the sand, near Maomao, but most of his tail was still under the water, and it swayed gently. Even in the absence of direct sunlight, it looked mesmerising. As always, he was dripping wet.

He fixed his gaze on Maomao, who was now sitting back and closely inspecting the dark pieces of seaweed in her hand.

“What are you doing?” asked Jinshi, his tone playful but curious.

“I haven’t seen this kind of seaweed before, so I wanted to see if it was poisonous,” answered Maomao, bringing the plant closer to her face.

“How will you do that?”

“Ingestion is the quickest way to tell,” and with that, she plopped it into her mouth.

Jinshi stared at her with worried, wide eyes, which made his slit pupils more prominent. His ethereal face had a look of horror on it.

A few silent moments passed as Maomao chewed and then made a bitter face. She felt two large, clawed hands grab her by the shoulders and shake her quite aggressively.

“Spit it out!” exclaimed Jinshi.

The shaking made Maomao’s head spin, and she coughed, finally spitting out the chewed-up seaweed on the sand. She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and gave Jinshi a peeved look. “You didn’t have to shake me that hard.”

“Sorry.” He sheepishly backed away. “But you should refrain from putting potentially poisonous stuff in your mouth.”

“It’s not like it was actually poisonous,” Maomao muttered in disappointment.

“How could you tell?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“For one, when most poisons are ingested, there’s a tingling feeling on the tongue that spreads throughout the body. On many occasions, the person is unable to breathe and starts convulsing. Other times, bleeding starts from different parts of the body. The sensation is just…” Maomao trailed off, lost in the wonderful memories.

Jinshi, on the other hand, looked exasperated and uncomfortable at the blissful look on her face.

“Do your people enjoy eating poison or … is that just you?” He asked. “I knew humans were bizarre, but it’s my first time witnessing it.”

Maomao didn’t dignify that with an answer and looked at him blankly. He inched away nervously.

“What about you?” She asked.

“If you’re asking if I like to eat poison for fun,” he said, leaning back with his arms planted onto the ground on either side of him, “no, I do not. I prefer fish.”

“Does your diet consist of only fish?” asked Maomao, her curiosity returning at the given opportunity to ask questions.

“Well,” he started, thoughtfully, “sometimes there are also things like oysters and prawns, but it's mainly fish, given how many kinds there are. Oh, there's also– umm..” he paused and cleared his throat. “That’s about it.”

Is eating fish considered cannibalism if they are also part fish? Maomao wondered. She made a mental note to write down any new information she found interesting when she got back.

Jinshi, who seemed to be studying her, pointed towards her bandaged arm. “What's that injury?” he asked.

Maomao lifted the arm in question and examined the bandages that had started to feel like a part of her skin. She wondered if she should explain about the experiments she had conducted on herself, to test new medicines and poisons alike. She decided she didn't want to.

“They're burns,” she answered, which wasn't exactly a lie. There were indeed burns that she inflicted on her skin, on which she wanted to test her new salves.

“I see.” his voice was soft.

“Is your injury healed?” she enquired. He leaned closer to her in answer, an invitation for her to check. Water droplets fell from his wet hair onto Maomao’s clothes, but she didn't pay that any mind. Her fingers grazed the soft skin of his shoulder and over the wound that was now a small, fading scar.

She was amazed.

“Well?” he asked, his voice low. Maomao didn't realise how close they were until she felt his warm breath over her neck. She scooted away, putting distance between them. He was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her opinion.

Maomao nodded in a way she hoped came across as approving. “It's healing very well,” she said.

He smiled and tilted his head in an amused way. “Is that so?”

“Oh, before I forget,” said Maomao before turning to him fully and lowering her head in a small bow, which appeared to puzzle Jinshi. “Thank you for the gifts.”

She had been too transfixed the day before to thank him properly, and she thought he at least deserved her gratitude for bestowing her with the priceless treasures, whose value was more than what many people worked their whole lives for.

Jinshi, not knowing what to say, simply waved his hand. “I-it’s nothing.”

“It’s a shame I won't be able to take them today either, though. It’s hard to conceal a box of that size, especially with those two freaks around,” she muttered, mostly to herself.

Not only that, but guests were expected to arrive at the La estate in the coming days. Maomao had heard it from the servants, who were talking among themselves while she was eating breakfast this morning.

“What do you plan to do, then?” Jinshi asked.

“I was thinking of coming during the night.”

Would it be easier when both of them are asleep? But there's also the guards, and it’ll be hard to find my way in the dark. Maybe– Maomao’s thoughts were interrupted when Jinshi spoke up.

“Don’t do that,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“You shouldn’t come near the ocean at night.” He sounded serious, his face devoid of the usual playfulness.

“Why not?” she asked, perplexed by his sudden change in demeanour.

“It’s dangerous.”

As Maomao stared at him, the odd expression was replaced by a sharp-toothed grin, and his voice took on a flirtatious tone.

“You wouldn’t want to get hypnotised and fall for me, right? Me, I don’t mind, but— hey! Where are you going?”

Maomao was already standing up and brushing off the specks of sand from her skirt. She tried to hide her disdainful scowl.

“I will take my leave now,” was all she said before she started walking away from the ocean and from Jinshi, who was looking after her with a pout.

Days extended and nights became shorter as summer approached in full swing. The heat in this region was more bearable than it had been in the capital. With the large body of water close by, the atmosphere wasn’t as stuffy and humid.

Maomao found herself looking forward to her visits to the beach on several occasions. Their frequent meetings spread over days that then bled into weeks before either of them knew. They weren’t fruitless either; she learnt quite a lot about Jinshi and his species.

Of course, it was all for research.

Her notes grew longer after every visit. They mainly consisted of observations she had made, along with the information Jinshi shared with her.

There were also other things she noticed. Things that weighed on her mind. Like his eyes. Or, to be more precise, how those eyes watched her.

Now, Maomao was used to being looked down upon. In the society she grew up in as a poor and unattractive girl, who was always surrounded by people of status much higher than her and women exponentially more beautiful than her, she wasn’t a stranger to looks of disdain and revulsion.

But the way Jinshi looked at her was not with contempt or disgust but with a mischievous, mocking glint in his cat-like supernatural eyes. It gave her a peculiar feeling. His gaze wasn’t predatory, but neither was it friendly. Like everything about his existence, it was unnerving.

Despite that, she couldn’t stop herself from going back.

Several carriages arrived at the gates of the La clan estate when two weeks had passed. They were the other officials who accompanied the monocled freak on his journey to the capital. While Maomao’s company returned via water, these people took the route by land and therefore arrived back later.

She wasn’t sure why they were summoned to the capital by the imperial family in the first place, but it seemed to be a meeting regarding diplomatic issues for which the former strategist, the monocled freak, was needed.

Although Maomao wasn’t fond of the freak in any way, she thought it was a waste that he decided to leave the position of Grand Commandant just to return and become a governor of this place instead. After all, her foster father had praised his brain when it came to Go and strategy.

While everyone was busy with preparations, Maomao found it easier to slip in and out of the house without catching unwanted attention. It was a good thing her presence wasn’t required.

She was able to sneak the wooden chest in without notice. After many days of stuffing her pockets with its remnants and bringing them back separately to decrease its weight, it was easier to carry. She hid it neatly under her bed and covered it with a piece of cloth so it wouldn’t get dirty.

Perhaps it had something to do with the reputation Maomao had secured around the household, of being obsessed with poisons, or perhaps they were just used to the antics of the eccentric La clan members, but the servants looked relieved after Maomao told them not to enter her room or clean it without her being present.

If anyone was suspicious about her frequent absence or odd behaviour, they didn’t say anything.

Except Lahan, of course.

“Dear little sister,” He approached Maomao one day, to her great annoyance, when she was in the garden, crouching and planting more medicinal herbs.

“Don’t call me that,” she said, already irritated by his presence.

“Those are some excellent medicinal plants,” he remarked, looking over Maomao’s handiwork, but she could sense he had an ulterior motive behind that sweet tone. “I hear they are quite rare. Very pricey, too.”

Maomao turned to look at him, a deep frown etched into her expression. She was sitting, so she had to turn her head upwards to look at Lahan, who, despite towering over her figure from where he was standing, looked frail and non-threatening, except for that scheming gleam in his eyes.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Straight to the point, I see,” he cleared his throat. “It seems like you have been neglecting your studies.”

Crap.

It was true, no matter how much Maomao wanted to disagree with Lahan.

“I understand that this is the first time you have been granted such freedom in your life,” he continued when she didn’t say anything, “but you should be wary. The La Clan is highly regarded, and as a proper lady, it would be very beneficial for everyone for you to achieve satisfactory results in the physician’s exam. My honoured father would surely agree.” She doubted the last part. “Therefore, a tutor has been arranged for you.”

Maomao stood up, abandoning the gardening. “A tutor?”

Lahan nodded. “I’m sure you know Rikuson.”

“Who?”

“Rikuson,” Lahan repeated, as if saying the name again would somehow give Maomao more information. “He arrived just recently from the capital.” When she only looked more confused, he sighed.

“You met him briefly when the officials gathered here a few nights ago,” he explained, “the tall man with dark hair, looks young, handsome, pleasant to talk to. Are you sure you haven’t inherited my honoured father’s illness?”

Maomao shot him a glare and lifted a foot, aiming for his toes, but he backed away in time to dodge her strike. The description did sound familiar, though.

“Ah, that guy,” she muttered, a hand caressing her chin as she searched her memories. She did remember a man smiling politely at her on the night of the banquet when she was wandering the residence to get fresh air, and out of curiosity.

She wouldn't say she ‘met’ him, though. They hadn’t even exchanged greetings or names, but Maomao suspected he already knew who she was.

So that's his name.

“Yes,” Lahan looked relieved, “he is rather close to my honoured father, being his old assistant, and has kindly agreed to help.”

Maomao didn’t know Lahan that well, but she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t do anything to owe anyone favours. In fact, he was the type of person to go out of his way to make other people owe him favours. There was probably a scheme behind this proposition of his, but Maomao didn’t mind. As long as she also benefited from it.

“Did you blackmail him?”

“Of course not,” he chuckled, “not everyone is as brutal as you are, dear sister.”

Maomao lifted a foot again and brought it towards Lahan’s toes, hard, and this time, she succeeded. A pained yelp could be heard across the garden.

“I won’t be returning,” Maomao announced. They were sitting in the mouth of the cave again, overlooking the broad sea.

A month had passed since her arrival in this region, and she was growing used to the fresh, oceanic smell that always lingered in the air, and to the texture of sand pressing against her palms and rubbing against her feet in her shoes whenever she visited the beach.

She felt his gaze on her for a long, silent moment before he spoke.

“Is it because of your exam?” Jinshi asked, his voice lower than usual.

Maomao nodded. She didn’t have to turn to know what kind of expression he had on his face.

Truthfully, Maomao didn’t think she had to tell him the reason for her absence, or the fact that she wouldn’t be able to make her visits anymore, but she imagined him waiting for her on shore.

What if other humans saw him while she wasn’t there and he got injured again? By now, she mostly understood how people in this place viewed his species.

“There’s less than two weeks left, and I need to focus,” she explained.

“I see,”

Maomao looked at him, but he was staring out towards the ocean, deep in thought.

It was a bright day, but the sun was about to set in a few hours, and the sky changed colours, from a pale blue to an orange-yellow. The sun’s rays hit the side of Jinshi’s face, and, not for the first time, Maomao remarked upon his unnatural, celestial beauty.

“So, you will come back when you are done, right?” he asked, meeting her eyes. He looked sincere.

Maomao nodded again. “Yes.”

“Then, I will wait for you.”

“You don't have to–”

“Two weeks, yes?”

“Yes, but–”

“So that’s approximately when the full moon is,” he was muttering and didn't seem to be listening to Maomao, which irked her.

“Two weeks is fine,” he concluded.

“I'm glad,” she replied in a tone that suggested that she was not glad at all. He didn’t seem to understand her sarcasm and simply smiled at her.

They watched as the sun lowered and the day dissolved, the sky a mixture of reds and purples. The scene reminded her somewhat of their first ‘meeting’ at the same spot they were sitting in right now. The wind was cool and cut through the heat of the day, ruffling her hair.

Maomao couldn’t help but admit how pleasant it all was.

Rikuson was a good teacher, to say the least. His knowledge in the areas Maomao struggled with proved to be very helpful, and his way of explanation was so that even someone like her could follow and understand fairly easily.

Their spot was situated in a small pavilion that overlooked the small pond, and servants brought over snacks from time to time, which she was grateful for.

It started simple enough, with Rikuson carefully explaining the history of their country and referring back to the textbooks time to time. The legend of how their country and the imperial family came to be was commonly spread among the people, and it wasn't that hard to keep in mind the legends and stories that were passed down, as she had been hearing them her whole life.

But how is that relevant in becoming a physician? She wondered, not for the first time.

Then came the law. This, she partly understood the reason for. When practising medicine on a professional level, it was good to have an understanding of which practices were allowed and which weren’t.

Surgery was a major part of every physician’s training, yet the practice of cutting open human bodies was frowned upon heavily, even if it was for a medical procedure. There was also the not-so-old law that restricted women from practising medicine in the first place, which was not in effect anymore.

Seeing as the textbooks about medicine were the only ones Maomao studied out of her own accord, and was confident with, they moved on to the last topic.

Poetry was proving to be the most difficult, to no one’s surprise. Roundabout sentences she didn’t understand, written by people whose names she couldn’t remember, were indeed a tortuous combination.

“This is ridiculous!” Maomao exclaimed when she couldn’t take it anymore. Rikuson simply sipped his tea. “This is all useless. Why is it important to learn poems about topics that have nothing to do with medicine?”

“I understand where you’re coming from,” he replied gently, “It’s similar to the exams court officials take, but with the addition of medical questions. I did hear that they were planning to change the contents of the physician’s since the new laws passed, but I wonder when that will be.”

So, only those with a good background and proper education could apply for the position of a physician?

Maomao only groaned and put her head on the table between them in defeat.

The last few days were the worst. Letters and words swam around her head even when she wasn't reading anything. They visited her in her dreams, which became nightmares and haunted her relentlessly. To make it even worse, Maomao couldn’t work with her precious herbs as her ‘laboratory’ was locked and wasn’t to be opened until this whole matter was done. Dark spots had formed under her eyes by the time the day of the exam approached.

The exam was held in a large courtyard, an hour's carriage ride away. Maomao was pleasantly surprised to find that the number of women present, albeit less than men, was larger than she had been expecting. They all looked like well-educated ladies of proper households.

Maomao had her doubts about her capabilities regarding the exam, but she ended up answering all questions, some with more confidence than others, in the two hours they were provided.

She practically crashed into her bed after she got back home and passed out, exhausted from all the built-up tension over the past weeks.

Once the ache in her neck subsided and her dreams returned to normal, Maomao headed over to the beach again with a spring in her step. The familiar scenery, the wide expanse of the blue sea, the cool waves becoming white foam when they hit the warm surface of the sandy ground, immediately brought a sense of peace within her.

Her skin was already tanned after sitting under the sun for long periods of time when she had come previously, so she decided to sit near the waves again, taking her shoes off and lifting her skirt slightly to drench the lower parts of her legs and feet in the chilly water.

And she waited. And waited.

Maomao wondered if she had gotten the wrong day when the number of fishing boats in the distance decreased and the veil of darkness, a deep purple, started spreading in the sky overhead, yet he didn’t show up.

When she walked back home, her wet feet in her shoes making squelching sounds, the full moon was illuminating the night sky like a bright lantern.

The next day was the same. Jinshi didn’t return, no matter how long Maomao waited.

She hadn’t had the opportunity to go back on the third day because a letter had arrived from the Institute of Medicine, announcing the results of the physician’s exam.

“I… passed?” she whispered, staring at the paper in her hands in disbelief.

“It seems that you did!” said Lahan, who was looking at the paper over Maomao’s left shoulder, sounding delighted.

“With good marks too,” acknowledged Rikuson, who was looking at the paper over Maomao’s right shoulder, sounding proud.

“Why are you here?” Maomao asked him, narrowing her eyes.

“Tutoring you isn’t the only reason for me to visit the Governor’s estate, you know,” Rikuson replied and shrugged. “I have other duties too.”

Lahan did mention that he used to be the monocled freak’s assistant, but Maomao wondered what kind of work he did now. She was about to ask, but the three of them suddenly felt an ominous presence behind them that could have only belonged to one person, and stiffened.

“Maomao darling!!!!”

Maomao felt a shiver go down her spine. Paper in hand, she bolted towards her room without even turning around to see the freak’s revolting face. A headache was already starting to form.

Dad, I’m going to be a physician, she thought, lying in bed as she was drifting off to sleep that night. She wondered if he would be proud if he could see her. Her heart clenched, as it did whenever she recalled the man who had raised her and made her the person she was today, the kind, grandmotherly man whom she would never see again.

The thoughts brought a flurry of intense emotions to the surface that had been buried deep within her heart her whole life, which made her eyes wet and her chest hurt.

In the coming days, Maomao gathered her most precious belongings, namely her herbs, to pack for her upcoming move to the dormitory where she would be staying along with the other women who had passed their physician’s exam.

The dormitory was located next to the Institute of Medicine, where she would be doing her apprenticeship for a year before she became a proper physician. Some of the information was listed on the letter that announced her results, but the details would be revealed once their training started.

She only had a week to move to the dorms and settle down before she was expected to be present for the welcoming ceremony, so she had little time to leave the house and focused on making sure she was prepared.

She was worried about the small wooden box under her bed but she figured that her things wouldn’t be touched by any servants if she told them not to enter her room.

The freak may have been a piece of garbage when it came to everything else, but he was extremely good at reading people, and all the servants and guards were chosen by him personally. Most of them were taken in by him since they were young and respected him, such as Sanfan.

But just to be sure, she placed the textbooks she didn’t need anymore in front of the chest to obscure it fully from sight.

On her last day at the estate, she managed to slip out of the house to visit the beach for the last time. This time, she didn’t linger.

Instead, she placed something in the entrance of the small cave, concealed from unsuspecting eyes. It was a hairpin, one of the treasures from the wooden chest that Jinshi had given to her. Along with that was a small folded piece of paper. She made sure they were in a dry, secure spot between the stones before returning.

She didn’t look back.

Chapter Text

The smell of earth was in the air, a signal for rain’s arrival. By the time Maomao reached her respective room in the dormitory, droplets of water were already falling from the sky. 

Her bedroom, situated on the upper level of the dormitory along with the bedrooms of other female apprentices, was decent enough: with a bed, a desk and even a large wooden box for her to keep belongings in. The desk was placed in front of a window from which she could look out into the yard. 

It didn't take long for Maomao’s modest belongings to be unpacked and settled into their new home. They consisted of two changes of clothes, a small bronze mirror, some gold and silver coins and of course, her plants. She wasn’t, unfortunately, allowed to bring her experimental poisons, and since this place was unfamiliar to her, she didn’t want to risk anything by bringing any treasures either.

Her stomach started rumbling by the time afternoon rolled around. 

It was still pouring down as she made her way towards the shared kitchens. A few women were already seated in the dining area when she arrived, eating and chatting among themselves. It seemed that they had already become somewhat familiar with each other.

The sound of chatter and occasional laughter filled the large room and drowned out the pattering of rain outside as Maomao ate her rice congee. The cooks must have made it quite recently, seeing as it was still warm. 

Maomao, who was used to eating alone, didn’t mind the absence of company. In fact, she preferred keeping to herself. Yet she still felt a few glances of the other women as she ate, which she decided not to pay any mind to. 

The welcoming ceremony took place after two days in a large courtyard where all the new physicians in training were summoned. It was different from the courtyard where they had taken their exam, but it was a similar size, if not slightly wider.

The consistent rain had finally stopped the night before, and the rays of the sun peeked from behind the clouds occasionally.

Looking around, Maomao noticed that the number of people present was significantly less than it had been on the day of the exam, cut in about half. Where there used to be more than a hundred people, only fifty or so remained. The ratio of men to women was still roughly the same, though.

Three men were standing in front of the group on a small raised platform. They were clad in white robes and looked diligent. Physicians, she guessed. High physicians, probably. 

“I am Doctor Liu,” the old man in the middle with a stern face and grey beard introduced himself when everyone was present. He wasn’t shouting, yet his voice carried. “I manage the Institute of Medicine, and I am also tasked with overseeing your apprenticeships, to make sure you all use your capabilities to the fullest and become honourable physicians.

“The fact that you are standing here right now means that you have passed the written part of the exam that determines your path to becoming a physician worthy of serving here. But beware that just because you have passed the first test, doesn’t mean your position in this place is guaranteed.” 

Worried glances and whispers were exchanged between the young men and women. 

“If I determine that you are not fit to serve here, you will be asked to leave.” Dr Liu continued, ignoring the rising anxiety in the crowd, “Human lives are not something to be played with. There is no room for mistakes. You are to try your best and work hard, and you are not allowed to slack off. There will be no second chances. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Yes, sir,” came the chorused murmur from the crowd. Most people looked pale and uncomfortable. A few looked determined. 

Dr Liu, seemingly satisfied with the reactions, nodded.

Woo, so stern, Maomao thought. His words must have sounded harsh to some people, but she understood his intentions. 

Human lives truly weren’t something to play with. It was something her father constantly told her, a lesson carved into her mind. Kind as he was, there were also boundaries that he always forbade her from crossing, such as meddling in affairs purely based on her conjecture and touching corpses. She did find herself questioning the strict values when she was young, but as she grew older and learned more about what kind of place the world was, she understood his reasoning. 

She once again found herself missing the old physician. 

After Dr Liu’s speech, they were divided into groups of four or five and placed in separate clinics around the city under the care and supervision of the qualified physicians. 

Maomao was to be trained under Dr Li, a man too well built to be a physician, alongside two other women and one man. They all looked to be young and around her age. 

“We will be working at the clinic located in the institute,” Dr Li confirmed after being asked by one of the women in the group. Maomao wondered if that was the reason they kept getting looks from the other apprentices. 

They were expected to start their work the next day, where they would be given their own white physician robes, and were told their schedules in advance, a generosity of Dr Li. 

And thus, Maomao’s training began.

The clinic was a rectangular building that consisted of four rooms: the main room where medicine was made and distributed, the room with beds where surgeries were conducted, the break room with a few chairs and tables where physicians mostly spent their time when there weren’t any patients to attend to, and the storage room, where most equipment and medicine were stored. 

Despite the rush of patients, the first few days at the clinic were easier and less intimidating than Maomao had expected. Physicians, other than Dr Li,  also worked alongside them in the clinic, so there wasn’t any burden on any party in particular. 

They were asked questions regarding the conditions of the patients that came in with different symptoms and instructed to determine the cause of the problems, as well as make remedies to bring relief to the patients. After receiving glares from the other women working with her, Maomao refrained from answering most questions. Regardless, her first week at the clinic passed without issues. 

The peace didn’t last, however. The issue came when the second week started, in the form of the person Maomao detested the most. 

The disturbance started when a young patient screamed at the window, where a horrifying face with the eyes of a fox and a pointless monocle was looking into the clinic. Who could it be other than the monocled freak?

Uncomfortable, fearful murmurs rose, coming from patients and physicians alike. 

“Who on earth is that?” someone whispered. 

Maomao scowled and turned away from the window, going to the corner furthest away from the weirdo’s gaze. She eventually busied herself with boiling water on the stove and disinfecting the dirty bandages while ignoring the whole situation.

The figure, to everyone’s dismay, came back again the next day. And the day after that. He came every day for the whole week, tainting the atmosphere with his ominous presence. Discussions of closing the window were made, but with so many bodies in one place, the humidity became unbearable, and so that idea was a failure. 

Maomao was grinding dried leaves when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to meet Dr Li’s pleading eyes. She frowned before he even opened his mouth, knowing what his next words were. 

“Can you ask him to leave, please?” he pleaded.

“I’m afraid not, sir.”

“The patients are scared, and so are the physicians,” Dr Li went on, “and you know I don’t have the authority to command the Governor.”

“Can’t you get Dr Liu?” she asked. Surely he had more authority.

He shook his head. “Even after Dr Liu tried to talk to him, he said he would only listen if it was you and kept on ignoring everything we said. It’s not like we can just pick him up and throw him out.”

It would serve him right , Maomao thought. 

But it was sad to see such a well-built and diligent man like Dr Li look so dejected because of a singular freak, she admitted. She sighed and placed the mortar and pestle back on the table. 

“Okay, sir. I will try.” 

“Really?” he looked relieved, and a hopeful glint lit up his eyes. 

Maomao made her way to the dreaded window and glared at the cause of everyone’s stress for the past week. The weirdo smiled when he saw her approaching and waved. 

“My dear Maomao! I missed you so much!! How are you?!!”

His obnoxiously loud voice caught everyone’s attention, and Maomao groaned. 

“Shut up!” she whisper-yelled at him when she reached the window. “Why the hell are you here?”

“I missed you, of course!” he grinned, “Is everyone treating you well?!”

“They will after you get the hell out of here!” 

“But Maomao…” he pouted, and it was truly a disgusting sight. 

“Go away!” she hissed at him, and his pout deepened, causing her to recoil. But he soon recovered, and a smile lit up his face again.

“Okay, I'll see you when you get home then,” he finally stepped away from the window and waved again, “Take care, Maomao dear! Your Daddy will wait for you!”

There was a long silence after he left. Maomao felt all eyes on her, but everyone busied themselves in one task or another when she turned around. She was in too much of a foul mood to care. She ground the leaves so hard that the powder became as fine as dust. But at least the atmosphere was lively again, and everyone was able to take a breath of relief. 

In the upcoming days, she often found her mind wandering to Jinshi. Did he find her message? Was he still waiting for her? 

I hope he didn’t get injured again. She didn’t have enough time to dwell on the matter as she was pulled back into work. 

“Ah, there you are,” Dr Li called out to Maomao and her peers. The clinic was near empty today, with only a handful of patients with minor problems that were easily dealt with, so there wasn't much to do.

“Is something wrong, sir?” asked one of the women, whose name Maomao came to know was Yao. 

“Everything is okay,” Dr Li replied, “I just have a few tasks for you girls.”

“Tasks?” En’en, the other female apprentice, asked.

“It’s nothing serious, just a few errands.” He said. “We’re running low on some medications, so I was thinking of sending you girls to buy the ingredients we need. It’s also a good way to become familiar with the vendors, so think of it as a part of your training. Feel free to take the rest of the day off as long as you get the ingredients here by tomorrow.”

“Can I go along as well?” asked Tianyu, the only male apprentice in the clinic, who looked bored out of his mind as he sat in a chair normally reserved for patients. 

“No, someone has to stay behind.”

“But—“

“No buts! Get back to work.” Dr Li slammed his knuckles over Tianyu’s head, who winced and made a pitiful face. 

Maomao walked alongside Yao and En’en as they ventured towards the stalls lining the streets. They were still wearing their white physicians' robes and got occasional glances as they walked. 

The two young women were a bit cold to Maomao at first, perhaps due to her always answering the questions and solving the problems the physicians had thrown their way and therefore earning all the praise, but after the commotion with the freak, they had started treating her well.  

“We need mug wort, honeysuckle, wood sorrel and ginseng, right?” asked Yao as she counted on her fingers. 

“Aloe vera, too, young mistress,” said En’en. 

“I told you not to call me that when we’re working.” Yao sighed and glanced at the pouch of coins Dr Li had given them. “Do we have enough to buy everything? The prices are always rising and falling around this time.”

“Why is that?” Maomao asked. 

“When new physicians are appointed, the number of clinics increases and so does the demand,” replied En’en. “At least, that’s what we assume. It’s still a new system.”

With the ascension of the current emperor, who was crowned barely four years ago, many new laws had been implemented throughout the country.

Besides the permission for women to pursue medicine as a career, other developments in the medical field had also taken place. This included the increase in clinics and medical institutions. With this region being so far from the capital, it wasn’t surprising to see that it was still finding it hard to adjust to the changes. Even some people in the capital were still puzzled by this new system, but it was proving to be successful as far as Maomao could tell. Still, like every system, it had its flaws. 

“Are you from around here?” Maomao asked En’en, who was staring after Yao, who was a few steps ahead and staring worriedly at the stalls in front of her. 

“Young mistress is,” En’en replied, still gazing fondly at the other girl. “I come from a town beyond the mountains.” 

“You look quite close,” Maomao observed. “Is Yao the reason you took the physician’s exam?”

“I have been serving my young mistress for a very long time,” replied En’en. “I couldn’t let her pursue this path alone.” 

Both Yao and En’en were beautiful ladies. Where Yao was well-developed and vivacious with a fiery determination, En’en was slender and not very outgoing. 

Maomao supposed that she and En’en were similar in that manner; however, where Maomao’s interests were solely medicine and poisons, En’en’s interest was only extended to her young mistress, as it had become apparent in the two or so weeks they had known each other. 

As they continued their shopping, Maomao decided to look around the area in order to become familiar with the surroundings. She still felt foreign in these parts and felt a sense of unease about not knowing where most everything was. Her poor sense of direction didn’t help either. 

But she could tell that this area was further away from the markets where she had gotten her pricey herbs from. There was no blue outline of the ocean in sight here. 

By the time they were done with their task and started to head back towards the clinic, it was getting dark. Yao and En’en were having a conversation about something Maomao couldn’t catch as she trailed behind them.

They had managed to get most of the items Dr Li had requested, save for the ginseng that was due to arrive in the morning, the merchant had told them. 

Aromas of food from the inns and restaurants drifted through the streets as they walked. Among the crowd of people walking around them, a distinct smell caught Maomao’s attention. It would have been unnoticeable to most people, but to her trained nose, it stood out, strong and intoxicating. Something oceanic and sweet. It was there for a second and gone the next, as if it was passing by her. 

She stopped walking and turned to look behind her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the swarm of people, short as she was, but she could make out two tall figures going the opposite direction. 

En’en’s voice called out her name, and Maomao could see both her and Yao looking at her from a few feet ahead. 

“Sorry, but you two go ahead,” Maomao told them. “I just remembered something. You have the medicine with you, right?” 

They nodded, but both of them looked at her with suspicion. 

“Will you be able to find your way back?” Yao asked. 

“You just go straight up this road, right?” Maomao motioned to the path they were standing on. 

“Yes, but…” Yao looked hesitant about abandoning her peer. She did have a strong sense of responsibility. 

“Lady Yao, I’m sure Maomao will be fine. You needn’t worry about her.” En’en supplied, and Maomao was thankful for her intervention, though she suspected En’en just wanted to spend time alone with Yao. Nonetheless, Yao nodded, finally convinced by En’en’s words. 

“We’ll see you tomorrow then,” Yao waved as they took their leave. 

Maomao simply nodded and turned in the direction where she saw the figures walking towards. She made her way through the dense crowd, hoping that they hadn’t gone too far. 

Her heartbeat picked up as she ran, a strange hope blooming in her chest as she rounded the corner and saw the silhouettes almost at the end of the secluded street. 

“W-wait!” Maomao called out and started running again. 

In her rush, she didn’t notice the figures halting and turning around, and she ended up bumping into what felt like a wall at first, but when she stumbled backwards, she realised it was a man’s chest. 

“…Apothecary?”

The voice was sickly sweet like honey and melodious, a voice that had become familiar to her from when she first arrived in this region.

A face that could only be described as otherworldly beauty was staring back at her with surprised eyes. Only, it didn’t look quite otherworldly here. 

The scales were gone, replaced by smooth porcelain skin that most women would kill to achieve. The pointed ears were nowhere to be seen either. His eyes, the ones that resembled a cat’s and glinted like amethyst, were now deep pools of darkness, resembling obsidian. His long, dark hair looked even smoother when it was dry, falling over his shoulders and blending into his dark attire.

There was nothing inhumane about the person standing in front of her, save for his celestial beauty that still managed to outshine any star. 

But it didn’t make any sense. Why was Jinshi standing in front of her? How could he be a human?

In the back of her mind, Maomao recalled a strange memory from when she first arrived. It was of the beautiful woman with red hair and sharp green eyes who had vanished in the markets. She gulped. 

“You…” she started, panting. But she was at a loss for words, her heartbeat drowning out any thoughts she might’ve had. 

When he smiled, his teeth weren’t dangerously sharp but normal. Human. 

“I wasn’t expecting to meet you like this,” he said, “but it’s good to see you too, apothecary.”

“How—” she started again, but he spoke over her. 

“I’m sure you have many questions, but…” he looked around the street they were standing on, then at the middle-aged man standing beside him, whom Maomao failed to notice in her haze, “I don’t think this is the best place for a conversation. You don’t mind following me, right?” 

Maomao nodded wordlessly, and he smiled so blindingly that any other maiden would have fainted. 

Just what on earth had she gotten herself into?

Chapter Text

More often than not, life had a way of creating unexpected, ridiculous situations that bordered on absurdity. Maomao’s life certainly didn’t lack any of these moments, that was for sure. But what was the peak? 

Probably this, she thought, glaring at the two men in front of her. Men who were not human but somehow appeared to resemble humans. They couldn’t, however, conceal their otherworldly presence, especially not from her, who was, unfortunately, too perceptive about matters that didn't involve her for her own good. The consequence of not minding her own business, she supposed. 

They were seated in a private room within an inn. It was graciously sized and the soft light provided by the lit candles created a cosy, comfortable atmosphere. A wooden table was placed in the centre where they sat on chairs facing each other. The sweet aroma of chamomile tea wafted through the air, and muffled chatter could be heard coming from outside. 

The middle aged man looked no less confused than Maomao felt, but he simply stood near the door with a frown etched into his expression as he looked at the seated pair. 

The main cause of her distress at the moment was sipping tea peacefully, seemingly unaware of the two pairs of eyes drilling into him from front and back. She couldn't help but notice how natural Jinshi looked in this place. It was not the kind of calm she expected whenever she thought back to his almost predatory features and mischievous behaviour. His celestial beauty was no less dimmed but rather accentuated in the absence of those features that spoke for his mythical appearance. 

The elegant dark robes he adorned looked to be made finely and of high quality. It was similar to the clothes nobles wore, a way to show off their status, but not as extravagant. He didn’t have any additional accessories on him, but then again, with a face like that, nothing else was needed. 

His hair looked smoother than any silk Maomao had ever come across, dark and flowing down his back and shoulders. It was done up in a neat half-bun. Nothing like the wet, messy strands clinging to his skin that she was accustomed to seeing. 

In a way, she felt like she was looking at a stranger. 

The other man, although handsome with a hard-set face and a sturdy body, was not nearly as beautiful as Jinshi. He exuded a kind of warmth one could expect from a stern father. 

“Would you like some?” Jinshi asked politely in his sickly sweet voice, finally breaking the heavy silence. He was referring to the tea. She noticed his hand holding the tea cup, slender and pale with perfectly safe short nails.

“No.”

“Some food?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. “I’m sure you must be hungry.”

She was indeed hungry. But she didn’t think she could stomach any food at the moment so she replied: “No.” 

“What about wine?” 

“...Yes.” 

Well, how could she say no to free alcohol?

Her spirits lifted when a large pot of fine wine was brought in by a timid servant girl whose large eyes were glued to Jinshi, and so had to be ushered out by the frowning middle aged man who slid the door shut again.  

Maomao poured a large quantity of the wine for herself with contained excitement. She hadn’t had the chance to drink ever since she came to this region and was looking forward to trying the alcohol made here. It tasted like grapes and tangerines, quite sour but ultimately delicious with a refreshing flavour. Not as bitter as she normally would have liked but it was good enough. 

When she was on her fourth cup, Jinshi cleared his throat. She noticed that two pairs of eyes were now looking at her, slightly bewildered.

Oh, right. 

She straightened, her face once again its usual flat expression.

“How can you be so unaffected by that much alcohol?” Jinshi asked, his dark eyes gleaming in amusement and wonder. “Are you immune to that too?”

“I have a high tolerance but I am immune to most things.” she said.

What does he mean by “too”?

Then she asked him, almost teasingly, “Can't you handle a bit of alcohol?” She expected him to be offended by her risky question but he shrugged. 

“I’m still getting used to it,” he said, leaning forward with a sly smile. “What else are you immune to?”

Maomao leaned backwards in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I will consider telling you after you tell me why you are here.”  

He deflated at her words and sat back again with a slight pout. 

“I suppose it’s only fair to tell you the truth,” he sipped his tea again. 

“As I’m sure you’re already aware of my… identity,” he gestured to his body. When she nodded he continued, “I never actually told you about my kind in detail. To be quite frank, I didn’t trust you.”

“I was planning to though!” Jinshi quickly added, “When we were supposed to meet again that day.” He almost looked guilty at that. “As you can see, we are able to transform and blend in with humans. It’s a complicated process but it’s not uncommon.”

“How?” Maomao asked, leaning forward with interest. “How does the process work? Are there any requirements you need to meet?” 

In the myths and stories she had read, mermaids (seriously, what is the difference between a siren and a mermaid?) were sometimes cursed to become humans, or they drank magic potions to meet their beloved on land, as seen in a popular foreign tale. A shame it ended in the poor girl becoming seafoam. Of course, Maomao had thought all of this to be nonsense but that was before she knew of Jinshi’s ability to transform. 

“Not necessarily,” he replied, “As for the process, I’m not sure how to explain it…” he scratched his chin. 

“Are there magic potions involved?” 

“Magic potions?” He looked puzzled, tilting his head. “No, not any I’m aware of.” 

“Well, are there any limitations?” Maomao wished she had her notebook with her so she could write down everything.

“Of course,” he sipped his tea again. 

“I’m assuming hydration plays an important role,” she observed, “you keep drinking your tea a lot.” 

He smiled and nodded. “That’s right. We are creatures of the sea. Some are more used to staying away from water than others but essentially we have the same needs. Liquids, especially water, are our lifeline. No one can stay away from it for a long time. Well, almost no one.” His smile turned bitter, a melancholy look passing his eyes. It was not an expression Maomao had ever seen on his face before so she was rightfully spooked. Thankfully, the expression only lasted a moment before the playful look returned to his eyes again.  

“So how long can you stay on land for?” she questioned. 

“It depends. A healthy adult can last up to three months, while a child might only last a month. Not being in the sea, that is.”

That’s it?

“What happens after? What if they aren’t able to return in time?” She fiddled with the empty cup in her hands. 

“They die.”

His voice was calm when he said it and he didn’t appear visibly disturbed by the idea but Maomao’s hands stopped moving. 

Several silent moments passed before she spoke again. 

“Does that have something to do with why you are here?”

“Precisely, for you see, a dear friend of mine has disappeared in this place.” 

She blinked. Disappeared?

“You mean they were taken?” 

Jinshi nodded, his expression now grim. His fingers were drumming against the wooden surface of the table. 

“How can you be sure that person was brought to this place specifically?” she asked. For if it was one of the ‘hunter’ ships or any other ship in general that captured the siren in the ocean, it was not certain where they could have gone. 

“It didn’t happen in the ocean but rather on land. Here.” he replied, his voice still calm, but his eyes didn’t have that playful gleam in them anymore. 

“When did it happen?” 

He thought for a moment. “Around three weeks ago.”

That was right around the time of the full moon, she thought. I guess that explains that then. 

As for the abduction, Maomao had a few ideas for the why. Greed knows no bounds and surely people who have seen such breathtaking creatures couldn’t resist getting their hands on them. Her mind wandered to the beautiful iridescent scales she saw at the market stalls, as well as the ones that were gifted to the courtesans several years ago. She suppressed a shudder.

Several things came to her mind but she remained quiet, contemplating. 

Jinshi was looking at her expectantly with his chin resting in his hand, his elbow on the table. 

What? Does he think I know something?

Was she supposed to say something? Heck, was she supposed to comfort him? She grimaced at the thought.

Actually, why did he tell her this fragile secret? He literally said he didn’t trust her, and surely that couldn’t have changed in the three weeks they didn’t see each other. 

Was he planning to get rid of her? 

Surely, if a human knew these creatures and of their intentions, not to mention their secret, it could definitely become a hindrance. It could mess up their plans and ultimately get them caught by the very people they were after. It was the logical thing to discard the human and operate carefully. Her palms were sweaty now. 

Even if he didn’t have his long nails or sharp teeth, Maomao was relatively easy to kill. She didn’t detect any poison in the wine, though she might have preferred that as a way to die rather than being strangled to death or something even more brutal. 

He smiled at her sweetly, as if sensing her anxiety even as her face remained passive.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “ I didn’t make you come here so I could hurt you. I don’t expect you to know anything. You’re not even from here after all.” 

Maomao was not sure how much of that she believed, but she nodded nonetheless, somewhat relieved. 

“I have another question.” She asked after drinking another cup of the wine. 

He raised his chin at her, urging her to go on as he lifted the teacup to his lips again. 

“May I see your legs?” 

Jinshi made a gurgling sound as he choked on the tea. He coughed, pressing a hand to his chest. The other man came up beside him and patted him on the back, his frown even deeper.  

So dramatic.

It’s not like Maomao was asking him to strip in front of her, although she had seen him practically naked before, so she didn’t understand why he was looking at her like a scandalised maiden.  

“Excuse me?” He said once he finally recovered. 

“I’m just curious,” she said, “about your transformation, I mean. A little peek would be fine.” 

“I-I don’t think so,” he looked slightly exasperated at her nonchalance, pink dusting his cheeks. 

Why was he so embarrassed? How ridiculous!

She had half a mind to lift his robes up while he was distracted, but she was sure she would definitely get killed by the older man if not Jinshi himself. 

Some other time then , Maomao vowed to herself as she stood up. 

“I hope you are able to find whoever it is you’re looking for. I will take my leave now. I have work tomorrow, you see.” 

“I-I see. Can you find your way back?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine” 

“Are you sure? Gaoshun can walk you back. It’s quite dark outside.” 

Gaoshun, she assumed, was the name of the older man, who looked grim at the prospect of going with Maomao. 

She decided to spare him the task. Plus, she wanted time to think. “I’ll be fine,” she repeated. 

Jinshi didn’t look convinced but he didn’t argue further. 

As she was about to leave the private room, he called after her. “Have a goodnight, Maomao.” 

In the end, it took her an hour to find her way back to the dorms, which she considered a small victory. It was an improvement from last time. 

Most women were sleeping by the time she returned. The older woman who ran the dormitory scolded Maomao for returning so late, but still gave her some soup and boiled vegetables to eat before she also went to bed, muttering about the dangers of wandering the streets alone at night as a young woman.

It only occurred to Maomao later on, when she was about to doze off, that she hadn’t actually told Jinshi her name.