365 Days Locked Love with a Mermaid - Chapter 1

If I remember correctly, the last person I saw before losing consciousness was Ji Huaixing.

He lay in a pool of blood, giving me a smile that was both tragic and beautiful.

“Xiaoyu, don’t be afraid, I can save you.

“Xiaoyu, if I can’t save you, I’ll die with you.

“Xiaoyu, actually, my merman tail isn’t disgusting…”

Ji Huaixing did it to save me.

He feared pain the most, yet endured excruciating agony to pull out his own scales.

He loved sunlight the most, yet dissolved into foam beneath it.

He disliked me the most, yet was willing to trade his life for mine, just so I could live.

…

My back was drenched in cold sweat. I jolted awake from my dream, sitting up abruptly and gasping for breath.

Outside the window, the sun was shining brightly, birds were singing, and flowers were in bloom.

I sat on the bed, unable to distinguish reality from dream, lost in a daze for a long time.

It wasn’t until I heard knocking at the door that I realized-

This wasn’t somewhere else. This was the place I’d lived for a whole year. This was the home Ji Huaixing and I shared.

I stumbled out of bed and rushed to the table, staring at the date on the calendar.

-2021.

This was the year I had just married Ji Huaixing.

Beside the calendar was our wedding photo.

With trembling hands, I picked up the photo, and all those unpleasant memories came flooding back.

“Ji Huaixing, don’t you find yourself disgusting? You’re a merman, yet you always dream of living like a human? Isn’t that sickening?”

Ji Huaixing lowered his head, pretending not to hear my cruel words, silently piecing together the photo I had torn apart, again and again.

The knocking at the door continued for five minutes before the person finally lost patience and pushed the door open.

I thought it was Ji Huaixing, so I quickly wiped my tears and turned to look, only to see Chen, the housekeeper.

Chen frowned, sizing me up with a harsh tone: “What are you making a fuss about now? Didn’t the Young Master already agree to your demands? What more do you want?”

I didn’t react for a moment. “W-what?”

Chen tossed the flower basket and dress she was carrying onto the sofa, rolling her eyes at me: “Weren’t you the one who insisted on attending your ex-boyfriend’s opening ceremony? The Young Master wouldn’t let you go, so you took pills and slit your wrists. Now you’re playing dumb again? Disgusting!”

I lowered my lashes, finally realizing I had been reborn to that day.

That day from my previous life.

Because Ji Huaixing wouldn’t let me attend Jiang Nan’s opening ceremony, we had a huge fight.

The reason Ji Huaixing didn’t want me to go was that Jiang Nan would announce he was together with my best friend at the ceremony.

He didn’t want to see me hurt, but I thought he was just targeting Jiang Nan. I hit and kicked him, hurled insults, and even cursed him to die.

But even so, after I overdosed on sleeping pills and lost consciousness, Ji Huaixing didn’t hesitate to pull out his scales to save me.

I snapped out of my memories.

Chen hadn’t left yet. She tidied the room while grumbling: “The Young Master is such a good person, how did he end up with a heartless woman like you? Must be bad luck from eight lifetimes…”

I grabbed the flowers and dress from the sofa and stuffed them straight into the trash bin.

Chen immediately became wary: “What are you up to now?”

I looked up and asked, “Where’s Ji Huaixing?”

Chen turned away, ignoring me: “I don’t know.”

I fell silent.

I knew Chen wouldn’t tell me. Not just her-no one in this villa would ever reveal Ji Huaixing’s whereabouts to me.

Because every time I looked for him, it was never for anything good.

Since no one would help me, I’d have to find him myself.

Relying on memories from my previous life, I searched room by room until I pushed open the door to Ji Huaixing’s study. A strong scent of blood hit me, and I froze.

Ji Huaixing was sitting weakly in a pool of blood, his upper body bare, his beautiful blue merman tail shimmering faintly. His head was bowed, his face drained of color, looking both dangerous and captivating.

I knew that pulling out scales was agonizing for a merman, but I’d never imagined such a brutal scene.

When I suddenly opened the door, Ji Huaixing’s face showed impatience. His voice was hoarse: “Get out.”

I didn’t move. The air around Ji Huaixing instantly turned violent, his eyes glinting with a bloodthirsty red as he slowly raised his head: “Are you looking for death…”

When he saw it was me, his fierce tone faltered. He quickly turned away, flustered, trying to hide his exposed merman tail.

Seeing Ji Huaixing alive again should have made me happy, but I couldn’t suppress the tremble in my voice.

“Ji Huaixing, does it hurt?”

At my words, Ji Huaixing’s hand on his tail twitched slightly. Then he sneered, “It’s none of your business. Tell me, what do you want me to do for Jiang Nan this time?”

I wiped away my tears and stepped inside: “No, I…”

“Don’t come closer.” Ji Huaixing saw me move and, supporting himself, tried to hide under the desk, his voice icy. “Get out.”

I paused, looking at his resistant expression, bit my lip, and stubbornly said, “I’m not leaving.”

Ji Huaixing froze, the mocking curve of his lips deepening: “Not leaving? What do you want to do here? What do you want to say? Is it about divorce, or do you want to curse me to death again?”

I stepped forward, resolutely walking toward him: “Ji Huaixing, actually I want to say…”

Ji Huaixing turned his head coldly as I approached, his delicate features hidden in the dim light, making it hard to read his expression.

I crouched down, meeting his deep blue eyes without hesitation, and spoke softly:

“Your merman tail is so beautiful, like glass.”

As my words fell, Ji Huaixing’s tense jaw trembled violently, and he jerked his head up.

I raised my hand to cup his face, asking with utmost sincerity, “So, can I kiss it?”