Chapter 24 – Ten Thousand Days

Chi Mei woke up amidst a fragrant scent, slowly opening his eyes. He could smell the fragrance but couldn’t see Jiang Yang, anxiously calling out: “A’Yang? A’Yang?”

“I’m here, I’m here.” Jiang Yang crawled in from the tree hollow.

Chi Mei’s tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and he smiled weakly: “I thought you were gone.”

Jiang Yang thought to herself: Don’t talk nonsense, what do you mean she’s gone, she’s living quite freely.

Jiang Yang brought the freshly grilled fish to his mouth: “You must be hungry, eat quickly.”

Chi Mei had just awakened, his lips cracked and dry, barely having the strength to eat the fish. He nibbled in small bites. Jiang Yang also cracked open a coconut to replenish his fluids, occasionally scooping water from the pond to pour over his scales, preventing this fish from dying of thirst.

After seven days, the wound no longer oozed pus, and a thin membrane had grown over the previously bleeding flesh. Although not as sturdy as scales, it could at least isolate the pond water, so he no longer needed to stay on the rock. He could now be fully submerged in water without risking infection.

Jiang Yang breathed a sigh of relief, rolled over on the rock, and continued sleeping.

The hard rock made her back and waist ache, so Jiang Yang gathered a lot of dry grass from outside to spread on the hard rock as a mattress. Not only was it soft, but it also provided insulation, making sleep much more comfortable. Now that she no longer needed to care for the stupid fish day and night, Jiang Yang could finally sleep in. She rolled over, feeling something wet and heavy pressing against her side.

Without opening her eyes, Jiang Yang pushed it away, saying impatiently: “Go away, sleep in your water.”

The wet bundle didn’t speak, instead snuggling closer to her. Its damp long hair brushed against her chin, wet and ticklish.

Jiang Yang opened her eyes irritably, picking up a strand of his long hair and saying: “Do you know you’re a fish?”

Chi Mei nodded, even flicking his tail, as if to say “I know, I know.”

“If you’re a fish, then stay in the water. Don’t disturb my sleep.” She turned over, facing the rock wall with her back to the stupid fish.

The stupid fish pressed his head against her back, dejected: “But didn’t we always sleep in the same bed before?”

Jiang Yang sat up: “That was before. You were sick, and I had to let you sleep beside me to take care of you. Now that your wounds have healed, of course you should go back to the water. Hurry up, you’re getting the grass mat all wet.”

The stupid fish mumbled: “If I had known, I wouldn’t have healed so quickly.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Chi Mei’s expression changed as he covered his face, pretending: “A’Yang, I feel like my wound hasn’t fully healed yet. Feel my face, it’s still hot.”

Jiang Yang didn’t touch his face, only using the back of her hand to feel his forehead. It was cool, with no signs of fever. She flicked his forehead: “Stop pretending, you’re fine. Go back to sleep.”

The stupid fish covered his face, still arguing: “But my face really feels hot, and I sometimes feel dizzy. Why is that?”

“Maybe it’s because spring has arrived.”

“No, spring has long passed. It’s summer now—” The stupid fish’s voice suddenly stopped as he slid into the water, looking resentful.

Jiang Yang let out a light chuckle and lay back down to sleep.

However, the stupid fish’s gloomy gaze was like two beams of resentful light scanning up and down her body. With such a stare, she couldn’t sleep at all.

“Sigh—” Jiang Yang helplessly moved closer to the rock wall, making some space. She patted the spot: “Come up.”

The stupid fish’s eyes burst with vitality as he swam over happily, lying down beside her.

“Stay away from me, don’t get my clothes wet,” Jiang Yang said tiredly, facing away from him. His wound had just healed, and she didn’t dare let him soak in the water for long periods.

The stupid fish nodded repeatedly, positioning himself like a proper dead fish: “Alright, alright, don’t worry. I sleep very properly.”

Proper? Jiang Yang didn’t have the heart to expose this stupid fish. Every night after falling asleep, this stupid fish would burrow into her embrace, whimpering like a little puppy. Jiang Yang would wake up from his fidgeting, try to push him away several times without success, and eventually just let him be.

Sure enough, when Jiang Yang woke up again, the self-proclaimed properly sleeping stupid fish was already nestled in her arms. To avoid this stupid fish misunderstanding that she had taken advantage of him, Jiang Yang carefully moved her body, placing the stupid fish’s head on the grass mat. But before she could move her hand away, the stupid fish opened his eyes.

At this moment, their position was the stupid fish lying obediently on the grass mat, while she was sprawled on top of him like a hooligan.

Their eyes met. Oh no, would he misunderstand?

The stupid fish’s eyes seemed slightly hazy. He blinked gently, his arms encircling her neck as his tongue intimately called out: “A’Yang, why are you on top of me?”

Jiang Yang’s throat moved slightly, her heartbeat threatening to burst out of her throat. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

The arms around her tightened slightly. Chi Mei’s brows relaxed, and his eyes held a drunken smile. He tilted his head up and gave her lips a fleeting kiss.

Jiang Yang’s pupils shook.

Before she could react, the arms around her neck quickly softened and fell away. Those hazy eyes closed, his breathing becoming shallow and regular as he fell back into deep sleep.

Jiang Yang immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her arms going limp as she collapsed beside him.

After two quarters of an hour, the stupid fish finally woke up. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, seeing Jiang Yang sprawled beside him. As if remembering something, he smiled foolishly with a red face: “A’Yang, do you know? I just had a dream about you.”

Jiang Yang turned her head to look at him: “Is that so?”

The stupid fish’s bright, clear eyes were filled with smiles: “Really, I was lying in bed, and suddenly you pounced on top of me…” Before he could finish, the stupid fish covered his face and giggled.

Jiang Yang rolled her eyes, thinking that she, the renowned chief romantic figure of Lingnan, had actually been taken advantage of by a fish. It was truly a case of the horse losing its footing. Fortunately, this stupid fish was indeed stupid and really thought it was just a dream.

“A’Yang, where are you going?” Seeing Jiang Yang get up, the stupid fish quickly asked.

“The early bird catches the worm. Of course I’m going to find food.”

“Then I’ll go with you. My wound has almost healed.” As he spoke, the stupid fish swished his tail, more agile than a dog’s tail.

“Your wound has only recovered a thin layer of membrane, not even new scales have grown yet. Don’t mess around, just stay at home obediently. I’ll go by myself.”