Stop Thinking Chapter 33: Goldfish

Chapter 33: Goldfish

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Ruan Yu found Gu Xiuhan’s obvious smile so rare that even Ruan Yu felt it was uncommon.

“… You look so handsome when you smile.” Ruan Yu felt a bit embarrassed but straightforward, his pupils shining like they were soaked in water, tilting his head to admire that handsome smiling face, “You should smile at me more often in the future.”

Gu Xiuhan gently raised his hand to touch the back of Ruan Yu’s head, allowing their foreheads to touch, their breaths mingling.

Such intimate and unrelated gestures between lovers made Ruan Yu feel extremely content, so happy that he felt like wagging his tail, staring blankly for quite some time.

The mermaids really loved this warm and fresh style of love.

Before Ruan Yu could come to his senses from the warmth, he was already lying on the treatment chair just like in Gu Xiuhan’s fantasy. At the same time, the door lock was activated, and the treatment room instantly turned into a sealed chamber.

It wasn’t until his shoes and socks were removed, and his ankles were stacked with towels, that Ruan Yu realized that things were not going quite right.

In the end, Ruan Yu was still pinned down by Gu Xiuhan on the treatment chair, manipulated until he couldn’t resist, whimpering and crying out a bunch of small pearls all over the floor.

But just by looking at the rosy and moist color, you could tell it wasn’t a cry of sadness.

What’s worse was that not only was Ruan Yu messed around with, but he also tearfully agreed to Gu Xiuhan that after he got used to these things, he would have a “tit for tat” with Gu Xiuhan about today’s events.

After stumbling through the promise, Ruan Yu almost fainted.

The aftermath of this incident was that for several consecutive days afterward, every time Ruan Yu saw Gu Xiuhan, his eyes would wander, his thoughts scattered, and he would instantly remember the promise he made to Gu Xiuhan, then he would feel embarrassed and breathless all on his own.

How did things turn so yellow that he thought about them every day…

Ruan Yu’s eyes were filled with hot tears as he silently hugged his fishtail.

As the construction of the base project ended, the days when Ruan Yu left the Energy Star gradually approached.

With Ruan Yu’s exceptionally good popularity at the base, he couldn’t avoid rushing around to meet with the new friends he was about to part with.

As things piled up, the last few days at the base passed by in a flash, as if flying, and the day of departure arrived in the blink of an eye.

Originally, Ruan Yu had agreed with his friends not to come and see him off, fearing it would be too sentimental, but everyone didn’t listen much. Many friends came to the starship terminal to see him off, almost to an exaggerated extent. There were even many indigenous people who were afraid of scaring Ruan Yu and dared not to get too close, wearing fierce yet shy faces, standing far away with the principle of “take one more breath, earn one more breath,” sucking fish from a distance as if they were humble fans who only got seats in the back row of a concert.

“…By the way, did you bring the medicine to relieve jump syndrome?” Lin Hui, as the spiritual mother, couldn’t help but worry about the little silly fish, going through all sorts of trivial matters for Ruan Yu, “Don’t put it in the luggage, put it in an easy-to-reach place.”

With each reminder from her, Ruan Yu would glance at Gu Xiuhan, obviously someone who didn’t take care of things.

Gu Xiuhan nodded slightly, indicating that it had already been placed in an easy-to-reach place.

Although there were guards and diligent soldiers who could take care of these small matters, Gu Xiuhan always personally packed Ruan Yu’s things.

Ruan Yu turned back and obediently nodded to Lin Hui, “Mm-hmm, it’s been taken care of.”

[Commander Gu! You’re amazing! Taking care of your baby so thoughtfully, truly a good son-in-law to the mother!]

[I still have to continue collecting data and writing papers here. Where is the new sugar going to have fun, Sob, sob, sob….]

[Suddenly sentimental.jpg]

[Although I was looking forward to the CP becoming real before, but now that the dream has come true, I’m actually a little reluctant to part with the baby fish…]

Lin Hui’s slightly green face underwent three changes in just a few seconds, from contentment and kindness to loss and then to an empty nest old lady.

Even without mind-reading abilities, one could guess what was going on in her mind.

Gu Xiuhan, “…”

Lin Hui’s gaze swept from Gu Xiuhan’s frozen jade-like face.

Lin Hui, “Ahem… well, have a safe journey!”

Suddenly waking up from her daze, her demeanor shifted from a concerned mother to a little quail in an instant.

But Lin Hui wasn’t the only one thinking in all directions. The other friends who came to see Ruan Yu off were also standing there, lost in their thoughts, their expressions happy and peaceful.

When the rumors first started, they had privately confirmed with Ruan Yu.

Indeed, they were together.

And yet, they hadn’t fainted from it!

[I actually got it for real, Sob, sob, sob. Oh, I thought I was overthinking it at first.]

[Is that all? Ever since I got the smart insulin pump implanted, I’ve become much more resolute when it comes to CP!]

[Commander Gu must have SSS-level genes. I heard that people with this level of genes have bodies as strong as perpetual motion machines. Will the little fish be able to handle it when he’s so tender and small? Ah, Mom is so worried that tears are flowing out of her mouth… Ahhhhhh sorry, I’m thinking of Ruan Ruan in front of Ruan Ruan again! Quickly, quickly think of something sad…]

Just seeing so many friends come to see him off, Ruan Yu, who was still genuinely touched to the point of tears at the corners of his eyes, fell silent, “…”

The tear ducts gradually dried up in the atmosphere that was half sweet and half awkward.

He had thought it would be like being sent off by the folks.

But it turned out to be being laughed at by the folks.

This planet is no longer suitable for mermaids to live on!

Fortunately, it was almost time to board the ship. After bidding farewell to his friends, Ruan Yu also waved earnestly and extensively at the indigenous people who were looking from afar, showing a smile with a little dimple.

Those indigenous people were first stunned, then their fierce faces turned red one by one, eagerly imitating Ruan Yu’s farewell wave.

Ruan Yu had received the highest level of security protection since childhood, rarely going out, and such a long absence from home for three months was previously impossible. It was his first time away from home for so long, Ruan Yu didn’t say it out loud, but he actually missed home so much he almost got sick.

However, mixed in with the excitement and joy of going home was a heavy worry.

That was how to explain his current situation with Gu Xiuhan to Gu Rong and Shen Jingya.

From the perspective of a mermaid, Ruan Yu didn’t see any problem with the change in his relationship with Gu Xiuhan. As long as the body matured and there was no blood relationship, the person could be considered a potential mate.

But having lived in human society for so many years, Ruan Yu knew that humans had some subtle and complex moral concepts. He could roughly guess how abrupt and strange this matter would seem in the eyes of human elders. Gu Rong and Shen Jingya genuinely loved and cared for him as if he were their own child, and they really regarded him and Gu Xiuhan as brothers. Suddenly, after not seeing each other for three months, their relationship changed like this… It was inevitable that there would be a storm.

Ruan Yu had simulated conversations with his uncle and aunt about “coming out” in a human manner, and the more he thought about it, the more nervous he became.

As for Gu Xiuhan…

With tears in his eyes, Ruan Yu carefully massaged the pink and bright cheeks and lips that Gu Xiuhan had kissed and nibbled, then fastened the two buttons that had been undone.

Without any self-flattery, since confirming their relationship, Gu Xiuhan had been in a state of daze, his mind and heart filled with thoughts of him, never considering these serious matters.

He couldn’t count on him, so he had to rely on himself.

Gu Xiuhan could indulge in fish-sucking as if nothing had happened, because there was a fish to shelter him from the wind and rain, and to bear the burden for him, right?

Ruan Yu clenched his fists silently, his mentality could be considered tragic.

He had no intention of telling Gu Xiuhan about these concerns.

Because if he were to schedule the “outing with the family” thing, given Gu Xiuhan’s level of pampering and protectiveness towards him, he would most likely talk to Gu Rong and Shen Jingya by himself, bearing all the disappointment and doubts alone, and only when things were explained and his parents’ emotions had calmed down would he let Ruan Yu show up.

Ruan Yu didn’t want that.

He didn’t want to always be like a fish baby Ruan Yu, snugly protected in Gu Xiuhan’s palm, but wanted to become a qualified spouse, bravely taking on the responsibility of coming out to his family.

To welcome the two of them, Shen Jingya calculated the time of the starship’s arrival and personally arranged a large table of dishes that Ruan Yu and Gu Xiuhan loved.

Ruan Yu had lost his appetite due to anxiety, his stomach was full from being stuffed with a fifty-thousand-word manuscript, but he couldn’t bear to disappoint Shen Jingya’s efforts. In the end, he absent-mindedly thought about things while forcefully chewing one bite after another, puffing up his cheeks and exerting effort to chew, his belly bulging uncomfortably, and he had to pull down the edge of his pants a little under the tablecloth to relieve the pressure on his stomach for a while.

The child eats so much that he’s even pulling his pants because he’s so full. Shen Jingya couldn’t see how heavy Ruan Yu’s mental burden was at all. And if she couldn’t see it, then Gu Rong certainly wouldn’t either. Whatever was shocking or puzzling to them had been digested completely when Gu Xiuhan came clean last month, and with the children returning home after three months, the couple was too busy being happy and catching up that they didn’t think much about that matter.

It wasn’t until that night before bed when Ruan Yu knocked on their bedroom door with a downcast expression, dragging his feet inside, that Shen Jingya realized that this little fish baby seemed to be burdened with something heavy.

“What’s wrong, Ruan Ruan?” Shen Jingya pushed aside the covers and sat up, casting a glance at Ruan Yu’s tense face, which looked like it was about to burst into tears, then at Gu Rong, who was engrossed in watching interspecies combat with VR glasses on. She patted the edge of the bed with a soft voice and gestured for Ruan Yu to come closer, “Come, sit down and tell me.”

[Oh dear, why does this little face look so unhappy… Are the little lovebirds having a quarrel?]

A richly informative message floated out.

If one listened carefully, they would know that Shen Jingya had long been informed and had a good acceptance level. However, Ruan Yu was so nervous that he felt like he was about to faint, and the opening remarks hung on the tip of his tongue, ready to fight, but he decided to ignore the heart sounds entirely.

After all, this was the closest he had ever come to “rebellion.”

“I, I’m fine standing here.” Ruan Yu’s cheeks turned pale with nervousness. After struggling for a while, he picked a delicate opening remark, curled his fingers, and said timidly, “Auntie, Uncle… It’s just, three months ago, when I went to the Energy Star, you mentioned, maybe I could help Brother Xiuhan find a boyfriend or a girlfriend…”

“Ah,” Shen Jingya suddenly guessed most of it, smiled gently, “I did have that thought at the time…”

As she was still considering her wording, thinking about how to explain that they were already aware of the situation, Ruan Yu was already bowing nervously to her and Gu Rong.

“Auntie, Uncle, I’m sorry…” Ruan Yu was so scared that his mouth felt dry, but he gathered his courage and stuttered out the whole truth, “Sister-in-law, I helped Brother Xiuhan find someone, but… the sister-in-law I was talking about, she… she’s me!”

 

 

 

 

 

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