16: Chapter 16 Mermaid Mother and Daughter

Aisha? Chu Xingyang looked at this beautiful mermaid princess, deeply captivated by her bright eyes and white teeth.

For a moment, he was actually stunned.

It took a few seconds for him to remember that he still had Queen Ai in his arms. Holding the mother while staring at her daughter was a bit inappropriate, to say the least.

He quickly set Ai down, sat on the steps parallel to the water's surface, and dipped his legs into the water. Then, he said to the fish-people bowing on the water: "Everyone rise. You have just suffered such a great catastrophe; there is still much for you to do."

After the fish-people bowed deeply to him several times, they dove into the water one after another.

Only Queen Ai and Princess Aisha remained by his side.

Chu Xingyang looked at the stunningly beautiful mermaid mother and daughter in the water, tapped the steps gently, and said kindly: "Don't be so reserved, come on up and sit."

Ai only rested her upper body on his left leg, swaying her seaweed-like hair, and said timidly: "How could we sit on equal footing with the Great God?"

Beside her, young Aisha bravely raised her head, her cheeks flushed slightly: "Then, Xingyang God, I really am going to sit up there."

After speaking, she held onto his right leg, flicked her fish tail a few times, and used the momentum to leap out of the water, her bottom landing lightly on the steps.

The water spray she kicked up was crystal clear and dazzling under the setting sun.

Ai looked at her daughter with a nervous expression, her voice trembling in terror: "How dare you be so disrespectful to the Great God!"

Chu Xingyang laughed magnanimously, then pulled her up as well: "It's nothing; I'm the one who asked you to sit with me."

With his left hand holding Ai and his right arm around Aisha, he paddled his legs in the water while watching the sunset on the distant sea.

This moment was truly too comfortable.

The dusk dyed Aisha's charming face red. She pointed at the crimson sun, her eyes shining: "Xingyang God, is that sun you?"

Ai slapped her hand: "Daughter, how can you point at the Great God?"

Chu Xingyang looked at the mother and daughter beside him and smiled indifferently.

He hadn't expected the fish-people to have a nation, and even a queen. Looking at their beauty, could it be that whoever is the most beautiful in the tribe becomes the queen? He mused aimlessly.

But then he saw many fish-people surfacing, and along with them, beautiful wooden planks floated up.

Resting on the planks were huge "cocoons" wrapped in white cloth.

Seeing this scene, both Ai and Aisha looked sorrowful.

This was the fish-people's method of sea burial; inside the cocoons were the bodies or remains of their deceased kin.

After a while, perhaps because all the bodies had been made into cocoons, the fish-people sang a beautiful but mournful elegy in unison and slowly pushed the wooden planks into the distance.

In the afterglow of the sunset, the mournful singing drifted across the sea, and the wooden planks drifted further and further toward the setting sun. All the fish-people, filled with grief, said their final farewells to their loved ones.

This scene was so tragically beautiful that it was hard to bear.

Ai and Aisha were both streaming with tears, which slid down to their chins and then fell into the water like pearls, creating ripples.

Chu Xingyang didn't know how to comfort them, so he could only hold the mother and daughter tightly, hoping they could feel a little bit of support.

Aisha nestled gently in his arms, sobbing: "Great God, our only God, please stay here and accompany us for a few days. After we repair our underwater town and defensive fortifications, would that be okay?"

All the fish-people bowed before him at this moment, praying devoutly.

"We beg Xingyang God to protect us for a few more days!"

"Great God, our only God, please protect your loyal servants again."

Chu Xingyang nodded. He had nothing else to do now, and he couldn't find a reason to refuse the fish-people.

Ai showed a look of joy but quickly lowered her head respectfully: "Thank you for the Great God's grace. We fish-people will serve you well, worship you for generations, and our descendants will always remember your kindness."

After speaking, she waved to the back.

A dozen beautiful and delicate mermaids quickly swam out from among the fish-people, wanting to come forward to serve the Xingyang God together.

Chu Xingyang waved his hand: "It's too noisy with so many people; having the two of you accompany me is enough."

Feeling highly honored, Ai and Aisha shed tears again, but this time they were tears of excitement and joy.

Ai said softly: "We are willing to serve by your side forever, and our descendants are willing too."

Aisha nodded desperately from the side: "Xingyang God, please allow us to serve you forever."

Chu Xingyang remained noncommittal. This mother and daughter were indeed very beautiful and gentle.

But he was the sun, possessing a long life, so long that from a human perspective, it was almost eternal. He didn't want to see beautiful women gradually aging before him.

Besides, they were mermaids; they could only live in places with water, and it wouldn't be convenient to keep them with him.

Chu Xingyang hesitated for a moment before replying seriously: "I don't need anyone to serve me, but I will come to see you occasionally."

A flash of disappointment crossed the mother and daughter's faces.

But Ai quickly adjusted and instead bloomed with a sincere smile: "Thank you, God, for your grace. That you can occasionally come to see us is already the greatest favor we could receive in our humble lives."

Aisha said with slight sadness: "Yes, thank you, God. We shouldn't be greedy."

Chu Xingyang nodded and focused on enjoying the company of the mother and daughter.

Time passed minute by minute.

Night fell.

The fish-people presented exquisite and delicious food; this was their offering to the Xingyang God.

Looking at the dozens of fish-people on the water, balancing huge plates on their heads, the dishes on the trays were dazzling.

Freshly sliced sashimi, freshly roasted dinosaur meat, and many colorful, fresh, and juicy fruits.

Chu Xingyang waved his hand: "It's too much; there's no need to be so extravagant."

Aisha carefully picked a grape and meticulously peeled it: "Xingyang God, you are our God. This is our devout offering to you; please accept it."

After speaking, she fed the peeled grape into his mouth.

Chu Xingyang shivered; it was so sweet. These fish-people not only sang beautifully, but their fruit-growing skills were also top-notch.

Beside him, Ai held an exquisite small plate with freshly sliced dinosaur meat on it.

Then, she presented it along with a wine glass: "Xingyang God, please taste the wine brewed by our fish-people."

Looking at the amber liquid in the cup, Chu Xingyang remembered that in his first life, he had absolutely no tolerance for alcohol, and in his second life on the Wandering Earth, he hadn't drunk any alcohol at all.

But he couldn't refuse their kindness, so he picked up the glass and drained it in one gulp.

It didn't taste as good as it looked. Perhaps it was because the grape just now was too sweet, leaving only a faint sweetness and the taste of alcohol in his mouth.

Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.