Chapter 12: Three Handsome Men

Is there anything happier than being fed by someone? Yes, it’s being fed by the person you love. Chi Mei happily held the cup and gulped down the coconut juice, feeling blissfully content inside, happy and proud. It’s so nice to have a gentle and attentive partner. Even the most popular females in the ocean aren’t as good as A Yang. Being caught on this ship was truly lucky.

The sea dog fish’s tail created showy ripples on the water’s surface, and a blurry red object slowly floated up from the water.

Jiang Yang looked closely and thought this red object seemed familiar. She picked it up with a peacock feather, and an exquisite handkerchief dripped water along the feather.

“You still kept it?” Jiang Yang smiled.

Chi Mei, who had just finished drinking two large coconuts and let out a satisfied burp, saw Jiang Yang pick up the handkerchief he treasured. He immediately snatched it back, blushing as he held it to his chest: “You-you said you gave it to me.”

“Look how nervous you are, it’s just a handkerchief, I’m not going to take it back.” Jiang Yang suddenly raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile: “You seem to like phoenix flowers a lot?”

Chi Mei suddenly blushed: “How did you know?”

Actually, from the moment Jiang Yang casually threw the handkerchief to him that day, he wanted to ask. He hadn’t said anything, so how could Jiang Yang accurately guess his thoughts?

Jiang Yang said: “Although your mouth didn’t say it, your eyes did.”

Being born into a large, complex family clan meant enjoying food and drink, but other things were quite troublesome, like social interactions. Relatives, guests, brothers, and even the heads of servants all needed to be dealt with properly.

Ancient people spoke more implicitly, always seeming like they were in a historical drama, with layers of meaning in their words, hidden barbs, and a single glance conveying a whole level of meaning.

While watching palace dramas, Jiang Yang had joked that with her intelligence, she would definitely not survive three episodes in there. After transmigrating, she learned about the intrigues of large families through osmosis, stumbling along until she managed a passing grade.

So in front of Jiang Yang, Chi Mei’s little glances that he thought he had hidden so well were as clear as if he was reading aloud in a library, exposing everything plainly.

Chi Mei lowered his head, his wet, heavy long hair hanging down to cover his eyes, but the lower half of his face was exceptionally fair and delicate.

Jiang Yang thought he was embarrassed about having his little thoughts exposed, so she gently swept the soft peacock feather along the smooth, delicate curve of his chin. She expected to see Chi Mei’s shy little glances, but when he raised his head, his eyes were bright and moist, shimmering with light. His face, as if carved from white jade, was breathtakingly beautiful. There was no trace of the small awkwardness of being exposed; instead, his eyes were slightly wide open, filled with dumbfounded admiration.

Jiang Yang: “…” She had overthought it. How could this stupid fish be embarrassed?

“A Yang, you’re so smart! You can actually see it from my eyes. I didn’t know my eyes could talk. How did you do that? It’s amazing!” The light of the late summer evening was intense as if unreal, illuminating his deep-set eye sockets. Chi Mei couldn’t help but praise her. As expected of the woman he had his eye on!

Jiang Yang chuckled helplessly. Although being excessively flattered by a stupid fish with low intelligence was like the second-to-last praising the last for good grades, not something worth showing off, but… she had successfully fooled this guy. It felt great!

Feeling superior, Jiang Yang stood up: “Do you want more coconut juice?”

Chi Mei nodded vigorously: “Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll go buy some for you.” Jiang Yang walked out briskly.

“A Yang, I’ll wait for you! Come back soon!” The stupid fish’s voice came from the room.

“I know!” Jiang Yang felt her pockets. She had silver, but she had spent all her loose change. She had to go back to her room to get some small change.

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“For men of humble origins like you, you’re destined for a life of toil. Being chosen by the Second Young Miss is your good fortune. You’d better serve her well, and you won’t be short of silver. If you please the Second Young Miss, she might even bring you back to the Jiang family. That would be like ascending to heaven in one step. Not only will you not lack for glory and wealth, but you’ll also be able to benefit your entire family. Bring out your best skills, understand?”

Lan Qian spoke arrogantly to the three men from Nalong country.

“Understood.” The three men from Nalong country lowered their heads as they listened to the instructions, as docile as sheep.

Lan Qian nodded with satisfaction. These three men were carefully selected by her and the first mate. Not only were they good-looking and well-built, but they also understood some of their country’s language.

Although these men’s looks weren’t as enchanting as the courtesans in the brothels, the first mate was right – dark-skinned beauties had their own charm. Having been by Jiang Yang’s side for so many years, Lan Qian felt she understood her preferences and was very confident in the men she had chosen.

“Alright, follow me.” Lan Qian led the three dark-skinned beauties onto the ship.

The crew members who hadn’t yet gone on shore leave saw this scene and started to tease: “Sister Lan has good taste, even bringing them on board.”

“Don’t joke around, these are for the Second Young Miss,” Lan Qian said with a smile.

Jiang Yang was noble and precious, naturally, she couldn’t be allowed to go ashore to find men herself. That would be too undignified. A great family needed to maintain its prestige. The men should actively serve her.

Hearing that these were prepared for Jiang Yang, the crew members dared not joke anymore and turned their attention to their own matters.

“Why aren’t those people back yet? When will it be my turn?”

“Sigh, we’ll have to wait. Next time I won’t choose rock. I always lose when I choose rock, always ending up in the last batch.”

“The Second Young Miss is really fortunate.”

Chi Mei was obediently lying by the edge of the water bucket waiting for Jiang Yang to bring back coconuts for him, his tail held straight and stiff. He was startled to hear people on the deck discussing Jiang Yang.

A Yang? What about A Yang? Why did they say she was fortunate?

Merfolk have good hearing, but it’s greatly reduced when out of water. Chi Mei wanted to hear everything about Jiang Yang, so he stretched half his body out of the bucket to listen more carefully. Suddenly, he heard Lan Qian’s voice not far away.

“Our Second Young Miss has a good temper and is generous. As long as you serve her well and don’t act up in bed, I guarantee your whole family won’t have to worry about food and drink for years.”

In bed? In bed!! Chi Mei’s alarm bells went off.

“Yes,” came a man’s voice.

Why were there men? And three of them! And they smelled strongly of lust to his sensitive nose!

Shocked, Chi Mei flapped his fish tail, trying to open the window to see what kind of men they were and where they were going.

Chi Mei’s room was just three floors below Jiang Yang’s, and Lan Qian had to pass by Chi Mei’s door to enter Jiang Yang’s room with the dark-skinned beauties. Her voice became clearer.

“Oh right, the Second Young Miss likes men with some flair. Don’t be like a dead fish.”

“Understood.”

Flair? So A Yang likes men with flair? No, Chi Mei’s slow mind finally caught up. That woman Lan Qian was trying to find men for his A Yang.

Unacceptable! He absolutely won’t allow it!

Chi Mei frantically flapped his tail fins, creating huge splashes in the water bucket like a small tsunami. But it was all in vain. No one would pay attention to a merman locked in a quiet room. Only A Yang came to keep him company and entertain him every day.

Seeing that his efforts got no response, Chi Mei withdrew his tail fins, which had been injured and damaged from flapping too hard.

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Jiang Yang opened the drawer to look for some loose change. Sigh, she was really too wealthy. She had plenty of gold ingots, but small change was hard to find.

She looked up to see Angry Bird staring at her resentfully.

Jiang Yang smiled and roughly ruffled the bird’s head: “Alright, I’ll bring you something good to eat too in a bit. Um, how about fried silkworm pupae?”

Angry Bird’s brows furrowed even more angrily.

“You don’t like that? Then how about deep-fried giant spiders?”

“Coo!” Angry Bird responded for the first time.

“Ah, I was just joking, but you actually like that?” Jiang Yang was surprised. This bird had peculiar tastes.

“Second Young Miss.” Two knocks came from outside, followed by Lan Qian’s voice.

“Come in.” Jiang Yang replied without caution, still looking down for money.

“Second Young Miss, we’ve finally docked, and the crew members have all gone down to experience the exotic customs,” Lan Qian’s voice came from behind.

“Mm.” Jiang Yang responded casually, focused on finding money.

“I’ve also brought back something for you.”

“Mm, mm?” Exotic customs? What exotic customs? Jiang Yang turned around and was faced with three dark-skinned, muscular beauties: “Holy sh—”

Jiang Yang’s mind froze. Although the three dark-skinned beauties were still two steps away from her, being surrounded by a bunch of muscular chests, Jiang Yang felt like her face was already buried in these dark-skinned beauties’ large chests, unable to breathe.

“You, you, you,” Jiang Yang pointed at Lan Qian with a trembling finger, looking at her satisfied smile and asked: “What are you doing?”

“Experiencing exotic customs,” Lan Qian said with a knowing smile, her eyes narrowed.

Jiang Yang was silent for a moment, looking at the three dark-skinned beauties in front of her. Not only did each of them have an incredibly fit body, but their looks were also quite diverse. One had dark skin and white hair, with rugged and stubborn features, like a small black panther. Another had dark skin and black hair, but with soft features, giving off a gentle, motherly feeling. The last one also had dark skin and white hair, with features slightly inferior to the motherly one, but with shy yet bold eyes, constantly exuding a kind of coy sensuality.

It was clear that Lan Qian had really put effort into finding men for her. But, although her reputation as a prodigal was widespread, it was just a sea voyage. She wasn’t that desperate yet.

Moreover,

Jiang Yang asked, both helpless and angry: “Why three?”

One was already quite a handful, sister. Three? You really overestimate me.

Lan Qian’s eyes widened slightly: “Hm? Wasn’t this what you wanted, Second Young Miss?”

Jiang Yang: Spreading rumors is illegal, don’t make things up.

“When did I ever tell you that?”

Lan Qian confidently said: “You just brought three coconuts back to the ship and deliberately gave me one. Wasn’t that hinting to me that you wanted three?”