AMBTICBPIB Chapter 24

 

The next day, Chu Yi and Shen Jin left the house under Uncle Wen’s benevolent gaze.

Chen Ye drove, with Chu Yi and Shen Jin in the back.

Perhaps Chu Yi hadn’t even noticed, but he was now sitting very close to Shen Jin, no longer keeping his distance as he had before.

On the way, Chu Yi began scrolling through online guides on his phone, his excitement palpable.

“Wow, there’s a mermaid show! We should be able to catch it when we get there. Let’s see the mermaid show first!”

“And there’s a Penguin Pavilion! I’ve never seen real penguins before, just the ones on the app. This time I can finally see live penguins!”

“And dolphins! I wonder if we can get close enough to touch them. Dolphins are so cute and intelligent—it would be amazing to touch one!”

“And jellyfish! The internet says the bioluminescent jellyfish are especially beautiful. I’ve never seen them before, so we definitely have to go see them! And there’s more, and more…”

The more Chu Yi scrolled, the more he wanted to see. He wished he could see every animal in the Oceanarium, but that would take an entire day. He wondered if Shen Jin would be willing to spend a whole day there. If not, he could always come back another time by himself.

He put down his phone and looked at Shen Jin. “Mr. Shen, do you have nothing planned for today?”

“No,” Shen Jin replied.

Chu Yi looked at him eagerly. “Then can we spend the whole day at the Oceanarium?”

“Yes,” Shen Jin agreed.

Chu Yi smiled happily. “Thank you for taking me to the Oceanarium, Mr. Shen!”

The weather was perfect. Though the temperature was low, the sky was a brilliant blue, and the sunlight streamed through the car window, warming Chu Yi’s shoulder. He gazed out the window, his heart brimming with joy.

He hadn’t expected Shen Jin to actually accompany him to the Oceanarium. He was starting to think Mr. Shen was quite easy to get along with.

When Shen Jin called his name, Chu Yi turned, his eyes sparkling with laughter, their bright light as captivating as polished glass.

Chu Yi blinked. “What is it, Mr. Shen?”

“Nothing,” Shen Jin replied calmly. He just found the phrase “Mr. Shen” a bit awkward.

As expected, the Oceanarium wasn’t as crowded as it had been in summer. Chu Yi didn’t find it strange that Chen Ye stayed close to them; he knew Chen Ye was Shen Jin’s bodyguard and rarely left his side.

Chen Ye tried to keep a low profile, his primary goal being to protect Shen Jin.

Just as Chu Yi had mentioned in the car, they arrived just in time for the mermaid show.

In front of a massive glass panel, staff members with elaborate makeup and beautiful costumes swam gracefully through the water.

Their realistic, long blue tails swayed behind them, the shimmering scales catching the light like those of a real fish. The mermaids’ long, jet-black hair flowed like seaweed, making them appear like spirits of the sea.

The mermaid sisters even waved warmly to the visitors.

Chu Yi couldn’t help but marvel, “They’re so beautiful!”

A nearby child reacted similarly, tugging on his mother’s hand and excitedly exclaiming, “Mommy, another mermaid! It’s a boy!”

Chu Yi turned to see another mermaid approaching.

The massive glass panel was impeccably clean, and the water crystal-clear, allowing Chu Yi to see everything underwater with perfect clarity.

The male mermaid emerged from the water, his upper body revealing a clearly defined eight-pack of abs. He was strikingly handsome, drawing gasps from the crowd as they snapped photos.

Chu Yi couldn’t help but murmur, “What a handsome merman!”

Shen Jin turned his head and saw Chu Yi gazing at the male mermaid with an expression of awe. Even when Chu Yi had held his hand that night and told him he was handsome, he hadn’t looked at him with such wonder.

The two mermaids performed a graceful dance underwater, the vibrant schools of fish and marine life serving as a breathtaking natural backdrop. Several colorful fish darted around them, adding to the mesmerizing spectacle.

It was a truly beautiful and captivating performance.

Chu Yi couldn’t resist pulling out his phone to take photos. When he pressed his hand against the glass, the male mermaid pressed his own hand against the glass in response, even striking a pose to let Chu Yi capture the perfect shot.

Though he knew the mermaid couldn’t hear him, Chu Yi still happily mouthed “Thank you.” The mermaid smiled, clearly understanding his gratitude.

The Penguin Pavilion was located elsewhere in the Oceanarium.

Chu Yi finally got to see the penguins he had been longing to meet. Each penguin waddled with a clumsy, endearing gait, their chubby bodies and adorable movements melting hearts.

A small penguin, wearing a tiny backpack, waddled out of the group and approached Chu Yi. It flapped its little wings, as if greeting him. Chu Yi excitedly tugged at Shen Jin’s arm. “Shen Jin, Shen Jin! Is it waving at me? It’s waving at me! Hello there, little penguin!”

The Penguin Pavilion was crowded with visitors. When the little penguin waddled over, the crowd grew excited, and Chu Yi was jostled aside, landing in Shen Jin’s arms. Shen Jin steadied him by the shoulders.

Chu Yi didn’t notice; he was completely absorbed in interacting with the penguin, watching it waddle back to its group with its endearing clumsiness.

Humans seem to have no resistance to such adorably clumsy creatures. How could any animal be this cute?

Chu Yi turned to Shen Jin, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “It’s just too adorable!”

Having seen the charmingly clumsy penguin, Chu Yi’s thoughts drifted to the dolphins he had been longing to see.

During the dolphin show, the keeper selected audience members to feed the dolphins. Chu Yi eagerly raised his hand, and among the sea of waving hands, the keeper pointed to him.

As Chu Yi went down, Shen Jin cautioned, “Be careful not to get bitten.”

“I know,” Chu Yi replied.

Guided by the keeper, Chu Yi tossed two fresh fish to the dolphins. True to their reputation as “smiling-lipped” creatures, they were even more beautiful and endearing up close.

Chu Yi looked at the keeper with anticipation. “Can I touch it?”

He really, really wanted to touch the dolphin.

The keeper nodded. “Yes, you can touch it. It’s very gentle and well-behaved. I’ll guide you at first.”

For safety, the keeper took Chu Yi’s hand and placed it on the dolphin’s body, guiding him to gently stroke it. The dolphin showed no resistance, instead happily nudging Chu Yi’s hand.

The keeper relaxed. “Now you can touch Kerry yourself.” Kerry was the dolphin’s name.

As soon as the keeper released the beautiful young man’s hand, he felt the prickly sensation of being watched disappear.

Chu Yi finally got to touch the dolphin’s head. It felt smooth and cool like jade, so captivating he couldn’t bear to let go.

Back in his seat, Chu Yi’s flushed face glowed with excitement as he shared his experience with Shen Jin. “It was so smooth, a little cool, and a little sticky, but the texture was amazing! I’m so happy I got to touch a dolphin!”

Chu Yi curled his fingers slightly, gesturing. “The dolphin’s skin is so soft!”

Shen Jin handed him a tissue to wipe the water and mucus from his hands.

Shen Jin hadn’t expected that simply touching a dolphin could make Chu Yi so happy and excited. He was truly easy to please.

At the Oceanarium, Chu Yi was like a child, curious about everything and delighted by every sight. In the jellyfish exhibit, he was completely mesmerized by the glowing creatures.

In the underwater tunnel, Chu Yi’s eyes refused to blink, as if afraid to miss a single moment of the fairytale-like beauty.

Chu Yi looked left, then right, then back again.

He noticed two small fish nearby, their mouths pressed together. He tugged on Shen Jin’s sleeve. “Shen Jin, look! Aren’t those kissing gouramis? They’re kissing, right? How adorable!”

The fish were strikingly colorful.

Shen Jin glanced at them. “Mm, cute.”

“They’re kissing again!” Chu Yi exclaimed. “No wonder they’re called kissing gouramis.” He pulled out his phone to take a photo.

Here, Chu Yi saw many fish he had only seen online before. He tugged on Shen Jin’s arm. “Shen Jin, look at that huge manta ray!”

A group of manta rays glided past them, their bodies appearing soft and pliable.

Behind the manta rays, a large shark swam past. Chu Yi tugged at Shen Jin’s arm again. “A big shark! It looks so fierce!”

The shark’s teeth were sharp and menacing, its open mouth radiating ferocity. Chu Yi couldn’t help but glance at Shen Jin. Compared to the shark, Shen Jin suddenly seemed less intimidating.

Noticing Chu Yi staring at him, Shen Jin looked back curiously, wondering if something was wrong. Chu Yi quickly turned his attention back to the fish.

Many parents had brought their children to the Oceanarium, and the little ones were gazing around in wonder, just like Chu Yi.

Chu Yi was utterly captivated by the marine life. Even after exploring the entire Oceanarium, he still felt like he hadn’t seen enough. Now, he was wandering through the souvenir shop, buying everything that caught his eye.

Dolphin plushies, penguin fridge magnets—Shen Jin had told him to buy whatever he wanted, so Chu Yi filled his basket to the brim. The other children in the shop watched him with envy.

Chu Yi’s purchases filled two large bags. Chen Ye, ever observant, stepped forward to carry them. Chu Yi blinked in surprise. “Thank you, Chen-ge.”

Chen Ye had been following Shen Jin the entire time; Chu Yi had almost forgotten he was there.

By the time they left the Oceanarium, it was already six o’clock, and all the streetlights had come on. Chu Yi hadn’t realized it was so late, but he didn’t feel tired at all.

As soon as they got into the car, Shen Jin received a call from Gu Jin.

“Shen Jin, why aren’t you here yet? You’re never late,” Gu Jin said.

They had agreed to have dinner together today, but Gu Jin had been waiting for a while without seeing Shen Jin, so he called.

“I’ll be there soon,” Shen Jin replied.

Gu Jin’s voice was loud enough for Chu Yi, sitting beside Shen Jin, to faintly hear some of the conversation.

*So Shen Jin had plans with Gu Jin today.*

Chu Yi felt bad for keeping Shen Jin out so late and delaying his plans.

After Shen Jin hung up, Chu Yi said, “I’ll head home myself.”

“No need,” Shen Jin said, pulling him back. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier, but come have dinner with us. You’ve met everyone who’ll be there, so don’t feel awkward.”

Chu Yi still felt a bit embarrassed. “I think I’ll pass.”

Shen Jin mentioned the restaurant they were going to.

Chu Yi’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can come?”

“Yes,” Shen Jin confirmed.

“Then I’ll go with you!” Chu Yi said.