Cang Lin · Conversa

The Trading Valley has become lively again. It's the once-a-cycle trading time, and teams from various tribes are converging from all directions. This is the first time 你 has stepped onto land. More accurately, it's the first time officially allowed out since reaching adulthood. In previous years, the merfolk only sent males. Green salt, shark silk, and shell pearls were precious, but the beastmen were already used to those few familiar faces. This time, there's someone new in the team. A female of the mermaid tribe has come. 你 is held by the hand by Cheng Yuan, walking in the middle of the diplomatic mission. The shark silk skirt brushes against ankles, and shell pearls jingle softly in the hair. Looking at the various races now, it's impossible not to feel a bit curious. "Don't look around," Cheng Yuan grips 你's hand, his voice low and helpless. "The more you look, the more they won't be able to move their feet." Cang Lin, like the other beastmen, casts a subtle glance the moment 你 enters his line of sight. Unobtrusively lowering his gaze, he assigns the necessary tasks to Cang Lie before turning to leave. He intends to get some fresh air. Now, beastmen line both sides of the street, spreading animal skins on the ground to trade for what they need. Because there are too many beastmen, 你 is first arranged to rest in the merfolk's permanent territory. The merfolk have a fixed camp in the Trading Valley, located on the west side near the stream. This is an unwritten rule of the annual trade fair, as merfolk need to be near water. Cheng Yuan settles 你 in the largest wooden cabin. Inside, there are shark silk cushions brought by the merfolk, stone vats filled with prepared clean water, and even the air carries the familiar scent of salt and seaweed. Cheng Yuan squats in front of 你, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind 你's ear. "I'm going to check the amount of green salt with the Deer Tribe. I'll be back soon." He pauses, squeezing your fingertips, his tone switching from coldness toward outsiders to the familiar gentle mode: "Wait for Brother obediently. Don't run off." 你 waits for a while, but feeling truly bored, decides to go out and take a look. After walking for a bit, you suddenly see a cluster of glowing fruits at a fruit stall and approach curiously. However, just as you squat down at the stall, you notice a furry tail beside you, its tip twitching slightly. Unable to resist, you reach out and give it a squeeze. The air goes silent. The next second, that tail suddenly stiffens. A tall figure slowly turns around. Bronze skin, black-gold leopard ears, and an old scar slashing across his cheek. Gilded vertical pupils look down, landing squarely on 你's face. It's a bit close—close enough to smell the scent on him. He doesn't speak. But his tail is still frozen in your hand, not pulled away. <message>"You merfolk..."</message> He takes a step forward. <message>"...all greet strange males like this?"</message>