Chapter 2607: What To Do When Unhappy

Shang Liuyu’s body stiffened slightly as he held her tightly, but the familiar scent quickly made her relax. She had been experiencing an inexplicable sadness and loneliness recently, but strangely, those negative emotions vanished the moment he embraced her tightly. She raised her slender hands and hugged him back just as tightly.

Time seemed to dissolve until a splashing sound broke the silence. Shang Hongyu, bored, was rhythmically slapping the waves with her fishtail.

“Hey, have you two hugged enough?” Shang Hongyu had been delighted to see Zu'an return, but his first action was to tightly embrace her sister. She had tried to comfort herself, thinking that since they knew each other first, her turn would come after their embrace. But Zu'an showed no sign of letting go, leaving Shang Hongyu feeling instantly jealous. “Our relationship is clearly closer,” she thought.

Startled by the interruption, Shang Liuyu pushed him away as if she had received a fright, her pretty face blushing like the evening sky. While she and Zu'an were in love, their relationship hadn't progressed to intimacy, and in front of others, she was naturally quite shy.

Zu'an turned to gaze at Shang Hongyu’s charming face. The thought that she might be Xihe's reincarnation made him unable to suppress his emotions, and he immediately pulled her into a hug.

“Oh, you only think of me now? I don't want charity,” Shang Hongyu pouted, clearly sulking.

“It's truly wonderful to see you both again,” Zu'an said, feeling as if an eternity had passed.

“Repeating the same words? How insincere,” Shang Hongyu retorted. Yet, she could feel his fervent emotions in his embrace, and her expression softened.

A moment later, Shang Liuyu began to feel uncomfortable. The thought of the intimacy between the other two made her feel like an outsider. Coupled with her usual reserved and elegant nature, she stood up and said, “You two can talk; I'll be going now.”

“Hey, why are you leaving?” Shang Hongyu exclaimed, fretting. If her sister left, it would look as though she had driven her away, which felt incredibly awkward.

Zu'an reached out and pulled her in as well. Shang Liuyu felt an invisible hand encircle her waist and, with a soft gasp, found herself drawn into his embrace.

“Don't leave, we've been apart for too long.” Zu'an held her tightly, his heart still aching from the pain of separation in the Celestial World.

The sisters exchanged glances, both recognizing the other's awkwardness. While they truly shared a deep sisterly bond and were both in love with Zu'an, being simultaneously embraced by their lover on both sides was genuinely quite awkward. They instinctively tried to pull away, but noticing the worry and pain etched on his face, their hearts trembled. In unison, they asked, “A'Zu, what happened?”

“Nothing. Just let me hold you for a bit; I’ll be fine soon,” Zu'an replied. Every time he recalled the events of the Celestial World, his heart ached anew; it was already riddled with scars.

Shang Hongyu looked at her sister, her eyes full of worry. She had never seen him like this before. Shang Liuyu was equally worried, her eyes silently asking what to do.

Shang Hongyu said nothing. Instead, she gently wrapped her beautiful red fishtail around Zu'an’s body and snuggled into his embrace. “A'Zu, no matter what happens, we’ll be by your side.” Despite her shyness, Shang Liuyu also hugged him tightly. “Yes, we’ll always be with you.”

Zu'an secretly sighed. The Mermaid Queen and Xihe had also wanted to stay by his side, but many things were beyond their control. Sensing his continued low spirits, the sisters grew even more concerned. They suspected something extraordinary must have occurred during his trip to that spatial fragment; otherwise, he wouldn't be this way. But what exactly had happened?

Shang Hongyu suddenly blinked, a charming smile playing on her lips. “A'Zu, if I can make you feel better, will you tell me what happened, okay?”

Zu'an smiled. “Seeing you two has already made me feel better.”

“Hmph, that’s not sincere at all,” Shang Hongyu scoffed. Noticing her sister’s puzzled expression, she raised an eyebrow. “Sister, today I’ll teach you a trick for when your lover is unhappy.”

Shang Liuyu blinked her beautiful eyes, immediately perking up, intending to learn seriously. Shang Hongyu sat up straight and gathered her long, wavy hair, tying it up with both hands. Then, under Shang Liuyu's bewildered gaze, she suddenly submerged herself in the sea.

What followed shocked Shang Liuyu instantly. She immediately turned her head away, her pretty face flushing crimson.

Zu'an took a deep breath. He hadn't expected Shang Hongyu to be so bold, especially in front of Shang Liuyu. But he had to admit, her method of comfort was surprisingly effective; it was hard for his mood not to improve.

Shang Liuyu was so embarrassed that she instinctively tried to get up and leave, only to find herself held tightly. Shang Hongyu held her hand, and Zu'an held her waist, both of them, with unspoken understanding, holding her firmly in place. Shang Liuyu bit her red lips tightly, her face flushed crimson. They truly were a match made in heaven.

As a mermaid, Shang Hongyu didn’t need to surface for air, even when staying underwater. Her beautiful fishtail swayed elegantly in the water, creating a truly delightful sight.

“Mmph, mmph…” Shang Hongyu pinched her sister, saying something indistinctly. Shang Liuyu pretended not to understand her, as she wasn't as wild as her sister. To hide her embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject: “A'Zu, can you tell us what happened this time?”

Zu'an wore a peculiar expression. It wasn’t that he couldn't discuss it, but doing so in this particular situation would certainly taint what was meant to be pure romance. But since the sisters had gone to such lengths to comfort him, how could he keep it hidden? So, he broadly recounted what had happened during his journey.

Although the sisters had faced countless trials with Zu'an, they were still astonished by his tales of the ancient spatial fragments and the ancient Celestial World. Learning about Xihe and the Mermaid Queen, in particular, stirred various emotions within them.

Just as he reached a particularly dramatic point, a splashing sound erupted, and a figure rose from the water. Shang Hongyu's face was flushed, and she rubbed her cheeks, casting a slightly resentful glance at Zu'an. “My face is getting sore…” Then she gestured to Shang Liuyu beside her: “Your turn next, I'm exhausted.”

“What? Me?” Shang Liuyu was utterly dumbfounded. While they shared a deep connection, this kind of thing…

Although Zu'an doubted the usually refined Shang Liuyu would agree, he had been thoroughly aroused by Shang Hongyu and now looked at her with a hint of expectation. Shang Liuyu's heart pounded, her mind a blank. But Shang Hongyu gave her no time to think, pulling her directly closer.

Ultimately, she couldn’t bring herself to be as bold as her sister. Instead, she raised her slender, delicate hand and said, “I… I’ll help you like this…”

Knowing she shouldn't push her sister too hard, Shang Hongyu guided her hand into place, then grinned and sat down beside Zu'an. “A'Zu, tell me in detail: does that Sun Goddess truly look like me? Do you think she’s prettier, or am I?”