Chapter 149 – Love in a Fallen City: You Are My Eternal, Unfading Starlight – Meg’s First Love (12)
“Tang Tang, don’t be afraid. Mom and Dad have always been like this…”
While Turs was teaching Bai Tang how to get along with his parents, Le Mengqi felt quite uneasy.
Since losing the covert protection of General Sade, many people had been eager to grab a piece of the mermaid’s spotlight. Le Mengqi even thought that it was General Sade who had been blocking her career development in the entertainment industry. She had dozens of endorsements offered to her.
At first, Le Mengqi was quite pleased with herself, thinking about how she would take revenge on the traitorous General Sade once she rose to fame. But after filming a few commercials, social engagements gradually increased. Mermaids are delicate by nature—not to mention that they can’t drink alcohol freely, or at least not in large amounts. With so many social obligations, avoiding alcohol became impossible. Without a powerful protector behind her, it was easy for someone to scheme against a mermaid.
Soon, Le Mengqi was set up with nude photos taken of her and was threatened into voluntarily becoming this person’s “toy.”
Coincidentally, this wealthy man with a peculiar fetish was none other than the one from the original storyline who had ruthlessly toyed with Bai Tang, the original male supporting character.
Le Mengqi was furious and humiliated but couldn’t fight back. When she cursed him, he just acted like he didn’t care at all.
The man had plenty of money and absolutely refused Le Mengqi’s offer to buy back the photos. But why go to such lengths to trap her? It was actually because of the Mermaid Protection Law — only if Le Mengqi agreed voluntarily could he rest easy and still have the privilege of playing with a precious mermaid.
It wasn’t until things went wrong that she remembered the rough but dependable General Sade’s kindness. However, the team he had arranged for her had withdrawn, and her current PR team didn’t dare confront the man. For the sake of her reputation, Le Mengqi didn’t dare report to the police either.
The PR team members advised Le Mengqi to seek help from General Sade. They had all heard about his obsession with her; as PR professionals in the entertainment industry, they knew how captivating a mermaid’s charm could be—but it was fleeting. People couldn’t just forget so quickly. If Le Mengqi approached him nicely and coaxed him a bit, perhaps General Sade would take pity on old feelings and help her through this crisis.
After much persuasion, Le Mengqi was somewhat tempted and decided to give Aida Sade a try.
However, when she returned to the mermaid base and before she could find Aida Sade, she saw him sitting beside a mermaid. The two were chatting and laughing happily, a sight that stabbed at her heart.
Men are no good!
Le Mengqi didn’t confront them right away. Instead, she quietly memorized the appearance of the mermaid with the pale purple tail and looked up her information.
Meg Carter, a clumsy mermaid, was returned by her protector last year. Facing such an opponent, Le Mengqi felt that having this kind of mermaid as her rival was simply beneath her. But for the sake of her reputation, she had to take action.
Meg happily saw Aida Sade off and even arranged a time to visit him tomorrow. She was feeling incredibly delighted inside.
He touched the necklace around his neck and smiled foolishly as he walked back.
“Ouch~” Meg looked up and saw that the mermaid she bumped into had fallen even worse than she had. She quickly helped her up. “Are you okay?”
Tears welled in Le Mengqi’s eyes as she shook her head.
“Hey, aren’t you Mengqi? I’ve seen you on TV. You sing so beautifully.” Meg recognized Le Mengqi, who had gone viral online, and happily grabbed her hand. “I’ve never been able to meet you before, and I didn’t want to disturb your rest. Could you give me your autograph?”
“Of course.” Without hesitation, Le Mengqi signed for Meg. When handing it over, she let out a small gasp, “How could this be…”
“What’s wrong?” Meg asked in confusion.
Le Mengqi shook her head and gave a pale smile. “Nothing. You’re really lucky. He gave it to you.”
Her words were vague and sounded tragic, yet Meg sensed something was wrong. For some reason, his heart kept skipping beats.
“Does it have something to do with me?”
Biting her lip, Le Mengqi hesitated for a long time. Under Meg’s urging, she embellished the story about her relationship with General Sade, of course in a sorrowful version.
“I originally thought we were just arguing, but I didn’t expect it to really be over.” Le Mengqi’s gaze went blank as she looked into the distance. “He even gave you a necklace. Before, it was given to me.”
She withdrew her gaze and took out a photo of herself wearing the same set of jewelry.
Meg snatched it and saw that it was indeed exactly the same as what he was wearing. He flipped the necklace over, and just as Le Mengqi had said, it was engraved with the initials of her name on the back.
At that moment, Meg felt as if struck by lightning, overwhelmed by a strange mix of emotions she couldn’t describe. She sat dazed by the pool in the mermaid activity area, not even noticing when Le Mengqi had left.
Le Mengqi, however, knew exactly when she left and realized her plan was half successful. As long as General Sade came tomorrow, Meg’s personality would surely make her reject him. Then, with her appearance to repent or perhaps tempt him a bit more, wouldn’t that big brute obediently take the bait?
She had planned everything perfectly but did not anticipate that General Sade would not follow her script.
The next day, Aida Sade came to the mermaid base with a stamped approval form from his superiors — he was applying to make Meg Carter his mermaid.
When he arrived at the base, Meg was sitting sullenly in the place they had agreed upon.
“Meg, not feeling happy today?” Sade sat down beside her and asked.
Meg glanced at him but still couldn’t believe that this burly man with a scruffy beard, not exactly handsome but somehow always able to make her laugh, was treating her like an emotional escape.
Was he really, as Le Mengqi had said, still in love with Le Mengqi but just looking for a mermaid to provoke her?
Meg thought it over and decided it was better to ask clearly. Even if it was true, she needed to get it over with.
“Aida, do you know Le Mengqi?”
At the mention of Le Mengqi’s name, General Sade was momentarily stunned. He wondered if Meg had quarreled with Le Mengqi. How could clumsy Meg be her match?
“What happened between you two?”
Sade’s hesitation and question confirmed Meg’s suspicion — what Le Mengqi said was true.
“Go find her and clear up the misunderstanding. No more fighting.” Meg pushed Sade toward the exit, then slammed the door to her private activity area with a “bang.” She slid down to sit against the door, her eyes gradually reddening.
This was the first time he had liked someone. The last protector relationship ended simply because their personalities didn’t match, without any love involved.
This time, his first love was gone — he was heartbroken. Boohoohoo~~~
Aida Sade was called a big brute for a reason. He didn’t understand much, but since the other person mentioned Le Mengqi’s name, the matter must have something to do with her.
He stared at the tightly closed door, his expression darkening, then left to find Le Mengqi and get some answers.
Meg peeked through a crack in the door and saw Aida Sade walking away. He really was going to find Le Mengqi. Her heart sank deeper, a sharp pang of sadness welling up inside her.
Aida Sade’s face was gloomy as he encountered Le Mengqi waiting for him in the corridor.
Seeing him, Le Mengqi’s face lit up with joy, but then darkened as if recalling something. She looked timid—wanting to get closer but not daring to.
What a good actor. With that handsome face, just a hint of grievance would awaken any man’s protective instincts, making them willing to do anything for her. That was exactly how she had been before, thankfully without falling too deep.
“Sade, I… I was wrong before. I made mistakes. But we’re still friends, right? You don’t look very happy—is something wrong?”
At this moment, Le Mengqi was taking the repentant, understanding-sister approach. When Sade mentioned Meg’s name, she planned to bring up how Meg had once been selected but then rejected.
Though mermaids can terminate contracts with protectors, it’s a rare situation. Usually, protectors pamper and cherish their mermaids; how could they not love them? And innocent mermaids, seeing protectors wholeheartedly caring for them and thinking of them, how could they not fall?
However, Meg’s case was an exception. His first protector was a general who had sacrificed both legs for the alliance and could only live in a wheelchair. The alliance rewarded him for his service by letting him select a mermaid at the base. Seeing Meg’s clumsy and simple demeanor, he thought she would be quiet and picked her.
But the general was constantly depressed over his disability and paid little attention to Meg. Only the staff at the mermaid base cared for her. Living with the protector was no different from staying at the base, so naturally, Meg didn’t develop any feelings for him. The general wasn’t a bad man; not wanting to hold Meg back, he ended their contract after just three months.
“Did you say something to Meg?” General Sade asked bluntly.
“Meg?” Le Mengqi pretended to be confused. “You mean Meg? What about her? Didn’t she get chosen by someone? Or…”
Up until now, everything was going according to Le Mengqi’s plan, and it seemed it would end there.
But as soon as Aida Sade heard Meg had been chosen, panic surged inside him. Ignoring whatever Le Mengqi said next, he sprinted toward Meg’s activity area.
Meg, wait for me!
When Aida Sade returned to Meg’s private area, he found her lying on a chair, crying over her lost first love.
Hearing Meg’s suppressed sobs, Sade felt heartbroken. He seemed to understand what General Walker had said — when you meet the right mermaid, you want her to belong to you, to be under your protection, and seeing her tears made your heart ache…
“Meg, please don’t cry…” Sade was at a loss, not knowing what to do with his hands or feet.
“Aida, why… why are you back?” Meg hiccuped through her tears.
“I…” General Sade was so nervous his palms were sweating, but he knew if he didn’t say it now, if Meg got chosen by someone else, he’d truly lose his chance.
“I want to be your protector!”
“What?” Meg’s eyes widened like she’d heard something unbelievable.
“Meg, don’t go with anyone else. I’ll be your protector.” Once he started, the words seemed easier to say.
General Sade poured out his heart. The mermaid went from shocked to shy, her eyes and cheeks now both flushed red.
“I like you, Meg. Being with you makes me happy. I want to take care of you, forever. Give me a chance.” Sade declared loudly.
Tsk, tsk — who says military men don’t know romance? From Walker to Sade, these naturally delivered sweet words sure flowed smoothly.
Author’s Note
Here it is — the sweet love story between General Sade and the mermaid Meg you’ve been waiting for. Truly, I am a good author who spoils readers (self-indulgent sigh~)