"Can you speak human language? A monster?"
Ji Mo brought his face close to the clownfish, his eyes full of surprise.
He was also astonished. What was this little guy saying?
An old lecher?
He hadn't done anything.
The clownfish, in a panic, revealed its small, white fangs and bit down hard on Ji Mo's finger.
As a reflex, Ji Mo flung the clownfish away.
Instantly, the clownfish turned into a streak of light and shot towards the sky.
Ji Mo's casual flick of his wrist had almost sent the clownfish into the heavens.
Soon, she began to plummet back down at a terrifying speed.
"Mom, Dad, I'll be reunited with you soon."
The clownfish gave up on saving itself, intending to end its own life.
The world was too cold, and perhaps death was the best escape.
Ji Hanhan looked up at the sky, searching for the clownfish. He had become interested in this fish demon, which, despite its ugly appearance, spoke so nicely.
The clownfish was falling rapidly, headfirst, tail up. If it hit the ground, it would surely be shattered into pieces.
However, fate is often wondrous.
Ji Hanhan, looking up, and the falling clownfish, touched each other intimately.
The moment their lips met, sparks flew.
Time seemed to stand still.
The clownfish felt its breath catch, and a powerful, unparalleled energy surged into its body from its mouth.
Its body shimmered with light, its scales crystal clear, and it radiated a pink aura.
In an instant, its body transformed. From a fish, it became a young girl.
She was a little beauty, as if carved from ice and jade, with a youthful face, picturesque features, fingers like chiseled scallions, and skin as smooth as congealed fat. Clad in a pink, gauzy skirt, she was as adorable as an elf.
The clownfish felt a jolt, and its injuries seemed to have healed completely in an instant.
Even its aura was surging, its vitality greatly enhanced, and its mermaid royal bloodline became even purer.
"What's happening? What just happened?"
The clownfish opened its eyes in confusion and saw a face incredibly close to its own.
Its small face instantly turned red, and the sensation on its lips made it feel immensely ashamed and indignant. This old lecherous human was taking advantage of it.
Then, it became panicked, realizing it had transformed into its human form. Wasn't this form very dangerous?
In a flash, a mist of water enveloped it, and it immediately reverted to its clownfish form.
Ji Mo blinked his eyes. What had he just seen? An impossibly cute little beauty?
But when he blinked again, he saw only an ugly little clownfish.
And this fish glared fiercely, biting his lip with ferocious intent and refusing to let go.
"Shameless fish demon, you kissed me!"
Ji Mo panicked, grabbed the clownfish, and frantically wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
How embarrassing.
Fortunately, no one else was around. If outsiders saw him kissing a fish, he would have no face left.
The clownfish was almost driven mad by his words.
Were all humans this shameless, openly twisting facts and blaming others?
Clearly, I was the one who suffered!
And you're acting like you're the one who was taken advantage of. How can your face be so thick?
"Shameless human, it was you who was beastly, harboring evil intentions towards me and plotting mischief."
The clownfish angrily flapped its fins, looking as if it were about to lash out.
"I would have evil intentions towards a fish? Especially one as ugly as you," Ji Mo scoffed.
I'm ugly?
The clownfish immediately felt Ji Mo was doing this on purpose. Gritting its teeth, it said, "Stop pretending. Just now you had that lecherous look, staring at me and saying, 'Wow, this is really good, I must savor it.' You clearly desired my body. Hmph, old lecher."
"That's right, I was indeed craving your body just now."
Ji Mo said innocently and honestly, "I saw that your flesh looked tender and delicious. I was wondering if you'd be better boiled or grilled?"
"You..."
The clownfish was so exasperated, it had never imagined the truth could be like this!
Night fell, and a bright, clear moon hung high in the sky.
The hazy moonlight spread across the land like a light veil.
Ji Mo chose to camp by the riverbank, lit a bonfire, and thoughtfully dug a water pit for the clownfish.
Although the clownfish knew this human didn't seem to have any ill intentions, it remained wary, fearing the glutton might not be able to resist and roast it.
"Don't worry, I'm a good person."
Ji Mo smiled gently, showing his goodwill, and asked, "What's your name?"
However, the clownfish was sulking and refused to respond to Ji Mo.
Furthermore, due to its tragic experiences, it no longer trusted anyone.
Ji Mo mumbled to himself for a long time, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and exclaimed excitedly, "Ponyo, how about I call you Ponyo from now on?"
He recalled the anime "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" and impulsively came up with the name.
The main reason was that he had seen the clownfish's true form and longed for this clownfish to one day transform into a human.
Ponyo?
Hearing Ji Mo give her such a rustic name, the clownfish was so angry it spat a stream of water at him.
But soon, she remembered that her parents had given her the nickname "Niu Niu" when she was young, and her mood immediately turned sorrowful.
"Ponyo, be good. Don't be sad all day. There's no hurdle in life that can't be overcome."
Ji Mo noticed the clownfish's unhappy mood and comforted her, "How about I sing you a song?"
Saying this, he lay down on the grass, using his arm as a pillow, gazing at the moon in the sky. After a moment of thought, he began to sing softly.
"Scattered moonlight, passing through clouds, hiding from crowds, paving the scales of the sea..."
Ji Mo was singing the Phoenix Legend version of "Under the Sea." Unlike the original version's helplessness, despair, suffocation, and depression, his singing was filled with warmth and healing, imparting the courage to live.
As his song drifted, all the surrounding creatures seemed to gain vitality and flourish.
Even the cold night wind turned warm.
The clownfish wept profusely, her tears falling like pearls from a broken string.
She felt as if she were sinking into an endless abyss, only to be pulled out by her parents from the seabed and pushed towards the shore.
"Indeed, there are no seasons in the sea, only endless cold and silence."
The clownfish could no longer hold back her tears and burst into loud sobs.
She cried so heartbrokenly that her tears filled the water pit.
However, the emotions suppressed for days were finally released, and her mental state improved considerably. She probably wouldn't think of ending her life anymore.
"Ponyo, don't cry. From now on, I'll be here, and no one will be able to bully you."
Ji Mo gently comforted the clownfish and dotingly stroked her little head.
The clownfish was touched. It was rare to find someone in the world who cared about her, making her feel no longer alone.
But as she looked up, she immediately became angry, revealing her small fangs and biting Ji Mo's finger fiercely.
Because Ji Hanhan, while comforting her, was sneakily stuffing the pearls into his pocket. How hateful!
"You big bad guy, you get lost easily, what are you bragging about?"
The clownfish bit her own finger until it hurt, leaving only a few teeth marks on Ji Mo's hand. She huffed indignantly, "If you're so capable, go to the Arctic Ocean and kill all the merfolk for me to get revenge!"
"Alright, as long as you don't cry, I'll find a chance to boil all those merfolk and vent your anger for you," Ji Mo readily agreed.