5. The Five-Headed Whale
Page 1/3
Watching Jing Chengyun’s graceful departure, Su Zile struggled to take a step forward. Her heartbeat and complexion refused to return to normal; she felt both anger and shame. She had no desire to return to that so-called welcoming ceremony that didn’t truly welcome her. Resolutely, she made up her mind and vanished without a trace at the bathroom door.
The following days passed without much change. Jing Chengyun removed the photo of herself and Chen Ji from her bedside table, attempting to find some novelty in life. She repeatedly asked Team Leader Du Yishui if there were any tasks she could be assigned.
The answer was always no, but Du Yishui comforted her, saying to wait patiently; the tasks would come.
Messages from Ruan Mianmian arrived like clockwork every morning and night—usually just “Good morning” or “Good night” with cute little emojis attached. Jing Chengyun shamelessly took his emojis and used them to reply back, not adding a single unnecessary word.
On the eighth day after Chen Ji’s death, although the inheritance had not yet been fully transferred, Jing Chengyun shared both the bad news and the good news with her family.
Her family was small—her eldest grandmother, then her mother and younger aunt.
The three elders expressed deep regret over Chen Ji’s unexpected passing and, after focusing on Jing Chengyun’s psychological state, turned their attention to the house in Egret County and the 980,000 Blue Star credits.
“Chen Ji was your lucky star; he really brought you fortune!” Jing Yan and her niece squeezed together in the oversized bathtub, excitedly exclaiming, “If he hadn’t died, you wouldn’t have gotten the huge sum or the house, nor met Ruan Hui at the funeral, and you wouldn’t have this new job with the Time Travel Bureau! Now our family has a new house! Does it have an outdoor pool? Can the bathroom fit a super-duper huge bathtub?”
After settling on land from rivers, lakes, and seas, most monsters, as long as finances allowed, installed bathtubs at home. Even if they didn’t return to the water, it helped them find a sense of home.
Jing Chengyun waved her right hand dismissively, ignoring her aunt’s mischief and dampening her enthusiasm: “Whether it has an outdoor pool or not doesn’t matter. I asked my friends—houses in Egret County can sell for up to two million…”
Egret County wasn’t a luxurious development, but the location was decent. If not for a murder case a few years back, the prices could have risen further. Jing Chengyun had her own plans and decisions: she thought their current home was good, moving wasn’t necessary, so she decided to sell the house Chen Ji left behind.
“Money breeds money, and interest compounds. All four of us have jobs; in a few years, we can buy a big seaside house!”
Jing Yan was somewhat disappointed, lowering her head in thought for a moment before understanding. Indeed, once the family’s savings increased, what kind of outdoor pool or huge bathtub couldn’t they afford?
Isn’t a seaside mansion better than Egret County? Much more convenient for returning to the sea.
“Alright, then we’ll follow your lead.” Jing Yan crossed her arms, voice low, “While your mom and mine are out traveling, Auntie will take you somewhere to celebrate our first step to wealth.”
“Where?” Jing Chengyun leaned forward, curious.
Where Jing Yan took her was unlikely to be a respectable place.
As an elder born centuries earlier, Jing Yan knew every blade of grass and tree in Baiyun City. The day after her niece took human form, under the pretext of celebration, she took her to a newly opened bar in the East City—
—and then they were swiftly ambushed by both their mothers.
Jing Yan pondered for a moment: “Auntie will take you to the club and order the most expensive male model!”
No sooner had she spoken than Jing Chengyun jumped out of the bathtub, splashing water all over Jing Yan: “I’m going to change clothes right now!”
* * *
Star Tide Club.
The club was located on the west side of Baiyun City, quite far from the Jing family home. It avoided flashy, gilded decor, instead opting for simple, elegant furnishings with subtle touches of luxury in the details.
Jing Chengyun frequented bars but was new to clubs; everything felt fresh and novel.
“Yun Yun, don’t sell yourself short on your first visit. Don’t be polite; if you need anything, just tell Auntie.” Few guests received personal attention from the owner. Since she was an old friend of Jing Yan’s, she respectfully elevated her address to “Auntie.”
After some polite chatter, the owner began showcasing her professional skills: “Today, there’s a discount if you spend over 800. Will you be entertaining yourselves, or would you like to hire a male model?”
Page 2/3
All male models at Star Tide Club held valid health certificates, so there was no cause for concern.
Jing Chengyun was utterly unreserved. She had money to spare and a strong tolerance for alcohol: “Yes! The furry kind, with tails! I have plenty of money—I want the most expensive male model!”
The owner’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she enthusiastically agreed, personally escorting the two guests into a private room before discreetly departing.
The private room’s decor focused on atmosphere, with colors more vibrant and lively than the main hall.
Jing Yan found the lighting too bright and turned off all but one dim lamp. As the room darkened, Jing Chengyun unexpectedly thought of Chen Ji.
According to human customs, the seventh day after death is called “the first seven,” when the departed’s spirit returns to the living realm for a final glance at loved ones.
Blue Star had monsters, and naturally ghosts too. Only those with the gift of mediumship could glimpse ghosts’ presence, and Jing Chengyun was not one of them.
She merely felt a tingling down her spine, like ants crawling, and suddenly thought of Chen Ji… he wouldn’t come back, would he?
She reached behind her back but grasped nothing. Just as she was about to laugh at her own paranoia, the door creaked open, spilling bright hallway light into the room.
Two young men entered side by side, their faces obscured by backlighting but their figures slender and elegant, broad shoulders and narrow waists, long arms.
One seemed about to step forward, then suddenly fled like he’d seen a ghost, leaving only a hurried retreating silhouette.
The other, slightly surprised, quickly closed the door and turned back to smile at the guests: “Sorry, he might have had a little issue. Let me accompany you two ladies for now, is that okay?”
Despite the awkward incident with the fleeing model, neither Jing Chengyun nor Jing Yan minded. They beckoned the remaining model over, who sat between them.
The young model cheerfully poured drinks while introducing himself: “My original form is a red panda—a very cute, orange and brown striped beast! Rawr!”
“Wow! A red panda!” the two relatives exclaimed in unison.
“Red pandas are supposed to be timid, right? I heard if you get scared, you stand up holding your paws?”
“Timid? Sister, if you’re interested, you can test me yourself.”
The red panda model filled three glasses with liquor, handing one to Jing Yan: “Here, you drink this first, and I’ll transform. You can touch my tail as much as you like. Today, if you spend over 800, you get two free bottles of wine—buy more, get more!”
The club was a special venue; the red panda model was a low-risk worker possessing an urban transformation permit. Even in original form, creatures like him posed no harm to humans.
The Jing family’s transformations were different—they were only allowed to assume original forms in the sea.
The red panda kept his promise. After the two guests finished their drinks, he set ground rules about where could and couldn’t be touched, and the gentleness required, then transformed into his furry original form.
“Guest, touch my tail… Mmm… do you like it? How about my belly?… So soft, touch more…”
Ah, these lines were so strange and so beloved by whale monsters!
Whale monster guests had strong hands, and the model’s fur was nearly being plucked off. He grew anxious; he relied on that fur for his livelihood!
Seizing the moment, the red panda flipped off the sofa and reverted to a handsome young man.
He picked up a dark bottle, cheerfully said: “Ladies, if you want to keep touching tails, have another drink.”
Some seemingly innocent creatures were actually experts at making money.
The two whales drank a few more rounds and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Jing Yan grew increasingly delighted, but Jing Chengyun grew bored and used the excuse of getting fresh air to leave.
Business at Star Tide Club was booming. As Jing Chengyun left the private room, she deliberately chose less crowded paths and, by chance, encountered the club owner scolding an employee.
From the figure, it was the male model who had fled her room earlier.
“Don’t you want to work here? It’s your first day on the job, and this is how you act?”
“Sorry, it won’t happen again. But the guests in that room were really unbearable, boss, please…”
From this angle, Jing Chengyun couldn’t see the model’s face but could clearly see his upright posture.
The more she looked, the more vivid it became, and she laughed inwardly without restraint.
What did he mean by “the guests in that room were unbearable”? She didn’t believe it—she was going to make sure they were “unbearable” this time.
Ignoring any future awkwardness, Jing Chengyun strode over: “Auntie, what’s going on? This gentleman was sent to entertain us, right?”
The model’s shoulders trembled, and he bowed deeply.
Caught in the act of being exposed by a guest, the club owner gave a forced smile: “Yun Yun, enjoy yourself. Auntie will pick a better companion for you later.”
Jing Chengyun was resolute: “It’s okay, Auntie. Let him stay with me. Please don’t punish him, alright?”
In the shadows beyond the light, the model’s ears reddened.
After weighing the situation, the owner relented: “Sorry, Yun Yun. Auntie will give you two bottles of wine on the house today. Next time, bring more friends.”
Jing Chengyun: “I’ll take the two bottles, but pay the bill as usual—I’ll need Auntie’s care in the future! Auntie, I want to open a new private room; my aunt is too noisy… Is that possible?”
The owner gladly agreed—more profit, no objections.
In the newly opened private room, Jing Chengyun mimicked her aunt, leaving only the dimmest lamp on: “From now on, you’d better thank me. Are you human or monster?”
“…I’m a monster, a canine monster.”
“A canine monster?”
“Samoyed. You know it, right?”
The self-proclaimed canine model lowered his head, grateful she hadn’t asked him to “lift his face,” and quickly muttered a spell.
With a whoosh, the tall, handsome man vanished, replaced by a pristine white Samoyed sitting upright.
“Does a Samoyed’s face really look this long?” Jing Chengyun raised her brow, staring at the fluffy white snowball. She should have been excited, but instead, doubts and suspicion piled in her eyes.
“You look more like a fox—a white fox.”
The Samoyed shuddered, his soft, thick white fur rippling like waves. He shrank back, protesting: “No, guest! I’m really not a white fox!”
His panic was the best stimulant. Jing Chengyun raised her eyebrow: “I know your sales depend on guests’ spending. How about this—if you transform back to human form for me, I’ll order two more bottles.”
“I can let you touch my fur and tail, whatever you want, but transforming back to human form is not allowed.” The Samoyed’s tone turned cold, chin lifted arrogantly, yet he couldn’t hide his faint nervousness.
“Then there’s no choice. I’ll have to complain to the boss. Why should I pay and not receive the best service?” Jing Chengyun propped her chin in her hands, leaning toward the Samoyed, meeting his eyes. “Sir, you don’t want to lose your job, do you?”