Chapter 2

The herbs needed an hour to simmer, but Father couldn’t wait.

Barely ten minutes had passed before he called for me to bring the broth in.

The mermaid still lay motionless.

When I saw him about to pour the scalding liquid straight into her mouth, I stopped him.

“Father, it’s too hot. Add some water! It would be such a waste if you scalded her to death.”

I added that last part hastily when his knife-sharp gaze swung toward me.

Only then did he mix in cold water and force her to drink.

Her tail twitched faintly as the broth went down.

Her tightly closed eyes opened to narrow slits.

Her lips trembled, as though she wanted to speak.

But Father was already loosening his belt and telling me to get out.

Seeing Grandfather still staring, he shoved us both outside and shut the door quickly.

Grandfather spat, then immediately pressed his face to the crack in the door, muttering under his breath.

“Ungrateful wretch. Only ever thinks of himself.”

His cloudy eyes opened wide, and soon his ears were bright red.

The bed began to creak inside.

The sound grated on me. I hurried toward my little room.

“Dafu, if you’re having the meat, at least leave your father a bowl of broth!”

Grandfather muttered outside Father’s door.

Father gave no answer, leaving him as frantic as an ant on a hot stove.

I curled up on my narrow wooden bed and covered my ears. I didn’t sleep all night.

Father seemed to have endless strength. Only when dawn began to lighten the sky did the noise outside stop.

Grandfather chopped wood in the yard in a foul temper, making an unbearable racket.

Before five in the morning, he kicked my door open.

I sat up with a start.

“Go stew two big fish heads. And fetch two jin of wine!”

Grandfather was drenched in sweat.

I got up, quickly chopped the fish heads, and put them on to stew.

Then I went to get the wine on credit. Our family had been spending more than it earned for a long time.

Grandfather called Father out and even poured him a drink.

“Dafu, it hasn’t been easy for me either. Your mother’s been dead thirty years…”

He looked at my sleepy father with naked longing in his eyes.

“With a mermaid, we’ll have all the silver we want. Once we get it, I’ll find you a good woman!”

Father drained his cup.

“Wretched girl, go make the broth. Then wipe the mermaid down with well water.”

That was his order.

I nodded and immediately went to prepare the broth and the water.

When I pushed open the door with the bowl in my hands, a deathly pale face met my eyes.

She lay limp on the bed, murder blazing in her gaze.

“I’ll drink this for you. When I find a chance, I’ll let you go.”

For people, the vine broth caused only stomach cramps and diarrhea.

So I lifted the bowl and drank it all.

The look she gave me softened noticeably.

She didn’t resist when I washed her.

“My scale.”

Only when I had finished did she slowly speak.

“My father must have hidden it.”

I looked at the wound low on her belly and asked whether ordinary medicine would work on her.

Before she could answer, Father came in, already a little drunk.