The Mermaid's Excursion

My name is Bai Mu, a mermaid living in the depths of the Coral Sea. My favorite pastime is exploring sunken ships on the ocean floor, salvaging fragments of the human world, and piecing them together to form a picture of that distant land.

“Oh, turning into foam? Not me,” I muttered to myself.

I flipped through a storybook that had accidentally fallen into the deep sea, my fingers brushing over the slightly curled pages.

In the story, the little mermaid ultimately could not bear to harm the prince and chose to dissolve into foam—what a heartbreaking ending for a fish.

I gently closed the book and wrapped it in a bit of magic so it wouldn’t be corroded by the seawater.

Hmm… if it were me meeting that prince, I wouldn’t just save him and then sneak away. I’d jump straight in front of him!

He would surely stare at my tail in shock, speechless. Hahaha! Just imagining it made me spin and tumble gleefully in the water.

Then I surfaced. My long hair spread in the water like silver threads catching the morning light.

Tonight, the moonlight spread across the sea, shattered by the waves, then pieced together again.

I flicked my pearlescent blue tail and slipped quietly out of the deep-sea palace. The surface is my favorite place, with a different sky, a different view.

Suddenly, a muffled voice came from behind.

“Hey, you’re out again?”

I turned to see Bubble spouting a stream of bubbles with his snout.

Bubble is a dolphin I’ve known since I was little. He’s chubby, loves blowing bubbles, and likes to rest on my head to watch the moon. He’s been my old companion for as long as I can remember.

“The moon is so beautiful tonight; staying underwater would be such a waste!” I made a funny face and scooped Bubble up.

I floated to the surface and leaned gently against a rock just poking out of the water. The sea breeze smelled salty… with a faint hint of flowers drifting from the land—humans call it “night-blooming jasmine.” Such a lovely scent!

In the distance, lights twinkled along the coast, mingling with the stars above, warm and lively. A flute’s gentle melody drifted over the water, telling a long story. That was the human world.

“You know, Bubble, the other day I saw a human girl in the shallow water,” I whispered, my tail fin tapping the water unconsciously.

“She was painting this sea. But she painted it calm and serene. Too bad she doesn’t know the secrets hidden beneath.”

Bubble circled around me. “Humans are strange. They have these weird things called feet. Last time, I saw someone put their foot in the water—I swam away in a panic.”

I laughed, lying on the rock, gazing at the starry sky. My grandmother said the stars are diamonds scattered across black velvet. Occasionally, a shooting star streaks across the sky, as if the sea and sky are exchanging secrets.

Underwater, I cannot see the full stars, only refracted specks of light, flickering and wavering.

Bubble nudged me with his snout. “Heading back? It’s almost dawn.”

Reluctantly, I looked at the sky. The east was already faintly lightening. Yes, I must return to the deep sea before the sun fully rises—such is mermaid tradition.

“If the moon is still this beautiful tomorrow night, I’ll come again,” I said, glancing one last time toward the human world, then executed a graceful flip and plunged into the water.

As I descended, a school of phosphorescent fish darted through the coral, busy with the morning. My friends of the deep had already woken up!

This is my home. Seaweeds sway with the currents like a forest; ancient reefs bear the traces of countless tides; massive sea creatures occasionally dart through the shadows, leaving only mysterious silhouettes.

Here, there is no day or night, only eternal breathing. The water envelopes everything, gentle and deep, as if the whole world sleeps slowly.

I returned home. My mother was organizing her shell collection. She looked up at me, her silver hair floating like seaweed. “The scent of moonlight clings to you. I could smell it through the coral.”

“Mom! The flowers on land are blooming! Their scent even drifts to the sea!” I excitedly flopped into her arms.

She stroked my head. “Child, you’ve always been curious about the land.”

I stared at her face for a long moment and asked, “If one day—I mean, if I ever get the chance to explore the land… would you support me?”

She looked at me seriously. “There might be unknown dangers, but it would also be rich and exciting. My child, it would be your choice. I will respect it.”

I truly longed for it—longed for the stars, the flute’s song, the human girl who paints.

Longed for the stories that happen on land.

Late at night, I lay on my bed of woven seaweed. Through the pearl curtains, the water shimmered, and moonlight flowed across the surface.

I imagined, if one day I could truly stand on land, see the sunrise, touch real flowers… what would it feel like?

Before closing my eyes, I whispered to myself, “Good night, world above the waves. See you tomorrow.”

The dream would surely be sweet.

Outside, a glowing jellyfish drifted slowly by, as if replacing the stars, guarding the secret dreams of the deep.