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Married to the Dragon Prince
墨書 Inktalez
Ao Yan was born crying incessantly. The Nanhai Dragon King, Ao Qin, learned that Yuan Tiangang was posing as a fortune teller in Chang'an, so he disguised himself and set out to visit him. Upon arriving in the city, Ao Qin hid at a distance to observe him—his features were not aged, handsome yet with sparse white beard, and his face seemed to have two halves: the upper half resembling a mortal's face while the lower half appeared celestial. More importantly, his posture was improper; he looked neither like a fortune teller nor a learned sage, with one bare foot resting on the stool. On the divination table lay a small porcelain dish filled with peanuts, some of which had rolled onto the table. He munched on them while fixated on an open book before him. Ao Qin felt a bit of sweat forming and thought to himself, "Is this really the renowned Yuan Tiangang, who knows the heavens and the earth? He seems more like an old rogue."
Due to his bizarre demeanor, there were no customers at his stall, which worked out well for Ao Qin. He explained his purpose and provided Ao Yan's birth details, asking him to cast a fortune for his grandson. Yuan Tiangang squinted his eyes and calculated for a moment before suddenly glancing sideways at Ao Qin. Ao Qin felt a shiver run down his spine; he was overwhelmed with heat and nearly revealed his true form. Yuan Tiangang spoke but answered something entirely different: "Your wife has been gone for a hundred years, hasn't she?" Ao Qin stiffened, thinking he had been seen through; he sat up straight and replied, "What you say is true." Yuan Tiangang stroked his white beard and continued to glance at Ao Qin, saying, "When your grandson turns fourteen, he should marry Lin Qingmo from Lin Family Village by the southern coast to avoid illness and disaster and enjoy the blessings of immortals." After finishing the divination, Ao Qin prepared to pay but was stopped by Yuan Tiangang, who said there was plenty of time and that he could settle the payment once the fortune came true. Unsure if he was being overly suspicious, Ao Qin left only to feel Yuan Tiangang's hand brush against his as he touched him lightly in an ambiguous manner. His sidelong glances and suggestive touches felt akin to those of a brothel worker. Ao Qin internally scorned him greatly, thinking this man had his head in the clouds while his feet remained firmly planted in the mud.
Upon returning home, Ao Qin conducted some investigation and found that indeed there was a Lin Family Village not far from the southern coast, and there was indeed a boy named Lin Qingmo—however, he was just six years old and five years older than Ao Yan by human standards. Not daring to delay any further, Ao Qin unilaterally arranged this marriage early on, waiting for Ao Yan to turn fourteen so that he could bring Lin Qingmo home.
The Lin Family Village was comprised of families all related by blood; it was a small village family clan. They made their living from fishing along the coast for generations as ordinary fishermen who caught, sold, and traded fish. Lin Qingmo was their only son; his father was quite a flamboyant man with lofty ideals who resolutely rejected the path laid out for him by his father. He wanted to pursue education and an official career but eventually succumbed to familial pressure and filial piety by marrying a girl from a distant village named Zhu. After giving birth to Lin Qingmo, he believed he had fulfilled his duty and abandoned home in search of his dreams. Lin Qingmo loved reading but did not inherit his father's cold-heartedness. Their time together had been too short for any real understanding; it seemed that his father did not know that Lin Qingmo's mother was not only resilient but also capable and opinionated despite her limited knowledge. Under pressure from her in-laws and the village's disdain for education over fishing, she supported Lin Qingmo's schooling.
One evening as dusk fell over the sea with a breathtaking beauty of melancholy, the sun hung low on the horizon like someone reluctant to leave this world yet determined to plunge into it. Lin Qingmo hurried along the path back home; today their teacher had kept them late. He was particularly considerate and quickened his pace out of fear that his mother would worry about him waiting at home. Suddenly, distant barks echoed ominously across the vast shoreline—sharp sounds that pierced through the air like little claws scraping against his heart—causing cold sweat to break out on Lin Qingmo's back.
The barking grew louder until it surrounded him completely. Wiping sweat from his brow and steadying himself, he broke into a run. "Woof! Woof!" A large wolfdog sprang up as if from underground; it was entirely black with sinister eyes resembling those of some underworld creature's pet. It blocked Lin Qingmo's path and barked aggressively at him as if sensing weakness. Terrified, Lin Qingmo took several steps back. This dog was not only the largest in the village but also the fiercest—much like its owner—a fish merchant who didn't catch fish himself but controlled all trade routes for selling fish. The village lay some distance from town; fishermen found it unprofitable due to travel costs and unfamiliarity with fish markets so they sold their catch at prices lower than market rates to this merchant family led by a domineering woman whose husband had married into her family; they had one son named Lin Xiao who bore her surname.
Da Hei—the wolfdog—growled lowly without moving forward or backward as if guarding Lin Qingmo closely. In desperation, Lin Qingmo grabbed a handful of sand and threw it at Da Hei but it remained unfazed, sitting quietly on the beach. Unable to decipher its intentions, Lin Qingmo cautiously attempted to bypass it when suddenly Da Hei leaped up; startled by its bark ringing in his ears, Lin Qingmo stumbled backward onto the ground. When he regained composure, he found Da Hei standing behind him with fierce intent not letting him go easily. After considering briefly, he slowly stood up but paused momentarily; Da Hei seemed certain that he wouldn't dare run again so it remained still. Seizing this opportunity, Lin Qingmo bolted away while kicking up sand towards Da Hei's face.
Two legs could never outrun four legs—especially those of an agile animal built for running and jumping. As Lin Qingmo felt an enormous shadow looming over him from behind, he quickly dropped down just in time for Da Hei to leap over him into the sand below. Quickly getting back on his feet while gasping for breath, he continued running as Da Hei grew furious after being tricked; its suppressed barks pierced through nerves like sharp needles.
Lin Qingmo ran faster than ever before as Da Hei chased closely behind him with another collision sending sharp teeth tearing through fabric on his back. "Ah! Ahhh!" He screamed in terror.
Suddenly an enormous wave surged up from the sea’s center rushing towards them amidst fading light on the horizon; Lin Qingmo spotted an unusually large silver fish riding atop this wave—it had a human body with a fish tail—and upon it sat a chubby child adorned with golden jewelry around its neck along with red clothing covering its front while holding tightly onto something resembling a Fat Doll with silver bells dangling from its arms.
Behind this child sat another figure whose protruding turtle shell caused its head to lean slightly forward—a green oval face framed by whiskers peeking out from beneath an outer robe’s collar; both hands shielded Fat Doll protectively in front of itself.
This divine apparition startled Lin Qingmo just as much as Da Hei had done before; terrified beyond measure now he stumbled backward while Da Hei froze in fear before turning tail to flee instead. The towering wave seemed almost sentient as it reached out like an extended hand aiming directly for Da Hei.
In an instant Da Hei was swallowed whole by raging waters before retreating back into itself forming into a thick cylindrical shape while Fat Doll stared blankly at him from atop its silver fish’s back.
Lin Qingmo felt dizzy from fear unable to think straight—forgetting even about his bag lying abandoned on ground—he staggered away homeward collapsing into his mother's embrace upon arrival where warmth enveloped him causing exhaustion to take over leading him into unconsciousness for three days.
After consulting with doctors who prescribed remedies suited for physical ailments yet unable to heal emotional scars left behind by terror experienced days prior—Lin Qingmo remained trapped within haunting memories replaying fragments of fear like ghostly apparitions before him.
His family lacked financial means even compared against ordinary households due lack of labor force; both grandparents had passed away leaving behind traditions dictating men went out fishing while women stayed home weaving nets—a clear-cut distribution that left no room for deviation despite Mother Lin’s aspirations or abilities regarding fishing endeavors herself.
Relying solely upon modest dowry coupled with occasional net weaving during idle times just barely allowed them survival day-to-day.
Lin Qingmo fluctuated between chills and feverish heat mumbling incoherently unable either sleep soundly or awaken fully until suddenly bizarre images faded away revealing clarity before him once more.
Turning around he spotted standing nearby—the “culprit” from days past—the white Fat Doll alongside “the hunchback” holding onto its hand revealing itself now clearly as humanoid turtle figure causing fresh waves of fright wash over him anew.
Lin Qingmo was so frightened that he began to struggle, but it felt as if he were frozen in place, unable to move. Fear and terror streamed from his eyes, and his face was drenched in tears. Seeing him cry, the Fat Doll broke free from Old Turtle's grasp and staggered over to the bedside. Its chubby little feet moved silently, like a cat's soft pads. As it approached, Lin Qingmo cried even harder, unable to make a sound, but the tears flowed uncontrollably.
"Don't be afraid, don't cry," the Fat Doll cooed in a voice reminiscent of a grandmother's, extending its plump hand to wipe away Lin Qingmo's tears. Unfortunately, Lin Qingmo lay in the middle of the bed, just out of reach. Somehow, with surprising strength and agility, the Fat Doll pushed itself up and rolled onto the bed. Lin Qingmo gasped silently and began to cry even more.
"Don't cry, don't be afraid." The chubby hand reached out again, its thick palm gently rubbing Lin Qingmo's face. The solid touch brought a sense of reassurance, and Lin Qingmo's racing heart gradually calmed down. The Fat Doll lay fully on top of Lin Qingmo, separated only by a blanket. Lin Qingmo felt as if he were being pressed down by a pile of fatty meat and couldn't help but swallow hard; how long had it been since he had eaten meat?
Now that they were closer, he could see the Fat Doll clearly; it was an exceptionally beautiful little boy. If it weren't for the small thing peeking out from beneath its red diaper, Lin Qingmo might have thought that this rosy-cheeked child with red lips and white skin was a girl. The Fat Doll had a pair of strange large eyes that were round and full, resembling two yellow glass beads. The outer corners of its eyes tilted upward slightly.
In those glassy eyes reflected Lin Qingmo's figure, as if he were trapped in a luxurious cage made of gold.
"Open your mouth and hold this," the Fat Doll said, holding a white pearl near Lin Qingmo's lips. When Lin Qingmo remained unmoved, his wide eyes filled with tension as he stared back at it, the Fat Doll squeezed his cheeks with its chubby hands: "Hold it; it will cure you." With its fleshy face close to Lin Qingmo’s, all he could see was pink flesh. Unable to resist, Lin Qingmo opened his mouth and muttered, "Fatty meat... meat..." At that moment, the pearl was swiftly pushed into his mouth by the Fat Doll.
"It's time to go," Old Turtle called out from the side. The Fat Doll turned to look at him, frowning and pouting in clear reluctance. Suddenly, it wrapped its arms around Lin Qingmo's cheeks and planted a loud kiss on his left cheek. The unexpected gesture startled Lin Qingmo so much that he almost swallowed the pearl. He lifted his face to look at the stunned Lin Qingmo and thought for a moment before pouting again and kissing him on the right cheek.
After that, it hopped off the bed and walked over to Old Turtle. As it was about to leave, it turned back reluctantly for one last look. But Lin Qingmo's gaze was fixated on its chubby white bottom; with the pearl in his mouth preventing him from speaking, he kept thinking over and over again: "Fatty meat, fatty meat, fatty meat."
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