The Mermaid

Drawing on the ancient image of the mermaid whose tears become pearls in Records of Strange Things, The Spring Guest unfolds a tale of seven years of grudge-bearing and reunion. Shen Yu is born with impure mixed blood and takes form on contact with water; her master points her to a way out—"cut out the heart and eat it, and you will gain a human body"—and at fifteen she saves Song Yuan, the heir of Fufeng Commandery Prince, only to leave him at Penglai Temple without a word. Song Yuan bears the grudge for seven years and devotes himself to cultivation solely to subdue the mermaid; at their reunion, to the line "Are you going to cut out my heart?" Shen Yu answers, "I waited until you loved me most," bringing the tension of mutual calculation and mutual testing to the fore. The author Li Feidao sketches vivid characters through spare dialogue: Shen Yu's forthrightness and cunning, Song Yuan's obsession and restraint. The novel's highlight is turning the cruel premise of "cutting out the heart" into a bargaining chip in an emotional game, making "waiting until you love me most" a confession that is both threat and depth of feeling. It suits readers of ancient-style fiction who like mermaid legends, mutual secret love, and light angst. When reading, pay attention to the shifts of attack and defense in every conversation after the reunion—that is the key to understanding where the relationship is heading.