Heart of the Ocean (8): Stupid Wife

Hearing unusual noises from inside the room, Xiao Bai anxiously called out from outside: “What’s wrong?!”  

If Tan Xiao didn’t respond soon, Xiao Bai would undoubtedly break the door down.  

Snapping back to his senses, Tan Xiao hurriedly wrapped the mysterious fallen figure in his blanket. A beautiful youth dropping from the sky—this scenario did feel eerily familiar.  

Last time, he had woken up to find someone inexplicably in his bed. But this time, it was literally a case of someone falling from above.  

“Xiao Bai, I’m fine. Go keep watch outside for now.”  

One look at that strange yet familiar face, and Tan Xiao knew he hadn’t been mistaken.  

Though Wen Yi’s hair color, eye color, and demeanor had changed, his facial features remained largely the same—just softer and more delicate than Dr. Wen’s, with a translucent, crystalline glow that gave him an otherworldly, ethereal aura.  

But even if he looked like a celestial being now, he couldn’t just parade around naked. There might not be any other humans in the house, but there was still Xiao Bai.  

Sure, Xiao Bai was just a dog and wouldn’t have any untoward thoughts about Wen Yi, but Tan Xiao still refused to let any living creature see him like this.  

Using his phone’s flashlight, Tan Xiao rummaged through the drawer and pulled out a rechargeable torch. He turned it on, flooding the room with bright light.  

Then, he quickly grabbed some of his own clothes from the wardrobe and began dressing the very naked jellyfish boy.  

Wen Yi pouted. As an immortal jellyfish, he disliked the confinement of human clothing—even if Tan Xiao’s clothes were a size too big and naturally loose, he still wasn’t a fan.  

But as Tan Xiao helped him dress, the warmth of the human’s fingers against his skin sent tiny electric currents through his body, leaving him tingling and unable to resist.  

When Tan Xiao said, “Raise your arms,” he obediently lifted them and froze in place, motionless.  

Seeing how cooperative he was, Tan Xiao sighed in relief and didn’t hold back his praise: “So good.”  

Wen Yi couldn’t help but smile. He was already breathtakingly beautiful, but when he smiled, it was like flowers blooming—illuminating the dim room as if he were made of sparkling crystal, dazzling diamond, or some bewitching fairy-tale creature.  

To Tan Xiao, no matter what form his “wife” took, he adored him all the same. But this version—Wen Yi as a luminous jellyfish spirit—was yet another pinnacle of beauty.  

Dr. Wen had the allure of authority and a white coat. Student Wen Yi embodied youthful innocence. CEO Wen Yi exuded mature sophistication. And Robot Wen Yi was the perfect, custom-made companion.  

But this Wen Yi—transformed from a jellyfish—surpassed even the robot in beauty. His body seemed to glow with an innate radiance, as if permanently filtered and backlit by some divine special effect.

Even someone like Tan Xiao, who was accustomed to beautiful faces, found himself slightly dazed staring at that mesmerizing visage.  

Had his system interface not remained completely clean—devoid of any “charmed” debuffs—he might have suspected Wen Yi of possessing some supernatural allure.  

After dressing Wen Yi, Tan Xiao asked, “How did you get into my room?”  

Wen Yi had been frowning at the clothes on his body, but the question instantly made him freeze with guilt. He instinctively tucked his hands into his sleeves like a cat, playing dumb, silent, and innocent—yet his gorgeous face was practically screaming guilty.  

Tan Xiao didn’t press further. Even if he got an answer, it wouldn’t change anything. No matter what form his lover took, the pull between them remained constant.  

Still, seeing that Wen Yi clearly didn’t remember him now, Tan Xiao couldn’t help but feel a pang of loss. But it was fleeting—after all, in previous instances, they’d never retained their memories either, yet that never stopped them from falling in love.  

Just like in this scenario: Wen Yi, despite remembering nothing, still found his way into Tan Xiao’s room and onto his bed.  

So what if his wife was a little silly now? Sure, the sharp, brilliant version of Wen Yi was someone he admired and adored, but a ditzy, beautiful wife was just as lovable.  

Besides, he didn’t actually think Wen Yi was stupid. Maybe the jellyfish’s lack of a brain was affecting him, but at least he could eat, drink, and play dumb convincingly.  

Tan Xiao had dressed Wen Yi in a short-sleeved shirt and even tried to put underwear on him—a brand-new, unworn pair of standard-sized briefs.  

Wen Yi had cooperated with the shirt, since it was loose and unrestrictive. But underwear was a different story—stretchy, snug, and intolerable.  

When it came to the pants, Wen Yi refused to comply, kicking his long legs wildly. The moment Tan Xiao tugged them up, he yanked them right back down.  

Tan Xiao tried again. Wen Yi grabbed the sides of the tiny, elastic black fabric and tore it cleanly in two.  

Having accomplished this, the immortal jellyfish shot Tan Xiao a slightly provocative look: Try to trap me in this thing? Dream on.  

He wasn’t some delicate, helpless jellyfish—he had strength and attitude.  

His wife had really gone dumb this time… Tan Xiao took a deep breath, briefly tempted to spank that defiant backside.  

But he reminded himself—No hitting. Wife didn’t do anything wrong, he was just… not all there right now. It was his first time being human; of course he didn’t like clothes. As his partner, he needed to be patient and teach him properly.  

“These are clothes. If you’re going to be around people, you have to wear them. If you don’t want my help, then put them on yourself.”

Tan Xiao said, “If you don’t wear clothes, you’ll have to stay in this room—no going outside.”  

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if they’d stumbled into some kind of locked-room roleplay. But in reality, their relationship was still perfectly innocent.  

Faced with his suddenly clueless wife, Tan Xiao couldn’t muster any improper thoughts. 

Wen Yi’s gaze drifted downward, clearly trying to see if Tan Xiao was dressed.  

“I’m wearing mine,” Tan Xiao added. Given the uncertain environment, he hadn’t opted for his usual convenient sleep robe like in previous instances. Instead, he wore a full set of silk pajamas—comfortable yet practical for quick movement if needed.  

“Same.”  

Wen Yi finally spoke, his voice crisp and melodious, like chimes of precious jade. Though it was just four short words, Tan Xiao felt a wave of relief. At least his wife could talk. That was better than him being mute.  

“Okay.” Tan Xiao handed Wen Yi a matching set of pajamas and a fresh pair of underwear.  

This time, he didn’t help. He waited for Wen Yi to dress himself.  

But Wen Yi remained motionless, arms outstretched like before. “You.”  

Tan Xiao resigned himself to playing the dutiful caretaker, helping the newly-humanized jellyfish into his clothes. At least Wen Yi was cooperating now—that alone was a massive improvement.  

Wen Yi looked down at his slightly flamboyant pajamas, then at Tan Xiao’s, and nodded in satisfaction.  

It was the middle of the night. Tan Xiao checked his phone—1:30 AM.  

After dressing Wen Yi, he grabbed the flashlight and opened the door. Xiao Bai, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately bounded up the stairs, circling Tan Xiao with concern. Only after confirming his master was unharmed did the dog relax.  

“The power’s out,” Xiao Bai said, then froze upon spotting the glowing figure behind Tan Xiao. Its eyes widened. “Who’s that?”  

A creature like this clearly wasn’t human! No real person had skin so crystalline and translucent, devoid of visible veins—a literal glass man.  

Though Wen Yi had taken human form, his appearance was far from ordinary. He looked like a gorgeously rendered character straight out of a gacha game—except upgraded from 2D art to flawless 3D.  

After all, most game 3D models were notoriously bad at capturing 2D beauty. But Wen Yi? Every inch of him was exquisitely detailed.

In human form, Wen Yi showed no fear of Xiao Bai. On the contrary, he lifted his chin proudly and announced his name: “Wen Yi.”  

Xiao Bai’s mind raced. It dashed downstairs, peering into the now-dark fish tank. Earlier, too worried about Tan Xiao, it hadn’t noticed anything amiss.  

Now, under closer inspection—the seafood was all gone. The immortal jellyfish had vanished.  

It never imagined that jellyfish wasn’t just Tan Xiao’s emotional crutch… but actually Wen Yi.  

Of course. Even as a different species, with slightly altered features and a dumber expression, his essence remained unchanged.  

Xiao Bai didn’t doubt Tan Xiao’s judgment: This was the Wen Yi it knew.  

That damn artificial intelligence had turned into a jellyfish and stolen all the fish! …Though, if Wen Yi was Tan Xiao’s partner, that made him co-owner of the house. Eating his own fish hardly counted as theft.  

“Click.”  

Tan Xiao flipped the main circuit breaker back on. The first-floor lights flickered back to life, and the house hummed with restored electricity. The refrigerators rebooted, and the fish tank’s oxygen pump resumed operation.  

Not that the pump mattered now—the fish it was meant to sustain had long since become Wen Yi’s midnight snack.  

Tan Xiao exhaled in relief. The cottage’s wiring seemed solid—only the starry ceiling light in the master bedroom had shorted out. The rest of the system was fine.  

“We’ll deal with the wiring tomorrow. Everyone, get some rest.”  

There were no spare bulbs on hand, and fixing electrical issues might require a professional.  

Xiao Bai barked twice, shooting Wen Yi a disdainful look before retreating to its doghouse. It might dislike Wen Yi, but it knew one thing for certain: He would never harm Tan Xiao.  

Meanwhile, the formerly electrocuted Wen Yi was behaving unusually well. He decided it was time to return to his “nest”—humans slept in beds, but jellyfish belonged in tanks.  

Instinctively, Wen Yi climbed back into the aquarium, plopping down with a splash. His freshly changed pajamas were instantly soaked, water splattering all over Tan Xiao.  

A vein throbbed faintly on Tan Xiao’s forehead.  

In this instance, the scariest monster might not be some eldritch horror—but his brilliant wife turned airheaded fool.