MON TRITON, ROI DES MERS

Crippled An Nuo keeps a merman, Luoxing, who repays him with scorn: “A cripple like you should just disappear.” At the deep-sea pavilion he buys Han Che, a damaged merman sold at a discount, who whispers “Master… take me home.” An Nuo trades Luoxing for ten gold coins — never guessing his new mate is the Sea King he saved, come back for him.