At around eight-thirty the next morning, He Siyu called Ni Yang.
Frowning, the girl kept her eyes closed as she fumbled around the bedside for her phone.
Without even checking the screen, she answered directly.
“Hellooo~”
He Siyu had just gotten off the plane and was sitting in the car. Hearing Ni Yang’s slightly hoarse voice felt like a kitten’s paw scratching lightly against his exhausted nerves.
It was only a single syllable, yet the fatigue lingering at the ends of his nerves was instantly replaced by comfort.
A smile unconsciously curved onto his lips.
“I’ve arrived in London. It’s still early, go back to sleep for a while.”
Hearing He Siyu’s voice dispelled some of Ni Yang’s drowsiness. She opened her eyes and checked the time.
Eight-thirty in the morning.
That meant it was probably around one in the morning in London.
“He Siyu, are you staying in a hotel?”
At that hour, there might not be any food available at a hotel.
“No. I own a flat in London. I’ll stay at my own place.”
“Then remember to eat something before sleeping. Sleeping hungry is bad for your stomach.”
Ni Yang fully opened her eyes and sat up, her voice becoming much clearer.
Listening to the rustling sounds coming from the other end of the call, He Siyu naturally pictured Ni Yang turning over in their bed, large patches of her fair skin exposed.
As expected, his throat grew dry.
Calmly, he lowered the car window and irritably loosened his tie. Even deep into the night, young people were still speeding through the streets of London on motorcycles.
The night wind outside brushed through the hair on his forehead. His sharp features looked noble and cold, while the darkness in his eyes spread thicker than the night itself.
His hoarse voice paused briefly before responding.
“Alright.”
The moment he got off the plane, he had immediately called to report his safe arrival, just as Ni Yang had asked him to. Hearing her concern softened something in his heart.
Marriage seemed better than he had imagined.
Silence settled on both ends of the call.
As He Siyu listened to Ni Yang’s breathing, the irritation and exhaustion between his brows gradually eased away.
His lips moved slightly as he spoke softly.
“I’ll come back as soon as possible.”
Ni Yang smiled.
“Okay. I’ll wait for you at home.”
Just as the call was about to end, Ni Yang hurriedly spoke up.
“Can I raise a puppy? If you don’t like dogs or if you’re allergic to fur, then just pretend I never asked.”
He Siyu’s breathing slowed. His brows furrowed slightly as his gaze lost focus for a brief moment outside the window. The fingers gripping the edge of the phone tightened until the knuckles turned pale.
“…If you like one, ask Uncle Zheng to take you to buy one.”
His voice sounded slightly disordered beneath the wind.
As if sensing something, Ni Yang softened her tone and asked again,
“Then do you have a favorite breed?”
“Just choose whichever one you like.”
“Nope. Since we’re adding a new family member, your opinion is very important too. After all, the puppy will call you Daddy in the future.”
“…Then a West Highland White Terrier.”
“Okay. Once we bring her home, I’ll video call you with her.”
“Mhm.”
After hanging up, Ni Yang lay back down and searched online for the best nearby pet shop. She also browsed posts about West Highland White Terriers, studying in advance how to take care of dogs.
She vaguely sensed that He Siyu must have owned a dog before—a Westie—but for some reason, he had lost it.
Forty minutes later, while brushing her teeth in the bathroom, Ni Yang received a WeChat message from He Siyu.
It was a photo of a bowl of egg noodles.
[The ingredients were prepared in advance by someone. I made a simple bowl of noodles. I’ll wash up and sleep after eating.]
Holding her toothbrush between her teeth, she picked up her phone to reply.
[Okay. The noodles look delicious in both appearance and smell. Hurry and get some sleep after eating.]
[If you like it, I’ll make you a bowl when I come back.]
[Alright then. I’m very honored.]
[An emoji of a yellow smiley making an OK gesture.]
Ni Yang searched through her treasured sticker collection and found the perfect one to reply with.
[Little dog waiting excitedly.jpg]
/
After breakfast that morning, Ni Yang went to the pet shop with Uncle Zheng.
Among all the beautiful puppies there, she chose the most obedient-looking and prettiest Westie.
After getting the puppy vaccinated and dewormed, she bought plenty of dog treats, dog food, toys, a little bed, and other supplies.
On the way home, Ni Yang teased the two-month-old fluffy Westie through the pet carrier.
She snapped a photo and sent it to He Siyu.
[Photo]
[She’s a beautiful little girl.]
[You should give her a name.]
Knowing he was still asleep, she did not send any more messages.
After putting away her phone, she hesitated for a while before directly asking the butler seated in the passenger seat.
Uncle Zheng had been transferred over from the old residence. He definitely knew many things about He Siyu.
“Uncle Zheng, did He Siyu have a dog before?”
The butler in the front passenger seat let out a heavy sigh.
With heartache and melancholy in his voice, he replied,
“Yes, Madam. At that time, I was Sir’s driver and picked him up from school every day. When he was in his second year of high school, one evening after self-study class, he found a Westie by the roadside.”
“The puppy was pitifully skinny, sickly, filthy, and its fur was badly matted.”
“After Sir secretly raised it for a while, the puppy gained weight and became lively and energetic. Every time it saw Sir, it would pounce at his feet. It was adorable. Sir named it Rousong.”
“During that period, Sir smiled more than ever before.”
“The old master never allowed Sir to have any entertainment, especially pets that were completely useless to his future.”
“On the day Sir left for an out-of-town competition, the old master had people kill Rousong.”
Ni Yang’s brows knitted tightly together.
“…What?”
“Sir was heartbroken. That was the first time he ever resisted the old master’s control over him. The result was that he knelt in the ancestral hall while four or five disciplinary rods were broken on him.”
Ni Yang listened with a deeply troubled expression.
Old Master He appeared stern and upright on the surface. At the old residence, he had also seemed very protective of He Siyu.
Yet behind the scenes, he not only had He Siyu’s beloved dog killed, he had even physically abused him.
“Didn’t Grandmother stop him?”
Ni Yang glanced at the sleepy puppy inside the carrier beside her, her expression grave.
“Old Madam never interfered in matters regarding Sir’s upbringing. Her only responsibility was making sure he stayed alive.”
“…Did He Siyu never have a childhood?”
How could someone raised in that kind of family possibly have a childhood?
Nothing happened overnight.
He Siyu’s capabilities had been forged through relentless discipline since childhood.
The butler glanced at Ni Yang through the rearview mirror.
“Madam, please treat Sir well in the future. He has suffered a great deal.”
Ni Yang did not reply.
She lifted the puppy out of the carrier and softly said,
“Puppy, let’s wait together for Daddy to come home.”
The butler smiled warmly.
He knew Madam would treat Sir well.
She was a child raised in love.
How could someone like her ever be stingy about giving love to others?