Ji Zhouye chuckled lightly. “Best be that way.”
“Are you worried about me?” Finding that Ji Zhouye hadn’t noticed anything unusual, Shen Li let out a sigh of relief.
A look of unkindness crossed Ji Zhouye’s eyes as he stared at him. “Are you a block of wood?”
Was his concern really not obvious enough, or was it that this person simply had no heart and therefore couldn’t feel a thing?
Shen Li’s gaze flickered. He wasn’t a block of wood; he just lacked self-confidence. He simply didn’t believe that Ji Zhouye would still care for him the way he used to.
In the afternoon, he and Ji Zhouye returned to the estate. The moment they stepped out of the car, a massive Alaskan Malamute bounded over, startling Shen Li.
The dog placed its front paws on Ji Zhouye, wagging its tail furiously and panting with its tongue out, showing clear delight.
Ji Zhouye reached out and patted its head. “Shen Li, sit.”
The dog obediently sat down.
Shen Li’s eyebrows twitched. Was it really not calling his name?
Ji Zhouye commanded, “Shen Li, shake hands.”
Shen Li placed its paw into Ji Zhouye’s hand. Ji Zhouye smiled. “Good boy, much better behaved than certain people.”
There was a clear subtext to those words.
Shen Li remained silent.
Shen Li let out a couple of barks at Shen Li, carrying no malice, just pure curiosity.
Ji Zhouye’s gaze fell upon Shen Li. “Want to pet it?”
“No, I am afraid of being bitten by dogs.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Shen Li walked right up to his leg and rubbed its head against it.
Shen Li was slightly taken aback. Deciding to humor it, he squatted down and gave its head a stroke. “Is this silly dog this friendly to everyone?”
“It depends on the person,” Ji Zhouye said.
Shen Li immediately flopped onto the ground, exposing its belly for Shen Li to pet. Shen Li couldn’t help laughing. “I didn’t expect you to understand social etiquette so well.”
Giving credit where credit was due, Shen Li gave it a few good rubs. Its fur was long and soft, making it very comfortable to touch.
Judging by its size, Ji Zhouye had raised it very well, and its temperament was remarkably gentle.
They always said that a pet takes after its owner, yet this dog formed a sharp contrast with its master. The dog was far gentler than the man.
Because he had skipped the office, Ji Zhouye had some work-related matters to handle and went straight into the study upon returning home.
All afternoon, Shen Li stayed downstairs playing with the dog. Shen Li was more than willing to play with him, and he secretly resolved to flip this dog over to his side.
Armed with a piece of dried chicken breast, he waved it in front of Shen Li’s eyes. “Once you eat my jerky, you have to change your name to Ji Zhouye.”
Shen Li lost all interest in the jerky, lying flat at Shen Li’s feet and refusing to look at the treat anymore.
Unwilling to give up, Shen Li called out “Ji Zhouye” to it, but the dog didn’t react in the slightest.
After a moment, Shen Li gave up. Whenever he mentioned changing its name, the dog completely ignored him. It was clear that Shen Li really liked its current name. “Fine, I will not change your name. The jerky is all yours.”
Shen Li stood up from the ground with bright, sparkling eyes and happily trotted off with the jerky in its mouth.
Shen Li curled up on the sofa to play a mobile game, and Shen Li settled right beside him, resting its head on his thighs in quiet companionship.
From time to time, he patted Shen Li’s head. It really was super obedient.
Before meeting Shen Li, Shen Li had thought about winning it over by any means necessary. But after meeting it, in less than a few hours, his heart was completely conquered by its cuteness.
When Ji Zhouye finished his work and came downstairs, the scene that greeted him was filled with tenderness.
A man and a dog were curled up together on the sofa.
At dinner time, Shen Li obediently took his medicine. Under Ji Zhouye’s discerning gaze, all his little hidden thoughts had nowhere to hide.
After coming out of the bathroom, Shen Li was squatting by the bed with a pitiful, woebegone expression.
Ji Zhouye leaned against the headboard as Shen Li walked over, bent down, and patted the dog’s head. “Do you want to sleep on the bed?”
Shen Li let out a couple of whimpering sounds.
Shen Li looked toward Ji Zhouye with a conflicted expression. “Well, how about letting it sleep on the bed?”
Shen Li knew that Ji Zhouye had a bit of a germ phobia, but seeing the dog’s wronged expression made his heart soften. Knowing it was probably impossible, he still wanted to speak up and plead on its behalf.
Without even considering it, Ji Zhouye rejected the idea outright. “No.”
Shen Li’s eyes filled with disappointment, its tail drooping down as it let out an aggrieved whimper, melting Shen Li’s heart completely.
Making a final struggle, he asked, “Is there really no room for negotiation?”
“None.” Ji Zhouye lifted his eyes to look at him.
Putting aside his cleanliness standards for a moment, just look at Shen Li’s sheer size. One dog would take up half the bed; how were people supposed to sleep? “Permanent arrangements must be made. If you let it sleep on the bed, do you plan to sleep on the floor?”
An idea popped into Shen Li’s head. “I can take it to sleep in the guest bedroom.”
“You dare.” A trace of chilliness flashed across Ji Zhouye’s eyes. “Shen Li, get out.”
Shen Li tucked its tail between its legs and walked out, opening the door by itself and even pulling it shut behind it.
Shen Li blinked at the closed door.
Was this really just a dog?
Ji Zhouye remarked out of nowhere, “Your sympathy for it is a bit excessive.”
Not understanding why Ji Zhouye would say that, Shen Li asked, “What do you mean?”
“Go out and take a look in a moment, and you will understand.”
Ten minutes later, Shen Li decided to go give Shen Li a midnight snack to soothe its young, fragile soul.
When he reached downstairs, loud snoring echoed through the living room. His gaze fell upon the furry lump on the sofa, and his eyelids twitched. Aside from shock, he was utterly speechless.
Could a dog snore this loudly?
He walked toward the sofa, but the furry creature didn’t move an inch, completely devoid of vigilance, and the snoring didn’t stop for a second.
Shen Li finally understood why Ji Zhouye had said those words.
His sympathy had been wasted on it.
His pity and heartache were truly superfluous.
Night Departure Bar.
Ji Zhiyu was out hanging out with friends when he ran into Liu Ming. The two of them were sitting on high barstools, drinking.
Lights flashed and shifted as heavy music blundered through the air.
Having had a bit to drink, Ji Zhiyu started rambling nonsense. “Brother Liu Ming, do you think my brother has some kind of masochistic tendency? What is so great about that scumbag? He is not even half as good as you.”
Liu Ming laughed wickedly. “Indeed, he is not as good as me.”
“It would be great if my brother liked you instead.”
Liu Ming stared in silence.
With a swift kick, he booted the high barstool Ji Zhiyu was sitting on. “Get lost, you brat. I like women.”
Ji Zhiyu took a sip of his drink. “Do not people often spread rumors about you and my brother?”
Liu Ming was completely speechless. “Other people are clueless, but do you lack self-awareness too?”
“I am aware. I was just making an analogy.”
Ji Zhiyu continued, “You look a lot more pleasing to the eye than that scumbag.”
“Do you dare say that in front of your brother?” Liu Ming laughed.
“My brother plays favorites. There is no room for a younger brother like me in his eyes anymore, only that scumbag.” Ji Zhiyu muttered under his breath, adding, “The last time I beat that scumbag up, my brother found out and cut off my allowance for the entire month.”
Liu Ming laughed ruthlessly at his misery. “Who told you to throw the first punch? If I were your brother, I would not give you allowance either.”
“Brother Liu Ming, how come you are just like my brother?”
Liu Ming patted his shoulder. “Alright, tonight’s tab is on me. Go have fun with your friends.”
Seizing the opportunity, Liu Ming slipped away; he had zero desire to hang out with a bunch of punk kids.
Adults needed a bit of excitement.
He booked a private room, ordered a few of the club’s top beauties, and began having the time of his life inside.
With DJ music blasting, several women swayed their graceful figures, dancing with such wild abandon that their hair whipped around in a messy blur.