Сhаpter 25: Whу Shоuld Не Вe Merсiful
Тhe neхt morning, Wen Yао wоkе Хiе Zongхun uр tо wаlk the dog.
It wаs Paopао’s requеst.
Аnd Wеn Yао’s toо.
Веcausе Хie Zоngxun didn’t have thе habit оf walking the dog in thе morning—hе usuallу hаd the housеkeepеr dо it. In thе еvenings, he wаlkеd thе dоg himself.
“Didn’t yоu saу I should eхercisе? I want to gо now.”
Xie Zоngхun sаid cаlmlу, “Walking doesn’t сount аs еxerсise.”
Wen Yаo wаs оut оf ideаs and mutterеd unhapрilу, “Тhen I’ll go walk him myself, okay?”
Хiе Zongxun: “No.”
Wen Yао was furious. “Thеn whаt do you suggest? I just want to walk the dog, and Paopao wants me to go too!”
Xie Zongxun glanced at her and rubbed his temples.
“That’s still no reason for you to wake me up at six in the morning.”
She had a full schedule of classes today, and to walk the dog, she had been whining and fussing in his arms since early morning. It was already merciful of him not to pin her down and have his way with her right then.
Xie Zongxun lifted his eyes, his mind gradually waking up. Why should he be merciful?
Wen Yao pouted, watching his expression. “You… mmm…”
A hint of irritation flickered in Xie Zongxun’s eyes. “Shut up.”
“We’ll go after we’re done.”
…
Wen Yao rolled over and sat up, glanced at the time, and flushed with anger again and again.
“There’s no time to walk the dog now!”
Thinking of Paopao’s pitiful eyes, she felt guilty.
Xie Zongxun dressed calmly and said nonchalantly, “This workout should be a bit more intense than walking the dog.”
Seeing her small face drooping with worry and resentment, Xie Zongxun spoke slowly.
“If you don’t get up now, you’ll be late.”
Only then did Wen Yao climb out of bed to find clothes to wear. Autumn had arrived, and the weather was turning cooler. She noticed that many sets of autumn clothes had been added to the wardrobe.
“Hmm, next time I’ll take you to pick out the ones you like yourself, okay?”
Xie Zongxun compromised because he realized she looked good in everything, as fresh and tender as a flower.
He decided to let her have her way—buy whatever she liked.
Wen Yao didn’t respond, picking out a set of clothes to change into.
Xie Zongxun watched for a moment, then held her waist and kissed her again.
“Looks good.”
Only then did he take her back to school.
When Wen Yao got out of the car from the side door, she happened to run into Tang Li, who was returning to school from home.
Tang Li glanced at the car that had dropped her off and greeted Wen Yao. “Is that Xie Zongxun in the car?”
Wen Yao ignored her.
She was sensitive and perceptive, able to sense others’ goodwill or malice fairly well. If she and Tang Li had once been ordinary roommates, now the strange undertones in Tang Li’s words made her uncomfortable. When she felt uncomfortable, she wouldn’t force herself to blend in.
“Did you really not do it with him?”
“Then what are those marks on your neck?”
Wen Yao, annoyed by the disturbance, snapped, “A dog bit me, a dog bit me! His family has a dog named Paopao, and it bit me!”
Then she calmed down, her voice turning cold. “Can you stop bothering me?”
“I wish you the best—hurry up and chase after him, date him!”
Tang Li was taken aback by the aura Wen Yao exuded. She had always thought Wen Yao was someone without a temper.
Perhaps sensing the annoyance in Wen Yao’s tone, Tang Li finally felt certain that Wen Yao might not be as much of a threat as she thought. How could a young master like Xie Zongxun persistently pursue someone who clearly disliked him?
“Alright, Yao Yao, I was just joking. Let’s go have breakfast together.”
Wen Yao refused and went to the teaching building alone, quietly sticking a bandage over the mark.After arriving at the classroom, she went to sit next to Chi Ying.
Chi Ying handed her the textbook and asked,
“I brought you a little bun. Want some?”
There were still fifteen minutes until class started.
Wen Yao was digging for a pen when she felt a bag inside her backpack. She pulled it out and saw it was a breakfast bun and a bottle of warm milk.
Just then, her phone on the desk vibrated.
X: 【Eat your breakfast properly.】
Wen Yao smiled at Chi Ying. “No need, I brought my own.”
Wen Liuliu: 【I told you not to bite my neck. Someone saw it again.】
Wen Yao ate her breakfast and drank the milk, unable to remember when he had put it in her bag.
X: 【Bite? Am I a dog?】
Wen Liuliu: 【Then why is it so deep?】
When did he do it? Why couldn’t she remember at all?
X: 【Kissed you too hard.】
X: 【You were smiling so much when I kissed you, and now you’re blaming me?】
Wen Liuliu: 【I’m not talking to you anymore. I have to go to class!】
Xie Zongxun leaned back in his chair, turned off his phone screen, and closed his eyes to rest.
Gu Yanche sneered, “Tired? I told you I have medicine. Do you want…”
Xie Zongxun lifted his cold gaze. “Say that again.”
Gu Yanche forced a few awkward laughs and turned his face away.
“No, no, you don’t need it. I spoke out of turn, I spoke out of turn.”
Then, as if remembering something, he added, “Are Wen Yao and Chi Ying pretty close? Can you ask her if Chi Ying has a boyfriend?”
Xie Zongxun thought for a moment. Last night, Wen Yao had curled up in his arms, perhaps feeling happy, and chatted with him a bit. She mentioned Chi Ying, saying something about her boyfriend supporting her studies, calling them a perfect match, and how happy they were. He felt a bit disdainful, but he didn’t mind listening to her ramble, so he kept listening.
“She has a boyfriend.”
“Wen Yao said so.”
Since Wen Yao said it, it was one hundred percent credible.
“Damn, I just broke up yesterday.”
Xie Zongxun gave him a lazy, weary glance. “You’re not clean. Who would want to sleep with you?”
Dating Gu Yanche was equivalent to sleeping with him. Xie Zongxun had little psychological interest in it; it was purely physical.
Gu Yanche felt a bit embarrassed and angry, instinctively retorting without thinking, “Are you fucking clean?”
Xie Zongxun hummed in agreement and sneered, “Yeah, only she’s slept with me.”
“Just wait. When you switch to someone else in the future, I’ll fucking mock you to death.”
Xie Zongxun paused for a moment, then closed his eyes again to continue resting.
Wen Yao had classes all day and had to tutor in the evening. By the time she came out of her student’s home, Xie Zongxun was already waiting at the door.
She breathed a sigh of relief inside. Good, she didn’t have to run.
Commuting was so exhausting.
“Go straight back or grab something to eat?”
Wen Yao closed her eyes, her voice weak.
“Go back. I’m so tired.”
Xie Zongxun glanced at her twice, his thin lips parting slightly.
“You don’t need to tutor. Isn’t the money I give you enough?”
Wen Yao bit her lip and replied, “I don’t want your money.”
Xie Zongxun sighed inwardly. “Stubborn, aren’t you? What you should do now, while our relationship lasts, is either take more money from me or hold onto me tightly, make good use of my resources, and climb up.”
“Instead of refusing everything and still letting me have you.”
“What have you gained? Hmm?”
Wen Yao was furious at his words, her tone turning cold.
“First, I didn’t seek you out. You forced me.”
“Second, I don’t want to use any of your resources. I find them disgusting.””The exchange has been agreed upon. You let my sister continue her studies and cover my grandmother’s surgery, and I’ll stay with you.”
Xie Zongxun lazily lifted his eyelids, his tone indifferent.
“Stay with me how?”
Wen Yao remained silent.
“Tonight?”
Wen Yao took a deep breath. “As you wish.”
“Fine. Take tomorrow off.”
She frowned, looking up at him. “Why?”
Xie Zongxun gave a cold laugh. “To catch up on sleep.”