Su Yi’an hadn’t fully woken up yet. When the doorbell rang, he rubbed his eyes and dragged himself out of bed. Thinking it was a delivery, he yawned as he pressed the intercom.
“Delivery? You can just leave it at the door.”
“Hello, I’m the resident next door.”
That voice, it was the man who had helped him pick up his package the other day!
Su Yi’an was instantly wide awake. He hastily ran a hand through his hair, tidied up his sleepwear and then opened the door.
“Hello, we will meet again.” Bai Yunchi smiled as he greeted him, looking at the young man in front of him, a single lock of hair sticking up in an unruly curl.
The man’s voice was far too pleasant. Su Yi’an nearly lost his focus for a moment.
“Hi.” He curved his lips into a smile as he looked at him. “Thank you again for helping me pick up my package that day.”
So handsome. Last time he had only caught a brief glimpse but now that he was seeing him up close, he realized the man was practically more handsome than a celebrity.
Su Yi’an couldn’t help sneaking a glance at him.
He was wearing a suit again today. So tall, too. Could he be a model?
Bai Yunchi smiled and said, “You’ve already thanked me.”
He paused. Originally, he had come over to remind him of something. After learning that his new neighbor was a fairly young man, he had given it some thought and decided to bring it up in a more tactful way.
“Is your place undergoing renovations recently? Sometimes I can hear… panting sounds.”
The more Su Yi’an listened, the redder his ears became.
The sounds the man mentioned were coming from a toy.
Last night, after cleaning it, he had forgotten to assemble it properly. He didn’t know whether it was a poor connection or something else but the thing had turned itself on and clung to the bathroom wall, buzzing for hours. By the time he was jolted awake by the noise, it was already half past three in the morning.
God!!!
Su Yi’an was so embarrassed he couldn’t say a word. He lowered his head, not daring to meet the man’s eyes and waited for him to finish speaking. His hands clenched the fabric of his pajama pants as he nodded awkwardly.
“We are renovating. Sorry, I disturbed you.”
“It’s fine. If you need any help, you can come knock on my door next door.”
The man’s voice was still gentle. After exchanging a few polite words, he turned and left.
Su Yi’an’s face was burning red. He shut the door and dashed back into the bedroom, grabbing the phone he had tossed by the bedside. He opened a local shopping app and searched for the most expensive soundproofing panels available.
He didn’t have much savings but to avoid ever dying of social embarrassment again, this was not money he could afford to skimp on!
After completing the payment, all his strength seemed to drain away. With a thump, he flopped face first onto the bed.
“Ahhh, this is so humiliating!”
He buried his face in the blanket and couldn’t help shouting.
What kind of awful apartment was this? It was so expensive and yet had no soundproofing at all. He had paid a full year’s rent upfront!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. This whole mortifying situation was the fault of that bald headed agent and the landlord. Before he had signed the lease, they had clearly assured him that the apartment had excellent sound insulation.
Unable to swallow his anger, Su Yi’an dug out the landlord’s contact information and made a call.
With the chat records as evidence, he wasn’t afraid the other party would deny it. Still, the contract had already been signed and moving out wasn’t realistic. After a round of questioning and bargaining, the landlord agreed to reduce the rent by 200 a month.
Su Yi’an did the math in his head. Two hundred a month meant 2,400 a year, just about enough to cover the cost of buying the soundproofing panels and hiring workers to install them.
The solution was fairly satisfactory. Besides, he wasn’t the kind of person who would press an advantage relentlessly once he had it. So he let the matter rest.
That afternoon, when he brought it up during a video call with Yang Jiayang, the other man clutched his stomach and laughed for a full half minute.
Su Yi’an glared at him through the screen. “Laugh again and we’re done. We’re cutting ties.”
“I’m not laughing, I’m not laughing anymore.” Yang Jiayang waved his hands repeatedly. He propped his chin up with both hands, tilting his head as he looked at his friend. “An’an, is your peach blossom luck about to arrive?”
Su Yi’an was holding his laptop, revising and tweaking his work. Hearing that, he replied indifferently, “I’ve been holed up at home lately, revising design drafts. Where would any peach blossom luck come from?”
“Obviously from that handsome neighbor of yours.” Yang Jiayang’s tone turned ambiguous. “Didn’t you say that day that you wanted to live next to him? Well, look at that, your wish came true.”
Su Yi’an’s fingers paused. He pressed his lips together before saying, “I don’t want that anymore. It’d be best if I never see him again in the future.”
Yang Jiayang suppressed a mischievous grin. “How is that possible? You’re neighbors. You’ll see each other sooner or later.”
“Yang Baocai, if you keep saying things I don’t want to hear, you’re dead.”
“There you go again!” Yang Jiayang snapped irritably.
Every time he couldn’t win an argument, Su Yi’an would call him by his full name and the worst part was that with a screen between them, there was nothing he could do about this brat.
His teeth itched with frustration. He took a deep breath and unleashed his ultimate move.
“Su Xiao Qi, Su Xiao Qi, Su Xiao Qi!”
“Come on then, let’s hurt each other!”
Su Yi’an: “…………”
He didn’t know what kind of job his neighbor next door had but for several days in a row, Su Yi’an didn’t see him again. It wasn’t until he went downstairs to pick up a package and overheard a grandmother living on a lower floor mention it that he learned the man was actually a university professor.
“A university professor? That’s amazing.” Holding his package, he looked full of admiration.
The elderly woman was the chatty type. Seeing that he was interested, she continued, “Isn’t it? Quite a few people in the neighborhood know him. Xiao Bai really is an outstanding kid. It’s just a pity my granddaughter got married so early. Otherwise, I’d have let Xiao Bai be my grandson in law.”
Another grandmother, enjoying the shade under a tree across from them, heard this and began waving her palm fan while clicking her tongue. “Teacher Bai is a professor at Liao’an University, you know. His education level is really high. Your granddaughter only finished high school, just in terms of education alone, there’s a huge gap!”
“Well, it still wouldn’t be your turn. Your granddaughter is dark and skinny, all skin and bones. Just looking at her, you can tell she won’t be able to give birth to a son.”
“Your granddaughter is the one who won’t be able to give birth to a son!”
“My granddaughter got pregnant this year. We went to the hospital for a checkup and the doctor said it has three legs!”
“Whole family of nouveau riche, no upbringing at all. Even if you have a son, you won’t raise him right.”
“Who are you calling uneducated?”
The two elderly women refused to give in to each other. Afraid the battle might spread to him, Su Yi’an quickly hugged his package and slipped away.
“Bai… Bo? Is it Bai or Bo, exactly?”
Inside the elevator, he muttered softly to himself.
Forget it. Why did he even need to know? Anyway, he and the person next door would never have any further interaction.
Su Yi’an wasn’t troubled by this for long. After returning home and eating a simple lunch, he flung himself onto the soft sofa, picked a movie and settled in comfortably to watch.
The new product had been successfully launched. After being busy for so many days, it was time to give himself a proper break.
Ten minutes later,
He’d stepped on a landmine. This movie was terrible. Some unscrupulous influencer had taken money to hype it up, completely wasting his time.
The remote control was on the coffee table. Su Yi’an was too lazy to get up and turn it off, so he decided to just muddle through and keep watching.
It was a British film and the characters’ dialogue sounded like a lullaby. He didn’t even know when he had fallen asleep. When he woke up, the movie had just ended.
Su Yi’an stretched lazily, planning to change clothes and go downstairs to buy a bowl of small wontons to eat. There was a wonton shop at the entrance of the residential complex. He had tried it once before and the taste was pretty good.
August in Liao’an was at the height of summer. The asphalt roads, baked by the blazing sun all day long, tirelessly exhaled waves of scorching heat. The temperature was so high it felt as though it could melt people alive.
Su Yi’an pushed open the entrance door of the apartment building. Before he could even step outside, a wave of heat rushed toward his face. He lifted a hand and tugged the brim of his baseball cap lower, then, in his sneakers, took the steps two at a time and quickly darted into the shade of the trees across the way.
As he moved, the hem of his white T-shirt was lifted by a passing breeze. Beneath the shadow of the cap brim, the half of his profile that was revealed looked like a boy who had stepped straight out of a manga, brimming with youthful vitality.
“Hello? Yunchi, can you hear me?”
“I’m listening.” Bai Yunchi withdrew his gaze and drove the car out of the residential complex.
“Alright then. Don’t forget to come pick up Nuomi after work. If you don’t have time, I can help take him home first. I’ll also walk him around a bit, it’s exercise quota for today still hasn’t been met.”
“Then I’ll leave him to you. I really do have something urgent to deal with on my end.”
It was Saturday. Bai Yunchi had originally planned to pick up the dog and go have dinner with his parents together but unexpectedly, he received a call from Vice Principal Fang, saying that one of the students under his supervision was making a scene about jumping off a building. As the student’s advisor, he couldn’t possibly ignore it.
“Alright then. Treat me to a big meal another day, yeah?”
Bai Yunchi replied with a smile, “No problem. When the time comes, order whatever you want. No need to save money for me.”
“Then I’ll really have to think carefully about where to slaughter you for a huge feast.”
The car sped out of the complex, roaring past Su Yi’an with a strip of greenery between them.
He turned his head to glance at it. A blue and white BMW 5 Series. A new one like that would cost at least four or five hundred thousand. Thinking of the few thousand yuan left in his own bank account, his desire to make money instantly burned even stronger.
“Just wait. Sooner or later, I’ll be driving one too.” Su Yi’an clenched his phone and boldly declared.
There was a park near the residential complex. After finishing his wontons, Su Yi’an turned in and wandered around for a while.
The park under the cover of night was much cooler than it was during the day. In the daytime, it was hard to spot a single person here but now small groups of people could be seen everywhere. From the children’s play area not far away came the sounds of kids laughing and shrieking. Drones buzzed overhead, recording the footprints of the children’s growth.
Amid the cheerful sounds, Su Yi’an stepped onto the stone edging around the greenery, lowered his head and walked forward in a wobbling line. He didn’t stop until a pair of furry paws appeared in his field of vision, making him halt abruptly.
He looked up. It turned out to be a snow white Samoyed. The little one wore a red triangular bandana around its neck. With pink triangular ears perked up, it sat there and grinned at him, mouth open.
Su Yi’an was a total fluff lover. Seeing this, he couldn’t resist bending down and giving the dog’s head a good rub.
The little one was also naturally friendly. Before Su Yi’an could even fully extend his arms, it wagged its tail and plunged headfirst into his embrace.
“Whose dog are you? You’re so cute.” Su Yi’an rubbed the dog’s head, utterly enchanted by the fluffy, soft sensation in his palms.
As everyone knew, once a *Samoyed reached adulthood, it was basically a big, squishy marshmallow. The one Su Yi’an had run into was even more so. The little guy was clearly very well cared for by its owner, its fur was thick and fluffy and it even carried a pleasant scent.
Su Yi’an assumed the dog’s owner was nearby. He played with it for a while but when no one came looking for the dog, he began to sense that something wasn’t quite right.
“Little guy, where’s your owner?” he asked, stroking the dog’s plump triangular ears.
The dog didn’t understand, only wagging its tail and rubbing its big head back and forth against his chest.
Had it mistaken him for its owner?
Amused, Su Yi’an ruffled the dog’s head again.
“Come on. Big brother will take you to find your owner.”
However, after leading the little one around the park two or three times, he still couldn’t find its owner.
By now, it was quite late. The park’s streetlights were gradually being turned off. With no other option, Su Yi’an had to bring the dog back to his own residential complex.
The little one wasn’t wearing a dog tag. He guessed it might have slipped out on its own, with the owner unaware. There were surveillance cameras everywhere around the park. If he left the dog with the security guard, the owner could come retrieve it once they realized it was missing.
That was his original plan. Who would have thought that the little guy had truly taken him for its owner? The moment Su Yi’an stepped out of the security office, he immediately heard the dog barking as it came charging after him.
The young security guard followed him out, looking at him with suspicion. “This dog really isn’t yours?”
“It really isn’t,” Su Yi’an said earnestly. “I found it in the park.”
The little one wagged its tail and rubbed back and forth against his legs, so enthusiastic that it didn’t look at all like it was treating him as a stranger.
The young guard’s gaze grew even more unfriendly. “Then why is it so attached to you?”
As he spoke, he reached out to try to touch the dog. The little one immediately shook its head, refusing to let him, tail still swishing as it pressed closer to Su Yi’an.
The guard lifted his head, his eyes clearly saying, “Let’s hear you explain that.”
Su Yi’an: “…”
I’m innocent. I didn’t do it. This dog really isn’t mine. I have no idea why it decided to cling to me like this.
The little one squatted at his feet, tilting its head and looking up at him with a puzzled expression, as if asking, “Master, why aren’t we going home yet?”
Su Yi’an had no way to argue his case. Just as he was at his wits’ end, he heard a surprised voice from behind him.
“Oh? Isn’t this Teacher Bai’s Nuomi?”
“Uncle Chen, you came at the perfect time.” The young guard shot Su Yi’an a glare and immediately started complaining. “This guy pretended to be a stranger and tried to abandon the dog. I saw through him and he still won’t admit it!”
Su Yi’an turned his head. The newcomer was also wearing a security uniform. He had seen him on the day he moved in; the man had even warmly helped point out directions for him.
The middle aged man known as Uncle Chen took a clear look at Su Yi’an’s face beneath the brim of his cap, then waved his hand. “This young man really isn’t dog’s owner but since you’re so close with dog, you should be Teacher Bai’s friend, right?”
“No,” Su Yi’an replied quickly. “I found the dog in the park. The owner wasn’t nearby. It probably slipped out on its own.”
He hadn’t misheard earlier. They really had said Teacher Bai.
Su Yi’an lowered his head and glanced at the little one.
It couldn’t be such a coincidence… could it?
“Ran out on its own?” the middle aged man said. He immediately took out his phone to contact the dog’s owner but after calling three times in a row, no one answered.
“It’s not getting through. He’s probably still busy. How about this, young man, let dog stay with me for now. When Teacher Bai gets back, he can pick him up on the way.”
Su Yi’an would have liked that too but the little one refused to leave his side. Seeing this, Uncle Chen had no choice but to ask him to leave his address and contact information and temporarily let him take dog home first.
“Doggy, are you sure you want to go home with your big brother?”
As soon as Su Yi’an lifted his hand, the little one immediately wagged its tail and happily followed after him.
There was still some distance to the apartment building. Worried that the dog’s large size might scare passersby, Su Yi’an tentatively called out, “Stay close to me”
The next second, the little one, who had been sniffing along the greenery, stuck out its tongue and trotted over obediently.
He couldn’t help rubbing the dog’s head. “Well done, Nuomi.”
The little one’s tail wagged even more vigorously.
There was no dog food at home. There was, however, a piece of beef and half a head of broccoli in the fridge. Once home, Su Yi’an prepared them.
As he plated the food, he was a bit worried that dog might not eat it but his concern turned out to be unnecessary. The little one ate with great enthusiasm, finishing everything without leaving a single bite.
“So good. Whose dog is this that’s so amazing?”
Su Yi’an adored dog to no end. He hugged the dog and rubbed it from head to tail, one person and one dog playing around for a full half hour before finally stopping.
“No more playing. Big brother is going to take a shower now.”
The height of summer was the hottest time of the year. Even though the air conditioner was on inside the apartment, after all that playing, his body still felt a bit sticky. On top of that, dog shed some fur, which clung to him and made his skin itch. It was unbearably uncomfortable.
The dog still hadn’t had its fill of playing. When Su Yi’an stopped playing with it, the dog simply entertained itself instead, clamping a plush toy in its mouth, shaking its head vigorously, flinging it away, then running over to grab it again.
After several rounds like that, the little one put in a bit too much force. With a whoosh, the toy flew straight into Su Yi’an’s bedroom. The dog immediately chased after it, tongue hanging out, excitedly darting inside.
At the same time, the dog’s owner was hurrying back home.
“Sorry, Uncle Chen. When you called earlier, I was in the middle of something.” Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece, Bai Yunchi asked, “Did something happen?”
“Oh, something definitely happened. Your dog ran off on its own.”
“Are you sure you didn’t mistake it for another dog? It was really a dog?”
“No mistake. In this entire complex, your dog is the coldest one. Even when it sees people it knows, it can’t be bothered to acknowledge them but don’t worry too much, there was a young man who found a dog and brought it back.”
“Xiao Bai, I’ve sent you that kid’s contact information. Funny coincidence, you two are actually neighbors.”
After listening to Uncle Chen explain the whole situation, Bai Yunchi’s heart, which had been hanging in his throat, finally settled back down. Still, he was a little surprised. The dog had never liked getting close to people yet it had willingly followed the new young neighbor home.
Twenty minutes later, Bai Yunchi drove into the residential complex.
Hello, I’m your neighbor Bai Yunchi and also the dog’s owner. Thank you very much for temporarily taking care of my dog. May I ask if it’s convenient for me to come over and pick it up now?
Su Yi’an received Bai Yunchi’s message just as he came out of the bathroom.
“So it’s Bai, not Bo,” he muttered, holding his phone.
He quickly typed out a reply: It’s convenient.
The man arrived very quickly. Two minutes later, he was already standing outside the door.
“Sorry to disturb you. I’m here to take the dog home.”
“Oh, okay.”
The incident with the toy had only happened a few days ago. Seeing the man again, Su Yi’an still felt awkward. He just wanted to return the dog as quickly as possible and then never see him again. The only regret was that he wouldn’t be able to pet the fluffy dog anymore in the future.
“Woof!”
Just as he was feeling sentimental, he heard an excited bark coming from the bedroom. The next second, a white blur appeared in the entryway as if by teleportation.
“Gaga~”
With the toy clamped in its mouth, the little one happily charged toward its owner, tail wagging so hard it looked like it might take off.
A reunion between owner and pet should have been a heartwarming, smiling scene. Unfortunately, neither of the two humans could manage a smile.
Bai Yunchi’s gaze swept over the “toy” and then landed on the damp ends of the young man’s hair. After several years of teaching, someone usually eloquent and articulate, he found himself at a complete loss for words for the first time.
Su Yi’an, on the other hand, felt as though he had been struck by lightning, wishing he could simply die on the spot.
“…If I say this is brand new and hasn’t been used, would you believe me?”
________
Samoyed: The Samoyed is a breed of herding dog with a thick, white, double-layered coat
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Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The magical Realm runs on stories, chaos, and suspicious amounts of coffee.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
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✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · New neighborsChapter 2 · Let’s just wash it.Chapter 3 · Pretty little girlChapter 4 · It’s impossible for us.Chapter 5 · Not as handsome as Teacher BaiChapter 6 · Happy cooperationChapter 7 · Making breakfastChapter 8 · LostChapter 9 · He’s hopelessly in love.Chapter 10 · Three CloudChapter 11 · Am I Old?Chapter 12 · Victory celebration banquetChapter 13 · Power outrageChapter 14 · Online dating meetupChapter 15 · Am I really that bad?Chapter 16 · Boyfriend?Chapter 17 · ConcertChapter 18 · Use Privileges.Chapter 19 · A night AloneChapter 20 · Do You Like me?Chapter 21 · The End