As dusk draped its solemn veil, the dining room settled into an atmosphere of serious quiet.
“Mu Hang, you went to the hospital for a re-examination today. What did the doctor say?” Mr. Jiang inquired, his voice a low rumble.
“It’s recovering well, nothing serious,” Jiang Muhang replied, a hint of weariness in his tone. “Grandpa, I’m going back to work tomorrow.”
“Good. But pay attention to your body,” Mr. Jiang cautioned, a measure of relief softening his stern features. “By the way, I heard from those old coots that your last project was commendable. Keep up the excellent work.” A satisfied nod accompanied his words; this grandson was capable, and entrusting him with the buisness felt right.
“Grandpa, don’t worry, I know,” Jiang Muhang affirmed.
“You’re busy, but you must take care of your health too,” Song Xiaoqing interjected, her voice laced with worried concern. She cast a dissatisfied glance at her husband seated beside her. If only he hadn’t been so incompetent, their son wouldn’t be burdened with the colossal task of managing the entire group. “Xiao Xuan, I think you’ve scaled back your work a bit recently. Don’t overschedule yourself, flying everywhere all day. Leave more time to care for Mu Hang. After all, he was injured for you, and his health isn’t fully recovered. You just need to take care of him.”
Jiang Muhang immediately leaped to his wife’s defense. “Mom, I’ve recovered. Xuanxuan took care of me at home every day, and it was very hard on her. Now that I’m better, she doesn’t need to be tied to me all day.”
Song Xiaoqing shot her younger son an angry glare. The fact that he was injured because of this daughter-in-law still pained her . Moreover, since the accident, her daughter-in-law’s star in the entertainment industry seemed to have risen significantly, leaving her rarely at home—a source of considerable dissatisfaction for Song Xiaoqing. If not for the positive publicity surrounding her, she would have long forbidden Jiang Xuan from continuing her acting career. When one marries into a wealthy family, one ought to embody the demeanor of a dignified lady, not flit about the entertainment world. The Jiang family certainly didn’t lack for money.
Jiang Xuan’s hand, clutching her chopsticks, tightened almost imperceptibly. She narrowed her eyes, a hint of moisture shimmering within them. “Mom, I understand,” she said softly. “I will push back some recent activities, but next month, B University’s 50th-anniversary celebration has invited me back as a guest. Mu Hang was also invited, and I will join him for that event.”
“B University’s celebration?” Mr. Jiang mused. “Since the school has invited you, you should attend. B University also provides many talents to Hengyuan every year.” He would never oppose his grandson and granddaughter-in-law participating in activities that brought positive recognition. With the elder’s approval, Song Xiaoqing held her tongue.
Across town, in the quiet solitude of Xiaoyanglou, Su Yue mentioned the subject of the school celebration with Jiang Ci.
“Jiang Ci, our school’s 50th anniversary is at the end of next month. Are you going to visit our school? There will be performances then.” She deftly lifted a large, tender piece of turbot and placed it in Jiang Haoyan’s bowl. She’d noticed the little one’s aversion to fish, and picky eating was simply unacceptable for children.
Xiao Haohao, seeing the unwelcome addition to his bowl, blinked his eyes aggrievedly. “Thorns,” he whimpered. “Haohao doesn’t like it.”
“This fish doesn’t have any thorns, and you can’t be picky,” Su Yue admonished gently, stroking his small head. “If you’re picky, President Haohao won’t grow tall.” She then took a sip of the bamboo fungus and flower maw soup, looking at Jiang Ci, awaiting his response.
“Why should I go?” he countered, his voice flat, clearly uninterested in frivolous activities.
“Every class will have a performance, and I’m participating,” Su Yue explained, glancing at him. “But I’m only one of four chosen. I don’t know if I’ll even make it onto the stage.” She continued, “If I do, you can come and see my performance. If not, I’ll take you around the school.” He stayed cooped up all day, radiating an icy coolness; she wanted him to venture into a crowded place to soak up some warmth.
“And Xiao Haohao will come too, okay?” Su Yue asked the little one opposite her, a warm smile gracing her lips.
Xiao Haohao, who had been frowning at his fish, instantly perked up. “Are we going to play at your university?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“Yes, and in the future, Xiao Haohao will go to university when he grows up.”
“Well, Haohao will go to college,” Xiao Haohao nodded gravely.
Jiang Ci slowly lifted his eyelids to look at her. Up close, he could discern her delicate white cheeks illuminated by the soft light. He asked lazily, “Are you performing? What are you performing?”
“The show is about The Poison Queen and Princess Heiyue,” Su Yue replied, popping a fried shrimp ball into her mouth. “I play the old witch in it.”
Jiang Ci cast a cold glance at her small face, so white one yearned to pinch it. “Old witch?” he sneered. “The person who chose you has excellent discernment.”
“Is a witch a bad person?” Xiao Haohao asked with wide eyes.
“Yes,” Su Yue said, tilting her delicate chin. “Even if I am a bad person, I am the most beautiful bad person.”
Jiang Ci snorted, his gaze fixed on the bright, white, scarless right side of her face, and for once, he offered no rebuttal.
“So, are you coming?” Su Yue pressed.
Jiang Ci’s lips twitched. “Go and see how ugly you are playing?”
“You’re ugly,” Su Yue retorted, glaring at him. “Besides, I won’t necessarily be on stage.”
“Boring. Don’t go,” Jiang Ci said, lowering his head to eat.
Su Yue took a golden shrimp ball and placed it in Jiang Ci’s bowl. “If you go, I’ll make you a mango cake.”
Jiang Ci raised his eyebrows disdainfully, offering no response.
The roles for the upcoming anniversary sketch were unconventional. The person playing Princess Heiyue was a burly boy, who, despite not yet donning a princess dress, radiated joy. The prince was portrayed by a beautiful girl, and the seven dwarfs were also played by girls, Jin Mingyuan among them. The role of the Poison Queen was given to Guan Jun, who, with his fair and clean appearance, smiled shyly at Su Yue, who played the old witch, completely lacking any queenly malice.
During rehearsals, everyone was stunned. Despite wearing a mask, Su Yue’s demeanor and her throaty voice perfectly embodied the old witch. Compared to her, the others’ performances seemed like a mere jest. “Yueyue, you truly belong to this role,” Jin Mingyuan declared after rehearsal, patting Su Yue’s shoulder as they left the classroom. Su Yue, she noted, only needed one run-through to pass, spending the rest of the time observing them. “You seemed to only read the lines a few times, how did you remember them all at once?” Jin Mingyuan marveled. And she had played them so vividly.
Su Yue recalled the thick stacks of scripts and lines from her past, sometimes over ten pages. Now, a few sentences were nothing. “I have a good memory.”
Jin Mingyuan pouted and sighed. “I don’t know whether to praise you for your good acting skills or to say that you have the potential to be an old witch.”
Su Yue simply looked at her. “Are you jealous ?” she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Just then, a series of faint barks, small and milky, drifted from ahead.
“Is there a dog barking ahead?” Jin Mingyuan paused, listening intently.
“It seems to be. Is it in the haystack?” Su Yue pointed not far away.
Jin Mingyuan, with little interest in animals, dismissed it. “It’s probably just a stray that wandered onto campus. Let’s go, let’s go.”
Su Yue and Jin Mingyuan continued forward, but as they passed the haystack, the barking intensified, sounding somewhat mournful.
“Mingyuan, wait a minute, I’ll go take a look.” Su Yue couldn’t help but stop.
Jin Mingyuan watched her friend walk towards the haystack, surprised. In the past, Su Yue had been just like her, finding these animals annoying. Why had she suddenly become so compassionate?
Su Yue bypassed the rose bush planted in front and walked behind the rose tree. There, in the grass, she saw a white-haired Shar Pei dog, its forehead creased with folds, lying on its stomach, whimpering and barking softly. Seeing her, the puppy weakly lifted its head, its deep folds accentuating its sad expression, and barked a few more times.
“What an ugly dog,” Jin Mingyuan remarked, peering over. The little Shar Pei was wrinkled all over, and she immediately found it repulsive.
“What’s so ugly? It’s so cute.” Compared to other delicate, pretty pet dogs, Su Yue preferred the Shar Pei. Its clumsy cuteness, its head covered in wrinkles, made it look perpetually sad, yet inexplicably endearing and humorous. Su Yue looked down at it, only to discover that one of its heels was covered in dried blood. She didn’t know how long it had been injured. “Its foot is injured. It probably can’t move, so it’s too hungry to even bark loudly.”
“Ah? Injured?” Jin Mingyuan glanced at the dog’s foot. “It can’t move. It’s going to starve to death here.”
Su Yue looked at her, puzzled. “How could it starve to death? We’ll just feed it.” She gently touched the puppy’s head. “Do you want to come with me?” The Shar Pei stared blankly at Su Yue with its small eyes and barked weakly.
“Yueyue, do you want to keep it?” Jin Mingyuan looked at her in disbelief. “You never liked cats and dogs before, and this dog is so ugly. You usually want a noble breed.”
When Su Yue saw that the puppy didn’t resist her touch, a look of joy spread across her face. She had always wanted a Shar Pei, but her demanding schedule of announcements had never allowed for a pet. Now, an unexpected chance presented itself. “I like this puppy. Is it a stray dog? I’ll take it to the vet first.”
“What?” Jin Mingyuan watched, astonished, as Su Yue carefully picked up the dog. “Yueyue, be careful, it might bite…” Before she could finish her warning, the Shar Pei had already settled obediently in Su Yue’s arms. It even rubbed its wrinkled head against Su Yue’s hand.
By the time they returned to Xiaoyanglou, the sky had fully darkened, and it was evident that Jiang Ci and Jiang Haoyan had already finished their meal.
“You’re back,” Xiao Haohao chirped, playing with a toy car. Seeing Su Yue, his bright eyes lit up.
Jiang Ci, who had been lounging lazily in his chair, slowly lifted his eyes and glanced at Su Yue, his face devoid of expression—a clear sign of his displeasure at her late return.
Su Yue met his gaze, as if offering an explanation. “Well, I was delayed by a little thing.” She gently stroked the puppy in her arms. Its injured leg was bandaged, and she had ensured it received vaccinations, a process that had consumed a considerable amount of time.
Looking at the small head peeking out from Su Yue’s arms, Xiao Haohao abandoned his toy car, pushing himself up with his hands, and scampered towards Su Yue. He stood on tiptoe, his excited expression radiating curiosity. “Is this a puppy?”
“Yeah, it was injured. I picked it up and brought it back.”
“Haohao wants to see it, Haohao wants to see it!” He stood on tiptoe, practically vibrating with excitement. “Can Haohao have a look?”
Su Yue squatted down, allowing him to examine the Shar Pei in her arms. “The puppy is very good, but it’s a little dirty. After I bathe it, you can play with it.”
“Then can I touch it?”
“Okay,” Su Yue smiled.
“Su Yue!” The sudden, cold fury in Jiang Ci’s voice cut through the air. It had been a long time since she had heard that chilling tone. Su Yue’s hand, holding the puppy, trembled. She looked at Jiang Ci resentfully. “What’s wrong? What’s the issue ? You scared me.”
“You came back late and brought back a dog,” Jiang Ci said, his face cold, the scar on the left side of his face appearing even more hideous under the dim light.
Su Yue was momentarily stunned. She walked over with the dog and explained, “I saw it injured at school, so I took it to be treated.”
At close range, Jiang Ci could clearly see the ugly, clumsy dog nestled in Su Yue’s arms. He uttered with profound disgust, “So, you didn’t even eat for such an ugly dog?”
“I’ll have someone deliver the meal later,” Su Yue retorted, looking at his displeased face. “Jiang Ci, don’t you like this dog?”
Jiang Ci’s lips twitched, and he spoke in a gloomy tone. “Do I want to like it? Dogs are not allowed here.”
“Why?” Hearing this, Su Yue frowned. The puppy in her arms seemed to cower, frightened by Jiang Ci, and barked a little uneasily. Su Yue quickly lowered her head and stroked its head comfortingly, whispering, “Don’t be afraid. Are you hungry? I’ll find something to feed you later.”
“Su Yue!” Jiang Ci gritted his teeth, his jaw tight. This was the first time she had so blatantly ignored him.
Anger value: 30. The familiar headache throbbed, and the internal bell chimed. Su Yue instinctively pursed her lips. His anger value had suddenly shot to 30. How could Jiang Ci be so furious?
“Throw it out,” Jiang Ci’s dark eyes stared indifferently at the dog in Su Yue’s arms. “Dogs are not allowed here.”
“No, it’s injured. If you throw it out like this, it will starve to death.” Su Yue hugged the puppy tightly, lowering her eyes. “Besides, I like this dog too.”
Xiao Haohao stood there in a daze, watching his father and Su Yue argue, his big eyes wide. Haohao likes puppies too.
“I don’t want it. You can think for yourself,” Jiang Ci snorted coldly, closing his eyes, refusing any further communication with Su Yue.
Su Yue frowned. Why did Jiang Ci have such a strong aversion to this dog? He didn’t dislike small animals; there was even a coriander in the house.
As night deepened, Su Yue made a simple bed in the utility room and placed the puppy there temporarily. She comforted it. “Be good, don’t bark. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Returning to the room, Su Yue found Jiang Ci had already showered and was lying on the large bed. He wore black pajamas, his back to her, radiating an icy aura that demanded distance. The headache and the ringing bells echoing in her mind had not subsided; Jiang Ci was still consumed by anger. Su Yue went to the bathroom to shower.
When she emerged, she found Jiang Ci still in the same sleeping position, utterly motionless. Releasing her tied hair, Su Yue walked over slowly, sitting on the bed. “Jiang Ci…”
“Where’s the dog?” Jiang Ci’s cold voice interrupted her, sharp and sudden.
Su Yue felt a pang of guilt. She whispered, “In the utility room. I promise, it won’t disturb you.”
Jiang Ci snorted coldly. He turned around, picked up Su Yue’s pillow, and threw it at her. “Go to sleep on the sofa.”
“Why?” She clutched the pillow, her black eyes glistening with moist light. “I don’t want to sleep on the sofa; it’s narrow and small…”
Before she could finish, Jiang Ci suddenly sat up. He took his dark grey pillow and rose from the bed. “You don’t sleep, I’ll sleep. Anyway, if you don’t get rid of that ugly dog, don’t try to sleep with me.”
Su Yue stared at Jiang Ci, astonishment etched on her face. He, with his long legs, had somehow curled his body to lie on the sofa, looking utterly aggrieved. The room fell silent once more.
On the large bed, Su Yue turned sideways, facing the direction of the sofa. Jiang Ci’s eyes were closed; she couldn’t tell if he was asleep. She gradually closed her own eyes, deciding that if Jiang Ci truly disliked the dog, she would send it to a cat and dog rescue station or a pet store to find a loving owner once its legs healed.
In the dark night, the moonlight was blocked by clouds, and only warm lights illuminated the room, casting a dim glow.
Jiang Ci opened his eyes, his hands folded on the pillow, his face expressionless. The moment he lay on the sofa, he regretted it. Why should he give up the bed and lie on the sofa? He wasn’t the one who had done wrong. Su Yue hadn’t discarded the ugly dog. Did she want the dog to drive him away? In Su Yue’s eyes, was he less valuable than a dog?
A tight knot formed in Jiang Ci’s chest, and his dark eyes hardened with a hint of hostility.
Anger value: 35. On the big bed, Su Yue’s eyes suddenly flew open. A headache throbbed, and the bell rang persistently in her head. She hadn’t fallen asleep at all.
“Jiang Ci.”
“Shut up, go to bed. I don’t want to hear you mention that dog. I didn’t kill it directly; I’m already very kind,” Jiang Ci said impatiently.
Su Yue pursed her lips, her soft voice remarkably clear in the quiet night. “If you don’t like that dog, I’ll send it away when its legs are healed. Don’t compare yourself to that dog. How could it be comparable to you?” Although she liked the dog, Jiang Ci’s feelings mattered more.
Jiang Ci closed his eyes and remained silent. He hated dogs; nothing elicited more hatred from him than dogs. The dogs that had dared to steal his food in his memory, oh, they had all met their end at his hands. Now, a dog was attempting to steal Su Yue from him? He would never allow it.