Chi Zhan played with Dabai for a while, gradually noticing that the dog kept glancing toward the door—as if waiting, hoping his owner would show up and join in the fun.
“Dogs need love from their owners more than anything,” the staff member commented, smiling as she watched how affectionate Dabai was toward Chi Zhan. “You can’t neglect them for too long, or they’ll get really sad. If possible, maybe let him video call his owner?”
What did the dog do wrong? He was innocent.
Chi Zhan snapped a few photos of Dabai and, after a pause, pulled Chu Xingxiao out of his blacklist and sent the pictures.
Chu Xingxiao replied almost instantly: Gege, did you go see Dabai? Is he doing okay?
Chi Zhan hesitated for a moment before responding: He misses you a lot. Do you want to video call him?
He initiated the video call and pointed the screen at Dabai. Chu Xingxiao appeared, and before he could even say anything, Dabai let out a happy bark and began panting excitedly.
Just seeing his owner made him light up with joy.
Chi Zhan couldn’t help but smile.
Even after Dabai had his fill and flopped onto the floor to play with a ball of yarn, Chi Zhan didn’t hang up the call.
“Gege, thank you for visiting Dabai,” Chu Xingxiao said, then added pleadingly, “Can I see you too? I miss you so much.”
“No. I’m still mad at you.”
“What do I have to do to make you forgive me?” Chu Xingxiao coaxed, his tone syrupy and low. “Want to tie me up, Gege? Like I did to you…”
Startled, Chi Zhan quickly turned down the call volume so the shop staff wouldn’t overhear anything scandalous. In a hushed voice, he warned: “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Chu Xingxiao sounded pitiful, clinging to the limited view of Chi Zhan’s profile on the screen, but no matter how much he looked, it wasn’t enough.
It had only been one day since they parted, and he already missed him like crazy.
“I really know I was wrong.” His voice grew stickier, practically dragging on the syllables as he promised, “I’ll never do it again. Please forgive me?”
Just then, the store’s door sensor chimed with a mechanical “Welcome.”
A new customer had entered.
At first, Chi Zhan didn’t pay much attention, still mulling over how to reply to Chu Xingxiao. But then he heard the staff’s voice:
“Mr. Cen, we just got a new batch of cat food in today. It smells great, and all the cats love it. You should let Meow-Meow try it.”
The surname Cen wasn’t common.
Chi Zhan turned his head—and met Cen Chi’s gaze. The man stood there in a black overcoat, umbrella in hand, dripping rainwater onto the thick carpet below. His skin was pale, refined, and just as handsome and scholarly as ever.
“Ah-Zhan?” Cen Chi clearly hadn’t expected to see him here. “Is it raining that hard outside? Did you come in to take shelter?”
“No, I came to check on a friend’s pet,” Chi Zhan replied, shaking his head.
Following his line of sight, Cen Chi noticed the snow-white Samoyed lying comfortably nearby, basking in the attention as Chi Zhan stroked its fur.
Long, fair fingers combed slowly through the soft, fluffy coat.
Cen Chi smiled.
“What a cute dog. I saw it here the other day too. This friend of yours… someone I know?”
Chi Zhan hesitated, unsure whether to answer. But at that moment, Chu Xingxiao’s voice suddenly rang out from the phone:
“Gege, what’s wrong?”
When Cen Chi had entered, Chi Zhan had turned the phone face down, making the screen go dark. Chu Xingxiao thought something had happened and had nearly called the police—until he heard a voice. A familiar, infuriating voice.
…That so-called gentlemanly doctor who was anything but.
Why the hell was he here too?
A guy like that—he actually kept pets?
Chi Zhan turned the phone slightly.
“It’s nothing. Since you’ve seen Dabai, I’m going to hang up now.”
Cen Chi gave a faint smile.
“Did I interrupt something?”
“No. We were already wrapping up.”
“Ge—” Chu Xingxiao didn’t get to finish. The call cut off with a series of flat beep beep beeps.
In the final seconds before the video ended—intentionally or not—Cen Chi glanced toward the camera and silently mouthed a phrase to the man on the other end: “He’s mine.”
“……”
He knew it. That damned doctor was up to no good.
He must’ve stalked Chi Zhan on purpose, then pretended the meeting was just a coincidence. What a scheming bastard!
…Completely forgetting, of course, that he himself was the one who’d spent weeks investigating just to arrange a fake “coincidence,” eventually moving in next door to Chi Zhan. The pot was very much calling the kettle black.
***
After hanging up, Chi Zhan said nothing. Cen Chi merely smiled, made no mention of the call, and turned to the shop assistant to ask about cat food.
“This one’s great for kittens,” the clerk said. “The one Meow-Meow usually eats is out of stock for now, but this brand is a good substitute.”
Cen Chi examined the packaging carefully, asking questions from time to time. Chi Zhan glanced outside—the rain was still pouring, and only getting heavier. He gave up on the idea of leaving, at least for now.
There was a small seating area inside the pet shop with round, cozy tables. The staff brought over a drink. Chi Zhan sat down, and Dabai followed him over, curling up insistently at his feet, refusing to leave. He was just like his owner—clingy as hell.
But impossible to stay mad at.
Cen Chi, having paid, didn’t leave either. He sat across from Chi Zhan.
Chi Zhan hadn’t forgotten the last thing Cen Chi said—that he didn’t mind Chi Zhan having two boyfriends. They hadn’t contacted each other since then.
The store clerk returned to her post, typing away at her computer, quietly leaving them their privacy.
Chi Zhan felt a bit uncomfortable. He tried to hide it, lifting the cup and taking a sip, his fingers resting on the rim without a word. Cen Chi stayed silent too.
Outside, the rain thundered against the eaves, wind rattling the door and jingling the little chimes hanging outside.
Cen Chi picked up a dog toy, apparently trying to play with Dabai. But the usually friendly, affectionate pup didn’t so much as glance at him. He simply laid his head against Chi Zhan’s foot, licking his shin contentedly, completely ignoring Cen Chi’s attempts.
