IMPGS Chapter 67

He admitted that he did it on purpose.

When He An mentioned the puppy earlier, the first thing that came to Xiao Cheng’s mind was Luo Jingshu’s face.

Wasn’t that exactly the puppy he was planning to raise?

When Luo Jingshu saw this message, he immediately sent several question marks, then seemed to realize something, and pitifully asked him:

[Is it really a puppy?]

Xiao Cheng suddenly realized the fun of teasing him. Wasn’t this how Luo Jingshu used to tease him before?

[Not necessarily, depends on the situation.]

He left a vague reply and then put away his phone, seemingly not concerned with what the other person would say next, but the slight smile at the corner of his lips betrayed him.

Hearing the continuous “ding” from Xiao Cheng’s phone, Xiao Ziyue couldn’t help but hiss and move a little closer to him.

“Brother, do you have something going on again?!”

Xiao Cheng snapped out of his thoughts, straightened his lips, which had been slightly curved up, and gave Xiao Ziyue a serious look.

“What?”

Xiao Ziyue pouted, “Who’s messaging you? It’s so frequent, like they’re haunting you.”

Could it be the twins in the backseat?

No, probably not.

They could do such a thing, but Xiao Cheng wouldn’t react like this.

At first, Xiao Ziyue was indeed irritated by the twins’ behavior of vying for attention, but then she realized that her brother didn’t seem very enthusiastic.

She figured that her brother still cared most about her.

If the messages really came from the twins, Xiao Cheng wouldn’t be smiling so happily.

Xiao Ziyue had a hard time describing Xiao Cheng’s expression. He didn’t smile openly, but his lips were slightly curved, and if you didn’t pay attention, you could easily miss the subtle upward arc. But the overall feeling was that he was smiling and in a very good mood—like spring had arrived.

Xiao Ziyue mentally compared it, then quickly muttered a few “tsk tsk”s. How could she think of her brother like that?

“It’s a group message,” Xiao Cheng turned the phone screen back on in front of Xiao Ziyue, muting the phone, and the “dinging” stopped immediately.

“Oh.”

She didn’t quite believe it.

Xiao Ziyue thought for a moment but still felt unsure. “You have to tell me if you’re dating.”

She wasn’t trying to interfere with her brother’s love life, just didn’t want Xiao Cheng to hide things from her.

They were family; she wouldn’t mess things up, so why couldn’t he tell her?

Xiao Ziyue was still affected by Xiao Cheng’s previous behavior. She had no idea when her brother started dating, nor did she know his girlfriend was Luo Jingshu. It wasn’t until after they broke up that she found out they’d been together for two months.

Xiao Ziyue felt left out.

There wasn’t much of an age difference between her and Xiao Cheng. They grew up together, and since Xiao Cheng always spoiled her and let her have her way, Xiao Ziyue had a subconscious sense of possessiveness toward him.

She didn’t want her brother to forget about her once he had a wife.

Even if her place in Xiao Cheng’s heart wasn’t as important as his wife’s, at least she didn’t want to be treated like an outsider, not told anything.

Xiao Cheng turned to look at Xiao Ziyue. Although she said it jokingly, her expression was serious, and it was clear that she meant what she said.

“Okay, I won’t hide anything from you.”

Xiao Cheng promised her.

But this time, he wasn’t really lying to Xiao Ziyue. For the time being, he had no intention of getting back together with Luo Jingshu.

Xiao Ziyue breathed a sigh of relief and quickly changed the topic. “Brother, didn’t you say before that you also wanted to raise a little dog?”

“Hmm?” Xiao Cheng certainly didn’t remember when he said that.

It was just something he had casually mentioned before, so it was normal that he didn’t remember. Xiao Ziyue didn’t suspect anything.

“When I said I wanted to raise a dog, you said you also wanted a well-behaved puppy,” Xiao Ziyue said, now curious.

“Why don’t you buy one too later?”

Xiao Cheng rubbed his forehead. “Ziyue, raising a pet isn’t that simple.”

“A pet needs not only care for its life but also the owner’s companionship.”

His face was serious, but his tone wasn’t harsh. “After all, it’s a living being. Before raising it, one must think it through carefully.”

“Look at how many people impulsively get pets and then abandon them for various reasons.”

Xiao Ziyue thought about it and realized it was true. The excitement faded, and she remembered He An’s previous advice and the words her mother had said before agreeing to get her a puppy.

She had promised He An that it wasn’t just a fleeting impulse.

“I understand, Brother,” she said, shaking Xiao Cheng’s sleeve. “I won’t do it impulsively.”

Xiao Cheng smiled, “I’m not angry. I just want to tell you that you have to think carefully before doing anything. Don’t act on impulse.”

He said that, but he felt a bit guilty because, in reality, he could also be impulsive.

Everyone understands the logic, but actually following through with it is a different matter.

Xiao Ziyue wanted a Golden Retriever because they were gentle and intelligent.

Her first choice had originally been a Border Collie, but after hearing from someone that these dogs are too intelligent, and if the owner isn’t smart enough, they might end up being disliked by the dog, Xiao Ziyue gave up on that idea.

As soon as they entered the pet store, Xiao Ziyue was immediately dazzled by all the fluffy little dogs.

She was overwhelmed and thought every single one was cute and clever.

“Raising a dog is about finding a good match. You pick one,” Xiao Cheng told her to choose for herself while he wandered around the store.

The store was very clean, and the puppies in their cages looked healthy.

Xiao Cheng stood in front of a Papillon, pressing his finger against the glass. The puppy immediately came up to him.

“Brother Cheng, do you want a dog too?” Xiao Yixi, who wasn’t particularly interested in pets, couldn’t help but smile seeing all the cute animals.

“No,” Xiao Cheng casually teased, behaving like a heartless playboy, leaving the Papillon behind to interact with an Alaskan Malamute.

“You can hold it,” the staff smiled and pointed to the Malamute. “Just wear the gloves.”

To avoid spreading bacteria, the store requires gloves to be worn when touching pets.

Xiao Cheng wasn’t planning to buy one, and was about to decline when the staff enthusiastically said, “It’s okay, you don’t need to buy anything. You can hold these cute animals. They’re very friendly and love interacting with people.”

Xiao Cheng put on the gloves and let the staff bring the Malamute over, placing it in his arms.

The soft little puppy eagerly snuggled up against his clothes, and even though Xiao Cheng was wearing gloves, he could feel the softness of its fur.

His body stiffened, holding the puppy for a while without daring to move. The little dog wiggled around in his arms, even trying to nudge its nose against Xiao Cheng’s chin.

“Brother Cheng!” Xiao Yixi struggled to hold back his laughter, his facial muscles twitching.

Brother Cheng was so cute, trying to get close but not daring to make any big moves.

“Brother Cheng, don’t be nervous,” Xiao Yinan also couldn’t stop laughing. “It’s very well-behaved, you can pet its head.”

Xiao Cheng carefully petted the puppy’s head. The little one was very excited and playful, even trying to bite Xiao Cheng’s fingers.

Xiao Cheng quickly moved his hand away. “Don’t bite, it’s dirty.”

He spoke softly, gently, like he was comforting a child.

Xiao Yixi couldn’t resist and pulled out his phone, taking a few pictures of Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Yinan, on the other hand, used his finger to tease the puppy in Xiao Cheng’s arms. Although they weren’t particularly fond of pets, both he and Xiao Yixi were willing to appreciate them if Xiao Cheng liked them.

“Brother Cheng, do you like it?”

Xiao Yinan said gentler than usual, “How about I give it to you?”

Xiao Cheng shook his head. “I don’t have time to take care of it.”

Xiao Cheng would be going to City A for work in a few days. After returning, school would start, and pets weren’t allowed in their dormitory. That meant he wouldn’t be able to take care of the puppy for at least six months, with only weekends available to go home.

The puppy was just over two months old now. By the time Xiao Cheng’s summer vacation came in June, the puppy would already be over eight months old.

If the puppy was compared to a person, he would have missed out on its childhood.

That was not what Xiao Cheng wanted.

Xiao Yinan didn’t think about it as much. In his view, if you like something, you should just buy it, never leaving any regrets behind.

Although Xiao Cheng had his own thoughts, Xiao Yinan didn’t quite understand, but he supported him.

Xiao Cheng returned the puppy, and Xiao Ziyue had finally picked out her ideal pet.

She had indeed chosen a little Golden Retriever.

Xiao Ziyue listened carefully to the staff’s explanation about dog care, completely ignoring the others.

Xiao Cheng stood to the side and pulled out his phone.

He opened WeChat and immediately saw the photos that Xiao Yixi had sent.

The photos were taken when Xiao Cheng was holding the puppy. Xiao Yixi’s photography skills weren’t bad, and with Xiao Cheng being good-looking, the photos had a warm, beautiful feel to them, almost the level of wallpaper material.

Xiao Cheng picked one and posted it to his Moments.

He didn’t block anyone, so after a few minutes, he received likes and comments from many friends.

This was one of the things Xiao Cheng regretted.

He could tell from the number of friends on his WeChat that he used to be quite popular, but he couldn’t quite remember the details.

The last time he went back to his old school, he ran into several juniors who seemed to like him. It wasn’t romantic love, but more of an admiration for the excellent senior.

Xiao Cheng also remembered that his photo was still hanging on the “Outstanding Graduates” board, which made him think he must have been quite impressive in the past.

He scrolled through the comments.

In addition to the usual friends, Xie Zhao also commented on his post.

Sometimes, Xiao Cheng wondered if Xie Zhao was always watching his phone because he was quick to like and comment on his posts.

And surprisingly, Bai Yiheng had commented as well.

For some reason, Xiao Cheng felt a bit embarrassed, almost like being caught by the boss while playing during work hours, even though it wasn’t work time.

He replied to all the comments, except for Luo Jingshu’s.

This person never takes anything seriously. While others either complimented the puppy’s cuteness or asked if he was choosing a pet, Luo Jingshu’s comment was the simplest—and the one that bothered Xiao Cheng the most.

Because he simply commented: [Woof.]

It almost seemed like he was trying to provoke unnecessary thoughts.

Xie Zhao, who had Luo Jingshu’s WeChat, could also see the comment Luo Jingshu left for Xiao Cheng.

Since the two of them broke up, Xiao Cheng had hardly replied to Luo Jingshu’s messages, which Xie Zhao wasn’t surprised by.

However, What made him uneasy was that after all this time, Xiao Cheng still hadn’t deleted Luo Jingshu’s contact.

They hadn’t parted on good terms, and Xiao Cheng even harbored hatred toward Luo Jingshu. Given their current relationship, it was impossible for them to be friends.

So why hadn’t Xiao Cheng deleted Luo Jingshu from his contacts?

There was no way he had just forgotten.

Xie Zhao mentally braced himself for the worst—could it be that Xiao Cheng was considering forgiving Luo Jingshu?

He sent Xiao Cheng a private message, asking when he would be free.

By the time Xiao Cheng received the message, they had already bought the pet supplies and were getting ready to leave.

[Xiao Cheng: Senior, is there something you need?]

His tone was polite and distant.

Xie Zhao replied: [I’d like to see you. I have a New Year’s gift for you.]

Xiao Cheng was a bit startled and instinctively wanted to decline.

He hadn’t prepared a New Year’s gift for Xie Zhao, and besides, their relationship didn’t seem close enough for something like that.

[Xie Zhao: It’s not anything expensive. I’ve had it prepared for a long time.]

Xiao Cheng, wanting to decline, hesitated for a moment but silently deleted the message.

Since Xie Zhao had already said that, rejecting him seemed a bit harsh.

[When will you be free, Senior?]

Xie Zhao mentioned he was free anytime and could meet whenever.

Xiao Cheng thought about his schedule. In addition to returning to the apartment with Luo Jingshu, his high school classmates had organized a reunion.

Though Xiao Cheng had no memory of his high school days, he still wanted to attend the reunion. He hoped it might trigger something in his brain, and maybe he would remember some details.

Both events were scheduled for tomorrow, so Xiao Cheng arranged to meet Xie Zhao the day after.

Having a puppy at home had definitely made things livelier.

Xiao Cheng really liked the little Golden Retriever and had taken a lot of photos of it.

He wanted to share these cute puppy pictures with someone, and after looking around, he realized that only Luo Jingshu was the right person.

There had also been Jiang Zihe, but Xiao Cheng wasn’t sure what he had been busy with lately. It was possible that he was caught up with New Year’s visits. They only maintained basic communication these days, and Jiang Zihe rarely replied to messages during the day.

Xiao Cheng sent Luo Jingshu over ten photos of the Golden Retriever in one go, without saying a word.

Luo Jingshu now viewed the dog like a rival. The puppy had taken Xiao Cheng’s affection and occupied his place.

[Luo Jingshu: Brother Cheng, isn’t this puppy hard to take care of?]

[I heard puppies are very noisy and fragile.]

Xiao Cheng also thought the puppy was lively, but didn’t find it fragile.

But then again, it was normal for cute animals to be a little delicate, since pets are usually pampered.

[Xiao Cheng: I don’t think so. It’s pretty cute.]

It seemed like he was hinting at something. He even replied: [A well-behaved puppy is loveable.]

Luo Jingshu must have been irritated by this response because he didn’t reply for a while, but Xiao Cheng didn’t pay much attention.

After being ambushed by Xiao Yixi last night, Xiao Cheng had learned to lock his door. He used to think his family wouldn’t barge into his room unexpectedly, so he never made it a habit.

But now, he was genuinely scared.

Xiao Yixi wasn’t quite normal and might just barge in after a few knocks.

That lady’s camisole had left a psychological scar on Xiao Cheng.

Fortunately, the twins hadn’t caused any trouble tonight. After finishing his evening routine, Xiao Cheng was about to go to bed and checked his WeChat one last time before sleeping.

People in his high school class group were still chatting about tomorrow’s gathering. Xiao Cheng had made a mental note of everyone’s names and faces so he wouldn’t forget them tomorrow.

At first, the conversation was just about fun topics, but eventually, someone brought up Xiao Cheng.

[Will Xiao Cheng be coming tomorrow?]

Xiao Cheng was quietly reading the messages, ready to reply when someone else jumped in and answered for him.

[Yes, he’ll be there.]

The person who had asked initially added: [I heard Xiao Cheng is in a relationship now. Maybe he can bring his girlfriend along.]

No one spoke again, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Xiao Cheng read the message several times, unable to figure out what the person meant.

Unfortunately, he had no memory of his past relationship with this person and wasn’t sure how to respond to the comment.

After a moment, it seemed like the person realized the awkward tension and added another message: [Wasn’t there a lot of people who liked him in high school? Everyone should at least see who got to steal their idol.]

An uncomfortable feeling rushed over Xiao Cheng.

He frowned, wondering if this person had some past grievance with him or if this was just their way of speaking.

Before Xiao Cheng could respond, someone retorted:

[Mind your business. If you’re so curious, just ask Xiao Cheng yourself.]

That person stopped talking after that.

Xiao Cheng’s previously lighthearted mood suddenly darkened, and he realized that maybe he wasn’t as well-liked as he had thought. There were always people who disliked him.

That was normal, of course—it’s impossible to only receive positive feelings from others.

What Xiao Cheng was worried about was offending someone without realizing it.

If he’d known, he wouldn’t have opened WeChat before bed.

Rubbing his temples, Xiao Cheng was about to log off and turn off his phone when he suddenly received another message.

It was from Luo Jingshu.

Xiao Cheng felt a headache coming on.

He hesitated for a moment between opening it or ignoring it. Seeing that Luo Jingshu had sent a photo, he decided to open it.

A few seconds later, he regretted his decision.

Luo Jingshu was definitely not a serious person.

The content of the photo left Xiao Cheng stunned.

The entire photo had a dark blue hue, and Luo Jingshu’s face was bathed in a mysterious, seductive light, making his already striking face appear even more alluring.

He tilted his head back, eyes half-closed, gazing at the camera with a dreamy look. His soft lips parted slightly, revealing the tip of his tongue.

The angle of his head exposed his neck, which was adorned with a black leather collar, fitting snugly just below his Adam’s apple.

What shocked Xiao Cheng the most was that the collar had a bell attached, as if it would ring at any moment.

Additionally, there was a golden chain hanging from the bell, its end extending out of the frame, provoking countless speculations.

Xiao Cheng couldn’t see the entire chain, but he could imagine its other end held by Luo Jingshu’s hand, like a dog leash.

Luo Jingshu’s clothes were neat—a light blue sweatshirt, with a decorative grape-shaped accessory on the hood.

While not much skin was exposed, an undeniable sense of raw desire forced Xiao Cheng to pull his phone away from his face.

He sent several question marks, but still felt they didn’t adequately express his shock.

[Luo Jingshu: Does Brother Cheng not like it?]

It wasn’t a matter of liking or not, Xiao Cheng replied, [Do you think this is appropriate?]

Wasn’t Luo Jingshu embarrassed to send such a photo to his ex?

[Luo Jingshu: You said you liked an obedient puppy.]

He then sent a video.

Xiao Cheng, almost against his will, clicked on it. The first sound he heard was the bell jingling, just as he had imagined. The bell rang crisply.

He slapped his hands over his eyes, took a deep breath, and then quickly exited the video.

[Xiao Cheng: I meant a real dog.]

Luo Jingshu was no different from a real dog.

[Luo Jingshu: I can be very obedient. Brother Cheng tells me to do something, and I’ll do it.]

[Luo Jingshu: The puppy misses his owner.]

Xiao Cheng suddenly understood that when Luo Jingshu was with him before, he had been holding back.

He used to think Luo Jingshu was innocent.

He’d been blind all along.

He mistook a pervert for an innocent boy.

[Xiao Cheng: I don’t keep hooligan dogs.]

He cleared his throat and noticed his face had turned red when his fingers touched his cheek.

Xiao Cheng cursed himself for not having thicker skin.

He was a giant in thought, but a child in action. He could think of things, but he couldn’t bring himself to look when faced with Luo Jingshu’s advances.

He remembered how calm he had been the first time he saw Luo Jingshu without a shirt, but now, it was impossible.

He speculated that back then, he didn’t know Luo Jingshu’s true nature. Even though he had seen Luo Jingshu shirtless, he didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts.

Moreover, Luo Jingshu had not been an adult at the time.

In the end, it was still Luo Jingshu’s fault…

Luo Jingshu seemed a little aggrieved: [I’m not a pervert. I’m like this only with Brother Cheng.]

He immediately sent a voice message.

His low voice, tinged with heavy breathing, said: “Only for Brother Cheng, I’ll be a good dog.”

Xiao Cheng: ??

What “good dog”?

Xiao Cheng typed and deleted several responses, before finally replying: [I never said I wanted to keep you.]

But his attitude had clearly softened.

Although Xiao Cheng had never explicitly stated it, Luo Jingshu could feel the change in his tone.

The most obvious sign was that before, Xiao Cheng would never reply to his messages, let alone indulge him.

[Luo Jingshu: Before getting a dog, you have to inspect it. I’m showing you my advantages.]

[I’m young, healthy, and strong.]

Xiao Cheng: …

[Pah!]

He angrily typed “going to sleep” and quickly exited WeChat, turning off his phone to ensure Luo Jingshu wouldn’t have another chance to speak.

After seeing such strange things before bed, Xiao Cheng didn’t sleep well all night. It felt like he had a beautiful dream that he couldn’t remember upon waking.

He had two dark circles under his eyes when he went downstairs, where the twins caught him.

“Brother Cheng, you didn’t sleep well?” Xiao Yixi asked, leaning in. “It must be because I wasn’t around to keep you company.”

Xiao Cheng glared at him but didn’t respond.

Xiao Yinan also came over, looking at Xiao Cheng’s clothes. “Are you going out?”

“Yeah.”

Xiao Yixi rubbed his hands together, excited. “Can I come with you?”

“I promise I won’t cause trouble!”

Xiao Cheng took a sip of milk, and after swallowing, slowly replied, “Sorry, it’s probably not convenient.”

“Why?” Xiao Yixi’s smile vanished, and he stared at Xiao Cheng’s face. “Who are you going out with?”

Xiao Cheng kept him guessing, not saying anything at first. After the two brothers grew impatient, he finally whispered, “Luo Jingshu.”

Xiao Yixi: “What?!”

He reacted strongly, almost jumping out of his seat. “You’re going out with your ex?!”

Xiao Cheng quickly pulled on his shirt, saying, “Calm down!”

Fortunately, no one else was around, and only the butler heard Xiao Yixi’s words.

Xiao Cheng had expected him to be unhappy, but he hadn’t anticipated this level of intensity.

“Why are you going out with him?”

“On a date?”

“Getting back together?”

Xiao Yixi spoke quickly, his voice filled with the agitation of a jealous husband.

“No.”

Xiao Cheng grabbed his hand. “Sit down first.”

Xiao Yinan remained calm. He finally remembered what Xiao Cheng had said earlier, and asked in a low voice, “Are you going to your apartment with him?”

Xiao Cheng glanced at him. “Yeah.”

Xiao Yixi grew even angrier. “So it’s just the two of you alone in a room?! What if something happens…”

“No, you have to come with me!”

Xiao Yixi grabbed Xiao Cheng’s sleeve. “I have to be there to keep an eye on it.”

Xiao Cheng regretted teasing him earlier. He just wanted to rile up the twins, since they didn’t like Luo Jingshu.

…But their reactions were even more exaggerated than he expected, and it gave Xiao Cheng a headache.

“This isn’t appropriate.”

He wasn’t really going out on a date.

Xiao Yixi’s eyes turned red with anger. “What’s inappropriate?”

Xiao Cheng refused to relent, and after some back-and-forth, he forcefully pulled away from him and got into the car, leaving in haste.

Teasing the twins was risky—he wouldn’t do it again next time.

After he left, Xiao Yixi’s expression completely darkened.

“What now?” he asked Xiao Yinan.

Xiao Yinan gave him a sidelong glance. “If Brother Cheng isn’t bringing you, you can figure it out yourself.”

Xiao Yixi’s eyes lit up. “Let’s secretly follow them?”

Xiao Yinan slightly nodded, agreeing with the suggestion.

After all, they couldn’t let Brother Cheng be alone with that wild man.