Chapter 19: Big Brother, Am I a Good Puppy? Huo Zong, Smell Me…

Chapter 19: Big Brother, Am I a Good Puppy? Huo Zong, Smell Me...

"Huo Zong, don't be angry."

Jiang Fengmian carefully pried open Huo Zong's clenched fingers, his fingertips brushing over the scratches on his palm, worriedly asking, "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt."

"Jiang Fengmian, were you scared?"

Jiang Fengmian held up his torn clothes in front of Huo Zong, then showed his arm, proudly saying, "I'm not afraid, as long as you're here. Big Brother, blow on it and it won't hurt."

Seeing Huo Zong stiffen without reacting, Jiang Fengmian gently blew on Huo Zong's injured palm.

The warm breath brushed past, making Huo Zong's eyebrows twitch, barely restraining himself from touching Jiang Fengmian's rosy lips.

"Big Brother, just like that, blow on it and it won't hurt."

Jiang Fengmian extended his bleeding arm to Huo Zong, holding it up until it ached, but Huo Zong still didn't react.

Alright, Huo Zong has a phobia of dirt; he might think it's dirty.

"Eh."

Jiang Fengmian paused as he was about to pull back his arm, feeling Huo Zong gently hold it through the torn fabric, blowing very lightly.

"Does it feel better?"

Jiang Fengmian bit his lip, holding back the tears in his eyes, nodding frantically; he couldn't bear to see such a gentle and considerate Huo Zong worry.

" Yeah, it's comfortable."

Huo Zong hummed in response and lowered his arm, shifting his gaze to the window. No one noticed his fingers behind his back trembling slightly.

***

"Dr. Li, give him the rabies vaccine. A dog scratched him."

"Let me see."

Dr. Li held Jiang Fengmian's arm and examined it, then cleaned the wound with disinfectant and proceeded to administer the shot.

"Fengmian, are you afraid of shots?"

Jiang Fengmian nodded and then shook his head, gently tugging at Huo Zong's clothes, his cheeks puffing up as he said in a small voice, "Not afraid."

"Oh, you need to get the shot. Otherwise, you'll turn into a little dog, barking and biting people."

"Ah? I don't want to be a bad dog, I want to be a good dog."

Dr. Li chuckled and, under Huo Zong's impassive gaze, stifled his laughter and went to get the medicine.

"Brother, will you still want me if I become a dog?"

"Let me see what kind of pup you are."

Jiang Fengmian scratched his cheek and stood up, clenching his hand and waving it as he let out a "woof," then hugged Huo Zong's waist, his fluffy head nuzzling against Huo Zong's chin, his eyes curved forming a bright smile.

"You're a good dog."

Huo Zong's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes narrowed, and the tips of his ears turned red. The creature in front of him was clearly a spoiled and adorable kitten, not a dog at all.

"Huo Zong, you don't want me *either*."

Jiang Fengmian thought to himself, feeling that his efforts to act cute were in vain. Huo Zong was like a block of wood, not understanding his little hints.

"Good boy, sit properly."

Jiang Fengmian hummed lightly, sitting properly and resting his head on the table, tracing Huo Zong's reflection in the glass.

He's really handsome, Jiang Fengmian thought, staring blankly, completely captivated.

Hehe, it'd be even better if Huo Zong could hold him and affectionately call him his little puppy.

"Fengmian, focus."

Dr. Li snapped his fingers, pulling Jiang Fengmian, who was lost in thought, back to reality. He let out a confused "Oh" and exposed his arm.

"Uncle Doctor, will I turn into a dog again?"

"No, just kidding."

Jiang Fengmian pinched his ear, letting out a small yelp, then gradually felt his cheeks burning. He secretly glanced at Huo Zong and awkwardly rubbed his hair after being caught.

"Bro, you're not allowed to laugh at me."

"I’m not laughing at you. Is there any discomfort?"

Huo Zong solemnly ran his hand through Jiang Fengmian's hair and, as he withdrew his fingers, a strand of hair got caught between them. Feeling a bit guilty, Huo Zong pocketed the hair and nonchalantly lowered his arm.

"No, nothing's uncomfortable."

Jiang Fengmian rubbed his pounding heart, maybe it was startled by the dog. His heartbeat was a bit rapid.

"Huo, can we talk in private?"

Dr. Li placed the medication he had prepared for Huo Zong in front of him and said softly, "How has your sleep been recently? Any signs of your anxiety improving?"

"Not bad. I rarely obsess over specific times anymore."

"Huo, how about we reduce the dosage a bit for now? Let's see how it goes."

Huo Zong agreed softly. His nerves had been constantly tense, but ever since Jiang Fengmian moved in, he had been able to sleep through the night.

"Who are you guys? What do you want?"

Jiang Fengmian covered his arm, startled by the sudden intruders.

The woman who stormed in was wearing a dark red dress and sky-high heels. Even though her makeup was smeared, her intimidating presence remained.

"Where's Huo Zong? Tell him to get out here."

Huo Zong frowned and hurriedly stepped out from the inner room.

The woman's hair was disheveled, with traces of blood on her arms, looking haggard and somewhat mentally unstable.

"Yanyan, don't be angry, watch your heart."

With just a few words, Jiang Fengmian quickly deduced their identities—Huo Cong and Qi Yan, Huo Qilin's parents.

"Older brother, sister-in-law."

Huo Zong imperceptibly blocked Jiang Fengmian from view, placing his hand on the desk in a protective gesture.

"Don't freaking call me sister-in-law. Xiao Lin is your nephew. How could you bear letting a dog bite him? It's bad enough he's hospitalized and will be scarred, but what if there are long-term effects?"

"As far as I remember, it was Huo Qilin who suggested releasing the dog. He loved dogs so much, so why is he now causing trouble for me?"

Qi Yan, not understanding the situation, was acting purely out of maternal instinct, accusing the person responsible. In her eyes, her precious son could do no wrong, and it was all Huo Zong's fault.

"Brother, if you're here to blame someone, you've got the wrong person. You should find the one who let the dog in."

Though Huo Cong remained silent, his stance made it clear he was also looking for trouble.

"Huo Zong, Xiao Lin is badly hurt. As his father, I'm worried. You're the one who let the dog loose. Shouldn't you apologize at least?"

"Oh."

His cold response left the two speechless. Huo Zong was like an impenetrable fortress.

"I heard you've been arranged in a marriage. This must be it, right, Huo Zong? You've started your own family; you should understand how we feel. Xiao Lin is our precious son. What you did was like attempted murder."

Huo Cong eyed Jiang Fengmian with disdain. He's ordinary, just perfect for Huo Zong. People without a heart are best suited for fools.

"Older brother is right. Jiang Fengmian obediently rested his head against Huo Zong's back, his arm around his waist, showing the scratched area and whimpering in pain.

"Huo Zong, you're going too far. Today's Father's 70th birthday. How could you do something like this? Aren't you afraid of retribution?"

"If there were such a thing as karma, you, Huo Qing, would have died a hundred times over."

Huo Zong's cold, detached gaze landed on the two. He owed his survival to being tough. Without these people in his life, he would have been much happier.

"Huo Zong, just wait for divine retribution and a miserable end."

Huo Zong sneered, completely indifferent. "I'll wait."

"I'm sorry, but the patient needs to rest. Please leave."

Dr. Li intervened just in time, politely but firmly ushering the two out. As Huo Zong's attending physician, he had a duty to protect the patient's physical and mental well-being.

The door slammed shut, the frame shaking.

Huo Cong, having been turned away, looked worse than ever.

"Yan Yan, go take care of Xiao Lin. I'm going home. When he gets better, I'll return to work."

Huo Zong showed no regard for familial ties, so why should he?

Jiang Fengmian's eyes never left Huo Zong. His fingers slid down, gently pinching Huo Zong's hand. "Huo Zong, may you live a long life."

Huo Zong suppressed the bitter emotions, his long lashes fluttering slightly. His heart felt an itch, gently scratched by Jiang Fengmian's soft yet firm words.

No one cared about his life or death, not even himself.

A thick fog surrounded him, and suddenly, a light appeared. Huo Zong softly hummed, not pushing away Jiang Fengmian's arm.

Seeing the situation deteriorate, Dr. Li immediately spoke up. "Huo Zong, these are the medications for Fengmian. Please take them. If there are any signs of him turning into a dog, contact me immediately."

"Howl, Doc Uncle is lying again."

Seeing Jiang Fengmian puff up his cheeks and howl in frustration, Huo Zong felt an unexpected sense of relaxation.

"Doc Uncle, I'll bite you first, okay?"

"Sure, go ahead and bite me. We'll both turn into dogs together."

Dr. Li handed the medicine to Jiang Fengmian and practically shoved him out because the atmosphere was too suffocating and not suitable for Huo Zong to stay in for long.

In just a short time, Huo Zong had glanced at his wristwatch several times, unable to hide his impatience. His brows were furrowed in obvious anxiety, and his temper was on the verge of boiling over.

Until he got home, the low pressure around Huo Zong didn't dissipate. Jiang Fengmian tried to speak a few times but ultimately stayed silent.

"Hey, Yanchu."

"It's already taken care of, no big deal. Is there an issue?"

Su Yanchu: "The dog was indeed drugged with a strong substance that's highly sensitive to specific scents. But I didn't find any drug residue at the Huo family's place, and there were no surveillance cameras either. From the pieced-together external footage, it looks like a stray dog. I guess the person who drugged it might have acted on a whim."

Jiang Fengmian listened attentively for a few moments, and after Huo Zong hung up the phone, he suddenly said, "Huo Zong, smell me."

He hadn't been in contact with Jiang Fengqiu for very long. The most likely time for someone to have drugged him was when Jiang Fengqiu grabbed his neck.

Jiang Fengmian knelt on the sofa, leaning forward and half-lying against Huo Zong. His slender neck arched back slightly, revealing the hollow of his collarbone. He supported himself with one hand on the sofa back, his gaze lowered to meet Huo Zong's deep eyes.

"Sit properly."

Huo Zong's voice had become inexplicably hoarse. His straight back curved slightly when he saw Jiang Fengmian wasn't responding, so he pulled him down firmly.

"Take your clothes off. I don't need to smell them."

Jiang Fengmian let out a aggrieved oh, muttering, "Brother, do I smell bad? Jiang Fengqiu strangled me, right here."

His fingertip touched his lower back, and Huo Zong followed his finger, noticing something slightly off.

"No, you're not smelly. Take your clothes off and send them for testing."

"Okay."

"Brother, you said you'd give me another one of your shirts. Do you still mean it?"

Jiang Fengmian pinched his burning earlobe, his gaze meeting Huo Zong's deep eyes with some trepidation. "Huo Zong, I want the one you're wearing."

Huo Zong's pupils shrank slightly. The shirt that Jiang Fengmian's fingertip was hooked onto was the one he was currently wearing.