Chapter 77: Master-Servant Relationship

Chapter 77: The Taming Relationship

Song Yuqing: "Huh?"

Song Yuqing: "Noted."

Qi Zhengqing: "Mhm."

Pei Huai felt a profound discomfort. Even though Song Yuqing hadn’t truly responded to Qi Zhengqing, Pei Huai was still intensely annoyed.

Qi Zhengqing: "Drive carefully."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Ye Siling, that snitching dog.

Song Yuqing didn’t even need to think—he knew it was Ye Siling who had tattled.

Song Yuqing: "Mm."

My Heart Towards the Moon: [Ye Siling, that bastard, is done for.]

qr: [Stop sending messages. Xiao Jinshi’s phone is in Qingqing’s hands.]

My Heart Towards the Moon: [...]

Pei Huai scrolled up through the chat history to ensure he hadn’t sent the wrong message or fantasized about Song Yuqing in the group chat, then left satisfied.

In reality, they hadn’t really done anything—they just occasionally envied the other mutts in the group.

But they were still afraid of being discovered by Song Yuqing.

As for why the group hadn’t been disbanded, it seemed everyone had silently agreed to keep it.

They could keep tabs on Song Yuqing’s relationship progress with others in the group.

Would everything be shared? Pei Huai couldn’t help but overthink it again.

Would those bastards share bed photos of them doing it with Song Yuqing? Definitely not, but they’d certainly brag like crazy about getting into Song Yuqing’s bed...

If he ever managed to get into Song Yuqing’s bed, he definitely wouldn’t show the photos to anyone. He’d just beg Song Yuqing to take one for him to admire.

"What are you thinking about?" Song Yuqing called Pei Huai several times but got no response.

Pei Huai answered without thinking, "Thinking about climbing into your bed."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Song Yuqing: "Your turn to drive."

Pei Huai: "Alright."

Pei Huai leaned over to unbuckle Song Yuqing’s seatbelt, but Song Yuqing had already pressed the button. Pei Huai’s large hand ended up covering Song Yuqing’s.

Song Yuqing glanced up at Pei Huai, his gaze indifferent. "Let go."

Pei Huai stared at Song Yuqing’s face for a moment before pulling his hand away. The warmth of Song Yuqing’s hand lingered on his palm—it was cold, like holding a handful of snow.

Song Yuqing's hands were cold from driving.

Was it just his hands, or was his whole body cold? Pei Huai should hug him to keep him warm.

Song Yuqing switched places with Pei Huai again, letting Pei Huai take over driving while he sat in the passenger seat.

This time, Pei Huai was faster. He grabbed the seatbelt on Song Yuqing’s side. "Don’t move. Let me buckle it. I like doing it."

He especially loved buckling Song Yuqing in.

"It has to go all the way in."

88 suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence. "He wants to fuck you."

Song Yuqing said despairingly, "...Don’t make things worse here."

88: "If you don’t believe me, ask him. Ask him if he wants to fuck you—and if he wants to go all the way."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Pei Huai took off his down jacket and draped it over Song Yuqing. "Sleep. We’ll be there soon."

Song Yuqing frowned slightly, looking at Pei Huai in confusion. "...You could just turn on the heater. Why are you forcing yourself to suffer for no reason?"

Pei Huai: "..."

88: "Pei Dog’s brain is gone, so he’s making pointless sacrifices."

Pei Huai: "Qingqing, you’re so smart."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Song Yuqing couldn’t hold back. "Being with you gives me a sense of satisfaction I can’t get with anyone else."

Pei Huai stared at Song Yuqing’s pale lips. His lips were beautifully shaped, and when he spoke, it was hard not to focus on them, watching them part and close.

Pei Huai: "What?"

Song Yuqing: "The satisfaction of feeling like a genius."

He really suspected that Pei Huai had traded his intelligence for mental strength. His brain seemed like a decoration, just there to make sure he didn’t scare people when he went out.

Pei Huai: "..."

Great. Song Yuqing was indirectly calling him an idiot.

For the rest of the time, Song Yuqing slept while Pei Huai drove slowly, prioritizing stability.

"Pei Huai turned an off-road vehicle into a grandpa cart." Xiao Jinshi and the others had already arrived but still hadn’t seen Song Yuqing and Pei Huai. Xiao Jinshi spoke discontentedly.

They were definitely driving slowly on purpose, just to spend more time with Song Yuqing.

Ye Siling didn’t wait around. He carried the tent to set it up, seriously considering the current situation.

Song Yuqing and Qi Zhengqing couldn’t get divorced—he couldn’t replace Qi Zhengqing’s position.

Qi Ran was Song Yuqing’s adopted son. As long as Qi Ran held that status, his position was unshakable.

Xiao Jinshi was a two-faced dog.

Pei Huai was a mad dog who bit everyone, fought for everything, and shamelessly took pride in being a homewrecker. He couldn’t even put Pei Huai down.

To break through the encirclement, he must enhance his core competitiveness, yet he cannot follow the same path as these dogs, which would bore Song Yuqing.

What Song Yuqing still lacks is a dog who can manage daily needs and provide comfort, and he happens to fill that gap perfectly.

He would go set up the tent now; as long as his tent was comfortable enough, Song Yuqing would stay in it.

A cold breeze blew, and Song Yuqing became slightly more alert.

The sky was slightly overcast, and everything in sight seemed to be submerged in a deep azure, translucent sea. Only not far away on the water's surface, large and small ice floes floated, pushed by the waves, colliding with each other and emitting crisp sounds.

The cold wind, carrying the salty scent of the ocean, rushed straight to his face, the chill penetrating deep into his skin.

The young man’s long, delicate eyelashes were frosted over. When he lowered his gaze, the frost-tipped lashes cast two faint, barely noticeable shadows on his pale face.

It made the thin skin under his eyelids appear even more delicate and fair, like mutton-fat jade.

Pei Huai was completely mesmerized.

Every time he thought Song Yuqing couldn’t possibly look more beautiful, Song Yuqing would redefine his standards of beauty again.

"Let’s go."

"Okay."

Song Yuqing felt cold and abruptly grabbed Pei Huai’s hand, tucking his own hand into Pei Huai's.

Warmth spread from the alpha’s palm, and only then did Song Yuqing walk forward contentedly.

Since Qi Zhengqing had come to find him, Song Yuqing had started to dislike putting up with discomfort. If he could make himself more comfortable, there seemed no need to tough it out.

Pei Huai took the hand Song Yuqing had placed in his and guided both their hands into his down jacket pocket.

The alpha felt the gradually warming temperature in his palm, and a slight smile finally curled at the corner of his lips.

The others who had arrived earlier had already set up their tents about thirty meters from the tideline.

Ye Siling had been waiting for a long time. "Come here. There’s a heater in the tent, so it’s not cold."

Xiao Jinshi lifted the tent flap and stepped out as well. "Come to my tent. I also have a heater; it’s not cold at all."

Xiao Jinshi’s gaze drifted downward and landed on Pei Huai holding Song Yuqing’s hand. He felt displeased—Pei Huai was trying to poach his chance again.

Not far off, Qi Ran remained silent, simply watching Song Yuqing and waiting for him to make a decision.

Song Yuqing: "..."

So, out of the four tents prepared, he was the only one without one, right?

"Wait for me to set mine up, and we can stay together," Pei Huai chimed in, seizing the opportunity to join the fray.

Song Yuqing: "No, I’ll stay with Xiao Jinshi."

Unlike Xiao Jinshi’s delight, Ye Siling frowned. He still didn’t understand why Xiao Jinshi was so favored when he himself had done better.

Had Xiao Jinshi got something on Song Yuqing? Or had he won over Song Yuqing’s father? How else could Song Yuqing choose him again and again? It couldn’t be that Xiao Jinshi simply served Song Yuqing particularly well, could it?

Outside, the other alphas gathered firewood and lit a bonfire.

Inside the tent, there was a transparent viewing window through which one could see the waves in the distance lifting chunks of ice up and down.

Song Yuqing sat by the viewing window, watching the scenery outside.

Xiao Jinshi also sat beside Song Yuqing, circling his arms around him from behind. The alpha was very tall, and even just like this, he could enclose most of Song Yuqing’s frame.

It was quiet, with only the sound of the sea breeze blowing. Xiao Jinshi rested his head in the crook of Song Yuqing’s neck, his prominent nose nuzzling against it, clinging to him like an affectionate dog, whispering affectionately, "Brother..."

If only he could sit like this with Song Yuqing until the end of time.

Until the apocalypse, until they both faded away.

Song Yuqing tilted his head and placed a hand against Xiao Jinshi’s head. "Stop rubbing against me. You’re like a dog."

Xiao Jinshi: "I am a puppy. I’m your puppy, brother."

"Want to see?" Xiao Jinshi suddenly asked.

Song Yuqing understood what he meant and glanced up at him. "Did you get a tattoo?"

Xiao Jinshi pulled Song Yuqing backward as he lay down, lifting his shirt.

The alpha’s heart beat powerfully in his chest, and with each beat, the tattoo on Xiao Jinshi’s body seemed to pulse.

Rose vines coiled around his chest, and on his skin bore Song Yuqing’s name.

The skin around the tattoo remained inflamed, clearly done not long ago.

As if to show that he had only recently become Song Yuqing’s possession.

"Song Yuqing, you tamed me. You have to take responsibility for me," Xiao Jinshi stared intently at Song Yuqing.

Song Yuqing lowered his gaze, his eyes settling on the alpha’s tattoo. His gaze felt almost tangible. Just the sensation of being observed by Song Yuqing made Xiao Jinshi shiver, both physically and mentally.

Song Yuqing tapped the rose and then stroked the letters of his name.

"What are you?" Song Yuqing asked seriously. "A rose? Or a fox?"

Song Yuqing’s fingertips were still cool as they pressed them against the rose’s thorns.

Xiao Jinshi’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at Song Yuqing’s face. The alpha asked earnestly, "What would you have me be?"

Song Yuqing lowered his eyes. "It’s not about what I want you to be. It’s about what you’re willing to be. Xiao Jinshi, I won’t force you. I prefer when both parties are willing."

"If you’re a rose, I can only tell you—I’m not the prince who takes responsibility."

A glimmer of disappointment passed through Xiao Jinshi’s eyes, but hearing these words from Song Yuqing didn’t seem surprising.

"Then... I’ll be the fox," Xiao Jinshi said with reluctant acceptance.

He was the fox who began waiting since three with hopeful anticipation, the fox who might never get to see Song Yuqing. He had already been inevitably tamed by Song Yuqing; he couldn’t leave him. His heart had long belonged to Song Yuqing.

Song Yuqing lowered his gaze, took Xiao Jinshi’s chin between his fingers, and gently traced along the alpha’s jaw. "Mm, good boy."

Xiao Jinshi grabbed Song Yuqing’s hand, pressed his face against it, nuzzling against and kissing Song Yuqing’s fingertips. "Brother..."

Xiao Jinshi couldn’t sleep at all. Song Yuqing had called him "good boy," but he had also made it plain he didn't love him.

He was only offering him the opportunity to stay by his side.

Just making him wait.

He is merely Song Yuqing's little dog, not Song Yuqing's lover.

Xiao Jinshi couldn't sleep and went out to brave the cold wind.

Standing in the chilly wind, he felt even more as though his heart had been torn open, with all the cold air rushing into the gap, chilling him to the core, ripping through his body.

It must be a hole, then, he mused.

Only a hole could hurt this much.

"Xiao Jinshi…"

A hoarse voice pierced through the cold wind, calling out Xiao Jinshi's name. Xiao Jinshi turned around, frowned, and made no effort to hide the disgust in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

88: "Qingqing, you really don’t like Xiao Jinshi at all."

Song Yuqing didn’t open his eyes, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow on his pale skin.

"Not yet."

"We might still become adversaries in the future. Isn’t it ridiculous to talk about liking someone now?"

Xiao Jinshi and the Xiao family might not end up on his side. Talking about affection and feelings now is premature.

Xiao Jinshi’s choices will only determine whether they can get along peacefully.

Feelings are such a fickle thing—you either like someone or you don’t.

Right now, what he feels for Xiao Jinshi, he thought, is probably the same as what one feels for a little dog: when the dog is obedient, or when it messes up constantly, he finds it both foolish and obsessive. When Xiao Jinshi does something bad, he wants to discipline him a little.

It’s a true master-pet relationship. Xiao Jinshi is something else, pinpointing the nature of their relationship so accurately.

Author's Note:

"Xiao Dog from the beginning: Brother can only be mine. I’ll lock him away."

"Xiao Dog now: I am Brother’s. Brother, please don’t abandon me."

Song Qingqing: "So is he still an obsessive dog or what?"