Chapter 61: A Two-Month-Old Puppy

That afternoon, Xia Yuan was so absorbed in writing lyrics that she almost forgot Qin Mohuai’s suggestive remark.

The door to the small study creaked open as Qin Mohuai stepped in, bringing a bowl of freshly washed strawberries.

“Take a break,” he suggested.

“Mm,” Xia Yuan mumbled absentmindedly, still lost in her stream of inspiration. She looked a little dazed as the ideas continued to flow.

Qin Mohuai gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her smooth cheek. His eyes flickered over the pages filled with lyrics. In his deep, raspy voice, he asked, “Are all of these written for Zhou Mao?”

Xia Yuan shook her head. “No, I’ve already given her a few songs for her album. These are for Yu Ze.”

She had written some difficult lyrics, knowing that her younger brother’s singing skills weren’t quite there yet. With a few more years of practice, he’d probably be able to sing them.

Xia Yuan absentmindedly picked up a strawberry with her delicate fingers, eating it slowly and mechanically, her eyes half-closed.

Her lips were stained with a light, glossy red, and the abundant juice dripped down her fingers. Having grown up poor, Xia Yuan cherished food deeply. Instinctively, she licked her fingers clean.

Watching her, Qin Mohuai’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He pulled out a wet wipe to clean her fingers, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were a germaphobe? Why are you licking your own fingers?”

“Because my germaphobia is specifically for you,” she teased.

Sitting in her swivel chair, Xia Yuan swung her feet playfully, her slender legs wrapped in black stockings. She exuded a mix of shallow beauty and mischievous charm.

Qin Mohuai casually grabbed her right foot, his warm hand firmly holding her ankle. He bent it slightly and, feeling her resistance, gave a low warning, “Move again, and your top will ride up.”

Her black stockings hugged her thighs seductively, stopping just shy of her hips and waist. Her short black skirt was teasingly close to revealing her white underwear.

It was a rather unexpected outfit choice, like a little game of cat and mouse.

Qin Mohuai’s breathing grew heavier as heat surged through him. His usually proud self-control was crumbling. Yet, despite the temptation, he let go of her stocking-clad ankle and patiently adjusted her skirt without crossing any lines, not even sneaking a touch of her soft, pale thighs.

“You’re finally losing your cool?” Xia Yuan teased, but immediately regretted it. She noticed the thin sheen of sweat on Qin Mohuai’s forehead and the dark, intense desire burning in his eyes.

Feeling a bit nervous, she ducked her head and focused on her strawberries.

“I’m going to the gym,” Qin Mohuai announced in a composed, proper tone, adding, “Otherwise, if I have too much energy, you might not be able to handle it.”

“…”

Xia Yuan cursed under her breath, calling him a “beast,” but there wasn’t much she could do about him. So, she continued working on her lyrics, deciding to write a rap to roast bad men.

By dinnertime, Xia Yuan felt completely drained, like a puppet whose inspiration had been sucked dry. She had once written a song in just half an hour, but today, she had pushed her limits, churning out four songs in one day!

Qin Mohuai ladled out a bowl of nourishing soup for her and tied up her long, shiny black hair with the hair tie he always kept on his wrist.

During the years when Xia Yuan had disappeared, that hair tie had turned into a black wristband that covered the marks from his attempt to hide his pain. Every sweet, happy memory had fermented into a poison within him.

After dinner, Xia Yuan slumped on the sofa in the living room, refusing to return to the bedroom.

Freshly showered, Qin Mohuai came downstairs to persuade her.

Xia Yuan shook her head. “I’m sleeping here.”

Qin Mohuai: “…”

Even the housekeeper, Mr. Wang, and the maid, Xiao Jing, took turns trying to convince her. Sleeping in the living room would be uncomfortable, they said.

The young lady was usually easy to care for. She didn’t have many demands when it came to food or clothes, but the one thing she insisted on was sleeping comfortably. After she moved into the mansion, both the bed and the sofa were replaced with new ones, designed to offer a similar level of comfort.

It wasn’t that the living room was uncomfortable—what made it unbearable was that Qin Mohuai would feel unsettled if she stayed there.

Qin Mohuai rubbed his temples. She was becoming more and more unreasonable. But what could he do? He could only indulge her. With a sigh, he decided to give her an early birthday present to lift her spirits.

After disappearing for a few minutes, he returned carrying a box.

“Open it and see.”

Xia Yuan looked at him curiously. “What is it?”

She opened the box in confusion, only to find a two-month-old golden retriever puppy lying inside!

“Ahhh—!!”

“It’s a little furball!”

“The cutest little furball in the world!”

Xia Yuan, who could barely take care of herself, couldn’t imagine affording to raise a dog. After saving up a bit of money, she had considered adopting a stray dog, but Zhao Hanshang, her ex, was allergic to animal fur. Not only that, he’d tried to manipulate her, comparing raising a dog to raising a child, questioning whether she had a suitable environment to raise one properly.

When Zhao Hanshang cheated on her, Xia Yuan decisively broke up with him. She was just about to head to an animal shelter to adopt a furball when, unexpectedly, she found herself transported into a novel.

The furball in front of her wasn’t just any puppy! This was the furball she’d dreamt of for twenty years—her dream dog, spanning time and space!

Butler Wang took out his phone and recorded the teary-eyed scene as Xia Yuan’s emotions overflowed.

“Is this puppy really for me?” she asked.

“Mhm,” Qin Mohuai confirmed, adding, “You’re its mom, I’m its dad, and it’s… our little fur-son.”

Since his dear wife couldn’t have children, Qin Mohuai had already decided they would raise this furball as their son. He’d even started planning the dog’s future—envisioning it as a top-tier dog in the world.

Little did anyone know, this golden retriever would grow up to be exceptionally smart. It would wear sunglasses and a gold chain, and eventually, partner with Xia Yuze to star in a blockbuster comedy, dominating the film industry with a box office hit of forty billion yuan.

Xia Yuan wiped away her joyful tears. “Qin Mohuai, this gift is perfect. I seriously can’t say no.”

Later that night, as things heated up in bed, Xia Yuan, half-asleep, murmured the name “little furball.” Qin Mohuai’s sweat-covered face darkened, and he doubled down on the intensity, teasing her waist relentlessly.

“Baby, who do you love more, me or the puppy?”

“…Of course, it’s you,” Xia Yuan replied, knowing better than to anger Qin Mohuai in a situation like this—otherwise, it wouldn’t just be her waist that would be sore.

Qin Mohuai’s heavy breath fell on the back of her neck, thick and sticky, like a slow-burning fire, as he indulged in his deepest desires.

—

The next morning, Qin Mohuai left for work early. Before he went, he left a bouquet of blue roses on the nightstand, along with a long string of French words.

He had originally thought about writing in Chinese but found it too ordinary. After all, his beloved wife had said she wanted to collect these cards and have him translate them for her in eight years, like little treasures from the past.

After handling two hours of work, Qin Mohuai returned home. The Wei brothers were visiting today, and he didn’t want Xia Yuan to feel overwhelmed.

Truthfully, he just missed her.

Perhaps it was thanks to the little furball, but Xia Yuan had been especially cooperative the night before. When she finally begged for mercy, her voice was soft and gentle, unlike before, when she’d scratch his back like crazy, making him apply ointment the next day.

When Qin Mohuai returned, he glanced at Xia Yuan, still sound asleep. He gave her a kiss, knowing she would sleep until lunch.

Then, he went downstairs to check on their fur-son.

The mansion had dozens of permanent staff, with additional workers hired periodically to trim the gardens, clean the courtyards, and maintain the buildings and furniture. Qin Mohuai assigned two staff members to specifically take care of the puppy. After all, it was now the firstborn of the household, and if it ever got sick or hurt, Xia Yuan would certainly make a fuss.