◎ If she really liked that, he was willing to be her little wolfdog. ◎

Tao Xiaoxi had a bad habit, or rather, it wasn’t a bad habit—she just spoke without thinking if she didn’t get enough sleep, commonly known as saying nonsense.

As soon as the words left her mouth, not only was Chen Fang stunned, but she herself was too.

She realized what she had just said and, while he wasn’t paying attention, managed to break free from his grip and quickly scrambled off the sofa.

“The water’s boiling. I’m going to cook the noodles.” She threw out a sentence and dashed off. Halfway there, she even lost one of her slippers, so she had to hop on one foot to find it.

From the living room came a muffled laugh, clearly mocking her. Tao Xiaoxi had already come to terms with it. Let him laugh, it was just a slipper. If he could forget the nonsense she just said, then another slipper flying away would be worth it.

The hot noodles came out of the pot, topped with bright red and green shredded vegetables and meat sauce. As she mixed it with her chopsticks, the delicious aroma filled the air, making her stomach growl. She glanced at the person on the balcony but didn’t know what he was doing.

“What are you doing over there? Come eat, the noodles are going to clump together.”

The person on the balcony replied, “You eat first, I’ll be right there.”

Since he said so, Tao Xiaoxi didn’t bother him. She was too hungry to wait, so she dug in herself. If her mom saw her doing this, she would definitely scold her. “How can you eat before everyone sits down at the table?” But her mom wasn’t around, so this was another perk of being married—no one to nag her, and she could indulge in whatever she wanted.

After finishing half a bowl of noodles, he finally entered the room from the balcony, both hands full of something. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was dumbbells, the heavy kind.

“What do you need those for?” Tao Xiaoxi’s attention was still on her noodles, but she asked casually.

Although he didn’t go to the gym, he ran every morning. She didn’t even know there were dumbbells in the house. Personally, she thought his current physique was just right, no need to work out more. She didn’t like overly muscular bodies—they always seemed a bit scary.

Chen Fang set the dumbbells aside and walked over. “It wasn’t until today that I realized it was my body that got me a wife. Of course, I have to work hard to keep in shape. Otherwise, if my body starts to go out of shape, this wife I worked so hard to get might run away. Then where would I cry?”

Tao Xiaoxi choked on her noodles and nearly spat them out. She fumbled to grab some napkins to cover her mouth. Though she glared at him, she couldn’t blame him for making her choke. After all, she had said all those silly things, and now he was filling her with his words.

It took her a while to recover. She didn’t take the water he offered but instead reached for the bowl of noodles that had originally been for him. After mixing it a bit, she took a bite and swallowed quickly. She looked up at him, “Since you want to keep in shape, you shouldn’t be eating carbs. Go make yourself a salad or something. Both bowls of noodles are mine.”

The leftover noodles in the fridge were already few. Concerned that he might be tired and hungry from his travels, she only served herself a small bowl and placed the rest in his porcelain white bowl. Since he was someone with high standards for himself, she, as a supportive wife, couldn’t just let him eat noodles. To maintain his figure, he should be eating leafy vegetables instead.

Chen Fang looked at her lips, smeared with sauce, and his eyes twitched. Tao Xiaoxi had no idea how pitiful she looked. She raised her eyebrows at him in a very cocky and provocative manner.

If the old lady were here, she would probably pull out her little stool, munch on sunflower seeds, and watch the scene. Watching the young couple bicker was far more entertaining than watching TV dramas.

Even if Tao Xiaoxi were starving, she could hardly finish two bowls of noodles. The remaining large bowl of noodles she had made a mess of was eventually cleared by the one who was determined to maintain his figure.

After eating and drinking her fill, Tao Xiaoxi snuggled up on the sofa to chat with her senior on WeChat. The client had already reviewed the draft she revised and was very satisfied. They were expected to collaborate on a new project next year, and the client wanted her to take it on. Tao Xiaoxi quickly replied to her senior’s messages. Although the client was a bit picky, they always provided quick feedback and paid well. Compared to that, being picky wasn’t a problem at all since there were no clients who weren’t fussy.

As she scrolled through her little savings, feeling pleased, she thought she should set a plan for next year, set a small goal for herself. Whether or not she could achieve it was secondary, but at least she needed to work toward that goal.

Just as Tao Xiaoxi opened her notes, she suddenly heard heavy breathing from the other side of the room. Surprised, she glanced over. The one who had washed the dishes was now lifting his barbell.

…

He was seriously working out, and Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t say anything. She lowered her head and continued thinking about her plans.

However…

His breathing was… hmm… so suggestive, lingering in her ears with each exhale. Tao Xiaoxi touched her hot ears, trying to focus, but his panting became heavier. At this rate, she felt like it wouldn’t just be her ears burning.

“Chen Fang, could you be quiet?” she tried to negotiate with him.

Chen Fang didn’t stop his movements. “No, you need to exert effort when working out.”

“Then can you go to the balcony?”

“Can’t do that either. What if someone hears me? Won’t that cause a misunderstanding?”

…

So, you know your voice is inappropriate.

Tao Xiaoxi gnawed on her nails. It had been half an hour, and he showed no signs of stopping. Meanwhile, her plan only had a title, a “1,” and a comma.

Tao Xiaoxi picked up the water cup from the coffee table and drained it in one go. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and thought, maybe she should go downstairs to the old lady’s place. It was almost time to prepare dinner. Dumplings were definitely on the menu for today.

But she couldn’t move. As for why she couldn’t move, she wasn’t sure. Maybe she felt that his sounds, if left unheard, would be such a waste. If her body wasn’t so inconvenient, she would have pounced on him by now. Since he wanted to pant and breathe heavily, it might as well be on the bed.

Unfortunately, the conditions weren’t favorable—timing, location, and the right circumstances were all against her.

Chen Fang saw all her little movements. His gaze flickered, and the sound in his throat grew louder.

Tao Xiaoxi hesitated, torn between going downstairs or not. Listening to the increasingly inappropriate sounds, she finally got up and walked over, standing next to him.

Chen Fang stopped his movements and looked at her.

He knew she was aware, “Why is your face so red?”

He was sweating, and his black T-shirt, the same as hers, was now darker from the sweat. Sweat beads dotted his short hair, and as he looked down at her, the beads slid down to his face, dangling precariously from his chin.

Tao Xiaoxi gently wiped away the sweat bead with her finger. In his increasingly intense gaze, she put her finger to her lips and lightly licked it.

Just once.

“So salty.” Her soft, coquettish voice, combined with her innocent doe-eyed expression, made Chen Fang freeze completely. If the object in his hand wasn’t a barbell, it would have likely shattered into pieces.

A sly smile appeared on Tao Xiaoxi’s lips, only to quickly disappear.

Look at that. She told him to call her sister, but he refused, even flirting with her so awkwardly, making himself sweat all over. She just gently licked a drop of his sweat, and the effect was far more potent than all his effort lifting weights.

Tao Xiaoxi was about to take it further when her eyes were distracted by the view outside. It was snowing! Not the fine kind of snow, but big snowflakes, gently drifting down from the sky.

Tao Xiaoxi hurried over to the balcony, opened the window, and reached out to catch a couple of snowflakes. As the snowflakes met the warm air inside, they quickly turned into droplets of water—cold and refreshing, feeling quite pleasant.

“Chen Fang, it’s snowing!” She turned around to share the good news with him.

Chen Fang was consumed with a fiery urge, and honestly, the snow outside couldn’t even pique his interest. He thought to himself that he would likely die from this burning desire.

As for how others spent their New Year’s Eve, Tao Xiaoxi didn’t know. Her New Year’s Eve was spent downstairs with the old lady for dinner, then a video call with her mom. She was about to voice call Jiang Youlin to see if she had any handsome men by her side for the snowy New Year’s Eve, but before she could even make the call, she was tossed onto the bed.

He had made good on his harsh words. If he wanted to deal with her, there were many ways to do so. It had nothing to do with whether they were relatives.

The snow fell all night, and the world outside turned into a silver-coated landscape.

Tao Xiaoxi called Meng Qing, telling her not to drive out. Chen Fang would pick them up. With the roads like this, she wasn’t comfortable letting her mom drive. Meng Qing insisted it was unnecessary, saying it was out of the way, and driving slower would be fine. Despite Tao Xiaoxi’s repeated pleas, Meng Qing refused, and Tao Xiaoxi gave up. Convincing her mom to change her mind was never easy.

Chen Fang gestured for her to hand him the phone. Although Tao Xiaoxi didn’t think her mother would hear what her son-in-law said, she still handed it over.

Chen Fang spoke into the phone, “Mom, I’ve brought back some specialties from the south for you and Dad. Some need to go in the fridge. I’ll drop them off and then take you and Dad out to the restaurant. It won’t be a bother.”

Meng Qing said something on the other end. Chen Fang replied, “Alright, Mom.”

Then, he hung up.

“How did it go? Did she agree?” Tao Xiaoxi asked, curious.

Chen Fang nodded.

Well, it seemed that her son-in-law was about to surpass her in status. No matter how much she tried to persuade, her mother didn’t listen. But as soon as her son-in-law spoke, everything was settled.

She asked again, “How much did you bring back, and did you bring something for my parents too?”

Chen Fang knocked on her head with his phone. “What do you mean ‘your parents’? They’re our parents.”

Tao Xiaoxi scrunched her nose after he knocked her head. He often took advantage of his height to tease her, a short person. Was he bullying her because she couldn’t reach his head?

She sat down on the hall cabinet to change her shoes. The boots were difficult to put on, so she deliberately slowed her movements. After getting one on, she turned to the person waiting beside her and said, “These new shoes are so hard to put on. It takes forever each time. Can you help me?”

Chen Fang pretended not to see the scheming look in her eyes. He put his phone on the hall cabinet, squatted down, and lifted one of her feet onto his knee while using his other hand to grab the boot from the floor.

Tao Xiaoxi had been waiting for this moment. She wrapped her arms around his head and started to ruffle his hair. Unfortunately, his hair was too short. She regretted it because if his hair had been longer, her little attack would have turned it into a messy bird’s nest.

After she was done, she lifted her chin at him. “This is what you get for knocking my head.”

He finished putting on her shoes and zipping them up while teasing her. “Tao Xiaoxi, you’re so childish. Even a three-year-old wouldn’t be as childish as you.”

Tao Xiaoxi knew she was being childish. She rarely acted this way, but to prove she wasn’t a child, she switched to a more serious expression. “Thank you, Brother A Fang, for helping your sister with her shoes.”

If she was a three-year-old, then he, as her “younger brother,” must be even younger than that.

Chen Fang couldn’t do much about her. When he stood up, he flicked his finger at her forehead. Didn’t she say she didn’t want him to knock her head? He just had to do it again.

If it weren’t for the old lady calling them to see if they were ready downstairs, they might have acted childish the whole day.

Chen Fang first dropped Tao Xiaoxi and the old lady at the restaurant entrance before going to pick up her parents. He asked Tao Xiaoxi to keep an eye on the dishes, so she did. While they were waiting for the food, Tao Xiaoxi went to the restroom. It was the third day of her period, the worst day, and the cold weather after the snow made her feel uncomfortable. She thought about staying a while in the restroom but didn’t want to leave the old lady alone in the private room for too long.

When she came out of the restroom, she ran into Old Zhou and his wife.

Tao Xiaoxi stopped and called out, “Teacher, Aunt, are you finished eating?” She saw they were walking toward the door.

Jin Yi waved her hand. “Tao Xiaoxi, don’t mention it. Your teacher and I thought we’d save time today and enjoy eating out. But there were so many people, and the waiter said there were no available tables. We’d have to wait a while. We didn’t want to wait, so we’re heading back to eat at home. Are you here to eat too?”

The county had few famous restaurants, and during the holidays, it was hard to get a table. Old Zhou and his wife rarely ate out, so they didn’t know that reservations were necessary. They thought they could find a seat when they arrived.

Tao Xiaoxi nodded. “Aunt, Chen Fang reserved a private room in advance. My parents are coming too. Why don’t you and Teacher join us? The room is big, and there’s enough space. Don’t bother going back.”

Old Zhou and his wife lived far from the restaurant. It would be too much trouble to go back home, cook, and by the time they had dinner, it would be late. She remembered Chen Fang saying that Yingying would return for the New Year’s holiday, but it seemed like she couldn’t make it back yet. Chen Fang had said he would tell her the details when he got back to the hotel, but she hadn’t heard from him that evening, and he didn’t mention it again. She wasn’t sure about the situation and didn’t want to ask directly.

Old Zhou declined repeatedly. They didn’t want to impose, especially during a family gathering like this one.

Tao Xiaoxi tried to persuade them again, but when her father and mother arrived, Tao Wenyong heard that Old Zhou and his wife were leaving due to no available seating. He immediately pulled Old Zhou inside. Meng Qing also linked arms with Jin Yi. “Family gatherings during the New Year are all about enjoying the atmosphere. Why go home to cook? It’s better to eat together. Besides, I’ve been meaning to ask you for a favor,” she said, whispering something in Jin Yi’s ear.

Jin Yi smiled after hearing her, “Sure, I’m the only one who can help with this.”

Tao Xiaoxi and Chen Fang walked in last. As they entered, Chen Fang tugged her hair. Tao Xiaoxi glanced at him. “What is it?”

She hadn’t gotten her revenge for losing earlier in the hallway, and now he was messing with her head again.

Chen Fang smiled and pulled her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. Tao Xiaoxi wasn’t used to holding hands in front of elders, but she couldn’t break free from his grip. In the end, she let him do it. After all, they were a married couple, and holding hands in public wasn’t a big deal.

Tao Xiaoxi looked at the menu and added a few more dishes. Chen Fang served tea to the elders. He had brought a bottle of good wine, but when they got out of the car earlier, his mother-in-law stopped him, saying she planned to get his father-in-law to quit drinking. Since she had said so, he pretended not to notice the look his father-in-law gave him and put the wine back.

The atmosphere was lively. Tao Xiaoxi only focused on taking care of the old lady, while Chen Fang took care of the other four elders. During the conversation, somehow, they started talking about having children. Jin Yi looked at Meng Qing and smiled as she asked Chen Fang, “Chen Fang, when are you planning to have kids?”

As soon as the old lady heard this, she perked up her ears. She wasn’t anxious about them having children, but she understood that young people, right after marriage, probably wanted to enjoy some time alone. So even though she was anxious, she could only keep it to herself. Jin Yi had voiced her thoughts.

Meng Qing was deliberately trying to use Jin Yi to bring up the topic. Whenever she brought it up with Tao Xiaoxi, Tao Xiaoxi would brush her off, and she couldn’t directly ask Chen Fang about it either.

Tao Xiaoxi continued drinking her water. Since the question was directed at him, she didn’t plan to interfere. She didn’t want her mother to end up turning the heat on her later. Even if Chen Fang said she lacked moral integrity, she would accept it.

Chen Fang paused, looked at Jin Yi, and then at Meng Qing. “Xiaoxi and I plan to start preparing by the end of next year. My business is expanding to the south, so I’ll be quite busy in the spring. If Xiaoxi’s pregnant, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take care of her. It’ll be hard for her to handle alone. By the second half of the year, things should stabilize. If she gets pregnant at the end of the year, she’ll deliver in October. The old lady said autumn is the best time to do confinement, which is good for Xiaoxi’s health.”

His words were well received by everyone at the table.

Though Tao Xiaoxi didn’t know exactly when they had made these plans, Chen Fang had extended their timeline to the end of next year, which seemed far enough away.

When the old lady heard about next year, she was fine with it. Time passed quickly, and a year would go by in the blink of an eye.

Meng Qing nodded to herself. At least there was a plan. What worried her most was when there was no plan at all, and they were just muddling through life. But he made a valid point—autumn was indeed the best time for postpartum recovery. Trying this year would have been too rushed. They should wait until next year after the couple had spent more time adjusting and Xiaoxi had gotten her health back in order.

The topic of rushing children was easily brushed aside. Tao Xiaoxi peeled a shrimp and placed it in Chen Fang’s bowl, silently thanking him for taking on the pressure himself rather than putting it on her. Otherwise, she would have been devoured alive by her mother.

Chen Fang gently squeezed her hand under the table and whispered to her, “Let me treat you as a three-year-old for another year, so that when the baby arrives, you won’t fight them for candy.”

Tao Xiaoxi felt her heart race a little at the teasing look in his eyes. She pulled her hand away, pretending not to care as she took a sip of water, then turned to talk to the old lady, avoiding looking at him.

When Zhou Ying called during dinner, it was halfway through the meal. Tao Xiaoxi hadn’t told her parents she was coming back today. First, she didn’t want them constantly asking whether her son-in-law would be joining them, and second, she wanted to surprise them. But the surprise wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. The old couple, who rarely ate out, happened to be away today.

The surprise had still worked, though. While the Zhou couple didn’t say much, the old lady and Meng Qing were thrilled to hear that Zhou Ying had returned. They urged her to come quickly to the restaurant, since it was already late, and the food would likely be cold. The Zhou couple said it wasn’t necessary, and Zhou Ying could just grab a snack at home. But Meng Qing disagreed, insisting that on New Year’s Day, no one should be eating casually.

Zhou Ying arrived quickly. Some people just have a natural ability to be the center of attention. Wherever she went, Tao Xiaoxi loved listening to Zhou Ying’s stories. Her voice was on the lower side, soothing and pleasant, and her tone wasn’t too soft or too forceful. Tao Xiaoxi thought even her employees must love working with a leader like her.

Zhou Ying was telling them about a bizarre incident she encountered on her high-speed train ride back. She was great at storytelling, vividly painting a picture in just a few sentences, making the old lady and several others laugh heartily. Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t help but laugh along, leaning back in her chair. She caught Chen Fang’s gaze as he smiled at Zhou Ying, and suddenly, her heart sank. The smile she had started to form on her lips quickly became forced.

Later, Tao Xiaoxi tried to participate more in the conversation, but she couldn’t shake the distraction. Chen Fang refilled her glass and quietly asked, “Is your stomach hurting?”

Tao Xiaoxi wanted to shake her head but ended up nodding instead. “I’m going to the restroom.”

She left the private room and walked to the restroom. She didn’t enter but stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring the snow outside. Since she was out, she figured she might as well settle the bill now to avoid any arguments later, as Old Zhou and her father would always argue about who should pay when they went out to eat.

She went to the front desk, and the server checked the system. “The charge for this private room is already on Mr. Chen’s account.” Mr. Chen was likely Chen Fang, as he had mentioned having frequent business meetings here.

Since that was the case, she didn’t need to pay separately. Tao Xiaoxi nodded her thanks and was about to leave when she accidentally bumped into someone behind her. She quickly apologized.

The person looked at Tao Xiaoxi, unsure. “Tao… Xiaoxi? Is that you?”

Tao Xiaoxi also stared at the person, unsure.

“Qiu Tingyu, don’t you remember me?” Qiu Tingyu quickly introduced himself.

The face from her memory slowly came back to her. He hadn’t changed much. He still wore a white shirt and gold-rimmed glasses. When he smiled, there was a small tooth in the middle. Nearly ten years had passed since they last saw each other, so it was natural that it would take a moment to recognize him.

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t expect to run into him here, nor did she expect him to recognize her. Her eyes lit up with a smile. “How could I forget? You were the top student in our grade! You’re back for the New Year?”

“Yes, I haven’t been back for half a year. I came back to spend the holiday with my parents.” Qiu Tingyu also smiled.

Even classmates from the same year didn’t have much to talk about after such a long time, and they weren’t in the same class. The vague feelings of adolescence had long been washed away by time. After a few exchanges about where they were now and how long he would be in town, Tao Xiaoxi said her goodbyes.

Just as she was about to leave, Qiu Tingyu called after her. “Xiaoxi, are you close to Zhou Ying?”

“Do you mean Zhou Ying, our teacher’s daughter?”

Qiu Tingyu nodded enthusiastically.

Tao Xiaoxi was about to respond when someone behind her called her name loudly.

“Tao Xiaoxi!”

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Chen Fang walked over quickly, his hand landing on Tao Xiaoxi’s shoulder as he pulled her toward him, blocking her from view of Qiu Tingyu. He looked down at her and said, “Didn’t you say you were going to the restroom?”

He held her tightly, and when Tao Xiaoxi tried to move, his grip tightened. She could only stay in his embrace.

“I wanted to settle the bill,” she explained.

“I’ll take care of the bill. Mom seems to be looking for you; it seems urgent. You should go check on her,” Chen Fang said as he gently turned her body around. He was taller than Qiu Tingyu, and by standing between Tao Xiaoxi and Qiu Tingyu, he blocked their line of sight.

However, Tao Xiaoxi had been talking with Qiu Tingyu, and even if she had to leave, she wanted to be polite and say goodbye. She leaned out from Chen Fang’s arms to look at Qiu Tingyu. “Qiu Tingyu, I’m leaving. Chen Fang and Sister Yingying know each other, so if you need anything, you can talk to him.”

“Okay, Xiaoxi,” Qiu Tingyu smiled in response.

When Chen Fang heard Qiu Tingyu’s words, his brow furrowed. As soon as Tao Xiaoxi turned the corner of the hallway, Chen Fang turned back to Qiu Tingyu. “You can’t call her Xiaoxi.”

Qiu Tingyu clicked his tongue. “You’re being too overbearing. Fine, next time I’ll just call her Tao Xiaoxi.”

“Tao Xiaoxi doesn’t work either.”

Qiu Tingyu was speechless. “Then what do you want me to call her? ‘Hey’? Is that respectful to your wife?”

Chen Fang thought for a moment. “Call her Classmate Tao or Sister-in-law. Aren’t you a year younger than me?”

Chen Fang paused mid-sentence. He suddenly realized that Qiu Tingyu was a year younger than him, which meant he was also a year younger than Tao Xiaoxi. She always said she little wolf-dog brothers. Could it be that she liked someone like Qiu Tingyu?

He looked Qiu Tingyu up and down. He didn’t seem like a young wolfdog; he was more like an old goat.

Qiu Tingyu felt uncomfortable under his gaze and took a step back. “What are you doing?”

Chen Fang replied, “What did you talk about with Tao Xiaoxi?”

Qiu Tingyu scratched his head. “I upset Zhou Ying, and she blocked me. I was thinking of calling her using your wife, my sister-in-law’s phone since she doesn’t pick up calls from unfamiliar numbers.” He looked at Chen Fang with a pitiful expression. “Can I use your phone, or can you tell me Zhou Ying’s address?”

Chen Fang answered with two words: “No.”

It was his own problem if he couldn’t win over the girl. Chen Fang thought, Why the hell would I help my wife’s former crush chase after another woman?

Tao Xiaoxi returned to the private room and walked over to Meng Qing. “Did you need something urgently?” she asked, but Meng Qing was caught off guard. “I wasn’t looking for you.” She then patted her shoulder. “Go eat, don’t block me from talking to your Sister Yingying.”

“Okay,” Tao Xiaoxi nodded and returned to her seat.

By the time they got home after leaving the restaurant, it was almost 3 AM. Chen Fang had some issues at the construction site, so he dropped her and the old lady off before heading out again. The old lady got out of the car first, and just as Tao Xiaoxi was about to get out, someone grabbed her arm.

She turned to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

Chen Fang poked her cheek. “Why do you look upset?”

Tao Xiaoxi denied it. “It’s just that my stomach feels a bit off.”

“Go drink something warm and rest in bed. I’ll be back soon.”

Tao Xiaoxi nodded.

He said “soon,” but didn’t make it back for dinner. He mentioned having an unavoidable social obligation.

Tao Xiaoxi went to bed early and soon dozed off, but her sleep wasn’t peaceful. She woke up at every sound.

“Did I wake you?” Chen Fang walked over and leaned down to look at her.

“No, I wasn’t asleep. Just dozed off for a bit,” Tao Xiaoxi smelled the alcohol on him. “Did you drink?”

“Just a little. Does it smell strong?” He sniffed his clothes. “I’ll take a shower.”

Tao Xiaoxi woke up a bit more and went to the kitchen to make a cup of honey water, placing it on the bedside table before climbing back into bed, leaning against the headboard, and scrolling through her tablet. She didn’t really read anything, her mind was completely blank.

He took a bit longer in the shower than expected. Just as she was about to settle back under the covers, she heard the door open from the bathroom. She looked over and was about to remind him to drink the honey water before going to sleep.

But her eyes fixed on the doorway.

He was leaning against the door frame, wearing black pants and a white shirt. This was the first time she saw him in a white shirt, and though it should have made him look youthful, it instead gave off a sense of restraint. He had a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high nose, which made him look even more detached, but also a bit rebellious. Tao Xiaoxi stared, almost mesmerized.

Chen Fang noticed her gaze and smirked, his hand brushing over the shirt’s buttons, his fingers lightly moving. Tao Xiaoxi felt her heart stir as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt from top to bottom.

Tao Xiaoxi’s back straightened instinctively, and she stopped breathing.

Chen Fang walked over to her, tilting her chin up. “Tao Xiaoxi, didn’t you want a little wolfdog brother?”

If she really liked that, he’s willing to be her little wolfdog.