◎ The rabbit beats the stinky dog ◎

His eyes didn’t avoid hers, but she caught a moment of hesitation.

“I understand.” Tao Xiaoxi didn’t need his answer, and began to walk downstairs.

Chen Fang grabbed her, pulling her back. “What do you understand? I haven’t said anything yet, and you already understand. Tao Xiaoxi, when did you learn to read minds?”

Tao Xiaoxi just stared at him without saying a word.

Chen Fang’s heart stirred when he met her cold, clear gaze. He wanted to explain. The moment of hesitation earlier was because he had thought of that night when she asked if his relationship with Zhou Ying was close. So… had she already started having doubts in her heart back then?

But the words he was about to say changed, and he bent down to gently touch her forehead. “Are you jealous?”

Tao Xiaoxi turned her head away, smiling. “What would I be jealous of? I’m so old now, and everyone’s liked someone at some point. If I were to be jealous every time, the vinegar shop would close.”

Chen Fang pinched her chin. “Who else have you liked besides Qiu Tingyu?”

Tao Xiaoxi bit her lip, staying silent.

“I guess I’ll have to search through your hidden drawings after all.”

Tao Xiaoxi pushed him away, but her effort was like scratching an itch to him, and she couldn’t break free.

Chen Fang pulled her into his arms. “My feelings for Zhou Ying are…”

Tao Xiaoxi’s movements slowed as she listened to him.

Chen Fang paused for a few seconds and then said one word: “Complicated.”

Tao Xiaoxi’s shoulder stiffened, and then she exerted all her strength to push him away.

Chen Fang wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Don’t you want to know just how complicated it is?”

“It’s none of my business how complicated it is. I only care about when my business license will come through. Let me go. I need to go to the industrial and commercial bureau.”

Chen Fang wasn’t going to let her go. “I’ve never told anyone. You have a lot of secrets, and this is also one of my secrets.”

Tao Xiaoxi suddenly fell silent, her expression wiped clean of emotion. Outside the door, people came and went in a bustling crowd, but inside, only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

The silence, contrasted against the noise, felt even more profound.

Amid this quiet, Tao Xiaoxi spoke, “Let me go first. Let me go, and I’ll hear your secret.”

Chen Fang truly released her, stepping back a little. He didn’t want to miss any change in her expression, even though she was trying hard to maintain a neutral face.

Tao Xiaoxi’s tone was impatient. “If you’re going to say something, say it quickly. I’m in a hurry.”

Chen Fang’s eyes carried a barely noticeable smile. “As for Zhou Ying, if I had to use a nice word, I’d call it… admiration. If I were to be a bit petty, I could say it’s jealousy.”

For a moment, Tao Xiaoxi’s expression froze. More precisely, it was a moment of stillness before her expression cracked, as though she didn’t understand what he said, yet also as if she understood all too well.

She had asked him about his feelings for Zhou Ying, so why was he talking about how she felt about Zhou Ying?

Chen Fang pinched her cheek. “What kind of expression is that?”

Tao Xiaoxi blinked, asking, “What do you mean?”

Chen Fang thought for a moment on how to explain his earlier words. He had never really shared some of his deeper feelings with anyone. As a man, he believed in saying less and doing more—working hard for his family’s well-being and repaying others’ kindness.

“The first time Old Zhou dragged me into their house, Zhou Ying had just returned home for the summer break. She didn’t tell Old Zhou she was coming back, so when she entered, Old Zhou was sternly scolding me. The moment she walked in, you wouldn’t believe it—Old Zhou’s face instantly softened, smiling like a blooming flower. It was honestly hard to look at. Mrs. Zhou held Zhou Ying and wouldn’t let go. If she had enough strength, I bet she’d have spun around the room with her. Looking at that scene, I thought to myself, if my parents were still alive, and I came home from a long trip, they’d probably be just as happy to see me.”

Tao Xiaoxi looked up at him. Chen Fang met her gaze. “That was the first time I saw Old Zhou acting like a father. He was so chatty—more talkative than when he’s teaching. He could talk your ear off. He’s definitely not the type of father I’d like, but… I actually thought, if I were his son, I don’t think I’d mind his constant talking. I rarely eat at other people’s homes, but at Old Zhou’s, I’ve probably eaten the most. The more I ate, the more I envied Zhou Ying from the bottom of my heart. To have someone call you ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ and have them answer back—it’s a luxury I’ve never had.”

Tao Xiaoxi’s hand involuntarily tightened around his, her thumb rubbing his hand as if to comfort him. He had never mentioned his parents to her, and the less he said, the more she could tell he was holding it in. She had seen a photo tucked in his wallet once—a family of three. The man was tall and handsome, the woman gentle and beautiful, holding a young boy in their arms.

Chen Fang looked into her eyes, liking the way she was gazing at him—gentle and careful, as if wanting to comfort him but not knowing how.

“Feeling sorry for me?” he asked.

Tao Xiaoxi stopped rubbing his hand and asked, “So is this your way of making me feel sorry for you to avoid answering my original question?”

Chen Fang paused, then chuckled softly. “Tao Xiaoxi, I’ve realized you care about me more than I thought.”

Tao Xiaoxi was completely annoyed now. She was trying to get him to answer her question, but he was steering the conversation in circles, clearly avoiding the topic.

Chen Fang laughed and pulled her back when she tried to walk away. “I never liked Zhou Ying, not before, and definitely not now. You should’ve seen how she taught me. She’d been trained by Old Zhou, it seemed—like she wanted to hit me with a small whip and drag me by the ear. I let her satisfy her need to be a teacher and her desire to be like an older sister. At the time, she seemed like a female demon to me. How could I like her?”

“Qiu Tingyu is the one who likes that type of woman… what do they call it online? The ‘older sister’ type? Yes, that’s the term. He treats her like a little chick,” he leaned in close to her ear, “But I’m different from Qiu Tingyu. What I like is a rabbit—soft and white.”

Tao Xiaoxi had been listening attentively, but hearing this, she realized he was being playful again. Just as she was about to kick him, he spoke again.

“Old Lady says that I didn’t go down the wrong path in high school mostly because of Old Zhou’s influence. He’d often take an hour to give me life lessons, like wrapping my feet. His wife used to make me small meals, worried I wouldn’t get enough nutrition while growing. The taste wasn’t great, you know how Aunt cooks. As for Zhou Ying, she treated getting me into college as a challenge in her life. If I didn’t get in, I’d be letting down her father.”

“We don’t have many relatives. Old Lady only has one son, my dad. My mom’s side lost contact after my grandparents passed away, and my mom left. During the two years when Old Lady was ill, Old Zhou’s family helped us a lot, whether with people or money. If I’m grateful to anyone, it’s Old Zhou’s family, and in these years, I’ve treated them like real relatives. Whenever something happens, we help each other, like Old Lady gaining an extra nephew from the Zhou family, and I gained Zhou Ying as a sister. My relationship with Zhou Ying is probably like your relationship with your older brothers or with Xiaoxiao.”

Chen Fang looked at her. “Tao Xiaoxi, does that clear up your question?”

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t respond.

Chen Fang continued, “I used to envy Zhou Ying, but I don’t anymore. Because now, I have parents too. My mother-in-law and father-in-law practically want to hold me in the palm of their hands. Why would I still envy her?”

Tao Xiaoxi stayed silent, though she inwardly disagreed with him. Her parents had never treated him as their precious son-in-law—they had only ever treated her like that.

Chen Fang pressed his thumb against her lips, which had tightened, and asked lazily, “So, have you been secretly jealous lately?”

Tao Xiaoxi had a hard time pretending she didn’t hear the amusement in his voice. She slapped his hand away. “I have soft teeth and a calcium deficiency. I can’t eat vinegar.”

Chen Fang suddenly realized something, and his voice dropped even lower. “I thought your body was soft, but I didn’t expect your teeth to be soft too. Come, let me see how soft they really are.” He bent over, closing in on her.

Tao Xiaoxi seized the opportunity. She raised her leg, bending her knee. Chen Fang saw her movement out of the corner of his eye. It was too late to suppress it, so he quickly stepped back, loosening the arm he had wrapped around her waist.

He gritted his teeth. “Tao Xiaoxi, can you use this trick on your man casually? If it really breaks, what good will it do you?”

Tao Xiaoxi tossed her bag over her shoulder and hurried down the stairs, lifting her head to look at him. “My man is busy with a tender in the city right now. Who are you? I’ve never even met you. You’re harassing me, and I can’t even kick you?”

Chen Fang stepped forward, intending to chase her down. Just then, the door to the hallway creaked open. A middle-aged couple entered, and they happened to overhear Tao Xiaoxi’s last words. They glanced at Chen Fang with disdain, then looked at Tao Xiaoxi, silently reassuring her that she didn’t need to worry with them around.

Chen Fang, not at all embarrassed about being seen as a thug, smiled and explained to the couple. “She’s my wife, just messing around with me.”

The couple hesitated at first but then saw the clear embarrassment on Tao Xiaoxi’s flushed face and believed him. The middle-aged woman gave a knowing smile and added, “We’re not interrupting anything, are we?”

Tao Xiaoxi, too embarrassed to stay any longer, quickly ran down a floor, turned out of the hallway, and just managed to catch the elevator door opening. She muted her buzzing phone and dashed to the parking lot.

The call didn’t go through, so he sent a text.

[Mom said you would bring lunch over. When will you be here? I’m a bit hungry now.]

Tao Xiaoxi threw her cell phone onto the passenger seat and said he deserved to starve to death.

After passing through a red light, another message came through.

[I’m really in pain, I’m not lying.]

Tao Xiaoxi angrily typed back, [You deserve it.] She was about to send it when she paused, deleted each word one by one, and then, with no wooden objects around, tapped the steering wheel three times. She finally typed, [Your credibility with me is now in the negative. I don’t believe a word you say.]

After sending the message, she shoved the phone into her bag and tossed it to the back seat, hoping to forget it.

After leaving the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, Tao Xiaoxi went straight to his parents’ place. Tao Wenyong had already made lunch—four dishes and a soup, a spread so good it could rival a five-star hotel.

“Dad, why did you make so much?” Tao Xiaoxi asked, eyeing the two thermal food containers on the table.

Tao Wenyong wiped his hands on his apron. “Hu Xiaole’s brother is here too. One portion for Chen Fang, the other for him.”

“Who’s Hu Xiaole?” Tao Xiaoxi asked.

“He’s the guy who got injured at Chen Fang’s company. His brother is limping and waiting outside. No one’s probably sending him lunch.”

“Oh.” Tao Xiaoxi picked up one of the food containers. “Dad, I’ll leave now. I have to go to the store this afternoon.”

“Eat first, I’ve already made it.” Tao Wenyong insisted.

“I’m not hungry. The furniture delivery is coming soon, and I need to be there.” Tao Xiaoxi had no appetite at all.

Tao Wenyong rummaged through the cabinet for a lunchbox. “Wait a minute, I’ll pack some for you to take with you.”

Just as Tao Xiaoxi was about to sit down, loud shouting reached her from the hallway. It was Meng Qing’s voice. Tao Xiaoxi rushed out and followed the noise down to the first floor.

Meng Qing was blocking the door to Huihui’s apartment, angrily pointing at Huihui’s mother and scolding her. Meng Qing hadn’t fought with anyone in years. These years of being softened by Tao Wenyong and Tao Xiaoxi’s gentle nature had worn away the fierce temper she used to have. Though her temper had quieted down a lot, that didn’t mean she couldn’t let it loose when the time came.

Meng Qing had been holding a grudge against Huihui’s mom for a while, but she hadn’t planned to explode today. With a pile of issues and lawsuits to handle at home, who had the time to deal with her? However, when she ran into Huihui’s mom on her way home during the lunch break, she lost her patience.

Huihui’s mom had seen Meng Qing leave in a hurry that morning, thinking Tao Xiaoxi’s husband was in big trouble.

Seeing Meng Qing again, she pretended to show concern, stopping her. “I forgot to tell you this morning, even if Xiaoxi gets divorced, you don’t need to worry about her remarrying. Huihui’s husband has many friends he can introduce to her. They may be older, but they’re much wealthier than her current husband. If Xiaoxi marries one of them, she definitely won’t suffer.”

Such an overconfident remark brought the old Meng Qing back to life. The scolding was so fierce it felt like it could break through the building’s walls.

The art of scolding someone lies in never using a single swear word, yet making it feel worse than if you did.

Huihui’s mom was usually someone who only bullied the weak and feared the strong. If things got serious, she wouldn’t be able to say a word.

Neighbors gathered around, peeking out of their doors. Meng Qing wanted an audience, and she took the opportunity to explain her reasons for yelling at Huihui’s mom to everyone. She cursed her son-in-law to be crippled and paralyzed, pushed her daughter to divorce and marry an older man, saying it was a “better marriage.” If she didn’t slap her face off, it was already giving her face.

The neighbors, who had their own grievances against Huihui’s mom, started giving their opinions too. Meng Qing knew that the most important thing in a fight was not just the words, but also the “reason” behind it. A fight without reason would never feel satisfying.

Tao Xiaoxi took advantage of Meng Qing’s pause to quickly drag her back home. She was worried that if they continued arguing, both her mom’s and Huihui’s mom’s blood pressure would rise, and something bad might happen.

When they got home, Meng Qing drank two glasses of water to calm down.

“Alright, don’t be angry anymore. You know what kind of person she is, no need to waste your energy on her.” Tao Xiaoxi took out a blood pressure monitor and prepared to measure Meng Qing’s blood pressure.

Meng Qing waved her hand. “No need, I’m fine. It’s not my blood pressure that’s high—it’s hers. I’m telling you, the next time you see her, don’t even bother calling her ‘Aunt.’ She doesn’t deserve it.”

Meng Qing had always believed that the conflicts of the older generation were their own issues. The younger generation should still be polite and greet others appropriately. She didn’t think that a senior should be acting like that, and as a younger one, Tao Xiaoxi shouldn’t lose her manners. But now, Meng Qing didn’t want to waste time with her anymore. People like her didn’t even know what “manners” meant. Calling her “Aunt” would be an insult to the title.

“Fine, I won’t call her that anymore. From now on, when I see her, I won’t even look at her,” Tao Xiaoxi responded quickly. She had witnessed her mother’s real anger for the first time. In the past, when she scolded her, it was like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water—very mild. Now, Tao Xiaoxi truly believed she was her mother’s daughter.

Tao Wenyong mumbled from the side, “You’re so old, yet your temper still flares up. What if you hurt yourself? Aren’t you the one who will suffer?”

Meng Qing raised an eyebrow. “Even when I’m 80, if she talks about my daughter and son-in-law like that, I’ll still scold her. Why should I care about my age when it comes to scolding someone like that?”

Tao Xiaoxi quickly changed the subject. “Why are you back now?”

Meng Qing handed her an empty cup and asked her to get some more water. “That employee of Chen Fang’s is definitely injured on the job. The insurance and compensation won’t be sorted out soon. Chen Fang said his company will pay for medical expenses, but the follow-up treatment is bound to be costly. I forgot to ask this morning—can he manage the money? Is cash flow crucial in his line of work? I’m not sure. You just bought a shop, and he just bought you a car. I’m worried you don’t have enough money. I thought maybe your dad and I could take out some of our savings from the bank. After all, the interest isn’t much.”

Tao Xiaoxi took the water and handed it back to Meng Qing, trying to mask the bitterness in her voice. “Oh, there’s no need. You don’t need to take out savings for this. He’s fine. Haven’t you heard? Those in construction are all rich, and he has more money than you think. You don’t need to worry about him.”

Tao Xiaoxi’s anger toward Chen Fang flared up again, rising even more because of her mother’s words. Her parents treated him like their own son-in-law, always busy with him, but he treated her like an outsider, never even intending for her to know about this incident.

So, she decided against delivering food to him. She turned the car around halfway, thinking he could live without her bringing him lunch. He wasn’t starving last night, so why should she bother?

At lunchtime, Chen Fang didn’t receive his meal. Instead, he got a message telling him to go to the hospital cafeteria or order takeout himself, as Tao Xiaoxi had work to do at the shop. He tried calling, but no one picked up, so he called A Jian.

A Jian, chewing something, mumbled on the phone, and after a while, Chen Fang still couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Chen Fang clicked his tongue. “What are you eating? You’re chewing your whole tongue?”

A Jian finally swallowed. “Your wife brought two big thermoses of food. She said your father made extra meals for us. You’re lucky, man. Your father-in-law can really cook!”

Chen Fang hung up in silence.

Around 5 p.m., Tao Wenyong called Tao Xiaoxi. “I’ve made dinner. When are you coming home?”

Tao Xiaoxi, unpacking a delivery, replied, “I told you there’s no need to cook. The hospital has a cafeteria, it’s more convenient. Why bother?”

Tao Wenyong insisted, “The cafeteria isn’t as nutritious as home-cooked meals. He needs to eat well right now.”

Tao Xiaoxi answered, “The air conditioning guys are coming soon, I don’t have time to come by. He’s a grown man, he won’t starve.”

Tao Wenyong sighed, “Alright, just do your thing. Don’t worry about it.”

Tao Xiaoxi was about to say something more, but he had already hung up. The air conditioning guys had arrived, and Tao Xiaoxi didn’t think much more about it.

Once she finished unpacking, A Jian and the others left. She tidied up the shop and then grabbed her bag and left.

It was already getting dark by 6 p.m., and before long, the streetlights were flickering on. Tao Xiaoxi locked the door and, as she turned, saw a few young people hanging around a nearby trash bin, smoking. One of them, despite his hair being dyed red instead of yellow, was still recognizable to Tao Xiaoxi. It was the guy who had asked her where the internet café was a while ago.

They stood under the streetlight, smoking by the trash can. It wasn’t unusual to see people lingering on the street, but something about this scene felt off to Tao Xiaoxi.

She got in her car and pretended to make a phone call while keeping an eye on them. After they finished smoking, they left. Maybe it was just too many drama shows lately; she might have been overthinking.

Just as she started the car, her phone buzzed. She let it ring for a moment before answering without saying anything.

Chen Fang asked, “Are you still at the shop?”

“Mhm,” Tao Xiaoxi replied with a faint tone.

“Dad brought me dinner earlier.”

“Hmm.”

“Dad’s cooking is really good.”

“Hmm.”

Chen Fang chuckled. “He also brought you some food. Are you coming to the hospital directly from the shop?”

Tao Xiaoxi backed the car out and replied, “I’m not eating dinner tonight, I’m on a diet.”

That was her way of saying she wasn’t going to the hospital.

Chen Fang added, “I don’t have any clean clothes. Can you bring me some?”

“You said you had spare clothes. You didn’t need me to bring anything yesterday, but now you do. Can’t you make up your mind?”

Chen Fang fell silent for a moment, realizing he had made a mistake.

“I miss you,” he said, his voice deliberately low and full of emotion.

“Oh,” Tao Xiaoxi’s fingers drummed lightly on the steering wheel. “But I don’t miss you. I’m driving right now, talking on the phone is unsafe. I’m hanging up.”

Chen Fang stared at the screen where the call had ended abruptly. He sighed, feeling a bit frustrated.

People with good tempers were harder to calm down when they got angry. Sometimes, it felt better to just shout at him to get the frustration out.

He still hoped she would show up later. She should come to see him, at least. But after waiting the entire night, she never came.

When Meng Qing called, Tao Xiaoxi was half-asleep. She had tossed and turned the first half of the night, unable to sleep, and had only managed to doze off when the sky was about to lighten.

When Meng Qing heard her voice, she immediately knew that Tao Xiaoxi hadn’t gotten up yet. “Tao Xiaoxi, are you planning to sleep until noon?”

Although Tao Xiaoxi’s mind wasn’t fully awake, she could still tell from her mom’s voice that she was annoyed. She splashed some cold water on her face from the cup on the bedside table.

“Mom, I woke up early. I’m just tidying up. I’ll be out soon.”

“Make it quick. Your dad and I are already at the hospital. You didn’t stay to look after him last night, and now you won’t even come early this morning. How lazy can you be?”

Tao Xiaoxi muttered under her breath, “He’s not even immobile, why would I need to stay with him?”

Meng Qing clicked her tongue. “Well, if you ever get sick and need to be hospitalized, I wonder if you’ll refuse to have anyone look after you.”

Tao Xiaoxi replied firmly, “Who said anything about not having anyone take care of me if I get hospitalized? If I’m able to move, I won’t need anyone.”

Meng Qing caught something off in her tone. “Did you two have a fight?”

Tao Xiaoxi quickly responded, “No, we didn’t fight.”

Meng Qing didn’t feel like arguing further. “Alright, I’m hanging up. Hurry up and get ready.”

Before leaving, Tao Xiaoxi stood in the hallway for a moment, frozen. She had already changed into shoes, but took them off again, put on slippers, entered the closet, grabbed a few clothes, threw them into a bag, and then finally left.

When Tao Xiaoxi entered the hospital room, the doctor was examining Chen Fang.

As soon as she entered, Chen Fang’s eyes were glued to her. But she didn’t even glance at him. She either talked to her parents or fiddled with her phone. To her, he might as well not even exist.

The middle-aged doctor couldn’t help but tease, “Who’s here? I thought your eyeballs might pop out from staring so hard.”

His voice was loud, and the nurse nearby laughed. Tao Xiaoxi, though pretending not to hear, couldn’t help but feel her face flush bright red.

Chen Fang didn’t mind. He was happy to have some help. “It’s my wife. Who else would I be staring at like this? If I looked at you like that, I’m sure my sister-in-law wouldn’t like it.”

Tao Xiaoxi secretly cursed him, calling him a shameless scoundrel. Her parents were right there, yet he dared to say such indiscriminate things. The worst part was that this shameless scoundrel seemed to have acquaintances everywhere. Even at the hospital, he managed to run into someone he knew—a middle-aged doctor he was clearly familiar with.

The doctor laughed and clicked his tongue at Chen Fang. “Alright, there’s nothing serious. Just go ahead and handle the discharge. In the next few days, eat lightly and avoid strenuous activities.”

He went over some additional precautions, which Tao Xiaoxi noted down in her memo. Chen Fang leaned over to see what she was writing.

Noticing him getting closer, Tao Xiaoxi put her phone away, frowned, and glared at him. “What are you looking at?”

Chen Fang continued from earlier, speaking quietly, “I’m looking at my wife. She cares about me, so I have to remember it.”

Tao Xiaoxi took a step back, whispering back, “I don’t care about you, I care about the dog.”

A heartless stinky dog.

Chen Fang: …

After leaving the hospital, Tao Xiaoxi first dropped Chen Fang off at the entrance of their neighborhood. Then, she went to take her parents to their workplaces. Since it was on the same route, Chen Fang wanted to follow her, but her parents insisted he rest at home. He couldn’t go against their wishes.

As he predicted, once she finished dropping them off, Tao Xiaoxi went straight to the shop.

Chen Fang took a hot shower and then caught a cab to the office to handle some backlog of tasks. He arranged for two caretakers to take turns watching over Hu Xiaole, and also made arrangements with his brother. With Hu Xiaole’s situation, the company had to make sure everything was handled. The meeting with the head of Fengyi was rescheduled to tomorrow. He couldn’t afford any more mistakes, or they’d be out of the game before it even started.

Once he finished handling company matters, Chen Fang took a cab to Tao Xiaoxi’s store. If the mountain won’t come to him, he would go to the mountain.

The workers in the store greeted him, calling out “Brother Fang.” He handed them drinks and snacks.

Looking around, he didn’t see who he was looking for. “Where’s your sister-in-law?”

“She went out.” A Jian answered with a grin, eyeing the bag in Chen Fang’s hand. “Brother Fang, you still drink milk tea?”

Chen Fang kicked him playfully. “Do you know where she went?”

“No idea. She took a call and then left. Said she was meeting a friend.” A Jian answered honestly.

Chen Fang was about to call her, but then thought better of it. If he called, she might just run off again.

Chen Fang wandered around the shop, his eyes landing on a sign in the corner. He raised an eyebrow, picked it up, and placed it on the table. The sign was shaped like a pink rabbit wearing a crown, snuggling next to a large black wolf. The store name was “The Queen Rabbit and the Wolf.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

A Jian was halfway through a burger when he said, “Brother, sister-in-law said she didn’t want that one.”

“Why not?”

“She mentioned something about changing the store name to… I think it’s ‘Rabbit Beats Dog’… No, wait, ‘Rabbit Beats Stinky Dog.’ Brother, I’ve only ever heard of meat buns beating dogs. When did rabbits start fighting dogs? Am I behind on trends? Is that even a name for a store, especially for a nail salon?”

Rabbit beats… stinky dog?

Chen Fang’s temples twitched.