Everything happened in a flash; no one had time to react.
The moment Gou Feifei opened the crate, the Chihuahua lunged, sinking its teeth into his arm. Gou Feifei let out a sharp hiss of pain, but he didn't let go. He pulled the Chihuahua into a tight, restraining embrace, allowing the sharp fangs to pierce deep into his flesh.
The dog’s four paws flailed wildly. Its claws, which hadn't been trimmed in ages, left one bloody scratch after another across Gou Feifei’s body. Yet, he showed no intention of releasing it.
Jin Yan took the opportunity to place his hand on the small dog, attempting to communicate, while Jiang Rong tried to lure it into letting go with food. However, it was all in vain. The Chihuahua refused to communicate with Jin Yan; all he could sense from its heart was a profound terror and a deep-seated malice toward the world.
In the corner, someone finally lost their cool.
Zhu Lili could no longer restrain herself. She surged to her feet and rushed over, cursing at Gou Feifei. Behind her sunglasses, her eyes were rimmed with red.
Gou Feifei faltered for a second when he heard her voice. Distracted, he looked up and forced a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry."
But Zhu Lili sat back down on the sofa next to Zhou Shu in a fit of pique, dropping a harsh retort. "Who the hell is worried about you!"
Gou Feifei’s gaze flickered, but he refocused his energy on the Chihuahua. Blood seeped from the scratches on his arms. He waved Jin Yan and Jiang Rong away and walked to a corner, still holding the dog firmly. He freed one hand to gently stroke its body.
He kept whispering to it, "It’s okay, it’s okay now. Nothing will ever hurt you again. Trust me, okay? Just trust me."
Hearing this, Zhu Lili froze. For a moment, she couldn't tell if those words were actually meant for her.
After five long minutes of soothing, the Chihuahua gradually began to calm down. It released its grip, its tense body relaxing. It even let out a few low whimpers before reaching out its tongue to lick Gou Feifei’s face.
Gou Feifei finally breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and handed the dog to Jin Yan. "Alright, Jin-ge, I'll leave the rest to you."
Jin Yan gently took the Chihuahua into his arms; it was indeed no longer aggressive.
"You need to get those wounds treated immediately." Jin Yan’s brows furrowed as he looked at Gou Feifei’s mangled arms. Realizing that Jiang Rong, as an Omega, might not be the best person to help Gou Feifei bandage up, he prepared to put the dog back in the crate. "Wait for me, I'll put him away and help you."
"No need, I can do it my—"
"I'll do it."
Two voices spoke simultaneously. Jin Yan saw Zhu Lili, who had removed her sunglasses, walking toward them. Her expression carried a rare gravity, and if he wasn't mistaken, the corners of her eyes looked slightly flushed.
"It’s fine..." Gou Feifei paused for a few seconds before saying softly, "You shouldn't come in either. I can manage."
"Shut up. Get in there." With that, Zhu Lili opened the door to Gou Feifei’s lounge with practiced ease.
The door shut with a heavy thud, leaving the three people outside staring at each other.
"Um... Senior, Senior-in-law, are they going to be okay?" Jiang Rong whispered.
Jin Yan snapped out of it and looked at Zhou Shu, who shrugged, indicating he had no idea.
Jiang Rong began tending to the Chihuahua’s wounds while Jin Yan performed a physical exam through touch.
"Nothing serious, just superficial injuries. No rabies either. Goofy just needs some anti-inflammatory shots," Jin Yan said, his hand still resting on the dog. After a few seconds, he frowned slightly. "But his psychological state doesn't look optimistic."
"Huh? Wait, you can see a pet’s psychology too?" Jiang Rong’s eyes widened in surprise.
Jin Yan shook his head. "I can't 'see' it, but I can feel it. He doesn't want to communicate—or rather, he doesn't know how to express himself." He paused. "All I know for now is that he suffered a lot of abuse while he was a stray, from both humans and other animals."
The three in the room fell silent. Jiang Rong glanced at Xunxun and sighed. "Sigh, compared to him, Xunxun really is a lucky puppy."
"Yeah. Go ahead and bandage his wounds. His spirit has stabilized for now. It seems Goofy’s background as a trainer is the real deal." Once Jin Yan finished, Jiang Rong took the Chihuahua from his arms and headed into the exam room with a look of total agreement.
Jin Yan sat back down next to Zhou Shu, burying his head in the crook of the other man's shoulder while reaching out to pet Xunxun. He said with a smile, "Don't worry, Xunxun. He'll be fine. When he's feeling better, I'll let you two play together."
"Awoo—!" Xunxun replied happily.
***
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Gou Feifei’s lounge had dropped to freezing point.
Zhu Lili was irritably rummaging through cabinets for iodine and bandages.
"Second shelf of the side cabinet," Gou Feifei reminded her after staring dazed at her back for a moment.
Zhu Lili grabbed the medical kit and sat down beside him. Bright red scratches were beaded with blood, and the spot where the Chihuahua had bitten him featured two deep, gory punctures.
Zhu Lili’s brows knit together. Her body swayed slightly from the scent of pheromones diffusing through the air. A faint scent of maple leaves, carrying the unique crispness of autumn, slowly drifted into her nose.
These pheromones were just like their owner—gentle, unlike a typical Enigma. He had no idea how to attack people and never used his gender rank to suppress others. Yet, this scent, so faint it was almost negligible, was precisely what made one linger. Once you got close, you couldn't help but want to get close a second time...
Zhu Lili didn't know when it had started, but she had broken her own strict rules time and again to be with this same man. She had even brought him to her home and jokingly shared the stories of her own scars with him. Later, realizing their relationship was spiraling out of control, she had repeatedly used sharp words to try and make him back off.
But this man always acted shameless, impossible to drive away. He acted as if he didn't care about anything, as if he, like Zhu Lili, was only in it for the physical pleasure. It was just that they had crossed the line so many times that their trysts had long since surpassed being mere one-night stands.
"Alright, you should go out. I can do this myself." Seeing Zhu Lili dazed even as her hands kept moving, Gou Feifei gently caught her hand to stop her. "If you stay any longer, you'll start feeling unwell."
"Stop arguing. It’s not like I haven't felt your pheromones before." Zhu Lili forced herself to support her increasingly soft body as she began applying the iodine.
"Hiss—" Gou Feifei winced in pain, letting out a small gasp. That sound only served to make Zhu Lili lose her temper again.
"If you know it hurts, why did you act so tough!" She deliberately suppressed the anger in her heart, making her words even sharper. "Jin Yan’s awakened skill is right there. Since when is it a third-rate trainer's turn to step up?"
"It’s not that..."
"Not what? Are you acting tough on purpose, or are you trying to provoke me?"
Gou Feifei looked up at her sharply. His deep, bottomless eyes flickered with a spark of fire, but it was extinguished instantly.
"I wasn't trying to provoke you." His voice dropped, sounding helpless. "I know... I couldn't provoke you even if I tried."
"You!" Zhu Lili’s chest heaved. She felt like dumping the whole bottle of iodine on his head and leaving him to rot. But she held it in, looking straight ahead as she finished treating and bandaging his wounds.
"Didn't you say I shouldn't contact you anymore?" Gou Feifei suddenly spoke. Zhu Lili’s hands paused for a second before she continued wrapping the gauze. "Why aren't you keeping your word? Or... have you been won over by my charm?"
Gou Feifei put on a playful, mocking smile, but Zhu Lili’s eyes were clouded with complex emotions.
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice carrying a nearly imperceptible tremor. "You're really noisy..."
"Don't... Don't be upset. I'll stop talking." Gou Feifei panicked at the sight of her. He fell silent and turned his gaze toward the window, only to hear a cold laugh from the person in front of him.
"Don't flatter yourself. Why would I be upset?"
Gou Feifei froze instantly. The words felt like a physical blow to his heart. It took him a long time to manage a faint tug at the corner of his mouth. "Right. I understand."
Having finished the bandaging, Gou Feifei’s mental defenses felt like they couldn't hold for another second. He stood up and gave Zhu Lili a casual glance.
"Let's go out..." His voice suddenly cut off, his whole body tensing up. "You... what's wrong? Don't cry..."
He had never seen Zhu Lili cry. He hadn't even seen her lose control of her emotions like she had today. That mouth of hers was like it was plated in metal—not only was it good for attacking, it was practically invulnerable. He thought he would never be able to walk into that person's heart in this lifetime, yet now he saw something shimmering in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
That "something" didn't suit the owner of those eyes at all; they really shouldn't have anything to do with each other.
Gou Feifei struggled internally before he couldn't help but gently take her hand.
However, in the next second, he was coldly swiped away. She said frostily, "Gou Feifei, you've crossed the line."
Outside the window, the roar of a sports car suddenly echoed. Through the glass, one could see the fallen leaves being whipped up by the gale. The leaves lost their shape, drifting aimlessly, not even knowing if they would ever touch the ground.
"Julia..." Gou Feifei remembered she didn't like people calling her by her real name. He had always been completely submissive to her, and no matter what cruel things she said, he could never bring himself to be angry. So, this time was no different. He remained silent for a moment before saying softly, "Am I really the only one who crossed the line?"
He was never the only one who had crossed it.
Zhu Lili’s heart tightened at those words. She struggled to breathe normally as she watched the man in front of her press a tissue into her hand.
"Alright, don't... don't be like this. Wipe your tears." Gou Feifei sighed and looked away. "Since we said we won't see each other again, I won't pester you anymore. I'll head out first. You... take a moment before you come out."
The door opened a crack, and the faint scent of maple leaves was swept away by the draft. Gou Feifei looked ahead, forcing a smile toward Zhou Shu, who was sitting on the sofa.
However, in the next instant, he was slammed against the door by a sudden force.
Before he could react, his lips were claimed in a kiss.
Gou Feifei’s eyes flew wide, his heart hammering against his ribs. He saw that the person kissing him was frowning, eyes closed, with undried tear tracks still on her face. Every drop of blood in his body seemed to be drained away by that kiss; he stood rigid, offering no resistance.
Then, he was kissed right back into the lounge.
*Thud.* The poor door was slammed shut once again.
The moment the door closed, the scent of red water lilies began to grow wildly. It took root in the lush greenery, intertwining with the unique red maple leaves of autumn.
Outside, the startled group stared wide-eyed at the tightly shut lounge door, silently giving them a round of applause in their hearts.
Jin Yan blinked in a daze, then steadily pulled out his phone and composed a message.
[Goofy, remember to delete the surveillance footage.]
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 恩尼格玛 (Enigma) | Enigma | A rare, dominant gender in some ABO settings, often capable of affecting Alphas. |
| 枫叶 | Maple leaf | Gou Feifei's pheromone scent. |
| 红睡莲 | Red water lily | Zhu Lili's pheromone scent. |
| 觉醒技能 | Awakened skill | Refers to Jin Yan's special ability to communicate with animals. |
| 休息室 | Lounge / Breakroom | The private room in the clinic where the encounter happens. |
