Taming the Fierce Hound | Chapter 41 | The Weight of a Hug | Novela.app

Chapter 41 - The Weight of a Hug From that day forward, Zong Yan and Si Jiang settled into a peculiar, unspoken rhythm. On campus, she remained as distant and frigid as ever, her treatment of him indistinguishable from that of any other classmate. Though her debts had finally been cleared, Zong Yan felt no sense of relief. She walked through the world alone, the ground beneath her feet feeling hollow and precarious. If she wanted a future, she knew she had to exert several times the effort of an ordinary person to fight for it. Her schedule was a grueling gauntlet: classes during the day, part-time jobs immediately after, a fixed internship two days a week, and at night, she frequently had to "pay the price." Even for someone like Zong Yan, who seemed to possess an inexhaustible reservoir of stamina, the lack of breathing room began to take its toll. She never stayed the night at Si Jiang’s place. "Ngh..." The reason their dynamic had turned so strange was simple: whenever they were confined within a private, enclosed space, things inevitably spiraled toward indulgence. Zong Yan sat on the sofa, her fingers flying across the keyboard, her expression one of intense focus. It was already midnight. The man she was "accompanying" was curled up at the furthest end of the sofa, dressed in silk pajamas, his back turned to her in a silent protest of their supposed estrangement. Zong Yan had no intention of moving to the bed; the bedroom was a poor environment for work. The living room was bathed in the dimmest possible light, a concession made to create a sleeping atmosphere for him. However, it was a futile effort. He tossed and turned, his frustration mounting until he finally snapped his eyes open. The sofa cushions shifted as he slid off, crawling into the space between Zong Yan’s knees. Without a word or warning, he lowered his head. The bridge of his high nose was barely visible in the shadows, soon becoming slick with moisture. Zong Yan didn't offer much of a reaction, merely shifting her posture slightly as her eyes narrowed. She took a deep breath and wound her fingers through the hair at the crown of his head. The sharp sting of the tugging gave Si Jiang a twisted sense of satisfaction amidst his unilateral giving. Even if he was the one performing, what did it matter? Breaking the composure of this cold, heartless woman gave him a greater sense of achievement than any conquest he’d had in his former life. Interrupted in her work, Zong Yan felt a flicker of helplessness. Her palms grew damp, leaving faint prints on the keys. Si Jiang, however, seemed to find peace. He reached out a long arm, grabbed a wet wipe, and meticulously cleaned the "crime scene." He exhaled a long breath, thinking triumphantly: *You act like you don't even know me during the day, but you still can't resist my skills now, can you?* As his thoughts drifted, his eyelids grew heavy. Sleep, like a long-lost friend, called out to him with sudden fervor. The moment his face brushed against Zong Yan’s ankle, his consciousness began to fray. A blanket slipped from the sofa to the floor. Curled at the woman’s feet, he fell fast asleep. "Leash... me..." He mumbled a few incoherent words in his sleep. Hearing them, Zong Yan finally paused her work and let her gaze fall upon him. She leaned down, her fingers lightly encircling his neck. *** By the time Zong Yan returned to her own home, it was two in the morning. She washed up quickly and took a moment to pet Past’s head. After confirming the dog had eaten his fill—he seemed to have grown a bit rounder—she collapsed into bed and closed her eyes. When she woke, she was greeted by the sound of heavy, rhythmic huffing near her face. Zong Yan opened her eyes to see a large dog's head on the pillow beside her. Past was panting happily, his tongue lolling out as he watched her. Seeing she was finally awake, he let out a soft whine. "Woof-hoo." His tail thrashed against the mattress. Zong Yan checked her phone. It was seven o'clock. She didn't have an 8:00 AM class today, so she could afford to head to campus a bit later. She turned back to Past’s expectant eyes and nodded. "We’ll go for a run in the small park today." "Awoo!" The yellowish fur practically flew as Past spun in circles, his front paws scratching at the floor in frantic anticipation. Zong Yan pressed a finger to her lips. "Quiet." The soundproofing here was mediocre at best; neighborly relations were fragile things when noise was involved. If she wanted her dog to have a happy life, she couldn't afford to be a nuisance to others. Past sat down obediently, still huffing, and watched as Zong Yan walked to the cabinet. From a row of hanging items, she pulled down a black leash. The dog’s gaze lingered for a moment on a bag nearby that had never been opened—it carried a very strange, unfamiliar scent—but Zong Yan never let him touch it. The pup tilted his head in confusion for a second before forgetting it entirely. *Whatever! This King is going to patrol the park!* The moment the collar clicked around his neck, the little yellow dog bolted for the door. Zong Yan quickened her pace to keep up with him. By the time the streets began to fill with people and the flow of traffic grew congested, the alarm on a pillow across the hall began to buzz. Bai Mao let out a groan, swiping the screen blindly before burying his face back into his soft pillow. Why did humans have to wake up early? Why couldn't the day start only after one had woken up naturally? Despite his internal protest, he dragged himself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. He ignored the "chicken nest" of messy hair reflected in the mirror, simply wiping his face with a towel. If his hair looked like a nest, so be it. If a chick actually decided to nest there, he’d consider it a unique fashion statement. Besides, there was no one in his class worth dressing up for anyway. Still nursing his morning grumpiness, Bai Mao shouldered his backpack and pushed open his front door. "Woof!" The familiar bark jolted him awake. Then came the voice he liked most: "Bai Mao, you're up." *Crap! I forgot about Senior!* He frantically slapped his hand over his head, trying to flatten the tufts of hair sticking up from his forehead. He lowered his head, stammering, "Ah... haha, Senior! Morning! What a coincidence." Zong Yan offered a small smile and handed him a bag. "Breakfast. You haven't eaten yet, right?" Though he was usually full of energy, Bai Mao was a habitual sleeper-in. Having known him for a year, Zong Yan was well aware of his routine. Sure enough, Bai Mao immediately forgot about his messy hair and beamed, taking the paper bag with both hands to peer inside. "Thanks, Senior! You're the best!" Now that he was fully conscious, his empty stomach began to make its presence known. He pulled out a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth, grinning foolishly at her. "Woof-woo..." Past was green with envy. He ran to Bai Mao’s feet, scratching at his pants with his paws. Bai Mao crouched down, holding the remainder of the bun in front of the dog. "You want some?" Past’s mouth practically watered as he lunged for a bite. But the fragrant meat bun vanished in an instant. The dog looked up in confusion as Bai Mao winked mischievously. "Dream on, fatty! Don't forget, you're on a diet!" Zong Yan’s gaze softened as she watched the boy and the dog bicker. "Alright, don't eat out here. Come in." She opened her door, ushering the two childish creatures into her home. "Senior, have you been really busy lately?" Bai Mao asked curiously as he sat at the dining table. He was a night owl, often staying up late to grind in his farming simulator games. Several times, he had heard the door across the hall open in a daze, and when he checked the time, it was always past midnight. Zong Yan, who was wiping the mud off Past’s paws, paused at the question. "Yes. An old acquaintance asked for help." "An old acquaintance?" Bai Mao was puzzled. He hadn't realized she had any acquaintances close enough to warrant such late hours. "Well, make sure you get some rest, Senior." He pointed to his own eyes. "You look a bit tired. If you ever need help with anything, you can always ask me. You know I'm right across the hall." "I know," Zong Yan nodded, walking over to him. Bai Mao gave her a bright, open smile and opened his arms. Zong Yan lowered her gaze and gently pulled him into a hug. It was a warm, wholesome embrace. This kind of intimate contact was something Zong Yan had never truly experienced in her past, an action she had subconsciously repelled for years. But during those years when she had lost all will to live, when she had sat on high rooftops looking down at the bustling world with utter indifference, it was Bai Mao who had cautiously approached her and pulled her back. He had been hesitant yet firm when he first hugged her, using a gentle voice she had never heard before to comfort her: *"Senior, I know you have a lot on your mind. If you don't want to talk about it, but you're really unhappy... you can just hug someone you trust. It makes your heart feel a lot better."* At that moment, Zong Yan had wondered: *If I had a normal family, if my parents had given me a brother or a sister, would they have been like Bai Mao?* "Thank you, Bai Mao. It would be nice if you were my family." He would surely be the best family member in the world. Bai Mao shook his head. "Senior, I don't want to be your brother. I already have sisters who love to bully me." Seeing Zong Yan remain silent, his heart softened. "But since you're older than me anyway, I guess I could call you 'Sister' if you want." He couldn't wait to try it out. "Sister!" Zong Yan understood his little game but didn't call him out on it. She simply released him and ruffled his hair with a sigh. "You brat." Bai Mao didn't want to push her, nor did he want to make things difficult for her. But that didn't mean he was willing to let his admiration remain purely platonic forever. He would wait patiently until the day she was ready to truly open her heart. The other man in her life was entirely different. He possessed neither patience nor consideration. His mind was filled only with taking an inch and demanding a mile. In his view, since he had once again "degraded" himself to crawl into her bed, his demands were only natural. Zong Yan’s phone chimed. She opened the message. Si Jiang had sent a link. Zong Yan clicked it; it was a movie recommendation. She replied: *?* Si Jiang: *Hey, do you want to watch this movie?*