Taming the Fierce Hound | Chapter 52 | An Unexpected Offer | Novela.app

She remembered when she was very young. Zong Yan had once wanted something very badly—a tiny little charm. It was a small plush dog that could be tied to a backpack. Its front legs were tucked beneath it, its triangular ears stood alertly on its head, and it had a silly little tongue sticking out. It hung in the air, swaying rhythmically, looking utterly adorable. Zong Yan would sit in the very last row of the classroom, staring blankly at that other person’s backpack. Her bangs hung past her eyelashes, her clothes were oversized, and the hand holding her pen was covered in chilblains that had yet to scab over. Even when she was looking at something she liked, her expression appeared malicious to others. Compared to the other children in class, Zong Yan was much smaller and thinner. She didn't like to talk. Although her grades were excellent, her personality was eccentric, and her family was poor. Her father had once caused a drunken scene at the school, and her mother liked to nitpick the teachers' faults in the group chat. Naturally, she was an outcast. At that time, it had been exactly one year since the puppy died. She had crouched at the spot where her biological father had thrown it to its death. She peeled the boiled egg provided by the school lunch, ate the white herself, and placed the yolk on the ground. Before going to sleep, she went back to check and found the yolk was gone. Little Zong Yan’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, she found the yellow stains where it had been crushed into the dirt. She lowered her head, picked up a broom, and swept the area clean. Once, Zong Yan couldn't resist touching that "little dog" charm. Her classmate cried out, threatening to tell the teacher and accusing her of trying to steal it. The matter blew up inexplicably, and both sets of parents were called to the school. The scene was very ugly. "She touched this thing. It’s dirty now; I don't want it anymore," the child sobbed. In the end, the other parent looked at her with a subtle, unreadable gaze and said to their own child, "Sweetie, relationships with your classmates are important too. We must learn to be kind to others. Why don't you give this to Student Zong? Daddy will take you to buy a new one." And so, the plush dog was tossed to Zong Yan. The other child stopped crying, smiled, and left with their parent. When she returned home, Zong Yan had new wounds on her body. Under the pale moonlight, she held the plush dog, sitting by the window in a daze. The soft, smooth texture was so foreign to her. She liked it very much. But then, she remembered that look—the pity and disdain that couldn't be hidden. The window creaked. The moon watched indifferently as a small object flew out from the dilapidated window frame. Zong Yan lay back down on her bed, her expression cold. If something didn't belong to her, she never forced it. *** Similarly, after that night, Si Jiang’s distancing became exceptionally obvious. There were no more messages from him on her phone. Their chat history remained frozen at the moment Si Jiang had asked her to come to his house and she had refused on the grounds of work. In class, Si Jiang still sat as if there were eight hundred meters between them. He hadn't talked to her much before, but now he ignored her entirely. His familiar figure strode past Zong Yan, followed by a group of energetic boys heading to basketball practice. Everyone was smiling; even Si Jiang had a slight curve to his lips, his expression relaxed. Zong Yan held a clipboard, working with the class committee members to do a final inventory of supplies and confirm the state of the court. "Ever since Senior Si Jiang arrived, this bunch has gone from a pack of wild macaques to a troop of well-trained monkeys from Mount Huaguo," the Life Committeeman remarked, sighing as she watched the heated scene on the basketball court. "Even I could tell they played like trash before, but now they actually look the part." Zong Yan didn't look at them. She simply recorded the status on her board and gave a soft "Mm." However, even though she wasn't paying attention, the sounds from the court still reached her ears. "Pass to me!" "Got it!" "Si Jiang!" "Focus when you're dribbling! One swipe from me and it's gone." "Right!" A whistle blew. "Three-pointer!" Another small cheer erupted. Zong Yan efficiently double-checked all the supplies and told the Life Committeeman, "Everything's in order." "That was fast." The Life Committeeman was surprised. Was this the efficiency of an Academic God? "If there's nothing else, I'll head out first?" Zong Yan handed her the clipboard. With only three days left until the semifinals, the entire class was caught in a tense yet expectant atmosphere. Zong Yan was inevitably affected by it; even though she was busy with work, she never used it as an excuse to decline her duties. She hadn't expected to experience this kind of collective class pride in university. "Yeah, should be fine now." The Life Committeeman nodded, about to let her go. The next second, a shout came from behind them: "Our beloved Life Committeeman! Hey!" "?" She looked over in confusion. "Can we apply for a bottle of water?" The Sports Committeeman pointed to the crates by their feet, his face dripping with sweat. Life Committeeman: "Fine, though these were supposed to be for the day of the match... Hey! Why are you helping yourself? Put that down!" The tall, sturdy boy sheepishly withdrew his hand. "Zong Yan, could you help hand them out? I'll record it over here." "Okay." And so, a group of thirsty, panting male college students crowded around in a line. A thick scent of sweat mixed with youthful hormones wafted toward her. Zong Yan took bottles from the crate and handed them out one by one. When her fingers brushed against a hot, damp palm, she looked up. A pair of eyes that couldn't hide their innocent pining—filled with shyness and excitement—were glued to her face. The Sports Committeeman’s tanned skin flushed red. He held the mineral water with both hands and stammered, "Th-thank you, Senior Zong Yan. I'll... I'll make sure to drink it well." The Life Committeeman, standing to the side, thought: *Tsk, men.* "It's a bottle of water. You'll finish it in one gulp. How do you 'drink it well'?" she teased. He didn't even know how to flirt; no wonder he was single. Zong Yan, however, didn't find it inappropriate. Compared to words laced with ulterior motives or utility, she actually had a better impression of this kind of green, clumsy, but honest and innocent expression. So, she offered a rare smile and said, "Good luck with the match." The boisterous boy’s face turned completely red in an instant. He nodded while clutching the water and was promptly shoved aside by the next person. Zong Yan had only handed out two bottles when her phone rang. It was a work call. She looked at the Life Committeeman, who immediately understood and gestured for her to go. Zong Yan walked to the side and answered the phone. It was Yan Ge, her department supervisor and, in many ways, her mentor. "Hello, Supervisor Yan." "What's with the 'Supervisor'? Call me Teacher." The voice on the other end sounded dissatisfied. "Teacher," Zong Yan corrected herself. "Where are you now? At school or at work?" "At school." "Oh, alright. I have something to discuss with you." Yan Ge’s tone was casual, but Zong Yan narrowed her eyes, sensing something was off. If it were a small matter, Yan Ge wouldn't call her at this time of day. "Please, go ahead." "Have you ever thought about going abroad?" Yan Ge asked. *** | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 吗喽 (Māolóu) | Macaque / Monkey | Cantonese/Internet slang for monkey, often used to describe rowdy or overworked people. | | 花果山 (Huāguǒ Shān) | Mount Huaguo | The legendary home of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong). | | 生活委员 (Shēnghuó wěiyuán) | Life Committeeman | A student class officer responsible for logistics, hygiene, and student welfare. | | 体育委员 (Tǐyù wěiyuán) | Sports Committeeman | A student class officer responsible for organizing sports activities. | | 学神 (Xuéshén) | Academic God | Slang for a student who is naturally brilliant and achieves top grades with seemingly little effort. | | 晏格 (Yàn Gé) | Yan Ge | Zong Yan's supervisor/mentor. |