translator: Eve
editor: xiin
Song Xuanhe looked down at Xiao Huang, who was sitting beside his chair. Xiao Huang looked up at him curiously, head tilted.
The dog and human pair stared at each other for a few seconds before Song Xuanhe asked, “Do you remember me?”
Xiao Huang’s head tilted to the other side. His dark, watery eyes bored into Song Xuanhe as he barked.
Song Xuanhe looked up and said to Xiao Yuanmu: “He doesn’t remember me. You were wrong.”
Xiao Yuanmu’s chin rested on one of his hands. He watched as Song Xuanhe dug in quietly, completely ignoring the little fat dog that was barking at him. A while later, a dark light flashed through Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes as he spoke in a low voice: “Can I ask you a question?”
Song Xuanhe had just taken his last bite of noodles and was now wiping his lips. After he heard Xiao Yuanmu’s voice, his gaze turned wary.
Xiao Yuanmu found his expression amusing, and his lips rose before he pressed them back into a straight line. The hand that was holding up his chin dropped down, and his fingers curled up, tapping quietly against the table. Xiao Yuanmu said, “Why did it seem like you knew something would happen to Xiao Shenglin?”
Song Xuanhe’s fingers curled more tightly around his chopsticks. There was a sliver of confusion in his otherwise calm eyes. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden?”
“Just curious.” Xiao Yuanmu’s lips curled up slightly, but the smile didn’t reach his pitch-black eyes. “I don’t know why, but I feel like everything you predict always ends up happening.”
“How could that be possible?” Song Xuanhe laughed, incredulity in his eyes as he teased, “Have you been watching too many dramas? Predicting the future…or maybe I should say that you’ve been reading too many fairy tales.”
Xiao Yuanmu caught every single minute change in Song Xuanhe’s expressions. He lowered his gaze, concealing the dark light in his eyes. Song Xuanhe couldn’t read any emotion from his voice: “I also hope that I’m just overthinking things.”
“Of course you are.”
Song Xuanhe’s grip tightened around the napkin but the smile on his face was unchanging. He said, “Maybe there’s been too much going on with the Xiao Family and the pressure’s getting to you. Perhaps it’s causing you to imagine things or have weird dreams.”
“You really get me.”
Xiao Yuanmu looked up, the meaning in his tone unclear.
Song Xuanhe didn’t know why, but he couldn’t meet Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes. He knew that Xiao Yuanmu was very perceptive. If he were to do anything that betrayed any guilt, Xiao Yuanmu would pick up on it and might realize that something was up.
That’s why Song Xuanhe didn’t avoid looking him in the eye. “I guess I know you better than I thought.”
Xiao Yuanmu: “I’ve always thought that your eyes were lying to me.”
Song Xuanhe grew nervous but he waited calmly for Xiao Yuanmu’s next words.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yuanmu didn’t elaborate. Intead, he stood up and said, “It’s already late. We should get ready for bed.”
Song Xuanhe’s lip twitched. In the end, he suppressed his desire to ask what Xiao Yuanmu meant and pretended to be unaffected as he followed Xiao Yuanmu out. The uneasiness in his heart gradually increased.
The uneasiness continued to rise until he entered the main bedroom.
“Am I sleeping here?” Song Xuanhe stood at the door.
Xiao Yuanmu turned around and nodded.
Song Xuanhe: “What about you?”
Xiao Yuanmu: “I only have one bed.”
The implication was clear.
Song Xuanhe sneered, “And you still brought me here?”
“Under normal circumstances, couples usually share a bed.” Xiao Yuanmu said, “You should have expected this when you tacitly agreed that we should act as other couples do.”
“I tacitly agreed that we had already broken up.”
“Then why did you go to your ex-boyfriend’s apartment?”
Song Xuanhe folded his arm. He went straight to the point: “I’ll sleep on the sofa. You sleep in your own room.”
“The sofa belongs to Xiao Huang.” Xiao Yuanmu said plainly, “If you want to sleep with him, go for it.”
Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and walked back to the living room. Indeed, he was met with the sight of Xiao Huang lying down peacefully on the sofa. When Xiao Huang saw him, he got very excited, standing up to bound over to him.
Song Xuanhe faced off against Xiao Huang for some time before ultimately deciding to go back to Xiao Yuanmu’s room.
Xiao Yuanmu had taken a shower and was wearing only a pair of pyjama bottoms. He was currently drying his hair, and his expression didn’t change when he saw Song Xuanhe walk in. It seemed like he had predicted this outcome.
“There’s new towels and toothbrushes in the bathroom. The pair of pyjamas inside is also new. You can wear that.”
Song Xuanhe nodded and then headed into the washroom.
Song Xuanhe rarely thought much about decisions he had already made. Since he had decided to sleep on the same bed as Xiao Yuanmu, he wouldn’t feel awkward about it.
Xiao Yuanmu’s washroom was huge. There was a new Jacuzzi in front of the French Window. There were also books, newspapers and a tablet inside. Song Xuanhe looked around and thought, workaholic, before undressing. He then took a quick shower.
After his shower, he walked over to the shelf and found folded clothes. Song Xuanhe thought that these were the new clothes Xiao Yuanmu had mentioned. After putting them on, he realized that it was perfectly his size. As he did up the buttons, he paused.
The style and material were both his favourites.
【Has Xiao Yuanmu sensed something?】
Just as Song Xuanhe buttoned up the last button, the System said：【Did he ask you that because he’s suspicious of you?】
Song Xuanhe looked at his reflection. His cheeks were flushed from the shower just now. He started to dry his hair with a hairdryer and said：【Sensed what?】
【That I can predict the future? Or that I have a system?】
The System solemnly replied：【According to my data, the probability that Xiao Yuanmu can figure out you have a system is practically zero. The concept of systems do not exist in his world.】
【Then what are you worried about?】
The System fell silent. As it watched Song Xuanhe heading out, it said：【I can sense that the influence you and Xiao Yuanmu have over each other is getting increasingly large. Aside from your emotional fluctuation indexes, there are also many other hidden values that are being affected. I’m worried that you will change your mind. 】
【Change my mind about what?】It came to mind as soon as he asked his question：【I wouldn’t change my mind that easily. Besides, don’t you want me to stay in this world? I thought you’d be happy if I were to change my mind.】
【I am a System.】The System stressed its identity：【I don’t have feelings like you humans do. But the data I have on you from both worlds tell me that staying in this world is more beneficial towards you than returning to your own world.】
【How so?】
The System：【It involves many variables. There are some variables I can’t mention to you—and you probably wouldn’t understand even if I told you—but there is something I can say. Your emotions index will be much higher in the future if you were to stay in this world, compared to if you were to go back. It will be 36.76% greater.】
Song Xuanhe raised a brow, as if shocked：【So I’ll be happier if I stayed in this world.】
【You could put it that way.】
Song Xuanhe’s expression grew cold.【While you systems may be able to calculate emotion indexes, only I can decide whether or not I am happy.】
Song Xuanhe then ignored the System. He opened the bathroom door.
The moment he opened the door, the System asked him：【Do you really know whether or not you’re happy?】
Song Xuanhe paused. Under Xiao Yuanmu’s gaze, he calmly walked over to the other side of the bed and took a seat.
When he saw Xiao Yuanmu turn to look at him, Song Xuanhe lifted a corner of the sheets and burrowed into the bed. “I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.”
Song Xuanhe pulled the blanket up to his ears. All that was visible was his fluffy hair that had just been dried.
Xiao Yuanmu stared at the top of his head. He placed the book in his hands down, turned off the light and got under the blankets as well.
The moonlight effortlessly trickled in through the French window overhead. The light scattered over the large but vacant room’s floor. The soft light also enveloped the two people sleeping on separate sides of the bed.
Xiao Yuanmu reached out. He tugged the blanket over Song Xuanhe down a bit, and when Song Xuanhe turned around, Xiao Yuanmu pulled him into his arms.
Song Xuanhe kicked him, his tone vicious. “What are you doing? Let go of me.”
Xiao Yuanmu raised a leg, pressing down on Song Xuanhe’s foot that was about to kick him again. He wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe’s waist and pressed his forehead against the other’s. Peering into his eyes, he said, “Are you that unhappy, having to share a bed with me?”
“I’m even more unhappy with the fact that you’re holding me.” Song Xuanhe struggled. However, because he hadn’t worked out much after coming to this world, he couldn’t break free. He simply glared at him: “Let go.”
“Then tell me why you’ve been unhappy since coming out of the washroom?”
Xiao Yuanmu’s voice was deep and low. Filtered through the iridescent moonlight, Song Xuanhe thought that Xiao Yuanmu’s voice actually seemed warm.
Song Xuanhe always felt awkward sleeping on an unfamiliar bed, but now that he was in Xiao Yuanmu’s arm, he unexpectedly felt more comfortable. Therefore, Song Xuanhe couldn’t be bothered to keep moving around. He simply shut his eyes and stayed where he was. “I’m not unhappy.”
“You know me well.” Xiao Yuanmu spoke into his ear, “Just like how I know you well.”
Song Xuanhe’s eyelashes quivered. He then said, “I don’t understand you as well as you think I do.”
“But I understand you more than you think I do.”
“Is that so?” Song Xuanhe was intrigued. He rolled over so that he and Xiao Yuanmu were now face to face. He teased, “Tell me, what am I thinking about right now?”
Xiao Yuanmu stared into his limpid eyes. It felt like the moon had brought with it countless stars, and like everything was being filled into the other’s smiling eyes. He could see his shadow reflected from between the stars. It was clear and vivid, and it infatuated him.
Xiao Yuanmu stared at him silently. Song Xuanhe’s eyes curved. “No idea?”
“Since you can’t tell what I’m thinking, you can’t say…mn.”
Xiao Yuanmu’s kiss came without warning. He touched the corner of Song Xuanhe’s lips lightly for just one second before planting a kiss on his eyelid.
He felt the warm touch against his thin eyelids. Song Xuanhe squeezed his hand into a fist and then paused. A second later, the warmth disappeared.
Xiao Yuanmu’s hand wrapped around his fist and his chuckle echoed in the room. “I think you want to hit me right now.”
Song Xuanhe opened his eyes and bore into Xiao Yuanmu’s smiling pair. He pulled his hand out and said expressionlessly: “You’re wrong. My fist was just itchy.”
Xiao Yuanmu didn’t call him out. He kissed the corner of Song Xuanhe’s eye again, then peered into his eyes. He whispered, “Sleep. Goodnight.”
Song Xuanhe took in Xiao Yuanmu’s especially gentle expression under the moonlight. He pursed his lips and turned around so that his back now faced the other, then shut his eyes and fell asleep.
*
When Song Xuanhe woke up the next morning, Xiao Yuanmu was already absent from the apartment.
There was a note on the headboard. It was in Xiao Yuanmu’s handwriting: Breakfast is on the table. If you need anything, call me. Or you can come to my office.
Song Xuanhe cocked a brow up, then took the note down. He yawned before heading into the bathroom. After washing up, he felt a lot more awake. There were pan-fried dumplings, congee and orange juice on the dining table. Song Xuanhe heated some up and ate a bit, then tidied up and headed out.
When he returned to his hotel, Song Xuanhe discovered that his roomcard had stopped working.
Song Xuanhe went to inquire about this downstairs. Before he could say anything, he saw the manager rush out and apologize to him. “I am extremely sorry, Mr. Song. Our staff were supposed to send your luggage to your apartment at ten o’clock but because the bell boy accidentally dropped and broke your suitcase, so we had to clean up for a while. It is now on its way.”
Song Xuanhe frowned. Suddenly, a bad feeling arose.
Before he could ask, the manager continued, “Everything is our hotel’s fault. We will do our utmost to compensate you for your losses. To express our sincerest apologies, we will provide you with credit for thirty days stay at any of our executive suites in any of our hotels around the world. There is no expiration date on our offer. If you have any other requests, please let us know.”
Song Xuanhe raised a brow and suddenly asked, “Who’s your boss?”
The manager seemed confused, he still replied, “Mr. Louis Brown.”
Song Xuanhe smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Tell your boss that I don’t need the room voucher. I just want him to lend me his apartment for a few days.”
The manager was taken aback. He was about to respond when he saw Song Xuanhe leave without looking back.
Elsewhere, Louis, who was having a relaxed afternoon for once, suddenly got a call from a manager from one of the hotels under his family’s name while he chatted with Yang Jie.
When he recalled how Xiao Yuanmu had asked him for a favour for once, Louis paused his conversation with Yang Jie and entered Xiao Yuanmu’s office excitedly.
“If Yang Jie was in here, he’d tell you to knock.” Xiao Yuanmu didn’t even look up.
Louis shrugged. “Well, he’s not in here. And you already said what he’d say.”
Xiao Yuanmu put down the thing in his hand and looked up. “Do you need something?”
“I think Song woke up.”
Louis opened up the bottle of red wine he’d been eyeing for a long time now. He then poured out a glass before walking over to sit down on the sofa. He took a sip and said, “Shouldn’t you give him a call?”
Xiao Yuanmu’s gaze fell on the bottle of red wine he was originally going to give to Song Xuanhe but was now opened by Louis. When he recalled the matter he had asked the other for help with, he lowered his voice. “If you have something to say, hurry up and spit it out.”
“The manager of his hotel gave me a call. I guess Song went to find him.”
“And then?”
“And then?” Louis paused. A few seconds later, he coughed, “Then I came straight to you….”
Before Xiao Yuanmu got up, Louis promptly called the manager of the hotel back. He turned it on speakerphone.
An unfamiliar male voice came through: “Mr. Brown.”
Louis raised a brow at Xiao Yuanmu. He then spoke into the phone, “It’s me. What’s the matter?”
“You asked us to cancel Mr. Song’s reservation and to send his luggage to the apartment at Central Gardens. Because of a mishap, we were delayed. While we have managed to send the luggage over, Mr. Song came for a visit.”
“Oh?” Louis picked up the phone, heading closer to Xiao Yuanmu: “What did he say?”
“He declined our compensation.”
This was within Louis’s expectations. Xiao Yuanmu also didn’t find this strange. Louis thus asked, “Did he have any requests?”
“Yes, Mr. Brown.” The hotel manager said, “Mr. Song said that he wishes for you to lend your apartment to him for a few days as compensation.”
Louis: ….
Louis took a step back, told the manager that ‘he got it’ and then hung up. He stood three metres away from Xiao Yuanmu. “Maybe Song just doesn’t like your apartment. I told you before, there’s no signs of life in that huge apartment of yours. There’s no reflection of your own style. He probably liked my style after seeing me yesterday. He’s a designer, you know. Sometimes, style is even more important than some other things to them.”
Xiao Yuanmu asked, “Like what other things?”
Louis took a few steps back: “Like love?”
Before Xiao Yuanmu could look over to him, Louis flew out of the office.
Xiao Yuanmu went back to his seat. Just as he picked up his phone, a call came in. It was an unfamiliar number, but he knew that this was Song Xuanhe’s American number.
As Song Xuanhe returned to the Central Gardens apartment, wanting to grab his luggage, he realized that he didn’t have the card to Xiao Yuanmu’s apartment and had no choice but to call the other party. Right now, Song Xuanhe was sitting on a chair inside the garden. An elderly person walking their dog passed by him, their German spaniel sniffing the air before barking at Song Xuanhe energetically.
“Woof woof!” It looked fierce.
Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He thought to himself that he really didn’t like loud animals. He then looked away.
Right then, Xiao Yuanmu’s voice came through the phone, “Where are you?”
Song Xuanhe was pulled back to the present by Xiao Yuanmu’s voice. “In the gardens below your apartment. A dog’s barking at me right now. I wonder if it’s because the little fatty’s smell is on me.”
Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow, suppressing the smile on his lips. “I’ve been really busy lately and haven’t had time to walk Xiao Huang. If you’re free, can you walk him in the park? He hasn’t been able to leave the apartment for some time now.”
“I’m busy.” Song Xuanhe refused. He then said, “I called you because I wanted to ask you why you cancelled my room without my permission.”
Xiao Yuanmu sounded surprised. “Your room was cancelled?”
Song Xuanhe: “Do you think I’d believe that you didn’t know about this?”
“I just found out.” Xiao Yuanmu said, “Louis told me five minutes ago.”
“Oh?” Song Xuanhe spoke in a curious tone, though there was no expression on his face. “He’s your friend and business partner. Meanwhile, we’ve only met once. Why would he cancel my room for me? I’m so curious.”
Xiao Yuanmu said, “You can come to the company and ask him. He’s in the office right now.”
Song Xuanhe: “I’m good.”
“Then how about taking Xiao Huang on a walk?” Xiao Yuanmu’s voice softened, sounding guilty. “I’ve been so preoccupied with the company and the Xiao Family that I haven’t brought him out to play for more than a month now.”
“I’ve never walked a dog before.” Song Xuanhe said, “I might blink and lose him.”
When Xiao Yuanmu heard Song Xuanhe’s tone soften, a sliver of a smile flashed through his eyes. “He’s really good and he likes you a lot. You won’t lose him.”
Song Xuanhe made one more last-ditch struggle. “If I lose him, it’s not my fault.”
“I’ll speak to the people downstairs. You should be able to head straight in. Xiao Huang’s leash is on the small shelf by the entrance. If you can’t find it, tell Xiao Huang you’re going for a walk. He’ll find it for you.”
Song Xuanhe got up. “Got it.”
Xiao Yuanmu spoke to the building’s people and Song Xuanhe was able to go upstairs with the doorman’s help. As soon as he entered, he saw Xiao Huang pounce over enthusiastically. Xiao Huang ran circles around him. He seemed to want pets.
Song Xuanhe recalled what Xiao Yuanmu had said. He doubted that this silly dog who looked like he had a low IQ would be able to find his leash. Therefore, he squatted down and said, “If you can find your own dog food, you can eat some more.”
Xiao Huang rolled around on the ground and twisted over to Song Xuanhe’s side. With his nose, he booped Song Xuanhe’s leg, hoping that he would rub his tummy.
Song Xuanhe rubbed the dog’s belly with disdain. He continued, “You can eat as much as you want. I’ll take you for a walk afterwards. But you have to find your food first.”
Xiao Huang jumped up. He ran over to the entrance and grabbed his leash with his teeth. He then rushed back to Song Xuanhe, wagging his tail energetically.
Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Seems like the silly dog did know what it meant to take a walk.
However, the second Song Xuanhe took the rope, Xiao Huang raced to the kitchen. He pushed a chair from the dining table to the cupboard with great motivation. He flopped around a few times before he managed to stand up onto the chair. He then pulled the cupboard open, and dragged a bag of dog food out, spilling the food out onto the ground. He even knew to close the cupboard before hoping down from the chair.
Song Xuanhe was dumbstruck. Even when Xiao Huang brought the bag of dog food and his food bowl over to him, he was still stuck in his thoughts, wondering if it was because he hadn’t been around dogs enough or if dogs got smarter the fatter they became.
Xiao Huang barked at him before running off deeper into the apartment with his tail swishing. Song Xuanhe stood in place, waiting to see what else the dog would bring. He then saw the dog stop halfway and bark at him again.
After Xiao Huang ran back to bark at him some more, Song Xuanhe realized what the dog wanted. He followed the dog through the living room and into the room next to the master bedroom.
Song Xuanhe knew that this was Xiao Yuanmu’s study. He stood in the entrance and didn’t head inside. But Xiao Huang’s barks were too happy. It sounded like there was something extremely tempting inside.
“Woof woof!”
Xiao Huang ran out again and wagged his tail at Song Xuanhe. He then turned back towards the desk inside, his dark, watery eyes full of expectations.
“I don’t think Xiao Yuanmu would put your snacks in his study.” Song Xuanhe said, “Let’s go take a walk.”
Xiao Huang didn’t seem to understand. He only continued to look at him helplessly. When he saw that Song Xuanhe wasn’t moving, he ran over to the cabinet near the desk again. As he barked, he stared at Song Xuanhe.
Song Xuanhe felt helpless. He could only walk in. When he noticed the documents on the table, he looked away. His gaze was focused on the cupboard Xiao Huang had been trying to open with his paws. He opened it for him.
——There were several small bags inside. The labels were all written in English. It looked like there were chicken sticks and beef jerky inside. They were all snacks for pets.
Xiao Huang got excited. He started to whimper, acting cute, in hopes that Song Xuanhe would open one for him.
Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He opened a pack of jerky for the dog and fed him. He was about to close the drawer when he saw a familiar leather cover inside, underneath all the snacks. He was taken aback.
If he wasn’t mistaken, this was his sketchbook, which he had inexplicably lost in his own study. Aside from some designs, there were also many portraits of Xiao Yuanmu inside.
It was just that…why was his missing sketchbook with Xiao Yuanmu?
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