Rhubarb

The small apartment, which had been quiet for so long, now felt unusually crowded and lively. In the kitchen, Gu Ruoxue and Liu Qingyue were each busy with their own tasks, working efficiently in a well-coordinated manner.

In the living room, Cornelia hugged a cushion and sat beside Li Guanqi, watching TV with great enthusiasm.

Truth be told, she still didn’t dare get too close to Ji Qingyi. Whether it was Ji Qingyi’s demeanor or her status, something about her made Cornelia feel uneasy, so she had chosen to sit next to Li Guanqi instead.

The dynamic between Ji Qingyi and Li Guanqi seemed rather peculiar. They didn’t converse much, only occasionally exchanging seemingly trivial remarks in the midst of silence—yet the underlying meaning in their words was unfathomable.

For Li Guanqi, wearing the ring this time wasn’t about showing off. She simply wanted to convey a message to the others—to let them know that Su Cheng had already obtained an item from someone else. She just wanted them to be aware of it.

Her emotions were complicated. Though she felt satisfied and that her expectations had been fulfilled by receiving the ring, it wasn’t because it was a spatial ring.

It was simply because it was a ring.

The symbolic meaning far outweighed its practical significance.

In fact, even if Su Cheng had woven a ring out of grass by the roadside, she would have been just as happy and content—simply because it was a ring!

Just then—

Su Cheng emerged from the bedroom, now dressed in casual homewear. He glanced at the three girls on the sofa before flashing a bright smile and explaining, "Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll go help out."

With that, he strode toward the kitchen.

After he left, Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi exchanged a glance—one filled with unspoken meaning—but neither spoke.

Suddenly, Cornelia’s phone rang.

Both of them turned their attention to her.

Cornelia picked up her phone, and upon seeing the caller ID, her expression tensed. "Mom?"

Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi withdrew their gazes, listening quietly.

"I’m staying at Su Cheng’s place for dinner tonight."

"Su Cheng is going abroad for a competition in a few days. Everyone’s here!"

"Yeah, yeah, it’s a farewell meal."

"Ugh, I mean a send-off dinner!"

"Mhm, I’ll be back after eating!"

"Okay!"

"Yeah, yeah, I’ll be careful."

After hanging up, Cornelia closed her phone and hugged the cushion again, resuming her TV-watching as if her mother had already agreed to her request to stay for dinner.

She seemed genuinely happy about it.

Footsteps sounded from the kitchen, and Cornelia turned to see Su Cheng carrying out dishes. She couldn’t help but ask in confusion, "I thought Yaya should’ve been back by now."

Yaya was her good friend, so naturally, she was curious about her absence today.

"Oh, ask Li Guanqi about that."

Su Cheng responded briefly, placing the dishes on the dining table before retrieving some drinks from the fridge and setting them out as well.

"Huh?"

Cornelia blinked in confusion and turned to Li Guanqi.

"I’ve been taking care of her recently," Li Guanqi said calmly, though a hint of warmth seeped into her tone. "She’s been very well-behaved, so don’t worry. If you want to visit her, you can come to my place on the weekend."

"Oh… alright." Cornelia pouted slightly in disappointment before shifting the topic. "But… my Big Yellow is very well-behaved too."

"Did you adopt her?"

Li Guanqi lifted her gaze slightly, eyes narrowing.

"No, she has an owner." Cornelia nodded, then sighed. "Her owner is an old man. Even though he treats Big Yellow poorly, she’s still very loyal to him."

"Ah…"

She shook her head helplessly.

Truth be told, she had wanted to adopt Big Yellow many times, but the dog refused, always returning home every night.

"I see…"

Li Guanqi didn’t press further, lowering her head to sip her tea in silence.

Listening to their conversation, Ji Qingyi suddenly realized—everyone here had a pet.

And all of them were connected to Su Cheng in some way.

Gu Ruoxue had an overweight cat.

Li Guanqi had an eerily intelligent crow.

And now…

Cornelia had a clever dog named Big Yellow.

A few uncommon pets wouldn’t normally faze Ji Qingyi, but what bothered her was the sense of exclusion—as if she was somehow inferior to the others.

This only worsened her already sour mood, making her increasingly irritable.

"And let me tell you something!"

Just then, Cornelia spoke up proudly. "Big Yellow has an incredible ability. I bet you’d be shocked if you knew!"

She grinned mysteriously, eyeing Ji Qingyi and Li Guanqi as if waiting for them to take the bait and ask.

"What ability?"

Li Guanqi, sensing something, looked up at Cornelia expectantly.

Feeling in control of the conversation, Cornelia puffed up with pride. After a deliberate pause, she lowered her voice and revealed, "Big Yellow can find Su Cheng—no matter where he is!"

The moment those words left her mouth, both Li Guanqi and Ji Qingyi froze.

Seeing their reactions, Cornelia hastily added, "I’m serious! It’s true! Even if he’s at the ends of the earth, Big Yellow can track him down. You’ve gotta believe me!"

Li Guanqi immediately glanced at Ji Qingyi—and sure enough, Ji Qingyi had already grasped the significance of Big Yellow. With a slight nod, Ji Qingyi asked, "Where is this dog?"

"Her owner lives at No. 301, XXX Road."

Cornelia rattled off the address without hesitation, even adding, "During the day, she sunbathes in the nearby park. If you want to befriend her, you’ll need to offer her good cigarettes—she coughs if they’re cheap!"

The absurdity of that statement left the other two with subtly strange expressions.

But soon—

"How fascinating…"

Ji Qingyi arched a delicate brow, her gaze flickering toward the ring on Li Guanqi’s finger.

Li Guanqi took a sip of tea, her expression as calm as still water, as if she hadn’t noticed the glance.

No doubt about it—just like Yaya, this dog had been granted some extraordinary "ability" and intelligence by Su Cheng’s unique power.

Since it was bestowed by the system, it wouldn’t just disappear.

Which meant… the value of this dog was self-evident.

Simply put—

Whoever had this dog could find Su Cheng.

While Ji Qingyi wasn’t known for being fond of animals, this dog’s ability would undoubtedly catch her interest.

So it was only natural to expect that she would take measures to claim the dog for herself.

"Then…" Ji Qingyi pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. "If you tell it to find Su Cheng, will it go?"

"No."

Cornelia's face flickered with a hint of frustration upon hearing this. "Of course not. I'd have to order takeout first. Only after the food arrives would Yaya carry it in her mouth to deliver it to Su Cheng."

Recommend Series

Villain: I Bring the Chosen One to Exploit the System to the Max!

Villain: I Bring the Chosen One to Exploit the System to the Max!

ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!

The Bullet Chat Claims I’m Devoted, While I Level Up With My Alt Accounts

The Bullet Chat Claims I’m Devoted, While I Level Up With My Alt Accounts

e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"

My Dad Married a Female CEO, and I Gained Four Older Sisters

My Dad Married a Female CEO, and I Gained Four Older Sisters

Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"

Reborn and Snuggled into the Arms of My Yandere Female Tycoon Wife

Reborn and Snuggled into the Arms of My Yandere Female Tycoon Wife

orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"