I Am a Puppy

“You really know how to put on a show,” Long Aotian whispered softly beside Li Qingxue.

Li Qingxue nudged him gently. “Don’t stand so close to me. It wouldn’t be good if someone saw us.”

She glanced at Long Aotian’s neck and quickly pulled up his collar to cover it, where a faint red mark—caused by her scratching—was still visible.

Seeing Li Qingxue pretending to be all innocent, Long Aotian lightly tapped her head before stepping out of the sunroom. “Wanning, you’re back.”

Hearing Long Aotian’s voice, Li Qingxue fixed the hair he had just messed up and stood up, smiling as she said, “We’re having hotpot tonight.”

Lin Wanning put down the things in her hands and said, “Today’s my last hotpot meal. Starting tomorrow, I’ll try to eat lighter.”

With the performance just a week away and continuous rehearsals, she needed to take good care of her voice.

Winter’s dry climate only made things worse. Hotpot might be delicious, but it was notorious for causing inflammation. She couldn’t afford to mess up at such a critical time.

“Got it. Since I’m not joining any clubs, I’ll come home early from now on and take care of all the dinners,” Li Qingxue promised confidently.

“Thanks, Qingxue,” Lin Wanning said, pinching Li Qingxue’s cheek before sinking down into a chair inside the sunroom.

At that moment, Long Aotian handed Lin Wanning a beautifully wrapped apple he had bought.

“Thanks, brother. I really needed this right now,” Lin Wanning said with a smile.

Taking advantage of Li Qingxue not paying attention, Long Aotian leaned in mysteriously. “Have you ever heard about the English word for apple? It’s ‘Appie.’ They say if a girl accepts an apple from a guy, it means she might have to…”

Lin Wanning chuckled, looking at Long Aotian and whispered back, “I’ve heard that.”

Then she opened the package and took a bite of the apple. “So, brother, are you going to ‘open fire’ on me?”

“But I’m really a bit tired today. Can I owe you one and make it up later?”

“Alright then. Actually, I just wanted to ask if you’d heard of it. I didn’t mean anything else.”

Lin Wanning glanced sideways at Li Qingxue. “Could it be that you heard it from Qingxue?”

Then she looked at the apples on the table—only two left.

She gave Long Aotian a strange look. “Don’t tell me Qingxue’s already been ‘hit’?”

“I remember you’ve been training harder lately, right? The intensity must be even greater than before. Brother, you really have no mercy. No wonder sister can’t keep up—who could?”

Li Qingxue didn’t catch the whole conversation, but when she saw Lin Wanning’s playful glance toward her, she immediately leaned over. “What are you two talking about?”

Lin Wanning shrugged. “Brother was asking if I knew the English word for apple.”

“Oh no, Long Aotian, what nonsense are you talking about?”

“If you keep talking nonsense, just go outside. Don’t stay here.”

Li Qingxue looked shy and flustered, which only made her look even cuter.

“Then I’ll go pick up Aying,” Long Aotian said, grabbing one of the beautifully wrapped apples from the table as he left the sunroom.

Seeing Long Aotian leave.

Lin Wanning pulled Li Qingxue into her arms, holding her close. "Were you taking advantage of us not being home to do something naughty?"

"No, no! I absolutely hate Long Aotian. How could I possibly do anything like that with him?"

"Qingxue, you’re being naughty..."

...

At the entrance of University A, Long Aotian sent a message to Hu Yuying.

Then he waited by the door.

About ten minutes later,

Long Aotian received a message from Hu Yuying saying she was already on her way out.

Not long after, he saw Hu Yuying briskly walking over, carrying a backpack.

"Ta-da~~~" Long Aotian presented a beautifully wrapped apple in front of Hu Yuying.

Hu Yuying laughed, "I didn’t even tell you to buy anything, and you still got an apple? Must’ve been expensive, right?"

Usually, apples are pretty cheap, but today they probably weren’t.

"Not really expensive, just one yuan each," Long Aotian told a little white lie.

If the little girl knew he actually spent three yuan on one apple, she’d definitely scold him.

"One yuan? That’s okay then." After all, the fancy packaging must have cost quite a bit.

Hu Yuying reached out to take the apple.

Long Aotian pulled it back, glanced around, and whispered, "Have you ever heard what apple means in English? Apple means ‘appie.’ They say if you accept an apple from a guy, it might mean..."

Hu Yuying took the apple with a playful glare, "If I don’t eat it, can I avoid trouble?"

Long Aotian smiled, "Come home with me. Tonight we’re having hotpot."

Walking along, Hu Yuying explained the reason for today’s rehearsal.

"From now on, all the Hanfu outfits will come from me. We’re going to make a big profit again. I’m so happy!"

"So your backpack is full of Hanfu?"

"Yeah, and they’re pretty nice too." Hu Yuying explained enthusiastically, completely unaware of the mischievous smile curling on Long Aotian’s lips.

Back home, everyone gathered, and they started preparing the hotpot ingredients.

For them, happiness seemed to be this simple.

The scene was especially warm and cozy.

After dinner, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning returned to their room.

Long Aotian and Hu Yuying went back to theirs.

As soon as they entered the room, Long Aotian eagerly opened the backpack Hu Yuying had brought back.

He took out the ethereal Hanfu.

"Long Ge, don’t mess it up! We have to return it in the end," Hu Yuying said, seeing Long Aotian holding the Hanfu. She simply thought he had never seen Hanfu before and just wanted to take a look.

Suddenly, Long Aotian wrapped his arms around Hu Yuying’s waist.

"You’d look amazing wearing this," he said.

Hu Yuying was about to nod but suddenly sensed a warning signal in her heart.

"Long Ge, what are you... what do you want to do?"

Long Aotian lowered his head, his voice husky with restrained desire, "Will you wear it for me?"

The rising heat between them and the ambiguous signals Long Aotian was sending made Hu Yuying feel uneasy. The warning bells in her heart went off, and she tried to escape to Qingxue and Wanning’s room.

But she was already held tightly by Long Ge.

"Just once," Hu Yuying said.

"I promise, if I lie, I’m a puppy," Long Aotian assured her.

Changing into the Hanfu, Hu Yuying felt completely drained after a few hours. "You lied!"

Long Aotian let out two playful barks, a satisfied grin spreading across his face as he wrapped his arms around the little girl's waist and said, "I lied. I'm a puppy."

Compared to barking twice, what could be more important than sharing some joyful moments with the little girl...

......

......

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