Jiang Xia followed behind Da Huang, walking faster and faster.

"What kind of trouble did you get into?"

Just as the man and dog returned to the house one after the other, Grandpa Jiang also walked out from inside.

"What are you two in such a hurry for?"

Grandpa Jiang had barely finished speaking when he looked down and saw Da Huang dart behind Jiang Xia and push the door shut with its head.

"You even have to be sneaky about it? Da Huang, what on earth did you do?"

Jiang Xia crouched down, looking straight at Da Huang.

It was only then that he noticed Da Huang’s cheeks were puffed out.

"Your mouth is—"

Before Jiang Xia could finish, he saw Da Huang open its mouth.

PLOP.

PLOP.

Two bright yellow oranges, covered in a bit of slime, were spat out by Da Huang and rolled onto the kitchen floor.

Jiang Xia’s hand hovered in mid-air. He wanted to pick them up but was a little grossed out; if he didn’t, he’d feel bad for spurning Da Huang’s good intentions.

Sure enough, after spitting out the oranges, Da Huang nudged Jiang Xia’s leg with its head, then gestured toward the oranges.

"Um, Da Huang. Thank you. Really, thank you so much. You even know how to provide for the family now."

Jiang Xia ruffled Da Huang’s head and pulled it into an embrace. Like a worried old father, he began to reason with the dog.

"You must have heard me say I like these oranges, so you went and got them for me, right?"

Da Huang nodded, its moist eyes fixed entirely on Jiang Xia.

Its adorable expression was so overwhelming that Jiang Xia couldn’t help but kiss Da Huang on the forehead.

"Don’t look at me like that. It’s against the rules."

"We’re both big guys. We can’t be doing this."

The next second, Da Huang took a step back, lifted a front paw, lowered its head, and rubbed its own forehead.

"Hey, hey—what’s the meaning of this? I finally give you a kiss, and this is what you do."

"HAHAHAHAHA! Good job, Da Huang! Two big guys, what’s with all the kissing? You should be grossed out by him."

Grandpa Jiang was off to the side, laughing his head off.

"Ohoho... I’m getting old. Otherwise, I could keep laughing for a while longer."

Grandpa Jiang pulled over a small stool, sat down, and leaned against the edge of the cooking pot, laughing so hard he was almost out of breath.

Jiang Xia stared speechlessly at the old man and the big dog.

’Do I have any status in this family at all?’

Jiang Xia continued to lecture Da Huang.

"Da Huang, it’s a good thing you were thinking of me, but we can’t just take things without asking. That’s not right."

"How about we return them to An Ning?"

It was unclear if Da Huang understood, but either way, it obediently picked up the oranges and walked ahead, ignoring Jiang Xia.

"Wait, how did I become the bad guy here?"

Jiang Xia followed Da Huang out the door and over to the house next door.

An Ning was just coming out to dump the ash from the bottom of her pot when she saw the gloomy-looking Da Huang.

"Da Huang, what’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy."

"It’s mad at me."

Jiang Xia, who was behind the dog, explained what had happened, leaving An Ning standing there, dumbfounded for a good three seconds.

"Da Huang, Jiang Xia is right. It’s really not good to take things. But you’ve already returned them and know how to correct your mistakes, and that’s very good."

An Ning crouched down, face to face with Da Huang. She spoke to the dog, using gestures as she talked to make sure it could understand.

In reality, An Ning was using her spiritual power to constantly temper Da Huang’s mind, which was the fundamental reason it was getting smarter and smarter.

WHIMPER WHIMPER...

Da Huang spat out the oranges, let out a couple of aggrieved whimpers, and nuzzled An Ning with its head.

"You feel embarrassed, don’t you?"

"It’s okay. Da Huang just didn’t know any better. Now that you know, you won’t do it again. I believe in you."

An Ning comforted Da Huang with gentle words. The dog seemed a bit shy, lowering its head and pressing it against An Ning’s knee.

"There, there."

Da Huang nudged An Ning, which tickled her a little.

The person and the dog coexisted in perfect harmony, full of affection.

Jiang Xia, watching from the side, was happy at first because An Ning understood what he was trying to do.

That feeling of being understood by someone without having to say a word—it was wonderful.

’But by now, shouldn’t Da Huang be done?’

’And why doesn’t it act cute with me like that?’

’Even if it does, it’s never for this long!’

Jiang Xia felt like laughing at the sight, but the next second, he started to feel a little peeved.

Da Huang refused to budge, so An Ning gave it a kiss, also right on the top of its head.

At this, Da Huang started jumping around in happy circles.

Jiang Xia figured if the dog knew how to dance, it would have put on a performance right then and there.

’Just a moment ago, it was grossed out by my kiss!’

’Looks like it’s not a question of being kissed, but a question of *who’s* doing the kissing.’

At this thought, Jiang Xia felt a warm current rush through his heart. The spot An Ning kissed... was it the same spot he had kissed?

Jiang Xia’s mind began to wander.

"Jiang Xia, Jiang Xia!"

An Ning called out twice, but Jiang Xia didn’t respond.

She stood up, waved a hand in front of his eyes, and finally patted his shoulder.

"Huh? What is it?"

Jiang Xia snapped back to his senses, his gaze slightly avoiding An Ning’s.

To hide his embarrassment, he immediately crouched down and hugged Da Huang.

"Da Huang, I love you so much."

The moment he said it, Jiang Xia regretted it.

’Was that a little... sappy?’

An Ning, however, didn’t think much of it. ’It’s good to express your feelings when you have them.’

"Looks like I should give you two some space."

An Ning joked as she picked up the silk bag full of ash, shook it out casually a couple of times, and prepared to go back inside.

But as she reached the doorway, she couldn’t resist teasing him one more time, "Jiang Xia, you can’t force love. I think you should just let Da Huang go."

An Ning was only teasing, but Da Huang’s struggle was all too real.

Distracted by An Ning’s remark, Jiang Xia’s grip loosened.

Da Huang seized the opportunity to back away frantically, its eyes warily fixed on Jiang Xia.

’Who is this man?’

’So scary!’

’Da Huang already has a sweetheart.’

’Xiao Hua from the village entrance is still waiting for me.’

An Ning and Jiang Xia, of course, had no idea what was going through Da Huang’s mind.

Seeing Da Huang’s guarded posture, An Ning couldn’t hold back her laughter. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Hahaha, Jiang Xia, so it was unrequited love after all."

Jiang Xia looked helplessly at Da Huang, then at An Ning who was bent over laughing, and couldn’t help but laugh himself.

"It must be because I’m too handsome. Da Huang feels too embarrassed to hold me back."

That sealed it—he was a classic tsundere.

He even had to compete for superiority with a dog.

An Ning gave the tsundere Jiang Xia a thumbs-up in admiration.

"I’m impressed!"

An Ning picked up the bag of ash and finally went inside.

Jiang Xia also called for Da Huang to go home, but...

"Hey, why are you staying so far away from me?"

"Da Huang, why are you running?"

"Wait, I don’t love you! I misspoke!"

Da Huang ran ahead while Jiang Xia chased from behind, and An Ning, hearing the commotion, continued to laugh.

"An Ning!"

"Brother."

An Guoqing came out of the house and called to An Ning, "Your sister-in-law wants to talk to you."

"Okay, I’ll be over in a moment. I’m just going to wash my hands."

An Ning went inside, put down the bag of ash, washed her hands, and even changed her outer jacket before heading to her sister-in-law’s room.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"Sister-in-law, is now a good time?"