Xue Rui and Ren Jun talked late into the night, sharing a single bed.

"Hahaha." Xue Rui laughed until his stomach hurt.

He’d never imagined his mother would have done something like that when she was young. Thinking back on his own childhood, Ren Qunfang had been very gentle. She’d given him the leafy tops of strawberries to eat, but at least it wasn’t a fruit pit.

’Yes, there’s a difference between how you treat your son and how you treat your younger brother,’ he thought.

No wonder Ren Qunfang, despite her stunning youthful beauty, didn’t seem so beautiful in Ren Jun’s eyes. It turned out she was his childhood nightmare.

It was just like with him and his sister, Xue Yao. They were too familiar with each other to feel even a hint of admiration.

Xue Rui and Ren Jun talked late into the night, until their eyelids grew too heavy and they drifted off on the same hard-planked bed.

Early the next morning, Xue Rui bought some fruit and other things and headed over to Lin Ruoxi’s place. He was dragging a suitcase full of clothes for her.

When Lin Ruoxi opened the door, she was still wearing her school uniform. Xue Rui couldn’t help but shake his head. Such a perfect figure for clothes was being wasted in a uniform.

"Are... are you moving in?" Lin Ruoxi stammered, not daring to meet his eyes.

Xue Rui was carrying so many bags, big and small, it looked like he was moving house. ’Is he going to move in with us?’

She seemed to recall him complaining at school about the dorm conditions.

’He’s probably going to live here. This is his house, so I can’t refuse...’

Xue Rui faltered for a moment, realizing she had misunderstood. But he decided to play along, putting on a heartbroken expression. "I got kicked out by my family. I have nowhere to live now."

"Oh... Then you can sleep in the room with the big bed. Grandma and I can just take the bunk beds," Lin Ruoxi murmured.

She didn’t know how to thank Xue Rui. If he were to move in, she could cook for him and do his laundry.

At that thought, a strange feeling washed over her, and her cheeks couldn’t help but turn red.

Xue Rui’s eyes widened. ’Isn’t this like letting a wolf into the house?’ he thought.

’She’d even agree to something like this? Then the black stockings are probably a sure thing.’

"I’m just kidding. These are clothes my sister was going to throw away. I figured since you’re about the same size, you should be able to wear them," Xue Rui explained.

"Xue Rui... Thank you. Here’s the money for hiring the cleaners yesterday." Lin Ruoxi carefully handed him a thick stack of cash, about five thousand yuan.

She didn’t know how much the rent was, so she figured she’d give it all to him at once.

"No need. You can pay me back slowly in the future." Xue Rui didn’t take the money. How could he possibly take Lin Ruoxi’s money?

’After all, we might just become family one day.’

"Xixi, what did I tell you?" The old woman shot a cold glare, not giving Xue Rui a pleasant look.

Lin Ruoxi didn’t insist. She had discussed this with her grandmother last night, and her grandmother’s advice had been not to give him the money, because Xue Rui wouldn’t take it.

’But how did Grandma know?’

’Xue Rui is the kind of guy who would dig ten yuan out of the dirt, so why wouldn’t he take her money?’

"Ma’am, I bought you some fruit." Xue Rui held up a bag of Dragon Fruit and kiwis.

Lin Ruoxi refused on her behalf. "My grandma has diabetes. She can’t eat fruit."

She felt she already owed Xue Rui too much money and couldn’t let it continue like this.

"I asked the store owner. People with diabetes can eat these two." Xue Rui let himself in, changed his shoes, placed the fruit on the coffee table, and surveyed the room.

The room had been cleaned spotlessly, which almost made him feel a bit out of place.

’Is this still my house?’

’It feels so unfamiliar.’

Da Huang circled around Xue Rui, its fluffy tail wagging and its nose twitching slightly, as if trying to memorize his scent.

"Here, boy, here! Da Huang, since you’re such a pretty lady, I bought you a pink collar."

Xue Rui grinned as he put the collar on Da Huang.

"You need a license to keep a dog in the city, and you have to keep it on a leash when you go out," Xue Rui reminded her.

It was basic courtesy. Although Da Huang had a gentle temperament, you could never completely trust a pet.

After all, some humans didn’t even follow the rules, let alone these less intelligent animals.

Da Huang was a country dog used to running free. With something suddenly tied around its neck, it shook its head nonstop, looking very unhappy.

"You don’t like it?" Xue Rui ruffled the dog’s head.

Lin Ruoxi also squatted down to pet it, and Da Huang instantly calmed down, its gaze turning gentle.

"Da Huang... is a male," Lin Ruoxi corrected him quietly.

Xue Rui’s eyes narrowed. Suddenly, he found Da Huang a bit of an eyesore.

’How is he a male?’

’I was hoping he’d have a litter of puppies someday so I could have one for myself.’

"Lin Ruoxi, all city dogs have to be neutered. To prevent Da Huang from going out and causing trouble for other people’s girls, I’ll take him for a small procedure," Xue Rui said with a serious face.

"Then... let’s do it." Lin Ruoxi didn’t understand these things and simply went along with Xue Rui’s arrangements.

Although she didn’t understand why Da Huang needed surgery, if all the other dogs were getting it done, then it was probably best for Da Huang to have it done too.

Besides, she subconsciously felt that Xue Rui wouldn’t do anything to harm her.

"How much will it cost?" Lin Ruoxi asked nervously.

The word "surgery" terrified her; it sounded as if life itself was slipping away.

Her grandmother’s surgery last year had cost tens of thousands. She had no idea how much it would be for Da Huang...

"It’s free. The community pet hospital does it for free." Xue Rui spun a lie, thinking to himself that with Lin Ruoxi’s personality, she would most likely never check.

"It’s free? Then you should get one too."

The old woman’s sudden quip made Xue Rui’s teeth ache with frustration.

"Wait here, I’ll be back soon." Xue Rui leashed Da Huang and headed downstairs.

Before leaving, he specifically told Lin Ruoxi to change her clothes, and that it would be best if she tried on those stockings.

"Isn’t it the same if I wear my school uniform..." Lin Ruoxi muttered under her breath.

She opened the suitcase and found it packed with all sorts of clothes. She didn’t recognize the brands, but just by touching the fabric, she could tell they were expensive.

The old woman was curious too. She pushed herself up from the sofa with some effort and joined Lin Ruoxi to inspect the "second-hand" clothes.

Lin Ruoxi picked up an item and held it to her nose, sniffing lightly. "These... they all seem new."

She knew Xue Rui’s family was well-off, but were rich people this wasteful? Getting rid of clothes just because the tags had been removed?

"Someone wants to see you wear them. And look at those stockings! The nerve! You are not allowed to wear them!"

The old woman was conservative. She believed that only indecent people wore those kinds of black stockings. She just knew Xue Rui was up to no good.

"Grandma, some of the teachers at school wear these kinds of stockings too," Lin Ruoxi retorted subconsciously, not knowing why.

The old woman hadn’t actually been that surprised by the stockings, but hearing Lin Ruoxi defend that boy made her heart ache with sorrow. "Xixi, you’ve only known him for a few days! How can you already be siding with an outsider..."

"Grandma, I... I’m not," Lin Ruoxi explained in a small voice.

As Xue Rui walked down the road with Da Huang on a leash, he couldn’t help but think of the line from his literature textbook: "A yellow dog on my left, a grey falcon on my right."

’No need for the grey falcon on the right. Making do with Lin Ruoxi’s hand instead wouldn’t be so bad... ’

Da Huang was being very disobedient. From the moment they stepped outside, he became agitated and kept trying to run back.

However, Xue Rui’s stance was firm. Da Huang couldn’t overpower the leash and had no choice but to follow him forward.

But he was marking his territory. Every few steps, he would stop, lift his hind leg, and pee on the flowerbeds by the roadside.

"I’m not trying to sell you, so why are you so nervous?" Xue Rui said, getting annoyed.

Da Huang had peed seven or eight times already. Not letting him stop again, Xue Rui just yanked the leash and kept walking.

"Getting neutered has its benefits, you know. You’ll live longer, and you’ll get to spend more time with your master. I’m doing this for your own good."

"WOOF WOOF WOOF!" Da Huang barked a few times.

"I understand. You’re agreeing." Xue Rui chuckled, having made a major life decision on Da Huang’s behalf.