For breakfast, Huo Junxian prepared a sumptuous meal. The main course was the porridge that Gu Siyu used to love the most. She also made some pies with freshly harvested sweet pumpkins and fried eggs in the shape of hearts. When Gu Siyu poked the pies with chopsticks, the filling would flow out.
Huo Junxian was skilled in cooking, and Gu Siyu enjoyed the meal, unable to find any fault even if she tried to nitpick.
These takeout dishes couldn't compare. They were warm, comforting, and had the tangible essence of "home," creating an invisible bond.
Gu Siyu stole a glance at Huo Junxian, who was also looking at her. Knowing that she enjoyed the meal, Huo Junxian revealed a satisfied smile and asked, "Delicious, right?"
"Mmm."
Huo Junxian fed herself a spoonful of porridge and said, "Now that it's turning winter, the weather is getting colder. I had a few brands send over some new clothes. Later, you can choose one."
Gu Siyu nodded and asked, "Are we going out today?"
As she spoke, she looked at Huo Junxian, raising her eyebrows.
"Are you planning to go out?" Huo Junxian asked in return.
Gu Siyu didn't answer; she had asked Huo Junxian first. If Huo Junxian didn't answer this question, she would be evading.
With cautious probing, these simple and peaceful conversations were fragile. A slightly harsh word, and the two could end up arguing.
"Then let's go out for a stroll today, buy some things on the way back," Huo Junxian followed her words, saying softly, "You can look at clothes and shoes by yourself. Buy whatever you like, and we can choose together."
Dogs naturally love to run around, and as soon as they heard about going out, Teddy barked excitedly.
After finishing their meal, both of them changed into different clothes. As the temperature had dropped, there was a chilly wind outside when they left. Gu Siyu wore a three-dimensional black coat, while Huo Junxian wore a warm yellow one. Chen Tao came to drive them. When he looked at Gu Siyu, his brows furrowed, and his gaze was sharp, appearing angry. But when Huo Junxian came out, he restrained himself. Whatever dissatisfaction he had, he kept silent, avoiding discussing Gu Siyu's running away.
Before he arrived, Huo Junxian had reminded him not to criticize Gu Siyu; all her words were in defense of her.
Gu Siyu sat by the window in the car, leaning against it without asking where they were going.
The busy life was for the sake of having three good meals a day, having a place to stay for the night, and having beautiful clothes to wear according to the seasons—all of which Huo Junxian could easily provide for her.
Huo Junxian took her to buy clothes first. Gu Siyu bought whatever she liked, and the bodyguard behind them carried all the bags. Then, they went to a nearby flower and bird market. Since it was winter, there might not be many flowers and birds for sale.
In reality, there was a lush variety inside, including everything expected in all four seasons. Outside, the most were goldfish, little rabbits, and various small dogs. The flowers and plants that weren't displayed outside were all kept in the greenhouse.
Today, they brought Teddy along. As soon as Teddy entered, its ears perked up, and it became lively, staring at the other puppies nearby.
Gu Siyu covered its eyes. "Behave yourself. You're already this big, but you're still looking at other kids. You old pervert."
As she covered its eyes, Teddy struggled in Huo Junxian's arms, accidentally pulling her hair. Huo Junxian hissed, "Don't move. Be careful; next time, I won't bring you out."
Teddy loved coming here. It stared like it was looking at beautiful women, unable to look away for a long time. Now, even when Huo Junxian spoke, it didn't listen, becoming a bundle of excitement. Finally, Gu Siyu let go first, letting it have a good look.
Teddy lay on Huo Junxian's shoulder and watched. Huo Junxian patted its back. "Don't mess around. You're too heavy, and it's hard work."
Gu Siyu reached out, saying, "Give it to me."
Teddy wasn't very willing to be held by her, afraid that she wouldn't let it look at the beautiful women. But when Gu Siyu glared at it, it obediently went over.
Gu Siyu breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking back, Teddy used to be quite aggressive, not only biting people but also always turning its backside towards her, showing clear disdain. Now, it had become more obedient.
After walking around for a while, Huo Junxian asked, "Do you want to buy a bird?"
Gu Siyu glanced at a parrot mimicking speech nearby and replied, "No."
Later, Huo Junxian entered a flower and plant shop. A small dog lay on a chair at the entrance, cute as if it were a plush toy, with a small scrunchie on its head and its fur dragging on the ground. Maybe because Gu Siyu had gotten used to looking at Teddy, she felt that Teddy in her arms didn't look as good.
Teddy's eyes lit up when it saw this dog. It struggled to get down, and Gu Siyu tightened the leash.
Teddy approached, and the cute dog didn't growl at it. They stared at each other, and Teddy couldn't contain its excitement, immediately moving to nuzzle the other dog. Fortunately, Teddy was wearing a muzzle when they left, so it didn't succeed.
Then, Teddy persistently moved to the back of the other dog, intending to misbehave. Gu Siyu, fearing that the shop owner would scold them, pulled it back, but the stubborn Teddy howled and barked.
The shop owner remained calm, glancing at the scene. Instead of scolding, she smiled and asked Huo Junxian if Teddy was male. Upon learning it was a male, she continued explaining the products to Huo Junxian. Huo Junxian felt embarrassed and apologized, quickly going to deal with her own dog.
The shop owner said, "It's okay. I was worried your Teddy might get into trouble."
The cute dog jumped down from the chair and unexpectedly rubbed its face against Teddy's. Teddy stuck out its little tongue, clearly enjoying it.
The two dogs seemed to hit it off. Gu Siyu was astonished; were interactions in the dog world this direct? So, she didn't restrict Teddy and wanted to see what antics it would come up with.
It continued until the cute dog circled around Teddy and lifted its leg.
In the honeymoon phase, Teddy turned its head in shock, eyes wide open. Its tongue stayed out for a while. It froze in place, and when the cute dog nudged it, it hurriedly ran forward.
Gu Siyu was a bit stunned. It wasn't a big deal that the other dog was male—after all, the animal world had its share of diverse relationships. It was just that Teddy's radar was a bit off. At most, it was a minor embarrassment. However, the other dog happened to be a male Maltese.
Compared to Teddy, a neutered little eunuch, the other dog was a bit bigger. The Maltese slowly approached Teddy step by step.
With an angelic face and a nightmare-like body, Teddy was terrified. It clung to Gu Siyu's leg and tried to climb up desperately.
After Gu Siyu got over her surprise, she found it quite amusing. It was her first time encountering a Maltese, and Teddy was genuinely scared. Instead of helping, she didn't take it seriously and even pushed Teddy forward, saying, "Hey, why are you nervous? Your peach blossom luck has arrived. Hurry up, go call your husband."
The shop owner also laughed. Teddy climbed up frantically, failing to reach the Maltese. When it couldn't climb up, it turned to find Huo Junxian. Huo Junxian picked it up, and smiled, asking, "Scared?"
Probably only a Maltese could make Teddy so scared.
The Maltese seemed to have taken a liking to Teddy, constantly tilting its head and staring at him. The shop owner came over to pick up her dog, saying, "Stop looking. He's a male, and you two aren't suitable."
Gu Siyu playfully said to Teddy, "It's okay; our home doesn't discriminate. If you have time, let's arrange a playdate."
The shop owner hugged the Maltese and went inside, closing the door. Teddy nestled in Huo Junxian's arms, looking a bit frightened.
Huo Junxian bought a few pots of flowers and succulents. Gu Siyu helped carry them. The shop owner advised Huo Junxian to keep the flowers and plants inside, preferably in a greenhouse if available. Going through the winter for the first year might make them fragile.
Gu Siyu hadn't spoken much on the way there, but after the incident with Teddy, she laughed all the way back. She found Teddy too amusing and couldn't resist teasing it every now and then. Teddy, like looking at beautiful women, dared not get too excited but would look below first if it found someone attractive.
"Tsk, I just got the contact information from the shop owner. We can go out for a meal together next time, giving you a twilight romance."
"Did you get her contact information?" Huo Junxian asked.
Gu Siyu nodded.
Huo Junxian freed up one hand. "Come, give it to me. Next time, I'll arrange to meet her, and it'll be a good companion for Xiao Yu."
Gu Siyu took out a business card and gave it to her. Teddy jumped over and knocked the card to the ground. Afraid it would get dirty, Huo Junxian picked it up and threw it in the trash. She teased Teddy, saying that the dog they just saw was cute, and if Teddy liked it, she wouldn't object.
Back home, after putting things away, Huo Junxian brought out snacks for Teddy and petted its head. "Our Xiao Yu is so good, knowing how to resolve conflicts for us. I'm very happy today. Thank you, Xiao Yu."
Teddy nodded, then put its chin in her palm, with a bitter smile on its face. Huo Junxian patted its head, and it twitched its nose, looking particularly aggrieved.
Gu Siyu went to the bathroom and came out, wiping her fingers. She saw Huo Junxian in a good mood and was ready to have a conversation with her. She called out Huo Junxian's name.
"What's wrong?" Huo Junxian sat up straight, legs slightly apart, fingers resting on her knees. Gu Siyu pretended not to see and sat down next to Huo Junxian. She said, "I have something to do tomorrow."
"Hmm?" Huo Junxian raised an eyebrow.
"Going out for something." Gu Siyu needed to get her ID and handle some banking procedures.
Similarly, she didn't want Huo Junxian to accompany her. This belonged to personal privacy.
"What is it?" Huo Junxian inquired.
Gu Siyu said, "Meeting a friend."
Huo Junxian remained silent, whispering, "No."
Gu Siyu frowned, and Huo Junxian blinked, asking, "Can't you not go? I can find someone to do it for you. You just came back, and I want to be with you all the time."
Obviously, she didn't seem too willing to let Gu Siyu go a few steps away from her.
Gu Siyu had something to do, and she had to be there in person. "Damn it, I've been with you these past few days. It's not like I've been away for ten days or half a month. What are you worried about?"
"Can I go with you then?"
Gu Siyu's lips moved, and her hands went into her pockets.
Several questions in a row went unanswered, creating a somewhat tense atmosphere.
Raising her head, Huo Junxian put some snacks in the dog bowl and stood up. She approached Gu Siyu, circling her waist, saying, "Can't you just be honest for a couple of days? Maybe if I relax my guard, you can go out."
Gu Siyu also asked her, "Why don't you take the initiative to let me go out and do my own thing? Maybe I'll come back on my own."
"You said maybe."
"You know it's a maybe," Gu Siyu also caught the thorn in her words.
"But you don't tell me what it is. There's a secret in your heart. I don't know if this secret is about planning to leave me again."
It was no longer a matter of communication between them. Gu Siyu ran away, Huo Junxian didn't trust her, and when Gu Siyu was caught back, she also didn't trust Huo Junxian to let her be free.
Thinking about it, Gu Siyu pinched her fingers until they turned red, waiting for Huo Junxian to say "you are mine." If she said that, Gu Siyu would tear her face apart without hesitation this time. She wouldn't yield to Huo Junxian.
However, Huo Junxian wasn't very assertive. Resting her chin on Gu Siyu's shoulder, she sighed and said with a touch of loss, "Comfort me a bit, make me feel better. I'll consider it."
"I comfort you, and you still consider it?" Gu Siyu, with her explosive temper, facing Huo Junxian was like smashing a sponge. Huo Junxian, looking helpless and pitiful, seemed to deserve a slap, but Gu Siyu wasn't a violent person. Moreover, slapping Huo Junxian would lead to consequences that wouldn't be good for either of them.
If you can endure, endure; there's no need to resort to violence.
Huo Junxian nodded. "Yes, consider it."
This woman.
Gu Siyu raised her hand, finally holding her face, bit it without any ambiguous kissing, directly biting her lips. She didn't want to give Huo Junxian any chance for intimacy, cursing her as a "bitch" in her heart, enduring it on her face, and asked, "Is that enough?"
"A bit painful," Huo Junxian squinted, licked her bitten lips.
With the buttons on her chest open, revealing half of her breasts, her skin as white as jade, fingers touching her lips, slightly moistened, sliding down from her chest, she asked, "Staring so intently, do you like it?"
Gu Siyu wiped her mouth with a tissue, and Huo Junxian said, "Without you comforting me, how can I be happy?"
Huo Junxian seemed to have developed a liking for restricting her feelings. She leaned in, holding her, locking her in her embrace, tightly, breathing rhythmically together.
"Do you want to keep me like a pet?" Gu Siyu asked, panting.
This question had been on her mind since she returned. What would Huo Junxian do with her when they came back together? Would she let her be free? It was certainly not possible. There was only one option...
"Do you want a home, Gu Siyu?"
Gu Siyu was stunned, not understanding why Huo Junxian suddenly asked this. She looked at Huo Junxian blankly, unable to figure out the meaning behind her words.
Huo Junxian spoke softly, "Being together is our home."
She was very serious and gentle.
Gu Siyu felt a strong aversion to Huo Junxian in this way. Every time Huo Junxian tempted her, she felt that she didn't know her own worth.
"Do you know the definition of a home?"
Gu Siyu was used to being alone. If someone forcefully entered her world to bind her for a lifetime, she resisted and rejected it.
Occasionally, she also fantasized about having a home, wanting to settle down, and having someone support her when she was tired. Although she hadn't delved into the fantasy of what kind of home it would be, it definitely wouldn't be as simple as Huo Junxian described it.
"What role do I play in your house?" Gu Siyu asked.
Huo Junxian asked, "What role do you want?"
"Shouldn't this role be decided by you early on?"
Gu Siyu was disappointed and realistic. Her thin lips moved, wanting to say but not daring to say. She was a very intelligent person who could sense her position in the world, in society, and even in Huo Junxian's eyes.
She wanted to say, 'Am I your pet?'
However, she couldn't bring herself to say it. If she did, many things would collapse, and it would develop into unpredictable ways.
Huo Junxian said, "It's not that I haven't thought about giving you a role, but no matter what role I give you, you'll always think of it negatively. So, I might as well just be a villain."
"What do you want to do?" Gu Siyu's goosebumps were all up, instinctively afraid. She said, "I know you want to keep me, but... you can't use this to tempt me; it's despicable."
"Is it despicable?" Huo Junxian laughed. "Have I not reminded you that I've always been like this? From childhood to now, others say I'm sick, and they think I'm sick. Only you... Only you speak up for me and spit on Jin Yuansen. I saw it all. Right in the yard of my house, I stood on the balcony, drying clothes. When I slightly lowered my head, you were in my line of sight."
She described the scene in her line of sight to Gu Siyu, word by word, revealing the hypocrisy that Gu Siyu couldn't figure out before, touching her innermost feelings.
At the same time, it touched her evil and desire.
Gu Siyu held her breath, the yard? Drying clothes? When was this? Before she could carefully recall, her ears became soft and numb.
"In fact, every time I'm with you, I always feel that I can be worse, Gu Siyu."
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Translator's note: Haha... Xiao Yu (Teddy) is so funny; he thought of harassing a male Maltese, hahahaha....
Sigh... Huo Junxian and Gu Siyu indeed need to see a psychologist. Their mental state isn't normal. One wants to run, while the other one is chasing. (I'm stressed.jpg)
TO BE CONTINUE...