Chapter 44.1
Editor: Jodi
Even though Ning Sheng had made it clear that he didn’t need Xu Ling to take care of him.
Xu Ling would still sneak him some snacks and little stationery from time to time.
Ning Sheng was quite pleased about this.
Not bad at all. They were only in high school, yet Xu Ling was already showing signs of filial piety toward him.
Raising a cub was really worth it. There was good company, future retirement support, an all-purpose Xu Ling was the best.
“Ning Ning.” Xu Ling pushed the door open. “I just washed some waxberries, want to eat some?”
Ning Sheng: “Hmph, this young master will have a small taste.”
“Why aren’t you streaming today?” Xu Ling asked.
Ning Sheng: “Mmm…”
His study livestream had been doing really well that some stationery brands had even reached out, asking if he wanted to sell their products during his streams.
Inside Ning Sheng’s head, he could map out a whole business empire in minutes—building a livestreaming empire and raking in stacks of cash.
But he had really gotten lazy in Qing’an Town. So lazy that his bones were soaked in the town’s slow, peaceful rhythm.
Xu Ling would take him to new heights in the future, so why grind himself when he could just make Xu Ling grind instead?
“Learning god Li is streaming today.” Ning Sheng told him.
Xu Ling: “Did the viewers drop?”
Ning Sheng: “No, but a bunch of weird adults showed up trying to recruit the math nerd into their schools.”
Xu Ling: “……”
“Princess, let me borrow your account someday. I want to sell pigs.” Lu Peng who had just stepped in said. “Can you do product promotions on it?”
“Yes, but I’m taking a cut.” Ning Sheng told him.
Lu Peng: “Deal, I’ll give you a pig tail later.”
Ning Sheng: “Do you think that your pig tail is hard currency?”
“Tomorrow’s the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.” Xu Ling started. “Should we head back to Qing’an Town after school?”
Ning Sheng: “I’ll have Uncle Driver come pick us up.”
His grandma was still traveling, so he planned to stay over at Xu Ling’s place this time.
“I’m craving Auntie’s sugar cakes.” He added.
“She’ll definitely make some.” Xu Ling said. “Her handmade mooncakes are really good too.”
“Do you know how to make them?” Ning Sheng asked.
Xu Ling: “I can make air mooncakes. How about I mold one for you right now?”
Ning Sheng: “……”
**
High school coursework was way busier than middle school.
Ning Sheng hadn’t been back to Qing’an Town for almost half a month.
Even though this small town wasn’t where he was born, and his grandma wasn’t even at the villa right now, he still couldn’t help but feel a sense of belonging here.
*
Li Haoyue who was at the desk turned off his phone, ending the livestream.
“Thanks, Princess.” The math nerd was buzzing with excitement. “I just did 200 questions, and more than half of them couldn’t even solve them.”
Ning Sheng: “……”
It kind of felt like he had accidentally thrown the math nerd into a soul-draining abyss.
“One more.” Lu Peng reached for a waxberry, only to grab nothing but air.
Lu Peng: “?”
“Dog Xu, are we still brothers or what?” He asked.
“I bought these for Princess. Why’s your abyssal black hole of a mouth trying to get involved?” Xu Ling said, feeding a waxberry to Ning Sheng.
“So basically, you and Princess are sworn brothers?” Lu Peng asked.
However for some reason, Xu Ling instinctively rejected this idea.
What was this? Had he been a dog for so long that he had forgotten how to be a person?
Right at that moment, Ning Sheng opened his mouth and accidentally bit his finger.
Xu Ling: “Ow.”
Ning Sheng: “You washed your hands, right?”
“They’re clean.” Xu Ling’s right hand hovered in midair. For some reason, the lingering sensation of Ning Sheng’s bite was still there—both tingly and numb, mixed with the warmth and damp softness of those lips.
It was just a tiny touch, but it felt like he had brushed against a small electric current.
“It has been a while since I bought you blueberries, right?” Ning Sheng asked.
Xu Ling froze, the tiny current at his fingertips disappearing immediately.
“Do I seriously look like I’m starving for blueberries?” He asked helplessly.
Ning Sheng looked him up and down. Not bad. They were already in high school, yet Xu Ling had never needed glasses. His eyesight was still perfect during medical checkups. His efforts had clearly paid off.
“A lot of people are definitely going to like you in the future.” Ning Sheng said proudly.
This was one of those rare, once-a-year compliments from Ning Sheng.
But somehow, today, it didn’t sound quite right to Xu Ling.
What was this? Had he been a dog for so long that he couldn’t even understand human speech anymore?
Xu Ling was deeply confused.
And this confusion hit its peak the next day during lunch.
It hadn’t even been a month since the freshmen at Number Nine Middle School started, and already there were high school couples holding hands in the cafeteria.
Lu Peng tsk’d in amazement. “So bold.”
“It’s just puppy love, what’s the big deal?” Ning Sheng said with disdain. “You haven’t seen it before?”
“No, Princess.” Lu Peng said. “The thing is, just a week ago, they were dating different people!”
Ning Sheng: “……”
“High schoolers not studying, just wasting time on this nonsense.” Ning Sheng scoffed.
Li Haoyue: “That almost sounded like something only I would say.”
Ning Sheng: “Then go ahead and recite and write it out 300 times.”
“Princess.” Lu Peng said, “a lot of people in our class want to date you.”
Ning Sheng: “I’m not interested.”
He figured with his young master temper, he wouldn’t be able to accommodate anyone, and not many people would be willing to accommodate him either.
Xu Ling: “?”
“Dog Xu, why are you smiling and glaring at the same time? What’s up with you?” Lu Peng asked.
Xu Ling: “……”
He didn’t get it.
How come, after being a dog for so long, his emotions were still all over the place? One second he was thrilled, the next he was melancholic.
“It’s nothing.” Xu Ling said. “Ning Ning, this chicken leg is good. Want me to get you another one?”
“Do you want to learn calligraphy?” Ning Sheng still hadn’t given up on shaping him during high school.
“No.” Xu Ling answered with absolute certainty.
Ning Sheng: “Why?”
“It’s too artsy.” Xu Ling said in response. “It makes people too sentimental.”
Ning Sheng: “……?”
Translator’s Note: Thank you V 🙏🏼 for the coffees