Chapter 14

Lin Song stared at the sentence, then at Xi Siyan, who had fallen into a daze.
Sometimes Lin Song felt that Xi Siyan needed therapy more than Jing Miao.
Just as Jing Miao switched between modes with Xi Siyan and with others, Xi Siyan—when it came to Jing Miao versus everyone else—was also a completely different person.
The difference was: Jing Miao’s duality was a reasonable part of growth.
Xi Siyan’s extreme switching felt like serious psychological illness.
Lin Song didn’t know the root cause.
When someone displays such extreme contrast, it’s dangerous—at the worst, it resembles what people traditionally call dissociation.
Lin Song had been responsible for Jing Miao for three years. Xi Siyan had always been beside him. As a psychologist, Lin Song had watched Xi Siyan become more and more split, and his professional instinct urged him to intervene—especially after today’s session with Jing Miao.
He had the intuition that Xi Siyan’s pressure came from Jing Miao’s feelings changing in nature.
“If you feel pressured, you can try keeping some distance from Jing Miao,” Lin Song said. “He’s gradually approaching adult awareness. If he leaves your side for a period of time, maybe many things will fade as his age and mind grow…”
“No!” Xi Siyan interrupted hoarsely, then forced himself calm again. “No need. I understand. Thank you, Doctor Lin.”
“Mr. Xi.” Lin Song stopped him. “If possible, I hope you can spare some time and talk with me.”
Xi Siyan stood and said goodbye politely. “Sorry. I don’t need it.”
Lin Song sighed, still unwilling to give up, and chased after him.
A moment later, he returned to his consultation room and smiled faintly.
He saw Xi Siyan crouched by Jing Miao’s feet, smiling as he helped him pull up his jacket zipper. He heard Jing Miao speak, and watched the smile reach all the way to Xi Siyan’s temples.
Perhaps he had misjudged something.
Some people were peeled open and offered.
Some people had already turned to ash long ago.
Love is dying together—
and then living together.
Xi Siyan patted Jing Miao’s head again. “Alright. We’ll raise a puppy.”
Hand in hand, they walked under sunlight—two handsome men clasping fingers, one face full of novelty and laughter, the other full of gentleness.
They seemed like they shouldn’t be together, yet also like they were made for each other.
“Corgi.”
Jing Miao stopped before a glass display. Inside, a pretty short-legged pup slept, its ears twitching. Jing Miao practically melted.
The shop owner introduced the dog enthusiastically—coloring, build, bloodline—then lifted the little one out for them to see.
“Look. Cute, right? This one’s very gentle. I keep it with other corgis and it never starts trouble. Everyone who sees it loves it—just thinks it’s expensive.”
He looked at how Jing Miao and Xi Siyan were dressed and understood at once.
“The good ones aren’t cheap, right?”
Jing Miao liked it so much. He took it carefully. The pup, just awakened, looked a little confused, then obediently nuzzled Jing Miao’s palm.
“So cute, so cute!” Jing Miao touched his forehead to the pup’s and repeated the word over and over. “Gege, so cute!”
“We’ll take this one,” Xi Siyan said, an arm around Jing Miao’s shoulders. “Come, Miaomiao—listen to the owner teach you how to care for a puppy.”
“Mm-hm!” Jing Miao hugged the puppy and followed Xi Siyan inside.
“Jing Miao?”
Both Xi Siyan and Jing Miao looked up.
A young man in an apron, holding a small Pomeranian, stared at Jing Miao in shock. He casually shut his dog back into a display and hurried over.
“Jing Miao! It’s really you! My god—you’re alive! Why haven’t you had any news for so long?”
Jing Miao instinctively hid behind Xi Siyan, then greeted him with practiced calm.
“Hello.”
Jiang Hongyue froze. “You… you don’t remember me?”
He stepped forward again, trying to approach Jing Miao. Xi Siyan lifted a hand slightly. “Sorry, he—”
“I got sick,” Jing Miao said first. “I don’t remember the past. Sorry.”
Xi Siyan paused, turned back, saw Jing Miao “pretending to be mature,” hesitated for a second, then lowered his hand.
Jiang Hongyue deflated. “Oh…”
Only then did he notice the tall, handsome man beside Jing Miao. Recognition struck like lightning.
“Xi Siyan? The Xi Siyan from the School of Materials?”
Xi Siyan understood the situation. This was probably Jing Miao’s classmate. They were all from Huada.
“Mm. Hello.”
Jiang Hongyue felt like he was dreaming.
“You two came together… to buy a dog?”
Jing Miao jumped in. “Mm. Gege said we will raise a puppy together. I have to pick one myself.”
Jiang Hongyue didn’t notice the strange pauses. He smiled.
“Is Xi Siyan your gege? Ah… then before, why…” He quickly changed the subject. “Good taste. This one’s the best of the litter—gentle and pretty, just like you.”
Jing Miao froze at the odd compliment and took a small step back.
The owner turned out to be Jiang Hongyue’s father. He bundled up the supplies and care instructions and handed them to Xi Siyan.
“All vaccines are done. If you’re still worried, you can test antibodies. If anything’s unclear, ask me…”
Noticing his son chatting warmly with the customers, he added happily:
“You know each other? Even better. If you don’t understand something, you can ask my son too!”
Xi Siyan took the items, paid, and thanked him.
Jing Miao carefully put the puppy into the carrier.
“Gege, can we take the car home? I’m afraid carrying it while walking will make it dizzy.”
“We drove here, Miaomiao. You forgot?” Xi Siyan held his hand and led him away.
Jing Miao interlaced their fingers, suddenly enlightened.
“Right. Gege drove. I almost forgot.”
He lifted the carrier and said happily to the puppy inside:
“We’re going home, little baby.”
…
Jiang Hongyue stayed rooted as if in a dream. The protesting yips of his own Pomeranian behind him finally snapped him back.
He sighed in amazement.
“So that’s what lovers call each other, huh? Damn… Jing Miao in love is actually this sweet.”