SBAB Chapter 42

Lin Xin had the most flavorful meal of his life, even though he felt both choked and overwhelmed. It wasn’t until he finished a second bowl of rice that he felt a faint trace of his true self resurface, somewhere buried beneath the echo of Eric Tsang’s distinctive voice.

Without his usual silver tongue to rely on, Lin Xin figured the only way to improve his likability was to take the initiative to wash the dishes. Of course, to Cheng Shiyin, this wasn’t a bonus gesture but an expected chore. After all, she never permitted him to eat their rice in the first place. So, while Lin Xin’s act of volunteering didn’t earn him even a sliver of goodwill, the dishes still had to be done.

As Lin Xin faced the kitchen, which now resembled a battlefield after a world war, he consoled himself: It’s fine. Winter break is still long. I’ve got three or four weeks of just me and Cheng Shiyin. No need to rush.

With that thought, he slowed his pace, grinning through gritted teeth as he washed the dishes. He even whistled a few scattered notes, almost cheerfully.

Cheng Shiyin stood to the side, watching him. Lin Xin’s ability to shift emotions faster than tropical weather left her baffled. She couldn’t fathom what was going on in his head, but seeing his relaxed demeanor, she decided there was no need to delve deeper. Instead, she grabbed a drink and a bag of chips from the fridge, leaned back on the couch, and began enjoying her well-deserved winter break.

The TV was on at a moderate volume, but neither Lin Xin nor Cheng Shiyin spoke a word. The only sounds in the room were the running water as Lin Xin washed dishes, the crunch of chips in Cheng Shiyin’s mouth, and the male lead’s cheesy pick-up lines on TV.

Yet neither of them, with their backs to one another, noticed the inexplicable smiles on their faces—comfortable and unspoken.

But Lin Xin would have never guessed that the two-person world he had dreamed of would come to an abrupt and imperfect end.

The peace was shattered by a loud knock on the door.

Lin Xin barely had time to set down the dishes before Cheng Shiyin shot up from the couch, slapped her thigh, and exclaimed, “How could I have forgotten?!”

Only now did she remember that in her focus on settling Lin Xin in, she had completely forgotten her cousin’s request to take care of Beibei for a while. After waiting the whole day at the pet hospital without seeing Cheng Shiyin, the staff had no choice but to bring the dog to her home themselves.

Cheng Shiyin repeatedly apologized as she brought Beibei into the house. From that moment on, Lin Xin found it impossible to get close to Cheng Shiyin again.

Beibei was a clingy Labrador. While her cousin had described it as a “puppy,” Cheng Shiyin couldn’t reconcile that term with the dog sprawled across her, nearly as long as she was tall. Maybe “puppy” just referred to its age.

Lin Xin, seeing this scene, quickly put down the dishes, wiped his hands on a towel, and stepped forward to pull the dog away. With his current strength, lifting a dog over a meter tall wasn’t a problem.

However, the moment Beibei left Cheng Shiyin’s side, the dog let out a pitiful whimper and stared at her with big, glossy eyes, like a freshly weaned puppy begging for attention. The sight immediately triggered Cheng Shiyin’s maternal instincts.

“It’s fine, put him down. I’ll take him,” Cheng Shiyin said, reaching out to take Beibei from Lin Xin and cuddling him again.

“Whimper…”

At that moment, Lin Xin’s heart seemed to let out its pitiful whimper. That embrace was supposed to be mine… or maybe not.

With that thought, Lin Xin’s internal complaints grew louder. But in the end, he could only surrender. What could he say? It was just a dog. Dogs didn’t know any better and acted affectionately toward everyone.

Squatting to the side, Lin Xin extended a hand to Beibei. “Shake hands.”

Smack!

Beibei’s massive paw slapped Lin Xin’s arm so hard it left a bright red welt beneath his sleeve. The heat from the mark stung. Lin Xin stared at the unfriendly dog, confused. He’d only just met it—how could he have offended it already?

To his dismay, the very next moment, Beibei turned back to Cheng Shiyin, snuggling up to her with no trace of hostility, not even sparing Lin Xin a sideways glance.

Lin Xin suddenly had a thought. He moved closer and lifted a bit of Beibei’s fur near his hind legs. What he saw confirmed his suspicions.

Damn it, it’s a male dog.

Lin Xin immediately retracted his earlier words. He swore to himself: from now on, he and this dog would be mortal enemies.

Somehow, Beibei seemed to sense Lin Xin’s anger and became even more provocative, licking Cheng Shiyin’s palm with exaggerated enthusiasm, making her laugh uncontrollably. Even after Cheng Shiyin couldn’t laugh anymore, the fire in Lin Xin’s eyes remained. And so, man and dog engaged in a silent standoff.

That night, Lin Xin had a rare and sweet dream featuring Cheng Shiyin.

In the dream, Cheng Shiyin was holding that infuriating dog. The moment she saw Lin Xin from afar, she threw the dog into the air and ran to him, wrapping her arms around him. She laughed, saying, “How could it ever compare to you?”

Lin Xin, leaning back against her chest with his legs curled up, playfully replied, “I don’t believe you—unless you prove it to me.”

Without hesitation, Cheng Shiyin lowered her head and gave Lin Xin an excessively passionate kiss.

Calling it “passionate” might have been a stretch. In reality, it was more like Cheng Shiyin wildly assaulting his lips with her tongue. Lin Xin pretended to resist, lightly pushing her away, but his hands lacked any real strength, completely indulging her actions. His face radiated with pure joy.

Suddenly, the kiss stopped. Lin Xin felt a sharp pain in his chest, accompanied by a loud, rhythmic pounding in his ears.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump…

At first, Lin Xin thought it was just the fluttering heartbeat of someone in love. But then, he heard Cheng Shiyin’s urgent voice: “Beibei, get down!”

Cough, cough! Lin Xin coughed as he opened his eyes, only to find that annoying Beibei using his chest as a trampoline, bouncing up and down energetically.

So it was just a dream, Lin Xin thought, rubbing his sore chest. I should’ve known something was off when Beibei was thrown into the air and didn’t come back down.

Then he froze. Wait… so who was the one wildly assaulting my lips with their tongue?

As if understanding Lin Xin’s confusion, Beibei helpfully provided the answer—licking Lin Xin’s lips, then dragging its tongue from his chin to his forehead, leaving his entire face covered in slobber.

The familiar taste. The familiar sensation. There was no more room for self-deception. Of course, it was Beibei all along.

When Lin Xin finally pushed the dog off, man and dog erupted into a chaotic wrestling match. Neither side could gain the upper hand, and neither was willing to back down.