More than a dozen cats and dogs were making the villa livelier than ever.
Lin Cheng held a cat while standing in the center of the lobby, surveying the villa. He finally said honestly: "It's a bit smaller than it looked in the videos."
Qiao Ying: "How inconsiderate for the young master."
Lin Cheng glanced at the Fourth Master who was having a reunion with his family, and smiled: "It was his own choice."
Qiao Ying's coma had left the Fourth Master distressed and listless every day, with both mental and psychological problems. Lin Cheng had originally planned to bring the Fourth Master back to C Country, and see how things go after Qiao Ying wakes up.
After much hesitation, the Fourth Master still chose to stay by Qiao Ying's side.
"As long as pets get to follow their owner, living in a villa or a castle makes no difference." Lin Cheng sat down on the sofa holding the cat.
Qiao Ying was not lacking in money or resources. Otherwise, Lin Cheng wouldn't have minded sending her a bigger mansion to make the Fourth Master's stay more comfortable.
A robot brought over a glass of water.
Lin Cheng: "Thank you for your service."
Robot: "You're welcome."
Lin Cheng smiled again. "Do you have any more of these robots? I'd like to buy one and bring it back to C Country. It needs to have the same system as you have." He paused. "The voice doesn't have to be the same."
Robot: "This is the only one."
Qiao Ying: "If Boss Lin wants it, I'll send one to you after a while."
Lin Cheng: "No need, I'll pay full price for it."
Qiao Ying: "It's common courtesy." She was referring to the Fourth Master. "Boss Lin sent over so many expensive supplements, I should reciprocate."
Lin Cheng nodded slightly. "Reciprocity helps build relationships. Since you put it that way, I shall obey."
The Fourth Master ran over to Qiao Ying, rubbed against her legs, then barked twice at Lin Cheng: "Woof woof!" Not sure what he was trying to express.
Lin Cheng: "Miss Qiao already has a boyfriend, don't make trouble."
After saying that, he glanced up at Qiao Ying.
Qiao Ying: "Being able to understand dog barks could count as a special skill."
Lin Cheng smiled faintly. "It's not actually that hard to interpret their means of expression once you've spent a lot of time with them."
"Zack is particularly smart on top of having gone through training. I tested him before, his IQ has reached that of a 7-year-old child."
Qiao Ying raised her brows looking at the Fourth Master. "Seven years old?"
The Fourth Master straightened his back, looking expectant of praises.
"If Miss Qiao wants to understand Zack better, and build more tacit understanding with him, I can explain some basics to you," said Lin Cheng as he stroked the cat in his arms.
Qiao Ying: "No need."
Lin Cheng beckoned the Fourth Master. "Zack—"
The Fourth Master immediately went over to offer his head for Lin Cheng to pet. Lin Cheng praised: "Quite cute indeed."
Qiao Ying: "How long does Boss Lin plan on staying? If you want to see the Capital City's attractions, I can show you around as the host."
Lin Cheng: "It's rare that I'm here, might as well visit around. I'll have to trouble you then, Miss Qiao." He took a sip of water from the glass.
Qiao Ying: "Sure."
Lin Cheng: "I presume Mr. Qin doesn't mind...?"
Qiao Ying: "He shouldn't."
Lin Cheng: "In that case, has Mr. Qin succeeded in embracing beauty after pining for it?"
Qiao Ying: "Is Boss Lin gossiping or probing?"
Lin Cheng laughed. "Just casual questions. I was out of line."
Qiao Ying booked a restaurant and treated Lin Cheng to dinner that night.
Outside the restaurant entrance,
Qiao Ying: "I won't be sending Boss Lin back to the hotel. Call me if anything comes up, but I cannot guarantee being available to pick up at all times."
Lin Cheng: "Miss Qiao should focus on your own stuff. I'll go take a look at Lin Yuxuan tomorrow morning."
Qiao Ying offered to play the considerate host, but 80% of that was merely politeness. Asking her to show someone around town? She would only dampen their enthusiasm.
If Lin Cheng needed anything else, he could say so later.
The next day, Monday, Qiao Ying went to school per usual.
Unexpectedly though, Lin Cheng actually came to the school holding a cat and walking a dog, without any servants. Carrying a cat in one hand and a dog leash in the other, he attracted constant sidelong glances from students as he walked around campus.
Before long, Lin Cheng's photos spread wildly among student chat groups, and made it to confession walls where girls “fished” for him from the “sea”.
Lin Cheng stood in front of a campus map looking for the Computer Science building.
After locating it, he headed towards the Computer Science building.
It was noon time, Qiao Ying had just finished class and was about to go eat when she received the call and had to change direction.
He had timed it perfectly.
Lin Cheng held a cat and walked a dog while waiting below the classroom building, successfully blocking some female students on their way to lunch.
"Is that Goddess Nüwa's award-winning piece? How does he look? If he's a new teacher, I'd happily flunk all his classes for life."
"Ever since School Beauty Qiao withdrew from school to make babies with Third Master, it's been ages since we've seen such an extremely handsome hunk."
"Thanks to School Beauty Qiao, I can't even look at those powdered and painted male idols in the entertainment industry anymore. Too pretentious."
"That feeling of having seen him somewhere comes back again. Qiao's Law, absolutely, no mistake about it."
"One look and you know he's rich. Which lucky girl managed to get this handsome guy to wait in such freezing weather?"
"The cat is so cute, I want to kiss its owner so bad."
"If this were my boyfriend, I wouldn't even let him get out of bed, let alone leave the house."
At this time, Lin Cheng was rejecting an audacious female student who tried to chat him up, making everyone even more curious. "Who on earth is he waiting for?"
"Don't tell me it's really..."
"School Beauty Qiao is here."
Seeing Qiao Ying approach, Lin Cheng smiled faintly and handed her the dog leash. "Hope I didn't disturb you?"
Qiao Ying told the truth. "You delayed my lunch."
"I knew it!"
"As expected, it's School Beauty Qiao again, the eternally unchanging law."
"Just how many handsome male friends with divine looks does School Beauty Qiao have behind the scenes? This is a serious question."
"Grateful once more for School Beauty Qiao bestowing such eye candy upon us all."
"Even though there have been several cautionary tales already, such exceptional looks and temperament still catch me off guard every time."
Lin Cheng: "Lunch? Any good food around campus?"
Qiao Ying took the dog leash. "There's a decent French restaurant, I'll show Boss Lin around."
Lin Cheng followed her holding the cat.
"Incoming hottie!"
"How hot is he?"
"School Beauty Qiao's friend, you tell me?"
Lin Cheng's appearance predictably sent another shockwave through the forums.
The scene of him handing the dog leash to Qiao Ying was captured, birthing yet another iconic image.
"Suddenly I don't want School Beauty Qiao to be with Third Master anymore, just open a harem already, don't let any of them go!"
"Are they even together? I thought that was all speculation and fantasizing. I still ship Lawyer Cheng more."
"Wonder if the super busy Third Master will take time out of his packed schedule to glance at the forums. Wonder if the mature and steady Third Master will feel jealous."
Lin Cheng: "Your schoolmates are very enthusiastic."
Qiao Ying: "I assume you didn't mean to say I'm not enthusiastic enough?"
Lin Cheng smiled faintly. "It would be even better if Miss Qiao could be more enthusiastic."
Qiao Ying: "I feel Boss Lin has something he wants to say."
Lin Cheng: "I do have a favor that I wanted Miss Qiao's help with, but it seems inconvenient now that I see."
Qiao Ying: "Murder and arson would be simple."
Lin Cheng: "I can handle those myself."
Qiao Ying snarked: "You sure love teasing."
Her voice wasn't loud, but she clearly made no effort to avoid Lin Cheng's notice. With his sharp hearing, he naturally heard it loud and clear.
