Chapter 28 Mad Dog Hotel

They went out on an adventure, were attacked, and returned not only with no fewer people, but with one more.

This seems like a classic ghost story trope, but with several people sitting in the room, looking at each other, it's really hard to feel any fear.

Lu Shian, Lu Qi, and Lulu sat watching Tian Miaoying "lead" Huang Zhenyi around the sofa.

"Excited, so excited." Tian Miaoying took off her coat, but still felt hot in just her shirt. "I drank two big glasses of Americano in one go, I can't calm down."

Huang Zhenyi could no longer speak, but his snow-white muzzle was half-open, and he was panting rapidly with his tongue lolling out, showing the same excitement.

"It's so annoying, I feel like running and jumping whenever I see sunlight," Tian Miaoying walked to the window and pulled the curtains shut. "My heart rate just won't come down."

It's clear that Tian Miaoying is really agitated; her speech is almost like it's on fast-forward.

"Besides being irritable, is there anything else that's bothering you?" Lu Qi asked.

"It's great everywhere, I feel like I could run 800 meters." Tian Miaoying thought for a moment and added, "It's just that the voice in my head is a bit noisy."

"Can you still talk to Zhenyi?" Lu Shi'an asked.

Tian Miaoying shook her head, "He's silent now, only Yeye is crying."

Coconut—they tentatively named their guest who had become a Samoyed, hoping she wouldn't mind.

Does she pay attention to you?

"She seemed unable to speak, she just cried."

Lu Qi and Lü Shi'an were exploring Huang Zhenyi's new body when, out of the corner of their eye, they caught Lulu flipping through the check-in manual.

He stroked a page, thoughtfully fiddling with the corner of the page. After a while, he dusted off the surface of the page, closed the booklet, put it on the coffee table, and got up to go to the kitchen.

Xiao Lu's action of flipping through the manual reminded Lu Qi that the Samoyed had immediately stopped attacking Tian Miaoying after she put on the necklace.

This should be a very important rule, and the manual should be updated.

Lu Qi picked up the handbook that Lulu had put down, turned the page, and froze.

blank.

After the first time the broadcast was used to find someone, the manual was updated accordingly. Why is there no new content this time?

Why is this happening?

Is it that they haven't explored that rule enough, or is it that it's beyond the scope of the rule?

Or perhaps the information that "the person wearing the necklace is a pet dog in the eyes of the strange dog" falls under Rule 1 [dogs with owners have collars], and is an extended interpretation of Rule 1?

Was the Samoyed's cessation of attack just an accident? Did the necklace fail to work?

Before Lu Qi could think any further, she was shocked to see Lulu standing in the kitchen, taking a glass of drinking water and pouring it into her mouth.

"Xiao Lu!" Lu Qi suddenly put down the manual and rushed over to grab his hand.

Lulu stopped what she was doing when she heard the name and looked at Lu Qi innocently.

Lu Qi snatched the water glass and, still shaken, splashed the water into the pool: "What are you doing!"

"Hydrate." Lulu patiently turned out another glass. "Luqi, you should drink some water too. Your lips are very dry... Even though you still have the cutest lips in the world, you really need water."

Lu Qi thought he had forgotten, so she solemnly reminded him again, "Don't eat anything here!"

"Why?"

"Because of Spirited Away!" Tian Miaoying exclaimed as she turned to the kitchen. "Do you want to become a pig waiting to be slaughtered?!"

Lulu smiled with a hint of helplessness, "That's just a fictional animation."

"Leaving aside animation, it's not a good thing for the living to eat things from the underworld," Lu Qi added. "Putting aside the theory of ghosts and gods—even if this is a normal world, and we're just hallucinating due to mental derangement, we can't be sure what we're seeing right now."

Lu Shian added: "Xiao Lu is right. Perhaps what we see as a glass of water is actually a fruit knife or a sponge."

"No, it's just water!" Lulu frowned, glancing unhappily at Lü Shi'an, before gently advising Lu Qi, "Lu Qi, you've been out for a long time, you need to drink water. Drinking too little water can lead to kidney stones and urinary retention."

Tian Miaoying was extremely agitated and blurted out, "She's not a male cat, how could she possibly hold her pee so easily!"

Lu Qi felt that Lulu completely failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation.

She knew that thirst was unpleasant and could easily make people irritable, especially since they had just suffered a setback and couldn't find their way out.

Anyone would lose their temper in this situation, so Lu Qi tugged at Lulu's sleeve and gently advised, "Just bear with it, okay?"

She had seen Lulu beat up Zhao Feipeng. Little Lu wasn't as good-tempered as she seemed. Tian Miaoying's tone was a bit harsh. Lu Qi thought he would lose face, but unexpectedly Lulu was even gentler than her.

"It's getting dark." He put his hands on Lu Qi's shoulders. "You can't go out tonight. If you don't drink water for another night, you won't be able to stand it."

Lu Qi pursed his chapped lips.

From yesterday afternoon until now, she has only drunk two sips of Professor Meng's tea.

What will happen at night, we saw yesterday. If they can't get out by tomorrow, they will collapse from dehydration first.

Lu Qi's eyes darkened slightly.

She looked at the group, and after a moment, pulled Lulu away and poured herself a glass of water.

"Sister Lu!" "Little Lu!" Tian Miaoying and Lü Shi'an exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing!"

“It will be difficult to get out in a short time,” Lu Qi said to them, holding a glass of water. “You can’t fast from food and water anymore. If I finish drinking, I’ll be fine until the next morning. You can try eating a little.”

"No! That's too risky!" Tian Miaoying reached out to pull her, but Lulu grabbed her wrist.

He stood in front of Lu Qi, staring at her calmly but firmly: "Lu Qi needs water."

Tian Miaoying had always known Lulu to be friendly, but then, belatedly, she realized: "Wow, Lulu is so tall..."

Lu Qi gazed at the water in his hand—a transparent glass, clean drinking water.

There's nothing to hesitate about.

When Lu Qi saw Tian Miaoying and Huang Zhenyi being devoured by the pack of dogs, she understood the meaning of her existence:

To leave the ghost stories behind, someone has to make mistakes. They are different from her, and many people are waiting for them to go back.

But is this kind of trial and error necessary? Are there any safer methods?

Lu Qi tightened his grip on the cup, seeing his blurry face reflected on the curved surface.

Never mind, it doesn't matter anymore.

She lowered her head and sipped the water.

The water is a bit hard, and its slightly astringent taste makes the process of relieving thirst even more pronounced.

Lu Qi took a small sip, paused for a moment, then tilted his head back and drank it down.

Lulu smiled and handed over the second glass of water.

His eyes were filled with relief and love, like a mother nursing her baby, hoping she would drink more, and a little more.

Lu Shi'an and Tian Miaoying felt a little uneasy.

Lu Qi didn't refuse. He drank one and a half cups of water before putting the remaining half cup on the stage.

Lulu made sure she had finished drinking and picked up the half-finished glass.

"Wait, wait!" Lu Qi pried his hands away. "Didn't I say we'd wait until tomorrow? It might not even work now."

Even arsenic needs some reaction time.

“No,” Lulu gently but firmly pulled her hand away, “I’ll stay with you.”

Lu Qi opened her eyes.

Tian Miaoying and Lü Shian were so shocked that they were speechless.

Based on that one sentence, all their dissatisfaction with Lulu vanished, leaving only admiration.

Honestly, they couldn't do what Lulu did and risk their lives for Lu Qi.

"No, no need." Lu Qi lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling. "You don't need to do this. If something really happens, one of you will be dragged down for nothing."

She avoided Lulu's gaze; his eyes were too open and clear, filled with no trace of love.

Her attitude towards the relationship was frivolous, negative, and complacent; she didn't deserve such pure affection.

"You..." Under Lu Qi's shocked gaze, Lulu drank half of her glass of water.

This simple action caused a huge impact.

Breathing heavily, Lu Qi struggled in disbelief.

Why is it that he truly loves her so much, even to the point of risking his life for her?

The two watched them nervously.

Five minutes passed, and neither Lu Qi nor Lulu felt any discomfort.

He stuck out his tongue, licked away the water droplets from the sides of his lips, and tilted his head to ask Lu Qi, "Shouldn't we eat now?"

Lu Qi turned her head and glanced at Lü Shi'an and Tian Miaoying; they were also looking at her.

Lu Shian said, "The food in the restaurant is 100% problematic, there's no need to try it."

“But many people were fine this morning, and the worst they experienced was vomiting and diarrhea,” Lu Qi said. “We can go and see what food is safe. You guys stay here.”

Tian Miaoying tried to persuade them to stay: "There are still a few cookies Professor Meng gave me in the room, why don't we share them..."

“Professor Meng has a lot of people around him, and with so little food, how long can it last?” Lu Qi shook his head. “It’s alright, we’ve already drunk the water.”

Lulu stood beside her and, before the two could speak again, led Lu Qi outside without saying a word, reminding them, "Don't run around, and don't pee or poop here."

Randomly defecating and urinating? Who?

Lu Shian and Tian Miaoying looked at Huang Zhenyi.

It turned to the left once, then uncomfortably turned to the right once more, and then squatted down.

"Oh my god!" Tian Miaoying screamed and dragged Huang Zhenyi toward the toilet.

Lu Shi'an quickly followed, "I'll help you."

Lu Qi and Lulu took the elevator down to the first floor.

She tried to recall what the person with abdominal pain had eaten that morning, but it was too far away for Lu Qi to see everything. Just as she was about to discuss it with Lulu, Lulu spoke first: "What are you planning to eat, Lu Qi?"

“Let’s start with rice,” Lu Qi said. “There aren’t actually that many people with abdominal pain, only about 20%, and most of them only have mild symptoms, so the chances that rice, which we eat the most, is the problem are very low.”

Lulu nodded, seemingly satisfied with Lu Qi's choice: "Okay, let's have rice then. I saw the table next to us had clear broth pork ribs, braised chicken legs, and sausages, and they seemed to be doing well. We can try those too."

Lu Qi did not object and also recalled the safe food she had seen.

The elevator doors opened, and this half-floor, being a commercial area, should have been the noisiest and busiest place.

The two walked past without seeing a single person, except for the shopkeepers on either side who, with their dark, empty eyes, gave them perfect smiles.

Lu Qi remained silent, walking forward despite the stares from the shops on both sides.

Passing by a milk tea shop, Lulu stopped and turned to look at Lu Qi: "Want some?"

Lu Qi had no interest in milk tea. She shook her head instinctively, then, realizing what she was there for, she changed her mind: "Okay."

If the water is fine, then the drink is probably fine too. Worth a try.

Lulu smiled and placed her hand on Lulu's waist, loosely embracing her.

Lu Qi paused for a moment. She had only been dating Lulu for less than a month, and she wasn't very comfortable with intimate physical contact. But when she thought of how he had drunk the water without hesitation, she couldn't bring herself to say anything to refuse.

With our lives hanging by a thread, why bother with this?

The two entered the store. Lu Qi looked up at the densely packed menu and hadn't decided what to drink yet, but Lulu had already decided for her: "A strawberry peach drink, room temperature."

Lu Qi assumed that was what Lulu wanted, so she said, "Give me a latte, please."

The clerk looked at her with his dark, round eyes and smiled, "A latte, is that right?"

“No,” Lulu stood in front of Lu Qi and tapped the table with her index finger, “only the Berry Peach flavor, at room temperature.”

"Okay." The shop assistant turned around and began making it.

Lu Qi looked up at Lulu with slight doubt.

The production process is very ordinary, no different from that of a normal milk tea shop.

The clerk inserted a straw and handed it to Lu Qi. Lu Qi habitually said thank you and took out her phone to scan the QR code.

The payment app took forever to load before she realized she had no internet connection.

Lu Qi glanced at Lulu and showed him the screen where the internet was down.

She was secretly anxious, wondering if it was possible to return something in the ghost stories—even in the outside world, it wasn't easy to return a well-made milk tea.

Lu Qi was ready to run for his life again, but Lulu seemed to have anticipated this, taking out a twenty-yuan bill from her trench coat pocket.

After receiving the money, the clerk bowed warmly and said, "Welcome to visit again next time."

Once outside the store, Lu Qi breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness you brought money. Why did you stop me earlier? Was there something wrong with the latte?"

Lulu shook her head.

He moved the milk tea away, bent down, and took two big gulps.

The cup of milk tea in his hand felt like some kind of highly toxic corrosive agent; he held it far away so Lu Qi wouldn't touch it.

Lu Qi felt a pang of tenderness and didn't intend to let him test the poison alone.

She grabbed his sleeve, pinning his hand down, and leaned in to bite the straw.

The rich aroma of peaches filled her nose and mouth as she chewed on a few crunchy peaches.

Safety aside, this milk tea tastes pretty good.

Lu Qi puffed out her cheeks and chewed on the crunchy pops from the sweet juice.

Lulu puffed out her cheeks and tried her best to chew those slippery little balls.

He wasn't very good at chewing this, and it took him some effort to bite it.

Lu Qi couldn't help but laugh as he watched.

She choked on her laughter, and Lulu immediately patted her back. He couldn't speak because his mouth was full of juice, so he pressed his forehead against hers to feel her condition.

The shop assistants on both sides stared at the only two living people outside, each face consisting of dark, hollow eyes and a smile that was both friendly and eerily friendly.

But as Lu Qi pressed against Lulu's smooth skin, he suddenly felt that this place wasn't so scary after all.

"It's so sweet." She swallowed the juice in her mouth. "You ordered it with full sugar?"

Lulu tilted her head. "Is it too sweet?"

Lu Qi glanced at half of her face and sighed softly, "It's so sweet."

Lulu took another sip.

He only has 1,700 taste buds, while Lu Qi has 9,000; his sense of taste is far weaker than Lu Qi's.

The mellow juice spread across her tongue, and Lulu remembered the sweetness—a sweetness that Lu Qi could not accept.

"Why can't I order a latte?" she asked again.

Lulu lowered her eyes, "...Let's go to the restaurant first."

The restaurant, which had been vandalized in the morning, has been cleaned up and there are no signs of the disturbance.

It was still early, the dishes had just been laid out, and apart from the chefs and waiters, there was no one else in the restaurant.

A large-scale food poisoning occurred at breakfast, someone turned into a monster in full view of everyone, and someone was bitten to death. It's likely that no guests will visit this place for a while.

Lu Qi reached for the tray, but Lulu handed her the berry and peach drink instead.

“Please sit down,” he said. “I’ll get it.”

Lu Qi shook his head, "Let's go together and see what dishes we have."

Lulu smiled, satisfied and happy, "Luqi, you're so clingy, so cute."

Lu Qi was taken aback. "Why do you always say things like that, regardless of the situation?"

Lulu tilted her head. "Shouldn't I have said that?"

He felt he had restrained himself enough not to rush over and rub Lu Qi’s face while she was sitting quietly, or ask her why she was seducing him.

He wouldn't bury himself in Lu Qi's belly while she was sleeping and ask her why she seduced him.

Lulu never asked Lu Qi why he seduced him; it was really unnecessary, but Lu Qi always liked to ask him.

It wasn't that he found answering questions troublesome; it was just that nine out of ten times when she asked, he hadn't yet seduced her.

When he tried his best to seduce her, she was always engrossed in her homework and phone, only giving him perfunctory touches.

Lulu didn't understand.

Perhaps it's because Lu Qi has unique insights into "seduction".

Carrying trays, Lulu and Luqi walked along the dining table.

He was reluctant to give Lu Qi the opportunity to look at the food, worried that she might choose the poisonous kind. Therefore, he moved to the inside, separating Lu Qi from the food counter.

It turns out Lulu was overthinking it.

Lu Qi wasn't really there to eat. She held the cup of milk tea without touching it, letting Lulu choose the dishes while she carefully observed the food on the counter.

She recalled what she had seen several people suffering from abdominal pain eating: chocolate mousse, coffee, salad, scallion pancakes...

These things seem completely random at first glance, but in a bizarre world filled with "dogs" and strange rules, they share a highly recognizable common thread—

It is harmful to dogs.

Lu Qi hadn't thought of this before, until Lulu stopped her from ordering a latte, and only then did she understand his thinking.

The chocolate and caffeine in the mousse, the tomatoes and onions in the salad, the scallions in the omelet—these are all toxic to dogs, as is the bowl of noodles the man who vomited at the beginning ate.

There was a white clump next to the bowl of noodles. At the time, Lu Qi thought it was a crumpled tissue, but now she thinks it was probably garlic.

So in this ghost story, neither humans nor dogs can eat food that is harmful to dogs?

"Wait a minute." She pulled Lulu aside and pointed to a plate of stir-fried celery in front of her.

Lulu immediately turned her head and gave her a disapproving look.

Lu Qi nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

Behind the buffet table, a waiter with vacant eyes watched them with a smile.

Lu Qi tugged at Lulu's sleeve and said calmly, "Look at what you took, there's not a single bit of green in it. Add a plate of celery."

"..." Lulu resisted and did not move.

To avoid attracting the attention of the waiters, Lu Qi walked over herself and casually picked up a plate of celery and placed it on Lulu's tray.

“Let’s go,” she tugged at Lulu’s hem and walked toward a corner near the exit, away from the restaurant staff.

“You shouldn’t have taken this.” As soon as she sat down, Lulu moved the plate of celery far away and pushed the rice, chicken leg, and sausage in front of Lu Qi. “These are the safe ones.”

He pushed the food out, his fingertips curling slightly.

They had never shared food during their ten years together; the extremely intimate act of "eating together" was still too stimulating for him.

Lu Qi, of course, didn't notice his fingertips curling up in excitement; her focus was entirely on the food: "I understand what you're thinking. Let me try it."

Celery is not fatal to dogs; at most, it will only cause intestinal bleeding.

Given Lu Qi's size, swallowing this whole plate of celery would only cause her stomach pain.

Dosage is very important.

Even a miniature teacup dog can be fine after licking a piece of chocolate.

If converted to human size, Lu Qi eating a piece of chocolate cake would not necessarily be fatal, which is probably why there were no food-related deaths this morning.

"No! It will hurt a lot." Lulu picked up the plate of celery. "You have a sensitive stomach. If you really want to try, I'll do it."

Lu Qi was taken aback. "How did you know I have a sensitive stomach?"

Her stomach was damaged the year Lulu died. After that, she became a veterinarian and always ate whenever she had a spare moment, without a fixed time, which made her already bad stomach even worse.

Lulu paused for a moment, then said, "Tian Miaoying said that the entire Anxin Hospital can't find a single person with a healthy digestive system."

Lu Qi laughed, "That's the truth."

Lulu held onto the plate of celery and refused to give in, and Lu Qi didn't want him to try food that he knew might be problematic.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Okay, then let's do it the other way around—only feed them food that's harmless to dogs. Is that alright?"

Their goal is to find safe food, and they don't necessarily need to be obsessed with figuring out which foods are poisonous.

Lulu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.

He pushed several plates of meat towards Lu Qi again, then put his hands on his knees, sitting like a primary school student.

Those round eyes stared at Lu Qi for a while, and seeing that she hadn't eaten yet, they pushed the plate forward slightly and looked down at the rice bowl in front of them.

Lu Qi paused, feeling an increasing sense of déjà vu about Lulu in Xiao Lu. The final gesture of lowering her head was like a dog sniffing the ground for reassurance.

"You should eat too." Lu Qi wasn't used to serving food to others, so she moved the plate of food a little closer to Lulu.

Immediately, the young man opposite him blushed.

He looked at her, deeply moved, and said sincerely, "You are so kind."

"Um?"

Lulu's eyeballs were burning hot, so hot that she had the illusion that they had melted into blood plasma.

Throughout the vast canine population, females never push food towards adult males; the deepest form of love is for the female to eat her fill, leave some behind, and walk away.

Lulu knew, of course, that this action was common in human society, but he was willing to interpret all of Lu Qi's behaviors in the best way possible.

For example, the reason why the sun is shining brightly today is probably because Lu Qi exists in this world.

To avoid confusion, Lu Qi controlled the variables, starting with rice, and eating the whole bowl of rice before eating the vegetables.

As she and Lulu had guessed, there were no abnormalities after eating either the vegetables or the rice.

These foods, strictly speaking, all contain ingredients that are harmful to dogs to some extent, such as the spices in braised chicken legs and the minced garlic and scallions used in stir-fries.

As I said before, dosage is crucial.

After all, processed foods contain some unhealthy ingredients.

Lu Qi pressed her stomach: "I'm fine for now. Should we pack some food for Miao Ying and the others to take back?"

Lulu stared at her greasy lips. "It's up to you."

Lu Qi hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "Forget it, let's wait and see. This is just our speculation, in case it's wrong. Miao Ying still has the peach shortbread that Professor Meng gave her."

Those peach shortbreads were quite delicious; the flaky pastry was infused with moist, soft chocolate chips.

"By the way, those peach shortbreads also have chocolate inside. Did your stomach hurt after eating them?"

Lulu shook her head, "Professor Meng brought it himself. It wasn't processed by the hotel, so there won't be any problems."

“I think so too, we didn’t feel unwell after eating.” Lu Qi said, then suddenly hesitated, “Did you eat? I don’t remember.”

In her memory, Lulu initially held the peach shortbread but didn't eat it. Everyone was discussing it at the time, so no one paid attention. Later, after the food poisoning incident, Luqi stopped paying attention to whether Lulu had eaten anything.

Looking back now, I don't seem to remember Lulu eating peach shortbread.

Lulu's gaze shifted slightly.

He had never deliberately hidden his identity from Lu Qi; staying in his own territory gave Lulu a sense of confidence and control. He became increasingly relaxed, and in the past two days, he had considered being honest with Lu Qi.

However, Lu Qi was a bit confused at the moment, and Lulu was unsure whether she should tell her now.

He hesitated, deciding to wait until she calmed down before saying, "I ate it, it's very sweet."

"Really?" Lu Qi thought it was alright; it was much less sweet than the milk tea.

"Then let's go back," she suggested, "and perhaps visit Professor Meng while we're at it?"

“Okay.” Lulu stood up, and before Lu Qi could stand up, he put his arm around her shoulder and bent down to embrace her.

Lu Qi turned her head. "What's wrong?"

She turned to Lulu, her lips suddenly softening.

Lu Qi was stunned, and before him was Lulu's flawless skin.

He half-closed his eyelids, his light golden eyelashes veiling his eyes like a light veil, and a strand of hair even lighter than his eyelashes brushed against Lu Qi's temple, causing a slight itch.

A cool, wet tongue licked Lu Qi's lips once, twice, and then slowly pressed against her lips.

Lu Qi trembled slightly, and Lulu quickly stepped back a few inches.

His two rows of golden eyelashes fluttered. He glanced at her expression, then lowered his gaze again, and said softly in a soothing voice, "There's a lingering smell here. I'll clean it for you."

Lu Qi unconsciously held his breath and his body stiffened.

The pose, reminiscent of a classic scene from a shoujo manga, made her feel ashamed, yet Lulu's body, mouth, and breath contained not a trace of flavor she disliked.

He was like his hair color—light and clean, leaving only a lingering scent that she missed.

After escaping death, in this unpredictable and strange world, Lu Qi has shed some of his shackles.

Perhaps this was the turning point in her life. How incredible that in the end, she wasn't alone; there were people who loved her by her side.

At this point, if Xiaolu wanted, she was willing to do everything she could to repay him.

She did not refuse, so Lulu leaned down again, tilted her head, and licked her lips to remove the smell of food.

This scent would attract other predators. Although Lulu has no natural enemies here, the luring scent that Luqi carries makes him uneasy.

He cleaned intently, and just before he finished, his lips parted slightly beneath his tongue.

He looked up and saw Lu Qi looking up at him, her face flushed and her eyes closed.

Lulu wasn’t quite sure what this position meant among humans, but he was certain that Luqi had relaxed, that she liked his touch, and that she was acquiescing to his advances.

He tentatively raised his other hand and placed it on Lu Qi's neck, his fingertips lightly touching her delicate skin, ready to withdraw at any moment.

But Lu Qi did not resist.

She felt Lulu's gaze and opened her eyes with trembling hands.

The misty look in those eyes was a sight Lulu had never seen before.

A surge of emotion rushed from the crack left in Lulu's skull to her coccyx, like a torrent, flowing down her spine to her limbs and bones.

He forgot his manners, grabbed Lu Qi's shoulders and neck, and pressed himself against her, invading her mouth and tongue.

Thump, thump...

The heat rose from Lu Qi's cheeks to the top of her head.

Her heart was pounding, her body felt weak, she was extremely excited, and inexplicably happy.

This overwhelming joy made Lu Qi's eyes and nose tingle, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Why?

She couldn't understand this feeling herself; it was just a kiss, yet it made her incredibly happy and want to get even closer to Lulu.

Lu Qi moved closer to Lulu and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Lulu's body fat percentage is incredibly low; even when she's relaxed, her waist is firm and strong.

After struggling for a while, Lu Qi turned her head away and breathed softly.

The brief intimacy failed to satisfy Lulu; instead, it aroused even more of his desires.

He rubbed Lu Qi's chin, his nose touching her soft earlobe, greedily inhaling the scent of her neck.

fragrant--

This is the most wonderful fragrance in Lulu's world, unparalleled.

Unable to wag his tail, his overflowing emotions surged to his mouth and nose, transforming into licking and biting. His tongue pressed heavily against Lu Qi's artery from bottom to top, while his teeth carefully nibbled at the skin of her neck, sniffing and kissing his way down to her collarbone.

Lu Qi let out a soft hum, and her gentle moan caused Lulu to release a large amount of oxytocin.

He held her tightly, his throat tightening, and his joyful murmurs were filled with sweet, almost cloying words of love: "My sweet baby... my adorable little bread, my angel... you are a fragrant, soft little flower..."

Lu Qi suddenly woke up.

"What are you saying?" Her face flushed red, and realizing the occasion, she struggled to push him away: "It's too cheesy."

Lulu buried her nose in the hair at the back of her neck, blissfully. "Don't you like me calling you that, my beautiful little sun?"

"No, no!" Lu Qi almost screamed, pushing Lulu's arm with all her might.

Although Lulu is shameless when it comes to sweet talk, he is not the domineering CEO type who says, "How interesting, is this your little trick of playing hard to get?"

He immediately released Lu Qi, took two steps back, and looked confused with a hint of cautious ingratiation, as if he himself felt that he had been too presumptuous.

Lu Qi was incredibly embarrassed. Even though there were no living people around, only strange waiters staring at them, she wanted to disappear into the ground.

Before the fever on her face had subsided, Lu Qi heard Lulu excitedly ask her, "You don't like me calling you that, so would you like to call me that, Lu Qi?"

"..." Lu Qi didn't know how to reply.

She looked at the elegant and handsome young man in front of her. He was 20 centimeters taller than her and weighed about 50 kilograms more.

Such adult men are called "cute little bread rolls" or "fragrant and soft little flowers"—

Lu Qi hesitated, then turned her head away, blushing.

“I…” She bit her lower lip, then caught a glimpse of Lulu’s expectant eyes out of the corner of her eye.

Those eyes were bright and sparkling, fixed intently on her, silently pleading for her to meet his expectations.

Lu Qi coughed lightly, and after a long pause, murmured shyly, "...Xiao Hua."

Lulu smiled brightly, her eyes crinkling.

Lu Qi vaguely saw a patch of small flowers blooming behind him.

She bit into the soft meat in her mouth, thinking, Lulu's face is terrifying. It's like a world-class male model's face after being heavily edited. How can a human be so beautiful without makeup? Even his hair is much more precious than ordinary blond hair.

What's even more terrifying is his temperament—

Lu Qi was certain that she had never liked Lulu as much when they first started dating. Back then, she could still view the relationship rationally and detachedly when she was alone.

But he was just as irresistible as a dog; it was as if every time she came into contact with him, her body would involuntarily release oxytocin, making her love him even more.

Hormones are terrifying.

Now, right now... Lu Qi glanced at his narrow waist and felt a little tempted to hug him again.

If they hadn't met outside of ghost stories, Lu Qi would have almost thought he was some kind of weirdo: a succubus or something.

He really didn't seem human, reminding Lu Qi of another famous canine fairy.

Perhaps what Queen Jiang lost to wasn't Daji's figure, but rather the dopamine and oxytocin released by King Zhou after seduce the fox queen...

A terrifying puppy, a terrifying canine.

"Let's go." Lu Qi couldn't take it anymore, she almost begged Lulu, "Let's go back."

"Okay." Lulu licked her lips, inhaling the lingering scent of Lu Qi.

The human tongue is a bit short; it cannot encompass everything.

Lulu raised her thumb to wipe the water from her chin, her scarlet tongue licking her fingertip.

Lu Qi held her breath and turned her head away, avoiding looking at anything inappropriate.

How could he possibly do such a thing in public?

Shameless.

And yet, she's infuriatingly sexy.

Lulu absorbed Lu Qi's scent and said, "When we get back, I want to tell you something."

"Hmm?" Lu Qi suppressed his wild imagination and tried to clear his head. "What did you find out?"

“It’s not a clue.” Lulu shook her head.

He gazed at Lu Qi, his eyes and brows filled with love.

“It’s something very important about us,” he said solemnly. “You’ve calmed down a bit, and I’ve decided to tell you about it to make you happier.”

Lu Qi asked curiously, "What exactly happened?"

Lulu suddenly stopped.

He looked towards the restaurant entrance, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

“Wait a minute,” he pulled Lu Qi down to sit, “someone’s coming.”

Lu Qi cleared his mind of all romantic notions and regained his composure. "'Human'?"

Lulu didn't answer, but put her index finger to her lips and smiled at Lu Qi: "Shh—"

A wisp of hair from his forehead clung to the corner of his eye, intertwining with the light golden lashes.

Lu Qi looked away. "Shh, fine, but why laugh like that..."

Lulu was taken aback by her averted gaze. She immediately reflected on whether she had done something impolite or too assertive that made Lu Qi feel pressured. Soon, she noticed Lu Qi's bright red ears.

Her aura became warm, tinged with subtle sweetness, far surpassing that of the berry and peach drink.

Lulu perked up and moved even closer to her, seeking her gaze and observing her reaction.

He turned his head to look at her, but Lu Qi turned her head away, avoiding Lulu's gaze.

The more she tried to avoid it, the more curious Lulu became. He wanted to know which action had pleased Lu Qi and excited her.

The two chased each other, one dodging the other. Lu Qi spun around for almost half a circle before finally pushing Lulu away with her backhand, complaining in a low voice, "What are you doing? Stop looking at me!"

Lulu enjoys listening to her speak with inflection.

Lu Qi rarely speaks so vividly; she is usually indifferent and dull. This emotionally charged tone is like a flower garden in spring, bright and beautiful, making Lulu cherish it all the more.

"Don't you like me looking at you?" Even though he liked it, Lulu had excellent upbringing and was as polite as Lu Qi.

His worried question made Lu Qi feel bad.

She said shyly, "No, it's just that you kept staring at me, and it made me a little...shy."

"Don't be shy." Lulu straightened her shoulders, her gaze subconsciously glancing behind Lu Qi. Realizing that she didn't have a tail, she reluctantly reached out and gently lifted her chin.

"You are the best little girl, be confident."

Lu Qi's embarrassment, which had just subsided, surged again.

“What?” she said, pulling her chin away from Lulu’s hand, both amused and exasperated. “You’re the one who made me shy.”

Why lift her chin... Do you think she's a dog lacking confidence, and that lifting her chin and tail will make her more confident?

No wonder he's an academic madman who cut off his own testicles.

"Because of me?" Lulu didn't quite understand the emotion of shyness. In common human understanding, this word is also difficult to define as good or bad.

He wanted to ask Lu Qi further, but the blush on Lu Qi's face had quickly faded.

She stared stiffly at Lulu's back.

Outside the restaurant, an elderly man in his sixties walked in with a cane, a bright red vein extending from his thin neck.

At the other end of the blood vessel was a man Lu Qi knew—

Zhao Feipeng.

The overweight man had a beautiful and elegant Cavalier King Charles Spaniel head.

It tilted its head to one side and walked blankly in front of the old man.

Zhao Feipeng walked a little faster, and that blood vessel immediately tightened.

The old man frowned, raised his cane, and lashed it at Zhao Feipeng's leg, mumbling a scolding, "Slow down, slow down! Are you trying to reincarnate? Walking so fast!"

Zhao Feipeng, struck in the right leg, staggered, his massive body swaying to the side. He suddenly let out a scream, fell to the ground, clutching his beautiful dog ears and pounding his own brain.

With one punch, Zhao Feipeng let out an even more miserable scream, and then punched down harder and faster on the head.

Even the most basic living things know to seek advantage and avoid harm, yet it frantically pounded its aching brain as if trying to beat itself to death, completely losing its ability to think as a human, or even a dog.

Lu Qi's pupils were fixed.

Anyone would think Zhao Feipeng had gone mad, or had been devoured by a monster and couldn't control his body, but she knew that wasn't the case.

This isn't madness, it's not being controlled by something strange—this is what dogs with syringomyelia look like.

Her Lulu, and her elegant and dignified little dog, also fell to the ground screaming and kicking their heads wildly with their hind legs.

It simply couldn't take it anymore; the extraordinary pain was enough to break the dog's nerves, rendering it unable to think clearly.

After a few punches, Zhao Feipeng collapsed to the ground. Its cries were like those of a human and a dog, each one more painful than the last, sending chills down one's spine.

The old man, both annoyed and furious by the noise, raised his cane and struck the man's round arm. "You were walking so fast just now, and now you're not walking anymore! Go! Go! What's wrong with you, you damn dog!"

Zhao Feipeng rolled around, whether from the pain of being hit by the cane or from an extreme headache, it was hard to tell.

The dog's piercing howls, the old man's angry shouts, and the sounds of hitting a gun mingled together. Lulu glanced back, a look of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

This is the order a world should have; everyone who breaks the rules should be punished.

He looked at Lu Qi expectantly, hoping she would like the prey he had brought back.

-----------------------

A note from the author:

What is the fundamental reason why the male and female protagonists get together?

Lulu: It's love!

Lu Qi: It's hormones, right?

Lulu: !

Dr. Lu, who was lifeless and averse to men

Back home: Did my little sun shine brightly at home today? Baby, baby, you are a sweet and soft little flower, you are the most delicious toast bread, my cutest Lulu, can I have a bite?

The day the male lead's identity is revealed is the day the female lead dies.

It really makes me feel bad [winking emoji]