Don't You like Little Dogs? Now that I'm Taking Liberties, You're Suddenly Reluctant? - Chapter 2

The interior of the Skeleton headquarters was dimly lit. Heavy carpets lined the hallways, swallowing most of the sound and leaving only the hum of the cold air circulation system.

Jiang Si brought the boy back to the organization. Along the way, members greeted him with respectful bows, lowering their heads and averting their eyes. They only dared to whisper after he had passed.

“Who is that? Why is he in the Boss’s arms?”

“Where did that brat come from? This is no place for a kid.”

“Didn’t you see the Boss brought him in himself? You idiot, keep your mouth shut if you want to stay alive. Move it.”

Skeleton’s headquarters occupied the tallest skyscraper in the center of Xincheng. The organization also maintained branches across various districts, forming a massive network of eyes and ears.

People often joked that Xincheng had long since become the Jiang family’s playground. Jiang Si was the true master of the city.

The blatant nature of Xincheng’s grey industries was not built in a day. The official government turned a blind eye with a calculated, subtle attitude. In the corruption of Xincheng, even government officials were involved in these undercurrents. No one dared to tear the thin veil of civility. No one dared to speak. It was a lingering, absurd drama.

Inside the spacious office, a lieutenant stood before Jiang Si’s desk, looking quite troubled.

“What is with that face? It is ugly.” Jiang Si entered the office and glanced at his subordinate, who had been waiting there on orders. He gave his critique bluntly.

He placed the filthy boy onto the carpet. Pei Ye stood barefoot, the cold sensation traveling up from his soles. However, all his attention was fixed on his only Master. His fingers unconsciously gripped a corner of Jiang Si’s trench coat.

He stole glances at his surroundings, though he did not dare make it too obvious.

The office was massive and minimalist, furnished with a wide solid-wood desk, leather sofas, and a liquor cabinet. The air held a lingering scent of gunpowder mixed with cologne.

The lieutenant standing by the desk was a handsome man with long hair, dressed in a well-fitted suit. He was currently looking at the boy with a complicated expression.

Pei Ye felt a wave of unease.

“Fourth Brother, you brought back another random person,” the lieutenant said helplessly. “It is rare for you to be in a good enough mood to handle the warehouse business personally, and yet you bring back a human?” His gaze landed on Pei Ye with utter confusion.

Jiang Si removed his leather gloves and tossed them onto the desk. He let out a scoff and ignored the lieutenant. Instead, he crouched down and used his fingertips to tilt Pei Ye’s chin up, as if inspecting an object.

“A little stray I picked up on the road,” he said casually with a hint of nonchalant amusement. “He looked pathetic, and I was bored, so I hauled him back.”

The lieutenant arched an eyebrow, clearly not believing that explanation. He added a teasing edge to his tone. “That does not sound like you. Have you been possessed? Since when did you have an overflow of compassion?”

Jiang Si withdrew his hand and let out an ambiguous, low laugh. He did not answer the question. He simply commanded, “Take him to get cleaned up and get him some food. He is too filthy to look at.”

“Fine. Your word is law.” The lieutenant nodded and stepped forward, reaching a hand toward Pei Ye. His voice was as gentle as he could manage. “Little guy, come with me.”

Pei Ye flinched like a startled animal. Instead of letting go, he gripped Jiang Si’s coat even tighter, nearly tearing the expensive fabric.

“No.”

He looked up. On his pale, small face, his eyes were filled with panic and plea. He stared at Jiang Si, wordlessly begging not to be handed over to someone else.

Jiang Si looked down at his fearful dependence without any expression. He did not push him away, but he did not offer comfort either. He spoke in a low voice that carried an undeniable chill.

“If you do not go with him to get clean,” he paused, his gaze sweeping over Pei Ye’s stained face, “I will throw you out right now.”

Pei Ye froze. His fingers slowly released their grip on the coat. A massive fear outweighed his fragile sense of reliance. He understood then that he had no choice here.

Jiang Si was not a soft-hearted god or a noble savior. He was a literal, absolute superior.

The lieutenant reached out again at the right moment. “This way, little guy.”

This time, Pei Ye did not resist. His body was stiff and his head remained bowed as he silently followed the lieutenant toward the door.

The office door clicked shut, sealing out the noise from the hallway.

Jiang Si sat down in his wide office chair and leaned back. He took a cigarette case from a drawer, pulled one out, and lit it.

White smoke rose slowly, blurring his expressionless face. The only sounds in the room were the low hum of the air conditioner and the slight crackle of the cigarette.

He exhaled a cloud of smoke. His gaze fell on the spot where Pei Ye had stood, where a faint, blurry smudge remained on the carpet.

He inexplicably recalled the boy’s pale face: clearly terrified, yet clutching his coat with a death grip. And that moment the boy froze when threatened with being discarded.

Heh.

In the midst of the swirling smoke, the corners of Jiang Si’s mouth curved into a faint, almost imperceptible arc.

“So afraid of me.”

He suddenly chuckled softly to himself, exhaling a slow ring of smoke.

The hallway lights were cold. The carpet was thick, leaving their footsteps nearly silent. The lieutenant walked in front while Pei Ye followed half a step behind in silence.

After walking for a while, the lieutenant seemed to remember something. He turned his head and asked, “By the way, little guy, what is your name?”

Pei Ye answered softly, “Pei Ye.” He paused, then added, “Master gave it to me.”

The lieutenant raised an eyebrow in surprise, then looked enlightened. “Pei Ye. It certainly fits Fourth Brother’s style. Simple, and sounds decent enough.”

Pei Ye remained silent. After a moment, he asked in a small voice, “Why do you call Master ‘Fourth Brother’?”

The lieutenant smiled and explained, “Because of the name Jiang Si. If you break down the character ‘Si’ (汜), isn’t it just ‘Water’ (氵) and ‘Four’ (巳)? Most people outside call him Mr. Jiang or the Boss. I have known him for years and work for him, so our relationship is close enough for me to call him Fourth Brother.”

Pei Ye listened and did not speak again. He kept his head down, following silently.

The lieutenant glanced at the thin boy beside him again. He spoke up suddenly, his voice low as if offering a well-intentioned warning. “Good luck, little guy.”

Pei Ye blinked, not quite understanding the implication. He looked up. “What?”

The lieutenant seemed to find his reaction amusing. He gave a short, meaningful laugh. “You don’t actually think you are lucky, do you? You aren’t the first person Fourth Brother has brought back.”

He paused as if making small talk, but the content made one’s spine go cold. “Want to guess what he brought them back for? A whim, boredom, a bit of fun. That is just how he is.”

Pei Ye’s footsteps faltered. He looked up at the lieutenant’s profile, his voice dry. “And those people… what happened to them in the end?”

The lieutenant did not look at him. He stared straight ahead, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. “They were all played to death, of course.”

Pei Ye was completely stunned. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He lowered his head and stopped asking questions. He simply continued to follow the lieutenant in silence.

So, he really was brought back just to be a pet.