Don't You like Little Dogs? Now that I'm Taking Liberties, You're Suddenly Reluctant? - Chapter 4

During the night, Jiang Si sat in his bedroom reviewing the organization’s daily reports.

The sky outside had turned pitch black. Fierce winds drove the torrential rain against the glass, creating a relentless rhythmic drumming. Suddenly, a pale bolt of lightning tore through the night sky. A few seconds later, a massive crack of thunder exploded, making the windows vibrate.

Almost simultaneously, a dull thud echoed from the guest room. it sounded like a heavy object hitting the floor.

Jiang Si, who was leaning against the headboard, paused mid-read. He looked up toward the guest room.

What is he doing?

He frowned. After a moment of hesitation, he set his tablet aside and got out of bed.

He pushed open the door to the guest room. The lights were off. Guided by the occasional flashes of lightning from outside, he saw that the once-tidy room was in disarray. A chair had been knocked over, and the quilt was halfway on the floor.

Pei Ye was curled into a tight ball in the corner between the bed and the wall. His entire body was shaking violently. He buried his head deep between his knees as if trying to hide himself completely.

Jiang Si stared for a moment. He walked over and crouched in front of the boy.

“What is wrong?” he asked. His voice sounded flat in the silence between the thunderclaps.

Pei Ye flinched. He slowly raised his head. His face was devoid of color and his eyes were filled with terror. “Master. Master.”

Another bolt of lightning flashed outside the window. He hunched his shoulders again, terrified by the impending noise. His voice trembled. “Thunder. The thunder.”

Jiang Si looked at the lightning illuminating the room once more. “You are afraid of thunder?”

Pei Ye nodded shakily. His teeth were chattering.

Jiang Si watched him in silence for a few seconds. Outside, the sound of the rain and the distant rumbling continued without pause.

He suddenly reached out and stiffly pulled the shivering little creature into his arms.

Pei Ye froze. His body became as rigid as a block of wood.

Jiang Si’s embrace was not warm. It even carried a slight nighttime chill. However, it served as a barrier against the terrifying light and sound outside.

He felt the man’s steady heartbeat thrumming through his chest. It took several seconds for Pei Ye to process what was happening. His cheeks began to burn with a delayed heat.

He did not dare to use any strength. His fingers gripped the fabric of Jiang Si’s pajamas loosely. His voice was so small it was almost inaudible. “Why? Why?”

“I pity you,” Jiang Si’s voice came from above, devoid of emotion. “You are my dog now. It would be a waste if you died before you were of any use to me.”

Just then, another massive crack of thunder roared.

Pei Ye jumped in fright. He instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around Jiang Si’s waist and buried his face in the man’s chest. He immediately realized what he had done. His body froze again. He asked in a panicked whisper, “Can I? Can I hold you?”

Jiang Si seemed to let out a low chuckle. He tightened his grip, circling the boy more securely. “What do you think?”

Pei Ye said no more. He used all his strength to cling to the only person he could grasp. His fingers clutched the back of Jiang Si’s shirt tightly.

The thunder continued, but within this embrace, everything seemed less unbearable.

Thump. Thump.

It was his Master’s heartbeat.

I love it so much.

The thunder outside gradually became muffled and distant. Although the rain did not let up, the terrifying noise finally subsided.

Jiang Si felt the trembling in his arms settle down. He moved, preparing to stand up.

As soon as he moved, Pei Ye’s fingers tightened on his pajamas. The boy’s knuckles turned white from the effort.

His voice was muffled against Jiang Si’s chest, tiny and laced with a hidden plea. “Do not go. Please?”

Jiang Si stopped. He looked down at the mop of soft hair.

He remained silent for a few seconds. Then, his arms exerted force, and he lifted Pei Ye up entirely.

Feeling himself suddenly suspended in the air, Pei Ye gave a small cry of surprise. He instinctively hooked his arms around Jiang Si’s neck. “Where? Where are we going?”

“I am not leaving,” Jiang Si said as he carried him toward the master bedroom. His tone was level. “I am taking you with me. Will that do?”

“Oh. Yes.”

Realizing what was happening, Pei Ye’s face turned even redder. He buried his burning face in the crook of Jiang Si’s neck.

The master bedroom was large, furnished in the same cold and minimalist style.

Jiang Si placed him on one side of the massive bed and climbed in from the other side. Pei Ye immediately curled up, occupying only a tiny sliver of space. He hardly dared to breathe, fearing he would take up too much room.

Jiang Si turned onto his side, watching the small shadow curled up with his back to him.

Outside, the rain pitter-pattered. Occasional low rumbles of thunder rolled across the distant sky.

After watching for a while, Jiang Si reached out an arm and hooked it around Pei Ye’s waist. He pulled the boy backward with a lack of gentleness, drawing him closer.

Pei Ye’s body tensed instantly.

“It is still thundering,” Jiang Si’s voice came from behind him, very close. “If you are scared, hold on. You are only allowed to hold my hand. Do not touch anything else.”

Pei Ye was stunned for a moment before he slowly relaxed. He gave a tiny nod.

He reached out tentatively and carefully. He lightly grasped one finger of the hand Jiang Si had draped over his waist. It felt cool to the touch.

“Why are you so afraid of thunder?” Jiang Si asked suddenly.

Pei Ye froze. He lowered his head and did not answer immediately.

He was silent for so long that Jiang Si thought he had fallen asleep. Finally, his very low voice emerged. “Because. Back at the orphanage. Every time it thundered. I was. Being beaten.”

“By whom?”

“The director. And others.”

Jiang Si paused. “What about your parents?”

This silence lasted even longer. The air felt heavy. Pei Ye’s voice was almost a ghost of a sound. “They did not want me anymore.”

“That is why they sent me to the orphanage.” He sniffled, his eyes turning uncontrollably red. “I am a child that nobody wants.”

Jiang Si did not speak right away. He thought of that filthy, scrawny figure in the pile of corpses. Abandoned by parents, abused and cast out by an orphanage, and finally falling into the hands of traffickers to be disposed of like trash. The timeline was clear enough to be irritating.

He tightened his arm. He pulled the small body which smelled of sweet soap and lingering anxiety, firmly into his chest.

“I will want you for a bit then,” he said. His voice was not loud and sounded almost casual, as if he were deciding on a trivial matter. “For now.”

Pei Ye was stunned. He forgot to breathe. Even the grip he had on Jiang Si’s finger loosened.

The massive, surreal shock left his mind blank.

Outside, the rain continued to fall, but the thunder had vanished completely.

Pei Ye curled up on the wide bed. Behind him was Jiang Si’s steady breathing. The arm around his waist felt incredibly prominent.

He kept his eyes open in the darkness, motionless. His finger remained hooked around Jiang Si’s, like someone clinging to the only thread hanging over an abyss.

For now.

He repeated the words very softly. Then, he hooked his finger even tighter, as if afraid it would disappear the next second.

But the night was still long. He had enough time to indulge in this fleeting tenderness.