Drink This Bowl Of Dog Blood! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

【Ding! Numerical values have changed. Current mission progress: 40%】

Song Yanxing listened to the system broadcast while getting into the driver’s seat and fastening his seatbelt.

“Huh? The numerical increase is so small,” the system remarked, puzzled.

Song Yanxing started the car and replied, “It is normal. Ye Hui did not have much affection for ‘me’ to begin with. The rest will depend on my career and subverting the melodramatic tropes.”

“Career?” the system asked, confused.

“A person’s most attractive quality is their own brilliance. You see, the original host retired for love, discarding the very spark that initially attracted others. Naturally, he eventually lost himself as well.”

“Furthermore, the reason Ye Hui liked ‘me’ was that I possessed the same persistent obsession with dreams as Chi Ting.”

“Oh,” the system replied, falling silent as it partially understood.

Because it was the big day of his divorce, Jiang Wei had generously given Song Yanxing a half-day off. He planned to use this remaining time to visit someone.

An hour later, Song Yanxing parked his car in a space between several apartment buildings. He approached one of the simply decorated houses and rang the doorbell.

“Who is it?” a raspy, elderly voice called out as the sound of footsteps grew closer.

“Grandma, it is me.” Song Yanxing revealed a rare, genuine smile.

The door was quickly opened by a short, elderly woman who rushed toward him. Song Yanxing steadied her, saying helplessly, “I am not going to run away. Please do not fall in your hurry.”

Grandma Song straightened up and tried to cover for her excitement. “It is only because you barely visit me a few times a year. The grandson of the neighbor comes to see me more often than you do. He brings specialty products from his business trips and fresh vegetables and fruits from his yard. He has a good temperament and is very filial.”

Song Yanxing closed the door, carrying gifts in one hand while supporting her with the other as they walked into the living room.

After praising the neighbor for a while, Grandma Song concluded, “If he were truly my grandson, that would be wonderful. He is truly a fine and handsome young man.”

Song Yanxing listened to Grandma Song’s repetitive cycle of praise with a mix of helplessness and amusement.

After the original host entered his marriage, his contact with his grandmother had indeed dwindled. On one hand, he did not want to worry his elderly relative with his failing marriage; on the other, his deteriorating mental state made it difficult to manage anything else.

As the two sat on the sofa in the living room, Grandma Song tightly grasped her grandson’s hand and began a long session of nagging and concerned questions. Song Yanxing listened and responded with a smile.

“How are you and Xiao Ye doing lately?” Grandma Song suddenly shifted the topic from not eating junk food to their relationship.

Song Yanxing was momentarily stunned but then answered calmly, “Ye Hui and I just finished the divorce proceedings today. I intended to tell you when I visited, but I did not expect you to bring it up first.”

Grandma Song’s grip on his hand tightened. Her soft eyes showed a hint of worry. “Sigh, I felt an inexplicable unease in my heart a few days ago, as if something was going to happen.”

She sighed. “To tell you the truth, it is good that this marriage is over. You and Xiao Ye are both excellent children, but I felt there was a lack of connection between you two.” She patted the back of his hand soothingly. “Everything will be fine.”

Song Yanxing smiled. “Yes, everything will be fine.”

“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” The doorbell interrupted their conversation.

Song Yanxing stood up and said to the still somewhat sentimental Grandma Song, “I will go get the door.”

Tan Qiuyi, as usual, was delivering fruit he had grown himself to the elderly woman living alone next door. He held the fruit in one hand and a leash in the other, restraining a short-legged dog that was excitedly trying to charge forward.

However, when the door opened, the man who appeared made him wonder if he had come to the wrong place.

The man stood at the door with his head slightly lowered. The evening sun cast a glow over his features, tinting his peach-blossom eyes with a layer of gentle color and softening the sharp lines of his face.

Tan Qiuyi took a small step back. His usually cold and indifferent face showed a rare trace of awkwardness.

“Yanxing, who is it?” Grandma Song called from the sofa, wondering why her grandson had been at the door for several minutes without coming back in.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” The barking of the dog seemed to answer her question.

Grandma Song stood up and walked toward the door. “Oh, is it A-Yi?”

At the door, Tan Qiuyi was the first to look away. His slender, fair fingers tucked a strand of hair blown by the wind behind his ear. “I came to see Grandma Song,” he said.

Song Yanxing’s gaze swept over the man’s fingers and shoulder-length hair. A slight look of surprise flashed in his eyes. He realized the man with the cold, aloof aura must be the neighbor’s grandson whom his grandmother had praised so highly.

However, there was an odd sense of disharmony between this cold beauty and the grinning Shiba Inu at his feet, which was happily panting like a “smiling angel.”

Song Yanxing’s lips curled into a shallow smile. His voice was deep as he asked, “Do you need help?”

Tan Qiuyi’s cold eyes moved back to him. His long, curled eyelashes fluttered. He had intended to refuse, but then he remembered that this was the grandson Grandma Song described as being constantly busy and never having time. He promptly handed over the leash without politeness.

“If you please,” he said.

The cold tone and indifferent manner made Song Yanxing realize he was unwelcome. He accepted the leash with an amused smile and replied, “You are welcome.”

Grandma Song rushed over and led Tan Qiuyi toward the living room, while Song Yanxing followed behind with the dog.

“You child, you brought fruit again. Huhu was already enough of a bother for you,” Grandma Song said, beaming as she held Tan Qiuyi’s hand.

A hint of a smile appeared in Tan Qiuyi’s amber eyes, and his whole demeanor softened. “It is no trouble. I like dogs, but I do not have the time to raise one myself. I should be the one thanking you.”

Song Yanxing realized then that the dog belonged to his grandmother. He unclipped the leash. Walking to the balcony, he filled the water bowl on the floor. The dog sat beside him, wagging its tail but not moving.

Song Yanxing thought for a moment and patted the dog’s head. “You can drink now, Huhu.” Only then did the dog begin to lap up the water.

Back in the living room, Grandma Song slapped her forehead and turned to introduce them. “Oh, I almost forgot. This is my grandson, Song Yanxing.”

She then turned to introduce Tan Qiuyi. “And this is the helpful young man I just mentioned, Tan Qiuyi.” She looked proud, as if he were her real grandson, and signaled for Song Yanxing to greet him as he prepared to go into the kitchen.

“Hello,” Song Yanxing said with a gentle smile, looking like a refined gentleman.

Tan Qiuyi nodded and offered a polite smile in return.

By the time the fruit was washed and served, the two on the sofa were chatting animatedly. Song Yanxing approached the coffee table with the fruit plate just as Tan Qiuyi was explaining strawberry planting techniques to his grandmother.

“It is best to plant strawberries in the evening or on a cloudy day; otherwise, the sun will scorch them.”

“Oh, I see.”

“And you must not fertilize them during the seedling stage, or they will die easily.”

Grandma Song nodded repeatedly, diligently taking notes in a small booklet.

Song Yanxing placed the fruit plate on the coffee table. “Grandma, Mr. Tan, please have some fruit.”

“You brat, calling him ‘Mr. Tan’ is so distant,” Grandma Song chided. She used a fork to pick up a piece of sliced watermelon and handed it to Tan Qiuyi.

“Thank you. You can call me Qiuyi,” Tan Qiuyi said, lowering his head to hide a smile as Song Yanxing was scolded.

Song Yanxing raised an eyebrow and made a timely joke. “Grandma, when I first came back, you held me and called me your precious grandson. Now that Qiuyi is here, you call me a brat. Have I been replaced?”

“Oh, I could never say such sappy words,” Grandma Song replied with a defiant lack of logic.

Watching the interaction between the grandmother and grandson, Tan Qiuyi turned his head and could not help but let out a soft laugh. He happened to meet Song Yanxing’s gaze. As their eyes met, both were momentarily stunned.

Tan Qiuyi was a pianist who had participated in many world-class competitions and was currently a visiting professor at a well-known university in A City. He had seen all kinds of people, so a shared look meant little to him. He looked at Song Yanxing with clear eyes, his lips curling slightly. “The watermelon is very sweet.”

Song Yanxing let out a low chuckle. “I am glad you like it.”

6:00 PM

Despite Grandma Song’s firm insistence that he stay, Tan Qiuyi finally managed to leave by explaining he had a business trip to prepare for.

Walking out of the yard, Tan Qiuyi turned back to Song Yanxing, who had been sent out to see him off. “Go back inside. The car waiting for me is just by the road.”

Song Yanxing stopped and sighed helplessly. “My grandmother is quite enthusiastic. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Grandma is very cute,” Tan Qiuyi smiled. He knelt to pet the dog following at his heels. “Huhu is also very cute.”

The dog seemed to understand and rubbed its head against Tan Qiuyi’s coat, leaving behind several yellow hairs.

Tan Qiuyi thought for a moment before speaking. “I am going on a business trip. If you have time, you should visit Grandma Song more often. She does not contact you frequently, but that does not mean she does not miss you.”

Song Yanxing looked down at the man petting the dog. The yellow streetlamp cast a glow over the stud in his left ear beneath his shoulder-length black hair, adding a touch of mystery to his cold, aloof aura.

“Yes, I will,” Song Yanxing replied.

Tan Qiuyi checked his watch and stood up. “I must go. Goodbye.”

“Good luck with your work,” Song Yanxing said as he bent down to catch the dog that was trying to follow Tan Qiuyi.

Song Yanxing watched the car drive away before taking the yelping dog back home.

“Did you see him off?” Grandma Song asked, poking her head out of the kitchen.

Song Yanxing walked into the kitchen. “Yes, he is in the car.” He took the spatula from her hand. “I said I would do it. Why are you starting?”

“Go out and wait. The fumes are too strong here.”

Seeing her grandson skillfully stir-frying the food, Grandma Song walked out with a smile. After dinner was ready, Song Yanxing took out the dog bowl as instructed and poured in the food. The two sat down at the table filled with the aroma of home-cooked food.

Song Yanxing placed a rib in Grandma Song’s bowl and glanced at the Shiba Inu sitting by the table, smiling brightly after finishing its meal.

“When did you start raising Huhu?” Song Yanxing asked.

“Do not worry about me; eat more yourself,” Grandma Song said, placing a large portion of food in his bowl. “He was a stray. Qiuyi found him on the side of the road but did not have time to raise him, so he left him with me.”

She smiled. “I do not have much to do, so Huhu keeps me company. Qiuyi also comes over to help me walk him when he is free.”

Song Yanxing nodded and looked down at the dog. It completely ignored him and instead grinned at Grandma Song with eyes like crescent moons. He thought of the man’s cold figure and felt that there was a strange similarity between the two. He could not help but let out a low, amused laugh.