Married the Abandoned Puppy Alpha - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Birthday Gift

Old Master Shi’s funeral was not conducted with great fanfare. Even though relevant news flooded the media, only the Shi family was permitted to be present on the day of the burial.

The large family, seemingly united but divided at heart, finally set aside their prejudices at this moment to silently complete the funeral proceedings. Only Shi Yaoran still thought of bringing his illegitimate son to pay respects, but for the first time, the younger generation stood together in shared indignation and drove them out directly.

When offering a bouquet to Old Master Shi, He Xinglou still shed tears. Although they had only met a few times, the Old Master had treated him entirely like a loving relative; facing the death of someone close, who could help but feel sorrow?

He Xinglou also thought of his own parents. He wondered how they were doing after his transmigration. Would they think he was missing? Would they be worried?

Now that the crisis of survival had eased, these questions belatedly entangled him, and He Xinglou didn’t sleep well for several nights.

When he woke up in the middle of the night once again to go to the living room for water, Shi Qingze finally caught him red-handed, and took him to the hospital for a follow-up appointment the next day.

“Have the symptoms of emotional dissociation been appearing lately?”

He Xinglou shook his head: “No.”

“Are you still taking the medicine prescribed before?”

“I’ve hardly taken any. I used it when I came last time, but later I forgot all about it.”

He Xinglou took out the remaining medicine, recalling that he hadn’t taken any since going to Planet Muxia.

The doctor looked at the medicine box, which was still more than half full, and smiled: “Then it seems there’s no problem.”

Shi Qingze, standing to the side, was still not at ease: “Is it still unclear what exactly caused the lesion?”

The doctor explained: “As I said before, Mr. He’s symptoms are not pathological. Perhaps just leaving the corresponding environment and having a change in mindset can bring rapid improvement. Mr. He, how do you feel you’ve been doing lately?”

He Xinglou smiled: “Naturally, I’m doing well. I am very content.”

He noticed that after he spoke, Shi Qingze’s expression shifted and moved, as if he were thinking about something.

Consequently, after the two left the hospital, He Xinglou proactively asked about it.

As Shi Qingze started the hovercar, he asked back in a low voice: “Is Brother very content with life now?”

“Of course,” He Xinglou answered without hesitation. “You don’t believe me?”

“No!” Shi Qingze hurriedly explained. “I just remembered that previously, I thought the reason Brother’s emotional dissociation symptoms appeared was because of me.”

What kind of logic is that?

He Xinglou was about to complain when he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and understood Shi Qingze’s line of reasoning.

“You wouldn’t…” He Xinglou turned to look at him speechlessly. “Was it because of this that you took me to Planet Muxia without a word?”

Shi Qingze looked straight ahead, concentrating 100% as if it were his first time driving, and stopped talking.

“Don’t stop talking just because you encounter a difficult question,” He Xinglou drawled. “You must explain this clearly today.”

Shi Qingze let out a long sigh and answered as if begging for mercy: “I just had the wrong idea at the time.”

“I thought that these symptoms only started appearing frequently after Brother met me. Since the doctor said it was an environmental influence, I thought perhaps I was the ‘environment’ that was dragging Brother down.”

“If leaving a bad environment leads to improvement, does that also mean that Brother would only get better if he left me? Thinking of this, I couldn’t quite stand it.”

He Xinglou, helpless: “Don’t always link unrelated things together. If leaving you led to improvement, I’d be terminally ill by now.”

He used to pin his hopes on returning to his original world, so he would always fantasize after an episode of emotional dissociation that it was the catalyst for his return. But after talking things out with Shi Qingze, he gradually gave up the idea of transmigrating back, and naturally, his symptoms lessened.

Shi Qingze’s voice betrayed his trepidation: “Brother, then, am I the environment that drags you down?”

It seemed that if he didn’t give him an answer today, he would be so conflicted that he wouldn’t sleep well at night.

He Xinglou had no choice but to deal with him: “The symptoms of emotional dissociation first appeared after I sent you back to the Shi family; and I started to improve after I reunited with you.”

“Shi Qingze, perhaps it was your appearance that saved me.”

Shi Qingze didn’t speak for a long while; the sound of his breathing from the driver’s seat was a bit shaky.

He Xinglou tactfully didn’t look at him, only at the scenery outside the window: “So, you can ask me these questions over and over again. Don’t worry about me getting annoyed.”

“Because every time you ask, I will give you the same answer.”

“Mm,” Shi Qingze sniffled. “I might still be asking Brother if he loves me decades from now.”

He Xinglou burst out laughing.

“Then can Brother also tell me… exactly what has been troubling you all this time?”

Shi Qingze brought the car to a stop in front of the coffee shop, but he didn’t open the door immediately. Instead, he turned around and looked at him seriously.

“If Brother is content now, why do you still space out and show a sad expression?”

He Xinglou once again thought of his loved ones in the original world.

His breathing slowed as he thought about how to answer, but Shi Qingze suddenly shifted the topic: “You don’t need to answer me right now. Whenever Brother wants to talk about it, I am willing to listen at any time.”

“Alright, Brother, they are waiting for you.”

Hearing this, He Xinglou looked up and saw his two close friends sitting in the window seats of the coffee shop through the car’s glass, waving at him with beaming faces.

Even Luo Qingzhe and Shen Yuze were there. The two soft and fragrant Omegas were huddled together, seemingly playing a game.

On the crowded coffee table, there was also a cake.

Today was He Xinglou’s birthday, so his friends had gathered together to celebrate for him.

Song Xiao jokingly said it was a “besties gathering” and didn’t allow partners, so Shi Qingze was not invited.

He Xinglou gathered his emotions and promised: “I’ll tell you my story when I get home.”

Shi Qingze’s eyes lit up: “Then I’ll wait for you at home, and—”

He suddenly unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned in, and planted a kiss on He Xinglou’s lips.

“I love you too, Brother.”

Even from a distance, He Xinglou heard the sound of gasping in the coffee shop.

He gave Shi Qingze a reproachful push and hurriedly got out of the car before the other could get any clingier.

“Did you arrive so late just to make us eat ‘dog food’?” Lin Shuyan said bluntly.

He Xinglou rubbed his nose guiltily: “How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long! We were just watching the video of your last interview!” Luo Qingzhe waved the communicator in his hand at him. The screen projected in mid-air wobbled, showing his image wearing a fake smile.

He Xinglou was extremely embarrassed: “Don’t watch it. I didn’t even memorize my lines; the answers were a mess.”

Shen Yuze chimed in: “That’s exactly why it’s interesting!”

He also made a generous promise: “Next time something like this happens, let my team write the script for you.”

“Is this the birthday gift you’re giving me? So useful, thank you truly.” He Xinglou sat down with a smile.

The coffee shop attendant stepped forward at the right time and handed a dessert to He Xinglou’s side.

“Happy birthday,” the attendant said with a smile. “This is a gift from the manager.”

“Thank you very much.” He Xinglou was flattered.

Song Xiao suppressed a laugh until the attendant left, then she whispered: “It seems to be because they’ve seen so much gossip about Xinglou that they find him exceptionally familiar, which is why they sent him something.”

Everyone thought back and realized that indeed, every time they met He Xinglou, it was at this place. He was indeed quite the topic of conversation.

“Since the protagonist is here, let’s have a toast together,” Lin Shuyan initiated.

“Four years ago today was the first time Song Xiao, Xinglou, and I met. He was living miserably and could barely speak Interstellar.”

Song Xiao caught his gaze and followed by raising her glass: “Three years ago today, Xinglou brought a kid to the party and said back then he was going to raise him like a younger brother.”

He Xinglou broke into a laugh and clinked glasses with them: “Two years ago today, I was scrambling to work part-time jobs, so I didn’t meet you. Sorry.”

“And one year ago today” he smiled and looked at the two newly appeared faces, “Song Xiao and Shuyan introduced me to two blind dates, which is how I met you.”

Luo Qingzhe and Shen Yuze both laughed and clinked glasses with him.

The friends lively began to light the cake candles. He Xinglou watched them busily at work and suddenly felt very moved.

“Thank you all so much for these days,” he said softly to his friends.

“Then remember to introduce me to a blind date,” Shen Yuze said without ceremony. “Let me also find an Alpha like Shi Qingze.”

“Remember to help me convince my brother not to pressure me into marriage,” Luo Qingzhe said with palms together.

“I’m going to drink tonight, so you help me pay the parking fee for the hovercar,” Song Xiao said with a grand wave of her hand.

Lin Shuyan adjusted his glasses: “When I’m on my honeymoon, the dog at home will be left for you to walk.”

One request per person instantly arranged He Xinglou’s schedule for the next month. Xinglou raised his hands in surrender and agreed to all of them.

The party lasted until night. Finally, Shi Qingze, unable to bear it any longer, came to “snatch” his person, stopping their plan for an after-party.

“Xinglou is coming back with me,” he said, placing his hand on He Xinglou’s waist and emphasizing with a heavy tone.

Song Xiao remembered that one year ago, she was the one who had taken He Xinglou away like this, so she raised her middle finger at Shi Qingze.

“…Narrow-minded, grudge-holding ghost.”

He Xinglou laughed loudly, patted Song Xiao reassuringly, and then left holding Shi Qingze’s hand.

“As it turns out, I’m the last person to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to my Brother.” Shi Qingze was still indignant after arriving home.

“Doesn’t that have a special meaning too?” Xinglou coaxed him. “Also, where is your birthday gift?”

A year ago, He Xinglou insisted on paying Shi Qingze rent even for staying just one night. Who knows when he learned to become spoiled by love.

He stretched out his hands and tilted his head: “Hurry up and take it out to make me happy.”

“Of course, it was prepared long ago.” The corners of Shi Qingze’s lips curled up as he finally lit the room’s lights.

Flowers, flocks of birds, jungles, and ocean images of Ancient Earth were projected onto the walls, making He Xinglou feel as if he had suddenly returned to his original world.

A dazed expression appeared on his face as he slowly walked into the castle built of various books in the living room.

“These are all the ancient books about Earth that I’ve found.” Shi Qingze signaled for him to open one.

“Didn’t Brother once tell me the fairy tale of the King and the Flowerpot? I happened to discover the origin of this tale later, so I found a copy for Brother.”

He said “happened,” but who knows how long he had searched for this obscure story from thousands of years ago.

He Xinglou’s heart felt like a soft mass. He cherishedly opened the book, which clearly bore traces of dust.

But just as his gaze settled on the flyleaf, the smile on his face suddenly froze.

On that book, his name was written in crooked handwriting.

That was… his book from his childhood.