Pet

For a moment, sheer terror gripped Su Xiao Li's heart. As she stared at Suo Dun's mouthful of sharp teeth and enormous claws, tears instantly welled in her eyes. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and she couldn't even speak.

Seeing how frightened Su Xiao Li was, and feeling Si Yao's cool gaze from beside him, Suo Dun realized that his "boss" wasn't pleased, even if he wasn't the brightest.

He quickly swallowed the words "smells pretty good" before they could leave his mouth, obediently lowered his head, and went back to gnawing on his roast lamb, pretending he was nothing more than a harmless... large pet?

Watching the scene, Si Yao seemed to have a vein twitch at his temple. He rubbed his brow and explained to Su Xiao Li, who looked ready to faint:

"This is Suo Dun. You could say he's... my pet."

"P-pet?" Su Xiao Li looked at him imploringly, her eyes full of desperation. Please don't feed me to the crocodile. I'll do anything!

"Don't be nervous. When he's not hungry, he usually doesn't bite people."

Su Xiao Li: "..."

Usually doesn't bite people?! What about when he's hungry?!

Ignoring her terrified look, Si Yao continued, "Your job is simple. For the next little while, you'll stay here and take care of his meals."

"When he gets hungry, order takeout for him. The portions are huge, mostly meat. I'll send you a detailed list. Make sure he's full, and don't let him bother me all day."

Su Xiao Li listened blankly, still struggling to process what she was hearing.

So... "feeding the fish" really did mean feeding a "fish"—except this "fish" was a giant crocodile?

Her job... was to be a crocodile keeper?

A crocodile keeper whose specific job was ordering takeout?

Wasn't this job description a little too far outside the realm of imagination?

She sneaked a glance at the terrifyingly large crocodile, who seemed entirely focused on eating, then looked at Si Yao beside him. His expression was so blank, as if he were saying, "Nice weather today." Suddenly, she felt that earning a million wasn't going to be... quite so easy after all.

There was definitely something wrong with this employer and his "pet"!

"Understand?" Si Yao asked when she didn't respond.

Su Xiao Li jumped and hurriedly nodded like a bobblehead. "Y-yes, I understand, boss! I'll get the job done! I'll make sure Suo Dun... big brother gets plenty to eat!"

Whatever it took, she had to keep herself alive! Feeding a crocodile was better than being eaten by one!

Si Yao nodded and said no more. He turned and went back into the living room.

That left Su Xiao Li alone in the backyard, facing Suo Dun, who was happily gnawing on lamb. She stood there, utterly bewildered.

She looked at Suo Dun. Every so often, he glanced at her from beneath his eyelids, then buried his head and kept eating.

Su Xiao Li took a deep breath and forced what she hoped was her friendliest, least threatening smile. She asked Suo Dun in a small voice, "Um... Big Brother Suo Dun? D-do you want anything else to eat? I... I can order it for you?"

Suo Dun paused in his chewing and tilted his huge head at her, seemingly deep in thought. Then he nodded and mumbled, "Mm... another twenty roast chickens and a hundred pounds of braised beef. That'll tide me over for now."

Su Xiao Li: "!!!"

Tide you over?!!

Looking at the pile of bones beside Suo Dun, stacked up like a small mountain, she finally understood, with chilling clarity, what "huge portions" meant.

That million really was blood, sweat, and tears money!

Si Yao's decision to take Su Xiao Li away had clearly struck a nerve at Super Seminary.

When Lianfeng received the news, she had originally planned to prepare more thoroughly before paying a visit. Now, though, she couldn't wait any longer. She immediately drove to the suburban villa.

She knew that both her earlier observations and Qiangwei's interactions with Si Yao had shown that this Ancient Old God was quite averse to formal contact from anyone representing an official stance.

But if someone approached him simply out of personal curiosity and a desire to talk, his attitude, though cool, was still within acceptable bounds.

By the time she reached the villa, evening was drawing near.

Lianfeng paused outside to collect her thoughts, then rang the doorbell.

The door slid open soundlessly, and a medley of food aromas greeted her.

The sight inside the living room made Lianfeng pause.

Two large tables had been laid out with a lavish spread, and dinner was clearly underway.

The enormous Suo Dun had a table all to himself, with piles of meat and bones in front of him. He was bent over his food, eating away.

Si Yao sat comfortably at the head of a smaller dining table.

Beside him, Su Xiao Li had changed into a black-and-white maid outfit. She sat obediently at Si Yao's side, carefully picking the bones out of his steamed fish and placing the pieces on the plate in front of him. Every so often, she stood to refill his drink. Her movements were still a little clumsy, but she was clearly making an effort—almost ingratiating herself with him.

When Si Yao saw Lianfeng enter, he lifted his eyelids. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he casually asked, "Have you eaten? Want to join us?"

Lianfeng suppressed her odd feelings and put on a polite smile. "I'd be happy to."

She took the seat opposite Si Yao, and Su Xiao Li promptly brought her a bowl and chopsticks.

Dinner proceeded in a curious atmosphere.

Si Yao ate little and spoke even less.

Su Xiao Li diligently played the role of his "maid," serving him with care.

At the other table, Suo Dun devoured his food at an astonishing pace, but, surprisingly, he was quiet.

Lianfeng occasionally brought up topics like the food or the weather. Si Yao responded with no more than a word or two.

Dinner lasted nearly an hour.

During that time, Lianfeng kept a close eye on Su Xiao Li.

She noticed that although the girl still seemed a little uneasy, she appeared to have adapted to her surroundings. She was also much less afraid of Si Yao and Suo Dun.

That came as a small relief. At least Si Yao hadn't hurt her.

After dinner, Su Xiao Li took the initiative to clear the dishes, working quickly.

Suo Dun let out a belch, patted his belly, and, looking satisfied, went back to the lawn in the backyard to nap.

Lianfeng knew it was time to get down to business.

She looked at Si Yao, who was sitting on the sofa with his usual cool expression restored, and carefully began, "Mr. Si Yao, I came by without notice this time mainly because of some personal curiosity."

She paused, then continued, "On the one hand, I'm very interested in the Pangu Civilization you represent. It's an Ancient Era we know absolutely nothing about. On the other hand..."

Her gaze drifted toward Su Xiao Li's back as the girl bustled around in the kitchen. "I'm also curious about why you brought Su Xiao Li here. Her genetic makeup is rather unusual. We've been observing and assessing her."

Following her gaze, Si Yao glanced at Su Xiao Li, who was clumsily wiping down the stove. Her maid outfit looked rather out of place under the kitchen lights.

"Pet."

Lianfeng: "...Pet?"

She wondered if she'd heard him wrong. Su Xiao Li... a living, breathing person with a rare Super Gene and the potential to become a warrior, was... a pet to him?

Si Yao seemed to see her shock and confusion. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked in an even tone:

"If you give a little fox, whose life has been full of hardship and uncertainty, a safe and stable place to live, with everything she needs, and she does a little unimportant work in return for a level of security she might never have had otherwise, what's wrong with that?"

He put down his teacup and looked calmly at Lianfeng. "It's a mutually agreed-upon arrangement. What's the problem?"

His reasoning sounded cold and blunt, as if he were simply stating the terms of a straightforward transaction, completely sidestepping the moral and ethical framework of modern society.

After speaking, he seemed to feel that he should check. Without turning around, he called toward the kitchen, "Su Xiao Li, tell her yourself. Do you have a problem with it?"

Su Xiao Li, who was struggling with a greasy pile of dishes, hurriedly poked half her body out of the kitchen. She still held a plate covered in suds. A fawning smile spread across her face as she quickly shook her head.

"No problem! No problem! Boss treats me really well! He gives me food and a place to stay, and even pays me. It's much better than being on my own!"

She spoke quickly and urgently, afraid that a slow answer might displease Si Yao. To her, having to serve an eccentric boss and a crocodile with an astonishing appetite was still much better than the life she'd had before—being judged by others, dealing with harassment during livestreams, and facing an uncertain future. Compared with all that, this life as a "kept pet" felt like she'd landed in a honey pot.

At least she no longer had to worry about next month's rent and food.

Lianfeng looked at Su Xiao Li, who seemed afraid of being returned, then at Si Yao, who appeared to think the arrangement perfectly reasonable. She was completely at a loss.

She opened her mouth, only to find herself unable to say a word.

From Si Yao and Su Xiao Li's respective perspectives, the arrangement... really didn't seem to have a problem?

Si Yao was providing Su Xiao Li with the resources and security she desperately needed to survive, while she was giving up some freedom and labor in return.

One was willing to give; the other was willing to accept.

As for the huge conceptual gulf between them—the idea of treating a person as a "pet"—that seemed powerless in the face of Si Yao's values, shaped by an unknown ancient civilization.

He might genuinely believe this was a way of "properly caring for" someone vulnerable.

Lianfeng felt a deep sense of helplessness. She realized that trying to judge and persuade an "Old God" by the moral standards of modern civilization was futile from the start.