"Woof! Woof woof! Woof woof woof!"
The barking pierced through the door, forcibly dragging He Xi out of his sleep.
He groggily opened his eyes, rubbed his throbbing temples, and turned to look out the window.
It was already light out?
Why hadn't Tata woken him?
Before going to bed last night, he had specifically gone to her room and told her to prepare breakfast early in the morning and wake him up, because he planned to visit Karte Grand Market first thing today.
As for why he had not asked Zoya, who also got up early... naturally, it was because he had been kicked out of the master bedroom last night and sent to the guest room next door. He Xi sat up, got dressed, and opened the door.
Bruce was squatting outside the door. The moment he saw him come out, he immediately wagged his tail and came over.
As he headed downstairs, He Xi asked, "What's wrong, Bruce?"
"Woof, that stupid cat is gone."
Bruce followed at his feet, a hint of gloating in his voice.
He Xi halted.
She left?
He had not said he wanted to drive her away, nor had he said anything harsh.
Bruce twitched his nose, seeming to recall something. "This morning, before dawn had fully broken, I think I smelled something fragrant... drifting over from the kitchen."
Something fragrant?
He Xi's heart stirred, and he quickly headed for the kitchen.
The kitchen was spotless, without a single person in sight.
Yet on the dining table sat a neatly arranged breakfast—a slice of lightly charred toast, with a fried egg resting beside it.
On the counter to one side of the kitchen, He Xi spotted a folded note, with several Silver Scale coins pressing it down.
He picked up the note and