Taking the Little Yellow Dog Home

Chapter Thirty-Six

Dong—dong—dong—

The bells rang, and fireworks soared into the sky, continuously spreading from a tiny sapling into branches and leaves of flame.

Until they became a green Tree of Life that occupied half the night sky.

When Ye Nanxun opened his eyes, the green Tree of Life fireworks formed from clusters of brilliantly burning little fireworks outside the window happened to fill his vision.

He did not remember when he had gone from the bed to the window.

When he pulled open the floor-to-ceiling glass door leading to the balcony, the music and New Year cheers that had been shut out earlier crashed over him like a tsunami, swallowing Ye Nanxun in an instant.

He blankly took a step back, suddenly realizing that this was not a dream.

"Why did you come out without putting on any clothes?"

A warm, heavy overcoat settled over Ye Nanxun's shoulders.

A tall figure passed by his side before stopping to his right.

No matter how slow Ye Nanxun was, he understood now. He had actually slept through the end of the New Year's Eve banquet, all the way until the New Year bells rang.

"Sorry, I overslept."

His cheeks burned as the wind blowing toward him carried the chill of snow.

The light screen over Central Square vanished the moment the New Year bells rang.

The square was still extraordinarily lively. People celebrated the New Year amid fireworks and music, singing and dancing, utterly unaffected by the cold wind and falling snow.

"You don't need to apologize." Yan Beiyou raised his head slightly, watching the fireworks in the distance. "Happy New Year."

The green Tree of Life fireworks had already disappeared.

New fireworks lit up the sky.

Caught up in the enthusiastic atmosphere of the square, Ye Nanxun was in a good mood. "Your Majesty, Happy New Year."

Whoosh—

It was a large white mushroom firework.

Ye Nanxun stared blankly at the large mushroom firework. He pressed his lips together slightly, wanting to ask something, and wanting to glance at the alpha beside him.

But in the end, he asked nothing and did not look at Yan Beiyou's expression.

It was probably just a coincidence.

Tonight's fireworks included a green Tree of Life, a fiery red phoenix, a golden dragon, and all sorts of other strange displays.

There was nothing particularly special about a large white mushroom.

Yan Beiyou said, "It's almost half past midnight. Are you staying here tonight?"

Ye Nanxun lowered his head and rubbed his hands together. "I need to go home. I told my parents before I came that I'd be going home today."

Yan Beiyou smiled faintly. "What a good child."

He was no longer a child.

He had just turned nineteen last year and would be twenty soon this year.

Though he had not spent many years in school, he was now a university professor capable of supervising graduate students.

Ye Nanxun opened his mouth, then swallowed the words of protest.

Yan Beiyou had only said it casually. If he seriously argued back, that would make him seem childish instead.

"Song Ren has already gone back." Yan Beiyou turned and opened the floor-to-ceiling glass door. "Come on, I'll take you home."

At the Imperial Palace, Yan Beiyou wore his real face while Ye Nanxun was disguised.

Once they left the Imperial Palace, Yan Beiyou disguised himself while Ye Nanxun returned to his original appearance.

Light green, watery-bright eyes replaced his icy blue ones. Reflected in them was the still-lit estate, and Ye Nanxun knew his parents were still waiting for him to come home.

The black hovercar landed smoothly in front of the villa.

The cabin door opened. Ye Nanxun was about to get out when the alpha behind him called out to him again.

"Xun."

Ye Nanxun stopped and turned around.

As if performing a magic trick, Yan Beiyou placed a fluffy pale yellow bundle into his hands. "I've had a lot on my plate lately and don't have the energy to look after Little Dragon. Please help me take care of it for this week."

Little Dragon.

So the little yellow mongrel's name was Little Dragon.

Ye Nanxun instinctively reached out to catch the warm, fluffy Little Dragon. Little Dragon yawned and peacefully continued sleeping in the omega's arms.

Had this little dog been in the car just now?

Without thinking too much about it, Ye Nanxun nodded. "All right."

Yan Beiyou seemed to smile. "Has your shoulder healed?"

Even his sprained ankle had healed. The tiny injury to his shoulder from Zhu Shixin bumping into him must have healed long ago too.

Ye Nanxun gave a quiet hum. "It's already healed."

"Good." Yan Beiyou watched the omega holding the puppy. "Go back, Xun. Goodbye."

"Your Maj—" Ye Nanxun nearly used the wrong form of address, but corrected himself in time. "Goodbye, Mr. Yan."

After getting out of the car, Ye Nanxun discovered that it had stopped snowing.

A layer of fallen snow covered the ground, crunching beneath his shoes.

He walked beneath the eaves and looked back.

Only then did the black hovercar's cabin door slowly close. It was pitch-black inside, but he could vaguely make out Yan Beiyou's gaze upon him.

Ye Nanxun turned back, opened the door, and entered the house.

His parents had indeed been waiting for him. They were very curious about the little yellow dog in his arms.

His mother, Chen Mingzhu, impatiently asked several questions.

"Is this the same car that brought you back last time? Is it still that tall, handsome alpha?"

"What an adorable little mongrel. Are you raising it together?"

Ye Nanxun could not help replying, "We're not raising it together. He's been busy lately, so I'm taking care of it for a week."

Chen Mingzhu smiled meaningfully. "Oh, a week."

Ye Nanxun hurried back to his room.

It was too late to prepare a dog bed, so Ye Nanxun simply put the puppy on his own bed.

Little Dragon slept soundly. Not only was it very clean, but it also carried a faint rose fragrance.

After settling the puppy, Ye Nanxun took a shower in the bathroom, changed into pajamas, and returned to the bedroom.

He quietly opened the door, padded downstairs in his fuzzy slippers, opened a bottle of fresh milk and poured some into a cup, warmed it in the kitchen, then carried the warm milk back to his bedroom.

The room's main light was not on. Only the bedside lamp on his side of the bed was lit.

Ye Nanxun leaned against the headboard, his back supported by a soft cushion.

He held the cup in one hand and sipped milk little by little, while using the other to project his phone screen before him and casually browse today's news.

Before he could open a website, a new message popped up.

Mr. Yan: Little Dragon is afraid of strangers. Please take it with you whenever you go out, Xun.

Ye Nanxun immediately replied.

Little Mushroom: Okay, I will.

Mr. Yan: Good night, Xun.

Little Mushroom: Good night.

There was no way he could sleep.

Ye Nanxun had slept for several hours that evening and had only woken at midnight. He was unusually alert now and could not sleep at all.

After exiting the chat window, a headline pushed across the entire network suddenly appeared before Ye Nanxun's eyes.

[For the First Time! The Galactic Emperor Dances into the New Year with a Mysterious, Stunning Omega!]

The accompanying image showed his disguised self dancing with Yan Beiyou.

Ye Nanxun felt as though something had exploded inside his head.