Night fell, and the hillside villa blazed with light.
As they approached the entrance, Yan Ningke thought he spotted a figure.
When the car stopped, his guess was confirmed.
Just as when he had seen him off, Shao Ke wore navy-blue loungewear, his hair falling loosely over his forehead as he sat composedly in his wheelchair, welcoming him home.
Through the car window, Yan Ningke kept his gaze fixed on him. As though sensing it, Shao Ke slowly turned his eyes toward him.
For an instant, Yan Ningke felt his heart skip a beat.
The windows actually had privacy film, making it impossible to see clearly into the car from outside, but he simply felt that Shao Ke really had seen him.
The driver had already unloaded the luggage and opened the door to let the bouncing Lars out.
Light spilled into the car like a curtain being drawn back, dreamlike and illusory, while neither of them shifted his gaze in the slightest.
Seeing his master after their time apart, Lars pounced on him excitedly. The enormous impact pushed the wheelchair backward, finally drawing Shao Ke's gaze away.
He was, after all, a companion who had been with him for nearly two years. Shao Ke rubbed the dog's head, his voice gentle. "Look at you. One trip away, and you even knew to find yourself a wife."
Honestly, hearing the word "wife" from his lips left Yan Ningke momentarily dazed.
An adult had to learn to hear what he wanted to hear. He automatically blocked out the other words and put himself in that role, swallowing with a dry throat.
Though his master exposed his embarrassing business, Lars treated him just as he always had, sticking close to Shao Ke and whining, even letting out a howl in his excitement.