You know you're really clingy, right?

"But the fact is, Pei Song'an didn't identify you. He silently took the blame for you, yet you turned around and called him a heartless monster."

"If your reason for competing with him for the position of heir is just to see that perfect mask of Pei Song'an's crack, all I can say is, Shen Muwen, you really don't measure up to your brother."

"How many people and families a capable leader can keep fed doesn't even enter your considerations."

"How many people will lose their jobs or get laid off in the future, all for one simple thrill-you don't think about any of it."

"That alone puts you miles behind your brother!"

Li Shu no longer wanted to talk to him. He picked up the leash, leaving the milk tea untouched where it was:

"Zhaocai, let's go. Stay around him too long and you'll pick up bad habits."

Shen Muwen graciously gestured for him to go, showing no intention of making things difficult.

He stared at Li Shu's retreating back as he led the puppy away for a long time before tossing the milk tea into the trash and sinking his full weight against the back of the chair.

He gazed at the sky, his thoughts unknown, then picked up his phone and sent Chen Yannan a message.

[Your little brother is pretty cute.]

Seeing the indicator that the message had been received, Shen Muwen slowly curled his lips into a smile and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Li Shu tugged Zhaocai along as he ran, huffing and puffing.

As though he meant to run off all those upsetting feelings.

He didn't even dare imagine what kind of insane thing Shen Muwen would do if he ever learned that Pei Song'an actually couldn't swim. But after this conversation, Li Shu was extremely glad he had decisively pushed Pei Song'an away at the pool.

After taking Zhaocai to the pet shop entrance, Li Shu crouched in front of the little native-breed puppy, weighed down with worries, and issued an order. "Zhaocai, sit."

The puppy obediently sat on the ground, both front paws neatly aligned, and stuck out his little tongue with a "woof."

Li Shu patted the dog's head. "Stay well away from that lunatic if you ever see him again. He's dangerous. Follow him and you'll end up in a dog meat restaurant. Hear me? Speak!"

Zhaocai flicked his ears in fright. "Woof, woof!"

Li Shu looked at the soldier under his command with satisfaction and nodded. "Good dog, good dog."

On the way back to campus, the phone in Li Shu's pocket started buzzing nonstop again, as if it had eyes. Seeing the name Pei Dad flashing on the screen, Li Shu's temples began throbbing right along with it.

But thinking of that lunatic Shen Muwen, Li Shu decided to be understanding toward Pei Song'an for one second.

The call connected.

"Pei Song'an, you know you're really clingy, right?"

Pei Song'an watched the convenience store surveillance footage Zheng Linchuan had just compiled. The full-sugar milk tea appearing on-screen again didn't stir the slightest reaction in him. Instead, it was Shen Muwen's undisguised gaze on Li Shu that made him frown.

"What were you doing just now?"

Li Shu was walking toward campus when a stone by the roadside suddenly caught his attention. He went over and kicked it, sending it flying into a nearby lamppost:

"Walking the dog. Zhaocai counts as half your son, but you don't care about him at all."

That wasn't what Pei Song'an wanted to hear, but he still answered patiently. "I pay, you show up, and in the end that little native-breed puppy is closest to you. Isn't that good?"

"What do you mean, little native-breed puppy? Looking down on domestic products?" At that, Li Shu gave a couple of smug hums. "Pei Song'an, do you know who I ran into!?"

Pei Song'an pretended not to know. "Who?"

"Shen Muwen!" Li Shu pronounced the name with great solemnity. "He said a whole bunch of weird things to me. Does he think I've been taking advanced calculus and college English for a whole day and night, so I'm delirious and easy to win over?"

"Mm. Good boy."

Pei Song'an's voice was noticeably more relaxed, and even Zheng Linchuan, standing beside him, breathed a sigh of relief.

At The Crown Prince's side, he had seen far too many people who thought themselves clever. There were too many who tried to please both sides or hoped to escape unscathed without getting embroiled in trouble. There were also people like Li Shu who willingly waded into muddy waters, but Li Shu was the first to say he was protecting The Crown Prince.

Perhaps it was simply because he had taken a liking to him, but Zheng Linchuan didn't really want Li Shu to be weeded out.

Li Shu's frank, sunny personality was indeed the complete opposite of The Crown Prince's, yet in certain respects, they fit together frighteningly well.

"Something's wrong, Pei Song'an. Something's wrong!"

Pei Song'an's fingers paused. He lifted his eyelids, his voice rising slightly as well. "What is it?"

Li Shu pouted. "I feel like someone's walking me on a leash. I'm already an adult. I can pet dogs whenever I want, and if I want to go out without a scarf, I'll go out without a scarf. Understand?"

Pei Song'an vetoed that outright. "The adult world runs on rules. You don't get to do whatever you please."

Li Shu silently grumbled.

What a sharp tongue. Such airtight logic.

"I've already had lunch delivered to your dorm. Your fever only just broke. Don't let me catch you wandering around again this afternoon."

All a puffed-up Li Shu could manage was a flat "Oh."

He knew Pei Song'an was concerned about him, so that kindness was difficult to argue against.

Sure enough, when he returned to his dorm, Li Shu found an incredibly exquisite meal box on his desk. Just smelling it was enough to imagine the meticulous, high-end process used to make both the box and the delicate dishes inside.

Thinking of how he had transmigrated into this novel by trying to score a petty bargain off PXX, Li Shu finished the meal with tears in his eyes, but still had to curse:

"Evil capitalism!"

Cheng Zhen groggily poked his head over the edge of his bed. Squinting until he made out the food crumbs around Li Shu's mouth, he kindly reminded him:

"Shu, eat alone and you'll poop black."

Li Shu raised his fluffy head. "This is an exclusive meal bestowed by The Crown Prince. If I poop anything, it'll be little gold nuggets."

Cheng Zhen looked at Li Shu with an indescribable expression. "Already living off the imperial granary? How long has it even been since you got over the heartbreak from Chen Yannan? Shu, take a friend's advice. Sooner or later, you've got to learn to sleep alone."

Li Shu: "..."

Knock, knock, knock.

The dorm door hadn't been shut properly, and there was no telling how much of their conversation had carried outside.

As the knocking sounded, Li Shu saw the man standing outside the door.

It was Chen Yannan.

The man's gaze was unchanged. He said nothing else, merely glanced at the meal box on Li Shu's desk before his eyes settled on Li Shu's fair little face:

"Xiao Shu, there's something I need to talk to you about. Is now a good time?"

Today I spent the daytime visiting real estate agents and viewing apartments, then went to find someone to fix the light. I even dutifully made myself a proper human meal. For the sake of my health, I went out tonight and power-walked for an hour. Now my cheeks are sunken, and I'm a living person who's slightly dead.