Standing on the gravel path, Ji Chi clicked his tongue softly at how slowly Wen He was moving, strode forward, and grabbed him by the back of his collar, hauling him along.
Wen He: "?"
Ji Chi: "Too dirty. Remember to take another shower when we get back."
Wen He took quick little steps, disgruntled. "I already showered..."
Ji Chi: "You just touched a dog."
Wen He: "Then I only need to wash my hands."
Ji Chi: "Who knows if it had fleas? What if they got onto you?"
At the thought, Ji Chi let go of his collar with some distaste.
Wen He straightened his wrinkled collar. It had been a little tight around his neck... but he didn't dare say anything, because the other man looked displeased, and he couldn't beat him in a fight.
It wouldn't be good if he ended up strangling him.
When they returned to the house, Zhang Shengsheng and Wei Xun were already back with bags of all sizes.
The two were busy sorting through the plush toys. Wen He couldn't help being shocked at the stuffed toys covering the entire sofa.
Zhang Shengsheng was sorting them into groups. He had already decided what kind of plush toy to give each person.
"Xiao He, you're here! This is for you!"
Zhang Shengsheng picked a red panda holding and nibbling on some bamboo out of the pile.
"Thank you..." Wen He looked down at the red panda that had been pressed into his hands. It was soft, and the cotton stuffing inside was probably decent, but he hadn't forgotten what Ji Chi had said. He needed to wash his hands.
The one for Ji Chi was a gray seal, but Zhang Shengsheng didn't dare hand it to him directly. Instead, he stuffed it into the hands of Wen He, who had just returned from washing his hands.
"Xiao He, sorry for the trouble, but could you give this to Ji Chi?"
Wen He didn't agree. Instead, he pushed the little seal back and said earnestly, "A gift only means something if you give it to the person yourself."
Although Zhang Shengsheng thought he had a point, he still felt rather intimidated as he looked at Ji Chi, who was sitting in a corner of the sofa on the phone.
"I'll go once he's finished his call... haha."
Wen He nodded. He would keep an eye on Ji Chi for Zhang Shengsheng.
Sitting down casually on a section of the sofa that wasn't piled with plush toys, Wen He began playing with his red panda. He tried pulling the bamboo out of its paws.
To his surprise, it actually came out.
Beside him, Ji Chi was listening to his good buddy tearfully complain that his Xiao Guai hadn't eaten for three days...
Seriously, he wasn't a vet. His friend would be better off using this time to take the dog to the hospital.
Bored, he turned his head, only for his gaze to land inadvertently on Wen He, who was playing with a plush toy.
So filthy... who knew whether this toy had even been washed? There might even be a camera inside.
After all, some perverts loved installing cameras in the plush toys inside claw machines.
At that thought, he couldn't help moving closer to Wen He and taking the red panda out of his arms. Only after thoroughly manhandling it with his large, broad hands did he stuff it back into Wen He's hands.
"I was just checking it for you."
Puzzled, Wen He turned toward Zhang Shengsheng and signaled with his eyes for him to come give Ji Chi his gift now.
Seeing that Ji Chi's expression looked all right, Zhang Shengsheng mustered his courage and stepped forward, holding out a little seal to him. The young man spoke timidly.
"Um... this is for you. Everyone in the house gets a gift."
Then he set the plush toy on Ji Chi and immediately turned and fled.
Ji Chi instinctively caught the dull gray little seal. The pink of its lips was its only bright color.
"What is this ugly thing?"
Ji Chi had never had such a cheap, ugly plush toy anywhere around him.
Disdainfully, he tossed it carelessly into a corner of the sofa. Just as he was about to say something else, someone tugged at the hem of his shirt.
Holding his red panda, Wen He looked at Ji Chi with a hint of disapproval in his eyes. He retrieved the little seal that Ji Chi had thrown into the corner of the sofa, then pushed his red panda into Ji Chi's hands.
"Someone gave you this. You shouldn't just throw it away... that's not very nice."
Then he added slowly, "If you don't like it, we can swap."
Ji Chi stared at the red panda in his arms in surprise, then watched Wen He pick up the little seal tenderly and cradle it in his hands. He lowered his eyes to the smiling plush toy, and somewhere deep in his heart, something suddenly gave way.
What? As if I'd care about something so cheap.
Though that was what he thought, he didn't throw the red panda away again.
It was a little dirty, but washing it would fix that.
"Hey... Ji Chi! Are you even listening to me? Should I have Xiao Guai's QQ uninstalled or not... but he's still so young... he hasn't even had a chance to enjoy happiness."
"Whatever. Do it or don't."
How would Quan Chongnian react if Xiao Guai handed him a little Xiao Guai? Would he be like me?
A little... happy?
"Quan Chongnian, how would you react if your Xiao Guai suddenly brought home a little Xiao Guai?"
Quan Chongnian looked at the bichon frise playing with his toys, his mind filled with the scene Ji Chi had just described.
If that really happened...
"I wouldn't feel anything. After all, it wouldn't be our Xiao Guai. Ultimately, it would just be a substitute. But if my Xiao Guai liked him, I could consider keeping him. It's not like the Quan family can't afford to raise a puppy."
Did he like him?
Ji Chi fiddled with the plush toy in his hands, remembering how the young man had held it in his arms earlier.
He probably did, judging by that. In that case, I suppose I could reluctantly keep it.
Seeing that Ji Chi hadn't thrown the plush toy away again, Wen He quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
It looked like he just didn't like the little seal. That was fine. I liked the little seal, so it worked out just the same.
"Hello~ I'm back."
From all the way over in the entryway, Zhou Siyu immediately spotted the plush toys piled on the sofa.
"So many plush toys? Did you buy out a whole stuffed toy shop?"
Holding a little rabbit, Zhang Shengsheng handed it to Zhou Siyu and said a little bashfully, "Oh, I didn't win these. Brother Wei won them all. He's really good at it."
[Seriously, I watched their livestream today and actually learned how to win at claw machines.]
[The owner practically chased those two out of the shop.]
[I already screen-recorded it. Tomorrow I'm going all out at the mall!]
[These machines are all programmed, and winning this many cost quite a bit too.]
[That's true. They spent at least a hundred.]
[But getting this many for a hundred is still a bargain.]
"Xiao Yu, didn't you go on a date today?" Noticing that he was alone, Zhang Shengsheng casually asked the question, only realizing a moment later that he had said the wrong thing.
Everyone turned toward Zhou Siyu, who was drinking water. Only Wen He turned to look at Ji Chi.
According to the scenes in my dream, Ji Chi should have been on a date with Xiao Yu today...
Ji Chi played with the toy in his hands, unconcerned.
Zhou Siyu put down his glass and smiled at Zhang Shengsheng. "That's right, no date today. I went for a stroll by the sea on my own."
A little embarrassed, Zhang Shengsheng clutched the plush toy in his hands and smiled without saying anything more.
For a moment, the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Zhou Siyu sat at the dining table, silently drinking warm water. The evening sea breeze had been a little cold, and he needed to warm up.
Wei Xun wanted to speak, but after glancing at Zhang Shengsheng, who was silently sorting through the plush toys, he said nothing.