Lin Yao hadn’t planned on resorting to dirty tricks, but who could blame him when the Fox Spirit kept provoking him?
The Kennel had a few big black dogs—ugly and vicious-looking rejects slated for disposal. Perfect for scaring someone.
Gripping the leashes tight, Lin Yao bided his time and strength, waiting a full half-hour into the lesson before strolling over leisurely with the three dogs. Under Shen Leyuan’s gloomy stare, he arched an eyebrow and smirked.
“I heard the teacher’s afraid of dogs. Let me help you get over it.”
Little Deer blocked Shen Leyuan, his reaction surprisingly intense: “Bro, get lost!!!”
How can he bully the teacher? Last time…
The scene of gushing blood flashed in his mind. Little Deer’s face paled, his eyes quickly reddening. Compared to Shen Leyuan, he looked more like the one scared of dogs.
My wife’s yelling at me for the Fox Spirit.
Lin Yao felt a surge of grievance, but his face twisted into even greater mockery: “This is desensitization therapy. I’m just trying to help out of the goodness of my heart.”
Just a little scare for the Fox Spirit. I’ve got the leashes in hand—what’s the big deal?
Little Deer was so furious he wanted to bite him. But before he could, his attention snagged on the hand Shen Leyuan had pressed to his shoulder.
Teacher’s touching me, teacher’s touching me, teacher’s touching me…
Excited flushes bloomed on his cheeks.
“Thanks for the concern, Little Deer. It’s fine,” Shen Leyuan said. “The teacher’s already doing desensitization therapy. I’m not that afraid of dogs anymore.”
It was a lie—his calves were trembling.
But he wouldn’t lose face.
Meeting Lin Yao’s suspicious gaze, Shen Leyuan smiled faintly: “I heard you’ve been under strict bodyguard watch since you were little, Young Master. Got some psychological trauma yourself? Why don’t you join the teacher for some desensitization therapy?”
Lin Yao instinctively scanned his surroundings.
The outdoor lesson was by the lake, reeds growing thickly, but they didn’t look like they hid a crowd. Nearby, there were only two bodyguards—one tailing Little Deer, the other with the idiot tutor.
Wait, I don’t have trauma about bodyguards. Why even think about that?
He shot Shen Leyuan a disdainful glance. “Whatever.”
Shen Leyuan’s smile deepened. With a grand wave of his hand, over twenty bodyguards burst from the reeds in unison—each one fiercer-looking than the last, all over six feet tall, built like tanks.
Surrounded by that pack, even the dogs tucked tail and backed off.
Lin Yao: …
He gritted his teeth at Shen Leyuan, squeezing three words through clenched jaws: “You. Have. Issues?”
Shen Leyuan: “Pot calling the kettle black.”
He wasn’t afraid of Lin Yao—he was afraid of the dogs causing trouble. Now it was one dog per ten men. If something still went wrong, he’d change his last name to Lin!
Counterattacked, Lin Yao scowled the whole time.
Little Deer’s face darkened too, resenting the last dog bite on the teacher, resenting his brother for bringing dogs to scare him, and even resenting the teacher for lying: claiming fear of dogs when rejecting Little Deer, but now secretly playing with them and calling it desensitization therapy.
The teacher’s so mean!
Truth was, Shen Leyuan had only just decided on desensitization therapy.
Not now—sometime later.
There was that Tibetan Mastiff dog-man in the future. If he didn’t fix this phobia, would he hide every day or convince the big boss and Little Deer to ditch the dog?
Sigh… such a headache!
Lin Yao yapped endlessly in his ear, annoying as hell. A sharp retort would quiet him briefly, but he’d start nagging again soon after—clearly craving attention and affection.
Can’t teach with these bodyguards hanging around.
Fed up, Shen Leyuan waved helplessly at the twenty-odd bruisers who’d arrived later: “Go back and rest. Thanks for today—barbecue on me next time.”
They’d crouched in the reeds for at least an hour. Tough gig.
Lin Yao stirred, leashes in hand as the once-cowering dogs now strutted boldly. He stepped toward Shen Leyuan.
Today, I’m scaring the Fox Spirit no matter what!
Before he got close, the young man rummaged in his big bag, pulling out three brand-new muzzles.
Lin Yao: …
Fuck, the Fox Spirit planned this. He’s toying with me?
Pretending not to notice the murderous glare from the brat, Shen Leyuan smiled at him: “If you really don’t want class, you can leave early. I won’t mind.”
I mind!
What’s that if not slinking off with my tail between my legs?
Black-faced, Lin Yao handed the leashes to a bodyguard, sat by Little Deer, and growled: “What’re you teaching?”
Shen Leyuan pondered, eyeing him thoughtfully: “Didn’t you say you hate the stuffy vibe of traditional education? How about you pick today’s lesson?”
Lin Yao sneered: “Just afraid your knowledge won’t cut it.”
“If I can’t teach it, we can discuss and learn together,” Shen Leyuan soothed. “Don’t be nervous, Lin. Just say it boldly.”
Reverse psychology always worked on rebellious teens—they never learned.
Cursing that he wasn’t nervous, Lin Yao quickly cooked up something he thought would stump the teacher: “How about you teach Little Deer loyalty… oh wait, you can’t. You’re even more fickle than him.”
Ignoring the backhalf nonsense, Shen Leyuan latched onto the key: “You want to learn about ‘love,’ right?”
He gave an embarrassed smile. “I’m not exactly an expert.”
Last life, he’d been too buried in work for romance. This life, crashing in the Flower Market, he’d lost all interest in feelings or nightlife—just wanted to stay celibate till the end.
Lin Yao wouldn’t miss a chance to mock the Fox Spirit: “I said loyalty. Love doesn’t have to be loyal.”
Shen Leyuan: “But I think they’re one and the same. If your feelings for someone can’t even manage loyalty, it’s not love—just ‘like’ at best.”
He paused, turning to Little Deer: “What do you think, Little Deer?”
Little Deer blinked: “Dunno.”
Lin Yao pounced: “Once you’re married to me, we’ll be legal husbands—sweet nights together, days out playing. Whatever you want, it’s yours. We agreed, remember? You forgetting?”
Little Deer fidgeted: “I…”
“What do you all think?”
Shen Leyuan cut in abruptly, turning to the three remaining bodyguards.
The older one chuckled: “Dated in high school. Got caught by the teacher, cried like it was life or death. Looking back, it was nothing big—not important.”
The dog-handler flushed: “It’s something you can… make…”
Shen Leyuan twitched his lips, cutting off the “make” details, and eyed the last: “You? Thoughts?”
This was his real focus today: Sheng Shisi.
This was the guy tailing him back to the compound, the only one who’d replied available yesterday.
That morning, the big boss sent a file—Sheng Shisi’s life story, including a crush on Little Deer since his early teens, silently guarding him ever since.
A Si was seven years older. When he was ten… don’t calculate.
Straight-up cradle-snatcher.
Outwardly the cool tough guy, but his view on love burned hot. In an eerily calm tone, he declared: “I just need to be loyal. The one I like doesn’t have to be.”
Hopelessly obsessed, per the big boss’s assessment.
Shen Leyuan agreed.
“Pfft, what kinda bullshit is that?”
The familiar disdain rang out.
Shen Leyuan nearly snapped back on reflex, biting his tongue to stop. He turned, surprised, to Lin Yao.
Lin Yao curled his lip in disgust, mocking: “Love breeds possessiveness, possessiveness spawns jealousy. If you can accept a third party, you don’t love enough.”
Sheng Shisi: “Can’t accept a third party? Your love’s too shallow.”
Lin Yao: “Watching your wife fall for someone else, into their arms, and telling yourself to endure? Calling that love is a stretch—I say you’ve got a cuckold fetish!”
Sheng Shisi: “Love is letting go. As long as he’s happy.”
“Give me a break, quit the fake deep shit. Love is letting go, not indulging. Him dating the Fox Spirit, getting played body and soul, and you just watch calmly?”
“That’s different.”
“It’s the same damn thing. Fall in love, and you’ll get jealous, think no one else deserves him, think…”
Between the two clashing, Little Deer pondered.
Love breeds possessiveness and jealousy—Little Deer felt possessive of the teacher, jealous of his attention to Brother.
Love teaches endurance—Little Deer held back tantrums, no demands for kisses or hugs, no locking the teacher up.
Love is letting go—Little Deer let the teacher teach Brother.
Love isn’t indulgence—Brother could join class, but no kisses or hugs with Brother, no focusing only on him, no orbiting him, no liking Brother.
Oh~
Enlightenment dawned on the boy: “I love Teacher!!!”
Like a thunderbolt, the bickering duo fell silent, slowly turning to Little Deer, then to the utterly defeated Shen Leyuan.
Sheng Shisi lowered his gaze, lips pressing into a thin line.
Lin Yao exploded differently, roaring at Shen Leyuan: “I told you to teach him loyalty—to you?!”
Shen Leyuan weakly reminded: “I’m a celibate.”
Bullshit! Whoever buys that is a fool!
Lin Yao’s eyes brimmed with blatant doubt.
Shen Leyuan coaxed: “Even if I dated, I wouldn’t pick someone younger.”
“You’d better not.” Lin Yao shook his fist.
The love-struck youth looked fierce, but to Shen Leyuan, he was just a milky tiger cub—yowling with baby teeth bared. A little trick, and you could scoop him up by the scruff. Endearingly cute.
Stifling a laugh, Shen Leyuan said: “I haven’t lied to you.”
Lin Yao huffed.
Hasn’t lied? Stole my first kiss right off the bat!
Still, deep down, Lin Yao knew: if the Fox Spirit really wanted his wife, the kid would’ve jumped into bed ages ago. No way he’d still be a virgin.
…Little Deer’s definitely a virgin. But the Fox Spirit?
Doesn’t matter. Unimportant.
The Fox Spirit’s scheming something—why else push to tutor me? Ninety percent chance he’s eyeing Dad, wants to be stepmom.
Mature, handsome, responsible… head over heels!
Eyeing Shen Leyuan with interest, Lin Yao’s wariness eased a tad. Abruptly: “Dad doesn’t like players. Better act loyal.”
What the hell? Shen Leyuan was torn between laughter and tears.
Little Deer, like an outsider, darkened like a storm cloud—no coaxing from Teacher. The guy who treated all students equally today orbited Brother: muzzles for Brother’s dogs, Brother picks the lesson, only listens to Brother.
The big black dogs sat nearby, leashes in bodyguard hands.
That “Dad doesn’t like” line dripped with drama. The two bodyguards were hooked, addicted to spectating.
Only Sheng Shisi quietly watched Little Deer, like always.
Back then, he’d worn shades—now bare, his crush shone obvious.
But his crush ignored him.
Not like before.
Little Deer used to smile at him—no words, but those eyes spoke. A Si knew he remembered.
Today’s Little Deer only eyed Teacher or the dogs. With Teacher ignoring him, his gaze shifted to the dogs, thoughtful.
Last time Brother got punished, Teacher sought me out about him. If I get hurt worse than Brother, will he care?
Gonna try.
Or Teacher’ll be stolen by Brother!
Normally, Shen Leyuan would’ve spotted the mischief brewing.
But today, half his focus was on Lin Yao, half on A Si—only scraps for Little Deer. Muzzles on, three bodyguards—safe.
Should’ve been.
But Little Deer wanted chaos, and there was a traitor bodyguard.
Glanced coldly by his crush, the cool tough guy hesitated—should he stop it? He watched as Little Deer yanked off a muzzle and thrust his arm to a black dog’s jaws.
The dog sniffed, licked. No bite.
Little Deer felt even more wronged, smack—slapped the dog’s head: Even you won’t obey? Bullying me!
The black dog was beaten into a daze, whimpering as it shrank back its neck.
Little Deer got even angrier and yanked on its ears—smack smack smack.
I’m so pissed. You bit the teacher pretty hard before—how come you won’t even open your mouth now?
He fiercely unfastened the muzzle on another one.
The weird noise drew Lin Yao and Shen Leyuan’s attention. They both whipped their heads around, their faces changing at the same time: “Little Deer!!!”
No one knew if it was the sharp yell that scared it, or some strange chemical reaction from Shen Leyuan’s gaze, or maybe just the sheer grievance from the beating—but the black dog’s whimpers turned into a low growl. Its hind legs tensed, coiling into an attack stance.
The moment it bared its gaping maw, the other two lunged forward as well.
Chaos erupted on the spot.
Sheng Shisi, who had sworn to accept his love interest’s every misdeed, couldn’t just stand by and watch Little Deer get hurt. Lin Yao was already charging toward him the instant he shouted.
And then…
They both ended up in hospital beds.
Outside the ward, Shen Leyuan picked at the grout in the tiled wall while calling the big boss to report on the day’s lesson.
“Mr. Lin,” he said in his usual soft, gentle tone—but even softer this time: “Today’s outdoor class ended early. That… I wanted to ask if the contract has anything about student safety clauses?”
Lin Yuan was in a good mood and replied flatly: “No.”
“Then you might need to add one.” Even without facing the big boss in person, Shen Leyuan’s face burned with embarrassment. He wished he could claw a hole in the tile and crawl in. “Lin Yao and A Si got bitten by the dogs. Pretty bad injuries.”
It wasn’t entirely his fault, but with students hurt on his watch, he bore the responsibility.
After a moment of silence, Lin Yuan asked: “You keeping dogs now?”
Shen Leyuan: “No.”
“Did you bring the dogs?”
“Not exactly.”
“Did you order the dogs to bite them?”
“How could I!”
“Then how’s this got anything to do with you?” Lin Yuan said. “You’re their teacher, not their mom. Meddling with pets and getting bitten is karma—no need for you to rush in and take the blame.”
Shen Leyuan: “Huh?”
Tch, idiot.
Lin Yuan tapped the screen where the young man’s brows furrowed, cutting straight to it: “Not your fault. Don’t beat yourself up.”
Shen Leyuan pursed his lips, rubbing his face sheepishly: “I just… I mean, I took them out, and it was my class…”
Teachers got used to taking the fall, especially since he’d clearly dropped the ball this time.
Lin Yuan: “The dogs are mine. I approved my kids bringing dogs to class—shouldn’t I compensate you instead?”
“Huh? No!” Shen Leyuan hurried to correct him. “That’s not the same thing at all. You’ve already paid me handsomely, and I didn’t even get hurt. The ones who need comforting are the kids.”
“Shen Leyuan.” Lin Yuan called his name for the first time. “Turn around, walk straight ahead, and press your ear to the door.”
Shen Leyuan did as told.
Inside the ward, the clamor was deafening, with Lin Yao’s voice cutting through loudest.
“Haha, I knew I’m the biggest! Little Deer, you should pick me as your husband!”
Little Deer chimed in excitedly: “Me too, me too! Little Deer’s not little!”
For once, Sheng Shisi’s tone was laced with panic: “Don’t take it off!!!”
Shen Leyuan’s right ear filled with the room’s eye-searing dialogue, while his left ear caught the big boss’s soft mockery from the phone: “The ones who need comforting… are the kids?”
Shen Leyuan: ……
Fuck, a bunch of overgrown brats!
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