Chapter 68: Clingy Dog Part 2

“Fair enough, that obvious?” Qiao Keren pouted slightly, then grinned at Qiu Sui’s blank face. “Long story—I can recap from high school if you want?”

“…”

Qiu Sui nodded and endured over an hour of Qiao Keren’s recap: from Lin Kai stammering over water bottles to blushing while draping his jacket. Only then did Qiu Sui clock it as a crush, not just consideration.

Qiao Keren wrapped up reluctantly—early park start tomorrow. He finished his last bite, cheeks rosy, and headed to his room.

Qiu Sui watched him go next door, closing the door slowly. Hearing Lin Kai had crushed since high school sparked a twinge of envy.

Others get slow-burn, heartwarming details. Mine was horror-thriller nightmare fuel.

Wasted a handsome face on it.

Keep spamming and I’ll delete you.

The response pinged instantly—typing indicator stuttering—then a voice message.

Qiu Sui’s finger jerked. He played it. The alpha’s voice filled the quiet room.

“Sorry, Xiao Sui. I just… got too worried. I’m scared, I-I was wrong. I won’t spam messages to bother you anymore. Sorry…”

Shen Zhixiao’s voice was raspier than days ago, words slurring faintly.

Qiu Sui lowered his eyes without replying. The chat window stayed quiet, as Shen Zhixiao didn’t dare send another message without a response.

Even so, Qiu Sui still felt a bit unhappy deep down. He set his phone aside and headed to the bathroom to wash up, burying his frustration.

The next day, while queuing for rides, Qiu Sui checked his phone and saw Shen Zhixiao’s usual brief morning greeting, sent around the time he typically left the house.

Everyone had an early class the next morning, so they didn’t plan to stay at the theme park too late. They played until around five in the afternoon before heading back as the sky darkened and the temperature dropped further.

Before leaving, Qiao Keren and his roommates wanted to hit the park store. Qiu Sui tagged along, browsed for a bit, picked out two keychains for Qiu Shun, then slipped out with his head down.

The area around the store bustled with pedestrians, couples laughing and chatting as they passed by the entrance.

Qiu Sui stood by the door. The moment he sensed that tall figure emerging, he ruthlessly grabbed the back collar of the other’s coat and yanked him hard against the nearby lamppost. His fingers hooked the mask right off the man’s face.

“Fun following me around?” He stared at the dark bruise on the Alpha’s cheek, his voice cool.

Shen Zhixiao’s back slammed into the lamppost. He couldn’t help doubling over, coughing into his hand.

Qiu Sui’s grip on his collar loosened almost imperceptibly, but his expression remained icy.

Shen Zhixiao bowed his head for a moment to catch his breath, his eyes reddening from the coughing fit.

He swallowed hard, anxiety churning in his chest as he met Qiu Sui’s gaze. Several seconds passed before he managed to speak.

“I… I…”

“You’re been stalking me,” Qiu Sui cut him off, scrutinizing Shen Zhixiao intently.

The Alpha’s dark lashes drooped. He offered no excuses, only a hoarse “I’m sorry.”

To disguise himself, he even wore a theme park fox-ear hat, and his clothes were a new style Qiu Sui had never seen before.

A sly fox indeed.

Passersby couldn’t sense the tension between them—they just looked like a playful couple fooling around.

Qiu Sui’s hand, still clutching Shen Zhixiao’s collar, slowly slid forward along the fabric. Shen Zhixiao’s lashes trembled like he was facing judgment, as if he wanted to say something more.

Suddenly, Qiu Sui’s hand brushed his cheek. The Alpha’s thin lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes growing misty as he gazed at Qiu Sui—dark depths flickering with shock, faint hope, and a trace of undisguised longing.

Qiu Sui’s fingers traced slowly over the bruised spot on his cheek.

Shen Zhixiao stood frozen in place, absorbing Qiu Sui’s warmth, his throat bobbing with desperate yearning, as if he’d stumbled into an unreal dream.

He wanted to tell Qiu Sui it was fine, it didn’t hurt—but the next instant, the fingers against his face pressed down hard, digging the pad into the skin until it sank inward.

A sharp, piercing pain stabbed straight into Shen Zhixiao’s nerves like a needle. He let out an involuntary grunt of pain, his dry throat seizing up into another uncontrollable coughing fit.

He hurriedly clapped a hand over his mouth, terrified of passing his cold to Qiu Sui at such close range.

But Qiu Sui yanked his hand away, determined to see the pain on his face.

Each cough from Shen Zhixiao was hoarse and ragged, like it was ripping his lungs apart.

Qiu Sui’s hand stayed pressed on the bruise, watching the skin flush red as he coughed. Softly, he asked, “Does it hurt?”

The pain on Shen Zhixiao’s cheek dulled from a spike to a numb throb. He coughed raggedly, breath hitching, his trembling eyes fixed on Qiu Sui as he rasped almost inaudibly, “It hurts…”

Qiu Sui’s gaze slowly roamed the man’s disheveled face, noting the desperate hope in his eyes. He tugged his lips faintly. “You think I’ll feel sorry for you, don’t you.”

The Alpha’s face paled, and he dropped his head in fragile silence, murmuring that he didn’t.

“You do.” Qiu Sui pinned his gaze, pressing down on the other bruise. The pale skin gradually flushed red with agony. “But you’re wrong. Right now, I just want to beat you.”

Shen Zhixiao stared at Qiu Sui’s cold face, his lips moving slowly. “Okay… hit me then…”

Qiu Sui’s fingers tightened slightly before he shoved Shen Zhixiao’s face away with a mocking scoff. “What’s the difference between you and those rabid dogs that play pitiful to scam people?”

Shen Zhixiao’s ragged breaths hitched. He frantically reached for Qiu Sui’s hand.

He looked up at Qiu Sui with urgent desperation, words tumbling out in a hoarse mess. “I-I didn’t, I didn’t. I’ll be good, better than a dog, Xiao Sui, Xiao Sui…”

His voice grew choked, trailing into silence.

He clutched Qiu Sui’s hand to his chest like it was his last lifeline, enduring the tearing pain in his throat as he begged relentlessly. “Give me one chance, please, just one. I can’t… I can’t be without you. I was wrong, about everything before, I was wrong…”

Qiu Sui’s right hand was trapped in both of Shen Zhixiao’s, unable to move. The man spoke through sobs and coughs, tears streaming down his bruised cheeks. To onlookers, it looked like he was pleading against domestic abuse.

Qiu Sui bristled, growling low before anyone noticed. “Stop crying. Let go!”

The Alpha’s trembling body stilled at the words. His grip tightened briefly instead of releasing, but he soon obeyed reluctantly, wiping at his tears with the back of his arm.

Qiu Sui’s hand was marked with the man’s fingerprints. His face stayed coldly impassive as he watched Shen Zhixiao’s wretched state, but inside, a flicker of alarm stirred. He’s not just a masochist—he’s a shameless dog with no bottom line.

How many “sorrys” do you even have left? Qiu Sui sneered inwardly.

He didn’t want to hear more. He snatched all the photos and flipped through them.

The backs looked pristine, no issues. But the fronts—Qiu Sui’s face darkened instantly.

Every single group photo had Qiao Keren’s head crudely replaced with a new one.

In all six shots, Shen Zhixiao had pasted his own big head over Qiao Keren’s!