PGV Chapter 3

Yan Qing admitted to himself that he had been irrational. The haziness clouding his judgment had lasted through the night and into the present.

He woke up before dawn, and Ding Qi stirred almost immediately, visibly relieved to see Yan Qing beside him.

“I’m heading out first,” Yan Qing said as he got dressed. Without waiting for a response, he left the hotel.

After changing clothes at home, he sat alone in the consultation room early in the morning. A “Good morning” message popped up on his phone, but before he could reply, Xiao Gao’s arrival interrupted him.

Deflecting Xiao Gao’s question about why he was there so early, Yan Qing helped her clean the dog kennels on the second floor before returning to his office.

He finally replied with his own “Good morning,” but no further messages came from the other side.

The pet hospital had been unusually busy over the past few days. Yan Qing rarely found a free moment, and when he did, his phone’s screen was dotted with contacts whose icons were topped with red notification bubbles. Ignoring those, he switched to his personal account.

The conversation with Ding Qi sat idle, untouched since four days ago. He refreshed the chat window, realizing how long it had been, and refocused on his work, switching back to his work account to respond to messages in order.

For four days, Ding Qi hadn’t reached out. It was as though that night had been nothing more than a casual dinner followed by an unremarkable sleepover.

Yan Qing had anticipated this risk when he made the choice. He understood it well enough but had acted recklessly anyway.

He only knew Ding Qi’s name and his online contact information.

Yan Qing debated with himself, going back and forth until he finally decided to stop overthinking. He threw himself into work.

There were no clear answers in human relationships, but there were definite solutions when treating cats and dogs.

A knock on the door broke his focus. The nurse poked her head in. “Dr. Yan, Tang Yuan’s owner brought in You Bing.”

Yan Qing blinked in confusion for a moment before remembering. Tang Yuan was a two-month-old kitten that had undergone a new pet health check at the clinic a week ago, while You Bing was the household’s three-year-old orange tabby.

The owner carried You Bing out of the carrier, her expression full of worry. “Dr. Yan, You Bing’s been peeing outside the litter box twice this week. He’s never done that before! He was neutered ages ago, but I’ve heard male cats can develop urinary tract problems that make them uncomfortable, so they pee everywhere. Is he sick?”

“Let’s run some tests first,” Yan Qing said gently. “Don’t worry.”

After a series of examinations, it was clear that You Bing was perfectly healthy. His urinary tract showed no issues.

Yan Qing patted the chubby folds spilling onto the exam table. “You might want to watch his diet. Overeating can lead to health problems.”

The owner blushed. “I know, but cats don’t pee randomly for no reason, right? Twice in one week! I’d just washed the couch cover, and then he peed on the bed. Coming home to that… I was devastated.”

Yan Qing thought for a moment before speaking. “If it’s not physiological, it’s probably psychological.”

“Psychological? How could that be?” the owner asked, puzzled.

“Well, didn’t you recently bring Tang Yuan into the house?” Yan Qing said. “How many litter boxes do you have at home?”

“Just one. It’s a big one—extra-large. You Bing’s been using it forever without any issues. He wouldn’t suddenly stop liking it, right?”

“Try adding another litter box,” Yan Qing suggested. “Tang Yuan is new, and You Bing might not be used to him yet. Some male cats are territorial and sensitive to the scent of another cat’s urine. One box per cat might help prevent accidents.”

“I’ll buy a new litter box and see how it goes. Thanks, Dr. Yan. I’ll take You Bing home now.”

The owner waved and left the consultation room with You Bing in tow.

Yan Qing enjoyed a rare quiet moment before the next client arrived. He disinfected the surfaces and prepared for the next appointment. After a while, he sighed to himself, murmuring, “Some cats just aren’t meant to share a litter box.”

At the end of the day, after finishing work and preparing to leave, Yan Qing switched back to his personal account. A red notification dot appeared, making his heart skip a beat. He froze in place.

“Done with work?” the message read.

A second message followed immediately.

“I’m outside the pet hospital.”

Yan Qing stepped out of the wide-open door. Ding Qi was standing under a tree by the roadside. When he turned around, his eyes seemed to gleam with an almost magical brilliance, so bright it was startling.

Ding Qi walked over quickly, smiling. “Hungry? Let me take you to eat.”

Yan Qing said nothing, but Ding Qi pressed a helmet into his hands. “I picked a place. It’s not far. Hop on, I’ll take you.”

Noticing Yan Qing’s silence, Ding Qi furrowed his brows and leaned in to study his face. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Before Yan Qing could reply, Ding Qi’s stomach let out a loud growl, breaking the moment. Ding Qi’s face flushed crimson as he clutched his stomach and muttered under his breath, “Damn it.”

The sheer embarrassment of looking foolish in front of someone he liked was written all over his face.

“Let’s eat first,” Yan Qing said.

They finished the meal quickly. Ding Qi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. During the entire meal, Yan Qing hadn’t once checked his phone to reply to messages, nor had he looked at Ding Qi much.

Sensing this subtle shift, Ding Qi talked more than usual, almost as if he was trying to draw Yan Qing’s attention. Although Yan Qing responded, his reactions lacked warmth.

After leaving the restaurant, Ding Qi tugged Yan Qing toward a hotel. As soon as they entered the room, Ding Qi embraced and kissed him fiercely, murmuring repeatedly, “I missed you so much.”

Yan Qing’s brain felt like it had stalled. He didn’t bother asking why Ding Qi had gone several days without contacting him. Instead, he closed his eyes and let himself get swept away by the fiery, almost painful kisses.

He had to admit, their bodies were incredibly compatible. Ding Qi was thoughtful, paying close attention to Yan Qing’s reactions at every step.

But just as they were about to reach the climax, everything came to an abrupt halt.

Yan Qing opened his eyes to find Ding Qi sound asleep, his breathing slow and steady.

Frozen in place, Yan Qing’s legs still draped over Ding Qi’s waist. He couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh—Ding Qi had fallen asleep in the middle of everything!

When Ding Qi woke up, Yan Qing was sitting at the desk, wearing only a shirt, his long legs crossed casually. He wasn’t wearing socks or shoes, and the exposed skin in the dim light carried a subtle allure.

The scene was so striking that Ding Qi couldn’t tell if he was still dreaming. He sat up and rubbed his aching head. “Did I fall asleep?”

“What do you think?” Yan Qing shot him a glance before returning to his phone. It was already past six in the morning.

Ding Qi straightened his back, trying to salvage the situation. “Let’s try again. This time, it won’t happen.”

Before he could continue, Yan Qing put his phone down and said seriously, “I wasn’t looking for a casual hookup.”

Ding Qi scratched the back of his head, his awkward smile a weak attempt to lighten the mood. “So… I’m out?”

Yan Qing met his gaze, and Ding Qi’s eyes darted everywhere but at him.

“I thought maybe starting like this would work. Spend more time with you, and eventually, feelings would grow…”

Ding Qi paused, his voice softening. “I switched shifts this week, worked a full rotation, then pulled two all-nighters. Concentrating for hours late at night left me with a splitting headache. I’m not making excuses…”

“Sorry. I messed up.”

His shoulders slumped, and he looked utterly defeated.

“Ding Qi,” Yan Qing said, calling his name.

Ding Qi looked up. Yan Qing studied him for a long moment before suddenly smiling.

“Are you aware of how intensely you’re looking at me right now?”