PGV Chapter 8

The delivery guy walked into the store with a bouquet of roses and called out the recipient’s name. Yan Qing felt countless probing gazes land on him, and internally, he screamed the name of the culprit—Ding Qi!

Under the curious stares of everyone around, Yan Qing reluctantly accepted the bouquet and quickly retreated to the office, shutting the door with a firm click.

This became juicy gossip fodder for the others, and by lunchtime, they even began speculating about the backstory of the retired police dog named Fu Qi.

Yan Qing simply shook his head mysteriously, refusing to reveal anything.

Xiao Gao, however, felt she already knew the truth, but she couldn’t say a word. Whenever Yan Qing appeared in her line of sight, she would look at him as if he were a tragic figure mired in trouble, her eyes filled with sympathy for their beleaguered veterinarian.

When Yan Qing finally met with Ding Qi, he gave some direct feedback about the roses: “They’re beautiful. Don’t send them again.”

“You didn’t like them?” Ding Qi scratched his head in confusion. Xing Chen had been thrilled when he received flowers.

“I’m a practical person. If you really want to send something, make it useful.”

Yan Qing said this with a smile, giving Ding Qi a new understanding of his grounded nature.

Ding Qi tested the waters cautiously: “Then, do you like rose pastries?”

Yan Qing smiled and nodded.

Compared to flashy roses, rose pastries seemed more practical. Plus, they’d make for a nice snack during work.

“Wait a bit.” Ding Qi picked up his phone and made a call.

It took a while before the person on the other end answered, and their tone wasn’t exactly friendly. “What is it?”

“Where did you buy those rose pastries last time?” Ding Qi asked.

He had brought the previous batch back to his dorm and shared them with his colleagues, who had all praised them.

“Not telling you.”

“Are you still mad?” Ding Qi scratched his head, puzzled.

“You took Xing Chen to that kind of place, and you think I shouldn’t be angry?” The voice on the other end grew louder.

“Let me talk to Xing Chen.”

“Absolutely not.”

With that, the line went dead.

Ding Qi stared blankly at his phone, completely helpless.

Yan Qing joked, “Ex-boyfriend?”

“Not a chance!” Ding Qi’s eyes widened like he’d seen a ghost. “Xing Chen is a friend I’ve had since high school. The one just now? That’s his partner.”

Yan Qing caught on to the key point: “What kind of place did you take Xing Chen to that made him so angry?”

“Xing Chen said he wanted to try ear-cleaning, so I took him to an ear-cleaning shop. And then… he got a fungal infection in one ear.” Ding Qi’s voice got softer and softer as he spoke, increasingly feeling like it was his fault.

Yan Qing’s expression became indescribable. “Was it a legit ear-cleaning shop?”

Ding Qi raised three fingers solemnly. “Absolutely legit! I never go to shady places, and I’m totally fine.”

He sighed. “The problem is, I’m the only one who’s fine.”

Yan Qing patted him on the shoulder. “Fungal infections are tricky. They take a long time to treat and can recur easily. Cats and dogs with fungal infections take forever to recover, and they can even pass it on to their owners.”

“Ugh—” Ding Qi leaned on Yan Qing, seeking comfort.

Yan Qing sighed. In this case, it was hard not to think Ding Qi had it coming.

Yan Qing started spending more time at Ding Qi’s place, to the point where he eventually moved some of his belongings over.

When Ding Qi had time off, Yan Qing would stay with him. When Ding Qi went to work at the prison, Yan Qing would return to his own home.

When Yan Qing brought Fu Qi over, he also brought his own orange tabby cat, Juzi.

With two people, a cat, and a dog in the house, life was lively.

Juzi liked to burrow into the closet and sleep among the clothes, leaving cat hair all over Ding Qi’s uniform. Without a lint roller, he couldn’t even leave the house.

Fu Qi, on the other hand, specialized in dismantling the couch. When Ding Qi tried to discipline him, Fu Qi thought they were playing and would run wild around the house—until he saw Yan Qing, whereupon he’d immediately behave.

“Sit,” Yan Qing commanded.

Fu Qi, still in an excited state after his rampage, sat obediently—and revealed his little “weapon.”

It was normal for dogs to get excited and have such reactions. Most working dogs weren’t neutered, as spaying or neutering could decrease hormone levels, lower energy, and even reduce confidence, which could negatively affect their performance.

However, since Fu Qi was retired, Yan Qing planned to schedule a surgery for him.

Ding Qi couldn’t help but scold the dog. “Calm down! Have some dignity!”

Yan Qing quipped, “You’re the last person who should be saying that. You’re just as bad.”

Ding Qi protested, “How is that the same? His reaction is pure instinct because he’s excited. Mine is a polite response to show my system’s in good working order.”

Yan Qing: “… Polite? I don’t even want to imagine what impolite looks like.”

Ding Qi tilted his head to look at Yan Qing, his gaze dark and deep. “Want to try and see?”

Somehow, after a few exchanges, they ended up in the bedroom. Just as the moment reached a point of no return, Yan Qing’s phone pinged.

Ding Qi pinned Yan Qing’s wrists down, his eyes clouded with desire. His voice was husky. “Don’t look.”

Yan Qing hesitated for a moment but still broke free to check his phone.

“There’s an emergency. A Labrador needs surgery. I have to go.” Yan Qing got up, hastily tidying his messy hair.

“It’s already eleven at night!” Ding Qi, now more awake, couldn’t believe it. “What about this?”

“Handle it yourself.” Yan Qing put on his coat and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. “Go to bed early when you’re done. Don’t wait up.”

Ding Qi: “…”

As Yan Qing left in a hurry, Ding Qi punched his pillow in frustration. Unbelievable!

His gaze landed on Yan Qing’s scarf, left behind on the bed. Ding Qi reached for it, squeezing and sniffing it.

The soft fabric, once nestled against Yan Qing’s neck, still carried his scent, weaving through every fiber and lingering tantalizingly.

When he came to his senses, the light beige scarf was already stained with guilt. Overcome with shame and regret, Ding Qi balled it up, contemplating burning it on the spot.

When Yan Qing returned at 8:30 a.m., he had worked through the night and decided to stay at the clinic since he was already there. On his way home, he picked up two breakfasts.

After showering and sorting through his clothes, Yan Qing poked his head into the kitchen where Ding Qi was plating breakfast. “Where’s my scarf?”

“I washed it. It’s hanging on the balcony.”

Suspicious, Yan Qing asked, “You didn’t… do anything with it, did you?”

Ding Qi froze, then turned to face him. “…I did.”

Yan Qing: “Next time, you can just lie to me about it.”

Ding Qi, slightly more confident, replied, “What’s the big deal? I washed it by hand and then threw it in the washing machine. No trace left, guaranteed.”

Yan Qing sighed, gesturing vaguely around his face. “The scarf wraps around here. Every time I wear it, I’ll think about what you used it for.”

His gaze wasn’t condemning or disgusted—just calm, yet inexplicably alluring.

Ding Qi put down the breakfast plate and turned to face Yan Qing fully.

“Shouldn’t we finish what we didn’t earlier?”

“Didn’t you already handle it yourself?”

“That’s like drinking water. It doesn’t fill the stomach.”

“I haven’t even eaten breakfast yet…”

“Then eat first. We’ll continue after.”

By the time Ding Qi ended their morning exercise session, Yan Qing was begging for mercy. Since it was a day off, Ding Qi simply cuddled him for a nap.

Yan Qing slept deeply. Ding Qi brushed back his messy hair and kissed the tear stains left behind.

After some serious thought, Ding Qi realized he wanted to see Yan Qing often in the future.

With this goal in mind, Ding Qi buckled down, studying hard and taking exams. A year later, he passed the selection process and transferred to a different department.

His new job was in the city, allowing him to come home every day.

When time permitted, Ding Qi would prepare dinner and wait for Yan Qing to finish work.

After dinner, the two would lounge on the couch. Yan Qing would reply to client messages while Ding Qi held him from behind, occasionally glancing at the strange questions customers sent.

It was so cozy that Ding Qi could picture their retired life as an old couple.

“Come meet my friends,” Ding Qi suddenly said.

His friends already knew about Yan Qing but hadn’t had the chance to meet him yet.

“Mm,” Yan Qing answered absentmindedly.

“And then meet my parents.”

“Mm… what?” Yan Qing snapped out of it. “What did you just say?”

“You don’t plan on skipping meeting the parents, do you?” Ding Qi’s expression grew serious. “Are you planning to just use me and toss me aside?”

“…” Yan Qing felt this accusation was too over-the-top and unnecessary.

After locking eyes with Ding Qi and confirming his seriousness, Yan Qing glanced back at his phone, his voice casual and tinged with a smile.

“Fine. Let’s start with meeting your friends first.”

The End.