Su Heng clenched his fists. The chain of the handcuffs pulled taut against the bedframe with a creaking sound. Only then did he manage to keep himself from following her movement.
Jiang Ying felt her way over the rows of buttons one by one.
They all felt pretty much the same. There seemed to be one pressed down; in truth, she couldn’t quite tell them apart.
Su Heng didn’t dare say anything. She hadn’t realized there could be consequences for pressing the wrong one, and she didn’t hesitate much as she pushed one down.
The moment the bed beneath them suddenly began to vibrate, Su Heng knew immediately: it was over.
This must be the so-called vibration mode. When he’d been reading the function descriptions in that little booklet, he’d stared at the text in parentheses after it in disbelief for a long time.
But even then, he never imagined there would come a day when these functions would actually be used on him.
Jiang Ying was startled by the suddenly moving bed.
Now she was fully awake.
“Wh-what’s going on?” She panicked and grabbed onto the edge of the bed, wobbling atop the shaking mattress. “Why is the bed moving?”
Instinctively, she ducked toward Su Heng’s side. Unable to sit steady on the vibrating bed, her chin knocked against the shackles at his wrist.
Su Heng reflexively steadied her, then immediately let go as if shocked by electricity.
Amid his shaking line of sight, her face drew closer and closer, the visual impact intensifying. The catnip pheromones emanating from her also swayed with the motion, making his whole head spin.
Amid the clanking of chains, he couldn’t keep his tone steady either; every syllable vibrated: “Careful… you probably… pressed the wrong one.”
Su Heng had completely failed to foresee this development.
Already struggling to control his bodily senses while also being jostled around, he endured until cold sweat beaded at his temples.
It was then that Jiang Ying finally realized the problem with this bed.
She truly hadn’t thought much when she bought it that day. Thinking back now, the sales clerk’s words like “size,” “strength,” “load-bearing,” and “pressure resistance” indeed seemed unusual.
She wasn’t some naive kid. She made otome games for a living; she understood what there was to understand.
The moment she pressed that button, the bed started shaking. Plus the collar-like thing around Su Heng’s neck, and the chains on his hands and feet…
It was like something Jin Chuyu would write into a spicy card scene…
How could she have bought such a risqué bed for her dog!
Su Heng wouldn’t think she was some kind of weird owner, would he?
At this thought, a blush also colored Jiang Ying’s cheeks: “I’ll, I’ll go turn it off.”
Trembling, she crawled toward the edge of the bed, frantically feeling again for the button she’d pressed.
But in this situation, her hands weren’t steady either. Carelessly, she hit another function.
This function, designed for couples, took its usage scenarios fully into account. The very first design consideration had been—easy to press.
Fortunately, the button she pressed this time seemed to have no effect.
At least, she didn’t feel any difference.
But beside her, Su Heng began to tremble.
What Jiang Ying had accidentally turned on was the pheromone enhancement function.
Her catnip scent was magnified several times over, continuously surging into the Beastman’s nostrils along with the shaking air.
His nasal cavity, his throat, his chest—very soon, they were all full of her scent, filling his thoughts, occupying his brain, crashing through his limbs and bones, stirring dark currents in his blood.
Su Heng began to breathe rapidly. But the more he gulped in air, the more that scent crawled into his mouth.
Every bob of his Adam’s apple grew more labored, coated in her scent.
He craved touching her more and more.
Wanted to hold her, kiss her, lick her… wanted to bite the back of her neck, wanted to…
No. He warned himself with his last shred of willpower: she said it, he bit her and it hurt.
She didn’t like that.
He couldn’t.
Su Heng felt a sudden surge of gratitude that right now, shackles bound his limbs and neck, and that he hadn’t forcibly broken free earlier.
They protected her, and preserved his dignity before her.
But though his hands and feet were bound, his tail was still pressing against her, beyond his control. He forgot his staunch refusal when she’d asked to touch his tail, now urgently swishing it left and right, trying to wrap it around her waist.
Tickled by his tail, she laughed despite herself while reaching out to brush it aside.
“Stop messing around, good dog, let me find the button…”
She moved a little further away.
That fluffy tail chased after her again.
Only then did Jiang Ying realize his tail was somewhere between a dog’s and a leopard’s—perhaps closer to a leopard’s.
But compared to the thin tail of the Black Panther in his genes, his tail also had the long fur of a Herding Dog, actually resembling a Snow Leopard’s tail more.
The long, thick tail nimbly coiled around her ankle. With an undeniable firmness, it dragged her whole body back with taut strength, pressing her beneath him once more.
“Su Heng!!” A little angry, she tried to shake it off but couldn’t. She kicked at the tip of his tail with her other foot.
“…Sorry…” The Beastman finally came back to his senses.
Su Heng retracted his tail, trembling. Afraid he’d lose control again, he stuffed the fluffy coil into his mouth.
He wasn’t a Snow Leopard, yet now he was imitating one—biting his tail, using his own scent on it to dispel her pheromones that were everywhere, while also inhaling less.
This indeed eased some of the tense excitement, but more importantly, it prevented his tail from mindlessly rubbing against her again.
As the scent weakened, the dark red tint in his ash-gray eyes gradually faded, and the murky light cleared a little.
“Sorry,” he said again.
Jiang Ying wasn’t too affected and quickly recovered from the chaotic mess: “I’ll go turn that off, the… the bed’s vibration.”
“Mm…”
“Ah, here it is. And the button I pressed just now, the one I don’t know what it does…” This time she was exceptionally careful, successfully turning off the second and third switches she’d pressed. “Is there one more? The one I might have accidentally hit while I was asleep?”
“Don’t turn it off!” Su Heng suddenly said. “Don’t turn it off yet.”
His urges hadn’t fully subsided. If these shackles were removed now, in the instant he lost their restraint, he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to control himself.
Jiang Ying didn’t understand what he meant: “What?”
“I mean…” He panted. “My hand is a bit cramped, numb. Let me rest for a while. We’ll turn it off in a bit, okay?”
“Huh? But isn’t this really uncomfortable?”
“No. It’s fine like this. Just wait a bit—” A little anxious, his words came out jumbled as he coaxed her. “Putting a collar on a dog, using a leash, is perfectly normal. You don’t need to… don’t worry. It’s just that… can you hug me?”
How strange. Jiang Ying didn’t understand her dog’s thoughts at all, but his request was easy to fulfill. She leaned over, knelt on the bed, and stretched out her arms to embrace her dog, who was locked there, unable to move.
The tail he’d just put down curled around her waist again, this time resting there loosely, with a rather gentlemanly air.
Jiang Ying paid it no mind. She raised her hand and comfortingly patted his faintly trembling shoulder.
Soothed, he let out a restrained “Mm” from his throat.
Longing to press closer to her, yet afraid that leaning in would let him smell her pheromones and stimulate him again, Su Heng held his breath.
But after hugging for just a moment, she pulled back.
“Tell me when it’s not numb anymore, okay? I’ll go help you undo it.”
After a while.
Su Heng finally calmed down. His voice hoarse, he said, “Alright.”
Jiang Ying turned off the very first button. The chaotic mess of shackles retracted. She leaned over to rub his wrist, then his neck, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“At least you’re not hurt. Tomorrow, I’ll get rid of this bed!” Huffing, she lay down under the blankets on the other side, tugging on Su Heng’s sleeve. “Let’s switch sides. That way, I won’t accidentally press anything.”
Su Heng carefully lay down beside her and said good night once more.
Tonight, he probably wouldn’t be able to fall asleep.
After causing such a huge commotion, he had no idea what she must think of him.
Or perhaps she didn’t care at all. After all, in her eyes, he was just a dog, not a person.
Whether the former or the latter, both seemed to make him miserable.
Jiang Ying had no idea of Su Heng’s internal turmoil. She wasn’t thinking about anything right now. Having been woken up and gone through all that fuss, she soon felt sleepy again.
However, just as she was finally about to drift off, the phone by her pillow lit up. Notification sounds for incoming messages chimed continuously.
“So annoying…”
Irritated, she turned over to face him, buried her face in the blanket, and squirmed as she nudged him. “Check it for me, okay? Good dog.”
Su Heng didn’t want her to discover he was still wide awake, not a trace of drowsiness in him.
He waited a moment, feigning as if he’d just groggily come to, then reached past her to grab her phone from beside the pillow.
He swiped the screen.
Fingerprint lock.
He gently lifted a corner of the blanket, found her little hand tucked by her cheek, and carefully lifted her finger to unlock it.
Jiang Ying felt the warmth and didn’t want to let go.
She grasped Su Heng’s thumb in return and snuggled comfortably into his arms.
“…”
Su Heng paused. Another muffled groan escaped his throat involuntarily.
With difficulty, he ignored the soft form against his chest and lowered his eyes to the unlocked phone screen.
It was a forum.
The personal center, which she hadn’t closed, was continuously popping up with message replies—
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘Eve’s Apple’: Is “Companion-Type Beastman” the meaning I think it is?
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘momo’: The similar term on the market is Companion Beastman, not a sex partner. That sort of thing is illegal, baby.
…
User ‘Greatly Shocked’ replied to ‘momo’: That’s what they say, but the trendy thing in small circles right now is to hire various types of Beastmen and then date them. Employer and employed Beastman, both willing; the Beastman Employment Agency is happy to facilitate too.
User ‘Greatly Shocked’ replied to ‘momo’: Essentially, it’s a rich young lady and her butler falling in love, a princess and her knight falling in love, an ordinary employer and an extraordinary Beastman falling in love—tender and entangled, grand and passionate… Some people just have that kind of kink fantasy.
…
User ‘&@%￥’ replied to ‘Greatly Shocked’: I suggest this person uninstall JJ Novels, ASAP.
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘&@%￥’: LOL I’m dying.
…
User ‘Truth’ replied to ‘Greatly Shocked’: What you’re describing is actually just the behavior of naive young girls who like Beastmen but have no contact with them in real life. They’re the minority. Most employment relationships end in conflict and drama. Beyond that, there really are groups who take pleasure in “keeping” Beastmen. That kind is not good. Even though the Federation hasn’t introduced relevant policies yet, no one should wish for anyone to do that.
…
User ‘Invincible Keyboard Warrior’ replied to ‘Truth’: How could they possibly introduce policies? It’s those corrupt Federation high-level elites who play like that. Ordinary people don’t have those kinds of connections. Can the neighboring Empire just hurry up and destroy the Federation already? What a foul, murky place.
User ‘Air’ replied to ‘Invincible Keyboard Warrior’: Our brother Invincible is calling you out @Jin Congmin @Federal President Jin Congmin.
User ‘Federation Square Fried Chicken’ replied to ‘Air’: What president uses a forum? These are all fakes…
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘Invincible Keyboard Warrior’: Be careful, your account’s about to disappear!
…
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘Orange’: OP has been gone for hours now. Did she already get down to business and fall asleep?
User ‘momo’ replied to ‘momo’: Aaahhh, I heard canine Beastmen are really good at licking. So it must be super pleasurable, right?
“…”
Su Heng had no desire to continue reading.
He silently put the phone back, his hands trembling.
He shouldn’t have listened to her words while she was half-asleep and checked her phone.
—This was his second mistake tonight.
The girl in his arms had fallen back into deep sleep. He looked at her for a moment with a complicated expression, then gently pushed her a little further away.
He’d thought she hired him just to be her eyes.
He’d thought when she said she wanted to sleep with him, it was only…
But he’d never expected her to be discussing such topics with others on a forum?
Had he misunderstood? Or was her cognitive disorder, under the influence of outside commentary, developing in a more extreme direction?
He must have misunderstood.
Su Heng lay back down and carefully tucked the blanket around the hollow of her neck.
No matter what, he was the Commander-in-Chief of the enemy nation. He’d infiltrated the Federation to probe the enemy’s secrets. There was no way he could willingly become a human girl’s plaything.
—He absolutely would not let this become the third mistake.