After Jin Chuyun left, Jiang Ying and Qu Sheng got down to business.
On the surface, they were discussing the certification of a game project, but each had their own ulterior motives. She was worried about Su Heng, who was waiting alone outside, and just wanted to achieve her goal quickly and end the conversation. Qu Sheng’s mind was full of her relationship with Su Heng and her relationship with Jin Chuyun, and he kept thinking about how to ask about it naturally.
After much effort, they finalized the documents to be submitted and the review certification process, moving into the final wrap-up phase and exchanging polite pleasantries about beastman-friendly topics. Qu Sheng finally seized the opportunity: “Oh, yes, yes. I saw you talking with a beastman gentleman outside earlier, Miss Jiang. I fully believe in your friendly attitude toward beastmen. Um—is that beastman your, uh, lover?”
“No.”
Jiang Ying looked troubled. “I… I’m sorry, I have Beastman Cognitive Disorder. That was my guide dog, Doggy. But please believe me, this does not affect my friendliness toward beastmen, nor my team’s positive attitude toward the beastman community.”
Beastman Cognitive Disorder?!
Qu Sheng looked shocked. Not because he doubted her friendliness toward beastmen, but—she said their Lord Commander was a guide dog? D-dog?
So, all those actions of touching, hugging, and kissing she did to the Lord Commander were just—coaxing a dog she thought he was?
Even more terrifying, the Lord Commander actually seemed to quite enjoy it.
Qu Sheng sucked in a breath of cold air.
He was all too familiar with the psychology of someone with Beastman Cognitive Disorder like Jiang Ying. This was not some master‑pet couple roleplay. She genuinely believed that the Lord Commander was a dog.
This is too shippable… no, this is truly astonishing.
Qu Sheng felt somewhat dizzy, and his speech became incoherent: “Uh, I believe you, I believe you. You are definitely friendly toward beastmen.”
Otherwise, the Lord Commander wouldn’t let her kiss him!
Working at the Beastman Association for so many years, Qu Sheng had come into contact with many people suffering from Beastman Cognitive Disorder. Some thought beastmen were no different from ordinary animals, while others had all kinds of strange and incomprehensible perceptions. There was even a portion of extremely radical individuals with cognitive disorder who regarded beastmen as the natural enemies of humans, believing all beastmen to be evil and dangerous, and that approaching them would bring misfortune. This small group of people from the beginning was the precursor to the Extreme Anti‑Beastmen Faction.
To this day, the Extreme Resistance Faction is still expanding within the Federation, trying to brainwash more ordinary people and turn them into their comrades. Over the years, the Beastman Association has rescued many beastmen, some of whom have been persecuted by the Extreme Resistance Faction. Besides beastmen, they also provide help to affected humans. For example, those who, after being brainwashed by the Extreme Resistance Faction and developing Beastman Cognitive Disorder, still hold goodwill toward beastmen and wish to be cured. It was under such circumstances that Qu Sheng got to know Jin Chuyun.
Jin Chuyun’s father, Federal President Jin Congmin, held a neutral stance toward beastmen—officially not supporting them, but tacitly allowing beastmen to gradually establish themselves in the Federation. Jin Chuyun, however, was openly a member of the Pro‑Beastman Faction. His psychology clinic was founded for people with Beastman Cognitive Disorder, which is why Qu Sheng had cooperated with him several times.
Thinking of this, Qu Sheng suddenly understood. “So, you and Chuyun…?”
There was nothing to hide about Jiang Ying and Jin Chuyun’s relationship. She answered honestly: “Doctor Jin is helping me treat my Beastman Cognitive Disorder.”
As expected.
Now, besides the Lord Commander’s love life, Qu Sheng also worried about his identity secret. Jin Chuyun was her psychologist, so they would inevitably have frequent contact. But at the same time, he was the son of the Federal President, and he absolutely must not discover that Su Heng was the enemy nation’s commander. Qu Sheng thought he needed to find a chance to approach Jiang Ying privately and quietly warn the Lord Commander.
Having learned what they needed, the two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and the conversation ended.
Once her goal was achieved, Jiang Ying had planned to thank Jin Chuyun first. But in such a vast hall, being unable to see, she simply couldn’t find him. She had no choice but to take out her phone and type blindly, sending a message to express her thanks and say she was leaving first.
As soon as the message was sent, she turned and left the banquet hall immediately, going to find the dog she missed so dearly.
Would he be scared, all alone?
Would he get lost and unable to find his way back?
Would he… like an overly friendly little dog, take someone else as his owner and be taken away?
The more she thought, the more anxious she became, yet she was afraid of bumping into people. She could only feel her way along the wall and slowly make her way out. Just as she stepped beyond the security’s supervision range, someone grasped her arm.
It was very warm. So warm it almost felt hot.
Even though she’d only brought him home a few days ago, this sensation felt incredibly familiar, making her feel especially at ease.
“A Heng!” she exclaimed joyfully.
This time she didn’t hesitate at all.
Only Su Heng would be waiting for her here.
Su Heng gazed at her deeply. The hand holding her arm slid down, passing her wrist, and clasped her hand in his palm. Jiang Ying held that big hand in return. “Why didn’t you find a drink shop to sit in?”
Because I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find me.
Because I wanted to be by your side the moment you appeared.
Su Heng erased those answers that had no business being in his mind.
“Not thirsty,” he said.
You stay by her side to use her. Su Heng reminded himself.
You should be doing your real business.
“Did you see the person you wanted to see?” he asked naturally, without any deliberate tone. “There seem to be a lot of political figures here.”
“Mm‑hmm, I did.”
It was obvious Jiang Ying didn’t think this was a topic to discuss with a dog, and she didn’t follow up his question with a detailed explanation. “Went more smoothly than I imagined, thank goodness Doctor Jin knew the person I wanted to meet.”
Su Heng caught another key point in her words: “Doctor Jin?”
“Yes, he’s my psychologist.”
Psychologist. The one treating her Beastman Cognitive Disorder?
Su Heng’s gaze flickered slightly, and his grip on her hand tightened.
So, when they had met earlier, that man had been fully aware of the dynamic between him and her.
…No.
This wasn’t the time to think about that.
That psychologist showing up here—did he also have some connection to the Federation’s political circles?
The people around her didn’t seem all that simple.
The reasons to stay by her side have grown a little stronger.
“A Heng.”
Jiang Ying shook his hand, pulling his thoughts back. “Let’s go home.”
…That’s not his home.
Su Heng lowered his eyes to their clasped hands. “Alright.”
He raised his other mechanical arm and used the icy metal fingertip to brush aside the stray hair that had fallen over her forehead and covered her eyes, without touching her skin. The sensor on this hand had countless times the sensitivity of a normal arm, and the mechanical arm’s strength was countless times as well. If all these so‑called coincidences were traps she had laid, he could seize her by the neck at any moment and end her life with his own hands.
When that time comes, would she still smile at him without any wariness, just like now?
At that time, she would certainly no longer call him “Good Dog.”
He thought, perhaps she would stubbornly glare at him with red‑rimmed eyes, grit her teeth and curse him as “the Empire’s running dog,” and abandon him without hesitation.
Then, as he wished, everything would return to its proper course.
Jiang Ying had no idea what was going through his mind.
Getting off work early and having her dog by her side, she smiled even more happily.
“Good dog, let’s go.”
Her dimples weren’t very obvious; they only showed a little when she smiled really happily. Su Heng stared at the small dimple dent on her cheek and suddenly had a strong urge… to lick it.
It was a good thing they were in public.
Otherwise, he was afraid he really wouldn’t be able to control himself.
After leaving the banquet hall, Jin Chuyun took out his phone and opened the chat window with Jiang Ying.
【Jiang Ying: Doctor Jin, thank you for helping me today. I’ve finished talking with Chairman Qu, so I’m heading off first.】
He tapped the input field, pressed the voice key, and said into the phone: “Alright.”
Running into Jiang Ying here wasn’t an accident, and the beastman standing beside her was also within his expectations. Just before coming to the banquet, his assistant had sent a detailed investigation report on that beastman. Su Heng’s information was unremarkable. He was a soldier who had just retired from the Federation’s battlefield; he was expelled from the military for losing an arm in combat and sent to the Beastman Employment Agency. The information was perfect, and nothing suspicious could be found. In other words, the Federation didn’t care about these beastman soldiers at all—the records in the files only held that much. And the Beastman Occupation Reception Center boasted about itself to the skies, but in reality it was just a tool for the Federation to control beastmen. The beastmen sent there—whether the assigned occupation matched or suited them—no one really cared.
Jiang Ying hiring a beastman guide dog was also within his expectations. From the moment he became her psychologist three years ago, he knew this day would come. He scanned the useless data and gave his assistant an order.
【Jin Chuyun: Intercept the Mental Compatibility Data report between Jiang Ying and that beastman before it’s submitted to the Federation.】
After hesitating for a moment, he unlocked the screen again and sent a new voice message to Jiang Ying.
“When do you have time to come to the clinic?”
As his finger lifted from the screen, the voice message was sent. The moment the notification sound rang out, a teasing, frivolous voice came from behind Jin Chuyun: “What, barely parted and already can’t wait to see her again?”
It was just a doctor’s advice to a patient.
A Lanyin knew this perfectly well but deliberately said it to disgust him.
Jin Chuyun raised his eyes and looked at him calmly. He didn’t answer aloud; the unchanged gentleness in his eyes was already enough to annoy A Lanyin.
Pretentious, a refined scoundrel, a sanctimonious hypocrite.
A Lanyin had never been able to stand his two‑faced, insincere manner.
“Aren’t psychologists not allowed to have other private relationships with patients? Your attention toward her, isn’t it a little too much?”
Jin Chuyun lowered his eyes and smiled. “Just an ordinary patient. You’re overthinking, A Lanyin.”
“Just an ordinary patient? No wonder—you still don’t know, do you.”
A Lanyin leaned against the wall nearby and curled his lips into a provocative smile. “She says she’ll drop by this weekend.”
Such a boring and childish provocation, of course, couldn’t stir any emotional fluctuation in Jin Chuyun. He didn’t even ask A Lanyin when he’d met her; instead, he politely thanked him: “Thank you, I’ll take note.”
“…Tch, you really put on a good act.”
A Lanyin’s pent‑up resentment had nowhere to go. He turned to leave, but was pinned in place by Jin Chuyun’s next words.
“However, it’s been a while since you’ve come for a consultation, hasn’t it?”
Jin Chuyun met the white wolf’s instantly sharp and narrowed eyes. He spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone as gentle as to any ordinary patient, but the content was worlds apart from his delivery:
“Your symptoms have been recurring lately. You’re starting to think you’re her dog again, aren’t you?”