Chapter 24: "Rest assured, I have plenty of experience."

Song Xi thought silently, unconsciously adopting the ideas Zhang Hening had instilled in her.

She shook off the thoughts, hurriedly trying to scatter these lurid fantasies.

"Come on, let's go home."

Her ears turned red as she walked toward the building, looking like a little house cat that had been out playing too long and was eager to return home. She was sensible and knew how to cherish people; at the very least, she knew the way back.

Jing Zhuo’s lips curled up, and he followed her steps.

Song Xi and the man entered the elevator one after the other. He stood with his back to her, pressing the floor button. The elevator light shone down on his broad, well-defined back.

Song Xi rubbed her eyes, feeling as though she had lost her mind.

Because she saw it.

A large tail had sprouted from Jing Zhuo’s backside.

The tail was grey, long, and thick and fluffy, just like a big bad wolf's. It was held high, its soft fur brushing against her face, tickling her.

She raised her hand to pinch the tip of the tail, but missed.

She reached forward another two inches and still missed.

"Ding—"

The elevator door opened, and Jing Zhuo walked out with his big tail held high.

Song Xi hurriedly followed behind him, watching that tail squeeze out from the waistband of his pants, swinging back and forth before her eyes, nearly bursting through his belt.

When she went to change her shoes, Song Xi couldn't help herself and grabbed the base of the tail.

So soft!

Jing Zhuo reflexively turned around, one hand guarding his backside. Seeing it was Song Xi, a flash of disbelief crossed his eyes.

"What… are you doing?"

Song Xi blinked with earnest eyes and said with complete seriousness:

"Do you want to take off your pants? Your tail is being stifled."

Jing Zhuo: "?"

Seeing him hesitate to move, Song Xi grew more distressed the more she looked.

She had done this when dressing Guai-Guai.

She had to cut a hole in the back of the pants to let the tail out.

Action followed thought.

Song Xi rummaged through a drawer in the living room and found a pair of scissors. She approached him aggressively, intent on cutting his pants.

Jing Zhuo was terrified. He firmly pinned her hands down, his pupils shaking, his voice trembling as well.

"Song Xi, calm down."

"Don't worry, I won't hurt your bottom. I have a lot of experience; it will feel much better once it's out."

Thinking he was just afraid, Song Xi tried to comfort him while waiting for the right moment to use the scissors.

Jing Zhuo dodged to the side, suppressing her movements, unable to believe it.

"Tell me the truth, how long have you been like this?"

"Huh?"

Like what?

"Have you been to a psychiatric clinic to get checked out?" he asked again.

"Huh?"

What psychiatric clinic?

She was trying to let his tail out; what did that have to do with a psychiatric clinic!

Song Xi remained silent, fixated on Jing Zhuo’s belt, determined to cut a hole in his pants.

Jing Zhuo realized she couldn't understand reason anymore; her head was filled with nothing but the idea of taking off his pants.

He controlled both her wrists with one hand and took out his phone with the other to make a call.

"Hello, 1008, Building 1, Jiushu Residential District, Shantang Road. Send an ambulance; there’s a psychiatric patient having an episode here."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a *snap*.

The pants were torn...

-

"It’s mushroom poisoning, causing hallucinations. Administer fluids in large quantities and let the toxins flush out through her urine, and she’ll be fine."

In the hospital emergency room.

Jing Zhuo sat in front of the hospital bed, expressionless.

Song Xi sat on the bed with an IV needle in the back of her hand. She was still holding a small pair of scissors and a pair of pants, snipping and trimming away.

Her eyes were dark and clear, filled with intense concentration.

After cutting, she began to mime sewing the edges, hooking the hem, every stitch executed with great effort.

Jing Zhuo held her IV tube in one hand to warm the cold liquid, answering her as he did so.

"Such a big hole, it should be enough to use now, right?"

"Mm."

"You should try it."

"I'll try it when we get home."

"Your tail is so big and the fur is so long; isn't it stuffy when you keep it tucked inside all the time?"

"Stuffy."

"Then I'll help you modify more of your pants!"

"Okay."

Jing Zhuo took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to Zhang Hexing.

"Go upstairs."

Zhang Hexing replied from the other side: "Go upstairs for what?"

Jing Zhuo: "Check what Zhang Hening is doing and take her to the hospital for a check-up. She ate some undercooked mushrooms tonight and might be poisoned."

The other side went silent instantly.

A while later, Zhang Hexing sent a picture. Zhang Hening was plastered against the wall in a star shape, her movements bizarre.

Zhang Hexing: "She says she's a spider and is spinning a web."

"..."

Late at night, Song Xi fell asleep.

The morning sun spilled onto the hospital bed, stinging her awake. Song Xi opened her eyes and realized she was lying in a hospital bed.

The man was slumped by her bedside, holding a small pair of scissors in his slender-jointed hand, the tip pointing toward himself, seemingly asleep.

The memories of yesterday flooded into her mind.

Song Xi realized—

She had been poisoned by mushrooms yesterday and had dragged Jing Zhuo along, insisting on cutting his pants and his underwear...

She had even spent the latter half of the night fussing and insisting she wouldn't sleep unless she could touch Jing Zhuo’s tail. He had let her touch the tip, but she wouldn't have it, insisting on touching the soft base of the tail.

Help!

How mortifying!

What floor was this? Could she jump out?

Was there any tofu nearby? She wanted to smash her head into it!

Song Xi covered her face, wanting to cry. As she moved, Jing Zhuo by the bed woke up. The two of them were alone in the ward.

Eyes meeting, Jing Zhuo said softly.

"How are you feeling? Do you still want to touch the tail?"

Song Xi: "..."

Her face flushed instantly. She buried her head in the quilt, digging her toes into the floor like a quail.

"I-I'm sorry, I embarrassed you yesterday."

Jing Zhuo raised an eyebrow and placed the scissors on the bedside table: "I wasn't embarrassed, but I was teased quite a bit. The whole hospital spent half the night watching the show."

Song Xi kept her head buried, wanting to die even more.

Help, she hadn't been recorded on video, uploaded to the internet, and turned into a laughingstock for millions of netizens, had she?

Her hand brushed against something. Song Xi grabbed it and pulled—she dragged a pair of casual pants with a large hole cut into them from under the quilt.

And a pair of dark men's underwear.

Also... cut with a large hole.

Because they had been worn, she could even smell a faint, indescribable scent, something like musk.

Song Xi wanted to die even more.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, I ruined your pants. I'll buy you a new pair... no, two new pairs!"

Jing Zhuo stood up slowly, stretched his stiff neck, and gave her a half-smile.

"No rush. We can settle that slowly when we get home."

The IV bags were finished, but because she had fallen asleep late last night, Jing Zhuo hadn't woken her. With medical resources being sufficient, he had moved her out of the emergency room and booked her a private room for the night.

Song Xi just wanted to escape now.

She hurriedly jumped off the bed, put on her shoes, and covered her face as she prepared to run.

"Wait, take your artwork with you."

The man called out behind her.

Song Xi: "..."

She slunk back, rolled up the pants and underwear into a bundle, hugged them to her chest, and fled with a buzzing head.

On the way home, Song Xi carried her spoils in her arms, feeling terribly embarrassed.

"Um, I didn't hurt you yesterday, did I?"

"Which aspect are you referring to?"

"?"

"Mentally, I'll overlook it; physically..." Jing Zhuo glanced at her meaningfully, "touched three times, pinched five times, and reached in to dig six times."