Chapter 5: Taking Responsibility

Tan Yinyin felt a bit conflicted because neither her father nor her mother liked her having pets.

However, the cat in front of her lay quietly on the ground, eyes closed as if sleeping, but its body trembled slightly. She couldn't tell if it was shivering from scratches in the forest or if it was sick.

If she didn't take him with her, he might not survive much longer.

She vividly remembered a night in her old house when heavy rain poured, and the sound of raindrops pierced through the closed windows, urgent and terrifying. Accompanying that was a faint sound—a dog's painful whimper, weak and pitiful, tugging at her heartstrings.

A scene flashed in her mind: a dark, cold rainy night, a homeless dog, perhaps injured and unable to move, lying in a puddle formed by the rain, enduring the icy drops like sharp blades.

She wanted to save it but feared her father's disapproval. The dog's whimpers intermittently reached her ears, keeping her awake. Finally, she decided to go downstairs and rescue it.

However, as she opened the door, she found her father still sitting in the living room, reading under the light. He asked why she wasn't sleeping, and she truthfully told him about the poor dog downstairs that she wanted to save.

Without a doubt, she was scolded harshly and ordered to go to bed.

Tan Zhihai's voice thundered angrily, "Why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? What crazy thing are you doing in this heavy rain, looking for a dog? You're useless! Go to bed and don't make me scold you!"

Her body trembled with fear of Tan Zhihai, and she dared not resist. She closed the door obediently and went to bed.

The dog's whimpering lingered in her ears, and she covered her head with the blanket, trying to block it out, but it was of no use.

The dog continued to cry, a pitiful and helpless call, as if pleading for her help, making her sleepless all night.

She consoled herself, thinking that the dog's owner would come to rescue it.

Or maybe, if she woke up early, she could save it herself. The next morning, she woke up early, and the rain had stopped. With a dizzy head from lack of sleep, she hurriedly opened the window and was shocked to see a white, lifeless dog lying directly below.

It was dead.

Because of her indifference to its suffering and her fear of her father.

That became one of her painful childhood memories.

The regret and sadness still surged within her, so when she saw this injured, wet cat, Tan Yinyin hesitated for a moment. Unable to bear the thought of letting another life slip away, she cautiously reached out and gently lifted him from the grass.

As soon as her hand touched the still unconscious cat, it convulsed as if startled, and she almost dropped him.

Luckily, she didn't, she thought.

But when she held him in her arms and examined his wounds, she found a deep cut on his abdomen, with internal organs exposed. The wound was unnaturally smooth as if made by a sharp knife.

"Who could be so heartless to harm a kitty?" She felt extremely sorry, furrowing her beautiful brows and pouting.

Determined to get back to the city and take the cat to a vet, she cradled him even more gently, avoiding his wound. Then, with her backpack bouncing on her shoulders, she hurried towards the roadside.

After a short wait, the bus arrived.

As usual, she headed for the single seat in the middle by the window.

—She just liked that spot.

In psychology, people who sit in this position are considered intelligent, deep-thinking, and independent in their thoughts. They can see through many things and may not conform to societal norms, showing a strong aversion to blending in with the crowd. They are cautious and may have a strong sense of self-defense. However, the accuracy of these traits is uncertain.

In any case, Tan Yinyin appears cute and harmless, and due to her attractive appearance and likable personality, she is popular among male classmates.

It remains unclear whether she is genuinely innocent or just pretending to be so.

After taking her seat, she placed the cat on her lap and gently stroked its head, hoping to provide some comfort. Even if it only alleviated a bit of the cat's pain, it would be helpful.

She wasn't as simple as she seemed. When deciding to adopt the cat, she had already considered many factors, such as the cat's medical expenses and where it would stay.

She had heard from classmates who owned cats that veterinary bills could be expensive, possibly costing thousands of yuan. Being a high school student, she didn't have that kind of money. Her only option was to turn to her aunt.

She didn't know her aunt's profession, as her aunt never talked about it and never disclosed it to anyone. However, her grandmother had told her that her aunt's monthly salary was over one hundred thousand yuan.

Carefully removing her backpack to avoid disturbing the cat resting on her lap, she took out her phone.

Quickly finding her aunt in the contacts, she dialed the number. When the call connected, she smoothly adopted a pitiful tone, "Aunt... what should I do... I made a mistake... I, I dare not tell Dad, he will scold me... Aunt, can you help me?"

Tan Yinyin didn't plan to tell the whole truth. If she directly informed her aunt about the stray cat, there was a risk that her aunt might not provide money and might even oppose her adopting the cat, asking her to get rid of it.

Having experienced similar situations many times before, she had learned to be clever.

After a while, her voice continued to sob, but there was no response from the other end of the phone. Tan Yinyin started to feel uneasy, wondering if her aunt had discovered her lie.

Just as she was about to continue with her deception, her aunt's voice came through the phone, clear and distinct, "Yinyin, speak louder; I can't hear you on my end."

Tan Yinyin found it strange. The bus was relatively quiet, and there was no noise on her aunt's side. Could it be a signal issue?

Continuing with her tearful voice, she focused on the key point, "Aunt, I accidentally broke a sister's iPhone 13... sob... I need to compensate several thousand yuan... Can you lend me the money?"

After a while, her aunt finally spoke, sounding somewhat impatient, "I still can't hear you clearly. Send me a text message."

With that, her aunt ended the call.

Tan Yinyin felt a pang of anxiety. Did her aunt not want to lend her the money?

But that couldn't be right. Her aunt had always been generous to her.

Maybe it was just a signal issue.

With a nervous heart, she sent a text message to her aunt, explaining the situation again.

After a while, she received a text confirming the transfer of ten thousand yuan to her bank account, and Tan Yinyin breathed a sigh of relief.

Her aunt's message also arrived: "Yinyin, pay me back later. When I'm not around, if someone only wants your money, just give it to them. Don't get into conflicts; otherwise, you'll be taken advantage of. Understand?"

She replied: "I understand, Aunt. Don't worry, that sister won't bother me anymore."

After sending this message, she added, "Thank you, Aunt!"

Soon, her aunt responded, "Silly girl, why be so polite with Aunt?"

Putting away her phone, Tan Yinyin sincerely thought in her heart, "Aunt, thank you. When I can earn money in the future, I will definitely repay you."

The cat's medical expenses were settled. As for its accommodation, she could secretly keep the cat in her room for now, especially since it was injured and couldn't move freely.

She just needed to train him not to react aggressively when someone entered her room.

She hoped he was a smart cat, she thought.

...

In a certain operating room at M.R Laboratory:

Situ Mu had dismissed all other miscellaneous thoughts and calmly approached what belonged to him, his "artwork."

He had thought it through; imprisoning her was not something he would do without a hundred percent certainty.

He couldn't allow any possibility of his possession escaping, not even a fleeting thought.

Yet, this woman, like a blood-red rose with a cold fragrance, was alluring and dripping with thorns. Truly... not obedient at all.

As long as she lived, she would inevitably try to escape. Only in death could she remain with him forever, for his exclusive appreciation.

Situ Mu, having come to terms with this, found the outcome beautiful—beautiful enough to make him anticipate it.

In the clear white light, he slowly revealed a gentle smile to Daisy, like a warm breeze. Every move exuded an inherent aristocratic demeanor, resembling a refined and gentle gentleman. However, a faint shadow lingered in his eyes, hinting at a hint of madness and possessiveness.

Possession? Huh.

Daisy chuckled. She felt that every action of this man seemed to be a blatant provocation.

It was interesting, very interesting, itching her teeth to suck his blood.

She sat coquettishly on the operating table, gently playing with a strand of her silver hair. The crimson tips of her eyes hooked slightly, and she looked at his pale-as-jade neck. She licked her teeth seductively, her posture alluring and charming, as if tempting him.

However, Situ Mu remained unmoved, as if watching a mere object in motion.

Suddenly, Daisy seemed to remember something. She lightly covered her face, feigning shyness, her voice unabashedly seductive, "Brother, you haven't told me yet, last night... did you give me a bath?"

"Yes."

When answering, Situ Mu's expression didn't change, as if it were an ordinary occurrence.

After hearing this, Daisy became even more shy, her voice soft and charming, "I heard that human thoughts are very conservative. Not only did you see my body, but you also... touched it. Shouldn't you take responsibility for me?"

"Indeed."

Replying to this question, Situ Mu remained emotionless, as if it were the most commonplace thing.

Hearing his response, Daisy appeared even more demure, gently speaking, "I've heard that human thoughts are very conservative. Not only did you see my body, but you also... touched it. Shouldn't you take responsibility for me?"