Chapter 76: An Agitated Wolfie

Wolfie, visibly agitated: Where do you think you’re running off to?

She bolted home in a panic, not daring to look back even once. She slammed the door shut and leaned against it, finally exhaling a long breath of relief.

Once she relaxed, her body felt as limp as a rag. Her back slid down the door until she plopped onto the floor.

The house was pitch black. She didn’t bother turning on the lights. Sitting there against the door all alone, her thoughts were a tangled mess.

The wolf had looked so earnest just now. Even with that fluffy wolf face, Ji Yingran could sense the sincerity shining from her eyes.

The more earnest the wolf was, the more confused and flustered Ji Yingran became.

The commotion at the door drew the golden retriever out of its dog bed. It wagged its tail excitedly and trotted over with lively steps, letting out happy little whines.

Ji Yingran stroked its head. “Did I wake you up?”

The golden retriever wagged its tail even harder and whined affectionately. There wasn’t a hint of annoyance at being disturbed—only pure adoration for its owner.

Ji Yingran hugged the pup close and muttered to herself, “How did things get so weird? This whole direction feels totally bizarre.”

The golden retriever stayed obediently by her side, resting its head on her shoulder while its tail kept wagging happily.

“Fantuan, you and the wolf are both canines. Rounding it off, you’re basically the same species. But how come your thinking is so different? I tell you I like you every day, and you never get the wrong idea.”

“Then again, you two are different. She’s gained human-like intelligence, but you haven’t yet…”

Ji Yingran scratched her head, messing up her hair completely. She felt utterly lost, with no idea how to handle this.

If it were just some ordinary person, Ji Yingran would have turned them down flat. She had no interest in romance anyway. But this wasn’t an ordinary person.

It was Wolfie—her adorable, fluffy Wolfie.

Ji Yingran just couldn’t bring herself to reject her outright.

She couldn’t reject her, but she couldn’t agree either. It left her stuck in a real bind.

Ji Yingran had no one to confide in about this. It was the middle of the night, and she couldn’t very well go bothering anyone else. So she just kept rambling to the golden retriever.

At first, the pup seemed thrilled. But as Ji Yingran went on and on, it started trying to squirm away…

Ji Yingran let out a soft sigh and released it. “All right, all right. I won’t torture you anymore. Go back to sleep.”

To make up for subjecting the pup to her rambling—and the emotional distress it caused—Ji Yingran tore open a pack of its favorite treats for it.

Earlier, when she’d fled from the wolf, her excuse had been that she needed to bring her some soup.

Now, Ji Yingran was a million percent against going back. But she’d already promised, so she couldn’t go back on her word. The soup still had to be delivered.

She might not be able to return the wolf’s feelings, but she could at least feed her. No way was she letting her go hungry.

With a click, she flicked on the kitchen light.

She stepped into the kitchen and lifted the lid of the clay pot for a peek. Inside was the leftover Walnut Longan Lotus Seed Soup from dinner.

There was more than half a pot left—a portion too much for a normal person, but probably not enough for the wolf.

She set the pot on the stove to heat up the soup, then opened the fridge to see what other ingredients she had. She needed to whip up something extra for the wolf.

The fridge wasn’t stocked with much besides meat—and plenty of that.

Pan-Fried Pork Belly it was, then. The wolf loved it, and it was simple to make.

Ji Yingran tied on her apron with practiced ease and got to work. As she busied herself, the nagging thoughts about what to do finally quieted down, giving her a moment of peace.

Lady Ou had gotten up for a glass of water when she heard the noises from the kitchen. Puzzled, she wandered over.

“Ranran?” Lady Ou rubbed her eyes sleepily as she reached the kitchen doorway. “What are you doing cooking in the middle of the night? Didn’t you eat enough for dinner?”

Ji Yingran felt a pang of inexplicable guilt. “It’s not that I didn’t eat enough. I just felt like a midnight snack.”

Lady Ou glanced at the pot of meat. “You’re frying up so much pork belly. Think you can finish it all? This amount would feed five or six people. Did you empty the entire fridge?”

Ji Yingran’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she made up an excuse on the spot. “Yeah, it’s a lot, but it’s not just for me. I figured I’d cook it all at once and save some for a friend tomorrow.”

Lady Ou nodded, taking her at her word. “Makes sense. Just don’t eat too much this late. If you want to cook, do it during the day. Staying up like this isn’t good for your health.”

Ji Yingran nodded vigorously. “Got it, Mom. I don’t usually do this—I’m just having trouble sleeping tonight. It’s late, and you’ve got work tomorrow. Go back to bed.”

Lady Ou yawned and turned to leave without another word.

But just as she pushed open her bedroom door, Ji Yingran called out from behind her.

“Mom.”

Lady Ou paused and looked back.

Ji Yingran hesitated, lips pressed together.

Seeing her like this reminded Lady Ou of how off her daughter had seemed all day. She instantly perked up.

“What’s wrong?” Lady Ou walked back over. “Is something on your mind? Whatever it is, tell your mom. Don’t keep it bottled up. I might not always be able to fix it, but I’ve got more life experience than you. I can at least give you some advice.”

Ji Yingran turned off the heat under the pork belly and stepped out of the kitchen.

“It’s not a big deal. I’m just stuck on something and wanted to ask you about a relationship issue.”

“Are you dating someone?”

Ji Yingran waved her hands frantically. “No, no! It’s not dating. There’s just this… person. They expressed interest in that kind of thing with me.”

Lady Ou tilted her head. “Do you like him? Do you want to date him?”

“…”

Ji Yingran suddenly regretted asking. Lady Ou had been single for nearly thirty years and had never been one for romance herself, so she got overly excited about the topic.

Lady Ou was open-minded and never pushy about tradition. She respected Ji Yingran’s disinterest in dating. But like most parents of her generation, she secretly hoped her daughter would settle down someday.

She didn’t nag or pressure, but the longing was there.

“Mom, don’t get so worked up. I don’t like her… or maybe it’s not that I don’t like her. I see her as a friend—no, actually not even a friend. More like someone closer than a friend… but not quite that either…”

Ji Yingran fumbled, unable to quite describe her relationship with Mu Ci.

And it was precisely because their bond was so complicated that Mu Ci’s confession left her at a complete loss.

“Anyway, she’s someone really special to me. She says she likes me—probably in a romantic way. It’s messing me up. I don’t think I can say yes. But I also can’t bear to turn her down. Sigh.”

By the end, Ji Yingran sighed heavily, still hopelessly tangled.

“Forget it, Mom. Just pretend I was rambling nonsense. Don’t worry about it. Go to sleep.”

Lady Ou didn’t budge. Her gaze lingered on her daughter, probing gently.

Ji Yingran shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. “Really, it’s nothing. Go to bed.”

Lady Ou stepped closer and patted her shoulder. “You’ve said all this about how complicated things are between you, how it’s hard to refuse or accept. But you haven’t asked yourself the key question.”

Ji Yingran blinked. “Asked myself?”

Lady Ou nodded. “Ranran, with matters of the heart, you can’t just fixate on your relationship with her—whether it’s complicated, whether you’re friends or not. Those are secondary. What matters most is what’s in your own heart. Do you like her? That’s the real priority.”

Do I like her? That’s the most important thing.

“But I’ve never even thought about it that way before.”

“Then start now. It’s not too late. Whether you say yes or no, put yourself first. Don’t just agree out of fear of losing a friend. You can’t always put others ahead of yourself.”

Ji Yingran fell into thought. When Mu Ci had confessed, her worries had all revolved around hurting her, upsetting her, or driving her away.

Lady Ou knew her daughter well. She always went overboard empathizing with others, neglecting her own feelings in the process.

“No matter what you decide, treat it seriously. Even if you reject her, explain it clearly and respectfully. Don’t take her feelings lightly.”

Ji Yingran murmured her agreement. “I know, Mom. Thank you.”

Lady Ou pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. “What are you thanking me for? I’m your mom. Now go finish that pork belly. I can tell you’re not even hungry—you’re just keeping busy to distract yourself.”

Distracting herself? Not quite. She was frying all this meat because that wolf really needed it.

After pan-frying a huge basin of pork belly, she hesitated again right before heading out.

Ji Yingran wasn’t sure how to face that wolf.

She lingered at the door for a good while before finally mustering her courage and pushing it open.

“Wolfie, I made you some food.” Ji Yingran didn’t go inside. She just called out from the doorway.

As expected, there was no response from within.

Ji Yingran set down the basin and peeked inside.

A pair of golden wolf eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness, locked straight onto her.

Ji Yingran’s heart skipped a beat, and she hastily averted her gaze.

“You’re in there, huh? Why aren’t you answering? I pan-fried some pork belly for you, and there’s soup too. I left it outside. I’m heading back now.”

Without waiting for any reaction from the wolf, she set everything down and scurried off.

Luckily, the wolf didn’t chase after her.

Back home, as Ji Yingran climbed into bed, her hand brushed against the furry blanket.

Ji Yingran bolted upright in bed, her heart leaping into her throat in an instant.

The wolf’s blanket was still here. Would Mu Ci come over to sleep tonight?

The mere possibility made Ji Yingran uneasy right away. In the past, it wouldn’t have mattered whether Mu Ci slept over or not, but things were different now…

She couldn’t face it calmly anymore. After learning Mu Ci’s feelings, she couldn’t pretend nothing had happened and share a bed with her as if everything was normal.

A nagging awkwardness tugged at her heart. It just didn’t feel right to lie in the same bed with the wolf any longer.

Should she return the blanket now?

But delivering it alone would seem too deliberate. After hesitating back and forth, Ji Yingran ultimately decided against it.

Fortunately, the wolf didn’t show up, and Ji Yingran let out a huge sigh of relief.

Over the next few days, Ji Yingran avoided direct contact with the wolf as much as possible. Each time, she prepared a big basin of food, dropped it off, and hurried back home.

It wasn’t exactly avoidance—just… weird. Everything felt off, and she had no idea how to act around her anymore.

It went on like that for days. Today, she made another big basin of food and carried it over while it was still hot.

She pushed open the gate to the courtyard and called into the house.

“Wolf, I made braised pork ribs for you today.”

No response came. Ji Yingran wasn’t surprised anymore. Over the days she’d been dodging the wolf, the wolf had been equally cold toward her.

She ate the food, but she ignored the person.

Ji Yingran had no clue what this wolf was thinking, but as long as she was willing to eat what Ji Yingran cooked, that was something. As for being ignored? Well, there was nothing she could do about it.

She set the big basin of braised pork ribs on the table and called out for the wolf a few more times. Still no answer.

Glancing around the living room, she realized with a start that the wolf wasn’t there.

Mu Ci had ignored her these past few days, but she’d always been home. This was the first time she’d vanished.

Unable to find her, Ji Yingran pulled out her phone and dialed.

Sure enough, the wolf’s phone rang from somewhere in the living room.

Mu Ci had no habit of carrying her phone; she always tossed it aside somewhere. Reaching her by phone was basically impossible.

Just then, a creak sounded from outside the courtyard gate.

Someone was pushing it open and coming in.

Ji Yingran hurried out and spotted Mu Ci, who had just returned.

Joy lit up Ji Yingran’s face. “Where’d you go? You never bring your phone—it’s impossible to get hold of you.”

She had to buy her a smartwatch today; she couldn’t put it off any longer. Then again, would she even wear it properly?

Probably not. She’d likely treat it the same as her phone and toss it aside carelessly.

Mu Ci glanced at her, pretended not to see her, and ignored her completely. She flopped down on the lounge chair in the courtyard and basked in the sun.

“I made braised pork ribs for you.”

Mu Ci kept her eyes closed and didn’t so much as twitch.

“What do you want to eat tomorrow? Isn’t all this pork getting a bit monotonous? Want to try something else, like beef or lamb?”

Mu Ci kept her eyes shut the whole time, ignoring her.

Ji Yingran sighed softly. This girl must have realized that Ji Yingran wasn’t going to reciprocate her feelings, and now she was sulking.

But how was she supposed to respond?

Ji Yingran had pondered it for days without a clear answer. Sure, she was pushing thirty, but she’d never really dealt with romantic issues before.

If it were someone unimportant, she could just turn them down and cut ties forever. But Mu Ci was different. She was special.

“Fine, ignore me if you want. The braised pork ribs are on the table. Eat them whenever you’re hungry.”

Mu Ci rolled over on the lounge chair, turning her back and offering only a cold shoulder.

Ji Yingran had no choice but to turn and leave.

She hadn’t gone far when she heard the sound of someone jumping up from the lounge chair and darting into the house.

Mu Ci, who had stubbornly ignored her moments ago, bolted inside the second Ji Yingran left to devour the pork ribs.

She likes me? She ignores me at the drop of a hat. Some way to show affection.

No, she liked the food Ji Yingran made. No matter how mad Mu Ci got, she never skipped meals.

Ji Yingran grumbled inwardly about her, but she was still planning to buy her a smartwatch with calling and tracking functions.

After getting the smartwatch, she’d have to figure out how to convince her to wear it all the time. Otherwise, her habit of pulling vanishing acts was way too stressful.

She’d originally thought to take Mu Ci along to the watch store to pick one she’d like, but she scrapped the idea.

Mu Ci wasn’t talking to her anyway, and Ji Yingran couldn’t be bothered. She headed out alone, straight to the store.

It took her an hour to buy the smartwatch and get back.

Shopping hadn’t taken long; it was the travel time that delayed her.

Carrying the shopping bag with the smartwatch inside, she went straight to find Mu Ci.

The sun was perfect, and at this time of day, Mu Ci was usually lounging in the chair to sunbathe. But she wasn’t there now.

Was she inside?

Ji Yingran searched the house.

Great. She was gone again.

Ji Yingran rubbed her forehead. Mu Ci disappeared so often that she’d gotten used to it and wasn’t panicking anymore.

She set the smartwatch on the table and glanced at the basin of pork ribs from lunch.

It was empty, licked spotless. She must have enjoyed it.

Ji Yingran picked up the basin and headed to the kitchen to wash it.

Even if it had been licked clean, it still needed a proper rinse.

She turned on the faucet, and water gushed out with a steady roar.

Amid the sound of the water came footsteps from behind her.

Ji Yingran turned to look. At the doorway stood Mu Ci, who had run in, breathing heavily, her hair slightly disheveled.

She looked like she’d just raced around outside in a panic.

Ji Yingran opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but before she could speak, Mu Ci strode right up to her.

“Where did you go?”

Her voice was icy and hard, carrying an intense pressure that made Ji Yingran a bit uncomfortable.

Mu Ci closed in until she was right in her face, her gaze frigid. “Where are you running off to this time? Planning to leave without a word again?”

Ji Yingran stared in stunned silence. She’d only gone out to buy a smartwatch—it hadn’t even been an hour round trip. How had it gotten this wolf so worked up?

She tried to explain, but Mu Ci kept advancing, giving her no chance.

She backed Ji Yingran into a corner, trapping her between the wall and her own body.

“You hugged me and petted my belly 179 times, my ears 188 times, my head 319 times, and my tail 407 times.”

“My scent is practically pouring off you. Where do you think you’re running off to now?”