In ordinary novels, such a scene would usually end with a kiss. However, on the sofa in one of Fang Jiang Studio's offices, the moment lacked the romantic flair of fiction.

A childish struggle concluded with Zhou Zhi putting on Fang Jiang's coat and bleating like a goat three times.

Zhou Zhi held the sheep wool coat, scrutinizing it from every angle with reluctance. Fang Jiang was slightly taller than her, and the coat was a size too big. Wearing it felt like being draped in a sheepskin.

"Do I really have to wear this?"

Fang Jiang crossed her legs and nodded. "Yes."

Fine. Whether she resisted or complied, the outcome was the same.

As Zhou Zhi struggled into the coat, Fang Jiang laughed so hard she nearly fell off the sofa, completely losing her composure.

There was a full-length mirror in the office. Fang Jiang dragged Zhou Zhi in front of it, and Zhou Zhi nearly fainted from embarrassment.

The difference between people is this: some wear sheep wool coats and look like sheep, while others look like shepherds. Fang Jiang was the sheep. Zhou Zhi was the shepherd—the disheveled kind from a remote mountain village, whip in hand.

"Have you ever been to Lake Lhamo Latso?" Zhou Zhi asked.

"No, where is that?"

"Lake Lhamo Latso is a Sacred Lake in Tibet. Legend says it can reveal a person's past and future lives. Before searching for a Reincarnated Lama, the high lamas always go to Lake Lhamo Latso to discern the direction. There's a spot in Shannan where you can overlook the lake. Near the parking area, there's a small shop run by Tibetans. Sometimes, the Tibetans herd a flock of sheep—sheep that look like you, and the herder looks like me."

What could have been said in one sentence, she dragged out like an old monk chanting sutras: Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and on the mountain stood a temple...

Fang Jiang leaned on her shoulder, laughing heartily. "Zhou Zhi, has anyone ever told you? You're too adorable."

Adorable, my foot. She truly regretted agreeing to such a ridiculous condition.

Zhou Zhi forced a smile uglier than a grimace. "I've worn it. Is this enough?"

"Not yet. Three bleats remain." Fang Jiang wasn't about to let her off.

"Baa~~" — like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

"Baa~~" — a desperate cry for survival.

"Meow~~ growl~~" — finally morphing into a I'm so fierce, so fierce cat.

Fang Jiang laughed uncontrollably, finding her more amusing by the minute. She vigorously rubbed Zhou Zhi's face and her shaved head. The face had a nice texture too—plump with collagen, neither oily nor dry nor powdery, very pleasant to touch. "Let's go, let's go back and have some Salted Pork and Bamboo Shoot Soup." Fang Jiang was thoroughly satisfied.

Eat, my foot. Zhou Zhi resentfully took off the coat and tossed it back to her. "I'm not going. You just said you'd feed me arsenic."

"Crazy. We'll share a bowl, taking turns. If it's poisoned, I'll die before you, okay?"

"...That's too cheesy." Taking turns? She must have acted in too many brain-dead dramas.

Fang Jiang pushed Zhou Zhi out the door. "Let's go, stop dawdling."

"But no, I need to go home and feed my dog. Gang Kai will be hungry." Zhou Zhi didn't want to go, nor could she. Her heart was entirely devoted to her dog.

She'd heard that dogs shouldn't be overfed, and a little hunger wasn't a big deal. But knowing how Zhou Zhi doted on her dog, letting it go hungry wasn't ideal. Fang Jiang said, "Then I'll have Xiao Liu drive you home first to feed it. I even have some dog canned food here for Gang Kai."

The fact that a big star wanted to visit her home to see her dog, and that this star routinely stocked up on canned food for her dog, left Zhou Zhi unsure which was more shocking.

"Isn't it out of the way?"

"On the way. Pass by your place first, then mine, perfect." After sending the message to Xiao Liu, Fang Jiang added, "The dog cans were bought last time, almost forgot about them. Consider it a meeting gift for Gang Kai."

"You're coming back with me? You're really coming back with me?"

"Going back with you to see the dog, not to meet your parents." The big star suddenly stopped walking and looked at her in the corridor. "What, you're unwilling?" Her moist eyes actually seemed to carry a hint of grievance.

Unwilling, truly unwilling. A big star she'd only met twice wanting to go home with her—this wasn't a performance of "Notting Hill." But Zhou Zhi couldn't bear to refuse. "Aren't you afraid I'll kidnap you?"

Kidnap? Fang Jiang laughed. "You and your dog together? What good would kidnapping me do you? What would you want to exchange me for?"

"A few million to spend?"

"Only a few million? Who exactly are you looking down on?"

True, that's too little. That certain someone paid hundreds of millions in back taxes. "Then how much do you think is appropriate?" Zhou Zhi was curious about her worth.

The big star puffed out her chest. "No amount of money is appropriate. I'm a priceless treasure."

"So you mean I shouldn't trade you for money, but should want you instead? What would I do with you? I'd get tired of looking at you every day, and you're not edible. You're not Tang Seng—eating you won't grant immortality, and even if I could eat you, it wouldn't last many meals. Eating you every day would get boring too. Trading you for money is more cost-effective."

Fang Jiang stomped on her foot. "Would you really get tired of looking at this face?"

How childish. "Don't you know people can experience aesthetic fatigue? Even a celestial beauty would become tiresome to look at. Are you more beautiful than a celestial beauty?"

"Pfft, have you seen a celestial beauty? In your spring dreams?"

"Miss Fang, do your fans know you're this shameless? I seem to recall you saying in an interview that you never considered yourself good-looking, and you were always surprised when others complimented your appearance."

"You believe everything from interviews? And here I was worried you'd kidnap me. Who's kidnapping whom remains to be seen. I'm not blind, but if I didn't say that, what should I say? When people tell me many find me beautiful, should I say I think so too? Humility is a traditional virtue of the Chinese people spanning five thousand years. Though from a certain perspective, my looks are just so-so—not stunning enough to amaze even myself. Seeing it every day would inevitably become tiresome."

Zhou Zhi made exaggerated retching gestures, earning a slap on the back from Fang Jiang. "Are you taking me back or not?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Where are the dog cans?"

"I had Xiao Liu take them downstairs. You're only concerned about the dog cans—are you the dog or is Gang Kai the dog? Tell me, if your dog and I both fell into a river, who would you save?"

"Crazy. Dogs can swim, I can't."

Fang Jiang laughed heartily: "I can swim. Looks like you'd be the one to drown."

Drown? It wouldn't be drowning—it'd be dying of injustice.

Strangely enough, though she was completely covered up, Zhou Zhi could still sense her laughter—like golden light breaking through layers of dark clouds, utterly captivating. Zhou Zhi made a face at her, finding the situation amusing herself. The two of them combined were nearly seventy years old, yet they bickered like children.

Reaching the elevator, the big star emphasized: "Just to be clear, I'm not forcing you—you invited me."

"Right, right. I invited you repeatedly, once, twice, over and over again. Honored by your presence in my humble abode, it'll be radiant—no, dusty with glory."

The elevator's mirrored surface reflected two figures: one clad in a trendy sheep's wool coat, sunglasses, and a face mask, exuding fashionable flair; the other half a head shorter, bundled in a down jacket and knit cap, staring puzzled at the reflection.

Even with faces completely concealed, why was the distinction between people still so stark?

Though their features were hidden, how did the superstar still radiate such style? The usually proper young woman beside her seemed dwarfed in comparison—was it due to her own lack of grooming? Perhaps she should have worn a Daoist robe and shaved her head to outshine the star and steal her spotlight.

"Little Nun, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"The more you say 'nothing,' the more it means 'something.'"

"Something, something—the elevator's here." Zhou Zhi grabbed her hand and hurried into the elevator.

Only when seated in the car did she remember Fang Jiang's ever-present assistant—her reader. "Where's Song Yuan?" she asked.

"You slept for so long, I sent her home ages ago."

"Ah..." She'd been waiting all along. Zhou Zhi was touched—what had she done to deserve this?

"I happened to be reviewing scripts, and with nothing else to do tonight, the quiet was a rare treat. Mhm, that's all—I wasn't deliberately waiting for you. Just coincidental, understand?"

"Thank you."

"Stop fussing." Fang Jiang turned away, unexpectedly flustered.

Before they reached the fourth floor, barking echoed through the hallway—aow aow aow—accompanied by the sound of claws scratching at the door. Zhou Zhi, carrying dog food cans, grew frantic with worry.

The moment the door opened, Gang Kai burst out, nearly knocking her owner over. The dog clung to her long-absent human, wagging its tail vigorously. Zhou Zhi set down the cans, crouched to embrace the dog, and stroked its back repeatedly. "Aiyo, Gang Kai, I'm back! Did you miss me? I missed you too. Look, I brought you treats. Guess who gave them to you? See, it's this pretty auntie here."

The pretty auntie feared Zhou Zhi's next words would be instructing the dog to call her "auntie."

"Come, Gang Kai, let's go inside first." Human and dog moved inward, fortunate that the former's conscience hadn't been devoured by the latter, as she remembered to beckon the pretty auntie. "Come in."

The pretty auntie clasped her hands behind her back and murmured, "Pardon the intrusion."

Zhou Zhi thought: Such pretense.

Once inside, Gang Kai released its owner and watched as the pretty auntie removed her mask and sunglasses, shyly greeting it. "Hello, Gang Kai, I'm—"

Before she could introduce herself, Gang Kai instantly wrapped itself around her leg.

"Ah!" Fang Jiang froze completely.

Hahahaha! Zhou Zhi burst into laughter—when Gang Kai took a liking to someone, it adored hugging legs. Not content with just that, it pawed at Fang Jiang's hand with its front claws: Pet me, pet me!

"She thinks you're pretty and is being coy—hurry and pet her. Never break a girl's heart."

Fang Jiang glared. "Are you doing this on purpose?"

Zhou Zhi chuckled. "Didn't you say in an interview how cute other people's dogs are and that you wanted to pet them? Now one's throwing itself at you—why hesitate? Don't worry, Gang Kai just had a bath a few days ago. Smell her—she's all fresh and clean!"

Who could resist a coquettish Border Collie?

At least, Fang Jiang couldn't.

She first extended two fingers to touch Gang Kai.

Gang Kai wagged its tail.

Fang Jiang smiled, spreading all five fingers—the dog's fur was silky, radiating warmth beneath the skin. She'd heard dogs' body temperatures were slightly higher than humans'.

Zhou Zhi smiled too, pouring the dog food into a bowl.

Gang Kai immediately released Fang Jiang and sat obediently in front of her.

Zhou Zhi told Fang Jiang to extend her hand: "Say 'shake hands' to it."

Fang Jiang: "Shake hands."

Gang Kai immediately shook hands with her, even giving a little wag.

Zhou Zhi said: "Switch hands."

Both human and dog simultaneously switched to the other hand for the handshake.

Only then did Zhou Zhi put down the food bowl to let Gang Kai eat.

Fang Jiang's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Zhou Zhi's clothes and shook vigorously, "Ahhh, so adorable, so adorable!"

"Hehe."

"The feel is better than yours."

"Hmph."

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