An hour had passed since the West Highland Terrier had disappeared.
Pei Buxian checked the surveillance footage. After the dog ran out of the villa’s side door, it dashed out of the yard without looking back, squeezed through the gap in the gate, and vanished from the cameras.

Qiao Chuchu immediately contacted the property management of the entire villa complex and posted a reward for the dog’s return, but there was still no news.
Most of the house staff had gone out to search for the dog.
Only she and Pei Buxian remained at the house.

Qiao Chuchu sat in Pei Buxian’s room, looking around.
Pei Buxian’s room was warm and cozy, decorated in a creamy style, with photos and portraits of the West Highland Terrier scattered everywhere. This showed how important the dog was to Pei Buxian.

At the moment, Pei Buxian sat by the window, staring blankly out.
His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, his side profile so delicate it resembled a sculpture, like a golden-haired boy straight out of an anime.
Qiao Chuchu couldn’t help but gaze at him.

Unconsciously, the Pei Buxian, who was just one year older than her, had already grown into a mature man.
She had always thought of him as mentally younger than herself.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Xia Xue Chun entered with an apologetic look: “I’m sorry, Mr. Pei, I still haven’t found your dog.”
Pei Buxian grabbed a teacup and threw it at Xia Xue Chun!

Xia Xue Chun didn’t dodge. The teacup hit her forehead and exploded, blood dripping down her face.
Qi Xiao Jia, just in time, screamed: “Xue Xue!”
She rushed to Xia Xue Chun’s side, scolding Pei Buxian: “Are you crazy? It’s just a dog! It’s not like it’s dead! Maybe it can find its way back!”

Without a word, Pei Buxian grabbed another cup and hurled it at Qi Xiao Jia!
Qi Xiao Jia couldn’t dodge in time, and blood instantly flowed from her forehead!
The two girls were shocked!

Pei Buxian roared: “If my dog dies, I’ll take you all down with me!!!”
The sisters covered their foreheads in shock, unable to speak, fear paralyzing them.
This guy must be completely insane!

Pei Buxian’s eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted hysterically: “I’ve raised this dog for six years! It’s stupid and stubborn! It’s too stupid to even find its way! It doesn’t know how to get back, and it’s winter! I’ve never let my dog suffer in the cold! If anything happens to it, you and your family will be responsible!!”
The two girls shuddered.

Pei Buxian screamed: “Keep looking for it!!!”
The two of them ran out without looking back.

Qiao Chuchu stared at the mess around her, feeling a headache coming on.
She knew how hysterical Pei Buxian could be.
Normally calm like an old dog, but when pushed, he could go crazy like a mad dog.
But after seven years without living together, it was clear that his hysteria had gotten worse.
He wouldn’t have hit anyone or thrown things at people before.

Qiao Chuchu couldn’t take it anymore: “I can’t wait any longer. I’ll go help you look for the dog.”
Pei Buxian: “Sit still!!!”
She was so startled that she quickly plopped back onto the sofa.

Pei Buxian’s chest heaved, and his eyes, red from anger, locked onto her.
“This is all your fault.”
Qiao Chuchu: “? Are you seriously blaming me for this? What does this have to do with me?!”
Pei Buxian grabbed her by the arm and shoved her against the wall!
Qiao Chuchu, caught off guard, accidentally knocked a photo frame off the table!

The glass shattered on the floor, revealing two photos inside.
The West Highland Terrier was on top.
Her photo was below.

Qiao Chuchu: “?”
Why was her photo under the dog’s photo?
Her chin tightened as Pei Buxian roughly turned her face toward him: “Look at me!”
Qiao Chuchu winced in pain, meeting Pei Buxian’s gaze.

Pei Buxian’s golden hair covered his eyes, but she could still see the madness in his gaze: “If it weren’t for you, the West Highland Terrier wouldn’t even be here. It’s because you betrayed us first that I bought the dog to keep me company. This is all your fault!”
Qiao Chuchu’s heart skipped a beat!

But at the same time, feeling wronged, she caught on to a blind spot: “So... the West Highland Terrier was meant to replace me in your heart?”
Pei Buxian didn’t deny it.
Tears glistened in his glass-like eyes. “Now my dog is gone, and I can’t go look for it because it’s too dangerous outside. I still need to protect you, keep you safe from dying.”
Qiao Chuchu: “?”
Protect her?
Why did he want to protect her?
Before she could think further, Pei Buxian suddenly grabbed an X-acto knife and pressed it against her neck!

She froze in fear, her breath caught, and her blood rushed to her head, her voice trembling: “Seventh Brother?!”
Pei Buxian didn’t listen to reason, pressing the knife harder into her flesh: “Why do you keep hurting everything I cherish?”
She tilted her chin, trying to avoid the blade, but didn’t respond.

Pei Buxian stared at her in disbelief: “You lost my 200,000-word manuscript, and now all my hard work and inspiration for the month are ruined!”
“Hasn’t your brother treated you well? Doesn’t your brother love you? Why do you keep hurting me again and again?!”
A sharp pain shot through her neck.

She didn’t resist, but it was hard to face him. She shamefully turned her head away.
She didn’t want to.
She had crossed over at the age of three, and felt a love she had never experienced in her previous life, going through hardships with her family. She had always treated them with all her heart.
But the system forced her.

It made her delete Pei Buxian’s 200,000-word manuscript, under unreasonable threats.
She wanted him to kiss her.
When Pei Buxian refused, she decisively deleted the manuscript, without even saving it to the recycle bin.
Pei Buxian’s month of effort was destroyed, and he ended up in the hospital.

She had done such cruel things countless times.
She didn’t want to, she really didn’t want to.
But any time she had even a hint of resistance, the system would make her experience excruciating pain, like a terminal illness, making her feel like death would be better.
And whenever she even thought about suicide, the system would paralyze her with pain, rendering her immobile until she was fully tamed.

She indeed felt too ashamed to face them.
That’s why she didn’t understand why, after doing so many wrong things, she was still allowed back into this home.
Her guilt met Pei Buxian’s eyes.

Pei Buxian’s ferocious gaze was hidden beneath his tousled hair.
He was losing control, holding onto her desperately, his mental state precarious.
Qiao Chuchu felt that he was like a golden apple shining in the sunlight, about to rot.

But the rot of this apple was also because of the mess she and the system had caused.
Suddenly, Qiao Chuchu calmed down: “Okay.”
Pei Buxian: “?”

Tears slid from the corner of her eyes: “If you kill me, I’ll disappear from this world. You’ll never see me again, and I’ll never appear in front of you.”
Pei Buxian widened his eyes, tears streaming down: “You think that’s enough to threaten me?”
“This isn’t a threat.” Qiao Chuchu spoke calmly: “I’m serious. If you want me dead, you don’t need to dirty your hands. I can leave this world on my own.”

She said: “I can atone.”
Pei Buxian dropped the X-acto knife with a clatter, and then grabbed her into his arms!
His large, warm hand held the back of her head, holding her as if she were his life.

Qiao Chuchu leaned on his shoulder, her breathing gradually calming: “Don’t you want me dead?”
Pei Buxian shook his head.
Tears dripped onto her shoulder as he quietly sobbed: “Letting you die would be too easy for you.”