Chapter 166: Having So Many Adorable Pets

Xiao Kaile rubbed the large bump on his head and shouted at his retreating back:
"Boss, don't you regret saying this. You'll definitely eat your words later!"
Zhou Qinglang paused, ripples stirring in his dark eyes.
He had once sworn to devote his entire life to scientific research, never to marry or have children, and never to be entangled in romantic affairs.
Yet, seeing Lin Xiaodou again today, things had begun to drift in an unpredictable direction.
An indescribable, subtle sensation lingered.
She was too beautiful, too bold, and far too carefree.
Before her, he—who had always remained calm and detached toward everything—could not help but feel a little nervous.
Zhou Qinglang admitted that, for a fleeting moment, his heart had stirred for her.
However, right after the bonfire party, when he heard her personally tell someone that she had a fiancé, that restless heart immediately returned to absolute calm.
"I won't regret it," he said.
Since she already had someone she loved, he could only offer her his blessings.
He considered himself quite fortunate simply to have crossed paths with such a remarkable girl; remaining friends was more than enough.
......
While Zhou Qinglang and Xiao Kaile were discussing Lin Xiaodou over there, Lin Xiaodou and her friends were likewise talking about them.
Once the bonfire party concluded, Lin Xiaodou had her small yurt set up right beside a lake.
The lakeside spot sat midway between the veterinary station and the large dormitory yurts, about a twenty-minute walk from either side, which was quite convenient.
Liu Yan'er and Zhu Damei eagerly helped Lin Xiaodou move her luggage.
Once everything was properly arranged, Lin Xiaodou invited them both to stay in the living room for a cup of milk tea.
In front of the warm stove, the three girls each held a fragrant cup of milk tea, chatting leisurely.
"Xiaodou, you have no idea how disappointed Comrade Zhou looked when you mentioned you had a fiancé," Liu Yan'er said, her expression wildly exaggerated.
Lin Xiaodou replied, "Stop talking nonsense. We're just friends."
She truly hadn't noticed at the time.
This girl simply loved making a fuss, so she didn't believe a word of it.
"It's true!" Zhu Damei chimed in from the side. "I noticed it too."
Zhu Damei was never one to make jokes.
Hearing this, Lin Xiaodou grew somewhat surprised.
Today, when they met, Zhou Qinglang had maintained a rather distant attitude throughout; he hadn't looked like he was interested in her at all.
Liu Yan'er smiled brightly. "Xiaodou, you completely underestimate your own charm! You're so breathtakingly beautiful that any man who lays eyes on you would lose his mind and be utterly captivated!"
Zhu Damei nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Exactly, exactly! Xiaodou, you really are too gorgeous—you look just like a fairy descending from the heavens! If I were a man, I'd definitely fall in love with you at first sight and insist on marrying no one else!"
Flustered by their lavish praise, Lin Xiaodou laughed and said, "Did the two of you smear honey on your lips today? You're talking so sweetly."
Receiving such compliments from her dear friends made her genuinely happy.
After all, who didn't enjoy being praised?
Liu Yan'er and Zhu Damei exchanged glances and chuckled mischievously.
The moment she saw that look, Lin Xiaodou understood. "Fine, tomorrow I'll whip up a few delicious dishes for you two so you can eat to your heart's content!"
"Yay!" Liu Yan'er and Zhu Damei cheered aloud.
The conversation eventually drifted back to the original topic.
Liu Yan'er asked with curiosity, "Xiaodou, when did you even get a fiancé? You never told us about this."
Zhu Damei mirrored her expression, full of gossip.
Lin Xiaodou confessed, "Actually, I don't have a fiancé. I just said that to brush people off because I don't want to start dating so early."
She decided to be completely honest with her two close friends.
She was only eighteen years old; she had zero interest in romantic relationships right now.
How wonderful was being single? So free! So happy!
Liu Yan'er expressed full agreement with that sentiment. "I don't want to date either, and I certainly don't want to get married or have kids."
The miserable experiences of her older brother and sister-in-law had left a massive shadow on her mind.
She was genuinely terrified of entrusting her life to the wrong person and suffering for a lifetime as a result.
Zhu Damei remarked, "I'm just going with the flow. If I happen to meet someone, we'll see."
Even though she was nearly twenty-three and often teased by others as an "old maid," she wasn't panicking in the least.
She had a sound mind and two capable hands to support herself; why bother bringing a man into her life to cause trouble—unless that man happened to catch her eye.
Lin Xiaodou suggested, "I think Batu seems pretty decent. Why don't you spend more time interacting with him? If it feels right, you could give it a try."
"Mhm," Zhu Damei nodded.
Truth be told, she did harbor a slight fondness for Batu; she simply lacked the courage to take the initiative.
Perhaps, just as Xiaodou said, she should give each other a chance and try to understand the other person a bit better.
Liu Yan'er blinked her sparkling eyes and teased Lin Xiaodou, "Xiaodou, I think Comrade Zhou is quite wonderful too. You could give it a try with him!"
The conversation had looped right back to where it started.
Lin Xiaodou pinched Liu Yan'er's chubby cheek and said, "Yan'er, I'm starting to think you have great potential to be a matchmaker."
Liu Yan'er huffed. "Don't try to change the subject, Xiaodou. Just tell us whether you have any feelings for Comrade Zhou or not!"
"Feelings? Not really, just a bit of appreciation," Lin Xiaodou added, "After all, he is exceptionally handsome."
Even if she wasn't easily infatuated, facing a face that pleasing to the eye would inevitably stir anyone's heart a little.
It was much like chasing stars in modern times—seeing a handsome celebrity on the street would make anyone excited.
Liu Yan'er wanted to dig deeper into the gossip, but Lin Xiaodou declared it was getting too late and urged them to head back and rest early.
"Remember to come over for lunch tomorrow. I'll prepare some good food for you!"
This girl could go on gossiping endlessly, so the only solution was to chase them away.
"Alright!" Liu Yan'er and Zhu Damei departed happily.
Once they left, Lin Xiaodou bolted the door and immediately entered her spatial dimension.
Ever since arriving on the vast grassland, she hadn't visited her space for several days.
The moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by an enthusiastic welcoming ceremony.
Little Jumping Spider was holding two tiny flags in its hands, waving them frantically.
"Squeak squeak squeak!" Welcome home, Master!
Meanwhile, the little golden snub-nosed monkey wasn't idle either.
It wore a straw hat on its head and colorful ribbons tied around its waist, swaying its nimble body to perform a unique opening dance—the seaweed dance!
On the other side, the little brown bear had a vibrant flower clamped in its teeth while carefully cradling a bouquet in its paws.
It trotted toward Lin Xiaodou with clumsy eagerness, its adorable appearance bringing a smile to her face.
Lin Xiaodou accepted the bouquet with a grin, just as a chubby figure suddenly darted out from the side.
It was the little piglet; after a few days apart, it had grown much fatter.
The little fellow wore a pair of sunglasses and a leather jacket, letting out loud, squealing oinks with its pig voice.
Judging by this display, it wanted to sing a song for her.
Only, its throat sounded raspy and scratchy, making the singing truly atrocious.
It seemed these little guys had put in a lot of effort to welcome her back to the space.
Well, watching those phone videos hadn't been a waste of time.
Finally, Little Jumping Spider leaped down from a tree branch and stood at the front.
The little golden snub-nosed monkey, the little brown bear, and the little piglet lined up behind it.
The four little fellows performed the "Subject Three" dance in perfect unison for Lin Xiaodou.
Even though she had watched them dance it many times, Lin Xiaodou never grew tired of it, laughing heartily every single time.
Having so many adorable pets made her feel truly blessed.
It felt so good! O(^▽^)O~