The collar was a brownish-red, crafted from some unknown animal leather. Set into the center was a small, dark gold gemstone shaped like a sword blade.
Director-General Shen leaned her entire upper body forward, and Bai Xiaodu dared not move a muscle.
Her slender, pale hand slipped around his neck, followed by a crisp click.
The very hand that had choked a pet cat to death gently cupped Bai Xiaodu's chin.
Director-General Shen’s pale blue eyes were placid, clearly reflecting his image.
She tilted her head to inspect him, apparently very satisfied with his face.
She let out a soft hum.
Then, in her characteristic, slightly lifeless voice, she praised, “It suits you well.”
“Thank you. I love it.”
It took Bai Xiaodu exactly one second to accept his new reality: he was wearing a collar and about to be brought into a mysterious villa as a pet, with no idea what terrifying things awaited him!
In the escort industry, male clients generally sought physical comfort.
Female clients, on the other hand, mostly sought emotional comfort, with only a superficial interest in physical intimacy—such as deep kisses, holding hands, and hugging.
Of course, this was also because Bai Xiaodu had been a bit picky with his clients in the past.
He had always been the type to tease but never actually sell his body.
For one, he was afraid of catching something. For another, he feared that once he crossed that line, he would accept any job and spiral completely into depravity.
Physical desires were just simple mechanical motions.
Emotional needs, however, were far more troublesome. After all, some clients would literally smash two wine bottles over his head as a rookie just because he said one wrong word.
Some would even fly into such a rage that they would kick over every table and demand that all the managers line up to apologize one by one.
Ah, women.
Ah, trouble.
It wasn't that Bai Xiaodu had never encountered yandere types before. They were incredibly generous with their money, but when they threw a tantrum, they would press a gun to his forehead and ask if he loved them.
Terrifying.
Director-General Shen...
She was probably some kind of mutated, enhanced variant of a yandere. Or rather, a control-freak boss-level yandere.
Bai Xiaodu composed himself.
It looked like he would have to pull off a deathless speedrun of Boss Shen this time.
Bring on the storm!
The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish!
The stronger and more twisted the target, the greater the rewards for conquering them!
The car gradually slowed down, seemingly arriving at their destination.
The car door slid open automatically. Bai Xiaodu prepared to follow her out as usual.
But Director-General Shen started pulling things out again.
Bai Xiaodu couldn't help but close his eyes.
Was this woman Doraemon? Where did she keep getting all these bizarre little props?
He sincerely hoped there weren't any weird things hidden inside the villa. Seriously.
With another crisp click, the metallic clinking of a chain echoed from Director-General Shen's hand.
She gave a gentle tug with her right hand. Bai Xiaodu obediently followed her gesture, shifting his body.
By observing the subtle movements of her hand, he even anticipated her pull a step ahead of time, ensuring the collar wouldn't pinch his neck.
If his role was to be a nimble mountain dog, he was highly qualified!
It was just cosplay. Who couldn't do that?
Seeing Bai Xiaodu behave so submissively, Director-General Shen felt a brief flash of doubt as to why he was so practiced and smooth, but overall, she was pleased.
The faceless driver proactively opened the car door.
Director-General Shen lightly held the chain in her right hand, leading the way at an unhurried pace.
Having synchronized his steps with hers, Bai Xiaodu began to quietly scan his surroundings.
Unlike the area where they had hunted Jedoli, the architectural style and environmental layout here were completely different.
The faint sound of flowing water drifted through the air. All he could see at first was a section of a tall, blue-gray wall.
Black tiles, glazed eaves, and vermilion gates.
Two faceless servants stood on either side, slowly pushing the heavy gates open.
Director-General Shen stepped inside, while Bai Xiaodu carefully hopped over the high stone threshold.
“Oh?”
Director-General Shen glanced back at his movement.
If someone were visiting this kind of architecture for the first time, unless they were paying close attention, they would likely just walk straight in without noticing the threshold.
She had looked back specifically to make sure Bai Xiaodu wouldn't trip.
She hadn't expected him to act as if he were returning to his own home.
It was entirely natural and practiced.
Bai Xiaodu rubbed his hands together.
He didn't notice Director-General Shen's surprise. Instead, like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world, he wanted nothing more than to spin his head around to take everything in.
Of course Bai Xiaodu was familiar with this.
Wasn't this a traditional landscape courtyard?
Damn, there was even a pavilion over there, along with a winding stream and a tall, porous rockery not far away.
He was far too familiar with this kind of layout.
Unfortunately, while the appearance was almost identical, the layout still gave him a faint sense of artificiality.
Given Director-General Shen's status, she undoubtedly came from a prestigious clan of the Eastern Continent.
She shouldn't have made such a rookie mistake.
After all, who in their right mind would put a fountain right in the center of a feng shui courtyard?
Water represented wealth. A winding stream meant keeping wealth flowing continuously within the household.
How could they just spray it outward for everyone to see?
“That makes sense.”
Director-General Shen nodded slightly, agreeing with his assessment.
A cold sweat broke out on Bai Xiaodu's forehead. He suddenly remembered what his sister had said!
He had been so lost in nostalgia that he forgot Director-General Shen could read minds!
She didn't mind his expression or his secret thoughts.
“I will have someone remove it later. I didn't expect you to understand the aesthetic style and imagery of the Eastern Continent.”
“I was worried you wouldn't be used to living here, but it seems I was overthinking.”
Aside from those classical pavilions, the interior of the house was naturally decorated in a modern style.
After all, electricity and automation were humanity's greatest achievements to date.
Anyone who fantasized about how mysterious and profound ancient life was could be thrown into the countryside for a couple of days.
They would behave once they realized they had to chop their own firewood just to cook.
Director-General Shen took him on a tour of the house, familiarizing him with the locations of the rooms.
Even with a cursory tour and brief explanations, it took them over half an hour just to get a basic grasp of the layout.
Bai Xiaodu clutched his racing heart.
He was a little shaken.
“This place is so empty and massive. Do you really live here all by yourself?”
Director-General Shen held one hand behind her back.
“Usually, yes. Occasionally, relatives visit, and I bring them here.”
What a waste!
Pingshan District was basically a modern city. Yet she had leased such a massive plot of land here to build a grand estate using materials that weren't even produced locally.
This was a mountain of blue Federal credits!
The hard-earned money of the working-class Federation citizens!
Wait, what? I'm going to live here too?
Oh, then it's fine.
This was clearly the crystallization of the wisdom of the working-class Federation citizens!
Director-General Shen unclipped the leash.
She watched as Bai Xiaodu happily packed his things in his assigned room.
He gasped like a bumpkin, constantly asking questions about this and that.
“Can I use this? Can I use that? I've only seen this piece of furniture online! What is this background music? Is it 'May I Ask the Heavenly Palace'?”
“As you wish. They are all yours now.”
Answering the questions she would usually leave to her puppet servants, Director-General Shen blinked gently. The entire room seemed to brighten from the silver hair of the boy running around.
Perhaps she hadn't even noticed it herself, but at this moment, the corners of her lips curled upward.
By a few pixels.
Rate on N.U.
