How a sweet-faced schemer raises a possessive, feral dog
“I pretended to be your prey until you willingly put on the collar.”
Jiang Yan, a basketball standout, was everyone's gentle dreamboat on campus, always smiling warmly and always considerate.
That is, until he met He Lin at an outdoor basketball court: the team's ace, rumored to be sinister and obsessive, and to play like he was out to kill.
In their first game, He Lin deliberately knocked him to the ground and whispered in his ear, “Why pretend to be so well-behaved? I know what you're really like underneath.”
Jiang Yan looked up, his eyes showing just the right amount of alarm and hurt. But when He Lin turned away, he slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled.
He began a dangerous experiment:
· Week One: Collect records of He Lin losing control: three fights, five technical fouls, and seven nights sitting alone on the court until dawn
· Week Two: Carefully dole out “salvation”: bring him water while he's suspended, and “happen” to hum his mother's favorite song when he's alone
· Week Three: Create dependence: call him “to say good night” every evening, gently soothing his obsession and mood swings
· Week Four: Suddenly withdraw: take three days off, turn off his phone, and leave the mad dog teetering on the edge of losing control
When He Lin, eyes red, cornered him in the equipment room and reached out with a trembling hand to touch his cheek...
Jiang Yan gently took his hand, his voice as sweet as honey. “He Lin, if you want me to keep treating you well, you'll have to learn...”
“...Learn what?”
“To wag your tail for me and me alone.”
Later...
Teammate A: “Brother Jiang, Brother He nearly got into a fight with the referee again today. Could you handle him?”
