Completed / She pursues him first, then he pursues her / Pet variety show
It was through a pet variety show that Jiang Xu met He Zhouchi. At the time, Jiang Xu only thought he was a kind person. She had no idea she would eventually fall in love with him.
During filming, Jiang Xu imagined setting up a shelter for strays, with a blue awning, a wooden sign painted with yellow letters, and a pack of dogs racing around.
"Why a blue awning?"
Jiang Xu looked up and saw He Zhouchi holding a black umbrella, slowly moving it over her head.
"Because... blue is pretty ordinary."
She smiled at him, holding a soaked black puppy in her arms.
"Then we'll build a big blue shelter." His voice was low and hoarse as rain slid down his black coat.
The next day, Jiang Xu opened Weibo's trending list and saw the number-one topic.
[He Zhouchi's Latest Weibo Post.]
One post, one photo of him braving the rain to protect a puppy, and the flood of abuse aimed at her online was washed away.
She thought she was the stray dog.
He Zhouchi had pulled her out and given her sunshine and warmth.
*
Until one day, Jiang Xu waited outside He Zhouchi's room for two hours. The withered tree by the door rustled its bare branches, keeping her company as she talked.
"What are you doing here?" A man's voice drew near.
He had arrived. Jiang Xu turned around, the tip of her nose red.
"I like you. You should be able to tell, right?"
Standing in front of He Zhouchi, she spoke the truth as if it were nothing. Behind her back, her hands fidgeted anxiously.
He Zhouchi furrowed his brows, as if faced with a difficult problem.
He answered seriously, "Don't like me."
Her smile froze, and her heart slowly sank.
*
Later, in a spacious hospital room, fluorescent lights flickered and the smell of disinfectant stung her nose.
Jiang Xu came to visit He Zhouchi, who had been injured saving her, carrying a thermos.
She felt inexplicably heartbroken. "So you turned me down because you were sick back then, right, He Zhouchi?" Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
"I'm sorry." He Zhouchi's voice was low. His hand trembled as he took hers, then he carefully rubbed his face against her palm.
Jiang Xu said nothing, curling her fingers inward.
He Zhouchi thought of himself as Jiang Xu's stray dog. Little by little, she softened him; little by little, she tamed him; little by little, he became willing to do anything for her.
Only then did he learn to accept love, accept the feelings he'd kept locked away, and accept a long life with Jiang Xu by his side.
Theme: All living things have a soul
