The studio doors slid open.
In walked a young man wrapped in the newest luxury streetwear, hair sculpted to perfection, sunglasses still on indoors. At the end of his leash trotted a white poodle so meticulously groomed it looked ready for a shampoo commercial—fur like snow silk, an Hermès-patterned scarf tied at its neck, hips swaying with a runway model's arrogance.
The man removed his shades.
A handsome face, yes—but the pride etched between his brows was sharper than any spotlight.
Zhou Zixuan.
The breakout pretty-boy from a low-budget web drama. Rising fast. Loud online. And more importantly—Silas Moore's company's latest golden child. The two had fought over resources before Silas vanished. Their fandoms? A battlefield soaked in digital blood.
The director nearly jogged over, grin wide enough to split his face.
"Teacher Zhou! Welcome, welcome! Your presence brightens our humble program!"
His amplified voice echoed across the studio.
Zhou Zixuan nodded with elegant restraint. His gaze drifted lazily across the set—past Jenny and her corgi, past A'Huang and his sleeping orange cat—
—and paused for half a second on Lin Wan and the husky at her side.
A faint curve tugged at his lips.
Assessing. Measuring. Something else lurking beneath.
Meanwhile, his poodle—Prince—lifted its dainty chin and strutted forward. The little black-bean eyes scanned the other pets with bored superiority before locking onto the husky.
Silas (the husky) stared back.
Prince narrowed its eyes.
Then, with theatrical elegance, it raised one hind leg beside a prop flowerpot—
—and marked it.
Silas: "…"
Lin Wan felt it instantly.
The tension.
Silas's body stiffened in her arms. Those glacier-blue eyes slowly sharpened, dangerous and cold. A near-inaudible scoff vibrated from his throat.
Contempt.
"Ohhh boy…" Lin Wan muttered under her breath.
The director clapped enthusiastically, oblivious to the brewing storm.
"Dear guests and adorable companions! Today's theme is Pet Socialization & Talent Upgrade! First segment—'Cute First Greetings!' Owners, please guide your babies to interact warmly!"
Jenny took the lead. Her corgi bounced nose-to-nose with every animal, electric butt wiggling like a tiny motor. The golden retriever wagged like a saint.
A'Huang's orange cat?
Still asleep.
Then Zhou Zixuan released Prince.
The poodle understood instantly.
It pranced with tiny, precise steps—sniffing the golden retriever with polite disinterest, glancing critically at the corgi's short legs—
—and then glided straight toward Silas.
Prince stopped.
Looked up.
Though even standing, it barely reached Silas's seated height, the poodle's expression screamed imperial disdain.
Its gaze lingered on Silas's plain black collar.
Then his fur.
Not styled. Not perfumed. A trace of Old Port dust still clinging.
Prince leaned forward to sniff—
—and abruptly recoiled.
One paw flew dramatically over its nose.
Its tiny eyes filled with visible disgust.
"Wang-wuu~!"
It whined delicately toward Zhou Zixuan, paw pointing accusingly at Silas as if declaring:
Master! He smells… unrefined.
The studio lights felt suddenly hotter.
Zhou Zixuan sighed loudly enough for nearby microphones to feast upon.
"Prince, be polite," he said smoothly. "Not every dog enjoys custom essential-oil treatments and Alpine spring water like you."
His eyes flicked—casual yet loaded—toward Lin Wan.
Lin Wan's eyebrow twitched.
Oh hell no.
The livestream chat detonated.
[??? Who does this guy think he is?]
[His dog is SO fake omg]
[Er'gou is natural wild beauty!]
[Zhou Zixuan? That resource-stealing dude??]
Before Lin Wan could fire back—
Silas moved.
He didn't even glance at Prince.
Instead, he slipped gracefully from Lin Wan's arms, landing with quiet authority. He stretched—long spine arching, shoulders rolling, the posture of a predator waking from boredom.
Then he walked.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Straight to the flowerpot Prince had claimed.
Prince froze.
Zhou Zixuan frowned.
Cameras zoomed.
Audience breath held.
Silas lifted one hind leg.
Perfect angle.
Perfect balance.
And with devastating precision—
—he overmarked.
A clean, elegant arc. Controlled flow. Duration worthy of a slow-motion replay. When finished, he shook his leg lightly, tail flicking once like punctuation.
Done.
As if it meant nothing.
Silas turned.
Those blue eyes swept over Prince's stunned little face.
Over Zhou Zixuan's darkening expression.
Then—Silas raised a front paw.
And with absurd human-like composure—
—brushed nonexistent dust from his chest.
The world stopped.
Studio silent.
Livestream chat blank for half a second—
—and then exploded like a nuclear blast.