After Amnesia, I Learn I'm a Scumbag Top?! - Chapter 55

Chapter 55

“So, are you going to the celebration party for the talent show?”

“Yes,” Pei Ji replied, his voice utterly flat.

An Zhu froze, blinking in disbelief for a few seconds. Suspecting she’d misheard him, she couldn’t help but let out an “Ah!”

She felt like their relationship was a labyrinth—no matter which path she took, she couldn’t make sense of it.

Didn’t he say he didn’t want to see Chu Tinghan? Didn’t he say he wanted to avoid contact? Why did he suddenly agree to go?

An Zhu sighed inwardly, completely baffled.

Sensing her shock from her “Ah!” Pei Ji smirked. “Why wouldn’t I go to a normal work event? I’m not going to turn down work because of him.”

He still needed to make a living in the entertainment industry. Since their careers overlapped—both being singers—their schedules were bound to overlap eventually. It was inevitable they’d run into each other. He wasn’t about to quit the industry over something like this.

He knew perfectly well which was more important: his career or love.

No, wait… there’s no “love” between Chu Tinghan and me anymore. We’re getting divorced, after all…

Pei Ji banished thoughts of love from his mind. After a moment’s contemplation, he declared, “You don’t need to ask me about these things anymore. I’ll go regardless. Whether Chu Tinghan is there or not is irrelevant to me.”

An Zhu: “…Fine.”

How can he change his tune faster than flipping a page? Did he learn this “fine” quality from her brother?

Why couldn’t he learn some actual good—

Wait a minute. What good qualities did Chu Tinghan even have? Probably all his virtues were reserved for Pei Ji alone. Only Pei Ji received special treatment from him.

Qiao He, who had been pretending to be air for ages, finally figured out the situation after some covert observation. He nudged An Zhu’s elbow and whispered a barrage of questions, disbelief evident in his voice: “He’s married to Song God Chu Tinghan? When did that happen? How did I miss it? Why do you know? What’s going on now? Did they have a fight? Are they sulking?”

Though he spoke softly, the car was eerily silent save for the hum of the air conditioner. Pei Ji heard every word clearly.

Before An Zhu could answer, Pei Ji spoke up for her, tersely stating, “No, we’re just getting a divorce.”

His tone was so casual, it was as if he were saying, “Good afternoon.”

Qiao He’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, vividly portraying speechless shock.

Perhaps the shocking news had temporarily short-circuited his brain, because he repeated his question to An Zhu in a hushed voice, “Is this for real? Are you just saying that out of anger?”

As fate would have it, Pei Ji overheard him again.

The next moment, Qiao He suddenly felt a bone-chilling draft of air conditioning carrying a frosty voice.

“Who jokes about divorce when they’re angry?”

Throughout the entire exchange, Pei Ji didn’t even turn around. Yet, for some reason, Qiao He found his silhouette unsettlingly intimidating.

The aura Pei Ji exuded now bore no resemblance to his former gentle demeanor.

Finally, the icy draft jolted Qiao He’s brain awake, and he wisely shut his mouth.

Sitting in the back seat, he exchanged a wordless glance with An Zhu. Her lips were pursed, her expression utterly exasperated.

Pei Ji’s words echoed in her mind:

Who jokes about divorce when they’re angry?

…Well, certainly a certain pair of stubborn, hopelessly awkward spouses.

In her eyes, this was a simple matter: whoever was in the wrong should just apologize, and everything would be resolved. Why had they let it escalate like this?

This prolonged deadlock wouldn’t solve anything.

An Zhu was at a loss for words. She suspected these two weren’t actually on the verge of divorce; they were just having a childish argument, a battle of wills to see who would break first and apologize.

Of course, she dared not voice these thoughts aloud, instead pretending to be an oblivious bystander who understood nothing.

But even the most reserved bystanders sometimes can’t help but sigh in exasperation.

Qiao He had initially planned to remain silent, but Pei Ji’s current demeanor reminded him of his own petty squabbles with his girlfriend.

They bickered constantly over trivial matters, but eventually, all their issues boiled down to one fundamental question:

Do you really love me? Do I even exist in your heart? Are you willing to sacrifice for me?

The driver, sensing the awkward silence, raised the thermostat a bit. As the car warmed up, Qiao He’s mind began to wander. Gazing out the window, he muttered to himself, “Just apologize and make up… it’s not that hard.”

As fate would have it, Pei Ji overheard him again. This time, however, he remained silent, pretending not to hear.

Apologize?

He had given Chu Tinghan the chance to come clean himself, hoping he would take the initiative. Pei Ji would have forgiven him then, putting the entire matter—the child, the scumbag accusations—behind them.

The opportunity was right there, but Chu Tinghan refused to take it, continuing to play dumb and put on an act.

Even though so much time had passed, the nameless anger still burned in Pei Ji’s heart.

He no longer needed Chu Tinghan’s apology, and even if offered, he wouldn’t accept it.

A jumble of random thoughts and flashing memories suddenly made Pei Ji feel like his mind was a tangled ball of yarn—impossible to untangle, only growing more knotted.

Proximity to cinnabar turns one red; proximity to ink turns one black. Having spent so much time with Chu Tinghan, Pei Ji’s own thoughts had become equally inscrutable.

Resting his chin on his arm, Pei Ji gazed out the window as the roadside scenery blurred backward. His thoughts stretched and blurred with the receding landscape.

What did he want now?

A divorce?

Yes, but it wasn’t quite that simple.

He imagined the day he and Chu Tinghan finally signed the divorce papers and went their separate ways. Even then, the dark flame smoldering in his heart wouldn’t be extinguished.

This didn’t seem like the outcome he truly desired.

So what did he want?

Pei Ji couldn’t even understand his own feelings anymore.

Could it be the first half of what Lü Yi had said—to coax him?

Tch…

What nonsense are you thinking, Pei Ji?

You’re nearly thirty, a grown man. Are you seriously considering resorting to the childish tactics of teenage sweethearts?

Pei Ji felt his sanity slipping, his thoughts regressing.

“Hey! Hello? Are you still there?”

Pei Ji suddenly heard a muffled voice, as if someone were speaking to him through a pane of glass.

Snapping out of his reverie, he turned his head toward the sound.

A massive face pressed against the window instantly jolted him awake.

Lü Yi was frantically banging on the glass, shouting his name.

Pei Ji lowered his gaze and saw Lucky beside him, excitedly raising its paw to scratch at the car door.

Lucky’s claws were exceptionally sharp; another inch closer and they would have scraped the car’s paint.

The problem that had been bothering Pei Ji vanished instantly. Now, all he could think about was the imminent danger to his car’s paint. He quickly rolled down the window to let Lü Yi take Lucky away.

But before he could speak, Lucky’s demonic claws had already touched the car door.

Screech! In its excitement, Lucky lost its footing and slid down the door, its claws leaving a deep scratch.

Damn it, another scratch! Pei Ji thought grimly.

Seeing Lucky stubbornly sticking out his tongue and trying to jump up again, Pei Ji got out of the car without hesitation and restrained the culprit.

Completely oblivious to the havoc it had caused, Lucky assumed Pei Ji was playing and flopped onto the ground, its tail sweeping dust across the sidewalk like a broom.

Pei Ji: “……”

As the saying goes, ‘You become like those you associate with.’ From now on, I can’t let Lucky hang out with Lü Yi anymore. The dog’s gone completely bonkers.

Lü Yi stared at the jagged scratches on the car door, exclaiming in shock, “Those claws are razor-sharp!”

Pei Ji was too busy brushing the dust off Lucky to even remember the incident until Lü Yi mentioned it.

He quickly turned to An Zhu and said, “This is your car, right? I’ll cover the repair costs.”

An Zhu stared blankly, stunned by the bizarre turn of events. After a moment of stunned silence, she replied, “The company car is in for maintenance. This isn’t mine; I borrowed it temporarily.”

“Borrowed?” Pei Ji turned to examine the car more closely. Why does it look so familiar?

“Whose did you borrow it from?” he asked.

An Zhu gazed despondently at Lucky, silently praising the dog for its incredible feat. She forced a strained, hollow smile. “Heh… my brother, Chu Tinghan’s.”

She immediately noticed Pei Ji’s expression freeze for a split second, his hand stopping mid-stroke as he groomed the dog.

Pei Ji stared at Lucky with a complex mix of emotions, while Lucky blinked back with wide, clear, and utterly innocent eyes.

Pei Ji: “……”

Just how sentient is this little dog?

Just a few days ago, he had praised Lucky for being clever and spirited. Turns out, he was channeling Chu Tinghan’s spirit all along.

Pei Ji sighed, as if conceding defeat, and stood up. He asked coolly, “Shall I transfer the money to you or him?”

An Zhu hesitated for a long moment.

Chu Tinghan and Pei Ji’s dog scratched Chu Tinghan’s car. Now I’m being asked if Pei Ji needs to pay compensation?

This was a truly complex issue, tangled with the emotions of dogs, people, and the relationships between them. An Zhu decided it was best to steer clear and withdraw to safety.

She waved her hands dismissively, signaling her non-involvement. “It’s his car. You two should discuss it. I have no say.”

Pei Ji was utterly defeated.

Back in college, meeting Chu Tinghan even once had been as difficult as climbing to heaven. Now that he wanted to avoid him, it felt like the entire world was conspiring to force them together.

How ironic.

Pei Ji crouched down and slid his phone toward Lucky, opening the chat interface with Chu Tinghan. He joked dryly, “Clever little dog, why don’t you bark a couple of times at him?”

In the next instant, Lucky’s nose accidentally brushed against the voice recording button, and the countdown began.

Pei Ji froze for a moment, stunned. Before he could react, Lucky tilted his head and actually sent the voice message, barking twice.

At that moment, the three humans and one dog stared at each other in bewildered silence. Qiao He, arriving late, gazed at the equally bewildered group, clueless.

“……?”

“Holy crap! Your dog can actually send voice messages? I thought you were joking!”

“Wow… What a smart little guy! But this time, it’s not my fault! I didn’t tell him to send a message to my brother.”

A thousand thoughts raced through Pei Ji’s mind. Finally, he gritted his teeth and rubbed Lucky’s big head, saying, “Good boy… You’re too obedient.”

He immediately retracted the voice message, praying that Chu Tinghan was too busy with work to have seen it.

One second… two seconds… three seconds…

No response.

Pei Ji finally let out a sigh of relief, thinking, Thank goodness he didn’t see it. Otherwise, how would I ever explain this?

“Well… we should get going then,” An Zhu said nervously, grabbing Qiao He’s arm and pulling him toward the car to escape the scene of the crime.

Just as she predicted, the car had barely driven twenty meters when Pei Ji’s phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen.

Chu Tinghan: ?

Chu Tinghan: Why did you retract it?

Chu Tinghan: What did you send?

Pei Ji stared at the three questions practically bursting from the screen, his heart sinking in despair. He glanced down at Lucky, who was sitting at his feet, head tilted inquisitively.

Is there some way to sentence this dog?

If not, I’ll just have to sentence him myself.

Pei Ji lowered his head and said sternly to the beaming Lucky, “You’re grounded from treats for a week. Only dog food for you.”

Lucky’s grin vanished instantly. Even his tail stopped wagging. He flopped down, burying his head in his paws, a physical manifestation of his displeasure.

Seeing this, Pei Ji couldn’t help but laugh ruefully.

Now he’s suddenly being so perceptive, huh? Why was he acting like he didn’t understand me earlier, just to spite me?

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Pei Ji picked up his phone and replied:

Junior Husband: The dog sent it.

Chu Tinghan froze at the message.

What the hell?

The dog sent it?

A dog?

Is this some kind of sci-fi movie? Since when do dogs send messages?

Chu Tinghan grew suspicious.

Chu Tinghan: ?

Chu Tinghan: Lucky sent it?

Chu Tinghan initially wanted to reply with a simple “Mm-hmm,” but then thought the tone was too casual and intimate. He deleted it and changed it to a cold, emotionless “Yes,” conveying only correctness without warmth.

But as his finger hovered over the send button, he paused, reconsidered, and deleted even the emotionless “Yes.”

Why even bother arguing with him?

Believe what you want. I can’t be bothered to explain.

Pei Ji turned off his phone and took the dog leash from Lü Yi’s hand. “Let’s go, Lucky.”

Lü Yi called after him, “Are you living here from now on?”

Pei Ji sensed an ulterior motive in his question. It wasn’t really about where he lived, but whether he and Chu Tinghan were getting back together.

“What’s it to you? Do you want me to move back?”

Lü Yi clicked his tongue and waved his hands dismissively. “No way! I just genuinely want to know where you’re staying. This place is pretty close to my house, so it’ll be easier to visit you.”

Pei Ji narrowed his eyes, giving him a sidelong glance. “Fine. Just don’t bother me if you have nothing important to say.”

Lü Yi: “……”

What was that supposed to mean? Did helping him walk the dog somehow backfire?

Lü Yi vowed to himself he’d never help Pei Ji walk his dog again. If I do it again, I’m a dog, he thought angrily, turning to leave.

“Wait,” Pei Ji called out, remembering something.

Lü Yi crossed his arms and stood with a crooked grin. “What?”

“I managed to get that new Destiny model you were talking about last time. I had it shipped to your place, so it should arrive in a few days.”

Lü Yi’s crooked grin instantly straightened into a smile. “Really?”

Pei Ji was speechless for a moment. I really can’t let Lucky spend too much time with him; he’s starting to get dimwitted.

Pei Ji chuckled. “Just kidding.”

Whenever Pei Ji used that tone, he was usually saying the opposite of what he meant. Lü Yi, knowing he had actually gotten the watch, was so overjoyed he completely forgot the vow he had just made.

“Bro—no, Brother! You’ve done me a huge favor! I’ll even walk your dog for you from now on!”

Lucky sniffed the air, suddenly sensing another of his kind nearby.

Remembering that Lü Yi had asked him to buy a women’s watch, Pei Ji asked, puzzled, “What are you going to do with that?”

Lü Yi suddenly grew embarrassed, scratching his head. “It’s her birthday. I saw it in her shopping cart and thought it would be a nice little surprise.”

Pei Ji didn’t understand. “Who’s ‘her’?”

Lü Yi’s hand froze mid-scratch. Has this guy gone nuts from the divorce? Can’t even understand something this simple? He stated bluntly, “My wife, of course! Who else would it be?”

Upon hearing this, all expression vanished from Pei Ji’s face. He gave a cold “Oh,” tugged Lucky’s leash, and walked away without looking back.

Lü Yi: ?

What’s up with him? Who pissed him off this time? I was just being honest, not even showing off my relationship in front of him…

Pei Ji absentmindedly tugged Lucky back home, his mind replaying a certain word from Lü Yi’s earlier remark.

Lü Yi must be doing this on purpose. He really knows how to hit a nerve.

As they passed a flowerbed, he suddenly felt Lucky tug sharply on the leash.

Pei Ji snapped back to attention. A quick glance revealed Lucky had already plunged headfirst into the freshly watered soil, moments away from rolling in the mud.

With lightning reflexes, Pei Ji hauled him out. “Lucky! No! Get out!”

Pulled forcibly away, Lucky struggled to escape his grasp and burrow back into the mud.

Ignoring the water, mud, and dirt coating Lucky’s fur, Pei Ji scooped him up and rushed to the elevator.

This morning, Lucky had left the house pristine and white; now he returned covered in mud and grime. Anyone who didn’t know better might think he’d been sent to work as a child coal miner.

Without even changing his clothes, Pei Ji headed straight to the shower, turned on the faucet to fill the tub, and prepared to bathe Lucky.

Hearing the sound of running water, Lucky immediately knew what was coming. He darted around the house, desperately trying to hide from his impending bath.

Pei Ji stared at the muddy paw prints tracking across the floor, and a dry, exasperated laugh escaped him.

Angel of smiles? This is the king of chaos incarnate.

Pei Ji was already slightly annoyed by the mess Lucky had made when, with the bathtub only a third full, his phone suddenly vibrated in the living room.

Assuming it was work-related, he turned off the faucet and went to answer the call.

It wasn’t until he picked up his phone that he realized it was a video call from Chu Tinghan.

Without a second thought, he hung up.

A second later, Chu Tinghan sent a text message:

Chu Tinghan: Not calling you. Looking for Lucky.

Pei Ji snorted derisively.

If Lucky can text, then Chu Tinghan can just call him directly, right?

Buzz. Another video call from Chu Tinghan.

Pei Ji found the situation both absurd and amusing.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen someone video call a dog. Should I buy Lucky a smartwatch too? So he can chat with his friend whenever he wants?

The unanswered video call automatically disconnected after a while.

Looking for Lucky again. Where is he? Why aren’t you letting him answer the phone?

A moment later, Chu Tinghan finally received a reply.

A dog who knows how to text: Wait, I’m coming right now.

Pei Ji dragged Lucky out from under the bed. “Someone’s calling for you. Come on, answer the phone.”

Lucky tilted his head, unable to comprehend Pei Ji’s words.

Pei Ji stared at him, big eyes meeting small.

“You know how to make video calls, right?” Pei Ji asked.

This question far exceeded Lucky’s canine comprehension. He tilted his head again, first to the right, then to the left, his ears twitching slightly.

“I knew you wouldn’t understand,” Pei Ji sighed, lifting Lucky by his front paws and carrying him from the bedroom to the living room. He sat the dog down on the sofa, facing the coffee table.

Lucky continued to tilt his head.

Pei Ji muttered to himself, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. As long as he thinks you do.”

Pei Ji propped the phone up against a cup behind it, positioning the screen toward Lucky, then initiated a video call to Chu Tinghan.

The call was answered instantly.

The moment the connection was established, Pei Ji immediately retreated out of frame to start filling the bathtub, leaving only a bewildered Lucky, his neck practically strained from tilting his head.

Chu Tinghan scrutinized the screen, which showed only a slightly grimy white dog’s head. Refusing to give up, he meticulously scanned the corners of the frame, but Pei Ji remained conspicuously absent.

Lucky stared at the video feed for a few seconds before instantly recognizing Chu Tinghan. No longer afraid of the running water, he didn’t hide but instead placed his front paws on the coffee table, stood up, and whined softly at Chu Tinghan.

Hearing the sound and seeing Lucky’s excitement, Chu Tinghan deliberately smiled and addressed it: “Lucky! Lucky! Lucky!”

“It’s been so long! Has my baby missed me? How have you been lately? Are you eating well? Have you been sick at all?”

“I hear water running over there, baby. Are you about to take a bath? Or are you already in the tub? What kind of shampoo are you using? Do you need any help?”

“Baby, why aren’t you talking?”

Pei Ji, who was running the bath, found Chu Tinghan’s constant use of “baby” ringing in his ears like a maddening mantra. Even with the water running full blast, he couldn’t drown out the voice burrowing into his consciousness.

Baby, my ass…

Pei Ji couldn’t bear to listen any longer. He strode over, snatched the phone from Lucky, and said dryly, “Dogs can’t talk. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

“Hey! Hey!”

Pei Ji asked coldly, “Is there anything else?”

“Lucky and I are on a video call. Don’t bully the puppy! Let him hang up.”

Pei Ji: Huh?

Does Chu Tinghan even realize what he’s saying? If this conversation ever leaked, his precious “Ice-Cold Song God” persona would crumble to dust.

Pei Ji closed his eyes in despair. “Chu Tinghan, can you act normal for once?”

A moment of silence hung in the air before Chu Tinghan suddenly said, “I miss Lucky. I think he misses me too. Can I come see him?”

Pei Ji replied firmly, “Absolutely not.”

Chu Tinghan insisted seriously, “Why not? Let Lucky answer the phone.”

Pei Ji laughed in exasperation. “Can you please stop being unreasonable?”

Lucky, beside himself with excitement, leaped up, trying to reach the phone. Pei Ji raised his arm higher, sighed, and said earnestly, “Lucky’s dirty. I need to give him a bath. Come another day.”

Chu Tinghan: “But I’m already downstairs.”