Chapter Thirty-Seven: Bear Cub

"What's wrong? What's wrong?"

The others rushed over.

"Help me!" Qi Hua cried out shrilly.

Blackie barked a few times, scaring Qi Hua into silence.

"Qi Hua, don't move!" Everyone was also frightened; the dog looked too fierce.

Seeing the staff preparing to approach, Sheng Jiaoyang quickly gestured for them to stop.

"Bear Cub—" Sheng Jiaoyang called gently to Blackie, taking a step closer with each call.

Blackie looked up at her, making whimpering sounds, as if threatening the approaching person, but confused by the shouts, it didn't move.

Sheng Jiaoyang finally reached Blackie's side, tentatively stroking its head, then gently scratching the back of its neck.

Although the person in front of her was unfamiliar, the dog's tense back softened and it wagged its tail, its soft spot touched.

Sheng Jiaoyang smiled contentedly, squatting down to half-hug Blackie and stroke its fur.

"Bear Cub." I missed you so much!

Seeing the fierce-looking dog calmed down, Luo Yi and the others quickly came over to help Qi Hua up.

"Ouch~" Qi Hua cried out in pain.

"Where are you hurt?" Zhuo Yiyan asked, frowning.

Qi Hua looked aggrieved and choked out, "I twisted my ankle."

Serves you right! Almost everyone thought so.

"Didn't I tell you not to run around? Did you ignore me?" Zhuo Yiyan was angry.

"I was just bored! Besides, everyone allowed us to come up and take pictures, so what's wrong with me looking around?" Qi Hua pouted and said in a particularly spoiled manner.

Zhuo Yiyan almost laughed in anger.

"Qi Hua, that's not right of you. Teacher Zhuo made it very clear from the beginning, and everyone refrained from wandering around because of Teacher Zhuo's instructions, so why couldn't you do the same?" Chen Han scolded.

"I can go wherever I want, what's it to you?" Qi Hua rolled her eyes.

Zhuo Yiyan said coldly, "Qi Hua, you broke the rules, ten points will be deducted from your score today. And you, Xu Jiaojiao."

"As the group leader, you failed to manage your teammates, ten points will also be deducted." He said each word clearly.

"Teacher Zhuo, this has nothing to do with Jiaojiao, Qi Hua just ran around on her own. She has legs, who can control her!" Wang Wei hurriedly said.

"Alright, that's enough, these are the rules of the program." Zhuo Yiyan was uncompromising.

"She's injured and you don't even comfort her, and you deduct points too, what kind of ridiculous rule is this, I don't want to participate anymore!" Qi Hua was also angry.

Zhuo Yiyan narrowed his eyes, "Are you sure you want to withdraw from the competition?"

"Yes, I'll withdraw, okay?" Miss Qi Hua's temper was more likely to flare up.

"Okay, this is your own decision," Zhuo Yiyan nodded and said to the staff next to him, "Take her back to the Supermodel House to pack her luggage."

A male staff member stepped forward, carried Qi Hua and another female staff member away.

"Teacher Zhuo, what about Jiaojiao? Will she still get points deducted?" Wang Wei approached Zhuo Yiyan.

Zhuo Yiyan glanced at Sheng Jiaoyang, who was gently stroking Hei Bei's fur, and uttered a single word: "Deduct!"

Sheng Jiaoyang's hand paused, and Hei Bei, caught off guard by her sudden movement, shifted slightly. She smiled wryly. Fine, deduct it then. She already felt incredibly lucky to have seen Xiong Zai today.

Wang Wei wanted to say something, but Luo Yi stopped her.

"Alright, let's go back and continue taking pictures." Zhuo Yiyan turned and left.

"Let's go, Jiaojiao," Pu Mingyu called out to Sheng Jiaoyang.

"You guys go first, I'll be right there," Sheng Jiaoyang replied without looking up.

Wang Wei was pulled back by Luo Yi, turning back every few steps.

"Alright, stop looking, let's go. Give her some time to calm down," Luo Yi said helplessly.

Wang Wei pouted, unhappy, and said, "Jiaojiao is just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. What does this have to do with her?"

"Jiaojiao was indeed dragged down by Qi Hua today," Pu Mingyu sighed.

"But what can we do? She was the one who brought Qi Hua into her group in the first place. As the group leader, she should be responsible for her team members," Luo Yi said.

Everyone left, but a cameraman who was filming the details was still filming Sheng Jiaoyang. When she gestured that she needed some time alone, the cameraman kindly left. Halfway there, he turned back and filmed a heartwarming scene of Sheng Jiaoyang and Hei Bei embracing. But considering what had happened before, watching this scene now felt a little sad.

She hadn't done anything wrong, and even saved her teammate from the dog's mouth, yet she lost points because of her teammate's impulsive actions. This would be heartbreaking for anyone.

As soon as everyone left, Sheng Jiaoyang immediately smiled.

Xiong Zai tilted his head and glanced at her.

"Bear Cub, Bear Cub, it's been so many days, did you miss me?" Sheng Jiaoyang rubbed her face against Bear Cub's head.

Bear Cub lay down, looking lazy.

"You know quite a lot! You even know Bear Cub's name." Suddenly a voice rang out from behind.

Sheng Jiaoyang was startled and turned around with Bear Cub. Seeing the person standing in the doorway, Bear Cub lay down again.

"Ning Xiaoruan, what are you doing here?" Sheng Jiaoyang asked in surprise.

"I live here!" Ning Xiaoruan pushed up her glasses. "I don't think I ever told you my name, did I?"

Sheng Jiaoyang's eyes darted around. "You told me yourself."

"When did I say that? Please don't insult my intelligence, okay?"

"Do you have that thing?" Sheng Jiaoyang glanced at her sideways.

"..."

Being looked down upon by her cousin was one thing, but being mocked by a little girl was another. Ning Xiaoruan was indignant.

"I've noticed that you never tell the truth."

"Really? But I think everything I say is from the heart." Sheng Jiaoyang retorted.

Ning Xiaoruan thought to herself that once she found out what this girl was really like, she would be the first to deal with this brat without her cousin even having to lift a finger.

"Xiongzai is my idol's pet, how did it end up here?" Sheng Jiaoyang stood up.

"It belongs to my cousin now." Ning Xiaoruan raised her chin.

Sheng Jiaoyang frowned, annoyed, and said, "Why should I? If anyone's going to adopt Xiongzai, it should be Lina!"

"Wait," Sheng Jiaoyang suddenly realized something, "You said Xiongzai is your cousin's now, and since Xiongzai is here, does that mean this island belongs to your cousin?" She'd actually wandered onto Shen Mowang's territory.

"Yeah!"

Ning Xiaoruan looked at Sheng Jiaoyang, "Why are you so surprised? My cousin's rich, what's wrong with buying an island?"

"Is he here now?" Sheng Jiaoyang peered through the open door.

"No, he went to talk business with Brother Nan."

"And you?" Sheng Jiaoyang looked at Ning Xiaoruan curiously.

Ning Xiaoruan's expression fell. He really didn't want to answer that question. Was he supposed to tell this girl that he was left at home to look after the house because he was disliked?

Knowing that Shen Mowang wasn't home, Sheng Jiaoyang felt relieved.

"Take good care of Xiongzai for me, or you'll be sorry!" Sheng Jiaoyang bent down and ruffled Xiongzai's hair, threatening Ning Xiaoruan fiercely before turning and leaving.

"Hey, you brat..." Ning Xiaoruan gritted her teeth, then remembered that the production crew was there to take photos, and suddenly became curious. She locked the door and led Xiongzai to follow them.