Chapter 140 My Master is a Pig My master is a pig, I'm on behalf of...

Shen Wanming was surprised by her hesitation and asked curiously, "What, didn't you say you would take care of me in my old age?"

Qiu Xiaoman sighed helplessly, "Yes, I did say that, but this is far too much." It's far more than I could have imagined.

Shen Wanming almost laughed. This kid was a bit silly. He asked, "Do I have to negotiate with you before you can feel at ease?"

"Are there any conditions?" That's great, tell me, as long as she can do it.

Shen Wanming was both amused and exasperated. This kid was really funny; he wasn't even comfortable with being given something for free. He couldn't help but wonder, "Aren't you angry when you make demands?"

"Don't be angry." After all, this property came too easily, and she always felt that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Shen Wanming spoke frankly: "Actually, there's not much to say. Chinese people value nothing more than blood ties and surnames. But I know you are a grateful child who doesn't want to forget your Aunt Qiu, so I don't want to force you."

Qiu Xiaoman laughed. It turned out that even her second uncle couldn't escape the custom. Actually, this was not surprising. The reason why Chinese people pay attention to surnames is not only to distinguish between close and distant relatives, but also to clarify the inheritance of property.

Couples who cannot have children often adopt one, not only because they like children, but also to pass on their family name.

So this request is reasonable; it's just that she really doesn't want to change her surname.

After a moment of thought, she asked, "I'm only eighteen, it seems a bit early to talk about this, but if I have children in the future, can I let them take the surname Shen?"

“Sure, of course.” Shen Wanming said with a smile.

His easygoing nature made Qiu Xiaoman feel bad. She thought for a moment and said seriously, "Then you must live a long and healthy life. I'm busy with work and may not have time to take care of the children."

The subtext is that it was agreed that Shen Wanming would have a great-grandson.

Shen Wanming smiled and patted her head: "It's a deal."

After signing the document, Qiu Xiaoman was a little dazed. She had suddenly become—wait, how many zeros were there again?

She counted how many apartments were in the development and estimated the current prices, and her heart pounded with fear.

She's become a multi-millionaire?

She doesn't have to do anything in her life; she can live a very carefree life just by collecting rent. My goodness.

She suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Why weren't her biological parents treating her so well? If it were them, she would be overjoyed.

But now, besides being happy, she also felt a little sad.

Unable to hold back, she grabbed Shen Wanming's arm and cried, "Grandpa, you shouldn't be so good to me. You should have a child of your own."

"Silly child, aren't you my child?" Shen Wanming knew what she was thinking, so he gently patted her shoulder and comforted her, "People experience joys and sorrows, separations and reunions; nothing in life is perfect. Look ahead."

Qiu Xiaoman nodded, wiped away her tears, and asked, "When is Grandpa leaving? When will he come back next time?"

“I’m leaving tomorrow. I still have some things to take care of at the company in the US. I’ll try to come back once things stabilize by the end of the year. If I can’t come back by the end of the year, I’ll bring a lawyer back next spring to ask you to change the shareholding.” At this point, Shen Wanming couldn’t help but frown. “There might be some policy troubles, but I heard that Wen Jiabao gave you special treatment? I’ll talk to him later. At worst, I’ll resign, and you can continue to train your dogs as an unofficial technical consultant.”

“Okay.” This time, Qiu Xiaoman did not refuse, nor did she ask why she was being given so many things.

Perhaps it's because they were all abandoned by the world at some point. Over the long years, they had no blood relatives to accompany them. The feeling of needing to find a connection in this world but not being able to is very painful.

My second uncle is old and must be even more lonely and miserable than she is. In that case, let's accept the old man's gift.

The grandfather and grandson found a restaurant and had a quiet meal.

After the meal, Shen Wanming took her to the courtyard house: "There are a lot of antiques here. In the early years, when the country didn't have the energy to manage things, many ancient tombs were looted, and the items were smuggled and sold by those people. All the ones I collected from overseas are here. They're all yours. You can decide what to do with them."

Qiu Xiaoman went inside and took a look, and was utterly dumbfounded.

A rustic Song Dynasty master's purple clay teapot, exquisite Ming Dynasty imperial porcelain, a small, openwork gold incense box, a gleaming, elaborately crafted phoenix crown...

She didn't know its exact value, but she knew it must be quite expensive.

However, she doesn't have time to verify its authenticity right now; we'll discuss it when she takes a vacation.

After walking around the courtyard house, she suddenly asked curiously, "Grandpa, did you buy this courtyard house?"

Shen Wanming nodded: "There was a good-for-nothing who only knew how to walk birds in cages. He went to America to gamble and lost everything except this courtyard house, but he still wouldn't stop. In order to borrow money, he mortgaged this courtyard house to me."

"If he pays back the money, can he get the yard back?"

"I couldn't pay it back, so I was hacked to death by the debt collectors."

"Oh." I see. Then she can make the arrangements with peace of mind.

After leaving the courtyard house, it was getting late. Shen Wanming escorted her back to rest, saying on the way, "You're all grown up now, so let me be frank with you. When it comes to dating, you can just look at appearances. You're not short of money, so you don't have to compromise yourself. But if you want to get married, you must find someone with reliable character. You can lower your standards a little when it comes to appearances."

“Then I can find someone who is both good-looking and has good character.” Qiu Xiaoman didn’t really want to think about this issue too early, but special circumstances call for special measures, and she was willing to discuss it with the old man.

Shen Wanming laughed: "Then take your time choosing, talk to a few more before deciding, otherwise you might easily be deceived by bad men."

"Okay." Qiu Xiaoman also felt that she needed to talk to several people to see if they were good or bad. Anyway, she was still young and there was no rush.

The next day, Shen Wanming returned to the United States. Qiu Xiaoman was at work and couldn't see him off at the airport. Shen Qinghuai personally took her to the airport, but instead of receiving a kind word, he was criticized again.

Shen Qinghuai felt very aggrieved. He only breathed a sigh of relief after the plane took off. He then called Qiu Xiaoman to ask if she needed help managing the properties in that development.

Qiu Xiaoman hadn't decided yet. It was a high-end residential complex that had just been built and wasn't yet available for sale. It was sure to sell well because there were schools, shopping malls, and bus stops nearby, making it very convenient.

Moreover, selling it makes things easier and you don't have to worry about what happens afterward.

However, there are also downsides. Housing prices are still rising and are on an upward trend in the long term. Selling now would mean losing money later, so it's better to rent it out.

After much consideration, she asked, "Is it okay to just rent and not sell?"

“It can be done. But then you’ll need to arrange for a dedicated real estate agent to help you find and collect rent.” Shen Qinghuai wasn’t worried about finding people, but he was concerned, “This way, you’ll have a large sum of money coming in on top of your salary every month. Won’t your company cause you trouble?”

"No, Director Wen told me from the beginning that I would receive special treatment." Qiu Xiaoman thought for a moment and said, "But you're right to remind me, I'll ask him about it."

"Okay, find out more before you tell me." Shen Qinghuai hung up the phone and continued to discuss the terms of the divorce with a lawyer.

That evening, Qiu Xiaoman called him back. Director Wen said that such gifts between relatives were not against the rules, and besides, he had already promised to give her special treatment, so it was no big deal.

"Besides, I also take care of a bunch of stray cats and dogs. Director Wen is understanding and knows I need money, so he has already explained the situation to the higher-ups." Qiu Xiaoman breathed a sigh of relief.

In this way, she won't have to worry about not being able to afford to raise those furry kids.

Shen Qinghuai understood the situation and arranged for people to inspect the house the next day, verifying the internal area, water and electricity conditions, renovations, etc., before renting it out.

For the next two weeks, Qiu Xiaoman continued to run back and forth until the burns on Xiaoshan's body scabbed over. Only then did she stop running around, because Xiaoshan only needed to recover from her bone injury. Therefore, Zhuifeng no longer needed to accompany her, so Qiu Xiaoman took Zhuifeng back to the army.

After missing nearly a month of training, Zhui Feng was extra serious during training. As soon as the whistle blew, he would rush to the front so that he could run a longer distance; for dangerous activities, he would walk at the back to avoid having an accident and affecting the training of other dogs.

Fortunately, he was very careful. Although he was a little rusty at first, he had good talent and believed that hard work could make up for his lack of talent. Every time the whistle blew for a break, he refused to leave and insisted on doing two more laps.

Since he worked so hard, Qiu Xiaoman gave him an extra two hours of training every day. Anyway, she didn't have to run back and forth anymore, and the time saved could be used to make up for his shortcomings.

After training that day, she ate dinner, took a shower, and rested on the top bunk.

The system flashed a red dot. Clicking on it, I saw that the Wu family's case had been settled. It seemed that Wu Meinian had been caught. It must have been due to the perseverance of Captain Zou and his team.

That's how solving cases works. No one is omniscient or omnipotent. Only through cooperation can we learn from each other's strengths and overcome difficulties.

Looking at the entire Wu family, only the police academy granddaughter and Wu Laoqi are clean.

Although Qiu Xiaoman did not report the case, she participated in the main arrest operation and made indelible contributions at the key breakthrough point. Therefore, the system still credited her for this achievement, but with a partial discount. Those who contributed more received the full reward, while those who contributed less received a reward ranging from half to 30% according to their participation ratio.

In the end, she was rewarded with over a million yuan.

Although she is not short of money now, she doesn't mind having too much.

The next day, I called Shen Qinghuai to ask if he had received the business license for the pet hospital.

Shen Qinghuai has been busy finding a lawyer to negotiate with the Liang family lately, so he hasn't been pressing this matter much. He could only apologize, saying, "I'll ask my secretary later, don't worry."

Shen Qinghuai called back in the afternoon, saying that the permit application had been approved and an auspicious date had been chosen, so they could start operating this weekend.

In late spring, a light drizzle fell. Qiu Xiaoman returned home to rest on Saturday night.

I made a special trip to the pet hospital. Shen Qinghuai was quite thoughtful; he combined the hospital and the pet supply store and hung up a big sign that read "Pet Home."

Then there are two small signs, one on the left and one on the right. The one on the left is for the hospital, and the one on the right is for a supplies store.

The store is located just outside a bustling residential area, making it very convenient for pet owners to see as they come and go.

The shop door is closed right now, but you can still see roughly what's inside through the glass door.

The goods are arranged neatly, that's great.

However… a young man was reflected in the glass door, standing by the roadside watching her, leading a Tibetan mastiff.

She looked at the person with surprise. The system didn't respond, which meant he was a law-abiding citizen, so she politely asked, "Are you here to buy something?"

Wu Laoqi didn't say anything, but silently loosened the rope in his hand. He had come to seek revenge on Qiu Xiaoman, so he had specially trained his dog for several days.

As a result, when the Tibetan Mastiff saw Qiu Xiaoman, it didn't move at all, just howled and complained to its owner.

Qiu Xiaoman understood. She looked at the unfamiliar young man, full of confusion: "You want your dog to bite me?"

Wu Laoqi frowned: "How did you know? Are you really that amazing?"

Instead of answering, Qiu Xiaoman asked, "You hate me so much, are you a member of the Wu family?"

Wu Laoqi fell silent. Logically speaking, the Wu family was a large and powerful family, and it was impossible for a mere instructor to bring them down. However, he believed that everything started when Haoxiong was arrested.

Therefore, Qiu Xiaoman should be held partially accountable for this debt.

He just hadn't expected that his own dog wouldn't listen to him, and he couldn't understand: "Why won't it bite you?"

“All things have a spirit, and He knows I am a good person.” Qiu Xiaoman’s answer sounded impeccable.

Wu Laoqi didn't believe him: "You're fooling me."

“I smell of gunpowder, and also the smell of a dozen or so fierce dogs.” Qiu Xiaoman changed to a more convincing explanation. “Unless there are special circumstances, dogs will respect powerful forces. They are not like some people who overestimate their abilities and cause trouble for no reason.”

Wu Laoqi fell into a long silence. The air was thick with tension; it seemed she had indeed gone to the army, a warning that she had a powerful leader backing her up, and that he shouldn't act rashly.

Wu Laoqi was a pragmatic man; he had long suspected that trouble would befall his family. He had repeatedly advised them to stop their illegal activities, but they wouldn't listen. He could only restrain himself and never get involved in those illegal businesses. He knew they had brought it upon themselves, but he still couldn't accept the family's sudden downfall, so he had to find someone to vent his anger on.

And now, this person doesn't seem like someone to mess with.

He had no choice but to give up, and turning around with the dog on the leash, he said, "Congratulations on your opening! I'll be there to support you."

"Thank you." Qiu Xiaoman watched him leave, not taking his impulsiveness to heart. After all, it was no easy feat for someone who had grown up in the corrupt Wu family to walk out of the interrogation room with a clean record.

This meant there was still hope for him. So she advised, "Brother, walk the right path, and life will be wonderful. Take care."

Wu Laoqi stood across the street, his back to her, motionless for a long time. After a long while, he tugged at the dog leash and left without looking back.

When Qiu Xiaoman returned to her residence, she noticed that Liu Kun was acting strangely; his face was as red as a monkey's bottom, and when she touched his forehead, she found he had a fever.

Qiu Xiaoman quickly helped him lie down while she went to find some cold medicine. When she came in, she was carrying a glass of warm water. She was a little puzzled: "How come you didn't catch a cold in winter and spring, but now that summer is over, you've caught one?"

"The heating was off, and I caught a cold when I got up in the middle of the night." Liu Kun said sheepishly, feeling that he had caused trouble for Officer Qiu and was very embarrassed.

Qiu Xiaoman was even more confused: "Doesn't Little Lightning call you when she poops or pee now? Did you get up in the middle of the night to clean her mat again?"

"No, she's very well-behaved. Before going to sleep, she'll ask me to help her pee so she won't wake me up at night. I'm the one who gets up to go to the bathroom at night. To save time, I didn't wear a coat." Liu Kun's voice was a little hoarse. He leaned against the headboard and took his medicine. The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he felt. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

"What are you saying? What would have happened to all my cats and dogs if it weren't for you these past few days? You also saved Little Lightning. Don't say things like that again." Qiu Xiaoman took a thermometer, shook it, and handed it to him. He took his temperature, and it was 38.9 degrees Celsius. She quickly pulled him up and took him to the hospital.

Liu Kun refused. She had finally come back to rest for a day, and if she had to go to the hospital for him, wouldn't that just make her even more tired?

He lay on the bed, shrinking back, but Qiu Xiaoman was even more stubborn than him. She pulled and tugged at him, managing to drag him off the bed.

Liu Kun was barefoot, his feet on the ground, when he was suddenly pulled up. He didn't have time to take off his pajamas, which revealed his long, scarred legs. He subconsciously tugged at the hem of his shirt and almost fell on Qiu Xiaoman.

Qiu Xiaoman took a step back to avoid it, and her back hit the window, causing her to hiss involuntarily.

Liu Kun became anxious and quickly asked, "Are you alright? I'm really fine. I'll be fine after taking the medicine and taking a nap."

Qiu Xiaoman put her hands behind her back, rubbed her back, rolled her eyes in disgust, and went out.

Even after breakfast was prepared the next day, he wasn't called. Mango couldn't stand it anymore, so she barked and rushed in to check on him, then barked again and came out to report to Qiu Xiaoman: "Master, Master, something bad has happened! He's passed out! I licked his stinky feet and he didn't even react."

What? Qiu Xiaoman quickly put down her chopsticks, dialed 120, and carried the person out of the bedroom.

That's strange, how can a grown man be so light?

Qiu Xiaoman, surprised, weighed the person on her back and felt a chill run down her spine. As she placed him on the stretcher, she couldn't help but loosen his shirt to take a look. His stomach, his arms, his chest—it had almost been stabbed in a vital spot…

There wasn't an inch of his body that was unharmed; it was a miracle he was still alive. No wonder he got along so well with Little Lightning; in that respect, they were kindred spirits.

When they arrived at the hospital, went to the emergency room, and had his blood drawn, they discovered that he was severely malnourished and had a bacterial infection, which caused him to collapse.

After the IV drip was administered, the temperature dropped slightly, and Qiu Xiaoman felt a little guilty.

He was already injured, and he was beaten again when he rescued Little Lightning, but he didn't cry out in pain. He endured all his injuries and worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk to take care of her cats and dogs for so long, but she never really cared about him.

That was really wrong!

When he woke up, she sat by his bedside and fed him the congee with preserved egg and lean pork that she had just bought.

Liu Kun turned his head away: "I'll do it myself."

"Are you asking for trouble?" Qiu Xiaoman was speechless. "You started flirting with me when we didn't even know each other, acting like a complete thug. Now that people consider you a good brother and are feeding you, you're acting all coy. Is it really necessary?"

Liu Kun was very ashamed: "Can we not talk about the past?"

"Then you'd better eat properly." Qiu Xiaoman tilted the hospital bed up at an angle so he could swallow.

Liu Kun hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, fearing she would get angry, he turned his head and obediently opened his mouth.

After feeding him the congee with preserved egg and lean pork, Qiu Xiaoman picked up a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, but he suddenly pressed her hand down.

She instinctively wanted to pull her hand away, but after hesitating for a moment, she restrained herself and squeezed his palm with her own: "Stop fooling around, I'll go wash the dishes."

Liu Kun felt terrible. The feeling of knowing he was not good enough for her, yet being unable to extricate himself from the relationship, was driving him to the brink of collapse.

I can only pretend to be asleep.

When Qiu Xiaoman returned, she saw that he was asleep. Without thinking much of it, she went straight out.

Today is the opening day of the pet home, but she hasn't been there yet and doesn't know what's going on there. She'll drive over and check it out soon.

On the way, she called Shen Qinghuai to inform him that Liu Kun had a fever and was hospitalized. Shen Qinghuai then asked Shen Qinglan to go over and help look after the supplies store.

Uncle Zhou was in charge of the pet hospital.

Actually, not many people keep pets these days, so many people are just there for the prize draw.

When Qiu Xiaoman arrived there, she actually saw Wu Shirong, who was holding his cat, had bought a bunch of supplies, and had even won a rice cooker in a raffle. He was having a great time.

Upon seeing Qiu Xiaoman, he was very excited: "You're here to buy things too?"

Qiu Xiaoman was both amused and exasperated. She wanted to say that she actually owned the shop, but Shen Qinghuai had paid for it all, and she hadn't transferred the money to him yet. Oh well, never mind.

She smiled and looked at Mimi in his arms, wanting to pet the cat's head, but Mimi dodged away.

Mimi looked at her with disgust: "You smell like a stinky man, go away."

Qiu Xiaoman laughed in exasperation: "What nonsense are you spouting, you stinky cat!"

Mimi was still very disgusted: "They just smell like stinky men, unlike my master, who smells nice. All the other stinky men smell bad."

Qiu Xiaoman was both amused and exasperated. Too lazy to argue with a cat, she simply went outside.

Wu Shirong followed him out: "What's wrong? Did Mimi make you angry?"

"He doesn't like me," Qiu Xiaoman said, making it up.

Wu Shirong laughed loudly: "I don't believe it. Do you smell like another cat?"

Qiu Xiaoman didn't respond to that question, but instead asked, "How's Lele doing lately? Has the egg hatched yet?"

"They've hatched! Seven in a brood, it's so cute!" Wu Shirong hadn't seen Qiu Xiaoman for a while, so he chatted with her for a bit longer. "Do you want to go see them?"

"Is the criminal investigation building crowded on weekends?" Qiu Xiaoman walked to a nearby parking lot, intending to give Wu Shirong a ride.

Wu Shirong followed Santana and said with a wry smile, "Of course there are more. Criminal police officers are always on call, and many work overtime, but it's still less than on weekdays. Those who have closed a case can rest."

"Okay, let's go take a look." Qiu Xiaoman opened the back door. "What are you standing there for? Get in."

"I rode a bicycle." Wu Shirong said helplessly. He could indeed hitch a ride, but he would have to leave his bicycle on the side of the road, and it wouldn't be good if someone picked it up.

Qiu Xiaoman said helplessly, "Then where's your office key? Give it to me, I'll go over there first."

Wu Shirong tossed the keys to her, but unexpectedly, she also snatched the cat and cat food from his arms.

Qiu Xiaoman rolled her eyes at him: "Why are you acting like an idiot? I have this car right here, why don't you stuff your things in it? Wouldn't it be easier for you to ride it that way?"

Wu Shirong didn't refute, just stood there grinning foolishly, looking every bit like a bookworm.

Qiu Xiaoman gave in: "Hurry up, or I'll leave after I've finished looking at the birds and won't wait for you. I'll bring the things to your office."

"No, just leave it in your car. Don't bring Mimi up either; she'll get excited if she sees a bird." Wu Shirong meant well; for Lele's safety, it was best not to let Mimi go in.

Qiu Xiaoman understood, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

Wu Shirong watched the departing car with a smile on his face. When he turned to push the car, he noticed a young man standing across the road with a Tibetan mastiff, staring at him.

He recognized the man; when the Wu family was arrested last time, only the police academy student was released.

However, Wu Shirong didn't want to cause trouble, so he pretended not to see it, pushed his bicycle, and left.

He had no idea that his cat had infuriated Qiu Xiaoman on the way.

Even after they arrived at the interrogation building, Mimi was still muttering, "You have a stinky man now, stay away from my master."

Qiu Xiaoman parked the car and gave his cat's head a good rub: "Shut up! I don't have any smelly men, and I'm not interested in your owner. You're such a smelly cat!"

"You're the one who stinks! You smell like a stinky man!" Mimi continued to curse.

Qiu Xiaoman had had enough. She pulled him into her arms, belly up, and started tickling him.

Mimi couldn't take it anymore and started meowing, "Let me go, you stinky person! Even if you give me a massage, I won't... Mmm, so comfortable, snoring, snoring..."

Qiu Xiaoman laughed uncontrollably, scratched him for a while, and only let go when she saw that the silly cat was almost asleep: "If you talk nonsense again next time, you'll be severely punished!"

That's exactly what I wanted! Mimi continued to grumble, "You stinky man, you stinky man, you're such a stinky man!"

He was quickly caught by Qiu Xiaoman and executed on the spot!

The big, fat cat is purring so sweetly! Humans are so stupid, they always fall for it!

When Wu Shirong arrived on his bicycle, Qiu Xiaoman hadn't even gotten off yet.

Wu Shirong was a little surprised. He came over and knocked on the window. Seeing a battle between humans and cats taking place inside, he couldn't help but laugh: "What are you two doing?"

Qiu Xiaoman released Mimi, got out of the car, locked the door, and smoothed her hair: "Let's go upstairs and talk."

Poor Mimi, no matter how cunning he is, no human will tickle his belly anymore. He's so angry! All he can do is look at the window where his owner is, meowing and grumbling.

Upstairs, Qiu Xiaoman picked up Wu Shirong's binoculars and glanced at Lele's bird's nest. Sure enough, a group of fluffy little balls of fur were wriggling inside. How cute!

She returned the binoculars to Wu Shirong, but as she turned around, she noticed a pair of dumbbells on Wu Shirong's desk.

She asked curiously, "Yours?"

"Hmm." Wu Shirong bent his arm. Perhaps because it hadn't been long enough, he hadn't seen any results yet; his arms and legs were still thin.

He was a little embarrassed and explained, "Sometimes when I'm tired from work, I just do it for fun."

Qiu Xiaoman smiled: "That's good. You're too thin. It would be better if you ate more."

Wu Shirong silently hummed in agreement and asked, "Are you free tonight?"

Qiu Xiaoman leaned against the window and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Wu Shirong avoided her gaze and looked at the binoculars in her hand. "There's a movie out recently, and a lot of people from my workplace have gone to see it."

Qiu Xiaoman declined helplessly: "I don't have time. My friend has a fever, and I have to go take care of him."

"Male or female?" Wu Shirong was a little surprised, as he thought she always kept to herself.

Qiu Xiaoman smiled and said, "It's a man. I'm going to the hospital to be with him later."

"Oh." Wu Shirong didn't ask any more questions. A smart person knows when to stop, even if they are full of curiosity, as if a hundred cat claws are scratching at them.

The two chatted about painting for a while longer, and even called Lele over for an extra meal before Qiu Xiaoman left.

Wu Shirong followed, picked up his cat and pet supplies, and silently watched the car drive away.

Inside the backpack, Mimi kept blaming Wu Shirong: "Stupid master, you just let her go like that? I want to keep arguing with her!"

Wu Shirong couldn't understand what Mimi was saying, but he knew that Mimi was making a fuss. He quickly rode his bike back, settled Mimi in, and went back to his workplace alone to continue drawing portraits.

At this moment in the hospital, Qiu Xiaoman was arguing with Liu Kun. He didn't want to disturb her rest and insisted on being discharged, but Qiu Xiaoman insisted that he stay one more day.

In the end, Liu Kun could only provoke her with words: "Why are you so concerned about me? Please, don't make me misunderstand and think that you have other intentions towards me."

Qiu Xiaoman was stunned: "Are you crazy? Stay or leave if you want, who's going to spoil you!" After saying that, she went to the payment window and processed his discharge.

On the way back, neither of them spoke a word, and even after returning to their lodgings, they remained as taciturn as ever.

The cats and dogs in the house all sensed something was wrong. Mango ran to the sofa, put her paws on Qiu Xiaoman's leg, and asked curiously, "Master, what's wrong? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, shouldn't you wean your child?" Qiu Xiaoman didn't want to bring up the topic, so she simply asked Mango about her future plans.

If you still want to be a police dog, then wean it as soon as possible. You might even be able to participate in the second selection for the Asian Games security dogs.

Upon hearing this, Mango quickly replied, "Okay, but the babies are all around me, I can't shake them off. As soon as I lie down, they come over to drink milk."

"Come with me to the base." Qiu Xiaoman didn't want Mango to be delayed any longer; the pups had been there for over a month and were old enough to eat dog food.

Mango was overjoyed: "Really? When are we going?"

"Tomorrow, you'll come with me to the military base. I'll take you there after I get off work." There was no other way; if I took her during work hours, she would be late.

Mango immediately spun around twice on the spot: "Yes, Master!"

"I'll go spend some more time with the kids; we'll be parting ways tomorrow." Qiu Xiaoman was getting ready for bed, feeling utterly frustrated and listless.

After Mango left, she took a shower. When she came out, she saw Liu Kun sitting on the sofa, staring at a photo in front of him, seemingly lost in thought.

Qiu Xiaoman walked over with her hair wrapped up, ignored them, and went straight into the bedroom.

As she closed the door, she saw the sorrow in Liu Kun's eyes and her heart softened. She had no choice but to go over and ask, "What's wrong? Missing your friend?"

Liu Kun spread the photo out on the coffee table. It was a photo he took in the sinkhole, with the child he had rescued standing next to him.

He rubbed his hair in frustration and said, "You should find someone else to look after the pet shop. I'm going to go find him. Maybe the sinkhole is more suitable for me."

Qiu Xiaoman was dumbfounded, staring blankly at him. After a long while, she gritted her teeth and asked, "Are you forcing me to keep you?"

"Can you do it?" Liu Kun looked up, his eyes filled with longing.

Qiu Xiaoman didn't respond to the topic, turned her back, and went back to her bedroom. She slammed the door shut. She didn't understand where her anger came from, but she knew she didn't like being threatened.

She stood by the window with her arms crossed. The weather was getting warmer day by day, but the temperature at night was still a bit cool. She hadn't dried her hair, and after standing there for a while, she started sneezing.

Liu Kun, who was outside, heard this and felt a little guilty. He asked through the door, "Do you have any medicine? I'll get it for you?"

Qiu Xiaoman ignored him, and after a while, he knocked on the door again: "I poured you some water, take your medicine."

Qiu Xiaoman still ignored him, so Liu Kun had no choice but to ask, "Shall I come in?"

Seeing that she didn't stop him, he pushed open the door, carrying water and cold medicine. He had just walked behind her when she suddenly turned around and shoved him away.

Liu Kun stood at the door, offering no explanation. After a long while, he came over and asked, "Are you calm now?"

Qiu Xiaoman ignored her, took the water and medicine, and gulped them down.

She was about to put the water glass on the bedside table when Liu Kun hugged her from behind: "I'm sorry, I... I'm a little pessimistic... I... I can't help wanting to get close to you. I know I'm not good enough for you, but I can't take it anymore. I can't sleep every Friday night because you'll come back the next night. I can't sleep every Saturday night either because you'll leave the next night. I can't control myself, I'm going crazy."

Qiu Xiaoman did not push him away, letting him press against her and kiss her neck and her still-damp hair.

Just as he was about to lose control, she shoved him away and ordered, "Get out."

Liu Kun didn't move, pressing for details: "Where are you going? The sinkhole? Or my bedroom?"

"Liu Kun, don't force me to beat you up. Just stay here and recover from your injuries. Once you're healed, you can go wherever you want." Qiu Xiaoman had already backed down. If he continued to act recklessly, she really would kick him out.

Liu Kun understood, resignedly said "okay," and turned to leave.

Qiu Xiaoman closed the door and sighed silently. Damn it, she really wanted to slap him a few times, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Staying here tonight will probably lead to endless arguments," she thought, grabbing her keys and driving around the streets.

Finally, she parked the car by the park and slumped over the steering wheel, trying to figure out what to do.

Love? Not at all. A stranger? That's self-deception. He did give a lot, and she's not a scumbag; she knows it all.

She would feel uneasy if he left. But she didn't want to talk about it right now, even though she didn't feel repulsed when he kissed her.

She herself was confused.

Just as she was in a daze, a Tibetan mastiff ran past in her line of sight, carrying something in its mouth. Because it was moving too fast, she couldn't see it clearly, but it looked like a severed arm.

She quickly opened the car door and chased after him. When she reached the lakeside in the park, a figure silently appeared behind her and, taking her by surprise, slapped her hard, pushing her into the water.

Unexpectedly, she reacted extremely quickly. As she fell in and struggled, she grabbed the man's leg and pulled him into the water as well.

In the churning lake waters, an unseen struggle unfolds.

To the man's utter surprise, Qiu Xiaoman was an excellent swimmer. She quickly subdued him, and when she surfaced, she grabbed him by the hair and pulled him out with her.

"Ha, it really was you! You were following me? You're asking for it!" Qiu Xiaoman, who had been holding back her anger all night, didn't hold back and slapped the man's cheeks repeatedly.

The Tibetan mastiff on the shore was dumbfounded. It spat out the sleeve from its mouth and barked, "Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! My master is a stupid pig. I apologize to you on his behalf. Please!"

Qiu Xiaoman rolled her eyes at the stupid dog and pulled him down as well: "Hold onto your master's collar and don't let him sink. I'll go up first, then pull him down, and finally pull you down."

The Tibetan Mastiffs barked and were very well-behaved.

After getting ashore, Qiu Xiaoman kept his promise and rescued both the person and the dog.

Wu Laoqi never expected that his sneak attack would fail, nearly choke him to death, and end up owing Qiu Xiaoman his life. He was utterly humiliated! It was so shameful that he lay on the ground for a long time, unable to get up.

After Qiu Xiaoman wrung out his hair, he came to his senses, lay down and raised his hands: "Cuff me, I'll turn myself in."

Qiu Xiaoman pressed his hand down and slapped him twice more across the face: "We're even now. If you dare to scheme against me again, don't blame me for being impolite."

Having said that, he turned and left.

She got back to her car and wanted to check the time, only to find that her watch had stopped due to water damage. She had no choice but to drive around the neighborhood to see if the shops were closed.

They're all closed, not a single one left, except for some bars and dance halls, which are still brightly lit.

She had no choice but to return home.

When she got home, Liu Kun was still sitting in the living room, seemingly lost in thought. She ignored him, closed the door, and went straight to take a shower. When she came out after changing her clothes, Liu Kun finally spoke: "What happened? Why are you all wet?"

"It's nothing, I'm not trying to kill myself, don't overthink it." Qiu Xiaoman grabbed her keys, ready to go out and find a hotel to stay in.

Liu Kun quickly blocked the way at the entrance: "What is this? I'm staying here, and you're staying in a hotel? Are you trying to kick me out?"

"No, don't overthink it. I'm going to work overtime." Qiu Xiaoman lied. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also didn't want to stay at home and continue arguing.

Liu Kun lowered his eyelashes, his eyes filled with sorrow: "It was my fault today, I'm sorry. It will never happen again."

Qiu Xiaoman couldn't help but sigh, thinking she still needed to make things clear: "Don't force me. You're not a bad person at heart, you're kind by nature, I value you a lot, you've helped me a lot, and I don't want to hurt you. But my feelings for you aren't at that level yet. Maybe in the future, I'm not sure, but not now, understand?"

The shadow covered half of Liu Kun's face. His hair had grown long and needed a cut, but now it conveniently concealed his embarrassment. After a long pause, he asked, "Just now... did you try to slap me?"

It was about when he kissed her; he was prepared to be hit, but she didn't.

Qiu Xiaoman didn't want to lie to him, but she also didn't want to indulge him, so she changed the subject: "No. When I carried you to the stretcher, I noticed you were very light and thin. You should take care of yourself first, okay?"

Liu Kun breathed a sigh of relief: "Then you won't leave tonight, okay?"

"Aren't you going to cause trouble anymore?"

"Stop making a fuss."

"Okay, I won't leave." Qiu Xiaoman turned around and went back to her room, sleeping soundly until dawn without being disturbed by him again.

Breakfast is ready, and so is Mango's dog food. After we finish eating, we can set off together.

Liu Kun thought for a moment and asked, "How about we take Mango away tomorrow? I'll borrow a camera today and take some photos of the mother and son together."

"Okay, thank you for your trouble." Qiu Xiaoman readily accepted the suggestion, which meant she would be back tonight.

Liu Kun smiled and got up to wash the dishes. As Qiu Xiaoman left, she still reminded him, "You didn't eat much just now. Eat more at noon. You're too thin."

"Okay." Liu Kun smiled and turned around. "I'll go to the pet store later."

Qiu Xiaoman really wanted to tease him, "Not leaving? Not going to the sinkhole?" But then she thought better of it. This guy was even more sensitive than her; it was best not to provoke him.

When I came back in the evening, there was a row of Polaroid photos on the table, including photos of Mango's family and Little Princess's family.

Qiu Xiaoman picked it up and looked at it. It was pretty good; the snapshot was very well done. The puppies were all chubby and blinked their big, watery eyes. They were so cute.

During this time, Liu Kun took a few pictures of her, and she cooperated by making a peace sign.

When she went to take a shower, she didn't bring her mobile phone. Just then, someone called out from outside, and she asked him to answer it for her.

Chen Jianjun asked on the other end of the line, "Xiao Qiu, Wu Yuan came to turn himself in, saying that he pushed you into the lake in the park last night, trying to drown you. Is that true?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun immediately stood up: "What? Someone wants to harm Officer Qiu? Why didn't she tell me? No wonder she was soaking wet when she came back last night."

When Chen Jianjun heard a man's voice, he was stunned. After confirming that it was Liu Kun, he found it unbelievable: "How come it's you?"

Liu Kun hated hearing this kind of talk the most, and gritted his teeth as he retorted, "Why can't it be me?"

"Never mind, forget I said anything. Let Xiao Qiu answer the phone herself."

She's taking a shower.

"...After she finishes washing, have her call me back."

What's your name?

"Chen Jianjun".

After hanging up the phone, Liu Kun paced anxiously in the living room. When he saw Qiu Xiaoman come out, he immediately asked her about what happened yesterday.

Qiu Xiaoman didn't want him to worry. He should rest, eat more, sleep more, and avoid getting stressed. She said patiently, "It's nothing serious. Go to sleep. I'll handle it myself."

"But you almost drowned!" Liu Kun said, somewhat agitated.

Qiu Xiaoman said helplessly, "I already told you I'm fine! Okay, go to sleep, stop asking, it's annoying if you keep asking me."

Liu Kun had no choice but to shut up and sit on the sofa, sulking.

Qiu Xiaoman ignored him and went back to her room to call Chen Jianjun back. Chen Jianjun explained, "He insists that I arrest him. He says he can't control himself and he just wants to harm you, but he knows it's wrong. Do you want to come over so I can make a statement?"

"Okay." Qiu Xiaoman changed into clean clothes, threw her dirty clothes into the washing machine, and went out.

When she got back, it was already midnight. She was exhausted and went straight to sleep. When she woke up the next morning, she found that Liu Kun was not at home.

Having gotten used to having ready-made breakfast, the sudden lack of food felt quite abrupt. Too lazy to make anything, she simply ate two biscuits, fed the cats and dogs, and then left with the mangoes.

I called Liu Kun at noon, but no one answered. I still didn't answer in the afternoon.

Qiu Xiaoman didn't understand where he had gone. She called Shen Qinghuai, but Liu Kun wasn't at the pet home either.

After getting off work, Qiu Xiaoman had no choice but to rush back to see what had happened.

But Liu Kun's bedroom door was wide open, and all his belongings had been moved out.

Qiu Xiaoman looked at the camouflage cat, who was yawning incessantly, with surprise: "Where is he?"

"They're gone." The calico cat was lazily lounging around, completely unaware that something had happened.

Qiu Xiaoman was speechless. How could this person be like this, leaving without even saying goodbye? She really didn't know what had gotten into him! Oh well, let him go! An adult, if he doesn't take care of his own body, can she lock him up? She put the cats and dogs in the car and took them to the abandoned factory. There were so many cats and dogs, even with these two litters, it wasn't much.

However, since Little Lightning needed special care, she doubled the salary of the employee who fed the cats and dogs, and told him to be extra careful.

After dropping off the cats and dogs, she returned to her unit.

For the next month, she didn't even go back home on weekends. What if Liu Kun came to his senses and moved back? They'd argue again if they met. She was happy to provide him with a place to stay, but she couldn't help but be sarcastic! If he couldn't take it and ran away again, she wouldn't have the patience to be friends with him.

When she wants to see cats and dogs, she goes to the abandoned factory.

I occasionally visit the mango farm to check on the mangoes.

By the time the military's loan period ended, it was already summer.

Qiu Xiaoman packed her things and returned to the base, where she found two new colleagues.

They are the newly arrived veterinarian Feng Chao and the newly arrived intern trainee Wu Lili.

Qiu Xiaoman frowned and strode towards the training ground.