Chapter 16 Mad Dog Hotel
Lu Qi counted down the ten-day critical period for Lulu after she was discharged from the hospital.
Whenever Lulu goes to the toilet, she always squats next to her and checks on her feces and urine immediately.
At night, the slightest sound or rustling would wake Lu Qi.
Whenever Lulu lies down for more than half an hour, Lu Qi can't help but check its breathing.
She didn't want to wake it, but whenever she got close, Lulu would open its eyes and instinctively rub its head against her hand.
Lu Qi immediately moved away, not daring to touch its surgically operated head.
Lulu tilted her head in confusion, not understanding why she wouldn't touch her head.
“Silly boy,” Lu Qi said, stroking its body instead, “your head hurts so much, yet you keep rubbing against me.”
Syringomyelia existed before she discovered Lulu's illness; in other words, Lulu had been experiencing headaches for a long time.
But it never refused Lu Qi's head pats, and would even wag its tail and smile happily when she touched it.
"Tell me, Lulu." Lu Qi lowered her eyes, her eyes and nose stinging. "Where do you feel unwell? You have to tell me... I need to know if you tell me..."
She buried herself in Lulu's soft, full breasts.
"If only you could talk." Her voice was swallowed up by her thick blond hair, low and muffled.
"But you're so sensible and so good at enduring pain, even if you could speak, you probably wouldn't tell me."
Lu Qi stroked the smooth golden fur, and a pang of pain shot through his heart as he thought of the price that this magnificent appearance would have to pay.
Weakened immune system, ear mites, parvovirus, paralysis, syringomyelia... Is it over? Is it finally over?
No one can guarantee that this will be the last time. As Lulu grows up, other genetic diseases may appear in her.
But it can't speak.
An animal's instinct makes it more unwilling to show weakness the more pain it experiences.
Lu Qi thought that if Lulu couldn't speak human language, then she would learn dog language.
She needs to understand it better.
The ten days after the surgery were spent in Lu Qi's anxiety.
She bought a stethoscope to listen to Lulu's heartbeat at any time; she also prayed for a blessing of peace and hung it on the peeling paint on the door.
Medicine and metaphysics weren't enough; she bought books and materials on canine behavior and studied Lulu's language.
On the last night of the tenth day, Lu Qi put a belt on Lulu and hung a stack of papers on it.
"This is a talisman for peace, health, and longevity."
"This is the cross I got from the church."
Lu Qi paused in her act of hanging the talisman, looking at the cross already hanging on Lulu's body, and hesitated for a moment, "Buddhism and Christianity seem to be rivals, won't hanging them together cause them to fight?"
"Hmm?" Lulu tilted her head, not understanding her words.
Lu Qi took off the cross and compared it to the swastika in his hand. "This is in China, so the swastika is better? But you're of European and American descent, so maybe you're under the jurisdiction of Jesus?"
Unable to choose, she presented the two talismans to Lulu, asking, "Lulu, which one do you like?"
Lulu doesn't like any of them.
It turned its head and began to tear at the annoying paper wrapped around its body.
"No!" Lu Qi carefully turned its neck. "You can't bite them. You have to sleep with them on tonight."
"Waaah..." Lulu frowned and sobbed pitifully.
"Good dog, just bear with it for one more night." Lu Qi kissed its shoulder. "You're the best little dog, aren't you?"
Lulu muttered to herself and lay down again.
It rolled over, hooked its paws, and whined sweetly.
Lu Qi smiled and stroked the soft fur on its belly. "Okay, okay, I'll hug you. I'll sleep while hugging our Lulu."
The single bed was filled with the girl and the large dog. Lu Qi woke up seven or eight times during the night. She opened her eyes, made sure Lulu was alright, and then closed them again for a nap.
Sensing her unease, Lulu slept even more lightly than Luqi. Every time Luqi woke up and stroked Lulu, she would meet a pair of bright, round eyes.
Behind those eyes was a pitch-black winter night, equally dark, yet Lulu's eyes shone with light in the winter darkness.
Lu Qi learned a dog language.
She tilted her head back and gently bit Lulu's mouth from the side.
Lulu's round eyes curved into a smile, becoming even brighter.
It understood the words, and its fluffy tail swayed gently at Lu Qi's feet.
It tried to bite Luqi in return, but found that Luqi had no mouth to bite, so it stuck out its tongue and licked Luqi's chin, and then its mouth.
Lu Qi smiled, and its tongue slipped inside, licking her palate.
"Mmm..." Lu Qi covered her mouth and huddled under the covers.
Lulu used to lick her lips and chin, but this was the first time she had put her mouth inside, and Lu Qi was a little shy.
She was startled for a moment, but then she remembered the documentary she had watched, in which the female reporter and trainer would open their mouths and let the wolf lick their palates, and Lu Qi became more accepting of it.
Everything Lulu eats comes from her, and she brushes Lulu's teeth every day; they're not dirty.
This is its pure and innocent love language.
She was the one who made it talk to her; it said it loved her, so she should praise it, encourage it, and respond to its words.
Unlike other puppies, Lulu couldn't have any other dogs; she was its only social companion.
Lu Qi got out of the blanket and accepted Lulu's licks, gently biting its muzzle and kissing its chin in return. "Lulu, I hope you can be happy."
"Your birthday is my favorite day. I'm so happy that you came into this world on that day and that I was able to meet you."
It was not a discarded foal, nor was it a new product from the kennel.
"Lulu, you are Lulu, the best dog."
"Woof," it responded softly.
They fell asleep in each other's arms.
As dawn breaks, even the long winter nights are eventually replaced by daylight.
Lulu survived, escaping from a survival chance that was even smaller than 40%.
Without the pressure of syringomyelia on its brain, it became more lively, and the small rented house could no longer contain it. Lulu was eager to go out and explore the world every day.
However, as Lu Qi entered her senior year of high school, the school became increasingly strict in its control over students.
It was already an exception for her to ask for leave at noon to cook for Lulu, but she could no longer ask for leave at will during evening self-study.
It was already 10:30 when Lu Qi got home from school. She hurriedly grabbed the dog leash and took Lulu, who was eager to go out.
"No rush, no rush." She put down her schoolbag with one hand and reached for the dog leash hanging on the wall with the other.
Lulu jumped around, making soft whimpering noises, circling around and urging Lu Qi on.
Adult dogs shouldn't make that kind of sound; it always deliberately uses the sound of a puppy to soften Lu Qi's heart.
Lu Qi put the leash on it. "Okay, let's go."
Lulu suppressed her excitement—but couldn't hold it in and let out a small bark.
It was the youngest and strongest age, with curiosity and energy at their peak, so he pulled Lu Qi to run outside.
"Wait, wait, baby." Lu Qi leaned on the stair railing. "It's too dark, I can't see."
Today, while digging up the road, they damaged the nearby power lines. Even after emergency repairs, some areas around the neighborhood still don't have power.
The stairwells in the old residential area were already steep, and Lu Qi, unable to see, almost fell down.
Hearing her panicked voice, Lulu turned around and stopped her reckless steps.
It ran back, nestled against Lu Qi's leg, and tilted its head to look at her.
She wasn't injured or sad, and there were no unfamiliar presences nearby. Lulu couldn't understand why she was so nervous and scared.
It didn't understand, but it stayed close to Lu Qi, comforting her.
It's here, they're together.
Lu Qi turned on her phone's flashlight, groped her way downstairs, and went to the path she usually took for walks.
"Why aren't even the lights on here working?"
Lu Qi couldn't take Lulu for a walk on the street because there was too much dust and exhaust fumes, and Lulu's body couldn't handle it.
In parks and similar activity areas, other dogs are also walking around, so to avoid spreading parvovirus to others, she can only choose nearby secluded paths.
It was already quite cold, there were no passing vehicles or pedestrians, and the streetlights were broken.
Lu Qi was a little uneasy, but Lulu walked ahead in high spirits.
Even in the dim starlight of the night, its light golden fur still shone with a magnificent luster.
As Lu Qi watched, he became less afraid.
There was an advantage to being alone; she could chat with Lulu casually: "Do you remember, Lulu? The night I found you, the streetlights near you were broken. You were so tiny, just sitting there in front of the green belt."
Hearing her own name and the word "sit," Lulu turned and glanced at Lu Qi.
It judged that Luqi didn't want it to sit down, so it turned around and continued its happy walk.
"Time flies, it's almost time for me to find you again." Lu Qi exhaled a puff of white breath and looked up at the moonless starry sky.
One more day will be her birthday, the day she turns eighteen.
Three years later, Lu Qi decided to change the name of that day. She wanted to replace "the anniversary of her parents' death" with "the anniversary of meeting Lulu".
"In six months, I'll be going to college, Lulu." She walked forward, gazing at the starry sky. "My uncle wants me to study business management, my aunt and uncle want me to take the civil service exam, and I'm thinking of applying for veterinary medicine."
She looked at Lulu, "But if I become a veterinarian, no matter how careful I am, I will still bring back bacteria and viruses every day."
“So Lulu,” she laughed, grabbing her high-flying golden tail, “I think I’ll go study finance or accounting.”
What do you think, Lulu?
"Woof!" Lulu didn't turn around, just kept walking forward, responding to Lu Qi's firm bark.
With Lulu by my side, the dark road was no longer so scary.
Lu Qi, with a dog leash on his wrist and his hands in the pockets of his winter school uniform, smiled and said to Lulu, "Tomorrow I'll be an adult, Lulu. Do you know what adulthood means?"
"Woof!"
"Lulu, you're already a grown dog, so if you think about it that way, you're older than me."
Lulu wagged her tail and walked ahead, which was indeed the posture of a big dog; puppies would only stick to their mother's feet or behind her.
Although Lulu lost her testicles, she is very responsible.
“But you’re only two years old, and I’ve already lived for eighteen years,” Lu Qi said. “So in front of me, you’ll always be just a baby.”
The baby responded in a low voice: "Woof."
Someone is walking towards me.
Two men walked along, talking and laughing loudly.
Lu Qi noticed that they were walking unsteadily, their cheeks were red and swollen, and one of them was holding a can of beer.
The smell of alcohol wafted on the wind.
Lu Qi frowned.
She dislikes alcohol, and even more so, she dislikes drunk middle-aged men; her parents were killed by a drunk male driver.
Despite her dislike, as they approached, she tugged at Lulu's leash, making her move to the inside while she went to the middle to separate the passerby from Lulu, in case the passerby was afraid of dogs.
Lu Qi pulled Lulu to the right, the man laughing loudly as he passed by her ear.
After they brushed past each other, she instinctively breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put Lulu back in the middle of the road when she suddenly heard a teasing laugh: "Schoolgirl?"
Lu Qi was stunned for a moment, and then his left buttock was pinched hard.
"Ah!" she cried out instinctively, and quickly stepped back to the side.
"Woof! Woof woof woof!" Lulu immediately rushed out, shouting a warning.
"Damn, there's a dead dog here! You scared the hell out of me!" A large dog suddenly darted out of the darkness, startling the short man, who threw the beer bottle he was holding at it.
Bang! A can of beer hit Lulu on the head, and Lulu's roar paused for a moment. The blow had hit the spot where it had undergone brain surgery years ago.
"Lulu!"
The slight pain, the stinging sensation of beer drops splashing into her eyes, and Lu Qi's terrified scream immediately made Lulu bare her sharp teeth.
It lunged forward and charged at the man.
Infectious diseases and Luqi's daily routine led Lulu to live a solitary life. She was unable to attend dog school or even undergo complete socialization training.
The bloodline of the retriever dog gave it a gentle social talent with people, as well as a fighting talent to protect its owner.
"Holy crap! Holy crap, holy crap!" The pressure from the large dog's attack was immense, and the two men were half-sobered up. Seeing Lulu rushing towards them, the tall man kicked the dog hard in the chest.
"Lulu!" Lu Qi exclaimed in surprise.
The golden retriever was kicked to the ground, and she reached out to hug Lulu. This small comfort couldn't compare to the emotional trauma the pain inflicted on Lulu.
It lunged out of her arm, its voice turning muffled and agitated, its usually gentle and friendly eyes now filled with a fierce glint.
Amid Lu Qi's repeated cries, it bit the tall man's knee. Accompanied by the man's painful howl, the short man followed up with a kick to Lulu's chest and abdomen from the side.
"Give me your mouth! You beast, give me your mouth! You fucking give me your mouth!"
He stomped down, making a terrifyingly heavy sound. Lulu let out two painful howls, but her teeth didn't loosen even slightly; instead, she clenched them even tighter.
It has always been able to endure pain.
"Ah!!!" The tall man's face turned pale as he frantically pounded the dog's head while yelling to his companion, "Quick, get it away! My knees are about to break!"
"Damn it, let go!" The short man panicked and kept kicking the dog. "You son of a bitch, a dog trying to eat human flesh! I'll kick you to death, I'll kick you to death!"
"Lulu, Lulu!" Lu Qi grabbed the short man and desperately pulled him back, screaming hysterically, "Don't, don't hit it!"
"Get out of here, you bitch!" The short man, eager to rescue his companion, swung his arm and elbowed Lu Qi in the chest.
In an instant, a metallic taste rose in Lu Qi's throat.
"Roar—" Lulu, who was biting the tall man, suddenly roared and leaped up, pouncing on the short man.
The large dog stretched out its forelegs, pounced, and pinned the man to the ground by pressing down on his shoulder.
"Ah!" The short man landed on the back of his head, and when he opened his eyes, he saw an open dog mouth.
"Get lost!" The tall man kicked Lulu, sending her flying.
It rolled twice, quickly got up, barked wildly again, and charged at the man, leaping up to bite his waving arm.
Beer cans rolled on the roadside, their contents spilling out, the biting winter night filled with the smell of blood and strong alcohol.
In the chaos, Lu Qi saw Lulu biting the tall man and turning to look at her.
It seemed to return Lu Qi's gaze, just like a human would.
It was gesturing for her to go first.
"What are you doing over there!" A flashlight beam shone from afar.
Two security guards nearby heard the shouting and ran over to check what was happening.
Unable to see the situation clearly and not daring to approach easily, they shouted from afar, "Call the police!"
"Scream! Scream like a bastard!" The two men were completely unfazed.
If a dog hurts someone, no matter the reason, it's a dog, and if it hurts someone, then the person is in the right!
"Ah!" The short man had just finished cursing when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his scalp.
The girl in the school uniform grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled him back with all her might, making him bend over.
"Let it go!" she cried and screamed frantically, "Let it go!"
"Crazy woman!" the short man shouted through gritted teeth, stomping his foot on Lu Qi's instep.
Lu Qi cried even more tears in pain.
The spilled cold liquor on the ground reflected the red and blue police lights.
The group was taken away by the police who responded to the report.
"I beg you, I beg you, let me take it to the hospital first." Lu Qi kept bowing in front of the police car. "It's in very poor health, it needs treatment first. Officer, I beg you, I beg you..."
...
"Emergency! Dr. Qi, Lulu needs emergency help!"
"It has been less than a year since the craniotomy, and there is a great risk of needing to undergo anesthesia twice within a year."
"The craniotomy suture site ruptured, causing severe internal bleeding."
“Comminuted fractures of the 9th to 12th ribs, left 13th rib puncturing the gallbladder, and spleen rupture.”
"Young man, we checked your dog license. Regardless of the reason, this type of large hunting dog that hasn't received basic training is not allowed to be walked in residential areas. This is a legal regulation, didn't you know that?"
"Even using a rope won't work. Did you manage to hold on with a rope yesterday?"
"Alright, young lady, according to the date on your ID card, you are already an adult, and the victim can pursue legal action. Since you are still a student, how about this: have your guardian come over, sign something, pay the medical expenses, and then apologize. We'll put in a good word for you and try to get less compensation."
...
Lu Qi looked at her disheveled self in the mirror.
She turned on the tap and washed her face with cold water without expression.
Over the years, she has declined all birthday dinners.
She would rather hold Lulu's ashes, face the photos of her parents and Lulu, and spend her ridiculous birthday alone.
Heaven used three bloody lives to tirelessly tell her how hateful her birth was and how despicable her existence was.
Her parents died in a car accident while trying to protect her.
Lulu, who had escaped death countless times in order to protect her, died at the very first moment of her birthday.
As the night passed, Lu Qi's eyes were red, swollen, and dry, and her back was also a little sore.
This face clearly shows she's been crying, and Lu Qi can't fix it. She spends all her time with small animals, so it's not suitable for her to use cosmetics.
She simply changed out of yesterday's clothes, grabbed her bag, and headed out to work.
As she closed the door, she once again caught sight of the cabinet displaying the family portrait and Lulu's photos.
Bang.
She locked the door.
It had rained all night, and the winter morning was gloomy, damp, and cold.
Lu Qi buys steamed buns at the entrance of the residential area.
While waiting in line, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing at the intersection.
She exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Lu?"
A young man with light blond hair turned to the side, revealing a face that was as white as ice and dripping with moisture.
Not only his face, but his whole body was soaked, and a puddle of water had gathered at his feet.
Lu Qi was taken aback: "What are you doing...?"
The young man smiled at her, his eyes crinkling. "I went out to throw out the trash last night and forgot my keys and phone, so I got locked out."
"You..." Lu Qi was shocked, "You stood in the rain all night?"
Lulu pointed to the community bulletin board, "No, I was standing under the bulletin board canopy, I just got a little wet."
After he finished speaking, he looked into her eyes and said in a dejected tone, "Your eyes are very red..."
"Just staying up late," Lu Qi said casually, then quickly addressed his problem. "As for you, you could borrow an umbrella from the security guard's office, unlock the phone at the police station, or at the very least, go back to the hospital!"
Lulu relaxed her brows and eyes. "That's right."
"What do you mean?" Lu Qi said helplessly.
The young man, soaked by the rain, was truly pitiful; once the winter wind passed, Lu Qi felt a chill for him.
"Come to my place and take a shower," she sighed. "If you walk like this to the hospital, you'll get a fever right away."
“Okay!” Lulu, who always maintained a polite and aristocratic demeanor, was surprisingly straightforward at times.
He followed Lu Qi into her house.
"The restroom is over there. You go ahead and I'll find you some clothes."
"Thank you." Lulu went into the bathroom.
Because of her short commute, Lu Qi still rents a place in the old city.
It's still the same old house, but Lu Qi has a job and lives in a much better place than she did in high school.
Lulu estimated the size of the bathroom; it was big enough for him to wash.
Before cleaning, he went to the toilet to flush.
He had wanted to do this for a long time, but he didn't have a physical body before, so he couldn't mark this territory.
The marking was finished. Lulu pressed the flush button, reached out, and pressed her neatly trimmed nails against the wall.
The light flickered twice.
The moment the lights went out, the surrounding scenery changed drastically.
Huge claw marks covered the walls of the small bathroom.
Black and red claw marks were scattered across every wall, emanating a sticky, foul stench.
The lights were quickly restored, and the bathroom returned to its original state, clean and tidy, no different from when Lulu came in.
Tick-tock, tick-tock...
Cold raindrops fell down his blond hair.
The young man stood in front of the mirror, feeling the air around him filled with the presence of both him and her, and felt at peace and content.
In the clean mirror, a huge black and red tail swayed lazily behind him, satisfied and content.
A note from the author:
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The "Past" chapter has now completely ended, and there will be no more full chapters of the past after that.
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