Chapter 18 The Mad Dog Hotel
Lu Qi remained stunned for a long time.
She couldn't believe that she had actually kissed a junior she had known for less than a month.
"I..." Lu Qi wanted to explain, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he saw Lulu's delighted smile.
The kiss wasn't forceful; Lulu was incredibly gentle, yet Lulu didn't push her away or even offer the slightest resistance.
He had just confessed his feelings to her two days ago—accepting a kiss from a man who had just confessed to her would be misinterpreted by anyone.
Why didn't she resist?
Lu Qi carefully examined the young man in front of him.
Xiao Lu is handsome and has a great personality. There's no doubt she has feelings for him.
But Lu Qi still has concerns.
She said, "I'm sorry, Xiao Lu, I really have no intention of getting married and having children."
“I know,” Lulu nodded.
“I’m serious,” Lu Qi emphasized. “I don’t want to hold you back. You’re still young. What if we’ve been talking for a few years and you change your mind and want children? I don’t want that. It wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
“No, I don’t want a child in the family either,” Lulu said, but then her eyebrows lit up. “I have a serious genetic disease and am not suitable for having children. The doctor has already sterilized me.”
Lu Qi: "Huh?"
She doubted she had heard correctly.
"W-What genetic disease?"
"It's cured, but it would affect the next generation, so the doctor removed it." He was very frank.
Cut off...cut it off?
Lu Qi was taken aback: "...Are you, um, joking?"
“I’m not lying to you,” Lulu said seriously. “Sterilization can not only prevent my disease-causing genes from spreading among the population, but also reduce the risk of testicular cancer and prostate disease, and make my emotions more stable. I have no reason not to get sterilized.”
He started to pull down his pants, saying, "If you don't believe me, I can show you."
"No, no, no need." Lu Qi quickly stopped him.
This intervention led her to spot a tent.
A tubal ligation involves removing the vas deferens, and there's no difference in appearance, but Lulu insisted on showing her directly, saying that he looked different...
"..." She hesitated, then couldn't stop herself from speaking, "You, you wouldn't happen to be a eunuch, would you?"
Lulu tilted her head. "I don't know what a eunuch looks like. I had my testicles removed."
The guess was confirmed when Lu Qi accidentally glanced at the tent again.
Even after being spayed or neutered, male cats and dogs will still have a riding instinct and will urinate when excited. Only the testicles are removed, and they can still become engorged with blood normally.
But this handsome young man was actually a eunuch! Lu Qi was so shocked that he forgot all about why the tent had appeared.
She simply couldn't understand: tubal ligation is one thing, but why remove the testicles directly!
"Why do you have...such unusual ideas?"
"Is it special?" Lulu asked, puzzled. "You should know very well the benefits of sterilization."
Lu Qi remained silent.
She asked tactfully, "Xiao Lu, you're a top student at school, right?"
Lulu didn't understand why she asked that question, but Lu Qi had always been on a scholarship, and he followed her, reading every book she read and attending every class she taught.
“Yes.” He nodded.
Turns out he's an academic fanatic.
Lu Qi suddenly realized why he was never afraid of Lulu; it was because he had low testosterone levels.
“If it’s really like you say,” she said, feeling both helpless and amused, “okay, then we can give it a try and date for a while first.”
“A relationship?” Lulu smiled and repeated the word. “Okay. As long as you’re willing to touch me and be close to me, we can be spouses.”
This sounds awkward from every angle.
Lu Qi was at a loss for words.
She pointed to her dripping blonde hair, saying, "Business is important. I'll get you a hairdryer. Go to work now."
"OK."
Lulu followed Lu Qi naturally.
She took a hairdryer from under the sink, plugged it in, and handed it to Lulu.
Lulu tilted her head, not answering. "By myself?"
Lu Qi was taken aback. "Otherwise?"
Lulu seemed a little disappointed; she frowned and reluctantly took the hairdryer.
Lu Qi ignored him and said, "Then I'll go pack my things for work."
She left the bathroom, and after a while, the sound of a humming wind could be heard coming from inside.
Lulu was blowing on herself in front of the mirror with a blank expression.
He hates hair dryers; no animal doesn't hate hair dryers.
In the past, Lu Qi would hold him, stroke his fur inch by inch, blow on it, kiss him, and praise him as the sweetest and most obedient little dog, which was how he managed to hold back.
Without Lu Qi, Lulu has no desire to promote herself.
He bared his canines at the hairdryer that was making a huge noise next to his ear, letting out a low growl.
These actions are entirely instinctive. Lulu has not yet fully adapted to human behavior and language, and occasionally reveals some of her canine nature.
But the hairdryer was oblivious to his warning and continued to make noise as usual.
Lulu finished drying her hair with a cold look in her eyes.
The lingering heat from the machine on his scalp made him irritable and nauseous.
Lu Qi finished packing her bag, looked at him coming out of the bathroom, and smiled, "Wow, your hair looks even shinier after you dried it, it looks really good."
Lulu's eyes lit up, and she gently stomped her left foot on the ground.
They left for work together, and Lu Qi suddenly remembered, "By the way, what are you doing here?"
“I just moved here,” Lulu said. “It’s close to the hospital.”
Lu Qi was surprised, "Why did you stop at the entrance of the residential area when you drove me home that night?"
"I'm afraid you'll misunderstand and think I'm bothering you." Lulu smiled at her. "I'll go inside once you're out of sight."
Lu Qi exhaled a breath of white air.
Compared to "considerate," Lulu is more aptly described as a "gentleman."
His demeanor was unpretentious and natural, as if it were a refined upbringing ingrained in him from childhood, etched into his very genes.
"Has anyone ever praised you for being a gentleman?" Lu Qi took a bite of the vegetable bun in his hand, having breakfast on the way.
Lulu nodded. "There are some."
He bent down and took a bite of the steamed bun in Lu Qi's hand.
The distance was too close, and the action was too intimate. Lu Qi was startled and instinctively backed away.
Lulu looked up from the bun in her hand, gazing at her, her pale golden eyelashes fluttering as she gently blinked.
Thinking about their current relationship, Lu Qi blushed and acquiesced.
She chuckled and exclaimed, "You've had a lot of girlfriends, haven't you? t" It's only the first day, and you're already so skilled.
Lulu took a bite of the bun, observed Lu Qi's reaction, and then straightened up, saying, "I was sterilized when I was an adult, I've never had one."
Lu Qi didn't believe it.
With such skillful kissing techniques, how could Lulu have never had a girlfriend?
Even if he became a eunuch, given his personality, appearance, and perhaps family, it's impossible that he wouldn't have any luck with women.
Lulu savored the taste of that steamed bun. It was as bland and tasteless as the hot pot.
Fortunately, the surface was covered with Lu Qi's saliva.
He stuck out his tongue, licked away the lingering taste from his lips, and lowered his eyelids contentedly.
Although becoming human means I can't be as close to Lu Qi as before, it's not without its advantages.
In the past, even if it just curiously sniffed Lu Qi's food, she would gently pat and scold it.
Their hierarchy was clearly defined when it came to food.
Now, Lu Qi has given him, a human, more power, allowing him to eat her food.
Their hierarchical relationship has been disrupted, and Lulu needs to try things she previously forbade him to do in order to clarify her own position.
If "Xiao Lu" has a higher status than "Lulu", then he will consider continuing to maintain his current, more advantageous status.
"Sister Lu, you're here?" Tian Miaoying greeted Lu Qi when she saw her, and then noticed Lulu following behind Lu Qi.
Her expression immediately became subtle. "Little Lu is here too."
Sensing Tian Miaoying's surprise, Lu Qi quickened her pace, increasing the distance between herself and Lulu.
She explained, "I met him at the intersection ahead."
Tian Miaoying gave a meaningful "oh".
Lu Qi shoved her, "Get to work!"
"Okay." Tian Miaoying returned to her post, leaving Lu Qi and Lulu behind.
She went into the dressing room and made an apologetic gesture to Lulu, "I'm sorry, we won't go public for now, okay?"
Lulu tilted her head. "If we go public, Lü Shi'an won't bother you anymore."
“I know, but…” Lu Qi tucked a stray hair behind her ear and gave him an apologetic smile, “Well, let’s not talk about it now, okay?”
Lulu didn't understand, but she saw Lu Qi smile.
She had a beautiful smile.
Lulu couldn't help but stomp her left foot on the ground and immediately replied, "Okay."
Lu Qi changed her clothes and started working.
Lulu sat at the front desk, listening to Lu Qi's gentle voice from inside the consultation room, "Don't worry."
"Feline infectious peritonitis used to be an incurable disease, but now it is very curable."
"You found the cat last month, right?"
"It's okay. If you're having some difficulties, we can go through the stray animal rescue process and give you a 30% discount on all costs."
"You can buy pet health insurance later, so you can get reimbursed if your pet gets sick."
Lulu can detect every sound within a mile radius. Even sitting at the front desk, she won't miss a single cough or sigh from Lu Qi.
Of course, it won't miss any dissenting voices either.
"Xiao Lu, are you free?"
As Lu Qi was leaving get off work, he was stopped by Lü Shi'an before entering the locker room.
She stopped and looked at Lü Shi'an with her eyes, asking what was wrong.
"It's nothing," Lu Shi'an said with a smile, handing over a white gift bag with a black logo. "I just thought it was your birthday today, so I wanted to wish you a happy birthday."
Lu Qi saw the brand name on the bag.
"I can't accept this," she said, refusing the gift. "I didn't even offer you a cake, how can I accept your gift?"
"Yeah, you won't even offer me a cake, so just accept my gift," Lu Shi'an teased.
"It's too valuable," Lu Qi shook her head. "I can't accept it. Thank you."
She went into the women's locker room, refusing to give a clear answer and maintaining a distant attitude.
Lu Shi'an lowered her eyes, her fingers tightening their grip on the gift bag.
He suddenly sensed an extremely aggressive gaze. Lu Shi'an turned his head and saw a tall young man standing at the end of the corridor, staring at him coldly.
Lulu took a step and walked towards Lü Shi'an.
With his throat and shoulders still aching, Lü Shi'an involuntarily took a half step back.
He quickly regained his footing, feeling embarrassed and annoyed. "What is it?"
Lulu lowered her gaze, looking at the white paper bag with black lettering in Lu Shi'an's hand.
He placed his left hand behind his back. His slender fingers made a loose grasping motion, and some kind of blackish-red viscous mist writhed in his hand.
A moment later, he withdrew his left hand, and a gift bag of the same brand appeared in his hand.
Lu Shi'an was astonished. She never expected that the gift she had carefully selected for half a month would be the same as the one she had chosen for someone else, and that it was this strange little Lu.
"I thought you came to apologize for what happened yesterday." Having his wall smashed twice, even Lu Shi'an's good manners had been worn away. "I didn't come to you for Xiao Lu's sake, so what do you want now?"
Lulu picked up the gift bag. "I'm here to please her."
Lu Shi'an choked. These words were so shameless that he almost couldn't help but curse.
"Do you think she'll accept it?" Lu Shi'an scoffed. "Just because she doesn't like me doesn't mean she'll be interested in you."
The words had barely left his mouth when a chilling coldness suddenly swept over Lü Shi'an.
In an instant, he felt as if he had been buried by collapsing ice and snow, frozen to the bone and suffocated by pain.
Bang--
He turned his head sharply and saw that the wind had forced open the back door and blew in.
The wind was strangely strong. Lu Shi'an turned around in a daze, and Lulu's face appeared before him.
He was practically pressed against him, his dark pupils fixed on him, and he said, word by word, "She likes me. She loves me."
“You…” Lu Shi’an’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, as if he had swallowed a piece of ice. The irregular ice shards cut through his esophagus and into his delicate stomach, causing him abdominal cramps.
“She loves me.” The young man interrupted him forcefully, a glint of his teeth showing beneath his pale lips. “Lu Qi loves me, and I am her beloved.”
An inexplicable fear gripped Lü Shi'an. He glared at Lulu, muttered "What a load of rubbish!" and turned to leave.
After walking a distance, Lü Shi'an gradually stopped after turning a corner, rubbing his throat to calm his breathing.
What just happened...?
Why does he feel genuine fear every time he faces Lulu?
With lingering fear in his heart, Lü Shi'an took a breath. He admitted that Lulu was indeed attractive, and even if Lu Qi were to fall for him, it certainly wouldn't be now.
Her personality makes it impossible for her to have anything happen with a man she's only known for half a month.
Just as I was about to leave, I heard Lu Qi's footsteps coming out of the corridor.
What are you doing here?
Through the corner of the wall, Lü Shi'an heard her surprised voice.
Lulu held up the bag in her hand.
"What is this?" Lu Qi asked.
“A gift,” he said.
Lu Qi had seen the exact same bag before.
Could it be that Xiao Lu saw what Lü Shi'an had prepared in the male staff room and then went to buy a copy on her own?
He was so busy today, yet he still found time to buy a gift. This childish jealousy and comparison made Lu Qi laugh.
Afraid that Lulu would misunderstand, she bit her lower lip, but the corners of her mouth still turned up.
When was it bought?
"just."
"Thank you." She took it. "This is the first time. Don't buy such expensive things again."
Lulu shook her head, "It's not expensive, it's not even as expensive as treating parvovirus."
"Do you think I don't know?" Lu Qi raised an eyebrow. "This shop doesn't sell jewelry for three to five thousand."
"Yes," Lulu admitted.
But his condition couldn't be cured for just three or five thousand yuan; the taxi fare alone for crossing provincial borders cost more than three or five thousand yuan.
"Can we go home now?" he asked her.
"Let's go." Lu Qi turned around and lowered her voice, "Wait a minute, I'll go first."
She grabbed her bag and hurriedly left through the back door.
Lulu stayed where she was and waited for a while before slowly following the trail.
As he passed the corner, he caught a glimpse of Lü Shi'an standing there out of the corner of his eye.
The young man slightly raised his chin, his noble features exuding arrogance.
Lu Shi'an took a deep breath, her hand gripping the paper bag's drawstring tightening and turning red.
Watching Lulu's departing figure, Lü Shi'an punched the wall.
The woman he couldn't have was won over by a young man in just a few days.
I'm in a really terrible mood.
He vented his anger, then smiled bitterly, finally understanding Lu Qi's meaning—
It turns out she wasn't a staunch advocate of singlehood; that was just an excuse. She simply didn't like him.
Lu Qi was caught up by Lulu on the overpass.
She heard footsteps, turned around, and the wind whipped her hair across her face.
People came and went all around, and the sounds of footsteps were all different.
Lu Qi wasn't particularly sensitive to sound and hadn't paid attention to what Lulu's footsteps sounded like, but when Lulu caught up, that light, cheerful melody stood out amidst the heavy or dragging footsteps, making Lu Qi notice it immediately.
Her vision was obscured by strands of hair whipped up by the wind, and the tip of her nose felt slightly itchy.
Through strands of hair, the young man's handsome and elegant face was very close.
Their noses touched, then separated in an instant.
He focused intently on smelling her from a distance, inhaling her lips and nose, then moving closer to inhale her chin and the roots of her ears.
He didn't hug her or even touch her, but she was completely enveloped by his scent, and a tingling sensation ran through the places where he had smelled her.
Lu Qi suddenly pushed him away, pulled up her scarf to cover her itchy nose.
"So many people!" With her heart pounding, Lu Qi hurriedly straightened her wind-blown hair.
Lulu's eyes were clear and almost innocent. "I want to smell you."
Lu Qi buried his face in the pile of scarves, his heart rate still not steady from his intimate sniff.
Lu Shi'an's assessment may be correct: a playboy—he is truly a top-notch flirt, his ambiguity flows smoothly and effortlessly.
"Don't do this in public." She couldn't stand the intimacy and whispered blushing inside her scarf, "And... thank you for the gift."
Lu Qi wasn't sure if this was a birthday gift or a gift to mark their relationship, but let's just say the latter. "I didn't prepare anything. Is there anything you like?"
Lu Qi then saw Lulu's eyes light up.
“I saw a red collar at your house,” he said as they walked into the neighborhood. “I like that.”
"...No." Lu Qi pursed her lips, the blush on her cheeks slowly fading. "That's not possible. Is there anything else you want?"
Lulu was a little disappointed.
He perked up again, "Then can you call me by my name?"
"Your name?" Lu Qi thought for a moment. "You mean, Lulu? Is that really your real name?"
Lulu nodded. "Mm."
Lu Qi found it difficult to speak.
It's not that she feels ashamed to pronounce her name, but the name Lulu has a very special meaning for her.
She lowered her eyelids until Lulu escorted her to her apartment building, then slowly uttered two words: "I'm sorry..."
She couldn't pronounce those two words to anyone.
Lu Qi clearly noticed that Lulu was in low spirits.
“It’s not that I think your name is bad, it’s just… there are some personal reasons,” she said apologetically. “Don’t take it to heart.”
“It’s okay,” Lulu smiled. “Don’t be sad, Lu Qi. I hope you’re happy.”
Lu Qi felt increasingly guilty.
When she got home, she looked at the red soft collar in the cupboard. A small gold nameplate hung from the collar, with Lulu's name engraved on the front and her phone number on the back.
Looking at the two words on the nameplate, she unconsciously opened and closed her lips:
Lulu...
Do such coincidences really exist in the world?
Xiao Lu's appearance felt like an incredible miracle to Lu Qi.
The feeling was somewhat like the anniversary of her parents' death, and on her way home, she happened to see a small dog sitting there.
It's indescribably magical.
She opened the gift Lulu had given her; inside was a necklace.
Boy friend……
Lu Qi never imagined that she would build another intimate relationship.
Love and boyfriends were both unfamiliar concepts to her. She didn't know why Xiao Lu had fallen for her. Perhaps after spending some time together, he would find her boring and break up with her, but why had she agreed to it...?
The thought of the young man's light golden hair and moist eyes made Lu Qi's heart ache.
Is this what a fluttering heart feels like?
She was unsure, as she had never been in a romantic relationship before.
She tried it on in front of the mirror, intending to wear it to Lulu tomorrow, but then she remembered the nature of her job.
Veterinarians can't wear jewelry easily, because any angry cat could tear it off in a heartbeat.
Lu Qi then put the necklace away, planning to wear it on their first date.
It's kind of him to go out and buy an anniversary gift even though he's so busy today.
She glanced at the necklace on the counter, pondering how to reciprocate.
...
"Come on, let me announce something."
On Monday morning, the lounge was fairly full. Dean Lü walked in and waved his phone.
"I was worried you might not have seen the group message, so I came here specifically to let you know."
"What is it, Dean?" Tian Miaoying was asking for her lunch in advance. She took a bite of a donut, thought it was delicious, and shared a bite with Lu Qi.
"At the beginning of the month, there was a training session on canine diseases in the province, which invited veterinarians from all over the country."
The dean had barely begun when complaints arose from below, "It's almost Chinese New Year, we're rushing home, why do we have to go to another city for training?"
Dean Lü waved his hand, "Two days and one night, it will be quick. This time the location is the Fivana Hotel, the environment is quite nice, and the main speaker is Professor Meng Feiqin, my senior from university."
Lu Qi took a bite of the donut, and upon hearing the name Meng Feiqin, she looked up at the dean.
Everyone present knew the name Meng Feiqin; she wrote the canine section of last year's "Veterinary Practitioner Qualification Examination".
“I am very democratic,” Dean Lü said. “It’s voluntary.”
"The hospital and the individual will each bear half of the expenses. The registration form can be filled out in the group. But if no one goes, then the old rule applies, and I will appoint someone."
The dean finished speaking and left.
Tian Miaoying was biting into a donut when she saw Lu Qi take out his phone.
"What are you doing, sis?"
"I'm signing up." After Lu Qi finished filling out the form in the group chat, he wanted to see what Lulu thought about the training. When he turned around, he saw Lulu staring intently at him and Tian Miaoying beside him.
Lulu's face was somewhat gloomy. When he wasn't smiling, he was quite aloof, like someone who had been working overtime and was unapproachable.
But the moment Lu Qi looked over, he immediately burst into a bright smile, like a puppy leaping into a garden.
He winked at her, his affection as intense as a melted chocolate sundae, so sweet that Lu Qi's cheeks felt a little hot.
Is it because he's young that his emotions are always so abundant?
She couldn't help but smile back at Lulu.
Lu Shi'an, who was not far away, watched this scene with mixed feelings.
That day in the corridor, Lu Qi refused his gift but turned around and accepted Lulu's gift. It was clear that their relationship was no longer that of ordinary colleagues.
He knew Lu Qi didn't like him, but he still couldn't let go of his resentment towards Lulu.
Lu Shi'an was certain that Lulu was no pushover and needed to find an opportunity to warn Lu Qi.
Tian Miaoying leaned over to see how Lu Qi filled out the form, their heads touching. "Professor Meng, the big shot who writes textbooks! If you're going, I'll go too. I've been reading her books for so long, but I've never even seen what she looks like."
After she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a chill.
Tian Miaoying suddenly felt goosebumps and looked around.
As she straightened up and separated from Lu Qi, the chill disappeared.
"I've never met Professor Meng either." Lu Qi was also full of anticipation for this industry giant. "But the second day of the training is Lunar New Year's Eve. Aren't you going home?"
"I'm local, no rush."
"That's good," Lu Qi thought. If Tian Miaoying went, they could share a room.
After finishing a surgery in the afternoon, Lu Qi stepped out the back door to catch his breath.
The cold winter wind dispersed the stench of feces and urine that lingered in her breath.
She took out her phone and texted Lulu: I'm at the back door.
Two minutes later, Lulu appeared at the door.
He strode towards her, his elegant and tall appearance embodying the adorable joy of a puppy running and jumping.
The process of establishing a relationship with Lulu was somewhat muddled, but unfortunately, the emotional value he provided was too great.
As soon as Lu Qi glances at him, he immediately responds with vibrant and overflowing love that is irresistible.
He and she, who was lifeless, were two completely different types.
"Here." Afraid of being seen, Lu Qi stood a little distance from the hospital.
Before she could speak, Lulu had already walked straight toward her, as if she had known she was there from the beginning.
He stood in front of her, still lowering his head to sniff the tip of her nose.
“It smells awful.” Lu Qi took a step back. “I just had my intestines cut; it stinks.”
"Hmm." Lulu frowned. "It smells bad."
Lu Qi pursed her lips and stared at him.
The next moment, Lulu took a step closer to her and rubbed her cheek against hers.
"What's wrong?" Lu Qi whispered, "Didn't you say I smell bad?"
"Don't move," Lulu whispered. "I'll cover up the scent."
He rubbed against Lu Qi, and Lu Qi couldn't keep a straight face; the corners of her lips lifted as he rubbed against her. His skin was cool and smooth, and when she was close to him, Lu Qi felt both shy and inexplicably happy.
"Stop fooling around." She slapped him away. "I have something to give you."
"Here." She pulled a dark red choker out of her pocket.
"You said last time you wanted that collar. It's a dog collar, I can't give it to you. Do you like this one?"
Lulu was stunned for a moment, then burst into intense pleasure.
He said nothing, but stared intently at Lu Qi, making strange noises from his nose, "mmmmmm," like the whimpering of a puppy.
His emotions were so vivid that Lu Qi was infected and smiled, "You like it that much?"
Lulu lowered her head and eagerly showed her the back of her neck.
Lu Qi was surprised, "You're going to wear that in the hospital? Isn't that a bit too trendy...?"
"I'll hide it well," Lulu assured her, her joy and pride barely concealed.
He was wearing a turtleneck, and Lu Qi thought it shouldn't be noticeable, so she reached out and helped him put it on.
After putting it on, he even pulled the collar up a little.
"Is it pretty?" Lulu asked excitedly, turning around in front of her.
Lu Qi was both amused and exasperated. "...I can't see it."
"Hmm..." He sounded a little disappointed, making a complaining sound like a puppy. But he was still happy.
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Author's note: There will be another episode at 8 PM tonight.
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