Chapter 44 Mad Dog Hotel
Lu Qi finally understood what the three sentences on his clothes meant—
[Xiao Lu is Lulu]
[Lu built a ghost story, and he was very uneasy.]
The way to leave is through death.
These are also the first three sentences on the paper.
Unlike the clothes, which have limited space, there are other contents on the paper besides these three sentences, including the twelve rules that Lu Qi has collected so far, the events that have happened since entering the ghost story, and the specific process of his departure.
Although his memory had not returned, Lu Qi had fully accepted what he had read.
The things written above were absurd and bizarre, but she didn't feel much aversion to them, probably because they were indeed things she had experienced.
On the last line of the paper, she repeated herself in a tedious manner:
[Xiao Lu is Lulu]
Lu Qi stroked the line of words, the pen strokes penetrating the paper, and she easily understood the emotions she had expressed when she wrote it—
She was worried that she would hurt Lulu after she returned, having lost her memory.
She then reminded her: That's Lulu, the puppy she vowed to raise well.
Lu Qi flushed the paper, still in the resealable bag, down the drain, and put the pebble in his pocket.
She could sense the doting affection in the last line.
When Lulu was found, Lulu must have been overjoyed and extremely excited. As a result, Lulu was overly lenient and indulged some of Lulu's bad habits.
This is probably why Lulu became so arrogant.
Lu Qi is equally shocked now, but Lulu's performance has been so poor since she met her that it makes her uncomfortable—"uncomfortable" is a description of spoiled behavior.
If he weren't Lulu, Lu Qi would break up with him immediately and, if necessary, take extreme countermeasures.
But he is Lulu...
Even if she hadn't shared any experiences with Lulu before losing her memory, and even if she was unhappy or angry, she couldn't possibly sever ties with him.
The mirror reflected a bruise on Lu Qi's neck.
This was caused by the dog leash pressing down on it while I was sleeping.
Her own puppy created a harmful ghost story, which must have been devastating for her before she lost her memory, yet she also understood that he created the ghost story for her sake.
Self-blame and remorse breed overindulgence, and overindulging a smart, large dog is never a good thing.
If it weren't for the glaring metal collar that alerted Lu Qi, she might still have given in to Lulu's kindness, just like before.
He was a clever dog, gradually testing her limits, then step by step closing in to seize greater power.
We absolutely cannot let this continue. Once Lulu becomes completely accustomed to her position as leader, he will take it for granted that he will dominate her and demand that she obey him. When she shows any resistance, he will discipline her.
Dog training typically involves three methods: biting, suppressing, and driving away.
Lulu wouldn't drive her away, so he would choose to bite and suppress her.
In human terms: he would use violence to teach her a lesson.
Lu Qi frowned, touching the purplish-red teeth marks on his ear. He had already begun to discipline her.
During those three days, he stopped listening to her, crushed the note, restricted her from seeing Tian Miaoying, refused to bring food from the restaurant, and demanded that she go out with him.
After she presented a solution that satisfied him, he patted her head and called her name as a reward.
Lulu is not only striving for a higher position, but also imitating some of the things she does to him.
Realizing this, Lu Qi wavered a little.
She believed she loved Lulu and genuinely considered her family, but Lulu's words and actions were so condescending that when it came back to her, she couldn't accept it at all.
There was a gentle knock on the bathroom door, and Lulu stood outside asking, "Lu Qi, what are you doing?"
Lu Qi turned off the tap.
Lulu became suspicious after being inside for so long without a shower or any smell of excrement.
His tone of voice was exactly the same as when she used to ask Lulu questions before she couldn't see her.
Whenever she asked a question, if Lulu didn't appear or respond to her promptly—
The door opened, and the young man frowned. "What kind of treasure are you making?"
She would walk over and take a look at it.
"Nothing, I was just spacing out for a bit." Lu Qi said, holding the doorknob. "I haven't showered yet, you can go out first."
Lulu stepped forward and blocked the door. "I'll help you."
"Could you get me something to eat?" Lu Qi stood in front of the door, gripping the handle without backing down. "I want to be able to eat something after I take a shower."
Lulu looked down at her, seemingly trying to figure out if she was up to something again.
“I can’t leave you,” he assessed the answer, then took two more steps forward. “I’m so worried about you, Lu Qi.”
He was sizing her up and judging her, but he was using his eyes, not his nose.
When a dog relies on sight and hearing to make judgments, rather than its nose, it indicates that it has fallen into an irrational and dangerous state.
He completely blocked the door, his muscles slightly tense, displaying his dominance.
Lu Qi suddenly raised his hand and held it in front of Lulu.
Lulu tilted her head, not understanding what she meant.
“Smell it,” Lu Qi said, “smell it and see what it smells like.”
Before she could speak, Lulu had already instinctively sniffed the hand in front of her nose.
He squinted, his nose touching Lu Qi's palm, his cool breath spraying onto Lu Qi's palm, causing a slight itch.
"It smells wonderful." A look of intoxication and longing crossed his handsome face. "I smell the most exquisite fragrance."
"And this one?" Lu Qi raised his other hand. "Is there a difference?"
Lulu sniffed and analyzed carefully, "Just a little bit. It smells like the difference between moonlight and starlight."
"Hmm?" This answer was unexpected. Lu Qi asked curiously, "What do moonlight and starlight taste like?"
Lulu smiled and said, "It's the smell of you coming home and being with me."
Lu Qi was taken aback.
She called him her little sun, but it turned out he didn't really like the sun that much.
High school starts early, and Lu Qi always has to leave him when the sun rises.
Lu Qi immediately understood why she had repeatedly tolerated Lulu's overstepping of boundaries before she lost her memory.
Hearing him say that, she almost immediately wanted to hug him.
No. She silently repeated to herself, "No."
Not only now, but she also failed to properly train Lulu during high school.
Because in Lulu's eyes, she was powerless, fragile, and helpless, and had nothing, it was beyond her control and easily rushed towards the two men.
The main reason for Lulu's death was her; she failed to teach him properly.
She could already not control her 70-80 pound golden retriever; now that Lulu is getting violent, she has no way to stop her.
She couldn't be soft-hearted, and she couldn't procrastinate any longer; she had to correct her previous mistakes.
"Moonlight, starlight... Do you like the moon and stars?" Lu Qi followed up with another question.
Lulu nodded, her nose brushing against her palm, enveloped in the scent of happiness.
He visibly relaxed a lot and began to use his sense of smell, rather than his sight, to regain his sense of reason.
Lu Qi placed his hand in front of his nose, keeping him smelling, and gently stroked his head with his other hand.
"The moon, the stars," she said nostalgically, "my darling, you are my star and my little moon."
Lulu's Adam's apple bobbed with pleasure; he loved her loving voice.
"Do you remember? At first, you were only as small as a star, and you would sleep close to my face; later, you became a big, warm, golden crescent moon."
Lu Qi used his other hand to comb Lulu's hair. "A little bit of light shines in from the window, and all the fur on your body is glowing... gently shimmering."
"Why do I always dream of the moon?" Lu Qi murmured and sighed, "It turns out the most beautiful moon is in my bed."
Lulu made a comfortable gurgling sound in her throat.
He recalled the time he would snuggle up with Lu Qi every night to sleep; the house was small and damp, but it was Lulu's warmest memory.
"Smell it, smell it carefully again." Lu Qi turned his hand over, letting him smell the back of his hand.
“I’m smelling it, Lucy.” Lulu squinted her eyes in enjoyment. “It’s the best smell I’ve ever had.”
“You’re also the best-smelling puppy I’ve ever been,” Lu Qi said softly.
Lulu completely relaxed.
Attacks on humans stem from fear.
As the note said, Lulu created this ghost story and imprisoned her inside because he was anxious, uneasy, and afraid.
Lu Qi used his own hands to make a scent connection.
Scent association is an effective treatment for calming anxious dogs. It involves having a relaxed dog repeatedly sniff a certain scent, thus associating that scent with the state of "relaxation." When the dog feels uneasy, letting it sniff that scent again will help its body return to a relaxed state.
Traditional scent connections often involve calming essential oils like lavender, but there were none in the bathroom, and Lu Qi couldn't guarantee that she would always carry essential oils with her.
Ideally, Lulu would relax as soon as he smelled her scent, so she let him smell her hands and tried to soothe him.
It works very well.
Lulu closed her eyes and, lost in thought, stuck out her tongue to lick Lu Qi's palms and between his fingers.
A soft, heavenly melody, like strings, resonated around him: "My darling, my sweet puppy, my sweet golden honey pot, my beautiful little prince... Who is my little star?"
Lulu gently bit Lu Qi's finger, her voice muffled and fervent, "It's me, Lu Qi, it's me."
Lu Qi laughed, "Who is my little moon?"
"It's me, it's me."
"Oh? Then who is the best-behaved puppy?"
"It's me!" Lulu opened his eyes, his dark eyes glistening with a layer of mist, looking exceptionally obedient. He happily licked Luqi's hand, "I'm your best dog."
Lu Qi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that Lulu?"
“Yes, of course,” Lulu said eagerly, her tailbone swaying from side to side.
"My dearest Lulu, could you please go to the living room and wait for me for a while?"
Hearing Lu Qi tell him to leave, Lulu's hazy dark eyes regained a sliver of clarity.
Lu Qi noticed his hesitation. She had already lowered the bar, not asking Lulu to go to the restaurant to bring him food, but just asking him to wait in the living room. She hadn't expected that even such an instruction would be so difficult for him.
"This is too difficult for you, isn't it, baby?"
Lulu hesitated, but simply staying in the living room was not difficult.
On the one hand, he didn't want to disappoint Lu Qi, but on the other hand, he was really worried about him.
"It's okay, we'll go to another one." She patiently stroked him, gesturing towards the bathroom door. "Can you wait for me there?"
She looked at him earnestly. Lulu had already refused twice, and he couldn't bear to disappoint her again.
It's only such a short distance, so it's not entirely unbearable.
He nodded reluctantly, "Okay."
Lu Qi laughed and kissed Lulu's forehead, "Good dog."
She escorted Lulu to the door and closed it.
As soon as the door closed, he couldn't see Lu Qi anymore, and he immediately became anxious.
Lulu frowned; perhaps she shouldn't have agreed.
He called out anxiously, "Lu Qi!"
A response came quickly from inside the door, "What's wrong, Lulu?"
Lulu breathed a sigh of relief, then kept calling her name: "Lu Qi! Lu Qi Lu Qi!"
Lu Qi stopped responding.
In just half a minute, Lulu's tone became anxious, and she called out to her in a louder voice, "Lu Qi!"
Normally, Lucia shouldn't respond to his calls; her response will only encourage his barking.
But she was also worried that if Lulu didn't get a response, she would rush in to see her, and all that she had just done would be for nothing.
Lu Qi hesitated for a moment, then called out from outside the door, "Lulu, bring me a new pair of slippers to the door."
The voice calling Lu Qi's name paused for a moment.
"Okay, Luqi." Lulu went to the bedroom and quickly returned. "I brought Luqi!"
Lu Qi took off her clothes and opened the shower door. "Thank you, baby. Um... could you help me find some other clothes to change into?"
“…Okay, Lu Qi.”
Lu Qi took a shower as quickly as possible.
There weren't many excuses she could use, so after Lulu brought the clothes over, she simply asked directly, "Lulu, you had a good theoretical foundation at the hospital. Have you read any professional books?"
Lulu didn't understand why she suddenly asked this, so she stood at the door, holding her clothes, and replied, "I remember all the content of your exam."
His soul never left Lu Qi's side.
Rain, snow, wind, frost, and scorching sun—he circled above her head, trying to shield her from the elements.
She listened to lectures in the classroom, read books in the library, and studied in the dormitory, while he quietly lay down beside her feet.
Lulu listened to every class Lu Qi attended and read every book she read. He paid attention to everything she cared about and was curious about everything she was curious about. He was always by her side.
"Really? Do you remember 'Fundamentals of Veterinary Medicine'?"
"Well, roughly."
"I don't believe you, you're just a little dog."
Her voice came from the splashing water, with a sweet and playful quality, like the aroma of bread.
Lulu smiled and said, "But I'm your dog, and you're the smartest girl."
Lu Qi paused in wringing out the towel, her face flushing slightly from the steaming hot water.
She was just trying to distract him and stop him from barking, and was caught off guard by his straightforward compliment, which made her a little shy.
After calming herself down, she said, "Then recite it to me."
“Okay, Lu Qi.” Lulu stood outside the door and began reciting from the very first chapter.
Two years after graduation, most of the classmates who changed careers had forgotten everything they knew, but Lulu could recite it fluently.
As Lu Qi washed his dog, he thought to himself, "No wonder there are Golden Retrievers among the therapy dogs and military/police dogs. Lulu is really smart. My previous judgment wasn't wrong. If he were human, he would definitely be a top student who won all the scholarships. It wouldn't be impossible for him to skip a grade and graduate."
While reciting, Lulu had no second mouth to call Lu Qi's name, nor a second heart to feel agitated or anxious.
He was engrossed in reciting the book, and had only memorized a few pages when the bathroom door opened.
A thick, hot mist billowed in from the doorway, followed by Lu Qi, who emerged covered in moisture.
Lulu opened her eyes. She looked much healthier, with rosy skin and a warm body, having shaken off the illness she had suffered for the past three days.
Most importantly, it exuded a strong sweetness, a very pleasant smell.
"You really did wait for me obediently!" As soon as Lu Qi stepped out the door, she hugged Lulu's head and praised him happily, "You're amazing, baby. You're already a mature big dog who keeps his promises and respects others, right?"
Lulu was flattered by the praise, and he nodded drowsily under Lu Qi's caresses, "Yes, that's me."
"I'm so proud of you!" Lu Qi jumped up and down a few times, making her voice, expression, and gait as excited and dramatic as a stage play. "Come on, come on, lie down on the bed, let me touch you!"
Speaking like this is exhausting and cheesy, but it works wonders on dogs.
Lulu's eyes lit up as she caught up with her and pounced on the bed.
“Can I turn back into a dog?” Lu Qi looked at him. “I want to touch your silky fur and pinch your cloud-like ears.”
"Okay, Lu Qi." Lulu rolled over and immediately changed back to her original form.
"Ah..." Lu Qi turned her head and looked at the golden retriever that occupied half of the bed, and exclaimed sincerely, "You're so beautiful, baby. You're so tall and mighty, gentle and handsome. Every girl would fall in love with you."
Lulu blinked, noticing that Lu Qi's reaction was unusually enthusiastic today.
He hadn't seen Lu Qi like this in a long time.
She was a quiet girl to begin with, and after his death she became even more withdrawn and didn't want to make contact with anyone.
To put it nicely, she was cold and dull; to put it bluntly, she was lifeless at such a young age.
Lu Qi isn't even a typical cat or dog lover; she's just slightly more affectionate towards small animals, not as witty as she is.
She was slow to warm up to people. During the first six months of her relationship with Lulu when she was young, she never called him "baby" once. She always called him by his name properly, and at most, she would just call him "little guy".
It's been as long since Lulu died that we've seen Lu Qi's eloquent tongue; even before she escaped the ghost story, she probably hadn't quite come to terms with her identity as "Little Lulu," and there were still some things she couldn't quite say to Lulu.
But today, Lu Qi has completely returned to the past, even sweeter than when she was sixteen or seventeen.
Before Lulu could ponder the reason for her change of heart, she heard Lu Qi say, "Can you lie down? I want to hug you."
Lulu immediately rolled over and lay on her side facing Lu Qi, exposing her belly.
Lu Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Lying on its side usually has two meanings for dogs: one is to be affectionate and relaxed, and the other is to surrender and obey.
Either way, it's in her best interest.
She needed Lulu to do this to her and reinforce it.
Theoretically speaking, the latter is more practical than the former.
Dogs will fawn over any kind human, but they will only obey the strong.
Unlike human thinking, the word "owner" in the dog world does not represent power or status, but is merely a resource.
The "master" is a collection of food, water, toys, and a large amount of resources.
Many dogs will compete with other animals for their owners' affections, which is essentially just them protecting their resources from being taken away.
Rather than becoming a "resource" to be occupied, Lu Qi would certainly prefer to be the leader of the pack and have Lulu respect her, but she really couldn't handle such a big dog.
Unable to subdue Lulu, she could only bury herself in his thick, soft fur, lift his drooping ear, and whisper sweet nothings into it to make him relax as much as possible. Then, completely captivated, he willingly lay down next to her.
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Author's note: Lulu: You are too weak to lead our tribe. Now it's my turn to rule you.
Lu Qi: Smell me.
Lulu: Okay, Lu Qi!
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