Chapter 45 Mad Dog Hotel
To Lu Qi's surprise, she was not restricted in her freedom.
Lulu didn't object to her going out, probably because in his eyes, territory was home, and the entire park belonged to the category of "home," so Lu Qi could certainly move freely at home.
She followed Lulu to the restaurant, and as soon as she entered the elevator, Lu Qi recognized where she was.
It wasn't the underworld she imagined, or the evil castle Lulu had created; this was the training location, the Favina Hotel.
Since Miaoying was still here, Lu Qi couldn't help but wonder, "Are Zhenyi and Dr. Lü still here too?"
Lulu took her hand and walked forward. "Lu Qi, I don't like you calling other people by their names, and I especially don't like you caring about others."
"How can I not care about them? If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. There's still a long time. As long as they're still around, I'll run into them sooner or later, and I'll ask them myself then."
Lulu tilted her head and observed Lu Qi for a while, unsure whether she really thought that way or was just angry.
He skipped the answer and lowered his head to gently bite Lu Qi's ear.
Lu Qi abruptly stepped back, covering her bitten right ear, and looked at Lulu in surprise.
Lulu licked her lips and smiled at her.
Realizing that the young man beside him was not a human, but a dog, Lu Qi gradually calmed down.
This wasn't flirting; Lulu was teaching her a lesson.
He wanted her to obey his orders and stop talking about other people.
It's a sweet gesture, and there's nothing wrong with it when couples are together. It's just a sign that the boyfriend is jealous.
But Lu Qi remembered that metal collar.
She stared at Lulu for a moment, then shook off his hand and walked on by herself.
"Lu Qi?" Lulu caught up with him. "Are you angry? Did I bite you hard?"
Lu Qi kept a straight face and remained silent.
Lulu felt a little guilty; he hadn't yet firmly established himself as the leader and still harbored some obedience to Lu Qi.
He reached out to pull her, his fingertips just touching Lu Qi's shoulder, when she suddenly turned around and bit his throat.
She wasn't joking at all, and bit Lulu until she cried out in pain.
"I'm sorry, I apologize." He immediately stepped back. "I'll be gentler next time."
“It’s not a matter of force.” After answering Lulu in a dog-like manner, Lu Qi further explained in human language, “You can bite me, but you can’t discipline me.”
From her perspective, she actually has no right to say that.
Although she wouldn't hit Lulu, she had patted its head and bottom quite a few times before.
Lu Qi wants Lulu to respect her, but she herself cannot respect Lulu.
Their relationship was unequal from the start.
If Lulu questions her, Lu Qi has no way to answer.
But Lulu is a dog, and he doesn't care about the reasons; he cares more about the results: "What if you need to be disciplined, Luqi? Sometimes I have to restrain you."
“Then I will fight back.” Lu Qi stared into his eyes. “I don’t like being restrained.”
Lulu remained silent.
During the years he spent by Lu Qi's side, he heard what others said about Lu Qi behind his back.
Everyone says she's "stubborn".
Her uncle and aunt said she was very stubborn and refused to live with them no matter how they tried to persuade her.
Her aunt and uncle said she was very stubborn. They bought her a dog but she refused it. They tried to persuade her to study economics and management, but she insisted on studying veterinary medicine.
The doctors at the hospital also said she was stubborn; she would tremble all over when talking to male customers, yet she insisted on becoming a doctor, which was just torturing herself.
Lulu also understood this stubbornness.
She only asked him twice if he could let the person out, and he disagreed. She didn't bring it up again, and didn't seem to care that much.
By the time Lulu found her, she was already lying in a pool of blood.
Lu Qi said he wanted to go out, and he absolutely had to go out.
Now she tells him that she will not accept being lectured by him, and that if he does it again, she will fight back.
She spoke calmly and softly, but having learned from the previous experience, Lulu had to pay close attention to her every word and action.
He was a little afraid of Lu Qi, afraid that she would do something earth-shattering again without saying a word.
But what great things can she possibly accomplish?
This time he will keep a close eye on her. What can she possibly do?
Lulu hesitated, tentatively asking, "Lu Qi, don't you love me anymore?"
When he was a golden retriever, Lu Qi couldn't stand these words. Fortunately, Lulu is now in human form, a much taller adult male than her.
She resisted his pitiful act and asked him instead, "Don't you love me anymore, Lulu? You used to always listen to me."
“Yes, I trusted you from the beginning,” Lulu said. “But you’re not so reliable, Lu Qi.”
These words were hurtful, so he said them in the gentlest tone he could muster: “You’re very fragile; you get sick when you get emotional. You’re also very soft; you bleed when you wipe a wall. You’re not very strong either; you can’t even open a bottle cap properly.”
“Lu Qi, I’ve grown up, I’m no longer a puppy. I think it’s more reasonable for me to take the lead in our relationship.”
Lu Qi was speechless.
She couldn't refute a single word Lulu said.
That's true; he's not wrong.
Lu Qi has reflected on how he really appears in Lulu's eyes.
It could be a mother, a resource, a playmate, or even a lover, but it could never be a leader.
She is too fragile, both physically and mentally.
Lulu had grown accustomed to seeing her weak and even depressed, and he felt anxious. He felt he should step forward and become the pillar of their group—this was only human nature and dog instinct.
She couldn't blame him.
Lu Qi silently finished his first meal after returning to the ghost story.
After meeting Lulu's worried and uneasy gaze, she belatedly realized that she had shown her weakness again.
She appeared dejected and frustrated in front of him, her energy level plummeting. Even Lu Qi himself wouldn't choose someone like her as his leader.
To change Lulu's mindset, she must become strong and have leadership qualities that Lulu can trust.
Lu Qi always understood that the one who urgently needed correction was not Lulu, but herself.
But how easy is it to suddenly turn a lifeless person into a positive and optimistic one?
From upstairs to downstairs, and back to his room, Lu Qi didn't encounter a single living person during the meal.
She returned to 2602 and determined two things she needed to do:
First, release the people trapped in the ghost stories;
Second, control Lulu.
These two tasks are indistinguishable in order of priority; they are interconnected and require parallel execution.
The first thing has already made a breakthrough.
Killing someone is easier than saving them, but can she really trust what's written on the note?
Could that be a trap?
Lu Qi dared not take the risk and needed to see Tian Miaoying for final confirmation.
Tian Miaoying couldn't find such a large hotel and still needed Lulu's permission.
The task then circled back to the second one—she needed to control Lulu.
Their physiques and strengths are vastly different; it will be difficult for Lu Qi to suppress him with his aura in a short period of time.
For now, she can only focus on relaxing scent training to help Lulu stay calm.
She chose a quiet afternoon, half-drawn the curtains, and sat on the bed, letting Lulu become a hound lying on her lap, sniffing her scent.
Lu Qi agreed to make him a dog collar and took his own comb to groom Lulu's fur.
Lulu relaxed with her eyes half-closed, her chin resting on Lu Qi's soft thigh, her nose very close to his favorite spot.
Everything is fine, except that I can't comb out the fur.
"Aren't you shedding anymore?" Lu Qi asked.
Lulu turned her head, bit off a small piece from her waist, and gave it to Lu Qi while wagging her tail.
Lu Qi stared in disbelief, "No, you can't!"
Lulu put the plush toy on her lap. "Okay, Luqi, okay!"
It is not a living creature, it has no metabolism, and even its canine body is a mimicry that has changed, so it will no longer shed fur.
"Does it hurt?" Lu Qi rubbed the spot where he had pulled off the fur.
Lulu shook her head and filled the fur patch in front of Lu Qi.
Lu Qi was a little worried as the sparse hair grew back on its own.
She had originally planned to give him massages and acupuncture, but if Lulu's body was no longer that of a dog, then all the acupoints and joints would lose their effectiveness.
Lulu's pair of golden, droopy ears, resembling sweet twin ponytails, twitched, and she sensed Lu Qi's heartache.
He immediately turned his head, bit off a few tufts of fur from his body and handed them to Lu Qi, letting out a pitiful whimper at the opportune moment.
"Alright, alright," Lu Qi put down the comb. "You're a puppy, not a bird. Stop plucking your own feathers."
“You like my fur.” Lulu smiled and said, “I’d like to give it to you.”
“That’s enough.” Lu Qi collected the pieces he had bitten off. “Find me a rope and a needle.”
The gift shop in the commercial area had them, but Lulu didn't want to leave Luqi, so she asked the receptionist to help her buy them.
Lu Qi straightened the pile of fur, which looked like a huge clump, far from enough to make a neckband.
She thought for a moment, then used the same method as making wool felt to punch the wool into a solid ball, threaded a rope through it, and made a simple pendant.
"Is this okay?" She put the pendant around her neck.
Lulu's eyes lit up. He sniffed back and forth along Luqi's neck, occasionally lifting the fur ball and sighing contentedly, "It's so nice, Luqi, our scents blend together."
His furry body pressed down on him, but it didn't make Lu Qi feel any pressure like a human body would.
She held it in her arms, as if it were a full embrace of sunshine, warm and smooth.
"Are you feeling any more at ease?" she whispered in Lulu's ear.
"Mmm." His scent enveloped Lu Qi's neck, making Lulu feel not only at ease but also excited.
He couldn't help but stick out his tongue and lick her earlobe and cheek, letting out a comfortable whimper in his throat, occasionally acting like a puppy.
He gently bit her, held her in his mouth, swayed his hips, and whispered sweet nothings: "I love you, Lu Qi, I love you, I like you... You are the most charming little flower, I will love you forever..."
Human speech and the puppy's whimpers mingled together, indistinct and unclear.
The long, light golden tail swayed back and forth, its golden fur swaying like water plants, reflecting a magnificent golden light that made Lu Qi dizzy.
She ran her fingers along Lulu's back, digging them into the fluffy hair.
“I love you too, baby,” she kissed his earlobe, “I’d do anything for you, could you do something for me too?”
“Of course, Lu Qi, of course, of course.” Lulu raised her eyes, her gaze falling into the hazy midday sun. “I’m willing to do anything for you, I’m willing to die for you.”
Lu Qi's breath hitched.
This heartfelt and radiant declaration of love brought a lump to her throat.
“I don’t want you to die for me,” she hugged Lulu tightly, her voice hoarse. “Lulu, let me see Miaoying.”
Lulu's wagging tail slowly descended.
“If you’re determined not to let me see Miaoying, then let her out,” Lu Qi said. “There are other people here; there’s no need to force Miaoying to stay, is there?”
Lulu frowned. He kept Tian Miaoying with him because Lu Qi needed to maintain a good mood through social interaction.
But if they can't meet, then there's really no need to keep her here.
He weighed his options and said, "Wait a little longer for Lu Qi. Once you've settled down, I'll let you see her."
Lu Qi opened her eyes.
She hadn't expected that even after pleading and begging, Lulu wouldn't budge.
At that moment, she felt a chill in her heart.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, staring at him.
Lulu sensed the change in her emotions. "Lu Qi, I don't want to make you sad, but you're ready to abandon me at any time."
“I will not abandon you,” Lu Qi reiterated. “Lulu, I have never abandoned you.”
Lulu opened her mouth, but Lu Qi interrupted her, "Yes, I left the Ghost Stories without telling you, but I knew that leaving the Ghost Stories would cause me to lose my memory."
She pulled open her coat, revealing three lines of blurry writing on the inside: "Before I left, I left a message on my clothes. Since I already knew I would lose my memory, I could also foresee that after the ghost story, I would return to my rented apartment and go back to work at the hospital."
"You can find it in both places, so I have no reason to go through all that trouble just to be caught by you."
Lulu was stunned for a moment.
Lu Qi's logic is indeed reasonable, "but you still left."
He said dejectedly, "Lu Qi, you finally left me. You would rather die than leave me."
“I can’t convince you, can I?” Lu Qi asked him to confirm.
The tone was the same as when she last asked him if he could let the person leave. After he refused, Lu Qi turned and swallowed chocolate, committing suicide.
The same expression and similar words made Lulu panic.
He composed himself and said, "Yes, I believe my plan is more beneficial to us."
Lu Qi nodded and turned to leave.
Lulu transformed back into human form and grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"
“Go to the other bedroom.” Lu Qi looked at the hand that was gripping hers. “Let go of me.”
Lulu didn't move, so Lu Qi turned around and bit his neck, locking his throat.
She could faintly taste rust between her teeth. Her grip on her fingers loosened slightly, and Lu Qi abruptly retreated, running towards another bedroom.
She locked the door and went straight to the landline phone by the bedside.
Lu Qi had used the missing person broadcast function in the rules to post a lot of information, but this was the first time she had actually used the broadcast function to find someone.
Lulu stood in the living room, feeling dazed and confused by the slight pain in his neck.
Lu Qi has never hurt him. She never hits him or even threatens him. Even the bite she gave him downstairs just now was more of a warning.
This was the first time Lu Qi had deliberately injured him.
He touched the teeth marks on his neck, his fingertips brushing against a faint trace of blood.
More than the pain, Lulu felt a novel kind of shock.
For the first time, he realized that Lu Qi could also attack.
Before he could recover from the shock, he heard Lu Qi making a phone call.
Lulu snapped to her senses. His face darkened, and he pounded on the bedroom door to stop her: "No! You can't! Put down the phone and let me in!"
A genuine missing person announcement isn't difficult; it conveys the information in just two sentences.
The knocking grew louder, so loud it sounded like some monster was banging on the door.
Bang--
Lu Qi had just hung up the phone when the thick, solid wood door was indeed kicked open.
Before she could put down the receiver, she stared in astonishment at Lulu, whose face was gloomy.
The room fell silent, then an announcement came over the loudspeaker, a gentle, mechanical female voice echoing throughout the hotel:
"Attention Tian Miaoying, attention Tian Miaoying, Lu Qi is looking for you. Please proceed to 2602 immediately after hearing this announcement."
The broadcast was repeated twice.
When the sound faded away, Lulu sighed, "You're really... very naughty."
Lu Qi faced him, licking the salty, metallic taste between his teeth. "Are you going to teach me a lesson?"
Lulu wrinkled his nose, just as he had been hurt by Lu Qi for the first time, and this was also the first time Lu Qi had seen him show a fierce look towards her while he was sober.
His muscles were taut, and the bulge made him look even stronger.
Lulu quickly shook her head to calm herself down.
“It’s no use.” His eyes turned slightly cold. “Broadcasting is pointless. They can’t leave their homes, and I’ve cut their phone lines.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Lu Qi chuckled. “Miao Ying knows I died once, and now that I’m back, it proves that death is indeed a way to leave. So, she doesn’t need to come here to see me—”
She opened the terrace door, and the wind from the upper floors blew in, making a rustling sound.
"We can meet in the outside world."
She knew she shouldn't provoke Lulu, but she was a little angry.
Even so, Lu Qi did not actually intend to jump off the building. She was prepared for Lulu's rage, but what happened next far exceeded Lu Qi's expectations.
Suddenly, several streams of black and red sticky mist swept towards her.
They emerged from the youth like ghosts or tentacles, swarming over her and suddenly wrapping around her hands and feet, pushing her onto the bed.
She was forced to lie face down, unable to see behind her, only able to hear rapid, heavy footsteps approaching her.
In an instant, she felt a weight on her back as a tall young man replaced the twisted, sticky mist, straddling her and pressing his left hand against the back of her neck.
Lu Qi heard rapid breathing and low growls.
Even though she couldn't see Lulu, she could feel his anger.
“You can kill me,” he leaned down and pressed his breath against her neck, “but you can’t abandon me! I’m healthy, Lu Qi—you can’t abandon me now!”
His voice was colder than ever before, filled with hatred, each word squeezed out from between his drooling teeth, accompanied by a furious growl.
Lu Qi closed his eyes.
She never forgot that winter, the scene of Lulu sitting blankly in the snow.
She knew perfectly well that what he feared most was being abandoned.
"Answer!" Lulu tightened her grip, demanding impatiently, "Answer me, Lu Qi!"
Despite feeling guilty, Lu Qi gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and remained silent.
Frustration, anxiety, and unease blurred Lulu's form, and the sticky mist within her body boiled, almost causing her to lose her human shape.
In his desperation, he bit Lu Qi on the shoulder. "Talk to me! Lu Qi! Call my name and say you love me!"
His emotions were intense and passionate, but Lu Qi beneath him did not respond at all.
She didn't look at him or resist; she just took deep breaths to calm herself down.
She had no power to suppress Lulu; struggling would only fuel his predatory excitement.
Lu Qi is good at staying calm.
Ten minutes, twenty minutes, the force suppressing her gradually loosened.
The lack of response from the prey caused the hound to lose interest, so he released her and took a half-step back.
Lu Qi slowly propped himself up.
She turned around and met a pair of sad eyes.
His pain had nowhere to go, and his instinct for stability made him want to destroy the uncontrollable factors in front of him, but he couldn't really hurt her; she was Lu Qi.
The moment she looked over, the tall young man transformed back into a dog.
It sealed the terrace with black mist, walked to the corner with its tail drooping, circled around, and then curled up and lay down, guarding her with only a pair of moist eyes.
The tuft of light golden fur hid in the shadows of the corner, keeping as far away from her as possible and shrinking its body as much as possible, processing all its emotions alone.
As Lu Qi stood up, its eyes followed her upwards slightly.
She took two steps toward it, and its tail wagged and patted the ground.
Lu Qi turned back and left, its tail drooping again as soon as it raised a pointed tip.
Lu Qi propped his forehead up to cover his eyes.
That's terrible.
She clearly saw her own state in Lulu—chaotic, sensitive, agitated, conflicted, and utterly in disarray.
The problem wasn't the dog, it was her.
...
2603
Upon hearing the broadcast, Tian Miaoying jumped up.
Huang Zhenyi was startled and called out twice.
"Shh—" Meng Feiqin raised her index finger, "Calm down, kids."
"Did you hear that?!" Tian Miaoying was completely unable to calm down. "Sister Lu is back! She's really back, she didn't die! Her guess was right!"
After retrieving her phone from the control room and seeing the video recording inside, Tian Miaoying knew that Lu Qi had walked out of the park alive.
Furthermore, after watching the video, her check-in manual included a thirteenth rule—
[13. Life is precious. Please cherish it. If you die during your stay, you will be permanently removed from the hotel grounds.]
The video recording and this rule gave Tian Miaoying some confidence, but she still wasn't completely sure, so she anxiously waited for Lu Qi to return every day.
She didn't know why Lu Qi was so certain that she could come back. Tian Miaoying waited and waited. So much had happened in the month Lu Qi was gone, and she was losing more and more confidence.
Her patience was wearing thin, and if Meng Feiqin hadn't stopped her, she almost would have gone out to find Lu Qi directly.
"Yes, I heard that." Meng Feiqin glanced at the door. "But she seems to have run into some trouble."
"It must be Xiao Lu who caught her! We have to think of something!" Tian Miaoying then looked towards the door.
The place was shrouded in a thin layer of black mist, and the door was only opened each day when room service came to deliver meals.
The meals are delivered at a fixed time in the evening, and are always delivered by a female receptionist.
It was almost time to deliver the food today. Meng Feiqin glanced at the time and took out her hiking poles.
Tian Miaoying was startled. "Professor, you're not going to fight with the staff, are you?!"
Meng Feiqin walked to the door and calmly hummed in agreement.
"So direct!" Tian Miaoying quickly stopped her. "That's no ordinary woman! And if she causes trouble, the security guards will come after her!"
Meng Feiqin glanced at her amusedly. "Forgot? If you die, you'll just get out."
Tian Miaoying paused for a moment, then slapped her forehead. "Oh right, you get out once you're dead."
"Should we discuss tactics?" With the fear of death gone, Tian Miaoying nervously began to plan. "How about I take Huang Yeye and hold her down while you take the opportunity to run downstairs, meet up with Brother Lü and your colleagues, and tell everyone how to leave? Even if the security guards come, the perpetrators will only be the two of us. I will try my best to see Sister Lu in 2602 before we are caught."
“Oh right,” she said nervously, turning her head to look around, “we also need to find a rope to tie the waiter up.”
"No need for that trouble," Meng Feiqin stopped her.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang in front of them, and a gentle female voice, just like the one on the radio, came through: "Hello, room service, we're bringing you your meal."
"How could it be so fast!" Tian Miaoying hurriedly grabbed a clothes hanger. "I haven't prepared anything yet!"
"Step back." Meng Feiqin raised her hand. "Stand behind me. Don't look at me, don't touch me, and don't speak."
"Huh?" Tian Miaoying subconsciously followed her instructions.
She moved back, and the door opened from the outside.
A waitress with dark circles under her eyes stood at the door pushing a food cart.
She took a few takeout boxes from the car and placed them on the cabinet in the entryway. "Your meal has been delivered. Please enjoy."
After saying that, she smiled, grabbed the doorknob, and prepared to close the door.
"open."
The black hiking stick was raised and pointed at the woman's hand holding the doorknob.
The waiter paused, and Meng Feiqin stepped forward, pointing her hiking stick to the side.
She didn't even speak, just stared straight at her, her eyes like a bottomless lake. There was no need for raging waves; the calm surface alone was enough to be imposing, making people stop and feel awe.
The waitress took a moment to react, then said to her as if she had come to her senses, "Please go back to your room." As soon as she opened her mouth, Meng Feiqin took two more steps forward, almost touching her.
She stood too close, and the waiter immediately stepped back, a sliver of white appearing in his dark eyes.
She glanced at Meng Feiqin in surprise, while Meng Feiqin slightly tucked her chin in and stared at her as she walked forward.
She took a step forward, and the waiter took a step back, until they were ten meters away. Meng Feiqinyou didn't let her go, pressing her against him as they retreated.
The waitress's eyes flickered, and hesitation appeared in her dark, hollow eyes. Meng Feiqin only stopped when she pressed herself against the wall.
She didn't leave; she stopped in front of the waiter.
Meng Feiqin was shorter than the young waitress, but her eyes were looking down on her.
That calm yet sharp gaze made the waitress shrink back uncomfortably. She lowered her head, as if Meng Feiqin were her supervisor and she were a subordinate caught slacking off at work.
When she lowered her head and shrank back, Meng Feiqin raised her hand and beckoned to someone behind her.
Tian Miaoying was stunned and quickly pulled Huang Zhenyi outside.
She was utterly shocked, but she still remembered Meng Feiqin's instructions—no eye contact, no touching, no speaking.
As she passed the waiter who was looking down, she was so curious that she didn't dare to look at him for long and hurriedly pressed the elevator button.
The elevator doors opened, and Meng Feiqin turned and walked towards Tian Miaoying.
She moved a few meters away, and the waiter who was pressed against the wall suddenly looked up and stared straight at her.
Tian Miaoying was startled and was about to rush over to pull Meng Feiqin away and run away when she saw Meng Feiqin stomp her foot, turn around and stride back.
Her gaze was stern. She raised her trekking pole and pointed it at the waiter. The waiter, who had just perked up, immediately shrank back and looked down timidly at the ground.
After staring at her for half a minute, Meng Feiqin calmly turned around and stepped into the elevator.
Tian Miaoying was on tenterhooks, constantly worried that the waiter might change his mind and pounce on her, but Meng Feiqin chose to turn her back on her and leave, as if to express her trust in the waiter.
As the elevator descended to the 12th floor, Tian Miaoying seemed to wake from a dream.
She glanced at Meng Feiqin, seemingly wanting to say something, and after a long while, asked hesitantly, "Um...you wouldn't happen to be Xiao Lu's grandmother, would you...?"
Meng Feiqin was stunned for a moment, "What?"
“Exactly,” she asked hesitantly, “why was that waiter so afraid of you?” She almost thought Meng Feiqin was also a dog demon, or even a powerful one.
Meng Feiqin understood what she meant and laughed heartily, “I’m not his grandmother, I’m a human being, the leader to whom he is born to submit.”
Tian Miaoying asked, "But there are still many incidents of dogs dominating people."
“Because they are too afraid. I didn’t write this in the textbook, but I mentioned it in another book—” she answered Tian Miaoying’s question, “'Predators cannot learn not to attack fleeing prey.' The weaker party will choose to run away, while the party that chooses to attack is usually the stronger one.”
"From the moment I approached her, her brain told her: this human is stronger than her."
Tian Miaoying was taken aback. "It's that simple?"
“How complicated could it be?” Meng Feiqin’s eyes crinkled into deep smile lines. “She’s just a little dog.”
-----------------------
The author's note: Predators cannot learn not to attack fleeing prey; their method is to confront it—
It's still Cesar Millan.
The real boss of this ghost story has appeared.
An extra chapter will be released tomorrow at noon!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
