A week ago, Chen Jiaojiao, finding her solitary life too dull, adopted a Corgi from a client, Mrs. Wang.
Mrs. Wang was a client introduced by Lu Ma, a woman of means who doted on her dog as if it were her grandchild. However, with her daughter-in-law recently pregnant, Mrs. Wang had to give the dog away to focus on her soon-to-be-born grandson.
Chen Jiaojiao, not particularly fond of animals, feigned enthusiasm to secure the client and alleviate her own boredom. Mrs. Wang was delighted, repeatedly instructing her to care for the dog well and sending her videos to monitor its well-being.
From then on, Chen Jiaojiao found herself with many new chores after work: feeding the dog, walking it for its necessities, and bathing it. While watching others care for their dogs seemed amusing, personally managing one proved to be a nuisance. For a lazy person like her, the daily, tedious walks around the neighborhood tested her patience immensely.
One evening, in a moment of distraction, the dog slipped its leash and bolted ahead. By the time Chen Jiaojiao finished replying to a message and caught up, it was already intertwined with another dog. The Corgi was female, and Mrs. Wang, out of concern, had not had her spayed. Chen Jiaojiao was already occupied enough with one dog; she certainly didn't want a litter of puppies. Seeing it with another dog, she rushed forward to stop them, attempting to separate the pair. However, the two dogs seemed smitten and remained unmoving, regardless of her pleas. The other dog, a small but dominant Teddy, even barked defiantly at her.
Chen Jiaojiao grew fearful, hesitant to approach directly. She scanned her surroundings for the other dog's owner. "Whose dog is this? Don't bully our female dog, separate them quickly! Whose is it?" she called out repeatedly. A moment later, a tall, long-legged young man appeared on the pebble path. He wore a simple white t-shirt and black casual pants, with a clear complexion, and like her, held a leash that had been pulled free. Seeing his dog entangled with someone else's, he too appeared anxious.
"I'm so sorry, it's mine. I wasn't paying attention and it slipped its leash. I'll separate them for you."
"Hurry up! If you're any slower, it'll be over. What if my dog gets pregnant? Your dog has no morals!"
Xiang Yang was in the neighborhood for a tutoring job. This was only his second day. His student was working on a math worksheet, and there was a half-hour break. The student's mother was busy and asked him to help walk the dog. He never expected such a situation to arise within minutes of stepping out. He wasn't familiar with the dog, and like Chen Jiaojiao, he stood by, shouting and trying to frighten them apart, but his efforts were ignored. The dogs were even brazen, their movements becoming more unrestrained.
Xiang Yang didn't want to jeopardize his part-time job by causing trouble so early on. Seeing that the dog was beyond stopping, and Chen Jiaojiao was anxiously calling out, he became flustered. He crouched down and grabbed the Corgi's muzzle, intending to forcefully pull them apart. To his surprise, this action enraged the Corgi. With a yelp, it broke free from his grasp and retaliated by biting his arm. It was the first time in his life he'd been bitten by a dog. The sharp teeth dug into his flesh, causing Xiang Yang to flinch in pain. He immediately stood up and yanked his arm away. Several long red marks remained on his arm.
The two dogs continued their entanglement. Seeing Xiang Yang bitten, Chen Jiaojiao forgot about the dogs and hurried closer to him. "Oh my goodness, I didn't realize dogs could be so ferocious. Are you okay?" The bite was deep. This forceful tug left several deep gashes on his arm, and blood streamed out. He had taken on the responsibility, and his dog had broken free; although the wound was severe, what more could Xiang Yang say but accept his misfortune?
"I'm fine. Sorry, the dog isn't mine, and I'm not very familiar with it, so it doesn't listen to me."
Chen Jiaojiao was too shocked by Xiang Yang's injury to care about the dogs anymore. "Never mind, I'm not familiar with my dog either. Let them do what they want if they want to." She looked at his bleeding arm. "Which building do you live in? Forget about the dogs for now, you should go back and bandage your wound." He had only come out to help, and now this had happened. He worried it might give people an impression of recklessness.
Xiang Yang didn't intend to go back. "It's okay, it's not serious. We can deal with it later. It would be troublesome if the dog ran away."
"Move back a bit. While its attention is focused, I'll try to re-attach the leash." Chen Jiaojiao was encountering someone unusual for the first time; he seemed unfazed by his severe arm injury and was still focused on the dog. Perhaps her earlier intense reaction had put him under pressure, she felt a pang of guilt. "It's alright, it's alright. If it gets pregnant, it gets pregnant. Don't worry about it. You should go home and bandage your wound."
But Xiang Yang ignored her suggestion. Holding the leash, he quietly approached the dog and, seizing an unguarded moment, reattached the hook. Afterward, neither of them spoke, quietly observing the dogs until they finished and voluntarily separated.
"I'm sorry for the trouble." Xiang Yang took out a packet of tissues from his pocket and pressed it to his arm. Chen Jiaojiao nodded with a complicated expression, watching him lead his dog away. His figure was slender, youthful, and upright, leaving a good first impression on Chen Jiaojiao. Even after he had walked quite a distance, she was still marveling: "The country's quality education is truly effective; this generation of young people is quite civilized."
She assumed Xiang Yang was a resident of the complex. After this dog-walking encounter, she somewhat hoped to see him again during her own dog walks over the next couple of days. She wondered how his wound was healing. After all, she felt some connection to the incident, and it wouldn't hurt to inquire. However, she didn't know what he was busy with, as she didn't see him again for the next two days.
It wasn't until the third day, after Chen Jiaojiao finished work late, around nine in the evening, as she was driving. Passing a bus stop near the complex, she casually glanced out and saw that familiar, clean figure again. Xiang Yang was dressed just like that day, in a simple white t-shirt, black casual pants, and white sneakers. He had a black backpack slung over his shoulder and a pair of white headphones around his neck, sitting alone on the bus stop bench, lost in thought. A black wristband covered his left forearm, perfectly concealing the wound.
Seeing him like this, it seemed he was alright, and there was no need to say anything further. Yet, for some reason, Chen Jiaojiao felt compelled to exchange a few words. She slowly stopped her car by the bus stop. "Hey!" She rolled down the window and called out to Xiang Yang. He was listening to music and couldn't hear her, but he knew that parking by a bus stop was prohibited. A car stopping in front of him would naturally draw his attention. He looked up, and his gaze met Chen Jiaojiao's. Seeing her lips moving, he took off his headphones.