At this moment, facing Xiaoqi's words, her tone was raised by a few decibels, clearly showing that she was truly a little angry.
Qingqing and the other girl couldn't care about anything else and quickly waved their hands. "Xiaoqi, this wasn't arranged by us! No matter how much I wanted to comfort you, I couldn't have thought of such a bizarre arrangement!"
"I don't know this man, let alone collude with him on this."
They simultaneously looked at Qin Ye. But before they could even open their mouths to question him, Qin Ye's voice came first.
He glanced at Xiaoqi's feet, where an ordinary person's naked eye couldn't see the golden retriever, and slowly said, "Seven years ago, there was a young lady. On her way to work for the first time, she encountered a dog as thin as a skeleton. It was tied with an iron chain next to her company, most likely a guard dog…"
As Qin Ye's voice flowed steadily, Xiaoqi and the others were all stunned, especially Xiaoqi.
Qin Ye paid no attention to their reactions and continued, "She heard from her colleagues that this dog was particularly fierce. Every time someone passed by, it would bark incessantly. Her colleagues even warned her: If she wanted to feed it, she should throw the food in from a distance and absolutely not reach her hand in to feed it."
"Soon, it was time to get off work. As she passed by the place where the dog was tied, the dog saw the unfamiliar young lady and barked wildly again."
"But the young lady, who loved dogs dearly, firmly believed in one principle: In this world, there is no dog that can't be tamed through feeding. Seeing that the dog was filthy and emaciated, never having stepped out of that yard in its lifetime. She immediately felt it was very pitiful. So, she decided to bring food for the dog every day on her way to work."
"In the beginning, when feeding it, the young lady would use a wooden stick to skewer the food and pass it through the iron bars."
"This way, she wouldn't have to worry about the dog biting her hand."
"After the dog finished eating, she didn't dare to pet it directly. She could only use the wooden stick to carefully stroke the dog's head. Because they weren't familiar yet, even if she called to the dog after work, she never received a response."
"But with her persistence in bringing food every day, she gradually became familiar with the dog. She could eventually feed it by hand, and the dog behaved very well, never once biting her."
"When she called it, it would slowly turn its head and approach her, letting her gently stroke its forehead. Since she always called it 'Rourou' when feeding it, the dog grew fond of this name. After eating, it would act spoiled with her."
"It went from being a cold and aloof dog to one that eagerly awaited her arrival every day. Even on rainy days, when it saw her, Rourou would still come out to greet her."
"Even when she told it not to come out, fearing it would get wet, it still did."
"Day by day, she continued to bring food for the dog. Without realizing it, the once bony dog had been fed into a chubby one—truly living up to its name, 'Rourou'."
(T/N: meaning 'meaty' or 'plump')
"Later, seeing that the dog's kennel was too simple, she bought a soft cushion for it. It was so happy to have a big, cozy bed for the first time that it refused to get off."
"She even celebrated the dog's first birthday, took it out of the yard to make friends, gave it a bath, shared her work troubles with it, and even had a small quarrel with it once. She got angry and was about to leave, only to turn back and see the dog watching her."
"She and the dog experienced many happy moments together. With its companionship, her early days as a fresh graduate weren't as lost and troubled as those of others navigating work and relationships."
"And so, spring, summer, autumn, and winter passed, until the third spring, when the company she worked at shut down, forcing her to find a new job."
"It was then that she finally mustered the courage to negotiate with the dog's owner and spent three thousand yuan to buy the dog. From then on, they were no longer just a passerby who fed and a dog who was fed—the dog finally had a true owner, and she finally had a dog that was truly hers."
"And with the dog's company, she no longer felt the exhaustion and frustration of job hunting. They accompanied each other until three days ago…"
At this point, Qin Ye stopped speaking. Because, he felt no need to continue, no need to explain whether he was part of some prearranged script.
Because, Xiaoqi was already covering her mouth, crying uncontrollably.
Because, at this moment, she finally believed. She believed that the commission Qin Ye spoke of was real.
Because, the story he told was her and Rourou's story, down to the tiniest detail—like how Rourou would come out to see her in the rain.
That was a story she had never told anyone. That was a story only she and Rourou knew.
"…Did Rourou really entrust you?" Xiaoqi choked, clutching Qin Ye's clothes tightly, crying so hard she couldn't form words.
She had never believed in gods or ghosts before, but now, she was willing to believe. She wanted an answer from Qin Ye—an answer that told her Rourou was right beside her.
Qin Ye responded to her. "Yes, it's lying by your left foot."
"Woof!" As if wanting Xiaoqi to hear it, though she couldn't possibly hear it, the golden retriever still barked.
Xiaoqi cried, her body trembling. Not because she heard the bark, but because she finally confirmed—Qin Ye's commission was real.
Because… her Rourou loved lying by her left foot the most. Every time they were together, it would always be there.
At that moment, Xiaoqi burst into loud sobs, ignoring the strange looks from those around her, leaning on Qin Ye as she cried.
Even though it had only been three days since Rourou passed, she missed her Rourou terribly.
"Rourou, is it you? Are you by my side?"
She cried toward the empty space at her left foot, reaching out in vain to pet a dog she could not touch.
Qin Ye said nothing. He only glanced at the murmuring people around, who were treating Xiaoqi like a madwoman, and casually snapped his fingers. Instantly, an invisible ripple spread from his fingertips.
In an instant, the murmuring crowd, who had been watching and whispering, suddenly seemed unable to see or hear Xiaoqi. They all turned their heads back as if nothing had happened.
At the same time, Xiaoqi, Qingqing, and the other girl felt something lightly touch their foreheads. When they opened their eyes again, Xiaoqi could no longer hold back her tears.
Qingqing and the other girl covered their mouths in shock, their eyes full of disbelief. Where there had once been empty space by Xiaoqi's left foot, a soft "woof" sounded, and a golden retriever slowly appeared before their eyes.
Qin Ye silently got up and returned to his seat at the nearby table. He did not disturb them, leaving this moment for the master and pet to say their final goodbye.
And he did not tell Xiaoqi, that Rourou hadn't run out to play that day.
He had seen everything from Rourou's memory. The truth was—on that day, Rourou knew it was the seventh anniversary of meeting its owner. Every year, on that day, Xiaoqi would spend time with it. But that day, Xiaoqi had an important meeting at work.
So, Rourou wanted to be with her instead. It ran out to find her—only to be tragically hit by a car.
And that was why Qin Ye agreed to the commission. But he did not tell Xiaoqi this, to spare her the guilt.
Later, ten days later, Xiaoqi followed Qin Ye's words, went to the local dog market, and bought the youngest golden retriever there.
It loved lying by her left foot. It loved rubbing against her left foot. That was when she finally understood Qin Ye's meaning.
Rourou had been reincarnated. And in the decades to come, every time Rourou passed away, it always found its way back to her.
Until eighty-nine years later, when she passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. On the path of the afterlife, she walked with aged steps, a little apprehensive, a little afraid, as she made her way down the dim road.
"Woof!" A familiar bark came from ahead.
She froze and looked up. Tears filled her aged eyes instantly, Rourou was waiting for her ahead, just as always, by her left foot.
But this time, it was no longer lying there. It was guarding her, walking with her toward reincarnation.
In that moment, the road of the afterlife was no longer so frightening. Their voices echoed along the path.
"Rourou, I'm sorry… After seven times of you accompanying me, this time, I couldn't stay with you."
"Woof."
"As long as you're not angry, then… in the next life, can you still stay by my side?"
"Woof!"
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