Yan Qingming stared at him, stunned. This was the first time Qi Xiaolin had ever scolded him on someone else’s behalf.
Qi Xiaolin regretted his words as soon as they left his lips, but Ren Jue was different now, and he could not afford to treat Qingyan poorly.
The atmosphere turned awkward. Yan Qingming turned to leave, saying, “I am going back to rest.”
Qi Xiaolin was about to chase after him when Ren Jue spoke up. “Actually, I am very afraid of large dogs. I remember when I was thrown into the kennel, many wolfhounds came to bite me. I ran for my life, but I still could not escape them.”
He lowered his head, looking dejected.
Qi Xiaolin sighed helplessly. “I will not let Qingming bring Karl here. Don’t worry, you can leave it here for the time being.”
Ren Jue’s house had some issues and was currently uninhabitable. He had asked to live in the villa, but Qi Xiaolin had refused, as it would be inconvenient with Yan Qingming back from the hospital. The new apartment Qi Xiaolin found for Ren Jue did not allow pets, so the dog had to be kept at the villa.
Ren Jue smiled. Even though he was frustrated, he had to swallow it. “Alright.”
There was no need to rush; he would have plenty of opportunities to be here in the future.
Yan Qingming watched from upstairs as Ren Jue finally left. When Qi Xiaolin entered the bedroom, Yan Qingming asked, “Why can’t my Karl come here?”
Qi Xiaolin replied, “I already told you.”
He did not want to see any dogs; the Teddy would be taken away shortly to be kept elsewhere.
Yan Qingming insisted stubbornly, “Then I will go back and see it.”
Qi Xiaolin paused, frowning in displeasure. “Are you deliberately trying to pick a fight with me?”
He had already arranged for the dog to be well-fed and cared for; it was living better than most humans. How much more could Yan Qingming want?
Yan Qingming’s voice was muffled. “Karl has been with me for over ten years. It is very old now. Recently, I noticed it moving slowly and sleeping a lot. I am afraid it won’t last much longer.”
Even if he sent people to care for it, they were looking after a silent animal. How much effort would they truly put in?
Qi Xiaolin hesitated. He did not want Yan Qingming to leave because he never knew where he might run off to. “Don’t worry, they will tell me if there is anything wrong with Karl. You don’t need to fret.”
Yan Qingming asked, “Who is taking care of Karl?”
Qi Xiaolin responded, “One of Ren Jue’s subordinates.”
“Then can I make a phone call to that person and ask, please?”
Yan Qingming’s tone had softened, and Qi Xiaolin felt less resistant. He pulled out his phone, found the number, and tossed it to Yan Qingming.
After the call connected, a man’s voice answered, “Mr. Qi.”
Yan Qingming did not identify himself and asked, “How is the dog you are caring for?”
The man on the other end was clearly stunned by the unfamiliar voice. “Who is this?”
“The owner of that dog.”
There was a long pause on the other end, as if the man was scrambling for words. “That dog is doing fine.”
“What is it doing right now?”
“Sleeping.”
“Send me a video. I want to see it.”
The man sounded hesitant. “I cannot send a video. The old doghouse was chewed up, and I bought a new one. It won’t come out, so I cannot film it.”
Yan Qingming felt a surge of unease. Karl would never maliciously destroy anything without his command. He tried to ask more, but the man interrupted, “I have something to take care of here. I have to hang up.”
Realizing the person on the phone was not Qi Xiaolin, the man had lost his submissive tone.
Yan Qingming looked at the disconnected phone and stood up. “No, I have to go back and check.”
Qi Xiaolin grabbed his arm, roaring, “You are not going anywhere without my permission!”
He was leaving again! He had only just returned, and he was already trying to bolt.
Yan Qingming frowned. “Ren Jue has never liked Karl. That man was clearly lying.”
Qi Xiaolin insisted stubbornly, “It is just a dog. What could possibly be wrong?”
Yan Qingming pushed him away regardless and said coldly, “Stay out of my business.”
“Yan Qingming!”
Qi Xiaolin glared at him in anger, but Yan Qingming was resolute. He turned and walked toward the door. Not wanting to escalate the argument, Qi Xiaolin chose to give in and followed him out of the villa.
Yan Qingming kept his face cold the entire time. Qi Xiaolin drove the car, muttering with dissatisfaction, “I am letting you have your way only because you just got out of the hospital. If you pull this again, I will not be so lenient!”
Yan Qingming had no time for a verbal spar; his mind was entirely consumed by the tone of the man on the phone. Clearly, that man was lying.
It took some time to travel from the villa to the old apartment. As soon as the car stopped, Yan Qingming rushed into the elevator. When he unlocked the door, his hands were trembling.
“Karl?”
He called out, but the apartment remained silent. There was no sign of the dog that used to race to greet him the moment he heard the door open.