RTCBM Extra 2

-Quqi-

Ever since helping his junior care for Cha Cha, Mu Yuan had been wanting to raise a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel of his own. Lately, he kept bringing it up to Wen Shang whenever he got the chance.

Mu Yuan’s request wasn’t unreasonable, and their home was more than capable of accommodating a dog. Wen Shang reached out to a friend who connected him with a family-run kennel that specialized in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The dogs there were top-notch, with pure bloodlines and excellent features, just a bit pricey, at thirty-two thousand yuan each.

Wen Shang didn’t try to haggle. He agreed and even scheduled a visit with the breeder so he and Mu Yuan could pick one out together. But on the day of the visit, something came up at the company and Wen Shang was called back in. The trip to see the dogs had to be postponed.

Mu Yuan wasn’t in a rush. Before officially bringing a dog home, he visited a pet store and bought every necessary item.

The store had many adorable cats and dogs, and among them was a brown mixed-breed Cocker Spaniel, kept alone in a small room. It lay flat on the floor, staring blankly out the window at the passing crowds on the street.

Mu Yuan pointed at the dog through the glass door and asked the store clerk, “Why is it locked up alone?”

The clerk explained that the dog’s previous owner had moved out of the city and abandoned it at the pet store entrance. Since then, it had been adopted and returned several times.

“This dog has a bad temper. It’s aggressive and always destroying things. It eats a lot too. Every family that adopted it ended up sending it back,” the clerk said, shaking his head and sighing. “It wasn’t like this at first. I think being abandoned left it with some emotional trauma.”

Mu Yuan’s eyes lit up with an idea.

“Can I adopt it?”

“You can, but…” The clerk looked hesitant and repeated several times, “Its temper really is difficult. You need to think this through carefully.”

“Heh, good thing I’ve got a bad temper too. Negative plus negative equals positive.” Mu Yuan grinned brightly.

Wen Shang had just stepped through the door when Mu Yuan came running out of the living room in his slippers. He handed Wen Shang a square kraft paper box.

The weight of the box was more than Wen Shang expected. The moment he took it, he nearly dropped it, but managed to steady it just in time.

“What is this thing? Why is it so heavy?”

Mu Yuan tilted his head and stretched his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture. “Because it’s filled with all my love for you.”

“You never take anything seriously.” Wen Shang laughed and set the box on the floor to open it.

A Cocker Spaniel with a pink bow tied around its neck poked its head out. Its long ears hung down like a little rabbit’s on either side of its head, and its round, dark eyes sparkled with life. The dog stretched its neck toward Wen Shang, sniffed him curiously, then let out a sharp bark.

“Isn’t it cute?” Mu Yuan crouched next to Wen Shang and stroked the dog’s ears. “I adopted it from the pet store today.”

Mu Yuan had already given the mixed-breed Cocker Spaniel a name. Quqi. When he first laid eyes on the dog, its coat color immediately reminded him of a cookie.

Wen Shang looked a little puzzled by the sudden adoption. “Didn’t you say you wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?”

“Changed my mind. This one’s just fine. Doesn’t really matter.” Mu Yuan lifted Quqi out of the box and set it on the floor. The pup began exploring like a little adventurer, sniffing here and there, full of curiosity about everything in the house.

“What made you change your mind so suddenly?”

Mu Yuan shrugged and chuckled. “Actually, adoption feels kind of nice. This little one needs a family that’s willing to take it in.”

As Mu Yuan gently ruffled Quqi’s head, Wen Shang reached out and ruffled Mu Yuan’s. “As long as you’re happy.”

After Nai Gai and Yu Yuan, Quqi officially became the third ‘son’ of Mu Yuan and Wen Shang.