Little Peach and the Big Dog

The sun hung high in the sky, summer sunlight pouring down in torrents, and the air already carried a hint of dry heat.

A sedan rolled slowly along the country road. Cola lay sprawled in the front passenger seat, squinting as the fierce wind swept past, watching the scenery on the right side of the road continuously slide backward.

Then,

it turned back toward the driver's seat, staring fixedly at Chen Yuan working the steering wheel as it let out an envious low growl. "Awoo."

I want to drive too, awoo.

The sedan gradually left Xuanhe Village. Chen Yuan suddenly spotted two people standing by the roadside, waving at him.

Chen Yuan stepped on the brakes and slowly pulled over.

At close range, Chen Yuan quickly recognized them, and a smile spread across his face. "Grandma Li, do you need any help?"

Grandma Li was slightly stooped, her skin shriveled and deeply wrinkled. She smiled at Chen Yuan. "Doctor Chen, Little Peach and I need to take care of something in town."

"Would it be convenient for you to give us a ride?"

Hearing that, Chen Yuan lowered his head and looked at Little Peach, who stood obediently beside Grandma Li—her hand held by Grandma Li's. She lifted her round, adorable little face and looked at him with dark eyes. Her cheeks were rosy red, and though her skin was not particularly fair, it looked exceptionally clean and unadorned. Two braided pigtails hung down behind her.

"Hello, Brother Chen." Little Peach gave him a sweet smile.

"How old are you this year?" Chen Yuan could not help reaching out to pat Little Peach's head.

Little Peach's eyes curved into crescents. "Brother Chen, I'm six this year!"

Chen Yuan nodded, then turned to Grandma Li. "Grandma Li, Little Peach, get in."

In the countryside, catching rides was extremely common. Whenever someone needed to go into town to handle matters or buy things, they would choose to hitch a ride.

"Spark, sorry to trouble you." Chen Yuan turned toward Spark in the back seat.

"Chirp."

Spark nodded lightly, flapped its wings, and flew out of the car, soaring into the air.

In truth, with Spark's flying speed, without Chen Yuan and Cola, those two burdens, it could have reached Nanhe Town very quickly.

"Thank you, Brother Chen." Little Peach replied sweetly. At the same time, she held Grandma Li's hand and supported her as they got into the back seat together.

Chen Yuan watched the scene through the rearview mirror and smiled. "Little Peach is so sensible. Grandma Li, you're truly blessed."

Grandma Li smiled kindly. "Doctor Chen, you flatter her."

Chen Yuan asked again, "Will Little Peach's parents be coming home this year?"

"They'll come back for the New Year," Grandma Li said.

"That's good." Chen Yuan nodded.

Little Peach's parents worked away from home year-round. Only she and Grandma Li remained at home, and their life was rather tight.

During last year's Spring Festival, her parents had been so busy chasing overtime pay that they were run off their feet, so they had not come home.

After chatting briefly, Grandma Li worried about getting carsick and closed her eyes to rest, while Chen Yuan focused on driving.

Little Peach sat behind the front passenger seat. She tried hard to lift her little face, eagerly watching the scenery flash past the window, her little feet swinging up and down.

All of a sudden,

Little Peach caught sight of Cola lying in the front passenger seat. Her eyes widened, her face filled with the delight of discovering treasure. "Big—"

Before she could cry out, Little Peach suddenly remembered that her grandmother was resting with her eyes closed. She lowered her voice and whispered, "Big doggy!"

"Awoo?"

Cola turned its head in confusion. Seeing the human little girl looking at it with such surprise and joy, it could not help lifting its head and giving a series of soft huffs. "Awoo, awoo, awoo."

"Big doggy, can I pet you?" Little Peach stared at Cola with her shiny black eyes, her face still brimming with delight as she carefully asked.

"Awoo~"

Cola slowly nodded.

Since you're such a well-behaved little girl, I'll let you pet me once.

Little Peach stretched out her right hand and gently stroked Cola's fluffy back. An even brighter smile gradually bloomed across her face. "Big doggy, you're so nice."

"Awoo, awoo~"

Cola wriggled its body, bringing itself closer to Little Peach, an uncontrollable smile appearing on its face.

"Brother Chen, what's the big doggy's name?" Little Peach asked.

"Cola."

"Cola." Little Peach's eyes gradually lit up, and the corners of her mouth curled upward. "The big doggy has the same name as the drink I have."

"Does the big doggy only cost three yuan too?"

Chen Yuan looked at Cola, who was grinning foolishly, and fell silent for a moment.

About an hour later, the sedan entered Nanhe Town, and Chen Yuan found a place to park.

"Doctor Chen, thank you so much for today," Grandma Li said.

Chen Yuan smiled. "It was on the way. When are you heading back? If the timing works, I can take you."

Grandma Li shook her head. "We won't trouble you on the way back. This child has a relative who can take us."

"Alright." Chen Yuan nodded. "Then I'll be going. Take care."

"Goodbye, Brother Chen." A smile blossomed on Little Peach's adorable face. She first waved to Chen Yuan, then looked at Cola and shouted, "Goodbye, Cola!"

"Awoo, awoo, awoo!" Cola wagged its tail in response.

After parting with the two of them, Chen Yuan walked down the streets of Nanhe Town and keenly felt that the town was completely different from the last time he had come.

The mighty tide of the Spiritual Tide had swept through every corner.

The streets and alleys were either painted with slogans or hung with posters:

Become a Beast Tamer, bring glory to the whole family

Join the path of Beast Tamers, begin a wonderful life

Very good—publicity with distinctly Donghuang characteristics.

Moreover, as Chen Yuan walked down the street, he occasionally saw passersby walking with pet beasts. Some were common cat- and dog-type pet beasts, while others were small, adorable pet beasts he had never seen before.

No passerby cast curious stares or strange looks at them.

Fortunately, Chen Yuan was not socially anxious. He directly approached those pet beasts he had never seen and asked their owners whether he could reach out and touch them.

Three people agreed, while one refused on the grounds that their pet beast had a violent temperament.

As a result, within just half an hour of arriving in Nanhe Town, Chen Yuan had gained three Origin Points.

In high spirits, Chen Yuan hummed a little tune all the way to the courier shop, where he collected his package—a perfectly ordinary box.

Just then,

the phone in his pocket rang. Chen Yuan answered it, and Zhou Xu's voice came through.

"Little Chen, I got word here that you've already signed for the package."

Chen Yuan froze for a moment, then quickly realized. "Brother Zhou, you sent this?"

Zhou Xu smiled slightly. "More accurately, the president had me send it."

After a pause, he explained, "Didn't you say that day that you needed Wind Whisper Grass? After the president learned of it, he asked around for you."

"As it happened, one of his friends had two stalks. The president bought them outright and had them sent to you."

Chen Yuan hurriedly shook his head in refusal. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Zhou Xu smiled. "The president asked me to tell you that there's no need to refuse. The contributions you've made to the association cannot be brushed aside with nothing more than a plaque. We need to give you a material reward."

"Before, we didn't know what you needed. Now that we do, naturally we have to find a way to provide it."

"This is the president's intention, and also the sentiment of everyone in the association, from top to bottom."

"Please accept it."