At first, he had no idea why they had come to court. Only when he saw the two parties at the hearing did he realize that today was the hearing over his sudden death.
-I never imagined Chang Yu was so devoted. Even after I died, he was still seeking justice for me.
Chang Yu had already gotten used to hearing this. He could think whatever he liked; Chang Yu couldn't explain anyway.
They sat in the last row. Gu Hongzhuo had appeared in person, while Yan Junye's side was represented by an attorney.
Throughout the proceedings, Gu Hongzhuo insisted that Yan Junye had not died within forty-eight hours, so there could be no workers' compensation. At most, he would pay ten thousand in consolation money.
During the two sides' statements, Yan Junye's side initially seemed to be at a slight disadvantage.
Watching from the gallery, Yan Junye was so furious that he wanted to call the huskies over to tear Gu Hongzhuo's counseling practice apart.
His tail thrashed in anger. A large hand stroked his head, and his tail immediately settled down.
-I forgot about Chang Yu. He's so capable, he'll definitely find a way to help me!
Just as the judge was about to make a decision, a voice suddenly rang out.
"I sincerely repent before the Buddha. I bribed Yan Junye's attending physician and told the doctor not to perform the surgery that might save his life, but to take the conservative surgical approach instead."
"Only conservative surgery could keep Yan Junye alive for forty-eight hours, so I wouldn't have to pay workers' compensation..."
Everyone searched for the source of the voice. Hearing the confession he had made before the Buddha that very afternoon, Gu Hongzhuo instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his limbs going weak.
He kept muttering, "Where's that coming from? Who recorded it...?"
Only then did he discover that it was coming from the protective talisman he carried with him.
Remembering the master he had met that day, he searched for Chang Yu with realization in his eyes, but saw no sign of him.
Once they had finished listening to the recording, Chang Yu had left with Xiaotu.
Yan Junye had finally gotten justice, yet his feelings were complicated.
He stared at the ground until a figure wearing suit trousers and leather shoes entered his field of vision.
His gaze traveled up the tall figure. A lone moon hung high overhead, and for some reason, Yan Junye felt that Chang Yu looked desolate.
His lover had died unjustly, and now that the truth had come to light, Chang Yu must have lost his emotional support.
He gave a few comforting barks.
[It's all right. Yan Junye's body is gone, but his soul is still here. Every time you miss him, you can buy me a meal of barbecue. That'll make him happy.]
Chang Yu: "..." I think you just want barbecue. Nothing more.
After buying a handful of barbecue skewers and going home to eat, he took Xiaotu downstairs for a walk.
It wasn't that he was in the mood for a leisurely stroll. The last time his assistant had taken Xiaotu for a bath, the vet had said that Xiaotu couldn't afford to get any fatter.
Since cutting back on food wasn't an option, exercise was the only place to start.
Yan Junye had wanted to sleep as soon as he finished eating, but a dog's life was hard. Lying flat was still a distant dream.
His canine face drooped when he heard someone call out to them.
"Chang Yu, hold on."
Although the Samoyed's owner had called out to Chang Yu, his gaze lingered longer on the golden retriever.
He felt that all little animals were adorable, and he couldn't see anything bad about this one.
"Well... my Coconut has taken a liking to your golden retriever. It was love at first sight!"
"I was wondering if you'd let the two little ones try dating?"
Chang Yu glanced at the Samoyed the other man was leading.
Everyone loved the smiling angel, especially since this Samoyed was so well cared for, with smooth, snowy-white fur.
"Oh? Love at first sight? Our Xiaotu is very popular. People fall for him at first sight all the time."
Chang Yu didn't turn him down outright. Xiaotu wanted a new owner anyway.
The Samoyed's owner was famously good-tempered, and anyone living in Golden Cauldron Residential Complex couldn't be too badly off.
He agreed with a smile. "Of course we can let the two dogs give it a try. If either one doesn't think it will work, there's no harm in separating."
Yan Junye couldn't shake the feeling that Chang Yu's smile concealed a knife.
Although the Samoyed's owner was perfect and met his requirements for an owner, he couldn't go over there as the dog's boyfriend!
He had no intention of having an interspecies romance with a dog.
Facing the delighted Samoyed and its owner, he stepped back and shook his head.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
[There's no chance for us!]
"How will you know whether it'll work if you don't try?" The Samoyed took the initiative to rub against the golden retriever in a friendly manner. "Don't be shy. I'm not shy, so why have you been so shy ever since you arrived?"
Yan Junye wanted to cry but had no tears. He simply hadn't adjusted to being a dog yet.
The Samoyed swept its big, fluffy tail across the golden retriever's face again. "Besides, spring is almost here. Are you really not planning to find a dog to spend spring with? Otherwise, it'll be very hard to bear."
Yan Junye felt a tingling itch all over his face.
He shook his head in a panic and backed away. His rational mind still couldn't let him cross the species barrier to date.
Besides, when it came to romance between animals, especially household pets, he genuinely couldn't imagine what there was to do.
Chang Yu and the Samoyed's owner stood to one side, watching the two dogs interact.
The Samoyed's owner looked reluctant to part with his dog, as though he couldn't bear to see his precious cabbage get ravaged. But his daughter was grown, and her old father no longer had a say.
Of course, they were only just getting acquainted, so things wouldn't get too intense yet.
Not daring to let the dogs stay together too long, the Samoyed's owner left with the Samoyed, his feelings mixed. Without even turning back, he said with no sincerity whatsoever:
"Come visit sometime."
Yan Junye finally breathed a sigh of relief. Being liked by a dog really was a sorrowful thing.
Back home, he howled frantically at Chang Yu. "Woof, woof, woof!"
[There's no need to try. I object to this marriage!]
The racket made Chang Yu's head feel ready to burst, but it didn't stop him from spouting nonsense. "Looks like my Xiaotu doesn't want to leave me for even a moment. He's even giving up dating for me."
"In that case, Xiaotu should stay by my side forever. I'll turn the Samoyed down tomorrow."
Yan Junye: "..." It doesn't have to be forever. If there's a good new owner, you can still let me go.
"But if you don't want the Samoyed and don't want to be neutered either, you know what to do in spring, right?"
Part of the reason Chang Yu had agreed to the Samoyed owner's request was that spring was almost here, and the dogs would be more restless.
He still had to give the necessary warnings, or this rebellious golden retriever would definitely cause trouble.
"If you dare pee all over the house or casually get another dog pregnant with your pups, watch out. Your life as a dog won't be much easier than your life as a human."
Yan Junye spun in circles in fury.
-That's a blatant threat! Then it'll be fine if I find a male dog when the time comes, right?!
Male dogs couldn't get pregnant anyway.
Chang Yu stroked his head. "As for other methods, do whatever you want."
The hint was already perfectly clear. As long as he didn't hurt the male dog and both parties were willing, there was no problem at all.
Yan Junye still whined in dissatisfaction. Being a dog was so hard.
Luckily, he was a gay male dog. Even if he mounted another dog, it would be a male. He could do it without anyone knowing, and the dog's owner wouldn't find out.
In the middle of the night, Yan Junye wasn't sure whether it was because of what Chang Yu had said before bed or because spring really had arrived, but he felt restless all over.
He thought he now knew what an omega felt like during an uncontrollable period.
Damn it. He had never imagined being a dog would let him experience so many roles.
It was the middle of the night, and he was the only dog in the house. Looking downstairs, he couldn't see a single dog, let alone a male one.
Yan Junye got up and first restrained himself by drinking some cold water in the room, but the heat inside him wasn't something a few mouthfuls of cold water could extinguish.
His four paws were utterly useless, and he couldn't overcome the psychological barrier to lowering his head either.
He paced uneasily in a few circles, then even dashed around the living room, trying to tire himself out so he could fall asleep the moment he lay down.
In his sleep, Chang Yu thought he heard clattering, as if someone were doing parkour right beside his ears.
But apart from a dog that slept even more soundly than he did, there were no other living creatures in his home.
Worried, he got up to look around. There were no strange figures in the house, and Xiaotu was lying quietly on his bed.
Was I hearing things?
Puzzled, Chang Yu went back to his room, lay down, and went back to sleep.
After tiring himself out with parkour, Yan Junye lay down and immediately fell asleep, but in his dreams, he caught a scent that made him feel very safe.
It was Chang Yu's distinctive scent.
In his sleep, he followed that scent, poking his nose forward and sniffing. He stretched out his paws, wanting to hold on to it.
Chang Yu hadn't fallen completely asleep. He had stayed alert, listening for movement outside his door.
He heard very soft footsteps, then saw a fluffy dog tail standing upright.
Was he sleepwalking?
Chang Yu didn't make any sudden moves. He simply watched Xiaotu walk up to him and sniff him all over, from head to toe.
Chang Yu: "..." He kept feeling as though he were dog food, and the dog was sniffing to see whether he suited his tastes.
Judging by those raised paws, he wanted to get onto the bed and hug him.
Chang Yu sat up and reached out to stop him, but the dog had already jumped onto the bed without the slightest hesitation.