After I Started Working at a Pet Kindergarten - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

For the next few days, Dad handled all the pickups and drop-offs.

Whenever Million arrived, he wore a little bag filled with assorted cookies.

[Miss, Old Man wants me to ask if you’re angry. He knows he was a little presumptuous that day, and he’s sorry.]

[These are for you.]

I rubbed Million’s head. “I’m not angry. I just haven’t been feeling well lately.”

[Could you be angry for a little while?] Million asked. [I want cookies, but Old Man won’t let me eat many. What a jerk.]

I burst out laughing. “Cookies for dogs and cookies for people are different. Even if I got angry and he gave me more, you still couldn’t eat them.”

Million: […]

[I never knew you were this kind of lady. Today, I’m leading everyone on a jailbreak to hunt for poop.]

That made me laugh even harder.

Soda came over, tail wagging. [What are you laughing at, Miss Teacher?]

Rice pranced up behind him. [Dog heard it! Boss Million is taking Dog to find poop. Dog wants to eat poop!]

Little Green Tea: [I don’t understand any of you. What’s so good about poop? Papa dear’s cooking is the finest food in the human world!]

Cream Puff: [Your own poop certainly isn’t any good.]

Cream Puff, an Akita, had the sharpest tongue in the kindergarten.

Little Green Tea got angry.

Cream Puff got beaten up.

Rice took the opportunity to eat both their meals.

At Million’s command, the dogs answered the call.

And escaped.

“You’re done for, Million!

“And so is your owner!”

The security guards and I ran ourselves ragged before we caught them all. The dogs thought it was great fun and could barely contain their excitement.

Panting, I grabbed Million by the cheeks.

“Always breaking out! Do you have to escape every chance you get? Do you know how dangerous it is outside?”

Million stood his ground.

[Take it up with Old Man. What kind of person bullies a dog?]

Now I was even angrier.

“I’ll tell him to cut off your dog-cookie supply! Hmph!”

Million hmph-ed back.

Fuming, I tapped out a complaint to Lin Xunan detailing every one of Million’s crimes.

Lin Xunan owned a bakery. It had only recently opened and kept him so busy that he sent Million to the kindergarten. To my surprise, he replied almost immediately with a voice message.

“Ms. Chen, I’m truly sorry. Million is much too mischievous. I’ll give him a proper talking-to when we get home.

“To make it up to you, may I buy you dinner after work?”

He sounded so sincere that refusing felt unkind.

Only after accepting did I realize what had happened.

Million was his owner’s perfect wingman.

But I had already agreed, and I wasn’t going to stand him up. After work, I touched up my makeup and prepared to meet him.

The moment I left the kindergarten, I saw Lin Xunan waiting outside with Million on a leash.

He wore a tailored black suit and gold-rimmed glasses. The gentle, casual air from our first meeting had given way to something calm and capable.

Beside him, Million munched away.

[These cookies, munch-munch-munch, are so good, munch-munch-munch. Hee-hee.]

“Ms. Chen.”

Lin Xunan approached, his eyes curving behind the lenses.

“I’ve booked a table. Shall we talk as we walk?”

I nodded. “All right.”

Over dinner, I discovered that Lin Xunan’s gentleness came from the bone. He was considerate wherever he went, but not indiscriminately warm to everyone. Beneath that softness lay a touch of calculation and strength.

He balanced it so well that it was hard to dislike him.

And so I tacitly allowed him closer.