Chapter 5: The Art of Acting Cute

Since he had already decided not to head back, Shen Yuanhui didn’t mind sitting here a while longer to play with Aofeng.

Aofeng figured that if he wanted someone to adopt him, the most important thing was to be obedient and well-behaved. But he was a grown man at heart, and those two words didn’t suit him at all. What was he supposed to do?

After recalling the behavior of those particularly good at acting cute back in the puppy training camp, Aofeng decided to imitate them.

So, once Shen Yuanhui sat down, Aofeng began showing off a few of his best tricks.

First up was the handshake.

He sat upright across from Shen Yuanhui, slowly lifted his right paw into the air, tilted his chin up, and waited for Shen Yuanhui to take it.

Shen Yuanhui was momentarily stunned by the gesture, but having raised dogs before, he reached out his hand.

Aofeng let out a dissatisfied “woof” and nudged toward Shen Yuanhui’s other hand, clearly indicating that was the one he should be using.

Shen Yuanhui couldn’t help but chuckle and switched hands. Only then did Aofeng place his paw into it, even giving it a polite little shake like a human would. After that, he switched to the other paw. You could say he was being very well-mannered.

With the handshake completed, they moved on to the second game.

In the examination room, there were usually some dog toys prepared to help ease the nerves of visiting dogs. Aofeng had always looked down on those childish toys, but today he took the initiative to grab a small ball from the toy pile, carried it over to Shen Yuanhui, and dropped it into his hand, eyes shining with anticipation, clearly asking him to play.

Shen Yuanhui smiled again. He was usually swamped with official duties and rarely had time to unwind like this. It had been a long time since he’d felt so relaxed.

He waved the small ball in front of Aofeng, then gently tossed it to the side. Aofeng’s ears perked up, and the moment the ball left his hand, he pushed off with his hind legs and leapt forward, catching the ball just before it hit the ground.

Watching this smooth, agile movement, Trainer Dezi couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration. He had always suspected that Aofeng’s lazy attitude during training was just an act. Look at that physique, those moves – he was clearly built to be a top-tier police dog.

After playing fetch with Shen Yuanhui for a while, Aofeng moved on to the third activity. He picked up a small stuffed rabbit, placed it in Shen Yuanhui’s hand, then nudged his hand with his nose, signaling for him to hide it.

But Shen Yuanhui was confused. He understood fetch, but what was this rabbit supposed to mean? Was it a gift? He looked over at Dezi.

Dezi explained with a slightly aggrieved tone, “He wants you to hide the rabbit so he can find it. This game trains a puppy’s sense of smell and helps build their search instincts.” After all, these puppies were being raised to become working dogs, and their jobs would include tasks like smuggling detection, bomb disposal, and search and rescue – all of which required a sharp nose.

Shen Yuanhui was intrigued. He had led missions with police dogs before, but had never personally trained a puppy, so he hadn’t known the purpose behind these games.

“What about the handshake and fetch games?”

Dezi replied, “The handshake builds trust and helps the puppy get used to following your commands. The fetch game trains their focus and also keeps them physically active.”

“I see.” Shen Yuanhui nodded. “So you’ve played these games with Aofeng before? He’s got a good memory and he’s pretty smart.”

Dezi gave a couple of awkward chuckles. Back when the other puppies were playing, Aofeng had always been lying off to the side, never joining in. Who would’ve thought he’d been secretly paying attention all along?

When Shen Yuanhui stood up, Aofeng turned his back and trotted over to a corner, waiting for him to hide the toy. He didn’t peek at all during the process.

Once Shen Yuanhui called him over, Aofeng even made a show of sniffing his hand a couple of times before lowering his head and sniffing around seriously, looking like he was on a critical mission.

Both Shen Yuanhui and Dezi watched him closely. Dezi even pulled out a stopwatch from his pocket, curious to see how long it would take Aofeng to find the toy.

There was no denying it – dogs had incredibly sensitive noses. Aofeng had experienced this firsthand since becoming a dog. When he was human, he could only smell the most obvious scents. But as a dog, he realized that every person and object carried a unique scent. He didn’t even need to get close to identify who was approaching from afar.

That stuffed rabbit he’d just carried had his scent all over it, making it even easier to find. So after a bit of theatrical sniffing, Aofeng headed straight for the table where the toy was hidden, lifted a front paw, and placed it on a drawer, indicating that the rabbit was inside.

Seeing Aofeng’s proud expression, Dezi quietly handed a biscuit to Shen Yuanhui. When a dog performed well, it was important to reward them immediately to reinforce the behavior and let them know their actions were appreciated.

Shen Yuanhui walked over and patted Aofeng’s head, then held the biscuit out on his palm. Aofeng had already eaten dinner after his IV drip, but after playing for a while, his stomach had room again. Without hesitation, he lowered his head and licked the biscuit right off Shen Yuanhui’s hand.

These biscuits were specially made at the Training Base – rich in milk flavor and satisfyingly chewy, they were a favorite among the dogs. But they were only given as rewards during training. Aofeng, being notoriously uncooperative, had never tasted one before. After finishing it, he looked up at Shen Yuanhui, eyes brimming with eagerness.

Shen Yuanhui noticed and asked Dezi for a few more, feeding them to Aofeng one by one. Watching him munch happily made Shen Yuanhui smile too.

As he ate, Aofeng silently scolded himself, but there was nothing he could do. Puppies were just greedy! He’d realized that since becoming a puppy, he sometimes couldn’t control those dog-like instincts. For example, after running, if he relaxed even a little, his tongue would automatically loll out as he panted.

“Generally speaking, what happens to puppies who fail evaluation besides being sent to auction?” Shen Yuanhui asked.

A spark of inspiration flashed across Dezi’s face as he tentatively said, “The auction is really a last resort. If any colleagues within the system are willing to adopt them, they’ll be given priority.”

Shen Yuanhui continued asking, “What are the requirements for adoption?”

“All that’s needed is to sign an agreement and agree to a base visit every three months for a year.” The procedures are more complicated for outsiders, but if colleagues from the same field are willing to adopt, things are much simpler.

Shen Yuanhui didn’t press further, and Dezi didn’t ask any more questions either. After all, adopting a dog takes more than a moment of enthusiasm. It requires a lot of love, patience, and even a certain level of financial stability. It’s important to weigh all these factors carefully before deciding to adopt. Otherwise, the chances of abandonment are quite high.

The auction was also meant to test people’s financial ability and commitment to raising a dog. If someone isn’t serious, the dog they take home might not end up in a good place. These dogs were raised with great care. Even if they’re not suited for police work, they’re still far more intelligent than average pets, more obedient, and capable of protecting their families.

Uh… Dezi glanced at the dog munching on a biscuit on the floor. Aofeng was probably one of the more unusual ones.

While eating, Aofeng kept his ears perked, listening in on their conversation. When he realized that the Bureau Chief¹ had thoughts of adopting him, he let out a sigh of relief. All his effort to win the man over hadn’t been in vain.

In truth, Shen Yuanhui’s interest in adopting Aofeng wasn’t just because of their interaction earlier. Part of it was his genuine love for dogs, but another reason was his wife.

Because of his busy work schedule, his wife was often alone. It wasn’t so bad when she was still working, but she had to retire last year due to health issues. Now that their grandson is in kindergarten, she’s even lonelier, spending her days alone and rarely going out.

If she had a little dog to keep her company, to take on walks now and then, it would be good for her health and her mood. Still, he’d have to ask her opinion first. Bringing a dog home without talking to her wouldn’t just be disrespectful to his wife, it wouldn’t be fair to the dog either.

Translator’s Notes