Chapter 7: A Sudden Turn at the Kindergarten

“Oh my, what a good boy! Lao Shen¹, look at him, eating so well!” Wang Xiuyun crouched in front of Aofeng with a warm, motherly smile, watching him devour the puppy food she had made.

The moment she hung up the phone with Shen Yuanhui, Wang Xiuyun went next door to ask for advice. The neighbors had a little golden retriever, well-behaved and gentle, doted on by the whole family. Besides regular dog food, they often made special meals for it.

After getting some tips, she grabbed her basket and headed to the nearby market, buying carrots, pumpkin, and chicken breast. She steamed everything, mashed it together in the right proportions, added an egg, then shaped the mixture into little balls and steamed them again. Once cooled, they were ready to feed the puppy when it arrived.

As Aofeng ate, he felt a bit embarrassed. Just eating some food and getting praised for it… it reminded him of visiting his grandma as a child and getting spoiled at the dinner table.

After finishing his meal, Aofeng walked over to Wang Xiuyun, half-squatted, raised both front paws, and made a gesture of thanks. He didn’t want to come off as a suck-up, but he had no choice. He was eating her food, living in her house – if he didn’t make himself likable and ended up getting kicked out, what then? If he got sent back to the Training Base, his little buddy would be in serious trouble.

“Oh my, what a sweetheart! You even know how to say thank you! Isn’t he way smarter than that golden retriever next door?” Wang Xiuyun was delighted. When she first saw that Aofeng was a German Shepherd, she’d worried he might be too serious-looking to be affectionate. But now? He was absolutely adorable!

Watching Aofeng interact with Wang Xiuyun, Shen Yuanhui felt a wave of relief. He’d been worried they might not get along, but now he could head to work without a care.

…

“Aofeng, come on, let’s go pick up your little brother from school.”

At four in the afternoon, Aofeng woke from his soft, cozy dog bed, had a drink of water, and was promptly leashed up for a walk.

The scenery outside was the same as always, but after spending the past few months cooped up at the Training Base, Aofeng found it all a bit nostalgic.

Wang Xiuyun beamed as she walked Aofeng, standing a little straighter than usual. She used to watch others walk their cats and dogs with envy, and now it was finally her turn.

She’d wanted a dog for a long time, but out of concern for Lao Shen, she never brought it up. She was afraid seeing a dog might stir up painful memories for him. But now that he’d suggested it himself, what was there to hesitate about?

As they walked, the neighbors greeted Wang Xiuyun and complimented Aofeng, saying what a spirited little pup he was. He didn’t bark at strangers and wasn’t skittish at all – such a well-behaved dog.

Wang Xiuyun smiled with pride, as if the compliments were for her. No one could’ve guessed that she’d only brought the dog home that very day.

When they arrived at the kindergarten, school wasn’t out yet. Wang Xiuyun led Aofeng to a fenced area nearby. It happened to be outdoor playtime for the younger kids. Shen Doudou, who had been bouncing a ball, spotted his grandma and ran over immediately.

Aofeng stood up on his hind legs, placing his front paws on the stone ledge beneath the fence, craning his neck to look inside. There were so many little ones – all clean and fair-skinned, dressed in pale yellow uniforms. They waddled around like tiny ducklings, nothing like the rowdy brats Aofeng had imagined.

“Grandma, who is he?” Shen Doudou looked at Aofeng, stretching out his short little arms, trying to pet him. Aofeng couldn’t bear to see him struggle, so he reached a paw through the fence to let him touch it. The moment that soft little hand brushed his furry paw, a strange feeling welled up in Aofeng’s heart. At his age, if he hadn’t died, he might’ve had a kid of his own by now…

Wang Xiuyun crouched down and patted Aofeng’s head. “His name is Aofeng. He’s going to live with us from now on.” Aofeng nuzzled her hand, feeling comforted.

“Wow,” Shen Doudou’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’, his eyes wide with wonder. “Can he sleep with me from now on?”

Wang Xiuyun chuckled. “Grandma bought him a little bed. He’ll sleep on his own. You’re a big boy now, and big boys sleep by themselves.”

“Oh, okay.” Shen Doudou pouted a little, but the disappointment didn’t last. He quickly ran off into the crowd of kids and soon came back holding hands with a little girl with twin pigtails and straight bangs.

“Tongtong, look! We have a dog now!”

The two children pressed their chubby faces between the gaps in the fence, their cheeks squished flat. Their bright eyes sparkled as they stared at Aofeng, full of affection. Aofeng liked them too and reached out a paw to shake hands with them again and again. The kids were overjoyed, their innocent laughter ringing out until the teacher blew the whistle and they reluctantly returned to line up.

Wang Xiuyun led Aofeng toward the main gate. The younger kids would be dismissed soon.

By then, a few parents had already gathered at the gate. Wang Xiuyun spotted some familiar faces and went over to greet them, quickly falling into lively conversation.

Aofeng, a bit bored, began scanning the area. At the far end of the street, he noticed a man in his thirties walking toward the Sunshine Kindergarten.

Usually, it was grandparents who picked up the kids from kindergarten, since the 4:30 dismissal time wasn’t convenient for most working parents. This guy must be unemployed if he could show up this early.

Aofeng’s guess wasn’t unfounded. The man’s clothes were wrinkled, his white shirt stained with dried, dark patches that clearly hadn’t been washed in days. His face was covered in stubble, thick and unkempt, making him look disheveled.

As the man drew closer, Aofeng’s relaxed posture shifted to one of alertness. He rose to his feet, ears pricked forward, body leaning in – every muscle tense with vigilance.

There was more than just the heavy stench of alcohol on the man. There was also a faint but unmistakable scent of rusted iron. Would a parent picking up their child really be this drunk? And that metallic smell… something was off.

The man stopped about two or three meters from the crowd and didn’t come any closer. He seemed to sense someone watching him and nervously glanced around. When he realized it was just a dog staring at him from the ground, he visibly relaxed, letting out a barely noticeable breath and shifting his gaze toward the kindergarten gate.

“Parents of the Little Apple Class, please line up according to student numbers. The children will be coming out shortly.” The announcement echoed at the school gate, prompting the parents to quickly form an orderly line. Aofeng noticed that the man from earlier had also walked over, standing beside the line, his eyes fixed intently on the large gate that was about to open.

The kindergarten teachers led a line of children slowly out of the classroom. At the front was a chubby little boy holding a sign shaped like a small apple – it was none other than Shen Doudou, Wang Xiuyun’s grandson. Shen Doudou puffed out his round belly and held the Little Apple Class sign high above his head, a hint of pride shining in his expression.

The children drew closer to the gate. Seeing this, the security guard at the entrance pressed the remote control in his hand. The large iron gate began to slowly open to either side. Just as the opening became wide enough for an adult to pass through, a figure suddenly darted inside.

He moved so fast that no one had time to react before he was already inside the kindergarten. A twisted, crazed grin spread across his face, and in his hand was a sharp utility knife, which he thrust forward with a sudden lunge.

Faced with this terrifying scene, Wang Xiuyun’s eyes went wide, her mouth agape, but no sound came out. In that instant, she wished more than anything that she could teleport in front of Shen Doudou and shield him from that deadly blade.

As the knife came down, everyone’s hearts cried out in silent horror. Some even shut their eyes tightly, unable to bear watching what came next.

At the very front, Shen Doudou’s face was frozen in fear. His small body trembled, but he couldn’t move at all. In his clear, innocent eyes, there was only the image of the approaching knife.

“Ugh!” A muffled grunt rang out – but it came from the man holding the knife. Hanging from his knife-wielding arm was a German Shepherd puppy, its snow-white teeth sunk deep into his wrist, rendering him unable to thrust the blade any further.

It turned out that just as the man had charged in, Aofeng had broken free from Wang Xiuyun’s grip on his leash and dashed in as well. At the very moment the man raised his knife, Aofeng had leapt up and clamped down hard on his raised arm.

The crowd, stunned by the sudden turn of events, finally snapped out of their daze. Two female teachers immediately shielded the children and began ushering them back into the classroom, while the security guard rushed forward with his electric baton. The crowd at the gate surged inside, eager to help subdue the attacker.

Realizing the situation was hopeless, the man’s eyes flashed with vicious intent. With his free left hand clenched into a fist, he swung it hard at the German Shepherd puppy still latched onto his arm. But no matter how hard he hit, Aofeng refused to let go, his jaws locked tight. He knew the man still held a knife – if he let go now, who knew how many people might get hurt.

Translator’s Notes