“Hey, Captain, do you still remember promising me I could make one request? Does that still count?”
“Do you think my words are just hot…”
Dong Yuanbin realized Yaya was still there and quickly changed his tone: “They count.”
“So you’ve thought of your request. What do you want?”
Dong Yuanbin’s mind raced through countless possibilities, but he never expected Yue Mingyuan to say, “Captain, I want to take one of Xiao Mi’s puppies home to raise.”
“What?!” Dong Yuanbin and Zhao Yonggang said at the same time, their voices full of disbelief.
Dong Yuanbin suppressed his irritation: “Yue Mingyuan, do you know what you’re saying? That’s a military dog. Do you think it’s just some random dog our base raises for fun? If it were a regular stray dog, sure, you could take one home.”
Zhao Yonggang also scolded Yue Mingyuan: “What is a military dog? It’s your comrade in arms! Can you just casually take your comrade home?”
“Wah wah wah wah!”
Yaya couldn’t stand her dad getting scolded. She spread her little arms and stood in front of Yue Mingyuan, patting her own small chest, her eyes rimmed red: “Wah wah wah!”
“Dad.”
Yaya hugged Yue Mingyuan’s neck, her little mouth puckered, tears about to fall but not quite. She shook her head firmly, signaling that she didn’t want the puppy anymore.
Yue Mingyuan’s heart almost broke. He quickly held Yaya close and comforted her gently: “Don’t cry, Yaya. It’s okay, it’s okay. Grandpa and Dad are just discussing things.”
“How about this? If you like puppies, when Dad gets some time off, I’ll take you to buy one, alright?”
Yaya nodded, then turned to look at Zhao Yonggang and Dong Yuanbin. She took out some candy from her pocket, held it out to them, pointed at the candy in her hand with one little finger, then pointed at Yue Mingyuan with the other, and waved her hand, trying to show that she was giving them candy, so they would stop scolding her dad.
Zhao Yonggang and Dong Yuanbin felt terrible inside, like they had been punched in the gut—a dull, aching pain.
Zhao Yonggang caught on and asked Yue Mingyuan, “So it’s Yaya who wants the puppy.”
Yue Mingyuan told the truth: “Yes. And I know it’s not really appropriate, so I was wondering if I could use that request to make it happen.”
Zhao Yonggang looked at Dong Yuanbin. Dong Yuanbin nodded slightly. Zhao Yonggang spoke: “Since Old Dong put the offer out there, we have to honor it. But even if we agree, there’s Xiao Mi to consider…”
Xiao Mi was the most difficult of all the military dogs, famously protective of her pups. For the first three months after birth, even her handler couldn’t get close.
If it were any other dog, maybe. But wanting one of Xiao Mi’s puppies? That was basically impossible.
Yue Mingyuan quickly said, “Captain, Political Commissar, rest assured. Xiao Mi willingly offered to give the puppy Yaya liked to her. Because Xiao Mi agreed, that’s why I thought to ask for your approval.”
“What did you say?!”
Zhao Yonggang and Dong Yuanbin couldn’t believe it. “Xiao Mi willingly offered to give Yaya a puppy?”
“That’s right.” Yue Mingyuan stepped aside and made an inviting gesture: “Captain, Political Commissar, if you don’t believe me, you can come see for yourselves.”
Yue Mingyuan gave Ye Zhiqiu a look, signaling her not to follow.
When they arrived at the military dog unit, they saw Heizi and Xiao Mi each sitting on one side. Five little puppies were parading back and forth between them.
Seeing Yaya return, Heizi and Xiao Mi were both very happy, especially Xiao Mi.
[Little Mi, it’s settled, it’s settled! I can take one of your babies home!]
[Don’t worry, I’ll definitely take good care of it.]
Yaya danced around happily, and Xiao Mi caught her joy, wagging her tail enthusiastically and circling around Yaya.
Yaya patted Xiao Mi, then Heizi. The two dogs sat on either side of her.
[Yaya, make sure you come visit us often.]
Xiao Mi nuzzled Yaya’s little cheek. [If the little rascal doesn’t listen to you, just bring it back, and I’ll straighten it out.]
[Xiao Mi, will you miss your baby? If you will, I don’t have to take it home. We can wait until it’s a bit older.]
After her initial excitement, Yaya realized the puppy was still very young. Even though a dog’s age is different from a human’s, the puppy had just turned one month old.
To leave its mother so young and go home with a stranger seemed pretty pitiful.
She couldn’t let her own whim cause Xiao Mi and her baby to be separated.
[I’m sorry, Xiao Mi. I was too selfish, only thinking about myself and not about you and your puppy.] Yaya rubbed her forehead against Xiao Mi’s head.
[Yaya, we’re different from you humans. You humans only have one child at a time, but I have many. And when they grow up, they’ll all leave me.]
Xiao Mi lifted her paw and gently placed it on Yaya’s little hand. [I trust that you’ll take good care of my baby. I’m really happy it was chosen by you.]
“Old Dong, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Since when is Xiao Mi this friendly with people?” Zhao Yonggang rubbed his eyes.
“Why don’t you go up and try?” Dong Yuanbin grabbed Zhao Yonggang’s arm and pushed him forward a step.
Xiao Mi immediately assumed an attacking posture. Zhao Yonggang quickly retreated to his original spot, lowered his body, and raised his hands to soothe Xiao Mi: “Easy, Xiao Mi, easy!”
Xiao Mi had a fierce temper. If you provoked her, she really would pounce.
Of course, she had restraint; she wouldn’t go too far, but you’d definitely end up with a few scrapes and bruises.
But if she was tough on her own people, she was even tougher on enemies.
Once, during a mission, she had bitten off a chunk of an enemy’s… private area. That was why Xiao Mi was famous around their base.
Anyone who knew her track record couldn’t help but clench their legs together when they saw her.
“Since Xiao Mi agrees, then Yaya can take the puppy home,” Dong Yuanbin announced to the handler.
Xiao Mi picked up the puppy Yaya had chosen by the scruff of its neck and placed it in Yaya’s arms. Yaya hugged the puppy and gave it several kisses on the head.
[Little puppy, you’re mine now. Don’t worry. Whenever I come to visit my dad, I’ll bring you along so you can see your mom and dad.]
[Let me give you a name first, okay? You look a bit goofy, so how about ‘Little Bear’? It sounds like ‘Brave Hero’ – cute and fierce at the same time, right?]
[Oh, I’m just a naming genius! I’m so awesome!] Yaya’s little face was full of pride.
Little Bear tilted its head and looked at Yaya, its big black eyes full of confusion.
But it knew this was its new owner. Mom and Dad had told it many times to always protect her.
After Yaya’s astounding feat of getting Old Zhang to break the rules for her, the news spread that she had made the Captain laugh and even taken off with Xiao Mi’s puppy. Everyone in the special forces unit was amazed. They already had a feeling that Yaya was destined to be the base’s little mascot.
It seemed that from now on, the number one person you cannot offend had to be Yaya. Because if you offended anyone else, you might still have a way out. But if you offended Yaya, it would be just as bad as offending all the other untouchable people at once.
That evening, Ye Zhiqiu took Yaya and left. . .
