Chapter 16: Holiday Resort

Growing up together may foster a close bond, but it also has its downsides—like knowing all of each other’s embarrassing childhood stories.

Feng Qing knew that Xu Yan had been bitten by a dog. 

As an adult, Xu Yan claimed he disliked dogs, but Feng Qing always teased him, saying he was actually afraid of them. 

However, Feng Qing wasn’t aware of Xu Yan’s peculiar reaction to dogs-how he would freeze up whenever he encountered one.

This was a secret Xu Yan had kept to himself, known only to him and the psychologist he had seen a few times.

Having concealed it for years, Xu Yan had mastered composure in the face of crisis. 

He said coldly, 

“It looks like it wants to bite you right now.” 

Not biting people, but biting Feng Qing-conclusion: Feng Qing wasn’t human.

Xiao Man rolled her eyes. 

What did they think she was, some cheap dog? 

These days, she only bit dog food and snacks. 

No way would her noble mouth touch these smelly men!

Feng Qing paused, then caught the implied meaning in Xu Yan’s words and shouted, 

“I was trying to comfort you, and you insult me instead!” 

With that, Feng Qing bent down, scooped up Xiao Man with one hand, and hopped over to Xu Yan on one foot, shoving her into his arms. 

Do you hate dogs? 

Here’s the one you despise the most!

Xiao Man: “?” 

Wait, are you using me as a prop in your argument?

She felt the man forced to hold her stiffen unnaturally. 

If not for his warm body, she might have thought she was being held by a rigid corpse.

She looked up at Xu Yan.

Xu Yan’s expression was calm, but he glanced down in surprise at Feng Qing’s unexpected move, meeting Xiao Man’s gaze.

And then he didn’t look away.

Feng Qing burst into laughter beside them. 

“See? You like her so much you won’t let go!”

Xu Yan: “…” 

You’re dead when I can move again, you jerk!

Xiao Man found it strange. 

She had long sensed Xu Yan’s fear of dogs, but logically, he should have immediately put her down and walked away, not held onto her like this.

His expression showed no signs of discomfort, but only Xiao Man, pressed against him, could feel the stiffness in his muscles.

Huh, his chest muscles are pretty big… Ahem. 

Xiao Man guiltily averted her gaze and quickly refocused.

Then it suddenly dawned on her: could it be that Xu Yan was so afraid of dogs that he froze up upon contact?

Humans might freeze momentarily in the face of danger, and Xu Yan, holding her, remained in contact with the “danger,” thus staying frozen?

Xiao Man thought that most people’s fear of dogs wouldn’t cause such a reaction. 

Combined with what Feng Qing had said, it was likely that Xu Yan had been bitten by a dog as a child, leaving him with this conditioned reflex-a psychological issue, perhaps.

Although Xiao Man didn’t like how Xu Yan often looked at her with disdain, she admired him as a boss. 

He was decisive, kept his word, and never delayed bonuses. 

Such a dream boss deserved her loyalty and protection!

Since Xu Yan couldn’t move, she’d just have to move herself!

Xu Yan wasn’t actively holding her tightly, so with a slight struggle, she wriggled out of his loosened arms, jumped to the ground, and dashed toward Han Shuangshuang, deliberately bumping into Feng Qing’s good leg on the way.

Feng Qing stumbled but looked pleasantly surprised. 

“Wow, this dog’s really vindictive! She’s definitely smart!”

Xiao Man ran to Han Shuangshuang, who quickly scooped her up to prevent Feng Qing from using her as a tool again.

Xu Yan recovered shortly after the “trigger” left. 

Thanks to his exceptional ability to control his expressions and Xiao Man’s timely escape, no one noticed anything unusual.

Xu Yan sighed in relief, then shot a laser-like glare at Feng Qing.

You’re done for! 

How dare you provoke me with a broken leg? 

Do you want to lose the other one too?

Feng Qing, oblivious to the danger, noticed Han Shuangshuang and Xiao Man glaring at him warily. 

Deciding not to bother them further, he turned back to Xu Yan to annoy him again. 

“Yan Yan, isn’t Xiao Bai so cute? See, there’s no need to be afraid of dogs-they’re man’s best friend!”

Xu Yan said, “Let me see your crutch.”

Feng Qing: “Huh?”

Without suspicion, he handed it over.

Xu Yan, without offering any explanation, took the crutch and walked away.

Feng Qing: “?”

Feng Qing was stunned. 

“Yan Yan, what are you doing with my crutch!”

Xu Yan ignored him and boarded the bus.

Han Shuangshuang, who had watched the whole scene, whispered to Xiao Man, 

“Xiao Bai, Boss Xu and Boss Feng are so close.”

Xiao Man: More like frenemies.

She thought of her own friendship with her best friend-equally teasing and bickering, but all the stronger for it.

As the gathering time arrived, everyone boarded the bus. 

Han Shuangshuang and Chen Yao sat together, while Xiao Man lay on the empty seat behind them.

The resort was about a two-hour drive from the city center, nestled in a mountainous area far from urban life. 

The scenery was breathtaking, with various uniquely styled buildings hidden among the trees, creating a charming atmosphere.

Han Shuangshuang was thrilled just looking at the pictures on the resort’s website.

Guests could stay in the resort’s hotel or in private villas. 

Their group of over thirty people rented two adjacent villas, with meals provided by the resort.

The resort wasn’t entirely enclosed, but the narrow roads meant the bus had to stop outside, with shuttle cars taking them in.

The group split into several shuttle cars, chatting excitedly.

Upon arriving at their rented villas, everyone chooses their preferred accommodations. 

Chen Yao and Han Shuangshuang shared a room, collapsing onto the sofa, too tired to move.

Two hours on the bus was exhausting!

Chen Yao managed to say, 

“But seeing such beautiful scenery makes it all worth it!”

Their work usually involved staring at phones and computers all day, so being surrounded by greenery felt incredibly refreshing.

After a short rest, the two took the dog for a stroll.

The two villas they rented were on the same side of a hill. 

Climbing to the top, they could see another pair of villas on the opposite side, with people moving about.

The surroundings were tranquil, and Chen Yao whispered, 

“The air here is great, and the scenery is beautiful, but it’s so quiet it feels like the perfect spot for a serial killer to bury bodies.”

Han Shuangshuang couldn’t help but nervously glance around.

Chen Yao laughed at her reaction. 

“I’m just kidding! Don’t be scared!”

Han Shuangshuang wasn’t comforted. 

Some things, once mentioned, are hard to forget!

However, when they ran into seven or eight colleagues from their department while wandering the hill, the fear dissipated.

See? 

You bump into someone every few steps-what’s there to fear!

Lunch was a lavish buffet delivered by the resort, with a variety of dishes, including plenty of seafood-clearly no expense had been spared.

Han Shuangshuang ate happily.

Xiao Man, stuck with dog food, rolled her eyes.

Her body was still in recovery mode, gaining weight, so Han Shuangshuang was cautious about letting her eat anything but her usual dog food, let alone other foods.

In the afternoon, some played cards, others swam in the villa’s heated pool, some played sports, and a few lounged on the recliners under the flower trellis in front of the villa, basking in the sun.

Everyone had their own way of unwinding, and no one interfered with the others.

Han Shuangshuang didn’t play cards. 

She watched Chen Yao join a game but soon left, taking Xiao Man for a walk around the villa, occasionally breaking into a run.

Running in nature felt amazing.

Xiao Man, too, felt a rare sense of exhaustion. 

Previously, she had only run and walked in the neighborhood, never fully expanding her energy.

If not for her remarkable human willpower, her remaining energy would have been enough to destroy Han Shuangshuang’s house.

After all, she was a Husky!

As the sky darkened, the lights in front of the villa came on.

Dinner was a barbecue.

Several grills were set up on the open ground, with tables laden with skewered meat and vegetables. 

Beer and soft drinks were stacked in crates. 

Those skilled at grilling volunteered to cook for everyone. 

No one pressured others to drink-those who wanted beer had beer, and those who preferred soft drinks had soft drinks. 

The beer was low-alcohol, so no one could get drunk unless they really tried.

Xiao Man had nothing to drink, so she found a chair to lie on, watching the lively scene in front of the villa.

The young boss might be unreliable, but the company, run by young people, was naturally different from rigid, old-fashioned firms-free-spirited and full of vitality. 

That’s why she had stayed so long.

A pet blogger’s Ragdoll cat, named Chocolate, was adorable and bold. 

After its owner set it down, it sauntered over to Xiao Man, leaped onto her back, and settled there.

Xiao Man: “…”

Cat bullying dog! 

Isn’t anyone going to do something?

The cat’s owner was busy filming, laughing gleefully. 

“Chocolate really likes Xiao Bai!”

Xiao Man felt Chocolate kneading her back with its paws.

It didn’t hurt in fact, it was kind of soothing.

She lowered her head, which she had raised slightly, and lay still. 

From the cat, she sensed affection, joy, and curiosity.

Fine, consider it a free massage!

The villa’s festivities lasted until midnight. 

As people gradually dispersed, Xiao Man, drowsy, was carried away by Han Shuangshuang.

Half-asleep, she thought, I’ll eat my dog food and gain weight-soon, Han Shuangshuang won’t be able to carry me.

At some point during the night, Xiao Man suddenly woke up, sensing a strange, faint scent in the air.

She tapped Han Shuangshuang’s phone on the bedside table-5:30a.m., the sky just beginning to lighten, the transition between night and day.

She jumped onto the table and peered out the window, which faced the hill beside the villa. 

She spotted a figure running. 

If she were still human, she wouldn’t have been able to see clearly, but as a dog, her night vision was far superior. 

She recognized the figure as Xu Yan.

Her first thought was, No wonder he has such well-defined chest muscles-he’s out running this early!

Then she quickly shook off the thought. 

I’m a dog now—what am I thinking?

Xiao Man watched for a while as Xu Yan disappeared behind the trees. 

Suddenly, she felt a surge of energy.

She wanted to run too!

Like a wolf, racing through the forest, howling!

Xiao Man felt as if she had awakened some innate instinct, her body brimming with excitement. 

She pawed open the window lock, peered down, and gauged the distance.

Their room was on the second floor, but the hill’s slope meant the ground wasn’t far below. 

Plus, the air conditioning unit outside the window provided a stepping stone. 

Getting down wouldn’t be hard.

Xiao Man slipped out the window, landed lightly on the AC unit, and then leaped to the ground.

The sky was still dark, but her dog eyes had no trouble seeing. 

After a quick look around, she chose Xu Yan’s running direction and set off.

She knew he was afraid of dogs, so she wouldn’t get close-just follow from a distance, feeling like she was tracking prey. 

The sensation excited her.

Realizing this, Xiao Man paused.

I’m not a stalker—it’s just the dog instincts!

After running for a while, the scent in the air changed. 

Along with Xu Yan’s scent, there was something else and that strange smell that had woken her earlier.

It smelled like… blood!

Xiao Man suddenly recalled Han Shuangshuang and Chen Yao’s conversation about serial killers and quickened her pace.

There probably wasn’t a serial killer, but something had definitely happened!

Dogs have a keen sense of smell, and the scent Xiao Man detected was still far off. 

She ran for a while before finally spotting Xu Yan ahead, running at a steady pace.

She relaxed when she saw that Xu Yan was fine.

Then, from behind a tree, a dark figure suddenly emerged, lunging at Xu Yan, who had already passed the tree and had his back to the attacker.

Xiao Man barked in alarm.

Xu Yan, hearing the bark, instinctively turned his head, causing the shovel aimed at the back of his skull to strike his forehead instead. 

He groaned and collapsed.

The figure, wielding a shovel covered in dirt and blood, raised it for another strike.

Xiao Man, having sped up when she barked, reached the scene just as the second blow was about to land. 

She leaped at the figure, knocking them to the ground.

Who would dare attack their company’s wonderful new boss!

Panicked and furious, Xiao Man, despite feeling repulsed, bit down on the figure’s neck.

The figure, sensing the movement, dodged, so Xiao Man only managed to bite the face.

The figure cried out in pain-Xiao Man could tell it was a man, though she couldn’t see his face while biting him.

Not that it mattered. 

She hoped Xu Yan would get up and run, so she could…

Her head throbbed as the man had picked up a rock and smashed it against her skull.

Xiao Man was in agony but refused to let go.

The man, also in pain, kept hitting her with the rock.

Xiao Man’s dog skull was tough, but after several blows, her vision blurred, her strength faded, and she had to release her bite, rolling off the man.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xu Yan’s spot was empty. 

Had he run? 

No, she didn’t hear footsteps. 

His scent seemed to be… down the hill?

Had he rolled down?

The man crawled away, groaning in pain, unable to stand.

Xiao Man lay motionless, her eyes fixed on the man, but her vision darkened, her consciousness growing heavy.

Meanwhile, in a hospital ward, the person in the innermost bed suddenly opened their eyes.