After figuring out the origin of the “dream,” Xiao Man felt a subtle change in her perception of Xu Yan whenever she saw him at the company.
He was undeniably handsome, and based on his appearance and position, he could easily be called a “domineering CEO.”
His actions were indeed swift and decisive, typical of a powerful leader.
However, beyond that, his attitude toward the company’s employees was actually quite approachable and egalitarian.
The young boss, Feng Qingguang, seemed like a laid-back leader who didn’t put on airs.
He didn’t micromanage and could chat and laugh with anyone.
But from the few interactions Xiao Man had with him in the past, she could vaguely sense that he was, in fact, “arrogant.”
His friendliness was a form of condescension, a way of accommodating those beneath him because none of the employees could ever threaten his core interests.
So, why not act friendly?
Xu Yan was truly different.
He didn’t have that layer of arrogance.
Some wealthy people would even act superior toward their saviors, sending an assistant to handle matters instead of showing up themselves.
But Xu Yan not only personally went to the hospital to help upgrade her to a VIP ward, he also visited her at least twice and spent a long time playing audiobooks for her.
Thinking about the gossip she had overheard from her colleagues since becoming a dog, Xiao Man couldn’t help but sigh.
No wonder Feng Qing was the one who got his leg broken by a disgruntled employee, while Xu Yan had reportedly taken over and let go of several companies without causing any major scandals.
It seems that being a big boss requires more than just business acumen-it’s also about knowing how to handle people.
On Thursday, Han Shuangshuang received a call from the hospital regarding Xiao Man’s recent test results and the need to discuss the next steps in her medical treatment in person.
Han Shuangshuang took half a day off and headed to the hospital with a large backpack.
In the doctor’s office, besides the attending physician, the deputy director was also present to talk to Han Shuangshuang.
They showed her a medical evaluation report.
After all, the purpose of the examination was to determine whether Xiao Man had the capacity to understand her actions when she recorded the video, so this post-examination report was necessary.
As Han Shuangshuang flipped through the thick stack of papers, the attending physician briefly explained that the tests showed no issues with any part of Xiao Man’s brain.
This provided legally recognized evidence for the video.
However, the bad news was that they still didn’t know the cause of her coma, which meant they couldn’t implement any specific medical treatments.
Han Shuangshuang couldn’t make sense of the charts and data either, so she quickly turned to the summary on the last page.
Combined with the doctor’s explanation, she understood the current situation.
She felt her palms sweating and her heart racing.
She had just graduated from university and was still very young.
Facing such a significant matter that could determine someone else’s fate inevitably left her feeling overwhelmed.
But Xiao Man trusted her, and only her, so she had to live up to that trust.
Clenching her slightly trembling hands due to nervousness and excitement, she asked the deputy director,
“Doctor, what do you suggest?”
The doctor hesitated for a moment before saying,
“Apart from the inevitable physical decline from prolonged bed rest, all her organs are functioning well. I wouldn’t be surprised if she woke up and got out of bed tomorrow, especially since she regained consciousness not long ago.”
For a coma of unknown cause, all they could do was wait for her to wake up on her own.
He finally added, “Given her physical condition, if possible, she could fully recover at home. Hearing the voices of loved ones might help wake her up sooner.”
Unfortunately, Xiao Man lived alone.
Her parents were gone, and her brother was in no position to help.
She didn’t have the conditions to recuperate at home, so she would have to stay in the hospital long-term, with round-the-clock care from nurses and occasional visits from friends and family.
In case of any emergencies, the hospital could handle them immediately.
Han Shuangshuang felt that this was the only option for now.
Perhaps they could run more tests later, and maybe they’d find the cause then.
Just as Han Shuangshuang, acting as the legal representative, was signing her name, a nurse rushed in and said,
“Xiao Man’s brother is here causing trouble again!”
Out of some unspoken understanding, no one had specifically informed Xiao Teng about the video authorization.
It had also been deliberately kept off the internet.
The story of the brave dog saving the company’s good boss had spread widely, but Xiao Man’s role was left out.
It was unclear whether Xiao Teng had found out about the video authorization or if it was just a coincidence that he showed up to cause trouble at this time.
Anger surged in Han Shuangshuang’s eyes.
Now that the evaluation results were out, Xiao Teng no longer had any chance of wresting control of Xiao Man’s medical decisions from her.
It was time to make it clear to him: if he wanted Xiao Man’s assets, he could forget it!
Xiao Man, hiding in the large backpack, was feeling a bit uncomfortable.
She had been eating and sleeping well, and her weight had increased rapidly.
The backpack was almost too small for her now, and Han Shuangshuang was probably struggling to carry her.
Soon, it would be difficult for her to sneak into the hospital to check on her own condition.
But then again, there wasn’t much to see.
If she couldn’t come, so be it.
She sat in the backpack, moving forward with Han Shuangshuang’s angry strides, until she gradually began to hear Xiao Teng’s disruptive voice.
“Who gave you permission to change her room? Where is she? Did you secretly sell her organs? Be careful, I’ll call the police on you!”
Xiao Man thought to herself, her brother’s imagination was truly wild.
He was so anxious was he afraid the hospital would sell her organs and not share the profits with him?
If the nearly ten years apart had made her forget the ugly faces of her brother and his wife, gradually recalling the good times Xiao Teng had shared with her in her childhood, then his recent visits to the hospital to cause trouble had been enough to suppress those childhood memories and remind her of the despair she felt after her parents’ deaths, when she had to face her brother’s heartlessness.
Some emotions, even after ten years, should never be forgotten.
The last time Xiao Teng’s actions were exposed, Han Shuangshuang realized that exposure was useless, so this time she didn’t record a video.
Instead, she confidently said,
“Xiao Man has nothing to do with you. She woke up and recorded a video authorizing me to handle all her affairs. You have no right to interfere!”
As she spoke, Han Shuangshuang opened her phone and played the video on the spot.
Hearing Han Shuangshuang’s words, Xiao Teng stopped arguing with the doctors.
Watching the video of Xiao Man’s pale but calm face and listening to her words, his expression gradually darkened.
In the video, she didn’t mention him once, but it felt like every word was directed at him, her gaze seemingly piercing through the screen to coldly scrutinize him.
Xiao Man looked more like their mother.
For a moment, it felt as if their mother was scolding him for being so heartless, for treating his sister like this…
He snapped out of it, and his wife, Wan He, who had come with him, tightly gripped his sleeve and whispered,
“What do we do now?”
Xiao Teng felt like retreating.
He had come thinking that since Xiao Man wouldn’t wake up, it was only natural for him to inherit her assets.
After all, he was her only brother.
But she had woken up…
He remembered how, nearly ten years ago, Xiao Man had cornered him in his neighborhood, her cold gaze always fixed on him like a venomous snake, making him suspect that she might pull out a knife and take him down with her at any moment.
If it weren’t for her underhanded tactics, he wouldn’t have given in so quickly.
Xiao Teng stubbornly insisted,
“How do I know this video isn’t fake?”
Han Shuangshuang replied,
“You can have it authenticated!”
Xiao Teng then said,
“She was tricked into recording this by you, wasn’t she? I think you’re just after her money!”
In her anger, Han Shuangshuang found her words flowing more smoothly than usual,
“Even if I were after Xiao Man’s money, it’s still better than you wanting her life!”
Xiao Teng clenched his fists in anger, scanning the room.
All the patients, their families, and the doctors and nurses seemed to be on Han Shuangshuang’s side.
The way they looked at him made him uncomfortable.
Remembering the gaze of Xiao Man in the video, he didn’t say anything more and roughly shouted,
“Get out of my way!”
With that, he grabbed Wan He and pushed through the crowd.
Han Shuangshuang let out a long sigh.
He probably wouldn’t come back again, right?
It was clear that Xiao Teng didn’t understand that a video couldn’t fully represent a patient’s wishes, so he didn’t press the issue further.
However, neither the hospital nor Han Shuangshuang were worried about him figuring it out later.
They had already completed all the necessary procedures, and the video had been authenticated as a true representation of Xiao Man’s own wishes.
Now that he had seen the video, if he caused trouble again in the future, he would have no legitimate excuse, and they could call the police on him!
Han Shuangshuang felt much better.
Different people and situations require different approaches.
Thankfully, Xiao Man was sharp enough to wake up and record this video.
Otherwise, things would have been much more complicated.
Han Shuangshuang returned in high spirits.
Xiao Man could now rest peacefully without any disturbances.
Since she had woken up once, she could wake up again.
Han Shuangshuang believed that Xiao Man would definitely wake up!
As for Xiao Man herself, she wasn’t as confident about waking up as Han Shuangshuang was.
And she wasn’t in a hurry either.
Without worrying about her own body, she could simply enjoy the pleasures of being a dog before returning.
It was actually quite a nice experience!
What if she couldn’t return?
Whether she could return or not was beyond her control.
If she couldn’t return, then she should make the most of her remaining dog life.
A dog’s life is so short she probably wouldn’t live more than ten years at most.
So… from now on, she would just focus on being a happy little dog!
Since the National Day holiday was approaching, and she didn’t want to work overtime, it was best to shoot more videos in advance.
As a result, Han Shuangshuang and Xiao Bai became busy, and the frequency of their visits to see Xiao Man decreased.
Therefore, Xiao Man only “dreamed” on Saturday night.
This time, the voice in her dream wasn’t the emotionless mechanical female voice but a real narrator with eerie sound effects.
The male narrator’s slightly melancholic and unique voice told a horror story.
It was about a girl who fell into an unexplained coma.
She didn’t know she was in a coma and thought she was still alive, but she couldn’t touch anything.
Even worse, she discovered that some wandering spirit had taken over her body and was using it to act in her name.
Not only did it break up with her boyfriend, but it also stole her best friend’s boyfriend, causing a rift between them.
She cried and screamed but was powerless, forced to watch as the spirit used her body to wreak havoc, ruining all her relationships…
Xiao Man woke up in a panic the next day, feeling the urge to curse.
What was Xu Yan doing, scaring her with a story like this?
And was he out of his mind?
Why didn’t he let her hear the ending of what was clearly a short story?
Due to the National Day holiday, there was a schedule adjustment: Saturday was a day off, but Sunday was a workday, and the holiday officially started on Tuesday.
The morning after the dream was Sunday.
Han Shuangshuang, still grumpy, brought the equally grumpy Xiao Man to work.
Around lunchtime, Xu Yan came over to discuss something with another team.
In the past, during such times, Xiao Man would have considerately stayed far away.
After all, he was afraid of dogs, so she should keep her distance.
But today, she darted straight to Xu Yan’s feet.
Before Xu Yan himself could react, his body had already responded.
His hand, which had been slightly raised as he spoke, froze in mid-air.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the usually lazy and lethargic Xiao Bai “affectionately” rubbing against his pant leg.
Why did it feel like he could sense murderous intent in its eyes?
The colleagues noticed Xu Yan’s unusual behavior and instinctively looked at the unusually enthusiastic Xiao Bai.
Someone even flattered, “Xiao Bai usually ignores us. It seems it knows who its real boss is, haha!”
Xu Yan ignored the comments, focusing on his hand and thinking: Hand, put yourself down!
Under his strong control, his hand trembled slightly before slowly lowering.
Good.
As long as he didn’t look at anyone else’s expressions and pretended to be calm, could they really confront him about his strange behavior?
By then, Xiao Man had already retreated, having made her point.
Xu Yan finally regained his ability to move.
Glancing at Xiao Bai, who was now crouching nearby as if ready to pounce, he quickly and concisely finished what he had to say and left.
As long as he remained composed, no one would discover his fear of dogs.
“Did you notice how unnatural Xu Yan was just now? Could it be… he’s afraid of dogs?”
“Hahaha, no way! He’s our boss. A domineering CEO being afraid of dogs is just too (contrastingly cute)! I’d totally ship a poor stray dog x a dog- fearing CEO who takes the dog home.”
Xu Yan:”……”
I can hear everything you’re saying.
Why don’t you just say it to my face?!
I’ll make you ship it!
Even so, he pretended not to hear it and quickened his pace.
Who knows if Xiao Bai will suddenly go berserk and lunge at him?