Chapter Fifty-Three: The Strife of Three Dogs

When Zhang Congwen returned to his rented apartment, he happened to run into Song Jiawei coming home from work. What puzzled him was that, for once, the usually talkative Song Jiawei barely exchanged a few words before shutting himself in his room, calling out for Zhang to join him in a few rounds of Red Alert.

Even more baffling was how poorly Song Jiawei played this time; he lost almost every game within ten minutes, falling under Zhang’s hand so easily that Zhang began to wonder if he’d suddenly had an epiphany, his skills at Red Alert soaring overnight, ready for the professional leagues.

But it was clear Zhang’s abilities hadn’t improved. After all, someone who hadn’t even memorized the game’s hotkeys and relied solely on clicking with a mouse could only progress so much—never enough to surpass a seasoned player like Song Jiawei. Zhang knew this well, which only deepened his confusion.

After three rounds, Song Jiawei irritably declared he was done playing and his room fell silent.

Zhang found it all rather inexplicable. Since signing the contract with Boss Xie, Song Jiawei had been cheerful for just a day, and afterwards seemed to sink into a mood that was anything but good.

It was highly unusual.

Initially, Zhang suspected there was some unpleasantness between Song Jiawei and Xie Julie, so he took out his phone and messaged Xie Caizhe, asking about Julie’s recent mood.

Xie Caizhe replied that Julie had been in great spirits lately—better than usual, in fact—and nothing had happened. Then, with a touch of gossip, he asked if Zhang was interested in pursuing his sister, offering his assistance.

Zhang was speechless. To avoid any further misunderstanding, he promptly ended the conversation.

Having ruled out Julie as the cause, Zhang could think of no other reason for Song Jiawei’s sour mood. After much pondering, he finally let go of his curiosity.

As agreed with Xie Caizhe, Zhang waited until Caizhe finished school the next day before heading to his friend Sun Zimu’s house.

Zhang had assumed Sun Zimu’s dog would be like Lin Xiaoru’s—no serious issues. But upon arrival, he learned the problems at Sun Zimu’s home were far more severe than those with Lin Xiaoru’s French Bulldog.

The Sun family was a multi-dog household, raising three dogs. One was a yellow Shiba Inu, mockingly dubbed "Baga Dog" by netizens; another was a pure white mutt of unknown breed; and the third appeared to be a cross between a Corgi and a Husky, with heterochromatic eyes.

This crossbred Corgi-Husky bore almost all the black-and-white markings of a Husky, save for patches of Corgi yellow on its legs and neck where the colors intertwined. It also inherited other Corgi traits: the large ears, the short legs, and a fluffy broom-like tail, rarely seen in Corgis.

Huskies were famed for their handsome looks, Corgis for their cuteness, but their combination produced an unexpectedly peculiar effect. If not for its four stubby legs, the dog might still be considered dashing—but those legs made it quite comical.

Zhang couldn’t help but laugh upon seeing the dog.

Through his questions, Zhang learned the yellow female Shiba Inu was named Little Yellow, the Sun family’s first dog. After adopting her, fearing she’d be lonely at home, they brought in the pure white male mutt, naming him Big White.

Based on their naming style, Zhang expected the Corgi-Husky mix to be called Black-White, or Black-White-Yellow, or perhaps Tri-color. Yet, the family had bestowed a poetic name upon the dog: Mud-Snow Speckled Yellow Plum. Due to its length, they usually called him Mud-Snow.

Mud-Snow was the Sun family’s third dog, also a male. Though third in line, he arrived not long after Big White, and the two were close in age, essentially growing up together.

Unexpectedly, when Mud-Snow reached eight months, he began bullying Big White. The two frequently fought, sometimes drawing blood. At its worst, Big White needed five stitches.

Only then did the Sun family realize they needed to intervene in the dogs’ relationships. Yet after they stepped in, the fighting only intensified, injuries became more frequent and severe. At their worst, they visited the animal hospital eight times in one month, becoming regulars there.

As Mud-Snow and Big White matured, genetic factors meant Big White gradually outgrew Mud-Snow, and Mud-Snow began to lose his dominance, sometimes even falling behind in their scuffles.

The Sun family thought Mud-Snow’s aggression would end as Big White grew, but instead, it marked a new beginning. Mud-Snow, losing ground with Big White, shifted his focus to the oldest dog, Little Yellow.

Despite her age, Little Yellow was gentle and docile, making her an easy target for Mud-Snow’s bullying.

When Zhang arrived at the Sun home, he noticed Mud-Snow inexplicably shadowing the other two dogs, as if surveilling them.

After observing this, Zhang immediately asked if Mud-Snow often followed the other dogs like this. Sun Zimu’s father nodded.

Yet before he could speak, Mud-Snow’s oppressive vigilance quickly escalated into chaos.

No one could say which dog started it, but suddenly all three erupted into a brawl, biting and snarling.

Perhaps this scene had played out too often; the moment the dogs began to fight, the Sun family sprang into action, expertly trying to separate them.

But even with three people involved, the struggle only grew worse—fur flew everywhere, blood was drawn, and crimson splattered throughout the house.

“Ah!”

Sun Zimu’s father cried out during the fray, pulling his hand back. But it was too late; one of the dogs had bitten him, leaving a puncture wound that bled profusely.

Even so, the three dogs showed no sign of stopping, continuing to fight with all their might.

Zhang had intended to step in and help halt the chaos, but before he could move, someone knocked suddenly on the door.