this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!
The first line was Ling Yue’s name, which was different from that of the animals’.
[ Name: Ling Yue ]
[ Identity: Freelancer ]
[ Skills: Animal Mind Reading, Beast Language, Basic Sense of Smell, Introductory Combat ]
[ Pets: Crow Clan, Big Black]
It was simple and basically summarized all her current information. Ling Yue stared in shock as a bold thought appeared in her mind; she focused on the animals around her.
A stray dog stood in the green belt, arching its body with its rear slightly raised.
The dog sensed her gaze and suddenly turned its head quickly. At the moment their eyes met, a clear and shocked scream echoed in Ling Yue’s mind—
“Help! There’s a pervert watching me poop!”
The dog yelped and quickly ran away with its tail between its legs.
Ling Yue’s thoughts shifted, and she saw the stray dog’s exclusive panel.
In front of a house by the roadside, there hung a round cage, inside which a songbird drooped its head, weakly chirping a few notes.
The crisp bird song in the ears of others automatically translated into human language for Ling Yue.
“What a nice day! Why hasn’t Ah Hua from Old Wang’s house next door come over yet? I miss her so much!”
“Ah Hua is here!”
Ling Yue watched as an old man walked by with a budgerigar; the songbird in the cage instantly cheered and jumped around.
“Ah Hua, Ah Hua, I love you!”
The budgerigar replied, “Don’t love me, I’m already pregnant with Old Wang’s baby. I want to be a devoted wife!”
The songbird looked momentarily dejected, but then, as if suddenly remembering something: “I can be its godfather! Ah Hua, I will treat you well, and take good care of you and the baby!”
Ling Yue was dumbfounded. Was it really that bold?
She looked at the two birds again, and the exclusive panel clearly displayed the birds’ information, confirming that she could see all animals’ information!
“Caw caw!”
Ya Ya spread her wings and glided down from a nearby tree, her urgent calls snapping Ling Yue back to reality. She heard her say, “Master, I just communicated with the little brothers, and there are several suitable shops for rent nearby. Should we go take a look?”
It turned out that Ya Ya had left earlier to communicate with her little brothers. It must be said that with their help, Ling Yue saved a lot of effort.
Her eyes lit up, and she nodded, saying, “Of course we should go.”
She had previously asked the crows to help look for places, but she didn’t expect to receive news so quickly.
Meanwhile, a distinguished guest had also arrived in the city center’s Auspicious Dragon Jewellery Store.
Upon seeing the other party, Zhao Lin was surprised, wondering what wind had blown this person here. Looking at the man’s handsome appearance, even in ordinary casual wear, he exuded an uncontainable aura of reserved coldness, making him stand out in the crowd.
“Captain Lin—”
Lin Shaoze waved at him: “Manager Zhao, just call me Shaoze; I’m off work right now.”
Zhao Lin’s words twisted in his mouth: “Shao, Shaoze.”
He almost spat the title out, his tone stiff.
The person in front of him, though young, was genuinely impressive; at just twenty-five, he had already taken over as the captain of the criminal police team. As for his family background, it was even more remarkable—he was a son of someone from the compound1.
Zhao Lin sighed inwardly.
Lin Shaoze had taken a few steps to the display of the store’s treasure. Many internet celebrities were still checking in, and upon seeing him, they instinctively stepped aside, as if there was an inexplicable aura about him, like a mouse encountering a cat, making people instinctively shrink back.
Lin Shaoze focused on the display. Under the soft lighting, the bow knot diamond necklace placed on the black velvet sparkled with dazzling brilliance, captivating the eye.
Seeing the missing jewelry reappear, Lin Shaoze finally confirmed that the case was solved. However, it was not under the jurisdiction of the criminal police team.
The theft of the antique treasure worth tens of millions had drawn significant attention from the criminal police team when the case was first reported. Yet, even after he took over, no clues had been found. The former team leader had expressed regret upon his retirement, which had become a lingering concern for Lin Shaoze.
“I hope it’s not too presumptuous to ask, how did you manage to recover it?”
Zhao Lin tensed his body, a hint of relief showing on his face: “After the incident, I hired a private detective. Recently, they discovered some clues, and the items were returned.”
He spoke casually, his fingertips occasionally tapping lightly on the counter. Lin Shaoze glanced over: “Is that so?”
“Then I won’t disturb you any longer. I’m mainly here to investigate the follow-up. Since everything here is fine, I’ll take my leave.”
Zhao Lin immediately stood up, and after realizing, he lowered his gaze slightly and smiled: “You see, the store is too busy, so I won’t see you off.”
Lin Shaoze nodded and walked out of the store.
Not far away, a police car was parked. As soon as he got in, his colleagues in the back seat poked their heads out in unison, like hungry little beasts, their eyes shining with excitement: “How was it? Captain, is it true?”
Cheng Ziming scratched his head: “I just heard Manager Zhao on the phone saying the case was closed. I was stunned. Who is so impressive that they managed to solve the case without a sound? When did such a skilled person appear in Jing City?”
As he spoke, he suddenly exclaimed, realizing a colleague had poked him in the side: “Old Cheng, if you don’t speak, no one will think you’re mute!”
Just when they thought the captain wouldn’t say anything, a hoarse male voice suddenly came from the front. Lin Shaoze’s dark eyes fixed ahead: “Yes, the case is solved.”
“But he’s lying.”
Thinking of the other party’s various reactions, the brief explaination, and the subconscious little movements, his curiosity grew stronger, igniting his fierce desire to investigate.
Who exactly was that person?
The team members were left puzzled by his words. What do you mean lying? Isn’t it good that the case is solved? Or is there more to the case than meets the eye?
Or perhaps, the captain was feeling disheartened?
Everyone could see the captain’s excellence; his resume was as thick as a stack of books, and they had all witnessed his achievements. Who could expect that he was simply not given a chance?
If this happened to them, they would feel frustrated too.
While the team members speculated boldly, Lin Shaoze had already adjusted his state and said in a deep voice: “Let’s head back to the team.”
Ling Yue was still unaware that someone had already associated her with a hidden detective. She also didn’t know that there would be many more opportunities for them to meet in the future.
Ling Yue raised her eyes, taking in the entire street.
Whether it was the hot weather or the sparse crowd, the street appeared somewhat desolate, though the colourful signs were lively.
The landlord happily signed the contract without any hesitation despite the transaction price being several points lower than the market price: “Pleasure doing business with you, Miss Ling.”
There was joy in his eyes, but also an indescribable expectation.
Ling Yue curled her lips into a smile.
Behind her was the eighty-square-meter store, her freshly opened pet shop.
Other shop owners, seeing a newcomer, couldn’t help but peek out. Upon seeing such a beautiful girl, they couldn’t help but shake their heads and sigh: “Which rich young lady is this? Renting this place.”
“Yeah, Old Liu must be thrilled this time, able to make a profit, cough cough, earn some money. I wonder how long she can last.”
The uninformed onlookers couldn’t help but ask: “What’s going on? Is there something wrong with this building? Or did something happen?”
“Not really, but look across the street.” The boss pointed to the street opposite, where a high-end sign was hanging. Through the glass window, various small animals could be seen, spotless.
It was also a pet shop.
“This is a well-known chain pet store in the country—Love Pets, a big brand. On this street, it has the best business. Of course, that’s not the main point. I’ve been here the longest, so I’ve witnessed the whole process.”
The boss sighed: “Before Love Pets opened, there was a pet shop across the street. After it opened, it drove the competition away with low prices. After that, several other pet shops tried opening one after another, with none lasting more than three months.”
“But think about it too; Love Pets is a big brand, and they have a wide variety of pets. Regardless…” he paused, “not to mention the quality inside, it just looks appealing, and customers love going to Love Pets.”
Other pet shop owners chimed in: “Nonsense! It’s all about money crushing the competition. Didn’t you see within a few hundred meters, besides Love Pets, which other pet shop is there?”
Customers gasped: “That’s a bit too domineering.”
“The young lady is probably going to lose a fortune.”
No one noticed that while they were talking, a sleek crow was resting in the big tree.
Ling Yue was contemplating the upcoming decoration of the pet shop when Ya Ya flew in, cursing: “I’m so mad! So mad!”
Ya Ya relayed everything she had heard from the little brother to Ling Yue, feeling frustrated: “It’s all my fault for not paying attention. Master, let’s not rent this place; it’s not good at all.”
Ling Yue replied: “But I’ve already signed the contract; the penalty for breach is double.”
Ya Ya instantly drooped her head: “Ah, then what should we do? It’s all my fault for being too hasty, only looking at the low price and not considering that there could be such a person who would deceive us!”
Who knew Ling Yue laughed: “It’s okay, our pet shop is not what they think it is. No matter how good their business is, it won’t affect ours.”
“Really?”
Ling Yue nodded, opening her phone without a care: “Of course. Let’s choose the decoration style. Do you prefer a cozy vibe or a fresh and natural one?”
A person and a bird huddled together, Ya Ya chattering non-stop, while Big Black was just there to be a filler; he was still a baby after all.
Fortunately, there weren’t many people around at that moment; otherwise, seeing this scene would surely frighten them.
Across from them, the staff member immediately reported the situation to the store manager.
The manager of the pet store was a shrewd middle-aged man. It was noon, and with few customers in the store, he dropped the pretence, his cold expression sending chills down one’s spine.
Knowing that a naive newcomer had arrived, he crossed his arms and sneered repeatedly.
His subordinate, worried, absentmindedly opened the cage and roughly pulled out a kitten: “Manager, is there going to be a problem?”
The manager scoffed: “What could possibly happen? It’s just another fool walking in to get themselves into trouble. Before long, she’ll be crying for help.”
The old employee instantly felt relieved, but didn’t expect the kitten in her hands to struggle, nearly scratching her. She tugged at the kitten’s tail: “You little beast!”
The kitten yelped in pain, causing the other animals in the store to look over, and the manager frowned: “Little Qi, why are you arguing with a beast?”
“Manager, I was wrong. It’s just that this one is too weak; the others can run and jump, but this one can’t even eat properly, always looking sickly. I just wanted to check it out.”
The manager replied: “Put it back. Let it stay for a few more days. If it’s still like this, just give it some medicine and sell it quickly. This is a purebred cat; it can still fetch a good price.”
“Alright.”
Who would have thought that the smiling staff treated pets this way behind the scenes? The cats and dogs in their cages all looked up, casting resentful glances at the busy humans.
Here, they were nothing but mere commodities.
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
In the following days, Ling Yue was busy from dawn till dusk, getting a dog license for Big Black, the pet store’s business license, qualification certificates, as well as the interior refit for the store.
The surrounding business owners were puzzled; after several days, aside from a Kunming Wolfdog, they hadn’t seen anything else and began to doubt their memory, wondering if the young girl really opened a pet store.
Ling Yue was preparing for the grand opening tomorrow. As for today, she was training Big Black and Ya Ya. Since she could communicate with them, although the process was tough, it yielded great results.
In the evening, Ling Yue took Big Black out for a walk. Just as they stepped outside, they encountered an unexpected visitor—a middle-aged man in a black suit, his bald head shining brightly, making the dim white light in the hallway seem like a flickering candle.
As soon as the man saw her, his eyes lit up.
“Yue Yue, you’re going out?”
His gaze seemed almost glued to her, and Ling Yue felt as if she had hit a bad streak; should she go find a temple to pray at?
She had no intention of engaging with him, but she underestimated his thick skin; he even tried to make a move on her!
The man, feeling humiliated, grabbed her wrist. He had specifically observed the surroundings before coming; there were hardly any people around, and she was just a weak girl—wasn’t she at his mercy?
“Woof woof woof!”
Big Black suddenly lunged out from behind, barking fiercely: “Don’t touch my owner!”
The sound echoed through the hallway.
In the dim corridor, a large dog suddenly jumped out, towering over a person. The man turned pale with fright: “Help! There’s a dog attacking a person!”
Ling Yue tugged at the leash, and Big Black immediately sat down obediently. The surrounding residents who were drawn out by his screams looked at the scene with suspicion.
The man collapsed to the ground, his face twisted: “How dare you let your dog bite me!”
On one side was a soft young girl, and behind her was a well-behaved dog that, despite its size, had curled itself up into a ball. Everyone burst into laughter; who was bullying whom was still uncertain.
The man dusted off his clothes, angrily declaring: “Everyone come and see how vicious she is! I only exchanged a few words with her before she told her dog to bite me.”
No wonder they were mother and son.
Ling Yue sneered inwardly; without him saying anything, someone had already recognised him: “Aren’t you Aunt Wang’s son? You don’t even live here; what are you doing here?”
“Ling Yue told her dog to bite you? With a dog that’s almost bone thin?”
A few words and they had already hit the nail on the head.
The man’s face turned a mix of green and white. What was he doing here? Wasn’t it because he listened to Aunt Wang’s instigation, trying to bully a young girl? Ling Yue had never been the type to be easily victimised.
Not only that, she directly called the police. When the police arrived, the man finally felt fear, but more than that, he was filled with resentment.
The neighbours seemed to be meeting Ling Yue for the first time and couldn’t help but express their admiration.
Lele’s dad said: “If you have any problems in the future, you can come to me for help. You’re alone now, and I’ve heard that the Wang family… has connections. You need to protect yourself.”
Aunt Liu across the hall looked at the light: “This light is too dim; I need to call the property management. Who can see in such dim light? I have trouble walking; if something happens, they’ll be responsible!”
“Ling Yue, your dog is great! A young girl should raise a big dog; the dog protects its owner, and no one dares to bully you!”
Big Black proudly barked twice, and the man grinned: “Oh, did you hear me giving you a compliment?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Outside the community, at a clear river, Ling Yue walked Big Black along the riverbank for a night run, the gentle breeze brushing her face as the green willow leaves swayed lightly. Suddenly, her gaze shifted; something seemed to be floating on the shimmering water, bobbing up and down.
Big Black barked at the riverbank.
Ling Yue frowned, and as she got closer to the embankment, she could see clearly that it was a piece of floating wood, drifting along the water, with a golden, fluffy little creature lying on it, staring back at Big Black: “I, this mouse! This mouse in trouble that can even be bullied by dogs2!”
was meant to update over the weekend but i’ve recently started playing tears of themis again and also started love and deepspace QAQ I KNOW THE PIXELATED MEN GOT TO ME AGAIN ORZ
- the compound: housing assigned to government officials of the CCP ↩︎
- originally comes from the quote 虎落平阳被犬欺 meaning ‘a tiger that has left the mountains and has fallen into the plains can even be bullied by dogs’ — essentially describing powerful figures losing their power or advantage [source: https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%99%8E%E8%90%BD%E5%B9%B3%E9%98%B3%E8%A2%AB%E7%8A%AC%E6%AC%BA/9402165] ↩︎
