Chapter 46: Multiple Dogs Missing

Cao Laoting was unwilling to let go, her hands gripping the gift box ribbons tightly until a bodyguard pried her fingers open one by one.

Jiang Yuan had Deng Rui take Zhou Shuyu upstairs first.

"I'll go help you look for Danyuan in a little bit." She looked at Bubbu, worried it would be bullied by Cao Laoting if left here, and patted its small head. "Go back first."

"Okay!" Bubbu responded obediently and turned to run toward the community entrance.

Upstairs, Deng Rui brought out some specially reserved tea to entertain Zhou Shuyu. "I'm sorry you had to witness that scene just now."

Zhou Shuyu smiled. "It's fine."

She did not stay long at the Jiang residence, rising to take her leave after half an hour.

Jiang Yuan suggested that Zhou Shuyu take the gift back, but she refused.

"It's just a small token of appreciation. If Miss Jiang doesn't mind, please accept it as a way to make friends."

"How could I mind?" Jiang Yuan had a very good impression of Zhou Shuyu and did not reject the idea of being friends. She smiled lightly. "The honor is mine. You can just call me Jiang Yuan from now on."

Hearing this, a joyful smile appeared on the woman's face. "Alright, Jiang Yuan."

Jiang Yuan took two gifts as return presents.

Cao Laoting stood on the balcony clutching a handful of melon seeds. Seeing Zhou Shuyu leave with only two inconspicuous bags, she felt so jealous she was nearly driven mad.

All those expensive things—did that wench Deng Rui take them all?

"I'm so angry!" Cao Laoting nearly ground her molars to dust, her mind constantly churning with ways to get revenge on the Jiang family.

Jiang Yuan parted ways with Zhou Shuyu at the community entrance and rode Deng Rui's electric scooter toward Xingfu Garden.

She arrived at Bubbu and Danyuan's place and called out, "Bubbu? Bubbu?"

She called several times, but the little fellow did not appear.

Jiang Yuan frowned, a look of gravity appearing on her fair face.

She rode the scooter around the vicinity, but she couldn't find Bubbu anywhere.

Jiang Yuan approached the trash pile, where the four-eyed Dandai and the Pug Tutu immediately began barking upon seeing her.

"Yuan Yuan!"

"Yuan Yuan, you're here!"

Jiang Yuan squeezed the brakes. "Dandai, Tutu, have you seen Bubbu?"

"Yuan Yuan, we were just about to tell you!" Dandai rushed to the side of the scooter, speaking with great concern. "We just heard Bubbu calling for help. When we rushed over, we saw an electric scooter and two human males."

Tutu added hurriedly, "They were also carrying a burlap sack. I suspect Bubbu was snatched by them!"

"And Danyuan and the others!" Dandai supplemented.

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan's brow furrowed deeply, and a sense of unease rose in her heart. "Besides Danyuan, have any other dogs gone missing?"

Dandai nodded vigorously. "Xiaohua, Maomao, and Dashu are also gone."

Jiang Yuan: "How long has it been since they disappeared?"

Dandai tried hard to recall. "Xiaohua and Maomao were the first to go, then Dashu. Danyuan only went missing a few days ago."

At first, everyone thought they had just wandered off elsewhere, but they hadn't expected Danyuan to vanish too—he had a partner, after all. Even if he were moving, he should have called Bubbu to move with him.

So many dogs had already gone missing.

Jiang Yuan felt that this was not a simple matter.

Looking at the anxious Dandai and Tutu, she spoke in a serious tone, "We don't know the situation yet. It will be dangerous for you to stay here."

Tutu asked sadly, "Then what should we do?"

Jiang Yuan: "I'll contact the stray dog rescue station. You two go there first."

She had suggested before that the rescue station staff take them, but the dogs had expressed that they didn't want to leave their familiar surroundings.

"But what about Bubbu and the others?" Dandai was worried about his old companions.

Jiang Yuan pursed her lips, falling into deep thought.

There was no evidence at all right now; even if she called the police, they might not be able to file a case.

"We must first find out what their purpose is for snatching the dogs."

Dandai said anxiously, "But right now, we don't even know who the bad people are or where they are."

Tutu was extremely distressed. "Yeah, I'm so worried about them."

Looking at them, a thought flashed through Jiang Yuan's mind. "I have a plan, but it might be quite dangerous."

"I'm not afraid of danger!" Dandai's attitude was firm. "As long as we can save Bubbu and the others!"

Seeing his companion so brave, even the usually timid Tutu mustered the courage to say, "Yuan Yuan, I'm not afraid either!"

Jiang Yuan was moved by their devotion to one another.

She whispered, "My plan is to send the other dogs to the rescue station and leave one or two dogs behind as bait. When they show up again, we will follow them."

Dandai nodded. "I'm willing to stay behind as bait!"

Tutu: "Me too!"

Jiang Yuan patted their heads and smiled gently. "You are all very brave children."

She called the stray dog rescue station, and in less than an hour, staff arrived in a vehicle.

The nearby stray dogs were all picked up, leaving only Dandai and Tutu. They watched the rescue vehicle drive away with sorrowful expressions.

Watching their retreating backs, Jiang Yuan's heart felt heavy, as if a large stone were pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

She worried that without enough certainty, she might end up harming Dandai and Tutu.

A frantic ringtone came from her pocket.

Jiang Yuan took out her phone and answered, "Mom."

Deng Rui was calling to tell her to come home for dinner. Hearing the gloom in her voice, she frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Jiang Yuan paused, then added, "Mom, can I discuss something with you?"

"What is it?"

"Can I bring two little dog friends home to stay for a couple of days?"

"..."

Just when Jiang Yuan thought Deng Rui would refuse, she suddenly heard her mother's helpless voice, "I must have owed you in a past life. They can only stay for two days."

"Thanks, Mom." The corners of Jiang Yuan's lips curled up, her tone melodic. "You really are the best mom in the whole world."

After hanging up, she told Dandai and Tutu to stay at her house tonight.

However, the two little ones were somewhat hesitant.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yuan looked at them, puzzled. "Don't you want to come to my house?"

Tutu shook his head like a rattle.

"Yuan Yuan, it's not that we don't want to go to your house." Dandai's voice carried a rare hint of inferiority. "We are too dirty. We'll make your house messy, and your family will dislike us."

"Yeah..." Tutu lowered his small head.

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan felt a pang of heartache, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.

"It's okay," she comforted them softly. "I've already talked to my family. They are very welcoming of you."

"Really?" Dandai's dark dog eyes were filled with surprise, which turned into pure joy when he saw Jiang Yuan nod, his eyes sparkling.

"Then we'll go stay at Yuan Yuan's house tonight!" Tutu was also very happy.

Jiang Yuan took them home. Before entering, the two little dogs kept rubbing their paws against the doormat, terrified of stepping on the house and making it dirty.

Once inside, Dandai and Tutu stood stiffly in the living room. In this moment, the concept of inferiority was personified in the dogs.