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墨書 Inktalez
Shasha walked home alone, but now in her hand was a leash and a puppy. She occasionally glanced down at it, but the little guy seemed to be dragging its feet, looking utterly dejected and lacking any of the usual puppy energy, not even bothering to look ahead as it walked. If it weren't for Shasha tugging on the leash now and then to remind it, it might have already met its fate under a passing car or crashed into a nearby lamppost.
Once home, Shasha unclipped the leash from the collar. The puppy lay there quietly, motionless, just like it had in the cage before. Seeing this scene, she suddenly felt that this little creature resembled her former self.
Being alone felt like being in a world of one’s own—only this world had once been inhabited by others who had long since departed. No one could enter, nor did she wish for anyone to come in, having grown accustomed to her silent self-isolation.
“Hey, buddy,” Shasha began after a moment of contemplation. “Honestly, I brought you home because I wanted someone to keep me company. I think you must feel lonely too, right? I wasn’t always this lonely, but ever since they all left, I’ve become quite isolated. Are you feeling the same way?”
She didn’t expect the puppy to understand her words.
But to her surprise, something remarkable happened. The puppy’s gaze flickered for a moment before it slowly got up and walked over to Shasha's feet, lying down and looking up at her as if to say they could keep each other company.
Shasha was taken aback and reached down to scratch the puppy's head, a rare smile spreading across her face. “Buddy, it's nice to meet you. I think it’s time I gave you a name.”
In truth, "White" would have been the simplest and most memorable name. However, the puppy was used to English and wouldn’t understand its meaning; after all, names for dogs are merely instinctive calls for response.
Beck—that would be the puppy's name. It sounded like "shell," because when she first saw it, it was all white on the outside with a tightly closed heart inside.
Since adding a new member to her household, Shasha's daily routine had become less monotonous. On workdays she focused on her job; on weekends she took Beck out for walks; at night she occasionally indulged in some reputation-building online. Life had become quite pleasant.
After adopting Beck, Shasha's social circle gradually expanded as well. After all, many people owned dogs; they often exchanged experiences or arranged dog-walking meetups together. There were plenty of instances where friendships blossomed over pets.
One day she came across a post on America’s largest pet forum about hosting a pet party. Initially reluctant to attend, she noticed that Beck seemed enthusiastic about such gatherings—it wanted to make friends.
Reluctantly, she took Beck with her that evening to the party location hosted by an online acquaintance—a clearly affluent residential area.
As Shasha arrived at the party with Beck in tow, she spotted several groups of people chatting while their dogs chased and played together.
Looking down at Beck panting with excitement as it fixated on the other dogs, she chuckled and squatted down to unclip the leash. “Go on now; remember to come back when you’re tired.”
With Shasha’s permission, Beck shot off like an arrow, transforming into a white flash as it dove into the pack of dogs.
While Shasha watched this scene with amusement, a familiar voice she hadn’t heard in ages rang out beside her with palpable surprise. “Mr. Xia? I can’t believe we’d run into each other here.”
Without needing to turn around, Shasha would never forget her voice, even after a long time—she was his biggest client.
"Elizabeth, I can't believe I actually get to see you here," Shasha said with a smile as he turned to greet her. Besides the still stunning and fashionable Lingdie, there was also a Pit Bull lounging at her feet.
"I never expected Mr. Xia to be a member of Pet Forum; what a coincidence!" Isabella remarked, reflecting on how she used to not believe in fate, but now found herself compelled to accept it.
"We have an old saying: 'Wherever you go in life, you will meet someone again.' Not to mention we share a common interest," Shasha shrugged. He didn't recall her having a dog, so it seemed there were many things he didn't know about her.
"That's true," Elizabeth said as she walked her dog closer to Shasha, sizing him up with a playful look. "It’s been a while since we last met, and you seem to have become more manly."
"Really?" Shasha replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he rubbed his nose. "Men tend to grow up quickly."
Noticing that Shasha seemed uncomfortable with the topic, Elizabeth skillfully changed the subject. She looked at the group of dogs frolicking around and asked, "Can you tell me which one is yours?"
"The pure white one," Shasha pointed out Beck, who seemed to be leading the pack of dogs.
Elizabeth glanced over and couldn't help but show surprise. "That's a purebred white German Shepherd! Mr. Xia is quite lucky; these dogs are rare and belong to a variant breed. The best part is that it's so healthy."
"Who isn't lucky? When I bought him..."
Once they found common ground, their conversation flowed effortlessly.
Two people who once exchanged barely ten sentences now chatted freely because of their pets; topics could endlessly expand.
If it weren't for other dog owners calling them for dinner, they might have continued their discussion indefinitely.
As a result, they agreed to have dinner together the following night, seemingly transitioning from mere acquaintances to ordinary friends.
Time flew by at the party. After it ended, Shasha walked alongside Elizabeth. Behind them, Beck was playfully teasing a female Pit Bull named Mary, despite the noticeable size difference between the two dogs.
Shasha occasionally glanced back at the mischievous pup, which made Elizabeth chuckle softly. "Don't worry; Mary's temperament is very gentle and not aggressive like most Pit Bulls."
Hearing this from Elizabeth eased Shasha's worries as he stopped looking back, wearing a hint of self-deprecation on his face. "I only realized after getting a dog that even the slightest disturbance can cause concern."
"That's because you treat it like family," Elizabeth said, her expression somewhat dazed. In truth, she had never had a good impression of Shasha; after all, she had nearly suffered a great loss back then and was also wary of Shasha's identity. She never expected this encounter to happen in such a way. Elizabeth liked to keep pets and believed that people who raised pets generally had kind hearts. She even felt a sense of sympathy, as many who invested their emotions in pets were often missing something in their lives.
In a way, Shasha raising a dog was just finding a friend to talk to.
The atmosphere suddenly grew a bit heavy after that remark, with only the sounds of interaction between the two dogs left behind.
After a moment, Elizabeth suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Xia is a good person."
Shasha was taken aback, not quite understanding why she was suddenly being labeled as such.
In her surprise, Elizabeth waved at him with a bright smile on her face. "Don't forget about dinner tonight. Goodbye, Mr. Xia."
Watching Elizabeth walk away, Shasha couldn't help but chuckle.
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