Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  As he watched Sheng Ke get out the police car, Zhang Zian was slightly surprised. The first thing he thought of was the incident where Wang Qian and Li Kun were involved with robbers from a bike gang. With that thought in his mind, Zhang Zian quickly went out to welcome him.

  Zhang Zian wasn’t the only one who had this thought. Wang Qian and Li Kun’s hearts skipped a beat, their faces turned gray, and their hands reached for the wallets in their pockets, thinking that the scholarship money would be taken from them. They had yet to receive the scholarship money, so the money they spent was their own. They started to wonder if the fireworks they bought for their master could be returned.

  “Happy New Year! It’s been awhile, but I wanted to come over to wish you an early Happy New Year!” Sheng Ke didn’t even glance at Wang Qian and Li Kun, he just started a conversation with Zhang Zian. “Brothers from the Police Dog Unit told me to send their regards.”


  Zhang Zian smiled as he replied, “Captain Sheng, Happy New Year to you and the boys. Come in! It’s cold outside and you’re lightly dressed.”


  Sheng Ke was usually working during the week and sometimes on the weekends. Chinese New Year is a peak period for various theft cases, so it was very unusual for him to make a trip down when he could’ve simply called.

  “Sorry for bothering you.” Sheng Ke didn’t refuse as he followed Zhang Zian into the shop.

  Sun Xiaomeng was observing a few brown Abyssinian cats that were expecting. She momentarily glanced over to Sheng Ke in his uniform, but she wasn’t concerned.

  “Captain Sheng, how’s Liu and Wang? Red Dragon and Prince?” Zhang Zian gestured for him to take a seat.

  After completing Dog Warrior, Red Dragon and Prince returned to the Police Force, once again throwing themselves back into their usual work with their owners. Zhang Zian hadn’t seen them since.

  “They’re currently away on a tracking mission,” Sheng Ke answered. “Whether or not they’ll be back before New Years is the question.”


  “That’s tough.” Zhang Zian understood that the case was confidential, so he didn’t push.

  “This is our job, but it’s also our responsibility.” Sheng Ke casually laughed it off, looking around the store before heading into the reason he was here. “I came over today for another piece of business.”


  Zhang Zian sat upright. “Should we go somewhere private?”


  The last time Sheng Ke came to the pet store, it was about Guan Biao, who was part of the fireworks division of the film crew. He brought over case files and requested to have a private discussion. Zhang Zian thought that this time would be similar, which was why he asked the question. Sun Xiaomeng, Wang Qian, Li Kun and Lu Yiyun were all inside the store, and, though they were some distance away, if they wanted to listen in, they could.

  “There’s nothing confidential this time.” Sheng Ke waved his hands. “Actually, it’s quite embarrassing to bring up, but someone came to the station and wanted to file a report on a cheating case, requesting for us to form an investigation.”


  Zhang Zian listened closely. If this was a cheating case, there was no need to look for him.

  Wang Qian and Li Kun, who were listening to the conversation, were relieved to hear that it had nothing to do with them and continued with their cleaning.

  Sheng Ke continued. “Our officers took her statement, and she mentioned a Love Lovely Pets Breeding Base. She said they had killed her dog and sold her a fake Teacup Puppy.

  Zhang Zian startled, asked, “Wait a minute, Teacup Puppy?”


  “Yes, what’s wrong?”


  “Is the person who reported the case a middle-aged lady driving a Maserati, dressed in a marten coat with gold rings on her fingers? With a little boy?” Zhang Zian asked in a single breath.

  Sheng Ke let out a dry cough. “Well, not every finger had a ring, but how did you know? Do you know her?”


  Zhang Zian answered, “Just a few days ago, she came to my store looking to purchase a Teacup Puppy, but I didn’t have any available. Just before she left she received a call from Love Lovely Pets and talked to a person named Zhang Wanguo. I’ve met him before, but forgot how he looks. After the call, she left in a hurry, seemingly to Love Lovely Pets to purchase a Teacup Puppy. I don’t know what happened after that.”


  Sheng Ke nodded, he subconsciously reached for a cigarette, but saw the “No smoking” sign and dropped his hand.

  “This case is an economic dispute, it isn’t under our jurisdiction. If the police force were to trouble ourselves with such issues every day, we wouldn’t have time for other cases. We have advised her to head over to the Industrial and Commerce Bureau or the Consumers Association to settle the matter, but she didn’t want to let it go. She refused to leave the station.” He paused for a moment, a troubled look on his face. “To be honest, the lady has a background, so it’s difficult for us to handle the matter.”


  The middle-aged woman probably had a lot of money. Those with money usually come with power and unexplainable relationships with dignitaries, which is probably why she was able to cause a scene in a police station with nothing to fear.

  “We wanted to get rid of her quickly, to keep it from disrupting us from our duties, so we contacted the Industrial and Commerce Bureau and the Consumers Association for her, but they said that the case isn’t easy to take on. Love Lovely Pets have followed all the proper procedures, and the country doesn’t have any strict regulations on animal breeding. Most importantly, the lady didn’t request a receipt or any sort of agreement when she purchased the Teacup Puppy, so there’s no way to prove that she bought it from Love Lovely Pets,” Sheng Ke explained.

  “Hold on.”


  Sun Xiaomeng walked over and interrupted, “Sorry, it wasn’t my intention to eavesdrop, but I heard the two of you mention Love Lovely Pets.”


  Usually, Sun Xiaomeng would only come to the pet store if there was something she needed and would leave immediately after she was done, yet she continued to hang around the store today. Even when Sheng Ke came over, she didn’t say anything about leaving. Zhang Zian thought she was just observing the pregnant Abyssinian cats, never would he have thought that she was eavesdropping like Wang Qian and Li Kun.

  As Sun Xiaomeng wasn’t in her usual white coat, Sheng Ke thought that she was a customer looking to purchase a pet, so he didn’t pay much attention to her. He sized her up before looking at Zhang Zian.

  “This is Doctor Sun Xiao Meng, the practicing veterinarian for Spirit Curing Pet Clinic up north. I had to borrow her car during the new year period, so I invited her over today.” After introducing Sun Xiaomeng, Zhang Zian gestured to Sheng Ke. “This is Sheng Ke, Captain of the Municipal Police Division.”


  After the introductions, he quickly remembered that Sun Xiaomeng’s dad manages the Pets’ Home Breeding Base, which is Love Lovely Pets main competitor. Those in the same line of business were always enemies.