Tan Jin gasped for breath in large gulps, so exhausted his eyes rolled back.

Teacher Zhang’s little electric scooter rode along at lightning speed, completely unobstructed.

Tan Jin, wearing flip-flops, followed behind her vehicle, running more exhausted than a dog.

He really couldn’t keep up. He watched helplessly as Teacher Zhang disappeared into the flow of traffic. Tan Jin didn’t want to give up and still chased in the direction she’d ridden.

Fortunately, he chased to a fruit stand where the familiar little electric scooter was parked at the edge of the stall.

—Excellent, he hadn’t lost her.

Running until he was gasping for breath, Tan Jin laboriously braced his hands on his knees, revealing a gratified smile.

—Teacher Zhang had stopped to buy watermelon! Thank you, watermelon!

He had just wanted to rest for a bit when Teacher Zhang, carrying a big red plastic bag, already came out.

Placing the melon in the basket at the front of the electric scooter, she mounted it, twisted the handlebar, and set off without stopping.

Waterfall-like tears flowed in Tan Jin’s heart.

Mustering up his energy, he could only continue running forward.

He was very familiar with the roads in town.

Unfolding a map in his mind, he ran while planning…

When Teacher Zhang rode on the main road, he cleverly cut through small paths.

When Teacher Zhang entered a small lane, he passed through between other people’s houses, blazing his own wild trail.

At one point midway, Tan Jin was chasing behind her too single-mindedly and attracted Teacher Zhang’s attention.

She looked back at him.

Tan Jin immediately perked up his spirits. Stretching lazily and swinging his arms, he pretended to be a passerby exercising.

Once again, when he lost sight of Teacher Zhang, he didn’t panic anymore.

Because Tan Jin knew her home wasn’t far from here.

Nearby was an entire area of detached private residences. Since the electric scooter had turned in, she definitely lived here.

He calmed his mind and searched house by house.

The house slippers on his feet had experienced tribulations they shouldn’t have experienced on this journey—the glue had come loose.

The soles of Tan Jin’s feet had suffered even more, black as coal.

His legs were as soft as overcooked noodles. His hair had been blown into disarray by the wind. After wiping away the beads of sweat on his forehead, they rolled down again, repeatedly soaking the back of his hand.

If only he could find that electric scooter Teacher Zhang rode…

Passing by one household, the main gate was tightly shut, and several dog barks came from inside.

He had almost walked past when, attracted by the barking, he turned back.

Standing at the entrance for a moment, Tan Jin heard voices speaking inside.

Teacher Zhang’s chattering mouth spoke at a volume loud enough to seem grating, which was still very distinctive. She was discussing with her husband the matter of having bought watermelon.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Tan Jin’s hard work hadn’t been in vain. He had found Teacher Zhang’s home.

Looking at the decoration, Teacher Zhang’s family circumstances were quite good.

Her house was a two-story private residence with its own small courtyard.

That large iron gate was locked with a key. Tan Jin couldn’t see the interior situation from outside.

This was difficult.

If he wasn’t careful, trespassing on private property, he’d be caught as a bad person.

To get Jing Jing back, the most normal solution to this matter would be: communicating with Lu Xiaorong and having her go ask her colleague to voluntarily return the dog…

The problem was, Lu Xiaorong wasn’t someone with whom one could communicate normally.

Weighing it out, between finding Lu Xiaorong and stealing the dog himself, Tan Jin decisively chose the latter.

He’d be the bad person. He didn’t care.

Rescuing their little dog would make Lin Shilan happy.

As long as it made her happy, that was good.

Walking a circuit around the outside of the wall, after observing, Tan Jin reached a conclusion: entering through the main gate was impossible. To avoid alerting the people inside, he could only climb over the wall.

On top of Teacher Zhang’s low perimeter wall, shards of broken beer bottles were spread everywhere, used for theft prevention.

Little thief Tan Jin stroked his chin and began plotting.

He carefully selected a spot on the wall with fewer shards, obscured by a tree.

At this moment, there were no voices in the courtyard—it was the perfect opportunity to enter.

He hesitated no longer.

Building up strength, he ran a short distance for momentum. In one burst of energy, he stepped on the wall, borrowed the force, firmly gripped the low wall with both hands, and nimbly flipped over.

The weeds in the small courtyard hadn’t been trimmed. The summer heat made them grow even more lushly, which happened to serve as a concealing shelter for Tan Jin.

From the moment he climbed over the wall, the little dog in the courtyard barked incessantly.

The voices of Teacher Zhang and her husband clearly transmitted over.

“Tsk tsk, what’s that dog barking about? So disobedient.”

“Probably because it’s raining and we still left it outside. It’s not happy.”

The two walked out the door, untied the rope tethering the dog, and pulled it toward the house.

Tan Jin perilously hid behind a pile of miscellaneous items next to the grass.

It was dark. The courtyard had no lights on, otherwise such a big person like him, no matter how much he wanted to hide, couldn’t hide.

The little dog passed in front of him.

The dog’s nose sniffed toward the direction where Tan Jin was hiding.

It confirmed the scent, wagged its tail, and wanted to rush toward him.

—Silly dog Jing Jing!

Seeing that little native dog’s dopey face, he felt immensely close to it, as if he’d taken a reassurance pill.

The dog was forcibly dragged away by the couple.

Tan Jin was temporarily safe.

Teacher Zhang’s husband was right—it was raining.

And the rain wasn’t light.

The people inside the house happily made dinner. Outside the house, Tan Jin stood motionless, getting rained on.

The position he chose to stand had a large window through which he could see the living room inside the house.

Tan Jin could see them clearly, which also meant that if the homeowners felt inclined to look outside, they could see him too.

Only a small area had abundant vegetation. He had to ensure there was covering in front of him. So he could only rigidly maintain one position.

After who knows how long passed, he finally saw Jing Jing again.

There was a skinny little boy about six or seven years old playing with the little dog in the living room.

He mischievously grabbed Jing Jing’s two hind legs with both hands, making its rear half lift off the ground so it could only use its front legs to hop forward bit by bit.

As if treating the little dog like a shopping cart from a supermarket, he walked all around the house, pushing it back and forth, shouting “Shopping!” from his mouth.

Jing Jing had one lame leg. Walking like that was very uncomfortable for it, and it continuously let out whimpering cries. The little boy acted as if he hadn’t heard, playing enthusiastically.

When mealtime arrived, Teacher Zhang brought out dishes one by one, calling the little boy to eat.

Only then did his torment of Jing Jing end.

Tan Jin held back a bellyful of anger, his fists clenched tightly. Their beloved little dog being treated this way made him extremely furious.

Choosing to follow Teacher Zhang and enter someone else’s home to steal back the little dog—all of it was to ensure nothing could be blamed on Lin Shilan, to not bring her trouble. If he couldn’t restrain himself and rushed in, the scene would definitely be messy.

Forcefully suppressing his anger, Tan Jin thought: When you eat in a bit and can’t mind the dog, I’ll immediately steal it out.

He had just finished his mental preparation. The next second, the little boy passed by the window, shattering Tan Jin’s confidence.

That brat actually looped the dog leash around his wrist.

Truly conscienceless—the brat wanted to play with the dog even while eating. His parents told him not to, but he wouldn’t listen. He’d take two bites of food, then go tease the dog.

…Tan Jin felt terrible.

He consoled himself: It’s fine. I have time. I can slowly wait them out.

He didn’t believe that little brat would play with the dog continuously! Play all evening without getting tired of it!

Reality gave Tan Jin a heavy punch.

Perhaps because this was the first day of having a dog, out of novelty, the brat’s attention was entirely on the little dog. He completely left no gap for Tan Jin to “exploit the opening.”

After eating, Teacher Zhang told the child to take a bath.

The little boy once again disregarded his parents’ opposition.

He brought the dog into the bathroom with him, wanting the dog to accompany him while he bathed.

Tan Jin pinched his philtrum, struggling to steady himself.

It’s fine! He didn’t believe that after the little brat finished bathing, his parents would still agree to let him continue playing with the dog!

Twenty minutes later.

The brat finally emerged from his bath.

He led the little dog back to his own room and didn’t come out again.

Patiently waiting another half hour.

Tan Jin, drenched by rain until his whole body was shivering, gradually lost his patience.

He risked changing positions, altering his battle plan.

Carefully moving to the little boy’s room.

“Woof.”

“Woof woof, woof.”

“Woof woof, woof woof, woof woof woof.”

At first, one bark, slightly unfamiliar.

The later barks, one could say, gradually entered the perfect realm.

Tan Jin upgraded from the lurking version to the dog-barking version.

Teacher Zhang was bothered enough that she couldn’t watch TV. Furiously, she entered her son’s room: “So annoying! Why is this new little dog so rowdy?”

“It’s not barking,” the little boy cleared Jing Jing’s name: “It’s the dog outside making noise. It feels like that kind of really fierce big dog.”

Teacher Zhang didn’t dwell on the dog barking matter anymore.

Because upon entering the room, she was shocked to discover that her son had actually put the dirty little dog on the bed, having it share the same blanket with him.

After giving her son a scolding, she chased the dog off the bed and forbade her son from playing with the dog again tonight.

Tan Jin’s cunning plan succeeded. He moved positions again.

Jing Jing was chased into the living room by Teacher Zhang.

With that large window, he could monitor the little dog’s movements again.

For the next two hours, Tan Jin held his ground without moving.

Although the little dog wasn’t tethered, there were continuously people in the living room.

Tan Jin lay in ambush, his hands and feet cramping from waiting, finally anticipating a small gap when no one was present…

Teacher Zhang was doing laundry.

Her husband’s TV drama had finished an episode. He got up and went to the kitchen to cut watermelon.

Seizing the opportunity.

Tan Jin inserted his fingers into the small gap in the window crack and pulled it open quickly and lightly to the maximum.

His upper body explored into the house.

He called out “Jing Jing” in a breathy voice.

The little native dog heard the summons and jumped down from the sofa.

Sticking out its tongue, it ran toward him with quick steps.

He hugged the little dog and scooped it up in one motion.

Jing Jing was very obedient at this moment. As if knowing to cooperate with him, it didn’t make a single sound.

It was successfully stolen out by him.

The little dog’s pitch-black eyeballs looked at its male master, excitedly licking his chin continuously with its tongue.

Although Tan Jin was very careful, some unusual sounds were still heard by the people in the house.

Closest to him was Teacher Zhang’s husband.

He glanced toward the living room and instantly saw the window wide open in the hall. Shouting, he strode over.

Tan Jin greased the soles of his feet. Tucking the tiny dog into his arms, he hurriedly climbed up the wall.

The courtyard had no lights, and it was raining heavily. He didn’t have time to see where there were no beer bottle shards. With one hand holding the dog and one hand bracing the wall, he gritted his teeth and directly used brute force to flip over.

His arm hurt—he’d been cut by the shards.

Teacher Zhang’s house was in an uproar.

He didn’t know if they were looking for the dog or if they’d just seen him.

Criminal Tan Jin buried his head and ran frantically, only focused on using the fastest speed to distance himself from his crime scene.

His panicked figure rapidly melted into the pitch-black rainy night.

Without his phone, he didn’t know what time it was.

Without his phone, he couldn’t contact the person he most wanted to talk to at this moment.

One flip-flop stepped into a puddle, the other mindlessly followed suit and stepped in too.

Splattered all over with muddy water, he shook violently, only then coming to his senses.

He didn’t know how long he’d been running.

Tan Jin finally ran back to the area where he usually was active.

It should be safe now.

Jing Jing poked its head out from his arms, its wet little head pressed against his chin.

Belatedly, he tasted the joy of “successfully rescuing the little dog.”

Tan Jin was really quite a mess.

His clothes had a sour sweat smell, his shoes were ruined, his whole body was dirty beyond words.

He touched the cute little native dog.

No big problem! Their little dog was back.

Tan Jin secretly imagined what she’d look like smiling when she saw the little dog…

This trip was so worth it, he thought.

All the discomfort throughout his body suddenly didn’t count as anything anymore.