Immortal Takeout - Chapter 23

Ta Nuo covered his face, tightly shutting his eyes. The heavy punch he had anticipated did not land. He heard chaotic noises around him; it seemed many humans had gathered. Finally, there was a miserable wail.

Mr. Spiky Hair was crying.

Ta Nuo cautiously opened his eyes. He saw Mr. Grey Dog standing protectively in front of him, while Mr. Spiky Hair was hugging the dog and weeping uncontrollably. He was truly ugly when he cried, his nose and eyes scrunched together, the constantly flowing snot dampening Mr. Grey Dog’s fur.

Ta Nuo imagined what he would do if his own fur got wet with snot. The thought frightened him, and he couldn’t help but rub his smooth arms.

‘Woof…’

Mr. Grey Dog’s tail remained remarkably calm. He lifted his left front paw, placed it on Mr. Spiky Hair’s shoulder, and pushed, trying to break free from the embrace—he failed.

Mr. Spiky Hair held on tighter and tighter, his cries growing more and more wretched. More and more humans gathered around, pointing and discussing in hushed tones.

— What’s going on here?

— I heard his wife cheated on him, and they’re having a scene.

— How pitiful. Why is he holding a dog if his wife cheated?

— He got nothing in the divorce, only got to keep the dog.

How tragic. The crowd made sympathetic tutting sounds.

Ta Nuo scratched his head, standing by, at a loss. Mr. Grey Dog used the whites of his eyes to signal him to ‘do something’. Ta Nuo nervously rubbed his face, finally mustering his courage to step forward and advise , “Stop crying. It’s very uncomfortable when fur gets wet, and baths are such a hassle.”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Spiky Hair’s wails ceased abruptly. The air suddenly stilled. Ta Nuo instinctively took a step back.

Mr. Spiky Hair lifted his head, glared fiercely at Ta Nuo, and said through gritted teeth, “You dog thief! Haha is my dog! You stole my dog!”

The corners of his eyes were slanted upwards, making him look somewhat like Mr. Grey Dog. Ta Nuo shook his head, dispelling this untimely thought from his mind, and replied seriously, “I didn’t steal your dog. Mr. Grey Dog… he is my clie… he is my friend.”

Mr. Grey Dog seemed to roll his eyes.

The curiosity of the surrounding humans was fully piqued. They widened their eyes, their gazes shifting back and forth between the two humans and the dog, as if trying to savor the taste of some gossip.

“It’s not right to steal a dog, young man. You look decent; you shouldn’t do such a shady thing,” someone hidden in the crowd shouted loudly. Several others voiced their agreement.

Ta Nuo frowned, feeling wronged in his heart. He hadn’t done anything today, yet had already been accused of being immoral by humans twice. He wiped his eyes, looked at Mr. Spiky Hair, and said, “I didn’t steal your dog. His name is Taji Guo Men Ji. He’s my dog.” Ta Nuo, reading Mr. Grey Dog’s expression, decided to tell a lie. No matter what, protecting his customer was also part of his service duties.

“You’re full of shit!” Mr. Spiky Hair shot to his feet, shouting angrily. “And you still claim you’re not a dog thief! Who would give their dog such a ridiculous name? You think I’m stupid?”

‘Taji Guo Men Ji?’ The surrounding humans fell into a silence. The name really didn’t sound like a proper dog’s name. The court of public opinion gradually tilted towards Spiky Hair.

Ta Nuo’s face flushed red with effort as he secretly encouraged himself. Raising his voice, he argued, “He’s my own dog, why can’t I name him Taji Guo Men Ji? I think it’s a great name, and my friend thinks so too. You say Men Ji is your dog, but can you prove it? If you call him, will he answer you?” He finished in one breath, realizing his palms were sweaty. ‘What if Mr. Grey Dog really is Mr. Spiky Hair’s dog and accidentally answers?’ He wasn’t very good at fighting; if only his Second Brother were here. Ta Nuo trembled all over with nerves.

Hearing this, Mr. Spiky Hair wiped his nose, revealed a mocking smile, a row of snow-white teeth quite eye-catching. He shouted loudly, “I was waiting for you to say that! I tell you, he ‘is’ my dog. His name is Ma Haha!”

…

That name didn’t sound particularly proper either. The spectators’ opinion became somewhat mixed.

“Haha, come here, Haha, come to Daddy— Haha— Haha—” Mr. Spiky Hair called repeatedly, opening his arms wide towards Mr. Grey Dog, his face joyful, his eyes shining with fervent light.

Mr. Grey Dog turned his head away, his expression grave.

Although reluctant, Ta Nuo, under immense pressure, kept a straight face and called out to Mr. Grey Dog, “Men Ji, come here.” His lips trembled violently, and he had to press them firmly together.

Mr. Grey Dog’s face grew even more unpleasant, as if he were undergoing some unspeakable internal struggle. He lifted a paw, struggled for a long moment, and finally shifted his rear end slightly in Ta Nuo’s direction.

— Well, this Husky is quite obedient, looks like he really is called Men Ji.

The onlookers emitted good-natured laughter. The incident seemed clear now, no detective needed.

However, right at that moment, Mr. Spiky Hair let out a frightening roar. “Haha—” He fell to his knees with a thud and began sobbing loudly.

The crowd fell silent again. This kind of grief, however ugly, was definitely not something that could be faked.

The commotion outside finally attracted the fried chicken shop owner. He squeezed through the crowd, stuck half his body out, scanned the two people causing the stir, and cried out in surprise, “Aren’t you Ma Daha?” He waved at Mr. Spiky Hair, clearly recognizing him.

Mr. Spiky Hair stopped crying instantly. He looked up, like a wronged army meeting its reinforcements, instantly regaining his fighting spirit. He lunged and grabbed the fried chicken shop owner, pulling him out from the crowd. The shop owner, with his round, bulging belly, extracted himself with difficulty, his face covered in beads of sweat the size of beans.

“Gently, gently, my stomach!” the fried chicken shop owner yelled.

“Quick, quick, quick—” Ma Daha clamored. “Boss, you tell them, isn’t Ma Haha my dog? You know, Haha loved your chicken the most before!”

“What ‘my chicken’!” The fried chicken shop owner jumped. “Don’t talk nonsense, alright!” Despite the fuss, the shop owner laboriously squatted down and carefully examined Mr. Grey Dog.

Mr. Grey Dog silently averted his gaze, staring blankly at the sky.

The fried chicken shop owner sucked in a breath, frowned, and said doubtfully, “Looks like it. The eyes, exactly the same. Haha was a bicolored heterochromatic Husky, very rare. I remember clearly.”

Ma Daha nodded vigorously, his neck nearly snapping.

“But…” Just as the fried chicken shop owner was about to say more, Ma Daha interrupted him.

“This ‘is’ my dog!” Ma Daha pointed at Ta Nuo, saying excitedly. “The fried chicken shop owner can prove it, he’s my Haha. My Haha went missing, this guy must have stolen him for sure!”

The sudden appearance of a witness made the situation take a sharp turn for the worse. The public opinion instantly tilted. The onlookers all looked askance, casting severe glances at Ta Nuo.

Being stared at by so many humans, Ta Nuo’s hands and feet went weak. He instinctively tried to hide, suddenly bumping into a solid chest. Startled, he was then promptly pulled aside.

“How ridiculous. Are you saying there can only be one Husky with this coat and these eyes in the entire world? Just who do you think you are?”

The tone was icy and provocative. It was the Little Boss!

This was the first time Ta Nuo had seen the Little Boss outside the Luo family courtyard. He stood under the sunlight, tall and straight like a eucalyptus tree. Ta Nuo was momentarily stunned. Instinctively, he grabbed hold of Luo Xiang’s shirt hem and hid behind the Little Boss.

Luo Xiang tried to shake him off disdainfully, but couldn’t free himself, so he gave up. He lifted his chin towards Ma Daha and continued, “This boss is your friend; who knows if he’d just say what you want to hear? You say it’s your dog, where’s your proof? Don’t forget, you couldn’t call Men Ji over just now. I’m not blind, unless you all are.”

The onlookers fell silent, not daring to speak up. This new young man looked strong and sturdy, not someone to mess with. When it came to spectating, the power of the group was key. As long as no one dared to take the lead, everyone would uniformly choose silence.

Ma Daha, stung by the retort, grew anxious, pacing in circles. The fried chicken shop owner also stayed quiet. Ma Daha tried to grab Mr. Grey Dog again but failed. Finally, he slapped his head as if suddenly remembering. “I have proof!” he shouted. “I do! I have a photo! I took it before Haha went missing!”

He pulled a phone from his pants pocket; due to his agitation, it took several attempts to succeed. The phone was an old model, its casing badly worn, showing its owner wasn’t a careful person. Ma Daha hung his head, scrolling for a long time before finally pulling up a blurry photo. He thrust the phone towards Luo Xiang, his voice trembling, “Look, isn’t it exactly the same!”

Ta Nuo tightened his grip, twisting Luo Xiang’s shirt hem into a little flower.

Luo Xiang only glanced at it, let out a light laugh, and said, “I’ll say it again, I’m not blind.”

Ma Daha shook the phone anxiously. “Look! It’s clearly Haha. Same coat, same eyes.”

Ta Nuo secretly stood on his tiptoes, peeking over Luo Xiang’s shoulder at the phone screen. His eyes widened in surprise, and he glanced at Ma Daha.

“I don’t think so,” Luo Xiang said slowly. “This dog of yours looks at least over ten years old, its whiskers are white. The one on the ground is strong, its gaze clear, probably not even five years old. You’re saying these two dogs are the same?”

Ma Daha suddenly fell silent.

Then, the fried chicken shop owner also spoke. He sighed and said, “I was about to say that earlier. Haha went missing three years ago. He was already thirteen back then. Even though they look almost identical, the age doesn’t match. Ma Daha, don’t be a real blockhead.”

The crowd had an epiphany. So it was all a misunderstanding.

Ta Nuo still frowned. Although cleared of suspicion, he didn’t feel relieved. He looked at Mr. Grey Dog. Mr. Grey Dog hung his large head low, looking utterly listless.

Seeing no more spectacle, the onlookers quickly dispersed. Just then, a large dog emerged from the side. It was a typical Husky, black and white coat, light blue eyes, with the characteristic “three fires” mark on its forehead. It held its own leash in its mouth, ambled over, sat down in front of Ma Daha, and gently licked the human’s cheek. Ma Daha hugged its head and gently ruffled its fur.

Mr. Grey Dog stood up, nodded towards that Husky, as if bowing in respect. The other dog returned the nod.

Hearing the sniffling behind him, Luo Xiang furrowed his brows and said coldly, “If you dare wipe your snot on my back, I’ll hit you.”

Ta Nuo wiped his eyes and quibbled, “I didn’t.”

Luo Xiang reached back, grabbed the person, and pulled him out. “Go buy the fried chicken. No slacking.”

By the time Ta Nuo came out with the fried chicken, Mr. Ma Daha was standing at the intersection, seemingly waiting for him. Tear tracks still marked his face; he looked both wretched and exhausted, even his spiky hair drooping, completely unlike his previous fierce, shouting self.

Seeing Ta Nuo, he seemed somewhat embarrassed, hesitated several times, and finally spoke. “Can… can I pet your dog?” he asked, his eyes red-rimmed.

Ta Nuo glanced at Mr. Grey Dog, then nodded and said, “Okay.”

Mr. Grey Dog slowly approached Mr. Ma Daha, obediently sat down, leaned his head into the human’s palm, and gently nuzzled it.

Mr. Ma Daha let out a choked laugh, blowing a snot bubble. “You really treat your dog very well,” he said, “because this leash is very pretty.”

Luo Xiang looked at Ma Daha as if looking at an idiot.