If it weren't for the empty plate on the ground, reminding me of what had just happened, I would've sworn I was sleepwalking as I stood there facing the empty edge of the wall where the dog had been.
I hurried over to collect the plate, then jogged to rejoin Ouyang Jing and the others.
It wasn't every day we got to enjoy the hot springs for free, so the three of us decided to soak again, staying in the water until nearly 10 PM, reluctant to leave the hot springs.
The bonfire party on the lawn had wrapped up, and most people had dispersed. A few stragglers were still gathering for some late-night games in the card room.
After a quick shower and a shampoo, I dried my hair, put on my glasses, grabbed my bag, and headed back to my room, 109 on the first floor.
"Are you sure you don't mind being alone? You can come stay with us in the double room tonight. We'll just push the beds together," said Liu Mei, pulling on my arm with a concerned look.
I wiped the mist off my glasses with the hem of my shirt, put them back on, and smiled. "I'm fine, no worries. Let's grab breakfast together in the morning."
Ouyang Jing was checking her phone. "The restaurant opens at 7 AM and serves until 9."
Liu Mei nodded. "How about we meet in front of the restaurant at 8?"
With our breakfast plans settled, I waved them off as they entered the elevator, then headed back to my room, room 109, by myself.
I swiped the card and locked the door behind me in one smooth motion. After opening the bathroom vent to dry my swimsuit, I took off my glasses and started my skincare routine in front of the mirror.
Five minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom without putting my glasses back on.
The curtains were still tightly closed. Though I didn't intend to open them again, a sense of curiosity about the unknown tugged at me. I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Fingers gently pulling the curtains apart, I peeked through the narrow gap, catching the reflection of the room's lights in the window, along with my own blurry shape.
In the distance, the faint twinkle of small colored lights on the outer wall barely did anything to illuminate the area. Staring at the wooden fence outside made me uneasy. It felt unsettling, as if I didn't know what could be creeping up from the dark beyond.
I let the curtains fall back into place and crawled back into bed, not feeling like turning on the TV. Instead, I played some short videos on my phone.
"Xiao Mei was walking alone in the hallway when something dripped onto her face, and she..."
The video switched to a horror movie commentary. While I wasn't particularly timid, I wasn't in the mood to add unnecessary stress to myself.
I quickly swiped the screen, silencing the sound, and the video immediately changed to a cheerful clip of someone soothing a baby.
The recommended videos were mostly about cute pets, adorable kids, some eating shows, snacks, and everyday items.
It was already the end of January, and Chinese New Year was just around the corner. I had ten days off for the holiday. Though there was high-speed rail in the city, my hometown was in a small town without such amenities. However, there were plenty of buses running between the city and the countryside, so getting a ticket wasn't hard.
Lately, I'd been browsing New Year's goods. My personal page had been flooded with ads for holiday essentials, and I picked and chose a few things to add to my shopping cart.
Occasionally, I'd switch channels and chat with Liu Mei and Ouyang Jing in the group. Just then, my mom called on a video call, so I picked it up.
We talked for over half an hour, watching her and Dad slouched on the sofa, soaking their feet. It seemed like the perfect, relaxing life.
Between the conversation, my mom casually mentioned that she was about to retire and hinted that I should find a partner so she could help take care of grand kids.
I rubbed my nose thoughtfully and calmly replied, "I think you're the one who's bored and trying to push me into having kids. If you're worried about being idle after retirement, I'll find you a senior university. You can try for an 'Excellent Student' award."
[...]
My thoughtful suggestion was immediately dismissed by my mom, but Dad seemed to think it was a great idea and asked me to look into enrolling him in a senior university as well.
Mom shot back at him, saying, "Do you want to go to senior university to find yourself a mistress?" Even after all these years, she still got jealous and made a fuss. I couldn't help but enjoy the lively banter.
"Bang—"
Suddenly, a sharp sound came from outside the window, like something had collided with the glass.
"My window seems to be rattling. I'll hang up for now."
I ended the call, switched the page to the front desk number, and got up to walk toward the window. If anything was off, I'd call right away.
I hadn't unlocked the window, so I pulled the curtains apart. In the contrast between the bright room and the pitch-black outdoors, I saw a pair of green lights flash across my vision.
Had I imagined it?
I parted the curtains a little more, and this time I could see clearly. Standing outside was the Czech Wolfdog from the owner's family. The green glow was coming from its eyes.
It was silently staring at me. The sound of something hitting the window earlier must have come from it.
If it hadn't intentionally bumped the window, I might never have noticed it outside.
Through the floor-to-ceiling window, I observed it closely, even returning to the bedside table to put on my glasses for a clearer view.
The large dog slowly lowered itself in front of me, crossing its front legs in an almost elegant sitting posture, like a gentleman.
Its coat was a pure, smoke-gray color, without a single streak of other hues. The fur was thick and plush, and its ears stood upright, alert. Its irises shimmered with a brilliant golden hue, and its round pupils were black and deep, almost hypnotic.
The dog's paws were folded neatly beneath it, revealing sharp claws. Its large tail swept gently behind it in a soft arc.
It kept its mouth tightly closed, never showing its teeth, so I couldn't tell how sharp they might be.
Throughout our brief encounter, I never heard a sound from it. Whether it was the rare words of a person or the few noises made by an animal, silence always carries a sense of mystery.
The phone vibrated in my hand, and I saw my mom had sent a message asking what was going on. I replied, "The dog from the owner's house came to visit," before turning my attention back to the window.
Had the big dog sneaked out again?
This time, it rolled over halfway, exposing its belly to me. As I looked closer, I noticed something red against its otherwise gray fur.
It had a wound on its abdomen and the right side of its hind leg.
I considered whether I should inform the front desk about it, but as I started to pull out my phone, the dog seemed to shake its head at me.
I blinked, trying to process what I had just seen. Was it a trick of the light or a coincidence?
For a moment, I couldn't shake the feeling that the mute dog was somehow trying to communicate with me. After a few seconds of thought, I raised my hand in a "stand up" gesture, as if signaling it to get up.
The dog immediately responded, rising to its feet, and its tail wagged gently behind it, as if to reassure me that it meant no harm.
I couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Was I really getting paranoid? Could a dog have such devious tricks, like the wolf in *Little Red Riding Hood*?
I chuckled at myself for watching too many horror movies. My hand landed on the lock, and with a soft *click*, I unlocked the small door of the window.
The intelligent dog immediately moved toward the opening. I gently invited it inside.
It didn't smell bad, and its coat looked surprisingly clean. As it passed by me, I instinctively reached out to stroke its back.
The dog paused, raised its head to look at me, and for a moment, it felt like it was sizing me up. It didn't resist the touch, but there was a sense that it wasn't entirely comfortable with being petted either.
"Is there a dog that doesn't like being petted?" This surprised me a little. I always thought all dogs enjoyed human touch, but in its quiet gaze, I felt a twinge of guilt, as if I were a thug trying to take advantage of it.
"I let you in, can't I pet you?" I tried to push down my nervousness and said calmly.
But the dog made no sound, not even a single bark. It just sat quietly, its tail covering its private parts.
I resisted the urge to pet it, squatting down and patting the area behind the bed, "Come here, good boy, sit here, let me check your wounds." The dog obediently walked to the end of the bed and lay down again.
I took out my phone flashlight to inspect its lower abdomen. The dog seemed a little resistant but didn't struggle. It simply kept its tail in place to cover itself. I first checked the wound on its hind leg, which looked like it was healing. There were still some unhealed cuts, but no bleeding. It must have been worse before.
I gently moved its tail and looked at its abdomen, but it continued to keep its tail covering its private area. This made me curious—was it really a gentleman dog, so concerned about its privacy? But I still caught a glimpse and confirmed it was a male dog. The wounds seemed to have been treated in a rough manner, not very carefully, but fortunately, there was no infection or pus.
It was already past midnight, so I called the front desk and asked them to send over cotton swabs and iodine. Once I received the supplies, I squatted down and began cleaning its fur around the wounds. "Be good, let me apply the medicine and don't move. This is to disinfect, it will help the wound heal." Though I knew animals couldn't understand, I believed that soft words could help soothe them. The big dog cooperated the whole time.
After the treatment, it stood up, and I watched curiously as it walked towards the bathroom. The dog stood at the sink, towering over me, its height almost double mine. I had to look up to see its face, and the sudden sense of being overwhelmed made me feel a little uneasy. Its tail brushed against my foot, but its eyes remained fixed on the faucet.
"Do you want to drink water?" I asked. But once again, the dog made no sound.
"..."
This silence seemed to indicate agreement.
I said, "I'll get you some bottled water, come down." Its front paws left the sink, and it stood on all fours, still not much shorter than me.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the table, opened the cap, and poured it into its mouth. The entire bottle was quickly emptied. After drinking two bottles, it sat down at the end of the bed, looking at me as if it were keeping watch. But I had never spent the night with a large dog before, and I was still a little nervous.
What if it was like those short videos, where after falling asleep, the dog jumps onto the bed and sleeps with me, or even pushes me off the bed?
What if I woke up in the middle of the night and found the big dog sitting at the foot of the bed? Would I be scared?
After thinking all this, I glanced out the window, feeling a bit like I wanted to send it out to the balcony. I tentatively pointed to the outside and said, "Good boy, would you sleep on the balcony?"
The dog didn't resist. Instead, it immediately stood up and walked over to the balcony, waiting for me to open the small door for it.
I opened the door, and the cold winter wind blew in, dispersing the warmth inside. I shivered and quickly stopped the dog from walking out. "Come back inside, it's too cold out there. You stay at the foot of the bed and be good, don't climb onto the bed tonight."