Chapter 11: Your Ex-Boyfriend Called the Police

"Ding-dong, ding-dong."

Meng Zhe went to open the door. Ye Yurou was carrying two large bags of snacks. "Brother Meng Zhe, you're here too?"

She kicked off her flats with practiced familiarity, set the bags down, and went to pet the dog. "Cherry! Sister Yurou is here. Did you miss me? Did you miss me?"

Qiao Xu sighed helplessly. "Why did you buy so many snacks again?"

Ye Yurou sat down beside her, hugging the dog. "You can't show up empty-handed when coming for a free meal. Where is Xinxin? Isn't she here yet?"

"She should be here soon."

Ye Yurou tilted her head and saw Meng Zhe putting her shoes into the shoe cabinet, feeling a bit awkward. "Um... Brother Meng Zhe, I can't have you picking up my shoes."

Meng Zhe placed a pair of disposable slippers at her feet. "It was just on my way. I’m going to the kitchen to wash the vegetables; you two chat."

Ye Yurou’s gaze followed Meng Zhe’s retreating back. Qiao Xu waved some flowers in front of her face. "Back to earth yet?"

"If you like him, go for it. He doesn't have a girlfriend."

Ye Yurou stroked the dog. "No way, I have low self-esteem. I'm afraid of being rejected."

"You? Low self-esteem?" Qiao Xu didn't believe it for a second. Who was the one sending her all those random, suggestive things every day?

Not long after, Fang Kexin arrived with her boyfriend, carrying a cake. "How can there be no cake for a housewarming?"

Qiao Xu thanked her and took the cake.

Since everyone was well-acquainted, the meal was a cheerful affair. When it came time to cut the cake, Ye Yurou took out her phone to take a group photo.

Qiao Xu sat in the middle, holding the cake in one hand and the dog in the other. Meng Zhe stood to her left, helping support the cake, while Fang Kexin and her boyfriend stood behind them.

Ye Yurou leaned her head toward Qiao Xu to get into the frame. In the photo, it looked like two couples, one single person, and one actual dog.

Elsewhere, Xu Si'an, who had just finished swimming, opened his phone and saw a screenshot of a WeChat Moment sent to him by He Yanxun.

He Yanxun: "Damn, the 'dog thief' you mentioned couldn't be your precious sweetheart, could it?"

He Yanxun: [Image]

He Yanxun: "It’s over. Your sweetheart just found a stepfather for your dog."

Xu Si'an exited the chat and tapped into Qiao Xu’s Moments. Nothing? No updates.

He checked the profiles of two other secretaries; they all had the same photo that He Yanxun had sent.

Xu Si'an made a call. "Where did you get that screenshot?"

"From Qiao Xu’s Moments, obviously."

He Yanxun’s company collaborated with Xuxing Group, so he had Qiao Xu on WeChat.

The call was disconnected. He Yanxun clicked his tongue.

Xu Si'an gripped his phone tightly. Good. Very good. Blocking him from her Moments.

Stealing his dog. Finding another man. Taking his dog to be with another man.

Qiao Xu, do you think I'm dead?

Xu Si'an dialed the number again.

Back at the apartment, Meng Zhe was helping Qiao Xu clean up before leaving. When he opened the door, he saw police officers standing there.

"This is?"

"Hello, does Qiao Xu live here?"

Qiao Xu came out from inside. "Hello, I am Qiao Xu. Is something the matter?"

The officer showed his badge. "We received a report alleging that you stole someone's dog. You need to come with us to the station to give a statement."

Cherry was following right behind Qiao Xu—the evidence was undeniable.

Qiao Xu was almost too annoyed to laugh, but Meng Zhe looked shocked. "You stole a dog?"

"I didn't steal anything." She turned to the officer. "Officer, may I ask, is the person who reported this named Xu?"

So, when he sent a message to her other WeChat account the night before last, it was because he already knew the dog was with her.

The officer replied, "I'm sorry, we cannot disclose the identity of the complainant."

Qiao Xu nodded. "I understand. May I change my clothes before coming with you?"

Meng Zhe spoke up. "Officer, my sister has raised this dog for several years. You can't just call it theft because someone else lost a dog. Could you please let us go on our own? I’ll drive her there."

"You see, it wouldn't look good for a young lady to be seen riding in a police car."

The officers were reasonable. "Fine. But bring the dog with you."

Once the door closed, Meng Zhe asked, "Your ex-boyfriend reported you?"

Qiao Xu looked expressionless. "I suppose so."

"Wait, didn't you get the dog in college?"

Qiao Xu went inside to change, grabbed her documents, and picked up the dog. "I raised it with him."

"He paid for the dog."

Meng Zhe followed behind her. "Then... did he not know you took the dog when you broke up?"

Qiao Xu’s face remained unreadable. "Didn't you hear the officer? I 'stole' it."

Meng Zhe was speechless, but he couldn't bring himself to scold her. "It's fine. If he really wants it back, just give it to him. I'll buy you another one."

Qiao Xu said nothing as she carried the dog out of the elevator. Once in the car, she remained silent, just holding the dog quietly.

"Are you still in contact with your ex?"

Qiao Xu replied dully, "I suppose you could say that."

Meng Zhe felt frustrated. "What does 'I suppose' mean? Either you are or you aren't."

"He is my direct supervisor."

"What the hell? So he reported you just to mess with you?"

Qiao Xu wondered the same thing.

The car pulled over near the police station. Qiao Xu already saw the man standing at the entrance.

Black trousers, a white shirt, leaning against the wall smoking.

He looked different than he did at the office—very languid.

"That's him, right?"

"Yes. I'm getting out. You should go back."

Xu Si'an didn't know Meng Zhe, nor did he know who he was. But he was a man with a strong sense of possessiveness, and Qiao Xu was slightly worried that Xu Si'an might pick a fight with Meng Zhe.

Meng Zhe unbuckled his seatbelt. "No way. If I leave you here alone, my parents will kill me if they find out."

When Qiao Xu stepped out of the car, the dog in her arms seemed to sense something and began to struggle incessantly.

She glared at it, annoyed. "You're getting so excited before even seeing him? Don't worry, you can go with him in a minute."

When Meng Zhe appeared alongside Qiao Xu, Xu Si'an’s gaze flickered over them for a few seconds. He crushed his cigarette into the bin and turned to head inside.

Inside the station, a lawyer stood beside Xu Si'an.

Meng Zhe pulled out a chair for Qiao Xu. Before he could say anything, his phone rang.

After finishing the call, Qiao Xu said, "You should go, I'll take a taxi back later."

Meng Zhe didn't want to leave, but there was an issue at the factory and he couldn't keep a major client waiting.

"Alright then, call me if anything happens."

Meng Zhe patted her head. "If you don't want this dog, just let it go. I'll buy you an identical one."

"You're so annoying, just go."

In Xu Si'an's eyes, Qiao Xu’s annoyance looked like she was acting coquettishly with another man.

Patting her head.

She actually let another man pat her head.

In the past, he would have dragged her into the bathroom, scrubbed her hair clean, and taught her a harsh lesson for it.

Xu Si'an glanced at his lawyer, who placed a document in front of Qiao Xu. "Ms. Qiao, these are the purchase receipts for the dog from six years ago, as well as the registration documents processed before the dog went missing."

Qiao Xu stroked the dog. "What evidence do you have that this dog is yours? All dogs of this breed look the same."

The lawyer looked at Xu Si'an. "Mr. Xu?"

The man's voice was flat. "There is a burn scar on the palm of its front right paw."