Chapter Seven: A Call from My First Love

This was the second time Zhu Lan had visited this place, and his curiosity remained undiminished. The dogs outside were nothing special—ordinary breeds, worth at most a few hundred yuan. The real quality lay within these walls.

He stepped into a spotless courtyard, where each enclosure housed a dog resting quietly. At the sound of footsteps, only the puppies stirred, panting eagerly; the larger dogs merely lifted their heads before settling back down.

“So, Zhu Lan, what are you looking for?” Kun Zhen asked, his pride evident on his face.

Zhu Lan didn’t reply immediately. He walked forward, ignoring the adult dogs to the right and focusing instead on the puppies to the left. Time was not a concern for him; raising a dog to maturity took only half a year, and that was just the length of his company’s startup phase.

“I’ve got plenty of space. I need three to five good dogs,” Zhu Lan said.

“Puppies?” Kun Zhen looked at him, puzzled.

Zhu Lan nodded. “I’m just getting started and have time.”

Kun Zhen nodded as well, understanding Zhu Lan’s intent. After some thought, he asked, “What price range are you considering?”

“Just something reasonable,” Zhu Lan replied. He had no intention of buying world-famous breeds—he simply wanted dogs that were fierce enough.

Kun Zhen snapped his fingers. “Got it. You’re in luck—I received six wolfdog puppies just yesterday. I think they’ll suit you perfectly.”

He led Zhu Lan to another area. Six little wolfdogs stumbled about, looking adorably confused. One among them was pure white—a clear sign of mutation.

“A mutant?” Zhu Lan exclaimed, surprised by the white wolfdog. Though wolfdogs weren’t the best breed, they were familiar to him; his family had kept one for five years when he was a child, until it was hit by a car. He remembered vividly how that wolfdog, standing upright, was taller than any adult.

Kun Zhen nodded, gazing lovingly at the white puppy. The odds of a natural mutation in animals were as rare as winning the lottery. People no longer believed old superstitions that white animals spelled disaster. Since it was discovered that such mutations were caused by blood cells and other factors, many sought to own a mutated animal—especially dogs, which could guard the house and were pleasing to look at.

“Originally, I didn't plan to show you this one, but for the sake of our friendship, I’ll sell it to you,” Kun Zhen said.

Zhu Lan shook his head. “You don’t have to.”

Kun Zhen waved him off. “It’s fine. Take all six.”

Zhu Lan opened his mouth, but said nothing. He knew Kun Zhen well; once he made up his mind, he would follow through, stubborn though he might be.

“All right. How much?” Zhu Lan asked after a moment’s thought.

“That’s more like it. You’ve started a company now. Tell you what, I won’t charge you much. Ten thousand yuan for all six.”

Zhu Lan sighed. Buying six wolfdog puppies for ten thousand was a bargain. Wolfdogs were increasingly rare; what used to cost a few hundred now went for thousands, and adults could fetch over ten thousand. He understood Kun Zhen was selling at a loss, especially with the mutated one, which would normally start at fifty thousand.

Without fuss, Zhu Lan took ten thousand yuan from his wallet.

Kun Zhen smiled, fetched a cage, and placed the six puppies inside without counting the money.

“When you have time, I’ll treat you to a good meal,” Zhu Lan said, taking the cage.

Kun Zhen nodded. “Just call me, same number as always.”

After a brief chat, Zhu Lan left the animal market.

“Hello?” Zhu Lan looked at the unfamiliar number, puzzled.

The line was silent for a moment. “Zhu Lan.”

He recognized the voice and fell silent. “It’s you. How have you been all these years?” It was odd she had his number, but it wasn’t hard to find—anyone in his dorm could tell her.

“Are you free?” she asked.

Zhu Lan was taken aback. “You’re in the city?”

“Yes.”

He fell silent, then replied slowly, “Where are you?”

“Cape Park. It’s beautiful here.”

After hanging up, Zhu Lan murmured, “Driver, take me to the north gate of Cape Park.”

“All right.”

The car turned around, heading back. Zhu Lan gazed at the skyscrapers outside, his thoughts drifting back to university life.

He’d had two girlfriends; the caller was his first love—the girl he’d rescued like a hero. Their breakup had been caused by a misunderstanding, a prank gone awry, which led to his second girlfriend, Qin Sisi, whom he met after graduation.

Tang Xuejian—her name matched that of the heroine from the fantasy drama, and she was Zhu Lan’s first love. Back at university, she was recognized as the campus queen. Within three days of enrolling, she claimed the title, and was rated online as the third most talented woman nationwide.

Zhu Lan’s university ranked around twentieth nationally, far behind the likes of Tsinghua or Fudan. Yet it was among the most beautiful and largest in the country, built by the sea and developed rapidly thanks to provincial support.

Even so, a campus queen of Tang Xuejian’s caliber—top ten nationwide—had never appeared before. Perhaps in earlier times, but there was no internet then, so no comparisons could be made.

Zhu Lan’s relationship with Tang Xuejian had caused a sensation at university; no one could believe it. In their fourth year, a friend asked Tang Xuejian to act in a play—what should have been a misunderstanding became the reason for their breakup. The person behind the prank, Qin Sisi, later became Zhu Lan’s second girlfriend after graduation.

Zhu Lan hadn’t known it was a setup, and in anger declared a breakup. Tang Xuejian, stubborn herself, considered explaining, but Zhu Lan was too upset to listen. And so, they parted ways. After graduation, a friend revealed the truth, but neither Zhu Lan nor Tang Xuejian sought reconciliation—Zhu Lan was heartbroken, and Qin Sisi comforted him. Slowly, feelings grew, and after graduation, Qin Sisi suggested he meet Tang Xuejian, but Zhu Lan couldn’t bring himself to do it, claiming the past was behind him, and moved to the city with Qin Sisi.

Now, unexpectedly, Tang Xuejian had reached out after so many years.

After several years in society, Zhu Lan understood that Tang Xuejian was beyond his reach. Back then, he was naïve, unable to see clearly. Looking back on every detail of university life, he realized her status was extraordinary—truly a lady of high birth. The fact that they’d dated for several years felt like a stroke of fate.

Arriving at Cape Park, Zhu Lan stopped at the entrance, cage in hand, and walked inside.

Though the city wasn’t as prosperous or renowned as others, it was a major port, especially with modern land transport, and had slowly developed. It was also a naval base, albeit a small one, which gave it some backbone.

He spotted the familiar figure—a white dress fluttering in the breeze, long hair swaying, a white hat atop her head. She sat beneath a large tree, like a princess.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, the woman slowly turned around. Her face was breathtaking, and her smile as gentle as spring.

Zhu Lan felt no urge to admire her beauty, only a complexity of emotions as he looked at Tang Xuejian.

“You’re here,” she said softly, rising to greet him.

Zhu Lan nodded, murmuring an acknowledgement, and the two fell into silence.

No one intruded; Zhu Lan noticed there were people nearby, but it seemed they were being kept away.

“It’s been a long time,” Zhu Lan finally broke the silence, struggling to say anything more.

Tang Xuejian laughed softly, covering her mouth. “You haven’t changed at all.”

He felt awkward, studying her closely. Though four years had passed, she was much the same, but with a new maturity.

Woof, woof—

“A dog?”

The sudden barking drew Tang Xuejian’s attention to the cage in Zhu Lan’s hand.

“Yes, I just came from the animal market.”

She didn’t pursue it further, but as she glanced up, she caught sight of the white puppy and exclaimed, “A mutant?”

Among the six wolfdog puppies, the mutated one was not just white—it was snowy, unmistakable to anyone who knew.

Zhu Lan smiled, set the cage down, and sat beneath the tree.

Tang Xuejian’s gaze never left the cage, or more precisely, the mutated puppy. White had a natural allure for women.

“Xuejian…” Zhu Lan began, then regretted it.

Hearing the familiar name, Tang Xuejian froze, stood up, and turned her back to him. “Zhu Lan, after all these years, you haven’t changed. Back then…” she trailed off.

Zhu Lan sighed. “Let the past be. Have you been well?”

Tang Xuejian nodded, but with her back turned, Zhu Lan couldn’t see her expression.

“What brings you to the city?” he asked, searching for a topic. The city was decent, but it was unlikely she would come here.

Suddenly, she turned around and held out her hand. “Let’s get reacquainted. I’ll be working here for a long time.”

Zhu Lan took her business card, puzzled, but upon reading it, was startled.

It read: Sheng Tang Group – Falling Snow Advertising Co., Ltd. – General Manager – Tang Xuejian