Chapter 43

Lin Fan thought about how Qiqi had been frightened by the crazed Border Collie this morning. He was a bit worried that this experience might leave an indelible mark on Qiqi's young heart. Although being scared by a dog might seem like a trivial matter, Qiqi was still very young. If such a small incident left a psychological shadow, would she be afraid of dogs in the future? Or even other furry animals?

A single bite from a snake can make one fear a rope for ten years.

Lin Fan didn't dare to take this risk. He wouldn't allow even the slightest chance of anything going wrong with Qiqi's normal growth. So he decided to nip this potential problem in the bud. Fortunately, he had something that could be useful.

With this in mind, Lin Fan turned his head and gently stroked Qiqi's little head, smiling as he asked, "Qiqi, would you like to find a little friend to play with you?"

"A little friend?"

Hearing this, Qiqi turned her head, her big sapphire eyes filled with joy as she looked at Lin Fan. She clapped her hands happily and said, "Sure, sure! Qiqi has always played alone because in that place, the other children didn't look like Qiqi, and they spoke a language Qiqi couldn't understand..."

Listening to Qiqi, Lin Fan felt a deep sense of guilt.

Qiqi had grown up abroad, in a world that didn't belong to her. Of course, she would feel lonely there. Now that Qiqi had returned to her homeland and to Lin Fan's side, he was determined to make up for all the years he had neglected her and to be a good father.

"Okay, Dad will take you to see a little friend."

With that, Lin Fan turned the key, and the Haval H6 rumbled to life, emitting a puff of exhaust as it started moving away.

Qiqi asked with some concern, "Daddy, will he like Qiqi? Will he want to play with Qiqi?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Of course! Qiqi is so cute, he will definitely like you."

Qiqi immediately became even happier, and the car was filled with her joyful voice.

"Daddy, you're so nice, mua mua mua."

...

About twenty minutes later, Lin Fan drove to a pet store called Domylo.

At the entrance of Domylo Pet Store, there was a large LED screen displaying various photos and videos of cute pets, including common cats and dogs, as well as hedgehogs, woodpeckers, and little turtles. All of them were very cute and accompanied by their sounds, attracting many children and animal lovers to stop and look or enter the store.

"Qiqi, shall we go inside and choose a dog to be your little friend?"

After parking the car, Lin Fan pulled the handbrake and turned to look at Qiqi.

"Dog?" At the mention of the word, Qiqi's body trembled, and a hint of fear appeared in her big eyes. She clearly remembered how scary the big dog had been this morning.

"Uh uh, Daddy, Qiqi is scared."

Qiqi, sitting in the car seat, kicked her little legs and cried with tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, my little treasure."

Seeing Qiqi cry, Lin Fan panicked. He hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt, picked her up, and held her in his arms, gently rocking her and patting her back to comfort her. "Qiqi, don't cry. Qiqi, don't be afraid. Haven't you heard that dogs are man's best friends, the most loyal companions? They won't hurt my little princess Qiqi. Look, how cute those cats and dogs are. Having a little friend to play and grow up with, wouldn't that be great?"

As he spoke, Lin Fan pointed to the LED screen at the store entrance.

Hearing this, Qiqi wriggled out of Lin Fan's arms, her long eyelashes still wet with tears. She sniffled and looked in the direction Lin Fan was pointing.

"Qiqi, the dog this morning, he wasn't trying to hurt you. He was probably injured or lost, and he was scared, so he was asking for help. Look at these little animals, they are all so cute. My little princess Qiqi is also very cute. You will definitely become very good friends."

Seeing Qiqi's emotions stabilize a bit, Lin Fan's expression relaxed, and he continued to comfort her.

"Daddy, are you really sure?" Qiqi looked up at Lin Fan seriously.

"Of course, how could Dad lie to Qiqi?" Lin Fan nodded quickly.

"Um, okay then. Daddy won't lie to Qiqi, Qiqi believes Daddy. Let's go find a little friend." Qiqi wiped the tears from her face and blinked her eyes.

"Qiqi is such a good girl."

Lin Fan puckered his lips and kissed Qiqi's little cheek, then opened the car door and carried her out, heading towards the pet store.

Once inside, Lin Fan realized that although the store's front was small, the interior was quite spacious, over 100 square meters. There were many cages on both sides, housing various species and breeds of small animals. Some were quietly lying down, while others jumped and barked excitedly at the sight of strangers. A parakeet at the entrance flapped its wings and called out:

"Welcome! Welcome!"

Seeing customers, a man in a work uniform and wearing black-rimmed glasses greeted them with a smile, "Sir, how can I assist you?"

Lin Fan glanced around and said calmly, "I want to buy a pet dog."

Lin Fan decided to buy a dog for two reasons. First, the Border Collie this morning had frightened Qiqi, and the best way to eliminate her fear was to expose her to dogs. He hoped that by raising a dog, Qiqi would learn to get along with them and completely overcome her fear. Second, dogs have personalities that make them suitable as pets and good companions for children.

Of course, different breeds of dogs have different personalities.

Golden Retrievers, known for their gentle and friendly nature, are very smart. Huskies, often called "escape artists," are known for their mischievous behavior, always making their owners laugh and cry. Pomeranians, small but full of energy, are known for their boundless enthusiasm...

The man with glasses smiled and asked, "We have a wide variety of pet dogs. What breed are you interested in?"

Lin Fan said calmly, "I'll look around first."

"Sure, sir. The pets in the cages are regularly disinfected and cleaned, so there's no need to worry about bacteria. Each cage has a label with a brief introduction and price. If you need any help, feel free to ask me." The man nodded and left after a brief explanation.

After the man left, Lin Fan carried Qiqi around the store, explaining as he went:

"Qiqi, look, this one is a Border Collie, the same breed as the dog we met this morning. He's only a month old, isn't he small and cute? He's ranked first in intelligence among dog breeds, very smart, easy to train."

"This tiny one is a Teacup Poodle, one of the smallest dog breeds in the world. See how small he is, he can fit in a teacup, hence the name. Isn't it very fitting?"

"This wrinkly-faced dog looks a bit ugly but cute. This is a Pug, and he looks a lot like a movie star from Shanghai."

"This fierce-looking dog is an American Pit Bull Terrier, also known as a Tiger Dog. Do you remember the big dog in 'Tom and Jerry'? It's this breed."

As Lin Fan explained, Qiqi's eyes widened with curiosity. Her initial fear gradually turned into a little bit of fear, and then she was no longer afraid at all. The pets in the store were well-trained and very gentle, which completely dispelled Qiqi's anxiety. She even happily greeted the dogs in the cages and played with them.

At first, Lin Fan was still holding Qiqi, but later, he put her down to let her play by the cages, interacting closely with the dogs.

"Daddy, he looks so pitiful."

Qiqi suddenly pointed to a dilapidated cage in the corner, looking back at Lin Fan with a soft voice.