Chapter 67 Good Dog

Chapter 67 What a Good Dog

Did Border Collies even exist at this time? Ji Qingzhou wasn’t sure. He wasn’t a professional dog breeder, and most of his knowledge about pet dogs came from pet bloggers.

But since Luo Mingxuan had called it a Collie, he’d go with that for now.

“It’s adorable, but I can’t keep a dog here,” Ji Qingzhou said regretfully, withdrawing his hand.

Luo Mingxuan’s smile instantly vanished. He blinked and asked, “Why? You don’t like dogs?”

“I do, but having a puppy around to play with is one thing. Keeping it here would mean dog hair everywhere, making a mess,” Ji Qingzhou explained. “Besides, I’m busy with work and don’t have time to play with it. The yard is also too small for a high-energy breed.”

“How can you tell it’s high-energy?” Luo Mingxuan’s tone carried a mix of confusion and disappointment, as if it wasn’t the dog being rejected but himself. “If you won’t take it, what should we do? Should I take it back?”

“Let Brother Yuan keep it. He’s got plenty of free time anyway. With the entire garden and lawn at Jie Mansion, isn’t there enough space for it to run around?”

As he spoke, Ji Qingzhou walked to the entrance and pulled Jie Yuan over, asking, “You’re not scared of dogs, are you?”

“What do you think?” Jie Yuan countered.

“I think you’re fearless. Our Yuan Yuan’s a real man who fears nothing in this world.” Ji Qingzhou flattered him while grabbing his hand and placing it on the puppy’s head. “But even if you’re not afraid, someone in your household might be, or allergic to dog hair. Can you keep it?”

As Jie Yuan felt the warm, soft fur under his palm, he casually rubbed the puppy’s head and replied, “Sure.”

The moment he finished speaking, he felt something wet lick his fingers twice.

“Hey, Brother Yuan, this little thing actually takes to you! It’s licking your hand!”

Luo Mingxuan was first astonished, then lowered his head to scold the puppy. “Oh, you smooth operator! I’ve been holding you for so long, and you didn’t lick me once. Does Young Master Jie have some kind of aura that made you instantly take to him?”

“You’ve got it all wrong. It’s just practicing to be a guide dog. This one’s a working breed,” Ji Qingzhou teased with a laugh.

Jie Yuan, who had just taken a handkerchief from A You to wipe his fingers, his brow twitched slightly, and turned his head toward Ji Qingzhou. “Worried? Think it’ll replace you?”

Ji Qingzhou clicked his tongue. “Must you always be like this?”

Jie Yuan clammed up immediately and stayed silent.

“By the way, your sister-in-law’s pregnant. Wouldn’t keeping a pet be inconvenient?”

“Just don’t let it go upstairs, and it’ll be fine.”

“Still, you should ask first. If your brother and the others don’t mind, then take it back. Otherwise, we’ll have to disappoint Luo Mingxuan’s kindness.”

“Mm.”

“The Jie family’s place is huge. One more pup won’t hurt!” Luo Mingxuan had already made up his mind and placed the puppy back in the box. “Why don’t you give it a name first? We can’t just keep calling it ‘puppy’ forever.”

“Right,” Ji Qingzhou said, kneeling down to play with the puppy in the box. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he looked up with a grin. “Since it’s going to live in a wealthy household, it’s bound to be a happy little dog from now on. How about naming it ‘Mansion’? We can call it ‘Howie’ for short. What do you think?”

He nudged Jie Yuan’s leg with his elbow.

After a pause, Jie Yuan finally... was speechless.

“... ”

After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke up for the dog’s sake. “Do you honestly think that sounds good?”

“What’s wrong with it? ‘Howie’—it means top dog!” Translator’s Note: "Howie" is a pun on the Chinese word "hao" (good) and the English idiom "top dog."

"Hey, I think it's great! It has a similar charm to my 'Triple Luck'!" Luo Mingxuan expressed his support.

"That's why I like Luo! He understands me best!"

Jie Yuan gave a light scoff, lowering his head to wipe his fingers with a handkerchief, seemingly wiping at nothing in particular.

Luo Mingxuan glanced at him but ignored it, then snapped his fan open and declared, "Brother Qingzhou, this is the dog I gifted you—you have the naming rights. Don’t listen to Brother Yuan, it’s settled! Let’s call it Howie!"

·

In the end, the dog gifted by Luo Mingxuan was welcomed into the Jie family mansion after obtaining the family’s approval. And despite Jie Yuan’s objections, Ji Qingzhou stood his ground against them and officially named it "Howie."

If there was anyone happiest about the new family member, it was undoubtedly Jie Linglong.

When the puppy was first carried into the Jie mansion by A You, it was still timid in the unfamiliar environment, sitting quietly on the floor.

But after Jie Linglong played with it using her own toys, it took less than ten minutes for the little dog to become fast friends with the girl.

To be honest, though the dog was only two months old, it was quite clever for its age and already knew how to recognize its owners.

It was docile and well-behaved around Ji Qingzhou, eager to please under Jie Yuan’s touch, and would just give a half-hearted tail wag when others tried to play with it. Yet, it was particularly lively and mischievous with Jie Linglong, as if treating her like a playmate of its own age.

So that very evening, shortly after the puppy entered the household, it was already trailing behind Ji Qingzhou and Jie Linglong, playing on the big lawn until dinnertime, when Howie was taken away by a servant who knew about dogs to be fed.

With the new pet, dinner talk naturally turned to the latest addition to the family.

"Mingxuan really… If he wanted to guard against thieves, he should’ve given you a big yellow dog instead of a pet breed," Shen Nanqi said, sighing.

Recently, the Suzhou Girls' Academy had gone on break, so she had been staying at home.

"Don’t underestimate this herding dog—if trained well, it can be very intelligent and understand many commands," Ji Qingzhou countered, still convinced Howie was a Border Collie type.

"Then why not hire a dog trainer? Otherwise, wouldn’t its intelligence go to waste?" Jie Yuchuan suggested, partly out of concern for his daughter’s safety.

"That’s a good idea. I’ll ask around among the ladies who keep pets if they know any reliable trainers. It’d be nice for Yuan Yuan to have a smart dog for company at home—it’d make things more lively."

After saying this, Shen Nanqi suddenly turned to Ji Qingzhou and asked, "By the way, what’s the meaning behind naming it 'Howie'?"

"Uh…"

Ji Qingzhou briefly hesitated, finding it hard to explain either "moving into a wealthy household" or "a heroic dog" in front of elders.

Just then, Jie Yuan interjected calmly, "It’s a homophone—meaning 'good.'"

"Ah, yes, yes—a good dog," Ji Qingzhou quickly agreed.

"Oh, I see. That’s quite clever," Shen Nanqi nodded in approval.

Having gotten past that, Ji Qingzhou listened as the conversation shifted to some young lady’s lion dog and secretly wanted to give Jie Yuan a thumbs-up for his quick thinking.

Too bad the other man couldn’t see it, so he had to let it go.

·

As night fell, a cool breeze blew under a starry sky.

After preparing bath water for Jie Yuan, Ji Qingzhou called A You to wait in the bedroom before heading to Jie Yuan’s study. There, he laid out his brushes and watercolors, sitting at the desk to begin drafting.

Though the fashion magazine for Hupan Press wasn't out yet, the eight drawings due mid-next month had to be worked on ahead of time.

Of course, the top priority at the moment is Tang Suda's design draft.

In fact, when he first saw Ms. Tang, he felt that her mature, coolly elegant aura and tall, slender figure would be perfect for a women's tailored suit.

Coincidentally, Tang Suda also preferred clothing with clean lines and substantial textures, and she even happened to favor the color green, which matched her eye color beautifully.

Upon hearing her request, Ji Qingzhou already had a rough idea in his mind. After some deliberation, he finalized the design style last night and sketched the outlines in pencil.

The top would be made of structured, lustrous silk in an understated yet luxurious emerald green.

To reduce the matronly effect of silk in everyday wear and enhance a modern vibe, the front placket was designed with a crossover style, featuring gathers at the waist on both sides to create a natural wrap effect, using clean radiating lines to accentuate the bust-to-waist ratio.

Paired with it would be a dark green, wide-cut outer coat in a deeper shade, made of a heavier, matte wool fabric to contrast with the richness of the blouse, adding depth and visual depth.

A fitted narrow skirt was a must with the coat—a slightly flared skirt that skimmed the hips would be just right, paired with a woven belt adorned with silver metal buckles. The skirt length would fall about ten centimeters below the knee, with the same fabric color and texture as the coat.

Finally, as a bonus accessory, a side hat would complete the look.

The sketch only loosely outlined a tilted hat without much detail.

Later, a beret could be made from the coat fabric to ensure the outfit's perfect cohesion.

Ji Qingzhou envisioned the texture and color of each piece in his mind, mixing several shades of green.

As he was laying down color with his brush, a sharp sound of the door opening reached his ears.

He looked up toward the door and, as expected, saw Jie Yuan walking in slowly with his cane, making his way to his usual armchair and sitting down.

"Finished bathing?" Ji Qingzhou greeted.

"Mm-hmm." Jie Yuan leaned back comfortably in the armchair and asked casually, "Another design?"

"Yep."

"Where did you learn all these skills?"

"Can't I be a natural talent?" Ji Qingzhou replied first, then, realizing how flippant that sounded and doubting Jie Yuan would believe it, added his go-to explanation, "Of course, I also received some guidance from a painter friend back in the capital."

Jie Yuan pursed his lips and asked calmly, "With so many friends, was there really no one who could lend a hand when you were in trouble?"

"What, worried about your wife now?" Ji Qingzhou teased, raising his eyes.

Before Jie Yuan could deny it, he quickly added, "Just passing friendships—how could they compare to you? Not everyone is as loyal to friends as you and Luo Mingxuan."

Even so, Jie Yuan found it odd.

Though he hadn't known Ji Qingzhou for long, his instincts told him that someone of his temperament and abilities shouldn’t have been driven out of the capital by a bank manager relying on his wife's family influence.

At times, he even felt that the Ji Qingzhou he knew now and the Ji Yunqing who once earned his keep singing opera seemed like two entirely different people.

"By the way, you came just in time—help me write some new business cards."

Worried that further questions might trip him up, Ji Qingzhou quickly changed the subject, setting down his brush and pulling out twenty-four blank cards from the drawer, sliding them across the table.

Jie Yuan, as expected, was diverted. Recalling the last time he wrote business cards, he immediately asked, "How many?"

"Look at you, out of practice—twenty-four, of course."

" ..."

After a moment of silence, upon hearing Ji Qingzhou's approaching footsteps, Jie Yuan sat up and tapped his fingers on the edge of the wall-side table, asking, "What do I get if I help you write these?"

"You want a reward?" Ji Qingzhou frowned slightly, looking troubled. "What can I possibly offer when I have nothing? At most, a grateful hug—want it?"

"...How lame."

Despite his words, when Ji Qingzhou handed him the pen, Jie Yuan didn’t refuse.

"See? I offer the only thing I have, and you still complain."

Jie Yuan held the pen, made a show of considering for two seconds before tentatively suggesting, "Sing me an opera piece?"

"Guess I'll need to ask someone else then!"

Ji Qingzhou decisively snatched the pen back, tutting. "Wonder how Ms. Shen’s handwriting is... Oh, Xin Geer is a literary type—his calligraphy must be excellent."

As he turned to return to his seat, Jie Yuan grabbed his arm before he could take a step.

"Hm?" Ji Qingzhou looked down at him with a questioning hum.

"Put it on my tab." After a brief silence, Jie Yuan replied in a low voice.

Ji Qingzhou's face lit up, shoving the pen back into his hand. Leaning one hand on the desk, he placed a small card in front of Jie Yuan with the other, adjusting his grip on the pen with a cheerful tone. "Fine, put it on my tab. Ask me for anything later—within my abilities, of course."

Jie Yuan gave a mocking snort, unsure why he was agreeing to such a troublesome and thankless task.

Maintaining his cool demeanor, he expertly wrote Ji Qingzhou’s name while consoling himself—since they were married, fulfilling husbandly duties was only natural.

Even if Ji Qingzhou lacked such awareness, he couldn’t be irresponsible. Might as well treat it as part of being a good spouse.

·

In the hustle and bustle, the end of the month arrived in the blink of an eye.

As the production of the black lotus skirt neared completion, more work started coming in.

On Saturday afternoon, Ji Qingzhou settled on the design and price for a custom garment with Ms. Tang Suda, collecting a five-yuan deposit. The next afternoon, visiting a small shop in Love Lane, he found another order for a cheongsam added to the queue—placed by a man surnamed Qin for his wife.

Unlike previous clients, this one had brought his own fabric, selecting only the style from the design book while letting the shop handle details like piping and buttons.

Ji Qingzhou examined the material—a luxurious teal-colored crepe de Chine, covered in diamond-patterned jacquard.

When Zhu Renqing lifted it from the fabric chest, Ji Qingzhou’s first thought was delight—the aquamarine beads he’d stockpiled would finally come in handy.

Slotting the new order into August’s schedule, he and Song Yuer worked nonstop in the studio for the next two days.

Finally, they completed the long-delayed black lotus skirt by the end of July.