“If you’re going to see the vet, I’ll take you tomorrow at noon when I’m off,” Lin Guodong offered again.

“No need, you’re tired from training. Rest at noon. I’ll take Da Mao and Tie Dan to the production brigade leader of Moon Bay when I go and ask him about the vet. Then, we’ll check on the ordered furniture,” Ning Shu replied.

Lin Guodong didn’t insist further. “Then, leave the kids here. I’ll watch them.” It wouldn’t be convenient for her to take the kids out.

Ning Shu didn’t object to this.

After serving Da Mao and Tie Dan their meals, they carried them back to the dining room.

The Ning family also went to the dining room to eat.

During the meal, Er Bao, who usually loved meat, surprisingly restrained himself and only took a piece of pork trotter.

He took a small bite to taste it, then hopped off the chair.

Ning Shu quickly asked, “Are you giving the meat to Da Mao and Tie Dan?” It was obvious from his actions.

Er Bao nodded. “Yes, I want to give it to Da Mao and Tie Dan, Mom, is that okay?”

“Mom, Da Mao is eating,” San Bao also struggled to get off the chair, wanting to give his meal to Da Mao.

Yi Bao also stopped eating and looked at his mother.

Ning Shu sighed inwardly. “Da Mao and Tie Dan can’t eat sweet or salty things. Their food must be without salt or sugar. Our pork trotter soup has salt in it, so we can’t give it to them. You all need to remember this when feeding them in the future.”

“Ah?” Er Bao sat back down, feeling sympathetic. “Da Mao and Tie Dan are so pitiful. Without salt, the food won’t taste good. So, they can’t eat braised pork either?”

Ning Shu nodded. “Yes, they can only eat boiled meat, not braised pork.”

“They’re really pitiful,” Yi Bao said, glancing at Da Mao and Tie Dan, who were busy eating.

San Bao didn’t understand what his mother meant, but since he knew how to imitate others, he chimed in, “Da Mao, pitiful.”

Da Mao heard San Bao calling its name and, amidst eating, responded with a bark, “Woof…”

San Bao laughed instantly, his mouth wide open, looking like a little goofball. “Da Mao is great.”

Da Mao responded again, “Woof woof…”

Unlike the warmth of Ning Shu’s family of seven, many other families were playing out similar scenes.

The boys who had surrounded the three kids earlier asking about military dogs were now asking their parents if they could have one.

However, it was unfortunate that unless the family was well-off, from the city, or at least had average conditions, the boys’ mothers didn’t agree to have a dog.

For families with poor conditions, people couldn’t even get enough to eat, so they were unwilling to spend more food to raise dogs.

Regardless of the dog’s importance, in their eyes, it was still an animal, even if it was a military dog.

Some families, even if their conditions were okay, were restricted by their thoughts and were also unwilling to raise dogs.

Of course, there were families that agreed to it.

“Little brothers… are you there?”

As Ning Shu’s family was about to finish their meal, they heard a voice calling from the yard entrance.

“Who is it?” Ning Shu was curious. “Yi Bao, Er Bao, San Bao, someone’s looking for you. Is it your new friend?”

“I don’t know, I’ll go and see.” Yi Bao jumped off his chair and hurried out of the dining room.

He saw the older brother from across the street, whom he had just met, standing at the yard entrance. “Brother Wang Wei, what’s up?” He remembered this brother’s name was Wang Wei.

It was indeed Wang Wei, holding a large bowl filled with rice covered with vegetables and tofu.

He smiled and said, “Little brothers, this is for your Da Mao and Tie Dan to eat.”

“Huh?” Six-year-old Yi Bao was a bit confused and didn’t quite understand. “Why do you want to feed our Da Mao and Tie Dan?”

Wang Wei explained, “When I told my mom that I wanted to raise a dog, she said it’s okay, but I have to deduct half of my meals to feed the dog. If I can eat only half of my meals every day for a month, she’ll allow me to raise a dog. So, starting from dinner tonight, I’ll eat only half of my meals and give the rest to Da Mao and Tie Dan. I’m sure I can do it for a month, and then I can also have a dog. We can play together.”

At this moment, Wang Wei didn’t feel any generation gap between him, a 13-year-old fifth-grader, and Yi Bao, who was six.

He was chatting happily.

However, even though Yi Bao was quite precocious, he didn’t fully understand Wang Wei’s words.

He asked, “Brother Wang Wei, if you’re going to eat only half of your meals, why would you give the other half to our Da Mao and Tie Dan? You could give it to your parents, siblings, or even to yourself.”

Yi Bao scratched his head, genuinely puzzled.

If it were him, he would definitely give the food to his own parents and siblings.

Why would he feed someone else’s dogs?

“Huh?” Wang Wei was taken aback.

He hadn’t considered Yi Bao’s point.

After a moment of thought, he realized the validity of Yi Bao’s reasoning.

However, he said, “I really like your Da Mao and Tie Dan, so I brought it for them. Hurry and take it to feed them, and later bring the bowl back to me.”

Yi Bao glanced at the food in Wang Wei’s hands, hesitated for a moment, and finally confessed, “Brother, did you put salt in this meal?”

Wang Wei replied, “Of course, how can you eat vegetables without salt? And this braised tofu my mom made is so delicious. Although it’s not as good as braised pork, it’s still tasty without meat.”

Yi Bao became more conflicted. “But my mom said Da Mao and Tie Dan can’t eat food with salt or sugar. They can only eat plain food.”

“Oh? Is that so? Could your mom be mistaken?” Wang Wei was puzzled. Was it really like that?

Yi Bao said firmly, “My mom wouldn’t be mistaken. What she says must be right. My mom is the best.”

“Alright.” Wang Wei didn’t argue. “Can you bring Da Mao and Tie Dan out to play with me later?”

Yi Bao: “Sure! After we finish eating, we’ll take a walk to aid digestion. We’ll bring Tie Dan and Da Mao along. Wang Wei, you should join us too.”

Wang Wei replied, “Okay, I’ll go home first to do my homework. Just call me when you’re ready to go for a walk after eating. I’ll hear you from the door.”

Yi Bao and Wang Wei agreed, then returned to the house.

He found his parents, Er Bao, and San Bao all looking at him. Yi Bao explained, “That’s Wang Wei from across the street. He brought food for Da Mao and Tie Dan.”

Er Bao exclaimed, “Wang Wei is such a good person!”

San Bao nodded, “Yes, a good person indeed.”

Ning Shu was curious, “Who is this Wang Wei from across the street? And why did he bring food for Da Mao and Tie Dan?”

Lin Guodong explained, “He’s the son of Captain Wang from across the street.”

Ning Shu asked, “Then why did he bring food for Da Mao and Tie Dan?”

“Because he also wants to raise dogs. His mom said…” Yi Bao explained the whole situation, “But Mom, I don’t understand. Why does his mom only allow him to eat half of his meals, and why does he give the other half to Da Mao and Tie Dan? He could give it to his family instead.”

Ning Shu wanted to say, “Because he’s not very smart.”

But of course, she couldn’t say that. Instead, she smiled and said, “Because Wang Wei also likes Da Mao and Tie Dan, right? Why didn’t you bring any?”

Yi Bao replied, “Because Wang Wei’s dishes have salt in them. The tofu was braised tofu. Didn’t Mom say that Da Mao and Tie Dan shouldn’t eat dishes with salt or sugar? So, I told Wang Wei.”

If it wasn’t salty, he would have taken some.

He also wanted Da Mao and Tie Dan to have enough to eat.

Ning Shu praised, “Yi Bao, you’re really smart. You remember all these things and are very attentive. Well done.”

Yi Bao blushed and smiled shyly.

Er Bao chimed in, “Mom, I remember too!” So, Mom should praise him too.

Ning Shu said, “Remember this when you encounter situations. Be careful and considerate with Da Mao and Tie Dan. We need to protect them together.”

Er Bao nodded, “Okay.”

Yi Bao assured, “Mom, we will protect Da Mao and Tie Dan.”

After dinner, Lin Guodong tidied up the table, carried a bucket, and took the dishes to the well.

Because he trained every day, his body needed more food than usual, so he didn’t need to go for a walk to aid digestion.

Ning Shu took the three children and Da Mao and Tie Dan to the yard gate.

She asked, “Yi Bao, are you going to call that brother?”

Yi Bao nodded, “Mom, I’m going to call Wang Wei. We agreed on it.”

Even though he was a kid, he was someone who kept his promises.

Ning Shu nodded, “Yes, go ahead.”

Yi Bao bounced over to the Wang family’s house across the road.

There was only a road separating the two houses.

Yi Bao felt a bit shy visiting someone else’s house for the first time.

When he saw someone in the Wang family’s yard, his cheeks turned red.

After a moment’s pause and some mental preparation, he gathered his courage and called out, “Wang Wei… Is Wang Wei there?”

Wang Daqiang had just finished dinner and was stretching lazily in the yard when he saw the kid from the Lin family across the road coming over.

Before he could say anything, the kid spoke up.

He realized the kid was looking for his son. “Wait a moment, he’s here,” Wang Daqiang said, then called out, “Wang Wei, there’s a little friend from across the street looking for you.”

Sun Li heard Wang Daqiang’s loud voice and came out with the cleaned dishes and cutlery.

She greeted Yi Bao with a smile, “Oh, you’re from the Lin family. Our Wang Wei is doing his homework. What do you need him for?”

“He wants to play with me, Mom,” Wang Wei ran out from inside the house, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

He grabbed Yi Bao’s hand and they left.

Sun Li followed behind, teasing, “Always thinking about playing. You’re already so big, you should be as well-behaved as your sister.” As she spoke, she also stepped out of the yard to wash the dishes.

Then she saw Ning Shu among the group of children and two dogs.

She thought to herself that Mrs. Lin, from the Lin family, seemed to have too much free time.

But when she reached the well and saw Lin Guodong squatting there washing dishes, she was completely stunned!