Polly tilted her head, peering through the spaceship window at the dog outside. Suddenly, she grabbed the zipper with her beak, pulled it open, and stood atop the pet carrier, fixated on the stray dog.
In her tiny little mind, she contemplated something unknown, her demeanor shifting from contemplation to excitement as she spun in circles on top of the carrier.
As Polly remained silent, Blake broke the silence, saying, "Let's take them to a rescue center."
They needed to find a reputable and responsible stray animal rescue center, a place where they could be assured of their safety.
These two dogs appeared to be strays, with dirty fur and emaciated bodies.
Through the layers of dirt, faint markings on their bodies revealed their mixed breed heritage – a blend of Labrador Retrievers with some other breeds, resembling a bit of a mutt upon first glance.
Yet, the dog cautiously took a step back, its eyes filled with sadness and fear.
It wasn't sure if these two humans before it was like the previous one, offering hope only to disappear.
Just like the numerous passersby who paused, their gazes lingering momentarily, before ultimately leaving with indifference.
Though the dog didn't comprehend the concept of "the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment," the despair and darkness that came with being abandoned by its owner made it too meek to ask for more.
The dog bit onto its companion's lifeless body, struggling to drag it towards the nearby bushes. However, it was too weak, unable to move it no matter how hard it tried.
Grace frowned and said, "Forget it, let's take them with us."
She turned her head, wearing an expression of disdain.
Lilly noticed that Grace shared her thoughts and exclaimed cheerfully, "See? Gracie thinks just like me! We're on the same wavelength!"
Grace responded with a roll of her eyes, her lips subtly twitching into a small smile before quickly straightening, reverting to her cold and composed demeanor.
Lilly turned her head again and asked, "What do you think, Polly?"
"Mr. Tortoise, what about you?"
Mr. Tortoise remained silent, as expected. It had nothing to say. The more commotion there was outside, the more peaceful its days became.
Look at that annoying parrot pestering it since they left, even using its back as a grindstone for its beak.
Suddenly, Polly flew onto the dog's head, tapping its skull and shaking her head, "Hey! Call me Daddy!"
She had somehow learned Lilly's "magic" and even mimicked her voice perfectly.
The group exchanged bewildered looks.
The gentle and honest dog's eyes narrowed slightly, looking up at the parrot perched on its head, then shifting its gaze to Lilly.
It had the appearance of someone willing to endure anything, allowing others to mistreat it.
Lilly, displaying a mature demeanor beyond her years, sighed, "Well then, let's get going! We should take you for a bath first! Otherwise, Grandma will have to make another trip."
The last time Bellflower came back, it was Grandma who took it for a bath.
Lilly pondered for a moment, deciding to bring the dog back home first. If they didn't enjoy staying with the Crawford family, she would let it go.
She planned to set up a doghouse at the front door and provide food for it every day.
In her innocent naivety, Lilly thought that, after all, it was an animal and perhaps it would prefer the wide open spaces. Forcing it to be adopted might not be the best option.
With the decision made, Blake drove off with Lilly and the dog, heading to the pet store.
As for the other dog that had been killed... Blake reached into the trunk and retrieved a body bag.
He carefully placed the dog inside.
Pablo was truly speechless, discovering that Blake had a body bag in the trunk. Who carries a body bag around like that? What was this guy thinking?
**
On the other side.
The man who had just finished filming returned to his residence—a spacious four-bedroom apartment that appeared more like an office. Several desks were scattered in the living room, with a few employees busy editing videos.
A muscular man, appearing to be an assistant, was preparing to leave with a young and beautiful woman. Upon seeing the man's return, he exclaimed, "Oh, the boss is back."
The first thing the man did was wash his hands, remarking, "I just touched a stray dog earlier. It was filthy."
He had even used wet wipes in the car, but he still felt dirty. Only after using hand sanitizer and disinfectant did he feel clean.
"Where are you guys heading?" he asked.
The attractive woman next to the assistant replied, "Boss, we're going out to capture some footage."
Nodding, the man handed his phone to one of the employees in the living room and said, "Go ahead!"
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