"This novel brims with vibrant, everyday charm—comforting like stretching lazily under the afternoon sun."
——Tan Zhuo, Actress

"I see myself in Kang Nan. Even every side character feels like someone we’d meet in life. In this story, there are no outright villains. Everyone’s flaws and virtues have roots. I love this approach. In this lighthearted urban vignette, the line between reality and fiction blurs. They say every dog has its habitual walking route. Maybe we’re the same—each playing our roles, walking our one-way streets. Sometimes we stray, but it’s okay. The leash in our hands will pull us back."
——Feng Xuan, Lead Singer of More Feel

★A heartwarming story about pets, depicting the mutual redemption between humans and their companions!
“My name is Lucky. I’m a stray dog. Thank you for staying in my world with kindness, allowing me to be with you.”

★A book of courage for girls: always stay young, always be brave, and never fear starting over again!
“Even if I die ten thousand times, as long as dawn comes, I can rise again.”

Qilang tells a heartwarming story of a girl who has suffered setbacks in both her personal life and love, and how she and the stray dog Lucky find comfort and healing in each other’s company. In this story, we see how both humans and dogs help each other recover from hardships, as well as amusing moments related to daily dog care. There are also stories about failures in both career and romance, along with inspiring tales of overcoming difficulties and starting anew.

“I want to be by your side. I want to be your treasure.”

Kang Nan, a city-based white-collar worker, faces setbacks in both love and work. While drunk, she adopts a stray dog and names it Lucky. From then on, her life becomes chaotic due to taking care of the dog. But unexpectedly, Lucky changes her life completely. She stops being a workaholic and meets some interesting people who share her love for dogs. She also meets Uncle Wang, a kind and caring man who becomes an important part of her life, just like Lucky. But when they’re about to start a relationship, Uncle Wang’s ex-wife reappears, putting Kang Nan in a difficult situation. To make matters worse, her career hits rock bottom. Thankfully, her little friend Xuzhou becomes her support system, helping her find the courage to start over and return to her hometown.

Qi Lang

Real name Du Xiangyu, author, film and television producer and planner. Published the novel "Little Years" in 2019, and has served as the producer for several online series such as "The Hidden Corner" and "The Silence Truth". With a fresh creative perspective and viewpoints on fictional stories, the overall writing style is elegant and gentle, excelling at depicting urban life and the subtle entanglements of people or the soft emotions in youth literature, adorned with sharp and humorous insights into life's trivialities, telling true and warm stories of ordinary people's lives and their extraordinary emotional worlds with a language immersed in simple values.

Chapter 1 30-Year-Olds, Owning Nothing but a Dog
Chapter 2 It's Not Dreams That Wake You Up, It's the Dog
Chapter 3 On the Date Path, Losing Face and Losing the Dog
Chapter 4 A Happy Dog Life, An Awkward Human Life
Chapter 5 Life Is Already So Difficult, One Must Strive for the Life They Want
Chapter 6 Getting Drunk at 20 Makes You Cute; at 30, It Makes You Crazy
Chapter 7 No One Can Always Be a Young Girl, But One Can Be a 'Senior Girl'
Chapter 8 Even the Dog Is Pregnant, Yet You're Still Single
Chapter 9 At This Age, Everyone Who Comes Is a Guest
Chapter 10 The Person You Want to See When Drunk Is the One You Like
Chapter 11 To Break Up, First Divide the Dog
Chapter 12 Completely Forgetting First Love Is a Basic Quality of a Mature 30-Year-Old Woman
Chapter 13 When Love Vow Becomes a Battle Vow, The love game is over
Chapter 14 The Leap at 20, The Strain at 30
Chapter 15 Don't Be Like a Stray Dog, Taking Charity as Home
Chapter 16 100 Reasons to Love at 30, 10,000 to Stay Single
Chapter 17 If You Can't Find the Antidote to Life, Just Fight Fire with Fire
Chapter 18 Without Freedom of Heart, You'll Never See the Stars and the Sea
Chapter 19 At My Age, Go Clubbing Like Battling the Spring Festival Crowd (9 billion people)
Chapter 20 Everyone Who Fails in Love Becomes a Philosopher After Drinking
Chapter 21 There Isn't That Much Happiness in Life; Peace Is Already Not Easy


Extra Chapter: The Dog's Monologue
Big Bear
Lucky
Caesar
Black Bean
Ge Ge
Bella
Another Planet

Excerpt

Just as she was searching for her dog like looking for a needle in a haystack, Wang Xinyu tagged Kang Nan in the group chat: "Come to the pavilion near the north gate – someone saw Lucky run past there a moment ago."

Kang Nan shot up as if electrocuted and jogged all the way to the north gate. She felt fast enough to compete in the Olympics. When she got there, she saw a white blur darting away like a rabbit in the distance – it was Lucky! Kang Nan shouted, but Lucky didn't react at all. Then she noticed a sturdy golden retriever charging after Lucky. Behind the golden retriever, a man chased after them, yelling, "Da Xiong, come back!"

Kang Nan froze for a second, then ran after the man. So there it was: Lucky, followed by a golden retriever, followed by a man and a woman, all running desperately. They practically looped the entire complex. Both Kang Nan and the man were shouting as they ran. It couldn't have been more dramatic.

Kang Nan's lungs were about to burst. She was nowhere near as fast as the two dogs, and soon they disappeared from sight. The man ahead of her also looked exhausted – his voice nearly gone – and slowed down. Kang Nan couldn't take it anymore and yelled from behind, "Hey, is that your dog?"

The man stopped. "Yes. And the little white dog is yours, right?"

Kang Nan looked closely. The man was none other than the tennis player who had helped separate Lucky and the Chow Chow before.

Kang Nan answered, "Yes! Where are they going?"

The tennis player looked helpless. "I don't know. You go west, I'll go east!"

Kang Nan nodded. "Okay." There was no other choice.

Each ran half a circle around the complex and finally met in a small grove in the corner. They spotted their dogs almost simultaneously – but the scene was incredibly awkward. The two dogs were mating.

Yes, this dog named Da Xiong had "slept with" Lucky.

Kang Nan shrieked, "Ah! Pervert!"

The tennis player yelled at Da Xiong, "Stop it!"

Kang Nan shouted at the tennis player, "Make your dog stop!"

The man mechanically followed Kang Nan's order, shouting at the excited Da Xiong, "Stop! Stop!" Then he turned red, his voice full of embarrassment and helplessness. "But he can't just stop on command!"

Kang Nan wanted to pull them apart but didn't know how. This was the first time she had seen dogs doing "the deed," especially in the presence of a strange man. Her face also flushed. But she couldn't worry about that now – other than shouting "stop," there was nothing else to do.

Suddenly, Da Xiong turned his body around. After a moment of trembling, he finally stopped, and the two dogs separated.

Kang Nan rushed over and scooped Lucky off the ground. Lucky whimpered. Da Xiong returned to the tennis player's side, looking rather satisfied.

Kang Nan quickly checked Lucky, who was covered in drool. "Are you okay?" Nothing seemed wrong at first glance. Then she turned and pointed at the tennis player. "Your dog is a pervert! That was assault! Rape!"

The tennis player was completely stunned. He kept saying, "Sorry! Sorry!" – unable to say anything else.

Kang Nan was furious. She abandoned the poised, intellectual image she had cultivated for years, her voice nearly cracking. "What are you going to do about it? You have to take responsibility!"

The tennis player pointed at Da Xiong in frustration. Da Xiong, completely unaware that he had been labeled a "rapist," wagged his tail proudly. The man was speechless. After a moment, he turned back to Kang Nan and nodded firmly, though stammering, "Okay... what... what do you want me to do?"

That question stumped Kang Nan. She had never encountered such a situation before. It had never crossed her mind. Everything happened so suddenly, far beyond her life experience.

"Um... the hospital!" The only solution Kang Nan could think of was to go to the vet.

"Okay!" The tennis player scratched his head. "I'll get the car."

Kang Nan quickly said, "Don't think you can run! I'm coming with you."

"Don't worry. I will take responsibility," the man said solemnly, though his expression was grim.

Kang Nan carried Lucky into the man's car and sat in the back seat. Da Xiong sat in the passenger seat.

Both people in the car wore dark expressions. Da Xiong occasionally turned to look at Kang Nan and Lucky, but Kang Nan glared back each time. Da Xiong's naive charm did nothing to soothe her anger. The man felt the pressure from the back seat but didn't know how to explain, so he drove in silence.

Kang Nan looked funny with her puffed‑up anger, but inside she was a mess – furious, embarrassed, and lost. She glanced at the man driving. The light outside flickered in the car. His hair was very short, neat and clean. His large ears were translucent in the light. Following his ears, she looked at the rear‑view mirror. He happened to look at the mirror too. Their eyes met for a moment. Her earlier calm flared up again. She glared at him fiercely, but her heart was already in chaos.

Turns out he was a middle‑aged uncle.

They drove to a nearby pet hospital. On the way, the man called the vet he knew and asked him to come help. The man was very polite. When the vet asked what was wrong with the dogs, the man hesitated, then said, "They broke the precept of lust." The vet chuckled and said he understood. Kang Nan rolled her eyes in the back seat.

At the pet hospital, the front desk nurse had already left. Dr. Song, the vet they had contacted, was waiting for them. After briefly understanding the situation, Dr. Song examined Lucky and smiled. "It's actually not complicated. Lucky is in heat, with a strong scent that awakened Da Xiong's male hormones."

Kang Nan felt a bit humiliated – as if it was all Lucky's fault. She said defensively to the man, "Why didn't you leash your dog?"

The man was taken aback, then tried to explain, "I opened the car door and before I could leash him, he ran off."

Kang Nan wanted to say more, but she realized she was also at fault for letting Lucky run away. She shut her mouth.

Dr. Song saw their awkwardness and broke the ice. "So what do you plan to do now? Nothing can be determined yet."

The man said, "A full check‑up."

Kang Nan remembered that she had only vaccinated Lucky but had never done a full check‑up. She said, "Let's do the check‑up. I'll pay for any extra costs. I'm not trying to extort you."

"I'll take care of it," the man said firmly, leaving no room for refusal.

Kang Nan thought about all the trouble ahead and felt overwhelmed. She didn't argue further.

Blood tests were done, and results would be ready in half an hour. Kang Nan and the man sat side by side on a bench, a meter apart. They looked like parents called to the principal's office because their kids were caught dating – the atmosphere was awkward and gloomy. Each dog lay under its owner's feet, occasionally glancing at each other.

The results came out. Lucky had poor kidney function – a congenital condition. Severe cases might require a kidney transplant.

Kang Nan's heart clenched.

On the way home, Kang Nan still sat in the back, holding Lucky. She felt like crying. She wasn't a weak person – she had faced many things with more maturity and strength than her peers. But thinking of Lucky's pitiful past – abandoned, stray, then finally blessed to find a new home – only to be found with a serious physical defect. She had never thought about how many years a dog could accompany her, because she never realized that one day the dog might leave before her. But Dr. Song's words made her foresee the separation. The pain and worry of that separation lingered in her heart.

The man drove in silence. Even Da Xiong, lying in the passenger seat, seemed to feel the sadness.

"Don't be afraid. It can be treated," the man's low voice came from the front. He was clearly trying to comfort Kang Nan, but he was very clumsy.

Those words, at that moment, were crucial for Kang Nan. They were like a dam breaking – all the tears she had held back for so long burst out. She wailed, crying harder and harder. The man thought he had said something wrong and quickly pulled over.

Facing Kang Nan's sudden tears, the man was even more helpless. He hastily pulled out tissues, turned around, and handed them to Kang Nan from the front. "Don't cry."

Kang Nan took the tissues and realized she had lost control. "I'm sorry. I'm not blaming you."

The man was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "We'll figure this out together."

After crying, Kang Nan felt much better. "Thank you. Sorry for all the trouble. And sorry for losing my temper earlier. This is my first time dealing with something like this. I was a bit emotional."

The man gave a slight nod and drove silently back to the complex without another word.

When she got home, Kang Nan held Lucky for a while. She wanted to lecture Lucky about the door lock, but decided against it. Tomorrow she would call a locksmith to install a lock that could not be opened from the inside. Then, following Dr. Song's instructions, she checked Lucky's food and treats and put away anything unsuitable. Lucky was probably tired – he fell asleep in his bed, snoring, occasionally twitching as if dreaming.

After taking care of everything, Kang Nan washed up and lay in bed, feeling depressed. How could things get so chaotic? Her dog got mounted by someone else's dog, right under her eyes and a stranger's eyes. God, could anything be more embarrassing?

She couldn't bear to dwell on it. She picked up her phone and saw a friend request on WeChat from the "Dog Friends" group. The avatar was a golden retriever. She accepted.

Soon a message came: "Hello, I'm Da Xiong's dad, Old Wang."

Old Da Xiong had found a second spring – a new wife, Lucky. This news spread quickly in the "Dog Friends" group.

Everyone congratulated Old Wang and Kang Nan. Kang Nan was reluctant, but she had to face reality. It was like a mother attending her daughter's wedding – even if she wasn't happy about the son‑in‑law, the deed was done, and she could only swallow her tears.

The only thing that consoled Kang Nan was that every time she saw Old Wang, she swore inwardly, "You creep!" Like father, like dog. If the dog was so indecent, it must have learned from its owner.

At first, Kang Nan thought their union was purely physical. But after some observation, she realized it might not be so simple. She found that Lucky and Da Xiong might actually be in love. When Lucky went out to play, if Da Xiong didn't come, Lucky would become noticeably disappointed, impatient with other dogs, and would linger or sit down at the entrance of Da Xiong's building, refusing to leave no matter how much she urged. But if Da Xiong came out, they would roll around together. Da Xiong would lie on the ground while Lucky "roughhoused" him, very patiently. However, when other dogs tried to join in, Lucky would bare her teeth and growl – exactly like a wife confronting mistresses. Their behavior made every encounter between Kang Nan and Old Wang awkward. Xiao Qiu joked that they were in‑laws, which made Kang Nan's face even greener.

Xiao Qiu was warm‑hearted and always smiling. Like owner, like dog – his Labrador Caesar was also very friendly. Xiao Qiu said that when Caesar first came to his home, he was only the size of a palm, small enough to fit in a coat pocket. But he grew and grew – they changed his dog bed three or four times, and now he sleeps on the sofa entirely. Xiao Qiu taught Caesar every skill himself. Every time he taught Caesar a new skill – like fetching packages and opening them – he felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Later, Xiao Qiu's wife became pregnant. The couple worried that Caesar might be jealous or hurt the baby. But when they brought the baby home, Caesar moved with extraordinary care, as if afraid of startling the infant. Sometimes when the baby cried, Caesar would go over and comfort him, lying down and exposing his belly for the baby to touch.

Caesar had strong imitation skills. He often saw Xiao Qiu's wife playing music for the baby, dancing with toys to amuse the child. Caesar learned to do the same. Whenever music played, Caesar would pick up his toy and bounce on all four legs, dancing with a wobbly rhythm. When he was happy, he would bring his toy to the baby, initiating a forced interaction that often diverted the baby's attention and made him laugh.

Moreover, when Caesar went out with the baby, he would vigilantly protect him – like a professional bodyguard. So Xiao Qiu's wife always liked to bring Caesar along when she took the baby out. Many parents admired Caesar's gentle nature, and children loved to play with him.

Kang Nan was deeply moved by this story. The simple, pure trust between humans and dogs was beautiful. She looked down at Lucky, who only knew how to eat, poop, and make trouble, and decided to try teaching him to fetch and open packages. But she was still curious and asked Xiao Qiu, "Have you and your wife ever fought over the dog?"

"My wife used to say she married a man who never came home. After we got the dog, she said I treat the dog better than her. But since I come home on time now, she can't be bothered to compete with the dog for affection," Xiao Qiu said with a laugh.

Kang Nan found this amusing. As a single woman for many years, she couldn't fully grasp the joys of having a dog as a couple, but she imagined many interesting things would happen.

……