Li Miao couldn't help but stare intently at the husky in front of her.
Perhaps because it wasn't fully grown yet, its fur was still more gray than the classic black-and-white, but its oversized blue eyes were surrounded by dark "eyeliner," and the fur on its forehead formed a distinct "M" shape.
Its gaze was clear—and brimming with utter stupidity.
Yep… no mistake about it.
This was the same husky she had raised in her past life.
"Heh, bet you never imagined, Erha, that one day you'd end up right back in my hands… hehehe…" Li Miao smirked devilishly as she watched the happily wagging dog.
Erha froze.
Erha began to panic.
Erha stared at its demonic owner in sheer horror.
"Ow? Ow ow ow!?"
"Shut up!"
"Ow ow ow!!"
It's killing the dog! Killing the dog!!
Erha tried to bolt, but Li Miao's icy grip clamped down on the scruff of its neck—the absolute chokehold of fate.
Like a lifeless lump, Erha stared blankly with those "brilliant" eyes as its owner mercilessly shoved it into a frilly pink dress.
"There we go, Erha~ Look how *beautiful* you are now!"
Li Miao patted the dog's head, adjusted the oversized pink bow on top, and declared, "Gorgeous! Stunning! Trust me, you're basically the *Daniel Wu* of dogs!"
Erha: …
"Ow?"
…R-really?
After a few seconds of hesitation, Erha tiptoed with tiny *tap-tap* steps toward the full-length mirror in the room.
"OW!!"
**AHHH!!**
A wave of grief crashed over Erha as it stared at its reflection—a male husky in a lacy pink miniskirt, complete with a giant bowtie collar.
Mom…
It might be…
*Ruined forever.*
Erha stared.
Erha's soul began to leave its body.
Erha attempted to comfort itself.
…Huh. If it *really* looked… maybe it was… a *tiny* bit… cute?
It must just be *that* naturally good-looking.
Out of the corner of its eye, Erha saw Li Miao dramatically clasp her hands and gasp.
"*WOW!!!!*"
"Who's *that* gorgeous little princess in the mirror!?"
"Is it my *adorable* Erha!?"
"HAHAHA, SO HANDSOME!!"
"Erha, you're basically a *celestial dog* descended to earth!"
Erha's chin lifted.
Erha sat primly without thinking.
Erha's tail wagged automatically.
Then, from outside the room, Mr. Li's voice boomed—
"What was that noise just now!? *Li Miao, are you bullying Erha again!?*"
Li Miao forcibly swallowed her manic grin and coughed. "I *didn't*, I *wouldn't*, you're *imagining things*—I just put some clothes on it!"
Mr. Li sounded skeptical. "*Really?*"
"As true as *gold*."
"…Fine. Hurry up and bring Erha out for breakfast. We still have to get its official registration done later!"
"Okay, coming~"
Li Miao glanced at Erha, still admiring itself in the mirror.
*Tch.*
*You really thought you could outsmart me, huh?*
"Alright, Erha, let's go eat for now."
While the dog was distracted, she whipped out her phone and snapped a few *incriminating* photos for blackmail purposes, then led Erha to the dining room.
The table was already set with three specially prepared beast meals—all made by Mrs. Li for the family's bonded beasts.
Aside from Erha, the Li household also had a black cat (Mrs. Li's psychic-type beast, adorned with a golden collar, its amber eyes looking disdainfully at the husky) and a golden snub-nosed monkey (Mr. Li's fire-type beast, sporting a flame-like tuft of red fur on its head, which immediately burst into screeching laughter at the sight of Erha).
Erha tilted its head.
"Ow?"
*"SCREEEEE!!"*
*"Meow~"*
The other two beasts stared with *fascinated* horror at the lacy pink disaster prancing in front of them—especially as Erha, convinced of its own *magnificence*, strutted up to Mr. and Mrs. Li with a proud tail wag.
*"OW OW OW!"*
**BEHOLD!**
**THE DANIEL WU OF DOGS!**
**WHO DARES COMPARE!?**
Mr. Li: *"Pfft—"*
Mrs. Li: *"…"*
Their eyes slowly turned toward Li Miao.
"Mianmian, what on *earth*…"
Mrs. Li closed her eyes for a long moment.
*"Are you doing?"*
"If I recall correctly… Erha is *male*, isn't it?"
Li Miao clamped a hand over Erha's protesting muzzle. "Nope. You misremembered."
*"This* is its true calling."
The black cat and golden monkey's expressions morphed from disdain to outright *pity*—so much so that the cat even extended a gentle, *consoling* paw to pat Erha's head.
*We must protect the弱小可怜又无助.*
After the chaotic breakfast, Li Miao snatched up Erha (still desperately trying to wriggle out of its outfit) and prepared to leave for its official registration.
Once registered, Erha could legally go outside.
Mr. and Mrs. Li had initially wanted to accompany them, but since buying Erha had already strained the family's finances, they ultimately decided to head to work instead—only sternly reminding *Li Miao* to keep an eye on the dog.
*"Lately, there's been a surge in beast thieves targeting both contracted and unregistered beasts."*
Nodding, Li Miao hailed a taxi and dragged the thrashing, howling Erha inside.
Erha: ???
**EXCUSE ME.**
**YOU'RE MAKING A *MALE* DOG WEAR A DRESS IN PUBLIC!?**
Li Miao ignored its outraged glare.
*Please. A little pink skirt is nothing.*
*Just wait till it grows up—she was* **definitely** *getting it neutered.*
For some reason, Erha felt a sudden chill in its nether regions.
It was *really* trying its hardest to escape, yet no matter how much it struggled, Li Miao's grip remained unshaken—leaving it dangling pathetically like a limp sausage, only its tail still wagging faintly.
*…Owner, are you secretly a bodybuilder or something?*
Li Miao gave the sulking husky a sidelong glance.
*"Hah. You really think you can win against me?"*
This was nothing compared to the full-grown husky in her past life yanking her into mud puddles at full speed.
Just remembering those days made her face darken.
*"If you keep squirming, I'll *abandon* you!"*
*"OW!"*
*You wouldn't dare!*
Erha glared.
*"Try me."*
Li Miao smirked.
Thanks to their bond, she could *understand* Erha's barks—though *only* Erha's.
At the police station, a line of young beast tamers had already formed with their own beasts in tow. Sitting Erha down and clipping on its leash, Li Miao settled in to wait.
Erha briefly considered making a break for it—
But the leash was held by *the most despicable human alive.*
Defeated, it flopped miserably at Li Miao's feet, ears drooping.
Then, from behind them, a girl's voice giggled:
*"Hey, look at that dog up ahead—it's so cute~"*
*"Right?? If I hadn't already contracted with my Fluffy Cloud, I'd *totally* get a Snowland breed too…"*
*"Ehh, aren't those super high-energy? I heard they get distracted super easily early on, which makes training a pain…"*
*"But hers is so well-behaved!"*
*"And *that outfit*—adorable!!"*
Erha: *"…"*
**Let me be clear.**
**Are you bipedal creatures *blind*?**
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**[New story launch—please support if you like it~! <3]**