Chapter 42: Animal Abuse

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Animal Abuse

Renee Jennings watched Sean Fuller drive away, then led Zane and Jasmine home. Suddenly, the System’s voice echoed in her mind.

[System 009: New mission triggered: Assist the police in finding a murderer. Mission rewards: Amphibian Dictionary, one million cash, 50 points.]

Renee’s eyes lit up.

’The System is handing out cash!’

’All I can think about is money these days.’

Back home, Dalton Jenson was busy in the kitchen, while Rhea Dempsey and Diana Jennings were making dumplings at the dining table.

Seeing this, Zane and Jasmine excitedly raised their little hands, asking to help.

A loving smile spread across Rhea Dempsey’s face. "Alright, let your aunt take you to wash your hands."

Renee took the siblings to wash their hands, then sat on the sofa to think.

’Assist the police in finding a murderer... Should I text Henry Stark and ask if he has any unsolved cases like that?’

"Renee, come make dumplings!" Rhea Dempsey called out. "A family should do things together. Everyone else is making dumplings, don’t just sit there spacing out."

"Got it." Renee snapped out of her thoughts. She walked a few steps, saw the two cats and one dog, and raised an eyebrow. "So, should Blueberry, Cici, and Bella be making dumplings too?"

Rhea Dempsey was left speechless.

Blueberry, Cici, and Bella seemed very interested, and they all started moving toward the dining table.

"No, no, that’s not necessary," Rhea Dempsey said hastily. "If they’re bored, they can go downstairs and play for a while."

"My little darlings, want to go downstairs and play?" Renee asked.

The three little ones nodded in unison.

Renee opened the door and let them out, reminding them, "Don’t leave the residential complex. Come back after you’ve played for a bit."

"We know!" the three chorused.

However, when it was time for dinner, they still hadn’t returned.

It was already getting dark, and Rhea Dempsey was worried. "I’ll go downstairs and look for them. I hope they didn’t get lost."

"I’ll go." Renee was already at the door.

Downstairs, she found her three furry companions.

Next to them, there seemed to be a skinny young Golden Retriever.

"Made a new friend?" Renee asked with a smile.

When Blueberry saw her, its feline eyes suddenly lit up. It ran up to her and said, "Renee, Ginny is in trouble. Can you help her?"

Renee blinked in confusion. "What kind of trouble?"

"Ginny, why don’t you tell my human yourself," Blueberry said, looking at the little Golden Retriever.

Ginny took a few steps forward and looked up timidly at Renee. "Y-you, hello... Blueberry, Cici, and Bella said you’re very nice, and very capable."

Hearing this, a hint of a smile flashed in Renee’s beautiful eyes.

’So this is how my little furballs praise me to other animals?’

’They’re getting extra treats tonight!’

Ginny mustered its courage and asked, "Um... my male owner hasn’t been home for many days. Can I stay at your place for now? They said your house is fun, and the dog food is delicious."

Renee was speechless.

’No extra treats tonight.’

’Don’t those three little rascals have any idea how small our place is?’

’If I bring Ginny home, I’ll definitely end up sleeping under a bridge tonight.’

"I’m sorry." Renee crouched in front of Ginny, reached out to pet its head, and explained gently, "My home isn’t big enough right now. If you like our dog food, I can bring some for you to eat, okay?"

Hearing this, Ginny’s watery eyes filled with disappointment. It lowered its head. "It’s okay, I won’t go."

"But Renee," Cici meowed anxiously, "Ginny’s female owner is so mean! She’s always yelling at it, kicking it, and won’t even feed it."

"That’s right!" Bella barked. "Ginny has it so hard! What should we do?"

Renee was at a loss for words.

But she hadn’t moved to a bigger place yet. A Golden Retriever would take up a lot of space when it grew up, and her home couldn’t accommodate so many animals.

Besides, Ginny had an owner. It wasn’t a stray she could just decide to keep.

Ginny was touched that its new friends were all speaking up for it.

It barked, explaining, "Thank you, guys. I’m okay. Actually, the female owner isn’t mean to me all the time. I’m safe when she’s at work during the day!"

Ever since getting her own pets, Renee couldn’t stand hearing about animal abuse.

Especially not to a sweet little dog like this.

"Wait a minute. Let me ask a friend if Ginny can stay with her temporarily." Renee remembered that Michelle Fuller had mentioned wanting a pet a few days ago.

At her words, the four furry animals’ eyes lit up in unison. They tilted their heads up and looked at her expectantly.

Renee’s heart practically melted at the adorable sight.

She took out her phone, snapped a picture of Ginny, and sent it to Michelle Fuller before calling her to explain the situation.

"Yes, yes!" Michelle Fuller answered with almost no hesitation. "Should you bring it over, or should I come pick it up? Oh, right, do I need to prepare dog food, a dog bed...? What’s its favorite color?"

"Not so fast," Renee interrupted. "I still have to ask Ginny’s owner."

Michelle Fuller urged her, "Then go ask! Tell me as soon as you’re done! I’m going to start picking out pet supplies!"

"I know." Renee hung up with a helpless sigh and told the little furballs, "Ginny can stay at my friend’s place for now. Once I move into a bigger house, I’ll bring you over to live with us."

Ginny nodded vigorously and barked, "It’s okay! When my male owner comes back, I have to go home anyway."

Renee paused for a moment before realizing that Ginny just wanted a place to stay for a few days while its male owner was away.

"Okay." She nodded. "Ginny, where do you live? I need to talk to your female owner about you staying at my friend’s place for a while."

But Ginny said, "Actually, you don’t have to. Even if I disappeared, my female owner wouldn’t look for me..."

"No." Renee shook her head and explained, "Since you have an owner, I can’t just take you. That would be stealing."

"Okay, then follow me." Ginny led Renee and its new friends out of the residential complex.

Renee was a bit surprised. "Oh, so Ginny doesn’t live in the same complex as us."

Ginny’s home was in the apartment building across the street from the complex.

Renee followed it into one of the buildings and pressed the button for the 4th floor in the elevator.

Stepping out of the elevator, Ginny stopped in front of apartment 403.

The door was closed. As Renee rang the doorbell, she glanced down and asked, "When you come back from playing outside, how do you usually get back in?"

Ginny replied, "I can get in when they’re going out."

Renee was speechless again.

’How long would that take?’

’Ginny’s life was only marginally better than a stray’s.’

"Who is it?" a man’s voice called from inside.

Renee’s gaze sharpened, and a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.

’Didn’t Ginny say its male owner wasn’t home?’

The door opened from the inside, revealing a middle-aged man in pajamas who looked Renee up and down. "Who are you looking for?"

Renee smiled faintly. "Hello, is your wife home?"

"What is it?" the middle-aged man asked.

Renee asked, "Is this little Golden Retriever yours?"

The middle-aged man glanced at the dog on the floor and frowned. "What about it?"

The man’s attitude wasn’t very friendly, but Renee kept a smile on her face. "I’ve taken a real liking to it. I was wondering if you’d be willing to part with it?"

The middle-aged man said impatiently, "It’s just a stupid dog. If you want it, take it!"

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