But in fact, dog bites were not uncommon and happened from time to time. When he returned to the Mountain and Water Garden District, he had seen several incidents of large dogs chasing people or rushing towards dogs led by others. Besides chasing people, unleashed dogs might also provoke or play with other dogs. A slight mishap could easily turn into a disaster.

「Meanwhile.」

In a reception room of the nursing home, Wan Zhongyuan frowned at a lavishly dressed, obviously wealthy woman in front of him, his expression turning sour.

"I don’t care. Either he pays me, or the nursing home pays," the woman declared, trembling with anger, her eyes red. "My dog is a rare foreign breed, hardly found in this country. Do you know how much effort I put into raising it? To me, it was like my son. That damned old man killed it! You must compensate me, or I’ll call the police!"

In her arms, she held her pet dog that had been killed on the spot. Its head was a bloody, mangled mess. It looked utterly pitiful.

"Miss Cheng, your chi... your beloved dog has died, and we can understand your grief. Of course, there will be compensation, but this price..." Wan Zhongyuan said, struggling to find the words. "The price you’re asking for is unreasonable."

After the incident, he had staff at the nursing home investigate the breed of the pet dog. The breed was indeed very rare, but at most, it was worth just over ten thousand yuan. Yet, this woman, Cheng Chuxiao, was demanding fifty thousand yuan in compensation!

"How is it unreasonable?" Cheng Chuxiao burst out angrily. "I raised Binbin for three full years! Three whole years! Do you have any idea how much effort that took? I spent every day with it; you can’t possibly understand our bond! Do you think I’m asking for fifty thousand yuan out of thin air? I’m just seeking justice for it, demanding fair recompense! Even though it’s gone to heaven, it lives on forever in my heart. I can’t let it die without justice! Fifty thousand yuan? Do you think I care about that money? Open your eyes and look! Is there anything I’m wearing that doesn’t cost tens of thousands?"

She glared at Wan Zhongyuan, her face flushed with indignation. Feeling insulted. At the same time, she flaunted her wealth to the nursing home staff. Her demeanor was fierce.

Suddenly, Wan Zhongyuan and the nursing home staff looked at each other in dismay, unsure how to retort. Judging by her clothes, Cheng Chuxiao was indeed from a wealthy family. She didn’t lack the money.

"Xiao Chu, why don’t you ask for a little less? After all, it’s just a dog," an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a cane, suddenly stepped forward and interjected.

"Dad!" Cheng Chuxiao complained upon hearing this. "How can you say that too? What do you mean, ’just a dog’? Binbin was a member of our family! I always treated it as my own. Now that it’s dead, I must get justice for it!"

With that, she turned and stared at Wan Zhongyuan and the others again. Her stance was clear: she wanted the money, or she would call the police immediately. The elderly man who had tried to mediate, his face ashen, simply stopped talking.

"Justice? What justice are you seeking?"

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the reception room. It was Qin Mu. Everyone turned to look. They saw Qin Mu, accompanied by Zhang Qingyuan, walking into the reception room calmly and unhurriedly.

"Well, look who’s finally decided to show up! The culprit! Hurry up and pay the compensation!" Cheng Chuxiao exclaimed, ignoring Qin Mu. Her eyes were fixed firmly on Zhang Qingyuan, as if there was a deep hatred between them.

Zhang Qingyuan glanced at the motionless dog on the floor, his expression a bit unnatural and slightly evasive. No matter how you put it, he was indeed the one who had killed the dog. He could pay compensation, but he couldn’t be a patsy. Besides, it wasn’t entirely his fault; if Cheng Chuxiao hadn’t failed to leash her dog, this wouldn’t have happened.

"Pay compensation? Why should we pay you? You’re the one who should be compensating us," Qin Mu said, stepping forward between them. He spoke unhurriedly, "Bringing a pet into the nursing home is one thing, but letting it roam free without a leash? All the danger originated from your actions. We are now formally demanding ten thousand yuan from you for mental distress, shock, and nutritional supplements. Pay the money, and then you may leave."

He had heard Cheng Chuxiao’s arrogant voice from a distance. Therefore, his words contained no hint of politeness. When others were polite to him, he reciprocated. But with unreasonable and arrogant people, there was no need for courtesy.

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Chuxiao trembled with fury, her face turning crimson. She glared daggers at Qin Mu.

She blurted out, "Who do you think you are? How dare you distort the truth? My dog was killed by him, and now *I* have to pay? Are you joking?"

Once her words fell, the reception room suddenly fell into complete silence. Besides her and her father, Wan Zhongyuan, the nursing home staff, Zhang Qingyuan, Li Weiguo, and the other elderly people all wore expressions of disbelief. Gasps of shock could even be heard. Their gazes, when they looked at Cheng Chuxiao, held a certain admiration, as if she had done something truly awe-inspiring. The sound of everyone’s breathing filled the entire reception room.