“Fang Xinzhong called the police, what should we do?” Sun Bingren jumped up, shouting in anger. Zhao Ke panicked too, “Brother Xu, we haven’t got the money yet, those workers won’t let us go.” “Fang Xinzhong, that bastard, I’ll make him regret this.” Xu Youcai rushed over, grabbed Fang Yating, and started to leave. Fang Yating had just woken up from her faint, and seeing this, she screamed in terror, “Let me go, let me go, you big bad wolf, help me!” “Brother Xu, where are you taking her?” Zhao Ke asked. Xu Youcai said, “To the rooftop. If Fang Xinzhong doesn’t pay up, I’ll throw his daughter off the building.” After saying that, he hoisted Fang Yating over his shoulder and walked out. Song Ming, startled awake, saw Song Yating being taken away. He got up, rushed over, and fiercely collided with Xu Youcai. Xu Youcai nearly fell from the impact, and upon seeing it was Song Ming, he shoved him away hard, “This doesn’t concern you, kid. Stay put, and once your dad brings the medicine, I’ll let you go. Don’t meddle.” “Let her go!” Song Ming shouted. Xu Youcai was surprised by the audacity of a mere child, but he wasn’t about to be intimidated by one. Ignoring Song Ming, he instructed Zhao Ke and Sun Bingren to keep him in check while he took Fang Yating upstairs. “Let her go, let her go!” Song Ming roared, shaking off Zhao Ke and Sun Bingren, and quickly chased after them, biting Xu Youcai’s arm fiercely. Xu Youcai, in pain, let go, and Fang Yating fell to the ground. Song Ming didn’t release his bite; he clung to Xu Youcai’s arm, almost tearing off a piece of flesh. “Damn brat, are you a dog?” Xu Youcai pushed him away, clutching his bleeding arm in anger. Song Ming was knocked down but quickly got up, pulling the terrified Fang Yating to run outside. “Don’t let them escape!” Xu Youcai shouted at Zhao Ke and Sun Bingren. The two hurried after them, almost catching up when suddenly, a dog appeared from nowhere, blocking their path. It was a golden retriever, growling menacingly. They recognized it as Song Ming’s dog, which had unexpectedly followed and now stood in their way. “Get lost, beast!” Sun Bingren grabbed a stick from the ground and swung it at Gu Shihan. Gu Shihan dodged and then lunged at him, biting his arm. Sun Bingren screamed in pain and shook off the dog. Gu Shihan landed on the ground, yelping in pain. “Xiao Han!” Song Ming turned back at the sound of the dog’s yelp, saw Gu Shihan in pain, and let go of Fang Yating to rush over. “Brother Song Ming!” Fang Yating called out in panic. Song Ming said, “Yating, run!” He then tackled Zhao Ke, who was about to hit Gu Shihan. Fang Yating realized she would only be a burden, so she decided to run and find help. “My hand’s going to break,” Zhao Ke screamed in pain, pushing Song Ming away. Song Ming fell to the ground just as Xu Youcai caught up, grabbing him and seeing Fang Yating had escaped. Enraged, he slapped Song Ming, “Brat, you let that girl escape. Now you’re the one we’ll use to get the money.” The police had arrived, their sirens blaring outside. Xu Youcai told Zhao Ke and Sun Bingren, “Upstairs.” They immediately took Song Ming to the rooftop. Gu Jinghan, struggling to his feet, dashed forward and bit Xu Youcai’s thigh. “Ah, you damned dog!” Xu Youcai, in agony, knelt on the ground, flinging Song Ming away. Zhao Ke and Sun Bingren, now furious, picked up sticks and started beating Gu Jinghan. The blows rained down, but Gu Jinghan refused to let go of Xu Youcai, determined to protect Song Ming even if it meant his death. “Don’t hit Xiao Han, stop hitting him!” Song Ming got up, grabbed a stick, and wildly swung at Sun Bingren and Zhao Ke, knocking them down. They were stunned; two grown men had been overpowered by a child. They watched as Song Ming, eyes red and full of fury, looked like a wild beast protecting itself. Gu Jinghan released Xu Youcai, limped over to Song Ming, and gently licked his hand, trying to comfort him. Song Ming slowly stopped, looking at the dog trying to soothe him through its pain, his heart ached, tears streaming down his face, “If I could, I’d trade my life for my mom’s. I don’t want her to die, I want her to live…” Gu Jinghan, feeling his pain, licked away his tears, reassuring him, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you, my little master.” Xu Youcai and the others didn’t move forward, moved by the scene before them. The police rushed in, apprehending the trio. Song Shiguang handed over the medicine to Xu Youcai and then ran to his son, “Ming, Dad’s here, I’ve made it, I’ve finally made it…” “Dad, I’m so useless, I couldn’t save Mom. If I had been braver, if I had charged in, if I had taken that knife, Mom wouldn’t have died. It’s my fault…” Song Ming cried in his father’s arms, consumed by guilt. Song Shiguang hugged his son tightly, tears streaming down, “It’s not your fault, not your fault. Your mom wouldn’t want you to risk yourself. The person she most wanted to protect was you, Ming. Don’t blame yourself anymore, okay? Your mom was always helping others; she was the kindest person in the world. I believe you’re just like her, a good, kind-hearted child, right? Look, you saved your classmate and Xiao Han; you’re a little hero.” That year, when he developed the special anticancer drug, it was reported on TV. Zhao Zhilai, whose wife had cancer, saw the news but couldn’t afford the expensive treatment, so in desperation, he disguised himself as a courier, kidnapped Song Shiguang’s wife, and demanded the medicine. Song Shiguang rushed home with the drug, but while he was still on the way, Zhao Zhilai received a call from the hospital; his wife had passed away. Devastated, Zhao Zhilai wanted to end his life, but his wife, trying to save him, grabbed for the knife in the chaos, and it pierced her body. Song Ming, coming home from school, witnessed this, leaving a lasting shadow on him. “Brother Song Ming, thank you for saving me. You’re Yating’s hero!” Fang Yating came over, smiling with gratitude. Gu Jinghan also approached, licking Song Ming’s hand, “Woof woof.” You’re my hero too, little master.
Song Ming looked at Fang Yating, then at Gu Shihan, and then turned to his father, saying, “I will, I will be like mom, be a kind person, and I will make mom proud!” “Good child, you are already the pride of both your father and me,” Song Shiguang praised with tears in his eyes. After this incident, Song Ming completely emerged from the shadow. He and Fang Yating slowly recovered from their illnesses and then enrolled in a normal school. Although Gu Shihan completed his mission, due to severe injuries, he could no longer work as a healing dog and thus stayed with the Song family. Eight years later, Gu Shihan passed away of old age, and Song Ming tearfully bid him farewell. “Brother Song Ming, don’t be sad, I believe Xiao Han will watch over you in another world,” said Fang Yating, now sixteen, tall and graceful, as she squatted down to comfort Song Ming by holding his shoulders. Song Ming nodded, “I will always remember him, it was him who pulled me out of hell during the darkest time of my life, giving me light and a beautiful belief.” Song Ming, also sixteen, had grown tall and handsome, having skipped grades to finish university. He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue a graduate degree in medicine. “I will remember him too,” Fang Yating said. Song Ming turned to look at her, “And you too.” Fang Yating smiled.
