A little over ten minutes later, Renee Jennings stood panting, a bag of meat in her hand, as she watched Shadow.
The countdown showed only eight minutes left.
Renee tried tossing a piece of meat into the corner.
As expected, Shadow reacted, turning his head to stare at the piece of meat in the corner.
Renee threw another piece.
Shadow instantly darted over, pinning the meat with his front paws and starting to tear into it.
Seeing her chance, Renee threw out all the meat in the bag and hurried to the trash can. She lifted the lid, revealing a small, grimy face and a putrid, overwhelming stench.
"I'm sorry, Auntie." The little girl's clear eyes were filled with fear, and her voice trembled. "I didn't mean to misbehave. When you spank me, can you be a little gentle?"
Renee pinched her nose, her brows furrowed tightly. "Just get down from there first."
"I'm coming down right now!" Jasmine stood up unsteadily, only to find that the box she had used as a step was gone.
When she still hadn't come down after a moment, Renee asked, "Are you planning to live in there?"
"No, no." The little one immediately shook her head, pleading in a tiny, sweet voice, "Please don't be mad, Auntie."
As Renee watched her try to climb down cautiously, she realized the bin was a bit too high for a child.
She felt a pang of awkwardness but still reached out and lifted the smelly little girl out of the trash can.
[System 009: Miss Jennings, congratulations on completing the novice mission. You have received the Dog Dictionary and a reward of one million. The cash has been deposited into your bank account.]
Renee put Jasmine down and pulled out her phone. She saw a text message notification: a deposit of one million, bringing her new balance to ¥1,001,578.
'It's real money!'
'This system is actually pretty useful.'
The corners of Renee's mouth lifted into a smile. She was in a wonderful mood.
'So this is what it feels like to have a million.'
Even the grimy little kid was starting to look more pleasant.
"Come on, I'll take you to get cleaned up."
Renee got a hotel room for Jasmine to take a bath, all the while planning how she would spend her one million.
'First, I'll buy a few designer bags!'
'No.'
'That's not right.'
'I can't be vain and materialistic. I can't let the plot control me, or it'll just lead to a dead end.'
The ringing of her phone interrupted her thoughts.
When she saw the caller ID, Renee's heart suddenly tightened—
Jaden Forrest!
'The memory from her dream of him torturing her until she was a shadow of her former self made her scalp tingle with fear.'
She hit the mute button and placed the phone face down on the table, starting to wonder if Jaden Forrest would spare her life if she took the initiative to confess and tell him the truth.
"Auntie."
Jasmine came out of the bathroom after her shower, still wearing her dirty clothes.
Renee: "..."
She pressed a hand to her forehead. "I'll go buy you a new set of clothes. You wait here for me."
As Renee stood waiting for the elevator, her phone rang again. She froze instantly.
She thought it was Jaden Forrest calling, but when she saw the name "Diana Jennings," she let out a sigh of relief.
As soon as she answered, she heard an anxious voice on the other end.
"Renee, where's Jasmine?"
Renee replied, "She's in the room."
The person on the other end clearly relaxed. "Okay, that's good. As long as she's okay."
Renee gripped her phone tightly. "Sis... why are you suddenly asking?"
Diana didn't hide anything, explaining, "Renee, I received a text message saying Jasmine was missing."
Renee was silent for a few seconds.
Diana quickly added, "Renee, don't be mad. I'm not suspecting you didn't watch her properly..."
"It's fine, it's fine," Renee said with a light laugh. "I'll bring her back in a little while."
After that, she hung up and stepped into the elevator car.
Staring at the changing numbers on the floor display, a grave expression settled over Renee's fair face.
'Who sent Diana that message?'
'I definitely didn't tell anyone about my plan to 'lose' Jasmine on purpose, not even Michelle Fuller.'
**
At eleven-thirty that night, Renee brought Jasmine home.
In the cramped living room, Diana said softly, "Renee, you don't have to buy Jasmine new clothes next time. Keep the money for yourself. Thank you for your hard work taking care of her today."
Renee gazed at the woman's gentle, makeup-free face, a mix of complex emotions and guilt churning inside her.
'She had been controlled by the plot, always jealous and resentful of Diana.'
'But Diana had always been so good to her.'
Zane led his sister into the room, whispering with concern, "Jasmine, how many times did you get spanked today? Does it hurt?"
Jasmine shook her little head. "Auntie didn't hit me."
Zane's eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying Auntie didn't spank you today?"
'Auntie is so mean, how could she not spank my sister?'
Jasmine said in her childish voice, "Yeah, Auntie didn't hit me at all today."
Zane's little eyebrows furrowed into a wavy line. He thought seriously for a few seconds before reaching a conclusion: "It must be because Auntie's hand hurt today!"
"Zane, Jasmine, come out and see your auntie off," Diana's gentle voice called into the room.
"Okay, Mom." Zane had no choice but to lead his sister back into the living room.
Renee noticed that when the little boy looked at her, his big, clear eyes were filled with hostility and rejection.
She said softly, "I'll be going now."
The apartment Diana rented was in an old residential building with no elevator. By ten o'clock, almost all the lights were out. There was no one on the street, only a few dogs lying under the dim yellow glow of the streetlights.
Renee's second-hand red BMW was parked at the entrance of the complex.
After getting in the car, she transferred 200,000 to Diana's bank account.
She fastened her seatbelt and was about to start the car when a sudden cry broke the surrounding silence.
"Joyce, there's danger!"
Renee turned her head to look out the car window.
A young woman with short hair was walking a guide dog, holding a white cane in her other hand.
A man in a gray hoodie and a face mask was following closely behind her.
Renee assumed they were together, but as she was about to drive away, she heard another voice.
"Joyce, a male two-legger has been following you!"
Renee's hand on the steering wheel froze.
'Is that... the guide dog talking?'
'But I definitely couldn't understand Shadow earlier tonight.'
[System 009: Miss Jennings, this is the reward for completing the novice mission.]
Renee thought for a moment. "The Dog Dictionary?"
[System 009: Correct.]
Renee asked blankly, "What am I supposed to do with the ability to understand dogs?"
System 009: [It can give you an affinity with dogs.]
Renee: "Why?"
[System 009: Because the villainess has no one who likes her.]
Renee: "..."
The guide dog's voice came again—
"Joyce, there's danger! WHIMPER WHIMPER WHIMPER!"
"Go away! Stop following Joyce!"
The guide dog barked at the masked man.
Renee started to drive away, catching a glimpse of the short-haired girl's serene face in her rearview mirror.
After a few seconds of contemplation, she slammed on the brakes, the tires making a harsh sound as they scraped against the pavement.
SCREECH—
"Someone save Joyce!" the guide dog, K, cried out helplessly.
Renee got out of the car. Her high heels clicked as she walked toward the short-haired girl, her gaze fixed on the man behind her.
Ignoring the warning in the man's eyes, she said to the short-haired girl, "Hello, Joyce. There's something I need to tell you."
The short-haired girl stopped, her expression full of confusion. "Do you know me?"
The guide dog, K, looked at Renee and pleaded urgently, "Please, save Joyce! That male has been following her this whole time!"