Mad Dog Novel

In "Mad Dog" by Yu Siji Ren, young Jiang Qi, a pale and delicate ten-year-old with black hair and light pupils, is constantly injured and reviled due to his father's notoriety. He is ostracized, with whispers of "vile blood" running through his veins, and only Zhi Qi shows him compassion, gently tending to his wounds. Jiang Qi, hardened by his circumstances, confesses that her comfort makes his pain disappear. By high school, he has transformed into Lin Lan's infamous "madman," embracing a reputation for cold ruthlessness. He once told Zhi Qi that his life was akin to a dog's, preferring fear to bullying. Despite his fearsome image, Zhi Qi remains unafraid. Witnessing his suffering, Zhi Qi resolves to heal him, making a rooftop promise on the school that she will marry him when she comes of age. This simple vow, made on a place he shared with her, becomes Jiang Qi's lifeline, pulling him from despair. However, the narrative hints that such salvation is fleeting, suggesting that when his period of grace ends, he will revert to his desolate existence. For Jiang Qi, the name Zhi Qi represents the sole sweetness in his otherwise bleak life.