Ms. Hong never thought she would ever love a dog. In fact, she was once afraid of them. But that all changed when she met a black, wrinkled puppy curled up in the corner of a university dormitory garden over a year ago. Her daughter introduced the puppy to her, and although Ms. Hong was hesitant at first, she decided to take the puppy home and give it a chance.

“When I first saw him, I thought he was a bad dog. I just couldn’t take care of him,” Ms. Hong recalled. “But my daughter told me that just because a dog is ugly doesn’t mean it should be ignored. That made sense to me. And taking care of him has been fun. It’s like raising a child.”

The puppy, whom she named Fat Su, was described by Ms. Hong as “wrinkled like a hippopotamus” when he was still a tiny puppy. But as he grew older and more intelligent, he became a loyal companion to Ms. Hong, following her wherever she went. She would wake up early every morning to cook him porridge, feed him spoonfuls, and give him milk to drink. In the evening, they would cuddle together and whisper stories to each other.

Over time, Ms. Hong grew to love Fat Su as if he were her own daughter. She even bought him a wardrobe of pants, shirts, and hats with all the colors of hundreds of flowers blooming to dress up with her friends. And as more and more fans around the neighborhood bought gifts for Su, he became more and more stylish.

But it wasn’t just his fashion sense that made Fat Su special. Ms. Hong described him as “smart and gentle.” He played with friends in the neighborhood, even though he only had four teeth. And when he was bitten by a friend, he never bit back. “You know what,” Ms. Hong said, laughing, “he doesn’t have teeth.”

Despite his lovable personality and charming wardrobe, someone once offered Ms. Hong 200 million VND to buy Fat Su. For an ordinary worker like Ms. Hong, the amount of money was tempting, but she refused to sell him.

“Seriously, how can I not sell out of love!” she exclaimed.

Fat Su’s presence in Ms. Hong’s life has brought her so much joy and comfort. He has become a part of her family, and she cannot imagine her life without him. “My birth parents have never seen a dog that is so ugly. At that time, I thought he was a freak,” Ms. Hong laughed as she recalled the first time she met Fat Su. “But now, we’re like blood. Wherever I go, he follows.”

As Ms. Hong and Fat Su continue to live their happy life together, she cannot help but feel grateful for the unexpected gift that fate had brought her. She may have been hesitant at first, but she has no regrets about taking Fat Su home and giving him a chance at a happy life.