A yellow dog came running with an iron helmet in its mouth and squatted in front of Dazhuang, wagging its tail happily.

I've seen this dog before.

Many years have passed, and I see it wandering around every time I come back to the village.

"Is Xiaozhuang being good today?" Dazhuang immediately showed a joyful smile, took off the food pouch from its mouth, and lovingly rubbed its head.

"Dazhuang, it's different when you have a wife. You have hot meals every day! And there's meat too!" the old woman under the tree teased.

Dazhuang held the warm food pouch, a rugged man in his fifties, smiling like a blooming young girl.

Oh? With hot meals every day, relatively speaking, Dazhuang's soon-to-be wife should treat him well, right?

Looking at his face filled with joy, he must be very fond of the woman named Achun.

Dazhuang put away the money and sat cross-legged on the ground, happily eating.

The dog Xiaozhuang circled around him a few times, then used its mouth to pick up the scattered vegetables and brought them back to the vegetable stall one by one.

The people gathered around the banyan tree, laughing and cursing, were not as conscientious as a dog.

"Mom..." When I turned around, I realized that my mom had disappeared, probably gone back to the old house.

I was about to go back to urge them to leave when I heard a sharp shout.

"You damn dog!"

I turned around and saw that Xiaozhuang, the dog who was picking vegetables, had somehow run under the eaves and was urinating on the leather shoes hanging there.

It happened in an instant.

The cigarette-smoking Big Green Onion shouted angrily, jumped down from the stone steps, and casually picked up a brick from the ground, smashing it towards Xiaozhuang.

The brick hit Xiaozhuang's abdomen, and it crashed into the corner of the wall, whimpering.

"Xiaozhuang!"

Seeing this, Dazhuang quickly put down the food pouch in his hand and rushed over.

The people around instinctively craned their necks to see.

"You've been peeing in front of my house every day. I've tolerated you for a long time! Watch me kill you today!"

Big Green Onion threw away his cigarette, his expression fierce, and grabbed a pile of firewood stacked against the wall, hitting Xiaozhuang one after another.

"Big Green Onion! Xiaozhuang didn't mean it! Spare it! Spare it!"

Dazhuang rushed over and hugged the injured Xiaozhuang in his arms.

Big Green Onion showed no mercy. Seeing Dazhuang coming to protect Xiaozhuang, his expression became even more ferocious and terrifying as he scolded, "People raise dogs, you raise dogs, and the dogs you raise are all stupid! It's true that they have a father but no mother!"

As he cursed, he put more effort into it, fiercely hitting Dazhuang with each blow.

Now, both the person and the dog were crying, whimpering pitifully.

The neighbors and villagers wanted to intervene but were also afraid of the one called Big Green Onion.

"Stop!" I couldn't help but shout and quickly ran over.

"Woof!" When Xiaozhuang saw its owner being bullied, it suddenly broke free from Dazhuang's embrace and bit Big Green Onion's elbow.

I suddenly stopped in my tracks.

Big Green Onion panicked, dropped the stick, and viciously kicked Xiaozhuang's abdomen, but Xiaozhuang pounced on him and knocked him down to the ground.

"Xiaozhuang, come back!" Dazhuang shouted anxiously.

Xiaozhuang looked back at Dazhuang, and Big Green Onion took the opportunity to break free and run back into the house.

"Xiaozhuang, Xiaozhuang..." Dazhuang stumbled over, frustrated, and patted Xiaozhuang's head, reproaching, "I told you not to be mischievous! I told you not to cause trouble!"

I thought the matter was over, but I saw Big Green Onion, with blooddripping from his elbow, come back out holding a rusty machete in his hand.

The situation escalated quickly as Big Green Onion approached Dazhuang and Xiaozhuang with a menacing look on his face. The villagers gasped in fear, realizing that things were about to take a dangerous turn.

Sensing the imminent danger, Xiaozhuang barked loudly, standing in front of Dazhuang, ready to protect his owner at all costs.

Just as Big Green Onion raised the machete, a stern voice echoed through the air, freezing everyone in their tracks.

"Stop right there!" It was the voice of Old Man Zhang, the village elder known for his wisdom and authority.

Old Man Zhang slowly walked towards the scene, his presence commanding respect. The villagers made way for him, creating a path for him to approach Dazhuang, Xiaozhuang, and Big Green Onion.

"Big Green Onion, put down that machete immediately," Old Man Zhang ordered in a firm tone.

Reluctantly, Big Green Onion hesitated for a moment before dropping the machete to the ground.

Old Man Zhang turned his attention to Dazhuang and Xiaozhuang, who were still trembling with fear. He knelt down and gently patted Xiaozhuang's head.

"You are a loyal and brave dog, Xiaozhuang. You protected your owner when he was in danger. You have shown your loyalty and courage."

Dazhuang's eyes filled with tears as he looked at Old Man Zhang, grateful for his intervention.

Old Man Zhang continued, addressing the crowd, "This incident should serve as a lesson for all of us. Violence and aggression will only bring harm and suffering. We must learn to resolve conflicts peacefully."

The villagers nodded in agreement, realizing the wisdom in Old Man Zhang's words.

Old Man Zhang then turned to Big Green Onion, his gaze stern. "Your actions were unacceptable, and they have caused harm. You will be held accountable for your behavior."

With the support of the villagers, Old Man Zhang ensured that Big Green Onion faced the consequences of his violent actions. The incident served as a turning point for the village, prompting discussions on conflict resolution and the importance of compassion.

As for Xiaozhuang and Dazhuang, their bond grew even stronger through this ordeal. Dazhuang realized the depth of Xiaozhuang's loyalty and bravery, and he vowed to protect him as fiercely as Xiaozhuang had protected him.

The villagers, inspired by Xiaozhuang's courage, began treating their dogs with more kindness and respect, recognizing the loyalty and love these animals bring to their lives.

From that day forward, the village became known for its harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, and the incident with Xiaozhuang became a symbol of bravery and unity.

And so, the story of Xiaozhuang, the yellow dog with an iron helmet, and Dazhuang, the man he protected, was forever etched in the memories of the villagers, reminding them of the power of loyalty, courage, and compassion.