"Young Master" the Pure-hearted Red Poodle's Farewell Reflections

In the previous article, we mentioned the pure-hearted red poodle named "Young Master". He had a unique perspective on his sister's decision to let him rest early, sparing him from further suffering:

"Sister, although for a moment I felt it was such a pity and regret to leave this way, once I accepted the reality, I returned to joy. I no longer have to face the even more humiliating days ahead."

He added thoughtfully:

"Sister helped me skip over the hardest part like a game of checkers — that's also a way."
"Because I know that after leaving, I will reunite with my wife, 'Little Sister.' I also want to keep my dignity!"

Determined to keep his dignity and act like a gentleman, "Young Master" insisted on standing even when his hind legs were too weak, forcing himself up despite only being able to lie down. After narrowly surviving the risks of old-age tooth extraction, the vet advised feeding him by hand. Yet, he stubbornly insisted on eating by himself. His sister recalled feeling both touched and heartbroken by his stubbornness and pride, often scolding him gently. Only now does she understand that all his insistence was to preserve some dignity for the day he would reunite with "Little Sister" in heaven.

When his sister asked,

"On Little Sister's seventh day after passing, she came back as a golden blowfly to see me. Why didn't you come back as a little animal too?"

Young Master replied:

"I don't know what to turn into because I'm afraid you'd scold me for coming back as an unlovable little creature."
"The pretty color Little Sister chose isn't here, and I don't want to become 'that' (a blowfly)."
"I'd rather choose a way you can't see, so I can keep participating in your life."
"Because I'm afraid if you sense me, you'll remember that day at the hospital and feel even sadder."

This last sentence truly touched his sister's heart, bringing her to tears:

"The last look he gave me in the clinic on the day we said goodbye—I really can't bear to think about it."

Then, as if recalling something, Young Master suddenly asked:

"Sister, I can't remember if I had my last meal?"
"My mouth hurt so badly (my jaw was fractured). Did I not get to enjoy my final meal?"

Before his sister could answer, he suggested she prepare his last meal as usual, but quickly clarified:

"Eating is the greatest joy of the body. I want to savor the pleasure of the flesh one more time."
"I also hope that after you've carefully prepared it, you can close your eyes and remember how I used to enjoy my food. Let that be our farewell ritual, to ease your worries and fulfill my wish."

His sister gladly agreed—who wouldn't want to do a little more for their beloved pet's final moments? She just hoped he wouldn't ask for too much.

Curious, she continued to ask, "Did you receive the ingots and paper money?"

Young Master replied warmly:

"Yes, I want to use them to build a house in heaven, one just like our home, because I miss everyone so much."
"But I'm a bit greedy and want more."
(He hesitated for a moment, then changed his mind and said)
"Just burn them for me 'irregularly and in no fixed amount.'"
"When I can expand the house here, I want to take in other animals' souls just like you do, sister, and share half the blessings with Little Sister!"

The phrase "irregularly and in no fixed amount" made his sister laugh out loud. She told me that originally he wanted to say "regularly and in fixed amounts" but swallowed the words back. What started as a conversation expected to be filled with tears ended with his sister laughing and saying, "He really is a handful."

Among many after-death communications, Young Master is one of the few who made concrete requests to his sister, though most of his thoughts still centered on his wife, Little Sister. No wonder his sister said, "He truly was himself."