Chapter 97: Neutering Surgery

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Neutering Surgery

The lawsuits surrounding The Patriot didn’t cause even a ripple for Irene.

She had never viewed the other film as a rival. it was simply unnecessary. The two films had vastly different themes, and their audiences barely overlapped. In this industry, no one could ever capture every viewer.

Precisely because of that, she couldn’t understand why Fox was acting as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

During Mean Girls’ initial release, she had still taken time each day to monitor the box office trends. But after the first week, the curve showed no abnormal drops, and there were no bad reviews in the market. She knew she had succeeded again.

Once convinced of that, she put The Patriot out of her mind and threw herself wholeheartedly into the intense preparations for her new project, The Italian Job.

The entire team pushed hard and finally completed all pre-production work before July. They boarded a flight to Venice, heading to yet another battlefield.

At Los Angeles International Airport in early July, Irene wore dark, casual clothing and sunglasses, boarding pass in hand. Vera followed behind with a work bag.

The tension from months of nonstop work eased slightly the moment she stepped onto the jet bridge. The Venice shooting window was right around the corner, every detail finalized. At this moment, she just wanted to catch up on sleep at thirty thousand feet.

She had barely adjusted the first-class seat to lie flat, her eye mask not yet touching her lashes, when a familiar figure walked down the aisle. The profile stopped her short.

"Dr. Loren?" Irene took off her sunglasses, her tone uncertain.

Loren turned at the sound. His gaze swept over the window seat, and when he saw Irene, a bright smile lit his eyes. "Irene, it really is you! What a coincidence."

He walked over quickly, waving his boarding pass. "I thought I’d seen wrong. I didn’t expect to run into you on a flight to Venice."

Seeing that they might want to chat, Vera gave up her seat without hesitation.

Loren sat down in the empty seat next to Irene. A flight attendant thoughtfully handed him warm water. After thanking her, he turned to Irene, his eyes unable to hide his delight.

"Are you going to Venice for work? The preparations for The Italian Job should be finished, right? Last time Lucky had a check-up, you were still talking about rushing the schedule."

Irene was a bit surprised that he remembered those details. She curved her lips into a smile, her tone much softer than it was on set. "Yes, pre-production is all done. Now we’re heading out to shoot the canal scenes. How about you? Are you going for work too?"

"You could say that," Loren said with a smile. "I was invited to Venice University to give a talk on clinical veterinary work, and I’ll also be looking at local animal protection projects. To be honest, I’m not interested in Hollywood affairs. It’s more comfortable dealing with small animals."

He spoke about his career candidly, without disdain, and with a measure of pride. "My father always tries to persuade me to join Fox to help out, but I really can’t get motivated. Compared to film investment, I care more about the rescue of stray animals."

In the vanity fair of Hollywood, it was rare to find someone who could remain so clear-headed and stick to what they loved.

She remembered how affectionate Lucky was every time he saw Loren, and she couldn’t help but laugh. "Lucky still thinks about the treats you gave him. Every time we pass the pet hospital, he claws at the door to look inside."

"Then next time you’re back, I’ll save his favorite freeze-dried treats for him." The smile in Loren’s eyes deepened. He shifted the topic slightly, with a bit of anticipation and careful probing.

"Come to think of it, I’ve always been curious about what a film set is like, especially the action movies you direct. Since we ran into each other, I wonder if I might have the honor of visiting your set? Just watching from afar. I absolutely won’t disturb your work."

Irene paused. Her mind flashed to Loren’s identity: the son of Fox’s CEO.

He had no ambition for Hollywood, and from their few interactions, he was gentle and knew his boundaries. His request came from pure curiosity, with no ulterior motives.

Besides, Fox was also an investor in The Italian Job. If he wanted to watch the filming, she had no reason to refuse.

She looked up at Loren, a bright smile in her eyes. "Of course. Once we’re settled and shooting is on track, I’ll have Vera contact you. But let’s agree beforehand: the set can be chaotic, and you’ll need to keep quiet during filming."

"Thank you so much!" Loren couldn’t hide his excitement, his tone lightening. "Don’t worry, I’ll follow the rules. I’ll just consider it learning up close. Actually, I’ve always admired how you persist in making the movies you want to make in Hollywood, and how successfully you’ve done it."

The compliment was sincere, without any greasy flattery, and a trace of happiness bubbled up in Irene’s heart.

She suddenly thought of Lucky and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "By the way, Dr. Loren, Lucky has been getting naughtier lately. When we go for walks, he always chases after other dogs and actively goes up to sniff their butts. He was never this enthusiastic before. Is it because the little male dog has reached his estrus period?"

A gentle smile appeared in Loren’s eyes, and he explained patiently. "An eight- or nine-month-old male dog has indeed reached the early stage of sexual maturity. This kind of active social behavior and territorial marking will increase. It can be considered a precursor to his estrus period."

"But there’s no need to worry too much. It’s their nature. In the long run, though, it can lead to anxiety, marking territory everywhere, or even fighting with other male dogs." He paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"Actually, you could consider having him undergo a procedure."

Irene was stunned for a moment and didn’t react immediately. "A procedure? What kind of procedure?"

"An orchiectomy, also known as neutering," Loren explained as simply as possible. "It’s not the crude genital amputation you might be imagining. It’s a minimally invasive surgery to remove the testicles and fundamentally suppress the secretion of hormones related to estrus. The surgery is very routine and has a high safety profile."

Fearing Irene might have concerns, he added, "Lucky’s physical condition is perfect for it right now, and he’ll recover very quickly. With anesthesia, he won’t feel any pain during the process, and with proper anti-inflammatory care after surgery, he’ll be running and jumping normally in about a week."

Irene frowned. She had never owned a dog before, and she felt some hesitation.

She remembered Lucky’s furry head rubbing against her palm and his tail wagging rapidly when he was happy. Her tone carried a bit of hesitation. "I hadn’t thought about this. I just feel—wouldn’t it be too cruel to him? Will it affect his mental state after the surgery?"

"Don’t worry. There are almost no negative behavioral effects after a male dog is neutered. On the contrary, he’ll be more docile and steady, and he’ll be spared the anxiety and torment of the estrus period," Loren’s voice was firm and thoughtful.

He took a small brochure out of his bag and handed it to Irene. "This has the detailed process for neutering a male dog and key points for post-operative care.

You can take a look. No need to rush into a decision. When you return from Venice, contact me anytime if you have thoughts. I’ll give Lucky a comprehensive check-up first, and then we can arrange a suitable time for the surgery."

Irene took the brochure, her fingertips brushing over the pet care tips printed on it, and her internal concerns gradually eased. She looked up at Loren, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Loren. I do need to think about it carefully. I’ll contact you when I get back."

Loren nodded with a smile and didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he shifted to talking about a few alleys in Los Angeles that were good for walking dogs and some pet-friendly cafés.

Irene listened attentively, occasionally interjecting a few words. She wanted to take Lucky out to romp once she was back from Venice and work wasn’t so urgent.