After Ilima comes, He Ming picks up the towel and cleans up. Then he takes his gloves off, flipping them inside out as he does so that the semen is captured safely inside.

"There we are." He Ming pats him with his bare hand and goes to turn off the milking machine. He detaches the suction cups, leaving faint red marks on Ilima's skin. "Let's do one more thing before you go back to your kennel, okay? I need you to be relaxed."

For good measure, he strokes his hand over Ilima's hair before digging through his table of medical equipment. He takes out needles in sterile packaging and a small, yellow plastic tag.