I guess you should be a girl. You should have been working for some time now. At first, it seems that you have passed the most difficult period, but now you are still not very satisfied with your work and your relationship with your colleagues and superiors is not very harmonious.
The reason for making such a judgment is that, first of all, from your account, the house is dark, shabby and strange. Generally speaking, a house symbolizes a person's family or inner world, but there doesn't seem to be much meaning about family in your narrative. On the contrary, the feeling of social and interpersonal communication is heavier.
The meaningful characters in the dream are a little girl, a lion and a cow. The little girl didn't like it and was afraid at first, but after getting along, you comforted her and taught her, which seems to be a metaphor for interpersonal relationships. If you are a girl, I think this little girl should symbolize your inner "child's self" as you said, maybe when you were a child, 12 years old? You are dissatisfied with your appearance and personality. In your dream, you are worried that she will hurt you. I think you are actually worried that your "weak self" will be hurt by others. Do you think she doesn't know the way of the world? Perhaps it is also a reflection of your dissatisfaction with your interpersonal and social skills, and you are worried that you will not be able to integrate into the upper circles and be discriminated as a "barbarian"? You said you were afraid of her and pitied her. What you are actually afraid of is that you are as weak and ignorant as her. You pity her. When you appease, comfort and teach her in your dream, you actually care about yourself and hope that you can get care and guidance from the outside world.
The lion seems to symbolize a powerful and dangerous person, or some kind of compulsive pressure. This threat seems daunting, and it is hard for you to get rid of it. Although you have been hiding, there is still nowhere to run. The lion in the dream generally symbolizes a kind of authority and strength, and is often associated with leaders, parents, male chauvinism and power.
I don't quite understand the dream cow. It should be a symbol of someone, or a part of yourself. It seems that although you are scared, you are still trying to protect something, perhaps your subordinates and brothers and sisters. Maybe it's your kind and soft nature? You should ask yourself this question. What comes to your mind first?
Although the tone of this dream seems a little cold and strange, and the mood seems a little fearful and evasive, in the dream you overcame your original fears to some extent and took positive actions to protect yourself and the weaker people from the dangers you encountered. This is still a hopeful and touching dream. Although I finally woke up, I think it was only dreams that enlarged the negative emotions in my life. Dreams are just dreams, and our analysis of dreams is only to better understand ourselves and face life.