【Samoyed is lower than Corgi】
It wasn’t without reason that Mother Lu chose a Samoyed. That pure white fur, coupled with an expression that always seemed to be smiling, truly lived up to the reputation of the “angelic smile”.
Although Samoyeds weren’t considered an overly expensive breed and were famously mischievous, destructive, and prone to tearing up homes, their undeniable charm lay in their high visual appeal. A soft, fluffy little ball of fur was enough to captivate Mother Lu at first sight, making it impossible for her to let go.
When properly raised, a Samoyed could be beautiful from puppyhood to adulthood. However, the young Zuo Ning, still in his adorable puppy stage, seemed to have no awareness of his own cuteness. At this moment, he was tilting his tiny head slightly, gazing up at Lu Chenghe with big, shiny black eyes, his mouth slightly ajar with a hint of his soft pink tongue visible.
That obedient sitting posture, coupled with the way his little paw was held out in a pleading gesture, could soften even the hardest of hearts. Even Lu Chenghe, who was as cold as iron, had to admit that this little creature was indeed somewhat endearing.
However, despite the puppy’s adorable demeanor, Lu Chenghe’s expression remained unmoved. At best, his internal disdain for this small troublemaker diminished slightly. Yet, he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind the actions of this little puppy, who had only been by his side for a few hours. With no other choice, he called for the butler.
Before long, the butler appeared outside the door with a small cart. But even the butler wouldn’t casually enter Lu Chenghe’s study, especially when the cart he was pushing carried items meant for the puppy.
The butler couldn’t fathom the idea of a dog relieving itself in the master’s study. Even though Lu Chenghe wasn’t excessively germaphobe, he likely wouldn’t tolerate such a thing either. Thus, the butler arranged the puppy’s toilet, food bowl, and other items neatly in the hallway outside, ready for the puppy to use as needed.
Seeing that the butler had everything prepared, Lu Chenghe picked up the puppy by the scruff of its neck and placed it on the ground. Freed from Lu Chenghe’s hold, Zuo Ning immediately dashed toward the doorway, his fluffy white fur bouncing with each step. The fresh, clean fragrance wafting from him was carried in the air as he trotted along on his stubby little legs, exuding a cheerful energy. The two young maids standing outside couldn’t help but be smitten by his cuteness, their eyes practically sparkling.
Unfortunately, this was the master’s pet. No matter how much they adored it, they couldn’t simply play with it as they pleased.
Zuo Ning, who had never owned a dog before transforming into one, had no idea that something like a dog toilet even existed. The device—a large mesh platform that he could roll around on several times—was lined with absorbent pads beneath and even had a small post in the middle, presumably for male dogs to lift their legs on.
With his limited understanding, Zuo Ning had only ever seen newspapers used for this purpose. This professionally designed setup had left him utterly dumbfounded when he first encountered it. If he hadn’t been able to understand human speech, he might have mistaken the oversized mesh tray for a ventilated bed and tried to sleep on it.
For now, he ignored the embarrassing toilet and headed straight for the food bowl. Inside was some prepared dog food, softened with goat milk. The texture and smell were tolerable, but the taste was utterly bland. However, as someone who had lost all human rights, Zuo Ning could only accept his fate. After all, dogs under a roof had no choice but to bow their heads.
Trotting over to the food bowl, Zuo Ning instinctively glanced back. Seeing the man leaning against the sofa watching him, he quickly turned his head away and began eating reluctantly. His soft pink tongue flicked out, rolling up a few pieces of dog food along with the milky liquid. Unfortunately, the back molars of dogs weren’t particularly dense, so the tiny pieces of dog food sometimes slipped out of place, forcing him to open his mouth and use his tongue to push them back.
To Zuo Ning, who used to be human, eating in this open-mouthed manner was incredibly unrefined. But to the person observing him, this serious and focused little puppy, occasionally tilting its head while chewing, was utterly adorable.
Lu Chenghe, seated on the study’s sofa, tilted his head slightly as he watched for a moment. The little fluff ball ate so diligently, unlike some dogs that devoured their food in a frenzy. His own puppy ate neatly and obediently, well within his tolerance range. Summoning the butler with a wave of his hand, he said, “Bring it inside.” His mother’s words still lingered in his mind. As long as it remained within his acceptable boundaries, he didn’t mind humoring her wishes.
The butler immediately understood and, with one hand scooping up the puppy and the other carrying the food bowl, walked into the study. One of the maids quickly grabbed a blanket from the cart and spread it on the floor before the butler set down the puppy and its food bowl. The butler had assumed that the young master would place the dog by his feet, but to his surprise, Lu Chenghe patted the seat beside him on the sofa. And so, Zuo Ning was forced back into his original spot.
Seeing the little fluff ball staring blankly at the food bowl, seemingly unsure of what to do, Lu Chenghe reached out and gently tapped the puppy’s head with his fingertip, nudging it toward the bowl. Zuo Ning licked the fur at the edge of his mouth, realizing that the man really expected him to eat right here on the sofa in the study. Resigned, he lowered his head and started eating again. As he ate, he subtly shifted his position, trying to avoid facing Lu Chenghe directly. Eating under that piercing gaze made him feel unbearably pressured.
The butler noticed that the young master didn’t seem averse to the puppy and appeared to have a reasonably positive impression of it. Otherwise, no matter how much Madam tried to insist, the young master wouldn’t have given in if he truly didn’t want to. Smiling, the butler said, “Madam has excellent taste. She picked out such a well-behaved and smart little pup. Ever since Little Pudding was brought home, it’s already figured out where to relieve itself without needing specific training. It doesn’t overeat, doesn’t bark, or make a fuss—it’s naturally obedient. With a little more training, it’ll probably grow up to be very well-mannered.”
Lu Chenghe didn’t comment, but he maintained his skepticism about the breed of this puppy his mother had chosen. After all, it had only been two or three days since the dog was brought home. It hadn’t even fully adapted to its environment yet. At two months old, it was still too young to reveal its true nature. The real test would come as it grew older. However, he understood that training needed to start early; otherwise, bad habits could be hard to correct later.
“Find a professional dog trainer and hire a private veterinarian,” Lu Chenghe instructed, his eyes scanning the little puppy from head to tail. Then he added, “Isn’t it a bit too fat?” When standing on all fours, its belly was nearly touching the ground. This was a Samoyed, not a short-legged Corgi. Being overweight was definitely not good for a dog’s health.
Zuo Ning, in the middle of struggling to swallow a mouthful of dog food, paused slightly. Fat? Was he being called fat? He was already eating so miserably every day, and now he was being accused of being overweight? Could life as a dog get any harder?
This household had never owned a dog before. Though the butler had crammed some knowledge about pets over the past few days, he wasn’t exactly an expert. While the puppy did seem a little plump, wasn’t it normal for puppies to be chubby at this age? However, since the young master had brought it up, the butler didn’t dare give a casual answer. If the puppy’s weight did indeed affect its health and it ended up dying, Madam would be heartbroken.
The butler responded dutifully, “Young master, don’t worry. I’ll hire a professional in this field as soon as possible. If it’s overweight, we’ll implement a training plan to help it slim down.”
Lu Chenghe nodded and then asked, “Is its name Little Pudding?”
The butler quickly explained, “Yes, young master. Madam said the puppy’s white fur looked just like a bowl of cream pudding. At the time she mentioned this, the puppy seemed to respond by glancing at her. That’s how the name was decided.”
As Zuo Ning continued to quietly eat his dog food, his mind was filled with frustration. Back then, he had just come to terms with his new identity. When the lady holding him made a comment that seemed directed at him, he instinctively looked up. Who would’ve thought that simple glance would land him with such a ridiculous name? He had even quickly checked his legs afterward to confirm he was still male before he could relax.
Lu Chenghe was silent for a few moments, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, “Little Pudding, then. As long as Mom likes it.”
The butler, having caught the faint disdain in Lu Chenghe’s tone regarding the name, remained quiet, standing discreetly to the side. Meanwhile, Zuo Ning, who also sensed the dislike, suddenly lost his appetite for the dog food. First, he was called fat, and now his name was deemed ridiculous. What could he do about it? He felt utterly hopeless!
After an unpleasant meal, Zuo Ning wasn’t granted freedom. Instead, he was given a bone that seemed perfectly sized for him. The bone wasn’t real but gave off an enticing aroma. However, it was tough to chew. Each bite released a meaty scent but no actual flavor.
Zuo Ning had heard the butler mention that this chew toy was custom-made specifically to match the bite strength of a two-month-old puppy. The materials used were of the highest quality, completely digestible even if chewed to bits and swallowed. At the time, Zuo Ning had sighed deeply—truly, sometimes a dog’s life seemed better than a human’s.
As Zuo Ning played on the sofa, the man who had spent the afternoon reading books finally moved to the desk to work on his computer. The man and the dog coexisted in a quiet and relatively harmonious atmosphere. Zuo Ning thought to himself that if life could continue at this level of comfort, it might not be so bad.
However, there were always people who adored puppies for their soft, cute, and cuddly appearance but abandoned them once they grew up or lost the novelty of keeping a dog.
In the past, Zuo Ning had felt annoyed at such behavior but had ultimately dismissed it as none of his business. Now, he truly understood the saying, “A dog is but a passing companion in a human’s life, but to a dog, a human is its entire world”.
While handling emails, Lu Chenghe casually glanced at the sofa and noticed that the puppy, which had been enthusiastically gnawing on its chew toy moments ago, was now lying motionless, seemingly in low spirits. He paused briefly, then closed his laptop and stood up.
Hearing the movement, Zuo Ning raised his head. The man’s towering figure seemed to magnify endlessly until it was directly before him. Startled, Zuo Ning quickly got up and sat obediently, his posture extremely well-behaved.
Lu Chenghe reached out and picked him up, placing him on the ground. Glancing down, he instructed, “Follow me.”
Zuo Ning hurriedly trotted after him, his short legs moving quickly as he carefully maintained a safe distance, afraid of being accidentally stepped on. He followed Lu Chenghe to the staircase but had no choice but to stop. The reason was simple—those marble steps were far too tall for his current size. One wrong move, and he might roll straight down.
Lu Chenghe hadn’t expected the little short legs to manage the stairs anyway. Although Samoyeds weren’t a small breed, and even at two months old, this puppy wasn’t tiny, navigating the stairs was still beyond it for now. Seeing the puppy stop at the edge, Lu Chenghe naturally reached down and picked it up.
Zuo Ning, who had only been lifted by this man in a utilitarian manner earlier that afternoon, was utterly stunned. The sudden upgrade in treatment was so shocking that it left him dazed. It wasn’t until he was set back down on the ground that he exhaled a long, relieved breath.
He continued to follow Lu Chenghe, turning corner after corner until his sensitive nose caught a whiff of human food. Only then did Zuo Ning realize it was mealtime. At that moment, his puppy eyes gleamed brightly. His heart shamelessly began plotting. If he acted cute enough, could he possibly beg for a share of the food?
